her most gratefully, he asked if he might know where his benefactress lived. She told him the name of a celebrated "pension," or boarding-school, where she and her companions were being educated, and then hastened on to join them, and bear, with her usual good temper, their lighthearted raillery. Only a few days afterwards the Revolution commenced, and danger and alarm prevailed throughout that beautiful city. One day a troop of excited soldiers burst into the school where Marie and her friends were, and the panic-stricken girls rushed wildly through the rooms in a desperate search for some means of escape from their ruffianly captors. Just then Marie heard a voice that seemed familiar whisper in her ear, "Follow me, and fear not!" and looking up she recognised the soldier whom she had befriended in the Rue de Rivoli. Without hesitation she followed him, only pausing when they had gone a few steps to ask, "Can you not save the others as well ?" "No," was the answer. "I am risking much in rescuing you; but you behaved like an angel to me the other day, and Pierre Lefranc knows how to be grateful." Then, conducting her through one of the back passages to the street, he gave her a pass-word and a rapid direction to a temporary place of refuge, and hastened back again. Marie was saved; she had given a cup of cold water, and it had not lost its reward. We can scarcely imagine her glad and grateful feelings when in her time of peril she found such unlooked-for deliverance, her own act of simple kindness meeting her again so unexpectedly. But faintly will even her feelings image those of the blessed dead who, rising amid the awful splendour and disclosure of the judgment-day, shall find in the Judge a Friend, and shall hear from His lips the approving mention of many a deed of mercy done so simply and spontaneously from love to Him that it had left no impression on their memory.

And what of Marie's companions? Can we not suppose how vainly they would wish that instead of ridiculing they had but imitated her benevolent conduct? And will there

not be a similar feeling in the hearts of many in the day of judgment, when they see those whose self-denying Christian life on earth they perhaps sneered at, rising to "glory, honour, immortality, and eternal life," whilst for themthrough their wilful neglect of the only Saviour there will only be "shame and everlasting contempt ?" But let no reader hastily conclude that good works alone can save; it is only as an evidence of a renewed nature that they are valued by the Judge. "Make the tree good, and its fruit shall be good." We must be "born again" of the Spirit, and united by living faith to the true Vine, then will our new nature" bring forth much fruit."

康

Steering for Heaven.

IN the course of a much-needed holiday, a pleasant cruise one summer's evening was brought to a sudden end by the wind and weather turning against me, and rendering it impossible to go much farther on an unknown coast. The only resource was to run into harbour, and leave the boat in charge, while the path along the cliffs would more quickly terminate the journey. The waves broke beneath in long arcs of foam, and the approaching darkness over the shore almost shrouded from sight the landmarks well-known to sailors; here a noble church tower embosomed in trees, and here again in the mysterious twilight a brick pillar of composite hues giving notice of a dangerous shoal.

As I was plodding on warily, enjoying the prospect of a family meeting, a harsh and peremptory voice suddenly spoke somewhere close at hand, "Who goes there?"

Little imagining it was any concern of mine, I went on, till once more the question came in louder tones, and apparently from a man with a gun. What could it mean? Poachers or smugglers? It might have been so years ago,

perhaps it might be even now: but they must go their own way and I mine. Now, however, the man marched straight up, and planting himself on the path, said,

"Don't you know that when you are challenged on the cliffs by the coastguard, you must always reply ?"

"I know nothing of the kind."

"Well, then, remember it for the future."

By this time the worthy fellow, finding that the traveller had both the tones and appearance of an honest man, at the very least, sobered down, and as his way lay for some distance in the same direction as my own, a companion and guide was secured; and a very capital one he proved.

"You must excuse my roughness, sir: the officer in command is often down upon us, and if we are not on the alert, as watchful as a terrier, at all hours, we should be in a white squall before we knew it."

"All right, my man. A sentinel should be on the lookout. Another Commander is coming: He has not told us when. Happy the man whom He shall find watching and ready to welcome Him."

"I understand you. I have learnt to long for His appearing."

It transpired that the sailor was a Christian, and he gave a graphic account of the way in which his heart was turned. He was serving on board one of Her Majesty's ships then lying in the harbour of Malta. It was the afternoon of Christmas Day, and calm, balmy, exquisite weather, such as more southerly climes enjoy even in what is called winter. Up to that time he had been like other sailors, sometimes better, sometimes worse, but always without God, and consequently without hope. He had finished tea, and was leaning on a gun, looking up at the wondrous fortifications of the island. The Castle of St. Elmo, on the well-known tongue of land which divides the two harbours and commands both; the powerful Castle of St. Angelo, in another direction, and all the stupendous works in which nature and

art have combined to render the position well-nigh impregnable; the towering rocks, the castles and fortifications looking down both into the harbour of Valetta, and over into the country, as well as both sides of the great basin below, all struck him with amazement.

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And yet," said a godly messmate, "God Almighty could bring them all down to the dust in a moment !"

It was a simple sentiment, but it sank into the seaman's heart. "What then was the tremendous power of God? He had not so seen it heretofore. And was this God angry with a sailor's sins? These forts could sink his ship in a short time, but they were in the hands of friends. The Almighty Creator of the world was infinitely more powerful, and He was angry."

All night the thought haunted and oppressed him, and for days afterwards, until, bethinking himself of prayer, some relief was gained. He felt like one who had sprung a leak: the water was gaining upon him, and a worse storm than ever he had known was brewing. However, as he thought upon the name of Christ, he began to imagine the leak was not getting worse; and in due time, under the counsels of a Christian messmate, hope dawned, things got into their places, and now he believed he was truly steering for heaven.

"That is a wondrous Name that brought you hope," said I. "It is. I never sailed under such a Captain before, and the more I know of Him the more I love Him."

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Do you trust now you will make the heavenly harbour ?" "I hope so. I am like a crazy old hull; the sides are more rotten than I thought, especially out of sight, below the water-line, though I never had a very good opinion of them; still the good Captain manages so marvellously that I really do trust Him. We have already weathered a good deal, and I begin to think there is nothing too hard for Him."

"Not a bad conclusion at all. You have had some breezes then, already?"

"Plenty. I used to take an active part in nigger per

formances on board, and private theatricals, but when better things got into my heart these others went overboard. Up with one flag or the other,' said I; and that brought some little persecution."

"Were you ever tempted to half measures ?"

"Sometimes; but again thought I, That's not the safe way. When a boat is about to go on a cruise, if she keeps her stern on the beach the waves will soon be over her bows get her out fairly in the swell, and she rides all right. 'Up with the blue peter,' said I, and steer out to sea clear of all the shallows and breakers: nothing like honest deep water for fair sailing.'

"You gave up your old amusements, then ?"

"No: not unless there were wrong or danger in them;

in that case I made short work with them.

No use to

hoist sail if you don't heave the anchor." "Did any of your shipmates join you?"

One,

"I thought I had some of them in tow for heaven. named Jerry Hooper, was inclined that way, but he was afraid he should not weather the squalls on the voyage, and he said, 'If you do founder outside the harbour you are so apt to block up the way for others.' A wreck, he thought, was an ugly thing in a narrow seaway, and there were better uses for her mast than to stand there, half under water, knocking holes in every craft that came by. So said I, 'Well, Jerry, backsliding is a bad thing, but, anyhow, you are pretty near being a wreck now, and the good Pilot says He can get you safe to shore.'

"Does He indeed say so?'

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'Yes, and the chaplain told me that when that Pilot once sets His foot on board, He sticks to it till the harbour is safely made. Your timbers are not very sound,' said Ithe man had a bad cough-and a gale or two would finish up your cruising; just try the heavenly Pilot.'

"It's very good of Him,' said Jerry, 'to care for such a rotten old craft as I am, and I've often sailed under the wrong flag in my time. I'm sorry for it now.'