a few smouldering embers, which serve to fix the period of the departure of the band to some time since the last fall of snow; and the alternative is left him of following the Indians to their next encampment, or returning home without having accomplished the great and all important object for which he undertook the journey. But when he thinks of Him who knew by experience the infirmities and severest sufferings of our nature, in order that he might be the merciful High Priest of his people, the missionary learns to count it all joy when he is called to suffer hardness in the honourable work of calling many sons unto Him. F. A. O'M.

BLESSING ON A TRACT.

THE following interesting case occurred in Sussex. Shortly after the distribution of tracts in the village of, and before the distributor was aware of any good having been effected, a missionary box was applied for, from a very respectable house in the village. On its first annual return it was found to contain upwards of five pounds. Everybody wondered, but no one knew what had set this machine in motion. Nearly similar results appeared at every missionary anniversary, until at length one of the sisters in the family broke through the restraints of a false shame, and declared that it was entirely owing to the blessing of God upon the tracts, which had been perseveringly left at their house, that they had become acquainted with the plague of their own hearts, and interested in the spread of the gospel.

HUMAN NATURE.

WHEN some one was talking before that acute Scotsman, Doctor Cheyne, of the excellency of human nature, "Hoot, hoot, mon," said he, "human nature is a rogue and a scoundrel, or why should it perpetually stand in need of laws and of religion?"

THE LAST FLOWER OF THE HOUSEHOLD.

A FATHER from beyond the sea
Unto his home return'd,

Where pure affection's hallowed flame
Upon his hearthstone burn'd.

He called his little family,

Each by its own loved name;
He called, and all but one bright form
To his embraces came.

Where, tell me, where is Anna dear,
The young rose of my heart?
None answered, but in every eye
Fast swelling tear-drops start.
Paler than when o'er foaming waves
By raging tempests driven,
That father grew; the mother said,
"Our Anna is in heaven!"

No word the smitten parent spoke,
But bowed beneath the rod,
Beholding in the chastening power
His Father and his God.

Then to his son and daughter said,
"Children, our household here,
Hath lost the little gladsome flower,
Which made its light so dear.
"No more your gentle sister's love
You on the earth may share,
Or o'er her tender childhood watch
With fond fraternal care.

" Your mother mourns her youngest born
As none but mothers mourn,
Your sad grandparents weep for her
Who never can return.

"And oh! your father's bitter grief
His God alone can know:
Our darling comes to us no more,
But we to her may go.

"And now to tread the path to heaven
We hand in hand will join;
Jesus will comfort us, and grant
His strength and light divine.

"And when our work on earth is done
Our blessed Lord will come,
And gather us, with Anna dear,
To his eternal home.

"There, while immortal seasons roll
In heavenly joys away,
Our ransomed souls shall bless his name
For what we feel this day."

L

THE mountains of Palestine, embracing the lofty range of Lebanon down to the slightly elevated ground of Calvary, are connected with the peculiar manifestations of the glory, power, and love of God. Pisgah, Gerizim, and Carmel, of the Old Testament, and Tabor and Olivet, of the New, were the scenes of surpassing interest. Among others familiar to the Bible reader is Moriah, chosen as the seat of the empire and religion of Abraham's favoured race.

The name Moriah signifies "vision," and " the land of Moriah," mentioned in the history of Abraham, was probably so called from being "seen afar off." All the hills on which the ancient Jerusalem stood were originally included under the term "land of Moriah." In the time of David the hill stood apart from the city, and was under cultivation; for here was the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, bought by David, and on which he raised an altar to God, 2 Sam. xxiv. 15-25. On this spot Solomon afterwards built the temple, 2 Chron. iii. 1, at which time it was included within the walls of the city. Here also Abraham, more than eight hundred years before, was directed to offer his son Isaac in sacrifice, Gen. xxii. 1, 2.

There is perhaps nothing recorded in the Old Testament

NOVEMEER, 1847.

M

which appeals more powerfully to our sympathies than the narrative of this trial of Abraham's faith, "Take now thy son, thine only son, Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burntoffering upon one of the mountains that I will tell thee of." The order of words in the original, says Bishop Warburton, gradually increases the sense, and raises the passions higher and higher. "Take now thy son-thy only son-whom thou lovest-even Isaac." Every word seems calculated to awaken some painful feeling, and to increase the difficulty of compliance. But "he who before staggered not at the promise, staggers not now at the precept, through unbelief."

"It was noon

And Abraham on Moriah bow'd himself,

And buried up his face, and pray'd for strength.
With his hand upon the rich clustering curls
Of the fair, kneeling boy, he pray'd that God
Would nerve him for that hour. Oh! man was made
For the stern conflict. In a mother's love
There is more tenderness; the thousand cords
Woven with every fibre of her heart,
Complain, like delicate harp-strings, at a breath;
But love in man is one deep principle,
Which, like a root grown in a rifted rock,
Abides the tempest. He rose up, and laid
The wood upon the altar. All was done.
He stood a moment and a deep quick flush
Pass'd o'er his countenance; and then he nerved
His spirit with a bitter strength, and spoke:-
'Isaac! my only son; the boy looked up,
And Abraham turn'd his face away, and wept.
• Where is the lamb, my father?' Oh the tones,
The sweet, the thrilling music of the boy!
How it doth agonize at such an hour!
It was the last, deep struggle. Abraham held
His loved, his beautiful, his only son,
And lifted up his arm, and call'd on God-
And lo! God's angel stayed him-and he fell
Upon his face and wept." - Willis.

How different were the feelings in the breast of Abraham as he descended the Mount Moriah, to those which oppressed him on his ascent! Isaac is safe, and yet God's command has been obeyed.

The design in this offering was not only to try the patriarch's faith, and to give us an example of implicit obedience to, and trust in God, but to show forth in a figure the death of the only-begotten Son of God, the Lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world, which actually took place on this mountain, and, as some have supposed, on the identical spot on which Abraham stood, with his unsheathed knife, prepared to slay his Isaac.

But now how dishonoured is this mount! "The glory has departed." The space once occupied by the temple of Solomon is now filled by a Mohammedan mosque; and venerable as is the spot to both Jew and Christian, neither must now tread its precincts without putting his life in peril. The mosque was built by the Caliph Omar. It is described by Dr. Richardson, an English physician, who on account of his professional skill was allowed to enter the inclosure, as a building of considerable magnitude and splendour. The engraving at the head of this article represents this mosque, looking towards Gethsemane and the Mount of Olives. On the left foreground is a Mohammedan house of prayer, near which is a Turkish funeral procession.

C.

THE HUNDRED AND FORTY AND FOUR THOUSAND.

AMONG the many striking delineations in the Apocalypse, is one that is especially so. "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred and forty and four thousand; having his Father's name written in their foreheads." Several important and interesting particulars are observable in this representation of the heavenly state :

I. Let us mark the PRIVILEGES of this glorious band there mentioned

1. They are with Jesus. He was with them on earth spiritually; but now they are with him personally. The days of their mourning are ended. Long time they desired to see him. Much they wondered what would be the character of the glory of his presence. Much they mused on the manner and manifestation of his kingdom. Now they know them. Now they see with their own eyes. Expectation is crowned with fruition, and patience receives its reward. They are, "with him."

2. Nor is this all. For, they are manifested to others as the people of Jesus. "His Father's name is written on their foreheads." Others doubted, they themselves perhaps hesitated as to their relationship to him. The world derided. But now, all is clear. There is no doubt as to their position; to men and to angels, they are declared to be the sons of God. True it is, that previously they were sealed; but this mark was inward and secret. Now it is outward and revealed,