Nevertheless, his path runs directly through it; he knows not what dangers may lie in the midft; he knows not when or where the end may be. No chink, outlet, or open door presents itself to him, yet he is determined to persevere; it is the path of duty.

Addreffing himself to his work, he addreffes himself alfo to his Mafter; he calls on Chrift, whofe he is, and whom he ferves; the Saviour fhows his bright and glorious countenance; the light of his glory falls full upon the traveller; the reflection irradiates his pathway; all is light. He goes on his way rejoicing in the Lord.

Every Christian muft at times pass through the valley of tribulation. Mental anxiety, fickness, lofs of friends, poverty, perfecution, death, with many other things, make the materials of the valley of tribulation. The bleffed Saviour has faid that all who live godly must pass through this valley. And again, Through much tribulation ye must enter into the kingdom of God. And John the beloved, looking with wonder at the glory of fome who were seen before the throne of God, was informed by the angel that they were those who had come out of great tribulation.

But Chrift is the light of the world, the Sun of Righteousness, the fource from which all intellectual and spiritual light is derived. Wherefore God our heavenly Father fays to us, "Awake, thou that fleepeft; arise from the dead, thou that dwelleft among the tombs, and Christ shall give thee light." But to the Chriftian, paffing through

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the dark valley of trouble, he says, "Arife, fhine, thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is rifen on thee." To the difciple of Jesus this light indeed belongs, and much he needs it in his pilgrimage. To him it is given by promife. To the upright there arifeth light in darkness; light is fown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. The light of knowledge, the light of confolation, the light of holiness, and the light of eternal glory, are the Chriftian's inheritance, in and through Chrift Jefus. Without Christ all is darkness, wretchedness, and death. With Him all is Light, Life, Love, and Peace.

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Stephen was a good man, yet he had to pafs through the valley of tribulation. Perhaps he was more highly favoured than any other man in fimilar circumftances; probably this was account of his being the first Christian martyrthe model for all fucceeding martyrs. He looked up through the clouds of perfecution that furrounded him, and faw "the glory of God and Jefus," he could not keep filent; "Behold," he cried, "I fee the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.' The glorious light fhone in him, and through him, and around him; he looked as an angel of the Lord.

In darkest shades, if He appear,
My dawning is begun!

He is my foul's fweet morning ftar,
And he my rifing fun.

The opening heavens around me shine
With beams of facred bliss,
While Jefus fhows his heart is mine,
And whispers, I am his !

My foul would leave this heavy clay,
At that transporting word,
Rup up with joy the shining way,
To embrace my deareft Lord.

WATTS.

"He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who fhall gather them."-Ps. xxxix. 6. "A rich man fhall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven."-MATT. xix. 23.

THE WORLDLING.

Lo! where the worldling, with his gathering rake,
Performs his talk, the glittering duft to take;
Devoted man! with many cares oppreffed,
Gold he collects, to eafe his aching breast.
The fool's infignia he moft truly bears,
He but increases what he moftly fears:
As dropfied patients, who with thirst are faint,
Drink and are dry, and strengthen their complaint.
While in this grovelling, melancholy plight,
Religion comes, a meffenger of light;

Mercy's bleft Angel has from heaven come down,
She meets the worldling and presents her crown;
Behold," the cries, the diadem I bear,

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Enriched with gems fuch as bright Angels wear,
Yield then to me, first lay thy muck-rake down,
Bear thy brow upward, and receive my crown."
The worldling, stupid, toils and rakes away;
Still looking down, he rakes from day to day;

Himself his foe he lives, and greatly poor;
And dies remembered as a fool-no more.

THE engraving represents a man hard at work; he holds a rake in his hand, with which he gathers duft and rubbish together. The yellow fhining duft is called gold; he is altogether abforbed, loft, as it were, in his employment. He kneels down to his work; this fhows his devotion to the object of his affections. For this grovelling work he has forfaken all intellectual and religious pleasures; all focial and domeftic happiness. He is a poor man, although he has a great deal of that hard fhining duft you fee lying there; he is craving after more; he is in want, therefore he is poor; he is a miser, therefore he is miferable. The poor man is altogether befide himself.

The bright lovely one bearing a starry crown is Religion, daughter of the skies; fhe has many attendants, who are concealed at prefent; fhe has come a long way to meet the poor man; the looks upon him with compaffion; fhe fees his miferable condition, fhe knows his great folly. Addreffing him, fhe fays: "Poor foul, why labour you for the duft which perifheth? Why do you spend your strength for nought? Hearken unto me and I will give you riches, more abundantly than earth can give, and lasting as eternity. Look up, poor man, behold this crown, beautiful and glorious; it contains the riches of a million of fuch worlds as this, and the happiness of ages upon ages; throw by your rake, and be happy."