A Funeral Lodge.

The CHAPLAIN ( Br . Williamson ) next addressed the brethren as follows : —Our meeting to-night reminds us of the truth of Scripture . " It is appointed unto man once to die . " This is one of God ' s laws that

man has never been able to break , and never will . God , to keep man from sin , threatened him with death ; man disregarded the warning and partook of the forbidden fruit . The gold has now become dim , the fine gold changed , and he who took delight in communion ancl fellowshi

p with his God , fled from His presence , hid himself among the trees of the garden a poor , lost , guilty sinner . The sentence pronounced against Adam is that " in the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread ; dust thou artancl unto dust shalt thou

, return . " This is the inheritance of all his offspring , but , blessed be God , we have not been left to perish . As God sought Adam in the garden , so the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost . The Bible is a revelation of God ' s infinite love

for fallen man , wherein life and immortality have been brought to light by the Gospel . AVithout this blessed book we wonlcl have been sinning without pardon , differing without comfort , and dying without hope . At this tribunal the first promise of a Saviour is given— " the seed of the woman

shall bruise the head of the serpent . " The promise has been completely fulfilled . In the fullness of the time God sent forth his only Son , made of a woman , made under the law . He in our room and stead has kept the law ; yea , magnified the law aud made it honourableaud by his

self-, sacrificing life , His atoning death , His glorious resurrection and ascension into Heaven , has received gifts for men , even for the rebellious , And now seated upon His throne in glory comes the blessed invitation to sinful man— " Come now and

let us reason together , though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as wool , though they be red like crimson they shall be white as snow . " This is the only foundation upon which the sinner can build his hopes for eternity , for the promise is "if we

confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us , and cleanse from all iniquity , " Building upon this foundation the rain of affliction may descend , the winds of temptation may blow , the floods may beat against the house , but it will stand firm , being founded upon a rock . But if , trusting to

A Funeral Lodge.

our own integrity , and thinking to please God by the works of the law , when the storm and the tempest come and beat against the house it will inevitably fall , being founded upon the sand , ancl great will be the fell thereof . A number of our brethren have been removed from our midst by death .

It was my privilege to stand by the deathbeds of some of them , and while life lasts I shall never forget their dying words . They spoke of their departure like Paul , who said— " I am now ready to be offered up , ancl the time of my departure is at hand ;

I have fought the good fight , I have finished my course , I have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown , which the righteous Lord shall give unto me at that great day , and not unto me only , but unto all those that love his appearing . " Another aged brotherSimeon-likewas

, , heard to exclaim— " Now , Lord , lettest thou thy servant depart in peace , for mine eyes hath seen thy salvation . " Aud now , brethren , when our sun sets in the west , our day ' s work being done , may it be ours to hear the Master say— " Well done good

and faithful servant , enter thou into the joy of thy Lord . " After other devotions and intercourse the lodge was closed by the benediction .

Contemporary Letters On The French Revolution.

CONTEMPORARY LETTERS ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION .

Letter VII . Paris , March 20 th , 1790 . THE parties iu France may be divided like the parties of all other countries , into three . Those who are violent of one side or the otherand those who are more

, moderate , and might serve to balance the contending parties . The latter have as yet made but small progress ( at least in the National Assembly ) , which consists at present of nearly a thousand members , of whom 640 are Demoerates , and 360

Aristocrates . The loss of those members who fled has been replaced by others chosen in their room . What are the views and hopes of the reigning party it would be difficult to determine . They allow themselves , that it is impossible affairs should remain in their present state , and they must be sen-