Images de page
PDF
ePub

'Fellow Christians, God will bless our effort of love far beyond our largest thoughts, if "you also help together by prayer for us ;" and then, "for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.” '

'London, Dec. 31st, 1846.'

THE PSALMIST'S REVELATION OF THE

TIMES OF RESTITUTION,

WITH

PARALLEL PREDICTIONS OF THE SPIRIT.

WHILE there are few portions of the sacred word so generally read as the book of Psalms, I believe it is seldom studied for the purpose of tracing in it the many and oft-repeated allusions to that blessed and glorious day, when Jesus the once despised and crucified one shall come again in power and great glory, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David; when Israel shall be restored to their own inheritance; when the enemies of Jehovah shall be subdued, and when the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father, "and the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

And yet most surely, such animating themes, such prospects, such ascendings of Nebo's mount would greatly tend to enkindle in the believer's soul, a vast increase of faith, patience, hope and joy.

Having lately been led to make those Psalms which speak most distinctly of these glorious events, my peculiar study, I now purpose laying a series of papers before my readers, with the earnest hope that each one

3rd SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY.

1. What allusions to the conversion and bringing in of the Gentiles are to be found in the service for this day?

2. What are the joyful results of the bringing in of the Gentiles?

3. What peculiar graces are we commanded to manifest, and how are we to obtain power and strength ?

SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY.

Preparatory to the Fast of Lent.

1. What information desirable for the promotion of repentance, is afforded in the first lessons for this day? 2. In what portions of the service is mortification of the flesh recommended?

3. What motives for the practice are suggested?

Literary Notices.

We have been more than usually favoured this month with a variety of works which it is a pleasure to introduce to the notice of our readers.

THE FEMALE VISITOR TO THE POOR; by the DAUGHTER OF A CLERGYMAN. (Seeley.) needs no recommendation from us. Most of its chapters have already appeared in our Magazine, under the titles of the Bible Class, the Cottage Reading, &c. We know of no work more likely to cheer and stimulate the young Christian in her first efforts among the poor of Christ's flock. The village tales are full of pathos and simple interest, and though it be the smallest of its recommendations, we cannot forbear noticing the peculiar charm of its simple and graceful style. May the blessing of the Lord accompany it, that she who has been so largely blessed herself among the cottages of the poor, may find at the great day, that she has been the honoured means of leading others forward in the same path of usefulness and happiness.

THE MEMOIR OF MRS. ANN JOHNSTONE. (Hamilton and Co.) is another work well calculated to arouse us to a sense of the duties resting upon us as Christian women, and the blessings which we lose by neglect of those duties. Our earthly spirits are so prone

to set up a low standard, formed not by the law of the Lord, which is exceeding broad, but by the example of our fellow Christians, in a day when religion is more marked by width than depth, that it is well to hear of one who could say: "Frequently from five o'clock in the morning, until a late hour at night, the soul was so filled with believing views of the blessed Jesus, as a King and a Priest upon his throne for ever, that scarcely a wandering thought would be suffered to obtrude or draw away the mind; and sometimes in secret prayer and spiritual meditation, the Divine character and perfections in the scheme of apostate man's redemption by a crucified Redeemer, the love of Christ, the promises of the covenant, and the joys and glories of heaven, were exhibited by the Spirit with such a vividness of spiritual perception, as to be too bright for mortal eyes to behold; and as the tide of light, life, and love continued to flow into the soul, she was made to cry out, like the godly John Welsh, 'Hold, Lord, thy weak vessel can contain no more.'

999

Another work has been forwarded to us by the beloved and now glorified Authoress whose triumphant death was announced a short time since in our pages. THE GREAT COMMANDMENT, by the AUTHOR OF THE LISTENER. (Seeley.) The main object of this book is to make all that we have known and felt of human love, instrumental in enabling us to realize the love of God, to transfer that love from the region of mysticism, which makes many feel it impossible to decide whether God loves them, or they have love to God. It contains many beautiful passages, and we trust may be useful in dispelling these clouds ; but we must confess the impression left on our own mind, was, that in her desire to vindicate the love of the Father,

« PrécédentContinuer »