beliefs. Not that there is any law in our own land to prevent his doing that. The " 'good old times," when men were fined and imprisoned and burnt for not thinking to order, are past, and so long as no evil consequences ensue no one is punished for holding a particular idea. We are in these days exceedingly quick to take advantage of this liberty. Opinions are as plentiful as the stars. It is wonderful how many thoughts can gather around one object, and how diversified they will be! We are told that there will come a day when we shall see eye to eye," but it seems as if that day is a long way off as yet at present we see each thing in every possible light, and it is evident that opinions, whether of persons, places, or events, are very chameleon-like. And yet it matters a great deal what we believe, and it is very important that our opinions should be just. For they cannot long be kept secret. We cannot help giving expression to them in actions and words. They influence us in everything; we are what we believe. Our ideas are the motive-power which moves heart and hands and tongue. If that be wrong, all is wrong, and we cannot be right in anything. Our opinion is the index to all that is within us, and when we have honestly declared it, eyes of ordinary penetration can read us like a book. If we have holy beliefs, faith, hope, love will rule our lives. If our thoughts are clean, to a great extent our words and actions will be pure also. We are too apt to think that it is of very little consequence what we believe; but seeing that it influences all our lives, and through us many others, we cannot feel too strongly how important it is to form right opinions and to judge righteous judgments. Are we not a little too fond of forming bad opinions upon people and things? There are at least two sides to everything, and the darker side seems to be the favourite. How seldom do we hear really generous opinions of individuals! In all places where persons are talked of there are detractors, but those willing to speak good words of their neighbours are very hard to find. It is the same with almost every subject. What sombre views of life, that is of their own personal experience of life, people take. They say, gloomily, that they would not It has been so dark, they would have you There are few whose live it over again for all the world. so dreary, so utterly desolate, that believe there has been no joy in it. opinion leads them to say heartily, "Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life." Then it is wonderful how one-sided almost all our opinions are! One idea is adopted by us, and all the thoughts that others bring must be wrong, we say. And perhaps this conceit, which is mostly exhibited in highly self-opinionative persons, might do no harm besides making them very narrow and bigoted if they kept their thoughts to themselves; but as at all times they are eager to express them, there is no doubt that much mischief is done, and many minds are unsettled and thrown into confusion that would otherwise have been at rest. Let us, then, be careful what we think. Opinions which are of such importance should not be, as they too often are, hastily formed. And since so much depends upon them, let us pray for wisdom not only to speak and act, but to think aright. Led. It We cannot but feel, in our best moments, a kind of gladness as we sing the pilgrim's song, "He leadeth me.' is sweet to be led. It is pleasant to be relieved of all care and anxiety, and to feel that we have put our hands into those of a trusty guide who knows all about it, and who for very love of us will choose the best place for our feet. There is still so much of the child-nature in us that we sometimes feel very clinging and dependent, and as if the worst thing that could happen to us would be to be left to pursue our journey alone. We are apt to get frightened in the dark, and to start at sight of suddenly looming dangers, and to be quite afraid of climbing precipices and leaping chasms. And even when the way is smooth and plain, and soft winds are blowing, and the warm sun is shining, we feel that it is good to have a companion to whom we can say what is in our hearts, and who will speak back to us just that which we most long to hear. Only the worst of us is that we are so apt to be discontented with the path. When we have walked along a little way with satisfaction we do not like to turn corners and go into fresh roads. We look up at our guide with very questioning eyes, and are far too prone to say, "No, no, not that way: the other is the right." As if we knew! How would you, yourself, act in such a case? One comes to you and says, "I do not know a step of the way. It is all new ground to me; I have never been here before. Do you know it? And will you show me?" "Oh, yes," you say, "I know it perfectly. I have conducted people through it thousands of times. Come with me, I will guide you." And you go together, stopping now and then to rest or to admire the beauties of the way, while you do everything to ensure the safety and pleasure of him who says he has committed himself to you. But if frequently during the journey this stranger stops to cavil and question your knowledge or wisdom, if he declares himself unwilling to go through some paths which you know lead the right way, and particularly desirous of entering others which are full of danger and in a wrong direction, how long will your patience last? When for the dozenth time he demurs, would you not leave him to himself? "I thought you said you did not know the way. But if you are so much wiser than your guide, choose for yourself. Go where you please, only do not again ask me to direct you." It is a blessing for us that God's thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor His ways as our ways. He is patient still, and bears with our murmurings and rebellions in the wilderness, and still leads us forth by a right way, not dropping our reluctant hands, but holding them still until we again feel glad to have Him near, and clasp His strength, rejoicing to find it made perfect in our weakness. But we should not complain so much, and we should treat our Guide better if we knew Him well. For then we should more completely trust Him. As it is, we are afraid to give up ourselves entirely into His hands, though It has been so dark, they would have you There are few whose live it over again for all the world. so dreary, so utterly desolate, that believe there has been no joy in it. opinion leads them to say heartily, "Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life.” Then it is wonderful how one-sided almost all our opinions are! One idea is adopted by us, and all the thoughts that others bring must be wrong, we say. And perhaps this conceit, which is mostly exhibited in highly self-opinionative persons, might do no harm besides making them very narrow and bigoted if they kept their thoughts to themselves; but as at all times they are eager to express them, there is no doubt that much mischief is done, and many minds are unsettled and thrown into confusion that would otherwise have been at rest. Let us, then, be careful what we think. Opinions which are of such importance should not be, as they too often are, hastily formed. And since so much depends upon them, let us pray for wisdom not only to speak and act, but to think aright. Led. WE cannot but feel, in our best moments, a kind of gladness as we sing the pilgrim's song, "He leadeth me.' It is sweet to be led. It is pleasant to be relieved of all care and anxiety, and to feel that we have put our hands into those of a trusty guide who knows all about it, and who for very love of us will choose the best place for our feet. There is still so much of the child-nature in us that we sometimes feel very clinging and dependent, and as if the worst thing that could happen to us would be to be left to pursue our journey alone. We are apt to get frightened in the dark, and to start at sight of suddenly looming fangers, and to be quite afraid of climbing precipices and ing chasms. And even when the way is smooth and , and set winds are blowing, and the warm sun is shining, we feel that it is good to have a companion to whom we can say what is in our hearts, and who will speak back to us just that which we most long to hear. Only the worst of us is that we are so apt to be discontented with the path. When we have walked along a little way with satisfaction we do not like to turn corners and go into fresh roads. We look up at our guide with very questioning eyes, and are far too prone to say, "No, no, not that way: the other is the right." As if we knew! How would you, yourself, act in such a case? One comes to you and says, "I do not know a step of the way. It is all new ground to me; I have never been here before. Do you know it? And will you show me?” "Oh, yes," you say, "I know it perfectly. I have con But ducted people through it thousands of times. Come with me, I will guide you." And you go together, stopping now and then to rest or to admire the beauties of the way, while you do everything to ensure the safety and pleasure of him who says he has committed himself to you. if frequently during the journey this stranger stops to cavil and question your knowledge or wisdom, if he declares himself unwilling to go through some paths which you know lead the right way, and particularly desirous of entering others which are full of danger and in a wrong direction, how long will your patience last? When for the dozenth time he demurs, would you not leave him to himself? "I thought you said you did not know the way. But if you are so much wiser than your guide, choose for yourself. Go where you please, only do not again ask me to direct you." It is a blessing for us that God's thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor His ways as our ways. He is patient still, and bears with our murmurings and rebellions in the wilderness, and still leads us forth by a right way, not dropping our reluctant hands, but holding them still until we again feel glad to have Him near, and clasp His strength, rejoicing to find it made perfect in our weakness. But we should not complain so much, and we should treat our Guide better if we knew Him well. For then we should more completely trust Him. As it is, we are afraid to give up ourselves entirely into His hands, though |