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Now there was found in it a poor wise man; and he by his wisdom delivered the city: yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I, wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war."

It is impossible to read this passage, and doubt that the great moralist of Israel drew this masterly illustration, from the facts recorded of the siege of Abel. The mere change of names, in the substitution of "a great king," and "a poor wise man;" for the real actors-Joab, and the wise woman, does not in the least invalidate their claim to be here commemorated; and is in accordance with that latitude of phrase, common to the writers of scripture. The illustration becomes, in fact, more beautiful as a didactic performance, by the delicate art which has thrown a veil of embellishment over the originals of the picture. Joab's was not a name to excite pleasurable emotions in the reader's mind: and the modesty of oriental manners might have felt a shock, had a woman been set forth, in a grave moral essay, as an examplar to the nobler sex. So far, therefore, from deteriorating from the force or truth of the passage, it adds greatly to both. No man," it seems, "remembered that same poor man:" why then. should the real, but long-forgotten author of a deed so noble, be called up from oblivion, for any other purpose than such as would best serve "to point a moral and adorn a tale?"

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But there is much of instruction in this silence for those, who, if not forbidden by scripture to search

after wisdom; are certainly prohibited from making any unnecessary display of their treasure. The wise woman of Abel dwelt undistinguished among her own people. No great men came to her (as to her renowned contemporary of Tekoah) to win her to the aid of their unrighteous purposes: no eloquent words flowed from her lips: no brilliant tropes adorned her simple truthful speech, which had its savour from the law and from the testimony. When "war was in the gates," then she arose, like another Deborah, "a mother in Israel :" and when the emergency that called forth her store of wisdom was past; she sank again into the quiet privacy of her former course. She served God, and her generation, and was forgotten: or remembered only by those who looked back into the past, to read lessons of wisdom and experience, that they might teach them in turn, to the generations to come.

And this (whatever exceptions may be made in respect of the other sex) is the wisdom of woman. To her it must belong to enact deeds whose beneficent results shall long survive, though they do not transmit the memory of those with whom they originated. To her it must belong to dispense blessings with a meek, quiet, and unostentatious spirit: to rise courageous in times of trial; and to be humble and retiring when the season of action has past: to be known only as a benefactress; though gifted with high parts, and noble understanding. Surely this is to be partaker of the wisdom which is from above: "pure, peaceable, full of mercy and good fruits," sowing the fruit of righteousness in peace, "of those who make peace."

LYDIA.

"NOTES TO THE CHRISTIAN YEAR."

No. II.

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY.

I KNOW in whom I have believed,
This is the Christian's stay;

The precious boon of grace received--
Continued to this day.

I know the pledge-it speaks to me
Of grace abundant, yet to be;

And I will listen to the voice

That bids me in the Lord rejoice;

Oft to the mercy-seat will turn.

And learn the prayer His children learn, Will breathe their deep petitions there Father! oh Abba, Father, hear the fervent prayer.

I know that my Redeemer lives,

Exulting faith will cry;

The God who all my sins forgives,

Shines through the realms on high;

And I shall in my flesh behold

The everlasting gates unfold,
And God in majesty descend,
My God-my never-failing friend;
He would not have me "linger still
Upon the verge of good or ill,”

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A prey to ever wavering doubt

Lord glorify thy name, and cast the traitor out.

What strange unstable faith is this

To aid the soul's advance;
"Know not if I shall win or miss "-

Dark sentences of chance!

Rests it upon the runner's speed?
Some changeful frame-some casting deed-
To rescue, as we reach the grave?
Oh hush thee-He is strong to save,

To save thee now from woe, and sin,
And bid eternal life spring up a fount within.

If hope should from thy soul withdraw,
And in her stead be echoed there

The thunders of a broken law,

And thou be tempted to despair:
If "darkling thus, and all alone,
Thou wish the weary night were gone;"
While scarce one beam of heavenly light
Breaks through the shadows of that night;
Oh sink not down in hopeless musing,
The boon of life of joy refusing,
But for thy stay Jehovah claim,

And trust-in darkness trust in Jesus' saving name.

Then watch that none thy crown may take,
Yet joying watch-for He is by,

Who will thy trembling weakness make,

All potent by his strength's supply!

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Gird up thy loins, thy sinews strain,
Speed onward that thou may'st obtain ; *
Yet free from doubt unfettered run
And see by faith the victory won.
Fight-but, all carnal weapons leaving,
Achieve the conquest by believing
Thy dying Lord's triumphal voice,†
Rejoice in Him alone-again I say rejoice.

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"THY will be done in earth, as in heaven.' Is not the inference two-fold: first, that the earth is the theatre of his kingdom and secondly, that conformity to his will is the absolute enjoyment of heaven? and that no better supplication can be associated with our thoughts, than that the hallowed sceptre should be replaced in human hands, even in the hand of the mighty Antitype, 'the second Adam, the Lord from heaven.'"-Townsend.

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