reflection for us. The queen was a sojourner in the palace of the heathen king, but her intercession prevailed for her own, and was sufficient to arrest the course of the wicked, and to detect his evil counsels. Though a woman, weak and powerless, she proved mightier than the favourite vizier, and was able to shed honour and credit on a despised and dishonoured people. Her entreaties were preceded by the fasting and prayer in which she and her maidens joined; while outside the palace gate her kindred lifted up holy hands and hearts of sympathy to give force and strength to her intercession. 66 It may be of necessity that the Church lies among the pots," that her feathers are tarnished, and her wing paralyzed and unable to rise from the weight which crushes and oppresses it. At least it is so among us; still she is fair, still she is a "King's daughter, all glorious within," whose "clothing is of wrought gold; her raiment of needlework and virgin fellows bear her company." Days have been when she was received and entertained with regal splendour, when she was surrounded by the pomp of the world's glory, and when the festive board of kings felt her influence, and admired her beauty; still she was a captive. If it is so no more among us, at least she receives a certain honour. But how great is the duty incumbent on her in that position! Her zealous and chief ministers stand before the monarch, and have access to the palace,—what is the influence they exercise there? Is it one of humility, earnestness, meekness, firmness, and self-denial? Do they remember at all times their brethren which are in the world, intercede for them, and plead their cause against the wicked with the lip dry with fasting and the hands joined in sympathetic intercession? Do they meet the enemies of the Church at the banquet of wine, and remember that they have no portion with them-no other aim than to subvert their designs and counteract their policy? Do they recognise their brotherthe poor, even though clad in the garb of the world's poverty, and sitting at the gate of the palace where they are honoured guests? Do they realize a hundredfold more their companionship with the children of God than their connection with the rich, the brilliant or the noble? Or does the pleasure of the world, the glory of the palace, the honour bestowed on them make them forget their holy city which is in ruins, and their brethren who lie in captivity and oppression? Do they sing the strange song in the strange land, or lament because they would not sing the LORD's song there ? Do they hang their harps on the willows, and think of Jerusalem as the city of their deep desire? Or more, do they help their brethren in captivity and sorrow, and hold out holy hands to communicate with them, by recognizing them as having more connection with them than with the world; by the passage to and fro from Esther's chamber to the palace gate, by the fasting kept with them, and the earnest plea for their cause even though it be at the world's banquets? The Church is among us too much in thrall; and through the bars of a dwelling too like a prison she is seen by us in matchless beauty. Her voice sounds on our ears too much as from the recesses of an inner chamber: too often conveyed to us through the mediation of those who roughen her accents and distort her meaning. Her form fleets by within as we stand and gaze; we admire the loveliness of the King's daughter; we see the waving of her garment of wrought gold-the robe of needlework-and we sigh that we may not touch her more closely. Her visits to us are too much by permission; here and there, now and then. Still she may prevail if she will. The voice of her ministers may be heard, if they will raise their pleading for her children in all lands, and subvert the machinations of her enemies throughout the world, so that the poorest and most persecuted of CHRIST'S members may go forth to honour, as Mordecai; and her enemies "fall into their own net which they have laid." LXXI. ELIJAH.-PART II. THE DUTY OF FASTING. 1. KINGS XIX. 8. "AND HE AROSE, AND DID EAT AND DRINK, AND WENT IN THE STRENGTH OF THAT MEAT FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS 1. Ir is hardly possible to pass over the Old Testament characters, without adverting to the leading feature in that of Elijah the prophet, in which he finds a resemblance with so many others in the Mosaic Church: the practice of fasting and personal austerity for the sake of doing God's will. In short, there is scarcely a man whose life is recorded in the Old Testament, of whom it may not be said that he fasted and wept over sin; so that we are led to inquire anxiously whether this be not a duty, and |