"COMFORT IN THE DARK HOUR."

THERE never was such affliction as mine," said a poor sufferer, restlessly tossing in her bed in one of the wards of a City hospital; "I don't think there ever was such a racking pain."

66

'Once," was faintly uttered from the next bed.

The first speaker paused for a moment, and then, in a still more impatient tone, resumed her complaint.

66

Nobody knows what I pass through; nobody ever suffered more pain." "One," was again whispered from the same direction.

66

I take it you mean yourself, poor soul! but"

Oh, not myself, not me!" exclaimed the other; and her pale face flushed up to the very temples, as if some wrong had been offered, not to herself, but to another. She spoke with such earnestness that her restless companion lay still for several seconds, and gazed intently on her face. The cheeks were now wan and sunken, and the parched lips were drawn back from the mouth as if by pain; yet there dwelt an extraordinary sweetness in the clear grey eyes, and a refinement on the placid brow, such as can only be imparted by a heart acquaintance with Him who is "full of grace and truth.” "Oh, not myself, not me !" she repeated.

There was a short pause, and then the following words, uttered in the same low tone, slowly and solemnly, broke the midnight silence of the place :

"And when they had platted a crown of thorns they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews;' and they spit upon Him and took the reed and smote Him on the head . . . and when they were come unto a place called Golgotha . . . they gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall... and they crucified Him. and they that passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads. and about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying. My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?'" The voice ceased, and for several minutes not a syllable was spoken. The night nurse rose from her chair by the fire, and mechanically handed a cup of barley water, flavoured with lemon-juice and sugar, to the lips of both sufferers. Thank you, nurse," said the last speaker; "They gave Him gall for His meat, and in His thirst they gave Him vinegar to drink."

66

"She is talking about Jesus Christ," said the other woman, already beginning to toss restlessly from side to side; "but," added she, "talking about His sufferings can't mend ours-at least, not mine."

"But it lightens hers," said the nurse.

66 I wonder how?"

"Hush!" and the gentle voice again took up the strain.

66 6

He was

'Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.” The following day as some ladies visiting the hospital passed by the cots, they handed to each a few fragrant flowers.

The gentle voice was again heard, "If God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, oh ye of little faith.'”

A few days passed slowly away, when on a bright Lord's day morning as the sun was rising, the nurse noticed the lips of the sufferer moving, and leaning over her she heard these words "Going home. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of life, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day Her eyes closed, and the nurse knew that the hand of death was grasping the cords of life. A moment more and all was over, the soul had gone to dwell in that City where "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." E. C.

"From the Deep, then, I call'd upon GoD-and He heard me.

In the dread of my need, He vouchsafed to mine eye

A Rock jutting out from the Grave that interr'd me;

I sprung there, I clung there, and Death passed me by!"-SCHILLER.

London:

AND AT THE

OFFICE OF THE SHIPWRECKED MARINERS' SOCIETY, HIBERNIA CHAMBERS, LONDON BRIDGE, S.E.

1880.

EDITORIAL NOTICE.

THE Editorship of this Magazine has, prior to the issue of the last Quarterly Number of the Year, that for October, 1880, passed into fresh hands.

As announced under the New Heading of "THE EDITOR'S CORNER," which will be found appended to the Number for October, at the end of this Annual Volume, several changes and improvements are being introduced into the Publication, all of which will be more fully carried out with the commencement of the coming year.

In accordance with this thorough revision of the Magazine, and its Contents, it may be here repeated that, while the "old lines" will be duly preserved as to outward form and appearance, various very material alterations will be effected within :—

Firstly. The TYPE will be considerably enlarged, and the number of pages

proportionately increased.

Secondly.-The MATTER will be so selected, and so classified under the

respective new "Headings," as to constitute the Magazine, in its general scope and literary character, a really interesting and trustworthy compendium, for future reference, as well as for present recreation and instruction.

Thirdly. The TABLES OF RELIEF, &c., will be greatly condensed and entirely recast, so as to place before every reader, at home

and abroad, a more succinct and more generally appreciable statement of the Society's varied work and usefulness.

It is earnestly hoped that the efforts being thus made may truly avail to render the Magazine more and more a power for good in the Great World, as well as a faithful exponent of all the different Proceedings and Operations of the SHIPWRECKED FISHERMEN AND MARINERS' ROYAL BENEVOLENT SOCIETY, under whose auspices it has been so long issued.

W. R. B., Ed.