visited the earth with his regenerating influencesafter the best of the human race, for eighteen centuries, had honoured and adored him-and seeing that his church testifies for him more loudly than any word or single act can do,-they are silenced, and have reached the end of their objections, but still do not believe, and yet do not let the Lord go, since they cease not to doubt of his superhuman dignity, and to render it suspected by others. They will not believe. This is the solution of the problem.

The Lord renews his declaration. The constituted authorities demand it, and he obeys. Besides, it is of importance to him that the world should know, with certainty, who he was, and whom they crucified. From the summit of the eminence on which the temple stood, he surveys in spirit the human race and the ages to come. He once more raises the veil from his humble guise, and baring the regal star upon his breast, he says, "Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the right hand of the power of God." A sublime expression, evidently having reference to the remarkable passage in Daniel vii. 13: "One like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven.' The priests and scribes could not for a moment doubt that by this he declared himself to be the Messiah promised by the inspired seer, and thus claimed divine nature and essentiality. He intimated, even by the name by which he usually designated himself, that his humanity was only something attached to his person in an extraordinary way. For had he been conscious of being a mere man, what kind of meaning would attach to that striking appellation? His prediction concerning his approaching sitting at the right hand of power, or of the Divine Majesty, is nothing less than a decided declaration that he would divide the throne of glory with his heavenly Father, and with him rule the world in equal perfection of power. The Sanhedrim, conversant with the language of the prophets, understood

the words in this sense. "Art thou, then, the Son of God?" cried they all, as with one voice. "Ye say that which I am," replied he with majestic firmness and composure.

The Lord has repeated his great confession. The whole assembly rise in real or dissembled indignation and astonishment. One exclaims louder than the other, "What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard it from his own lips."

True, they have heard it from his own mouth. This their confession has been recorded in heaven, and will, without fail, be brought against them at the day of judgment. Wherewith, then, will they justify their refusing to pay homage to the Lord, seeing that in reality they needed no further witness ? On account of this testimony they condemned Jesus to death, and by so doing, for the confirmation of our faith, only established the fact of the testimony having proceeded from his own lips. Even to this hour, the tradition exists among the Jews, that Christ was crucified because he made himself equal with God, and therefore was guilty of blasphemy. Hence, nothing in the world is so beyond a doubt as that Jesus actually made that judicial confession of his divine Sonship. He who seeks to view him as anything less than the Eternal Son, brands him as a blasphemer, and convicts him, with the Jewish council, as being worthy of death.

After sentence of death on the divine sufferer had thus been confirmed, the officers approach, in order again to put on his fetters, which had been for the time removed. He willingly offers his hands, that the words of Isaiah might be fulfilled (chap. liii. 7), “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." He who had just before solemnly asserted his equality with God, with

the consent of the whole heavenly world, appears now in fetters like a rebel. How monstrous the contrast, how great the contradiction! But how obvious it is that it is a voluntary act on the Lord's part; and how clearly do we again read in the soul of the holy sufferer the words, "Then I restored that which I took not away!" His fetters have contributed to procure our redemption; for Satan would have held us eternally captive had Jesus preferred liberty to bonds. Horrible and heart-affecting it is to see that those hands, which were only employed in offices of mercy, are bound with cords, like the hands of a felon, by the very world to which they were extended only in blessing. But God be thanked that he restrained the lightning of his wrath from destroying the rebels when they thus laid hands upon his Holy One! For in those cords which bound the limbs of Jesus, were hidden the fetters which would have for ever bound sinners in hell.

The officers have done their task. The whole assembly then breaks up, in order, contrary to custom and etiquette, personally to bring the accused before the governor, and by their appearing in a body, to force from him the confirmation of their sentence of death. Herein was fulfilled the Saviour's prediction, that he should be delivered unto the Gentiles. This feature in the proceedings belonged to that which was symbolical in the history of his passion. The whole world was to have occasion, in its representatives, to manifest its real position with reference to the Holy One of Israel, and its participation in the guilt, and the need of redemption.

He whom we have seen proceeding bound to the second court of justice, sits now, having long since accomplished his work, at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as keeper of the heavenly blessings which he purchased for us. Let us bow, in humble adoration, before him, and not let him go, till he has

granted us all the blessed results of his passion. Let us beware of again binding his hands by our unbelief, and be cautious lest by our improper conduct we should again deliver him up to the baptized and unbaptized heathen. Rather let us bind him to us by the cords of grateful love; and by a joyful confession of him, recommend him to those who are still ignorant of him. Let us bring our peaceful disposition, holiness of life, and fidelity in his service, as witnesses which justify him before the world, and learn to devote ourselves unceasingly to him who loved us and gave himself for us.

THE VIOLET.

How gladly I hail you, fair blossoms of spring,
What joy to my heart Flora's sweet treasures bring;
I love you all fondly-the primrose so pale,
Unfolding its petals though rough winds assail;
The delicate snowdrop, the harbinger dear

Of spring with its sunshine and warmth drawing near.
I prize you all highly, yet be it confess'd,

There's one of your number I think I love best;
What a thrill of delight it brings to my mind,
When on some shelter'd bank that sweet flower I find.
Some others more brilliant and showy may be,
But the fair modest violet is dearest to me.

Can aught be more lovely, my fav'rite, than you,
With flow'rs of pure white or most exquisite blue?
And yet so retiring, your beauties perchance
Might sometimes escape the most vigilant glance;
But fragrant perfumes the breeze wafts, which reveal
What vainly humility strives to conceal.

And is not the Christian like you, gentle flowers?
He seeks no applause from a world such as ours:
Your sweet odours float on the wild winds of heaven-
Each power of his soul to his God should be given;
And still the perfume of true piety tells

The heart where this blossom of amaranth dwells.

EMILIE.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE MOON UPON ANIMATE AND INANIMATE OBJECTS.

THE moon is the nearest planetary body to our earth. The distance has been calculated at 237,000 miles. The influence of the moon upon our earth, and facts illustrative of it, form interesting materials for study and reflection.

It has been ascertained that, in consequence of the nearness of the moon to our earth, her influence is such as to occasion currents in the atmosphere, and to direct the course of the winds, by which the atmosphere is purified. One of the more familiar and remarkable of these influences is upon the surface of the ocean, occasioning the ebb and flow of the tides. This influence is perceptible also on the waters of some of the principal rivers. From the lowest point of ebb tide the sea gradually rises, and in a little more than six hours reaches its highest point or full tide. It then remains stationary for about fifteen minutes, and during the next six hours gradually recedes to its lowest point. Lakes and large inland sheets of water are too small to admit of their being so powerfully or permanently affected as the wide ocean; and the moon passes too rapidly over them to allow their surface to be perceptibly disturbed. There are no tides in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. The writer, during a sojourn on the shores of the Mediterranean, paid particular attention to this fact, and could never discover a greater rise at any time than a few inches, explainable by the pressure of the wind. The outlet to the waters of the Black Sea at Constantinople, and that of the Mediterranean at the Straits of Gibraltar, are too narrow to allow the tidal wave of the Atlantic to affect in any sensible manner the surface, especially of the latter sea. This tidal influence of the moon is three times greater than