is indicated in the resolve of the psalmist, "I will go in the strength of the Lord God;" and to this trust the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews refers: "Be content with such things as ye have for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." And this realising of God's hand in little things will exert in another way a happy influence on our prayers. They will not only be frequent and trustful, but they will connect themselves with the circumstances of every-day life. everything we shall make known by prayer and supplication our requests unto God. These little things will not be deemed too insignificant to be prayed about. Why should they? If they are not too insignificant for God to care for, they cannot be too insignificant for us to present before Him.

In

Christians often complain of wandering thoughts in prayer; perhaps, however, this wandering is partly occasioned by the attempts they make to force away their minds from matters awakening solicitude, and throwing difficulties across their present path. They would think on what they deem of greater importance, and therefore more suitable for prayer. These are their spiritual interests-matters pertaining to the soul and eternity; the things which are deemed too small and unimportant to pray about occasion distraction. To get rid of these, and set the spirit free for the prayer which is so much desired, it would be well, perhaps, sometimes to let these little things have their way. They demand attention-let them have it. Give them utterance. Find in them materials for supplication. Their urgency at the moment when we would pray to our Father in secret, would seem to point this out as the very thing which we should do with them. If God be our Father, and if He concern Himself as to the little matters of our life, may we not breathe into his bosom every care, and place before Him every want? The heart and the understanding will thus go together in the most devout engagements of the Christian life. Prayer will embrace the things about which

we think and feel. Little things and great things would find their appropriate places. The atmosphere of the soul would be cleared and settled. God would be known by us as a child knows its parent, by the supplies constantly vouchsafed, and sympathy constantly received. Every change, every sorrow, and every joy, from the least to the greatest, would endear Him to us on whom we depend, and whose aid in all things we are encouraged to seek. We shall "wait for the Lord, our soul will wait, and in his word shall we hope. Our soul will wait for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning; we shall hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption."

Frozen Snakes.

DEEP spiritual truth lies behind that fact, or fable, of the man who suffered a frozen snake to lie on his hearth without any thought of danger. The reptile was stiff and motionless; its small eyes were closed, and there was not a glimpse of its sharp teeth. It looked so harmless, that a child might have made a toy of it. "Ah!" said the labourer, "you have done some harm in your time; but your sting has lost its poison now." It was not until he awoke from a troubled dream to find the snake crawling into his bosom that he became aware of the danger he had incurred in giving warmth and shelter to so deadly an enemy.

Reader, there are many frozen snakes lying across your path of life of which you will do well to beware. They may seem lifeless, and so powerless for mischief as to occasion you not a moment's uneasiness; but suddenly they may be warmed into venomous activity, and put you in deadly peril. This is true especially of a man's besetting sin, whatever it may have been.

It may have been a sin of the senses, which has not been brought into subjection without many a heartache, and without much painful discipline. But at length, by God's

grace, you have succeeded in bringing it under, and it lies, as you think, vanquished and dead beneath your feet. Be not so sure of this! In a moment that you think not it may show its poisonous fangs again, and strike them deep into your heart, causing you many hours of pain and anguish.

It may have been a sin connected with your constitutional temperament. A hasty temper at one time perhaps made you a perpetual misery to yourself, and was ever leading you to speak unadvisedly with your lips. But by continued watchfulness and prayer you were able at last to obtain something like the mastery over yourself, and to endure provocation and perhaps insult in the spirit of Him who was meek and lowly in heart, and who, when He was reviled, reviled not again. It is a blessed triumph through Divine grace to have obtained this victory over self; but to the end of life that self, however subdued, will be but a frozen snake, and it may suddenly assert itself with its old force, and take you captive at its will.

It may have been a love of the world and its glittering, unsubstantial pleasures; or an earnest haste to grow rich; or an impassioned desire for fame and popularity; or a fondness for flattery or love of display; but whatever the besetting sin, the Christian can hardly say of it, “This will never trouble me again; it is finally vanquished, and whatever shape it may assume, and come when it will, it shall never more have its old power over me." To speak thus is to encourage its return in seven-fold force; it is throwing a ruddy blaze upon a frozen snake, which will quickly awaken it from its torpor.

The experience of God's children in all ages confirms this truth, and their example may warn us of our danger and teach us our true source of strength. As there are certain physical conditions which predispose the body to become affected by any epidemic that may be raging, so there are certain states of mind which invite the return of "old sins." Presumption is one of these states; want of watchfulness, remissness in prayer, and in reading the Word of God, and

neglect of the public means of grace, a lax observance of the sabbath, indolence, are other conditions which predispose the soul to evil, and render its fall certain in any moment of sharp temptation. Very suggestive it is to read that it was while David resigned himself to luxurious indolence at Jerusalem, instead of being at the head of his army destroying the children of Ammon, that his princely nature became enslaved by sense. It was while Peter was forgetful of the word of his Lord that he thrice denied Him, and added blasphemy to falsehood. Had either of these captains of the Lord's host been asked an hour before their fall, whether they contemplated such a possibility, each would have answered, in the words of one of old, "Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing?" And yet each had been steadily preparing for an act of backsliding: David by tarrying at Jerusalem, and Peter by following afar off, notwithstanding his impassioned professions of attachment to his Master.

But to see where our weakness lies is at the same time to become aware of our true source of strength. Presumption cannot withstand the effectual fervent prayer of the tempted one who cries, "Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins!" We may watch and pray; we may hide the Word of God in our hearts that we may not sin against Him; we may be glad when they say unto us, Let us go into the house of the Lord, and find a day in his courts better than a thousand; we may remember the sabbath day to keep it holy; we may be diligent in season and out of season, working while it is called to-day, knowing that the night cometh wherein no man can work. In the devout and earnest use of the means of grace, are we to find a mighty power to keep in subjection the sins which once had dominion over us.

But these means neglected, we shall find, to our bitter sorrow, that we are once more under their enslaving influence. It is for every reader to look at this subject as one of the first importance, and to ask why it is that he is not

more effectually purged of his old sins, and not more completely under the daily renewing of the Holy Spirit? Have besetting sins taken us captive? It is because we thought them dead, and therefore became careless and presumptuous, and neglectful of the means by which alone they can be kept in check. A man may be as wise as Solomon, as pure as David, as heroic as Peter, as loving as John; but let him walk in his own strength, instead of leaning upon the arm of his helper God, and ere long he may find himself bitten by the sin which of all others, according to his own judgment, it seemed least likely he should commit. Reader, beware of frozen snakes, and do not imagine that a sin has done with you, however confidently you may be assured that you have done with it.

66

A Birth-day Hymn.

"How old art thou?"-Gen. xlvii. 8.

OW old?" Soul, answer, and thy life review;

"H Survey the past-joy, sorrow, hope, and fear.

Why should thy God, with mercy ever new,
Prolong thy days to greet another year?

"How old?" Soul, art thou wiser for thy years.
And better? Hast thou learned at noon, at even,
To turn thy prayerful gaze, undimmed by tears,

To thy best Friend, Ruler of earth and heaven?

"How old ?" New tests, new duties, soul, demand
New diligence, obedience, faith, and love,

For thy last year, last day may be at hand :
Set thy affections then on things above.

"How old?" Soul, Jesus speaks; thy Saviour's voice
Hear: "Lo! with my reward I quickly come :

Be faithful unto death; thou shalt rejoice

And wear a crown in my unchanging home."

"How old?" O soul, unto thy rest return,
Nor longer 'mid earth's sins and follies roam ;
Thy Saviour follow, of him daily learn,

And answer, Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come.