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Gems.

FACTS, HINTS, AND GEMS.

THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE, like the beams of the sun, shine as freely in at the windows of the poor man's cottage as the rich man's palace.

A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST considers heaven as his home, himself as on a journey to it, and the afflictions he meets with as a course of discipline to prepare him for it.

HE WHO NEGLECTS seeking salvation for his soul in Christ to-day, may not have an opportunity of finding it to-morrow.

THAT LIFE IS LONG in which the great end of life-salvation from sin by Jesus Christ-is accomplished.

TO BE MUCH WITH GOD, we should both read and pray. When we pray we speak to God-when we read God speaks to us. When we pray it must be from the heart, for when God speaks he speaks to the heart.

DEATH ushers the christian out of this dusky room of his father's house, through what seems a dark passage, into a fair, and light, and glorious mansion.

GOD APPEARS GLORIOUS IN CREATION; but there is a splendour beaming from the cross which eclipses all we or angels ever saw.

EVERY DAY we should go and sit by faith beneath the cross of Calvary, and look up and meditate on that awful scene-the holy Son of God dying for guilty man.

LOOKING UNTO JESUS.-In that writhing and mutilated form hanging on the cross, I see him who created all things pouring out his life's blood for my salvation. Oh, wonder of wonders!

CHRIST JESUS, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man. God never yet marked any man as excluded from the benefits of his Son's death. How readest thou? By the grace, or favour, of God, Christ Jesus tasted death for every man!

Poetic Selections.

ADVERSITY.

'MID pleasure, plenty, and success,
We boast the blessings we possess,
We freely take from Him who lends;

Yet scarcely think of Him who sends.
But let affliction pour its smart,

How soon we quail beneath the rod ! With shattered pride, and prostrate heart, We seek our long-forgotten God.

THE SUN.

CONTEMPLATE when the sun declines,
Thy death, with deep reflection:
And when again he rising shines,
Thy day of resurrection.

MAN.

SEE how beneath the moonbeam's smile
Yon little billow heaves its breast;

And foams and sparkles for a while,

And murmuring then subsides to rest!

Thus man, the sport of bliss and care,

Rises on Time's eventful sea;

And heaving swells a moment there,

Then melts into eternity.

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dead, shortly after their mother died; they were then wretched and miserable. After some time the youngest died of cholera; but not before she had fully given her heart to Christ. O, it was cheering to hear her pouring out her infant soul to Jesus in prayer! She was not more than about seven years of age when she died. Her amiable and consistent conduct often delighted us much, and we beheld in her no ordinary bud of future promise; but she blossomed soon, and was early removed. She beheld, with a heavenly smile, her weeping school-fellows, who, without exception, loved her much, and said, 'O! dont weep for meI'm going home-I'm going to my Father-I'm going to heaven! Dont weep for me, but sing hallelujah-dont weep for me, but sing hallelujah!' And then with a peaceful smile on her cheeks she fell asleep in Jesus. Her death appeared to produce an impression on the minds of many of her young associates. Thus we see the young, as well as the old, can die rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. The next to be taken away was her brother. For some time he seemed to care about anything rather than religion; but at length his eyes were opened to see himself a sinner before God; and when he saw his danger he saw also his remedy in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not delay to give himself to the Saviour; but while he was about being received as a candidate for baptism, Senjiman, for that was his name, opened his eyes in eternal glory, to behold his little sister who had gone before, and that blessed Jesus who had saved them both. Now we have been called to take our leave of the third. She has for some time been lingering in a consumption; but during the whole of her affliction has been peaceful and serene, without the slightest fear of death-confident that to die was gain. She has been a very consistent member of the church now about fifteen months. What an interview would that be of these three lovely young disciples before the throne of their Redeemer."

"TIME ENOUGH YET.”

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THESE were the words of a careless man who was asked if he did not feel it his duty to give his heart to God, and try to secure his soul's salvation. His answer was, There is time enough yet." This was on Tuesday; and on the Saturday following, as he was on his way to the mill, his horse ran away, and threw him so violently from his waggon, that he never was able to speak afterwards, but in a few hours was ushered into the presence of his Judge.

How many are in the world who, like him, are promising themselves time enough yet; and, notwithstanding they are entreated to come to Christ, they are saying, in the language of Felix, "Go thy way for this time: when I have a conve nient season, I will call for thee!"

"Time enough yet," says the giddy youth, "for me to think of death, and make preparation for eternity: when I have partaken awhile of the pleasures of youth and have reached manhood, then I will give myself up to God and serve him with my whole heart."

"Time enough yet," says the man in the prime of life: "when I have reached the noontide of life, then I will give diligent heed to those things which pertain to my present and eternal happiness."

"And yet there is time sufficient," says the man who is now passing the meridian of life: "when I am clear of the cares of this world, and have reached old age, then I will repent, and give God my heart."

"Time enough when I am prostrate with old age," says the man whose head is beginning to blossom for the tomb: "when all my physical powers are exhausted, and death appears in view, then I will take God for my portion."

"Time enough once, but now for ever past," says the hoaryheaded sinner, as he is about to be launched into eternity.

And how many, in the dark regions of eternal night, have paved their way thither with sentiments such as these! Could we uncover the doleful regions of despair, how many should we see who had promised themselves that there was "time enough yet!"

Reader, remember that now, and now only, is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. To-day you may be saved, to-morrow you may be lost for ever!

BY AND BY.-POETRY.

"BY AND BY."

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THE salvation of the soul is the great business of life. Why not attend to it now? Will you ever find a more convenient season?

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You say, "I will by and by." How often have you made this plea before! By and by" never comes. Yet it is a convenient way of stilling, for a moment, a troubled con

science.

To

You say, "I know it is important, I know it is worthy of my attention, and I will attend to it by and by." morrow comes, and yet by and by has not arrived.

O! how many golden opportunities have been lost in anticipation of by and by. How many opportunities for improvement, how many opportunities of doing good, have been lost in this dangerous deceitful gulf.

H

By and by never comes. It never meets us with the tinselled things it promises.

"To-morrow may do as well as to-day;" but it may not do at all. Reader, are you deferring your own salvation till "by and by?" That time may never come. Fly now, just as you are to Jesus for salvation.

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ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS.

Anecdotes and Selections.

THE WELSH PREACHER.-In going from Llanbrynmair to Llannwchllyn Mr. Rees suffered much persecution at Dinus and Llan-y-Mowthy. Many a time he set out from Llanbrynmair on Saturday night at bed-time, not deeming it safe to travel in the day, that he might preach at Llannwchllyn on the sabbath. His friend, Meyrick Davies, had a brother, whose name was Morgan Davies, who was a very strong man, and a great fighter. Morgan, though far from being considered, at that time, a serious man, greatly respected Mr. Rees; and when returning home from Llanwchllyn on Monday, Morgan, with a great ashen stick in his hand, would accompany him through Llan-y-Mowthy to protect him from the adversaries. If he saw any of them begin to be turbulent he would shake his fist at them and say, "When I shall have set this good man out of danger I will come back and settle with you." At one time Mr. R. happened to meet the minister of Llan-y-Mowthy, who had been in the habit of encouraging his parishioners to abuse Mr. Rees, who complained to him how ill he was treated in his parish. The clergyman said it was unreasonable for the Presbyterians to be tolerated in this country; but that in Scotland they had liberty. Mr. Rees answered: "I hope, sir, you act from a higher principle in religion than a regard to the custom of the country in which you happen to live; else, if you were to go to Scotland, you must be a Presbyterian; if to Italy, a Catholic; if to Turkey, you must renounce your Bible entirely, and receive the Koran as the rule of your faith and practice." The clergyman, who it seems had some candour, saw so much reason in this, that he promised to use all his influence to prevent his being molested any more; and none of his parishioners gave him any further trouble.

ROWLAND HILL.-The energy of his manner at times, and the power of his voice, were almost overwhelming. Once, at Wotton, he was completely carried away by the impetuous rush of his feelings, and raising himself to his full stature, he exclaimed, "Because I am in earnest, men call me an enthusiast; but I am not; mine are the words of truth and soberness. When I first came into this part of the country I was walking on yonder hill; I saw a gravel pit fall in and bury three human beings alive. I lifted up my voice for help so loud that I was heard in the town below, at a distance of a mile: help came and rescued two of the sufferers. No one called me an enthusiast then; and when I see eternal destruction ready to fall upon poor sinners, and about to entomb them irrecoverably in an eternal mass of woe, and call aloud on them to escape, shall I be called an enthusiast now? No, sinner, I am not an enthusiast in so doing; I call on thee aloud to fly for refuge to the hope set before thee in the gospel.

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