differences are perpetuated from generation to generation. How is prejudice a cause? In many ways. Mention some. Nathaniel was almost inclined to reject Christ through prejudice. John i. 45, 46. The Jews did reject Christ through prejudice. They thought he would come with great show and pomp, and because he did not, they rejected him. But how are differences of opinion respecting the Bible caused by prejudice? In this way:-a churchman is brought up in prejudice against dissenters, and so will not calmly hear what their views may be. Dissenters too may be prejudiced against churchmen, and will not calmly or impartially hear what their views may be. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Independents, are in many cases brought up in prejudice against one another, and thus are not prepared to hear impartially one another's views; and so their differences remain. How can this evil be avoided? By seeking to get rid of such prejudices as much as possible, and keeping more closely to the Bible as our only guide. How is self-interest a cause? In the following way. A man's relations may hold certain religious views, and because he does not like to lose their esteem, he may continue to hold their views, although he may fear they are wrong. A person in business may fear to change his religion lest he should lose his customers. Or a person may follow a certain religion because it is fashionable. In all these and other cases self-interest perpetuates differences. How may this evil be avoided? By seriously determining to sacrifice everything in order to obtain the truth. Is this our duty? Yes. Matt. xiii. 44-46.

IMPROVEMENT. Show how important it is to seek after that truth which God has revealed, and to do all we can towards avoiding whatever would prevent our obtaining it.

FEBRUARY 25.

Morning Reading, 1 Kings, v.

Morning Lesson, Matt. xvi. 24-28.

NOTES ON THE LESSON.

VERSE 24. Did Christ address these words to any besides the disciples? Yes; Mark viii. 34; Luke ix. 23. What did Christ mean by the words come after me'? Accompany him in his travels. What is it to take up the cross? To suffer loss in the cause of Christ. How does this apply to us in the present day? If we would be disciples of Christ, we must be ready to sacrifice much.-VERSE 25. What is it to save life? To be careful respecting the pleasures of this life only. How do they who are thus careful lose life?

They die and all their pleasures cease. What does the last clause mean? That all who suffer, or sacrifice for Christ's sake, will find eternal life.-VERSE 26. What is to lose the soul? To lose its happiness, its peace, and all its pleasures, and for ever to be under the wrath of God.-VERSE 27. How will Christ come in the glory of the Father? He will come with the authority of the Father, and will manifest the divine glory in his power and justice. Acts xvii. 31. How will he reward every one according to his works? Matt. xxv. 31-33.-VERSE 28. What is it to taste death'? To die. What is it to see the son of man coming in his kingdom? To see the commencement of the gospel dispensation. This took place after Christ's resurrection. See Mark ix. 1; Luke ix. 27. Did any of them see this? Yes; probably all the apostles.

IMPROVEMENT. Dwell upon the value of the soul, the danger of losing it, and the duty of following Christ.

Afternoon Reading, Gen. xli. 1—36.

Afternoon Lesson, Matt. xvii. 1—9.

NOTES ON THE LESSON.

Luke ix.

VERSE 1. How many days after does Luke mention? 28. How do you account for this difference? Matthew mentions the six days that intervened between the day of conversation and the transfiguration; Luke includes both those days, and thus reckons eight. At what other remarkable time were these three disciples with our Saviour? During his agony at Gethsemane. Mark xiv. 33. What does 'apart' refer to? Apart from the other disciples. What mountain is this commonly supposed to be? Mount Tabor, in Galilee. Why did our Saviour often ascend mountains ? That he might be alone in prayer. Luke ix. 28.—VERSE 2. What is the meaning of 'transfigured'? Changed in appearance or form. Of whom is a similar appearance described? Of Moses, when he came down from Mount Sinai. Exodus xxxiv. 29, 30. Was this transfiguration referred to afterwards by any of these three disciples? Yes, by John and Peter; John i. 14; 2 Peter i. 16, 17.-VERSE 3. What does Luke add of their conversation? Luke ix. 31. Then we may infer that the death of Christ was an object of intense interest to glorified spirits? Yes.-VERSE 4. What is a tabernacle? A tent. Isaiah liv. 2. What made Peter desirous to remain? He rejoiced at the vision, and in the ecstacy of the moment wished to continue there.-VERSE 5. Of what was 'a cloud' the symbol? Of the Divine presence. Exodus xiv. 19, 20; xxiv. 15, 16; 1 Kings viii. 10, 11; Ezekiel i. 4. Whose voice was this? The voice of God. When had the divinity of Christ been declared before?

At his baptism. Matt. iii. 17. After this was it not impossible for them to doubt that he was truly the Son of God? Yes. 2 Peter i. 17, 18.—Verse 6. What made the disciples afraid? The presence of God.-VERSE 7. What dispelled their fears? The voice and touch of their beloved master.-VERSE 9. Why were the disciples thus charged? Because while Christ was with them it was unnecessary to relate the vision. When he had ascended to heaven, they would need this evidence.

IMPROVEMENT. Dwell upon the necessity of our realizing Christ's presence at all times, so that we may be prepared for the full and perfect manifestation of his glory in heaven.

MARCH 3.

Morning Reading, 1 Kings vi. 1-30.

Morning Lesson, Matt. xvii. 10-13.

NOTES ON THE LESSON.

VERSE 10. Who were the scribes ? That class amongst the Jews who were accustomed to copy out the law. They were therefore well acquainted with it. Why did the scribes expect Elias before Christ? Prophecy had said so. Mal. iv. 5. Does Malachi pre

dict Elias's coming "first?" Yes. Are Elias and Elijah the same person? Yes. Elias is the Greek form of the name, and Elijah the Hebrew form.-VERSE 11. Who was the Elias mentioned in these verses? John the Baptist, who came in the spirit of Elijah. Luke i. 17. How did John resemble Elijah? In his devotedness to his work, his zeal and courage. Compare 1 Kings xviii. 17-40, with Luke iii. 3-20. How did John restore all things? He reformed many abuses, corrected many of their false notions about the Messiah, and pointed his hearers to Christ. John i. 29.VERSE 12. What is to list? To choose. This means, that they had dealt with John as they pleased. They had put him to death. What do the other evangelists say? Mark ix. 12, 13.

IMPROVEMENT. Dwell upon the faithfulness of God to his own word, as shewn in the fulfilment of prophecy.

Afternoon Reading, Gen. xli. 37-57.

Afternoon Lesson, Matt. xvii. 14-21.

NOTES ON THE LESSON.

VERSE 14. Why did he kneel' down to Christ? It was the usual mode of salutation in eastern countries.-VERSE 15. Did he use the word 'Lord' as implying divinity? No, only as a title of civility. What else is recorded of this son by Luke? That he was an only son, and possessed with a devil. Luke ix. 38, 39. What is meant by being 'sore vexed'? Suffering greatly, or greatly afflicted, and

fell often, in the manner of persons having epileptic fits.-VERSE 16. Why could not the disciples cure him? Because they doubted whether they could cure so desperate a case, and therefore could not.-VERSE 17. Was this an expression of impatience or complaint? No, it was a reproof that they were so slow to believe that he was the Messiah, notwithstanding his miracles, and that even his disciples so slowly learned to put their trust in him. What question did Jesus ask the father of the lunatic before he cured him? Mark ix. 23. What was his answer? Mark ix. 24. What did he mean by the expression 'help my unbelief'? He was humble, and asked Christ to supply what was defective, so that the defect of his faith might not prevent the healing of his child.-VERSE 18. What were the words which Christ used in rebuking the devil? Mark ix. 25. What did they imply? Reproof and command.— VERSE 19. Where was this inquiry made? Mark ix. 28.-VERSE 20. Would their faith have made it more easy for God to work this miracle? No; but such was the way in which God chose to work miracles, that he required faith in those who were his instruments. What is the meaning of Christ's answer? That if you have real faith, however small, it will increase and enlarge until you can perform the most difficult undertaking.—VERSE 21. What does this kind' mean? This kind of possession. What kind of faith was necessary in such obstinate cases? The highest kind—faith kept strong by prayer and abstinence from everything that would unfit the mind to hold free communion with God.

IMPROVEMENT. If faith was necessary to the healing of the body, how much more so is it to the salvation of the soul. Dwell upon the necessity of real faith in Jesus Christ as the only Saviour of men.

REVIEWS.

Baptism at Corinth, and by Paul, shown to be both in its spirit and practice Christian Baptism, and not that in the Jordan and by John, &c. A Discourse, by Thomas Stratten. Snow, London. Price 4d.

This is an excellent pamphlet, and admirably suited to put into the hands of those who may be in need of information respecting the baptismal question. The title sufficiently explains its object. It appears that the waters have recently been disturbed to a considerable degree in Hull and its neighbourhood-not altogether for healing purposes-and Mr. S., at the

request of his brethren in the ministry, seeks to allay the fervour of anti-pædo-baptistical zeal, by first preaching, and then publishing, the present discourse. The language of Paul to the Corinthians is the basis of his reasonings. "I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius, lest any should say that I had baptized in my own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not that I baptized any other." From this passage the author draws five conclusions, which are the topics of discourse. "I. A conclusion against the zeal which makes peculiar views on baptism the ground of a denominational distinction. II. A conclusion against the practice of giving public exhibition and eclat to baptismal services. III. A conclusion against limiting the administration of baptism to adults only. IV. A conclusion against linking together baptism and the Lord's Supper. V. A conclusion against the mode of administering the rite by immersion." Each position is well sustained and clearly elucidated, as the extract in another part of our Magazine will show. We hope the Baptists will do all they can towards circulating the discourse: we are convinced it is adapted to do them much good.

Christian Consolation; or, the Unity of the Divine Procedure a Source of Comfort to Afflicted Christians. By the Rev. E. Mannering, author of "Christian Consistency," "Christian Happiness," &c. London: John Snow, 35, Paternoster Row. The readers of Mr. Mannering's former publications will be pleased with the appearance of this volume, which, like its predecessors, is of that unostentatious, simple, practical character, which fits it for usefulness in the present age. There is to our minds a great charm in the treatises of our author. He seems to us to write only what he thinks and feels, which is by no means an ordinary matter. His principles are pure and scriptural;. his method of applying them is direct; and the reader of his books cannot rise from their perusal without the feeling that both heart and head have been exercised in their composition. We do not anticipate a very extensive circulation for the present volume, because of the special character of the topics which it embraces; but, we hardly know another book so well suited to the class for whom it is written. The tried, distressed,