and when the Jordan, rolling furiously, breaks upon their ears, and they remember that this is death, they take the hand away from Christ, and cling to earth. The remedy for this is a clear hope, a calm assurance that we have an interest in the death of Christ, - that God is our portion, heaven our home. This is attainable. It is within the reach of all. Strive for it, diligently seek it, is enjoined upon us; and if we would die peacefully and triumphantly, we must have an evidence clear, a hope strong, a prospect bright.

The third element in a preparation for death is a holy life. "Teach me how to live," says one, "and I will teach you how to die." It is impossible for a Christian to view the approach of death with calmness if he continues buried up in the perplexities of the world. Christ, faith, and holiness are the mystic words which dissolve the shades of death. Christ the efficient, procuring cause, faith the instrument, holiness the result. Christ be not formed within, the hope of glory; if faith does not point backward to the cross, and forward to the crown; if obe

If

dience does not work "to will and to do" within us,—death still has dominion over us. These three elements, then, enter into a preparation for death: A vital union to Christ, a full assurance of hope, a holy life. Possess these, and death is vanquished and the Christian is victor. He dies in triumph.

"His fight is fought, his faith has reached the end;
Firm to the heaven his glance, his heart ascends.
There with the Judge he sees his crown remain ;
And if to live be Christ, to die is gain."

"MANY THINGS ARE GROWING CLEAR!"— Schiller.

Come! the summer night is calling,
Through the elm-tree shadows falling,
And the silver moonbeams gleaming
On the snowy window-screen.
These but hints, I murmur lowly;
And I raise the curtain slowly,
Till a flood of splendor, streaming,

Renders clear the enchanted scene.

Soul! all Nature calleth to thee,
From the bounds of earth would woo thee:
Morn, with fragrant breezes blowing

Fresh from the celestial hills;

Eve in purple robes of glory
Sweetly tells her mystic story,
Such diviner state foreshowing,

That the soul with rapture thrills.

Take, oh, take these sweet suggestions! Ask no unbelieving questions.

Wafting thee to fields Elysian,

Death shall surely raise the screen. With celestial euphrasy

He shall touch the inner eye,

Till thou chant, with raptured vision,
Many things are clearly seen!

Thus said Schiller, in his gladness,
While each bowed the head in sadness
Round his dying couch at even.

Closed his eyes on scenes once dear,
On the flood of crimson glory
Bathing rock and castle hoary;
Yet, while earthly ties were riven,
Many things were growing clear.

Sweeter than the carols ringing,
Whilst the lark her flight is winging
Are these words of Schiller, ever
Singing, singing through the soul,
Prelude of diviner pleasures,

Where no more in mournful measures
Sing the souls who sorrow never,
Who have safely reached the goal.

What though chilling mists enshroud us,
When these vapors that becloud us,
Gazed upon from heights celestial
Golden "mirrors" shall appear!
Courage, then, nor wish to alter
One of God's decrees, nor falter
Through the fear of ills terrestial:
Many things are growing clear!

A. L. S.

THE BLESSED STATE.

The day is coming, and all the wings of time are bringing it nearer, when we shall be emancipated from the body of this death. We are not forever to be sickly, sinful, and sorrowing. We shall soon be set free from

every thing that encumbers us. If Christ come not in our lifetime to take us to himself, we shall go to him to dwell with him where he is. And what are the delights of being in heaven? To be with Christ; the spouse forever with the bridegroom; the child forever in his Father's bosom! What must it be to dwell above, -forever pure, forever beyond the danger of temptation, safe and blessed, shielded from all fear, enriched with all blessedness! Christian, you shall soon be like Jesus as well as with him. You shall be crowned as he is, and blessed as he

is. Oh, how satisfied shall you be when you wake up in his likeness! I could not go farther; for though I were to talk of the harps of gold, of the streets that shine with unearthly light, of gates of pearl, of the neverending song, and of the gentle-flowing river of the water of life amidst the trees, that yield their twelve manner of fruits, yet all would be less than what I have said already. You shall be with Christ, and you shall be like him.

C. H. SPURGEON.