had bestowed upon it their highest efforts; the artist looked with pride upon it, the owner delighted in it; but it is gone-its glory has departed-it is among the things that have been.

In the distance are seen the huge forms of the pyramids-Egypt's renown and the wonder of the world-memorials of the past, telling us of the folly, cruelty, despotism, and ambition of kings-telling us, too, doubtless, of the sweat, and groans, and tears, and blood, of thousands of men like ourselves, who slaved and laboured to build those gigantic monuments-but these also will pass away; if not before, they must when the earth shall reel to and fro, and totter like a drunken man. Then, at least, all physical reminiscences of the past, sinking into the deep sea of oblivion, will be recognized no more.

The Future is represented by clouds of darkness that rise upon the path, and shut out from mortal vision all prospect of what is before. Religion, the daughter of the skies, who descended from heaven, and who is hastening back again to her blest abode, is seen on the circular path of time. It is time Present wherever she appears ; she holds in her hand a scroll, see its burden! She is in earnest. She looks benignly and compaffionately as she passes by. She makes known to man his highest good. Above her head is seen a crown of glory; this she promises to all who will obey her voice, and improve the present time.

The past is gone. The castles-the manfions -the green oaks-and the towers and let them go! The monuments of the pride, and ambition, and wickedness of kings and conquerors, are crumbling into dust, and let them crumble! The glory, fplendour, and renown of heroes, are faft fading away, and let them fade. But the dead shall live again they that sleep in the dust shall awake-that which is sown in dishonour shall be raised in glory.

ever.

The past is gone-time once loft is loft for ever. Paft opportunities for doing good and for getting good are go gone, and gone for "'Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours, and ask them what report they bore to heaven.” Happy he,

"Whose work is done; who triumphs in the past,
Whose yesterdays look backward with a smile;
Nor like the Parthian wound him as they fly:
That common but opprobrious lot. Past hours,
If not by guilt, yet wound us by their flight,
If folly bounds our profpect by the grave.

Yet there is a sense in which the past never dies. It haunts us like the ghost of the murdered -it is ever present-an angel of light cafting upon us a look of heavenly love, or a demon of darkness scowling with malignity and hate-the memory will exist for ever. The remembrance of past actions will, therefore, live for ever. “Ο for yesterdays to come!"

The Future is concealed-clouds and darkness hide it from our view. We know not what a day may bring forth, nor what an hour; we

know, however, that Death is there, and after Death the Judgment, and after the Judgment the issues thereof, "Eternal life" or "Eternal death." But this is all we know, and this is enough, if we are wife; how much of joy or forrow there may be for us in the future, we know not; whether our path will be strewed with rofes or with thorns, we cannot tell-moft likely they will be mixed. What opportunities for improvement in religious duties and privileges, or what hindrances, we may have, we know not -how much of life-who can tell? A man may plant, and build, and lay up goods for many years, and yet to-day may be his last day-to-night his foul may be required of him.

If, then, the past is gone, and if the future may never come to us in life, it behoves us to improve the present. God, in his mercy, offers falvation Now is the accepted time now is the day

now.

Salva

of falvation. What is it that is offered? tion. Thou canst not do without salvation; without it thou art loft, and loft for ever. Seize then, O feize the angel as she passes, nor fuffer her to go until she bless thee. The present time, how important! It includes the vast concerns of the eternal state. Destroy it not, there is a blessing in it. "Throw years away? Throw empires, and be blameless." The present seize

"Oh what heaps of flain

Cry out for vengeance on us! Time destroyed
Is fuicide, where more than blood is spilt;

Time flies-death urges-knells call-heaven invites

Hell threatens-all exerts; in effort all;
More than creation labours! -labours more!
Man fleeps, and man alone; and man for whom
All else is in alarm; man the fole cause
Of this furrounding storm; and yet he fleeps,
As the storm rocked to reft."

Now is the accepted time; God will accept thee now; he nowhere promises to accept thee to-morrow. Think, O think, of thy foul, and its value; think of Jehovah and his love; think of Chrift and his precious blood; think of heaven and its eternal blessedness; of hell and its terrible torments. Upon thy present conduct rests thy eternal destiny. What art thou sowing? What are thou working? What art thou treasuring up? Let confcience answer. Think of the past, and all its guilt of the future, and its great uncertainty of the present as thine. To-morrow may be too late; now is the day of falvation-now thou may'st wash away thy fins, calling upon the name of the Lord-inspire a new life-rejoice in glorious hope-enroll your name among the children of God, and become glorious citizen of immortality in heaven."

a

Improve the present. See, look on that beach; there is a boat high and dry with a man in it-he is asleep. The ship to which he belongs is in the offing; she will fail the next tide. The tide rises -the man sleeps on the tide ebbs-he awakes -the water is gone, the ship is gone, and he is left to perish on a defolate island. There is a tide in man's spiritual affairs, which, when taken at the rife, leads on to heaven-omitted, he may be left to perish. "My Spirit, faith the Lord, shall not always strive with man."

Now is the accepted time. Behold that railroad car; it has just started. Look again; there is a person with his hands upraised, exclaiming, "Alas, too late!" He is left behind his friends are all on board, and he is not with them; great is his grief. Man is a stranger here--God sends the chariot of his love to bear him home. Again and again it comes it is here now-O finner, step on board. The Saviour is there he invites thee to leave thy fins and finful companions, and get on board of the heavenly car-the car of mercy. It is ready to start-all things are now ready-fome of thy friends are there. Hefitate not-delay not-or, like the passenger, thou may'st find thyself in a more mournful sense "too late," and " a moment you may wish when worlds want wealth to buy."

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the fame.
Thy word commands our flesh to dust,
"Return, ye fons of men;"
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.