are exceedingly dangerous. The young man or woman who exposes himself or herself to these dangers should be exceedingly fearful lest the worst should overtake them. Multitudes of human souls are lost for time and for eternity through the influence of this amusement.

A lost soul! Who can compass the dreadful thought? It is frequently said that people must have some amusements. We grant it. We advocate no gloomy philosophy of life. Amusements we need, nay, must have. But in all this great world which our Heavenly Father has made so beautiful-so full of sources of pleasure, are there no forms of amusement save those whose associations and results are so full of danger? Are there no happy men, no cheerful women, who never enter places where this amusement is engaged in? One must have food; shall he therefore take poison? One must have drink; shall he therefore take brandy? The safest way is to let dancing severely alone.

Pulpit-Helps from Old Writers.

INSTANT IN PRAYER.

Rom. xii. 12-" Continuing instant in prayer."

PRAYER is the natural duty of religion. Its observance is as natural as conversation between men. The scriptures urge a constant and careful performance, then, not only as a duty, but a privilege. The subject suggests an enquiry as to—

I. The matter and subject of prayer. Generally, it is to petition God to bestow upon us all that is good, and to deliver us from all that is evil: the pursuit of virtue, the direction of our affairs, immortal happiness. Particularly, our own individual requirements, according to our particular weaknesses and difficulties, should form the groundwork of our petitions,

II. The specific directions of the Apostle" Continuing instant." We are not to make it a mere formal duty. It is to be the constant effort and breath of our very existence. We are hereby taught (1) that worldly duties are not inconsistent with heavenly thoughts; and (2) that God may be worshipped at all times. (3) That religion is not a thing to be put off till we have leisure and opportunity.

III. The contrast which this direction affords to all false systems. We are taught that God is worshipped by the mind and thoughts, and not by external observances. How different to heathen worship! Even the Jews' religion was, to a great extent, formal.

ARCHDEACON JORTIN.

We have received, from Messrs. G. TONKIN & SON, of Park Street Viaduct, Bristol, some specimens of the specialities of their clerical business. These consist of cut-out letters for making texts, finished texts for church and school decoration, banners, scrolls and ornaments. Some

of them are beautifully painted on patent cloth, and will last for years, as they may be washed when soiled. They are all excellent in quality and very cheap.

By special invitation, we visited the establishment of Messrs. TONKIN, and were surprised at the variety and beauty of their stock. Every conceivable ecclesiastical requisite may be obtained. Clergyman's coats, collars, gowns, surplices, hats, and caps are displayed in every conceivable form and style. Candlesticks, vases, flower-holders, stained glass windows can be procured, and selected on the premises. So far as our experience goes, we believe the prices seemed extremely moderate, and we can, with confidence, recommend preachers residing in the West of England to give the establishment a trial.

Germs of Thought and Seeds of Sermons.

CXLV. THE PROGRESS OF CONVERSION.

Psalm cxix. 59-60-"I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies. I made haste and delayed not to keep Thy commandments."

THE philosophy of conversion is expressed in these verses. Erroneous notions are afloat concerning its nature, importance, necessity, and period of being felt and known. The word is of Latin derivation, the root being con-with and together, and verto-I turn, a turning altogether, a "rightabout-face." We have here

I. Conversion budding in thought--“ I thought on my ways.' II. Conversion blossoming in action-"Turned my feet to Thy testimonies.'

III. Conversion bearing fruit in practice—“ Made haste to keep Thy commandments.

CXLVI. " IN THE WORLD."

J. O. KEEN, D.D.

John xvii. 11-"And now I am uo more in the world, but these are in the world."
Full of imperfections and infirmities.
Surrounded by temptations and snares.
Burdened with cares and afflictions.
"As witnesses of Thy glory."

I.-"In the world."
II. "In the world."
III." In the world."
IV. "In the world."

66

V.—" In the world."

As labourers for its moral regeneration.

CXLVII. THE HEAVENLY RACE.

J. O. K.

Heb. xii. 1, 2-"Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of wit

nesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.' THE apostle is alluding to the saints of old, and then introduces the figure of a race as fitly representing the Christian course. We may divide the text as follows:

I. An example. The character, perseverance, and reward of those who have gone before.

II. An incitement. The interest with which we are regarded by spectators.

III.—An exhortation-"Let us run with patience."

IV. A direction-Lay aside all that would hinder.

V. An assistance-" Looking unto Jesus," as the Author of faith, the End of faith, the Giver of strength, the great Example.

CXLVIII. THE LORD'S.

Romans xiv. 8-" We are the Lord's."

B.

THE following verse shows that Christ is here alluded to. We are Christ's. And surely He has a right to the Christian.

I. He has a right derived from His creating power. All things were made by Him; all people are the work of His hands.

II. He has a right from His providential care. Not only has He given us life, but He has preserved us in its enjoyment.

III. He has a right from His redeeming mercy. We are not our own, but are bought with a price.

IV. He has a right to us from our own act of self-dedication. The text was spoken of Christians who have devoted themselves to their Master's service.

We are the Lord Christ's. Who could wish a better Master?

Christian Edification.

MORE "SWEETNESS AND LIGHT" AMONG CHRISTIANS. HRISTIANITY is both a force and a refinement. It is conceded that the Christians of our day are not wanting in fire and strength, but it will be admitted by all that Christianity would gain a new attraction if it embodied more of that "sweetness and light which lent such a grace to Hellenic life. We are happy to think that it is not a non-existent quantity in the Church of our day, and that there is nothing in Christianity, evangelically understood and interpreted, that is hostile to the utmost refinement of which our nature is capable. Let men say what they will, culture is no stranger to Calvinism or Evangelicism or Puritanism, or by whatever name it is to be called. Take the French school of Reformation, which included many of the most cultivated men of that age. Take Bunyan, Baxter, Howe, in our own Puritan age; take Thomas Chalmers, Robert Hall, John Foster, Isaac Taylor, Thomas Erskine, Edward Irving, James Hamilton, Hugh Miller, Michael Faraday, David Brewster, James Simpson, Edward Forkes, Clerk Maxwell, in the two generations that

have recently closed. All of these men had enough of genius or culture to save them from being ranked with the Philistines, yet not one of them all regarded culture, as it is regarded by all in our days, as a substitute for religion. There is no natural antagonism between these two things. It is not a true culture rounded on all sides, but a selfish, narrow, one-sided culturelike that, say, of Walter Savage Landor, who had more light than sweetness -that stands apart from religion. It is a great point to know that religion is the basis of moral and practical-life to men of the most advanced intellect.

If religion is anything to man, it is everything. If it has any authority, it has authority over the whole man. It has undoubtedly strengthened the intellect, chastened the morals, sweetened the temper, and enlarged the imagination of thousands. How often do we find truly religious men, who have been shut out from the pleasures of moral or æsthetic culture, exhibit an insight and a sweetness of character not only not attained by their class without religion, but not even by those having access to all the fountains of culture, religion alone accepted! I hold that regeneration adds to the intellectual equipment of those brought under Divine influence. We also find men in the humblest walks of life manifest the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is near akin to the highest culture, and which no culture of the intellect, apart from religion, can impart. We can well understand this, for the Apostle Paul, in his Philippian Epistle, shows the full extent of Christian character by the enumeration of those graces or principles which he commends to Christian study: "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely.' The only difference is that the Apostle puts the "light" first and the "sweetness" last; and this is the true order, for the truth represents what is needful as the basis of Christian character, and the "lovely" what tends to its highest ornament.

It is useless to deny that some Christian people have not realized their full responsibility to use all the parts of their nature for the glory of God and the good of man. Perhaps the cause is to be found in what we may justly call an exaggerated view of man's relations to God, which makes all interests merely human, appear trivial and unimportant. Undoubtedly, regeneration is of primary importance, and human culture is only secondary, and it may be wise to draw the line deeply between the world and the Church, so as to discourage the belief that culture might be a substitute for religion; but can we ever forget that religion loses none of its purity, or beauty, or impressiveness by the addition of that culture which the world holds in such high estimation?

Christians must not be dry, hard, unsympathetic. They are people who imagine that the more disagreeable they can make themselves the more are they to be commended for their faithfulness. Such men have no true idea of Christ's mind, and no true heart for the expansive features of the Church. In point of fact, the cause of antagonism between religion and culture lies in the inadequacy of our religion to express the sublime conception of our Lord Himself. The nearer we come to Christ, the more beautiful we shall be in character. Christians ought, therefore, to cultivate more "sweetness and light." They will then have "culture" without "anarchy," for there is a sort of culture which tends to anarchy by teaching us to put little confidence in any authority which this imperfect world can show, and the enlargement of our knowledge will be accompanied by no weakness of guiding skill. All our powers will be brought under subjection to Christ, who is Lord over every part of life, intellectual, moral, æsthetical; and in the degree that we subject ourselves to the guidance of His Spirit, shall we grow in all the beauty of a holy character, have a more resisting force against all the evil of the world, and become more powerful for good.

Miscellaneous Original Outlines.