for the first time something has shown something fresh.” He lifted a parch. itself so exactly when it was needed, mant roll froin its hiding-place, and that I begin to be sure now whenever read by the light of that fearful fire I am in distress or want anything, the title deed to a new estate in the that I shall see the thing most suit same country where his father lived, able which perhaps I never knew of and where no wicked men could debefore. Besides, I was alone in the stroy. world, an orphan, and without rela In the morning he ventured out. tions. Now I have a father, and such Not one thing belonging to him had a one as few possess, besides brethren been spared, and yet he was richer and sisters. Oh, I am rich indeed!” | than ever and happier too. He re

It was not long after this that one turned to his good hostess, content to of those who had listened to the good | live quietly in her little back room news he told, came hastily to him; till he should be sent for to his father's “Sir,” she said, “the bad men are house. plotting against you, they wish to kill And so many new things came out you, and to destroy your beautiful of the cabinet that he thought it was cabinet.”

worth twice as much to him then as At first he thought she was mis- it had been in his own house, and the taken; but with tears she urged him beloved guardian visited him more to escape. “What shall we do with frequently than ever.! out you,” cried she; “or without One morning a poor friend of the that precious treasury from which you woman with whom he lodged came to give us so much? Oh ! if you please, ask for him. “Oh !” said she," he there is a little room in my house: it is gone, and I feel as if the happiness is very small, but it will hold you and of my home were gone too, he was so this too, if you would only conceal cheerful, and always had a good word yourself till the danger is passed.” to say to us all, but yet I cannot help

So he let her help him to carry away being happy about it, this was such a the treasure, then stood and watched poor place, and he will have all he at the little window of the room she could wish for now." gave him, and which looked towards “Well,” said the man, “but his own house.

where is he gone, and how?" "Why, As it grew dark he saw men going last night it was quite late and dark there. Soon by the light appearing when I heard a knock at the door. first at one window, then at another, I opened it, and such a dark, awful he knew they were searching all looking man stood there. I did not through it. Then they seemed very want to let him in. but he stepped angry, but at last all was quiet, and quickly over the threshold, and said just when he thought they were gone he wanted our dear friend; that away, he saw light again, more than frightened me still more, for I thought before. In a few minutes the truth it was one of the enemies who so was only too clear ; they had set the longed for his life; but Ernest smiled house and all his property that was at my fears, and bade the man take near it on fire. He would have off his disguise; then when the dark rushed out to the rescue, but the good wrapping cloak was off I recognised woman stopped him again; “ They | the uniform of the Father's officers. will kill you, sir, indeed they will, He brought a message to Ernest, bid for I heard some of them say as they ding him to return to his Father: passed, that they hoped you were in home, whither he would attend him. the house, and would get burnt with I wept to think that we should have it." Sorrowfully he returned, and to part with him, but he was full of hardly knowing what he did, sat lean joy at the thought of going home ing heavily on the cabinet as he At first he said a little about the watched the burning house; perhaps way being dark, but as he looke he pressed with more weight than for some travelling comfort in hij usual, as his head drooped wearily on cabinet, he found a promise writ his hand, for a spring gave way. He ten that his elder brother woul started. “I thought I had looked come and travel all the way with through all these drawers and slides him; and so I think he did, for over and over again, but here is still fancy I heard them talking together

He started while it was dark, but, behold wondrous things out of thy said that in the brightness of the law.” morning he should arrive at the l' “ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, Father's house.” “And the cabinet ?" and a light unto my path." interposed the listener. “He has “ Thy word is very pure.” left that for us. Is it not kind of " Thy word is true from the behim? We must try and see if we ginning.” cannot find as much in it as he did.” “ Thy testimonies are wonderful." “And the teacher, the venerable being “I rejoice at thy Word as one that whose words came with so much findeth great spoil.” powerp “Oh, the Comforter still Ps. cxix., xviii., cv., cxl., clx., remains with us. We shall learn to cxxix., clxii. lean more on him than ever.”

“Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and

they are they which testify of me." “Open thou mine eyes, that I may |

John v. 39.

Intelligence.

for missi meetings.even brethre prayers

ready, in answer no doubt to the prayers NOTES OF THE MONTH.

he could heartily congratulate the congre. | regard felt for Mr. Millard, on his leaving gation on the position of their affairs. | Huntingdon for Maze Pond, London, the The chapel continued to be crowded hall was thronged, so that some had to every Sabbath day; the services of God's stand. The chair was occupied by the house had been signally blessed; and Rev. J. K. Holland, the senior minister the church, which had only been in exist of the county. The meeting commenced ence two years, now numbered 395 mem. with singing and prayer. The chairman bers, 101 of whom had been added during having made a few introductory remarks, the last twelve months. In this year, Mr. Foster, Mr. Eastty (from Maze Pond), also, they had been able to raise the Mr. W. Heaton, of London, Mr. Downes entire sum needed to defray the current Martin, and Mr. T. Coote, successively expenses of the place, and they had a addressed the meeting. The close of the srnall balance in hand. Including the meeting was made especially interesting, seat-rents, they had raised for all pur by the presentation to Mr. Millard of poses, not their own chapel expenses several testimonials of affection and esmerely, but contributions also to a teem, which Mr. Millard suitably, and in variety of religious objects and societies, very affecting terms, acknowledged. no less than £1,732 18. Cd. But they During the evening devotioval services must increase, not relax, their efforts. were conducted by the Revs. F. F. EdThe chapel would now be their own; Sir munds, and W. Best, of Ramsay, and by S. M. Peto would put it in trust for them, Mr. Keighley, of Maze Pond. leaving, in his liberality, not so much as a moiety of its cost upon the building.

WELLINGTON STREET CHAPEL, LUTON. They must endeavour to pay off the delit as fast as they could ; and it would sti. On Tuesday evening, April 27th, the mulate thein in their efforts to know that young people connected with the abore Sir Morton Peto regarded all the money place of worsbip invited their pastor, returned to him on this account as sacred, the Rev. P. H. Cornford, to a social meetand that he would devote it solely to the ing in the lecture-room, where about building of chapels elsewhere. Dr. Angus sixty Sabbath-school teachers, members and Mr. W. Heaton atterwards addressed and friends, assembled. After tea, Mr. the meeting; and Mr. Hadrill, Mr. F. Pryor, the superintendent of the Sab. Thompson, Mr. Cowtan, Mr. Carr, Mr. bath school, surprised the minister by Bowser, and Mr. Baines, each gave re presenting him, in the name of the young ports of progress in the various depart persons in the church and congregation, ments of Christian activity connected with a valuable rosewood writing-desk, with the congregation. All the speakers beautifully fitted and furnished. The testitied to the continued pleasure and gift was intended to express the sympaprofit with which Mr. Landels's ministra thetic interest in their pastor's work tion were received, especially by the vibich these young friends have proved young men, who thronged the place from the beginning, in their readiness to every Sunday, so that the congregation every good word and work, as well as for in the evening averages 1,800 persons. assuring him of their personal regard. In the course of the evening, Sir Morton The evening, after this display of kindand Lady Peto entered the chapel, and

ness, was profitably devoted to mutual towards the close of the proceedings, Sir

exhortation, singing, and prayer; Messrs. Morton expressed his gratification at all

Coales, Pryor, Rose, and Carter, taking that he had heard, and at the present part with the minister in addresses apcondition of the chapel affairs; he had

propriate to the occasion. not anticipated that they would so soon arrive at such a prosperous condition,

MINISTERIAL CHANGES. Though no longer the owner of the chapel, he should continue to feel the same The Rev. Thomas Vasey, late pastor of interest in all that related to it; and in the first Baptist Church at Wigan, Lancaconclusion, he urged upon the church as shire, bas accepted the invitation of the now formed to become an aggressive and Baptist church at Elgin, and entered on hard-working churchi. So alone could his labours on the 18th of April. The they hope that their prosperity would Rev. B. Johnson, after having sustained continue. The meeting broke up about the pastorate of the church at Garway, half-past nine.

Herefordshire, for thirteen years, has resigned his connexion with that church,

and accepted the invitation of the church HUNTING DON.

at Raglall.-The Rev. J. Lewis, having An exceedingly interesting public meet. accepted the request of the church in ing of the friends of the Rev. J. H. Mil Church-street Chapel, Tredegar, entered Jard, B.A., was held in the Institution into his duties there the first Sunday in Hall, Huntingdon, on Tuesday evening, May.--The Rev. R. Stanion, late of May lith, after about 260 persons had Preston, has accepted the invitation of sat down to a public tea. Owing to the the second Baptist Church, Bacup, and interesting nature of the meeting, which commenced his stated labours on Lord's was to give expression to the esteem and day, May 2nd.

he congres continuendels's move the

thetic inntended to and furn

“Built upon the foundatlon of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being

the chief corner-stone."-Eph. ii. 20.

JULY, 1858.

THE HOLY CHILD, JESUS OF NAZARETH.

BY THE REV. EDWARD WHITE. “AFTER breakfast on Sunday, June 17th,” says Dr. Robinson, the American geographer, “I walked out alone to the top of the hill over Nazareth. Here a glorious prospect opened on the view. The air was perfectly clear and serene, and I shall never forget the enchanting panorama that burst suddenly upon me. There to the south lay the magnificent plain of Esdraelon. To the east the sea of Galilee and the range of its surrounding hills. To the north the snow-covered summits of Hermon. To the west Carmel, and the Mediterranean gleaming in the morning sun. In the village below the Saviour of the world had passed his childhood. From the spot where I sat his eyes must often have gazed upon the splendid progpect around me. I remained for some hours under the shadow of a ruin, lost in contemplation.”

Let us, also, seated in imagination on the pleasant breezy summit of those hills that encircle Nazareth, think of the bright vision of childhood that once lighted up the village below, where the people "sat in darkness.”

How few the notices of it, in the scripture. There is no "gospel of the infancy,” tracing the mental development of the child Jesus. The writings which appeared under this title of old served only to exhibit the grovelling invention of forgery without genius and without grace. Yet the whole of that perfect life must have been worth careful description ; and if no evangelist was commissioned, like a heavep-inspired Murillo, to paint the picture of its early days, it was because God willed the attention of men to be concentrated on the death of Christ as a sacrifice for sins, even more than upon his life as an example. We have four long narratives of the passion, but only a few touches descriptive of the infancy, youth, and early manhood of our Saviour.

Let us, however, gather up those few hints of the evangelists. "He grew in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man.” The humanity was developed according to the regular laws of nature; a trifling statement to make respecting any one else, but very interesting in relation to Him, “in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” In the Holy of Holies dwelt the Everlasting Light, but its beams shone forth only with a dim re

TOL. I.-NEW SERIES.

strained radiance through the mysterious veil which separated it from the human mind that ministered in the sanctuary before it. That Acme bright rays broke through the dark curtain in childhood, and fell with an awful gleam of beauty on the youthful soul, it is impossible to doubt ; but the full revelation of consciousness in the complex mystery of divine and human personality must have been reserved for after-days. Only gradually was THE WONDERFUL revealed even to himself, and the innocence, ignorance, and weakness of the Finite dwelt unchanged under the overshadowing glory of the Infinite.

Unchanged so far as this, that the Finite intellect did not cease to be childlike-since as to Omniscience there was the “hiding of its power;"but not morally uninfluenced, since the image of God shone forth from a face like the blue heavens without a cloud. We may well believe that the labouring fancy of Art through all the centuries has failed to depict worthily as yet the childish countenance that expressed the sweetness and majesty of Eternal Love. We may well suppose that a light of more than angelic perfection shone around that head on which were to rest 80 "many crowns ;' that in earliest infancy a divine unusual calm surrounded the holy child, growing up in blissful silence ; and, afterwards, that constant affectionate obedience, industrious compliancy with the will of his much-pon. dering mother, and freedom from all sinful passion and boyish vulgarity, attested the early beauty of the Rose of Sharon blooming in the shade.

Yes, how the mind labours after a conception of the scenes in that carpenter's workshop and home-then the most sacred temple in the world ! To think, for example, how the first delightful efforts of Joseph and Mary to convey to his opening mind knowledge of the things of God were met with wondrous readiness by a revelation of soul from within ; how all the rays of wisdom shining from without grew pale before the bright shining of the amazing light from the interior ; how his understanding in religious knowledge seemed a growth from inward life much rather than a building piled up stone by stone by external agency; how the prattle and the playfulness of early childhood were in his case all without vanity or passion if, indeed, the holy childhood bore not rather in a natural exceeding pensiveness the prophetic traces of his destiny as the Man of Sorrows, so that a melancholy seclusion of spirit, not less than an innate sublimity of thought, separated from other children the Rejected of Mon; how his early prayers were not the forms of an infantile liturgy repeated night and morning in joy or weariness without heart or care, but from the earliest use of speech and dawn of reason the passionate divine breathings of a heaven-born soul, turning by a natural instinct its eagle eye upon the Sun of Spirits, a soul without the sense of sin, that feasted itself upon the Divine Brightness as upon its proper intellectual aliment, a soul not once disturbed by anger or moroseness, crafty dealings, or the spasms of obstinate self-will, a spirit that moved evenly in its orbit like a bright planet unclouded by the mists of evil, and poised in serenity upon the poles of truth,

Devout fancy, doubtless, delights to dwell upon the image of this