which mitigate in some measure the overshadowing gloom.

I. The length of a human life is not always the measure of its usefulness. A long life is not necessarily a useful one. It may be like some long rivers whose waters are slow and sluggish, whose banks are low and marshy, where the crocodile and the serpent find a home. Other lives are short and diminutive like some mountain streams, and yet what a work they accomplish-what de light a child brings to a home, what source of pleasure to parents and others. It gladdens, refines, elevates.

II. A child's work on earth is not finished when it dies. Its buried body draws the thoughts often to the grave. Its soul gone to cternity attracts thoughts and affections thitherward.

It opens the fountains of sympathy in the heart towards other bereaved ones. Its death becomes a teacher of spiritual things and a magnet towards a saving power.

III. It is removed from the many troubles and temptations incident to this mortal life. Disease, accident, misfortune, poverty, neglect, what sources too of moral evil, threatening to deluge the young mind and heart. These evils are more fearful than death. now safe from all moral harm.

It is

IV. God has called it to a higher and nobler mission than any on earth. Who can tell what the spirit of a beloved child may be given by God to do in heaven? Something better, at any rate, than he could have performed here.

V. The assurance that godly parents shall be reunited to their children. "I shall go," etc. This is clearly taught. God is able thus to comfort us in all tribulations.

THE CHILD GLORIFIED.

J. SANDERSON, D.D.

And her child was caught up to God and unto his throne.-REV. xii: 5.

WHATEVER the primary meaning of these words may be, they are especially true when spoken of one who has died in infancy. All such are not lost but gone before. They are the "lambs of the upper fold," whom the good Shepherd has gathered from the hills. and vales of a land smitten by sin and swept by wintry blasts.

I. The departure of each of these is arranged and superintended by God. He has a favor towards them, and therefore watches over them, provides for their welfare, removes them when he will; and sends the angel of death to call the spirit home.

II. They are "caught up" in mercy to them. Their natures are sinful and might develope into awful iniquity. Their temptations might be many and strong, and to these they might yield. Their disappointments might crush their hopes and shade all their prospects. Their sorrows might come like "the clouds returning after the rain." But God has mercifully spared them all these.

III. Children are "caught up" in mercy and love to parents. Beautiful and cherub-like as infants are, who can say to what a child may grow? Cain and Absalom and Judas were not less attractive and lovable than other children are, but what a grief they must have been in after years to their parents. The possibilities of an evil nature are fearful to contemplate.

IV. Children are "caught up" to have God's place vacated in the parent's heart. This place is often filled by a child or some earthly object. Children are often

idolized. It is right to love, but not to idolize-God will not permit it. He is a jealous God and must have his own place in the heart.

V. Children are "caught up" to be forever at home with God. Here they are away from the Home of the Soul-from their Father's house. God wants them with Himself to render them unspeakably happy and have a seat with His only-begotten Son on the throne.—“ To God and to his throne."

Lessons.

Think not of your child as dead, but living-not as a withered bud but as a blooming flower in Paradise. Be submissive to the Divine will. God gave.

took.

He

He will restore. "He doeth all things well."

Anticipate reunion in heaven.

God has a dwelling-place for all his children.

Look to him for comfort. His promise is "I will be with thee in trouble."

THE MISSING ONE.

REV. G. ORME.

And one is not.-GEN. xlii: 13.

HESE words occur in the story of a family life as it

THESE

is told by some member of the family to another who has long been an absentee. It might be repeated in many a home, and is true of many a family. "One is not." It may be the father or mother, brother or sister, or the dear little one. Death has divided them. The face will be seen no more. This renders the absence so saddening.

I. How frail and short-lived are all our social possessions and delights. The families who may meet at any time in the fullest numbers and in the greatest gladness may do so no more. One, probably the least

likely, may be missing. How dearly we should prize our domestic relations, devoutly and gratefully cultivate them, and yet not rest in them, nor let them keep us back from God. How affectionate should be our demeanor, how pure and sweet and beautiful and happy our lives.

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II. The member who is not," may have his present state far in advance of his former one. It was so with Joseph, to whom allusion is here made as the missing one. And although our missing one may not be permitted to hold intercourse with us or minister to us, yet in his exalted position we may not doubt that he still remembers, is in sympathy with us, and may hear through our elder Brother of us, or through those blessed ones who minister to those who are heirs of salvation.

III. The prospect of a full and an abiding reunion. Joseph had only been taken from them for a time, to minister to them in their time of necessity, to prepare the way for reunion, and to receive them to him in happier circumstances. So our departed one may not be "lost, but gone before," may be the means of drawing the affections of those left behind heavenward and thus preparing them, through Christ, to leave this the famine. stricken world, for the land of eternal plenty, and to welcome them there to everlasting habitations. As new arrivals take place, how the joy of each and of all inHow complete the joy when a whole family is found there.

creases.

But if any be absent, and as we count up the number we have to say, "And one is not," what a drawback to the joy of all.

Let us seek so to live, that we shall appear "a whole family in heaven."

AN INFANT'S DEATH NO REAL LOSS.

THE

J. SANDERSON, D.D.

To what purpose is this waste?-MATT. xxvi: 8.

HE unfeeling question of those who had no sympathy with Christ or her who had poured her precious ointment on His head and feet. A similar question may often start to the lip of those who see their child laid in the coffin on whom they have lavished the wealth of their affection and care. Jesus answers the question of both parties, by assuring, there is no waste, if their poured-out ointment is expressive of their devotion and affection for him. Although we cannot see all the designs of God in any of his dispensations we can see enough to satisfy us that "God does all things well." There is no waste in a child's death, so far as God's purpose is concerned, for:

I. The child has lived to be a demonstration of God's fashioning life giving and saving power. No waste, though one-third of the human race die in infancy.

II. No waste, SO FAR AS THE CHILD INTERESTS are concerned. It has lived to be one in the "Kingdom," and to be blessed by Christ, to have angels watching it as an "heir of salvation," to have the pleasure of existence in time, to have the glorious possibilities of eternity, to have a body made like Christ's, and a seat with Christ on his throne. No waste.

III. The child has lived for its parents' sake; to call forth their love, to exercise their graces, bind them closer in affection to each other, draw out their affections more fully to the Giver, make them more devout and earnest at the mercy seat, as they felt their increased responsibility, and to make them feel more intensely their stewardship. No waste.