heathen morality. We hear much of Spartan stoicism, but little of Spartan laxity-much of Confucian ethics, but little about Chinese practice-much about the purity and exalted virtue of Hindoo Vedas, but little about the filth of Hindoo Puranas. We cannot give this heathenloving, paganised scepticism much credit for fair dealing, so long as it talks so loudly about the purity, and passes by the equally proven impurity, both of ancient precepts and practice. It were possible to cull a very pretty moral nosegay by mingling together the choicest products of Grecian, Persian, and Hindoo soil, but we protest against the assumption that such rarities are of common growth, or of a representative character. We admit the stoicism, but we would exhibit the epicureanism of ancient Paganism. Its greatest men had marvellous glimpses of truth, but amidst all their wisdom they gave proof enough of a darkened conscience and a depraved heart. It is not necessary to libel these men, or even speak as slightingly of them as their modern admirers sometimes speak of Jesus, in order to maintain the position that their wisest teaching was defective, and often lacked the plainest moral consistency. It is evident enough that to dissemble was not always deemed a dishonour, whilst to lie seems to have been regarded as sometimes a virtue. Other illustrations of the reversal of that code of duty which we now acknowledge might easily be given, but we refer our readers for such details to those expositions of heathen morality which may be found in works of Christian evidence. It is true that men are always, in practice, sinking below the standard which conscience acknowledges; yet we may surely question the purity of the heathen standard, when we find heathen practice so deplorably lax. In simple charity we are bound so to do; for to maintain the excellence of the standard in the face of the practice of those who held it, is to magnify their sins to an extent which history forbids. According to their knowledge was their responsibility; and as we are not anxious to bring them in more guilty than in fact they were, we prefer to balance their acknowledged profligacy by their comparative ignorance. With the Bible history before us of the waywardness of God's chosen people, so often manifested in their wanderings from him, and rejection of his counsel, we need not be surprised at the condition of those nations left to the development of their human nature, uninfluenced by those special circumstances which surrounded the Jew. It is a fact which those who reject man's fall cannot explain: that the traditions of all nations are the purest at their source-that the earliest writings of heathendom reveal the simplest notions of God. We find that amongst all people there has been retrogression-an evident departure from a primitive standard of excellence, a dim remembrance of which tradition has kept in their midst. Sin has fought a long battle with conscience. Repeated disobedience blunts conscience, stultifies it, and tends to moral perplexity and doubt. Men begin by disobeying law, and then proceed to deny the law itself. The testimony of Paul to the original law of the conscience is explicit, whilst the testimony of history shows that God's handwriting within, on the fleshy tablets of the heart, has gradually been obliterated. The fall did not rob man of reasondid not take from him his conscience-did not entirely harden his heart-nor has the perpetration of sin by man so entirely subverted his moral nature, but that the universal conscience still accuseth and excuseth as cf old. But this we say, that conscience has been subjected to so many attacks, that its utterances are feebler and its authority less paramount. It is no touchstone-no arbiter, but needs enlightenment itself defore its decisions may be faithfully followed. If we are pointed to

the ethics of modern Secularism, we say these are not the products of unassisted nature these are not the utterances of unenlightened conscience. The morality of Secularism is stolen, whilst its philosophy is borrowed. Paganism has much more to do with its metaphysics than its ethics. It is very easy for an eclectic Secularist living in these days, in the midst of a society impregnated with Bible principles, to gather together a bundle of ethical maxims, and expound them in philosophic phrase as "independent of Revelation." But the folly is transparent: he cannot, if he would, divest himself of what he has learnt; whilst, if he spurns Bible authority, and rejects Bible phraseology, he must not expect to be credited with the authorship of what all but himself see is Bible moral truth.

What, then, do we claim for Scripture? We do not claim for it the revelation of moral principles never before known, for we cannot suppose that the head of the race was ignorant of human duty, but, on the contrary, doubt not but that he was possessed of the germs of all possible morality. We say the "germs," for we do not affirm that there stretched out before him the entire code of morality, in all its completeness and speciality, but that he was possessed of those foundation principles of moral truth on which all others are based. Scripture does not create, it reveals morality. It re-publishes the original moral law of man's nature, and does so in such a method as shall preserve it for the future, intact, amongst the records of human history. The moral law, written within at first, was at length written without on tables of stone, and afterwards transferred to those inspired chronicles in which God preserved for after-ages the record of his doings amongst men. But when the great Teacher appeared, to him was given the task of illustrating God's law in many marvellous ways. He expounded God's will in discourses of wise simplicity; unfolded the hidden meaning of the law, and, by precept and parable, set forth the meaning of those commandments on which hung all the law and the prophets. Men could not mistake him he vindicated the righteousness of the claim which God made upon the love of man, and appealed before the tribunal of the human conscience on behalf of the brotherhood of men. We may gather words of wisdom from Eastern sages and Grecian philosophers; some truth from one, some other from another; but, though the whole world were laid under contributionevery nation bringing to our feet the choicest sayings of its wisest men, they would not altogether form a complete and satisfactory code of duty. Yet in the one marvellous Book-the New Testament of God's grace-we find a full and all-sufficient law, adapted to all peoples, to all circumstances, and all times; and this, not as the sum of united contribution, but as the sole utterance of Him who was appointed the world's Teacher on the sacred mount, in the emphatic command-"This is my wellbeloved Son; hear ye him.”

We

And, with respect to another note-worthy point, we claim pre-eminency for Scriptural morality as embodied in the teaching and practice of Christ. refer to the harmony subsisting betwixt precept and conduct. It has never been claimed for the wisest and the best of heathen sages that he attained to the height of his own moral standard, and thus presented an illustration in his own person of the wisdom and virtue of his teaching. We do claim this for Christ. He was the purest teacher, and the purest man. His conscience never accused him. His heart was ignorant of remorse-his memory treasured the remembrance of no transgression. The keenest ears were ever open to catch his speech, and the keenest eyes followed him

wherever he went; and, though some reproached him, as when they said, "This man receiveth sinners," yet the reproach was praise, for we rejoice that the accusation was true. In every respect he taught as much by his life as his speech, for he illustrated the beauty of virtue in every word and deed. He did not inculcate duties he was reluctant to perform, but left us an example that we should follow in his steps. Submissive to the will of God in all things, he could teach, without fear of rebuke from the most scrutinising scribe, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." Ministering every day of his life instead of being ministered unto the servant of the distressed, the physician of the sick, and the comforter of the troubled-he could command men with undoubted authority to love their neighbour as themselves. We therefore accept him as our teacher, both by word and deed. His character was as faultless as his words were Divine, and, whilst receiving the one with reverence, we would imitate the other with joy. It is to this intensely personal element that New Testament teaching owes its force. The person of Christ is the centre of all revealed truth. We are not saved by believing in some abstract truth calmly reasoned out for us, but by faith in Him who is the Truth, the Way, the Life. His work for us is the ground of our hope. As our atonement, our teacher, and our example, we enthrone him Lord of all. To his death we look for forgiveness to his words we look for comfort and guidance whilst to his life we look for our example in seeking to put on Christ, and walk in newness of life.

Lastly, let us notice one other peculiarity which attaches itself to Scriptural morality. Its sanctions are its safeguards. The obligatory power of Christian morality is found in the moral government which it reveals. Virtue brings its own reward with it, and vice its own punishment; but Scripture opens out still further prospects of bliss and woe. Pagan morality lacked authority. God speaks to us in revelation, and the commandments are ushered in with the proclamation, "Thus saith the Lord." His law is guarded by his justice-his threats guaranteed by his power-his promises made sure by his love. The disobedient and the contentious shall experience his wrath; they who patiently continue in well-doing shall be crowned with honour and immortality. Thus God guards his honour and conducts his government. Surfounded by motives to virtue and dissuasives from vice, God makes it dangerous for men to sin. The path to hell, strewed with roses by Satan, is planted with thorus by God; whilst in his word it is recorded that "Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come."

THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE PRINCE OF WALES.

CAIRO TO THE PYRAMIDS.

To the unfledged traveller, Cairo is a compound of curiosities and annoyances, interspersed with sources of amusement. The distant view of the city is picturesque, but the place itself, after all that has been done for it within these few years, fluctuates between the squalid and the superb. The inhabitants are diversified enough, and so are their dresses. Jews and Armenians, Greeks and men from western Europe, Copts and Arabs, present variety sufficient, but these are not all: the dark-skinned natives of inner Africa remind us of the abominations of slavery. Camels with monstrous loads, horses and asses with their riders, and hungry dogs, are plentiful enough. The narrow streets and the open squares are all instinct with life. Such as can enjoy the bright sun and the clear sky, and withal can endure the petty annoyances

to which they are exposed, will find plenty to satisfy their curiosity. But if they ramble outside the city they must take care to return before night, as the gates are then closed. If they go out after dark they are bound to carry lanterns, or they will most likely be arrested. Mosques and minarets, fountains, gardens, and palaces are plentiful. Copts and Franks, Jews and Mohammedans, have their own respective quarters of the city to reside in, and these are distinguished by their proper peculiarities.

Cairo was founded about 900 years ago, and its name signifies the victorious. A fine view of the city may be obtained from the platform of the citadel. Beyond the city you may see the surrounding country, including the valley of the Nile and the Pyramids. Here one may breathe more freely than in the narrow, irregular, and crowded streets, and the sight of the Pyramids revives the strong desire to visit them. But you return to the city, you look in at the café, perhaps you take a bath, or even visit a slave depôt outside the city. The bazaars also claim some notice, but if purchases are made there is a risk of your being cheated; only a risk, however, if you are cautious. You may buy at one, cotton, silk, and stuffs; at another, cloth, dresses, swords, slippers, &c. ; at another, all sorts of miscellaneous articles. Other sights and amusements invite the traveller, but his thoughts wander away to the Pyramids, and thither we must conduct him.

Let us, therefore, turn our back upon the 200,000 or more who inhabit Cairo, take a last look at the veiled women and the motley garbs of the men, and cross the Nile to Gheezeh. We supply ourselves with provisions, water-bottles, candles, lanterns, mats, carpet, a fly-flap, and a mosquito curtain, for we shall not find these things at the Pyramids. From Gheezeh, if the water is not out, we can reach our destination after five miles' travel, but if the lands are flooded, we shall have to journey ten. There is not much at Gheezeh to detain us, but if we like we can see how they hatch eggs in ovens there. We pass over the ground whose heaps of rubbish carry back our thoughts to the glory and greatness of the Pharaohs, and the misery and toil of Israelitish bond-slaves. We come to the great Pyramid, a vast triangular mass of stonework still rising to a perpendicular height of 450 feet. Its base is square, measuring about 750 feet each way. To reach the top you must traverse an incline of 570 feet. If this Pyramid could be removed to Lincoln's Inn Fields it would very nearly occupy the whole of that large square, and rise about a hundred feet higher than the top of St. Paul's! We say this to show the enormous proportions of the great Pyramid. Its contents have been estimated at eighty-five millions of cubic feet. And when, and why, and by whom was this mighty fabric reared?

Its creation is ascribed to Cheops, an Egyptian king, otherwise called Suphis. According to Sir G. Wilkinson he reigned 2,123 years before Christ, or 3,985 years ago; two hundred years before Abraham came into Egypt. During these 200 years, the second and third Pyramids were built, so that three of them at least existed when the patriarch visited the country. If these calculations are correct, these Pyramids looked down upon the sufferings and sorrows of the Israelites all the time they were in Egypt. The sight of them must have been familiar to Jacob, to Joseph, and to Moses. When the infant Jesus was carried thither, they had existed for two thousand years. Of all man's works the mightiest and most enduring, we marvel not that they were reckoned among the seven wonders of the world.

Yet these huge piles are neither temples nor palaces. They are tombs, and nothing but tombs, surrounded on