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strength is but weakness, let us look unto the hills whence our help cometh-to the Lord which made heaven and earth. Unto him let us cry, "Wilt thou not revive us again?" "Wilt thou not revive us AGAIN?" It is the thought of past mercies that quickens the Psalmist to plead for more. And so the remembrance of past revivals should rouse us to pray for the same blessedness again. Most of us have known, by delightful experience, what it is to enjoy an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In such a season, how have we witnessed the union, joy, humility, prayerfulness of Christians-their renewed fidelity and zeal; the conviction and conversion of the impenitent; the addition of multitudes to the church; the salvation of many from the world! In some such seasons, it may be, that we were first converted, or that we have been refreshed from on high, or that our children, or friends, have been brought to Jesus, to learn of him, and find rest to their souls. Sacredly hallowed, soul-cherished season! Every thought of it inspires the heartfelt prayer, "Wilt thou not revive us again?"

"WILT thou not revive us again?" The blessing is indeed great. Let us plead, and plead earnestly with God, that he will grant it. Let us wrestle like Jacob, that we may prevail like Israel.

For

Zion's sake, let us not rest-for Jerusalem's sake, let us not hold our peace, till the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation as a lamp that burneth. Deeply do we need spiritual blessings; and God is their only source, and prayer the divinely appointed means of obtaining them. "For all this," the Most High expressly declares, “will I be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them." Oh, then, let us ask, that we may receive-let us seek, that we may find them. From every heart let the prayer, in faith, ascend, "Wilt thou not revive us again?"

"WILT THOU NOT REVIVE US AGAIN? Let this be the prayer of every church, and of every disciple. Let it rise from the closet, the family, the prayer-meeting, the sanctuary. Let us offer it humbly-with a deep sense of unworthiness; earnestly-in full view of our necessities; penitently-sincerely mourning our past remissness, and each one searching out, and putting away his own sins; evangelically-in the name of Christ; perseveringly-giving the Most High no rest, till he come and build up his kingdom,

and glorify his name in the salvation of many souls.

GROWTH IN GRACE. REGENERATION is the beginning of a good work in the heart, but it is not a complete preparation for the kingdom of heaven. The young convert is required to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Paul the Apostle prayed for the Christians of Philippi, "that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God." To the Colossians he writes-" For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful unto every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."

One invariable evidence of true piety is the desire for higher degrees of knowledge and holiness. How repeatedly and earnestly does the Psalmist, in the 119th Psalm, express the desire of more thorough acquaintance with the Word of God. "Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law: yea, I shall observe it with all my heart. "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day."

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The desire of holiness is one of the most clearly-developed feelings of the pious heart. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." To be satisfied with our present attainments in piety is to be satisfied with sin; for "in many things we all offend." What are some of the evidences of our growth in grace?

1. Growth in grace will manifest itself by clearer views of Divine things. Depravity blinds the mind to moral purity. To the unregenerate, Jesus Christ is a root out of dry ground, having no beauty. In proportion to our growth in grace do we "behold the beauty of the Lord," and better understand spiritual truth.

2. Growth in grace will manifest itself by more humbling views of ourselves. Depravity makes men think of themselves more highly than they ought, and

fills them with pride. Divine grace gives them correct views of themselves, and leads them to say with Paul-" By the grace of God I am what I am." It induces them in lowliness of mind to esteem others better than themselves:

"The more thy glories strike mine eye,
The humbler I shall lie."

3. Growth in grace will manifest itself in increasing pleasure in private devotion and public ordinances. "It is good for me to draw nigh to God." Sin draws from God; holiness attracts to him. The more we hear of true holiness, the greater pleasure we shall find in communion with God. "One day in thy courts is better than a thousand." When trifling excuses will detain us from the prayermeeting and the house of God, there is sad evidence of backsliding.

4. Growth in grace will be attended with a growing interest in the cause of Christ. He who loves Christ, of course loves his kingdom, and desires to see it established in the world. And precisely in proportion to that love will be the self-denial he will be willing to make for its promotion. "Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion; build up the walls of Jerusalem." "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

5. Growth in grace will show itself in increasing meekness. Depravity begets resentment and revenge. Grace enables us to return good for evil, blessing for cursing-to pray with the martyr Stephen-" Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Meekness is a lovely grace, most unlike depraved human nature.

6. Growth in grace is attended with increasing cheerfulness. "We walk by faith;" and in proportion to the strength of faith is the assurance that "all things work together for good to them that love God!" Rejoice evermore.'

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sure prospects; and to feel that all this was reciprocated, so that Christian desire for one another meets at the mercy-seat, how delightful the exercise?

2. It helps to keep one another in mind. The tendency here is to forgetfulness and to become estranged. But praying one for another will serve to counteract this tendency. When we

pray for an object, we remember that object. When we ask for a blessing on a brother or a sister, we remember that brother or sister. Christian remembrance is a great want in our churches. Indeed, it is no uncommon thing to find in the bosom of the same church those who are ignorant of that fact. The question is not unfrequently asked, Is such, or such an one, a member of this church? More of reciprocal prayer would tend to cure this ignorance.

3. It serves to promote in one another a mutual Christian interest. If we pray for an object, it is fair to conclude we feel some interest in it, and, of course, in the answer to our prayer. No child of God can be in the habit of praying for a brother or sister in the Lord, and not feel an increasing interest in that brother or sister. If any praying one has doubt of this, let him try it.

4. It fosters religious fellowship. A community of Christians, heartily looking up to God for blessing on one another, will find the cord of their spiritual brotherhood becoming stronger and stronger. In this exercise a spirit unearthly reigns. It is the fruit of a new implantation, and the growth is like the seed planted.

5. Reciprocal prayer tends to unity.— Those who truly pray are one.. "We are all one in Christ Jesus." Virtually, vitally, we are one. When we pray for one another, we say, "Our Father." We all say so. "We have one Father,

even God." "Bless spiritually, saringly, thy children.' And all we are brethren, children of the common Father, a unity. Let us pray one for another.

THE PRAYER-MEETING.

PROFESSOR of religion, are you one of those Christians that make a point of attending the stated prayer-meeting in connection with your church? If so, then you can probably testify to the beneficial results of this practice, in promoting your own peace of mind and growth in grace. You can testify that

this habit has had much to do in keeping alive piety in your own heart. Many a time, when the world has seemed to call upon you to stay away, yet if you have broken through the temptation, and been found in your place with your fellowChristians, communing with God, and meditating upon his truth, you have gone away refreshed, and rejoicing that you did not yield to the allurements which would have detained you from so good a place.

But if you are one of those professed Christians who are habitually absent from the place of prayer, permit us to ask you whether you have ever honestly attempted to give a reason for this absence? Will you admit it to your own heart that you have no taste for these seasons of social worship and communion with God? If the fact is so, it is best by all means that you should admit it to yourself, and meet the conclusions which are naturally to be derived from such a fact. Let us hope, however, better things of you. Let us imagine that you absent yourself from these assemblies of your Christian brethren, because you think that a proper and suitable attention to your worldly concerns demand it. But is your conscience easy upon this point? Do you perfectly satisfy yourself with this plea? "Will a man rob God?" If you should chance to hear that in some neighbouring town the pastor of the church had appointed a prayer-meeting week after week, for a whole year, and that not a single member of that church had ever been near it, you would think that there was a very strange state of things there. But how is this different from what would be true in your own town, if all the members of your church were like yourself? Why is it that you hold some in every church obligated to attend the prayer-meeting, while you feel yourself perpetually excused? Will you answer these questions to your own heart and to God?

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righteous persons had been found in Sodom the city might have been spared for their sakes, his request would have been answered? Can we think that God will hear the young ravens when they cry, and neglect the doves that mourn in the valleys? that he will hear the young lions when they roar, and forget the lambs that bleat after the sheep? that he will hear Hagar and her Ishmael, that cry unto him in their extremities, and will yet turn his back upon the tears or stop his ears to the prayers of his own children, that cry unto him daily in the name of his dear Son, Christ Jesus? Undoubtedly not.

St. Ambrose was wont to say, the better to comfort Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, who prayed much for him, "It is impossible that a son of so many prayers and tears should perish." As long, therefore, as God gives us a heart to pray for any mercy, let us not be out of heart. And why so? Because then we beg no more than what God hath commanded us to ask; and we ask no more than what he hath promised to give; and he hath promised no more than what he is able to perform; and he will perform no more than what he shall have glory for; and we know that his glory is dear unto him!

RULES FOR TRAVELLERS AND VISITORS.

IF RESIDING IN THE COUNTRY.

1. Never neglect your accustomed private duties of reading, meditation, self-examination, and prayer.

2. Never fail to attend some place of worship on the Lord's day, unless prevented by such circumstances as you are sure will excuse you in the eye of God.

3. Never entertain invited company on the Lord's day, and pay no visits, unless to the sick and needy, as acts of benevolence.

4. Never engage in anything, either on the Lord's or on any secular day, which will compromise your Christian consistency.

5. Seek to do good to the souls of your family, and all others within your reach. 6. Always remember that you are to "stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.'

IF TRAVELLING.

1. Never, on any plea whatever, travel on the Lord's day.

2. Make your arrangements to stop,

if possible, in some place where you can enjoy suitable religious privileges.

3. Every day find or make time for your private duties of reading, meditation, self-examination, and prayer.

4. Carry tracts and good books with you to read, distribute, or lend, according to circumstances.

5. Seek for opportunities to do good to the souls of those into whose society you may fall.

6. Never, by deed or conversation, appear to be ashamed of your religious profession.

7. Remember you are to "stand before the judgment-seat of Christ."

April and May Meetings.

SCOTTISH CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

SIR,-Your kindness in inserting my former communications induces me to hope that you will not be disinclined to allow me to occupy another space in your columns, to inform your numerous readers of what has been going on, of late, in this northern part of the island.

On the 23rd, and two following days of April, the thirty-eighth anniversary of the Scottish Congregational Union was held in Edinburgh. The attendance of pastors and brethren from other parts of the country was numerous, and a pleasing spirit of harmony and mutual confidence seemed to pervade all the proceedings. Your townsman, Mr. Binney, was of course the lion of the day, and amused the meetings with his facetious speeches and humorous attempts at Scotch. His sermon on the Thursday forenoon was distinguished by his usual originality of thought, closeness of reasoning, and felicity of illustration; and his addresses at the other meetings, though evidently unpremeditated, contained many valuable hints, and were marked with shrewd good sense and manliness of sentiment. He seemed anxious to accommodate himself, as far as possible, to the views and feelings of his Scottish brethren, and soon became a special favourite both with old and young. The Churches of the English Union have been peculiarly fortunate in their selection of this eminent man as their delegate, who was already well known, by his writings, to the religious public in Scotland, and who seemed so well fitted, by his original cast of mind, to contend with the philosophizing and semi-deistical spirit of the present age. May his labours among the young men of the metropolis be abundantly blessed by the Great Head of the Church!

Dr. Wardlaw made his appearance at an early part of the proceedings, and was repeatedly welcomed with loud bursts of applause, which must have convinced him, if any doubt remained in his mind, of the unshaken confidence of his brethren in his Christian character. I agree with you, however, in thinking (as it is expressed in the BANNER) that, by the frequent allusions to the late proceedings in Glasgow, too much importance was attached to what you justly designate "a most contemptible affair;" and though the cordiality with which he was greeted at first, was quite natural and proper, and it would even have been vain to attempt

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seemed to resemble a work of supererogation, as if nothing would satisfy the Doctor's numerous friends, but to triumph over a fallen foe, and "thrice to slay the slain." Indeed, our countrymen are so accustomed to Courts of Review, that the impression was very general among our Presbyterian brethren, that the case had been regularly brought before us, in our ecclesiastical capacity; and we were complimented on having "cleared Dr. Wardlaw." However, the sympathy and respect manifested towards him on all occasions must have been very gratifying to the worthy Doctor; and it was pleasing to hear him observe, that he felt himself stronger in body and mind than he had been for several years.

The number of regular students at the Theological Academy, during the Session just closed, has been twelve. Of these, four have finished their curriculum, and are placed on the preachers' list as candidates for the pastoral office. The progress of the young men in the various branches of classical, philosophical, and theological study, has been satisfactory, and their conduct such as to secure the approbation of the tutors; but the harmony of the institution has in some degree been impaired, by some of the students unnecessarily mixing themselves up with the disputes in Dr. Wardlaw's church, which called for the exercise of discipline, and occasioned the rustication of one or two of the more refractory. Others have made the amende honorable, and been restored.

At the preliminary meeting of the Union on Wednesday, Mr. Wight, of Edinburgh, brought forward a plan, which he had previously announced, for increasing the pastors' salaries; and this motion came with a peculiarly good grace from him, as he is in independent circumstances himself, and consequently has no personal interest in the matter. His attention has long been directed to this subject, in consequence of the frequent removals that have taken place, of late years, among the pastors of the country churches, which, he justly observed, must be ascribed, not so much to the love of change, as to the want of temporal support. The salaries of many of these scarcely amount to £80 per annum, which, he showed, is utterly inadequate to meet all the demands that usually come on an individual holding a public situation, and who is obliged to keep up a respectable appearance. He further showed that this state of things might be traced, not so much to want of ability on the part of the Churches, as to the low and inadequate ideas that prevail

among the people respecting the proper status of a Christian pastor. In proof of this, he referred to the amount of money (nearly £20,000) that had been raised by the Denomination, within three years, for the liquidation of their chapel debts; and proposed that a scheme, somewhat similar to this, should be formed for increasing the pastors' salaries. These, he suggested, should be raised to the following scale, viz., £100 to those pastors who labour in country stations; £150 to those in the smaller towns; and £200 to those in our larger cities. He admitted that an annual sum of from £700 to £900 would be required for this purpose, in addition to the amount presently raised by the Union; and proposed that a separate Board should be chosen, with a view to obtain the necessary supplies. To this Board would be committed the distribution of the money, on the principle of stimulating the Churches themselves to increased liberality. Suppose that one of the town churches gives its pastor £100, and that his circumstances require an income of £150-in order to make up the difference, the Board would offer £25, on condition that the Church shall contribute the same amount, in addition to what they already raise. It may so happen, however, that the £100 salary is already supplemented by the Committee of the Union, to the extent of £30-the sum actually raised by the Church being only £70. Here then are two separate Boards raising money for precisely the same object, and virtually entertaining different views of the adequacy of the pastor's salary: this must create a difficulty, if not occasion a collision; the only way to prevent which would be, either to entrust the whole of the supplementary fund, thus raised, to the management of the Union Committee, who would be very glad to increase the grants presently made to the Churches; or to confine the operations of that Committee to strictly home missionary purposes, such as the opening of new stations, or the support of general itinerancies, and to constitute the proposed Board into a Pastoral Aid Society, having the entire management of the funds raised in aid of weak Churches, or for increasing the pastors' salaries. Mr. Wight candidly admitted this difficulty, which induced him not to press his motion for the institution of a separate Board, and an interim committee was appointed to confer with the Committee of the Union on the subject, and to report to next annual meeting. The proposed scheme is highly creditable to the feelings of the worthy mover, but he overlooks, in the generous ardour of his mind, the difference between an extraordinary effort, such as that for the extinction of the chapel debts, and a permanent fund such as that he now advocates. People will exert themselves even beyond their ability, once for all, for a specific object, who are not prepared to make a similar sacrifice from year to year. Even as it is, the pastors generally do not appear to have reaped any great benefit from the removal of the debt: in most cases their income remains the same as before; and the money which was formerly paid to importunate creditors for interest on bonds and bills, is now allowed to fructify in the pockets of the people.

At the breakfast in the Waterloo Rooms, on Thursday morning, Mr. Cullin, the esteemed secretary of the Widows' Fund, presented a

very favourable report of that important scheme, and urged its claims on the liberal support of the Churches. Under his careful and able management, the fund has accumulated to upwards of £5,000, including the whole of the money received, from the commencement, by subscriptions and donations, the rule having been rigidly adhered to, of never expending more than the income of any one year. The sum of £245 was voted by the Committee for the present year; and this sum has been distributed among twelve widows, five aged ministers, and three families. In giving an account of the expenses of management, from the commencement of the fund, thirty years ago, Mr. Cullin playfully included rent of office, actuary's salary, insurance, gas, &c., making an aggregate sum of £33 68. 2d., or little more than twenty shillings a year. This both amused and gratified the audience, and a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the secretary for his gratuitous services. Mr. Cullin has devoted much of his time and attention to this object (which he pleasantly called his pet scheme), for the long period of five-and-twenty years; and it is hoped that, ere another year elapse, the Churches will testify the high sense they entertain of his valuable services by some more substantial token of their gratitude than an empty vote of thanks. Not that our excellent friend requires such a testimonial, or that he would approve of my suggesting such a thing (if he knew I were writing), for he already enjoys the luxury of being the medium of conveying gladness to many a widow's heart; but it seems nothing more than common justice requires. There is no cause for our taking advantage of his generosity. Such instances of disinterested labour should be held up as an example and stimulus to others. A testimonial of this kind would remain as an heirloom in his family, to remind the children of their father's virtues; and I am sure there is not a pastor in the Connexion, however poor, who would not count it a privilege to contribute his mite to such an object, were it only to afford an opportunity of expressing our high sense of the urbanity and kindness with which he has conducted the extensive correspondence into which he has been necessarily brought, in his official capacity, with his ministerial brethren.

Among the usual speakers at our anniversary, we missed the manly form, and the vigorous and substantial addresses of our long-tried friend, Dr. Russell; and the warm-hearted and animated appeals of Mr. Knowles, now removed to a higher sphere. To compensate in some degree for their loss, there was an infusion of new talent, in the person of others who have entered later into active life. Among these may be mentioned Mr. Robert Lang, the respected. successor of Dr. Russell; Mr. Mann, of Dumfries; and Mr. Ninian Wight, of Aberdeen, the promising son of our able and successful evangelist. Other brethren, who never failed to make their appearance in former years, were prevented being with us from age and growing infirmities. Two of our humble and laborious itinerants of this class may be specified-Mr. Thomas M'Kinnon, of Sauchieburn, and Mr. James McKenzie, of Bervie. The names of two other of our oldest itinerants were also mentioned in the report as having retired into rest -men who bore the burden and heat of the

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