of the prophets, which are sometimes exhibited in visionary and symbolical representations. But the general characteristics of the events predicted may, in most instances, be clearly perceived. The following are some of the events in prophetical history in which we are interested, and which may be distinctly traced in the predictions of the ancient prophets. That the wars and devastations which have hitherto convulsed the kingdoms of the earth shall ultimately cease;-that swords shall be "beaten into ploughshares, and spears into pruning-hooks," and that the nations "shall delight themselves in an abundant peace ;"-that "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Messiah ;"-that "the Gospel shall be preached to all the nations of the earth;"-that the veil of ignorance shall be withdrawn from the benighted nations, and the light of Divine truth be progressively diffused, till "the earth be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea ;"-that "all kings shall fall down before Messiah, and all nations serve him, and the whole earth be filled with his glory ;" and that "righteousness and praise shall spring forth before all nations ;"—that "the earth shall yield its increase," and its desolate wastes be cultivated and inhabited; and that " every man shall sit under his vine and fig tree," without the least fear of annoyance, for at that period" there shall be nothing to hurt or destroy, saith the Lord;"-that the Jews shall be recalled from their wanderings and dispersions among the nations, and be amalgamated with the Christian church, and probably reinstated in the possession of the land of their fathers ;-that "the idols of the nations will be abolished, and cast to the moles and to the bats ;"-that the Christian church shall ultimately be united in one harmonious society, and "the name of the Lord be One throughout all the earth;"—that the happy era when these events shall be realized will continue during a lapse of ages, after Antichrist and the false prophet that deceived the nations shall have fallen to rise no more-that after the enemies of the church are destroyed, and the designs of the Divine administration with regard to this world are accomplished, the "great white throne shall be erected, the dead, both small and great, shall stand before him who sits upon it; all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall come forth;” and “they shall be judged every man according to his works."

The physical constitution of our globe will undergo an important change; "the aerial heavens shall pass away with a mighty noise; the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up ;" and from the ashes of the conflagration new heavens and a new

earth will be constructed and arranged, wherein righteousness shall for ever dwell. The fates of all the thousands of millions of the race of Adam will then be determined, a new and higher series of events will commence, and the righteous shall be transported into the regions of bliss, to be "for ever with the Lord," and shall "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father, and as the stars for ever and ever."

Such are some of the facts of prophetical history which are yet to be realized; and from the statement now made, it appears that they are far more sublime, interesting, and important, than any events which have yet happened in the moral government of God during the generations that are past. And as we ought to learn instruction from the records of the past dispensations of the Almighty towards the church and the world, so we ought to learn wisdom as to our duty in reference to the predicted events that are yet to take place in the future ages of time. As man is an agent in the hand of God in accomplishing his providential purposes, so we ought to consider whether, by our conduct, we are attempting to frustrate the designs of the Almighty, or are "workers together with Him" in fulfilling His gracious purposes, and promoting the illumination and regeneration of the world. If we are abettors of war, slavery, tyranny, oppression, and injustice, we are frustrating, so far as in our power, the plans of the Omnipotent, and retarding the approach of the millennial era. If we are engaged in every branch of holy activity, doing what in us lies to dispel the mists of ignorance, to diffuse useful knowledge among all ranks, to undermine and correct the evils which have crept into the social system, to establish institutions for the moral and intellectual instruction of the young, to promote "Peace on earth and good-will among men," " and to diffuse Divine truth around us in our native land, and among the benighted tribes of the heathen world, then are we co-operating with the Divine administration, and hastening forward the period when Peace shall reign triumphant over the nations, when the knowledge of the Lord shall be diffused over the world, and "the whole earth be filled with his glory."-DICK's ' Christian Philosopher.'

HARP OF PROPHECY.

SWEET is the harp of prophecy; too sweet
Not to be wronged by a mere mortal touch:
Nor can the wonders it records be sung
To meaner music, and not suffer loss.
But when a poet, or when one like me,

Happy to rove among poetic flowers,

Though poor in skill to rear them, lights at last
On some fair theme, some theme divinely fair,
Such is the impulse and the spur he feels
To give it praise proportioned to its worth,
That not to attempt it, arduous as he deems
The labour, were a task more arduous still.

O scenes surpassing fable, and yet true,
Scenes of accomplished bliss! which who can see,
Though but in distant prospect, and not feel
His soul refreshed with foretaste of the joy?
Rivers of gladness water all the earth,

And clothe all climes with beauty; the reproach
Of barrenness is past. The fruitful field
Laughs with abundance; and the land, once lean,
Or fertile only in its own disgrace,
Exults to see its thistly curse repealed.
The various seasons woven into one,
And that one season an eternal spring,

The garden fears no blight, and needs no fence,
For there is none to covet; all are full.
The lion, and the leopard, and the bear,
Graze with the fearless flocks; all bask at noon
Together, or all gambol in the shade

Of the same grove, and drink one common stream.
Antipathies are none. No foe to man

Lurks in the serpent now; the mother sees,
And smiles to see, her infant's playful hand
Stretched forth to dally with the crested worm,
To stroke his azure neck, or to receive
The lambent homage of his arrowy tongue.
All creatures worship man, and all mankind
One Lord, one Father. Error has no place :
That creeping pestilence is driven away;

The breath of heaven has chased it. In the heart
No passion touches a discordant string,
But all is harmony and love. Disease
Is not the pure and uncontaminated blood
Holds its due course, nor fears the frost of age.
One song employs all nations; and all cry,
"Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain for us!"
The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks
Shout to each other, and the mountain tops
From distant mountains catch the flying joy;
Till, nation after nation taught the strain,

Earth rolls the rapturous Hosannah round.
Behold the measure of the promise filled;
See Salem built, the labour of a God!
Bright as a sun the sacred city shines;
All kingdoms and all princes of the earth
Flock to that light, the glory of all lands
Flows into her; unbounded is her joy,
And endless her increase. Thy rams are there,
Nebaioath, and the flocks of Kedar there;
The looms of Ormus, and the mines of Ind,
And Saba's spicy groves, pay tribute there.
Praise is in all her gates; upon her walls,
And in her streets, and in her spacious courts,
Is heard salvation. Eastern Java there
Kneels with the native of the farthest west;
And Ethiopia spreads abroad the hand,
And worships. Her report has travelled forth
Into all lands. From every clime they come
To see thy beauty and to share thy joy,
O Zion! an assembly such as earth

Saw never, such as heaven stoops down to see.

CowPER.

NATURAL history has never attracted me. I am deficient in the power of fixing my attention upon external characters. Antiquarian researches, however, charmed me at an early period of my life, and it is this which now constitutes my real study. Man, at an earlier period of his existence, showed more exaltedness and simplicity, more profoundness and freedom from their artificiality in his thoughts and emotions, and also in the language in which he clothed them. We certainly cannot arrive at the full and perfect appreciation of this truth by any other means than by such an amount of erudition as is only to be acquired by painful application, which robs us of much time from our more mechanical occupations. But this has its peculiar charm, or at least the difficulty may be easily conquered if we are accustomed to patient research and labour. The books of the Old Testament belong to the purest, strongest, and most beautiful of those voices which have reached us from hoary antiquity; and we never sufficiently thank our language that they should have lost so

little either of force or truth in the translation.' I have often contemplated with pleasure the fact that it was possible to collect so much that is great, beautiful, and various as we find in the Bible, that is, in the books of the Old and New Testament. Even if this were the only book in the hands of the people, as is the case with us, they would possess in it an entire analysis of human nature, whether in relation to its poetry, philosophy, or history; and all so perfect that it would be difficult to find a single intellect or mental disposition which could not find a corresponding accord in its contents. Besides it contains but little so incomprehensible as to be beyond a common average amount of understanding. The man of greater acquirements only penetrates farther into its interior sense, but no one can turn away unsatisfied from its contemplation.-HUMBOLDT's 'Letters.'

THE mind of man is infirm; and I do not mean to say that it is not wise. I believe it to be wise, to take advantage of such external aids as may conduce to raise, to sustain, and to give it readier sympathy with the subjects which mingle with our worship. It scarce can happen that we stand in some one of those mighty fanes which the piety of man has raised wherein God may be worshipped, and not feel a power irresistible descending upon us, quelling what is unquiet and earthly, evoking unwonted impressions and aspirations, and linking us unto heaven and its intelligences. Nor can it be doubted that those who have a temperament attuned to music, may feel their sense of praise to have greater scope when permitted to utter it in combined and glorious harmonies. I counsel not then against, neither do I speak against the help of such external circumstances as may awaken our poor, carnal, trammelled, and far too sluggard hearts, and may induce the spirit in which prayer should be offered; but I counsel moderation in these matters. I would have you aware of the danger which always has beset, and always will beset, an elaborate external worship; the danger that you rest in the performance, and forget the object of worship; the danger that you study rather the gratification of your senses, of your eye, and of your ear, and are led away to forget that the real act of worship