There is probably no nation upon earth which can so readily rally after misfortune as the French. It might reasonably have been supposed that the late fearful war would have left them in a bankrupt and despairing condition for many years to come. Instead of this, they are already rising, Phoenix-like, above their troubles, and seem to be well-nigh as We are told that, "In order to make the payment prosperous as ever. of the bulk of the indemnity to Germany, and thereby to liberate the country still held by German soldiers, the French Government asked the monied public of the world to lend it one hundred and twenty millions of English pounds sterling, at six per cent. per annum interest. The monied public of the world, by their offers in the course of one day, answered, 'We will lend you, not one hundred and twenty millions sterling, but sixteen hundred millions sterling!'-and, actually, the instant deposit of 14 per cent. upon the applications amounts to more than the total of the loan. The spectacle is unprecedented, and the details are quite as wonderful. Three milliards of francs were asked for, and fortyfour milliards have been subscribed-about one-half by France and (curious to say) a considerable part of the other half by Germany, where the capital itself has to go."

The Rock draws attention to an important matter, viz., the spirit of compromise which exists with reference to Rome and historical facts. It observes:-"A priest lately said to a friend of ours, 'Do you suppose that we will be satisfied with getting rid of your Bible from the public schools? We must also get rid of your histories.' It is certain that, next to the Word of God, Rome hates the exposures which history makes of her past misdeeds, and virtually exclaims in regard to this also, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?' We do not suppose that our respectable publishers would willingly promote such a scheme, but they may be led into it inadvertently. The literary men whom they employ may think it a duty gradually to soften down what they may regard as too strong expressions, although in the accomplishment of their object they may gradually polish away the stern facts of history. From this Rome will gain an advantage and the country a loss. Whatever is the cause of it, no one who has been carefully observing can doubt the fact that such a change as we have adverted to is going on. Take, for example, as a specimen of what we mean, a well-known school book, viz., The History of the British Empire, by William Francis Collier, LL.D., and let any one compare the old with the more recent edition, and he will see illustrations of the softening and retrenching process to which we have referred. We beg to submit the following specimens:-(1.) Page 160. Old Edition. To raise funds for the building (St. Peter's at Rome) Leo X. had sent out monks to sell indulgencies. These were pardons from the Pope of even the grossest sins.' The words in italics are omitted in the new edition. (2.) Page 160. Old Edition. But God inspired Martin Luther to oppose the impious falsehood.' New Edition. But Martin Luther opposed this doctrine of indulgencies. (3.) Page 160. Old Edition. He (Martin Luther) defended the great truth of justification by faith in Christ alone.' New Edition. He (Martin Luther) defended the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ alone.' (4.) Page 160. Old Edition.-'The once terrible decree of excommunication.' New Edition.-Once omitted." The Rock gives many similar instances, and adds, "All this is instructive, and

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ought to engage the attention of earnest Protestants and true patriots. Unless our children are made fully to understand the nature and past doings of Popery and the blessings of the Reformation, we cannot expect them to act firmly and intelligently now that the old enemy is coming in again like a flood."

We are glad that public attention has been directed to a case of hardship in the army. It appears that two soldiers, corporals in the Royal Marines, preached in the open air; they did this in opposition to the order of their commander, and, being tried by court-martial, they were sentenced to be reduced to the ranks, and to eighty-four days' imprisonment with hard labour! This is a terribly severe sentence, and there is every reason to believe that it is quite illegal. An officer of high standing -Major C. H. Malan, late of the 75th regiment-writes to the Times to say that, having for years studied the question of "lawful command,” as it affects the liberty of officers and soldiers; and, having often discussed this very point with one of our best generals, on whose staff he had the honour to serve, he considers that the order of the commandant was entirely contrary to law. "The mistake lies in supposing that when a man enters the military service, either as officer or soldier, he sells himself body and soul to the State. He does no such thing. He does not lose his liberty as a subject. He merely gives to the State as much military duty as it demands; if necessary, every hour of the day and night. But, his duty done, he may enjoy his liberty as a subject during his leisure hours. Military authority has no power over officers or soldiers when off duty, unless they infringe the law of the land. This is a point most strongly maintained by officers of the army, and, as the liberty of the subject is the same for the poor as the rich, they should maintain it for their soldiers. Preaching in the open air is no crime in England. It is practised by noblemen, gentlemen, and hundreds of working men. If a riot ensues, or a public road is obstructed, the preacher may be lawfully punished for creating a breach of the peace. But that there be no open-air preaching for fear of riot is not the law of England. Therefore, if to preach in the open air is not contrary to the law of England, it is an unwarrantable interference with the liberty of the subject, and an abuse of military authority for a commanding officer to order a soldier not so to preach. Such command is not a lawful command. Mr. Goschen stated that the men apparently wilfully disobeyed their colonel to try the question. Only apparently.' I went to Gosport on the 10th inst. to see them, and to advise them as a friend and as an old officer, in the interests of discipline, until the question be lawfully settled. They told me that in each instance they left barracks purposing to do as their colonel wished; but, being with their friend, the city missionary, and led by a power they could not resist, they preached. I have seen the place where they preached. It was not in the streets; but in a large open space in an out-of-the-way locality in Gosport, where they were welcomed, and in no way intefered with public traffic. The greatest sympathy was felt for the corporals by the poor of the neighbourhood, by whom they are much respected, and also by their comrades." The men have been released from prison, and in one case seventy-seven out of the eighty-four days' imprisonment have been remitted; but they ought also to be reinstated in their rank of corporal, and to receive their pay back in that grade.

6

THE

GOSPEL MAGAZINE.

"COMFORT YE, COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE, SAITH YOUR GOD."

"ENDEAVOURING TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IN THE BOND OF PEACE" "JESUS CHRIST, THE SAME YESTERDAY, AND TO-DAY, AND FOR EVER." "WHOM TO KNOW IS LIFE ETERNAL

No. 82,

NEW SERIES.}

OCTOBER 1, 1872.

The Family Portion;

OR, WORDS OF SPIRITUAL CAUTION, COUNSEL, AND COMFORT.

No. 1,282, OLD SERIES.

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."-2 COR. i. 4.

CHRIST OUR LIFE.-LIVING-LOOKING-LEANING

LOVING.

"Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?". JOHN xi. 25, 26.

THERE are sundry facts in connexion with the circumstances which led to the above declaration that are deeply interesting, and equally encouraging, did time and space permit our dwelling upon them. We must, however, forbear touching upon these, as we wish to come at once to the language before us. It is evident that, well-instructed as Martha was up to a certain point, and in a certain degree, still there was a further knowledge of the person and omnipotent power of Jesus, into which the Lord intended graciously to lead her. The position in which she was now placed was to be overruled for this express end and purpose.

We cannot help thinking that the terms in which Martha addressed her Lord savoured at least somewhat of petulancy: "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died;" as much as to say, "Did you receive my message about his illness? I sent to you at once. I thought you loved him. I believed you cared for us. Why did you not come? I can't account for your dealing thus with us. Oh, think of the anguish you might have saved us! This state of things never would have been, had you come."

There is a something peculiar in the words, "But I know, that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee." Eere she evidently grasps a something beyond appearances. Her laguage bespeaks confidence, and great confidence too, in the prayers of Jesus. She looks at Him as a Mediator, an Advocate, an InterGessor; and, as such, she feels He has power with God. Moreover, it was a wonderful thought she was entertaining, even that, though her

P P

brother was dead, yet there was a possibility of his being restored; still this idea would seem to clash with what she subsequently said, "Lord, by this time he stinketh; for he hath been dead four days." Now this contradiction seems unaccountable, except upon the ground that sometimes the Lord's dear children, under the power of a faith of which they are not aware they possess, venture to cherish certain hopes, to express certain desires, and to put forth certain pleas, the which, if duly considered, might almost startle themselves, as being unreasonable or presumptuous, when what is involved in such hopes, desires, or pleadings, is taken into account. Under the power, and in the exercise, of the precious property of faith, they are carried out of themselves, raised above the narrow boundary of the poor finite creature, and are indulged with access to and wrestling with Him who allows Himself to be challenged with the mighty inquiry, "Is there anything too hard for the Lord?" Reader, do you know anything personally of this blessed experience this going out of self -this taking flight, by precious, all-powerful faith, from the creature and all creature-circumstances, and fleshly reasonings, and finite arguments, into the very heart of Him who is "mighty to save and able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think?" Ah, sweet, blessed experience this! Lord, Lord, give us to know more and more of it!

But again, we remark, it was of the person-we had nearly said, it was the personal person-of Jesus; it was of His own divine and essential Self, that the Lord intended Martha and His own dear disciples to have a more blessed and glorious apprehension. This was His object, as step by step He led her into a personal knowledge of the mystery.

Now mark, dear reader: Jesus says, "I am the Resurrection and the Life." Here, we conceive, He testifies of Himself in a two-fold point of view. First, He is the Deliverer from death-spiritual death

the death in trespasses and sins, in which all by nature are involved. "And you hath He quickened," saith the Apostle, "who were dead in trespasses and sins." Jesus intended to illustrate this great fact by what He was about to do in calling Lazarus from the grave. Great and glorious as that act was, we believe it fails in greatness and glory, as contrasted with the still mightier and more glorious exercise of Divine majesty and power, in the infusion of life, and the deliverance from spiritual death. Ah, how the dear children of God fail to estimate this unspeakable mercy! It is only to contemplate their own former condition of death, ignorance, and alienation from God, as presented by the worldly and the carnal by whom they are surrounded. What knowledge, taste, or desire Christward and heavenward have they? There is neither spiritual perception or spiritual participation. They see not nor feel aught spiritually. They are dead-spiritually dead. They have eyes, but they see net; ears, but hear not; mouths, but taste not; hearts, but feel not; feet, but walk not; hands, but handle not. They are dead-really,

vitally, absolutely dead, in a true, spiritual, and saving point of view. Then what a mercy to know this-to feel this; whatever one either feels or fears with respect to one's present state and condition, to be brought to the plain matter-of-fact conviction to which the blind young man was brought, when he exclaimed, "One thing 1 know, that whereas I was once blind, now I see." Now, we maintain, to be brought here-and even for the time being no further-is indeed a distinguishing-yea, an inestimable-mercy. We repeat, that to effect this required the exercise of far greater power than that which Jehovah Jesus put forth when He commanded Lazarus to come forth from the grave; and we see plainly what that power was. Scarcely another instance is left upon record, in regard to the myriads upon myriads which have, from Abel down to the present hour, been called to pay the debt of nature. Oh, reader, it is a wonderful thing to quicken the spiritually dead; to open the blind eyes; to unstop the deaf ears; to take away the heart of stone and to give the heart of flesh; to infuse an altogether new and distinctive life, with its appetite, taste, and desire; with feet to walk in Zion's ways, and hands to handle the things of God. A marvellous mercy this!

But we said we believed that Jesus testified of Himself in a twofold light, when He declared Himself to be "the Resurrection and the Life." Not only was He, and is, the Deliverer from spiritual death, but He is likewise the Maintainer of the life He thus Sovereignly and graciously bestows. Hence the saying-" And the Life." Now, observe, not only is it a moral impossibility to quicken the dead by any finite or creature power, but equally impossible would it be, on the part of man, to maintain true spiritual life when once bestowed. As no man can quicken, so no man can keep alive his own soul. Hence it is sweet to contemplate Christ as the Nourisher and the Maintainer of the life He has bestowed; and where, ye quickened and spiritually-living ones, we fail is, in seeking to keep perpetually in view, that our very vitality, as well as standing and growth, is all inseparably and indisputably connected with our oneness of life in Jesus, with whom and by whom and through whom-yea, in whom we are in a oneness of life; yea, in one inconceivably-blessed identity; as it is written, "We are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." "As He is, so are we in this world." "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us." "I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one." "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." "Christ in you, the hope of glory." "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory."

These Scriptures go to prove that oneness and identity of which we before spake; but now, dear reader, in proof of the maintenance and nourishment of the life once given, and which exists in and by