anger. He has borne with you for many years: this year he may cut you down, and cast you into UNQUENCHABLE FIRE! Then, how will you wish for one more year, one more sabbath, one more hour, to seek for mercy! But alas! it will be too late! Don't beguile yourself and say, "I may not die this year; I shall not surely die." This is the soul-destroying sentiment which ruined mankind; and has peopled the bottomless pit! Rather look for death as an expected messenger; and if you are yet in your sins, for hell to follow after! Poor sinner, be entreated! A gracious God has spared you to see another year. Harden your heart against him no longer! Take this solemn warning! Lose not a moment! Jesus says, "COME." For his sake God the Father will forgive all your sins. Then, then will you be happy, although the solemn decree should be gone forth, "THIS YEAR THOU SHALT DIE." Christian! Follower of the Lamb! These words have no terror to you. You are safe! You are blessed of the Lord! For you to die "this year" would be eternal gain! Suffer, however, the word of exhortation. At the beginning of the year, and in secret, carefully examine the state of religion in your own heart. As you discover numerous short-comings, be humbled and abased before the Lord; and do not spare yourself in this matter! Intensely desire, pray for, and enter upon, a higher state of spirituality, heavenly-mindedness, and devoted zeal. With the new year, let each begin anew by say ing, "Too long have I slumbered upon the altar of God; I now must, I WILL, 'give all diligence to make my calling and election sure,' for perhaps my Saviour and my Judge has already said of me, 'THIS YEAR THOU SHALT DIE.' IS CHRISTIANITY FROM GOD? Two young men sat, a few months ago, in an artist's studio in London -the one a fine painter, the other a gifted sculptor. They were discussing earnestly a question of great interest, and that question was, “Is Christianity from God?" "Well, I doubt it," said the sculptor; "I have tried and wished, but could never yet bring myself to the faith that Chistianity is from God." "But I," replied the artist, "can never doubt it. I know I am not right; I am very careless, very giddy, very gay; but still I believe Christianity is from God, and must believe it since I saw my mother live and die." That mother's life, young reader, was to that fine youth a living exhibition of the principles, and that mother's death a convincing demonstration of the truth, of the Christianity she professed. To him these were arguments strong, convincing enough, and he yielded to their force. He had looked into the world, and run its gayest round; knew well its utter inadequacy to give satisfaction to the soul; seen the bitter anguish and utter helplessness of its best votaries in trial; had watched them die, and bled at heart to hear their terrible despair. And he had turned and looked at that sainted mother. He had seen her unmoved amid the wreck of earth's fondest hopes; calm in the storm as in the sunshine; strong and sustained, weak as her nature was, where others sunk; breathing love towards her bitterest foes; living a life of purity; ever doing good; and at last stepping down into the deep waters of death, singing as she went to take her rest and crown. And he felt-and who would not?-that that which could so ennoble, sanctify, and sustain, must be from God. Perhaps, had his friend been like circumstanced, he too might so have felt and thought. But he had not. All he knew of Christianity was from some distorted, inconsistent form adopted by some false-hearted one; and, taking that caricature for Christianity itself, was led to doubt whether it possessed any reality, or had any claim to be of God at all. believe at all, that everything coming to their hands is false, or, at least, not proved. This sort of infidelity, leading quickly to an universal scepticism, is on the increase amongst our young men, and is becoming common, we fear, not only with the vulgar and ill-informed, but the better educated and more polished and intelligent. Against such forms of scepticism, in these days of inquiry, it is ours to seek to guard our youth. 2. I have thought of the strong disposition in the human heart to scepticism. Christianity opposes itself to our natural propensities and habits. Its purity, unselfishness, and other features, condemn our courses. Its principles clash with our likings. Its requirements interfere with our interests. We begin to dislike it, and fain would believe it false. The secret of many a man's infidelity is I have thought these two youths simply his carnality. He does not are types of many more, and as like Christianity, and he is glad to amongst my readers some like the find, as he thinks, relief from its last especially may be found, I should obligations by the denial of its divilike to bring out before them some nity. Much in Christianity, too, is of the many proofs we can give that avowedly mysterious, matter of pure Christianity is indeed of God. revelation, beyond the reach of Many reasons weigh with me in human intellect to fully grasp; the this course. proud inquiring mind rises against 1. I have thought of the times in this, and because it cannot fully which we live. scan and fathom, affects to disbelieve. These are days in which to doubt is almost made a virtue. Young men can be found, and many too, who plume themselves on being doubters. They think it manly not to take as true what their fathers long since established, and to show their superior intellect by believing, if they 3. I have thought of the claims put forth by Christianity itself. It claims to be from God. It comes as the one and only divine religion for mankind. It demands implicit faith in its announcements, unhesitating obedience to its laws, complete conformity to its models. It professes to be the judge between right and wrong, and to give the principles on which the final acquittal or condemnation of the world shall be made out. It seems but right that we should be satisfied of its authority, and ask for its divinity. 4. I have thought of the surpassing importance of Christianity, if true. Its doctrines and revelations, if true, are to me of unutterable value, as a guilty, dying, yet immortal creature. My salvation, my life, my joy, are all affected by them. What more necessary, then, to me than to be assured of their divinity and truth? The evidence of these must lie at the base of their authority; false, they can have no weight; true, they become at once of highest moment. In this view the evidences of Christianity are scarcely less important than its doctrines. 5. I have thought of the personal comfort of those well assured that Christianity is from God. The doubter is always miserable, but pre-eminently where such odds are at stake as here. In his mind who doubts, the promises produce no comfort and the hopes of Christianity no joy. All the scheme of redeeming love, though not positively denied, is not rested on with confidence and peace. There is no anchor to the soul amid the storms of life, no sure rock for the feet amid the trials of earth. On the other hand, a firm grasp of the truth and divinity of all Christianity keeps the soul in peace, and preserves from all the misery necessarily incident on a state of doubt. With these views I begin my work of giving a series of popular evidences of the truth and divinity of the religion we profess, praying, as I do so, that He whose own glory I thus seek may so add his blessing, that the ultimate result may be an universal acknowledgment from each young reader that CHRISTIANITY IS ALL OF GOD. N. Y. N. SINGING THE PRAISES OF GOD. NOTHING is more common in our congregations than to see professing Christians, who can sing in the parlour or social circle to the admiration of every listener, sitting perfectly silent whilst the sacred songs of God's house are sung. They act as if there was no obligation resting upon them to take part in this delightful exercise. That eminently great and good christian minister, President Edwards, said, that " as it is the command of God that all should sing, so all should make conscience of learning to sing; as it is a thing that cannot be decently performed at all without learning. Those, therefore (where there is no natural inability), who neglect to learn to sing, live in sin, as they neglect what is necessary in order to their attending one of the ordinances of God's worship" "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." rest.... COME! while life's early path is | Come! tired and weary with this transient life, strewn with gladness, While buds of love encircle thy Thy aged frame is sinking and opyoung brow; pressed; Come! while thy bounding heart Come! while amid this world's un tressed; Oh! leave awhile thy bosom's che- 'Twill sweetness to life's bitterness rished lot, impart: rest. To learn of heaven, and its undying The sorrowing soul shall find eternal bowers. Come! when thy bursting heart is Then come at once; while yet He filled with grief, says there's room, And thy bright sunny smile is Before the clouds of darkness o'er changed to sorrow, With visions dreary, sad-and no relief, thee spread; His presence will support thee through its gloom, Come, then, at once; delay not till And ease the pillow of thy dying bed. to-morrow. ANNETTE MARIA. |