to float a moment upon its waves and then sink into nothingness! Else why is it that the glorious aspirations, which leap like angels from the temple of our hearts, are for ever wandering about unsatisfied? Why is it that the rainbow and clouds come over us with a beauty that is not of earth, and then pass off and leave us to muse upon their favoured loveliness? Why is it that the stars, who hold their festival around the midnight throne, are set above the grasp of our limited faculties, for ever mocking us with their unapproachable glory? And finally, why is it that bright forms of human beauty are presented to our view and then taken from us, leaving the thousand streams of our affections to flow back in Alpine torrents upon our hearts? We are born for a higher destiny than that of earth; there is a realm where the rainbow never fades, where the stars will be spread before us like islands that slumber on the ocean--and where the beings that pass before us like shadows will stay in our presence for ever.

BULWER.

MARTIN LUTHER. MARTIN LUTHER was subject to fits of great despondency sometimes, when he would almost despair of the cause of Protestant truth. On one of these occasions, when he returned home in the evening, on coming to the door nobody welcomed him. He entered their best room, and there sat Catherine, his wife, all dressed in black; and by her side lay a mourning cloak, such as ladies wear at funerals. “Ah!” said he; “Kate, what matters now? Is the child dead?" shook her head, and said the little ones were alive. Luther exclaimed, "Oh, what has befallen us? Tell me, quick." "Good man," said she, "have you not heard? Is it possible that the terrible news has not reached you?" This made the Reformer the more inquisitive and ardent, and he pressed to be immediately told of the cause of sorrow. 66 Why," said Kate,

66

She

have you not been told that our Heavenly Father is dead, and His cause in the world is therefore hopelessly ruined? Martin stood and looked at her, and at last burst into

such a laugh that he could not contain himself, but cried, "Kate, I read thy riddle. How foolish I am! God is not dead. He ever lives; but I have acted as if He were dead. Thou hast taught me a good lesson.”—Christian Herald.

Phenomena of the Months.

JANUARY.

THE sun rises on the 1st of this month at eight minutes after eight, and sets at four o'clock. On the 31st the sun rises at forty-three minutes after seven, and sets at fortyfive minutes after four. Hence the day lengthens this month twenty-five minutes in the morning, and fortyfive minutes in the evening; total, one hour and ten minutes.

The Moon and Venus are very near to each other during the evening hours of January 3rd; the Moon is to the right of Jupiter during the evening hours of the 6th, and to the left of this planet during the evening hours of the 7th, being a little to the right of the planet till about eleven o'clock, and a little to the left after this time; she is near Mars on the 28th, and Mercury on the 30th. She is full on the 15th thirty-four minutes after eleven in the morning, and new on the 30th thirty-eight minutes after 0 in the morning. She is nearest to the earth on the 29th, and most distant from it on the 14th.

On

Mercury is a morning star till the 19th, rising fifty-eight minutes before the sun on the 1st. On the 19th the planet and the sun rise together; from this day till March 3rd the planet rises in daylight, or after the sun. the 28th he sets at about sunset, and on the last day of the month thirteen minutes after sunset. He is at his greatest distance from the sun on the 8th, in superior conjunction with the sun on the 26th.

Venus is an evening star, setting on the 1st three hours thirty-eight minutes after sunset, on the last day of the month at five minutes after nine, p.m.

Mars is a morning star, rising on the 1st one hour twenty-eight minutes

before sunrise; and on the last day one hour twenty-four minutes before sunrise. He is due south on the 1st at thirty-four minutes after ten a.m., and on the last at twelve minutes after ten a.m.

Jupiter sets on the 1st at sixteen minutes after twelve a.m., on the last day forty-two minutes after ten p.m. He is due south on the 1st fifty-six minutes after five p.m. On the last day of the month at thirteen minutes after four p.m.

Saturn sets on the 1st at twenty minutes after one p.m., and on the last day at twenty-five minutes after eleven p.m. He is due south on the 1st at forty minutes after six p.m., and on the last day of the month at forty-six minutes after four p.m.

"The spacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal sky, And spangled heavens, a shining frame,

Their great original proclaim."

Addison.

PRESIDENT'S LETTER.-No. 7.

Aylesbury,Dec. 13.

MY DEAR BRO. SIMS,-I am very thankful to say, through the goodness of my Heavenly Father, I am very much better in health for my journey to the north, and my rest at Matlock Bridge. Bro. Benson and myself very much enjoyed the kind and hearty welcome of the dear good folks both at Dawley, South Shields, Jarrow, and that grand old town, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and last, although not the least, Lancaster; and we have every reason to think we did good service to our beloved cause. We have had many warm and hearty friends in the north, and our hon. members list will show more than anything I can say; but I do say, both from ministers and lay gentlemen, every effort to make our visit a success has been done. May the Great Head of the Church abundantly bless them! You see I have not arrived at a state of perfection yet, although, as far as time is going, I have reached the perfect No. 7. I am thankful to God, His servants, the Churches, and every dear brother and sister that has helped me to send up in this last month of the year such a list of warm and loving hearts as follows:

I am, dear brother,

Yours truly,
CHARLES S. MADDER.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.

A MEETING was held at Brunswick Place Chapel, on the 22nd November, 1880. The Sheriff of Newcastle, T. Richardson, Esq., in the chair. Addresses by the chairman of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne district, Rev. Wm. Hirst; the President, C. S. Madder, Esq., E. Benson, Esq., and myself. The assembly was small, no doubt in consequence of the severity of the weather, but an interesting meeting was enjoyed by the audience. It is quite evident the claims of our Association are misunderstood by our Methodist people generally, or more interest and sympathy would be manifested on behalf of our poor local preachers. The deputation made a strong appeal on behalf of the old men, and although the collection was small, I hope many honorary members will be added to the list. Three additional names may be added, and if another meeting were arranged, better things may be expected.

If a few of your monthly magazines were put into the hands of our local preachers it might do some good.

You may reckon the following as Honorary Subscribers :—

T. Bainbridge, Esq., T. Richardson, Esq., R. Robson, Esq., W. A. Bell, Esq., Mr. Forster, R. H. Lawson, W. Wayman, Miss Bond. Yours faithfully,

MR. SIMS,

R. H. LAWSON.

SOUTH SHIELDS.

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER,-We have been favoured with a visit from our esteemed President, and, as his colleague on the occasion, our esteemed Bro. Benson, of Pitstone. All who

NOTTINGHAM BRANCH. THE annual meeting of this branch of the Association was held in the schoolroom of Shakspeare Street Chapel, belonging to the United Methodist Free Churches, on Tuesday evening, November 23rd, 1880. The attendance was not so encouraging as that of the previous year. A School Board election-canvass was in progress, and Wesleyan ministers were too fully occupied with their own duties to afford aid to a Local Preachers' Institution. One itinerant minister was present, the newly appointed Superintendent of the Free Church Circuit, the Rev. Jas. C. Brewitt, who advocated the interests of local brethren and their Association, with good feeling and earnestness. He thought more ought to be done for the relief of needy Local Preachers than ever yet had been attempted, and that the allowance to worn-out brethren ought to be more liberal than it is.

Mr. Councillor Baines, a zealous Conservative in politics, presided, and spoke in the most friendly terms of the brethren and their cause, expressing his admiration of Christian union, and his desire to see its extension among the Churches. Brother Columbine, formerly of Mansfield, spoke at some length on the indispensableness of the labour of Local Preachers, not only for the extension, but for the continuance of Methodism among our villages. Mr. Rorke, a Wesleyan Local Preacher, gave a lively and graphic speech, glorying in the office he sustains and the work he does, in common with so noble an army of unpaid brethren. Little more was done in speechifying; but the meeting was enlivened and delighted with the singing of a select choir, accompanied by the piano, which the son of our Brother Hopewell played. The voices were all musical and in fine tune, and the pieces sung were excellent. A report was read by the Secretary, Brother Marsh, as follows:

"It is with feelings of devout gratitude to God that we present the Annual Report of the Methodist Local Preachers' Mutual-Aid Association.

"This Society was established in 1849, by a number of friends who appreciated and highly valued the services rendered to Methodism by her Local Preachers. It was felt that some effort should be made to provide for the contingent necessities of those working men who, often at great personal inconvenience and sacrifice, had rendered so much gratuitous service to the Methodist Societies.

"It seemed to the originators and supporters of this Association that it would be little less than a scandal to Methodism to allow her Local Preachers to be driven to the necessity of applying for parochial relief, or to endure the pangs and privations of poverty and want.

66

By means of this Association the necessities of Local Preachers in sickness and old age, have been partly supplied, and would have been still more fully met if its objects had been better understood and appreciated.

"During the last thirty-one years the Society has been a source of help and comfort to very many faithful and

deserving brethren. It has helped to smooth many a rough path, and has brought bright sunshine into otherwise dark homes and sorrowful hearts. During the period of its existence it has paid in annuities, in sickness and in funeral allowances the sum of £57,885 4s. 6d. This could not possibly have been done but for the generous aid of honorary members and wealthy non-members. Considerably more than £6,000 have been handed over to the General Treasurer in the shape of donations and legacies.

"Now, although this Society has not extended so rapidly as one could have desired, yet there has been a steady and quiet growth, both in the membership and income. During the last year special efforts were made to extend the sphere of the Society's work; and the result has been that 291 benefit and 50 honorary members have been added to our ranks.

66

At present we report a total membership of 3,455, including 796 honorary members, who do not receive any help from the funds. The demands made upon the resources of the Association during the last year have been exceptionally heavy. A larger sum has been paid for the relief of the afflicted than in any preceding year; and with one exception, the same remark is applicable to the funeral allowances. The total expenses of the year, including the annuities to the aged, who are generally unable to work, have been £3,642 2s. 10d.

"It is matter of great satisfaction and pleasure to find that the total income has exceeded the disbursements by over £600. Surely then we have reason to "thank God and take courage." But while we gratefully acknowledge the Divine blessing that has rested upon our Association in the past, and express our thanks to those friends who have kindly come forward to help us in various ways, we feel that in order to carry on and extend the operations of the Association, we shall need their kind cooperation and support in the future as in the past. At present our Methodist Circuit system cannot possibly be worked without the services of Local Preachers, and as long as our local

THE Annual public Tea Meeting of our Branch was held in Wesley School, Greenacres Road, on Saturday, Nov. 20th, 1880. There was a good attendance. G. Wainwright, Esq., presided, the Revs. H. J. T. Hawksley, G. H. Graham, and T. W. Townend, (U. M. F. C.) gave very lively and instructive speeches on the work of local preachers, and Bros. J. J. Hume of Barnsley, and J. Webster of York, roused the enthusiasm of the meeting by very powerful appeals on behalf of the Association. On Sunday 21st, the Wesley, Manchester St., and Brunswick pulpits were occupied by the deputation, and Bro. Firth of Middleton, and Bro. Hume preached the last of a series of special services at Middleton on Monday evening the 22nd.

The congregations were very large, and very blessed influences fell upon

all; so that the deputation had the pleasure of knowing that over £21 was secured for the funds of the Association: and the crowded aftermeetings, where the cries of the. captives struggling for deliverance from "sin and nature's night mingled with the hallelujahs of the "newborn sons of light," told of a far greater gain to the Church of God than that of £ s. d. From thirty to forty were added during the services. May God give us still further increase, and baptize us afresh for the work!

GREAT QUEEN STREET. ON Wednesday evening, November 24th, a meeting on behalf of the Mutual-Aid Association, was held in Great Queen Street Wesleyan Chapel. Unfortunately a Society Meeting had been held on the previous Monday, which materially affected the attendance. Howard Barrett, Esq., had kindly promised to preside, but at the last hour was prevented by sudden indisposition. He however sent a donation of a guinea to the funds, with expression of his sincere sympathy with the work carried on. In his absence Mr. A. R. Johnson was requested to take the chair. On the platform were Revs. Francis W.. Greeves (Superintendent of the Circuit), Sampson Weaver, the members of the Deputation from the General Committee, and Messrs. Harrison, W. Wright, and Page. Mr. G. Sims, the General Secretary, was first called upon to address the meeting, and he gave a very succinct and clear account of the good which is being effected. He was followed by Mr. Henry Wright, who had kindly undertaken to supply the place of our President, Mr. Madder, who far away in the North was advocating the cause. Mr. Wright fully maintained the interest of the meeting, and he was followed by Rev. Sampson Weaver, who in a thoughtful and energetic address, exhorted the friends. to give liberal support. Mr. G. C. Amphlett followed, and well sustained the interest that had been created, and then our good and valued friend, Mr. S. D. Waddy, Q.C.,.