send from the grave of the glorious dead a voice to bring the mighty truth in thunder on our slumbering souls-There is a time to die! There is a time to die! -Rev. Charles Wadsworth.

COMFORT IN GOD'S GOVERNMENT.

CHRISTIANS! here is matter of joy for you! God reigns over the world, and although wickedness abounds, and sorrows now prevail, yet the world is in good hands, and all its affairs are under the control of a wise and powerful God. Ay, and the time is coming, when great voices shall be heard in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ!" Moreover, Christian, your God reigns over the Church. Ay, and "Zion enjoys her Monarch's love." God is in the midst of her. God will help her, and that right early. Look upon Zion! the city of our solemnities. Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down. Not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken; but there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby! But God reigns not only over the world and the Church. He reigns over all things! Then, believer, remember, He reigns over you and yours! All your interests are safely lodged in his hands! Has sorrow entered your dwelling? Has deep affliction come upon you? O remember! He who notices the falling sparrow will not forget the children of his love. Fear not, in the sight of your heavenly Father you are of more value than many sparrows. All your trials are known to him. Your sighs are heard. Your tears are in his bottle; and the promise is, "All things shall work together for good to them that love God." Yes, thank God!

"There is a day of sunny rest,

For every dark and stormy night;
And grief may hide an evening guest,
But joy shall come at morning light!"

Rev. Dr. Baker.

MEDITATION.

MEDITATION is like the watering of seed-it makes the plants of grace to flourish, and the fruits of grace to ripen.

Meditation is the wing of the soul.

The meditation upon truth hath more sweetness in it than the mere remembrance of it. The memory is the chest where truth is laid up-meditation is the palate to feed on it. The memory is like the ark, where the manna was laid up. Meditation is like gathering the manna, and feeding upon it daily. A sermon remembered, but not ruminated, will only increase our condemnation.

Without meditation, the Word preached may increase notion, but not affection. There is as much difference between the knowledge of a truth and the meditation of a truth, as there is between the light of a torch and the light of the sun.

He that loseth his heart in the morning, in the world, will hardly find it again all the day after.

Meditation doth make the heart serious-it is as ballast to the ship. Meditation consolidates a Christian. Solid gold is best. The more serious a Christian grows, the more spiritual he is; and the more spiritual he becomes, the more will he resemble the Father of spirits.

It is better to meditate on one sermon than to hear five. If an angel were to come down from heaven and preach to men; yea, if Jesus himself were the preacher, none would profit without meditation. The bee sucks the flower, and then works it in the hive, and it becomes honey. We must not only suck the flower of the Word, but work it in the hive of the heart.

Meditation fits for prayer, and makes the pulse of the soul beat strongly after

God. The lamp of prayer will soon go out, unless meditation cherish and support it. When the soul is on the mount of meditation, then is the heart in tune for prayer.

Meditation is the saints' prospective-glass, by which they see "things invisible." It is the golden ladder, by which they ascend in holy imagination to heaven. It is the dove sent out, and which brings back the olive branch of peace.

PROVIDENCE.

PROVIDENCE is the hand that turns all the wheels in the universe; it is the pilot who steers the ship of the creation. Providences are sometimes dark—often difficult to decipher: God often writes a shorthand-his providences are often secret, but always wise.

The transactions of Providence are not seen clearly at first; the painter at the first makes but a rough draught of his picture-first a hand, then an eye; but when he hath filled up every part and laid on his colours, it is beautiful to behold: we who live in this age of the Church see but a rough draught of God's providence, but when we reach heaven, and see all the lineaments of God's providence drawn out and completed, all will be perfection, and wisdom, and mercy,-kindness and love will seal the whole.

God's providence is greatly to be observed; but we are not to make it the rule of our actions: "Whoso is wise will observe these things." It is good to observe providence, but we must not make it our rule to walk by: providence should be to the Christian as his diary, but not his Bible.

FAREWELL TO THE DYING YEAR.

FAREWELL, then, dying Year!

For all the joys which thou hast scattered
Round our hearts, our homes and hearths, bear
Thou our songs of praise and thanks, swift
Onward, upward to thine Author.

Thank Him for precious hopes,

Thank Him for answered prayer;

Praise Him who bears that spirit up

Which thou hast crushed with care.

Thank Him for bleeding love,

Thank Him for realms of light;.
Praise Him that earth's poor broken ones
Will find in Heaven no night.
Then, fare thee well, beloved Year!
Must I now give thee my last tear?
A sigh for thee, so quickly past,
A sigh because thou couldst not last,-
And mourn o'er Time so quickly fled,
Gone with the ancients to be wed?
Then, fare thee well! yes, fare thee well!
One less stroke on Time's great bell,
Ere the tide of rushing years,
Surge and roll in blood and tears,
Ere the hearts, which with mine beat,
Rest with me where old years meet.