fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. . It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened ' (Luke xiii. 18, 19, 21). 'It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life' (John vi. 63).

While God keeps His hold of us, we have both life and hope; He can, by much suffering and tribulation, purify His Church on earth until only His true servants remain. Though we can only see the present, and that with the finite vision of man, God can see to the end, and God has not made or allowed anything to exist without an all-wise purpose. God is All-wise and All-powerful; He can, and does, work without the aid of man, but let us be imitators of God and work also. Happy are we if we but furnish a grain towards the building of His Temple. 'All the ends of the world shall remember themselves, and be turned unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him' (Ps. xxii. 27).

So might Christ see the promise of His coming fulfilled, the reward of all His suffering. 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit' (John xii. 24).

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away' (1 Pet. v. 1-4). 'Wherefore let them that suffer according to the Will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator' (1 Tim. iv. 19).

'I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant; for I do not forget Thy commandments ' (Ps. cxix. 176).

We have not known Thee as we ought,

Nor learn'd Thy wisdom, grace, and power:
The things of earth have filled our thought,
And trifles of the passing hour.

Lord, give us light Thy Truth to see,
And make us wise in knowing Thee.

'We have not fear'd Thee as we ought,
Nor bow'd beneath Thine awful eye,
Nor guarded deed, and word, and thought,
Remembering that God was nigh.
Lord, give us faith to know Thee near,
And grant the grace of holy fear.

'We have not loved Thee as we ought,
Nor cared that we are loved by Thee;
Thy presence we have coldly sought,
And feebly long'd Thy Face to see.
Lord, give a pure and loving heart
To feel and own the love Thou art.

'We have not served Thee as we ought.
Alas! the duties left undone,-
The work with little fervour wrought,-
The battles lost, or scarcely won!
Lord, give the zeal, and give the might,
For Thee to toil, for Thee to fight.

'When shall we know Thee as we ought,
And fear, and love, and serve aright?
When shall we, out of trial brought,
Be perfect in the land of light ?
Lord, may we day by day prepare
To see Thy Face, and serve Thee there.'
T. B. POLLock.

CHRISTIAN SOCIALISM.

'WHEN Wilt Thou save the people? O God of mercy, when?

Not kings and lords, but nations!

Not thrones and crowns, but men! Flowers of Thy heart, O God, are they; Let them not pass, like weeds, away, Their heritage a sunless day.

God, save the people!

'Shall crime bring crime for ever, Strength aiding still the strong?

Is it Thy Will, O Father,

That man should toil for wrong?
"No," say Thy mountains; "No," Thy skies;
Man's clouded sun shall brightly rise,
And songs ascend instead of sighs.
God, save the people!

'When wilt Thou save the people?
O God of mercy, when?
The people, Lord, the people—

Not thrones and crowns, but men !

God, save the people-Thine they are,
Thy children, as Thine angels fair—
From vice, oppression, and despair,
God, save the people !'

EBENEZER ELLIOTT.

'You know how often it is difficult to be wisely charitable, to do good without multiplying the sources of evil. You know that to give alms is nothing unless you give thought also; and that therefore it is written, not "Blessed is he that feedeth the poor," but "Blessed is he that considereth the poor." And you know that a little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money. Now, this charity of thought is not merely to be exercised towards the poor; it is to be exercised towards all men. There is assuredly no action of our social life, however unimportant, which by kindly thought may not be made to have a beneficial influence upon others; and it is impossible to spend the smallest sum of money, for any not absolutely necessary purpose, without a grave responsibility attaching to the manner of spending it. The object we ourselves covet may be desirable and harmless, so far as we are concerned, but the providing us with it may,