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a calm consciousness of his entire dependence on the perfect righteousness of Christ. His end was peace and joy: the sweet smile which came over his countenance as he heaved his last breath, seemed like the response of his soul to his Master's welcome: "Well done, good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

The God of all grace has conferred no ordinary benefit on the Church in the character of Dr. Benuett. As a Christian, an author, a tutor, and a pastor, it may be said, "He being dead, yet speaketh."

He was a model preacher; truly evangelical in his theology, perspicuous in his style, lively and earnest in his manner, and most fervent in heart and prayer for the salvation of souls.

The Favourite Son.

IT is recorded that an artist once resolved to paint a pair of pictures, to be entitled "Innocence" and "Guilt." He was led to this determination by the sight of a child of such guileless purity of expression, that it seemed the very ideal | of innocence. The artist applied to the father for permission to take the portrait of his boy, who, proud of the distinction, at once consented; and when the sweet lineaments were transferred to the canvas, the painter's loftiest conception was realised. But it was not so with the contrast, as he could meet with no subject who adequately personified the idea of guilt. He applied himself to other works; and that first picture hung in his studio alone. Years rolled on; he visited many lands, wandered amidst the haunts of the outcast and criminal, and had well-nigh abandoned the project as hopeless, when one day his eye fell upon a countenance that would do. Sin had there traced its harshest lines, shame had bronzed that cheek, cruelty had erased every better trace, the features and expression bore the darkest lines of guilt. The man was induced to sit for his likeness, he served as the second model, the pair of pictures was finished, and the artist shortly after invited the father of the child who had before sat for the portrait of "Innocence," to come to his studio and share his triumph. But on entering the room the old man burst into

tears. "Yes," he exclaimed, "it is true--terribly true. That," pointing to the painting of "Innocence," ""was my child once-that," pointing to "Guilt," "is the same child-my own child, today!"

A boy was playing in his father's palace. He had singular loveliness of form and face, and his curls fell from his open brow and rested playfully and plentifully upon his shoulders. He was the favourite son of a fond father; he was flattered by the attendants of the court; and the fame of his beauty spread far and wide. There was childhood in its sunny morning, with blessings so manifold and sorrows so transient, with the dimpled cheek that shame had never dyed, and the brow that guilt had never seared, full of brightness and hope. . . .

Years have rolled away. The father of that boy was still king in Israel, but he had grown old and stricken in years. He is leaving his home in the beloved city," the city of David," "the place of the Lord's tabernacle." And, says the chronicler, with touching simplicity and beauty, he "went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered; and he went barefoot; and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up." Adversity had gathered darkly round them; sorrow pressed heavily

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upon them. But whither is he going, | father, and then manifested an ingratitude and why? He is flying for the defence as base as his dissimulation was profound. of his crown and life, from enemies and He procured chariots and horses-a new traitors. If he would save his throne, he luxury in that land—in order to impress must fight for it; if his life, he must the people with the dignity of his posidefend it. And against whom? Against tion; and at the same time, by an affected a subject and a son; against one who has modesty, by disparaging innuendoes snatched with blood-stained hand at the against the government, by a pretended crown of his sovereign and the life of his interest in the well-being of the people, father; against that son who once, with by condescension of manner, by flattering his golden locks, gambolled in his father's words, and abundant promises, he sought palace; his well-beloved son, in whom to accomplish his designs. He waited he had garnered up his fondest affection, in the public thoroughfares, and "when his own son Absalom! any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called upon him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom said moreover, Oh, that I were made judge in the land, that every man that hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him and kissed him." "So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel"-the hearts that belonged to his father.

Let us glance at the train of circumstances which brought about this melancholy issue. The perils that surrounded the beautiful, flattered, and favourite son of a king, were numerous and treacherous; and, as Absalom grew from childhood to youth, he early betrayed a proud and self-willed temper. He soon learned to " acknowledge no superior, ask no advice, brook no reproof. Quick, rash, and vindictive, he anticipated justice when it seemed too tardy for his pleasure. Bent on selfish gratifications, he was dead to every kindly emotion. Conscious of his own ill deserts, he was suspicious even of his father's blinded affection." He that loveth flattery shall not be satisfied with flattery; and at last Absalom would be content with nothing short of the homage and dignity of a king. The qualities of person and mind with which he had been entrusted were turned from blessings into curses; the wisdom, which might have been useful in the administration of that kingdom, as a courtier or a prince, and hereafter as a monarch, was degraded into cunning for the accomplishment of selfish and nefarious designs, and for stealing away the hearts of the people from their lawful allegiance to his royal father. Enraged at the dishonour done to his sister, he did not refer the matter to the legal tribunal, but nursed his revenge for two long years beneath a veil of friendship for the delinquent, and then slew him. The three years of exile that followed, appear to have exercised no salutary influence upon his character; he imposed upon the good-nature of his

Having thus conciliated the people of the capital and neighbourhood, Absalom sought permission to retire to Hebron, pretending that he was anxious there to redeem a vow he had made to the Lord. His confiding father granted the request and dismissed him with a benediction. Absalom first, however, despatched spies in all directions, who, at a given signal, were to incite the people to insurrection, and to proclaim him king; he afterwards seduced David's chief adviser, and matured his plot. Meanwhile the sad tidings of the conspiracy were brought to David; a widespread disaffection was reported; and we see the aged father gathering together his slender forces and retreating from his home and city before his rebellious son, intending, if necessary, to cross the Jordan, there to recruit his troops, and to watch events. But he declined to allow the ark of the covenant

to be carried with him, though the high | tree, he was overtaken by Joab and slain. priests-in their anxiety for him and for its safety-desired it. He bowed with pious resignation before the Divine will and said: "If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his holy habitation." Could imagination suggest a more touching spectacle of a good man under adversity! "He fell," says Dr. Chalmers, "but it was the fall of the upright, and he rose again; submitting himself, in the meantime, to the will of God."

While David was wending his way to the plains of Jericho, Absalom marched into Jerusalem, took possession of the palace and its treasures, and adopted measures to satisfy the people that there could be no possible reconciliation between himself and his father. It was

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war to the knife." Meanwhile, David went to Mahanaim, and was received with many expressions of kindness and offers of assistance from the inhabitants of those pastoral regions. "Beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine,” were abundantly | supplied, and brave and devoted men gathered around him, till the king found himself supported by a considerable army. Absalom now crossed the Jordan, and a battle was imminent. But the soldiers of David would not allow him to imperil his life on the field; and therefore, dividing his troops into three brigades, he dismissed them to the conflict. The tenderness of the father now rose above the strict justice of the king; and as the soldiers defiled before him at the gate of Mahanaim, he gave them a solemn charge to spare the life of his guilty son. A decisive battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim; the forces of the old warrior king were victorious, and their enemies were "defeated with a great slaughter." The conquerors, at first mindful of the king's command, suffered Absalom to escape, and he rode hastily from the field; but entangled by his long golden locks in the boughs of a

Then the trumpet was sounded for the recall, and the carnage stayed. The king waited at the gate of Mahanaim, anxiously looking for the issue of that fearful fight, in which interests so dear to himself as a sovereign, a patriot, and a father, were being determined. We seem to see him there. The flush of righteous indignation at the crimes of his son has faded from his cheek, and he listens with bated breath, and gazes with eager eye for the messenger from that field of blood. At length he sees one coming. The second had outstripped the first, and the king inquires of him: "Is the young man Absalom safe?" But he would tell only the tale of triumph, and announced the victory that had been won. Ahimaaz said: "Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king." Cushi now arrived, and David repeated his question concerning his son, and the messenger with discretion answered: "The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is." How plaintive the apostrophe that surged from the breaking heart of the father for his favourite but guilty son! "And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went thus he said, O my son Absalom! my son, my son, Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Such is the sad history and end of a favourite son, on whom all that wealth of love was squandered and lost. The narrative suggests instructive reflections to both parents and children.

Parents are reminded how solemn is the responsibility entrusted to them in the possession of children. God has delegated to every father and mother an authority which it is at their peril and their children's peril to abdicate. A foolish fondness, which abstains from just and wholesome discipline, is as great a wrong and sin as a harsh severity. The parent is God's vicegerent, and he may not resign at pleasure the responsi

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This, doubtless, was the sin of David, as it had been of Eli. A foolish fondness was their ruin. When evil dispositions early betrayed themselves, David spared the rod and spoiled the child. At first the task would have been easya gentle hand, a firm voice, a calm but decisive manner, a few instances of patient determination, yet without needlessly provoking his child to wrath. But fail. ing at the beginning, he failed altogether. No doubt he tried to think that, though he might not control his boy in infancy or childhood, he would succeed in his youth; but habits of disobedience and pride grew with his son's growth and strengthened with his strength. And the sad end of the parent's sin is seen in the crimes of the son, who lifts his arm against the crown and life of his father, and falls upon the battle plain, in heart, if not in act, a regicide and a parricide.

Let our readers who are parents learn the solemn lesson. You would not willingly wrong your children, but you may be doing it unwittingly. You would account it despicable and criminal to squander their heritage; let not any mere tenderness, or any undue severity, or any neglect of Christian duty, be the means of dashing from their lips the cup of blessedness, or robbing them of their immortal crown. Go to the bedside of your sleeping child to-night. Think how trustfully it reposes its all in your

keeping. Ask yourself whether you have been true to its highest interests. Think of the two portraits, and of David at Mahanaim. Wrestle in prayer for your child and for yourself, and may yours be the blessings that descend upon the habitation of the just.

But the responsibility thus resting upon the parents is reflected on the children. If Christian parents are anxious to train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, children should be equally anxious to learn the sacred lesson. If the affection of parents is a plea why they should labour for the spiritual good of their families, the affection of children is an argument why that labour should not be in vain in the Lord. If parents strive and pray that they and their little ones should form a whole family in heaven, children should cherish the same anxiety and utter the same prayers.

In this narrative children are impressively reminded that piety is not hereditary. "I find," says Thomas Fuller, "the genealogy of my Saviour strangely chequered with four remarkable changes in four immediate generations.

"1. Roboam begat Abia; that is, a bad father begat a bad son.

"2. Abia begat Asa; that is, a bad father a good son.

"3. Asa begat Josaphat; that is, a good father a bad son.

"4. Josaphat begat Joram; that is, a good father a good son.

"I see, Lord, from hence, that my father's piety cannot be entailed; that is bad news for me. But I see also, that actual impiety is not always hereditary; that is good news for my son."

F. S. W.

Romanist Proselytism, Illustrated in the Letters of Fenelon.

Ir must not be supposed that Fénélon, in his proceedings, denied the spirit of his church. Here is an example: "We are well suited with a minister who has the entire confidence of the parish."

He was a pervert from Protestantism to Romanism. "We take him," says the illustrious Missionary, "to our public conferences, where we make him repeat what he used to say, when a Protestant,

in order to set the people against the | It is to be feared that a great number of Catholic Church. His old arguments them will leave in the Dutch vessels are made to appear weak and absurd." Is not this a pitiable spectacle, and one little to the honour of Fénélon? An unfortunate man who has allowed himself to be seduced, and has renounced his faith, is forced to let his arguments be refuted by the Catholic priests; and the indignation of his ancient parishioners ought, according to Fénélon's opinion, to produce true conversions!

Fénélon recites with a degree of naïveté another manœuvre of the same kind. A minister, who was ill at the time of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, remained in the country; his health was restored, and he did not suffer any persecution; he was to be present at a public conference, where he was to defend the reformed faith. They engaged to put it out of the poor man's power to make his reply without uttering such absurdities as even children would think ridiculous. The minister preferred making an abjuration at once. The affair was made public for the good of the Catholic mission. "Judge," said the missionaries to the ancient flock of the minister, "what we ought to think of a religion whose most clever pastors would rather renounce than defend it." The example of this unfortunate man was followed by many who could give no better excuse than he to justify their apostacy, and Fénélon is not ashamed to say: "See the impression made on these people; they feel the weakness of their religion, and the overwhelming strength of the Catholic." He employed other measures for retaining the people in the pale of the Church. What were they? Worldly advantages were obtained for the docile, the reluctant were threatened with severe suffering; they were also well guarded, so that none might escape, and those who were seized were punished with the utmost rigour. In one of his letters he says, "While strict authority is necessary to retain these people, who with the least relaxation become insolent, it is, I think, also important that they should find some pleasure in their life in France, in order to prevent their desire to depart.

which come for the March fair at Bordeaux. We are assured that the officers, who are some of the newly converted, do their duty inefficiently. While we employ charity and gentleness in our instructions, it is important, if I mistake not, that those who have authority should maintain it, so as to make the people feel all the more the happiness of being taught with kindness."

He also observes: "We have left Marennes to the Jesuits, who begin to enlarge their community according to your project. Before leaving I tried to do two things: first, to make the people hope for much comfort and kindness from these good fathers, of whose goodness and knowledge I have told them; and next, to persuade the fathers themselves that they must, on all occasions, become the intercessors and councillors of the people, in all matters between them and those who are invested with authority from the king. No matter if the latter refuse that which it would not be well to grant; but the Jesuits should ask for mercy, and for the mitigation of punishment, as often as they can do so with discretion; that is the way to make themselves beloved, and to obtain the confidence of all the country; it is that which will best eradicate heresy, for there is less done by controversy than by the inspiration of confidence in their ministers. It is necessary insensibly to implant this feeling. With this view I have taken care that several small favours that we have obtained for the inhabitants of Marennes should come to them through the Jesuits, and I have let the people believe that the obligation is owing to them. If these good fathers cultivate that, as I hope they will, they will become by degrees their spiritual rulers. A continuous and gentle course of instruction, the crushing of their foolish hopes, and the quiet life they will lead at home, while they are closely guarded on all sides, will result in tranquillizing them. They are poor; the salt trade, their sole resource, is almost at an end; they have been accus

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