"Certainly; for I have always held the Supreme Being in the highest veneration." Then Pastor A spoke to his parishioner of the love of God, and this with so much conviction and eloquence, that when he took leave the count pressed his hand, and exacted a promise that he would very shortly repeat his visit. And when next he came, he received a most cordial welcome. "What shall be the subject of our conversation to-day?” asked the count. The servant of God spoke of the wisdom and omnipotence of the Lord; but although his words might well have suggested the most serious reflection and stirred a sinner's conscience, they fell as a blunted dart on the still unawakened soul of the sick man. He pronounced these thoughts beautiful and sublime, but was in no other way moved by them. On his third visit, the minister dwelt on the holiness of God, and clearly demonstrated that a Being so perfectly pure cannot enter into union with any less holy than Himself. The fourth interview was devoted to the subject of God's inflexible justice, and now at last the sword of the Spirit had found the joints in the armour. "Stay, I implore you!" cried the sick man. "That is more than I can bear. If the Almighty is in reality as holy and as just as you depict Him, I am lost." The pastor made no reply, but departed, bowing with deep respect, not now before a great one of this world, but before a soul whom God had marked with His seal. Several days passed; the pastor did not return. At last there came an urgent message, begging him to visit the count immediately. "Ah, Mr. A—————,' ," cried the dying man, as soon as his friend entered his room, "why have you delayed coming for so long? My mind is a chaos of doubts and fears. It seems to me as if I was in hell, or hell in me. In God's name tell me something which may restore the peace of which you have robbed me. Either modify the harshness of your doctrine, or give me some encouragement and consolation." "I am deeply grieved," replied the faithful messenger of the Lord, "that I cannot in the slightest degree retract what I have said to you of the wisdom and justice and holiness of God. I can but affirm more solemnly than before that between the holy God and rebellious, sin-stained creatures, no union is possible. I could, indeed, communicate to you grand and consoling truths; but since you have expressly forbidden me to speak of these, I can but leave you, for this world and the next, in the hands of my God. Though my heart bleeds for you, there is nothing further I can do, as I dare not offer you the only means of deliverance." "Oh, do not say so!" cried the dying one, in a tone of poignant anxiety. "Tell me of some means of help! tell me if there is any way of salvation still open to me!" "I know of one," answered the pastor; "but then you will be obliged to allow me to speak to you of Jesus Christ." "Well, speak to me of any one or anything you please; only show me a door whereby I can escape from the hell in which I now am." And then for the first time the pastor drew from his pocket his New Testament, and read from it the blessed words which proclaim to the sinner the love of Him who came to seek and to save that which was lost; of Him whose blood cleanseth from all sin, whose grace is freely offered to every repentant and believing soul. It was good seed cast into well-prepared soil. The glad tidings that the Lord Jesus receives and saves the worst of sinners was exactly what was needed by the dying noble man. He sought and quickly found rest to his soul in Him who came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance; and he passed away, giving thanks with his latest breath for the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus, and with perfect confidence commending his spirit into the hands of his Father in heaven. A. J. T. "Trust in Him at all Times." Psalm lxii. 8. RUST Him when the garish sunshine Trust Him when the darkening shadows Trust Him when the hand of sorrow Trust Him when thy soul is burdened Trust Him for the " grace sufficient". Trust Him always for the answer, Trust Him for the help to conquer- Trust Him for the power for service, Trust Him when He gives no token, Let the arms of faith enfold Him Trust Him, for He bids thee trust Him, Trusting Him for everything. Trust Him, then, through cloud or sunshine, LUCY A. BENNETT. Old Andrew's Proverbs. THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. NO. V. s we approached Old Andrew's stall one morning, we found that the proverb for the day was A 66 "THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM." When about a dozen of us had gathered in front of him the old man looked up from his work, and said: "Now, boys, I want you to tell me what the word 'fear' means." Terror," said one boy; "Dread," said another; "Fright," said a third. " "Yes," said Old Andrew, " that is the common meaning of the word, but it is not the meaning here; try again." A further trial brought out the words "reverence," "awe,” "respect," and one boy, recollecting an explanation he had heard in the Sunday-school, said it meant "trust and love." "You are all right this time, boys. To fear God means, so to reverence and trust and love Him, that we are afraid of doing anything which He would not like us to do. There was a man of whom we read long ago who, at first, feared God in this way. Afterwards he did what God had forbidden, and then he feared God in quite another way. was afraid of God. Who was that man ?" He After a slight pause one of the boys said, "Adam." "Yes, it was Adam. At first he did what was right, and was not in the least afraid of God, but honoured and loved and trusted Him. But, after he had disobeyed God, he was afraid of God, and tried to hide himself where God would not notice him. Which of those two sorts of fear is the kind mentioned in that proverb? Does it mean dread, like Adam's when he was afraid of being punished? or does it mean reverence, trust, and love?" The boys all answered that it meant "reverence, trust, and love.” "Now, I wish you to tell me the meaning of the word 'wisdom.' The answers to this were various. One boy said, "knowledge ;" another, "good sense;" a third, "understanding;" a fourth, "prudence;" and a big boy, who was at the top of our Latin class, "sagacity." "You are all right," said Old Andrew; "but it needs all these words together to tell us what wisdom is. A man may have a deal of knowledge, and not much understanding. And he may understand well enough about things, and yet not be a prudent man in his own conduct; like King Charles II., of whom it is said, that 'He never said a foolish thing, and never did a wise one.' True wisdom, boys, really consists in knowing what is best for us to do, and then doing it. A great many people know what is best for them to do, but don't do it. There's Tim Swiller; he knows it would be best for him to give up drunkenness, but he does not do it. And there is Ned Slowman; he knew it would be best for him to gather in his hay while the weather was dry, but he did not; he lolled against the fence and smoked his pipe, and put off doing it, till the hay was spoiled. 66 Now, boys, I will tell you a parable. There was a good master who had two servants, who were well paid, and well cared for, and kindly treated; and one evening, at bedtime, their master suddenly called them, and told them he had discovered a leak in the dyke of the great dam near his house, which must be repaired at once, or it would burst and carry all before it. They did not much care about turning out in the dark and cold; but the master said, 'If you do this for me, I will keep you in my service for ever, and provide for you in your old age; if you will not do this, you shall be no longer servants of mine.' One of these men refused to do the work, and was obliged to leave his master, and the only master he could find to take him was a tyrant, who treated him cruelly, and made him miserable all his life. The other did the work his master wished, and stayed with that master, and was happy, and honoured, and trusted and rewarded, and at last his master's whole estate was left to him. Now I want you, boys, to tell me which of these |