Amazing grace, how sweet the sound." "Begone, unbelief, my Saviour is near.' "Behold the throne of grace." "By faith in Christ I walk with God." "Come, my soul, thy suit prepare.” "For mercies countless as the sands." "From Egypt lately freed."

"From pole to pole let others roam." "Glorious things of thee are spoken."

He, who on earth as man was known." "How tedious and tasteless the hours." "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds." "I am, saith Christ, your glorious Head."

"I asked the Lord that I might grow." "In evil long I took delight."

'Jesus, who bought us with His blood." "Joy is a fruit that will not grow." "Kindred in Christ, for His dear sake." "Let us love, and sing, and wonder." "Let worldly minds the world pursue." "Now may the Lord reveal His face.” "O Lord, how vile am I." "Once a sinner near despair.” "One there is above all others." “Poor, weak, and worthless though I

am.

"Precious Bible, what a treasure." "Rejoice, believer, in the Lord." "Safely through another week." "Salvation, what a glorious plan." "Sweeter sounds than music knows."

"That man no guard nor weapon

needs."

"Though troubles assail." ""Tis a point I long to know." "What think ye of Christ is the test." "When Israel by Divine command." "When my prayers are a burden and task."

Most of these are to be met with in three of the four Selections generally used by our own denomination. Friends, however, not in possession of "Olney

Hymns," would do well to invest a shilling in the purchase; for which sum the choice little volume may be had of Mr. Wileman, 34, Bouverie Street, London.

The hymn by Newton that has obtained greatest favour among Christians generally is that commencing with "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds." Excepting the Wesleyan and another, no Evangelical Selection that we have met with omits it. Even "Hymns Ancient and Modern," which is partly. Ritualistic, partly Evangelical, has it, leaving out the verse

By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,

And I am owned a child.”

Some other Selections, however, make the same omission, which is matter of regret; the intercessory work of our blessed Lord being of such vast importance, thankful reference to it in our worship is certainly most appropriate. "He ever liveth to make intercession for them that come to God by Him." To the real Christian, the true lover of his Divine Lord, this hymn is as a bundle of sweet herbs, redolent of the Rose of Sharon, of the Tree of Life in the midst of the paradise of God. It is all aglow with expressions of love to our most precious Christ, and admiring gratitude for the gracious benefits received from Him. Let us repeat just

one verse :

"Dear name, the Rock on which I build,

My Shield and Hiding-place, My never-failing Treasury, filled

With boundless stores of grace."

Quite different in form of expression, but still as truly descriptive, at certain seasons, of the believer's experience, is the hymn, ""Tis a point I long to know." Not being adapted for use in singing, it is less frequently met with in the Selections than others by the same author. It is a hymn, however, which weak believers are much attached to, as accurately setting forth the exercises of their own fearing and anxious

souls. It is a hymn, moreover, which all believers, whether weak or strong, probably find too truly representative of their state of mind, more or less, at one time or other. The fact that both these hymns were written by the same individual, differing so widely as they do in expression, shows how varied is the state of feeling in which a child of God finds his mind at one time from that which obtains at another. Some of our Wesleyan friends-not pertaining to the class spoken of by Solomon as that "which shall know every man the plague of his own heart"-have sadly contemned this hymn, and spoken of it in a manner too jestingly to be repeated here. Nevertheless, one of the truest signs of real love to Christ our Lord is a humble, sorrowful sense of the smallness of our affection for Him and of our lack of delight in His service, ways, and ordinances, as described so fully and so feelingly in the nine verses of this hymn, including, as it does, an earnest prayer for deliverance from such a state of bondage and barrenness. Although, however, the hymn appears in our Selections, it should never be given out for singing; the right use to make of it is to lay the lines before the Lord in humble confession and earnest prayer in private. The hymn that stands by its side in "Olney Hymns"-written by Cowper in reply, as is this, to the question, "Lovest thou Me?" the first and last verses of which read thus:

-

"Hark, my soul, it is the Lord, 'Tis thy Saviour, hear His word; Jesus speaks, and speaks to thee, 'Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou Me?' "Lord, it is my chief complaint, That my love is weak and faint; Yet I love Thee and adore, Oh for grace to love Thee more."

-is better adapted for public worship. The hymn, "O Lord, how vile am I," is another that is unsuited for the service of praise; for why should we sing about our vileness? Yet it is not without its use in our books as the lamentation of a new-born soul, that may be read with

on record, in a former volume of this magazine, in which a young woman, on her dying bed, referred with much feeling to this hymn, as describing her experience, and thereby affording her comfort. (See GOSPEL HERALD for 1857, page 163.)

The hymns, "From pole to pole," "Begone, unbelief," "Come, my soul, thy suit prepare," One there is above all others," "Once a sinner near despair," "He, who on earth as man was known," "Salvation, what a glorious plan," "For mercies countless as the sands," "What think ye of Christ is the test," are all very precious compositions in the estimation of the truly devout, who walk with God by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. To speak of Newton's hymns as a whole, we may adopt the words of Montgomery, in his introductory essay to the "Olney Hymns":"They are plain, practical, often lively and fervent, sincere effusions of a heart full to overflowing of the love of God, and labouring with indefatigablezeal to promote the Kingdom of Christ upon earth," and, we may add, to help the travellers to Zion on their way thitherward.

He

The leading events of the life of John Newton are well known, the story having been so repeatedly told. was born in 1725 and died in 1807; began regularly to preach the Gospel in 1764, being then in his thirty-ninth year, and continued preaching until he was past fourscore, and had become nearly blind. We remember conversing with a godly woman, some fifty years ago, who spoke of the pleasure and profit she had experienced in listening to a sermon from Mr. Newton, when he was near the close of his labours, from the words, "Saw ye Him whom my soul loveth?" A characteristic text, and no doubt a characteristic sermon; the good woman declared she never forgot the blessing she received under it. His works, chiefly letters and sermons, make up a thick volume of over 900 pages, closely printed in small type, and contain a vast amount of plain, practical teaching; but it is by his

sweet, experimental, Gospel hymns that he is, and will continue to be, best known and most useful to the heavengoing family. The following extracts from his conversational remarks, taken from the memoir by Cecil, contain striking thoughts:

"If an angel were sent to find the most perfect man, he would probably not fird him composing a body of divinity; but perhaps a cripple in a poorhouse, whom the parish wish dead, and humbled before God, with far lower thoughts of himself than others think of him."

"When a Christian goes into the world, because he sees it his call, yet, while he feels it also his cross, it will not hurt him."

"What some call providential openings are often powerful temptations; the heart, in wandering, cries, 'Here is a way opened before me;' but, perhaps not to be trodden but rejected."

66

Many have puzzled themselves about the origin of evil : I observe there is evil, and that there is a way to escape it; and with this I begin and end."

"I would not give a straw for that assurance which sin will not damp."

"When we first enter into the Divine life we propose to grow rich; God's plan is to make us feel poor."

"The religion of a sinner stands on two pillars-namely, what Christ did for us in His flesh, and what He performs in us by His Spirit. Most errors

arise from an attempt to separate these two."

"I measure ministers by square measure. I have no idea of the size of a table, if you only tell me how long it is; but if you also say how broad, I can tell its dimensions. So, when you tell me what a man is in the pulpit, you must also tell me what he is out of it, or I shall not know his size."

"Much depends on the way we come into trouble. Paul and Jonah were both in a storm, but in very different circumstances."

The closing scene of Mr. Newton's life is thus described by his biographer:-"The Wednesday before he died, being asked if his mind was comfortable, he replied, I am satisfied with the Lord's will.' Mr. Newton seemed sensible to his last hour, but expressed nothing remarkable after this." It appears, his strength had declined in a very gradual way, until it became painful to ask him a question, or to attempt to rouse faculties almost gone. How pleasant the change: to pass from the worn-out tabernacle into the presence of his Lord-a perfect spirit, free from all imperfection, and fitted to dwell in His presence and enjoy the unspeakable bliss of the heavenly home.

"In the mansions of our King
Sweets abound without a sting,
Thornless there the roses blow;
And the joys unmingled flow."

WILLIAM GRAYSTON. WILLIAM GRAYSTON, for upwards of thirty years a member of the Strict Baptist church at Laxfield, entered his eternal rest February 15th, 1883, aged sixty-four. His consistent conduct and upright walk won for him the love and esteem of all who knew him. He was amongst the most timid of the Lord's

family; never could he be persuaded publicly to engage in prayer. And even at the time of baptism, fear, lest, after all, he was not right, caused him to walk away from the water; but his hope being strengthened, he entered, and has proved a brother beloved indeed. Not being ashamed of his Lord and Master, he threw open his house at

Heveningham every Sunday evening for some years, for public prayer and reading of the Word. Many look back to the happy seasons they spent under his roof at the mercy seat, though he never could be persuaded to conduct them himself. For this act of opening his house for worship, he suffered persecution at the hands of the parish clergyman; but this only made the meetings the sweeter for a season, though at last he was necessitated to give them up, owing principally to the loss of praying brethren by removals. His mortal remains were interred in Laxfield burial-ground on Thursday, February 22nd, in the presence of a large concourse of people. On the following Sunday the chapel was crowded, it was computed that 900 persons were present. The sermon was preached from the words -given with great power, to the writer's mind, at the hour our brother's soul was departing-"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; from henceforth," &c. We rejoice to know that the place of his death was the place where his life was hid, and the last day of his life appeared the most happy season he had ever enjoyed the body at the grave's mouth,

and the soul at the very precincts of heaven. His continual cry throughout that day was Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." We cannot but feel his loss, while we rejoice in his eternal gain.

"Come, behold the Christian dying,

Time fast ebbing out its thread;
Swiftly are the moments flying,
As in death he bows his head.
Listen to that last petition

Ere he gains his glorious home,
On the eve of full fruition-

'Come, dear Jesus, quickly come.' “While the cold sweat's stealing o'er him And the pains of death are keen, Faith beholds his Lord before him,

Not a cloud doth intervene. Parting with the loved ones near him, See! he views the glorious form Of his Lord, in death to cheer him'Come, dear Jesus, quickly come.' "Lo, He comes! the looked-for Saviour

Hears His prisoner's plaintive prayer;
Takes him home t' enjoy His favour,
Never more to know a care.
Oh, may we, who mourn his absence,
Onward press to reach that home;
Sing, in death, with faith's assurance,
Come, dear Jesus, quickly come.'
E. M.

WILDERNESS MERCIES. Lines written after hearing Mr. Hazelton's Sermon on the words," They wandered in the Wilderness," &c. (See last month's GOSPEL HERALD.)

ALL ye that are travelling to Canaan above,

Draw near, and with wonder admire The sovereignly free, unmerited love, Which plucked you as brands from the fire.

"Tis only the Saviour, who chose us, knows why

He loved us with love so Divine; As for us to bear such reproaches and die,

To fit us in glory to shine.

He often allures us and draws us aside, Then speaks words of comfort and cheer;

Says, You are My lov'd one, My chosen, My bride,

And bids us dismiss all our fear.

Oh! may we e'er shelter beneath that great Rock

Which doth in the wilderness stand; Its shadow entirely covers the flock,

And will till in Canaan we land.

There we shall behold, in the midst of the throne,

And through endless ages adore, The Lamb, who on earth for our sins did atone,

And all our iniquities bore.

A MEMBER OF MOUNT ZION. March 12, 1883.

LYRICS FOR THE HEART.

THE VICTORY OF THE CHURCH.

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb."-REV. xii. 11.

'Tis by the blood which Jesus shed, His saints, though feeble, victory gain ; 'Tis by His truth their faith is fed,

His faithful love their hearts sustain.

'Tis by His strength they shall prevail, Firm grasped by His Almighty hand; When earth's old pillars reel and fail,

Still built on Him, His Church shall stand.

Nor Satan's schemes, nor fiercest ire, Nor persecution's floods, though deep, Shall e'er put out that living fire,

His love will feed and wisely keep. The love by which He overcame, Stained with His blood the path He trod;

Lives in His saints a heavenly flame, And upward soars, and tends to God. His covenant love-a mighty cord,

Secures that Church which men oft
spurn;

Nor dungeon, fagot, flame, or sword,
Can cut, or make its fibres burn.
Vain is the rage and spite of men,

To sever Jesus from His bride;
No cruel beast, nor lion's den,

Shall e'er remove her from His side. Cleansed from all sin she must appear, And spotless see His Father's face; Triumphant, happy, free from fear, She shall extol His matchless grace.

The weakest saint that ever cried

One feeble, broken, heartfelt prayer"Beneath Thy cross, O let me hide," Shall live for ever sheltered there.

W. POOLE BALFERN.