prophets themselves rejoiced. The sacred words you read in your homes, and listen to in the house of God, to-day, are Jehovah's own words of purity and truth, unmixed and unmarred by human changes and corruptions.

II.-The words of the Lord are tried. "As silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Here there is an allusion to the most severely purifying process known to the ancients, through which silver was passed when the greatest possible purity was desired. But as no refining can increase the purity of that which is absolutely pure, so the force of this metaphor rests not on the purifying, but on the trial. The Bible must be the Word of God, for again and again has it passed through the sevenfold heated furnace, and yet it is not consumed. Not so much as a single hair of its head has been singed, nor has the smell of fire come upon it. It has risen from every trial with beauty untarnished and power unweakened, to resume its empire over the hearts and lives of men.

1. The words of the Lord" have been tried by persecution. For long ages the history of the Church was largely a history of the persecutions she endured. In the very earliest times she was exposed to the fierce hatred of the Jew, and the reckless cruelties of pagan Rome. By the latter, Christians were beheaded, crucified, flung to the wild beasts, baited by dogs, horribly tortured, and burnt alive. Tens of thousands perished by these and other means during the first three centuries of the Christian era. And in later times there is not a country in Christendom that has not been the scene of the like horrible cruelties. We think of Scotland dragooned by Montrose, of England blazing with the fires of martyrdom, of France and black St. Bartholomew, of Spain and the dread Inquisition-nay, where shall we close the dark enumeration? Every Christian land has been deluged with Christian blood. The sufferings and horrors thus inflicted upon our spiritual forefathers were the penalty they had to pay for fidelity to the Word of God. But, in spite of all these sufferings, that Word has never lacked faithful adherents. The more they were persecuted, the more they multiplied and grew.

There have been times when persecution has been specially directed against the written Word-when its object has been the utter destruction of the Holy Scriptures. This was the case with the persecutions of Diocletian. That emperor, in the year 303, issued an edict commanding that, throughout the Roman Empire, all copies of the Scriptures should be sought for and burnt. For eight years, interrupted of course by occasional lulls, the storm raged, and the search went on; but the Bible is here to-day. There have been Bibleburnings since then, in Holland, France, Germany, and other lands; and especially have they disgraced our own country. But, in spite of the hatred and rage of men and devils, the Bible remains. In spite of pagan and papal Rome, in spite of imprisonments and tortures, in spite of the burning of Bibles and Bible-readers, the Bible is still in

existence, and is extending its influence over the hearts and lives of

men.

2. "The words of the Lord" have been tried by hostile criticism. There have been sceptics in every age- men who have bitterly assailed the truth in order to destroy its credibility and power. They have attacked its histories, its morality, its doctrines, and its miracles. They have laboured, with a diligence and zeal worthy of a better cause, to show that it is opposed to the discoveries of science, and that it is a worn-out superstition which humanity has outgrown. These sceptics have appeared in every possible guise; sometimes as the open foe who has uttered his coarse blasphemies on the platform and in the lecture-hall; and sometimes as the professed friend who, in the priest's surplice or the bishop's lawn, has sought to undermine the faith he was bound by his profession and his oath to defend. But the Bible has triumphantly withstood every attack. Though its every chapter and verse and word have been scrutinised with microscopical exactness, yet not a single shadow of a reason has ever been discovered for doubting its credibility or denying its authority. It is true that, by the advancement of science and learning, some of the old beliefs about the Word have had to be given up, and others now held may have to follow them; but the Word itself is, and ever will remain, unchanging and unchanged.

3. The words of the Lord " have been tried by Christian experience. The Gospel seeks to lead men from the practice of sin to that of holiness. It professes to remove from the breasts of those who receive it that unrest of conscience, and that disappointment and dissatisfaction, which sin produces, and to fill them with peace and joy and hope. It professes to be fraught with comfort for every sorrow, with help for every difficulty, and with light for every time of darkness. It promises to sustain in life, and to make death itself peaceful and triumphant. And throughout the long ages of the Church's history, millions on millions of faithful souls have testified to the truth of these professions and promises, both in life and death. In the gladness of her experience, the whole Church unites to exclaim, “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold sweeter also than the honey and the honeycomb."

Such are some of the proofs of the purity and truth of the Word of God; and such also are some of the searching trials through which it has passed. Much more might be written did space permit ; but these are surely enough to enable us to say with the apostle, "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you."

Taunton.

WHY DR. LINGER WAS NOT CALLED TO MYSIA.

A LESSON FROM A LAYMAN.

THE church at Mysia had been was not of extraordinary undue for some months without a pastor, length, and had not the congrega. depending in the meantime upon tion already become weary with the supplies from a theological school preliminary exercises, it would have within convenient reach. But been well appreciated. As it was, after a time, it was decided that a every one knew that it was late, regular pastor ought to be settled, and, if the sermon was as long as and to this end the Rev. Dr. Linger, what had gone before, when would just then without a charge, was it end? Agnes, Cousin Philip's invited to preach as a candidate wife, had left baby at home, and I for the church at Mysia. Deacon saw how nervous she was becoming; Andrews's brother, who lived at while the organist and choir looked Phoenic, where Dr. Linger had at each other with impatient frowns, formerly preached, recommended so that altogether I began to wonder him as a fine scholar, a good if the discourse would be of benefit preacher, and an excellent Christian or cheer to any present. gentleman withal. So Mysia decided to hear him, and he was engaged to preach three Sundays as a candidate.

And just about the time that Dr. Linger went to Mysia, I chanced to be there also on a visit to Cousin Philip's family, who attended the church. And as a matter of course, I accompanied them.

At last, however, the sermon, singing, and prayer, all came to an end; the benediction was pronounced just as the clock pointed to forty five minutes past twelve.

Now, all the Sunday schools in Mysia were advertised to commence at two o'clock, and, of course, every body expected to have a little time for dinner. After dinner, Dr. LinA well-appearing man in the ger was invited into the school, to pulpit was the Rev. Dr. Linger. stop at least through the opening, He was also a pleasant speaker, a and, as a matter of courtesy, he good sermonizer, and earnest in was requested to say a word to the both word and manner. But he school. Cousin Philip told us about seemed to have no idea of the flight it after he returned, and, said he, of time. The invocation was a "If the Doctor spoke a moment, it good lengthened prayer, and the was as long as fifteen common first hymn numbered six stanzas, moments," and try as much as they all read and sung in due order. could to have a brief Sunday school, But when he came to read the it was quite four o'clock before Scripture selected one of the Philip and the children reached longest chapters of St. Luke's Gos- home. pel-he commented as he read, giving almost a sermon upon some of the verses, till it was time the sermon had really commenced before the chapter was finished. Then the next hymn and the long prayer followed; and, when the text was announced, Cousin Philip looked at his watch, and it was then lacking only five minutes of twelve.

The sermon, I can honestly say,

When Agnes and I arrived, the baby had become turbulent by mamma's long absence, and the girl was fretting because she must stay in the nursery so long; so Agnes, though fatigued with the long service, did all the clearing up herself, much as she needed a moment's rest and cheer with her family.

"If Dr. Linger is settled here,"

she said, "and is accustomed to hold so long services, I shall be obliged entirely to give up attending church, or letting the children go, for they became so uneasy that I thought I should fly home with them before the sermon was half done."

66

'Oh, perhaps this is only a single failure," said Cousin Philip. "He is a good preacher, and may be more brief next time."

There were various complaints through the week, coming from one and another, because Dr. Linger never knew when to stop. At the prayer-meeting the same fault appeared, till finally, before the next Sunday, Deacon Andrews hinted to him that he kept the people longer than was the custom in Mysia, kindly explaining to him the hour when the Sunday schools were advertised to commence.

the best.

"Perhaps he did forget himselfhe would be careful to remember it next time "-and so all hoped for For really Dr. Linger pleased the people, both as a man and a preacher, except for his undue length.

It

The third Sunday, as Cousin The next Sunday came, and with Philip wrote me after I had returned it not a little anxiety as to how it home, Dr. Linger kept the people would end. In the beginning, Dr, about the same time as before, and Linger seemed to bear in mind the that decided the matter for them. hint of Deacon Andrews, for the But for his pertinacity in forgetting first half of the preliminary exer- the flight of time, the church would cises were of moderate length. The have gladly given him a hearty second prayer was, however, very call. "But to have done so,' long, but he commenced his sermon wrote Philip, "would have been to at quite a seasonable hour. This our disadvantage altogether. time we all enjoyed it. It was well written, and what was written was not over long. But after he had closed the Bible upon his written pages, he had just another word or two to add-and those added words grew almost to a sermon in themselves. However, the exercises closed about two minutes earlier than on the previous Sunday, which was so much improvement!

Cousin Agnes had not ventured

would have driven our young people and transient hearers to other churches, where the services were of reasonable length; it would have kept invalids and not a few others at home, and have tried the patience of our most Job-like saints entirely beyond endurance."

And that is the reason, and the only reason, why the learned and talented and good Dr. Linger was not called to Mysia.

THE WORLD'S LAST CITY.

BY THE REV. GILES HESTER.

"And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb:"-Rev. xxi. 14.

MANY splendid and magnificent cities have in past ages adorned the face of the earth. Man is pre-eminently a city-builder. Just as some birds instinctively flock together, and build their nests near to each other, so men in all ages have assembled in groups, and built for themselves cities in which to dwell.

The history of the world may to a very great extent be traced in the growth of its great cities. In the distant East, and situated on its fertilising rivers, were the world-renowned cities of Nineveh and Babylon. History celebrates their beauty and magnificence. Westward to these were the maritime cities of Tyre and Sidon,-cities which took such an important part in the early colonisation and civilisation of the world. Then there were the marvellous cities of Egypt, the massive pillars of whose august temples are still the wonders of science and art. The ruins of the giant cities of Bashan create astonishment in the minds of all who gaze upon them.

Later on in the world's history arose Ephesus, with her temple of Diana, "whom all Asia and the world worshipped." Athens, with her Parthenon and Areopagus. Corinth, with her Acropolis. And then Rome, enthroned on her seven hills, the study and wonder of all time.

But still there was one city which surpassed all others in the beauty of its situation and in the glory of its history. Jerusalem, the home of prophets, priests, and kings, was the queen of all the ancient cities. She was the centre of the civilised world. She was the joy of the whole earth. In her temple the God of all the nations was enthroned. Eyes glistened with brightness and hearts beat with joy when the feet of the devout were turned towards the Holy City.

Jerusalem, in its geographical position and in its architectural beauty, had a typical import. Its massive foundations, its gold, cedar, and precious stones, prefigured the solidity and beauty of another city destined to appear in the world. Strains of sublime prophecy poured forth in Jerusalem pointed to a grand and glorious future. The material city, the pride of a great people, was the splendid symbol of a city spiritual and eternal. This city is the Church of the living God; its glories were revealed to the Apostle John in the vision of the Apocalypse.

When John was lingering as a prisoner on the lonely and desolate Isle of Patmos, Jerusalem, the city of David, of Christ and His apostles, had been overthrown and buried in ruins by the irresistible might of the Roman armies. Possibly some desponding minds might be ready to think that the world was coming to an end. All