the other hand, few things are more carnalising than worldly conversation amongst the family of God. It lowers that tone of Christian feeling and depresses that standard of spiritual-mindedness which believers should seek to maintain in themselves and each other; and where it does not grieve the spirit, hardens and deadens the conscience. What a handle, then, may Satan make of the war to stifle with this engrossing topic Christian conversation, perhaps even to introduce argument and discussion how it is or should be carried on, until professed followers of Jesus Christ, whose conversation should be in heaven, differ little from a knot of worldly politicians.

II. But having struck the note of warning, suffer us, Christian readers, to add a word of instruction, and to point out how these events should be viewed in harmony with the revealed will of God and the spirit of faith in a believer's heart, as well as what is the becoming path of those who fear the Lord at this eventful crisis.

1. The first grand point is to view them as all working out God's decreed purposes and bringing about the plans and designs of the Most High. Whilst the unbelieving world sees nothing in these events beyond the hand of man, let the Christian see behind the cloud the directing, controlling, overruling hand of God. This will enable us to look at them with a degree of calmness not otherwise attainable, and preserve us from being elated or depressed by every gust of prosperous or adverse tidings. "The LORD reigneth" is or should be sufficient to still every fear and remove every doubt as to the eventual issue. That issue, beyond all doubt, must be the glory of God and the good of those who fear his great name. But our own impression is, that it will be a long and arduous, even if it should eventually prove a successful struggle. This persuasion arises not only from what we see in common with others of the amazing strength and tenacious resistance of the Russian Empire, but from what we see or think we see in the inspired record. We have laid aside our prophetic pen and do not mean to resume it; but, in addition to our remarks in our last August No., on the threatened plague of hail, (Rev. xvi. 21,) which, if our interpretation be correct, implies the unbroken power of the Czar, we can hardly forbear mentioning our conviction that Russia will yet play some important part in the fulfilment of prophetic history. Her very name is mentioned as heading that numerous host which is to perish on the mountains of Israel; not, it is true, in our version, where the word "Rosh," (Ezek. xxxviii. 3,) instead of being preserved untranslated, as the name of a nation in conjunction with Meshech and Tubal, is rendered "the chief prince." It can

hardly escape notice, if this view be correct, that Rosh is akin in sound to Russia, as Meshech is to Moscow.* But apart from this, which may seem to some too much to border on conjecture, or at best to be a mere matter of private opinion, we may be sure that the events now on the wheels are full of importance both to the church and the world. Their ultimate effect none can foresee, but few can doubt that the intervening period will be marked with suffering and blood. The latter we may not be called upon to spill or witness; the former we may have, in some measure, to endure. So great a calamity as war cannot occur without seriously affecting all classes of society. Heavy taxes, commercial embarrassments, serious losses in trade and business, and general rise of prices, may press deeply on those of our readers who have a little measure of this world's goods; and dear provisions, failing employment, and scanty wages may sorely try those who have to live by the skill of their fingers or labor of their hands. But let us only believe that the Lord holds the reins of government, and must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet, and it will be like oil on the troubled sea, stilling every wave into a calm.

2. Now what we would desire to feel in ourselves and to see in our Christian friends, is what will certainly flow from such a believing view as we have just spoken of a patient submission to what we may be called upon to endure. We cannot alter matters. The war may be a great evil, and we may be ready, under the pressure it may bring, to murmur against our rulers for plunging the nation into it. But there it is; and all our murmurings and frettings against heavy taxes and dear provisions will not put an end to it. The load, however, which cannot be shaken off, may be inade lighter by submission under it.

3. The last point to which we would direct the mind of our readers is the desirableness of bringing these matters before the throne of grace, especially in the assembling of ourselves together. We have of late felt ourselves reproved in conscience as guilty of having too much neglected the apostolit injunction 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. Afraid of formality, and chiefly pleading for spiritual blessings, we have most commonly closed our public petitions without dropping a word of supplication for our Queen and "for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." In so doing we have neglected that which the Holy Spirit declares is "good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour." Without falling, then, into that dry and formal round of praying for everything and everybody which characterises the congrega

* Tubal, we understand, is the native name for Siberia.

tions of the dead, we would press on those who are mouth for the people, whether ministers or private Christians, in our public assemblies, that they would put up a word for our beloved country, and for those who sit at the helm of government. And why should not a word be dropped for our poor soldiers, among whom there may be some who fear God? To this and every other thing really needed in providence and grace, the good word of God fully encourages us; for if we are invited "in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving to let our requests be made known unto God," we have a full warrant to ask of Him who alone can "make peace in our borders," to put a stop to this horrid bloodshed, and grant us a secure, lasting, and honorable peace. Though it may clash upon the ear, we deliberately use the last epithet, because, apart from our sympathy with England's renown, we are sure that a dishonorable peace would but madden the nation and reopen the war with additional horrors.

cuse.

If in our Address this year we have diverged from our usual track, we trust our readers will accept the present crisis as our exThere are several points more intimately connected with the "Gospel Standard" which we could willingly bring before them; but we have occupied for the present more, perhaps, of their attention than we desire or deserve; and we will therefore not weaken the impression of the foregoing pages by any further addition.

That during the coming year the best and richest blessings which a covenant God can give or a believing heart receive may rest upon and be the happy portion of those of our readers who fear the LORD and desire to live to his glory, is the desire of their affectionate friend and servant,

THE EDITOR.

If God were to deal with men according to their works, (I will not except the apostle Paul himself,) the hottest place in hell would be the lot of us ministers. I think the early death of my father and mother, the death of a wife and children, in a remarkable way, wrought for my good. I could not but notice, when God took away these, he always supplied their room with himself. May he deal thus with you, my children, when I die. As to my recovery, I wish that God may do what is most for his glory, and for the good of my soul. Were it left to me whether I would choose life or death, I would not turn a stone for either, but would refer it wholly to God himself. All my days I have been rebelling against and vexing his Holy Spirit; yet I may say this has been the sum of his conduct to me, he wrought for his name's sake that it should not be polluted.-John Brown.

THE FUGITIVE NOT TO BE GIVEN UP.

"Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee."-Deut. xxiii. 13.

The servant who has "escaped from his master," is he who has escaped from the lusts of the flesh, the snares of the world, the flesh, and the devil; he who has looked within his own heart, and beheld some of the abominations there; (I say some of the abominations, because, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?") he who has beheld the chamber of imagery; he within whom the Holy Spirit of God has shone and made manifest to him the abominations of the heart, shown him the idols there, and the besetting sins which he knew not of, neither could see, because he was blind; he who knew not how firmly he was held, knew not that he was being led captive by the devil at his will; knew not that the sinful habits of which he had been guilty, which were at first as weak as a spider's web, had become as bands of iron for strength, which it was entirely out of his power to break or release himself from, and which, if some powerful hand had not unfettered him, would have bound him to all eternity. This servant who has escaped, is he who has tried and struggled to release himself from his bonds till he has found that he is like a fly caught in a spider's web, the more he struggles, the tighter he is bound; till he finds himself like the cripple at the pool of Siloam, not able even to move his foot for the restoration of his health; for he finds there is no soundness in him. He is like the woman bowed with a spirit of infirmity, who could by no means lift herself up, and, unless the Redeemer of Israel heals him, he never will lift himself up. He is like the Egyptian whom the servants of David found. (1 Sam. xxx. 11.) His master, the Amalekite, has left him behind, because he was sick, sick of the world and its pleasures, sick of sin, sick of bondage, sick of his master, who has become a hard taskmaster. There seems to be hardly any life left in him; he seems ready to perish. "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores; they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment." ceives a little nourishment; he revives there is some hope; he says, "Let me not go back to my master again." And he shall not be delivered to his master again; he has been drawn by the Father to the Son; and the great Fulfiller of the law, the Lord Jesus Christ, in obedience to the command of his Father, says, "Him that cometh unto me I will in nowise cast out." Here, it appears, is the direct answer to the command, "I will in nowise cast out." He is brought to Christ; the disciples could not heal him. "Bring him to me," says our Lord and Saviour.. "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden; and I will give you rest."

He re

The Lord Jesus came to fulfil the law; this text is part of it. He will not deliver the servant again to his master after he has escaped; for he says, "Lo, I comes to do thy will, O God; in the

He beholds the vileness of his delusion. Is it possible he can He appears more wicked than over to a reprobate mind.

It

volume of the book it is written of me." The sinner is escaped from the bondage of Egypt; he is hearing the thunderings of Sinai; he shall not return again into Egypt. He is being led by a way which he knew not, a way of sorrow and trouble, a way of terrors by day and terrors by night, till he has a slight glimpse of the promised land. "Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord; "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Here he receives a grape from the promised land. His joy is great; he has escaped from his master; the Lord has broken his bonds: "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in his eyes." But fears and doubts beset him again; Satan buffets him; he begins to fear he shall again become a slave. heart, and thinks perhaps it is all a have been cleansed from his sins? ever; surely the Lord has given him is not so; the Lord will not deliver him again to his master. Nay, his old master shall not have dominion over him. Satan desired to have Peter, that he might sift him as wheat, but, says the King of Jacob, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.' Thou shalt not fall away entirely. Thou hast not received 'the spirit of bondage again to fear,' but thou hast received 'the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father!" He is now a servant of the Lord; he loves his master; he shall remain in the house with his Lord for ever. He shall do no servile work; he is a son, and joint-heir with Christ. What! is it possible? this poor fellow, who seemed a slave, is now a son, and has received the spirit of adoption? Why should he not be? "Bring forth your strong reasons," says the King of Jacob. Here are the evidences of his adoption: Repentance, humility, "and before honor, is humility;" he has humbled himself before God, and "he that humbleth himself shall be exalted;" faith, hope, love to God, a desire for righteousness, mourning: "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” He is one of the poor and needy, poor in spirit; his is the kingdom of heaven. Here are the evidences that he is chosen: The Lord has brought him low; the Lord has humbled him; and when God humbles any one, he means to exalt him. If the Lord shows him his vileness, he means to have mercy on him; if the Lord has cast him down, he is sure to lift him up; if the Lord has wounded him, he will heal him; if the Lord throws down, he will also build up.

Many may despise this servant, and some of them would deliver him again to his master; if they could, they would drive him back into the world again. But, "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in nowise believe, though a man declare it unto you." The despisers, those professors of the letter, and not of the spirit, will not believe it. He is of the escaping of Israel; there is a remnant left; he is escaped out of the captivity. The prey is taken from the mighty. The Lord of hosts will keep him as the apple of his eye. He shall not be cast out; he is a chosen servant of the Lord of Hosts. Men