Youths' Department.

PORTSMOUTH.

PORTSMOUTH and Portsea, are adjoining, and stronglyfortified towns on the south-western side of Portsea Island, on the south-eastern extremity of Hampshire, opposite the Isle of Wight, and that great naval anchorage of the English Channel, called Spithead. Here are the most important naval and military arsenals in the kingdom, with an immense dockyard. The population numbers about 100,000 souls.

The Primitive Methodist Mission here was opened by Messrs. W. Harland and W. Clemitson, at the same time as the Isle of Wight and Southampton were missioned, in 1835.

The erection of a suitable chapel in this important and populous town, has for many years been anxiously desired. At length a most eligible site was obtained in a rising locality, and on June 28th, 1861, the foundation stone of the new chapel in Somers' Road, was laid by George Walton, Esq. The works proceeded with satisfaction till arrested by continued altercations between the builder and his sub-contractors, but ultimately the builder was discharged, and the works were afterwards carried out under the management of the writer, with assistance from the trustees. Owing to the loss of time thus occasioned, the chapel could not be opened before the 18th of January, 1862, and then only in a very unfinished state. The Rev. George Lamb and others, then preached the opening sermons. A final completion was effected by the first Sabbath in the following May, when Danzy Sheen and others preached the re-opening sermons.

The chapel covers an area of 2,404 square feet, the internal measurement being 37 by 61 feet, and is erected conveniently in all respects for the insertion of galleries when needed. At the east end is a chancel, in which there is a beautiful coloured glass window, presented by George Walton, and George Gowland, Esqrs., of London. The roof is constructed of framed trusses, and tie beams, which rest on longitudinal walls, supported by arches springing from iron cluster columns with moulded caps, dividing the chapel into a nave and side aisles. The whole of the timber exposed is stained and varnished. The cost of the building with the land on which it stands, and that in the

rear for school-rooms, with palisading and pavement, amounts to £1,133 10s. 2d., of which sum £340 have been raised.

The accompanying engraving presents a view of the building in the perspective. The walls are built of bricks, faced with flints, of a uniform blueish black colour, which contrast strikingly with the masonry, (which is all executed in Bath stone) and give a deep and fine effect. The construction is of the Medieval perpendicular Gothic style, which began to appear in the latter part of the fourteenth century, towards the close of the reign of Edward III., and flourished from that time till late in the reign of Henry VIII. This edifice has been much admired for the simple elegance displayed in its construction, and what is more, precious souls have been saved within its precincts; already it has proved a blessing to the risen and rising generation around it. A Sabbath school numbering 140 scholars and 21 teachers, has been raised since the chapel opening, and the first Juvenile Missionary Meeting was held in the afternoon of the last Sunday of the old year. May all who shall attend upon its services find salvation, and thousands have cause gratefully to remember its ordinances in the exulting songs of the heavenly temple, and around the throne of God! Amen. WM. HALL.

DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS IN DANGER. How full of change the life of man is. In the first connection of Daniel and his friends with the court, things seemed full of promise, and afforded hope for a long continued flow of prosperity, but dangers soon threatened them, and their way in life became severely trying to their faith in God. It may truly be said, we know not what a day may bring forth.

"God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform."

It appears plainly to us on our reading the Bible, that God has made use of dreams and visions of the night, to make known his will to mankind. Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream which perplexed and troubled him, but what may seem indeed very strange, he was not able next morning on awaking to recollect with any coherence the particulars of his dream; unlike Pharaoh, who was able to state in detail to Joseph that wondrous dream which he had had, and which Joseph under divine inspiration so truthfully interpreted, as the facts, of the history in Genesis prove. Nebuchadnezzar's inability to remember his dream, led him in his despotic way to adopt a plan, which may be

characterised as cruel and unjust. He summoned before him all the wise men of Babylon, and peremptorily demanded of them, to tell him the dream and its interpretation. The king's conduct in this affair certainly brings before us a despotism of the most cruel order. How sad to see the lives of men at the mercy or caprice of cruel tyrants! No doubt the assumptions and pretended knowledge of these men were fallacious, but the king's treatment of them was harsh and cruel. They justly said it was beyond the power of any man to comply with the king's requirement, but nothing they could say softened the wrath of the king, or led him to alter the terms of his stern and sanguinary decree. And he commanded them to be slain; and Daniel and his fellows were sought to be slain. Where Daniel was, during the conference of the wise men with the king, we know not; doubtless his not being present was a link in the chain of that watchful providence, that "delivered his life from the hand of the enemy.' When Daniel was found and apprised of the terms of the decree, he was amazed at its haste and cruelty, and he sought an audience of the king, which was granted; he requested a short respite from the king, which was also granted. Do you not, my young readers, see here the good hand of God? The king's rage had somewhat cooled, and God disposed him to hearken to the voice of Daniel.

Daniel indeed evinced his faith in God from the outset of this matter; for when he first went in unto the king, he promised that he would show the interpretation, which involved of course the recovery of the dream itself. What mighty faith in our all wise and almighty Father must Daniel have had, thus to commit himself at the outset. There were mountainous difficulties in his way, but his faith calmly and confidingly looked up to a covenant God. Daniel in coming from the presence of the king acquainted his three friends with the state of the case, requested their united prayers "to the God of heaven concerning this secret, that Daniel and his fellows might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon." Afflictions of body or distress of soul, drive the truly pious nearer to God for help. When imminent danger threatens the life of a child, he will, if possible, seek safety from the arm of his parent. "Oh God, thou art my rock, my fortress, my strong tower, into which I run and am safe!" The throne of grace was at this time very precious to those saints of God in their danger. They felt their ignorance and inability to fulfil the king's will. They knew perfectly well that without a divine communication, Daniel would be unable to stand in

the king's presence, and redeem the pledge given. They knew further that God who sees the end from the beginning, and from whom no secrets are hid, and to whom all hearts are open, was able to reveal this dream to Daniel, and give him wisdom for its interpretation; they knew still further that their lives were in God's hands, and that though they were in common with the wise men of Babylon, decreed to death, and the raked sword was suspended over their heads as it were by a single hair, yet that God could work out deliverance for them, and that their souls should escape as a bird out of the snare of the fowler." Finally, they knew that God could work even from this their exposure to a cruel death, what should show forth his own glory. What a time of prayer was that for those holy men; what pleading of the promises; what renewed dedication of themselves to God; what resignation to his holy will; what willingness to live or die, that God might be glorified thereby; what entreaty that the dream might be made known, and that Daniel might have wisdom for its interpretation! Prayer was answered. God communed with Daniel: "then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a night vision; there was brought before the mind of this favoured saint the full details of that wondrous dream which had previously been spread out in an evanescent manner before the spirit of the king in his troubled sleepthe dream was to abide before the mind of Daniel, as a living embodiment, so that he might calmly and leisurely speak of all its parts, with their appropriate interpretation to the king-what joy filled the heart of Daniel and his praying friends, when this signal mercy was shewn them. Verses 20 to 23, of chapter 2nd, show in what inspiring strains Daniel blessed and praised a prayer-hearing God. And now, my dear readers, with what joy would Daniel go to "Arioch," to be introduced to the king; he could now show before the king, before the wise men, and before the whole empire, that the God of the Hebrews was alone the God, Jehovah. "Bring me in before the king," said he, I am ready; God has met me in prayer, and what the Lord hath saith unto me, that will I speak. What joy would fill the hearts of the wise men that they were spared from death, through the merciful interposition of that God whom the captives worshipped. Methinks, joy mingled with solemn awe, would spread over men's minds, when they heard how the Lord Jehovah had manifested himself in hearing prayer, in disclosing secret things to Daniel, and thus saving those that trusted in him from the blind rage of a wicked king. JOSEPH LONG.

THE LIFE, LABOURS, AND TRAVELS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL.

(Continued from page 117.)

WE now approach a period in Paul's life over which he had ever afterwards to mourn-viz., that portion of it which he spent as a persecutor. We must remember that Paul was a contemporary with Jesus Christ, and that when the Spirit was so remarkably poured out on the day of Pentecost, Paul was a young man full of vigour and strength, probably twenty-five years of age, or a little more, but certainly not thirty. Very soon after the Pentecost, however, we see him launched in his terrible career of cruelty and blood. Fitted by nature, as well as education, for leadership in any sphere he might enter upon, he soon became the champion of Pharisaic hatred against the Christians, and a most active agent in hurrying them to imprisonment and death. The first time he appears before us in this capacity is on the ever memorable occasion of the death of Stephen. The connection of Paul with this tragic event is related by Luke the Evangelist, in Acts vii. 58:"And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet whose name was Saul." This passage represents Saul as concerned in the shameful murder of the good and useful Stephen, and the first verse of the next chapter plainly says, "And Saul was consenting unto his death." Now let us hear Paul's confession to the truth in this matter. In answer to one of the revelations which the Lord Jesus imparted to him, commanding him to depart out of Jerusalem, inasmuch as the people would "not hear him," Paul says, "Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee; and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him." How callous and cruel must have been the heart of any man who could be a consenting spectator of, and actor in, such a scene. Yet such was Saul of Tarsus.

The following passages plainly testify what was the character of our apostle at this time, and how cruel and violent was the persecution which he headed:-Acts viii. 3: "As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison." The next verse is very significant-" Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere," &c. How were they scattered abroad? By Paul's persecution. Listen to Luke once more. Here is a terrible picture of Paul's vehement rage against the Christians: "And Saul,