they vanish or are blasted by an unseen hand. But the
infant dead never feels those pangs, never experiences
those spirit chilling, heart-crushing sorrows.
It peace-
fully glides from the arms of its earthly to those of its
heavenly Father. Suppose the little one who is now gone,
had been allowed to reach mature age, become entangled
with the gayety and follies of this world, her hopes high-
ly exalted, but through the snares and deceitfulness of
sin and of sinners, been deceived, disappointed in her
expectations, placed in circumstances destructive of all
peace here, and well adapted to ensure her misery here-
after. How very different from her present condition!
Oh! what a contrast!! But she has escaped all this!
Rest, on the bosom of thy God; young spirit, rest thee now--
None of the sorrows here portrayed, shall fall upon thy brow!
The vital cup in part, your lips had quaffed,

But, with it sickened, you repelled the draught-
Opposed; then turning from the blaze of day,
You gently breathed your infant soul away.

Oh, mourn not for the dead, in youth who pass away,

Ere peace and joy and bliss have fled, and sin has brought decay.
Better in youth to die, life being fair and bright,

Than when the soul has lost its truth, in age and sorrow's night.
Then shed not the tear of grief upon the sable bier,

Her wearied spirit finds a rest, in a more blissful sphere.

But again, children are called away out of mercy and love to parents. We have too many idols in this world. If God loves us, he must take them out of our way, that we may be led to worship God, and not idols. We are too much disposed to love the creature more than the Creator. Now, to wean us from earth, and set our affections on things above, to have the world painted in its true colors before our eyes, and be brought, like Job, to loathe it, exclaiming, "I would not live always," is a very important desideratum-a point highly desirable to

gain, so as we may be turned from the ways of sin and death, into those of holiness and life.

Think not of your child as dead, but think of it as living;-not as a flower withered, to bloom no more; but as one transplanted by Jehovah's hand to bloom in richer colors, and sweeter shades than those of earth. Bear in mind God has done this, who does all things best.

With patient mind thy course of duty run;

God nothing does nor suffers to be done

But thou would'st do thyself, if thou could'st see
The end of all He does, as well as He.

May the Lord, of his infinite mercy, make this dispensation the means of a present and eternal blessing to your souls, through Jesus Christ His Son. AMEN.

PIETY IN CHILDHOOD.

REV. ROBERT WYE BETTS.

ON THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF E. T. D., AGED 13 YEARS, SON OF THE REV. S. A. DAVIES,

KILLED AT THE NEW CROSS RAILWAY STATION, ENGLAND.

“Because in him was found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel."-1 KINGS Xiv: 13.

"First the blade."-MARK iv: 28.

ALTHOUGH the dealings of God with the children

of men, and the course and dispensations of Divine Providence are, to a great extent, enveloped in mystery and in gloom, occasional gleams of light break through the darkness-gleams of celestial light whereby the dark enshrouding shadow-casting clouds are dispersed-gleams of celestial light whereby we are able to see that the whole is ordered in infinite wisdom and

love. That God "doeth all things well," and overrules whatever occurs to us as individuals, families, or nations, for the best, are truths which are frequently, forcibly, and fully affirmed in His Holy Word. But when events that are of a peculiarly distressing and afflictive character take place, our faith is apt to waver. We cling to the general idea; but in relation to the particular circumstance that presses so heavily, and makes the individual heart bleed, we are at a loss to perceive how that can be comprehended in any benefi'cent arrangement, and are prone to think that that might have been spared. The trial of faith is undoubtedly on this point, when the keenest sensibilities of our nature are touched; when the dearest objects of our affection are smitten; when the most treasured blessings of our heart are violently wrested from us. Yet, even in such circumstances, faith is not altogether without its relief and its rescue; for sometimes, in addition to the strong and general assurance of His word, our Heavenly Father lifts a portion of the veil from the dark dispensations of His Providence; gives us a glimpse of the reason why He permitted the sorrow, the woe, the bereavement to come; enables us to hear His voice above the roar of the surging waves and the rush of the tempestuous wind, as the Disciples heard the voice of Jesus when their hearts were failing them for fear upon the storm-tossed lake of Galilee. "It is I. Be not afraid."

Death. The death of children is one of the gloomiest, darkest, and, in the world's opinion, one of the most mysterious and unnatural dispensations of Divine Providence. Philosophy is startled at the idea of a little one cut down just as the buds and blossoms of its life are becoming developed. And infidelity, emboldened by such an event, ventures on the assertion that there is

no Providence but the chapter of accidents, and no other God in the world but chance.

A little deeper attention to the matter, a closer and more prayerful investigation of the Book of God, will, perhaps, lead to the throwing of more light upon this subject than it is generally supposed to have. Let whatever will betide, I have no hesitation in affirming, not only on the ground of my Scriptural beliefs, but on the ground also of the coincident testimony of experience and observation, the stern logic of facts, and the world's past history, that the "Judge of all the earth" must do right. If "Light is sown for the righteous," it is the condition of the sowing that the light be buried beneath the soil, its elements, its germs, its seed-form, be laid in darkness and in death. "That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die."

These are general principles-confessedly difficult at times of individual application, and not always to be perceived or understood in relation to the particular event which is at this or that particular moment of our history our particular trial. But, then the Bible does not shut us up to general principles. It gives us a number of instances of their particular application, in the Biographies and Histories embalmed in its inspired record. The Biographies of the Bible are not mere. biographies written with no higher aim than that of making us acquainted with the men of the past. The Histories of the Bible are not mere histories narrated for no other purpose than that of describing the onward progress of events, until the arrival of the "fulness of time," and the advent of the promised Messiah. They are biographies and historics rich with illustrations of the principles by which God's procedure is governed; fruitful with lessons of heavenly wisdom, in relation to the reasons of many of his dealings with the children of

men. They are a mine of spiritual wealth, from which the earnest and devout workman may procure gems of inestimable worth-a firmament of spiritual stars, from which illuminating beams stream down on many things which we deem dark, mysterious, inexplicable. Interpreted by the histories and biographies of the Bible, the woes, the sorrows, the bereavements of life, are not so dark, mysterious, inexplicable, as we had supposed them to be.

Very sad, mournful, distressing, is the Providence which has furnished me with a special topic of discourse this evening. The youngest son of our dear friend, the Rev. S. A. Davies, a beautiful child of thirteen years of age-beautiful not only for the bright intelligence of his countenance, but beautiful for his spirit-beautiful for his early piety, some ten days ago fell from the platform of the New Cross Railway Station, and was instantly crushed to death beneath the wheels of the train for which he was waiting, in company with his brother, to go to the Crystal Palace.

We ask, why was one so young, so full of promise, so gentle, and so good-such a treasure at home, and such a pattern at school, so suddenly snatched away-so early called? Indeed, I cannot tell all the reasons for his premature death, any more than I can tell all the reasons why so many of the beautiful buds and blossoms of the early spring time are permitted to be nipped by the frost and perish, any more than I can tell all the reasons why such men as Josiah, the pious King of Israel, and Prince Albert, the noble husband of our beloved Queen, should be cut down in the very prime and flower of life, just when, according to our poor judgments, they could least be spared; and at the time when their influence for good had reached its power and its zenith. But I do not think it is totally inexplicable,