"the barren woman is most fruitful." Thus in the progress of the human soul are verified the words of the prophet, ŝpoken in an allegory, that "the desolate hath many children."

But the allegory does not end here. The contrast between the mothers is reproduced in the contrast between the sons. Isaac represents the wisdom of the wise man, Ishmael the sophistry of the sophist. Sophistry must in the end give place to wisdom. The son of the bondwoman must be cast out and flee before the son of the princess.

Such is the ingenious application of Philo-most like and yet most unlike that of St. Paul. They both allegorize, and in so doing they touch upon the same points in the narrative -they use the same texts by way of illustration. Yet in their whole tone and method they stand in direct contrast, and their results have nothing in common. Philo is, as usual, wholly unhistorical. With St. Paul, on the other hand, Hagar's career is an allegory, because it is a history. The symbol and the thing symbolized are the same in kind. This simple passage of patriarchal life, represents in miniature the workings of God's providence, hereafter to be exhibited in grander proportions in the history of the Christian Church. Christian Apostle and the philosophic Jew move in parallel lines, as it were, keeping side by side, and yet never once crossing each other's path.

The

And there is still another point in which the contrast between the two is great. With Philo, the allegory is the whole substance of his teaching; with St. Paul, it is but an accessory. He uses it rather as an illustration than an argument; as a means of re

VOL. II.-NEW SERIES.

presenting in a lively form the lessons before enforced on other grounds. It is, to use Luther's comparison, the painting which decorates the house already built.

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At the same time, we need not fear to allow that St. Paul's mode of teaching here is coloured by his early education in the rabbinical schools. It were as unreasonable to stake the Apostle's inspiration on the turn of a metaphor, or the character of an illustration, or the form of an argument, as on purity of diction. No one now thinks of maintaining that the language of the inspired writers reaches the classical standard of correctness and elegance, though at one time it was held almost a heresy to deny this. "A treasure contained in earthen vessels, 'strength made perfect in weakness," "rudeness in speech, yet not in knowledge "-such is the far nobler conception of inspired teaching, which we may gather from the Apostle's own language. And this language we should do well to bear in mind. But on the other hand it were mere dogmatism to set up the intellectual standard of our own age or country as an infallible rule. The power of allegory has been differently felt in different ages, as it is differently felt at any one time by diverse nations. Analogy, allegory, metaphor-by what boundaries are these separated, the one from the other? What is true or false, correct or incorrect, as an analogy or an allegory? What argumentative force must be assigned to either? We should at least be prepared with an answer to these questions before we venture to sit in judgment on any individual case.

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said an old woman of sixty-five years to a missionary, as he was about to leave her, after earnestly exhorting her to seek the salvation of her soul. This old woman lived in a populous court in the city of London, where there were inhabitants enough residing in thirty houses to have filled a large village.

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'How am I to get at him?" the missionary asked;"I will certainly see him if possible.".

"Oh, I don't think he will see you if you go; but I'll ask him when I next visit him, and let you know."

The missionary departed, pondering on the inconsistency of human nature displayed in the anxiety exhibited by a person who, during their conversation, had acknowledged that she did not herself attend to the interests of her own soul, but who was nevertheless earnestly desirous that her husband's eternal peace should be secured.

Pitying the condition of the old woman, and anxious to see her husband, the missionary soon again visited the house. The door stood open. On presenting himself, he was received by an old man of rough and jaded appearance, and dogged manners, who sat upon the bedside. Without waiting for a greeting, the old man immediately said, in his harshest manner, "Well, what do you want?".

Startled by the abruptness of the question, the missionary paused for a moment, and then answered that he had called out of kindness to him to converse on a matter of high moment, namely, the salvation of his soul.

"I care nothing about it, I tell you; and the sooner: I see your back the better pleased shall I be," was the surly response.

“But you are lame, I perceive, and at least you will allow me to ask the cause?"

"Well, but what do you care for my lameness? And if you do, you can't cure it."

“True; but I may be able to help you with surgical aid," replied the missionary" and my religion teaches me to do all the good I can." 31da

The old man gazed for a moment at the speaker with an incredulous look, as if he doubted whether some sinister design was not hidden beneath the sympathizing remark, and then turning his face away said, “I want none of your help I want you gone? I bua

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Saddened, the missionary turned to go, and as he went, said, quietly, yes that it grieved him to have his friendly offices rejected; but that he could not wonder, for in a similar spirit the Jewish people rejected the Saviour of mankind, and crucified Him; and yet He came to save them, and would have even blessed them while they were slaying Him.”

A few days after, as the missionary was proceeding on his rounds, he passed the house in which Walker (for that was his name) resided. He was not a little astonished at hearing the old man's rough voice hailing him from the open window.

"Will you come in," said he, "after the rough usage you got last time you called?"

With glistening eyes the missionary replied, as he entered the room, Oh,

Mr. Walker, I would go a great way, and endure a great deal, if I could be the means of bringing you to know the love of Jesus, and to obtain the salvation of your soul."

1. "Well, sir, what you said the other day about the Jews rejecting and crucifying the Saviour stuck to me; and when I thought I was bad enough, but not quite so bad as that, I just wanted to tell you so, and that's the reason I have called you."

The missionary produced his Bible, and, without a word of his own, commenced reading the story of the Saviour's passion and death. The old man listened with as much attention as his rough nature would permit, and when the reading was completed, asked, with some simplicity, if it was really true that the Bible was from heaven, "For," said he, "if it be, why I am about the most fitting subject for hell on this side the grave."

Surprised, and yet encouraged, the missionary proffered instruction if Walker would accept it.

'I am usually called Swearing Walker' in the court," was his answer, "and I don't think it's of any use for you to try to convert me; and yet I don't think I'm worse than those Jews."

Without immediately replying to this, the missionary proceeded to lay a simple statement of the Gospel before the old man's mind, and dwelt especially on the greatness of the love of the Saviour. Instances were cited to show the abundant grace of Jesus and the Almighty power of the Holy Spirit, and a special appeal addressed to the old man based upon his own experience in the ways of sin.

It was interesting to observe the effect. The old man's reply was, "That he was past hope, for his sins were so numerous that he could not remember them. Why, sir," he continued, "I have taken the food from the mouths of babes. I have robbed the widow and the orphan. I have

taken the bed from the dying man, and laughed to scorn the wailings of his stricken wife and children. And, more than all, I have hated God and blasphemed the name of Christ. And for me to think of heaven, and to talk of penitence and of prayer-why, sir, unless you could put a new soul into me it seems to me to be impossible that I can hope for pardon and salvation.*

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There is nothing too hard for the Lord," was the reply. Encouraged by the confession just made, the missionary often returned to visit the sick man, and gradually an interest in Bible truth was awakened. There was much, however, both to learn and unlearn. Having during the latter period of his life obtained his living precariously by taking possession of houses and property on behalf of the sheriff of the county in the execution of the lawbeing what is technically called possession man"-he had been utterly devoid of moral, not to speak of religious principle.

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Walker found it hard to listen to the teaching of the Bible, and still harder to endure the affliction to which he was subjected, without either giving way to the convictions of his conscience, or rejecting the offers of mercy so freely made in the Scriptures. And yet he found it hard to give up his sins. There was much resistance; sin and Satan strove to keep him still their slave.' 'It was, however, the offer of surgical aid which he had accepted, that helped him to a knowledge of the worth of prayer. His medical attendant had decided that the only chance for his life was the amputation of his toe. He was advised to pray for guidance; but first to seek the pardon of his sins, through Jesus Christ. The old man prayed. He determined to submit to the operation. Yet all this time he had given no wellgrounded evidence of a change of heart. During the operation—a severe onehe said that he was wonderfully sup

ported. While confined to his bed, the missionary's visits were highly prized. He was constantly directed to Christ; and the wondrous love displayed upon the cross was frequently shown to him. But he could not realize the fact, that all the Saviour's sufferings were endured for him. "Ah, sir!" said he on one occasion, "it seems scarcely possible that the blessed Jesus should have died for me. And yet, when I think of the thief who hung by His side, I am often disposed to hope there's mercy even for me."

、!

The old man's recovery was slow. It was a joyous day when, leaning on his crutches, he made his way to the missionary's mission-room, and, for the first time for thirty-five years, took his place amongst the worshippers there.

He described his feelings as very strange. Yet there were gleams of

happiness in his experience, he said, to be

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the Lord Jesus Christ. I thought so because his voice seemed to be the very voice that I could fancy spoke the Sermon on the Mount. I was silent before him. He said, 'You have sinned, Walker; you must seek your sins, and bring them here to me.' I told him it would be almost impossible, for they were so numerous. He knew it, he said, but I must seek them up and down the world, and bring them all to him. Do it,' he added, if you desire to love me, Walker.' Oh, sir, the voice was so sweet and so sorrowful, and yet so loving that I could only say, I'll do it, Lord. And I began my journey in search of my sins. I had a weary time of it, sir. I had to go to many places; and as I found my sins the load became a heavy one to carry. For, at every place I came to, my burden was increased. And so it was until all my sins were found. Tired indeed I was;

wanted, and to feel right to6. He did not doubt the Saviour's all-sufficiency, nor His perfect willingness to save those that come to Him. But he was slow to believe for himself. Thus he lingered as Iit were on the borders of the promised land of rest, yet was fearful of going in and taking full possession. It seemed clear that this was the way the Lord was leading him. He was encouraged Fto trust in Jesus for full and free fordigiveness. While he was thus exercised,

his mind filled with solicitude about eternal things, he was taken ill, and again prostrated. One day, as the old man sat on his bedside listening to the instructions of the missionary, he interrupted the latter by saying, "I have had a dream, sir; and it seems so real that I almost think it was not altogether tiba dream, I was walking in London streets one night," he continued, "when suddenly I was brought to a standstill under the gas-lamp by a beautiful, looking man. As he looked at me he called me by name; and, oh, it sounded so soft and sweet-like. I thought it was

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Him. I could get relief nowhere else; and when I was well-nigh wearied out, he stood before me again. He said, You have brought your sins to me, Walker, and I will take them all away. And as he spoke the burden dropped from my shoulders, and I felt that. I was free. Be of good ' he said, De of good courage,' thy faith hath saved th thee. And the I saw him no more. Oh, sir! do yo think my dream is a token for good to my soul?" said the old man, anxiously. Indeed I think it is, my friend," said the missionary. It is just the "It way the Saviour would have you go. You must lay your s sins at the feet of

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