tion. Had that a meaning? Were the lips henceforth to be the touchstone of the children of God? Surely the visitation of death upon the untruthful statements of Ananias and Sapphira in keeping back part of the price of the land-an action which, according to the commercial instincts of to-day, would probably be looked upon in a very different light; and the practical test of St. James'If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain'-points to the fact that God looks for the fruit of our lips to be to His praise and glory. Referring to the evil speaking, lying, and slander, alas ! so common amongst professing Christians, few thought of the intense pain which could thrill the heart and poison the life of a sensitive nature for years, from idle words spoken, repeated, and forgotten by their author, which no power could heal. The Chinese had a proverb which we would do well to lay to heart-'A word once spoken, a coach and six cannot bring back.' The tongue was the most impulsive member of our body, the most easily exercised, and the last to be-was it ever?-weary. If the Guild of St. John the Divine could bring to our remembrance the grave thought of the sin of our lips, and help to make the Homes in Paris as those in which the harmony of love prevailed, and where the strong bore the burdens of the weak, and by love served one another, it would be a movement upon which they might ask and look for the blessing of God. Mrs. Lewis did not know whether the lady-worker who had proposed this Guild of St. John the Divine, and to whose thoughtful kindness and unwearying labour for years the Home owed so many of its daily comforts, would allow her the privilege of being a member, as she Echoes from Paris. 153 had so often to say apparently hard things? only that they were not spoken of a worker, but to the worker, and lovingly meant ! In any case, she sincerely hoped that the Guild would have a marked influence amongst them in Paris, and one which would also bear fruit in her new home across the Atlantic. This very happy and pleasant evening was then brought to a close by the singing of the evening hymn, 'Son of my soul, Thou Saviour dear,' and prayer offered up by the Rev. P. E. Phelps, who was paying a visit to the Home. Sur la belle nature, exultante, arrosée, Et les féconds trésors de leurs fruits savoureux Saint Esprit, ô Prodige! Sans magie, ô Prestige! Cent langages sont nés de ces langues en feux ! Pentecôte. Grâce à vingt bouches d'or, t'en se parlant et devisent A. RÉGNAULT, de l'ancien Conseil d'Etat de France, Académicien. 27 Mai, 1890. A SEASON OF REFRESHMENT. UCH we felt to be the recent visit of H. W. Maynard, Esq. It is always welcome news at the Mission Home that Mr. Maynard is coming amongst us; his words of loving counsel at morning and evening prayer are listened to most attentively, and the Bible becomes at once a more interesting book as the Old Testament stories are commented upon, and applied to our daily lives. On Sunday evening, April 27th, Mr. Maynard gave an address on Ps. lxviii. 13. The dove lying amongst the pots on the roof of an Eastern house, and then soaring up into the sunshine, its wings like burnished gold and silver as they reflect the sun's glory. Such is the true Christian -as yet his abode must be amongst earthly things which defile, but he must ever be rising into the sunshine of God's presence, and then he too will reflect that glory and be a light shining in a dark world. There are many lessons to be learnt from the dove. It is a clean feeder-it feeds only on grain. So does the child of God feed on His word, only that heavenly food satisfies his craving. The dove is harmless and gentle; such, too, should be the spirit of the child of God, spreading peace and love wherever he goes. The dove will not make its resting-place among stran gers and in strange places, but ever flies home, as Noah's dove returned to the ark. 'The dove let loose in Eastern skies, Returning fondly home, Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies Where idler warblers roam.' Again, the dove was used in sacrifice to foreshadow Him Temperance Address. He said in his opening words that it was very difficult to address such a mixed audience—old and young and middle-aged being all represented-but he would begin in the old-fashioned way-'Once upon a time.' 'Once upon a time, then, there was in a neighbouring land a very dangerous precipice, and year after year numbers of people fell down this precipice. Some were killed, many others seriously hurt, till at last the good people of that country determined to build a hospital and have doctors and nurses to tend the broken limbs and the wounds of those who fell, and were not killed outright. This went on for some time; and then it struck some wise person that it would be better to make a strong fence on the top of the cliff, and so prevent people falling over. The fence was made, and soon there was no more need of the hospital; and doctors and nurses packed up and went elsewhere with their healing arts. Now, what that fence was to guard the precipice, such are our Bands of Hope, in this and other lands. Drink is like a terrible precipice, down which numbers fall and are grievously hurt; surely the best way is to begin with our young people, and, as far as in us lies, place a barrier between them and the threatening danger. He, Mr. Maynard, would not say that to any one it was a sin to drink a glass of wine, but neither would he say that it was not, for in some cases one glass would lead on to great danger, while others would thus weaken their influence for good. 'We cannot measure the amount of influence we each one of us exert over others; let us see to it that we use it all for good, and not for evil.' Mr. Maynard himself was led to leave the ranks of the moderate drinkers and to become a teetotaler, by a talk with a pious sailor on board a vessel. This man had become deeply impressed by the terrible power of the drink, through the sudden death of a comrade who lived in the indulgence of this sin. He said, never could he taste a drop of spirit again as long as he lived. Mr. Maynard determined then and there to join this good sailor in his warfare against drunkenness. With all reverence he would say it--but he was convinced that if our Lord had lived in England in our day, He too would have advocated this cause, for did He not attack in searching words the sins of the day in which He lived-Pharisaism, hypocrisy, covetousness? Drunkenness is not, and never has been the sin of the East, yet the word of God does not leave us in any doubt how God regards this sin; almost the closing words of God's book tell us that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Which of you then will join in this crusade, the noble work of fighting this giant of evil? denying yourselves that which may be to you uninjurious for the sake of saving others from danger? 'If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while this world standeth,' was the resolve of St. Paul. Are you aware that if one-tenth part of the people who die yearly, directly killed through the drink, were killed in railway accidents, immense as is the use and value of railways, they would, with the common consent of humanity, be given up, so dangerous would they be considered! |