evening sacrifice. In the Holy Place stood also a beautiful table, overlaid with gold, with dishes, spoons, covers, and bowls, all made of pure gold. On the table were placed every Sabbath-Day twelve cakes of bread, being the number of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were piled up in two equal rows, and pure frankincense-a sweet perfume put upon each row. No one partook of these cakes except the priests alone. Then there was the candlestick, which was made of solid gold. It had seven branches for lights, and ornaments beautifully worked in the shape of flowers. This golden candlestick was worth a great deal of money. It was worth about six thousand pounds of our money. As there were no windows in the tabernacle, the light of the seven lamps was much needed. It was also a sign of that Holy Spirit which now shines into the mind to give it divine light: and when Christ sent his Spirit, that light, as a sign, was needed no more.

Children, you must ask God to give you his Holy Spirit. He never withholds it from those who sincerely ask for it; and when we receive that Spirit into our hearts, his heavenly influence changes our sinful tempers- makes the passionate become gentle the proud humble, the selfish kind, generous, and obliging. Fear not, there fore, only pray; and God will not fail to listen. Mark his own blessed words: "It shall be given you ye shall find it shall

be opened unto you." Not, it may be given-ye may find-or it may be opened. Yes, God is faithful. Prayer, earnest prayer, shall be answered in his own good time. When we pray for temporal blessings, let us remember how little we know what is really good for us; and let us never forget that spirit of submission which so well becomes us. "Not my will, but thine, O God, be done." When we pray for spiritual blessings, we cannot be mistaken; fer we know that our prayer is pleasing in the sight of Him who waits to be gracious to his offending children-oftentimes meets them when they are yet a great way offdraws nigh to them when they have as yet made only a feeble though a sincere attempt to draw nigh to him-has compassion on them, and causes his blessings to rest on their earnest wishes and endeavours to become his devoted and obedient children. "Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee," saith the Lord. We confide in our God; and we feel assured that prayer, offered in the name of Jesus, will not, shall not be offered in vain. Wait, therefore, on the Lord. In these your days of childhood, fail not to commune with him; and he, to whom the weak are as dear as the strong, will not send you empty away. You shall be enabled to become doers, as well as hearers of his word-you shall be enabled to watch as well as to pray. God looks down with peculiar favour upon his youth

ful servants: and that same Jesus who took children in his arms, and blessed them, will also look graciously upon you, and will abundantly bless all your good endeavours. (To be continued.)

THE BALSAM TREE.

ONE of the most fragrant spices used in the East was that called the Balsam, which by some has been supposed to be the same as the Balm of Gilead tree; but this again is disputed, on account of the balsam not being known as a native of that region.

The true balsam grew near Jericho, and was found at a later age in Egypt. It is described as being a middle-sized tree, with spreading branches, and a smooth ash-coloured bark, The leaves and flowers are placed at the end of very small branches, the fruit is pointed and fleshy, and contains one perfect seed.

The balsam tree grows like the myrrh, the coffee, and the frankincense tree, without culture, and is sometimes cut down and used for fuel. By the ancients, it was probably used for steeping in oil, which would extract the odour. But the greatest quantity of balsam, and the best in quality, must in all times have been produced by an incision into the bark, when the juice is in its strongest circulation, in July, August, and the beginning of September. It is then received into a small earthen bottle, and every day's produce poured into a larger, which is kept closely corked. The whole quantity collected is, however, very small, and probably for that reason it is spoken of as one of the rarities which were presented to king Solomon by the queen of Sheba: "And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon." (1 Kings x. 10.)

In this verse, as in several others to which I shall refer, the word translated "spice" is understood by commentators to denote the balsam, or basam, a tree much celebrated and esteemed among the ancients. Instances are mentioned

of kings having had it borne in triumph before them; and the wood formed an article of considerable commerce, especially in Egypt, where water vessels were impregnated with its smoke.

The other passages in which the balsam is spoken of, under the general name of spice, are chiefly found in the Song of Solomon, (Cant. v. 1—13. vi. 2.) in reference to the love of Christ for his church, and in this we may perceive a great source of comfort. By the "Balm of Gilead" is meant whatever is soothing and consoling to the afflicted soul; and such is the love of Christ to us-a sure refuge and consolation under every trial, a very present help in time of trouble.

As spices generally (and among these the balsam) were used in anointing dead bodies, so does the love of Christ preserve and awaken those who are dead in sin. He binds up the broken-hearted, and gives them rest and support under every trial and affliction. Hear his most gracious invitation, so well calculated to give consolation to every true penitent: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Let the love of Christ, then, as shewn to his church, and to every individual of it in particular, be as the Balm of Gilead to our souls; that, loving him above all things, we may indeed inherit "His promises, which exceed all that we can desire."

M. P.