the peasant discovered that it was the body of a man. The dog having shaken himself, began industriously to lick the hands and face of his master, while the rustic hastened across; and having obtained assistance, the body was conveyed to a neighbouring house, where the usual means of resuscitation soon restored him to sense and recollection. Two very considerable bruises with the marks of teeth appeared, one on his shoulder, the other on the nape of the neck; whence it was presumed, that the faithful animal first seized his master by the shoulder, and swam with him in this manner for some time, but that his sagacity had prompted him to let go his hold, and shift his grasp to the neck, by which he had been enabled to support the head out of the water. It was in the latter position that the peasant observed the dog making his way along the dike, which it appeared he had done for a distance of nearly a quarter of a mile. It is therefore probable that the gentleman owed his life as much to the sagacity as to the fidelity of his dog.

THE COURT OF HEAVEN AND THE

WHITE ROBES.

MY DEAR CHILDREN,—I am sure you do not need to be told that we in happy England are the subjects of a gracious Queen; and I have no doubt you will join me in saying, Long may she reign, and happy may she be."

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All Sovereigns, and our beloved Queen among the

rest, hold a court, where they meet their subjects. I am not now speaking of the court where prisoners are tried, but of the court where the subjects of the Sovereign present themselves before her and pay her respect.

Now, I dare say you know that persons wishing to present themselves at court must go in courtdress: they must wear their best clothes, which must be perfectly clean and new. Any one going to our Queen's court in dirty dress, or in workingdress, would not be allowed to enter the Queen's presence to go thus clothed would be an insult to the Queen.

Dear children, there is a Sovereign who reigns over all the kingdoms of the earth: He is King of kings, and Lord of lords. This Sovereign is God; and heaven is His court. We are all the subjects of this great Sovereign: we all owe allegiance to Him.

Now, God is a very gracious Sovereign; and He graciously invites His subjects to dwell at His court. O! would you not like to go? Yes, you say. Well, God invites you. Jesus said, when upon earth, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." O! accept the invitation, and set out for heaven this very day. There "there is fulness of joy," and "pleasures for evermore."

If we would have a place in the court of this great King, if we would appear before Him in heaven, we must be provided with the dress of the court. At that court "white robes" are worn.

Open your Bibles at Rev. vii. 9, and you will read of "a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues;" and they "stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands."

But we are not now clothed in these white robes:" our clothing is of a very different kind. The Bible tells us we are clothed in rags; and these rags are "filthy rags." (Isai. xliv. 6.) It will never do to attend the great King's court in "filthy rags;" but such, dear children, is our clothing.

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How, then, are we to exchange our filthy rags" for the "white robes?" That great multitude, whom we have just read of, once lived upon earth as we do now: how came they to stand before God in heaven, and how came they to be clothed in "white robes?" They "washed their robes, and made them white"-in what? "in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev. vii. 14.) The blood of the Lamb is the blood of Jesus Christ. He is the "Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John i. 7.)

"There is a fountain, fill'd with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.

"The dying thief rejoiced to see

That fountain in his day;

And there may I, though vile as he,

Wash all my sins away."

If filthy rags are washed, what will they be then? They will be rags still. But rags, even when clean, will not be suitable clothing for us in the court of heaven. What must we do, then? We still want the "white robes." We must ask for the "fine linen," (Rev. xix. 8,) which is given by Jesus to those who trust in Him.

Perhaps some of you ask what is the meaning of the "filthy rags," and the "white robes," and "fine linen." Let me tell you. The meaning of the "filthy rags" is this. When we have done our very best, our most holy actions will not be pure and clean in God's sight. Our best and holiest actions are spoiled by sin: therefore it is said, "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." So that our holy things are unholy: they will not justify us in God's sight, but deserve His anger and punishment. But Jesus died to wash away all our sins. If we believe in Jesus Christ, and trust in Him as our Saviour, all our sins are forgiven, washed away by His blood.

But we need something more. It is not enough that our sins are forgiven and washed out, as it were we want a holiness, a righteousness to appear in before God. And this is the "fine linen," the 66 'white robes." "The fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." (Rev. xix. 8.)

O! dear children, the messenger of this great King is amongst us. Death is the name of this messenger. He is continually calling for some of us to appear before God. Death comes, and touches both old and young; and they must follow

:

him they go when he calls; and, if not ready to go to the King's court, they must go to the King's prison.

Dear children, death will one day come with a message to you and me: one day he will bring a summons for you and for me; and we must then depart. Are we ready? Jesus is willing to wash away your sins: and if you believe in Jesus as your Saviour, "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isai. i. 18.) And Jesus is also willing to give you the "white robes." He says, "I counsel thee to buy of Me white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed." (Rev. iii. 18.)

O! dear children, a time will come when you will not be able to exchange your 66 filthy rags" for the beautiful "white robes;" when "he which is filthy" must "be filthy still." (Rev. xxii. 11.) O! be wise and prepare in time, and "now is the accepted time, and now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. vi. 2.)

HOW TO GIVE.

Ar a Missionary meeting held among the Negroes in the West Indies, these three resolutions were agreed upon:

1. We will all give something.

2. We will all give as God has enabled us.

3. We will all give willingly.

As soon as the meeting was over, a leading

Negro took his seat at a table, with pen and ink, to