other half not. One so confident in his own reason should at least propose a reasonable test. It would be impious towards God, as well as wanting in benevolence towards men. For its intent would be to dictate to the Almighty to tempt God, to put Him to the test, and see whether He would subject His claim to be approached by men in prayer, to infidel caprice. It is sad that one so eagle-eyed in exploring the works of God, should be so blind to His word-should betray so much ignorance of the nature of prayer and of the Divine promise to it. "Every one that asketh receiveth," when the prayer he offers is for his own spiritual good-for the Holy Spirit; for we know beforehand that "this is the will of God, even our own sanctification." But when we pray, as we cannot help praying, that the imperilled life of one dear to us may be prolonged, we do not pretend to know beforehand whether what we desire, and, with deference to the Divine will, ask for, shall be granted. God answers prayer-bestows blessings in answer to it—when He either removes or alleviates affliction, or strengthens us to bear it. The Apostle Paul "besought the Lord thrice," that what he terms a "thorn in the flesh" might depart from him. This earnest and repeated prayer of a righteous man was answered-answered to his full satisfaction, but not by the removal of the affliction. Suppose that Paul had staked his faith, and that of all mankind, in God as a hearer of prayer, on having that " thorn in the flesh" removed! Prayer offered with the purpose and intent of—without warrant from him-putting the Almighty to the test, we may well think would be "blown stifling back on him who breathed it forth." One of the wise men of the East covertly compares Tyndall to Elijah. Strange that so brilliant and subtle a mind did not detect the closer analogy of the " tory test" to His who said, "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down,' which was met by the silencing reply, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." E. A. W.

Take care of your Thoughts.

preca

A CARE of our thoughts is the greatest preservative against actual sins. It is a most certain truth, that the greatest sin that ever was committed, was at first but a thought. The foulest wickedness, the most monstrous impiety arose from so small a speck as a first thought may be resembled to. The most horrid thing that ever was done, as well as the most noble and virtuous action that ever was accomplished, had no greater beginning. Of such a quick growth and spreading nature is sin, that it rivals even the kingdom of heaven, which our Lord telleth us "is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; which, indeed, is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown up (in those countries) it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches of it," (Matt. xiii. 31). "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man; but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then when his lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." It

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is conceived, bred, lives, and grows in a man, till at last it domineers in him, and "reigns in his mortal body" (Rom. vi. 12). And, therefore, it is absolutely necessary that we govern and manage our thoughts, without which it will be impossible that we should avoid falling into actual sins, even the greatest; that we resist the beginnings, the very first emergencies of evil, if we hope to avoid the last degrees of it.

ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP.-No matter how much social religion we may have, no one who does not spend hours alone with God need expect to grow in holiness. When we are to be used, there will be means employed to perfect us. Jacob, after having wrestled alone with the Lord, became a prince, and his character was changed and settled. God called Moses to meet Him on the top of the mountain alone,it was a private interview. It is always the top of the mountain, no matter where we are, if we are alone with God. We can never be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, unless we lie down alone before Him.

Sousehold Treasury.

A YOUTHFUL MARTYR.

In the first ages of the Church of Christ, in the city of Antioch, a believer was carried forth to die as a martyr. "Ask any little child," said he, "whether it were better to worship one God, the Maker of heaven and earth, and one Saviour, who is able to save, or to worship the many false gods whom the heathen serve.'

Now it was so that a Christian mother had come to the spot, holding in her hand a little son, of about nine or ten years old, named Cyril, The heathen judge no sooner heard the martyr's words than his eyes rested on the child, and he desired the question to be put to him.

The question was asked, and, to the surprise of those who heard it, the boy replied, "God is one, and Jesus Christ is one with the Father."

The judge was filled with rage. "O base Christian !" he cried, "thou hast taught that child to answer thus." Then turning to the boy, he said more mildly, "Tell me, child, how did you learn this faith?"

The boy looked lovingly in his mother's face, and replied, "It was God's grace that taught it to my dear mother, and she taught it to me."

"Let us now see "what the love of Christ can do for you," cried the cruel judge; and, at a sign from him, the officers who stood ready with their wooden rods after the fashion of the Romans, instantly seized the boy. Gladly would the mother have saved her timid dove, even at the cost of her own life, but she could not do so; yet she did whisper to him to trust in the love of Christ, and to speak the truth.

"What can the love of Christ do for him now?" asked the judge.

"It enables him to endure what his Master endured for him and for us all," was the reply. And again they smote the child.

"What can the love of Christ do for him?" And tears fell even from the eyes of the heathen, as that mother, as much tortured as her son, answered, "It teaches him to forgive his persecutors."

The boy watched his mother's eyes as they rose up to heaven for him; and when his tormentors asked whether he would not now acknowledge the gods they served, and deny Christ, he still said, "No; there is no other God but one; and Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the world. He loved me, and I love Him for His love."

The poor boy now fainted beneath the repeated strokes, and they cast the bruised body into the mother's arms, crying, "See what the love of your Christ can do for him now!"

As the mother pressed her child gently to her own crushed heart, she answered, "That love will take him from the wrath of man to the rest of heaven."

"Mother," cried the dying boy, "give me a drop of water from our cool well upon my tongue."

The mother said, "Already, dearest, thou hast tasted of the well that

springeth up to everlasting life—the grace which Christ gives to His little cnes. Thou hast spoken the truth in love. Arise now, for thy Saviour calleth for thee. May He grant thy poor mother grace to follow in the bright path!"

The little martyr faintly raised his eyes, and said again, "There is but one God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent ;" and so saying he gave up his life.

GOD IN THE HEART.

A poor wounded boy was dying in a hospital. He was a soldier, but a mere boy for all that. The lady who watched by his bedside saw that death was very near, and placing her hand upon his head, she said to him, "My dear boy, if this should be death that is coming upon you, are you ready to meet your God?" The large dark eyes opened slowly, and a smile passed over the young soldier's face, as he answered, "I am ready, dear lady; for this has long been his kingdom," and as he spoke, he placed his hand upon his heart. "Do you mean, " asked the lady, gently, "that God rules and reigns in your heart?" "Yes," he answered; but his voice sounded far off, sweet and low, as if it came from a soul already well on its way through the "dark valley and shadow of death." And still he lay there, with his hand above his heart even after it had ceased to beat, and the soldier-boy's soul had gone up to its God.

A BEAUTIFUL REPLY.

A pious old man was one day walking to the sanctuary with a New Testament in his hand, when a friend who met him said :

"Good morning, neighbour."

Ah! good morning," replied he; "I am reading my Father's will as I walk along!"

"Well, what has he left you?" said his friend.

"Why, he has bequeathed me a hundred-fold more in this life, and, in the world to come, life everlasting."

It was a word in season; his Christian friend was in circumstances of affliction, but he went home comforted.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.

"I am on the bright side of seventy," said an aged man of God: "the bright side, because nearer to everlasting glory." "Nature fails," said another, "but I am happy." "My work is done," said the Countess of Huntingdon, when eighty-four years old; "I have nothing to do but go to my Father." To an humble Christian it was remarked, "I fear you are near another world." "Fear it, sir!" he replied, "I know I am; but, blessed be the Lord, I do not fear it, I hope it."

Obituary.

We give the following extract from the Melbourne Weekly Times, from the funera sermon preached in Collins Street Church, on Sunday, August 27th, for the Rev. A. M. Henderson, formerly of Claremont Chapel, Pentonville, London, and formany years one of the managers of the Evangelical Magazine: