The Deaf and Dumb made to Hear and Speak. A WORD TO QUIET SINNERS. Mark vii. 32-35. are possible with God. He proclaims to such impediment in his speech." Man naturally is deaf to the Shepherd's voice. He hears every other sound, but he hears not the sweet voice of God's love. "God speaketh once, yea, twice, yet "And they bring unto Him one that was deaf, and had an man perceiveth it not." God speaks by His impediment in his speech; and they beseech Him to put His hand upon him. And He took him aside from wonderful work in creation, and again proclaims the multitude, and put His fingers into his ears, and He his voice of love to man in the Cross of Calvary, spit, and touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, He sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be yet man heareth it not. He is deaf. He little opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the thinks that God is preaching peace by Jesus string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain."-Christ. He little thinks that Jesus is soon coming in flaming fire, to put all enemies under His feet, THIS is a very simple narrative, but it presents because he hears not God's voice. He is deaf, and to us deep gospel truth. One feature in the ways no power of man can give him ears to hear, no and words of Jesus was the graciousness with efforts or appliances of his own can unstop his which He exhibited His Almighty power, and taught some of the most profound doctrines of ears. The sweet voice of Jesus' love is lost upon him, and the awful warnings to flee from the scripture from the commonest incidents of life.wrath to come do not melt his heart, because he The blessed Lord was always ready to do good, has ears, and heareth not. always had a loving heart to welcome those who receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for "The natural man came to Him, and an attentive ear to the cry of they are foolishness unto him: neither can he the distressed, however poor and needy. He was know them, because they are spiritually dis- and probed into the depths of his sinful state; full of compassion, and the helpless and hopeless cerned." (1 Cor. ii. 14.) that God in pure love and mercy sent Him into ever found a friend in Him. The same loving Jesus that afterwards died for the ungodly, and This man is also like the sinner, because of the world to save sinners, and that He has put put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, was al- the "impediment in his speech." No sinful man away sin for ever by the blood of His cross. ways animated by the same love, and therefore can speak plainly about the things of God. Then the sinner consciously stands before the was ever ready to meet the necessities of sinful, If you ask an unconverted man some soul-Lamb as it had been slain, sees the rich provision needy men; so that whether you consider Him searching vital question, he will either give you God has made for lost and guilty ones, in the in life or death, His ways and words alike pro-direct, not to the point. If you say "Are you heart welcomes the precious words of the omnino answer, or his reply will not be plain, not blood of His own Son; and then his believing claim the fact, that "the Son of Man is come to saved?" his response may be, "I should think potent Saviour, "Peace be unto you!" Thus, no body can say that, or it is to be hoped that beholding by faith the finished work of Christ, every body will be saved." If you say, "Suppose and receiving the faithful word of Christ, he He will say, "I do not know, or I hope (mean- conscience, and finds peace, solid peace with God you were to die to night, would you go to heaven?" loses the burden of an oppressed and heavy laden Again, if the living and true God-through our Lord ing I should like,) to go to heaven." you ask many professors what they trust in for Jesus Christ. salvation, they will say "our Saviour, of course," and they marvel that you think them so ignorant; but if you then say, "Who do you mean by our Saviour?" they will not know how to reply. There is an impediment in the speech of every sinner as regards spiritual things; he knows not how to speak of the things of God, because he is alienated in his heart and an enemy in his mind by wicked works; he therefore can give no plain testimony to his interest in God's salvation. He know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” cannot say like the blind man, "One thing I seek and to save that which is lost." The narrative opens by telling us that certain persons brought this man to Jesus. It was not that they merely spoke to the man about Jesus, or pointed him to Jesus, or tried to make him understand where he might find Jesus. No, they brought him to Jesus. Kindness might have prompted them to have brought him part of the way, or to the town where Jesus was, or into the same street, and then have left him, saying, Only go a little further, then you will be close to Jesus. But it was more than this-they brought him to Jesus. However ignorant of Christ the man was, however unwilling at first he might have been to go, whatever impediments there were in the way, they steadily persevered, and gave the man no rest, until they brought him unto Jesus. But more still, they not only brought the man to Jesus, but they besought Jesus to put His hand upon him. They saw the lamentable state the man was in, they knew that Jesus could heal him, and therefore they cried earnestly to Him to put His healing hand upon him; and we know the result. Thus the inspired story commences, and it reads instructive and encouraging, though, perhaps, humbling lessons to us. Surely it needs only a loving heart, under the Spirit's power, for believers to bring undone souls to Jesus. They say, "let us first get them interested in ministers and worship, and afterwards we may get them into such a state as to be able to speak to them about Jesus." This is wrong; it is human policy, and not faith and love; it is trifling with souls, and thinking lightly of eternity. The believing eye sees man's sunken estate, thinks of the uncertainty of life, contemplates the eternal anguish to which he is exposed, knows that Jesus only can save; therefore the loving heart will hear of no denial, and brings the soul as soon as possible to Jesus. There are others of us who tell people that Jesus can save them, we say, "come, oh come, to Jesus;" but we soon give them up if they refuse, we are not earnest, and persevering enough, we do not cry day and night to Jesus for Him to lay His hand upon them, we do not overcome the many hindrances as we ought; a little persecution, an offensive reply, or a rash answer is sometimes enough to stop us in our attempt to bring 2. THE LORD'S WAY WITH THIS MAN. "He lost sinners to Christ. And why? Because we took him aside from the multitude." Ah! true have not the loving heart, the bowels of mer- Christianity is a personal matter; we must have cies, the feelings of deep compassion that should to do with Christ about our own state. There characterize saved sinners. Oh, my fellow Chris- must be this individual intercourse with Christ. tians! let us seek, by earnest prayer, the loving We must know what it is to be alone with Jesus. heart, let us live day and night in the contempla-This has always been God's way, and He still tion of the Saviour's love, the price which He paid for our salvation, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, let us seek to have every faculty of our souls so filled with the Spirit, that we may be able to bring sinners to Jesus, and so earnestly beseech Him for them, that many a deaf ear may be opened, and many a tongue loosed to praise the Saviour's name. In pursuing our meditations on this portion of scripture, we shall notice 1st, that this deaf man stands before us as a remarkable portrait of a sinner. 2nd. The way of Jesus with him. 3rd. The man's experience, and 4th, His testimony. 1. THE MAN IS A REMARKABLE PORTRAIT OF THE SINNER, because he "was deaf, and had an But this man stands remarkably before us as takes aside from the multitude. He still draws 3. THE MAN'S EXPERIENCE. My previous remarks have somewhat anticipated this part of my subject; for it is clear that personal intercourse with the living blessed Jesus must be connected with experience. Every truly converted person has something to relate of his experience. Paul often related, how the Lord met with him when in sin and rebellion against Him, how He took him aside from his companions, and what an experience he had before he found peace with God. Of course, all Christians have not the same experience—some have far deeper convictions of sin than others, and others speedily find peace and joy in believingstill all can say: "I was a wandering sheep; I would not be controll'd; But now I love my Shepherd's voice; "I the chief of sinners am, 4. Now LET US NOTICE THE MAN'S TES- PEACE. What glorious society! We shall become acquainted with all. We shall enjoy the company of all. We love all. We shall be in the closest union with all. There will be no shyness, no strangeness, no distance there. There will be no empty seat, no vacant place, no missing The whole family, every one there. brother and sister will be there. All holy, all happy, all at home, and at home. for ever. O sweet, and blessed home of the Lord's family! worthy of being compared with all-worthy Jesus, of heaven. His arms of pardoning mercy are Cherubim, the Seraphim, all the elect and His precious blood. Go into any part of still wide open, and His voice still loudly calls, the world, and ask any truly converted person "Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise angels, and every holy and happy Spirit, what is the most precious object of his heart, cast out!" Can you turn away? Will you not redeemed by a Saviour's blood, will be and he will say, Jesus! Jesus! the Lord Jesus come at once to Jesus whose blood cleanseth there. Christ, who came into the world to save sinners! from ail sin? "See that ye refuse not Him that He thus speaks plainly. There are no "ifs" speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused Him and "buts," but a simple testimony to the good- that spake on earth, much more shall not we ness and mercy of God in Christ. The healed | escape, if we turn away from HIM THAT SPEAKETH man could speak of the amazing condescension FROM HEAVEN." of Christ in having to do with such an unworthy one-His all-searching power penetrating to the very depths of his deafness; the healing virtue of His touch; the infinite compassion expressed by His deep sigh, as well as the omnipotence connected with His command, Ephphatha,' be opened. He does not ascribe glory to any other, because Christ did it all, and the needy, helpless, sinful one only received the gift. So it is with sinners now, Christ is all. He calls; He welcomes; He heals; He cleanses; He justifies. Christ is all their salvation, their life, righteousness, wisdom, sanctification, and redemption. They believe His word, and rest in His work, therefore they speak plainly of His love, blood, compassion, grace, salvation, and declare that "None but Jesus Can do helpless sinners good." verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, His mouth; these are the utterances of His No more with trembling heart I try From whence salvation springs. My anchor's cast! wedg'd in a rock, And workings of my breast. A hungry helpless mind, Till firmest grace it find. The Home of my Heart. BY JAMES SMITH, CHELTENHAM. And now let me plainly ask my reader, have your ears been opened to hear the voice of the Son of God for Jesus said, "The time cometh, and now is, when the dead (that is, sinners dead in trespasses and sins), shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." (John v. 25.) Jesus still calls; He says, "The flesh profiteth nothing." He does not tell people to save their own souls, to blot out their own sins, or to look to creature-merit for peace; but He did say, and still does say, "I am the door, by I HAVE just been charmed, by hearing a me, if any man enter in He shall be saved." "The Son of Man is come to save that which young lady sing a beautiful hymn, the was lost, and whosoever believeth on Him shall burden of which is, "My home is in not perish but have everlasting life." "Verily, heaven, my home is not here." This has he shall never see death." This is the sweet set me musing, for I am pretty much of voice of Jesus; these are the precious words of a home bird. I was never very fond of gracious heart. How kind, how free, how abun- travelling, and as I get old, I like it less dant the love! My reader, have you heard this and less. I can enjoy a short visit, but said something like this: "Lord, thou sayest I do not like long ones. To me there is thou didst come into the world to save sinners; Lord, I am a sinner, and deserve everlasting punishment; save me, I beseech thee, O Lord. Thou hast also said in thy word, blessed Jesus, that if any man will enter in by thee into God's presence, he shall be saved. Lord Jesus, I am a sinner, without any good thing; I look only to thy blood, look only to thee for righteousness and acceptance, therefore I hope in thy word of promise to save me." Again, they tell the blessed Lord, that He promised to save from death those who kept His sayings: "Lord, I believe thy precious sayings! Lord, I rest in thy word; Lord, it is enough; my soul, through thy word and thy work, finds the burden of sin and the fear of death removed, and has peace with God." Such can truthfully say, voice? If so, you have been alone with Him, and "Jesus! the very thought of thee We There we shall be free from all that burdens the mind, tries the temper, agitates the nerves, or depresses the spirits. There we shall be free to worship, to serve, and enjoy God without interruption. There we shall be familiar with the Patriarchs and Prophets, with the Apostles and Martyrs; with all who have lived for Christ, and died for Christ on earth. There we shall have a right to be, and to be there for ever. It will be our own home. The Kingdom prepared for us, before the foundation of the world. The place prepared for us by our beloved Lord and Saviour. There all will be simple and sincere, no polite deception, no mere pretence will be there. All will be right and beautiful, nothing dreary or unsightly there. All will be joyous and blissful, neither tears nor sorrow there. What no place like home. The dear old scenes, will it be to realize freedom from all pain, all fear, all sorrow, and all sin; possessand the familiar old faces, are far more pleasant than fresh ones. Still, the best, ing at the same time the deep inwrought the happiest home on earth has its de-assurance, that we are free from all these fects. It is not all we wish. We cannot things for ever! O blissful prospects! O glorious anticipation! shut out all the disagreeables. Nor can we bring in all that is desirable. Yes, heaven is home, the home of the heart. All the objects of the heart's love cannot find perfect enjoyment, nor do we enjoy full satisfaction. The poet has well desire are there. All that can feast and are there. All the objects of the heart's said, "Full bliss, is bliss divine." In the delight the heart are there. I will therehappiest home, there are some wants; fore endeavour henceforth to think of and in the most satisfied bosom, there heaven as my home, the home of my heart; nor expect to find a home to are some wishes. Where is the family satisfy me, until I arrive there. Without in which there is not an Absalom, or a holiness, without love, without peace, Dinah? Where is the house in which without Jesus, no place would be home disease and death cannot enter? In a to me. But in heaven all are holy-in few years, how changed our houses be- heaven love is perfect-in heaven peace But my reader may not have heard the voice of come! Well, our home, as believers in reigns-in heaven Jesus dwells, is seen, and heard, and enjoyed for ever. Let me, Jesus. You are still as deaf as ever, you have Jesus, is not here. The home of the heart therefore, when called to suffer privation, not known what it is to be alone with Him, is where Jesus is. Our home, our Father's or endure temptation, or pass through under His searchings, you have not heard His affliction, remember that I am but a why is it, but because you are not of God? you Let us then think of heaven as our stranger and a sojourner below, that "my love sin, and prefer the slavery of Satan, and the "He that is of God heareth God's words: ye unvails his glory, displays all his love, ease, or be free from trouble, until I reach world's pleasures to God's favour and blessing. home. There our heavenly Father dwells, home is in heaven, my home is not here." Nor let me ever expect long to dwell at God." How fearful your condition, how dark, and places at the disposal of his children the home of my heart. Father of mercies, eternally dark are your prospects! A little more all the riches of his grace. There the I bless thee for providing such a home, pleasure, a few more sips from the sinful cup, whole family meet. The Church of the for such a sinner as me! Saviour, Jesus, charms, and then! oh then! eternity will find first-born. There, as the Apostle speaks, I praise thee for procuring me a title to you within its endless grasp. But deaf as you is Jerusalem, which is above, which is such a home, by thine own blood! Holy No voice can sing, no heart can frame, A sweeter sound than thy blest name, deep sighs over your sin-stricken condition, and house, is above. therefore hear them not, because ye are not of a passing enjoyment of the world's bewitching are, let me seek to bring you to Jesus. Come to Spirit, I adore thee for thy gracious work, Jesus! Come to Jesus at once! Come just as the mother of us all. Our elder brother, and that thou art leading me to that you are! Come with all your foulest crimson sin! Come now! Why not now! The eye of our beloved Saviour is there. The holy blissful home, where I shall be holy and the Lord Jesus now beholds you from the throne and ever blessed Comforter is there. The happy for ever! "Only Believe." "Faith is the gift of God." A FORTNIGHT since, I was told by a converted little girl, that her Uncle, a wicked man, who kept a public house at Walworth, was dying, and she said, "He has always on his mind some words that he are somewhere in the Bible, "Thou shalt be seven times damned."" is sure praying with my two Christian servants, led to see the exact suitability of Christ I suppose some remembrance was float- for him. The little girl said that the doctor would not let any one speak to him of his soul, for he said, "it would kill him directly to do so." This however proved to be a fabrication of his wicked wife, as the doctor afterwards denied having said so. The result was however the same, as no Christian was allowed access to him, and his mother, who had just arrived from the country to see him was, the child said, ignorant of the Lord. I felt that we were entirely cast on the promises of the Lord to answer believing. prayer. I reminded the poor man's little niece, and another dear young convert, who was also with ne, that "nothing is too hard for the Lord," and that “not only with God all things are possible, but that all things are possible to him that believeth." So we joined in imploring the Lord for His Honour's sake, for His word's sake, to save this poor wretched sinner's soul, laid as he was now at the very edge of the pit of hell, which at last Why do I Love Jesus? "We love Him, because He first loved us.' Because He first loved me; For me a child of wrath: To save my soul from hell; He died that I might live, That I might joy obtain; He died instead of me, He drank the bitter cup; And if I love Him now, And suffer for Him here, Tis bright compared with His: "I am well pleased." BY JAMES SMITH, CHELTENHAM. cession, and looks at it as securing his complete salvation. He is pleased with His promises, and trusts them; he is pleased with His precepts, and obeys them; and he is pleased with His ordinances, and observes them. To him the person of Christ is precious; the word of Christ is sweet, and the presence of Christ is an antepast of heaven. He is well pleased with all Christ did, with all Christ said, and with all that Christ is doing. He is well pleased with the thought of going to Jesus, of seeing Him as He is, and of being for ever with Him. So pleased is he with Jesus, that he loves to hear Him praised, and the more highly Christ is exalted, the better pleased is he. He can never speak of Christ in terms sufficiently high, nor feel toward Christ a love sufficiently deep. Reader, does this at all set forth your experience? Have you such views of Christ, and such feelings towards Christ? The Holy Spirit always glori fies Christ; it is His work, and His delight; if, therefore, the Holy Spirit is at work in you, you will be well pleased with Jesus. Yea, there will be times in your experience when you will not be well pleased with any one but Jesus. But at no time will you feel happy, when indulging in low views of Jesus, or in living at a distance from Him. It is by no means a bad test of our state to ask he was terrified to think of. We in- THIS was the testimony of the Father. treated our Father to give him his Holy to His beloved Son, on the banks of the Spirit, to enable him by Faith to see Jordan, when He was baptized; and on Jesus, the Saviour of the lost, We re- the top of the mountain, when He minded the Lord of all His unbounded was transfigured. Everything in Jesus-what do we think of Christ? How do promises in answer to prayer; we enu- pleases the Father; but especially did we feel toward Christ? If we think highly of Christ, and if we are well merated these promises, especially that He appear pleased, when He took our all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in nature, became a servant for our sake, pleased with Christ, all is well. For prayer, believing, ye shall receive, and and engaged to do and suffer all that God is always well pleased with them more than all, "If we ask any thing our salvation required. Then was the who are well pleased with His Son. But, if we have low thoughts of Christ, if our according to His will, He heareth us, and Father glorified in the self-renouncing hearts are cold towards Christ, we are if we know that He hear us, we know love of His Son. Then was the Father that we have the petitions that we desired glorified on that earth where He had by no means in a good condition. May of Him." (1 John v. 14-15.) been so fearfully dishonoured; because the Holy Spirit so unfold the glories of We told the Lord we knew that our here Jesus magnified the law, and made Christ to our view, and so shed abroad petition was according to His will, for it honourable. Here He yielded Him- the love of Christ in our hearts, that we He had said, it is not His will that any self unreservedly to His Father, and may be ravished with His beauty, enperish, but that all should come to repen-spoke His words, wrought His works, amoured with His love, and be well tance. Having thus cast our burden upon consulted His will, and in everything did pleased with all that He is, and has. the Lord, we went away, our countenances His pleasure. The Father looked on hearts do go out to thee; but we want to Holy Saviour, we do admire thee, our being no more sad. And yet, I wrote His Son with eyes of love; thought of see more of thy beauty, to enjoy more down the texts I have named, for the His Son with thoughts of love; and of thy presence, and to be delighted little girl to give to her father, (a dear Christian dying in decline,) in order to encourage him. Also to go on in prayer for his brother, adding the words, "Only As the Father is well pleased with believe," and also throughout the course Jesus, so is the sinner, when taught by of that day, and in the evening when the Holy Spirit his need of Christ, and spoke to His Son these loving words, always with thy love! Heavenly Father, we rejoice that we are in some measure like-minded with thee; for as thou art well pleased with thy Son, so are we; and our desire is, that no thought, word, or deed of ours, may ever throw a doubt on this our testimony! A Prayer for Eighteen Hundred and Sixty One. BY T. W. MEDHURST, COLERAINE, IRELAND. MY DEAR FRIENDS,-Another year with its joys and sorrows, its trials and its mercies, has passed; has passed and gone. You are now nearer to your end, to the grave, to the judgment, than you ever were before. Are you prepared for death, by faith in the shed blood of Jesus? Slight not this question, neither put it from you, for on its answer depends your future prospects for happiness or endless woe. If, as a sinner, you have not fled to Jesus as the only Saviour, you can only look on death, with gloom and dread, while the vast eternity beyond is darkness and dread despair. by being made holy; that sinners should shall be done in earth, when Jesus shall The will of God is to be done "in Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. vi. 23.) earth." God's will is not done in earth Continue a servant of sin, and you shall yet, now Satan is the prince of the power have your just wages-death, eternal of the air, working in the hearts of the death. You cannot bear that this should Do you ever pray? This is an enquiry children of disobedience. From the sad be your awful doom. Oh, then, I beseech of vast moment. If you are a prayerless moment when Adam fell from that state you, turn unto God; for with Him is man, you are a careless man, a Christless of purity in which God created him, he plenteous mercy, for all who feel their soul. If a Christless soul, you are with- has been revolting more and more in the lost condition. Look unto Jesus, who out hope. Jesus says, "Men ought al- persons of all his posterity. All man-is "a God ready to pardon." Resist not ways to pray, and not to faint." This kind have sinned wilfully ever since. the strivings of the Spirit; so shall you means all men, and consequently you This will continue until Jesus comes, the possess eternal life, and shall dwell in among the rest. Even the young ravens world will grow worse and worse; the those mansions of light, which Jesus has ery unto God, and He hears them, and mystery of iniquity will work, until Jesus gone to prepare for all those who love directs them to their food. How much by His coming shall entirely destroy His appearing. higher are you than the ravens? and the man of sin. Righteousness is yet to Sinner, turn ye, turn ye; why will ye how much more ought you, a rational, cover the whole earth, even as the waters die? Repent ye, repent ye of your sins, thinking being, to cry unto God, espe- cover the channels of the mighty deep; and be converted. Believe ye, believe ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, then you shall be saved. Christians, with one heart, I urge you to plead, agonize, wrestle, and pray, this "See Jehovah's banners furled, short petition for Eighteen Hundred Sheathed His sword: He speaks-'tis done, and Sixty One. "THY KINGDOM COME. And the kingdoms of this world, Are the kingdoms of His Son. He shall reign from pole to pole, With illimitable sway; it shall then be no longer necessary to cially when you consider the awful fact, that you are a sinner,-a rebel against the say to each other, "know ye the Lord," majesty of heaven,—a transgressor. under for ALL shall know Him, from the least, condemnation, and yet one to whom even to the greatest. the Lord has sent this gracious promise, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved." That "WHOSOEVER" takes you in, and gives you the assurance of pardon through Jesus, when But I would fain hope He shall reign when, like a scroll, you ask for it Yon blue heavens have passed away. you do pray, that you love prayer; thereThen the end;-beneath His rod, fore, I desire to direct your attention to Man's last enemy shall fall; a short petition, which, I consider to be Hallelujah! Christ in God,, an important prayer, with which to com- God in Christ is all in all." mence the New Year. A good prayer to Let us pray-"THY KINGDOM COME." continue pleading throughout the whole We are taught by Jesus to pray, that year, and a suitable prayer with which to the will of God, His Father, may be conclude the year, should you be spared, done in earth, "as it is in heaven." A This prayer you will find in Matt. vi. 10. good teacher, in a Sunday School, on "THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE asking, how God's will is done in hea IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." Be par- ven? received the following beautiful ticular in noticing the first part of this answers from the dear children. "Imprayer, "THY KINGDOM COME." Until mediately, diligently, continually, heartily, the kingdom of Jesus has come, God's unitedly, and without asking any queswill cannot fully be done in earth. When tions." The glorified spirits, who ever God's kingdom has come, then Jesus will encircle the throne above, do God's will have come the second time, without sin immediately; they at once perform His unto salvation. The closing promise in bidding diligently; for it is worthy of God's word declares, "SURELY I COME being done well, because His will must QUICKLY." The ready answer of all be right continually. They are always believers to that promise should be, engaged in this great, this all-glorious. "AMEN, EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS." work, heartily; for without the heart we Let us enquire, WHAT, God's will is? cannot obey God with acceptance unitedWHERE God's will is to be done? and ly, as with one heart, and without asking How God's will is to be done? God's any questions; because God cannot make will is, that all should enjoy happiness, any mistake. This is the way God's will THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS it is The Up and Down Train. O pause before you make your choice, The Engine TIME must take you on;: Nor aught to cause you pain. The road is good, the prospect fine, True, there's a dark and gloomy Vale, But a light there is at the Terminus, Keep your Eye steadfast on that light- And you will safely reach your home, N. Gleanings for the Young. The Child's Prayer Answered. No doubt you have all heard of the great rolling waste of waters, called the sea, which surrounds the land in which we dwell. You may perhaps have seen it, when taken by your kind parents to Brighton, Margate, Scarborough, or some other place on the coast. The story I am about to tell you was told me by a pilot, one whose business it is to guide ships safely past the dangerous rocks and sands, on which they might strike and be dashed to pieces. This pilot went out one day, in his boat, to a ship about to anchor in St. Helen's Roads. Hailing the captain, he told him of some dangerous ground thereabouts, and gave him some friendly advice as to the course he had best pursue. The captain thanked him for his kindness, and invited him to breakfast on board. Accepting this invitation, and fastening his boat to the side of the great ship, the pilot climbed on deck, and followed the captain and his mate to breakfast in the cabin. One circumstance he noticed much, that the captain, unlike many on ship-board, gave thanks, on sitting down to table, to the great Giver of all good. His attention was also attracted by a plate, or board, hung on the cabin side, on which were painted in large letters those solemn words, "PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD." The captain, observing his visitor's attention fixed on this inscription, asked him whether he knew God. A solemn question this, and one to which I hope my readers can reply as the pilot replied, "I trust I do." 66 66 "Well," said the captain, as soon as he was left alone with the pilot, since you know and love God, you will be glad to hear how it was given me to know Him. You see that mark," pointing to a line scored in the cabin-floor, from side to side; "on that very spot, two years ago, I was brought to Christ." He then rehearsed to my friend, the pilot, a narrative, of which the following is the substance. Her parents, still anxious for her recovery, consulted a physician, by whom her father was advised to take her with him to sea. The mother was quite afraid to trust her girl to the care of her drunken father, but at last consented to let her go, as the voyage seemed to afford the only remaining hope of her life being spared. hope of her recovery. When told that her the great love of God, and that made him Before sailing, the captain took on board a quantity of the very articles which had brought so much misery on his wife and children, namely, brandy, rum, tobacco, and so forth. 66 Conversation with Maria F, a native When they had been a few weeks away from England, the ship sailing at a rapid rate, it struck just before midnight on a reef of rocks. The captain and his men were in liquor at the time, but the sudden shock startled them all into a measure of sobriety: for they well knew, unless saved by a miracle, what a sad fate immediately awaited them. The first shock made the vessel creak and tremble from stem to stern; and instantly the captain cried "Hoist the boat out, or we shall all perish!" How must such words have M. "Me think, Menhina,' faith this. God alarmed those wicked men! To perish in the deep, deep sea, far from home and friends, say to me, Maria, I promise you something beneath the dark midnight sky, and with all very good, me not know what it is, me not their sins upon their heads? see it, me have to wait, long long time; but The boat was being hoisted out; the cap-me sure God not tell story, me quite happy. tain, who had forgotten his poor child, ran God say He give, and me sure God give into the cabin to get his watch; and while in the act of unhooking it from the wall, he by-and-bye; that me think faith. God say, heard, through all the din and tumult of that me do it, Maria, me quite sure, not want see; fearful scene, a low, sweet voice in prayer. God say, that enough; that faith, is it not Turning round, he saw his child upon her Menhina?” knees, and heard her say, "Lord, save us, or we perish!" At that very moment, as if in instant answer to the prayer, the mate called out from above, "The wind has changed! The ship is off the reef! Lend a hand to take in sail!" 66 A. "What do you mean by saying, that you could not do without the blood of Jesus?" M (with her eyes full). When me feel my heart going to do something very bad, perhaps say bad things, something in my heart say, Oh, Maria, not do that, that not good, that not please, that not make God happy; so then me think, Oh, me very wicked, me great sinner: me then see the blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, which takes away all sin, and me feel then so happy, and me pray every day, 'Jesus wash me in thy blood."" A. "Do you love to read the Word of God. Maria? Do you understand it?" Before me knew Senhor E. me think Me The captain was overwhelmed. His own long course of sin; the wonderful goodness of God, in answering so instantly the prayer of his child; the sudden change from exFor many years he had been a great sin-pected destruction to comparative safety; all ner. All are sinners who do not love the these things so completely overcame him, Lord Jesus Christ; but besides this, the captain that he sank down upon his knees where had been given up to a fearful habit of drunk-he afterwards drew the mark on the cabin enness, spending all he earned on drink, and floor; and of him for the first time in his leaving his wife and children without sufficient life it could be said, "Behold he prayeth." clothing and food. 66 M. How shocking this must The same gracious God, who had heard his have been to his poor wife; and how sad for child's prayer, and saved the ship with the Bible like all other books; me think all about the children, that the money which ought to lives of all on board, now heard the cry of Joseph and his brothers a storia, pretty storia, have procured them food, should be wasted the broken-hearted sinner, and received him no true storia; but now me love it. by their hard-hearted father on drink. How through the precious blood of Jesus, on know Joseph picture of Jesu Christo, and thankful should any of my dear readers be, to whom he was enabled to cast himself for the brothers, the wicked brothers-mean the whom God has given kind, christian parents, eternity. Next morning he had all the rum Jews who do bad to Jesu Christo-now me who care both for their bodies and their souls. and brandy thrown overboard, that it might understand the Bible; me got something in This man was, as you may suppose, wretch- no longer tempt him or his men. my heart make me love, make me know the ed enough. The way of transgressors is Bible." hard." "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." One of his children, a daughter, about thirteen years old, had found a friend in a kind lady, who took her to a Sunday School, clothed her, and taught her about Jesus, whose love for sinners led Him to die for their salvation. This lady's heart was cheered by finding that her instructions were used of God to bring this poor girl to the knowledge of Jesus. "Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?" Little Succat. A. "How do you mean about God speaking to you? How do you know when He speaks?" M. "Me think of Samuel, the little boy ABOUT 1500 years ago, there was living in asleep, as he hear some one call, Samuel, Scotland a little boy named Succat. He had Samuel, he get up and say, Sim, Senhor, Sim, a loving and holy mother, who tried to teach Senhor, and go to the old padre, who say, him about God. But Succat liked to play me no call; then he go to sleep again; he better than to hear about such things. By- hear some one call again, and again he get and-bye his parents went to live in France. up; padre say, boy, go to bed; he hear again, It seems it was by the third chapter of One day Succat was out with his two sisters, (her face brightened up as she spoke), and John that God had spoken to her heart; and amusing themselves on the sea shore. Pre- he jump up and say, Sim, Senhor, Galla,3 for on returning from school in the evening, she sently, some men leaped on land, laid hold of boy hear very well. It was God who spoke; told her mother of this great mercy, and per- the children, and carried them off to their we must be very quick to hear when Deos suaded her father to let her read the same ship. Away they went to Ireland. There speak. chapter to him. Poor child! She hoped Succat was sold to be a slave. I do not know that the word which had been such a blessing what became of his sisters. How sorry he to her, would prove as useful to her father; must have felt to be so far from his happy but it was not so at that time. home. But there was something else too which made him very sad. That was his sin. He thought how much he had sinned, and it made him very unhappy. But soon he saw Shortly after her conversion this child became very ill, and gradually grew worse and worse, until, at last, the doctor gave up all Me think God speak when God make trouble; when my little boy die, God speak to me. Me very sorry; me lose my little boy, but when me know all God does must be good, me not sorry." 1 My young lady. 2 Yes, Lord. 4 God. |
