A boy comes along the street, and his bounding step, his sparkling eyes, and joyous smile, prove that he is happy. What has made him so? He was going out to fly his kite, when he saw old father Smithers looking sad, for his foot was very sore, so that he was not able to fetch his cows, and he knew the people would soon come for the milk. So the little boy put down his kite, and went three-quarters of a mile to fetch the old man's cows, and he had brought them home; and this made him so happy. A boy on his pony, and his sister by his side, were going to the woods for blackberries; but as they passed poor Bessie's house, the little girl determined to go in and read a chapter to her, while her brother gave up his pony for Bessie's crippled little grandson to have a ride. It was done, and oh, they went home so happy! What do we learn from all this? That one way to be happy is to make others happy. This is true: Crime is father of distress; Duty done brings happiness. DREAMS. This mode of revelation was necessary when men had not the written word. The subject of promise, Numb. xii. 6. Refused, in punishment, 1 Sam. xxviii. 15. Pretended to, Jer. xxiii. 32; xxix. 8. Sometimes easily interpreted, Gen. xxxvii. 7, 10. Sometimes requiring divine teaching, Dan. iv. 7. The knowledge of dreams was one of the principal gifts which God bestowed, Dan. i. 17. The subject of prophecy, Joel ii. 28; Acts ii. 17. Examples of dreams will be found in the histories of Abimelech, Jacob, Joseph, the Butler and Baker, Pharoah, Gideon, Solomon, Job, Daniel, the Wise Men, Joseph, Pilate's wife, etc. SIN. Sin is breaking God's law, Rom. iv. 15; 1 John iii. 4. It is aggravated by a knowledge of the law, Rom. ii. 18. This law extends to thoughts, Prov. xxiv. 9; words, Eph. iv. 29; Matt. xii. 37; and to the temper of our minds, Matt. xxii. 37. Not one sin can be excused, James ii. 10. Sin entered through Adam, Rom. v. 12. A sinful nature has ever since been inherited, Gen. v. 3; Rom. v. 12. All are sinners, Isa. xlvi. 12; Rom. iii. 9; vii. 18. Sin is defiling, 2 Cor. vii. 1; Tit. i. Yet sinners love it, Job xv. 16; xx. 12. his law, Rom. viii. 7. Sin brings misery, 15; Rom. vi. 19. They begin early to sin, Ps. li. 5; lviii. 3. Children sin, Prov. xxii. 15. Sin is against God. Against his nature, Rom. viii. 7. Against Against his grace, Gal. v. 17. Gen. iv. 13; Prov. xiii. 21; Eccles. Brings wrath, John iii. 36; Eph. iii. 11; Rom. vi. 23; 2 Thess. i. 9. This makes death terrible, 1 Cor. xv. 56. This delivers to Satan's power, Eph. ii. 2; and to judicial blindness, Rom. xi. 8; 1 Tim. iv. 2. It is often punished in this world, Numb. xxxii. 23; Prov. xi. 21; xvi. 5. viii. 6; Lam. v. 16. ANGELS. Both in Hebrew and Greek the word signifies a messenger. Sometimes refers to ordinary messengers, Job i 14; to prophets, Hag. i. 13; to priests, Mal. ii. 7; to ministers, Rev. i. 20. It is applied to impersonal agents, as the winds, Ps. civ. 4; pestilences, Ps. lxxviii. 49; the thorn in the flesh, 2 Cor. xii. 7. But the word especially denotes the office of certain spiritual beings employed by God, usually called angels of God, or angels of Jehovah. They are very numerous, Dan. vii. 10; Matt. xxvi: 53; Luke ii. 13; Heb. xii. 22, 23. They constitute a society, with chiefs or rulers, Zech. i. 11; Dan. x. 13; xii. 1; Jude 9; 1 Thess. iv. 16; Eph. i. 21; ¦ Col. i. 16. They appear with bodies, and in the human form; sometimes eating and drinking, Gen. xviii. 8; xix. 3; but sometimes pointedly declining to do so, Judges xiii. 15, 16. They appear as young, Mark xvi. 5, to denote their immortality; for they never die, Luke xx. 36. They are superhuman in intellect, Mark xiii. 32; in power, 2 Thess. i. 7; Ps. ciii. 20. They are holy, Luke ix. 26; 2 Tim. v. 21. They are happy, Luke xx. 36. They appear principally occupied in connection with man, Matt. xiii. 41, 49; xxiv. 31; Luke i. 11, 26; ii. 9; xvi. 22; Acts v. 19, 20; x. 3, 19; xii. 7; xxvii. 23. They act as God's instruments, Ps. ciii. 20; Heb. i. 13, 14; and our adoration is due not to them, but only unto Him whom they worship, Rev. xix. 10; xxii. 9. Angels appeared to Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Hagar, Balaam, Manoah, Elijah, David, the Old Prophet, Ornan, Daniel, Zechariah, Joshua, Gideon, Gad, Joseph, Zacharias, the Shepherds, the Apostles, Mary, Christ, Cornelius. EASTERN SHEPHERDS. It is a lovely morning in Syria. The day has just dawned, and the faithful shepherd is leading forth his flock to the green pastures. How gently be guides them along! How tenderly he carries in his arms the little lambs who are too weak or too tired to walk! In the bag or scrip which haugs by his side his provisions and other necessaries are stored. In his hand he bears a long staff, with which he keeps the sheep in order, and numbers them when they return to the fold. King David, who was a shepherd-boy in his youth, alludes to this staff in his beautiful Psalm. Do yoa krow what Psalm I mean? The shepherd in Syria goes before his flock. How beautifully this illustrates the care and compassion of our gentle Saviour, the Gocd and Great Shepherd, John x. 4. He does not drive them but guides them, by going first. They follow Him, by treading in that path which He has marked for them by his own footsteps. They imitate his example and strive to do his will. The sheep in the East follow their shepherd with confidence and alacrity, for they know his voice, and gladly obey his call. A traveller once asserted to an Eastern shepherd that the sheep krew the dress of their master, not his voice. The shepherd denied this. To settle the point he and the traveller changed dresses, and went among the sheep. The traveller, in the shepherd's dress, called the sheep and tried to lead them; but they knew not his voice, and never moved. But when their shepherd called them, they knew his voice, though he was differently dressed, and they ran at once to him. A stranger will they not follow. Hearken to your Saviour's voice. and follow only Him. Listen to his gentle call, Sometimes the shepherd has to search for the sheep that have wandered from the rest, and to bring them back again; and he frequently incurs great danger in trying to rescue them. Sheep, when they go astray, soon get bewildered, and will not, if left to themselves, retrace their steps. Have we not "all like sheep gone astray? we have turned every one to his own way." But Jesus came from heaven "to seek and to save that which was lost." He knew that we should never of our own accord return to God, and therefore He came into our world and endured much toil and suffering, that He might win us back to holiness and peace. Has his love touched your hearts? Remember it is of those who are young in years, or tender in religious feeling, that the beautiful text speaks, "He shall gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom." LINES Suggested on the Death of a young Lady, who "fell asleep in Jesus" after two Years' suffering. She is not dead but sleepeth," And now has gone to prove ; Why should we then complain? She's now from sorrow free! While from her dust she whispers, Through sufferings here, made perfect, Oh could each heart conceive, Then let us look to Jesus, Liverpool. SAMUEL FORREST, JUN. |