are many, and between their prophetic words whole ages often elapsed; and so the possibilities of self-deception, in giving heed unto them, in vast proportions, are lessened. Secondly: The voice on the mount was only of the other day, and was known only to themselves. But the prophetic word has a history, and a history in which power is swayed in a manner unrivalled, in which the most wondrous predictions are verified, in which the most marvellous conquests are recorded, and in which the voice of God re-echoes, &c. Thirdly: The voice of God on the mount was whispered to the outward ear only. But the prophetic word awakes the soul's love, devotion, &c.

II. THE DEGREE OF LIGHT WE HAVE FROM THE BIBLE. We are told it is a light shining in a dark place. The original is more specific and suggests a candle." Here there is a true designation of the Bible, "a candle." Not a sun, you will observe, before which all darkness breaks, and the shadows flee away, and in whose boundless flood of glory all things around, the vaster and the least, are revealed; not a sun, but a candle that gives light indeed, but leaves shadows still. How true! What is there of all that the

Bible casts light on, around which it leaves not shadows? It unveils the great God. But what is the mode of his existence? &c. If we no longer rear our altar to the unknown God, how often must we bend before it, exclaiming "Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour." We gladly take the light it gives us of the future. But where is heaven? And they who have gone before us, do they follow us with watchful eye? Do they ever hear us when we pray? Do they ever gather around us in moments when our memory clings to them ? Let us thank God for the thought that Jesus bore our sins. We cannot doubt that we have an atonement, but the philosophy of it? As we watch Jesus dying, and would fathom the relations of that death to sin and God and the universe, the sun of our knowledge is soon eclipsed, and a darkness falls. down and wraps the crossround and round.

But the Deity is accomplishing a high and great purpose by leaving us in these shadows. A full revelation might sometimes be for our gratification and comfort, but how often would it be for our hurt? It would beget indolence and

indifference, and would cramp the thinkings and unfoldings of our higher nature. As long as truth is veiled we sigh for it; lift the covering, and for how short a time we feel its spell! What discovery can you turn to, that is not illustrative of this? Even the discoveries and inventions of genius that have immortalized the names of men and given an impetus to civilization, have but evoked a passing enthusiasm. Let there be uncertainties about a NorthWest Passage, and no continent of America can keep the thoughts of men. Wonderful enough are the revelations of astronomy to fill the minds of men for ever; but only let there be a shower of meteors and till the cause, &c., is known, the discoveries of Newton and La Place have little heed, or none. See then the wisdom and goodness of God in giving us a word which is a candle in a dark place. We think little enough of the Deity, Jesus, the Hereafter, and Redemption; we should think far less had we more light and no room for doubt.

III. THE DEGREE OF WISDOM WE SHOW IN HEEDING THE

BIBLE. First Ye do well for your safety. We can be no worse, hereafter, for having taken heed of it, and to say the least, the man who heeds

it not is in danger. "What if, after all, eternity should prove it to be a cunningly devised fable?" say some. Well, suppose it shall, what then? Just this, the man who heeds it will be as well off as the man who disregards it. But now, suppose the future shall prove it true, and that when books are opened, this book shall be opened. The bare thought shall be like the blast of the archangel's trumpet. Secondly: Ye do well for your comfort. Yes, the Bible is but a lamp in a dark place, but then it is a lamp which gives us light that no other lamp in the world can. When the sense of guilt comes, and the dark shadows fall around us, what beside can give us light enough to leave us in peace and pardon? In the dark night that comes with bereavement and that falls on home, &c., so awfully, what can give us light enough to say, to say, "Our light affliction," &c.? As the day of life draws to a close, and the shadows of eternity deepen, what can give such light? Let philosophy bring her torch, &c. Thirdly Ye do well for your character.

IV. THE DEGREE OF ATTENTION WE OUGHT TO GIVE.

Preston.

H. J. MARTYN,

(No. CXXX.)

RETICENCE AND LOQUACITY. "Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known."-Prov. xiv. 33.

THE words suggest two things

I. THAT RETICENCE IS OFTEN A MARK OF WISDOM. We say often, not always. It is sometimes a sign of stupidity. There are those whose tongues are sluggish because their souls are dormant and benighted. It is sometimes a sign of sulkiness. There is a morose, unsocial nature that tends to silence. There is a dumb devil. But reticence is a sign of wisdom when "wisdom resteth in the heart." It is there biding its opportunity; there for use, not for display. As a rule, wise men are slow and cautious in speech. Two things tend to this. First: Humility. Great intelligence tends to great humility, and humility is ever diffident. Humility shrinks from parade. It courts the shady and the silent. Pride, on the other hand, is garrulous. Its instinct is display. Another thing that tends in a wise man to reticence isSecondly: Conscientiousness. truly wise man is a conscientious man. Feeling the responsibility of language, he weighs his words. He knows for every idle word there is a judgment.

A

"But

II. THAT LOQUACITY IS EVER AN INDICATION OF FOLLY. that which is in the midst of fools is made known." The emptier the mind, the more active the tongue. This is exemplified in the prattle of children and the fluency of unthoughtful preachers. It has been said that the editor of VOL. XXI.

one of our greatest daily journals I will never trust a writer to write a leader on a subject which he has thoroughly compassed. The reason is obvious. The article would lack that flippancy, wordiness, and positivity which are attractive to the common reader. Fools are vain and reckless; hence they are loquacious.

Homer in his Iliad, hath appointed unto dreams two doors, the one a door of horn, which was the door of truth, the other a door of ivory, which was the door of deceit, for horn, as they say, may be looked through, but ivory, being thick and dark, is not transparent. These doors may very well be applied to the mouths of men, which are as the indices and tables of the heart; for to some it is a door of glass, which is soon. broke open, and easily giveth pass to a multitude of words, wherein the folly of their hearts and minds is discerned; to others it is a door of brass, firm and solid in keeping in their words with more care and circumspection, and showing the firm solidity of their hearts and minds.

(No. CXXXI.)

THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL IMPORTANCE OF MORALITY. "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame."-Prov.xiv. 34, 35. THE text teaches

I. THE POLITICAL IMPORTANCE OF MORALITY. Righteousness— rectitude of character-exalts a nation: but sin-immorality-is a reproach to any people. First:

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Rectitude exalts a nation. (1.) Exalts it in material wealth. Truth, honesty, integrity in a people are the best guarantees of commercial advancement. Credit is the best capital in the business of a nation as well as in the business of an individual, and credit is built on righteous principles. The more credit a nation has, the more business it can do; and the more business, if rightly conducted, the more will be the accumulation of wealth. (2.) Exalts it in social enjoyments. According as the principles of veracity, uprightness, and honour reign in society, will be the freeness, the heartiness, and the enjoyment of social intercourse. (3.) Exalts it in moral power. The true majesty of a kingdom lies in its moral virtues. The kingdom whose heart beats loyally to the eternal principles of rectitude gains an influence upon the earth mightier than armies. Secondly: Unrighteousness degrades a nation. "Sin is a reproach to any people."

The prevalence of immorality amongst a people tends, in the very nature of the case, to ignominy and ruin. Neither commerce, nor arms, nor science, nor art can long sustain a morally corrupt people. Immutable Heaven has decreed their ruin. "At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them." (Jer. xviii. 7-10.) The text teaches

II. THE SOCIAL IMPORTANCE OF MORALITY. "The king's favour is towards a wise servant, but his wrath is against him that causeth shame." The idea is, that the king, the man worthy of the name, will treat his servants according to their character. The king's servants either mean his ministers of state, those who serve him in his regal capacity, or those who attend upon him in his more private and domestic relations. Rectitude in his service will be pleasing to him, and honourable to him in either case. All employers throughout society are the best served by those in their employment whose characters are distinguished by unswerving truth and incorruptible honesty. Few kings, however fallen in character, have so far gone as to feel any real respect for fawning sycophants and unprincipled timeservers. He serves best and is honoured most, whether he is engaged in the interest of a state, a business, or a family whose conduct in all things is controlled by righteousness. This subject teaches, First: That men who are ruled by righteousness are the men most to be rained in a country. It is not the warrior, the merchant, or even the man of science and art that are the most valuable to a state. It is the man of goodness. Goodness is to a country what the breeze is to the atmosphere. preventing stagnation and quickening the blood of the world. Secondly: That the promotion of true morality is the best way to premote the interests of a state. A healthy press, useful schools, enlightened pulpits, to promote these is to give peace, dignity, and stability to kingdoms.

"What constitutes a state? Not high-raised battlements, or laboured mound,

Thick wall or moated gate;

No. CXXXII.

WORDS.

First: IRRI

I. THE PACIFYING AND TATING POWER OF WORDS. The pacifying power of words. "A soft answer turneth away wrath." Several things are implied in this short passage. (1) The existence of anger against you. There is a man whose soul is fired with indignation, speaking to you either by pen or tongue. Whether that anger has been justly excited by you is not the question now; there it is, in thunder and flame. (2) The importance of turning away this anger. It is a very undesirable thing to have indignation burning in an immortal breast toward you; it is not well to be hated and damned by any one, not even by a child. (3) There is an

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effective method of turning away this wrath. That is a "soft answer." A response free from excitement and resentment, uttered in the low tone of magnanimous forbearance. At first, in some cases, the display of such calmness towards an enraged enemy will only intensify the passion. when reflection comes, as come it But must, the soft answer works as oil on the waves. A soft answer, like a conducting-rod, can carry the lightning of an enemy into the ground, and bury it in silence. Among many examples of the pacifying power of soft words, the reply of Gideon to the exasperated men of Ephraim may be given, and also the conduct of Abigail to David. (1 Sam. xxv. 32, 33.) Secondly:

The irritating power of words. "Grievous words stir up anger." There is a great tendency in the insulting and denunciatory language of your enemy to induce you to use grievous words, but the use of such words will, instead of mending the matter, increase the evil, and "stir up anger." They only add fuel to the flame. There are men whose natures are so unsocial and splenetic, that their words are always of that grievous sort that "stir up anger." Whereever they go, they scratch and irritate. The curs bark, and even the mastiffs are irritated.

II. THE RIGHT AND THE WRONG USE OF WORDS. First: The right use of words. "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright." A similar but not identical sentiment has more than once come under our notice in our path through this book. (See chaps. xii. 23, xiii. 16, xiv. 33.) Knowledge is good; it is well to have the mind richly furnished with useful information, but this good thing may be, and often is, wrongly used by words. There is a right use of knowledge in speech. It