If practical, useful, diffusive Christianity were only more prevalent, there would not want missionaries, and catechists, and schoolmasters to cultivate the whole field of the world, nor a sufficiency of salt to salt the whole of our own community. If all who have been turned from darkness to light themselves, would only consider how they may best extend the light of truth to those around them, how error and ungodliness would be arrested and checked, and the best interests of men's souls promoted! And oh! what a thought it is, that none to whom even a single talent is entrusted can safely suffer that one talent to lie hid in a napkin.

These thoughts are suggested by the recent death of a young man whose spiritual welfare I have watched for several years.

Richard Wilding was the nephew of a farmer in my parish, with whom he lived as servant. His regular attendance at church, and devout and serious deportment there, gave pleasing proof that he was making the salvation of his soul the one thing needful. And Richard became a practical Christian. He soon became a Teacher in the Sunday-school, and took other opportunities of assisting the young on the evenings of the week. After forwarding his wishes of becoming a coachman, I got him a situation as such with an excellent friend near London, by whom he was highly valued for his Christian integrity. There his health failed, and he was obliged to go into a London hospital.

Passing through town, I made a point of going to see him; and truly thankful was I to witness his not only happy, peaceful state of mind, amidst his sufferings and frustrated plans, but also his zealous efforts for the good of those around him. His account of the awful ungodliness that prevailed in his ward was truly dreadful: but his holy influence was at work; and who can tell the consequences! A poor foreigner in the next bed especially excited his pity. He was a Papist, and very ignorant, and in a dying state. Sad to say, the chaplain, in going through the wards, passed him by! stating as a reason, that being a Papist, he would not listen to him, and, moreover, thinking that he was too far gone to be able

to attend. The nurse, too, was wearied with her sitting up so many nights with him, and she slept, and kept by the fire at a distance, and disregarded his signs for help, and neglected him sadly. But Richard, whenever able, was at his bedside, administering to his comfort; and, above all, telling him of the Friend of sinners. His tender kindness wrought upon the poor man; and who can say whether he may not hereafter be found to have been a brand plucked from the burning through Richard's instrumentality!

I saw poor Richard the day before he died, full of peace and hope; and his dying testimony to the love and faithfulness of his Saviour, and the power of faith, will not, I trust, be lost on those who witnessed it. I committed his earthly remains to the grave on the 22nd of May, at the early age of 28; but his life, though short, was not spent in vain.

Oh that many a young man who reads this may be stirred up to go and do likewise!

ED.

A SUNDAY-SCHOOL ADDRESS,

ON THE HISTORY OF UZZIAH.

"As long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper." 2 CHRONICLES xxvi. 5.

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WHEN QUEEN VICTORIA mounted the throne of England, she was about 18 years old. In the present chapter we read of one, around whom the royal purple was thrown, and upon whose brow the kingly crown was set still earlier. Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign." While he was but a youth, like one of you, it was his business to sway the sceptre over a large tract of country, to give laws to a great and powerful nation, and to head an army of bold and experienced soldiers.

Some boys think that a king's life is an easy and a quiet life enough-that kings and queens have nothing to do but to dress in scarlet and ride in state to see

sights, and to eat, drink, and be merry. But the truth is, that a king has many sorrows and many cares. He must think much, and speak much. He must rise early, and late take rest. He has his own people to please, and his enemies to guard against-and his head and his heart are often made to ache through the weight of his troubles. If there is any one in the wide world who has many trials, and little peace, it is a king. If there is any one who ought to be very wise, and industrious, and active, it is a king. How, then, shall a youth, who has only seen sixteen summers, and whose mind is yet weak, and his body feeble, rule aright? And yet Uzziah does rule aright; for it says, "he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper." Here was the secret of his success. His own arm was youthful and timid; God nerved him with strength. Left to himself, he was a silly, obstinate boy; God made him wise. We might have supposed that every scheme he took in hand would have failed; but as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.

Now, in particular, he was remarkable for being a mighty warrior, a great builder, and an extensive farmer. First. He was a mighty warrior. The Philistines and the Ammonites often tried to overcome him, but it was all in vain. The army of Uzziah broke down the walls of their cities; and although many a hard and tough battle was fought, yet it ever happened that the soldiers of the king left the battle-field with their flags streaming in the wind, and their voices shouting, "Victory, victory!" His army consisted of 307,500 men, besides the fathers, or chiefs, who numbered about 2,600 more. But it was not the numbers or the might of his soldiers that gained him his victories. It was not that his army was more valiant than the army of his enemies. It was not that Jewish steel was sharper and brighter than Philistine steel;-but the key to all his successes was this, that as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.

Then, he was a large builder. He "built towers in Jerusalem, at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and he fortified them." Jerusalem was a city, probably inclosed by a wall on all sides to screen it from danger. At the gates of these walls the king built towers, from the top of which his marksmen would espy their enemies afar off, and hurl their stones and shoot their arrows with surer aim and with greater force. "Also he built towers in the desert," probably that his shepherds, when keeping their flocks, might have a shelter to resort to when the burning rays of the noon-day sun came down upon the desert; and that they also might see afar off, and take timely warning, when robbers were coming down to steal and to carry off their oxen and their sheep.

And, then, he was a large farmer. Not only did he build towers in the desert, but he " digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry."

Had you and I gone through his kingdom, we might have seen his cattle slaking their thirst at the wells which gave out their waters in the desert, or quietly cropping the grass which grew on the plain. We might have seen his vineyards blushing with the thick clusters of the purple grape-his oliveyards with their trees laden with mellow fruit-his cornfields waving their golden ears in the sun. What a blessed prospect! A land rejoicing in the smile of God! It was God who blessed the land; so that she yielded the grape, and the olive, and the full ear; for it was while Uzziah sought the Lord that God made him to prosper.

This is a sweet picture. Uzziah cleaving to the Lord: God's broad, bright smile resting upon his youthful head! And thus it ever must be. If a boy would grow up like a young olive tree-fair and flourishing—he must seek God. If he would get on in his worldly calling, as a shop-boy, or a clerk, or a servant, he must have God as his friend. It is God who must give him wisdom; God who must give him strength. Sweet will it be for him to toil in the field, or to drive the team-to

pace the busy street, or to stand behind the counter of the quiet shop-if he is able to realize the sunshine of God's countenance, and the indwelling of God's peace.

Yes; we must seek God! We must seek him for pardon; for we have all sinned. We must seek him with humble, broken hearts; for he resisteth the proud. Yes; he knows we have nothing to be proud of; and if we have never mourned for sin-never felt that we are base and evil-God will have nothing to do with us. We must search, then, for a Saviour, whose blood-so fresh, so powerful, so free-will wash the darkest stains of sin out, and make the guiltiest conscience easy and happy. Ah! and we must seek, too, for strength to resist the strong wickedness which is constantly arising in our hearts, and which would drag us down to ruin. We must seek for strength to resist the evil one that goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. We must seek for grace to be faithful to Jesus, that we may not turn cowards, and deny him, as Peter did; but may boldly stand up in his name, and confess before an evil world that we dare serve God, and live for eternity.

But Uzziah's history takes a sad turn. One would not have thought that the tree which blossomed so fairly would have turned out a cumberer of the ground; but listen to these awful words: "When he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction." When he thought of the noble army over which he ruled, the strong city in which he dwelt, and the mighty works which he had wrought, he became proud and consequential. He forgot who it was that gave him his victories. He forgot who made his fields to flourish and his kingdom to stand. He forgot that he was but a poor, weak worm, just come into the world for a brief hour, and soon to quit it. He foolishly thought he would give over seeking God, and would now follow his own way and his own will.

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He went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense, which the Lord had commanded that none but the priests should do. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men: and they withstood Uzziah the