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the servant of sin." What vast numbers willingly bear this grievous yoke! One man has upon his soul the yoke of covetousness; another the yoke of prejudice; another the yoke of evil passions. The yoke of sin was seen upon the neck of Cain, Haman, Judas, and others. Have you upon you the yoke of Satan? Hearken to the voice of your rightful Lord: "Take my yoke upon you;" that is, Embrace my system of religion. This includes doctrines, commands, and promises, through the instrumentality of which Christ intends to establish his dominion in the earth. The seat of his spiritual kingdom is the human soul. The Prince of Peace reigns there by means of his Spirit and truth: "The kingdom of God is within you." He cannot thus reign within us if his truth be rejected. Hence he says, "Take my yoke;" that is, Receive my instruction. Receive it into your understanding, and let it sink down into your soul, and it will exert a mighty influence over the centre of your being. "Learn of me," says Jesus. "Take my yoke;" that is, the yoke of my doctrines. The Pharisees would impose upon you the yoke of their traditions, but receive them not. The doctrines I teach you are from heaven. They are words of life; they make wise unto salvation. Then sit at my feet, enter my school, let me be your teacher. "Take my yoke," the yoke of my commands. These are all reasonable, just, essential to your welfare. Then be wise, and submit to my government. Am I a Teacher? Receive my instruc

tions. Am I a Saviour? Trust in my sacrifice. Am I a King? Then obey my laws.

Christ has a right to impose his yoke upon you. He made you. He keeps you. He redeemed you. He enforces his right in his word, and by his ministers. He has given you the means of knowing what his yoke is. His system of religion is taught in his own word. He that doeth the truth cometh to this light. Submission to him ought to be the result of enlightened conviction, supreme love, firm faith in the justice of his claims. Jesus proposes to be your Master. Are you willing? He desires you to take his yoke early: "They that seek me early shall find me." And to find him is to find the Pearl of great price. He encourages you to submit to him. He reminds you of his humility and meekness: "For I am meek and lowly." He is a kind Master, not harsh, oppressive, overbearing, like the Pharisees, but meek, mild, and gentle in his government. His life on earth displayed the purity of his character, the tenderness of his heart, his deep interest in our welfare. And he is the same true Friend, kind Master, and mighty Saviour now he is in heaven. His patience with his friends and foes shows what a gracious Ruler he is. Then let the supreme excellence of his character encourage you to enter into his service. He will treat you kindly. He will help your infirmities. He will forgive your sins. He will give you strength for each day. He will supply your wants. He is great in kindness as well as great in power.

His yoke is easy to a willing mind. His laws are holy, just, and good. Love to the Ruler makes his service pleasant. And his reward is great: "And ye shall find rest unto your souls." The way of duty is the way to rest.

His servants have a sweet rest arising from the approbation of conscience, a sense of his favour, pardoned sin, a renewed nature, communion with him, a good hope of heaven, and an interest in vast promises. They have a rest here which is a sweet foretaste of rest in Paradise.

The advantages of submission to Christ are manifold, great, and eternal. There is purity, safety, peace, dignity, meetness for glory. His eye sees all who take the yoke, and will see them all when he sits upon the throne of judgment. All who have taken the yoke will be on his right hand; all who have refused on his left. The eternal consequences will be momentous. Heaven or hell depends upon taking or refusing this yoke. The design of the Gospel is to bring us into subjection to Christ; and oh, glorious subjection! He is the King of kings. He will bless his servants for ever. They shall see his face. They shall live in his presence. They shall drink at the Fountain of living waters. All who take his yoke are members of the true church. They are heirs of glory. They are the redeemed of the Lord. "Take my yoke" is the command of Christ to us all. He claims to be Lord of us all. He speaks with authority. The apostles never used such language in reference to themselves. Peter, John, Paul, did not

say, "Take my yoke." They pointed all to one Master. They sought to crown him. "One is your Master, even Christ." All true Christians delight to acknowledge his claims, to obey his will, to engage in his service. He requires us to avow before the church and the world that we have taken his yoke. He must be confessed before men. And the yoke, once taken, must never be thrown off again. His servants must be faithful until death, then they will receive a crown.

H. H.

THE OLD SAILOR'S REBUKE. A MERCHANT and ship-owner of New York stood at the entrance of his store, conversing with a gentleman on business. A pious sailor, belonging to one of his vessels,. approached the store with the intention of entering it; but observing that the door was occupied, modestly stepped aside, not willing to interrupt the conversation.

As he stood waiting patiently an opportunity to pass into the store,

he overheard profane allusions made to Christ, and turning to look, he perceived it was his employer who was speaking. Instantly he changed his position, and stood in front of the gentlemen with his head uncovered, and his hat under his arm, and addressed his employer in the following language: "Sir, you will forgive me, if I speak a word to you?" The gentleman recognising in the sailor one of the crew of the vessel recently arrived, and supposing he might have something to communicate affecting his interests, kindly encouraged him to

speak. Without further hesitation, the sailor proceeded: "You won't be offended then, with a poor ignorant sailor, if he tells you his feelings?" The gentleman again assured him he had nothing to fear. 66 'Well, then, sir," said the honesthearted sailor with emotion, “will you be so kind as not to take the name of my blessed Jesus in vain? He is a good Saviour; he took my feet from the pit and the miry clay, and established my going. Oh, sir, don't, if you please, take the name of my Jesus in vain! He never did any one harm, but is always doing good." The rebuke was not lost upon him for whom it was intended; a tear suffused his eye, and he replied to his urgent request,

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world. Have you ever heard that pretty fable told by the Persian Saadi moralist? He took up in his hand a piece of scented clay, and said to it, "Oh, clay, whence hast thou thy perfume?" And the clay said, "I was once a piece of common clay, but they laid me for a time in company with a rose, and I drank in its fragrance, and have now become scented clay." Believer, thou too art nothing but a piece of common clay, but if thou liest with the Rose of Sharon-if thou hast Jesus in thy company, thou wilt be a piece of scented clay, and wherever thou goest, thou wilt smell of him. I will know the company thou keepest by the fragrance thou hast. If thou hast lain in beds of spices, thou wilt smell of the myrrh, and the aloes. I will not believe thee a child of God, unless thou hast the lineaments of thy Father, nor will I think that thou hast been with Jesus, unless I can perceive that thou hast learned of him. Oh! if you would reform yourselves, and amend your livesif you would curb sin, and restrain the hot-mouthed steeds of your lust -if you would overcome your iniquities, and persevere in holiness, here are the means: "Behold the man; " look you there at Christ Jesus.

Biblical Illustration.

EVILS OF DIVISION.

"If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand."-MArk iii. 25.

"As the fire produced by rubbing together two pieces of bamboo will burn and destroy that wood from whence it came, so the contentions

of a family will destroy those from whom they come." "Can the tiger and the deer exist together?" "Will serpents and frogs take

pleasure in each other's company?" In the wet monsoon, millions of frogs occupy the fields and gardens; and then the serpents have plenty of food. People in England would be surprised at the agility with which the latter catch the former. "What! do serpents and kites love each other?" The kite, called mallekanne, will carry off nearly any serpent in the East. This bird, when the wings are extended, measures six feet five inches; he seizes the serpent with his talons just behind the head, and then flies aloft and bills the head of the reptile till he has made a hole in it, which produces death; he then retires to a tree to enjoy his repast. So soon as the serpents hear the whining cry of the kite or eagle, they begin to make a hissing, clapping noise: this may be heard in old buildings or walls.

ANOINTING WITH OIL. "They anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them."-MARK vi. 13.

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The people of the East give a decided preference to external applications; hence, when they are directed to "eat" "drink medicine, they ask: "Cannot we have something to apply outside?” For almost every complaint a man will smear his body with bruised leaves, saffron, or ashes of certain woods, or with oils; and he professes to derive more benefit from them than from those medicines which are taken internally: at all events, he knows they cannot do him so much harm. It ought to be observed, that they do not attach any miraculous effects to their being "anointed with oil."

ORIENTAL SUPPERS. "Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords."-MARK vi. 21. "They made him a supper."-JOHN xii. 2.

"I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."-REV. iii. 20.

The Orientals have nearly all their great feasts in the evening;

and to give a supper is far more common than to give a dinner. Those evening festivals have a very imposing effect. Surrounded with torches and lamps, amidst splendid dresses, jewels, processions, bowers, flowers, and music, a kind of enchantment takes hold of the feelings, and the mind becomes halfbewildered.

THANKS FOR FOOD. "He took the seven loaves and gave thanks."-MARK Viii. 6.

Before the Hindoos eat their food, they take a little in their fingers, and lift it to the height of the forehead, and, in thought, offer it to Siva; and in the same way they offer their rice and fruits to the gods, and then eat them. The ceremony is called Siva-Purethe, that is, "agreeable to Siva." It is considered disgraceful not to attend to it, and only "low or vile people' neglect it. The sect of Vishnoo put a little of the food to the forehead as above, and meditate on Nariyanan, one of the names of their deity. In general, the people do not return thanks; but those of the Saiva sect, after having washed their hands, repeat a mantheram or "prayer."

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WALKING TREES.

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I see men as trees, walking."-MARK viii. 24.

So said the blind man of Bethsaida to whom our Saviour imparted sight. To "see men as trees walking," is a singular form of expression. Perhaps this man was not born blind; and therefore compared men to trees moving about, of which his vision had still a distinct recollection. Was his allusion to the custom of the Eastern hunters, who tie branches to their bodies until they resemble a tree? by which artifice they can walk into the midst of a flock of wild animals or birds, and single out any that they please. The sportsman, having in the forest changed himself into the appearance of a tree, goes gently to the skirts; and so soon as he sees the game, he watches till their

heads are turned from him, and then moves on till he is in the midst of them, when he is sure of his object. And this is a custom of great antiquity; for in the ScandaPurana there is the following question: "Is it like the hunter,

who, to deceive and ensnare the birds that warble in the forest, ties shrubs about him?" When the Moormen have their festivals, they sometimes thus disguise themselves with branches to resemble trees. "I see men as trees, walking."

The Counsel Chamber.

MAXIMS FOR SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHERS.

By the Author of "Sunday-school Notes and Sketches," " Gems," &c.

I. Be early. In other words, be punctual, be in time. If, teachers, you are not early in the school, where is your self-respect? where is your solicitude for the children entrusted to your charge? where is the beauty of your example? where is your intellectual and moral power? where, indeed, is your consistency? Further than this, where is your sense of justice? Besides, if you are late and irregular, the children in your schools will imitate you, and soon do it. Your irregularity will inevitably render them irregular also. You must move with the punctuality and precision of the well-regulated clock. Nothing must be out of order.

II. Be well qualified. Determine on this, that you will understand what you teach; that you will have well-informed minds; that your acquaintance with language shall be clear, correct, full; that your tact and ability in the great work of education shall be obvious to all. Aim at superior attainments, and labour hard that they may be acquired and unfolded. A well-qualified teacher will invariably command

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make his way; but what can an ignorant, lazy, ill-qualified preceptor accomplish?

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III. Be decided. Think for yourselves, have your opinions,-express and maintain them, if you have valid reasons for believing that they are sound and good. In the school, dealing with children and youth, do not be vacillating. not cherish unfixed sentiments. matters of education have your minds made up: mark out your course, and steadily and boldly pursue it. An undecided teacher, whose opinions are always loose and floating, is worth nothing,indeed, he inflicts positive injury. If you want to do good-to have influence-be decided.

IV. Be simple in your attire. You cannot be too particular in observing this direction. Children and youth are very quick and shrewd, and they soon notice the habits, the manners, and even the dress of their teachers. Beware, then, of finery,-of undue expensiveness, or improper show with regard to your apparel. Be uniformly neat, female teachers, but never gaudy. Remember that a

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