PARTING.

A VISIT to friends or like-minded relatives is very pleasant, and often as profitable as pleasant. How pleasant to meet, to recall old scenes, to talk over past times, and to seem to live over again the years long gone by. But the pleasantest visit must end. Every thing earthly must pass away. It was so with my pleasant visit. I had enjoyed it much. Friends were kind. Conversation was pleasant and sweet. The time fled swiftly, and before it was desired parting time came. We must say farewell to each other, and who can say that we shall ever meet again? Life is so uncertain, Accidents are so common. Diseases are so powerful. Death is so certain. Once parted, we may meet no more below. We may have taken the last look, have heard the last sounds of our friends' voice, and have quitted their hospitable house for ever. This is all true, but,-ah, that but!-but if we are in Christ, if we belong to the Lord's family, we shall meet again: for we are all going home to our Father's house, there the whole family will be collected, not a child will be missing, but each and every one will

be there. Sweet thought, delightful prospect, this!

We shall have a more solemn parting yet, for at death we must part. All our earthly associations must be broken up. All the ties of nature must be severed. Each must go his own way. The one to the duties of life, and the other to appear in the presence of God. With some the separation will be final. They will have but one more interview, and that will be at the judgment seat of Christ. Oh, what partings will take place at that solemn tribunal! Then, the wife will be separated from the husband, and be separated for ever. Then, the children will be separated from the parents, and be separated for ever. The one will be placed on the right hand, among the sheep; and the other on the left hand, among the goats. The one will be invited to come and inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world; and the other will be commanded to depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Who, oh, who can describe the horrors of that day? Who can set forth the terrors produced by that separation?

Then, the daughter will be separated from her fond mother, whose admonitions she neglected, and whose persuasive entreaties she resisted. What, oh, what will be her feelings, to see that face for the last time, and to hear that voice acquiesce in her eternal

doom! Then, the son will be separated from his sainted father, whose advice he disregarded, and whose exhortations he despised. The father will be received up into glory, and the son be thrust down to hell. Who, oh, who can describe the agonies of that son, when he reflects on his folly, remembers all the efforts of his father to save him from destruction, but now hears him testify to the justice of the sentence which banishes him from hope for ever? Then, the godly wife will be for ever severed from her ungodly husband; and will justify God in banishing him from his presence, notwithstanding all the prayers she had offered, and the means she had tried to lead him to the Saviour. Then friends and neighbours must part for ever, to live at an infinite distance from each other for ever. Parting then will be dreadful! Parting then will be final! The glory and the happiness of the one may be seen by the other, but it will only augment their woe, and increase their agony. For there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, when they see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all true Christians, in the kingdom of God, and they themselves thrust out. And the saints looking down from the celestial city, from their thrones of glory, will sing, Hallelujah; while they see the smoke of their torment ascend up for ever and ever. (Rev. xix. 1,3.)

Reader, you may have had many a pain

ful parting here, but partings on earth, however painful, are nothing when compared with that terrible parting at the last day. Is it probable that you will be separated from all you love, and separated for ever? Is it can it be? Oh, make sure of an interest in Christ, and then you will never be separated from Christ, or from the saints, but will enjoy their society for ever! Are you afraid that your children, or brothers, or sisters, or husband, or wife, will be separated from you? Oh, do all you can to prevent it! Try and win them to Jesus. By loving words, by a meek and quiet spirit, by earnest prayers, by constant and prudent efforts, endeavour to save their souls from death. Make up your mind to this, that if they are lost, it shall not be your fault, for you will not be accessory to their destruction; but that the blame, and the whole blame, shall rest upon their own heads. And make up your mind, too, that if anything you can do, or say, or suffer, can secure their salvation, that you will omit no duty, lose no opportunity, and neglect no means, likely to secure such an all-important result.

"NOT OUT OF DANGER YET.”

THE darling child was ill, the mother tenderly watched over it, and carefully tended it; fears were at first entertained, but these gave way to hope, and once more the anxious mother was in the house of prayer. The kind-hearted pastor had sympathised with the afflicted mother, and coming forward, inquired for the child's health-the reply given was, "He is better, but not out of dan ger yet." How many in that pastor's congregation were just in the same state. They had derived some benefit from the ministration of the Word, but they were "not out of danger yet."

DANGER! Yes, we are all naturally in danger, for we are diseased, not perhaps in body, but in soul. The disease is mortal. No human medicine will touch it. No earthly physician can heal it. It baffles the skill of all. There is but one remedy for it, and that comprises the precious blood of Jesus, and the operations of the Holy Spirit. The leprosy of sin will yield to no remedy but blood; to no blood, but the blood of the Lamb of God; nor to that, but as applied by the power of the Holy Spirit. Every