grand old Gospel in various places. At a tender age she was left motherless, but with extreme pleasure she was wont to refer to her maternal affection and loving counsel, for her dear mother was one who firmly believed in the value of sowing the "seed " in the dawn of life. Dear Ruth was early sent to glean some of the precious grain in the fields of truth at the Sabbath-school. Her father had now removed to Brighton, where, with his family, he resided for many years. Often would she refer with peculiar pleasure to the highly esteemed superintendent of her Sunday-school in that town, viz., Sir Thomas Bloomfield, who was a good and gracious man. After a time she became a teacher, and the children composing her class were greatly attached to her; but in the order of Providence she was called to sever her connection from them and her fellow-teachers, to reside in Wandsworth, in the year 1871, where she attended the ministry of our esteemed brother, Mr. S. Kevan. Feeling a union to pastor and people, she expressed a desire to follow the Lord in the ordinances of His house. She was proposed as a candidate for baptism and membership at a church-meeting held September 26th, 1871. She was subsequently invited before the church to relate some of the Lord's dealings with her soul. This she did to the satisfaction of all present, and was baptized on Lord's-day evening, November 26th, 1871, and was received into full communion with the church at Waterside on the following Lord's-day. She continued an honourable member of the same church till her removal from this vale of suffering, which took place on Lord's-day morning, October 22nd, 1882, leaving an affectionate husband and four dear children to mourn her loss, "but they sorrow not as those without hope." Our beloved sister was married to our esteemed brother Benjamin Drane, a member of the same church, in August, 1872, with whom she lived in the sweetest harmony during the whole of her married life. But our dear sister was called to tread the pathway of suffering. She was never physically strong, and after the birth of her third child she was laid very low, so that her life was almost despaired of, but it pleased the Lord again to restore her to health, and this continued for some time. In the autumn of 1879 she had a severe attack of pleurisy, which brought her very low, but from this she was once more raised up. In the end of the following year she began to suffer with a distressing cough and pains in the chest, which baffled all human means to remove. It now appeared evident that consumption was making inroads upon her constitution. The severe winter of 18801881 was a most trying season for her. At the opening of our new chapel at West Hill, great fears were entertained that it would be unsafe for her to attend the opening services. At this she was greatly distressed, as she had a longing desire to be present. A conveyance was therefore procured, and she had the pleasure of being present at some of the services on this interesting occasion, which was a great comfort to her, for she had taken an active part, with her sisters in the church, to add as much as possible to the New Chapel Building Fund. As the spring approached she grew worse, and again all means were tried, but without permanent benefit. As often as circumstances and strength permitted she was found in the house of God, for she loved the means of grace and the assembly of the saints. She never complained of the Lord's dealings with her, but she would sometimes say "His ways were mysterious," and if it were His pleasure she would like to be spared for her dear husband and the children's sake. Or, if it were the Lord's will, she would like to outlive her two babes; and in this the Lord was pleased to hear her, for He took one dear lamb, near seven months old, November 28th, 1881, and shortly after this the next dear babe fell ill with a painful internal disease. This she nursed and watched over for months, until her strength had wellnigh spent itself, and only just previous to the departure of this second dear child she broke a blood-vessel; but even then we tried to indulge the hope that she might be spared a little longer, for she appeared a little better sometimes, and was just able to follow the dear little girl to the cemetery, where she herself was so soon to rest. This precious one died August 12th, 1882. "Far from a world of grief and sin, She was aged nearly three years. Our dear pastor officiated, and spoke words of loving sympathy. On the following Sunday the beloved bereaved mother went to chapel for the last time, and heard our newly chosen pastor. The sermon she greatly enjoyed. The subject was very applicable, namely, "the offering up of Isaac." The visits of our beloved pastor, Mr. James Clark, she very much valued, and felt greatly comforted by his reading of the Word and praying with her at the throne of our heavenly Father, and felt a true union of soul to him. We did hope she might be favoured long to listen to the sweet notes of the Gospel proclaimed by him, but this was not to be. Her sufferings increased, her end drew near, and the last night on earth her sufferings seemed to have reached a climax; but grace was sufficient, not a murmur was heard. It was a truly affecting sight as she took the dear children one by one, and lovingly addressed words of farewell, counsel, and affection to each; then turning to her niece she spoke words of loving advice respecting her future career, wishing her the best of earthly blessings, but, most of all, that she might be a partaker of the love and grace of God, and be led to delight in His ways, and then said she could find her strength would not allow her to say more. Quietly and peacefully her happy spirit fled to the mansions above on this eventful Sabbath morning, October 22nd, at the age of forty-one. On the next Lord's-day evening the solemn event was referred to by our dear pastor in a most impressive sermon from John xiv. 2, a portion that was very sweet and precious to our beloved sister during her last illness. Our esteemed and bereaved brother Drane has the hearty sympathies of pastor, deacons, and members in this his season of sorrow, and the loving prayers of a united people that the Lord may graciously comfort and carry him through. MR. HENRY FLATMAN; MRS. MOORE. MR. HENRY FLATMAN, of Laxfield, entered his eternal rest on September 7th, after patiently enduring months of painful affliction. All through his illness he was blessed, and greatly supported, experiencing the fulfilment of that precious promise given him at the commencement of his illness, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee." His last days were those of expressed assurance of his eternal rest, and his last words were, "Home, home." He was interred in the family grave at Laxfield by his pastor, Mr. J. R. Debnam, of Horham. The church at Horham has sustained another loss in the removal by death of a dear sister, the wife of our beloved deacon, Mr. Moore, of Bedingfield; for years she was a sufferer, but only for the space of three months laid aside. She was a subject of many doubts and fears until her last affliction, when she was favoured to enjoy much of the sence and love of God. On Lord's-day, September 17th, she passed away to the world of everlasting rest, and truly we can say her end was peace, and our loss is her gain. pre J. R. DEBNAM. The Hamily Circle. "LOOK UP!" A NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS. A GENTLEMAN who was fording the Susquehanna on horseback, grew dizzy by keeping his eyes upon the whirling water, and was in danger of falling from his horse. A hunter, who was on horseback by his side, suddenly gave him a sharp knock under the chin, and cried, "Look up!" He did so, his dizziness ceased, and he passed over in safety. Let me ask my young friends at the commencement of a new year, whether they are looking up to the Father of Lights, from whom every good (temporal) gift, and every perfect (spiritual and eternal) gift comes down? This is a very important question, and my wish is that each reader should answer "Yes" or "No," and answer aloud too! That they may do so, we will introduce a Selah, saying pause awhilethink-and then speak. The best way to begin the year is to LOOK UP; and there is no better way of ending the year. But we can only do the best as the Holy Spirit prepares and moves our hearts thereto. It pleases Him oftentimes to touch young hearts, and teach them to pray; so that, as Samson was from childhood under His supernatural influences, and was thus prepared to be a great man in his age, young people are the subjects of Divine impulses and influences, and thus prepared to be good men and women in their day. If any of my young readers have been taught and made to look up to God, in the name of Jesus, for pardon, peace, and purity, let them remember that as. all the great do not pray, so neither do "These It is like Jesus to look up. words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, 'Father!" "Cold mountains, and the midnight air, Witnessed the fervour of His prayer." Is it your purpose to be like Jesus all the year round? No year is well spent that is not spent in the imitation of Christ. The more like Him we are the better for ourselves, and the better for others. If He looked up to God for us, He will teach us to look up on our own behalf. But if my young readers should be unlike Jesus all through the year, what a sad year it will be! It used to be an honour to be spoken of as one who walked in the footsteps of David. It is now the greatest honour to be spoken of as one who is like Christ. May the Holy Ghost cause each of you to say, "I want to be like Jesus!" No one can read the Bible so well as he that looks up. If you do not loɔk up, still read the Bible. It ought to be read by every one, being the Word of God. Beware of books and periodicals which contain evil teachings. Take the advice of older heads than your own about what to read. "Search the Scriptures." Read them daily. Be like . the noble and imposing monument erected in Glasgow Necropolis to the memory of the great reformer, John Knox. There he stands, Bible in hand, all the year round. You cannot do better than begin and end the year with the Bible in your hands. The writings of the false prophet, Mahomet, are called "The Koran," that is, "the thing to be read." We say, however, with good reason, that God's Word is the thing to be read; and that the best readers of the Bible are those that look up the most. The Holy Spirit who caused holy men to write it can show its meaning, and make it influence our hearts and minds. Whosoever truly looks up to Him for light and grace shall never be put to shame. To look up is the way to be holy. Nothing tends to set the life right like prayer and thinking about God. When Bob was met by his playmates last September, they said, "Bob, we are going nutting; we shall have such fun ; won't you come with us?" Bob would have liked to go, but it happened that his mother had bidden him return at a certain time, and he remembered this. His friends said, "Come along, Bob; your mother won't mind. All will be well." He was uncertain what to do for a moment or two; but lifting up his eyes to heaven he said to himself, "I wonder what God would have me to do?" He was decided in a twinkling, and was soon fouud making his way homewards. Happy lad! When you are going here or there, when you think of doing this or that, look in the same directior, and ask the same question. We may do all that is according to our heart and mind if it be according to God's heart and mind, but not otherwise. There is a proverb which says, "Self do, self have." If we do what our sinful hearts tell us to do we shall have what our sinful ways deserve. "Be sure your sin will find you out." God can "deliver us from evil;" and if we wish to be good and do good let us lift up our eyes to heaven day by day. We shall do well to take as a motto that of a noble Scot tish family, "I'll be wary." Let us ever be wary, but let us ever look up for help to do the right. None are truly happy but they that look up. When a good Christian man was asked "how it came about that he was so happy," he replied, "I make a right use of my eyes." This answer was like a riddle, so he was asked to explain himself. He said, "In whatever state I am I first of all look up to heaven, and remember that my principal business here is to get there; I then look down upon the earth, and call to mind how small a place I shall occupy in it when I die and am buried; I then look abroad into the world, and observe what multitudes there are who are in all respects more unhappy than myself." Thus when he thought of the many who were worse off than himself he was not inclined to be dissatisfied; when he remembered that he must lie in the grave, he was unwilling to trouble himself much about the riches that he could not take with him into another world; and when he looked heavenwards, and thought " my home is there," he was happy. It would be impossible for the writer to say how happy he has sometimes been when lifting up his eyes to heaven in prayer. God always looks down upon them that look up; and he has sometimes felt that God was looking down upon him, and this has filled him with joy, and made him like to pray. A little girl being asked, "Why do you pray to God?" replied, "Because I know He hears me, and I love to pray to Him." "But how do you know He hears you?" Putting her little hand to her heart she said, "I know He does, because there is something here that tells me so." Can you do and say as this little girl did and said? If by grace you are helped to look up for true happiness, you may expect that God will remember you for good. Otherwise you will surely be disappointed, not only this year, but next year, and all the years of your lives. Some time since the writer stood by the side of a bear-pit. Two boys were trying to induce Master Bruin to climb his pole; but he wouldn't gratify them. Every now and again he turned sharply towards the pole, and one of the boys cried out as often as he "Here he comes.' turned, "" But he didn't come, and they were not well pleased. My young friends will be as disappointed in looking for solid joy if they do not look up, and, although they may be ready to say "Here it comes," they will not find it do so. All are safe who live looking up. Their sins are forgiven, for Christ's sake, in answer to prayer. The blood of Jesus was shed for many for the remission of sins. In no other way could men escape from the punishment due to their sins than by the sufferings of One who could bear all they deserved for them. Jesus did this for a number which no man could number. One by one they are moved by the Holy Ghost to ask God to forgive their sins for Christ's sake. And He does so. Unpardoned sinners are always in danger of everlasting fire. They are like the Benjamites of Gibeah, of whom we read, " 'They knew not that evil was near." How many think themselves safe; but sudden destruction cometh. They are like some men seen by the writer a few months since in Oban Bay. There they were in a little yacht, sailing along merrily enough. Presently a treacherous breeze from the mountains swept across the bay and the yacht was capsized, the three men being thrown into the water. Happily for them, help was near, and they were rescued from death. Thoughtless sinners are like those men, easily overturned by God, who takes them by surprise. But when God overturns the wicked, they sink to rise no more. You are in no danger, if washed in the blood of Christ. Should the body die, the soul is safe, and that is the allimportant matter. When in fear of your soul's safety, look up to the Saviour of sinners, and He will regard your prayer. When the Princess Alice was run down in the Thames, and so many hundreds were drowned, ropes were thrown over the sides of the Bywell Castle for some of the poor creatures in the water to cling to. Three young girls were seen to be clinging to as many ropes, and were heard crying, "Lord Jesus, save us! Lord Jesus, save us!" A waterman pulled his boat up to them, and took them into it, and so they were saved from a watery grave. Look up to Jesus when you fear danger is at hand, and you shall not cry in vain, "Lord Jesus, save us! Lord Jesus, save us !" Presently all danger will be past to those that look up. Sin, Satan, and the world shall trouble them no more; but they shall be found within the gates of the Heavenly City, "safe in the arms of Jesus." It is possible to ride in a railway train with your back towards your destination all the way; but you cannot go to heaven in that manner. Your face must be Zionwards. If it is Zionward in January, it will certainly be in December; for God will keep it so. But it may not be Zionward in December if it is not in January.-IS IT? Brighton. S. GRAY. "GRACE BEFORE MEAT." That each may be Thy guest. And while Thy goodness we survey--- On Thee we rest, to Thee we pray "GRACE AFTER MEAT." FOR what Thy Hand has now bestowed, O God, the praise receive; We thus have reaped what Thou hast sowed, Thy love we must believe. Thy beauty, gracious Lord, we'd trace |