to break the links binding the Colonies to Imperial authority, and to pulverize the privileges of caste. It inspired him to write the Declaration of Independence, and persuaded him to doubt the wisdom of the powers concentrated in the Constitution. In his passionate love of liberty he became intensely jealous of authority. He destroyed the substance of royal prerogative, but never emerged from its shadow. He would have the States as the guardians of popular rights, and the barriers against centralization, and he saw in the growing power of the Nation ever-increasing encroachments upon the rights of the people. For the success of the pure democracy which must precede Presidents and Cabinets and Congresses, it was, perhaps. providential that its apostle never believed a great people could grant and still retain, could give and at will reclaim, could delegate and yet firmly hold the authority which ultimately created the power of their Republic and enlarged the scope of their own liberty.

When this master-mind halted, all stood still. The necessity for a permanent Union was apparent, but each State must have hold upon the bowstring which encircled its throat. It was admitted that union gave the machinery required to successfully fight the common enemy, but yet there was fear that it might become a Frankenstein and destroy its creators. Thus patriotism and fear, difficulties of communication between distant communities, and the intense growth of provincial pride and interests, led this Congress to frame the Articles of Confederation, happily termed the League of Friendship. The result was not a government, but a ghost. By this scheme the American people were ignored and the Declaration of Independence reversed. The States, by their legislatures, elected delegates to

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Congress, and the delegate represented the sovereignty of his commonwealth. All the States had an equal voice without regard to their size or population. It required the vote of nine States to pass any bill, and five could block the wheels of Government. Congress had none of the powers essential to sovereignty. It could neither levy taxes nor impose duties nor collect excise For the support of the army and navy, for the purposes of war, for the preservation of its own functions, it could only call upon the States, but it possessed no power to enforce its demands. It had no President or executive authority, no Supreme Court with general jurisdiction, and no National power. Each of the thirteen States had seaports and levied discriminating duties against the others, and could also tax and thus prohibit interstate commerce across the territory. Had the Confederation been a Union instead of a League, it could have raised and equipped three times the number of men contributed by reluctant States, and conquered independence without foreign assistance. This paralyzed Government, without strength, because it could not enforce its decrees; without credit, because it could pledge nothing for the payment of its debts; without respect, because without inherent authority; would, by its feeble life and early death, have added another to the historic tragedies which have in many lands marked the suppression of freedom, had it not been saved by the intelligent, inherited and invincible understanding of liberty by the people, and the genius and patriotism of their leaders.

To be Continued.

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT is the au thor of the familiar lines

Truth crushed to earth shall rise again, The eternal years of God are hers.

BY RUSSELL MILLER.

Most lovers of sacred music know something of the oratorio of the "Messiah," and many thousands listen to its majestic movements annually at the Christmas season. Some thing about the composer of this wonderful oratorio may be of interest to our young readers.

George Frederick Handel was born at Halle, in Saxony, February 23, 1685 -the same year which gave birth to his contemporary Bach. His father was a good surgeon, but abhorred music, and destined his son for the law, giving no encouragement to his musical talent. The boy, however, obtained from a friend a dumb spinet, which he smuggled into his attic room, and upon this instrument soon contrived not only to learn his notes, but to use his fingers with dexterity. The elder Handel was invited to visit a son who was in the service of the Duke of Wessenfels; George determined to accompany him, knowing that good music was always to be heard at the castle. His father refused to take the boy with him, but after going a mile on his journey he looked back and saw him following the carriage; the father's heart softened toward the lad when he saw his eagerness to accompany him, and he stopped the vehicle and took him in.

This visit was a most important event in Handel's musical career, for he now made the acquaintance of the court musicians and was allowed to practice on the chapel organ. He was once overheard by the Duke himself, who, recognizing his talent, spoke to the boy's father on his behalf. Dr. Handel could not resist an appeal from such a quarter, and thereafter Handel was allowed to pracyoung tice his art, and on his return to Halle he became a pupil of Zachan, the best

struction he mastered the elements of harmony and counterpoint.

In 1697 Dr. Handel died. Young Handel still ramained in Halle, where in 1702 he became organist, but a year later he went to Hamburg, one of the musical centres of Europe. He entered the orchestra at the German opera, and soon rose from his position among the second violins to the conductor's chair. The year 1705 witnessed his first dramatic attempt-an opera, "Almira," which met with great success, and which was followed a year later by "Nero." In 1706 he left Hamburg and went to Italy, where he remained three years, living at different times in Florence, Naples and Venice. In 1710 he went to England, where he composed the celebrated "water music" which was performed at a grand fete on the Thames and so pleased was the king, George I., that he added two hundred pounds to his salary. He soon became bankrupt, having lost fifty-one thousand dollars in Italian opera. In the midst of his troubles his health failed, and he did not again return to the operatic field, but devoted his remaining years to oratorio. He himself said, "Sacred music is best fitted to those descending in the vale of years." It was in oratorio that his power was shown in its highest maturity, and he became, not the entertainer, but the artist, of the people in the highest sense. His first oratorios, "Saul" and "Israel in Egypt," were produced in 1740. In the year 1741 he produced his grandest work, the "Messiah." This was begun on August 22, 1741. The first part was completed August 28; the second part, September 6; the third part, September 12; and the orchestration, September 14-the entire oratorio being accomplished in twenty-three days. His whole soul was in the work. An author tells us,

"When he was writing the exquisitely pathetic and beautiful movement beginning 'He was despised,' the composer was thoroughly overcome and burst into tears, and it is said that he spent part of the day in praying and in reading such parts of the New Testament as relate to the passion of our Lord. When composing the beautiful introduction to 'Comfort ye my People,' Handel declared that the constantly-repeated major chords which follow the tender, lingering minor cadences of the overture spoke directly to him words of comfort, and so expressed what he most desired to convey-an impression of the saving power which Christ's message of consolation was to possess." The "Messiah" was first sung in Dublin, and was performed thirty-four times during the composer's lifetime. This, the greatest of his works, was followed in 1742 by the oratorios "Samson," "Joseph," "Belshazzar," and others.

Dur

Handel died April 14. 1759. ing the last few days of his life he was heard to express the wish that he might breathe his last on Good Friday. This wish was granted, for it was on Good Friday that he passed away, leaving a name which will live so long as music shall hold its sway over the human heart. A large collection of his works is found in the queen's library in Buckingham palace, consisting of fifty operas, twenty oratorios, a great quantity of church music, cantatas, songs and instrumental pieces.

Handel's influence on English music was very great; he infused new life into the church music, and never has a composer been more national than the German Handel has become in England. He possessed what is very rare an inexhaustible fund of melody of the richest character and an almost unparalleled power of mu

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sical expression. Beethoven did not hesitate to call him the greatest composer that ever lived. He was the perfecter, if not the creator, of oratorio, and reached a height in the "Messiah," "Judas Maccabeus" and "Samson" where he stands alone.Forward.

THE VERGE OF JORDAN.

"Ar lan

[Translation of the familiar hymn,
Iorddonen ddofn," etc.]-GEIRIONYDD.
Nigh Jordan, deep and drear,
I pine, and linger;

I long to cross, but fear
The stream's fell anger;

O that, in mercy, I

Might shun those floods, and fly
To Canaan bright on high,
And grieve no longer.

As I survey the wave,

To me abhorrent,
And think of all the brave
Lost in the torrent;
My soul, with dread, is sore
Lest I, too, drown before
I gain the shining shore
Beyond the current.

But when, at length, I see,
Upon mount Zion,

Old friends at rest, and free

From tribulation;

I'll quail not, though the tide
Rush onward cold and wide,
My God will safely guide,
And give salvation!

MOLAWD AMERICA.

(Ton. - Glan Meddwdod Mwyn.) America, noddfa rhag gorthrwm a thrais, Dros freiniau dynoliaeth yr esgyn dy lais; Wrth weled dy faner gorthrymder a gryn, Arwyddair Columbia, y'w iawnderau dyn: Dan gysgod dy faner lle bynag y bydd, Mewn llafur a lludded yn treulio ei ddydd, Mae'r gwaelaf o deulu'r hil ddynol yn rhydd. CYDGAN.

Tra haul yn pelyd'ru yn entrych y nen,
Y ser a'r brithresi ymdonant uwch ben,
A rhyddid gorona America wen.
Ni feiddia gormeswyr byth osod eu traed,
Ar un o'r llanerchau gysegrwyd a gwaed
I ryddid crefyddol, a gwladol cyn hyn,
Tra byddant dan gysgod y glas, coch a gwyn:

O'r breision ddyffrynoedd yn ngwledydd yr ha',

Hyd oerion glogwyni mynyddoedd yr ia;
Edrycha'r ddynoliaeth oes gobaith yn bod,
Am ddyddiau rhagorach i'r ddaear yn dod,
Oes, oes y mae gobaith ymwared i'w gael,
Yn mro y gorllewin, ar dir machlud haul-
Mae hawliau cydraddol i'r gwych ac i'r gwael.
CYDGAN.
Dan bwysau gormesiaeth yn glwyfus eu bron,
Mae miloedd o Gymry yn croesi y don;
Ond yma mae balm sydd yn gwella eu
briw-

Yn awyr iach rhyddid mae'r hen iaith yn fyw:

I dir y gorllewin edrychant drwy ffydd,
Gan ddystaw obeithio bod yno rhyw ddydd,
A theimlo pob cadwen yn myned yn rhydd.

CYDGAN.

BY THE REV. THEODORE L. CUYLER, D. D.

That eminently successful physi cian of souls, Dr. Spencer, of Brooklyn, tells us in his "Pastor's Sketches" that once when passing through a village he was invited into an inquiry meeting, and requested to say a word to each inquirer. One lady, a perfect stranger, told him with tears in her eyes that she had not come to Christ; she could not tell why; her heart was hard, and she feared that she would never be saved. "How long, madam, have you been in such a deep trouble of mind?" "For three weeks, sir." she said, sobbing aloud. "Then," replied Dr. Spencer, very tenderly, "then for three weeks you have done nothing but resist the Holy Spirit."

He left her, and passed out of the room. Several days afterwards, as he was driving near that village, he met the same lady riding with a friend in a carriage. She recognized him, seized the reins, and stopped the horse. "That was true, sir, that was true!" said the lady. "What was true, madam?" "What you told me in that inquiry meeting, that I had done nothing but resist God's Spirit. That sentence pierced my heart. I thought I was yielding to the Spirit by being anxious, by coming to meetings, by beginning to seek the Lord. If you had made an explanation of your remark, I might never have come to Christ. That expression about 'resisting the Holy Spirit' opened my eyes, and I could not let you pass

without thanking you for the plain, honest words which revealed to me my real guilt, and the hindranee in my heart." The lady soon allied herself to the Church of Christ, and good Dr. Spencer got a new proof that nothing short of the naked truth will ever teach a sinner the subtle sinfulness of his heart, or send him to the Saviour.

That same truth, uttered in love, may be the very truth needed by the person now reading this article. You are thinking seriously, my friend, about your spiritual condition and character. You are not satisfied with yourself; your sins trouble your conscience; you want to be better; you may honestly say, "Yes, I want to be a Christian, Perhaps you have been reading your Bible for light, have been praying, or may have gone into an inquiry-meeting. Yet you do not become a Christian? Why not? Where is the hitch and the hind

rance?

Let me say to you that "becoming a Christian" simply means becoming Christ's. The Holy Spirit leads in only one direction and to only one Person. It is not to a meeting, or a book, or to a doctrine, however good all of these may be ; it is to a living, loving almighty PERSON that the Spirit is directing you and drawing you. Don't resist the Spirit. You stand outside the door of your heart. You say prayers, but do not confess your sins and break off from them. Repentance means action, not mere emotion. You imagine that you are

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on the road to becoming a Christian. Yet you do not obey and follow Christ, That means action, not merely serious feelings. What the Holy Spirit is pressing upon you, is the whole heart for Jesus Christ! A few sins you may have adandoned; a few prayers you may have made; but there is a fortress in your heart that has never surrendered. Satan still "holds the fort;" it is garrisoned with self-righteousness, and there are plenty of sand-bags in the form of excuses and good promises. While your innermost hearts holds out against Christ, you are resisting the Holy Spirit. You may be willing to go to Church, go to your Bible, and go to a prayer-service; but you do not go straight to the one atoning Saviour, yield yourself all up to Him, and cry, "Oh, be merciful to me, a sinner!" Saving faith is an act. is the forsaking of sin to follow Christ; it is the letting go of self-help and trusting Christ; it is the grasp and grip of your soul on Jesus Christ. Everything short of this is a quench, ing of the blessed Spirit. Then, my dear friend, submit yourself to the Spirit's guidance, and do what the inner voice in your conscience bids you. An honest hour with Jesus is worth more than months of sermons or prayer-meetings. Settle it with HIM. Whatever Jesus bids you do, as He speaks by His pleading Spirit to your conscience, do it. No soul ever went to hell while obeying the Spirit; millions, we fear, have gone there by resisting Him.

BREVITIES FROM EMERSON. (SECOND SERIES.) THE wise through excess of wisdom become fools.

It

GOD delights to isolate us every day, and hide from us the past and the future.

ALL writing comes by the grace of God, and all doing and having.