a very large increase of the same thing. This is the plain meaning of the parable. If we consider Prayer as a “talent,” what is that portion of the talent which God has already entrusted to our keeping, and for which He will call us to a strict account? It is first, the permission to pray; second, the power to pray; third, the opportunity to pray; fourth, the command to pray; fifth, the encouragement to pray.

Permission. The spirits of the lost are not permitted to pray; they once had permission, command, and encouragement, as we have now; but this is no longer theirs! But, though so wholly unworthy and beneath his notice, God yet permits us to pray. We have the power. No one can say he cannot pray; we can, and no man can take this power from us. We can ask what we desire of God, as well as of man, if we choose and have the wish to do so.

The opportunity. Our whole life is an opportunity to pray. God is waiting to be gracious to our cry; we may at all times, and in every place, lift up our heart to God in earnest, heartfelt petition for his grace and help. And every one can make special opportunities if he like. There is a great deal of truth in the old adage, "Where there's a will there's a way."

Then the command to pray. No one can neglect prayer without positively transgressing the command of God! So desirous is the gracious Saviour of our salvation, that He even commands us to do those things which He knows are essential to our securing it.

Then, encouragements-they are, truly, without number! There is every encouragement we can possibly ask or wish. He stands at the door of our hearts and knocks, and if, in

response to this gracious and condescending conduct on the part of Christ, we attempt to breathe out our poor desires at his feet, He sends his quickening Spirit into our hearts, and makes us inwardly feel that He hears us-that He is nigh to us-that He regards us. Have not some of you felt this sweet and lifegiving encouragement? The Spirit witnessing with your spirit that you are the child of God? Is not this encouragement?

We read, "He commanded his servants to be called, to see how much every man had gained by trading." Let us ask ourselves, How much, and what, have we gained by trading with this one particular talent? How much, and what, have you gained by prayer? Have you gained a deeper sense of the importance of spiritual things? This is the first return to our prayers. The very act of praying does this. Have you, in the second place, gained a real conviction of sin? I mean a consciousness (that nothing can ever again remove) that you are a sinner in God's sight, and cannot save yourself? Having felt this, have you, in the next place, "gained" a sense of pardon and mercy through the blood of Jesus? If you have, you have also "gained" (fourthly) a peace, which you feel to be more precious than worlds, and which you feel the world can neither give nor take away. "Peace with God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Oh, this is a pearl of great price! a jewel that will shine with intensest lustre for ever and ever! Fifthly, if you have gained this, have you experienced something of the sanctifying influence of the Spirit of God upon your heart and life, making you feel with the Apostle, "I am not my own, but bought with a price, and must there

fore glorify God with spirit, which are his ?" God now, not to gain

my body and You work for life, but because that life is in you, and must therefore show itself by its fruits. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; giving you to see such a perfect beauty in holiness that no words can express, and which you long to attain, and to show forth to the glory of Him who has redeemed and forgiven you. If you have arrived at this point of experience, you are blessed and happy; you have truly "gained other five talents." But do not stop here; while you have the talent of time still granted to you, go on, and use this talent of prayer for "more grace," that He may "stablish, strengthen, settle you," giving you "the full assurance of hope unto the end,” that you may "know in whom you have believed, and be persuaded that He is able to keep that which you have committed to Him." This talent is pre-eminently the one through the right trading with which we are to obtain eternal life. Yes, no less than eternal life is the mighty result of the sincere and diligent trading with this talent; and, doubtless, it is our improvement or neglect of this that

will bring in our bitterest condemnation or our highest glory at the last day. "Ask, and receive, that your joy may be full," is the word of Christ to each of us. Is not eternal life worth asking for?

I

This "trading" must be constantly carried on. See the men of the world, how they go on; they never think they have done enough. Shall we grow weary in trading to increase our eternal riches? Shall the men of this world be wiser than the children of light? Shall we grow weary in right doing? No; let us work while it is called to-day, improving to the utmost the Lord's talents, knowing of whom we have received them. hope there is no one here who is wrapping her talent of prayer in a napkin, and saying in heart, though not with her lips, that God requires more than He gives, and that therefore she has not used that which she has received. If there be, from such an one will be taken away that which she has-permission, power, opportunity, encouragement, and time to pray; and it will be given to others more humble, more obedient in spirit than herself, who will bring honour to their Lord by the use of it.

E. T.

their present forms even while other sections of the earth indicated that nature was yet in her childhood. At the very daybreak of reliable history, the African people were not only not barbarous, but gave evident signs of advanced civilization. In the days of Abraham-some two thousand years before Christ-the kingdom of Egypt was firmly established, and had its regular succession of kings. Greece owed much of her success to this part of Africa.

The important colony of Phoenicia was established on the north coast of Africa, and became a first-class kingdom for commerce. It is well known, too, that the sailors of Carthage often doubled her distant Cape, and that Numidia, Egypt, and a few other places on her coast were most valuable and useful in a commercial point of view.

How strange, then, that for so many ages so little should be known of such a country! Even the daring Greeks and Romans, when they reached the borders of Libyan and Nubian deserts, seemed willing to believe that all beyond was a burning waste of sands, populated by the wildest savages. It is true, in more modern times, the outline of the continent and the shape of the coast have been found out; but the interior was known only as a dreadful region, whence supplies of human victims were secured for the horrible slave-trade. Even at the beginning of this century, a map of Africa represented only a very narrow seaboard, with a few small districts; but all beyond was filled up with dreary, scorching, barren deserts, and populated with animals so unsightly and terrific as to fill us, in our schoolboy days, with the greatest alarm.

It was not until our own times that anything like satisfactory knowledge has been secured as to the physical features and useful productions of Central Africa. Brave men, with stout hearts, scientific knowledge, and deeplyrooted love to God and man, have penetrated its unknown regions, and proved that it contains vast prolific lands, separated by forests, rivers, and hills, which abound in the richest vegetation, and with the most important productions.

But we are more interested in the people of Africa, who number about a hundred millions, than in her geological developments or geographical position. In the north of Africa, the people belong to the Semitic family, including those who live in the vicinity of the Nile. In Central Africa the people are chiefly negroes. In the South, with the exception of the Hottentots, the people

are like the Kaffres, a name first given by the Mohammedans, which means infidels, and used to be applied generally to the tribes of South Africa. The Mohammedan religion prevails in the North, and the Christian faith has been introduced by European missionaries into many parts of the continent, especially on the West Coast, and at the Cape.

It is a sad fact, however, that multitudes of the African race are the victims of a rude, cruel, and disgusting idolatry, and are spell-bound by the weakest and most foolish superstition. It is refreshing, therefore, in turning to the Book of God to find that, sunken as this people are in ignorance and sin, there is in reversion for them a glorious destiny. Men of sceptical minds may laugh at the idea of their elevation and conversion, but a high anthority says: "Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God."

I believe this prediction refers to the entire continent of Africa-a continent nearly three times the size of Europe, which comprises rather more than one-third of the Old World, and one-fifth of the land surface of the entire

globe. The word Cush, which is here and elsewhere translated "Ethiopia," has been applied to at least three distinct countries, and was used very much in olden times as the word India is now used by ourselves. The word Ethiopia is composed of two Greek words, which mean to burn a countenance; and which the Greeks regarded as expressive of a dark complexion. The Hebrews also restricted the word Cush or Ethiopia to the sunburnt, tanned-complexioned people of the Cushite race, whose settlements were in Northern Africa. This people are the descendants of Ham, and are spoken of in the Bible as dark-complexioned-"Can the Ethiopian change his skin?"

This, then, is the people who shall soon stretch out their hands unto God. Age after age they have stretched out their hands to strange and powerless gods; ere long those hands will be stretched out to the true and the living

God. And to such a God their hands will not be stretched out in vain. There is a strong prejudice against colour of skin among some people. Ethiopians would stretch out their hands in vain to those who think them a sort of refined species of the ape or the gorilla. But when they turn away from men to God, their hands are not pushed away in scorn. Their prayers enter into the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth, the sighing of the people comes up before the Lord, and He will answer them according to the greatness of his power.

He will send them deliverance. For generations they have been oppressed and down-trodden, Even in their own country they oppress and enslave each other. But the white man has been their chief oppressor. Look at some of the French colonies; look at Spain and Portugal; and, until lately, look at America. Yes, and look at England. In 1618 a charter was granted by James I. to establish a regular slave-trading company to Africa. In 1645 Jamaica was taken by England. Seventeen years after another company was formed, with the Duke of York at its head, and one of the conditions upon which this company was invested with a royal charter, was that it should supply annually to Jamaica 3,000 slaves. Slavery was thus legalised for nearly 200 years, and one of the chief slave-dealing captains on the African coast was actually knighted on his return to England by Queen Elizabeth!

There is, however, a far worse bondage than this, and that is the bondage of their intellects and hearts to the most degrading and cruel abominations.

But

God will deliver them; He will break off their fetters; He will free their bodies, light up their minds, and emancipate their souls. He will say "to the north, give up; and to the south, keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth." Already He is binding up the broken-hearted, offering liberty to the captives, and proclaiming his own acceptable year.

God will elevate this people. Their

degradation physically, mentally, and religiously must be admitted. Many of them know and feel it themselves. But give them time, give them opportunities, give them education, but, above all, give them the Gospel, and they will rise in the scale of humanity in proportion to their privileges. For this many of them already stretch out their hands to God in earnest prayer. And shall not God avenge his own elect, who thus cry day and night unto Him?

God will employ them in the extension of his own kingdom. Many of them are even now engaged in working for God among their own countrymen. Indeed, I believe it is chiefly by native agency that Africa is to be regenerated. Our own schools and churches on the West Coast of Africa are managed entirely by native agents; and other missionary societies are adopting the same plan.

But some men will ask what reasons we can produce for our belief in the future elevation and salvation of the African race.

I reply, first, because we have already had an earnest of it. Thousands of Africans are now around the throne of God in heaven; and there are thousands of them on 'earth who are living witnesses of the transforming power of divine grace. Begin at the Gambia, go all along the Western Coast, visit the Cape, penetrate for hundreds of miles the interior, and you will find that at this moment multitudes of Africans are stretching out their hands unto God. A noble army of God's martyrs now sleeps in Jesus in African soil, whose blood was the seed of our African churches. These brave men and noble women have not toiled, prayed, wept, and died in vain.

Secondly, because the work of God for Africa is so much opposed. It is a fact that in these days missionaries to the African race are vilely slandered, and their work is despised. African churches and schools and converts are laughed at. But these are infallible signs that the work is real and successful. And the winds of opposition and