study and labour is prized more, and it has therefore a greater practical influence over us, than what we become possessed of without either mental or physical effort. Hence, may we not learn why so large a portion of the instruction supplied to the world by the great Teacher, who was sent from God himself, is contained in "dark sayings," and in "parables?" This may be a righteous judgment to the careless proud, but it is a boon of mercy to the attentive humble. 1. The "four children” named in this text, inscribed on our ticket, were Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. It must not be supposed that they were now children in the common acceptation of the term, but rather young men. Children probably they might be, when they first arrived with the other Jewish captives in that "great city, Babylon." Highly distinguished in their personal appearance and mental endowments, they were noticed, and early taken into the palace of the Babylonish Monarch. Here, while enjoying many favours above their captive brethren, they were exposed to every temptation. But not only were they "well-favoured" in their persons, and possessed of mental "ability to stand in the King's palace," but they were carefully trained in the knowledge of that religion which is of Israel's God, and their hearts were richly imbued with his grace. They had an enlightened and tender conscience, and no earthly power could induce them to defile it. "Daniel had purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself." Into this holy purpose they all entered with an inflexibility which has ever since astonished and edified the world. Neither the sumptuousness of "the King's meat," nor the enticing quality of his courtly "wine," could ensnare them to forbidden ground; nor could the frightful "mouths of lions," nor the terrific "violence of fire," move them from the path of religious duty. Rather than once intermit his regular hours of prayer to his God, Daniel submits to be cast headlong into the den of devouring beasts of prey; and his no less morally heroic companions courageously enter the dreadful "burning fiery furnace," rather than be guilty of bowing down before an idol. Brave and honoured spirits in truth's conflict! Noble-minded men! May the force of your high example more and more rouse us to duty in these days of spiritual imbecility, feebleness, and languor; especially may it animate the Christian courage of every timid disciple of the Methodist society into whose hands this quarterly ticket. may be officially delivered! (To be concluded in our next.) ON PREACHING CHRIST. BY DR. SOUTH. 1. HE is the text; and all preaching beside Christ, is beside the text: therefore keep to your text. 2. Christ is the very foundation and subject-matter of preaching; and all preaching without Christ is building castles in the air. 3. Christ is the life and soul of preaching; and all preaching without him, is like a body without life and spirit. 4. Christ is the great end of preaching: preaching is to manifest his glory; and when Christ is not preached, the great end is lost. R. B, AN ADDRESS, THEOLOGY. Delivered in the Wesleyan-Methodist Chapel, Delph, on Sunday evening, November 21st, 1847. BY THE REV. WILLIAM H. BAMBRIDGE. Tuis Address, the substance of which follows, was occasioned by the somewhat sudden death of two young persons in the village. Both attended our chapel, and were connected with our Sunday-school; both died after a short affliction, and there was hope in the end of both. Lucy Broadbent had been a member of the society about two years, and was employed as a Sunday-school Teacher. Her character was irreproachable, her piety genuine, and her end was gloriously triumphant. Her illness was short and painful; and from its commencement she seemed to think it was unto death. But though in the bloom of youth, and placed in circumstances which made life desirable, as the solace and helper of an aged widowed mother; yet with firm step she entered the "valley of the shadow of death," and with Christian composure contemplated her rapidly approaching dissolution. Her mind was stayed on God, and so was kept in perfect peace. She departed this life in the faith and hope of the Gospel, on the 19th of October. Mary Brierly, a Sunday-scholar, was called hence by a most distressing circumstance. On Monday evening, November 8th, as she was sitting up waiting for her father, she fell asleep, and, by some unknown means, set her clothes on fire. Being awakened by the smell of smoke, and perceiving her condition, she made an attempt to extinguish the fire; but not succeeding, she rushed into the street, and was immediately enveloped in flames. The people were soon collected, and put the fire out, and medical aid was at hand; but she was so seriously injured as to make recovery very doubtful. To her it appeared evident that she should not recover; and, therefore, as if regardless of her sufferings, she began earnestly to seek the salvation of her soul. "I do not care," she said, "about my body, if my soul may but be saved." For awhile she seemed as in an agony, her distress seemed very great; but on Tuesday afternoon, the gloom passed away, and she declared herself as being happy. He who saved the thief on the cross, did, we trust, save this poor girl. Who shall limit infinite mercy? Is anything too hard for the Lord? Such were the circumstances which drew together a large congregation, consisting chiefly of young persons, and from which it was thought instruction might be derived. Many of the people present then attended no place of worship, and that was judged a favourable opportunity for speaking on the unreasonableness of an irreligious life, the fact that God desires men to be religious, and the emptiness of all excuses. Hence the character of the address. Let the reader imagine himself listening to an extempore discourse rather than reading a laboured production, and he will understand and excuse some defects of style which will ever and anon meet him; let him bear in mind the auditory and the occasion, and he will overlook blemishes. MAN is more noble than mere animals, in that he possesses a reasonable soul, of which they are destitute; but irreligious man occupies a lower and more degraded position than they. Animals are what they were meant to be, irreligious man is not; they use their powers properly, he does not. The only suitable vocation of a reasonable soul is religion; but that irreligious man neither thinks nor cares about. The human mind is destined to love, serve, and enjoy God; but an irreligious man does neither. For any proper use he makes of it, irreligious man would be as well without a soul; for any advantage it is to him, he might as well be destitute of reason. He occupies a false and dangerous position, is not in his place, moves in the wrong sphere, does what is forbidden, neglects what is commanded. God has so constituted the soul, that its happiness consists in union with himself; and all attempts to make it happy without religion are absurd and unnatural. Religion is man's proper element, and he can no more live out of it than an ox in the sea, or a fish on dry land. Yet the mass of men are irreligious, without God, without Christ, without hope in the world; they pursue sin rather than holiness, love the world rather than God, serve Satan rather than Jesus, choose things which are injurious rather than those which would be beneficial. And what is true of many, is, we fear, too true of not a few present: the evil which prevails elsewhere affects us here. O who in the midst of this thoughtless, wicked generation will lift up a warning voice to check the growing evil, and call men back to duty and to God? Who will sound an alarm sufficiently loud to awaken slumbering consciences? Who will tell inattentive sinners of their danger, and bid them escape impending ruin? By what method can the mass of careless ones be reached? If one would instruct them, how shall he collect them together so as to have access to them? Ordinary means there are in abundance, but to the multitude they are nearly useless: the preaching of the Gospel is attended by the few; thousands never, and many only occasionally, hear it: common occurrences pass unnoticed. What can be done to bring parties who are farthest removed from the ordinary means of instruction where they may hear the Gospel message? Divine Providence has furnished us with such an occasion, and, by a mysterious event, put an opportunity into your hand of which you had else been deprived. Two young persons have recently been removed from our midst; one of them by a rapid and painful disease; the other by a terrific accident. A fine blooming girl of sixteen, robust and healthy, just entering on life, full of vivacity, with no thought of death or fear of danger, as likely to live as any one present, was suddenly awakened from sleep by the smoke from her burning clothes. She rushed into the street on fire, and was soon encompassed with flames. Her body was so severely, injured, that though medical aid was immediately at hand, and there was no lack of assistance, she lingered only till the next night, and died. of the departed, with all the solemnities of a dying hour upon us, impressed both with the nearness of death and the unspeakable value of the soul, and thinking of the reckoning-day, we urge your attention to the subject of personal holiness; we demand why you refuse to live godly, righteously, and soberly in this evil world; we caution you not to neglect the salvation provided for you, lest, by a sudden stroke, you be removed from all hope or possibility of deliverance. Some of you systematically reject the counsel of God against yourselves, refuse to obey the friendly warning voice; but bad though your case is, there is hope. You are here in God's house; we are glad to see you here; and feeling an intense love to your souls, we will seek your salvation, we will endeavour to show you that Has God wishes all men to be pious, and has made it both their duty and interest to seek and possess religion. It is impossible to study the Bible, or even to read it with any degree of care, and not perceive that it treats of God's claims upon our race it not only reveals the Divine Being to us, but declares what we are expected to be it always seeks to promote man's spiritual interests, says he ought to be religious, and strives to make him So. Our proposition, therefore, stands or falls with the Bible: if the latter be true, so is the former. Observe what has been done to make man a child of God. there been no special effort made, no extraordinary means used, to neutralize man's irreligion, and bring him to a life of piety? There has been an incarnation of Deity in the world: God himself has been veiled in human flesh, has dwelt with men. He, the high and lofty One, inhabiting eternity, stooped to be the babe in Bethlehem, tabernacled in that body which was laid in the manger. He who possessed all things, and filled all things, took on him the form of a servant; and, as a man, was hungry, thirsty, destitute. He who had the highest honour in heaven, gave up the body of his humiliation to shame and spitting, to the most cruel insults, reproaches, and injuries. He who was the Source and Author of life, became one with a body which was nailed to the cross, which suffered, and died. Herein is the love of God manifested, in that he sent his Son to take upon him the nature which had sinned, that he might atone for its guilt, by dying in its stead. The atoning death of Christ is the foundation of the Gospel system; the THEOLOGY. greatest possible display of God's love towards us; the richest and strongest proof of the truth we are endeavouring to exhibit. If our religious condition had been an unimportant affair, would Christ have been given, would there have been any atonement? The same book which declares to us the sacrificial death of Jesus, and points out its importance and necessity, shows also its intended results, the benefits procured thereby. The salvation of the human soul, the reconciliation of God and men, this was the object, the design of Christ's death. "If I be lifted up," said the Saviour, "I will draw all men unto me." He has been so lifted up; and the drawing is begun. The Holy Spirit is given to convince, enlighten, and lead to Jesus. A living, human ministry is appointed to explain and enforce truth, and persuade men to be reconciled to God. The Scriptures, containing the needful information on this point, are in our hands; are given to be a light to our feet, and a lamp to our path. And O what a precious boon they are! how rich a treasure is here! A glance at their contents will serve to show the general design. Promises, many great and precious promises, are made to every variety of case and circumstance; and the end of all is that we might escape the corruption that is in the world, and serve God in holiness all the days of our life. Pardon is offered to the rebel; cleansing to the unclean; acquittal to the condemned; a free, full, and present pardon to every transgressor who is willing to comply with the terms on which it is offered; peace of conscience to those who have been terrified with guilt; joy in the Holy Ghost to those who have been sorrowing for sin; a clear manifestation and assurance of God's favour to those who have been distressed by a knowledge of his wrath; the testimony of the Spirit to those who have had the spirit of bondage; present, inward, and outward holiness to all who seek it; the good things of this life to those who believe in Jesus; grace here and heaven hereafter to those who, by diligent continuance in welldoing, seek for glory, honour, immortality, eternal life. Promises which relate not to this life only, but to eternity, prove and declare the intentions of God. But they are not alone: they are accompanied by precepts, warnings, exhortations, entreaties, threatenings, and expostulations. (To be concluded in our next.) THE POWER OF THE DEITY, 73 VIEWED IN CONNEXION WITH HIS OTHER of THE God who sits enthroned in highest heaven as the "King eternal, immortal, and invisible," is a being possessed of infinite power, and boundless might. This perfection of the Deity is one of the most glorious and conspicuous which his exalted and incomprehensible character presents; and so obvious are its evidences, that the most casual and indifferent observer cannot fail to see it exhibited in all its majesty in everything around him. It is seen in the mild, invigorating zephyr, which bears health and plenty to the nations; and in the whirlwind and the hurricane, whose course is marked by desolation and dismay. It is exhibited in ocean's gentlyswelling wave, on which the noble vessel glides along as if in conscious dignity; and in the black terrific billows in which the mariner, his treasures, schemes, and prospects, are engulfed. It is beheld in the resplendent arch which Godhead in an instant throws across the skies, and whose matchless tints, and gorgeous colouring, speak to admiring man eternal goodness, faithfulness, and truth; and heard in the loud thunder's intermissive peals, and seen in the forked lightning's vivid flash, proclaiming to the astonished multitude the displeasure of Him"who measureth the waters in the hollow of his hand, gathereth the winds in his fist," and "meteth out heaven with a span." It is also displayed in the painted wing of the butterfly, as well as delicately-constructed and exquisitelyin the gigantic Andes, whose towering summits shoot far away into the blue expanse. And it is as clearly demonstrated in the formation of the atomic insect which finds a world in the dewdrop, as in the immense orbs which glitter and revolve in the vast firmament. For who but the omnipotent God can construct and paint the butterfly, or rear the mighty obelisk of earth which seems to touch the floor of heaven, and to uphold the skies? And what arm but that of the Sovereign of the universe can bring an atom into being, or create, suspend, and whirl the stupendous spheres which silently and ceaselessly sweep along the plains of infinity? "The glittering stars, By the deep ear of meditation heard, Still in the midnight watches sing of Him," sustain'd, And heaved the mountain from a guilty world." In short, above, beneath, and around "He seized our dreadful right, the load him, man perceives the demonstrations of omnipotence, and views the glorious works of that almighty Being who "weighs the mountains in scales," and "hangs the earth upon nothing." But though the power which Jehovah wields is so forcibly apparent, and shines forth as so prominent an attribute of his nature, it is not an isolated feature of his character, but harmonizes, and blends, and is always exerted in connexion with other of his perfections. Let us take a brief review of some of the most grand and astonishing of its manifestations. It was displayed in combination with stern justice, and immaculate holiness, in the expulsion, from the realms of uncreated` light, of the traitorous spirits who revolted from their allegiance to the King of heaven, when presumptuous Lucifer, the leader of the apostate band, aimed at seating himself on the throne of the Eternal Majesty. Preposterous design! vain hope! and impotent attempt! for the puissant God, clothed in the mantle of his essential glory and inalienable sovereignty, brought the embattled host of heaven forth; discharged the thunders of omnipotence on the devoted heads of the rebellious legions; hurled them from the "empyrean heights" of glory; and consigned them to the dark, and sulphureous, and horrible abyss. In creation's mighty work, we have a glorious manifestation of unlimited power. This attribute of Deity was exhibited in overwhelming splendour, in conjunction with infinite wisdom and boundless goodness, when the all-pervading and lifegiving Spirit of the Eternal, brooding o'er the void and formless mass which lay in the capacious womb of night, by his potent influence called forth, from the chaotic gulf, the amazing structure of the universe, in all its magnitude, and beauty, and magnificence. And in the government of the vast empire, in the maintenance and control of the stupendous fabric to the present hour, and throughout the arrangement and procedure of Providence, we see this peculiarity of the Divine character, with all his natural perfections, exhibited in pre-eminent dignity and grandeur. But it is in the sublime scheme of man's redemption that the power of the Godhead is displayed in all its unutterable plenitude. The omnipotent energy of the God of heaven was exhibited in its most illustrious and endearing aspect, when Here, indeed, "the whole Deity" shines forth. For what but his strict justice could demand, and spotless purity require, this glorious and ineffable manifestation of sovereign might? And what but unbounded goodness could prompt, and infinite wisdom devise, and almighty power execute, the amazing plan which, after dwelling in the mind of Infinity from the remotest eternity, was at length unfolded to admiring angels and awestruck seraphs, in the resplendent mansions of immortality; and "when the fulness of the time was come," realized its consummation in Gethsemane's consecrated garden, and on Calvary's hallowed mount. A plan whose unfathomable profundity even Michael, with his exalted faculties, and superlatively high endowments, cannot penetrate; which will ever stand forth as 66 A wonder in Omnipotence itself, A mystery to angels and to men;" and whose momentous results will be more fully ascertained when the number of the elect shall be complete, and heaven shall resound with the eternal song, in which the harps and voices of millions of redeemed spirits "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,' shall unite, "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!” Finally. This attribute of the Supreme will be again displayed under circumstances fearful and sublime when, clothed in the insufferable blaze of his divinity, and accompanied by flaming cherubim and glorious seraphim, Immanuel shall descend from the exalted seat of his eternal regnancy, to judge the countless multitude which, roused from the sleep of ages by the loud, re-echoing blasts of the archangel's trumpet, shall assemble before his dread tribunal. Placing ourselves on the lofty pinnacle of God's everlasting truth, and looking down the long vista of futurity, illumined by the rays of the sacred volume's immortal page, we behold this crowning and august demonstration of almighty power exhibited before a congregated universe in all its concurrent terrors, and with all its immutable results. We hear the fiat of Omnipotence sent forth; and the |