All ancient systems of religion, and all eminent philosophers of antiquity, so far as they are known, maintained notions on science no less absurd than their theology.

In Greek and Latin philosophy, the heavens were a solid vault over the earth, a sphere studded with stars, as Aristotle called them. The sages of Egypt held that the world was formed by the motion of air and the upward course of flame! Plato, that it was an intelligent being; Empedocles held that there were two suns; Zeucippus, that the stars were kindled by their motions, and that they nourished the sun with their fires.

All Eastern nations believed that the heavenly bodies exercised powerful influence over human affairs, often of a disastrous kind, and that all nature was composed of four elements,—fire, air, earth, and water, substances certainly not elementary.

In the Hindu philosophy, the globe is represented as flat and triangular, composed of seven stories, - the whole mass being sustained upon the heads of elephants, who, when they shake themselves, cause earthquakes. Mahomet taught that the mountains were created to prevent the earth from moving, and to hold it as by anchors and chains. The "Fathers of the Church themselves teach doctrines scarcely less absurd. "The rotundity of the earth is a theory," says Lactantius, "which no one is ignorant enough to believe."

How instructive, that while every ancient system of idolatry may be overthrown by its false physics, not one of the forty writers of the Bible, most of whom lived in the vicinity of one or other of the nations who held these views, has written a single line that favours them. The silence is consolatory, and furnishes a striking confirmation of the truth of their message. The exactness of Scripture statements, and its agreement with modern discovery, is also remarkable.

The Scriptures, for example, speak of the earth as a globe, and as suspended upon nothing, Isa. xl. 22; Job xxvi. 7-10; Prov. viii. 27. In treating of its age, they distinguish between the creation of an organised matter, and of the heavens and the earth, Gen. i. 1, 2. They give to man a very recent origin, and their accuracy in this respect is attested by the ascertained state of the earth's surface, and by the monuments of antiquity. They describe the heavens as boundless space, not as a solid sphere; and light as an element independent of the sun, and as anterior to it, anticipating the generally received theory of modern inquirers. When they speak of air, they say that God gave it weight, as Galileo proved; and of the seas, that he gave them their measure, a proportion of land and sea such as now obtains being essential to the health and safety of both animal and vegetable life. The waters above "the expanse " have an importance attached to them in Scripture which modern science alone can appreciate; many millions of tons being raised from the surface of England alone by evaporation every day.

When they speak of the human race, they give it one origin; and of human language, they indicate original identity and subsequent division, not into endless diversities of dialect such as now exist, but rather into two or three primeval tongues: facts which, though long questioned, ethnography and philosophy have confirmed. Gen. xi. 1, x. 32.

When they arrest the course of the sun, that is, of the earth's rotation, they stay the moon too; a precaution which could not have been supposed necessary, but on the supposition of the diurnal motion of the earth. When they speak of the stars, instead of supposing a thousand, as ancient astronomers did (Hipparchus says 1022, Ptolemy, 1026), they declare that they are innumerable; a declaration which modern telescopes discover to be not even a figure of speech. "God," says Sir John Herschel, after surveying the groups of stars and nebulæ in the heavens, "has scattered them like dust through

the immensity of space." And when the Scripture speaks of their hosts, it is as dependent, material, obedient things, Isa. xl. 26, 27.

Generally, however (it may be added), Scripture speaks in relation to physical facts in the language of common life, and sometimes that language is not strictly accurate; as in Job xxxviii. 6, ix. 6; Psl. civ. 3 ; Prov. iii. 20. And the reason is plain. If strictly philosophical language had been employed, Scripture must have been less intelligible; and besides, such language describing natural facts, not as they appear, but as they really are, would have made all such facts matters of revelation. It must have excited doubts among the ignorant, and prejudice (from the necessary incompleteness of Scripture teaching on such questions) among the philosophic; destroying, among all, the unity of impression which the Bible seeks to produce. The Bible would have become, in that case, a Divine, though incomplete hand-book of science, an arrangement as little conducive to the cultivation of a truly philosophical spirit as to the interests of religion itself. Dr. Angus's Bible Hand-book.

THE LUST OF EMPIRE, BAFFLED BY THE RUDE ARTS OF THE FANATIC CHIEF.

SINCE the capture of Akhulgo, the tactics of Schamyl have been exclusively those of a well organized guerilla warfare. Taught by experience of the power of artillery to trust no longer to the strength of fortifications he confines his main efforts to two points-the checking, if necessary, by fierce razzias, any disposition arising in the border tribes to submit to the rule of Russia, and the interrupting the enemy's communications by occasional expeditions on a large scale. In the autumn of 1841 the Russians made an expedition into Tschetschenia, and after burning several villages, harassed all the time by unseen enemies, carried off a number of women and children, and some herds of cattle; but scarcely had the army dispersed to their quarters when Schamyl appeared in the country they had just quitted. All capable of arms were forced to join him under penalty of 50 strokes with the knout, or-so scarce is coined money in these regions-a fine of a silver rouble! In a few days he had collected 15,000 men, invaded the country of the Kumücs, allies of Russia, burnt their villages, carried off their cattle, and finally advanced upon Kisliar. The colonel in command went out to meet him with a few hundred men and two cannons. He was defeated, the guns taken, and every man killed or taken prisoner, and, although the alarm was given along the line, and a body of troops collected from the fortresses to cut off his retreat, he contrived to evade them, and carried off to the mountains his prisoners, the two field-pieces, and 40,000 head of cattle. This exploit constituted an era in the history of the war, for in it the mountaineers for the first time obtained possession of any artillery, "the Czar's pistols," as they called them. The next year Schamyl defeated Grabbe in another inroad into the interior, with the loss of 2,000 men; and for the next three years the Russians adopted only defensive measures, endeavouring to cut off supplies from the mountaineers, and thus starve them out.

In 1845, Prince Woronzow was sent to the Caucasus with very great powers, and retained the administration until 1854. In the first year of his office he was obliged by the Emperor-it is said, greatly against his own advice-to undertake an expedition into Schamyl's country with a column of 10,000 men. He entered by the gorge of the Koissou, crossed the range of Andi, and descended on the Aoul Dargo, Schmyl's headquarters, which he found in flames kindled by the hands of its inhabitants.

As soon as he got to the western side of the range, which is covered with thick beech woods, the mountaineers began their attack, and he was unable to advance more than a mile in an hour. He remained a week at Dargo, waiting for some fresh stores, to convoy which he was obliged to send back a strong detachment under General Klüke von Klügenau. Schamyl attacked this convoy so effectually, that a part was compelled to be sacrificed to save the rest; and, even with this abatement, Woronzow obtained his supplies at the cost of 1,300 men and a field-piece. Two Russian generals, Wiktoroff and Passek, were among the slain. On the arrival of the supplies Woronzow set off to return by the way Grabbe had advanced; but was so harassed by the mountaineers as to be obliged to halt at Schaugal-aoul. Here he induced two Tschetschenians to carry despatches requesting relief to General Freytag at Gersel-aoul; and Freytag, advancing at the head of 6,000 more men, released him from his perilous position. Since this time no offensive measures appear to have taken place on the part of the Russians. Woronzow attempted a different policy, by means of which he succeeded in almost wholly pacifying the Western tribes, and opening a considerable commercial intercourse with them. He is said to have won the attachment of many of the chiefs by presents and decorations; and one very effective measure of his was the restoration of the slave-trade, under strict regulations, between Turkey and Anapa. It will be easily understood how this sagacious administrator would foresee that a war with the Western Powers, necessarily entailing the loss of the seaboard of Circassia, must bring entire ruin on his policy, and should consequently resign the trust that had been committed to him as soon as he found the Czar obstinately bent upon hostile measures.

With the Eastern Caucasus Woronzow appears to have been much less successful. Schamyl proved far more untractable than the Tscherkessian chiefs, and all that could be done was to pursue a policy something like that of the great Napoleon in La Vendée-clear by fire and the axe long paths through the forests, and as much as possible open the country in different directions. But the mountains appear to be too inaccessible to allow of much advance being made even by this method. Schamyl in the meantime has not been idle. Little authentic information of his proceedings has been obtained; but it seems certain that in the years 1846, 1848, 1850, and 1853, he executed forays on a very large scale, breaking through the Russian lines on the Terek, and on one occasion laying waste the country even up to the gates of Ekaterinograd. And, what is far more important, he has succeeded in extending a civil and military administra tion over the whole of the Eastern and some portion even of the Western Caucasus, of which he is himself the centre.

HOME.

"There remaineth, therefore, a rest for the people of God."

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

How sweet is the word Home! How hallowed and delightful are our feelings, when, having been long away from home, we meet with some one who can talk with us of that loved spot, to which our hearts are ever turning.

How eagerly does one who has sojourned in foreign lands, for months or perhaps years, watch for intelligence from Home-for news of the dear ones there. He may make for himself another home, but his thoughts will still turn to the place of his birth with fond yearnings to behold it

once more. The new home he has found may be situated in a more beautiful country than the one he has left, yet instinct will long after the Home where he was born and where he lived in his childhood, though it be in a barren and sterile land.

So it should be with the Christian; so it ever is with the true disciple of Jesus Christ. How his heart swells when he hears the "glad tidings" proclaimed by his Father's messengers. He diligently, and daily searches the Holy Book for intelligence of the heavenly Home prepared for him above. He reads, "In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you,-I go to prepare a place for you-" and his heart sends up grateful thanks to his bountiful Parent on high. But lovely and delightful though his home may be, it is not to be compared with his heavenly Home. "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion."

Every Christian has some dear relative or friend who has safely landed on the happy shores of the Canaan above, and it forms no small part of his joyous anticipations of eternity, to think that he will rejoin those whom he has loved on earth,—that he will for ever dwell with them in God's holy habitation. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

The children of God acknowledge that here they have no continuing city, therefore they are always striving to live, so that, finally, they may reach the holy city above. They may, and do, fall into temptation, but if they pray earnestly, and with faith, they shall be saved out of all their distress. "They desire a better country, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city." Wherever the Christian looks in the Bible he finds encouragements to rely upon the goodness of God, and many assurances that he will be provided for during eternity. "He hath prepared for them a city."

Walking out, one day, during this winter, when the cold was more than usually severe, I heard the weak, mournful voice of a child, "Mother! O mother! I am so cold, don't let us go any further;"-the poor little creature seemed as if he would have sat down in the street, rather than go on. But the mother answered kindly, "Have patience a little longer, dear, we shall soon be at home." Reanimated by her words, the child walked forward by her side, and, still chatting at what they would do when they arrived at home, they in a short time entered a comfortable-looking cottage evidently their Home.

Poor, suffering, striving fellow-sinner and fellow-worker! Sometimes you think you will give up the struggle, the chill of despondency comes over you, or the Father of lies endeavours to persuade you that you have done as much as it is possible for you to do, and now it is time for you to rest a while, you feel very much inclined to sit down and "go no further," -resist the temptation-it is from one who wishes to lodge you for eternity in a fearful place, where there is "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth;" resist the temptation-there is no sitting or standing still in your Father's work, you will go back, back, quickly back: resist the temptation as a poor traveller in the piercing cold of a winter's night, when the snow lies deep on the ground, and the keen cutting wind whistles round him, driving the thickly-falling snow-flakes blinding in his eyes-as he knows full well that to stand still is to die-to yield to that luxuriously sleepy feeling, which, from time to time, seems striving to persuade him to lie down, and "go no further,"-would be to sleep a sleep from which there is no awakening, so if you yield yourself up to the sleep of worldly complaining, which tries to persuade you that you have done all you can, or that it is no use trying to do any more, soon all your love for spiritual

things will be frozen stiff and cold, and your soul will be, spiritually, asleep and dead. Rouse yourself, stop not in your Father's work. He has prepared a heavenly rest for those who continue faithful to the end; now is not your time to rest, for that you have all eternity. "Have patience

a little longer, we shall soon be at Home," and then-"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." Press forward, it will not be long before we reach our Home above, if we follow in the steps of our Heavenly Example and Guide. "This God is our God for ever and ever, He will be our Guide even unto death." Do you often feel discouraged and distressed?—is your soul ready to sink under the water floods of affliction, like that of David of old ? God will not try you more than you can bear, He says that, "even the very hairs of your head are numbered." Like it was with David; if you trust in your Father's goodness, your sorrow shall be turned into rejoicing, and you shall triumphantly exclaim, "God will save Zion,-they that love His name shall dwell therein." God will be with you in all your distresses and will take you to a peaceful Home at last,-to a Home, where is a great multitude, which no man could number, clothed in white robes. These are they which come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Are your friends few ?-do you yearn for some one to whom you may safely confide all your sorrows? "There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Your Father knows that the number of His children here is small, as compared with the number of the children of the Wicked One. His children are a "little flock," but He says, "Fear not, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

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Fainting, and weary labourer, sit not down, though often tempted to do so. Your ever-kind Father does but send winter-winds and summerheats, to try your love to Him,-wait patiently. "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out : and I will write upon him my new name."

And, O! when the last sigh is heard, and the believer, who but a little while ago had so many sorrowful moments, has-gone Home-when the tired hands are quietly folded upon the peaceful breast, which sometimes ached so wearily,-when he sleeps his last sleep, and has at length escaped from the turmoil and bustle of this busy world to that country,"Where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest." What does our Father tell us of the Home to which He takes His beloved children? Listen-" The twelve gates are twelve pearls, every several gate is of one pearl; and the street of the city is pure gold, as it were transparent glass. There is no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city has no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God does lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And there shall be no night there: and they shall reign for ever and ever."

Rochdale, March 1st, 1856.

ROBERT NICOLL:

A CHAPTER FOR YOUNG MEN.

THE history of Robert Nicoll's life is brief, and contains but little of incident.

He was born, as we learn from a memoir accompanying the third edition of his Poems, in the farmhouse of Tulliebeltane, in the parish of Auchtergaven, in Perthshire, on the 7th of January, 1814. His parents, at that