not himself; he is beside himself. Avarice and covetousness are crooked things, ugly growths, hostile to nature, and antagonistic to all good. They are contrary to God, contrary to man; they are against nature, and hence unnatural.

The principle of communicating prevails everywhere. Nature is full of illustrations. The sun, the moon, the stars, do not shine for themselves, but for other worlds. The winds do not blow for themselves, nor the clouds wing the skies for themselves, but for earth, for nature, for man. Everywhere one thing respects another, gives to another, blesses another. Nothing exists for its own sake. Nature is one vast contributor to man and to animal. God's law and love are written out legibly and beautifully upon all things. The dew, the brook, the mist, the sunbeams are all sermons to us, if we had eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to appreciate. They tell us how to live, how to act, and how to bear ourselves toward others. How feelingly is life's great lesson impressed on all the handiworks of God! Not for myself but for others, is inscribed upon everything, the meanest as well as the sublimest. The moss on the rock-the cheapest thing,-the wave of the sea-the mightiest,— each breath of air and blossom of the field-the sweetest and purest,—the beam of the morning, the blush of the eveningthe most beautiful,—are continually contributing themselves, giving themselves to other natures. This is God's plan and way in all the universe. He has put us to school in the presence of these great facts and emblems, where every object is a teacher or a type, to impress upon us this great lesson of love. For if all above us, and around us, and beneath us, have this truth wrought into their very nature and texture, should we expect to find an exception in man-God's noblest work-next to the angel? We should not expect it, we do not find it. Man is not thus degraded in his rank in creation; but was made to be, like his Creator, a benefactor and a providence to his kind. Everything in nature and in providence points to this one duty of giving. In all the activities of creation, seen in these grand processes of imparting and communicating, we have a symbol of God's goodness and purpose concerning man. This law of benevolence, stamp

- ou, su we are pe to have respect to

e of reward. We have, indeed, a right to take the co is best for us, and no right to do otherwise.

is giving—right giving—heart giving—that makes our ng safe, our prosperity real, our possessions our own, s actual, and our riches treasures. Is honesty the best I

So also is benevolence, which is honesty toward God, a sential to a just stewardship. If all things are God's, if is, and our property is his, and we are set in the wo in the church to carry out the great principle of love in the relation of secondary providence, do we not and wrong others and our own souls by a life of selfis

?

ne giving has always need to correspond in its measure receiving. If it does not, there will be danger and d -. Of this there are illustrations everywhere. The por e body must give out as well as take in, or we die. Exha is necessary in order that inhalation may be safe. Th must send forth waters as well as take in streams, or it wi the land. There must be outflow, as well as influx, uction. The fields must needs give forth herbs and gras trees, or the rain and richness that come on them woul on. The ocean gives as well as receives, and as much, else d drain, or drown the earth. The heavens, so brigh beautiful, could not be so if they did not give. They ar

so by giving. They scatter abroad their light and mist, and sow the earth with beauty and abundance. We need not add il

Give, give,-be always giving;
He who gives not, is not living,

The more we give, the more we live."

It

A thing is never truly our own till consecrated. become a property till held in an open hand. We posse ally only what we have a heart to bestow. That only which we hold as God's, and in an open hand, to be g when he calls. So a good Earl of England had put u stone and that of his wife, these words :

"What we spent, we had;

What we gave, we have;

What we kept, we lost."

Without a heart to give, our receiving becomes a s our possessions a curse. The acquisition of a fortune e the soul unless the safety valves of benevolence are kep The only antidote to the dangers of prosperity is the wa heavenly charity, and the activity of doing good. gains, unconsecrated, become inward losses, and ther such losses as inward losses. An old writer has said rich in grace whose graces are not damaged by riche the graces will be damaged by riches, unless these are the Lord's, to bless mankind.

To illustrate this truth to the minds of the young, we v revive an old allegory, that bears upon this subject. T guage we have lost for the most part, which we but im supply.

See that little fountain yonder, away yonder,—in th tain; sparkling like a diamond in the sun, and writing

1*

that does not run.

And no soul ever gets to the ocean

sedness that does not do the same.)

But soon the summer heat came as predicted; but it fell he face of the old pool. And the pool grew sickly vy and green! The breeze that blew over it caught tagion. The beasts put their cautious lips to it and tur y. Its breath became a pestilence to the land. The v s spit out their venom upon it, till Heaven, in mercy to m earth, smote it with a hotter breath, and it dried up. tion to the rill was the dirge as well as symptom of its o

ease.

But what became of the rill the while? Did it not die to no! God saw to that. It was his thing,-for it served hi e trees crowded to its brink, and threw their shelter of shad rit. The flowers overhung it tenderly and lovingly, an thed their best incense upon it. The birds sang around r best tunes. So on it went singing and blessing in its cours its own gentle song swelled to an anthem, and its first so ce of treble deepened into the mighty bass of the sea. An sun smiled on the sea, and the sea sent up its ocean incens he sun. And the winds came into the ministry, and bor mist and clouds away to the mountain top, and tipped thei aming treasure there, as a baptism upon its brow. So the e stream that ran its race of usefulness, never ran dry; but, ing hands with a thousand smaller ones, broadened and pened and rolled on its wave to the mighty ocean.

ow this is God's way in all his works and worlds; to give im that giveth, and more abundantly. For if he so blessed

the rill, that little liquid missionary, born of the mountain, that gave its cup of water to man and beast, bird and flower, will he not bless you, will he not bless me,-if as we have freely received, like everything else in the universe, we also freely give? But view this subject,

4. In the light of moral principle. Benevolence is an outgrowth of principle. It constitutes the ground work of the gospel. It takes its place among the virtues, and has promises accordingly. There is a blessing in it, and a reward for it. So much cannot be said of mere receiving. Whatever may be claimed for it on the ground of convenience and personal benefit, it cannot take rank among the virtues. Benevolence has an advantage just here. It takes its place with that which God approves, and has promised to reward. Anything that costs us sacrifice-gives us character. That which roots up selfishnessplants disinterestedness. Whatever crucifies the passions-creates moral principle. That which crosses the vile affectionscrushes them. Hence the advantage of giving over mere receiving. We assume in this paper that the giving is real, is genuine, and not for vain show, or from heartless impulse. It is profitable to do as we were created to do, and as we are commanded to do, and as will promote the highest good. It puts us upon a mount of influence and enjoyment, and will give us a crown of blessedness. We have not a faculty nor a feeling that is not strengthened by benevolence and damaged by selfishness. Reason has an easier flight, the imagination a loftier wing, in the atmosphere of love. The emotions and affections move in a purer, higher, heavenlier orbit, while under this divine attraction.

Benevolence promotes the spirit of prayer. Rev. Jotham Sewall, known as the patriarch of Maine, always mighty in prayer, was once called upon at a meeting of the American Board, to lead the congregation in prayer. He rose, left his seat, went to the Treasurer's desk, took out his wallet, and laid down a bank bill, saying, in an undertone, " Now I can pray!" He took his position, and wrestled with God as few on earth have ever done! The truth is, he could'nt pray till he had given! No man can, if there are claims on his justice or his

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