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S^rflfnTdo of God.— bitter agony of his heart, he cried have mercy upon me, Oh, God, according to thy loving kindness ; according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions! These words may be found in Psalm li. 5, and in the 4th verse he saw he had sinned against God only, and he then clearly saw the justice of God in sending sinners to hell. Yes, my brethren, every heaven boru child testifies to the same thing; for while passing from the power of darkness into God’s mar velous light, which is being born again, they have their eyes opened by the Holy Spirit, and then they see their own wicked heart, how great an en emy it is to God. Yes, they see no way of escape. They are now exposed to the wrath of God, and while in this dreadful state of feeling they not only see, but they feel that God is just in their condem nation. They find they are without God and with out hop® in the world, and when they think the hour of despair is fully come, the Great God reach es forth his hand and snatches them as brands from the eternal burning. Then they ars ready to give God all the praise, for he has saved them, and that with an everlasting salvation. They then see that while they were enemies, Christ died for them ; Col, ii. 14, .blotting Qtat_lhfl hand-wrifow nf.ordi nances that was against them, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross, which was contra ry to them. The children saved by grace always feel themselves w r eak and unworthy to be number ed with the people who do so many good works. They feel to trust in the Lord, who is their defence, and the Holy O.ieof Israel their King, believing in God’s holy promises which he has made with his Son before the foundation of the world, as record ed in the 89th Psalm 3rd verse, I have made a cov enant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant; 4th verse, Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations, 19th verse same chapter. Then thou speakest in vision to thy Holy One, and said, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him, with whom my hand shall be established, mine arm also shall strengthen him. Yea, the Lord works all things after the counsel of his own will, and his children rejoice and are glad, and are willing to suffer per secution for the sake of their Lord, who is their de fence, and the Holy One of Israel their king. And many times their minds are carried beyond this howling wilderness to a world of immortal glory where they by faith behold their king bringing their brethren and sisters from all nations of the earth to sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, there to sing the great song of praises to the All wise God their Savior, for the love wherewith he loved and saved them. Dear brethren, have we wKujTr Fathers kingdom. No man from us, neither can any harm Us in the Spirit, for our life is not in ourselves, but is hid with Christ in God. It is both sure and steadfast. Brethren, God’s dear children do not trust them selves ; they dare not, for they by nature are as wicked as all other mon. Their trust is in God who takes care of them. — Their prayer is Lord save or I perish, and when they feel the rays of light of God’s countenance shining in their heaits they feel to say with the Psalmist, for the Lord is our defence, and the Holy One of Israel our king. My dear brethren in the Lord, fear not the reproach of man though you may be called all manner of evil, yet if it is for Christ’s truth, rejoice and be glad that you are counted worthy to suffer for our blessed Jesus, and God will give his children strength to walk and not faint, to run and not be weary. The road which our Captain and his apostles have gone.— It is a highway cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in. We have the arras of the Lord to hold us up and keep us from falling, yet many times be leaves us to ourselves,Jo show us our weakness, and we begin to wander immediately.— Oh, what could we do were it not for Christ giv ing us strength to whom belongs all the praise? and not to puny man who at the best of his carnal work deserves the wrath of God. Dear brethren, 4etjua lo&k to %od‘ (Or heart, a *fcrok£n heart, a contrite spirit, to walk worthy of the voca tion werewith we are called, trusting in the Lord who ; s our defence, and the Holy One of Israel our king. Yonr unworthy brother saved by grace, WM. J. THORP. Opelika, Ala., June 25, 1860. Brethren Editors—ln the 12th No. of the Mes senger I notice that bro. D. L. Hiden has request ed that you or myself give a comment on Matt. ii. 2, and as you have in an editorial note referred it specially to me, I will try as the Lord may give ability to offer a few thoughts upon the text, which reads thus, “ For we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him.” The extraordinary and astonishing things which were developing at that time were nothing more than what had been long foretold by the Lord’s holy prophets, and it appears that the people gen erally were in expectation of the appearance of some extraordinary person in the world as Kiugof the Jews, who, as they erroneously considered should sit upon the literal throne of David, and reign over national Israel as an earthly or tempo ral king. It was indeed an astonishing thing that a ‘’Virgin should conceive and bring forth a son.” When he was born in Bethlehem of Judea, the very place predicted by the prophet, there came wise men from the east saying, “we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him.” Wheth er these “wise men of the east” were of the Jewish but in this instance they were certainly wise in a sense entirely different and superior to that of hu man philosophy, in seeing this star at that par ticular time, and being led and guided by it until they come to the humble Babe of Bethlehem there is a special revelation made to them which human learning can neter attain unto. ** No man,” says Jesus, “ can come unto me except the Father which sent me draw him.” John vi. 44. To my mind .this extraordinary star represents the special light and teaching of God’s Holy Spirit in revealing and making known Jesus Christ to the heirs of prom* ise. Were it nothing more than human science or philosophy to discern and understand the sudden appearance and order of this singular star , these wise men could have shown it to many others ; and even Herod, who had diligently inquired of the wise men what time the star appeared, and who was so desirous to see him that he might slay him, could have been taught this principle of phil osophy by which to distinguish a certain star a his star from all other stars. But “eye hath not seen nor ear hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, but God (and not man,) hath revealed them unto us by bis Spirit.” 1 Cor. ii. 9. Hence, Herod, with all his kingly wisdom, wealth, honor and power, could not see this star, nor the wise men of the east, who had seen it, coutfd not*nake to him so thatkhe could-; see it and be directed by it. This star is like what Paul said of the gospel which he preached, “ It is hid to them that are lost.” 2 Cor. iv. 3. Human wisdom and human science can never attain to a knowledge of Jesus Christ in his true characters a Savior. “No man,” high or low, rich or poor, wise or unwise, “ can say Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost.” 1 Cor. xii. 3. Without this special revelation all our notions are vague and wrong like some of old, who said Ht is Elias, some Jeremias, some said he was one of the prophets ; but all were wroug, because a one side of the rer elation or the special teaching of God’s holy Spirit we never come to a knowledge of the truth, nor know Jesus whom to know is life eternal. But “as many as are led by the Lpirit of God they are the sons of God.” Rom. viii. 14. Like the star which appeared to the wise men of the eat, and guided them till it brought them to Jesus, so does the Com forter, which is the Holy Ghost, guide the saints into all truth, testifies of Jesus and shows him to them. See John xiv. 26, and xvii. 14. We might say many things upon this pleasant subject without exhausting it. What is here written has not been for vain glory, nor for mere past time, but as I hope with a love to the cause of God and an humble desire for the edification, peace and comfort of all who know and love Jesus. If any brother has clearer light upon the text, or entertains a different view 1 hope he will give us thejienefit of it. My heahb is rather declining, and I write in much pain, and must close. W. M. MITCHELL.