Observer, Sept. 1, '72.

Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Report concluded by expressing a hopeful view of the work in Scotland, and urged upon the brethren increased faithfulness and liberality.

The Report and Financial Statement having been approved, the Delegates reported upon the state and prospects of the churches which they represented. The statements of some were very interesting, and valuable suggestions were thrown out. Nowhere in Scotland, except in the district beyond Banff, was there any special work in progress, but, generally speaking, the churches were in a hopeful condition, and the call for faithful labourers was repeated by almost all. At Bathgate a church of upwards of twenty members had been formed during the past year, and from Falkirk a considerable revival of the small church there was reported, through the timely visits of Bren. Hurte, Aitken and Strang. Dundee reported a new meeting house in progress, which they expected to occupy in October; the brethren were hopeful that thus a new impetus would be given to the cause in that important town. The churches in Brown Street and Bridgeton, Glasgow, reported considerable progress as the result of Bro. Strang's labours. Letters from the churches in Buckie and Turriff were next read.

Reports from the brethren labouring in the gospel were then submitted to the meeting. Bro. Hurte gave an interesting account of his year's work. Bro. Strang followed, and amongst other interesting statements he mentioned that he had been invited to preach in most of the Baptist churches in Glasgow, and that he had on several occasions, in conference with leading men amongst them, enjoyed the opportunity of presenting the New Testament teaching on important questions before their minds. Bro. Murray was next asked to give some account of his labours in the gospel. The earlier part of his religious life had been spent amongst the Baptists, but from intercourse with brethren he had been led to prefer the simple Christian name, and to seek his authority for all he believed and practised in the Bible. He had been associated with the brethren, especially Bro. Badenoch of Buckie, in preaching the gospel as opportunity afforded. At the time of Bro. Hurte's visit to the north he had received much instruction in New Testament principles from our esteemed brother, and, as already mentioned, he had just concluded a brief tour among the churches in company with Bro. Hurte.

The engagement of evangelists was the next item of business. Bro. Hurte agreed to continue in the field. It was next agreed that the committee be authorised to employ Bro. Murray as they saw fit, affording him opportunity for improving his education. Most favourable testimony was borne to Bro. Murray's qualifications for the work.

The Delegates next reported the probable amount of contributions to the Evangelistic Fund for next year, which compared favourably with the sum received during the past year.

The Office-bearers of the church in Edinburgh were thanked for their labour as Evangelist Committee during last year, and were requested to continue in the work for another year, to which they agreed.

At the request of the Dundee church it was agreed to hold the next Annual Meeting in that town, in July, 1873. Bro. Cameron was thanked for his services as president of the meeting, and after prayer and praise the assembly adjourned.

After dinner the following interesting topics were brought before the meeting-The agency of the press in spreading the truth; the progress

Observer, Sept. 1, 72.

of the churches in Scotland, and the need for further sacrifice of time and means. The Sunday School question. The revival of the Christian Advocate was suggested and met with the cordial approval of the brethren. The following resolution by Bro. Strang was unanimously approved of: "That in the opinion of this meeting the revival of the Christian Advocate Magazine is desirable, and Bren. Aitken and Hurte having expressed themselves willing to undertake the publication of such a work it is resolved that the Delegates be requested to do their best to promote its circulation in the churches to which they respectively belong."

A most agreeable tea meeting closed one of the most pleasant and profitable of the annual gatherings in Scotland. One subject of regretful remark was the fact that none of our brethren from England had found it convenient to be with us on this occasion.

It remains only to add that the arrangements made by the brethren in Glasgow for the comfort of the meeting were of the most large hearted and brotherly character.

WEEK-DAY SERMONS.-MONDAY.

DEARLY BELOVED-I take it for granted that Sunday found you in the sanctuary. To-day finds you among the cares and toils of the week, and to help you through another diurnal revolution I address you in this weekday sermon. The day suggests our text. Monday signifies moon's-day, and, according to Mr. Webster, unabridged, this designation of the day was common to most of the nations of northern Europe. I freely admit we cannot show any Scripture for calling it by this name. I fear those old Pagans did not know as much of the Bible as they ought. Nevertheless, we will not let this trouble us now. As we use many other words of pagan ancestry, we must be content to take this also.

Without further introduction, we will announce our first head: Monday is more desired by many than any other day of the week. It was so in ancient . times, as we may find in the thirtieth book, eighth chapter and fifth verse: "When will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn, and the sabbath that we may set forth wheat? You remember, while sitting in the sanctuary yesterday, how your thoughts ran on to anticipate Monday. You whispered to yourself, "Yes, I'll do it." "I'll close that bargain." "I'll buy that property," or "I'll sell this." Some of you even got the text so tangled with Monday thoughts that you could not tell what it was.

Oh, these worldly plans, how they strike their roots clear through Sunday, to seek nourishment in the richer soil of Monday! Monday is indeed a great thing. Being next neighbour to Sunday, he steals from time many sacred hours. In fact, Sunday is often like the Saviour crucified between two thieves-Saturday and Monday. Beware, my brethren, of too earnest Monday longings!

But this brings us to our second head: Don't think more highly of the moon than you ought to think. The moon is a nice little world to look at; but it would take sixty such to make one as large as ours. One of our great seas would swamp it. It has no green fields or forests. It has no lakes nor rivers. I doubt whether it could furnish a stranger a drink of water or a breath of air. It would be a rough place for making farms or railroads; yet there are some people who would like to annex the moon to this country if they could. They consult their almanack more freely than

Observer, Sept. 1, '72.

their Bible. They will not plant a potatoe or a post, mark a pig or stick a pea, without consulting the moon. Their prayers for rain goeth no higher than the moon. "Your Father sendeth rain," saith Christ. The chief use of the moon is to furnish moonshine and create swells. Be not too much given to moonshine, neither be ye swells.

Third head: Esteem the moon as highly as is meet so to do. Some of you accuse the moon of being given to change; but there is no planet in the heavens more uniform or consistent in its conduct. The earth is no more so; and when it has received light, how liberal it is to give so much away to this wicked world! Brethren, instead of finding a mote in the eye of the moon, you will be likely to find a beam in your own. Be like unto her, liberal and consistent. Bear reproaches with the same patience as this much abused but silent satellite.

stances.

Lastly: Take heed to the signs. Some people think it a bad sign to see the moon over the left shoulder. Verily, it is so under certain circumIf one is going to a grog shop, or theatre, or a gambling den, it is a very bad sign to see the moon over his left shoulder, and the evil can be avoided only by calling to mind and putting in practice the words of the prophet: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts." He should turn about immediately. He will then see the moon over his right shoulder, which in this case will be a much better sign.

Application." In the light of our subject" we see that the six letters of our text suggest six corresponding truths or duties:

M.-Moderation. Go into the business of the week as if you were wading into deep water.

0.-Owe no man anything but to love one another. Debts contracted on Monday are as hard to pay as any others.

N.-Now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation.
D.-Do unto others as ye would they should do unto you.

A.-Add to you faith the seven clusters from Peter's vine. 2 Pet. i. 5-7. Y.-Ye are the salt of the earth (not the cayenne pepper). The salt is supposed to be a little stronger on Monday than any other of the working days. Try it. T. S. MILLIGAN.

SALATHIEL

ON THE LAST DAYS OF JERUSALEM.

TOWARDS the last-the woeful bitter end

Of our lost house-strange signs were multiplied.
Signs which to seeing eyes did sure portend
Wreck to the cause for which we lived and died.
Great hostile armies gathered overhead,
In marshalled pomp and dreadful pageantry;
Terrible forms by angel-princes led,

They charged and mingled in the shaking sky.
Nor could we gather hope from such a strife,
For all the dreadful faces in the air

Revealed some inward pain and sinking life,—
Their valour seemed the courage of despair.
Our massive temple gates were opened wide,

In solemn hour by unseen spirit-hand.
From the most holy place great voices cried,
We are departing hence to distant land!
Around our city walls a stricken seer

Cried from his burdened soul the coming woe;
In his last circuit of prophetic fear,
Asrael took him at a single blow!

So all the train of ghostly circumstance,
Was led by phantoms menacing and wild;
And Ruin called on Death for quick advance,
To vail the things so broken and defiled!
The crowding spectres of the earth and sky,
Blew terrors from their wan and withered lips;
And all the spaces up to heaven most high,
Gave signs of deeper midnight and eclipse.
No wonder!-for within our city old,

The men of blood were likewise men of power;

Strong with the wine-cup, strong with hoarded gold,
Demoniac strong, for madness ruled the hour.
Even while the Romans thundered at our walls,
Besotted men in darkness did conspire;
Fanatics kept alive their faction brawls,
And evermore they fed their sullen fire!
Gaunt famine reigned and pestilence was near,
And trust and hope and holiness were fled,
God was a name of awe or ghastly fear,
For truth and love were down among the dead.
Sad was the sight! Old men with silver hair
Crept feebly, vainly seeking food or rest,
And women, mad with hunger and despair,

Pressed fleshless children to each withered breast.
But in all ways, the breasts of holy love
Were dead and dry! the fires of higher life,
Once fed by inspiration from above,

Were now but ashes trodden in the strife !

The gates were broken down, the walls were scaled,
The foe rushed in--the Holy City fell!

As to the blood which ran like river strong,
And all the tragic circumstance of woe,

No chronicle or history or song

Can tell how fierce and terrible the blow.
The Temple burns! O horror to our eyes!
The holy places scorched by human fire:
The towers fall in-O Lord of hosts arise,
Reveal thine arm and grant us our desire!
Was it divine, or must it be abhorred,

That strong men dying clasped the burning stones
Of that grand pile, the temple of the Lord,
And in that fire-clasp finished up their moans?
How I escaped, a fugitive like Cain,

Is of no moment-nor to be revealed;

Observer, Sept. 1, '72.

I bear a burden of tremendous pain

And anguish sore which cannot be concealed.
No matter where I roam in search of rest,
The tragedy defiles before mine eyes;
The whole great horror surges in my breast,
Till overburdened nature sobs and cries.
O Salem, city of the King divine!
So shattered by the lightnings from on high,
Thy towers may never rise again and shine--
My soul is faint-in mercy let me die.

G. G.

PROVING AND PRACTISING.

PAUL says, "Prove all things: hold fast that which is good." It is much easier for some men to go through the process of proving a proposition, than to practise the humblest of Christian virtues. A man may be great

as a dialectician, but very small in the capacity of loving his brethren. He may have the talents of an angel, and still be a fool-a fool as to the common, practical affairs of life. In this respect an incubus of intellectual weight rests upon the Church. What is not proved by the logical process is no religion at all. Love is not proved, it is demonstrated. Proving is a mental process, and as such is not necessarily a sanctifying influence upon the soul, as many churches can testify. Proving in the domain of the intellect is just as necessary as planting in the field of nature; but as without the genial influences of sun and air and moisture, the deposited seed will not produce the bounties of earth, so neither will the mental process of proving all things result in efficient good to mankind without the concurrent operation of the sweet graces of Christian behaviour. Everybody is at the business of proving, but the fewest number do the practising. And a great many things proved are just as unnecessary as to prove that the sun shines; and while in the act of proving that the sun actually does shine, they are shivering and shriveling up for want of those life-giving qualities that essentially belong to the sun; just as thousands of souls are daily dying to God, and the fountains of their souls drying up, while in the very process of exploring the wide fields of theological disputation. It may with propriety be said of them that they are, as regards the warm flowing of the soul, desiccated. The secretions of the soul are dried up.

If Christians would try as hard to practise the precepts of Christ as they attempt to prove that He is indeed the Son of God, we might then begin to talk about the wilderness blossoming as the rose, and of hanging up the trumpet of war in the hall. A war of words over some unsettled question of theology is far more pleasant to their taste than a song of praise, and more satisfactory to their nature than carrying bread to the poor. Many spend a whole lifetime in proving that a certain class of theological tenets are right, who never have a breath to spend for the union of God's people. It is of more importance to show the connection between religion and geology than to relieve the poor and oppressed. Treatise upon treatise has been written on the divinity of Christ while millions are dying for want of that human sympathy which made His life so beautiful. Millions of money are spent in support of parties who would rather sink the Bible