But E say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.— ST. MATTHEW, v. 44.

A

THE ACTIVE CHRISTIAN.

{N ardent spirit dwells with Christian Love,
The eagle's vigour in the pitying dove;
'Tis not enough that we with sorrow sigh,
That we the wants of pleading man supply;
That we in sympathy with sufferers feel,
Nor hear a grief without a wish to heal:
Not these suffice-to sickness, pain, and woe,
The Christian spirit loves with aid to go;
Will not be sought, waits not for Want to plead,
But seeks the duty-nay, prevents the need;
Her utmost aid to every ill applies,

And plants relief for coming miseries.

Crabbe.

REFLECTIONS.

THE brave only know how to forgive; it is the most refined and generous pitch of virtue human nature can arrive at. Cowards have done good and kind actions; cowards have even fought, nay, sometimes even conquered; but a coward never forgave it is not in his nature; the power of doing it flows only from a strength and greatness of soul, conscious of its own force and security, and above the little temptations of resenting every fruitless attempt to interrupt its happiness.-STerne.

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy, findeth life, righteousness, and honour.—Proverbs, xxi. 21.

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will E confess also before my Father which is in heaven. -ST. MATTHEW, X. 32.

TRUST IN THE LORD.

REATOR of the rolling flood,

On whom Thy people hope alone;
Who cam'st by Water and by Blood,
For man's offences to atone :

Who from the labours of the deep
Didst set Thy servant Peter free,
To feed on earth Thy chosen sheep,
And build an endless Church for Thee;

Grant us, devoid of worldly care,

And leaning on Thy bounteous Hand,
To seek Thy help in humble prayer,
And on Thy sacred Rock to stand:

And when, our life-long toil to crown,
Thy call shall set the spirit free,
To cast with joy our burden down,
And rise, O Lord, and follow Thee.

Heber.

REFLECTIONS.

THE wise man moves far above the common level; he observes everything from a different point of view; in his employments there is always an aim, in his views always freedom, and all with him is above the common level.-RICHTER.

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence; and his children shall havé a place of refuge. - PROVERBS, xiv. 26.

F

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that E will raise unto Bavid a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. En his days Judah shall be saved, and Esrael shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called, the Lord Our Righteousness.—JEREMIAH, xxiii. 5, 6.

HOPE FOR BETTER THINGS.

RE there not aspirations in each heart
After a better, brighter world than this?

Longings for beings nobler in each part—

Things more exalted-steeped in deeper bliss? Who gave us these? What are they? Soul, in thee The bud is budding now for immortality!

Death comes to take me where I long to be;

One pang, and bright blooms the immortal flower; Death comes to lead me from mortality,

To lands which know not one unhappy hour;

I have a hope, a faith-from sorrow here

I'm led by death away—why should I start and fear?

Nicoll.

REFLECTIONS.

HE that follows the advice of reason, has a mind that is elevated above the reach of injury; that sits above the

clouds, in a calm and quiet ether, and with a brave indifferency hears the rolling thunders grumble and burst under his feet.— SCOTT.

A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord; but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.—ProveRBS, xii. 2.

And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. EPHESIANS, iv. 32.

SAFETY IN FORGIVENESS.

SPRINKLED with His atoning blood

Safely before our God we stand,

As on the rock the Prophet stood,
Beneath His shadowing hand.

Bless'd eyes, which see the things we see !
And yet this tree of life hath prov'd
To many a soul a poison tree,
Beheld, and not belov'd.

So like an angel's is our bliss

(Oh! thought to comfort and appal)
It needs must bring, if used amiss,
An angel's hopeless fall.

Keble.

REFLECTIONS.

READILY allow that different minds, different dispositions, and diversified views, may require different training-it was not intended we should all see eye to eye; we must bear and forbear; for truly we shall all need it, at no distant day, when we shall be called upon to give an account of the time and talents intrusted to us individually, and of their use or abuse.— B. BARTON.

Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou enbious at the wicked.-PROVERBS, xxiv. 19.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.—ST. LUKE, vi. 37.

THE MERCIFUL.

OUR goodness strikes a root
That dies not, nor decays;
And future life shall yield the fruit,
Which blossoms now in praise.

The youthful hopes that now expand
Their green and tender leaves,
Shall spread a plenty o'er the land,
In rich and yellow sheaves.

Thus, a small bounty well bestow'd,
May perfect heaven's high plan;
First daughter to the love of God,
Is charity to man.

REFLECTIONS.

THE merciful prince is safe in love, not in fear. He needs no emissaries, spies, intelligencers, to entrap true subjects. He fears no libels, no treasons. His people speak what they think; and talk openly what they do in secret. They have nothing in their breasts that they need a cypher for. He is guarded with his own benefits.-BEN JONSON.

The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor; but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.-PROVERBS, xxviii. 16.