face dangers and deaths in their most dismal aspect. It was my design to have remained by the wreck till dawn, in the hope-a hope, alas, that was not to be realized that some friendly ship might be attracted by the burning to our rescue. But the boats were in danger of being stove, it being impossible at all times to prevent their chafing; and, ere long, the rope by which we were made fast to the wreck became burnt through, so that we were compelled to part even from the desolate companionship of the burning vessel, and were cast adrift at midnight, upon the black and boundless solitude of ocean. Still clinging to the hope of rescue, I sought to keep the boats as close to the wreck as possible, and made the best distribution of our company that I could. I took charge of the long boat with other sixteen souls in it; seven were in the skiff, and four in the small boat, and there we drifted till morning came.

It were impossible to describe the grandeur and horrors of that night. Let fancy paint, if it may, so many hapless beings huddled together unpreparedly, exposed without shelter to the cold night sky, and expecting every moment to be swallowed up. Ocean was ever fretting, and curvetting, and plunging beneath us, as if it had wrathfully resolved to cast us from its "crested mane." The sky all above and around was one scene of blackness, unbroken by one fissure in its cloud, and unblest by the radiance of one solitary star. Behind the boatsin the region whither we were drifting, every thing was dark as the grave. Light indeed attended us throughout that lone midnight, but it was the glare of destruction, which, as it contended with the surrounding darkness, only increased its horror. The flames long played in magnificent grandeur, kindling the dark sky above, and reflecting their lurid gleam from the ridge of every billow, as if they mocked our misery by their majestic triumph. And ever and anon came some terrific explosion-probably of the ship's spirits-which struck like a death-knell upon our hearts, proclaiming that the work of ruin was well-nigh accomplished.

In this condition of extremity, one only hope remained to us—one last grand anchor-hold to preserve us from despair. We remembered Him" who maketh darkness his secret place, his pavilion round about him dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies;" we thought of Him as "the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea, who stilleth the noise of the seas, and the noise of their waves." And there"out of the depths we cried unto Him." Mingling with the voice of the wind and waters, and rising above their murmurs, the sound of our praise and supplications ascended on the midnight air, and was heard before the throne. It was a sacred relief to our heavy hearts to feel that the eye of God still watched over us in our misery, and that his ear was open to our cry; and although we knew not the dark path that lay before us, yet we sought it with His words on our lips, "The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. THE LORD

ON HIGH IS MIGHTIER THAN THE NOISE OF MANY WATERS, YEA THAN THE MIGHTY WAVES OF THE SEA."

(To be continued.)

REFLECTIONS ON THE HARVEST.

A BOUNTIFUL providence has, for several years, granted us a succession of favourable seasons, and plentiful harvests; but the present season has been uncommonly auspicious to the husbandman. The genuine Christian will be disposed to call upon his soul, and all that is within him, to bless the Lord, and not to forget all his benefits. All the blessings we enjoy are HIS benefits. Amidst all our industry, we should ever

remember that there is a First Cause-that God so orders the course of nature, as thereby to serve the purpose of fulfilling his word. He at first established the laws of nature, which are the exertions of his power, or, in scripture language," the ordinances of heaven." He upholds these ordinances in operation by his omnipotence, and he causes them to put forth their " influences" according to his pleasure. He declares that "the clouds are turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth." He causes the rain to come "for mercy," to enrich the earth, and make it fruitful. We must not, therefore, confine our regards to second causes, but raise our hearts to the principal agent and supreme ruler of the universe, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. We must acknowledge it as a signal instance of Jehovah's bounty, when he gives us "rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons," and "reserves unto us the appointed weeks of harvest." Second causes, no doubt, exert their influence, but they have a necessary dependence on the Great First Cause. "Thus saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil." If our hopes are more than realized— if the crop comes to maturity, and the fields are clothed with corn, and nothing remains but for the husbandman to enjoy the fruit of his labour, surely the hand of God ought to be gratefully recognized. It is atheism to overlook divine providence, and to ascribe our prosperity to second causes, or to say, with the heathen, a chance happened

unto us."

But we are called upon not merely to mark the hand of God, in general, in blessing the springing of the earth, and in crowning the year with his goodness. We ought likewise to meditate on the exhibitions which are thereby given of the divine perfections. We cannot fail to think of the power of God in making the seed, which was scattered and died, to bring forth many fold. He alone giveth the increase. He hath made all things in wonderful wisdom. The earth is full of his riches. We behold God's faithfulness in causing sced-time and harvest, summer and winter, to recur. He has set his bow in the cloud, and he has been ever mindful of his covenant. The forbearance and mercy of our Creator, are also very observable. On whom is plenty poured out? Is it only for the upright and the godly? No; but for rebels against his authority-for those who consume his mercies on their lusts, and even for those who are so daring as to deny that he gives us corn, and wine, and oil. What a wonder of patience that he does not return, and take away his corn in the time thereof, and his wine in the season thereof; and

execute that threatening-" the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief, and of desperate sorrow."

In the day of prosperity, we are commanded to be joyful. This is a feeling to which the irreligious are no strangers, when their affairs are prosperous; and therefore Christians should be the more solicitous to connect it, in their hearts and exercise, with views answering to their professions. Job admitted that if he had " rejoiced because his wealth was great, and because his hand had gotten much," it would not have been strange although he had met with many losses. He does not here find fault with those agreeable feelings in which good men may warrantably indulge when their cup runs over; but with the pride and vanity which are apt to take possession of the men of the world, when their corn and wine increase. To the wicked, abundance is a source of joy, because it puts them in possession of those things by which they may please the flesh. It enables them to gratify their appetites, and to spend their time in vain and sinful amusements. How true it is, that" folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom." The joy of the man of God is very different. The bounties of a kind providence afford him an opportunity of praising God for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. To view our mercies as coming from the hand of our God, will render them far more precious than they would otherwise appear. They acquire a value greater than can possibly arise from their own qualities and uses, when we can look upon them, and say, Our heavenly Father provided them all. Out of the abundance of his heart the believer speaks. He is filled with gratitude. He cannot show forth all his Maker's praise, but he will delight to sing unto him as the Lord of all the earth, to make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. With the patriarch, he acknowledges that he is not worthy of the least of God's mercies, and therefore he is neither unmindful of the gift of a cup of cold water, nor of Jesus Christ, the unspeakable gift. Benefits which others would regard as unworthy of notice, he delights to record with thanksgiving; and thus the little that a just man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked.

race.

In the enjoyment of the goodness of God, in his common providence, we should think seriously of the deep obligations under which we are placed, not only to show forth his loving kindness in songs of praise, but also to live to his glory. Want of reflection is the great bane of our "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." A devout recognition of the mercies of God towards us will tend to soften and subdue the natural hardness and indifference of our hearts; to preserve upon our memories and spirits a suitable sense of God's undeserved favours; to quicken our steps in the way of commanded duty; and lead us to diligence and fervour in our endeavours to promote the glory of God, and the good of others, by every way competent to us in our several spheres of usefulness. The God whose we are, should certainly be the God whom we serve.

Our obligation to do good and communicate may not be disputed; but we should remember that in proportion as God has prospered us, we are to be " blessings to the poor," and to cast into the treasury of our God. We give God of his own.

What hast thou that thou hast

not received? " Bring ye," saith God, "all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. All nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts." If, in our prosperity, we deny the God that is above-abuse his goodness, and turn his mercies into weapons of rebellion: then he may blow upon that which we have gathered, and give us cleanness of teeth.

There is one duty which will certainly not be neglected by those who would glorify Him in whose hand is their life, and whose are all their ways, namely, the duty of thankfully recognising God, at their meals, as the bountiful giver of all good. This duty is not deducible from obscure hints in Scripture, or laboured reasonings. It is discovered by the light of nature, exemplified in the patriarchal age, and expressly mentioned in the brief notices of domestic life which are given in the evangelical narratives. Above all, it is sanctioned by the example of Him by whom, and for whom all things consist; and who by the same power by which he multiplied the loaves in the desert place, still blesses our basket and our store, and is the bread of life which came down from heaven. Let this not be an involuntary task, nor an unintelligent homage to a mere custom, but the heartfelt gratitude of children to Him in whom we live, and move, and have our being. "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me?" "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." Every creature of God is to be received with thanksgiving.

Let us make choice of God as our God, and the portion of our souls. Let us seek soul prosperity, soul wealth, and soul provision. Let us seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and labour for that meat which endureth to everlasting life. God's loving-kindness, which is better than life, can alone yield happiness to the soul, and lead us really to enjoy the necessaries and comforts of life. While many say, "who will show us any good?" let this be the desire of our hearts, and the language of our lips, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us: this will put gladness in our hearts more than when corn and wine are increased.

A change of circumstances may soon come. God's hand may be lifted up in judgments; and we may be ready to say-" Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty." Our own wickedness may correct us, and our own backslidings may reprove us. Let us not put temporal mercies in God's stead, but set our affections on things above; so we shall not have our portion in this life, and come what may, we will rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation.

Let us look forward to that harvest which is the end of the world. This will be a most momentous epoch. Then the immortal destinies of the whole rational creation will be publicly decided. Then we shall

reap according to what we have sowed. They who have gone forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall return rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them; and they who have sown to the flesh shall reap its fruit of bitterness-everlasting death. Then all things will be ripe for the glorious administration of heaven. "Let us look for, and haste unto, the coming of the Lord." C. M.

THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.*

Of all the places which are mentioned in Scripture, in connexion with the life and ministry of our blessed Saviour, there is none more worthy of our attention than the Mount of Olives. The mind of the Christian must ever contemplate it with a hallowed feeling, in consequence of the important events in our Redeemer's life on earth, of which this Mount, with its immediate vicinity, was the scene. It is " a Sabbath day's journey from Jerusalem," Acts i. 12. It is on the east of the city, and has three, or, according to some, four summits. "The second of these

summits is that which overlooks the city, from which, at its nearest point, at the base, it is distant five furlongs, and from the city to its summit the distance is reckoned about two miles. It is this summit which is so frequently referred to in the gospel history." Leaving Jerusalem by St Stephen's gate, the traveller crosses the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where stands the Church of the Sepulchre of the Virgin Mary, and numerous other interesting objects. Here he can gaze upon "the vast sepulchral monuments, the tombs of Absalom, of Zechariah, and Jehoshaphat, and the thousands and tens of thousands of Hebrew tomb-stones covering the declivity of the mountains." He crosses by a small bridge the brook Kedron, and this leads him to the foot of the Mount of Olives. On the summit of this Mount is the Church of Ascension, which is supposed to be the scene of our Saviour's last appearance on earth, and ascent to heaven. The print of a foot is still visible, and is much revered by pilgrims, from the idle supposition that it is the print of Christ's foot which was left on the rock when he last touched earth. By the direction of this print, "it would appear that the left hand of Jesus was towards Jerusalem, and his face northward. Mass is here celebrated on the anniversary of the day. This building is surrounded by a miserable Arab village, consisting of only a few stone huts. "On the opposite side of the hill is the village of Bethany, where Jesus frequently resided, Matt. xxi. 17. It contains the house of Martha, and the tomb of Lazarus. At a short distance is the village of Bethphage, and vestiges of the house of Mary Magdalene." On the side of the Mount facing Jerusalem, is the place where it is said Christ taught his disciples what is called "the Lord's prayer." Near this place is the Grotto of the Creed, a ruined building, with a subterranean apartment supported on twelve arches, where the apostles are

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* The following observations were written by Mr John Davidson, who died at the age of twenty-one years, at Port Dundas, Glasgow, May 14, 1842. They were composed by him, a few months before his death, for the Bible class of one of the agents of the Glasgow City Mission. In transcribing them, a few verbal changes of small importance have been made by that missionary; the additions and retrenchments are equally trifling.-P.M.