has surely some divinely-appointed prerogative. Many good christians, besides John, have been blessed with a vision of a celestial city, with pearly gates, and golden streets, and trees and rivers of life.

Every landscape on which we can turn our eyes has two voices, or senses, in which it may address us; a primary natural one, and a secondary moral one. One man, whose natural sight only is opened, looks upon it and it says to him, "Green fields, blue arch, fleecy clouds, glassy river, red houses, patches of light and shade! Another looks upon it, and it says to him, as impressively, if not so distinctly, "Immutable and sublime tranquility, infinite power, immaculate benignity, ever changing but constant beauty, life, without bound and without end!" In the proneness to moralize elderly people are before younger ones. The "sweet and bitter" discipline of life; a future, consisting of a daily increasing proportion of the unseen and the unearthly; discontent with merely outside qualities generally; all encourage this. It may safely be said, that he who rests in exterior beauty, goes away with the shell and leaves the kernel untasted. The man whose eye, after wandering with delight over the outward casket, pierces within, and reads the spiritual inscription there, is the man who realizes the delectable vision, the secret of creation. It is within this inner court alone that the Shekinah is to be beheld.

Yes! and all the mystic lore there disclosed goes to produce one impression. It is, that age is not, necessarily and certainly not to the spiritthe condition, or instrument, of decay. "Because I live, ye shall live also." Another life springs and beams within the material. "The outer tabernacle" is merely in course of being "put off." The mental "youth" is felt to be renewed like the eagle's." The spirit "mounts up" as it "shuffles At eventide there is light." As the darkness of the earthly night breaks, the dawn of a celestial day struggles through, poured from the divine fountain of all life.

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off its mortal coil."

"The soul's dark cottage, batter'd and decayed,

Lets in new light through chinks which time has made."

O. M.

A DEVOTIONAL SPIRIT.

THE possession and cultivation of a devotional spirit are essential to the very existence of real piety. Christian life cannot be apart from Christian love. "He that loveth is born of God." The love begotten in the human soul, by the power of the Holy Ghost, produces what, in the language of experimental religion, is styled "a devotional spirit." a devotional spirit." The characteristics of a devotional spirit are these:

1. Delight in contemplating the character of God, as that character is displayed in the works of Nature, Providence and Grace. As a child joys in the presence of a father, or a friend luxuriates in the genial companionship of another, so does the devotional mind thrill with unwonted pleasure as it surveys the greatness, goodness, and holiness of that Being whom it adores. "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God," is the sincere language of every one who has been brought nigh to God by the blood of sprinkling." The devotional mind looks and longs for God everywhere-in times of trouble and prosperity-amid the busy

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throng as well as in the sanctuary. The visible universe is but a transparency through which the Divine countenance shines; and the living Christian would feel that the pall of death enshrouded the world, could he not hear the "voice from heaven," or see, with a keener eye than that of sense, the footsteps of his ever-present helper and friend.

2. A devotional spirit values the Bible above all other books. From it daily counsel is taken, and valued as more precious than rubies. O, how I love the law! it is daily my delight," is the fervent exclamation of those who search the scriptures as for hidden treasure; and sooner would they forego all other pleasures than be deprived of the comfort, insiruction, and encouragement which a prayerful perusal of the Sacred Word affords. To them it is "sweeter than honey or the honeycomb."

3. A devotional spirit is intent upon doing the will of God. The " constraining love" of Christ supplies the motive force to the soul. Dangers and difficulties vanish before the mind "strong in the Lord, and in the power. of his might." It hears the call of duty, and leaps to obey that call. The steadfast, active, zealous, useful Christian is furnished for his work by the Spirit that quickeneth;" and, as a fire in his veins, that spit inflames the feeling of devotion, until the man of God" is ready for overy goed word: and work."

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4. A devotional spirit loves the place of secret and of social prayer. It cannot willingly neglect either the closet or the sanctuary. In the ono it, wrestles with God, as did Jacob; in the other, waits for the pentecostal effusion as did the disciples, who were "with one accord" together, looking for the promised Comforter. In proportion as a devotional spirit glows or languishes in the soul of a Christian, will be the estimate he puts upon the value of prayer. The cold formalist, in his weak ignorance, thinks it no loss to omit the ardent sacrifice of faith.

"Yet who that knows the worth of prayer

But wishes to be often there."

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weep

5. A devotional spirit is tender and sympathetic. It knows how to " with those that weep," as well as "to rejoice with those that do rejoice." It is willing to bear the burden of others, so fulfilling the law of Christ." It is profoundly moved by the obduracy of the impenitent, and seeks out fit seasons and acceptable words, to point the unforgiven to the cross. "How can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred ?" is asked with the utmost intensity of desire for the welfare of all who know not the way of life. Thus a devotional spirit becomes of necessity a benevolent spirit, quick to do and suffer for the benefit of others. Even as "Christ became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich," so the truly devotional disciple gives evidence that the " same mind" moves him that moved his blessed Master and Friend to die for sinners.

Now this devotional spirit, which we have thus attempted to describe, is as much susceptible of cultivation as any other quality of mind or heart; and being susceptible of cultivation, we are responsible to God for the degree in which we possess or fail to possess it. All the members of a given church cannot be learned, or eloquent, or rich, but they all can abound in the "fruits of the Spirit." All genuine Christians live, they do not merely profess reli gion. They commune with God, walk with him, and make their fellowship with the Master apparent, by a Godly walk and conversation," knowing that they who saw to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

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Review.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF A PILGRIMAGE TO EL-MEDINAH AND MECCAй. By RICHARD F. BURTON, Lieutenant Bombay Army. Vol. III. 8vo. cloth, pp. 448. London: Longman and Co.

On the last day in August, 1853, Lieutenant Burton left El-Medinah for Meccah, and the same evening reached Ja El Sherifah, the rendezvous of caravans. Three hours after noon the next day, the united caravan, consisting of 7,000 persons. on foot, on horseback, in litters, or bestriding the splendid camels of Syria, began its march. "The principal officers were the Emir el Hajj, one Ashgar Ali Pacha, a veteran of whom my companions spoke slightingly, because he had been the slave of a slave, probably the pipe bearer of some grandee, who in his youth had been pipe-bearer to some other grandee. Under him was a Wakil or lieutenant, who managed the executive. The Emir el Surrah-called simply el Surrah, or the Purse-had charge of the caravan, treasure, and remittances to the holy cities. And lastly, there was the commander of the forces (Bashat el Askar): his host consisted of about 1000 irregular horsemen, half bandits, half soldiers, each habited and armed after his own fashion, exceedingly dirty, picturesque looking, brave, and in such a country, of no use whatever." In eight days they came up to El Zaribah, the appointed place for assuming the pilgrim garb. Shaved, washed, and perfumed, the men put on the rida and the izar; the first a piece of cotton cloth, six feet by three, white, with narrow red stripes and fringes, thrown over the back, leaving exposed the right arm and shoulder; the second, cloth of the same material and pattern, wrapt round the loins from the waist to the knee, and knotted or tucked in the middle. The feet and head were bare. They then turned their faces to Meccah and prayed. The wife and daughters of a Turkish pilgrim assumed the ihram at the same time. They appeared in white garments, covering their entire bodies, except the face, before which was hung a hideous mask, made of split, dried, platted palm leaves, with two "bull's eyes" for light. Late in the afternoon the whole caravan was thrown into great alarm. Passing along a deep valley, they were fired upon by Utaybah robbers perched on the rocks. The Pacha, instead of urging the horsemen to dismount and crown the heights, had his carpet spread out at the foot of the opposite rock, and debated over his pipe with the officers, what ought to be done. Meanwhile the Wahhabis rode up from the rear, jumped off their camels, and swarmed up the hill. The robbers were driven off, and the caravan changed its forced halt into a flight.

As they neared Meccah Lieutenant Burton first saw the shrub which bears the balm of Gilead. It grows abundantly in that neighbourhood. The Arabs obtain the balsam by tapping the bark, from which the soft gum exudes. The best kind thereabouts is of the consistence of honey, and yellowish-brown, like treacle. Once worth its weight in silver, it is now little cared for; while the shrub that produces it is left to grow as a weed.

The pilgrims entered Meccah at night, amidst general excitement. They had taken eleven days to travel 248 miles, and had arrived a day before the beginning of "the pilgrimage," properly so called. This was spent by the pseudopilgrim, who had taken up his quarters at the house of the Surat boy Mohammed, in visiting the Bait Ullah, "the house of Allah," known among Europeans as the Kaabah. Lieutenant Burton surveyed the sacred edifice with secret pride. At length the plans and hopes of many a year were realized. He has, however, added nothing to the great Swiss traveller's description of the mosque, which he quotes entire, but a few explanatory notes. In his opinion, the celebrated Black Stone, regarded with such awe throughout the Moslem world, and fixed in the wall of the Kaabah, around which pilgrims hysterically crowd, the while struggling who shall touch it with their lips, is a common aërolite.

The next morning the Hajj really began. Clad in their ihram they first visited

Muna and thence passed on to Arafat, the first three, the second twelve miles from Meccah. Muna has three standing miracles, according to Moslems; (1) the pebbles picked up at Muzdalifah and thrown by the pilgrims at the three senseless blocks-called "stoning the devil," whose appearance these blocks commemorate-are returned by angels from Muna to whence they came; (2) during the three days of drying meat, rapacious beasts and birds cannot prey there; and (3) flies do not settle upon the articles of food exposed so abundantly in the bazaar. At Arafat, also called "the hill of mercy," the whole pilgrim band encamped, in all 50,000 persons of all ages and sexes. One part of the ceremony here consisted in listening to a sermon of puritanical length-three hours—which was heard by the crowds who thronged round the hill, amidst cries, sobs, and volleys of "Amens" and "Labbayks." Our traveller had intended to take down the heads of the sermon; but coquetting with a fair Meccan on the plain, the sermon was lost. All now hurried back to Muzdalifah for the stones with which they were to pelt the devil the following day. After the first " stoning" the ihram was laid aside and the ordinary dress resumed. Again they visited the Kaabah, and again "stoned the devil" at Muna. After attending to the ceremony of dried meat, which not unfrequently causes a frightful pestilence, they repaired to hear another sermon, this time in the mosque at Meccah.

"The vast quadrangle," says Lieutenant Burton, was crowded with worshippers sitting in long rows, and everywhere facing the central black tower; the showy colours of their dresses were not to be surpassed by a garden of the most brilliant flowers, and such diversity of detail would probably not be seen massed together in any other building upon earth. The women, a dull and sombre looking group, sat apart in their peculiar place. The Pacha stood on the roof of Zem Zem, surrounded by guards in Nizam uniform. Where the principal ulema stationed themselves, the crowd was thicker; and in the more auspicious spots nought was to be seen but a pavement of heads and shoulders. Nothing seemed to move but a few dervishes, who, censer in hand, sidled through the rows, and received the unsolicited arms of the faithful. Apparently in the midst, and raised above the crowd by the tall, pointed pulpit, whose gilded spire flamed in the sun, sat the preacher. The style of head-dress called Taylasan, (a scarf thrown over the head, with one end brought round under the chin and passed over the left shoulder) covered his turban, which was white as his robes, and a short staff supported his left hand. Presently he arose, took the staff in his right hand, pronounced the words, 'Peace be with ye! and the mercy of Allah and his blessings!' and sat down again on one of the lower steps, whilst a muezzin, at the foot of the pulpit, recited the call to the sermon. Then the old man stood up, and began to preach. As his majestic figure began to exert itself, there was a deep silence. Presently a general 'Amen' was intoned by the crowd at the conclusion of some long sentence. At last, towards the end of the sermon, every third or fourth word was followed by the simultaneous rise and fall of thousands of voices."

The

Other ceremonies over, Abdullah began to lionize a little in the city. sacred cemetery of Meccah; the Masjed el Jinn, where the seventy-second chapter of the Koran was revealed; and the Bait el Naby, the prophet's old house, were successively visited. In returning to Meccah, they passed through the slave-market; and here Lieutenant Burton matured the only benevolent resolve with which he has been pleased to acquaint us, during the whole of our travels together. He determined, if favoured by fortune, to strike a death blow at the trade which is eating into the vitals of industry in Eastern Africa. Thirteen other places of pious visitation, besides the three before-named, are mentioned; but these were not personally visited. Lieutenant Burton remained some days at Meccah after the close of his pilgrimage; and while observing the manners and customs of the people, hoped to hear from some of his friends how he might penetrate farther into the country. He waited in vain; and was compelled to return to Egypt, till a more favourable turn of affairs. He left Meccah for Jeddah, on the Red Sea, and there put himself under the protection of consul Cole. In a short time he embarked on board the "Dwarka" for Suez, much puzzled that the Turkish pilgrims who now discovered that even in the holy cities of El Medinah and Meccah, "he had been laughing at their beards," did not throw him overboard. We have purposely omitted any notice of the long chapters in this third volume

on the Bedouins and the pilgrim rites. Various opinions will be entertained as to the plausibility of the theory urged in the first; and the second will only be of service to those who are anxious to follow our traveller's mode of entering El Hajaz. Nor have we said anything about Meccah; such as Lieutenant Burton found it. Since Burckhardt's time, it has changed but little; and those who are in possession of his book will not care for any further description.

We exceedingly regret that familiarity with foul-mouthed Meccans should have occasionally and imperceptibly betrayed Lieut. Burton into an imitation of their pernicious habits. Allusions and expressions are scattered through all the volumes that the editor would have done well to erase. An offence to good taste, they are as loathsome to the reader as the putrid carcases at Muna were to Abdullah himself.

Again must we protest, in the name of humanity, if not in any higher name, against the encouragement to brutalize the poor Arab, which is constantly given in the book before us. The little pert Bedouin boy might have been "offensively republican" in his manner; but can that be pleaded in justification for "pinching his windpipe, and spinning him over on the ground?" Treat men better than dogs, lest they turn again and rend you.

GOTTHOLD'S EMBLEMS: or things invisible understood by the things that are made. By CHRISTIAN SCRIVEN. Translated from the twenty-eighth German_edition, by Rev. R. Menzies, Hoddam. Foolscap 8vo., pp. 299. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clarke; London: Hamilton and Adams.

CHRISTIAN SCRIVEN was a protestant clergyman in Magdeburgh nearly two centuries ago. The loss of a dear friend and companion led him into the habit of moralizing on the ordinary occurrences of life; and "like flowers beneath a thorny hedge," the incidental meditations before us grow up into life. They are full of quaint, epigrammatic sentences, and deep religious fervour. Gotthold is the name behind which Scriven hides his own personality. We present our readers with a few of Scriven's apothegms, trusting they will read the book for themselves. 66 Though often when alive we would fain have filled one half of the world, yet after we have lain for a little while in the grave, there is scarce enough of us to make a handful." "Over anxiety to be beautiful is to be half ugly." The following is in Thomas Fuller's style: "As the froth is skimmed from a seething pot, so when the heart boils with rage, curses are the scum, the tongue the ladle, and Satan the cook." "Blessed is the man who by trading in temporal things can gain eternal profits." "An alms reluctantly bestowed is like a rose spoiled and discoloured with the fumes of sulphur." "He who thinks much of himself, is thought nothing of by God." "In the school of Christ they are the best scholars who continue learning to the last." Prayer is one of the keys of heaven, and death the other." "The worse dogs are not those that bark and bite, but those who bite without barking." "A blush is a sign which nature hangs out to show where chastity and honour dwell." "Greatness does not consist in the possession of lofty gifts, but in using lofty gifts with an humble mind." "A prince is like a taper, which ministers with its light to others, but consumes itself." "Better be an humble sinner than a haughty saint."

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We sincerely hope that the translator will receive ample encouragement to give in an English dress the remainder of these admirable sketches. REVISED ENGLISH VERSION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. By the American Bible Union. Part II.: The Book of Job, pages 49 to 96. Part III.: Thessalonians, I. and II. London: Trübner and Co., 12, Paternoster Row. THIS is called the "Parallel Edition." In Part II. we have three parallel columns, the first containing the version of King James, the second the Hebrew text, the third the revised version. Ample notes are given at the foot of each page. The same plan is adopted in Part III., the original text being put in the centre column. Judging from these two numbers, this will be a most valuable contribution to our sacred literature. We have carefully examined verses, in both numbers, and can vouch for their accuracy. It will perhaps be in some