"And with that he rose

up, crying out,

March on, boys!""

GEORGE WISHART.

George Wishart, an eloquent defender of the reformed faith in Scotland, was one of the victims of the persecution of Cardinal Beaton.

He was burned near the castle of St. Andrew. The Cardinal witnessed the scene from the top of the castle, where he appeared in much pomp.

"Seest thou yon Cardinal on the wall?" said Wishart. "In less than a year he will lie there in as much ignominy as he now does in pomp and pride," or words to this import.

In less than a year the Cardinal was murdered, and his dead body was dragged into the same position, on the wall he had occupied during the burning of George Wishart.

His prayer at his trial was very impressive. "After this," said an old writer of the trial "they condemned him to be burnt as a heretic, paying no regard to his defences, nor to

the emotions of their own consciences. Upon this resolution, Mr. Wishart kneeled down, and prayed in the following manner :

"O immortal God, how long wilt Thou suffer the rage of the ungodly? How long shall they exercise their fury upon thy servants, who further thy word in this world, seeing they desire to choke and destroy thy true doctrine and verity, by which Thou hast shewed thyself unto the world, which was drowned in blindness and ignorance of thy name? O Lord we know surely that thy true servants must suffer for thy name's sake, both persecution, affliction and troubles, in this present life, which is but a shadow, as thy prophets and apostles have showed us; but yet we desire Thee, merciful Father, that Thou wouldst preserve, defend, and help thy congregation, which Thou hast chosen from before the foundation of the world, and give them thy grace to hear thy word, and to be thy servants in this present life.'

me.

"After being bound to the stake he prayed:

"O Saviour of the world, have mercy upon

"Father in heaven, I commend my spirit into thy hands.'" [March 1, 1546.]

SAMUEL RUTHERFORD.

The writings of this eminent Scotch minister and holy man still remain gemmed with rare perceptions of spiritual beauty. Samuel Rutherford, one of the leading scholars of the Scotch reformation, was a man of large mental endowments and rich religious experiences; and was made, when very young, the Professor of Philosophy in Edinburgh University. He was called to be a minister at Anworth, where he built up a highly spiritual church, the fame and influence of which filled the country. He was persecuted for his writings in defence of the cause of the Covenanters. In 1638 he was made Professor of Divinity at St. Andrews', Glasgow. On the death of Dematias, he was invited by the magistrates of Utrecht, to the chair of Divinity, in the University in that place, which position he declined.

"I had rather be in Scotland," he said "than in any Eden or garden on the earth.”

About the year 1661 he fell under great

afflictions.

His health became impaired; the restoration of Charles II. had caused his writings on political principles to be publicly condemned, and he was summoned to answer before the authorities, to the charge of high treason. When the summons came, he is said to have answered:

"Tell them I have got a summons already, before a superior judge and judicatory, and I behove to answer my first summons."

His expressions while "waiting for the king," as he called death, were triumphant:

"I shall shine! I shall see him as he is! I shall see him reign, and all his fair company with him. Let my Lord's name be exalted, and, if he will, let my name be ground to powder, that he may be all in all.”

One of the unfrequently quoted passages of Scripture was his frequent prayer. It was Jer. xv. 16. It expressed his experience:

"Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts."

One said to him, "What think ye now of Christ?"

"To which he answered, "I shall live and adore Him. Glory, glory to my Creator and my Redeemer, forever. Glory shines in Immanuel's land."

JEREMY TAYLOR.

Jeremy Taylor, one of the most eloquent and imaginative divines of the early English church, chaplain to Charles I. was born in 1613 and died 1667.

His works are religious pastorals; he has been called the Shakespeare and the Spencer of religious literature, and the finest ornament of the English church. His "Holy Living and Dying" is one of the most beautiful specimens of English literature.

66

Jeremy Taylor composed numerous prayers, which appear in his works, especially in his Holy Living and Dying," which is a work of meditations and devotions. They abound in subtle analysis, impressive imagery, and conscientious aspiration.