THE

PARABLE.

LIGHTNING AND THE LANTERN.

It was midnight. The loud storm was abroad on the face of the earth. The lightning flashed incessantly. The thunder shook the skies. The wind blew a hurricane. The rain fell in torrents. And a wanderer passed along on the lonely road. He had lost his way, and was uncertain where he was going. And oftentimes he stumbled in the dark, and went astray from the road, and fell into pools of water, and tottered on the brink of precipices. And ever the loud storm roared after him and danger yawned around him-and his heart was nigh sinking within him. Now and then a lightning flash, broad and blinding, lit up the heavens and the earth, and for miles before him his road was illuminated, and for a few seconds shone as in the broad daylight. But in an instant all was dark again, and again he stumbled and went aside—

For he trusted to the lightning to guide him.

Then I saw a hand reach through the dark towards him, and in the hand was a lantern—and the lantern followed at his side till the wanderer reached forth and took it with joyfor he saw that it sent forth a steady clear light in the dark. And I saw that he watched the sky no more for the lightning flash, but committed himself unto the lantern which he bore in his hand, and walked steadily and safely by its light, till he reached his home.

And the Interpreter said to me-"So is it in the strait and narrow way that leadeth unto life. He who trusts to sudden flashes of good feeling and excitement, follows no safe guide. For though they seem to come from heaven-they are not in the highest heaven where the calm light of the stars shinethbut are too much of earth, and come and go, and are glorious for a while, but leave the soul in as great or even greater darkness than before. It is only the steady light of habitual religion, seen and felt and followed at all times, which can be "a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths." Good feelingsreligious excitements-revivals-can do us no good unless they can be arrested, and made to minister to constant and habitual good works. The light we follow must be steady, calm, unfailing, or it can be of no use in guiding us to our heavenly home."

C. P. C.

EXPRESSION THE MOTHER OF SENTIMENT.

It is a great and universal law of nature, that expression strengthens thought and feeling. This explains the reasonableness and beauty of the exercise of prayer. It tells us also why we need churches, and assemblies for united prayer—that the religious feelings may be deepened and strengthened. It tells us why the poet needs his pen-and the musician his instrument and the painter his pencil-and the little child his puppets and card houses. It tells us why the heart warms within us as we sit down to our desk to correspond with a dear distant friend. It tells us why we love the more after we have once expressed our love. Expression calls back thought on the feelings, and fixes it, and takes its impress in the mind and heart-makes it echo and reverberate like sound in the deep chambers of the soul, till we have caught the key note of the new harmony that comes chiming in upon us. The linked sweetness is long drawn out, as we pause and ponder upon that which gave it rise. Like some glorious opening flower, we stand and gaze upon its unfolding vision, as it grows more and more strong and beautiful, in all its delicate tints and shadings—in all its rare and majestic proportions. Without words--without pen, ink, and paper, these thoughts might vanish all unnoticed or unremembered. These outward signs

form a scaffolding for the fairer and more durable structure within-and give a local habitation and a name to the erratic, volatile spirit of the soul.

Especially does expression seem to have prevailed in her work, when we succeed in making another person see and feel as we do. We then begin to feel a certain faith in the reality of what we have uttered, which before we had not. The testimony of two is better than that of one; and there is a satisfaction-a triumph in having opened a way for another besides yourself into the light of that truth which you are in. And in proportion as others receive this light, is your first faith in what you have seen and expressed, strengthened. So mysterious and mighty is the power of the union of minds under one common truth.

C. P. C.

ON HEARING TRIUMPHANT MUSIC.

THAT joyous strain,
Wake-wake again!

O'er the dead stillness of my soul it lingers.
Ring out-ring out

The music shout!

I hear the sounding of thy flying fingers,
And to my soul the harmony

Comes like a freshening sea.

Again-again!

Farewell, dull pain

Thou heart-ache rise not while those harp strings quiver, Sad feelings, hence!

I feel a sense

Of a new life come like a rushing river

Freshening the fountains parched and dry
That in my spirit lie.

That glorious strain!

O! from my brain

I see the shadows flitting like scared ghosts!
A light-a light
Shines in to-night

Round the good angels trooping to their posts-
And the black cloud is rent in twain
Before the ascending strain.

FUTURE PUNISHMENT.—NO. IV.

IN our preceding articles we have considered the doctrines of everlasting punishment and universal salvation. We saw reason to doubt whether the scriptures authorized either of them. We saw many reasons for not assenting to either. What other hypothesis then remains? The next which I shall consider is that of the Restoration at some future period, of all mankind to a state of happiness.

In justice to this opinion, it is proper to declare that it is a very different one, in itself and in its consequences, from the doctrine of no future punishment. In fact, those who hold it, strenuously disclaim all connection or sympathy with the ultra Universalists.*

The difference between the two doctrines may be seen in this, that the Universalist is entirely debarred from preaching any future retribution. He can call no motive to his aid from the eternal world to influence the conduct of man in this. The Restorationist, on the other hand, can set forth the terrors of future woe as strenuously as the Calvinist, to deter men from transgression.

The doctrine of the Restorationists is, that as God is set forth by Christianity in the character of a Father, his punishment must be paternal; that is, must be inflicted not in anger but in love; that is, must have for its object the good of the child, his reform, his purification-and that punishment inflicted with this object, by an all-wise and powerful Being, cannot entirely fail of its end. Hence, at some indefinite period, all will be brought to the knowledge and love of God and restored to his favor.

In support of this hypothesis they quote the texts which teach that God will have all men to be saved, that he takes no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, &c.

They also quote a class of passages from the New Testament, which seem to indicate an ultimate restoration of the whole moral creation.

In looking carefully through the New Testament with the object of finding what texts appear to teach a restoration, the following seem to me to be the strongest.

1. Acts iii. 20, 21.—“He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was appointed for you, whom the Heavens must receive until the times of the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken of by the mouth of his holy prophets, since the world began.”

* See the " Independent Messenger," published at Boston by the Restorationists.