eternity could have no meaning in relation to us. It could only be said of us, as of the beasts that perish, that we lived and moved a few days upon earth, and then passed into a state of non-exist

ence.

stream near a cataract may neglect to make efforts to reach the shore until it is too late. And so in religion. It is easy to put it off from childhood to youth, from youth to manhood, from manhood to old age, until it shall be too late. Beyond that interview with God there is no preparation. Your eternity is not to be made up of a series of successive probations, where, though you fail in one, you may avail yourself of another. There is but one probation-O how short! how fleeting! how soon gone! The shuttle of the weaver flies not swifter; nor do the shadows move more rapidly over the plain. Each day leaves the number less-and not one of them can be recalled. Life is passed through not to be travelled over again; and each footprint is made to be seen by us no more. He that comes after us may track our

But though the body dies, and falls back to its original dust, the spirit lives, and lives for ever. In a few days we drop these tabernacles of clay-are born into a new world, entirely unlike that which we now inhabit; and our immortal spirits, emancipated from the thraldom of earth and sense, enter upon a state not only of endless being, but of endless advancement in all the capacities of thought, of feeling, of enjoyment, and suffering. Who can estimate the value of a soul possessing such a nature and with such prospects before it? And what significancy does this view impart to the question propounded by our Saviour: "What is a man pro-way nearer and nearer to the beach fited if he gain the whole world, and lose his soul? or what shall he give in exchange for his soul?"

where the ocean of eternity rolls; he may see step after step in the sand, till he comes to the last print, half washed away by the tide, where we plunged into the vast ocean and disappeared

PREPARATION FOR THE FINAL for ever. You go not back again. This

JUDGMENT.

THE path up to the judgment-seat is not a way of preparation; nor at His bar is it a place to prepare for eternity. It is no time to prepare for battle when the enemy is in the camp; no time to make ready to meet a foe when he has broken open your door. There is such a thing as putting off preparation until it is too late. A man may neglect the care of his health until it is too late. A student may suffer the proper time to prepare for a profession to glide away until it is too late. A farmer may neglect to plough and sow until it is too late. A man on a rapid

day, this hour, you live but once; and this setting sun will have taken one irrecoverably from the allotted days of your probation. I wonder at man. The earth is our place of probationand it is all-literally, absolutely all. In that probation, if ever, you and I are to be prepared for that vast eternity on which we enter in a few days. If not prepared then, we are never to be prepared. Point me, fellow-mortal, to t. slightest proof whatever, or to the slightest presumption-I will not ask for proof-that another season of probation is to be granted to you beyond the judgment of the great day, and I

will never urge this point again. But rise, and sweep with the fury of the if there is none, my dying fellow-man, tempest along the great pathway of you ought to be prepared to meet God. nations. Suddenly and unexpectedly It is not a thing of privilege, it is a the seaman may find his ship driving thing of obligation. Your conscience, towards the rock-bound coast of a lee your reason, your sober judgment, all shore. Then it is that nothing but the respond to the claim which I urge upon sturdy anchor can arrest her progress you, that you should be ready to meet and save her from the wreck and ruin God. You who have adopted it as a of all her treasures. settled purpose that you will not enter a profession without being prepared for it; you who will not appear in the gay assembly without hours spent under skilful hands at the toilet, that you may be prepared for it, ought to be prepared to appear before God. You ought to have on a brighter than any earthly array; you ought to have on the garments of salvation-the pure and spotless robes wrought by the "Redeemer's hands and dyed in his blood." Not as you are now, sinful, unforgiven, gay, worldly, thoughtless, ambitious, should you stand before the great and pure Jehovah to receive the sentence which will seal your eternal doom.

ANCHOR OF THE SOUL. ALL who have had experience of life on the ocean know the value of an anchor. It is indispensable to the safety of life and property amid the perils of the deep. No wise or prudent mariner would venture to loosen his vessel from her moorings without a well-appointed anchor, ready for use in any emergency. The skies may be bright and sunny to-day, and the fierce winds sleep in their secret chambers. The ocean may be smooth to-day, and favouring breezes waft the vessel rapidly onward in her course. But in one short hour the slumbering winds may

Within a few short months the elements have made fearful exhibitions of their power. The value and importance of anchors in such times of peril have been signally enforced and impressed on the public mind. Now if the body and the treasures of earth thus need protection in times of peril, not the less, but infinitely more, does the soul and the treasures which belong to it need all the safeguards which Heaven has provided. And it would almost seem as if Providence designed especially to teach a most impressive lesson to all the living promptly and without delay to provide each an anchor for his soul against the time of need. The skies of life may be bright and sunny to-day, and no cloud or tempest appear in the distance; but the times of trial and peril will come, the skies will be overcast, tempests will rise and rage in their fury, and the frail bark of every poor sinner who has no anchor for his soul will be fearfully tossed, and be in the greatest danger of eternal wreck and ruin.

Not so with the Christian. His hope of heaven is the anchor to his soul, sure and stedfast. He is safe amid the perils and storms of life. When a vessel is at anchor, the sea may be very boisterous, the wind may blow, the tempest howl, and the waves beat fiercely; but if the ship be seaworthy, and the cable strong, and the anchor

struck deep in tenacious soil beneath, persons suppose, apparently, that givthough she may be buffeted and tossed ing is the peculiar privilege of the rich. by the winds and the waves, yet she." The poor! why, it is as much as they will ride out the storm in safety. So can do to take care of themselves." it is with the Christian. While in this But the churches of Macedonia did not world he encounters dangers, conflicts, act upon this principle; and Paul comand trials. He is "tossed with tem- mended them for it. Perhaps he repests," as the apostle describes it, on membered the woman who gave "all the uncertain, changeful ocean of life. her living," and obtained thereby the But amidst all his troubles and tribu- approbation of her Saviour. lations a good hope of heaven, which is as an anchor to his soul, holds him in safety and in peace. His bark is still on the ocean. He is not in the har-viduals, to convert their troubles and bour. He has not reached the eternal disappointments into an excuse for not shore. He has not entered into rest, but his hope takes hold of that which is within the veil; and when the last trial shall come, his hope will be like an anchor, sure and stedfast.

THE CHURCHES OF MACE

DONIA.

THE churches of Macedonia never imagined that a record was to be made of their liberality which should live for ever. Being deeply interested in the condition of their afflicted brethren of Judea, they thought it would be a privilege to do something in the way of "ministering to the saints." They made a collection, therefore, and requested Paul to take charge of it. He did so; and he also made a record of their praiseworthy conduct. And "wheresoever this gospel shall be preached, throughout the whole world, this which they have done shall be spoken of for a memorial of them."

2. They were in a great trial of affliction." It is by no means uncommon for churches, as well as indi

giving. An agent goes to a congregation and asks for a contribution; perhaps the reply will be, "Oh, we have no pastor, and we can do nothing at present; we are battling with our chapel debt; we are about to build a school-room." Not so reasoned the churches of Macedonia.

3. They gave very liberally. They were not content with a small collection; but they contributed "to their power, yea, and beyond their power." Some churches, in the same circumstances, would have said, “If we give anything, it ought to be a mere trifle, just enough to show that we have not forgotten the object, and wish it well." Such a course would never have secured the apostle's commendation.

4. "They were willing of themselves." They did not wait for an agent. Probably they would have made no objection to the visit of a man of God on this or any similar errand. But they felt that they had a duty to perform, which did not depend upon the coming of a stranger. They went forward, therefore, and did it. Many are found at the present day who would gladly 1. They were in "deep poverty." Some dispense with deputations altogether.

But why did Paul attach so much importance to this act of the Macedonian churches?

Let all our churches adopt the prin- RICH MEN SHOULD BE LIBERAL. ciples of the Macedonian churches, and there will be no need of them.