This is their course; but what the end
Of them who call the Lord their friend?1
He calls them friends, and will receive2
All those who on His name believe.3

The Lord they welcomed when He stood
Knocking without with locks bedewed;"
He entered in to share their meal, 6
And higher glories to reveal.

8

'Tis sin that gives to death its sting;7
But if the Lord salvation bring,
The king of terror casts no fears,
But as a messenger of peace appears.
They die like others, but they go
From all their sorrow here below;
And when "I come," the Saviour says,
They answer, "Lord, make no delays."
They long their Saviour first to see,10
And then to join the company
Of those who were companions here,
With them in glory to appear.

No sin, no sorrow's tears are there ;11
No death, no sickness, and no fear;
All weariness is left behind,

Eternal blessedness to find.

The crown they win, the palm they bear,12
The vestments white which now they wear,
The holy city where they dwell,
Depict their joys unspeakable.

Refreshing stream, so crystal clear,13
The fruit of tree of life are there ;11
And sweet harmonious songs arise
From harps of gold in Paradise.15
When all this blessedness we trace,1

16

Our mourning sorrow here may cease,
And we may well the truth maintain—
Who live to Christ find death their gain. 17

The Minister's Dilemma.

was at the close of a meeting, in which a minister and people had met together to ask if nothing on their part could be done to bring about

more spiritual prosperity. For some days past special meetings for prayer had been held each evening, and there was a most encouraging increase of earnestness amongst the church members themselves; and their faithful pastor, who had long prayed for this, had his heart filled with joyful expectation of revival times in their midst. Suddenly he rose and spoke.

"I have just thought of a plan that I believe might be useful," he said. "Let each of us resolve upon individuai effort during the next week. Let us pray, in faith, that God will suggest to our mind one person whom we may bring to

the evening meetings, and, however unlikely to our judgment that person may be, let us carry out the suggestion. I, for one, pledge myself to this course."

There was a murmur of assent throughout the meeting, and then its members dispersed, and the minister, in the quiet of his own home, pleaded earnestly for the Divine guidance he had promised to follow.

With his first waking thoughts next morning, there mixed most distinctly and unaccountably the name of a leading banker in the town. Mr. Bruce could not understand it, until he quickly remembered his purpose of the night before.

"But it would be impossible to ask him," he argued with himself. "Impossible! Just fancy Mr. Pembroke at a prayer-meeting! He would be sure I was joking if I named such a thing. Why, I do not think he believes in prayer at all."

But the more he reasoned the more steadily he was met by the thought of his pledge; and, try as he would, he could think of no other name to replace the apparently unpromising one that had been suggested to him.

The struggle went on until the middle of the morning, when, after "making his request" for light and guidance "known unto God," the thought came-"Well, the only thing to be done is to wait on Mr. Pembroke and explain the matter to him. He is a large-hearted, benevolent fellow, who has never let me come away empty-handed when I have gone to him with a case of need, and I am sure he will receive me kindly. What a pity he is not a. Christian!"

But I believe Mr. Bruce, looking only at the human side of the case, had as little hope of his conversion as had the disciples in Jerusalem for the deliverance of Peter from prison.

Mr. Pembroke was sitting in his private counting-house when a clerk reported that Mr. Bruce wished to see him, and he was immediately afterwards handed in. The first common

place greetings over, Mr. Bruce, with very unusual em barrassment, introduced his errand.

"I must not intrude long on your time, Mr. Pembroke, but the fact is I am in a singular difficulty, and I want you to help me out of it."

The frank, benevolent face met his with a pleasant smile, for Mr. Pembroke had the rare art of granting a favour with a grace that added to it a tenfold value.

"Any help in my power I think I may say is at your service, Mr. Bruce. I have known you now for years, and I never knew you make an unreasonable demand on any one."

But when the minister explained his position, and that he was bound by a solemn pledge to do all in his power to take Mr. Pembroke to the Street prayer-meeting that evening, the banker's brow clouded, and then the frown was chased away by a light laugh that had in it very much the nature of a sneer.

"My dear

"I go to a prayer-meeting!" he exclaimed. fellow, I never was in such a place in my life. I should feel quite as much at home in a lunatic asylum!" Then, seeing the pained expression on Mr. Bruce's face, his native courtesy and kindliness reasserted themselves. But, after all, I do not see that there need be any difficulty in the matter, if you look on it so seriously. How long does the thing take, do you say? An hour? Oh, well, I must just spare the hour to-night. I have no particular engagement, and of course it cannot do me any harm; though I suppose you are aware that I entirely disbelieve in the utility of such things?"

And that night Mr. Pembroke, with an inward resolve to keep his countenance and maintain a gentlemanly decorum in the face of whatever absurdities he might have to witness, took his place in the Street prayer-meeting. To his surprise, the decorum inspired in the other worshippers by reverence was at least equal to that which sprang of his own good-breeding, and as the simple service went on he ceased to criticise the proceedings around him.

1

All the afternoon, in his study, the minister had prayed for this one soul. His prayer was to "the Lord, even Jesus," who on the high road to Damascus appeared to a man of talent and culture, but of perverted judgment, and in his case placed on the records of the Church at least one instance of sudden conversion from blank hostility to adoring service. And Jesus is "the same yesterday, and to-day;" and in answer to this fervent effectual prayer He came to the door of Mr. Pembroke's heart, and so knocked that he was constrained to open unto Him immediately. Henceforth, "the life he lived in the flesh was a life of faith on the Son of God," and his happy and consistent Christian course was a glad testimony to the fact that it had indeed done him no harm to go to the prayer-meeting.

M. C. F.

"I have Nothing to Do."

NCE a year, Helen Bruce paid a visit of about a month to her grandmother, who lived in the Manor House of a village in the south of Eng

land. Mrs. Newton was not more than sixty years of age, and still strong and active: she was in reality, and not only in name, the "Lady Bountiful" of the village where she resided; and during her granddaughter's visits she found her a ready helper in visiting the poor people, and as she was also a bright and cheerful companion, Mrs. Newton always felt regret at parting with her when the visit was over. Helen, too, was very sorry to leave her kind grandmother; but she seemed peculiarly so on occasion of the visit of which we are now speaking: during the last week there was a restless dissatisfaction in her manner which quite pained Mrs. Newton; but before she had made up her mind to ask the reason of it, Helen relieved her by saying one evening of her own accord,

"I wish, grandmamma, that I might live with you always.