"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? He that speaketh truth in his heart.""Thy word is truth."-JOHN xvii. 17.

Ps. lv. 23.

TRUTH.

Truth, glorious truth, of heavenly birth, and fair,
In simple majesty arrayed, is there :

Her right hand holds the faithful mirror clear,
Where all things open as the light appear;
Her left upon the sacred page reclines,

Where unadulterate truth resplendent shines;

The world's false mask she tramples down with scorn,
Adorned the most when she would least adorn.

As her own temple, on the margin seen,
Stands forth reflected in the silvery stream;
So what by her is thought, or said, or done,
Appears conspicuous as the noonday sun:
Truth is the image of our God above,
That shines reflected in His sea of love.

All hail, blessed Truth! thou daughter of the skies,
Reign thou on earth, and bid earth's sons arise;

Bid Virtue leap, and Justice hold the scale;

For thou art mighty, and wilt soon prevail.

TRUTH is represented in the drawing above in the person of an artless female. She is attired with simplicity. In her right hand she holds a mirror. As the mirror reflects objects that pass before it as they are, without addition, alteration, or diminution, so truth presents everything just as it is. The left hand rests on the Holy Bible. This is to show that it is from thence she derives the principles which

regulate her conduct, the source of unadulterated truth to mankind. She is seen trampling a mask beneath her feet; it is the mask of hypocrisy, which she rejects with scorn, as being utterly at variance with her principles and feelings. In the background stands the temple of Truth, the image of which is plainly reflected by the clear, placid stream that glides before it.

Truth, in an evangelical sense, is all important. It alone will give character to an individual, more than all other qualities put together. It is of itself a rich inheritance, of more worth than mines of silver and gold. It is more ennobling than the highest titles conferred by princes. Everybody loves to be respected; but an individual, to be loved and respected must be known. He only can be known who speaks the truth from his heart, and acts the truth in his life. We may guess at others, but as we do not know we cannot respect them; for, like pirates, they oftentimes sail under false colours.

Nothing is beautiful except Truth," is a maxim of the French, although it has been most deplorably neglected. Nevertheless, the sentiment is correct. Truth is glorious, wherever found; Jesus, who is "the Truth," is "the altogether lovely," and the "fairest among ten thousand." Truth is the glory of youth, and the diadem of age. Truth is essential to happiness, both in this world and also in the next. For "what man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile." Lord, who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that speaketh the truth." It is related of Cyrus, that when asked what was the first thing he learnt, he replied, "To tell the truth." Cyrus must have been very fortunate in having such good instructors. Lord Chesterfield would have instructed him differently.

In the days of Daniel (as the tradition says), the wise men were ordered by the king to declare what was the strongest thing on earth. Each man brought in his answer; one said wine was the strongest, another mentioned women; Daniel declared that TRUTH was the most powerful; which answer pleased the king, and the palm of victory was decreed to Daniel.

"Seize, then, on truth, where'er 'tis found,
Among your friends, among your foes,
On Christian or on heathen ground;

The plant's divine, where'er it grows."

"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: so shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man."-Prov. iii. 3.

SYMBOLS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH.

See on the right, all-glorious Hope doth stand,
And gives to heavenly Truth the plighted hand :
With seraph's wings outspread, Love stands between,
And binds their hearts with her celestial chain.
These are Faith's emblems; these its parents three :
To produce Faith, Hope, Truth, and Love agree.

CHRISTIAN Faith is represented above, by a union of Truth, Hope, and Love. The hope of heaven is represented by the apostle Paul as the anchor of the soul, consequently Hope is usually depicted leaning on an anchor. She holds Truth by the hand, showing that they must be in close alliance. Truth holds in her hand the Holy Bible as a mirror, whereby sinful men can see the deformity of their hearts. With her right hand, she receives the overtures of Hope. She tramples under her feet the mask of Hypocrisy; simple and unadorned, she rejects the cloak of dissimulation, and casts aside all concealment. Love holds the middle place, and strengthens the union subsisting between Hope and Truth. Divine Love is drawn with wings, to represent her heavenly origin.

Faith is both created and preserved by Hope, Truth, and Love. This triad constitutes its efficient cause. Truth is indeed the mother of Faith. Hope assists in its creation, by its expectations and desires; Love nourishes and reconciles, and thus contributes to lay a foundation for Faith.

True faith, as represented in the Scriptures, is always connected with 66 a good hope through grace." The truths of God's word form the only proper objects for its exercise. Without love, there can be no good works; and " without works, faith is dead." Christian Faith, as described above, is distinguished from the faith of devils, who are said to "believe and tremble," because they have no hope; and from the faith of wicked men, who “love not the Lord Jesus Christ," and who are consequently "accursed;" and from the faith of the carnal professor, who has sold the truth, and has pleasure in unrighteousness.

The proper use of faith is to bring us to God, to enable us to obtain the promises contained in the word or truth of God. If Christ had not been moved by love, He would not have suffered; if He had not suffered, we should have had no promises of pardon; if we had no promises, we should have no hope; if we have no hope we shall have no saving faith in the mercy of God. Christ is set forth a refuge for sinners, He saves all who flee for refuge to the hope set before them; but those only who believe in Him, flee to Him. Faith then is an instrument of salvation : "by grace are ye saved through faith.”

The sinner hears, and gives credence to the faith of God: the terrors of the Almighty take fast hold upon him; his sins weigh him down to the dust: but hark! the voice of heavenly love is heard proclaiming, "Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He looks upward; Hope springs up: he ventures on the Redeemer, "who justifies the ungodly." His faith has saved him. It is counted to him for righteousness, and being justified by it, he has peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A celebrated divine once gave his little child an illustration of the nature of faith in the following manner: The child had a beautiful string of beads, with which she was much delighted. Her father spoke to her, saying, “Come, my child, throw those beautiful beads into the fire, and I will, in the course of a few days, give you something far more beautiful and valuable." The child looked up into the face of her father with astonishment: after looking for a time, and seeing he was in earnest, she cast her beautiful toys into the fire, and then burst into tears!-Here was faith. The child believed her father spoke the truth; she expected, or had a hope, he would fulfil his promise; and, confiding in his love, she was willing to obey him, though it cost her tears.

"And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called, The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it."-ISA. xxxv. 8.

THE WAY OF HOLINESS.

There is a place, a holy place above,

Where holy angels dwell in light and love:
There is a God, a holy God, who reigns,

And holy empire over all maintains;
There is a way, a holy way, whose road
The holy pilgrim brings to heaven and God.
See! on that way the holy pilgrim hies,

Nor doubts at last 'twill lead him to the skies;

With robes entire, and garments clean and white,

He walks with joy along the plains of light.

See! one has left the holy way divine,

His clothes are soiled, he wallows now with swine:

Alone the Pilgrim on his pathway speeds,

And leaves the apostate to his worldly deeds.

SEE where the way of Holiness stands cast up. It is strongly built, and conspicuous to all beholders. A pilgrim is seen walking thereon triumphantly and secure; his garments are unsullied and untorn Down off the way is one wallowing in the mire; see how he grubs up the filthy lucre; his garments are rent and soiled; the beastly swine are his chosen companions.

This is an emblem of Holiness, and of its professors. The upright conduct of the pious is called a "way," a "highway," and "The way of Holiness." It is a way of safety: "No lion shall be there," and