BROTHERLY KINDNESS.

Lo! the poor pilgrim bends beneath his load,
And travels wearily his length'ning road;
Contempt's vast weight, back'd by afflictions sore,
Incline him now to give his journey o'er ;
With groaning sick, with labour faint he stops,
And on the pathway tottering, almost drops:
But ere he prostrate falls, relief is near,
Two brethren of the Christian band appear;
Their cheerful aid they speedily impart,
To ease his burden, and relieve his heart;
His willing shoulder each one runs to lend,
And on he travels to his journey's end.

Look at the poor pilgrim. Awhile ago he was bending beneath his burden, unaided, unpitied, and alone. Almost pressed to the earth, he would fain have given his journey over. His heart was

sick within him; his bones were wearied; he thought he would lay him down and die. But before he sunk under the pressure, he saw two friends coming towards him. He endeavours now to hold out a little longer. Presently they arrive, and give him a friendly salutation. They do not, like the Levite, pass by on the other side; at once they hasten to his relief; each one puts his shoulder to the burden. Now it is lighter; the poor man draws breath; they encourage him with kind words, but still more with

F

their efficient help. Nor do they leave him until he arrives at the end of his journey.

This is a good emblem of Brotherly Kindness. The burdened pilgrim represents the Christian travelling on in the way of duty, bearing affliction and contempt. Afflictions such as are common to men press heavily upon him; contempt and tribulation, peculiar to those who will live godly in Christ Jesus, almost overwhelm him. His soul is among lions; he is ready to sink beneath his burden. His head is sick, his heart is faint. He says, "I shall one day fall by my enemies; I may as well give up first as last." Just now some Christian brethren-signified by the pilgrim's two friends abovehearing of his circumstances, call upon him, find out his trouble, and immediately propose to help him. They furnish him with pecuniary aid, assist him with their prayers and counsel, and, being the disciples of Jesus, they resolve to bear a part of the reproach of Christ. They unite with their afflicted brother in stemming the torrent of wickedness that runs down the streets, and in advancing the kingdom of God on the earth. All this sympathy and aid makes a new man of him; he again lifts up his head, and goes on his way rejoicing.

The blessed Redeemer established His cross on the earth as the rallying-point for all hearts, that, being softened there by divine ove, they might be united to God, and that, being divested there of all selfishness, they might be united to each other in the bonds of a holy, loving brotherhood. "A new commandment," said the Saviour, "give I unto you, that ye love one another." Hence the words of the apostle, " Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

Even under the Jewish dispensation it was ordained that “if thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, thou shalt surely help him."

How much better is a man than a beast! and, compared with the Jew's, how much more powerful is the weight of the Christian's obligation!

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love!
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

"Without shedding of blood there is no remission."-HEB. ix. 22. We have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sin."-COL. i. 14.

DIVINE LOVE AND JUSTICE.

Behold where Justice, with her sword raised high,
In words that echo through the trembling sky,
Demands, in virtue of the Law's just right,
That man should perish in eternal night.
Pale, trembling, fearful, see the culprit stand,
Nor dares to hope deliverance at hand.

On wings of grace, and heavenly motion fleet,
Love hastens, prostrate at the claimant's feet.
"Me! me behold!" she cries, "on me be pour'd

The wrathful vial that for him is stored.

Here, in this heart, plunge deep th' avenging blade,
My life for his! so Justice shall be paid."

'Tis done! the sword is bathed in spotless blood,
And man, released, returns to life-and God.

In this picture Justice is seen standing with her sword raised high, ready to fall upon the guilty one. In her left hand she holds the scales of equity; at her side the two tables of the law appear, at the foot of which lies the Holy Bible. In the front of Justice, one is seen in the attitude of a culprit; he hangs his head down in acknowledgment of his guilt. Between the offender and Justice, behold one of celestial mien, in a kneeling posture, with wings outspread; addressing Justice, she points to her uncovered bosom, and asks that the sword may be plunged therein, and that the guilty one may go free. This is Divine Love.

This is an emblem of human redemption. A book of laws is given to man, laws which are holy, just, and good, the substance of which is contained in the decalogue, or ten commandments. These laws, whether engraved on tables of stone, or written on rolls of parchment, or printed in books, or impressed on the human heart, have been violated by all mankind, for "all have sinned," and consequently have come short of the divine approbation. The penalty is "death." "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Thus the matter stands when the sinner is brought before the tribunal of justice. Justice never forgives, nor makes any allowance for circumstances or human infirmity. The plea put in by Lord Nelson when dying, that "he had not been a very great sinner," will be utterly unavailing. The reply of Justice is, "He that offends in one point, is guilty of all."

But ere the sword of Justice is bathed in the blood of the guilty, Divine Love, in the person of Jesus Christ, interposed, "and poured out his soul unto death, and made intercession for the transgressors.' On the hill of Calvary this wonderful scene took place. There Divine Love received the sword of Justice-there the heart of the Son of God bled for guilty man—there He" who knew no sin, became a sin offering for us." Mercy and Truth now meet together, Justice and Peace kiss each other.

"Greater love than this hath no man, that a man lay down his life for his friend; but God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Shout, heaven and earth, this sum of God to man, that God can now be just, and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus.

"Infinite grace! Almighty charms!
Stand in amaze, ye rolling skies!
Jesus the God extends His arms,
Hangs on a cross of love, and dies!

"Did pity ever stoop so low,

Dressed in divinity and blood?

Was ever rebel courted so,

In groans of an expiring God?

"Again He lives, and spreads His hands

Hands that were nail'd with torturing smart,
By these dear wounds! He looks and stands,
And prays to clasp me to his heart.""

"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.

reconciled to God."-2 COR. v. 18, 19, 20.

RECONCILIATION.

Between the bleeding victim, cut in twain,
Two, once at variance, meet, at one again;
Gladly the hand of fellowship impart,
And pledge the honour of a faithful heart,
And by the God of life and death agree
The past to bury in oblivion's sea;

They vow each other's interests to befriend,
And when in need, to succour and defend.
And as the parted victim lies in death,

So they adjudge who breaks his solemn oath.

Be ye

THIS engraving represents two men standing between the two parts of a divided calf. They have been for a long time enemies to each other. Now they earnestly desire to become friends again; they wish to bury all past differences in the ocean of forgetfulness, and to enter into an agreement mutually to assist and defend each other in time to come. To accomplish this object, they have met together. As a proof of their sincerity, they offer a sacrifice to the object of their religious adoration. The blood of the victim is poured out, the animal is divided into two equal parts. The parts