W

66

HAT a remarkable man was that Bible hero, Moses, of whom it is Isaid that he was very meek above all men that were upon the face of the earth"! His history is most interesting, as being interwoven with some of the most remarkable events on record in connection with the Israelites and revealed religion. It would seem that from his very birth there was something peculiar in the circumstances connected with him, which gave his parents cause to consider him to be more than an ordinary child. It is said, "they saw he was a proper child (Exod. ii. 4; Heb. xi. 23); and Stephen, when speaking before the council, said, "He was exceeding fair" (Acts vii. 20). The margin says, "fair to God," which things seem to intimate that his parents believed him to be given by God for some special purpose; and thus it is said in Hebrews xi. that "by faith" they hid him three months, implying that they hoped for his preservation and advancement by God, to whom no doubt they had presented many prayers in his behalf, and were encouraged to believe that they would be answered in the case of their darling child. And how soon the Lord honoured their faith in Him by providing succour and safety for little Moses in a way, as we may reasonably believe, which exceeded all their anxious expectations!

Dear children, as you read of the little "ark of bulrushes," woven together by the loving hands which placed the dear babe therein and carried him to the river, where he in his singular cradle was left among the flags, can you not imagine what a struggle there must have been with the tender feelings of that loving mother's heart? Oh, what a sore trial it must have been to her, thus to have to put away her much-loved little one in order to avoid the direct enforcement of the murderous edict issued by that cruel Pharaoh ! But as you read of Pharaoh's daughter coming

down to the river and commanding her maids to fetch the little ark, of her looking upon the weeping babe and being moved with compassion, and of his young sister, who was placed at a distance to see what became of the child, being sent to fetch its own mother, who had it given to her charge to nurse it, we hope that you may be led to discern in all this the wonderful providence and goodness of God, as manifested towards both parents and child, and the mercy of being under His kind protection and care, as the objects of His love. And we hope that you especially, who have praying parents, may be led to consider the important advantages connected with being under their counsel and care, and of having an interest in their supplications at the throne of grace, for "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." You perhaps little think how indebted you are to the Lord for kind, godly, praying parents; but look at the case of Joseph, Samuel, Timothy, and others, where the godly instruction, example, and prayers of the parents brought forth, under the blessing of the Lord, such good fruit in the lives of the children. May you, like them, be brought to know that God to whose mercy and care your dear parents often in secret commend you when they pour out their heart before Him who is the Rock and Refuge of their souls!

It is not our intention to take up the various points of interest with which the remarkable history of Moses abounds, such as the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, their passing through the Red Sea as on dry land, the giving of the law, the setting up of the tabernacle and the institution of that ceremonial service which was typical of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These and many other things in connection with the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness to the promised land will no doubt strike

most of our young readers as remarkable incidents closely allied with the subject of our paper.

We have touched upon the birth and special preservation of this servant of God, as showing the wonders of that divine providence which so ordered events as to place Moses under the protection of those who sought his life, and where he was brought up and educated as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, who doubtless thought to promote him to great dignity, and perhaps to prepare his way to the throne of Egypt. But God had designed otherwise concerning him, and the purposes of infinite wisdom were, in his case, as in that of all the Lord's chosen servants, developed in and by a succession of events ordered by the immutable will of Him who has said, "I will work, and who shall let it?" Thus we read that "when he was come to years he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season," &c. Here, then, we find him going forth from Pharaoh's court, and preferring, to all its pleasures, riches, and honours, the lot of God's chosen people, although he saw them in such dire distress under the cruel oppression of the Egyptians, " for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." He knew that the blessing of the Lord was upon His people, that it would be well with them, and that they would be delivered out of all their afflictions; and he also knew that His curse must be endured by those who hated and afflicted them, for He has said, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay."

Ah! children, when your parents and the saints of God are sneered at by any in whose company you may be, on account of their religion, instead of consenting thereto through shame, or being persuaded to forsake their company for that of scoffers and despisers, think of the reward; think of the end of the righteous, and of the reward awaiting them (which is of grace)-glory, and

51

honour; and think of the end and reward of those who hate and mock them"shame and everlasting contempt." And remember, too, that you, like Moses, must be the possessor of true faith if you are to follow in the steps of those who are heirs of the kingdom of heaven. His parents had faith, but that was not his salvation; he was brought to know and trust in the Lord for himself; thus we read that, "By faith he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God," &c. So you, if you go to heaven, must know and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for yourselves. "Ye must be born again."

Our illustration represents Moses at the close of his mortal and eventful life, looking from Pisgah's top upon the land of Canaan, which he was not permitted to enter on account of the sin he committed in being angry when commanded by God to strike the rock for the purpose of giving water to the murmuring Israelites (see Numb. xx. 7—13). Thus, while he was favoured to lead the people out of Egypt, he was not allowed to lead them into the promised land, typifying how insufficient the work of the law is to give peace with God; for while it disturbs the conscience and alarms the soul of the convinced sinner, so as to spoil him to the world, and cause him to tremble before God, yet it cannot give rest and peace, because it cannot give pardon for sin. Therefore, as Moses had to give place to Joshua, who was appointed to lead the Israelites into Canaan, so the convinced sinner is brought to look away from the law to Jesus (who is "the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth") for that rest and peace which flows through the blood and obedience of the "captain of our salvation."

We pray that our young readers may be brought to know the right purpose of the law, by which "is the knowledge of sin," and that they may thereby be so chastened and taught as to flee by faith to Him who has said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and

I will give you rest." Then, when you come to the end of your mortal life, what a blessing if you, like Moses, are favoured to get a view of the good landthe better land where Jesus is, and where all the redeemed will dwell with Him for ever! Moses only saw the goodly land of Canaan at a distance, for the Lord would not accord him his desire to go over Jordan into it (see Deut. iii. 23—27). But he entered that heavenly inheritance which is reserved in heaven for all "who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." And while his heart must have been cheered by the sight from Pisgah, and by the consideration of the faithfulness and goodness of God, who had led His chosen people from Egypt, through the wilderness, to the very border of the land of promise which they were shortly to enter, we can believe that, with the consummation of the promise thus before him, he would be able to say," He hath done all things well."

So, reader, if Jesus is your "good Guide and Saviour" through this world, when you come to the end of the journey of life, and He causes you to "remember all the way" He has led you, like many of His saints already at home, you will find that the bliss at the end will make amends for all the losses, crosses, trials, afflictions, reproaches, and sorrows you may have had to encounter by the way. You are hastening on to a solemn eternity; and what are your prospects beyond the grave? Remember that all who live and die without repentance, and faith in Christ, must perish. Oh, that you may be favoured to seek and obtain that mercy and pardon which He alone can bestow ! Then, living and dying, you will be blest, in the truest sense of the word.

"May we but climb where Moses stood, And view the landscape o'er; Not Jordan's stream, nor death's cold flood,

Shall fright us from the shore."

LONDON.

LONDON, the largest city the world ever saw, covers within fifteen miles' radius of Charing Cross, nearly 700 square miles, and numbers within these boundaries

4,000,000 of inhabitants. It comprises 100,000 foreigners, from every region of the globe. It contains more Jews than the whole of Palestine, more Roman Catholics than Rome itself, more Irish than Dublin, more Scotch than Edinburgh. The port of London has every day on its waters 1,000 ships and 9,000 sailors. Upwards of 120 persons are added to the population daily, or 40,000 yearly, a birth taking place every five minutes, and a death every eight minutes. On an average 28 miles of streets are opened, and 9,000 new houses built every year. In its postal district there is a yearly delivery of 238 millions of letters. On the police register there are the names of 120,000 habitual criminals, increasing by many thousands every year. More than one-third of all the crime of the country is committed in London, or at least brought to light there. There are as many beer-shops and ginpalaces as would, if there fronts were placed side by side, reach from Charing Cross to Portsmouth-a distance of 73 miles; and 38,000 drunkards are annually brought before its magistrates. The shops open on Sundays would form streets 60 miles long. It is estimated that there are above a million of people who are practically heathen, wholly neglecting the ordinances of religion. At least 900 additional churches and chapels would be required for the wants of the people.

WORTH ACTING UPON.

IF you love others they will love you. If you speak kindly to them they will speak kindly to you. Love is repaid with love, and hatred with hatred. Would you hear a sweet and pleasing echo, speak sweetly and pleasantly yourself.

tion which had been made in the school for the Lord's Day Rest Association, speaking highly of its efforts, both in Parliament and elsewhere, in systematically opposing the desecration of the Sabbath by the opening of museums and places of amusement on the Lord's Day. After commending the society to the support of all Christians, he called upon the superintendent to address the meeting, so that the friends might have a sample of the teaching that was given to the children in the Sunday-school.

Mr. Wilmshurst commenced his remarks by expressing his pleasure at the report that had been read, and said that, although we could not hope or expect the little one to become a thousand, lest we might find ourselves in the position of ancient Rome, who, when she had more empire than she could manage, went all to pieces, yet we might look for further increase to our present numbers, which would make us feel more than ever the inconvenience of not having a schoolroom to meet in. He felt thankful they had a Sabbath-school, for some chapels had not; and a friend who attends a cause without one was only saying a few days ago how much she regretted it, as her children found the Sabbath a wearisome day, which would not be the case if they attended a Sunday-school. It was a pity that any church should allow such a state of things to exist. As much as possible they endeavoured to interest the children, and get them, even during the week, to think of their school.

A few Sundays ago it was announced what the lesson for the next week would be on the Sabbath, and each child was asked to bring some texts upon the subject. To the great pleasure of their teachers, most of the children did so; some having from fifty to one hundred references.

There are now twelve millions of children taught in Sunday-schools. What a change in one hundred years! They were then commenced by Robert Raikes; and that small beginning-like the cloud no bigger than a man's hand, which grew

till the heavens were covered-has now spread over the earth. They felt, as teachers, their labours were very poor and worthless; yet they desired to offer them to the Lord with a single eye and heart to His glory.

The speaker then addressed himself particularly to the children, founding his remarks upon the beautiful prayer of David, "Remember me, O Lord, with the favour Thou bearest unto Thy people."

"The Bible declares there are two kinds of people in the world-righteous and wicked-wheat and tares-sheep and goats-wise and foolish. We are all God's creatures, and He is good to all, so that even wicked men are loaded with benefits. A schoolmaster might have many boys under his roof, and would be kind to all; but if two of his own sons were amongst them, they would be more to him than all the others. So God looks with love upon His own people, and confers upon them favours that He does not upon others. One favour is, He has chosen them. You like to choose your friends and companions, and God has chosen His people. God chose David, but refused his brethren. Saul of Tarsus was a chosen vessel. Another favour is, that He has redeemed them. All His people's souls were lost, and no man could redeem his brother's soul. People's bodies may be redeemed from slavery. A slave in America had her freedom purchased by a gentleman who felt for her. In thanking him, she called him her redeemer: but precious souls cannot be redeemed with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. Another favour God bestows upon His people is, His Holy Spirit to instruct them. None care for God's favours naturally. They are like the man with the muck-rake, who preferred raking up straw and rubbish to the crown of life above him. But God sends His Spirit to teach His people the way to heaven. Flavel once preached a solemn sermon. Amongst his congregation was a boy of fifteen, who was spared to reach the age of one hundred years; when one day,