Passing Events.

THE REV. SIDNEY GREEN, of St. John's, Miles Platting, as an extreme Ritualist, has been in Lancaster Gaol since last November. The Queen has been petitioned, and a memorial has been sent to the Home Secretary on his behalf, and his case has also been brought before Convocation, the bishops being requested to interfere. There appears no help for the rev. gentleman, however much his obstinacy may be regretted. He is regarded as having violated church law, and also the law of the land, and he still persists in holding his bishop and also Lord Penzance at defiance.

THE excessive heat of the weather has this year been remarkable. Of late years we have again and again heard an intimation that the sun was diminishing, and his power being wasted. At any rate, during July and thus far in August, this does not appear to be the case. The great Creator has, no doubt, means of replenishing the glorious orb of day which the wisest scientists may be ignorant of. As in the Psalmist's day so in this; the sun "is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race, and there is nothing hid from the heat of his going forth."

THE late Dean Stanley was eminently adapted for his distinguished office as Dean of Westminster, and his death at the age of sixty-six will be almost universally regretted. There was a remarkable kindliness about his disposition so commendable as to endear him even to those who might differ from him. His amiability was calculated to make friends even of opponents.

LORD HATHERLEY (William Page Wood) was much older, having attained to the age of eighty. It will for ever redound to his renown that, notwithstanding the highest honours being heaped upon him which any man can attain to as a law-officer of the Crown, he was in the constant habit for many years of his life of

giving diligent attention to the work of Sabbath-school instruction.

WITH Methodists the proceedings of the various Conferences will have been the interesting subject. This year the Wesleyan Methodists report an increase of 4,000, and the Home Mission Fund has been well supported. The Rev. A. MacAuley is eminently fitted to hold his place as Secretary to this department of the work of Methodism, and the prosperous state of the Home Mission Fund bespeaks a vitality which may well be regarded as encouraging. The fact that no young men can be received on probation from the District Meetings this year will be a great disappointment to many, and there may be something in the words of Mr. J. W. Gabriel worth considering: "He thought they kept their students too long at their colleges." The conversation on the "State of the Work" in the Pastoral Conference was inteesting, and contained suggestions which ought to be turned to account. Mr. Hutcheon, from Falmouth, took the lead with no uncertain key-note. Instead of hurrying to and from the villages, where convenient, let the regular minister spend several days together at them. There would then very soon be a different state of things in very many of the country societies. We have not a word to say against the employment of what are called lay agents, but we do insist that what is most needed is for the ministers to be foremost in the work of evangelism.

My ears are dull; they scarcely hear the sobs

Of my dear children gathered round my couch;

My eyes so dim they cannot see the tears. God lays His hand upon me-yea, His hand, And not His rod,-the gentle hand that I Felt those three years, so often pressed in mine

In friendship such as passeth woman's love.

I'm old, so old! I cannot recollect The faces of my friends, and I forget The words and deeds that make up daily life;

But that dear face, and every word He spake,

Grow more distinct as others fade away; So that I live with Him and holy dead More than with living men.

Some seventy years ago

I was a fisher by the sacred sea:

It was at sunset. How the tranquil tide Bathed dreamily the pebbles! How the light

Crept up the distant hills, and in its wake Soft purple shadows wrapped the dewy fields !

And then He came and called me: then I gazed

For the first time upon that sacred face. Those eyes, from which, as from a window shone

A light divine, looked on my inmost soul, And lighted it for ever. Then His words Broke on the silence of my heart, and made The whole world musical. Incarnate love Took hold of me, and claimed me for its

own:

I followed in the twilight, holding fast His mantle.

Oh; what holy walks we had Through harvest fields, and desolate dreary wastes;

And oftentimes He leaned upon my arm Wearied and wayworn. I was young and strong,

And so upbore Him. Lord! now I am weak And old and weary. Let me rest on Thee ! So put Thine arm around me closer still! How strong Thou art! The daylight draws apace :

Come let us leave these noisy streets and take

The path to Bethany; for Mary's smile Awaits us at the gate, and Martha's hands Have long prepared the cheerful evening meal :

Come, James, the Master waits, and, Peter, see,

Has gone some steps before.

What say you, friends? That this is Ephesus, and Christ has gone Back to His kingdom? Ay, 'tis so, 'tis so, I know it all; and yet, just now, I seemed To stand once more upon my native hills, And touch my Master. Oh how oft I've

seen

So raise up my head: How dark it is! I cannot seem to see The faces of my flock. Is that the sea That murmurs so, or are ye weeping all? Hush little children! God so loved the world

He gave His Son; so love ye one another. Love God and men. Amen! Now bear me back;

My legacy unto an angry world is this. My work is finished. Are the streets so full ?

What call the flock my name? the holy John ?

Nay, rather write me Jesus Christ's belov'd And lover of my children.

Literary Notices.

Seeds and Saplings. 105 Original Outlines of Sermons and Sundayschool Addresses. London: Elliot Stock. 110 Pages. Price 2s. 6d. A NICELY got out book, and the outlines are very brief. We thought we would look through it until we came to a text that we have an outline of, and here it is, page 65. We will first give our author's, and then our own, and our readers can take their choice.

Acts x. 38-"Jesus of Nazareth, who went about doing good."

"Doing good" was the main business of the Saviour's life; not for applause or personal gain, but to diffuse peace and happiness among men. In this He has left us an example.

I. "Doing good is an evidence of a Christlike nature.

II. "Doing good " involves discouragement and opposition.

III. "Doing good" demands selfdenying toil.

IV. "Doing good" is one condition of getting good.

Thus far our author.

he has once a good foundation he may build upon it in safety. We remem. ber once choosing a text and forming an outline, but it did not go. We pulled it all down and began a fresh one, with some considerable pains and labour, and it has gone since wherever the preacher has gone, and, we believe, with good effect.

The Life of our Lord: With Compared references from the Bible, &c. By FRANCIS SANGSTER. London: Elliot Stock. 60 pages.

A SMALL quarto book, with coloured map of Palestine. Its principal value, as it appears to us, is that it gives a chronological history of our Lord's life, teaching, miracles, &c., by extracts from the four evangelists, beginning with the ANNUNCIATION (Luke i. 1-4) and ending with the ASCENSION (Luke xxiv. 52, 53).

The writer's guides are Henry Ware, of Harvard University, and the late Robert Mimpriss. The purchaser of this book will find, as he traces the various stages and events recorded therein, and fills up the blank spaces with his notes, that he has entered upon an interesting and instructive study.

How many times did our Lord appear after His resurrection? is a question which has been frequently asked. This book gives eleven distinct appearances, which are carefully marked by references to the Gospel history. The first to Mary Magdalene; the eleventh to His disciples when He ascended, and a cloud received Him out of their sight (Luke xxiv. 50).

The Anti-Scriptural Dogma of the Annihilation of the Wicked: Being a Review and Refutation of socalled “Pauline Theology;" together with a re-statement of the Question. By JOHN ROBINSON, Jun. Blyth: John Robinson, Jun., & Son. 52 pages. Price 6d. THIS is a very solemn subject, and should be treated in a very serious manner. Whether the wicked will be annihilated at death, or not, if we believe the teaching of the Scripture we have the authoritative utterance, "Say ye to the righteous, it shall be

THE LEG OF MUTTON;

OR, A DINNER WORTH WAITING FOR.

I NEED not tell my readers how many years have elapsed since I became acquainted with " a mother in Israel, a widow indeed," but not desolate. For her declining years have been, as it were, “garlanded with honour, love, obedience, and troops of friends," many of those friends her own children and grandchildren, who "rise up and call her blessed."

When she was a young and lovely woman she married an affectionate, intelligent, prosperous young man, who loved her, and who, by his cleverness and assiduity in business, was well able" to make a happy fire

side clime for weans and wife," so that she had every prospect of such a married life as is oftener pictured by imagination than realised in experience. But (alas! that this unwelcome disjunctive conjunction should so frequently cloud the fairest sky, and bring change over the spirit of our brightest dreams), the industrious, affectionate husband, in an evil hour became acquainted with a knot of idle, pleasure-loving young men who sought his company constantly, and by their temptations induced him to frequent places of amusement when he should have been attending to his business. The good wife saw this change, and saw it with pain; but instead of meeting it with reproach, she redoubled her exertions to make his home attractive; and as his manners towards herself were always tender and affectionate there was no apparent breach of family peace.

On one occasion he told her that he was obliged to leave home early the next morning, in order to collect some outstanding debts, and that he did not think he could be home to their usual early dinner. Accordingly he set off; and she determined to put off the dinner to a later hour, in order to have his company at their meal in the first place, and also because the dinner provided for him that day was his own favourite dish; a leg of mutton. So the dinner (usually at three) was put off this day till five o'clock; but five o'clock came, and he was not home; halfpast five, six-still absent. The wife became uneasy and anxious, and many a step she took to and fro watching the leg of mutton covered up before the kitchen fire, and the window from which she could catch the first glimpse of the horse and his rider.

About seven he arrived, and was warmly welcomed, with affectionate regrets for his fatiguing ride and protracted fast; and when he came into the parlour, to his surprise, he saw the neatly-laid family table as usual. Surely, my dear," he said, you have not waited dinner to this hour?"

66

66

Surely I have, my dear," she

replied, "and if you had been still later I should have waited on all the same. Do you think I could sit down in comfort to enjoy the dinner provided for us by your industry, and you fatiguing yourself all day to provide means for dinners to come? and a leg of mutton, too-your favourite dish-for dinner! No, no, I'm nothing the worse for the waiting now that I see you home, and you ought to have a good appetite by this time!"

He sat down to the table looking pale and depressed, which his wife attributed to the fatigue of his journey and want of refreshment; but when he attempted to eat he felt a choking sensation in his throat, and suddenly rose and left the table. His anxious wife, seeing he did not return immediately, followed him, and besieged him with affectionate inquiries, fearing he had been taken suddenly ill.

"I am not ill, dear," he replied, "but I am sorry and unable to eat. I am not worthy of your love and attention. You waited dinner for me all day, thinking that I was about my business as I should have been; but I will confess all to you. I spent my day and lost my money gambling, and dearly am I now paying for my misspent day; but I promise you that (God being my helper) I will not bet again for seven years."

He seemed to be relieved by his confession and consequent resolution for the future, and returned to the table with his wife to the now cold dinner; and as they sat together he told her that if she had met him as he deserved, either with reproach or coldness, or even if she had eaten her dinner before his arrival, he would not have been so conscience-stricken; but that the sight of the long-kept dinner and her loving, unsuspecting countenance had quite unmanned him.

She herself told me in conclusion that her husband not merely kept his Vow with regard to the seven years, but that he never again joined his worthless companions; and long before the seven years had elapsed the Lord had taught him a more excellent way, in answer to the prayers of the faithful, believing wife, who left her cause in the hands of Him who has

"all hearts in His hands, and turneth them as the rivers of water whithersoever He will."

I never forget my dear old friend's suggestive narrative. Many a wife is tried as she was; but instead of acting with her tact and prudence, they make use of that unruly member against the erring husband that arouses all his self-will and determination.

In the case of the gambling-table, though she did not know of his being there on that occasion, she knew of it on many others, but she never dared to reprove her husband. I heard her say that the nearest approach to reproof that she ever made was to tell him that though she felt she was on her own way to heaven, she did not believe she could be happy even there without him, and praying him, for her sake, to cast in his lot with the people of God. "How knowest thou, O wife! whether thou shalt save thy husband?" He has long since entered into his rest, blessing her with his last breath; and she is still on her pilgrim journey to that happy land where she will yet join the husband of her youth in singing the song of Moses and of the Lamb.Sunday at Home.

HUSBANDS AND THEIR HABITS. SOME husbands never leave home in the morning without kissing their wives and bidding them " good-by, dear," in the tones of unwearied love; and whether it be policy or fact it has all the effect of fact, and those homes are generally pleasant ones, providing always that the wives are appreciative and welcome the discipline in a kindly spirit. We know an old gentleman who lived with his wife over fifty years, and never left home without the kiss and the "good-by, dear." Some husbands shake hands with their wives and hurry off as fast as possible, as though the effort were a something that they were anxious to forget, holding their heads down and darting round the first corner. Some husbands before leaving home ask very tenderly, "What would you like for dinner, my dear?" knowing