Let us take to heart the lessons of his life and of his death; and let us seek to imitate him as far as he imitated Christ, that we also may in our turn share the advantages and the blessings of the edifying and encouraging example of cheerful and happy living and dying which he has afforded us.

"Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace" (Ps. xxxvii. 37).

SINCE 1757.

AMONG the last words of the last book of the Bible are these remarkable ones, "BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW."

One hundred and twenty years ago Swedenborg wrote in Latin, and published books, informing after-comers that the last judgment and the beginning of this "new age" were in 1757. Very few saw the books or heeded the message, for the world was not yet prepared.

Thirty or forty years afterwards men began to rub their sleepy eyes at the dawn of light and liberty then showing itself, and to wonder what was coming next.

Another forty years, and there was a considerable amount of attention given to the message, and the signs of its truth began to be very clear to those who were willing to see.

Another forty years, and here we are, in 1880, witnesses to unmistakable proofs of the progressive fulfilment of these six words, and of the truth of Swedenborg's statements respecting them.

A century in the march of ages is a very small period. Even a thousand years in comparison with the geological epochs, or of what may be called astronomical notions of time, are as nothing. Years are but as moments, and centuries but as days. But looking backwards over historical times, we see very clearly that all centuries are not equally marked by striking changes and stupendous events, just as all days in a man's life are not all "red-letter" days. Now, the hundred years last flown have without a question witnessed a succession of changes more mighty in their aggregate import than those of any previous century. Even the century which opens the Christian era was but as a dim twilight—a precursor of the day which now begins to shine. In the year 2880 this will probably be clearly seen and very universally believed. We ourselves live too close to events to see their full size and to estimate their bearings. We, even the oldest of us, cannot at all adequately comprehend these changes.

Only a diligent study of the subject can enable us even moderately to imagine them. But I propose, nevertheless, to present to you in this centenary year of Sunday schools a rough outline of the chart of changes in the last century, or perhaps I should say since 1757.

The first great point is the enlargement of the area of the civilized world with the enormous increase in its population. The United States, Canada, and Australia, not to mention smaller colonies, have almost arisen into being since 1757, such has been their wonderful increase. The United Kingdom and colonies have in eighty years risen from 17 millions to 43 millions. The United States of America from 5 millions to 45 millions, and the European continent from 170 millions to 275 millions, showing an increase of 300 per cent. in the British and United States, and of 63 per cent. in the European continent. The old countries of the world, during the last sixty years (just one-half the period since 1757), have sent to the United States and Australia 16 millions of emigrants, one-half of whom were English-speaking. This, with the amazing relative increase of population in the United States and the British nation and colonies compared with foreign-speaking nations, has had a remarkable result.1 The English language is now the language of one-half the civilized world. In 1800 it was only a fourth part. The world is practically doubled in the century by discovered lands and by increase of population, and concurrently has the English tongue spread; and English books, thoughts, institutions, and liberties, both civil and religious, have been extended. All this means preparation for the descent of good and truth from heaven to earth in coming times.

The next points relate to material progress, which, as we have good reason to believe, is the necessary basis of moral and religious progress. The mediums of exchange, gold and silver, have wonderfully increased. Since 1848 (the discovery of gold in California and Australia) 120 millions sterling have been actually added to these mediums of commerce, and since the same date the amount of coin issued by the mints of the world has been three times as much as all the world possessed before. The effect of this on material comforts through trade has been immense, and this notwithstanding the wellrecognised depreciation of one-fifth in the purchasing power of gold and one-third in that of silver. Looking at the correspondence of gold and silver, too, this is a very suggestive and beautiful fact. Alongside of this increase of gold and silver in use, we note the fact that banking business has in the same time increased similarly (threefold 1 For many of the following statistics my authority is "The Progress of the World," by Mulhall. 1880.

greater even in thirty years), and Savings Banks for the people (which were wholly unknown before 1765) now number in Europe only no fewer than 14,000, with 14 million depositors. This point suggests an increase of general comfort and prosperity scarcely to be overestimated. In the same connection we mention the origin and growth of Sick and Friendly Societies of all kinds. No development of the new age is more remarkable than this. There are now 42,000 sick and friendly societies in the world, of which 27,000 are in Great Britain. Their annual income is £26 millions, and their total capital £83 millions. Just for an instant imagine them all blotted out and their beneficent agencies of forethought against the time of trouble all erased! And yet nothing of the kind seems to have existed prior to 1765!

Coal is of prime importance as an article of material progress and comfort. It was known and used of course long prior to 1757, but its use now is as if no comparison could be made. Even in the last forty years the world's output of coal has grown from 56 million tons to 300 million tons annually, and England alone sells more coal now annually than three times over the value of the richest gold years Australia or California ever had. Coal leads the thought naturally to the steamengine. But to do justice to the transformation wrought in the human life of the world by this agency would require a whole treatise to merely outline. It is entirely and wholly a growth of the new age. For although in a rude and imperfect way it was used for some time before, yet in 1780, just one hundred years ago, those vital developments and improvements took place which at once rendered it an engine of universal service to man. 1802 saw the first patent sealed for steam-coaches, and also saw the first steam-vessel launched on water on the Clyde river, while 1815 extended the daring experiment as far as from Glasgow to Belfast, and 1819 still farther, from Liverpool to New York. This first ocean voyage was effected in the amazingly short time of TWENTY-SIX days! This same voyage has since been done in seven days eleven hours, and is now regularly made in nine days, or one-third of the first period. At the present time, of the total tonnage of sea and river vessels existing, considerably more than one-half is steam, and the ratio is daily increasing.

In this place we mention, as a couple of most interesting facts, that since 1824 the lifeboat invention has saved 27,000 lives; and also that since 1840 the 1200 then existing lighthouses of the coasts of the world have become 2800-more than double in forty years. But what shall we say of the steam-engine on our railways? 1802 was the first patent for a steam-coach. In 1825 was opened the first railway

for steam use, i.e. from Stockton to Darlington. In the half century since then 200,000 miles of railway have been opened in the world— or eight times round the globe at the equator. This has cost £4000 millions sterling. Such is its carrying power that the cargo carried in one month by English railways alone would freight the whole shipping of the entire world.

Immense as is the railway interest, yet it shows an average annual profit the world over of 3 per cent. And in a few years even this state of things will be looked on as merely a beginning. There are now three lines in progress, viz. the Euphrates Valley, in Asia Minor; the Caspian and Bokhara, in Tartary; and the Canadian Pacific, in Canada, which will complete 4500 miles more, or 1-44th part of the whole additional. The first of these enormous lines will bring India seven days nearer to London. The Emperor of the French, Louis Napoleon, had he lived, would probably have completed by this time a net of single lines over his immense country so complete that never more than five miles should a farmer be away from a railway. And some such plan will yet be brought into existence in England. Steamtram lines will be the means probably of this immense blessing.

While speaking of roads and the travelling and "carrying” of the world, we must not omit to notice the wonderful improvements in common roads, also the multitudes of canals, bridges, and tunnels not connected with railways. Then also the multiplication of valuable harbours and immense docks and systems of warehousing, nearly all of which, either as totally new things or as greatly improved renewals of the old ones, date since the wonderful 1757.

Travelling suggests its twin blessing, the telegraph. These over land and sea are wholly since the last forty years, for Ronald's patent of 1816 was never practically used. Our telegraph lines now measure 500,000 miles, and are extending at the rate of 10,000 miles every year. The influence of this one "new thing" on human blessedness is absolutely beyond comprehension. No one but He the Lord of infinite Wisdom and Love, who gave the blessing, can reckon up its value!

But here I may be excused if I allude to a philosophical fancy often expressed by our old friend Mr. Francis Johnstone, who only lived to see a small portion of all this network of iron and steel over the surface of the globe. He maintained that its electrical effect would materially change our climate. Of course it is beyond my province to discuss this. But one thing is certain that external changes in the surface conditions of the earth do change climates. M. de Lesseps asserts that the Suez Canal across the isthmus of Egypt to the Red Sea has

This of course means creating

doubled the rainfall in that country.
verdure where only sand and desert were before.

Among other material blessings of the new age may be mentioned the improved food supply. Anything like famine anywhere in Europe or America seems now to be an impossibility. For such is the world-wide extent of God's wheat-field, and such the means of transport, and such the instantaneous methods of communication by telegraph, that unless in every quarter of the globe harvest faileda condition scarcely to be imagined-European famine is for ever rendered impossible. What a "new" state of things is this!

The consumption of wheat per head of the population of Europe is now threefold what it was a hundred years ago. Meat also has a double consumption per head. Coffee is eight times the trade it was eighty years ago. Tea probably ten or twelve fold, for it has risen sixfold in fifty years only. Cocoa has doubled in England within ten years. Then beyond the items of necessity, we have abundant supplies of cheap luxuries in grapes, pine-apples, oranges, apples, and twenty sorts of tinned fruits from abroad every week. And these imports mean exports of our manufactures, so that all round the circle there is benefit and use.

Next to the food supply we may allude to the general condition of the peoples of the world. As to the improvement in houses, dress, furniture, hardwares, pottery, and the thousand little things of home, even down to the comfort of lucifer matches, as well as in books, newspapers, civil and religious freedom, rights of citizenship, etc., the humblest classes are unspeakably better off than the middle classes were a hundred years ago, while the middle classes can enjoy more comforts than the wealthiest noble could then command.

Gas-lighting has lengthened our days, and is one of the totally "new things.' But even that is now being superseded by electric lighting for streets and large areas. All this is within sixty years.

The water supply, too, in Europe and America is rapidly rising towards perfection, both as to quantity, distribution, and quality.

These, with the improvements of the last hundred years in all medical science, the discovery of the law of similars (homœopathy), of the value of hydropathic agency, and the general spread of sanitary science, have had the astounding effect of increasing the span of average human life by six years, compared with so recent a date as 1830.

The decrease of human misery by the subjugation of smallpox, agues, and other plagues within the last hundred years is also to be noted as matter of profound thankfulness to the Lord.

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