which is the apostolically constituted church, the Roman, which blazes with tapers and candles at noon-day, offers the smoke of incense, and decorates her senseless images with flowers and garlands? or the reformed churches, which adhere to the practice of the first three centuries?

(Compiled from Maitland's Church of the Catacombs.)

S.

THE MIDDLE AISLE.

It was within a quarter of an hour of public worship. The bells were pealing forth their sabbath invitation, and the language of many a Christian's heart and tongue was, "O come, let us sing unto the Lord, let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms," Psa. xcv. 1, 2.

In the neighbouring street a throng of sabbath-breakers, amid riot and confusion, were staggering away from the different public-houses, whose closed doors no longer permitted the drunkard to enter. One miserable man, in a wretched state of intoxication, was swearing aloud; another lay on his back in the mud, and his thoughtless comrades were vainly endeavouring to lift him from the ground.

Within the church a striking constrast was visible; everything was clean, orderly, and peaceful. An air of deep solemnity reigned around, and a reverential influence seemed to pervade the gathering assembly. Surely "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High." Well may the followers of the Redeemer say, "I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy, and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple."

The congregation was coming in fast. The galleries were well filled; the Sunday-school children occupied their usual seats; the pews below had hardly a place empty, and the twelve oak-backed benches in the middle aisle had, each of them, one, two, or more persons seated upon them.

When the house of God is favoured with the services of a minister of Christ, it may truly be said in a spiritual sense, "The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and to the poor the gospel is preached." They who sat in the middle aisle were poor, and formed an interesting part of the congregation.

On the farthest bench sat an afflicted worshipper, a cripple,

accustomed, no doubt, to sit there, for he laid down his crutches at his feet, and placed his hat in the corner, in a way that showed he had often done so before. He came not there for silver or for gold, but to bow down in the sanctuary where Christ is worshipped. Where his name is known, and his power felt, the lame man leapeth as a hart, and the dumb man singeth for joy.

On the next bench a tall, hard-featured man sat beside an old woman in a black bonnet. He looked up towards the pulpit, but his companion's face was not to be seen. They were both well stricken in years, and the man seemed as if the natural harshness of his temper had been much softened by his religious course. This might not be the case, but where Divine grace resides, it breaks the stony heart and subdues the proud spirit, so that the wolf dwells with the lamb, the leopard lies down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child is able to lead them.

On the third bench, with her prayer-book open in her hand, was a servant girl. There was a neatness in her dress, an absence of all finery, and a modesty and seriousness in her manner that spoke much in her favour. Her eye wandered not from the psalm she was reading. Happy are they who, as servants of the Lord, can say with humility," Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies."

Three children occupied the fourth bench; the two younger under the care of the eldest. They seemed but little impressed with serious thoughts; for at one time they were whispering together, at another, playing with their hats. They forgot that "Youth is the time to serve the Lord;" and they that seek him early shall find him.

The fifth bench was full; for there sat the widow and the fatherless. The crape bonnet and the coarse but clean black stuff gown, pointed out a mourner, and her meek and lowly behaviour showed that she had been humbled by the loss she had sustained. The loss of a husband is great, but in poverty still greater; yet should the believing widow take comfort: "Thy Maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts is his name, and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel."

On the sixth bench sat one who had the very look of a sincere worshipper. He seemed to be a stranger, and his dress bespoke him to be above the condition of the poor.

Most likely, having a humble mind, and being in a strange place of worship, he had taken a seat in the middle aisle to avoid trespassing on any one in the pews. The faithful followers of Christ in all ages have confessed themselves to be "strangers and pilgrims on the earth," desirous of seeking" a better country.' When the innumerable white-robed multitude shall appear before the throne of the Lord, haply the stranger who sat in the middle aisle may appear among them.

The seventh bench was taken up by a blind man and a woman, who appeared to be his wife. There they sat, the blind man rolling his sightless eyeballs, but discerning nothing. How consoling to a seeker after truth, whose natural eyes are darkened, to hear the word of the Lord proclaimed aloud! "I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them."

The two soldiers on the eighth bench were very orderly and steady in their appearance; as though they were prepared to "endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ," anxious to 66 fight the good fight," to keep the faith, and through mercy obtain that "crown of righteousness" which the Lord of glory will give to all that" love his appearing."

An old man sat on the ninth bench, whose face was deeply wrinkled, and whose hair was white as flax, yet was he unbent by the weight of years; his body was upright, and he read his prayer-book without spectacles. It is a goodly sight to see the aged servants of the Redeemer in the sanctuary. "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age." To such the promise of the Lord is as a strong tower: "Even to your old age I am he, and even to grey hairs will I carry you."

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The tenth bench had on it three inmates of a workhouse, as might be seen by their plain but neat dress, each like the other; and to such, if lowly followers of the Redeemer, the promises of God are rich in mercy: "I will feed even you, O poor of the flock." "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” "Blessed are the

poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

A thinly-clad, half-starved looking woman, with a baby in

her arms, was seated on the eleventh bench, and two older children sat beside her. There was an anxiety in her face, a care on her brow, which told too plainly that she had much to struggle with in the world. Once, indeed, her lips quivered, and she raised to her eyes the corner of the thin handkerchief that covered her shoulders. There are such things as drunken husbands, and sometimes they leave their wages at the public house, when the rent is unpaid, and the next dinner unprovided for. And then there are sicknesses, and accidents, that hang heavy on those who live from hand to mouth, to say nothing of that godly sorrow for sin, that needs not to be repented of. Whether the poor mother's care arose from any of these causes is unknown, but at all events her attendance in the house of prayer was creditable to her, and seemed to give comfort to her. She had brought her troubles to the right place. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass."

On the bench nearest the pulpit sat a bald-headed man, who was hard of hearing. No sooner did the service begin, than he held up his hand to his ear, and fixed his eye on the minister. He looked like a man hungering after the bread of life; every word seemed to be devoured with an appetite. God alone can read the heart, but that old man appeared a sojourner only on earth, having his hope in heaven. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

It is pleasant to witness the house of God thronged with a sober and attentive congregation; it is pleasant to observe the galleries and pews well filled with sincere worshippers; and very pleasant it is to see a goodly group of humbleminded followers of the Redeemer, assembled together in the middle aisle.

M.

JUST LIPPEN TO HIM.

FREQUENTLY has it been my privilege to follow him (Dr. Chalmers) to some country district, and hear him, in language which he laboured to reduce as much as possible to the standard of "the common people," announce to them the

way of salvation and the path to heaven. Sometimes, also, it was my lot to be his companion to some wretched hovel, where I have seen him take his seat by the side of some poor child of want and weakness, and patiently, affectionately, and earnestly strive to convey into his darkened mind some ray of truth that might guide him to safety and to God. On such occasions it was marvellous to observe with what simplicity of speech that great mind would utter truth. One instance of this I must be allowed to mention.

The scene was a low, dirty hovel, over whose damp and uneven floor it was difficult to walk without stumbling, and into which a small window, coated with dust, admitted hardly enough of light to enable an eye unaccustomed to the gloom to discern a single object. A poor old woman, bed-ridden, and almost blind, who occupied a miserable bed opposite the fire-place, was the object of the doctor's visit. Seating himself by her side, he entered at once, after a few general inquiries as to her health, etc., into religious conversation with her. Alas! it seemed all in vain. The mind which he strove to enlighten had been so long closed and dark, that it appeared impossible to thrust into it a single ray of light. Still, on the part of the woman, there was an evident anxiety to lay hold upon something of what he was telling her; and encouraged by this he persevered, plying her, to use his own expression, with the offers of the gospel, and urging her to trust in Christ.

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At length she said, "Ah! sir, I would fain do as you bid me, but I dinna ken how. How can I trust in Christ?" Oh, woman," was his expressive answer, in the dialect of the district, "just lippen to him." 'Eh, sir," was the reply, "and is that a'?" 66 Yes, yes," was his gratified response, "just lippen to him and lean on him, and you'll never perish."

To some, perhaps, this language may be obscure, but to that poor dying woman it was as light from heaven; it guided her to the knowledge of the Saviour, and there is good reason to believe it was the instrument of ultimately conducting her to heaven.

It is not easy to give an English equivalent for the word "lippen." It expresses the condition of a person who, entirely unable to support or protect himself, commits his interests or his life to the safe keeping of some person or object. Thus, a man crossing a chasm on a plank lippens to the plank; if it give way he can do nothing for himself.