We wish our readers a happy New Year, and that in the best and truest sense.
True happiness is only to be found in the knowledge of Christ, and through Him
of the Father. "These things (says the Apostle John) we write unto you that
your joy may be full;" but what he wrote was about "fellowship with the Father
and with His Son Jesus Christ." Again, our Lord himself says, "These things
I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves." But
what He spoke was that sublime intercessory prayer for His people (John xvii.),
which sets forth more clearly, perhaps, than other Scripture the intimate fellow-
ship and love subsisting between the Father and the Son, which is thus made
known to the Church, that they also may enjoy this unspeakable privilege of
fellowship with the Father and the Son, by the sanctifying power of the Holy
Spirit. Joy to be real must have the Lord Himself for its object, and therefore
St. Paul writes, "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again, I say, rejoice." We
wish our readers much of this joy throughout this present year.

Amongst the many subjects for prayer that will soon occupy the attention of

those who assemble to observe the Week of Prayer, there is none of greater im-

portance than that fixed for Tuesday the 8th, "The Holy Spirit in the Church."

It is to the lack of the power and the presence of the Spirit that so much of the

coldness and deadness and worldliness which characterises our time may be

traced. It seems strange that any Christians should object, as some do, to pray

for the Spirit, on the plea that every Christian possesses the Spirit, and that to

pray for Him is a denial of this truth. Those to whom St. Paul addressed the

Epistle to the Ephesians were no doubt in possession of the Spirit, for he says

that on believing (Eph. i. 13) they "were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased.

possession." Nevertheless, a few verses further on he prays "that the God of

our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom

and revelation in the knowledge of Him."

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So far from the possession of the Spirit hindering prayer for the Spirit, it should be just the reverse. "Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance;" and if we ask why, with such a promise, believers lack this abundance, the answer is, "Ye have not because ye ask not." The exhortation, "Ask, and it shall be given you," is addressed by our Lord to His disciples; and the encouragement He gives them as to their receiving what they ask for, is especially connected with the Holy Spirit being the object for which they pray. "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him." Here at least two things are clear-that those who are to ask are God's children, and that what they are to ask for is the Holy Spirit. This is not to deny that true believers possess the Spirit, any more than "help thou mine unbelief" is a denial of "Lord, I believe," which precedes it. Lord, I believe," which precedes it. We may therefore consistently say, "Lord I thank thee for thy Spirit; supply thou my lack of the Spirit."

We trust, too, that a very important subject arranged for Thursday, January 10, may not escape notice because it appears in the Programme as one amongst many topics for prayer suggested for that day. We refer to the subject set forth in the words, "For the counteraction of the designs of the Papacy." This is, indeed, one of the most important topics not only of the day but of the week, for he must be blind who does not see the rapidly increasing growth of that crypto-Romanism which, under the name of Ritualism, is slowly but surely leavening the Church of England. Under the spurious plea of toleration, practices are now permitted both in the mode of conducting the services and in the ornamentation of our churches, which would have horrified our forefathers; and the worst sign of the times is that people "love to have it so," and resent as illiberal and savouring of persecution any attempt to have the laws enforced which forbid such Romeward tendencies and practices. As there can be little doubt that Jesuitism is at the bottom of this growth of Ritualism, we would especially commend this topic for prayer as of much importance.

It should also not be forgotten that events of last year have brought to light, what now is hardly denied, that there has been, and still, we fear, prevails, a sad falling-off on the part of Nonconformity from the sound doctrine and Scriptural faith of former generations. We observe petitions on Wednesday, January 9th, for universities, colleges, and associations for young men and women, "for the preservation of young minds from the current scepticism" as well as superstition of the day, and this will give an opening which we hope may be used for earnest prayer for greater faithfulness on the part of ministers in this matter. How can we wonder at the young being led into scepticism and infidelity when pulpits, alas! give so often not merely an uncertain sound, but not unfrequently one in sympathy with "modern thought." Much, too, of the religious journalism called Christian needs sadly to be Christianised.

The subject of Missions to the Heathen, which is arranged for Friday, Jan. 11th, will give scope for the expression of anxious feeling on the hearts of many as to the darkening prospects of the Gospel in Africa, so long, at least, as the present seething ferment on the East African coast continues. It may well be made a matter of earnest prayer that He, who "maketh wars to cease in all the world," would restrain the warlike tendencies of the Germans who, though zealous in a

good cause, that of suppression of slavery, seem sadly to lack wisdom in dealing with the native races. The late General Gordon, who had much sound judgment, both as a Christian and as a soldier, looked to righteous dealing, good government, and the gradual spread of Christian influence as more potent to quell slavery than military expeditions. At present we fear that the clang of arms may go far to drown the still small voice of the Gospel in East Africa.

No thoughtful person can regard the present state of things on the Continent of Europe without alarm. The indications of a coming struggle, and that probably of gigantic proportions, seem accumulating on all sides. The political restlessness which has long characterised France, seems increasing daily, whilst the name of Boulanger, though containing little in itself, becomes the focus towards which the elements of discontent in all parties turn. It is now also openly hinted that the coming elections early in the year will be the time when some new change of scene in the political drama may be expected. If this forebodes strained relations betwixt France and Germany, and possibly ourselves, we have at the other side of Europe increasing tension in the Balkan Peninsula between Austria and Russia, which seems to threaten approaching mischief. The present favour, moreover, in which Panslavism stands with the high authorities in Russia, is a dangerous factor in the European complications. In the meantime Europe is an armed camp, all nations straining to perfect their armaments, and complete their preparations for the coming struggle.

To the intelligent Christian these sounds of coming war are not unexpected. The promise, in Isaiah ii. and Micah iv., of swords to be beaten into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks, follows a promise of which we can hardly yet have seen the fulfilment-viz., "He shall judge among the nations." In the meanwhile a darker prospect is presented in Joel iii., in which the language of the former promise is reversed, "Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears," and this is followed by the promise of the coming of one who will "sit to judge all the nations" (RV.). We must, therefore, expect Joel iii. to be fulfilled before the bright days of Isaiah ii. and Micah iv. can be looked for; but it is in reference to these closing scenes of the present dispensation, that our Lord would encourage His true disciples when He says, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh."

A sad story reaches us from Russia which illustrates the terrible severity of the laws which forbid Lutheran ministers in Russia to receive into their communion members of the Greek Church. A Lutheran minister, who desired to protest publicly against this unwarrantable interference with religious liberty, confirmed and gave the communion to a member of the Greek Church, explaining openly to the congregation what he was about to do. For this he was arrested, and was about to be sent to Siberia for life when his mind gave way, and he is now in a lunatic asylum. He has a wife and five children, whose worldly prospects are now ruined. He may not have acted wisely or well in what he did, for Lutheran ministers in Russia are only recognised on engaging not to proselytise members of the Greek Church; but what an exposure dces his case afford of the unchristian intolerance of the so called Christianity of Russia.

A wail of lament comes from the Vatican. On Christmas eve, as the Cardinals were presenting to the Pope their customary good wishes, he responded

in an allocution full of lamentation, not for the woes of humanity nor yet for the hindrances to the spread of the Gospel of Christ, but for his own loss of sovereignty! He laments that "the greatest moral Power in the world" should not "possess in Italy, where it had been established by Providence centuries ago, a real sovereignty." It is strange that the Pope should credit Providence with the establishment of the temporal power and yet ignore the action of Providence in itsremoval, and that as a just judgment for opportunities misused and for past wickedness which cries to heaven for vengeance. If any one desires to see the use which the Roman Pontiff made of his sovereignty when he had it in its fullest development, let him read a deeply interesting book, just published by an eminent. American writer, "Lea's History of the Inquisition." The systematic barbarous cruelty and tyrannical oppression of that most detestable instrument of Papal power there exposed may well explain why Providence has taken away a sovereignty so frightfully abused.

We have been much gratified at receiving from Oporto, just at the time of going to press, a letter reporting the acquittal of Mr. Maxwell Wright by the Criminal Court before which he was tried on the 18th ultimo, at Madeira, on a charge for using words considered derogatory to the Roman Catholic religion. This happy result is doubtless owing to the representation made by the Evangelical Alliance to her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who instructed the British Consuls at Lisbon and Madeira to watch the case.

THE ENDUEMENT OF POWER.

"THAT no flesh should glory in His presence," is declared to be one of the important principles ever present with God. Paul says: "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us." Again, we are told that the cross is "the wisdom of God and the power of God unto salvation." We come to the cross, and everything there seems to savour of weakness rather than strength: "He was crucified through weakness." We look for power and we find it with the executioners of Christ; these were the brawny arms that nailed him to the cross, say they. The meanest of the rabble that stand and mock him seems to be the superior of Christ in power. Power was with the high priest, with Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, Herod, with the soldiers and the lictors, and the servants. In Christ crucified we see the greatest colJapse of power ever witnessed in the world. Is it really so? When Jesus, with his expiring voice, exclaimed, "It is finished," God on His throne with a still small voice said Amen, and that Amen opened a pathway for such a dispensation of the power of God as made all the princes of hell tremble on their thrones. We thus see that men mistake fearfully regarding this matter of power; where God finds it they would never dream of finding it.

When the Lord, from his seraphim-girt throne, called for some one to go among men with the gospel-message, Isaiah responded, "Here am I, send me." He is then told that the effect will be a wonderful hardening of the conscience, of the religious sensibilities, removing men from a state of salvability, instead of drawing them to it. In the presence of the overtures of mercy made through the Gospel, there would be—along with the conversion of a happy minority-a seven-fold development of the antagonism of the human heart. The heart, by resisting, would wonderfully improve its power of resistance. Yet is there not the assurance of the Master, "Lo, I am with you always, having all power in heaven and in earth? He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater than these shall he do, because I go to my Father, and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." Jesus from the skies continues to do His mighty works and mightier. the faith of His people. And, alas! that Gospel hardening that the hearers of the Word undergo, has a withering effect upon the faith of Christ's people. He said to them, "I have given you power over all the power of the enemy; " but the enemy will

But this depends upon

not let them remember this. This is the