of day arose in majestic splendour over the summit of the eastern hills, and chased away by his bright and darting beams the gloom of receding night,shedding forth a glory over the face of nature, while the rich dew drops which had settled on the earth's green carpet, and the foliage of the stately evergreens, sparkled like crystal in his cheering rays, and all creation seemed quickened into life, rejoicing at his smiles, and with it our hearts were glad and grateful to nature's God. By the assistance of Mr. Warn, one of the teachers, who is a carpenter by trade, a neat platform had been erected under the front of the pulpit, and immediately in the face of the congregation, on which the children who recited were arranged, accompanied by one of the superintendents and the sec retary. At 10 o'clock the gathering of the people was considerable, and the morning's attendance was good. Mr. J. Ridclift delivered an impressive discourse on the occasion, founded on 2 Chron. xxii. 16, the latter clause. The preacher spoke of God as the supreme head of his church, referring to the nature and essential importance of his cause in its several departments, including in his remarks the moral and spiritual training of the rising race, as holding a prominent place in connection with the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom, and then in an affecting manner urged its just and solemn claims upon the attention and sympathy of his audience.-Mr. Fursman, the resident minister, attended to the recitations which were recited by several of the children in a very animated, admirable, and satisfactory manner, truly gratifying for children of such tender age. In the afternoon a very suitable and weighty address was given by Mr. Oldham, Congregational minister, to an overflowing congregation; and whilst speaking of the duties of parents to their children, and urging the necessity of their co-operarion with the teachers, his appeals were heart-searching, and none but perfect stoics could be proof against their force. While directing his remarks to the teachers, he earnestly reminded them that if they would work so as to secure the blessing of God and the prosperity of the Sabbath School, they must do so in union and effort with each other, blending their prayers with their labours in this great and good cause, which he asserted had been acknowledged by some of 'the greatest inen and even statesmen of the day, as a boon conferred on nations, and who had justly remarked that England would not have been what she now is, but for the moral and spiritual benefits conferred on her by the means of Sunday School institutions. He exhorted them by all possible attention to their duties, to make a good and proper use of the knowledge they possessed. Knowledge he said, was like steam, which when kept under proper control by the hand of the skilful engineer, would accomplish the object for which it was designed; and in like manner our various talents, if sanetified and used for God, would effect the very purpose for which he has given them to us. On the contrary, if steam, so powerful an agent, be neglected or improperly managed, the consequences have been frequently proved to be fearful in the destruction of human life and property; and so the knowledge we have, if neglected, misimproved, or misapplied, will only tend to make us personally unhappy in our own souls, and therefore incapable of imparting good to others-while we are also exposed to the dreadful consequences of the bursting forth or explosion of our unsanctified knowledge, in the expression of discontent with all that others do, which often wounds the better feelings of our more faithful friends. In such a peculiar state of mind, destitute of the spirit of Christ, to hallow all the passions of our souls, and direct us aright, we shall not only do too little for God, but shall be in danger of doing too much against him, by retarding the progress of his work. He concluded his address by affectionately exhorting all present to take a lively interest in the great object which had brought them together, and by offering their prayers and contributions to aid in its support. (To be concluded in our next.) We have received a communication from Br. Prior respecting the departure of the Missionaries; we can only find room for the following: Dear Brother Prior.-We arrived safe in London, last night about nine o'clock. To-day we have taken our luggage to the Docks. We have had a look at our cabins; and I have no doubt but we shall be comfortable in them. The Albermarle appears to be a strong built ship: and I pray that she may swiftly carry us to our appointed field of labour. Dear Brother, pray for us. Yours truly, London, October 31st, 1855. THOMAS HILLMAN. BIBLE CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE. FEBRUARY, 1856. DIVINITY. THE KINGDOM OF GOD. "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." Matt. vi. 13. I do not intend in this discourse to meddle particularly with the inquiry made by critics how it should come to pass that these words in the Lord's prayer should be recorded by St. Matthew and omitted by St. Luke; it is evident, that the prayer here related by Matthew is not precisely the same as that by St. Luke; neither is it probable that it was given at the same time. Dr. A. Clarke, and some others, remark, "that this prayer in Matthew seems to have been given after the second Passover, and that in Luke was given probably after the third Passover; between the feasts of Tabernacles and the Dedication." The latter part of this prayer appears evidently to be of the same original as the beginning, and to be spoken at the same time in perfect unison with the petitions before it. All who read this prayer carefully through, can easily discover the admirable harmony that runs through it, and links it all together in one perfect body of important matter, which speaks the wisdom of its author, and shows that it is authentic and divine. Let us then come before the Lord, and offer up our petitions unto him in lively faith, claiming the promise of his grace to cleanse us from all sin, and to keep us pure in heart, as the free gift of God; with all other rich blessings of his kingdom, procured for us by the death of Christ; with a thankful remembrance of his holiness and power, giving glory to God our heav. enly Father, For thine, O Lord," is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.' Let us consider these words, as I. A grateful acknowledgement of sovereign right. I. A grateful acknowledgement of sovereign right. E 1. This doxology or giving glory to Almighty God, should impress the mind with the importance of our duty, and stimulate us to worship God, with a pure heart fervently, with a faithful remembrance of his eternal power, goodness, mercy, and loving-kindness to the human family throughout his vast dominions, with his eternal right, and government of all worlds, as "King of kings, and Lord of lords:"-" God over all, and blessed for evermore." It presents to our view the most lively, and exalted ideas of Jehovah, and of his most glorious perfections; his sovereign power, and omniscience, eternal-existence, the transcendant purity of his ever blessed nature, which renders him the everlasting object of pure, and true, and holy devotion, which we here acknowledge, and openly profess, and should do reverentially, constantly, and faithfully, to the honour and glory of God. These words may be considered as comprising prayer, praise, and thanksgiving to God. Praising God with a thankful remembrance of his holiness, power, and goodness, is a very important part of our duty, and in the worship of Almighty God ought not to be omitted, being inseparably connected with believing prayer. In prayer we express the real inward desire of the soul, and the reverential esteem we have for God, our heavenly Father; so in praise, we give utterance to our profound admiration, love, and esteem for him, and his most glorious perfections. We pray to God to pardon our sins, and to save us from all evil, and for grace to help in time of need; that we may henceforth walk in the fear of the Lord, and likewise for all the blessings we need, because we believe him to be able, and all-sufficient to supply our wants. Being the only eternal, Almighty, unoriginated Being, the first cause and fountain of all good, and remembering that our every good thought and desire comes from him, we proclaim him God worthy of all honour, praise, and adoration, and ever praise him for all his mighty acts, and his mercy, goodness, and everlasting love. Sincerity, with a clear sense of Jehovah's power and holiness, and zeal for his praise, and honour and glory, are essential in holy devotion, and this doxology is in accordance with these Scriptures which are properly devotional. The holy Psalmist oft-times appears overflowing with a pure stream of prayer and praise to God. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting, amen, and amen. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things, and blessed be his glorious name for ever, and let the whole earth be filled with his glory, amen and amen.' Psalm lxxii. 18, 19. Again in the Psalm cvi. "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.-Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting, and let all the It is plain, therefore, people say, amen, praise ye the Lord." that praise and thanksgiving constantly make a part of Scriptural devotion. David under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, our Father, for ever, and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and majesty, for all that is in heaven and earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord; thou art exalted as head above all.” 1 Chron. xxix. 11. And in Philip. iv. we are exhorted, "in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, to let our requests be made known unto God;" from which we learn that whenever we exercise prayer in faith, it should be accompanied with praise and thanksgiving to God. The doxology is likewise in accordance with the admirable order of this prayer; as the glory of God is made the object of our ardent wishes, so here in the conclusion, it is made the object of our devout admiration, sincere desire, and the matter of our thankful and joyful acknowledgment. By these means, the mind is kept intensely fixed upon the object of our worship, and therefore when we approach unto God in faith, with a perfect heart, our praise and thanksgiving is well pleasing in his sight. 2. The particulars it contains afford us personal encouragement in the discharge of our duty. The first is, "thine is the kingdom;"-an acknowledgement of the sovereign right of God our Father, in his kingdom of providence and grace. His kingdom of providence, consists in the exercise of his sovereign power and dominion, over the whole terrestrial globe, with all its innumerable inhabitants; and we ought to gratefully acknowledge the hand which so amply supplies all our temporal wants, and which has also provided for us an inheritance in the world to come. By the kingdom of God here, we are to understand the same as in verse 10th, "Thy kingdom come." That is, the universal reign of the Messiah in his kingdom of grace, and that the gospel may everywhere prevail till the whole world shall be filled with the "glory of God," his laws everywhere be obeyed, and his kingdom exalted "above all kingdoms," and overcome all. This kingdom, and this prayer, have one object, the glory of God, the spread of the gospel, and the salvation of souls; individual and universal, present and everlasting happiness; but however well adapted the gospel may be as a creed to be believed as a system of morals--the benevolent designs of God in sending the gospel of his kingdom cannot be fully acomplished in us, unless we receive it in the love thereof, and permit the Lord Jesus to reign in our hearts, his grace purifying them from all evil, "to serve the living God." Those only are his acknowledged subjects in whom he dwells: "The kingdom of God is within you." The kingdom of Christ is not a secular, but a our spiritual kingdom; he reigns and rules in the hearts of all those who are subject unto his government. He declared, “My kingdom is not of this world;" the immediate seat of his government is the human spirit, there he establishes his kingdom. "The kingdom of God comes not with observation." Luke xvii 20. The distinctive expressions used in pointing to this kingdom in the gospels, prove the object of the prayer to be of vast importance. It is called "the kingdom of heaven-the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Christ, and the kingdom of grace. As a kingdom it is founded on infinite wisdom, defended and supported by the sovereign right of Him who created all things, and that governs all things in his everlasting kingdom. As a kingdom it has laws and discipline the most pure and holy, founded on the infinite wisdom of Jehovah, and every way adapted to promote the happiness of all its subjects, and the interests of the peaceful reign of Christ in his kingdom of grace, to order and govern in righteousness and to establish it by his own power. As a kingdom, it has its subjects clothed with the "whole armour of God," going forth from conquering to conquer, "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners," (Songs vi. 10,) with a determined stand against all who oppose the dominion of Christ. As the kingdom of God, it has its authority, reveals his will, and promotes his honour. As the kingdom of Christ, it points to him as its founder and Lord, who governs and rules with mild but unlimited power. As the kingdom of heaven, it shows from whence it came, and whither it leads all its subjects. That it is most pure, spiritual, and holy in its nature; powerful in its operations, translating the penitent believer from "the kingdom of darkness," into the kingdom of Christ, and every way adequate to purify us from all sin, and make us fit companions for seraphs before the throne of God. This kingdom must be desirable, being of infinitely greater value than all this world can afford; for it not only changes the outward man, but likewise all the powers and desires and propensities of the soul-moulding it according to the pure will of God, bringing it under the dominion of Christ,-inspiring it with new life and feelings-infusing principles the most pure and benevolent-filling the soul with the love of God, and making it a partaker of the "divine nature." The government of Christ is the most benevolent, mild, agreeable, and advantageous. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of darkness, its subjects have their minds filled with spiritual darkness and death; but the kingdom of God is a kingdom of light, life, holiness, and purity, and stands opposed to all the works of darkness which the usurper has set up. The grace of God, and the light of his Spirit, dispel from the mind the deadly gloom of sin, enlighten the understanding, inform the judgment, and support believers in |