2 Thessalonians ii. 1. Now we beseech you, of Satan, with all power and signs and brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, ders, and by our gathering together unto him, 10. And with all deceivableness of 2. That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be ness in them that perish; because tl troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by not the love of the truth, that the letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at saved. hand. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling-away first, and that Man of Sin be revealed, the son of perdition ; 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6. And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way. 11. And for this cause God shall strong delusion, that they should bel 12. That they all might be damn lieved not the truth, but had pleasure eousness. 13. But we are bound to give than God for you, brethren beloved of the I God hath from the beginning chosen tion through sanctification of the Spir of the truth: 14. Whereunto he called you by o the obtaining of the glory of our Lord 15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, traditions which ye have been taught word or our epistle. 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ 8. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, God, even our Father, which hath l whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of hath given us everlasting consolatio his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness hope, through grace, of his coming: 17. Comfort your hearts, and stal 9. Even him whose coming is after the working every good word and work. The notion of the speedy coming of Christ to judgment power, many interpreters have identified that prevailed in the first century, with the same disorderly ex- of Sin." Later, some have looked upon the ath citement which has marked its spasmodic recurrence in suc- as the apostasy, and Napoleon as “the son of ceeding ages. Such an agitation had disturbed the Church at is clear that no person, system, nor event, has Thessalonica; but the apostle quieted it by announcing that measure of this prophetic outline. Each age the second advent should be preceded by a great apostasy, its Antichrist, and each in turn is overwhelme through the influence of which there should appear a con- manifestation of the power of God in his centrated, presumptuous, and destructive form of Antichrist. his glory in his Church: so will it be until The leaven of that apostasy had even then begun to work; but of Gog and Magog shall usher in the day of j its development was hindered (or “let," in the old sense of the Prophecy is self-repeating; and thus the word) by some person or event then in the way. The early always in a state of prayerful expectation. fathers applied this to the paganism of the Roman Empire, foes may arise, whatever conflicts come, they which had begun to use the civil arm for persecution. Ever in the word of Christ shall have everlasting since the Papacy began its aggrandizement as a temporal the coming of the Lord. SUNDAY MORNING. I Corinthians i.-17. Christ sent me, not to and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the w baptize, but to preach the gospel; not with wis-dom of God. dom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be 25. Because the foolishness of God is wiser the made of none effect. men; and the weakness of God is stronger th men. 18. For the preaching of the cross is, to them that perish, foolishness; but, unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. 19. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21. For, after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that | believe. 22. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24. But unto them which are called, both Jews Ritualism and Rationalism stood opposed to the gospel in the time of Paul just as they do to-day. These tendencies represent the two poles of religion, between which the human mind vibrates until it is established upon the central truth of revelation. The Jews made the virtue of religion consist in forms; and therefore they demanded new signs for a new faith. The Greeks worshipped intellect, and would measure every faith by their philosophy. They mocked at the idea of salvation through a despised Jew who had been crucified. Yet, with all their speculation, they had failed to attain to a true knowledge of God and Rationalism never can meet the first great necessity of the soul, which is redemption; nor effect that transformation unto the higher life, which is regenera APPROPRIATE HYMNS,] 26. For ye see your calling, brethren, how th not many wise men after the flesh, not ma mighty, not many noble, are called: 27. But God hath chosen the foolish things the world to confound the wise; and God ha chosen the weak things of the world to confou the things which are mighty; 28. And base things of the world, and thin which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, a things which are not, to bring to nought thin that are; 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousnes and sanctification, and redemption; 31. That, according as it is written, He that gl rieth, let him glory in the Lord. tion. But, in God's method of recovering our lost race, the is a wisdom that puts to shame the wisdom of this worl and the cross of Christ speaks to the heart with a pow which no ritual can gain through the imagination and t senses. Redemption from the curse of sin, sanctificati through the spirit of holiness, righteousness through perfect obedience and his completed sacrifice, and wisdo through his revelation of the Father, -all this is Christ the humblest believer. The gospel comes to men throu their needs; and hence the self-righteous and the proud a more ready to oppose than to receive it. But it holds its w with undeviating power through that uplifted cross whi shall yet draw all men unto it. ordinances, and find them profitable for our freshment and edification! O Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who hast graciously opened for us sinners a way by which we may approach thee with acceptance! we thank thee We pray thee to grant an especial blessing the for all thine unnumbered gifts and mercies; but, day to all thy ministers. Fill their understandin above all, for thine unspeakable love in the redemp- with light and heavenly wisdom. Fill their hear tion of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ. O with zeal and love, and give thy word power a Lord! give us grace to live as thy people; as those unction from their lips. Remember the Sund who know that they have been redeemed with the school. O blessed Jesus! feed thy lambs wi precious blood of the Lamb of God; as those who thine own truth and grace. Visit this hous have been quickened from the death of sin, and we beseech thee, with thy salvation. Thank raised to a life of righteousness. Help us to walk for the mercies of the week, we commit ourselv before thee in newness of life, and to seek those O Lord! and all that concerns us, to thy gracio things which are above, where Christ sitteth at care. Direct our steps this day, and keep us stea thy right hand. Deliver us from over-carefulness fast in thy faith and fear. Make all the dealin about earthly things. Strengthen our confidence of thy providence to work for our good. If the in thy providence and thy grace; and dispose shouldst appoint trials and afflictions for us, ma us to seek first thy kingdom and righteousness, us patient and submissive to thy holy will. If y trusting that all things needful for this life shall be enjoy comfort and prosperity, make us humble a added unto us. thankful. Lead us safely through this world sin, and bring us at last to thy heavenly kingdo Let thy sabbath be precious to our souls, as the SUNDAY EVENING. O Hebrews xi.-1. Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen; 2. For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it, he, being dead, yet speaketh. 5. By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 7. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 8. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for To the ancients the city was the embodiment of the ideas | of home, of society, of enjoyment, of order, of security, of religion. In contrast with a roving life in tents, it was a settled abode; in contrast with the desert, the wilderness, the untravelled world, in which one felt himself a stranger, exposed to the wild powers of Nature, or to savage beasts and men, the city, with its walls, gates, and ramparts, was a place of safety and peace. The Divinity watched over it, and all good was centred in it. "Country," said Socrates, "is more than father and mother." And central in this idea of country, as its very sanctuary, was the city. To the Jew, Canaan was the ideal country; but Jerusalem was the joy of the whole earth. But all this was only a type of the city that God has APPROPRIATE HYMNS,] an inheritance, obeyed; and he went ing whither he went. 9. By faith he sojourned in the lar as in a strange country, dwelling i with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs wit same promise; 10. For he looked for a city which tions, whose builder and maker is Go 12. Therefore sprang there even of as good as dead, so many as the stars multitude, and as the sand which i shore innumerable. 13. These all died in faith, not ha the promises, but having seen them were persuaded of them, and embrac confessed that they were strangers an the earth. 14. For they that say such things d that they seek a country. 15. And truly, if they had been m country from whence they came out have had opportunity to have returne 16. But now they desire a better is, an heavenly: wherefore God is no be called their God; for he hath prep a city. prepared for us: a city of abounding felicity a of all beautiful things and rational delight select and congenial society; of perfect imm where there shall be no hunger, nor thirst sorrow, nor death: a city into which there sha that defileth; where all good shall be compl perpetual: a city illumined with the glory city, which kindled the faith of patriarchs apostles, shall be ours also, if our desire of it renounce the world, and to seek it with patience. The faith which gives reality to thing enables us to behold God in the creation, w the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerus Prayer. O God, who hast taught us in thy Word that there is still laid up a rest for thy people, and who hast given us a promise of entering into it! grant to us, we beseech thee, that we fail not of that promise through unbelief and disobedience. Teach us that here we have no abiding city. Teach us to look for a house that hath foundations, of which thou art the maker and builder. Lift our hearts thither in earnest desire. O sabbath of eternal peace! O haven where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest! When shall we see thee, O Lord! and behold the King in his beauty? When shall we meet the apostles and prophets, and the great multitude whom no man can number? When shall we see [Nos. sons in thine own power! let not th upon us unawares. O God the Son, v to prepare a place for us! in thine ow us to thyself, that where thou art, ther also. O God the Holy Ghost, the ple glory in our hearts! seal us until the of the purchased possession. We bless thee for the help we have ceived in the divine life through thy and the prayers and praises of thy supplicate thy favor upon all who hav Word, and upon those who have it not thee for thy mercy to this household, ourselves to thy fatherly protection fo Keep us under the shadow or thy wi MONDAY. Joel ii.-28. And it shall come to pass after- | and began to speak with other tongues as the S ward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; gave them utterance. and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; 29. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. 30. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. 5. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem J devout men, out of every nation under heaven 6. Now, when this was noised abroad, the m tude came together, and were confounded, bec that every man heard them speak in his own guage. 7. And they were all amazed, and marve saying one to another, Behold, are not all which speak Galileans? 8. And how hear we every man in our tongue wherein we were born? 9. Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and 32. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be de-dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judæa and livered. padocia, in Pontus and Asia, Acts ii. -1. And, when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, As the disruption of human speech came by man's sundering his spiritual connection with God, it was fitting that the restoration of this spiritual unity should be accompanied with the faculty of utterance in other tongues, -the life of the spiritual breaking through the barriers which the carnal had created. The minds of the disciples being brought into harmony with God, and filled with his Spirit, a new vocalization seems almost a natural sequence. The grandeur of the miracle was in the coming of the Holy Ghost, -a second incarnation, as it were, of the Godhead; not, as before, in the body of Jesus, but within every believing soul. APPROPRIATE HYMNS,] 10. Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt, an the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strange Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11. Cretes and Arabians, we do hear speak in our tongues the wonderful work God. 12. And they were all amazed, and in doubt, saying one to another, What mea this? The Divine Spirit is master of all forms; and the ru wind, the tongues of fire, and the "other tongues" of the tles, were but symbols and attestations of his presence. whole scene, too, was typical of the future spread of the g and the mastery of the Church over the minds, the thou the speech, of men. The great theme of redemption sha so possess the mind of the world, that every thought sh brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. The Pentecost of love and grace shall counteract the Babel of human vrid greed. Prayer. Almighty and most merciful Father, who of thy tender love toward us didst send thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to be our advocate and intercessor, hear us for his sake, and grant us the mercies which we need for another day. Graciously bestow upon us, O heavenly Father! that Holy Spirit which thou hast promised to give to them that ask thee. Remove the scales from our eyes. Take away our ignorance, our hardness and coldness of heart, and our too great love of this present world. Enlighten our understandings; give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. May we know thee as our God and Saviour! May we enter more and more into the riches of redeeming love! Grant that, being set free from sin, and made servants to [Nos. 5, 15, life and breath and all things. O Lord! our s and all that is within us, would bless and p thy holy name. As a family, we bless thee our home, and for all the comforts and joys of daily life. [May the children whom thou has favored in this house remember thee, their hea ly Father, and love and serve thee!] Be with this day to guide and keep us. O most merciful Saviour, our compassio High Priest! pity all our infirmities; heal our s sicknesses; give us the joy of thy salvation, an hope full of immortality. Strengthen us to and labor for thee. Give us grace always to as thy true servants, and to do every thing to glory. May each one of us be able to say, me to live is Christ; to die is gain." And 1 the length tako na to rest with theo above for t TUESDAY. Isaiah xlii.-1. Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law. 5. Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 6. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7. To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house. The phrase "covenant of the people" means strictly the medium or mediator of the covenant between God and the people. This could not be said of Cyrus, friendly as he was to the Jews; and if it might be applied figuratively to Isaiah, yet he could not be called a "light of the Gentiles." But Christ was a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel," the "messenger of the covenant," through whose intervention its blessings should come to all people. Hence all the inhabitants of the earth, from the mountains and the valleys, from the sea and its islands, from populous cities and from desert places, are summoned to rejoice and give glory to the Lord for the Saviour's coming. His coming was full of mercy and peace, of healing and salvation; noiseless as the light, gentle as the dew: but, like APPROPRIATE HYMNS,] 8. I am the Lord; that is my na glory will I not give to another, neit to graven images. 9. Behold, the former things are and new things do I declare: befor forth I tell you of them. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new s praise from the end of the earth; ye to the sea, and all that is therein; the inhabitants thereof. 11. Let the wilderness and the of lift up their voice, the villages doth inhabit: let the inhabitants sing; let them shout from the top tains. 12. Let them give glory unto the clare his praise in the islands. 16. And I will bring the blind 1 they knew not; I will lead them i they have not known: I will make d before them, and crooked things stra things will I do unto them, and them. the light, giving life and joy; like the dev fragrance, and refreshment. The heart tha crushed with its sorrows and sins he will the severity of judgment, but soothe and pardoning grace. The dim torch of faith like the just-expiring wick of flax it emits light, he will not extinguish, but with the will kindle it to a pure, bright flame. Eyes blinded to truth he will open to the sunlight been shut up in the darkness of guilt or o bring out into the free air of hope and peace he has mercy; for every sorrow, healing; wh truth and holiness shall judge the earth. gracious, merciful Prince of Israel is our Say Prayer. O thou eternal Jehovah, King of kings, and Lord of lords! we draw nigh unto thee this morning, rejoicing that we have such a throne of grace ever open, that through the merits of thy dear Son, our only Saviour, we can be received and welcomed and loved. [Nos. the young be enabled to adorn the d their Saviour in all things! Bless our land. Bless all in aut righteousness run down our streets stream! May that glorious day soc the wilderness and the solitary place glad; and the desert shall rejoice, an the rose! O Lord! revive thy work of the years. We confess our great unworthiness; our sins of thought, word, and action; our sins of omission and commission; our sins against light and privilege and providence and grace. We cast ourselves upon Thankful for the mercies of the ni Him who hath borne our griefs, and carried our mend ourselves to thee for this day sorrows; who came to seek and to save the lost. provide for us; go before us. Let Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Re-conscious assurance that God is for membering at what price our redemption hath been none can be against us. purchased, we would consecrate our lives to Him who loved us, and gave himself for us. Bless the members of this household. And now, Lord, what wait we for? in thee. Prepare us for living; p May dying. And all we ask is for the |