There is a kind very large and double, but this bears no fruit, and it is cultivated merely for its brilliant blossoms, which are put forth profusely during the whole summer." This fruit was greatly esteemed in ancient times, and was mentioned by Moses as one of the excellences of the promised land; and, by Divine command, he was to make pomegranates upon the hem of the ephod; a golden bell (the blossom) and a pomegranate alternately round about the hem of the robe (Exod. xxviii. 33); and they were reproduced in the temple upon the network that covered the chapiters on the top of "Jachin and Boaz,"-those noble pillars of brass,-two hundred pomegranates, in rows, round about. Solomon adorns his Song of Songs with allusions to this beautiful and pleasant fruit; and while admiring it we may enter more readily into the joyous chamber of imagery where that poetic monarch delighted to dwell and revel. ECCLES. xi. 1, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt 779. Bread upon the Waters.-Some months since, a letter was received at the Missionary House from Captain Wilson (commander of the ship James Brown), together with the title-deed of a piece of land, the gift of a sailor who had been connected with that vessel, and was taken sick soon after the vessel left Australia on a voyage to Calcutta. The captain furnishes the following interesting narrative : : "Three or four days before my arrival at Calcutta, the sick man sent for me, and taking a key which he always carried around his neck, he requested me to get these papers from his chest. After taking them in his hands, he said, ‘I believe I am about to die. I wish you to take these, and give them to the Board of Foreign Missions, for I have no friends or relatives in the world, and they were my friends in my earlier days.' Thinking this rather a singular request, I gleaned from him, at intervals, the following history:―That he was a native of the Sandwich Islands, was one of the first converts to Christianity, and came to the United States, many years ago, with one of the missionaries; that he resided somewhere in Connecticut, in this missionary's family, for the purpose of getting an education; that he then ran away, and had been roaming about the world as a sailor and whaler ever since. "After making these statements, he swooned away, and was almost lifeless for nearly half an hour. When he rallied a little, I asked him if he had anything to say, or any request to make. He said, 'Yes, I have one. Get me my book, and read me the place I have marked. It commences, "When I can read my title clear To mansions in the skies."" "I read it to him, and he attempted to sing the same, until he was quite exhausted. After a while he rallied again; when I told him that I thought he had but a short time to live, and asked him if he was prepared to leave this world, and appear before his Maker. He shook his head, and said, 'No, not quite yet. After remaining quiet for some time, all at once he rallied, and exclaimed, 'Joy! joy! joy!' and clapped his hands. I then asked him if he was ready to go; and he replied, "Yes, I am ready now. I have seen my Saviour, and He is ready to receive me. I am so happy!' He then requested me to sing the same hymn; but not being a singer myself, I called two or three of the sailors to sing it to him, which they did, he joining with them with all his strength, clapping his hands, and shouting, 'Hallelujah!' After a little while he said to me, 'Oh, captain, I am so happy! I am ready to die!"" -Journal of Missions. 1 Cor. xv. 58," Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, un- : 780. "Stedfast and unmoveable'-this is," say some, "using the two words for greater emphasis, both meaning the same thing." But it is not so; there is no tautology in God's word. Be "stedfast" when all goes well, and "unmoveable" when it goes otherwise. That is where many fail; they are "stedfast" so long as all goes pleasantly but when the slightest cross comes, then they go : they are not "unmoveable." Yonder oak is "stedfast" in the summer sunset, when the western glory rests its blessedness upon its head, and the evening breeze whispers through its branches; and it is "unmoveable" in the black midnight, when the howling storm tears through the forest, and every other tree is uprooted and flung to the earth. That rock in the sea is " stedfast" when the ocean around is only a broad, bright mirror to catch the glories of heaven, and pour them back again upon the sky; and it is "unmoveable" when the ocean storm is raging round, and seeks to hurl it from its base, or tear it up from its foundations.-REV. J. P. CHOWN. 2 Cor. iv. 6, "The light of the knowledge of the glory of God in a 781. God, as seen in Redemption. In redemption what glorious revelation is it that God makes of Himself! Suppose you are standing over against some palace, and it is near midnight. Forth from that palace gate there comes a procession: the prince has come forth, attended by many of his train. He has not gone far, however, before you hear that he has dropped a beautiful gem. He is anxious about that gem, not simply for its intrinsic value, but it was the gift of one he loved. He calls for lights. You never saw the prince in your life, and in that dim darkness you have not been able to see much, except a very imperfect outline of him. But now a lamp has come, and the prince, in his anxiety to find his gem, takes the lamp in his own hand, and there he is looking for the lost gem. Now the light which falls on the road where that gem is lying goes up into the face of the prince; and while he finds the gem, you see him as you never would have seen him but for that loss. Now it is like that with the revelation of God. When He came forth from the retirement of eternity for the salvation of souls, there was light which, while it was thrown on the poor lost sinner, that he might be found, was thrown upon the face of God, who came to seek him and to save him.-REV. SAMUEL COLEY. PROV. i. 32, 33," For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.". 782. The Unexpected Danger.A traveller, who was pursuing his journey on the Scotch coast, was thoughtlessly induced to take the road by the sands as the most agreeable. This road, which was safe only at low tides, lay on the beach between the sea and the lofty cliffs which bound the coast. Pleased with the view of the inrolling waves on the one hand, and the abrupt and precipitous rocks on the other, he loitered on the way, unmindful of the sea, which was gradually encroaching upon the intervening sands. A man, observing from the lofty cliffs the danger he was incurring, benevolently descended, and, arresting his attention by a loud halloo, warned him not to proceed. "If you pass this spot, you lose your last chance of escape. The tides are rising. They have already covered the road you have passed, and they are near Soon, however, the foot of the cliffs before you, and by this ascent alone you can escape." The traveller disregarded the warning. He felt sure he could make the turn in the coast in good time, and leaving his volunteer guide, he went more rapidly on his way. he discovered the real danger of his position. His onward journey was arrested by the sea. He turned in haste, but to his amazement he found that the rising waters had cut off his retreat. He looked up to the cliffs, but they were inaccessible. The waters were already at his feet. He sought higher ground, but was soon driven off. His last refuge was a projecting rock, but the relentless waters rose higher and higher-they reached him-they arose to his neck—he uttered a despairing shriek for help, and no help was near, as he had neglected his last opportunity for escape. The sea closed over, and it was the closing in upon him of the night of death! Such are the real dangers which environ the impenitent every hour. More than bodily life is jeoparded. It is the life of the soul which is threatened, and their eternal interests which are imperilled. They perish, not because unwarned. At every step of their progress conscience admonishes them of danger in advance. The word of God calls them urgently to turn and flee to the mountains for safety. The fate of their thoughtless companions, one by one sinking hopelessly in the submerging waves, warns them loudly. The ministers of the gospel, who have learned the dangers of the way, stand like pioneers and watchmen on the cliffs, and with hearty good-will and sympathy to call them to turn; but, alas! these infatuated mortals advance so far in their God-defying way, that their retreat is cut off, and when too late to recede, they hear the dreadful response to their long refusal to the invitations to mercy, "I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind." MAL. iv. 2, "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of "What Does not 66 783. A Scoffer Rebuked.-A man scoffingly asked, advantage has a religious man over any one like myself? the sun shine on me as well as on him, this fine day?" Yes," replied his companion, a pious labourer, "but the religious man has two suns shining on him at once,-one on his body, the other on his soul."-REV. JOHN GRAHAM. PSA. lxxxi. 1, "Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob." 784. They Durst not Sing. Did you ever think of giving God thanks that you can sing His praise aloud without fear of being overheard? I heard a letter read, some time since, from an English gentleman, now in one of the Roman Catholic towns of Italy, where the Bible is not allowed to be read, and where the few poor Italians, who wish to worship God according to His word, must do so in secret; for if discovered, they would be sent to prison. The gentleman wished to join with them one sabbath morning. A man who had promised to take him, led him a long way through back streets; and at last, after looking round to see if no one was watching them, opened a door, and they went into a low room, where the little meeting was held. The prayers and addresses were very earnest, and they joined together in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. But they durst not sing, for fear of the sound being heard. How sad and solemn that silence must have been! When you are singing your psalms or hymns all together, loudly and joyfully, think of these poor Italians, and pray for them. "To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, The God whom we adore, Be glory, as it was, and is, And shall be evermore." Family Treasury. ACTS xvii. 24, “God that made the world and all things therein." 785. Infidelity Confounded.-The great astronomer, Kirchner, had a friend who denied the existence of a God. One day he called on the astronomer, when he saw in one corner of his room a very beautiful celestial globe, and inquired whose it was, and who had made it. "It is not mine," said Kirchner, "and I do not think anybody made it. It must have come there by chance, and of its own accord." "Ridiculous!" said his friend; "what is the use of such a reply?" "Why," rejoined he, "you cannot believe that this little, imperfect piece of workmanship sprung into existence of itself,-how then can you imagine that the glorious heavens, which this merely represents, could have sprung into being of their own accord?" The arrow entered his heart, and he became a servant of that God whose existence he had denied. |