divine truth, we would fain hope May it be our increasing desire But what truth? Not truth in

Among these canals or conduits of the "Gospel Standard" has a place. that through it pure truth may flow. a dry, dead, cold, abstract form. It is vital truth, truth impregnated with the power and unction of the Spirit,-truth wet with the dew of heaven, truth to which the Holy Ghost has given bone and sinew, life and breath,-that alone is profitable. What this is, requires a spiritual eye to see and a spiritual heart to feel.

2. But we need over us also the banner of love. Paul has beautifully combined both in one short sentence: "Speaking the truth in love," (Eph. iv. 18,)—love to Jesus, love to the people of Jesus, and love to the truth as it is in Jesus. Love in the heart and truth in the lips form a beautiful and harmonious union; and both are needed to blow the silver trumpet of the gospel and bring forth its melodious and joyful sound.

An archer needs a mark, a pilot a compass, a runner a goal, an architect a plan. Without this definite object, the arrow has no aim, the ship no course, the racer no prize, the building no symmetry. What, then, is or should be the object of a Periodical that, like the "Standard," circulates widely amongst the living family? The same object that Paul set before the Ephesian elders, (Acts xx. 28,) "to feed the church of God." "Feed my sheep," "Feed my lambs," was Christ's thrice repeated injunction to Peter. Every preacher, writer, and editor, that addresses himself to the church of God, should have this set before him as his whole aim and desire.

This we can honestly say is ours, and the only motive which keeps us at our difficult and responsible post. Here we feel our conscience clear. It is not worldly interest, or ambition, or aiming at popularity and influence, but a desire to be instrumental in feeding living souls, that bears us up and keeps us at our post amidst many discouragements, from both within and without, best known to ourselves. Added to which, we are deprived of the valuable aid and advice of our late dear friend and coadjutor, poor M'Kenzie, who, in mercy to himself, but with a heavy loss to the church, has been removed from this vale of tears. Pressed with the difficulties of our post, wearied with its toils, sensible of our own insufficiency, cast so much upon our own judgment that, as regards our editorial task, we may well say, "Of friends and counsellors bereft;" wishing to do right, but often not knowing how; anxious to avoid what is wrong, but often entangled unawares in it, our path as editor resembles very much the exercised path of a Christian. Let such sympathize with us. Let them consider our difficulties; bear with our infirmities; hold up our

hands at a throne of grace, and beg of the Lord to endue us with grace and wisdom needful for our post. We can assure them the bitters much outweigh the sweets. But, through mercy, there are sweets. Our labour is not in vain in the Lord. Again and again have we been on the point of resigning our post, but some instance of a blessing has come to our ears, which has encouraged us to persevere and to hold on, "faint, yet pursuing."

During the year now before us, may the blessing of God accompany what is brought before the church of Christ in our little work.

This blessing, as it has rested upon our pages, so we hope it may rest upon them again; and that will be an ample reward for all the difficulties and discouragements that have hitherto beset our path, and will, if we be faithful, beset it to the end.

[We introduce to our readers a piece by John Rusk on "Perilous: Times," written rather more than nineteen years ago. But if the horizon were dark and gloomy then, how much more has it become so during that interval! The storm that now threatens was then comparatively but a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. Two features in it will be found worthy of notice: 1. Rusk, as a well-instructed scribe, shows very aptly from God's word the security which the saints of old possessed, in having the Lord himself for their refuge; and 2. points out prayer and watchfulness as the main spiritual weapons of the church when dangers threaten, and above all when they burst forth. May we have grace to attend to and act upon the counsels of this well-taught man of God.—ED.]

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."2 TIMOTHY iii. 1.

Having gone through the subject of "The Stranger," &c., as the Lord has been pleased to lead me on, my mind is now led to another thing, and a weighty thing it is. It appears that we are entering fast into very dangerous times indeed, and such times as none living ever knew. But this is our mercy: that the Lord our God sits at the helm, and that he never will forsake his people, but that all things shall eventually terminate in their good and his glory.

It is now more than ten years since I wrote a sermon, upon these words, which was done from deep impressions at various times of the certainty that they will take place; for the Scriptures cannot be broken. Now, although our nation at the present time appears to be

*Rusk alludes here to his piece entitled, "Sorrow and Comfort; or Conflicts and Trials the Common Lot of all Real Believers," from Proverbs xiv. 10, which appeared in the last year's "Standard."

in a fearful condition; seeing that there is a division in the house between the Lords and the King, so that people are in great fear of a revolution; yet it is not my intention to fill these pages with political matters, neither am I capable of it were I so inclined: But what I aim at is of a more noble nature, substantial things; and may the blessed. Spirit of all truth guide me into such things as shall be to the encouragement of myself and all that are honest in heart.

In my other treatment of this subject I endeavoured to show, I. What was meant by the last days; II. What by perilous times; III. The certainty of the coming of those times; and that those perilous times are times of great calamity, great distress, and great trouble to the church of God; times in which God's enemies will triumph; times that will bring matters to a decision, as to who is on the Lord's side; and times in which many lives will be lost for the truth's sake. Upon these things I then enlarged.

Seeing, then, that every thing now of an outward nature looks very dismal, what I have in view in taking up the subject a second time is to inquire,

I. What Paul says about the knowledge of it: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."

II. Where our safety lies as the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.. III. The necessity of all real believers at such critical times uniting and crying mightily to the Lord.

IV. I will endeavour to show a little from God's word what great events have taken place in answer to the prayers of the saints.

I. The apostle Paul wishes us to have a knowledge of these perilous times. Reader, you and I are not to be careless or indifferent, Gallio-like; to say, "All will be well at last; I know that God's decrees will take place; I am sure that he is my God, and therefore I shall give myself no concern about what is coming on." I should rather doubt such a confidence as you speak about, and fear that you are not trusting in the Lord, if these things never trouble you. Remember that carelessness is not trust; and although God's children at times feel strong in the Lord, yet it is a very humble confidence, and they rejoice with trembling. Many have spoken very largely, who after all have denied Christ altogether. I believe, then, that what Paul means here by a knowledge of these perilous times, is a knowledge that enters the heart, or a full persuasion of its real truth. He does not say here that he speaks by permission, and not by commandment, and that he thinks he has the Spirit of God, as he does when he writes to the Corinthians about marriage. No, but it is a fixed and settled thing with him, what he firmly believes, and therefore he affirms it with all confidence: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."

Rusk here alludes to the commotion at the time of the Reform Bill, in October, 1831, when the Upper House threw the bill out, after it had passed the Commons, and the men of Birmingham threatened to march apon London.

This knowledge takes in as follows: a being on the look-out, a standing on the watch tower and crying to the Lord to be delivered from the cold, careless, indifferent, lukewarm, and Laodicean state; and a standing in awe, a trembling at God's word, and entreating him to preserve his church whenever such times may come. I shall not

enlarge here, and therefore I come,

II. To show where our safety lies as the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. That it is a right thing to use all lawful means as far as possible, is an undeniable truth; yet these things are not our safety, but only, at best, means which God makes use of. Now, our safety lies in God's promises to us in Christ Jesus, God the Father having made such exceeding great and precious promises as he has, and he being a faithful, unchangeable God, who cannot possibly lie. What safety and what security are here! as Hart beautifully writes, "I on thy promises depend," &c.

Again:

"No other stay have I beside;

If these can alter I must fall," &c.

Shall I mention a few of them? Then observe: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea: though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God. The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. God shall help her, and that right early. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge." (Psalm xlvi. Read it carefully all through.) Now, there cannot be greater danger mentioned, I think, than what you read of in this psalm; and the only safety which the church has is in God himself, as made over to them in all his promises and covenant engagements in Christ Jesus.

And do not forget that these promises are absolute.. Did they at all depend upon any condition to be performed by us, it would be poor work indeed, and there would be no foundation for our hope. But bless the Lord, it is not so. "I will be their God, and they shall be my people;" this is the language of the new covenant; and the Scriptures cannot be broken. Again: "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them.” (Deut. xxxiii. 27.) If you read the prophet Joel, it is wonderful what precious promises God makes there in a large cluster: "Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things." (Joel ii. 21.) Read them over. "The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shall shake;" and then mind the promise; "but the Lord will be, the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. (Joel iii. 16.) There is safety only in God. It matters not what

strong buildings men may have, what weapons of war, or what great, yea, very great multitude and force of mighty men; all this is nothing against Him who is almighty. The walls of Jericho, how secure they seemed to be! and yet with what simple means are they destroyed when our God gives the word! only by the priests walking round and compassing the city: "So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets; and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpets, and the people shouted with a very great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city." (Josh. vi. 20.) With this agrees the prophecy of Jeremiah. After Jeremiah had looked at the potter, the Lord says to him, "O ⚫ house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them." (Jeremiah xviii. 8.)

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From all this we see how blessed a thing it is in troublous times to have God on our side, who is almighty; for, as Paul says, If God be for us, who can be against us?" Plenty are against us, but it avails nothing. What a plight was Israel in at the Red Sea! They were quite shut in, mountains prodigiously high and rugged on one side, Pharaoh and all his hosts behind, and nothing but the Red Sea before. And now is the time for God to display his power in their salvation, and in the destruction of his and their enemies, and glorify his holy name; and this shall be done by making a way for them in the sea and dividing the waters. Now, the Egyptians had no trial this way, for the waters appeared a wall, and all in a fair way, as they thought; but it was to their destruction; and thus the Lord got to himself a glorious name. Observe, also, that the sea at this time was not still and calm to Israel, but quite the contrary. Hence the prophet Isaiah tells us, that "the Lord divided the sea, when the waves thereof roared; the Lord of hosts is his name."

Look also at the state of the Jews in the days of Haman, that child of the devil! How craftily he planned their destruction! But our God, who is the God of salvation, blasted all his schemes and sent him out of the world, glorifying his holy name in their salvation as it were in the last hour. O what a God is our God! Again: Peter is shut up in prison by Herod, and well guarded by soldiers; but that was nothing to One that is almighty; and therefore he sends his angel, who touches Peter and orders him to dress himself and then follow him: the doors all opened of their own accord, and out came Peter to his own company, the church of God, who had prayed without ceasing for his deliverance. Thus God is glorified in appearing for his people in times of great danger and when there appears no way for them to escape. Bless his holy name!

Although we at this time as a nation and as a church appear to be in