and earnestly that her child might love the blessed Saviour. A few years ago, there lived a little boy who was always very weak. His last illness came on him when he was only four years old. He suffered very much indeed. One Sunday his eldest sister, whose name was Margaret, stayed at home to nurse him, and she had him on her knees many hours. Once, on looking at him, she saw big tears rolling down his cheeks. She pressed him to her breast, and said, "I fear, darling child, you are suffering much." "Oh, no," said he; "it is not my sufferings that cause my tears to flow, but it is the love of the blessed Jesus, in taking up little children in his arms, and blessing them, which overpowers me. Blessed Jesus!" And now, dear children, having given him a hearty welcome, you can desire and seek the success of His cause. The Jews expected that Jesus was going to be a king, to set up His throne at Jerusalem, and to reign over all nations. They meant, when they thus shouted, to wish Him all success. It was as though they had said, "All hail, Messiah! Hosanna to the Son of David! Thy kingdom come!" They were right in thinking that Jesus was a king, and that He was soon to set up a kingdom: but they did not rightly understand what kind of kingdom it was. It was not like any other kingdom. Jesus said of it, "My kingdom is not of this world." By His Spirit and word He rules over the minds of all His people and He is thus one day to rule in all the world. Yea, "All kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall serve Him. Men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him Blessed." : Now, we want you to feel interested in the progress of His kingdom, to love His cause, and seek to help it on. : Children may do this as well as men and women and we love to see them casting their gifts and offerings before Him, and crying, with heart and voice, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" There are many ways of doing this. When a pious child talks to a wicked companion, and tries to bring that companion to love and serve Jesus Christ, this is seeking the success of His cause. When a boy or girl drops a penny or a halfpenny into the missionary box, with a sincere desire to help to make known the Gospel, this is like saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Hosanna in the highest! The little boy who once wrote a note to a minister, putting into it one farthing, because he had no more, and begging him to accept it for the missionary society, was like these children, honouring Christ, and wishing well to His cause. Rejoice, then, dear children, that if you give Jesus a hearty welcome, and love, honour, and praise Him, Hẹ will smile upon you, and approve of what you do, and through His grace He will fit you for a home in heaven. Then welcome Jesus. "We come to thee, dear Saviour, Straight through the road to heaven; The palm to us be given." May God bless you all, and lead you now in your early days to love and serve Him. And then at last may we all meet in that bright, happy world above. Amen and amen. H. ALCOCK. NOTES ON THE PROVERBS. SUMMARY. THIS book may be divided into five parts. First, the preface, which is an animated exhortation to study and practise the rules and ways of wisdom, with cautions to guard against all hindrances thereto, chap. i.-ix. The second part contains what are properly called "the Proverbs," chap. x.-xxii. The third part is a new ex hortation which Solomon gives to his son, or scholar, chap. xxiii., xxiv. The fourth part consists of Proverbs, collected by "the men of Hezekiah," such as Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, chap. xxv.-xxix. The fifth part contains the two last chapters: the one being the proverbial prophecy of Agur; and the last, the proverbial instructions given by Bathsheba to her son Solomon, in his younger years, who is here called Lemuel. OBSERVATIONS. 1. Solomon was the penman of three books. It is thought that he penned the Song, or Canticles, when young; the Proverbs in more mature years; and the Ecclesiastes near the close of life, and that it is the language of repentance after he returned unto God. 2. All possible attention is due to the instructions given us in the Proverbs. It is wisdom itself that speaketh; the wisdom of God in Christ. Keep this in mind; it will put life into the whole book, and add weight and beauty to every sentence. We have here a rich variety of lessons; the most weighty instructions, and precious truths; enough to enrich the soul, and to make it happy for ever. 3. The disposition of the teacher is the most pleasing and engaging possible. What sweet humility, what deep concern, and what warm affections, does he discover all the way through! He saith to you, "My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding." To allure you to trade with wisdom, he promises every possible gain: such as true and durable riches, safety, honours, pleasures, beauty, and life eternal. These are the gifts of wisdom. And how tremendous are his threatenings against all that are deaf to her voice. Read chapter i. 24-32. We may well say, Happy is the man that findeth wisdom." 56 4. Wisdom's manner of teaching is the most advantageous that can be adopted,-by proverbial sentences. It has pleased God to use great variety of methods to instruct us in the knowledge of His will. He has revealed His eternal mind to man, by history, by prophecy, by signs and ceremonies, by doctrinal and devotional writings, and biography. Here He adopts quite a new method of teaching,-by Proverbs. And a most happy method it is. We have much instruction in a few words. This sententious manner of speaking has every advan tage. Short, striking maxims arrest the attention, please the fancy, impress the mind, and dwell on the memory. Proverbial sayings have, in all ages, carried great authority over men's minds, and influenced their conduct. Some nations have valued themselves on having the wisest proverbs. None ever equalled these of Solomon, which are not only the most ancient, but flow from the wisdom of Jehovah. They descend from heaven for the instruction of a world in the highest knowledge, and are designed to guide man to endless felicity. 5. The Proverbs are a string of pearls, or a cabinet of jewels, collected together; but standing unconnected with each other. Most of the Proverbs consist of two sentences the second sometimes explains the first; at times confirms it; and very often is set in opposition to it, by way of contrast. Virtue is set against vice, and truth is opposed to error. And thus the beauty and worth of what is good and excellent shines the brighter by placing deformity at its side. Likewise, vice, when placed at the side of virtue, appears more detestable. And by comparing wisdom with folly, truth with error, and virtue with vice, the difference is made more striking and impressive. For instance, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.' 6. The main design of the Proverbs is to direct the Christian how to live, so as to please God, do good, and be happy. As we have no book so useful to us in our devotions as the Psalms of David, so we have no books so serviceable to direct our conduct as the Proverbs of Solomon. The Psalms raise the soul to God; the Proverbs teach us how to walk with God. As we have various duties to perform, numerous evils to resist, temptations and difficulties to encounter; so the Proverbs vary, and meet us at every turn, and direct us on all occasions. They expose every vice, commend every virtue, and set before us rules to guide us in every relation and condition. What blessed instructions, what strong allurements to walk in wisdom's ways, and to depart from the ways of folly; to forsake all evil, and to live as becometh saints." We are sent first to Wisdom's school, to learn her ways, then commanded to practise what we learn. It would be very useful to commit a few of these Divine Proverbs to memory every day, till the whole are learnt. A parent or teacher would be well employed in teaching them to children, and impressing them on their minds in their tender years. This, with God's blessing, would 66 deliver them from much sin and misery, render them useful in their day and generation, and prepare them for glory hereafter. Wesleyan S. S. Mag. A MODERN CAIN. 66 WHEN it became cooler, I dismounted with the Kervanbashi and some other Turkomans, in search of some rainwater that we hoped to find. We were all armed, and each went in a different direction. I followed the Kervanbashi, and we had advanced, perhaps, forty steps, when the latter observed some traces in the sand, and in great astonishment exclaimed, Here there must be men! We got our muskets ready; and, guided by the track, that became clearer and clearer, we at last reached the mouth of a cave. As, from the prints in the sand, we could infer that there was but a single man, we soon penetrated inte the place, and I saw, with indescribable horror, a man,-half a savage, with long hair and beard, clad in the skin of a gazelle,—who, no less astonished, sprang up, and with levelled lance rushed upon us. While I was contemplating the whole scene with the greatest impatience, the features of my guide showed the most imperturbable composure. When he distinguished the half-savage man he dropped the end of his weapon, and, murmuring in a low voice, "Amanbol,"- Peace be unto thee," he quitted the horrible place. "Kanli dir, he is one who has blood upon his head," exclaimed the Kervanbashi, without my having ventured to question him. It was not till later that I learnt that this unhappy man fleeing from a righteous vendetta, had been for years and years, summer and winter, wandering round the desert: man's face he must not, he dares not, behold! Troubled at the sight of this poor sinner, I sighed to think that, in the search after sweet water, we had discovered only traces of blood.-Vambery's Travels in Central Asia. THE WEAKEST LINK. MECHANICS tell us that nothing is stronger than its weakest point. If one link of the chain with which you attempt to secure a savage dog is weak, it matters not that the others are strong; the weak link breaks, the dog escapes, and the mischief is done. Now, as it is with the chain, so it is with our character and disposition; we are no stronger than our weakest point. |