'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.'1 Oh, Jack, if you truly repent of your sins, Christ's blood will flow over the past, as those tears over your stains, and blot out as a thick cloud all your transgressions,2 so that when God requires the past at your hands, you can point to the atoning blood, and say, 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.””

“Black Jack's sins," murmured Michael.

"Yes; no matter what he is called, or what his sins, there is forgiveness with God for sinners, though there is no toleration of sin; do you think you understand this, Michael?”

“Yes, sir; we must take our sins to Christ and let 'em bide there; that's it, isn't, sir?” He spoke eagerly.

“Yes; and then comes the new life, which men must lead who have left their past with Jesus. Are you willing to lead this new life, my friend?”

“That I am, sir.”

“Are you able ?”

“ May be, sir, if God makes me willing, He'll make me able, too."

"No doubt about it, Michael." Mr. Morgan spoke so fervently that poor "Black Jack" started; then, with a smile that showed oddly on his sooty face, he said,

“Then it's all ‘safe bind, safe find,' sir, and by God's help I'll try the new life to once.”

"Remember, Michael, it is the Holy Spirit's work to make you both of these; to will and to do alike come from Him. If you would indeed lead a new life, your cry to Him must be with all your heart, 'Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.'3 When you have this clean heart, washed in Christ's blood, and this right spirit set right by the Holy Spirit, then you will have new desires, and these desires will all tend towards a new life. Oh, Michael Dodd, this will indeed be a happy

1 Isa. i. 18.

2 Isa. xliv. 22.

$ Psa. li. 10.

new year if it finds you treading in the path of life, 'in the pathway whereof there is no death.'" 1

Michael could only bow his head in reverent silence, as Mr. Morgan grasped his hand and bade him God speed and a happy new year.

"Ask, and ye shall Receive."

AN EPISODE IN A STUDENT'S LIFE.

N common with many thoughtful young persons, I believed in the power of prayer-the prayer of faith-even before I knew what the saving change called conversion meant. But after my conversion and self-consecration to the work of the ministry, I experienced many remarkable and convincing answers to prayer. I have heard many sceptical persons, both young and old, scoff at the idea of prayer bringing down blessings on the utterer of the prayer, or winning answers from heaven. But I know from experience, that God does hear and which answer prayer, and that sometimes in a way appears to be little short of miraculous. Prayer is the telegraph of the skies; it 66 moves the hand that moves the world."

my

I was not very rich in this world's goods in student days. I had relinquished a good prospect in business, and had suffered some degree of hardship and contumely on account of my choice of the Church. I might have made a fortune in business, as my father did before me, had I chosen, but I refused, "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God" than to yield my powers to the service of the world. I had been consecrated to the Lord's service by the prayer of a dying mother. She had held me in her arms, as the last breath was going, and besought the Lord that I might be spared and inclined to labour for Him. That prayer was answered. Although enticed by the

i Prov. xii. 28.

gains of business, I turned away, resolved not to betray my firmest convictions, and my most solemn aspirations. And since God had inclined me thus by His Spirit to walk in His ways, would He let me want? No, certainly not, while it could be said of Him, "The gold is mine, the silver is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." So in all my straits appertaining to my student-life, I ever found that if I resolutely and regularly laid my wants before the Lord, He never failed to send me supplies.

Before the occasion to which I refer, I was much exercised in mind for lack of bout a dozen educational works, which were imperatively necessary if I would pass the forthcoming examination for my degree of B.A. I had practised the utmost economy, spending my allowance only on bare necessaries, and denying myself all extra comforts, in order to preserve an honest name and "a conscience void of offence, toward God, and toward man." I ever held it a most disgraceful thing for a student looking forward to holy orders, to go into debt, especially without a prospect of paying; but books are a student's necessaries; they are his tools, without which he cannot work if he would; and I knew not how to obtain books without going into debt. I had passed all my previous examinations with honour, and had been looking forward to the forthcoming one with a large degree of hopeful interest. And, much as I believed in prayer, I could not, as a sensible youth, ask the Lord, foolishly, to grant me success in the examination, if I went to it ignorant of the subjects upon which the examiners were to try me. So, after writing out a full statement of the case to my father, and enclosing a list of the books I needed, I left the matter until I could receive a reply from home.

The reply came, and it was unfavourable. My father either would not or could not spare me the money. He regretted his inability, but stated that it was utterly impossible, as I had cost him so much in other college necessaries. What was to be done? I thought of another friend, a distant relative, but a very wealthy and miserly one, who

loved gold as his god, and to him I wrote a letter. A reply in the negative came back to me, advising me to betake myself to some honest business, and forsake my expensive studies. Thus I felt that I had-could expect—no help from man.

This, however, only served to cast me more thoroughly upon God. I walked out, sadly and slowly, pondering my way. It seemed encompassed by thick clouds; for if I failed to win my degree, I could not expect the preferment which I was promised; and if I could not get the books in order to study, I had no more chance of passing the examination than a mere elementary schoolboy. So I resolved to try the power of prayer-assured that if the petition were in accordance with the will of God concerning me, I should receive what I asked for. So I set apart a certain hour, each afternoon, to pray for this one thing-the supply of my necessities. And very sweetly did the promise come to me: "My God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

A week passed by, and still the answer tarried. Time was very precious, and I began to feel despondent; still I suffered not my daily hour to pass without filling up the time with supplication, that, if God saw it to be a right and proper thing, He would grant me the supply of necessary books. One afternoon, after praying thus, I set off for a walk, wondering why the answer was delayed, why I was thus tried, whether I had mistaken my vocation, and a thousand other things of a like nature. As I returned home, my college-mate met me, with the words,

"You are a lucky fellow! You seem to have friends somewhere, who think of you. I have just paid eighteenpence to the carrier for a parcel of books; they are in your chambers now. You need not trouble now; pay me by-and-bye."

I hurried in, wondering almost if I were in a dream, and with not a moment's delay, opened my parcel. There were several handsomely-bound books, and, singular to say, the

C 2

very

books about which I had been praying. I looked them through-there were the precise number of books that I needed, not one more, nor one less, and the very identical ones. Again and again I searched the parcel through; again and again I examined my list of friends, to try and discover who it could possibly be who had thus befriended me, but in vain; there was not one line to indicate the sender, or to give a clue. I wrote home for an explanation, asking my father if he knew anybody who had sent them ; but he knew nothing of the matter; and to this day I am ignorant of the donor's name. This, I think, was a direct answer to prayer.

I am otherwise circumstanced now, and have more of this world's goods than in my student days; but I never forget the lesson the Lord taught me in that time of literary need. Surely He fed me, as truly as He does the ravens. And as truly as I was heard and succoured in a time of want, so surely will others be relieved by the great "Hearer and Answerer of prayer." Fear not, despondent child of God. Sooner than reject your application, the Lord will make windows in heaven, and open them to you, "pouring down such an abundant blessing, that there shall not be room enough to contain it.”

44

"Wet Not Y."

A THOUGHT FOR THE NEW YEAR.

T is a heavy responsibility you are taking on yourself," I remarked to a friend about to engage in a work of Christian charity which would inevitably cost largely in toil and care and money.

"No," he answered quietly; "there will be no responsi bility for me. There is a motto I learned long ago from the Apostle Paul, which is my shield and sword for all I may be called, as God's servant, to do or bear."

I expected to hear some such words as "Quit you like men; be strong," for my friend was one who had done