70 "The Lord is my strength and song" (Exodus xv. 2). husband, shaking his head significantly, as if beginning to be alarmed also. "But, sir, do you think," asked the woman, "that Jesus would take such sinners ?" "Yes," said the missionary, opening his Bible; "it is written in this book, 'Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy.' From that day the woman gave up her fortune-telling, and, along with her husband, attended the missionary's meetings. They got a Bible, and read it and prayed over it. A great change came over their whole life. The husband lived for some years, giving marked evidence of his interest in Christ. "Oh! had you not come to my house that day with my wife," he used often to say to the missionary, "and had she not gone to that meeting, where she thought you exposed her so much, I'm sure we should both have gone down to hell, for oh! we lived a sad life of sin; but since that we have had great peace and comfort, even when we had little to eat, for that little had God's bless The Stricken Tree. THERE had been storms, and through the sky the lightning Had cast its flashing arrows, tipped with flame: But now 'twas past, and in the sunlight brightening, The opening heaven scarce seemed to be the same. I sat me down to rest beneath the spreading Of nature's growth, high towering o'er my head; I saw adown his side an open scar: Had I been standing then beneath those branches, Slain by the javelin that the storm-king launches, From which no place of safety can be found. But now, the bolt had fallen! the storm was over ;- And then I thought how like to Christ the Saviour Yet once this very shelter was my danger, ing with it." He died in the faith of the Till on the head of Him of Bethlehem's manger Lord Jesus. “The woman died on the 23rd of September, 1847," says Mr. Paterson, "a manifest trophy of sovereign grace."Missionary of Kilmany. The tempest burst, the tempest of our fear. The storm was spent,- -no more the thunders roll: But while we gather thus 'neath skies unclouded, Reader, has the Holy Spirit shown you your sins in all their vileness and guilt? If And while we sing, no more by gloom enshrouded, not, seek earnestly that you may know Adore His love who bore the fatal storm. WILLIAM LUFF. THE sublimity of wisdom is to do those things living which are to be desired when dying. "He blesseth the habitation of the just" (PROVERBS III. 33). 71 Have I Children? THEN, how great is my responsibility! I have precious souls committed to my trust. How much of my children's future welfare depends upon me! I must consider they are but lent me, and endeavour to train them up for eternity. While I am watching with a parent's deep-felt anxiety over their bodies, I must never forget that they have souls souls of infinite value! See Matthew xvi. 26. Let me not give them up, more than is absolutely necessary, into the hands of others. A mother, in particular, should be the superintendent of both her nursery and schoolroom. If any other employment (however charitable) interfere with this, that engagement is unlawful. God has given me children. If I neglect them that I may benefit others, I am stepping out of the path He has appointed for me. I must be ready to watch my baby's opening mind, in order that, while Satan is at hand to lead it astray, I may anticipate him in instilling Christian principles. I must tell my child of a Saviour who loves it, of a heaven above, and of a hell beneath; of its naughty heart, &c., and its need of grace; and all this in words simple and tender, and suited to its infant comprehension. friendship of my children. This, indeed, will generally follow from judicious Christian training. They may leave the parental roof, but they cannot escape from a parent's heart. So long as I can help them temporally or spiritually, I must not fail to do so; I must show my children that I am ever ready to be resorted to in cases of difficulty, anxiety, or trouble. But all this cannot be accomplished without much "prayer and supplication." "Who is sufficient for these things?" I need the grace of Christ to be made perfect in my weakness. Who can change my children's hearts? Not I, but He who hath said, “I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." For these things He will be inquired of. Nor that the Christian life is a life without sin, but the Christian cannot live in sin. Saints are sinners. We do not suppose the prodigal restored rendered henceforth a perfect obedience; but he would strive to subdue the will and inclination to offend his father, and he would seek forgiveness whenever he transgressed. So sin lives in the Christian; the liability to sin remains: but the Christian does not live in sin-he does not sin habitually. Sin exists in him as an intruder whom he would banish, not as a lodger either welcome from character or tolerated for profit. Let this be our spirit. We may be betrayed into sin, but still our place is the place of privilege. Our sins, if we confess them on the head of Christ, and turn away from them, are not the sins of the apostate, but the sins of the child. Let us, with filial confidence, seek Are my children growing up? Then I need much wisdom to know how to guide them. I must store their minds with Bible truth; I must warn, admonish, and correct. Let me, above all, remember, that by far the most important teaching is that of example. All my instruction, all my correction, will come to nothing if I fail here. If my example does not correspond with my teaching, they will act not as I say, but as I do. Finally, let me secure the confidence and immediate forgiveness.-Day of Days. 72 "He satisfieth the longing soul" (PSALM CVII. 9). if you squander any more of the brief time that may be your portion here. Will you come to-morrow? But you know not what a day may bring forth. In spite of present abounding health, your life may close to-day. To-morrow would then be too late to come. Will you take the matter into consideration, and decide by and by? Then you are virtually deciding that for the presentthe only part of your existence over which you have any control-you will not come! You are virtually saying that now, at least, you will not have Christ's pardoning grace! You are just now deliberately rejecting Christ's abounding mercy! When will you come to Christ? Let your answer be, NOW! ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY PERIODICALS. (Yearly Subscriptions payable in advance). THE BRITISH MESSENGER, A Religious Paper, for the Revival and Promotion of Vital Godliness, Price One Penny. Four copies monthly, 4s. per annum; Eight, 8s., and upwards, sent post free. Single copy, monthly, by post, 1s. 6d. THE GOSPEL TRUMPET, Price One Halfpenny, or 3s. 6d. per 100. Eight copies monthly, 4s. per annum; Sixteen, Ss., and upwards, sent post free. ASSORTED PACKETS. 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HUTCHINSON, 15 COLLINS STREET West. May be had also of all Booksellers. Pr No. 974. OCTOBER. (PUBLISHED MONTHLY ONE HALFPENNY. THE GOSPEL TRUMPET Published by the Trustees of the late PETER DRUMMOND, at the Tract Depot, Stirling, N.B. JOHN MACFARLANE, Manager. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." WIDOW GRAFF; OR, WHAT SAVED THE TRAIN. WIDOW GRAFF lived in a hol- | three little girls. They feared God, low of the Blue Ridge. It was a wild, lonely spot; yet a railroad found it out, and wound its way among the mountains and gorges with its great passenger and freight trains. Widow Graff had a small cabin and a few acres of land, and she had [Eight Copies sent Monthly (post free) for One Year for 48.] and loved their mother, and tried to help her. In the summer they picked berries, and walked three miles to the nearest station to sell them. Here one of the conductors on the road often met these little girls. How did he treat them? He spoke kindly to them. When they were [New Series, No. 10.] 74 "O Lord, to Thee will I cry" (JOEL I. 19). very tired carrying their heavy baskets over the rough way in the hot sun, remembering his little girls at home, he would sometimes take them on the cars, and set them down near their own cabin door. How happy this little ride made them, and how heartily they thanked the good conductor for his kindness. And do you not suppose it pleased the poor mother? Yes, it went to her heart. And to show their gratitude, sometimes the children picked a basketful on purpose for him, and sometimes their mother sent him a little present of fruit from her own garden. He took their gifts, but always paid for them. you says, Now I will let the conductor tell what happened:-"The winter "The winter of '54 was very cold in that part of Virginia," he "and the snow was nearly three feet deep upon the mountains. On the night of the 26th of December it turned round warm, and the rain fell in torrents. A terrible rain swept over the mountain tops, and almost filled the valleys with water. The night was pitchy dark, but as my train wound its way among the hills I had no fears, because I knew the road-bed was all solid rock. "It was near midnight, when a sharp whistle from the engine brought me to my feet. I knew there was "As I went up to where the old lady and her children stood, wet through and through, she grasped me by the hand and said, H "Thank God, Mr. Sherbourn, we stopped you in time! I would have lost my life before one hair of your head should have been hurt. Oh, I prayed that we might stop the train: and, my God, I thank Thee!' "The children were crying for joy. I fell on my knees and offered up thanks to an All-wise Being for our safe deliverance from a terrible death, |