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he was enabled to go through them without hurry or perturbation. We can discern traces of this uniform self-possession in a matter so minute as his hand-writing. His most rapid notes show no symptoms of haste or bustle, but end in the same neat and regular style in which they began; and this quietness of spirit accompanied him into the most arduous labours and critical emergencies

.....He gave himself to prayer. Like his blessed Master, he often rose up a great while before it was day, and spent the time in prayer, and singing psalms and hymns, and the devotional reading of that Word which dwelt so richly in him. His walks, and rides, and journeys were sanctified by prayer. The last time he was leaving London we accompanied him to the railway station. He chose a place in an empty carriage, hoping to employ the day in his beloved exercise; but the arrival of other passengers invaded his retirement. There was nothing which he liked so much as to go out into a solitary place and pray; and the ruined chapel of Invergowrie, and many other sequestered spots around Dundee, were the much-loved resorts where he had often enjoyed sweet communion with God. Seldom have we known one so specific and yet reverential in his prayers, not one whose confessions of sin united such self-loathing with such filial love. And now that "Moses, my servant, is dead," perhaps the heaviest loss to his brethren, his people, and the land, is the loss of his intercessions.

He was continually about his Master's business. He used to seal his letters with a sun going down behind the mountains, and the motto over it," The night cometh." He felt that the time was short, and studiously sought to deepen this impression on his mind. To solemnise his spirit for the Sabbath's services, he would visit some of his sick or dying hearers on the Saturday afternoon; for, as he himself once expressed it to the writer, "Before preaching he liked to look over the verge." Having in himself a monitor that his own sun would go early down, he worked while it was day; and, in his avidity to improve every opportunity, frequently brought on attacks of dangerous illness. The autumn after his return from Palestine many of his hearers were in an anxious state; and on the Sabbath before the labouring people amongst them set out for the harvest-work in the country, like Paul at Troas, he could not desist from addressing them and praying with them. In one way or other, from morning to midnight, with scarcely a moment's interval, he was exhorting, and warning, and comforting them; and the consequence was an attack of fever, which brought him very low. But it was not only in preaching that he was thus faithful and importunate. He was

instant in every season. In the houses of his people, and when he met them by the wayside, he would speak a kind and earnest word about their souls; and his words were like nails. They went in with such force that they usually fastened in a sure place. An instance came to our knowledge long ago. In the course of a ride one day, he was observing the operations of the workmen in a quarry; when passing the engine-house, he stopped for a moment to look at it. The engine-man had just opened the furnace-door to feed it with fresh fuel; when, gazing at the bright white glow within, Mr. M'Cheyne said to the man, in his own mild way, "Does that fire mind you of anything?" and he said no more, but passed on his way. The man had been very careless, but could not get rid of that solemn question. To him it was the Spirit's arrow. He had no rest till he found his way to St. Peter's Church, where he became a constant attendant; and we would fain hope that he has now fled from the wrath to come. His speech was seasoned with salt, and so were his letters. As was truly remarked in the discriminating and affectionate tribute to his memory, which appeared in the Dundee Warder, "Every note from his hand had a lasting interest about it; for his mind was so full of Christ that, even in writing about the most ordinary affairs, he contrived, by some natural turn, to introduce the glorious subject that was always uppermost with him." It was always quickening to hear from him. It was like climbing a hill, and, when weary or lagging, hearing the voice of a friend, who has got far up on the sunny heights, calling to you to arise and come away. The very subscriptions usually told where his treasure was:"Grace be with you, as Samuel Rutherford would have prayed." "Even yours till we meet above;" "Even yours till glory dawn, Robert M. M'Cheyne."

The tenderness of his conscience-the truthfulness of his character his deadness to the world-his deep humility and exalted devotion-his consuming love to Christ-and the painful solicitude with which he eyed everything affecting his honourthe fidelity with which he denied himself, and told others of their faults or danger-his meekness in bearing wrong, and his unwearied industry in doing good-the mildness which tempered his unyielding firmness, and the jealousy for the Lord of Hosts which commanded, but did not supplant, the yearnings of a most affectionate heart-rendered him altogether one of the loveliest specimens of the Spirit's workmanship. He is gone, and in his grave has been buried the Sermon which his mere presence has preached to Dundee. That countenance, so kindly earnest-those gleams of holy joy flitting over its deeper lines of sadness-that

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disentangled pilgrim-look, which showed plainly that he sought a city-the serene self-possession of one who walked by faith, and sequestered musing gait, such as we might suppose the meditative Isaac had—that aspect of compassion in such unison with the remonstrating and entreating tones of his melodious voice-that entire appearance as of one who had been with Jesus, and who would never be right at home till where Christ is there he should be also all these came back on memory with a vividness which annihilates the interval since last we saw them, and with an air of immortality around them which promises that ere long we shall see them again. To enjoy his friendship was a rare privilege in this world of defect and sin; and now that those blessed hours of personal intercourse are ended, we can recall many texts of which his daily walk was the easy interpretation. Any one may have a clearer conception of what is meant by a "hidden life," and a "living sacrifice," and may better understand the kind of life which Enoch led, who has lived a day with Robert Murray M'Cheyne.

JAMES HAMILTON.

THE

FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

AN ARGUMENT FOR PRAYER AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR WORK.

"He is faithful that promised."--Hebrews x. 23.

ow countless are the witnesses to the faithfulness of God! If Abraham were here to-day, he would tell us how the Lord promised him a son, how he waited patiently many years, and then at the set time God's promise was fulfilled. Or if Noah were amongst us now he would be able to speak of God's preserving care of him in the ark, and of our Father's faithfulness to him and his family. Or if the sweet Psalmist of Israel were now on earth he would sing of the goodness and mercy of his faithful God which followed him all the days of his life. And I am sure if he were here, St. Paul would assure us that God was indeed faithful and stood by him when all men forsook him, and delivered him from every evil work.

Time would fail to tell of the myriads who can set to their seal that Jehovah is true to His Word.

I. If God is faithful, here is an argument for Prayer. "Whatsoever," said the Saviour, "ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you" (St. John xvi. 23.) Now people often say, "If God ordains I shall have anything, I shall have it whether I ask or not. My prayer cannot alter God's decree:" We answer, God ordains ends, but He also predestines the means to those ends. Thus He ordains that His people shall have certain blessings, but He also ordains that they shall ask for those blessings. And how many are living witnesses that God's ear is not heavy that it cannot hear! If all the printing-presses in the world were at work for the next thousand years printing only answers to prayer, not half would be done! Oh! that every answer God ever gave to prayer had been written down, and graven with an iron pen, and lead in the rock for ever! Oh! that answers to prayer were printed on the sky, that infidels might blush, and turn, and live! O praying soul, as sure as there is a God in heaven, your prayers are heard and shall be answered! You may be dead and gone, a hundred summers may have smiled over your grave; your very tombstone may have worn away through age, but the prayer of faith shall pierce the sky, and bring showers of blessings down, because God has promised to hear prayer, and He is faithful to His Promise. And more, when a man really gets answers to his prayer, never think lightly of his religion.

Perhaps some Christian reads these lines who is sorely tried with manifold troubles. Earthly cares! how heavily they drag down the soul. You are wearied and distracted. You inwardly sigh: How can I make both ends meet? How can I provide for my children?-and perhaps too those children are unsaved. Let me remind you of David. On one occasion he was "greatly distressed, for the people spake of stoning him: but"-oh! what volumes there are in that "but "--but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. And you remember too what Hezekiah did, when Sennacherib wrote his insolent and blasphemous letter. Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord." He referred the matter altogether to God, spread the whole case before Him, and sent the letter to the King of Kings. So do you. "Commit," or as it literally is, "Roll thy way upon the Lord" the burden of care and trouble which is too heavy for you to lift, much less to carry, do you roll on Him in prayer, and He shall bring it to pass," that is, He will do it, He will do for you what you cannot do for yourself (Psalm xxxvii. 5.)

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Or perhaps you are tried with doubts and fears about the salvation of your soul. O then remember the faithful promises of your faithful God-"As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people from henceforth even for ever" (Ps. cxxv. 2.) "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand" (John x. 27, 28.) And ever remember the very faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises is in itself an argument for prayer, therefore let your daily, your hourly petition be, "Hold Thou me up and I shall be safe.'

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The children of grace all feel their own sinfulness and helplessness, and therefore the faithfulness of their God is the joy of their life and the strength of their heart. And so on the one hand they feel their own exceeding need, and on the other experience the sweetness of the Lord's love in giving them exceeding great and precious promises, and thus are able to say

"Dear Saviour, I have nought to plead,

On earth below or heaven above,
But just my own exceeding need,
And Thine exceeding love.

“The need will soon be past and gone,
Exceeding great but quickly o'er ;
The love unbought is all Thy own,
And lasts for evermore."

II. And indeed the Faithfulness of our God is an encouragement to earnest work for Him. For what is His promise concerning the teaching and preaching of His Own Word? "As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isa. lv. 10, 11.) Now if we are really teaching the simple Word of God, we cannot labour in vain. The work of the Artist, or Sculptor, or Statesman may fail; our's cannot, because the faithfulness of God ensures success. Only let us speak all His Words, and then we never know what he may do by us. Let me give you one instance of the Lord's fulfilling the gracious promise I have just referred to. It shall be from the life of the late Stephen Butler of Southampton, the savour of whose saintly character and earnest

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