FRAGMENTS BY A DEPARTED BELIEVER.

(Continued from page 502.)

"I rose up to open to my Beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my Beloved; but my Beloved had with drawn Himself, and was gone."-Cant. v. 5, 6.

ceive Him; she can trust Him, though she cannot see Him. His salutary discipline has hidden ourselves from our own view, and we meditate only on His beauty, and glory. The watchman smiting, and wounding, teach us to cease from man, to call no man Master on earth, to cleave closely to the unerring word of eternal truth, to live above mortal opinions, to hide in His pavilion from human creeds, and systems, relying on that word which is spirit and life," Come out of her my people." The Lord calls, "Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away." "Enter into thy chamber for a little moment."

Oh, what a rest here have they who hide in the secret clefts of the rock! God will not withhold any good thing from his children; let us then rest satisfied with every privation, spiritual or temporal, while we are kept steadfastly desiring our precious Lord.

"And it shall come to pass in that day,

that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from of thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."Isa. x. 27.

How beautifully does this figure exemplify the Church, absorbed with the graces of the Spirit, with which she was adorned, instead of the glorious Person of Christ. He came to the door, and left a sweet savour behind. This savour was most blessedly communicated to the Church, and she no sooner received it, than she becomes filled with spiritual pride, exclaiming, “My fingers dropped with sweet-smelling myrrh." Although she acknowledged all she received was from the Beloved, yet she was proud of the comeliness he put upon her. Jesus will not suffer this; He loves his spouse too well to allow of her complacency in anything short of Himself; so He withdraws, to show her what she is without Him. She calls, but He gives her no answer; she seeks Him whom her soul loveth; she must now suffer desertion; she must reap the fruit of her vanity, until she sees her own nothingness; then THE yoke of the Assyrian seems alluded Jesus appears to her "the altogether to, but the Lord would not have his peolovely, the chief among ten thousand." ple under a yoke of bondage, because He is the only object of the believer's they are the inheritance of Christ, and glory, no beauty or comeliness but in He has the dominion over them; Him. The Spouse continued, "The yoke is easy, and his burden light." His watchman that went about the city, found service is perfect freedom; they are beme; they smote me, they wounded me.” | gotten to a lively hope, by the resurrecHow often is this the case in the expe- tion of Christ. Yet the children of God rience of God's dear children; those who often go on heavily oppressed with sin ought to protect, direct, and sympathize and Satan; sometimes they have a little with them, are the very persons who reviving in their bondage; then they wound, reproach, and distress their mind, walk as the free sons of Zion, when the from ignorance of their spiritual state, anointing Spirit of life and liberty and from mistaking the Lord's dealings clothes them. Then believers walk more with them. The Lord permits this to steadily; as Christ is the anointed Head, try them; for " He trieth the righteous." they are the anointed members; perfect Refuge fails, none cares for them; God love casts out fear; God dwells in them, is silent, and Satan condemns. All this they walk in Him as their Strength and time God is sitting as a Refiner and Pu- Shield, rooted, grounded, built up in rifier. He will not suffer his children Him, sealed unto the day of redemption; to be overwhelmed with sorrow. She they go on praising Him who hath degoes on to describe the glorious beauty livered them from the pit of corruption, of her Beloved, though she cannot per- and cast all their sins behind his back.

"His

D

A SALUTATION.

TO THE SCATTERED PILGRIMS OF THE ONE CHURCH, WHICH IS OF GOD THE FATHER IN CHRIST, MADE MANIFEST BY THE VOCATION AND CALLING OF THE HOLY GHOST, UNTO ETERNAL LIFE, UPON THE OPENING OF THE YEAR, 1856.

BELOVED, we cannot but congratulate munications with you, and which at the you with ourselves, that so much of our time are as endearing and precious as numbered years are sunk into the past, ever-yea, more so, as we occasionally and that upon the opening of every new raise the curtain, to take a prospective era, it comes unto us, with the full im- view of the dark valley of the shadow of primature, "Behold, thou hast made my death, and which contemplation is heightdays as an hand-breadth, and mine age is ened by well knowing it is but a shaas nothing before thee" (Psal. xxxix. 5); dow-our Divine Surety having in his and the whole of earth's endowments own Person destroyed death-yea, renconsists in the one dissolving view, "We dered that dread tyrant altogether power(spend our years as a tale that is told" loss; for when his envenomed sting was Psal. xc. 9), sweetly rendered (in the embedded in this holy and sinless One, margin as a meditation." And how it became so firmly fixed, that its extriwell would it be, were these things but cation was impossible, and it must ever considered, that in wisdom we could remain as one of the trophies of Him view our latter end, how would it tend who spoiled principalities and powers, to allay those numerous cares and anxie-making an open show of them. Thus ties which so often disturb and harass the mind, while we overlook the gentle reproof of our dear Lord, "O ye of little faith! wherefore didst thou doubt ?" (Matt. xiv. 31).

When we are reminded by the revolving years how often we have taken upon ourselves to salute you by the way, each one becomes a more impressive memento, that the shadows of the evening are fast drawing around us, when mortality shall be swallowed up of life; "And the place which knoweth us now, shall know us no more for ever;" for though we drop not the familiar name, which from early days we have been accustomed to adopt, yet the few and solitary ones who have once stood by our side from the beginning, must well know, that when the autumnal leaf has long appeared, there cannot be much csemblance of the once youthfnl and vigorous "STRIPLING." The passing thought almost paralyzes the slowmoving pen, while the involuntary sigh is accompanied by the solemn inquiry, "Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" (Zech. 1. 5). Generation after generation passeth away, and yet the earth remaineth (Eccl. i, 5).

Beloved, is it not our mercy to be still drawing all our blessedness from those soul-refreshing truths which have been the fundamental points upon which we bave ever desired to dwell in all our com

we no longer call the "proud happy;" but in the language of one who has long since been gathered unto his fathers, and whose memory will be held in veneration by the aged weepers of the present day, who cannot altogether join in the voice of rejoicing with our younger brethrenwho saw not the former glory, yet would hope that "the glory of the latter house shall be greater than that of the former."

Happy they, who thus venturing on Christ, as Elijah mounted without fear in the fiery chariot that conveyed him to the kingdom of God; they shall never be lost, for God will not forsake them. Every soul of them shall land safe on God's holy mountain; neither shall they be ashamed, nor hide their faces, but be enabled to lift up their heads with joy, and without fear. God conquers us by his Spirit, then reigns in us by his grace, guides us by his Providence, leads us through the dark valley of the shadow of death, and finally conducts our souls immediately on our dismission from the body, to be admitted into his presence, to have a sight of his glory, and there to be ever with the Lord.

Thus

But, beloved, we must remember, our position is not to gather wayside notes, the rather a wyside salutation, to encourage and establish the hearts of the children of the King, and the children of the

Surely, the Holy Ghost must have had a very gracious intention towards the Church of Jesus, in thus drawing her attention to this glorious name of her dear Lord. Indeed, what could be more confirmatory of the love of the Three-in-one Jehovah, than the great emphasis laid thereon? So that no less than three of the prophets should speak of the Lord Jesus under this character; and, to mark its vast importance, the sacred penmen are directed to pursue a Beloved, the subjeet is so animating somewhat different way of conveying in the thought, that I can scarce allow its meaning, by writing it in capitals, one moment for a retrospective view of SO as to express at once who was old 1855; and why should we, the times intended by the BRANCH; and as are gone over us, and there can be no in the testimony borne of John, "All return ? "Go forward" is the order things which John spake of this from our Captain, and no other response Man were true," so may we say, "To dare be given, save we are journeying.' Him gave all the prophets witness,' And every hand-post, at the " cross

roads," as we proceed, bears the wellknown word "Refuge"-and all tending to fix the mind more upon the glorious God-man," whom the Father delighteth to honour, and which is made so apparent by the uniformity of the prophet's testimony-" For to Him gave all the prophets witness." In none more so than in those blessed Scriptures which point unto Him, as "the Man whose name is the Branch,"

وو

my servant the BRANCH” (Zech. iii. 8). As the stone cut out without hands, He is said to be laid before Joshua; and the engraving is to record the solemn fact, that the LORD "will take away the sin of the land in one day" (verse 9, old reading).

or

Branch raised-" In those days shall Judah be helped, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and He that shall call her is even God our righteousness' (Jer. xxxiii. 16, old reading). And what a corresponding feature is that of JEHOVAII, in having his Church made to bear witness of his faithfulness to them, in bringing forth his servant and his Christ, as the One separated for the great purpose of salvation." Thus the summons Let us then, ere we close our yearly goes forth for the purpose of declaring salutation unto you, direct your atten- the end of all which hath in type or shation to the personal glory and honour dow faintly, through a glass darkly bearising therefrom, and belonging exclu- fore viewed-" Hear, O Joshua, the sively unto the LORD JESUS, for of High-priest, thou and thy fellows that none other did JEHOVAH speak but of sit before thee, for they are men wonHim, when declaring by the prophet-dered at: for behold I will bring forth "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a BRANCH shall grow out of his roots, and the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him" (Isa. xi. 1, with lxi. 1, 2). And again, "In that day shall the BRANCH of the LORD be beautiful and glorious (Isa, iv. 2). And to which day can the prophet allude but that day of the LORD, when this "BRANCH," the great Antitype, "shall build up the temple of the LORD, yea, even He shall build up the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the praise. He shall sit upon the LORD'S throne, and have the dominion. A Priest shall He be also upon his throne, and a peacable council shall be betwixt them both" (old Bible reading). Thus He that builds the temple of the LORD must bear all the glory; and shall not the hand and heart of every redeemed sinner be found putting upon his head the crown of their own personal redemption," inasmuch as he is the only suited one in his union of natures to stand between God and us, as the one "Mediator," accomplishing redemption by his blood, which is very blessedly responded unto by another prophet, or rather the LORD by him" Behold the time cometh, saith the LORD, that I will raise up the righteous BRANCH of David, which king shall bear rule, and He shall prosper with wisdom, and shall set up equity and righteousness again in the earth. In this time shall Judah be saved, and Israel shall dwell without fear; and this is the name they shall call HIM, THE LORD our RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer. xxiii. 6, old reading). And the same prophet, in a subsequent chapter, confirms the same truth, by showing somewhat more of the great blessedness arising from the righteous

Beloved, if what we have gathered concerning the fruitful Bough BRANCH, the LORD JESUS, be rendered by the Holy Ghost, "to bring remembrance," you will enter upon the new year most blessedly, and will find cause in all the mighty revolutions of the same, that there is no cause for fear or distress on that account, seeing that perfect peace belongeth unto those who stay themselves upon the Lord, and to those who dwell in his secret place ; there is an everlasting abiding under the shadow of his wings; all, and every concern of this present state, through which you are now passing, is his concern, and only transpire for the purpose of bringing forth those blessings which, in his covenant, He hath commanded for you, yet will be enquired of by his own people to do it for them, while they shall hang on Him all the glory of his Father's house. Cheer up, then, and gird up your loins, for the chariot is on its way to take those upward, who, by the falling asleep of some in the past year, are brought forward. This having, for the new year,s motto, this sweet command-" Go up into the mount and die there, and be gathered unto thy fathers,"-let us not say our ranks are broken on account of our sister "Recluse, and others," having been taken from us-they were only a few links before us in that chain, which, like a conducting rod, runs through time, and unites the vast eternity; it would be wrong to say we have not sustained

a loss; we have, inasmuch as there is a withdrawal of so much of the grace that was bestowed upon them, from the earth, and the benefits of those gifts with which they were endowed.

Accept, beloved Editor, and those of the household, the warmest congratulation of my heart, and in going in before the King, I will not cease to entreat his most blessed Majesty, that all grace may be richly supplied unto each and every one of us throughout the year; that in all our communications, there might be a constant and never-failing evidence that the main object with our worthy Editor, contributors, and readers, is to

at

THE DEVIL ENTRAPPED!

in

THE following remarkable anecdote was | and the more I thought of the theatre, related by Mr. KNILL some few months the stronger did the desire grow to assince, and partly written down immedi- semble the people there, and preach to ately after. Much more was said, but them, until I felt satisfied it was the having left it unfinished, I fear to trust Spirit of God thus impressing my mind; my memory, and therefore it is some- so on the following morning I went at what condensed. At the time when the once to enquire for the manager of the question of the opening of the Crystal theatre, and found he was at York; Palace on the Sabbath was the subject wrote to him immediately, requesting to of public discussion, it happened, that know if I could hire it for twenty Sabby the illness of the Rector, the Church bath afternoons, to hold a course of lecofwas closed, and a tures there? He answered me by letter, witty paragraph came out in the news- "That he had no objection to do so, propaper respecting it, ending with this vided I paid him sixty pounds." question, "Why, if the Church is closed, stantly closed with the offer. Now, I and the Crystal Palace is closed, where am a poor man, and sixty pounds is a are the people to go?" My daughter large sum for me, but I can always get had been reading it to me, and the ques- money when I want it, for the Lord tion arrested my attention-where are sends it to me so I wrote to my chilthe people to go? "Read it again," I dren at St. Petersbugh, and they sent said; she did, and I could not get those me a supply; then to my children in words out of my mind "Does no one America, and so did they; again, to my care for their souls ?" though I. At children in India, and from them also I night an idea suddenly came into my received the silver and the gold, until mind to get the theatre to lecture in; the sixty pounds was paid. Then I went it would hold a large concourse of peo-to the head of the police, and secured the ple, but how many difficulties there were aid, if necessary, of half-a-dozen of his in the way! I mentioned the subject men: had the bills printed, that there to my wife, a sober-minded Quakeress; would be preaching in the theatre on the she considered a little, and then gravely afternoon of every Sabbath for some replied, “You are too old-had you been months to come. Knowing my deacons å young man, you might have made the would discourage me, I had said nothing attempt, but don't think of it at your to them on the subject, but waited on time of life." I then looked at my the Lord. Well, at last the long-desired daughter, and saw at once she did not Sabbath came round, and at the hour agree with her mother, but would not appointed, I bent my steps towards the The night came, and I went to play-house. On entering, the first object bed, but not to sleep where are the peo-that met my eyes was, a large full-length ple to go? rang continually in my ears, mirror, from which shone reflected a

say so.