is

are to the atmosphere; they stir the mass and serve to keep it pure. The erection of every new Christian synagogue, as the opening of a new fountain in the desert, a fountain whose streams shall quench the moral thirst of men, and touch into beauty the scenes through which they pass. I observe from this passage:

But He has not done so, He and we see wise and kind. Man's effort in this direchave elsewhere employed,

II. THAT TRUE CHURCHES ARE LEFT TO THE ERECTION OF MAN. This synagogue was built by the centurion ; and all the synagogues of the Jews, which were such blessings to the nation, were of human erection. So it is with Christian synagogues; if they are to exist, men must build them. It is indeed somewhat marvellous that it should be so. Why did the Almighty leave such work to man? He could have studded the world with temples, written His Gospel upon the face of the broad heavens for every man in every land to read, and made every passing breeze articulate the doctrines of His Word. has left this work with us, reasons for this arrangement. tion is, to use language we necessary to his spiritual training. I regard the secular subscriptions required for promoting the cause of religion, as among the most important" means of grace." Professors have come to think of the means of grace, as consisting merely in hearing sermons, offering prayers, reading the Bible, and attending devotion at services, rather than in self-sacrificing efforts in the cause of truth and humanity. Collections are regarded as evils which men endeavour to avoid as much as possible, rather than as means of spiritual culture, which they should hail with gratitude and delight. takes from his purse the full portion he can afford, and from pure motives, lays it on the altar of God, secures for himself by that effort, more good than he could by the most eloquent sermon ever delivered. Sermons may give ideas and make impressions, but unless those ideas and impressions take some practical turn, they have done us no real service. It

The man who

is only as we translate good ideas and feelings into acts, that they really strengthen our characters and subserve our good. The man who contributes of his worldly substance, by that very act, weakens the bonds that connect him with matter, and takes a step towards the spiritual and the Divine. Hence as a rule we find that the strongest and the happiest Christians, are those who make most sacrifices for the cause of Christ. We have reason, therefore, to thank God that He has left such work as the building of temples to us. Had the necessaries of life sprung spontaneously from the earth, so as to require no human labour, the physical energies of man would never have been developed. However large in stature he might have become, he would still have been a babe in strength. Had knowledge come into our mind without the exercise of our faculties, we should never have known anything of intellectual force. In like manner had everything in religion been done for us, so that no demand would have been made upon our benevolent sympathies, we should be beings of morbid religious sentiment, and without any force or greatness of character.*

CONCLUSION: The subject suggests the duty of patriots. The rulers who have never learnt the true value of a Church to a community, are utterly disqualified for their high position. Whilst the true Church requires not to be enriched by the public purse, or decorated with worldly ornaments, it requires that its rights should be treated as sacred, that its internal activity should be left free, that its mission should be held in reverence, and that its high services should be duly appreciated.

The men who join with the irreverent demagogue pamphleteer and journalist, in denouncing all Churches as worthless institutions, and would sweep them from the land if they could, are no true patriots. He who helps to build Christian synagogues in his country, and endeavours to bring as many of his fellow-citizens as possible under their * See HOMILIST, Vol. ii. third series, page 577.

influences, serves his country in a way the most commendable and the most efficient. Christians too, may learn a lesson from our subject. They should endeavour to make the Churches to which they belong more true, more in accordance with the Christian ideal. They should seek to get their pulpits supplied by men of the highest type of intellect and heart-men of high powers, well cultured, and consecrated to God. They should endeavour to draw outsiders into the Christian circle, not only by their persuasive appeals, but by the attractive influence of their lives. Alas! how many there are who call themselves Christians, who have not only not helped to build a synagogue, but who have never brought one poor wandering soul into the fold of Christ. They profess great anxiety for the progress of the Gospel, and yet employ no efforts whatever to bring men under the regenerating influence of the truth. These men are hypocrites and obstructives.

Our subject furnishes a strong appeal to every man to support Christian synagogues. I speak especially to those who attend their services and participate in their privileges. What has the house of God done for you, even if you are not converted? Were you to answer candidly, you would say, I owe almost everything to it. I owe my intellectual life, my best ideas, my truest friendships, my standing in the world to the Church. Where would you have been on this holy day, had it not been for its influence? Where would your children have been? Some of you would have been squandering your weekly earnings, as thousands are, in intemperance and sinful gratifications. Secularly, this House of God has been a great service to you. Were you to give every week towards the support of the Church what you would have squandered every Sabbath, had it not been for its influence on your conduct, your contributions through the year would be something considerable. Whilst no institution does a work for the country half so valuable as the true Church, there are none whose services are so little

acknowledged and so ungratefully treated. Our greatest mercies are, shame on us! the least appreciated.

"Great is the Lord our God,

And let his praise be great;

He makes his Churches his abode,
His most delightful seat.

"These temples of his grace,

How beautiful they stand!

The honours of our native place,

And bulwarks of our land."-WATTS.

Homiletic Sketches on the Book of Psalms.

To

OUR PURPOSE.-Many learned and devout men have gone philologically through this TEHILIM, this book of Hebrew bymns, and have left us the rich results of their inquiries in volumes within the reach of every Biblical student. do the mere verbal hermeneutics of this book, even as well as it has been done, would be to contribute nothing fresh in the way of evoking or enforcing its Divine ideas. A thorough HOMILETIC treatment it has never yet received, and to this work we here commit ourselves, determining to employ the best results of modern Biblical scholarship.

OUR METHOD.-Our plan of treatment will comprise four sections:-(1.) The HISTORY of the passage. Lyric poetry, which the book is, is a delineation of living character, and the key, therefore, to unlock the meaning and reach the spirit of the words, is a knowledge of the men and circumstances that the poet sketches with his lyric pencil. (2.) ANNOTATIONS of the passage. This will include short explanatory notes on any ambiguous word, phrase, or allusion that may occur.- (3.) The ARGUMENT of the passage. A knowledge of the main drift of an author is amongst the most essential conditions for interpreting his meaning.-(4.) The HOMILETICS of the passage. This is our main work. We shall endeavour so to group the Divine ideas that have been legitimately educed, as to suggest such thoughts, and indicate such sermonizing methods, as may promote the proficiency of modern pulpit ministrations.

SUBJECT: Exemplary Conduct under great Social Trials.

"O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust:

Save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.
Lest he tear my soul like a lion,

Rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

O Lord my God, if I have done this;

If there be iniquity in my hands.

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me;
(Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy.)
Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it;

Yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth,

And lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

Arise, O Lord, in thine anger,

Lift up thyself, because of the rage of mine enemies ;

And awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded..

So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about:
For their sakes therefore return thou on high.

The Lord shall judge the people :

Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness,
And according to mine integrity that is in me.

Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end;

But establish the just:

For the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

My defence is of God,

Which saveth the upright in heart.

God judgeth the righteous,

And God is angry with the wicked every day.

If he turn not, he will whet his sword;

He hath bent his bow, and made it ready.

He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death;
He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

Behold, he travaileth with iniquity,

And hath conceived mischief,

And hath brought forth falsehood.

He made a pit, and digged it,

And is fallen into the ditch which he made.

His mischief shall return upon his own head,

And his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness:
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high."-

Psa. vii.

HISTORY.-There are two opinions as to the occasion of this Psalm. One is, that it was written during Absalom's rebellion, when several of the preceding Psalms were composed. The other is, that it refers to the time when David and his band were daily evading the successive snares laid for them by the agents of Saul. It seems almost impossible to determine, with accuracy, which, if either, of these opinions is correct. One thing, however, is clear, that David was involved in a great social trial, and that occasioned by the treachery of a friend, designated in the title, "Cush the Benjamite." As the word "Cush" is the Hebrew name for Ethiopia, and no person of that name is mentioned in the history of David, it is supposed to be used to represent some enemy of David whose heart was as black as the skin of an Ethiopian. As such the name might apply either to Saul or to Shimei, both of whom were Benjamites, and both of whom are characters of Ethiopian blackness. But David had often some