"Are all the windows fastened, children?'

"Yes, mother.'

ture my immortal soul upon Him. He is my best friend. He is altogether lovelythe chief among ten thousands. He is my

666

66 6

Why, mother, I can hardly believe hat it is father! That man is well dressed.' "O yes, my dear children, it is your own father. I knew him by his walk the moment I saw him.'

"Another child, stepping to the window, said: Why, mother, I never saw father come home as he comes to-day. He walks on the footpath, and turns round the corner of the fences. He used to come towards the house as straight as a line, over fences, ditches, and hedges; and I never saw him walk as slowly as he does now.'

"In a few moments, however, he arrives at the door of the house, to the great terror and consternation of all the inmates. He gently tries the door, and finds no admittance. He pauses a moment, steps towards the window, and says, in a low, firm, and melodious voice: My dear wife, if you will let me in, there is no danger. I will not hurt you; I bring you glad tidings of great joy.' "The door was reluctantly opened, as it were between joy and fear. Having deliberately seated himself, he said: 'I am come to show you what great things God has done for me. He loved me with an everlasting love. He redeemed me from the curse of the law and the threatenings of vindictive justice. He saved me from the power and dominion of sin. He cast the devils out of my heart, and made that heart, which was a den of thieves, the temple of the Holy Spirit. I cannot tell you how much I love the Saviour. Jesus Christ is the foundation of my hope, the object of my faith, and the centre of my affections. I can ven

my

redemption. There is enough in Him to make a poor sinner rich, and a miserable sinner happy. His flesh and blood are wedmy food; His righteousness is ding garment; and His blood is efficacious to cleanse from all sin. Through Him I can obtain eternal life; for He is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. He deserves my highest esteem and my warmest gratitude. Unto Him who loved me with an eternal love, and washed me in His own blood,-unto Him be the glory, dominion, and power, for ever and ever. For He has rescued my soul from hell; He has plucked me as a brand out of the burning. He took me out of the miry clay, and out of the horrible pit. He set my foot upon a rock, and established my goings, and put in my mouth a new song of praise and glory to Him. Glory to Him for ever! Glory to God in the highest! Glory to God for Let the whole earth ever and ever! praise Him! Hallelujah! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!'

"It is beyond the power of the strongest imagination to conceive the joy and gladness of this family. The joy of seafaring men delivered from being shipwrecked; the joy of a man delivered from a burning house; the joy of not being found guilty at a criminal bar; the joy of receiving pardon by a condemned malefactor; the joy of freedom to a prisoner of war,-is nothing in comparison to the joy of him who is delivered from going down to the pit of eternal destruction. For it is 'joy unspeakable and full of glory.'"-From Life of Christmas Evans.

MAHUZZIM, OR DEMONS.

deeply learned Hebrew of his time; his fame had gone abroad, and distant people sent their youth to imbibe his wisdom.

He was just, temperate, and devout; but he had one vice-the love of gold had seized upon his heart, and he opened not his hand to the poor, though his wealth was great, and his wisdom a fountain of riches that flowed continually. This blemish was a source of grief to the elders of the tribes, who reverenced him for his wisdom; and the women of his city spoke of him as Rabbi Jonadab the miser. None knew so well as Rabbi Jonadab the ceremonies necessary for initiation into the religion of Moses, and consequently the exercise of those solemn offices was to him another source of gain. One day, as he walked in the fields near the city, conversing with a youth on the interpretation of the law, it so happened that the angel of death smote the young man suddenly, and he fell dead before the feet of the terrified Rabbi, who, when he found that the youth was dead, rent his garments and cried with grief. But his heart was so sorely touched, that the thoughts of death troubled his visions of the night, and his conscience smote him for closing his hand to the poor; so, to quiet the voice of the accusing angel, the Rabbi made a vow that he would perform the first good thing he was asked to do in the name of his great Creator; but still he sighed, lest he might be called on to part with a portion of his beloved gold.

age

And while he thought on these things, behold there came a loud cry at his gate. "Awake, thou sleeper," said the voice; "a child is in danger of death, and the mother calls for thee to do thine office to the babe." "The night is dark," said the Rabbi, coming to his casement," and mine is great; are there not younger men than me in the city?" "For thee only, Rabbi Jonadab, was I sent," said the messenger; "but here is gold," said he, taking out a purse of sequins. "I want not thy labour for nothing; I adjure thee to come, by whatever name thou holdest in most reverence." So the Rabbi thought upon his vow, and he groaned inwardly, for the purse sounded heavy. "As thou hast thus adjured me, I go with thee," said he; "but I hope it is not far: put up thy gold, young man,

| and let us be going." "The place is at hand," said the stranger, a gallant youth in gorgeous attire; "but let us hasten, for time presses." So Jonadab accompanied the stranger, after having carefully locked up the door of his house and deposited the key in a secret place. "I never remember," said the Rabbi, "so dark a night; be thou my guide, young man, for I cannot see my way." "I know it well," said the stranger; "it is much frequented; lean upon me, and fear not."

They journeyed on, and though the darkness was great, yet an occasional glimmer of the clouded moon showed the Rabbi that he trod in a strange path. "I thought," he said, "I knew the country for leagues round the city, yet I know not where I am. Young man, beware, lest thou hast missed thy way;" and his heart misgave him. "Fear not," said the guide; "your journey is even now done;" and as he spoke, the feet of the Rabbi slipped from under him, and he rolled down a great height. When he recovered, he found that his companion stood beside him. "Nay, young man," said Jonadab, "dost thou mock the aged? thy days are numbered!" The stranger excused himself; the darkness grew less, and the astonished Rabbi found himself at the gates of a strange city, yet he had only been absent from his own dwelling for half an hour; so he knew not what to think, and he followed trembling.

When they entered within the gates, the Rabbi saw that the city was lighted up as if a festival were in every house; the streets were full of revellers, and the sounds were sounds of joy; but when Jonadab looked upon their faces, they were the faces of men as it were pained within, and he saw that they were Mahuzzim. He was terrified; and looking to his guide for explanation, behold upon his face was the same mark; he was indeed a demon! The Rabbi trembled exceedingly, and his spirit fainted within him, but he followed his guide in silence to the most magnificent quarter of the city. "Enter," said the demon to Jonadab: "this house is mine; the lady and

her child are in the upper chamber:" and the terrified Rabbi ascended the stair. When he entered the chamber, he beheld a lady of dazzling beauty reclining on her couch, while an infant in rich raiment slumbered on the knees of the nurse beside the mother. "Rebecca! light of my eyes!" said the demon, "I have brought thee Rabbi Jonadab the wise, at thy desire; let him do thy bidding speedily, for he is in haste to depart." He smiled bitterly as he said these words, looking at the Rabbi, and left the room with the nurse to bring the things necessary for the ceremonial, leaving the babe with the young mother. When Jonadab and the lady were alone, she turned towards him and said, "Unhappy man! knowest thou where thou art?" "I do," groaned the Rabbi; "I am in the city of the Mahuzzim." "Know further," said the lady, "that none come here unless they have sinned grievously. What hath been my sin thou knowest not, and I know not thine; but here thou remainest-lost, even as I am lost!" and the lady wept. The Rabbi dashed his turban on the ground, and tearing his hair, exclaimed, "Woe is me! woman, who art thou?" "I am one of the daughters of thy people," she replied. "My father is a doctor of the law, in the city of Bagdad, and being brought hitherhow, it matters not to thee--I am married to a prince of the Mahuzzim, whom also I sent for thee, that thou mightest do thy office according to the law of Moses to my first-born, lest the soul of my babe should perish. And my husband said he knew the name of Jonadab the wise, and that thou wouldest not be able to refuse to come with him; but what hast thou done to give him such power over thee?" "Lady, I know not," replied the Rabbi; "I swear that I have kept the law diligently from my youth up, and walked steadfastly according to the traditions of our fathers." "All this and more mightest thou do, and yet be in the power of the demons; but time passes my husband is returning, and I would give thee a chance of escape; there is but one." "What is that, O lady?" said the Rabbi. "Eat not, drink not,

take no fee or reward while here; examine thyself carefully, and be steadfast; keep thyself separate from the Mahuzzim, and their power over thee weakens have courage, and persevere." As she ceased to speak, her husband entered the chamber, followed by the nurse with the things necessary for ministration. With a heavy heart the Rabbi performed his duty, and passed the babe over to the mother. At the conclusion of the ceremony, according to custom, wine was handed round to be tasted by the mother, the child, and the Rabbi; but when it came to his turn, he refused, saying, "Spare me, for I have made a vow that I will neither eat nor drink this day." "As thou pleasest," said the demon; "break not thy vow for me;" and he smiled bitterly. So the Rabbi was taken to a chamber looking out upon the garden, where he spent the day in prayer and weeping; but when the sun was set, the prince of the Mahuzzim came to him and said, "Eat now, for the day of thy vow is past;" and he set meat before him. Again pardon me," said the Rabbi; "I have a vow for this day also." "As thou pleasest-respect thy vow," said the prince, and the Rabbi saw that he laughed. So the Rabbi sat another day in his sadness, weeping and praying. And again the tempter stood and said, "Eat now, for thou must be hungered; thine was a sore vow;" and he offered him dainty meats. Jonadab was sorely tempted, but he prayed inwardly, and it passed away; and he said, “Excuse me yet again the third time, for I have renewed my vow." "Be it so then," said the prince; "arise and follow me." The demon took a torch, and led the Rabbi through many winding passages to a lofty chamber of solid silver floor, ceiling, door, walls, threshold, and door-posts; and the curiously-carved roof and cornices shone like frost-work. On the floor were immense urns of chased silver, filled with silver pieces of money over the brim.