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A Parable* A certain tyrant sent for one of his sub ject* and said to him. ‘ What is your employment V lie said, ‘ I am a blacksmith.’ ‘Go home,’ said he, ‘ and make mo a oh lit' of such a length.’ He went homo.; it occupied him several months, and he had no wages all the while he was making the chain ; only the trouble and pain of making it. Then he brought it to the monarch, and lie said: ‘ Go and make if twice as long.’ He gave him nothing 10 do it with, hut sent him away. *' Again he worked on, and made it twice as long. He brought it up again, and the monarch said. * ‘Go and make it longer still.’ Each time he brought if, there was noth ing but the command to make it. longer still. And when lie brought it up at last, the monarch said : ‘ Take it and bind him hand and foot with it. and cast him into a furnace of tire.’ These were his wages for making the chain. Hero is a meditation Fr you to night, ye servants of the devil ! Your mas ter, the devil, is telling you to make a chain. Some of you have been fifty years weld ing the links of the chain : and he says, 1 go and make it longer still.’ Next Sunday morning you will open that shop of y r ours, and put another link on ; next Sunday you will be drunk, and put another, link on ; next Monday you will do a dishonest action, and will keep on making fresh links to this chain ; and when you have lived twenty more years, the devil will say, ‘*More links on still.’ And then at last, it will be, ‘Take him and bind him hand and foot, and cast, him into a furnace of fire:’ ‘For the wages of sip is death.’ There is a.subject for your meditation. 1 do’not think it will be sweet; but if God makes it profitable, it will do you good. You must have strong medicines sometimes, when the disease is bad. God apply it to to your hearts.— Spurgeon. COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF PROVIDENCE. —“ Consider not only one single act of Pro vidence, but the whole scheme, to make a. conclusion.” The motions of his eyes are various, but all end in' discoveries of hi* strength. Men do not argue from one sin gle proposition, but draw the conclusion from several propositions knit together. It is by such a spiritual logic we are to make conclusions from the ways of Providence. As in reading Scripture, if we take not the whole period, we may make not only non sense, but blasphemy, as in that of iiie Psalmist, ‘ Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in unrighteousness.” If a man should read only, “Thou art not a God,” and make a full stop there, it would be blas phemy ; and reading the whole verse, it is excellent* sense, and an honorable declara tion of God’s holiness. Such errors will be committed in reading the books of Provi dence, if we fix our eyes only in one place, and make a full stop wheifc God hath- not made any. We judge not of a picture by the first draught, but the last lines; not by one shadow or color, but by the whole com posure. The wisdom of God is best judged by the view of the harmony of Providence. The single threads of Providence may seem very weak or knotty and uneaven, and seem to administer just occasion of censure; but will it not as much raise the admiration to see them all woven into a curious piece of branched work ? Consider, therefore, God’s ways of working; but fully judge nothing till the conclusion, for that is to judge before the time. Judge not then of Providence by the first appearance; God may so loose the glory of ILis work, and you the comfort. —Ckarnoek. Trust in God. —Let us treasure up our experiences of God's .faithful and tender care during the whole course of our lives, that they m ly come in aid to our faith and hope in the last great conflict; Ictus care fully consider the examples of others, whose happy death we witness, or of which wc read or hear, to allay our fears and encourage our hearts ; let us prepare daily for this im port nit season, by faith and repentance, and a conscientious attention to the duties of our station ; and let us watch and pray, against anxious and distressing fears. Hie Lord will provide for our passage over"this Jordan when the time comes; yea, he will come and meet us, and by bis animating presence invigorate our faith and hope, till we join the innumerable multitude that, in the Canaan above, arc singing the praises of the great Deliverer, who hath both redeemed them from far worse than Egyptian bondage* and brought them safe to the promised lan through his precious blood, and by his all conquering arm. — Scott. THE ARMY & NAVY HERALD. Thf. Dying Soldier Boy. —As 1 walked over a battle field after an engagement, and was assisting in removing the wounded, I> found an interesting boy, who was rolled in his blanket, and resting his head against i stump. He had been fearfully wounded through the lungs; his breath came p;,isi fully, and his broken arm hung helplessly at his side. Ills lips were pallid from loss'of blood, and it .seemed as though such pain and exhaustion would quickly wear his life away, I said : “ My dear boy, are you severely woun ded.” “Yes, I am going to die.” “ Wouldn’t you like to have me write to your mother ?” “ 0 yes! Ido!” he eagerly said. “ You.* will write to her won’t you ? Tell my mother I have read my Testament, and put ail my trust in the Lord. Tell her to meet me in heaven, and my brother Charlie too. 1. am nut afraid to die.” And-theii, exhausted by the effort, the head fell back and the epos closed again. Several soldiers had gathered about, attrac ted by the patient heroism of the boy, and that sermon from those white lips was a swift witness to them of the power of the religion of Jesus. Strong men turned away to hide their tears as they* saw that young soul strengthened and cheered in its agony by the hopes of the gospel. .It was not hard to assure him of Christ’s love and remem brance, and lead him still closer to the cross. At length the eyes opened again. “ Tell my m ither that I was brave, that 1 never’flinched a hit.” What n lesson of courage and patriotism was that! No wonder he was brave, for ho was sustained by a more than earthly forti tude. His trust was in God. and lie was not afraid to die. Send the tidings.all along the line, and let the story nerve every man for the next fierce struggle. The Golden Chain. —Let us resolve to serve CL list steadily; and that we may serve him, let us, with our hearts opeu to wards heaven, and receiving fully into them the light of the Spirit of God, kneel down on our knees before him, not once a day, much less once a week only, but often, hut perpetually; and yet more, when we canuot kneel down on our knees, let us, while stand ing or sitting, in the intervals of our work or our amusement, link together, as it were, our more special and solemn devotions by a golden chain of heaven-ward thoughts and humble prayers—not trusting to our gen eral good intentions, but refreshing our con tinued decays and failings with as continual a recourse to the ever-opeu fountain of the grace of God. — Arnold. Royal Religion. —Gouvville went to 1 pay his respects to the Duchess Sophia of I Brunswick, whose young daughter lie was speculating on as a wife for the Dauphin. When he was permitted to see the young lady, then in her twelfth year, he said : “ This fair and beautiful princess i.s worthy of the highest destiny. May L ask what, religion she has been brought up in?” “She has none at present,” answered Sophia; when we know what {finnee will be her husband, she will be instructed in his re ligion.” A Submissive and Patient Woman. Mr. Peabody one day came in from a walk. His wife said tolling “L have been thinking of our situation, and have determined to be subtnisive and patient.” “ Ah !” said •he, “ that is a good resolution ; let us see what we have got to submit to. L will make a list of our trials. First, we have a home —we will submit to that. Secondly, wc have the comforts of life —we will submit to that. Thirdly, we have each other. Fourthly, we have a multitude of friends. Fifthly, we have God to take care of us.” “ Ah,” said she, “ pray stop —I will say no more about submission.” An Eloqjjent Thought. —Though the inventor of the steam engine and the dis coverer of the telescope may have intended to invent and discover for themselves alone, yet they could not help giving the strength of ten thousand arms, and the vision of ten thousand eyes to all mankind; and when an inspiring thought glows up, like sunshine, in the soul of genius,*a new sun is lighted up in the firmament of all men’s concious ness, and a ray out of the Eternal Effulgence is poured out over the world. Two Irishmen on a tramp came to a mile l post, on which it said, “ Twenty-nine miles from Petersburgwhen one of them ex claimed, “ Tread lightly, Jamie, tread light ly; here lies the dead; lie’s twenty-nine years ould, and his name is Miles, from Pittsburg. FOOD FOR THOUGHT. 1 have seen all ihc works that are dene j under the sun, and behold all is vanity and ! vexation <v spirit. Egc. 1 : 14. lie that loveth silver shall not- be si'isiied i with silver, nor h * that, loveth abundance | wi:h increase; this is also vanity. Fee. 4: ! 10. < There is no man that hath power over the 'pint, neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no discharge iii that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those j tiiat are given to it. Fee*. 8 : S. Oast thv bread upon the waters, for thou j shalt find it after many days. Eco. 11: l.i For God hall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. Fee. 12 : 14. Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. Mark 14: 08. • For nothing is secret, that shall not be iade manifest; neither anything hid that shall not be known and conic abroad. Luke 8:17. For wher6 your treasure is, there will be your heart, also. Luke 12: 84. Be ye therefore ready also; for the 8 n of Man cometh at au hour when ye think not. Luke 12 : 40. [ tell you, nay; except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 18: 8. God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men. is abomina tion in the sight of God. Luke Hi: 15. God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. St. John 4 : 24. Search ihe Scriptures; for in them ye tLink ye have eternal life, and.they are they which testify of me. St. John 5: B'J. Verily, verily, 1 say unto you, He that bclievetli on me ha h everlasting life. 1 am that bread of liii*. St. John ti: 47, 48. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrec tion and the life: he that believeth in me, though lie were dead, yet shall he live And whosoever iiveth and believeth in me shall never die. Bclicvest thou this? St John, 11 : 25, 20. ANECDOTES OF ANDREW FULLER. “It is very well known,” says a monthly editor, “ that Mr. Fuller was generally can did and forbearing towards young ministers, and ready to assist them in the explication of a subject, or in the composition of a serru mon ; but he knew also how to chasti.-e van ity, ignorance, and conceit-, and was not very sparing of persons ot this description. A young man calling on him on a Saturday, and anouucing very consequentially, that he was going to preach on the morrow ut a little distance, Mr. Fuller asked him for his text, lie readily answered that he was going to' nreach from, ‘One thing is needful.’ And i what is that one thing, said Mr. Fuller. — J Tyro replied, without, hesitation, Christ of course Why then said he, you are worse than the Socimians. They do allow him to be a man, but you reduce him to a mere thing, this unfortunate remark spoiled Tyro’s ser mon : and when he arrived at his place of destination, where the flock was waiting for his sage instructions, he had not courage to bring forward wl*at he had provided with much study and care.” On another occasion, after delivering a sermon to a distant congregation, Mr. Full er was rudely accosted by one of the would be ijudges of evangelical preaching, who said tp him, as he descended the pulpit stairs, You left Christ at home, sir !” “Did I, in deed ?” replied Mr. Fuller; “then 1 shall hopfe to find him there when 1 return.’’ — Ivqjirtees of this kind abounded in his con versation ; and both in his sermons and his wrings, there is a greater variety of apo thegms than is usually to be met with in modtrn authors. HERE AND THERE. here! I It nmaiheth that they that rejoice be as thougl they rejoiced not, and they that use this wjrld, as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world pu.eec.tL why.—l Cor. 7 : 29 —Bl.,|f’ THERE! In thy presence is fulhc-ss of joy.—l’s. 1G : 11. “A land of all that is and dear, . A land of love undash 4 a * ear Os Spring, whos‘ iarblds no winter shall dread, Os flowers ne’e* traded to die o’er the dead ; Os "lories U o lflovrr; a world such as this, Os transport > n an Eden ot bliss.” been subscribed in Rich mond lot UawPMp Sydney College. French Retort of Lincoln’s Proto- SAUS TbIROUGH Blair. —We have reason to believe that the Imperial Government has received from M. Geafiry. the French charge d’affaires at Washington, the fol lowing details respecting the late peace ne gotiations. : lie follornn. were t e points submitted to President Davis by Mr. Blair: 1. The South to return to the Union. 2. The gradual abolition of slavery. 3. Recognition of the rights of the va rious States at present forming the Southern Confederacy 4. A general amnesty of all Confederate citizens. 5. Maintenance of the Confederate army ou its present footing. <>. Alliance offensive and defensive be tween the North and South. President Davis formally and absolutely rejected the first proposition, but expressed his willingness to accept the others in prin ciple.— I'uns l’ttrnh'rb. IS. ■ -- ♦ -f Bears and Bulls. —The singular epi thets of “ bears” aud “bulls” were first applied to. Speculators in stock on the Lon don Exchange -bout 1884. When two parties contract, the one to deliver and the other to take stocks on a future day at a spe cified price, it i* the interest of the delivering party, in the inf iwennig period, to depress stocks, and of the receiving party to raise them. The former is styled a “ bear,” in allusion to the habit of that animal to pull things down with his paws, and the latter a “bull,” from the custom of that beast to throw au object up with his horns. Ornaments to be Worn. — Meekness, Gentleness, Patience, a Quiet Spirit, Purity, Long-sufl’eriiur, Joyfuilncss, Peace, Love, Fidelity, Forgiveness, Brotherly-kindness, Obedience, Humility, Usefulness, Benevo lence, aryl whatsoever things are true, what soever tilings are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, what soever things arc lovely, whatsoever things arc of good report; if there be any virtue, ami if there be any praise, think on these things. What’s in a Name—The wife of oue of our distinguished citizens yesterday gave birth to a fine* hearty boy, and the father has determined to name him “ Constitution al Amendment.”—Boston Traveller. . «-«-«• - A notice of a recent steamboat explosion in a Western paper ends as follows : The Captain swam ashore. So did the chamber maid; she was insured for §15,000 and loaded with iron. Henry S. Foote arrived in Baltimore from Washington, on the 7th, under charge of Major Newhall, of‘Sheridan’s command; ,and alter breakfasting at the Eutaw House, was carried North—it is supposed to Fort Warren. - An Imperial Author.— Louis Napo leon must have found his duties as sover eign hang lightly, to make time for writing a life of Julyis Caesar. He is to superin tend also its translation into English; — •" An Illinois soldier at Vicksburg describes tlie country there as made whth an eye to economy—the ground being set on edge, so that both sides can be cultivated. The ra vines are very deep,"and run in a most lab yrinthian manner. Mone y. A philosophy* has said, “Though a man without money is p&or, a man with nothing but money is still poorer.” Worldly gifts cannot bear up the spirits from fainting and sinking when trials and troubles come, no more than headache can be cured by a golden crown, or toothache by a chain of pearl. , What must be the fruit of the tree of life, when its very leaves heal the nations? We may cast our cure on the Lord, but not our work. '• A salt lake has been struck near Grand Ranids. MiMßgan, at seven hundred feet from the surface. .m. r Courage does not consist in being insen sible to, but in overcoming, fear. The sort of praise due to the man insensible to fear is such as we would give to a cannon ball. None are so near heaven as those who are convicted—none so near hell as those who resist it. Zeal and Knowledge. —Yo-ung zeal, and old knowledge, make that Christian both happy and. useful in whom they meet.— Russell. 7