I.

Religion and Public Morality.

Where there is no vision of the guiding Seer, the people become unrestrained; if they keep the law,

it will be well with them.-Proverbs xxix. 18.

F all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are the indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert those pillars of human happiness, those firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let us, with caution, indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained. without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience, both,, forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

WASHINGTON'S FAREWELL Address.

ROM every doubt and fear, O Lord,

In mercy set us free,

While in the confidence of prayer

Our hearts draw near to Thee.

In all our trials, struggles, joys,
Teach us Thy love to see;
Which, by the discipline of life,
Would draw us unto Thee.

II.

The Natural Directions of Charity.

NOTHING

Thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy poor brother; but thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him.-Deuteronomy xv. 7, 8.

seems much clearer than the natural direc

tion of charity. Would we all but relieve, according to the measure of our means, those objects immediately within the range of our personal knowledge, how much of the worst evil of poverty might be alleviated! Very poor people who are known to us to have been honest and industrious, when industry was in their power, have a claim on us, founded on our knowledge and on neighborhood, things which have in themselves something sacred and endearing to every good heart. One cannot, surely, always pass by the lone wayside beggar without occasionally giving him an alms. Old, careworn, pale, drooping and emaciated creatures, who pass us by without looking beseechingly at us, or even lifting up their eyes from the ground, cannot often be met with without exciting an interest in us for their silent and unobtrusive sufferings or privations. These are duties all men owe to distress, they are easily discharged; and even such tender mercies are twice blessed. T. CHALMERS.

III.

Say-Well and Do-Well.

Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deedsslack and remiss.-Eeclesiasticus v. 2.

Say-well and do-well, they are things twain;

Thrice happy is he in whom both reign.

Say-well is ruled by man some deal;
Do-well doth wholly to God appeal.

Say-well saith goodly, and doth many please;
Do-well liveth godly and doth the world ease

Say-well doth many to God's word cleave,
But for lack of Do-well they quickly leave.
If Say-well and Do-well were joined in a frame,
All were won, all were done, got were the game.

Say-well in hand doth many things take,
Do-well an end of them doth make;

Where Say-well with many is quite downcast,
Do-well is trusty and will stand fast.

Say-well in danger of death is cold:
Do-well is earnest and wondrous bold;

Where Say-well for shame shall hide his face,
Do-well shall triumph in every place.

ANON.

IV. The Oneness of Human Aspirations.

O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him all ye people. For His merciful kindness is great towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endureth for ever. -Psalms cxvii.

J

HAVE wandered quite away from my intention, which was to show the place of hymns in the great religions since Moses sang and the redeemed people responded and Miriam led the maiden chorus and dances, with her jingling timbrel, on the shores of the Red Sea.

"In hymns, on earth, the saints are one." Montgomery said that about prayer, and, at bottom, it is so. But it is surely so in hymns. Most of our difficulties about religion are born in the head, I mean the skull with its eyes and ears. The difficulties are of earth, earthy. Probably most Christians, if they could drop the clay, would see at once that they are all meaning about the same thing, and would be much ashamed of what they often thought they meant.

CHARLES H. HALL.

"

ET the people praise the Lord!

Let Thy love on all be poured;

Let awakened nations sing

Glory to their heavenly King;

At Thy feet their tribute pay,

And Thy holy will obey.

V.

H

The Safety of Humility.

The meek shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the lowly among men shall rejoice in the Holy One

of Israel-Isaiah xxix. 19.

E that is humble-minded hastens to serve God, but he never boasts of it; neither does he despise the least part of what appertains to God's service, whilst the proud one delays his religious duties. Be, therefore, mindful thou place humility before thine eyes; strive continually to acquire it, implore God's help thereto, and beg Him to lead thee to it in order to perform His will, and He will set thee in the right path thereto, and make thy way plain before thee, as we Israelites are praying daily: "O, my God, guard my tongue from evil, and my lips from speaking guile; and to such as curse me, let my soul be dumb, yea, let my soul be unto all as dust." Beware of the thoughts of thy heart and of the temptations into which arrogance and ambition may lead thee. God has, in His Word, shown us the way to this grace in the prayer: Two things have I required of Thee, O God. Remove far from me vanity and lies . . lest I be full and deny Thee and say: who is the Lord? or lest I steal or take the name of God in vain.

BACHIAH IB'N PAKUDAH,
XI. Century.

WHEN all is done, learn this, my son:

Not friend nor skill, nor wit nor will,

Nor ship nor clod, but only God

Doth all in all.