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Johnson, Rev. W., Vicar of St. Saviour's Bacup :

Sabbath Evening Studies-

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Ormiston, Rev. J., Vicar of Old Hill, Dudley-

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Union with Christ

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Wilkinson, Rev. E., Rector of Snargate and Snave, Kent-

Funeral Sermon for Rev. C. Rolfe

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WAYSIDE WORDS.

HOW TO BEGIN THE NEW YEAR 1877.

HAPPY NEW YEAR." These words are spoken to us by many loving voices at this time. But how can 1877 be really happy? That is the question we wish to help our readers to answer. Let us first address ourselves to the believers in Christ-those who have found peace with God by fleeing for refuge to the Saviour of sinners. Now, dear brethren and sisters, if you would spend a really happy and holy New Year, take our advice and

1. Begin it with thankfulness. You deserve Hell, and by God's grace alone, you are on your way to Heaven. Look back, and remember His mercies to you, which have been "new every morning." Think how your Heavenly Father has borne with your ingratitude and self-will, and you will then feel and say to Him,

"No love but faithful love like Thine,

Could bear a wand'ring heart like mine."

Therefore, be thankful. More especially, since He has graciously promised to keep you from falling, and to present you at last faultless before the Throne. Forget not that Jesus is your personal Saviour. Your Prophet, to teach you; your Priest, to absolve you; your King, to rule your willing soul with the sweet sceptre of His grace.

2. Begin the year with self-examination. Ask yourself now, Am I adorning the doctrine of God my Saviour in all things? Do others take knowledge of me that I have

VOL. VIII.

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been with Jesus? Am I faithful in the position in which God has placed me? Do I acknowledge GOD in all my ways, and do I daily ask Him to direct my paths? Do I take little things to Him as well as great? Have I given up my self-will to Christ's will? And am I living as a stranger upon earth, remembering that I have no abiding city here? Christian reader, these are important questions, answer them as in the Presence of the Eternal.

3. Begin the year with self-consideration. When GOD first called you by His grace you promised to serve Him all your days. Renew now, at the beginning of a New Year, the solemn vow you made then, and give up yourself again altogether to Him, Who gave Himself altogether for you. You are Christ's-by creation, by redemption, by the conquest of His grace, therefore live to His glory, and shew forth His praise, not only with your lips but in your lives. "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of GOD, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of GOD." And so, all your days will be steps nearer God, and nearer Heaven, and nearer Home, for He who cannot lie says of His sheep,-the weak and the strong, the young and the old "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish."

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And now let me say one word to any who may be seeking for Jesus," and into whose hands this Magazine may fall. If you are seeking Jesus, Jesus first sought you, or you would never have sought Him. If you want Christ, Christ wants you. Listen to His own loving words, spoken on earth to such as you—they are as fresh to-day as they were eighteen hundred years ago-"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." If you received a letter on New Year's day with your own name on the envelope, would and read it? Take then not open you

these sacred words as a New Year's Gift from the Great Master Himself—and enter into rest.

They are sent― LADEN ON EARTH,

TO ALL THE WEARY AND HEAVY and therefore they are sent to you. They are your property-more valuable than all the bank-notes in England, and thus the "Old, Old, Story" will be good news to you, and you will go on your way rejoicing in Him Whose Words give life to the dead, when they are applied to the heart by the Holy Spirit. GOD grant it may be so, for JESUS CHRIST's sake, Amen. THE EDITOR.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, Rev. i. 8. Alpha is the name of the first, and Omega the name of the last letter in the Greek alphabet, and we may consider the text just

cited to be one of the Names of the Lord Jesus Christ; and if we would have true happiness we must through the power of the Holy Spirit begin the year and continue throughout it in the faith and fear of the Son of God. For He is the self-existent Jehovah, Who was and is and will be the first cause and the last end of all beings and things. He is the Lord God Almighty, and as such we would take Him this new year to be our Immanuel, that we may live by Him and on Him every moment and for every thing. For He is the God of nature. The God of grace. The God of providence. The God of glory.

1. He is the Creator of all worlds, Psa. cii, 25, 26, 27, explained by Heb. i. 10, and also by Col. i. 16, 17. He has the same essence, same attributes with the Father, Isa. xliv. 6, 7, 8, and by taking our nature, God and man in one Christ. He has every perfection to fit Him to be

2. The God of grace, a proper surety to act for us, by completing all His covenant engagements with the Father, and having by His most holy life wrought out our righteousness, and by His infinitely precious death made a full and perfect satisfaction for sin, He is the Almighty giver of all His grace. He has it all in His fulness A Prophet to teach the ignorant. A Priest to pardon the guilty.

A King to govern the helpless, and sitting on a throne of grace, He is able to bless the miserable even with all spiritual, yea and with all eternal blessings. May He be more glorified this year than ever! He is the God of all grace, and we ought to grow in grace by our settled dependence upon Him for the concerns of this life as well as for a better. It is our privilege, and we should find it our happiness, after we have trusted our souls in His hands, to trust our bodies and all that belongs to them in His hands also, for He is, 3. The God of providence. He has the ordering and directing of every person and every event. Not a sparrow falls without His notice. Not a hair of our heads but He numbers them. He interests Himself in the very least, as well as the greatest concerns of His people. And on this account believers should exercise their faith in every action of life, and they would find that by trusting Him for all things, they would have a spiritual use of and profit from temporal things. I have left my all to the care and providence of my Almighty Friend, He will manage for me better than I could for myself. My health, my circumstances, my family, children, and servants are all under His government. I may therefore trust and not be afraid. He is Almighty to fulfil His offices and all His promises-Almighty to protect His from all enemies, miseries, sin, Satan, death, and hell. And come what will, He is Almighty to make all things to produce good as He said, Gen. xv. 1. Reader, do you know something of this blessed state? Then be assured there is more than you have yet learned. Are you anxious to know more of your God and Saviour, but fearful. Bring forth your case and leave it with the Lord; all will be well, only trust. Pray for more trust. For as faith increases, it will open to you most blessed views of an Omega who is

4. The God of glory. He gives it for He is the author of eternal salvation. Read John xvii, mind what He there prays for, and He has all power in heaven and earth to bestow it. The whole company around the throne are ascribing to Him all their glory, as you see in Rev. v. 9, to the end. Thanks be to Him for His unspeakable grace! Through the year trust our Alpha and Omega. Begin and end with Him, let Him be your friend, your God, and Counsellor through life.-Romaine.

Happy souls who cleave to Christ
By pure and living faith,
Finding Him their King and Priest,
Their God and Guide till death.
God's own foe may plague His sons,
Sin may distress, but not subdue;
Christ who conquer'd for us once,
Will in us conquer too.-Hart,

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