him, by the power of his Word and his Spirit, to bring | do not understand this; be so good as explain yourmy child to a true lively faith, to a holy life, and a self." "Do you not know that God has himself planned blessed death.-W. ERDMANN." and accomplished the deliverance of sinners whom the law condemned?" W. Erdmann was the grandfather of our Doctor, a pastor full of faith and zeal, and a Christian poet of Here the pastor showed the old man the good news distinguished talent; his name is still venerated among of the redemption by Jesus Christ; he read and exthe churches of Germany, in which are sung with edi- plained to him Luke xxii. 39, and following verses, fication the rich hymns which he composed,- -a precious and at last spoke to him of the "ministry of reconheritage which he bequeathed to them. From his penciliation" with God as declared in 2 Cor. v. 14-21. they received among others, the hymn beginning, "Jesus receives sinners," one of the most popular they possess, it is found in most of the collections, and Christians generally know it by heart from their infancy. "See," said his Reverend friend, after having read to the Doctor these words written by the hand of his relative," See, your grandfather, who left this inheritance to his child, died long ago in the hope of a happy eternity, your own father followed him, they now rejoice before the throne of God together with the assembly of the just made perfect; there it is we must meet them again, is not this your desire? 'Yes, I own it is," replied the old man with emotion. "But how can I believe these things to be true?" The pastor then, with the Bible in his hand, opened up to him the truths concerning eternal life, laying the foundation upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a fact which every reasonable man must admit as undoubtedly a historical truth. | He who holds the keys of hell and of death, who was dead and is alive for evermore, accompanied the word by his Spirit; the invalid listened with increasing attention and emotion, and at last cried out, “I wish to believe this, I must believe it. I would not be willing to continue in unbelief, but tell me if there be really an eternal life, how can we attain it? What must we do to render ourselves worthy of possessing it?" "To answer this question as you have put it," said the pastor, I will tell you that there are two roads to eternal life: One which respects all that must be done in order to merit it. This is the road of the law." The faithful servant of God then showed the divine law in all its holiness, in all its inflexible rigour, in all its demands, which extends to the most secret motion of the heart, and requires a life which has never in the least iota swerved from God's perfect law. He then added: "If your life corresponds with this law, and if you have fulfilled it perfectly, then you have a right to eternal life. But examine yourself seriously.' "Oh! no, no," said the doctor, "I have not lived thus. And if it is as you say, my past days are lost, and I have no hope of life everlasting." "I am most happy," rejoined the pastor, "to see that you understand at last that God cannot be satisfied with a few outward services, with some good works, but requires a life of unbroken holiness. A law would no longer be a law, whenever it is enough to fulfil but a part of it." "How can that be? Well, you may be right. But still, if you are right, and I own my conscience concurs with you. I am lost! For my life is at its close; and on the verge of the grave I cannot mend it." "That is true. And it must be added, that were you as young as I am, and could you live without sinning, to your present advanced age, that could not atone to God for the smallest of your transgressions. Not all the powers of the universe can make a fact to be not a fact, nor make that which is, otherwise than it is. Now that we are sinners, is a fact established before God." "But how, then, can one be saved? How can I be saved? I cannot, I see plainly, offer to God's acceptance the good qualities for which I have always been commended by others; they are the product of my natural man; I have never done any thing for God; I have never fulfilled his law, what can I offer to him?" "Offer to him the merits and the perfect righteousness of his Son; nothing else can avail to save you." I This doctrine, or rather these amazing proofs of the love of God towards his rebellious and lost creatures, penetrated the agonized conscience of the sick man, soothed his heart-tormented with fears-and was like balm to a burning wound, or like a light in the bosom of darkness. These words of eternal mercy, answering to the anxious desires of the attentive listener, became their own witnesses as powerfully as the preaching the law had before been in the same conscience; and after a long and solemn silence, the old man cried out, as if a new world had been opened up to his view, "Yes, it is good news that you bring to me!" But added he, in a sorrowful tone, "I do not think it can be for me; for what can I do to believe on Jesus Christ, and how can I assure myself that God will pardon me my sins, for Christ's sake?" "This is the work of God, that we believe on Him whom he hath sent. But why should you hesitate to consider as his work all that has already passed in your heart since we began to consider the subject? It is not I who have done it; nor is it you yourself; if it had depended only on you, you would still have been in that fatal security in which you have lived so many years." "I believe that; but" "Do not, (interrupted his reverend friend) do not make the thing more difficult than it is. God now gives you by his Word, and he cannot deceive you, his pardon, his free salvation, procured by the Saviour. Pray that he would give you an assured faith, the faith which lays hold of this salvation." Pray! My God! I don't know how to pray-I never prayed!' "Excuse me, you can well pray, as well as one dying of hunger or of burning thirst can cry out for bread or water; equally well can you cry out to God from the depth of your misery, and that would be prayer. God does not delay to help you till you pronounce a fine discourse, he only waits the cry from your heart. However, if you wish it, we will now pray together." The sick man agreed to this, and the pastor, after having pleaded with the Saviour his own promise, Matt. xviii. 19, 20, poured out his soul before God with the ardour of faith and the unction of love. God did not withhold the manifestation of his grace. The sick man, who at first followed silently the intercession of the minister of Jesus Christ, finished echoing aloud every supplication that proceeded from his mouth, till at length, moved and broken in heart, he burst into sobs, and his friend stopped to mingle his own tears with those of the old man. He took leave of him, feeling assured that his soul had passed from death unto life. With the morning of the following day came the doctor's coachman to the pastor's door, and eagerly described, while he shed tears, the marvellous change which had taken place upon his master. "Usually, Sir," said he, "the doctor never had sleep all night long, and did nothing but ring the bell, scold, and state of mind, believing in his salvation, but imagining that he did not believe it, because on many important points he was still in ignorance or in doubt. All these points became the subjects of questions which he asked the pastor, and to which the latter answered according to Scripture. The old man hearing his pastor recite to him portions of hymns which he thought consoling or instructive in the present state of his mind, wished to learn by heart some of those stanzas which had most benefited him, that he might be able to repeat them to himself when alone in the silence of the long nights. He employed all his time in increasing his knowledge of the Scriptures, either by his own reading, or by explanations he daily asked from the minister of God's Word. At length he attained the sweet assurance of his reconciliation to God through the perfect merits of the Saviour, and from that time his last days were wholly spent in praises and thanksgivings. He requested to receive the Lord's Supper, of which he had never partaken since he first took it as an initiatory form. On the day appointed for that touching ceremony, the minister found the sick man, who had not been out of bed for more than eight days previously, sitting before his table, in full dress of black, as if for the most joyous occasion of his life. He uncovered his venerable head, his locks as white as snow, and followed from memory the words of the prayer-book; and at the moment of partaking of the communion with Christ, who had given himself for him, and who at that moment was giving himself to him, the old man pushed back his chair, fell on his knees, as if insensible to weakness, and poured forth his heart before God in holy supplications and ardent thanksgivings. Now he knew how to pray! Four days afterwards, -it was on a Sabbath-the old man received his young friend with more than usual affection, and extending his hand to him, said, "To-day 1 think I shall depart." The pastor prayed with him, and on bidding him farewell, heard him recite with a feeble voice the beginning of the beautiful psalm, "The King in whom I trust,' &c. On the minister's return from divine service, be heard that the doctor had gone to his rest without a struggle and without pain........ He had rejoined his grandfather and his father. Parents, you who have at heart the salvation of your children, who pray for them, who give them the Word of life, do not lose hope, do not discourage yourselves by doubting, even when you have for a long time the misery of seeing them walk in the paths of error. He whose promise of grace extends to a thousand generations has heard you: he will save the child of your prayers, though it be at the eleventh hour. THE SONG OF THE MAGI. SON of the Highest, we worship Thee, We have left the land of our sires afar, And our crystal lake, which in beauty smiles; We have turned us away from the fragrant East, We have forded the torrent, and passed the ficods, And the chilly mountain solitudes: And the tiger's lair, and the lion's den, Son of the Highest! we worship Thee, ON THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS BY THE REV. JAMES BRODIE, Minister of Monimail, Fifeshire. MUSICAL instruments are so frequently mentioned in Scripture, that an inquiry into their nature could scarcely fail to be interesting, even though their use had formed no part of a divinely instituted service. Of course, a much higher interest ought to be excited when we remember that the music of the temple and tabernacle was appointed and arranged by men acting fore, that what the Holy Spirit saw meet to reveal under the inspiration of Heaven. Believing, therecan never be undeserving of a Christian's examination, we propose shortly to consider the nature and use of the instruments employed in the public worship of the Jews. Though frequently spoken of in Scripture, there is no description given of their form or power. In like manner, we may observe, that Greek and Roman authors, though often referring to the instruments with which they were familiar, either give no account of their nature, or supply us with such brief and imperfect statements respecting them, that if we depended upon books alone, the task we have undertaken would be altogether hopeless. Recent researches in Egypt, however, have thrown much light, not only on the antiquities of that country, but also on those of Judea, and to them we shall refer in endeavouring to illustrate the subject before us. The ancient Egyptians expended immense labour and wealth in erecting temples to their gods, and in building and excavating tombs in honour of their departed friends. The pyramids, for instance, that still remain the wonder of the world, uninjured by the lapse of centuries, seem to have been intended as sepulchral monuments. These temples and tombs, more especially those which have been hewn out of the rock, are adorned with a prodigious number of drawings, representing the arts and customs that prevailed at the time when they were executed. They, in fact, give such full and accurate delineations, that we may be said to know more of the manners that prevailed in Egypt three thousand years ago, than we do of the customs of our own forefathers a few cen turies back. Many of these tombs are proved by the hieroglyphics on their walls, and by other circumstances, to be at least as old as the time of Moses, and some of them, there is every reason to believe, were finished long before; yet, such is the dryness of the soil and climate, that the lines of the drawings are as distinct, and the colours as vivid, as when they were first put on. Among the pictures, or rather sketches, adorning | the tombs, a great variety of musical instruments are represented; and, it deserves remark, that these instruments seem to have undergone no change of form during the whole period that the Pharaohs reigned; those that are delineated in the most ancient tombs being in every respect as complete as those found in the more recent excavations. The same uniformity characterises all their arts and customs, arising from the law of the land, which forbade any departure from the usages of their forefathers. Being thus acquainted with the instruments in use among the ancient Egyptians, we are supplied with the means of ascertaining the nature of those employed by the Jews; for we cannot doubt that, during a sojourn of four hundred years, they would imitate the arts and implements in constant use among the people of the land in which they dwelt. We know indeed that they showed a desire to adopt the practices of their heathen neighbours, not only with regard to things indifferent, but even in their religious rites and ceremonies, though expressly forbidden by God. It is very probable, moreover, that a variety of the finer and more valuable instruments would be among the precious things that they "borrowed of the Egyptians" before their departure. We cannot, therefore, be far mistaken in considering the instruments ordinarily in use in Egypt to have been essentially the same as those employed by the Israelites previous to the time of David. The Nebel, which is generally translated Psaltery, though rendered Viol in Isaiah and Amos, is the only other stringed instrument spoken of in Scripture previous to the time of David. It seems to have been identical with the Egyptian guitar, (fig. 3,) which was perhaps even more commonly used than the harp. It may be considered as the type or representative of all those contrivances in which diversity of tone is produced by pressing the strings to the neck of the instrument, and thus making them in effect both tighter and shorter. The guitar of the ancient Egyptians was the same as that now in use, excepting that it had only three strings, none of which seems to have been of metal. It was played on in exactly the same manner as with us, the chords being struck with the finger. Like the harp, the psaltery was generally employed in the religious worship of the Israelites. Josephus says that "it had twelve musical notes and was played on with the fingers." The Harp, (fig. 1 and 5,) of which the Lyre, (fig. 7,) is merely a smaller variety, may be considered as including all those instruments, in which diversity of tone is produced by striking strings of unequal lengths. Among the Egyptians, harps were made of all sizes, from a few inches to six or seven feet in length, and of a great variety of forms. Some large ones highly ornamented, are represented as having upwards of twenty chords, many of the smaller have but four or five. In groups of musicians, we generally find one harper at the least, and not unfrequently, it would seem, that the larger and smaller varieties of harps were used together, the one forming an accompaniment to the other. With the people of Israel the harp appears to have been a peculiar favourite. The first mention made of it in Scripture is in Gen. iv. 21, where its invention is ascribed to Jubal; but the passages in which it is referred to are almost innumerable. As there is no instrument that forms a finer accompaniment to the human voice, it was very extensively employed in the religious wor- Besides the psaltery, Josephus describes a Viol, ship of the Jews, and is spoken of in the book of Revela- which he says had "ten strings, and was played upon tion as similarly employed by the Redeemed in the with a bow." The use of the bow in bringing out the latter day, when they shall stand with the Lamb in sound distinguishes it from the guitar, which it otherMount Zion, and sing "a new song before the throne." I wise resembled. The number of the strings must have book of Job, and is enumerated, in the hundred and fiftieth psalm, among the instruments employed in the praise of Jehovah. No similar contrivance seems to have been known to the Egyptians, and we have no means of ascertaining what improvements were made on it, in order to adapt it to the service of the sanc tuary. made it very difficult to manage, unless, as in the | 21, as invented by Jubal, it is again referred to in the modern piano, they were arranged in pairs, in order to render the note more accurate and the tone more powerful. The ten stringed instrument mentioned in the book of Psalms, which is generally supposed to have been "invented by David," was probably the same as the viol described by the Jewish historian. It is spoken of, at least, in such a way as to induce the idea that it closely resembled the psaltery, as any one may perceive by referring to Psalms xxxiii, xciii, and cxliv, where alone mention is made of it. The Pipe, among the Jews, was commonly used in the dance. Among the Egyptians it was similarly employed, and was sometimes made double, one branch being intended for the tenor and the other for the bass; generally, however, like our own, it was single. The flute, which is merely a larger variety, is mentioned in the book of Daniel, and was longer than those now in use. The Trumpet, Horn, and Cornet, form a class by themselves; the tone depending on their size and form, as well as on the nature of the material employed in their formation. They are frequently pictured in Egyptian monuments, and in the temple service of the Jews seem to have been employed in great number and variety. The Organ, of which the Pandian pipe is the simplest variety, may be described as a collection of tubes, varying in length and width of bore, and consequently emitting a diversity of notes when blown into by the musician. If the organ be the instrument denoted by the Hebrew word Hoogab, it is mentioned in Gen. iv. The Cymbals were circular pieces of metal, more or less hollowed in the centre, and producing a sound by being struck together. The Egyptians made them of a small size; but Josephus says that those used by the Jews were "broad and large instruments made of brass." In Psalm cl. it is said, "Praise him upon the loud cymbals, praise him upon the high sounding cymbals," this expression leads us to suppose, that there must have been several varieties used. As there is no means by which any one pair of cymbals can be made to produce more than one note, it is probable that diversity of tone was effected by the employment of a number of instruments differing in size, which however incon. venient in a limited band, could easily be accomplished when the performers were numbered by thousands, as was the case at the celebration of the passover and similar festivals. The tabret, or timbrel, resembled the modern tambourine. Both among the Jews and the Egyptians (fig. 4,) it seems to have been most commonly played on by females, and was generally employed on festive occasions. Besides the tabret, we find, in the Egyptian tombs, representations of several varieties of the drum, (fig. 6.) an instrument similar in its principle and use. 4 5 6 7 In concluding our brief notice of the musical instru- | of modern mechanism has, no doubt, greatly increased ments of the Israelites, it may not be unnecessary to remark that, in the drawings on the tombs, the singers are generally represented as marking time by clapping their hands, (fig. 2.) This fact serves to illustrate the many allusions made to this practice in Scripture, and shows the force and propriety of various passages, which might at first seem incongruous and strange. Whatever difference there may have been in construction and form, the instruments of the Israelites were the same in principle as those now employed. There is not, in fact, any one musical implement at present in use that has not its type or representative among those that we have enumerated. The ingenuity the range and power of each separate instrument; the affixing of keys, for instance, to the organ, enables a single performer to produce a variety of notes, and a volume of sound, as great as ten could have done without that assistance; but any deficiency in their instruments was made up, among the Jews, by the number of performers. They could not, perhaps, attain to that rapidity and brilliancy of execution which enable modern musicians to supersede and dispense with vocal music at their concerts, but as accompaniments to the human voice, their instruments were all that could be desired. If any one be inclined to think lightly of the musi 66 cal service of the temple, let him for a moment consider | policy; and then let us endeavour to apprehend the nature of the implements used, let him recollect the greatness of the difficulty to be surmounted their number and variety, let him, above all, keep in by such a man, before he could be induced to mind that they were designed not to produce, but only change his avowed creed, or alter his course of to regulate, the harmony, and he will then find reason conduct. Do we not clearly see,-does not the to alter his opinion. The magnificence of the other experience of human life sufficiently prove, that parts of the temple ritual required that the psalmody the most formidable obstacle to so complete a should be on a very extended scale; and that it was transformation, would not arise from the improso, we may learn from the taunting proposal, made per bias of the intellect alone, but from the mighty to the captives in Babylon, to sing to their masters barrier of resistance which would be raised by the one of the songs of Zion." In 1 Chron. xv., we pride and vanity inherent in the human heart? have an account of the method adopted by David for And if, in addition to the surrender of all his preits improvement. To each family he assigned their judices, the man in question were required to bepeculiar instrument and part. Heman, Asaph, and come an open and efficient advocate of sentiments Ethan were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass; and views not only calculated in themselves to Zechariah and his companions, with psalteries on Ala- bring upon their supporters the contempt of all moth; Mattathiah and his associates, with harps on those whose praise and favour he has hitherto Shemminith; while Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, been seeking, but condemned already, perhaps, by was for song. In the twenty-third chapter, we are the force of his own eloquence or learning, and told that four thousand of the Levites were statedly resisted by the wisdom and energy of his skilful employed in praising the Lord, with the instruments management, or his vigorous exertion,—who that that "David made to praise therewith." This seems to have been their daily and ordinary procedure. What, be disposed to say, that the moral difficulty, in knows any thing of our common nature, would not then, must have been the effect produced when the such a case, must be all but utterly invincible? It whole congregation of Israel assembled together to would not be the fear of personal danger or inkeep the feasts of the Lord, when the courts of the convenience that would deter a man like this from temple re-echoed the voices of five hundred thousand yielding to the force of truth; it would not be the worshippers, and the sound of the trumpets, cymbals, obligation to surrender any external object, that and harps, powerful and numerous as they were, formed would principally influence his mind; but the fear but a feeble accompaniment to the united voice of the of contempt and shame,-that fatal and obstinate people of the Lord! THE BELIEVER NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: BY THE REV. HENRY MONCREIFF, A.B., "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is WE shall be able to appreciate the extent of meaning conveyed by the statement, that Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, if we suppose that an individual of our own day, with natural talents and acquirements equal to those of the apostle, were called upon to make a sudden and entire transition from the practical maintenance of a set of long-cherished and popular opinions, to the active propagation and support of principles which he has hitherto hated and opposed, and which the greater portion of the wise and learned, both in his own country and among other civilised nations, agree to ridicule and despise. Let us imagine a man of large and comprehensive genius, who, by the diligent exertion of his own intellectual faculties, has already obtained, or is likely to acquire, a command over the minds of his admiring countrymen. Let us conceive that his popularity and reputation are indebted for no small portion of their strength to the indefatigable zeal, as well as irresistible talent, of his efforts in support of some favourite and imposing, though fallacious, system of speculative belief, or practical reluctance to meet the scorn or the cold indifference of the world, which has been the ruin of so many immortal spirits, that sense of degradation which all are naturally inclined to feel when disregarded and neglected by the men in whose society they fain would live; these are powerful causes, fitted to render the transition referred to a sacrifice too great to be extorted by any ordinary means. But, nevertheless, this sacrifice was made by Paul. He was a man of intellect and learning; he was a man of high influence and wonderful activity; he was carefully brought up at the feet of Gamaliel; he had profited, or advanced, in the study of the Jews' religion above his equals; and was more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his fathers. All his interests, as well as his influence and reputation, were connected with the cause of the Pharisees; and, as the advocate of that cause, he shared in the general hatred towards the Christian name, and took a leading part in the measures adopted with a view to its suppression. But this powerful and intrepid champion of Judaism speedily became the servant of Christ. He preached that very Gospel which he had himself laboured to expose to ridicule and scorn; he preached that very doctrine of the cross, which was to the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Greeks foolishness;-and, notwithstanding this entire abandonment of his former honours, and this deliberate submission to obloquy and degradation, he solemnly declares, in the text, that he was not ashamed. |