"For surely remember the scene of peril and danger they are in. Disease, the bayonet, the bullet, a foreign land and clime, want, and a hard winter, the storm at sea, or the unwonted cold, may affect them sorely; and constitutions cherished by kind home care, and sorrows cheered by gentle home voices may find rough usage

there.

"But I will leave you to fill up the detail. We should secondly, bearing all this in mind, do what Job did, look to ourselves first and feel that GOD may perhaps punish or save the son for the parent's fault or the parent's penitence and holiness; for there seems a kind of connection between Job's personal religious worship and his children's estate. So, dear brethren, let

me beg you, if you feel that there is a fault in you which you know GOD has often warned you of,-any loosespeaking or swearing, any neglect of prayer and worship, any too clinging love to the world or money, any discontent and complaining, any pride or vanity, put it away by God's help, not only for your own but for your children's sake. And be assured that by striving to unfurl the sail of a holy life, you will not only hasten your own approach to the heavenly shore, but speed much the well-being of those absent ones whom you love; and draw, as it were, their vessels in your own track into calmer and more peaceful waters.

"But again, surely Job's example will teach us the duty of earnest united prayer. And families should pray with their united members for the absent one, and strive to recollect before the good GoD all the possible troubles, spiritual or temporal, which they may have to

endure. And let these united prayers ascend daily and earnestly to the seat of grace and mercy; and indeed I should strongly urge the duty of all people in the parish offering up prayer for the absent soldiers and sailors, whether they have special relatives in the war or no.

"But Job's act seems to point to something still beyond this, it refers more immediately to a public act, 'a sacrifice' for his absent children. Should we not consider the duty and efficacy of receiving the Holy Communion often, that great Sacrifice of prayer and praise? and if you have hitherto been negligent of it altogether, do begin to receive it, and if you have been but a seldom attendant, do receive it frequently.

“And indeed, while speaking of Holy Communion, I might urge the force and fitness of attendance at daily service, especially during the present awful war. There and then we pay special respect to Almighty God, humble ourselves before Him, confess our sins, and unite in prayer for those engaged in the foreign war; so, dear brethren, I should strongly urge on you the fitness of attendance at the daily prayers in Church.

"But I will, please GOD, from time to time through the present war, draw your attention, good people, not only to your duty as it concerns yourselves, but as it concerns those who are away; and frequently bring before you your position and responsibility with regard to the sad and solemn scenes around us.

May the good and kind GOD comfort, aid, and guide you, and guard and preserve them! May we be drawn together by one common interest and common sorrow to a greater love and sympathy, and feel more than

ever as a family in CHRIST! May we recollect constantly, the blessedness of His having taken our nature upon Him whereby He is so able to sympathize with our sorrows, to heal the woe of the wounded and the aching heart of the unhappy. For He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.'"

As the good people walked down the road after the clergyman's sermon they all felt wonderfully drawn together, as if they were members peculiarly of one family. A still silence marked their return home; and the bleating of the new born lambs in the field, and the cawing of rooks just beginning to build their nests, were nearly the only sounds of the early spring morning. Mr. Loraine spoke with kindness to the widow, and Mrs. Loraine dropped her husband's arm to shake hands with her, Cicely walked home by the side of Mrs. Dennis, and took little Jane by the hand. And the good old housekeeper made up to Sally and bid her come up to the old mansion and she would "give her her dinner, and find her, no doubt, a shawl in place of the rag, which," as Mrs. Humphrey said to Miss Dickson, "no proper person ought to wear."

I shall not soon forget too how little Alice took Jessy's hand and without speaking went home with her through the thick yew-tree walk which led to the parsonage.

So the war began to show some fruit by drawing together the cords of love, sympathy, and brotherhood in the parish of Brandon. It drew together rich and poor, softened recrimination, and made the people bear with and understand each other.

And when good Mr. Seymour next Sunday saw all of them at Holy Communion and some of them at the daily service between the Sundays, he could not help saying to himself, "Then even the dark, melancholy time of war may bring forth a wholesome and refreshing fruit."

Family Prayers, drawn up by Mr. Seymour, for the inhabitants of Brandon, during the War.

I. SENTENCES.

It was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed GOD in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. Job i. 5.

The name was called Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. Gen. xxxi. 49.

It came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. Ex. xvii. 11.

And the LORD shall utter His voice before His army:

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your GOD: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil. Joel ii. 11-13..

Turn Thou us, O good LORD, and so shall we be turned. Be favourable, O LORD, be favourable to Thy people, who turn to

Thee in weeping, fasting, and praying. For Thou art a merciful GOD, full of compassion, long-suffering, and of great pity. Thou sparest when we deserve punishment, and in Thy wrath thinkest upon mercy. Spare Thy people, good LORD, spare them, and let not Thine heritage be brought to confusion. Hear us, O LORD, for Thy mercy is great. And after the multitude of Thy mercies look upon us; through the merits and mediation of Thy blessed SON, JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. Amen.

III.-LORD'S PRAYER.

LORD, have mercy upon us.

CHRIST, have mercy upon us.

LORD, have mercy upon us.

Our FATHER, Which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation: But deliver us from evil. Amen.

IV.-PSALM.

1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O GOD: defend me from them that rise up against me.

2 O GOD, Thou hast cast us out, and scattered us abroad: Thou hast also been displeased; O turn Thee unto us again.

3 Thou hast moved the land, and divided it: heal the sores thereof, for it shaketh,

4 Thou hast showed Thy people heavy things: Thou hast given us a drink of deadly wine,

5 Thou hast given a token for such as fear Thee: that they may triumph because of the truth.

6 Nevertheless, though I am sometime afraid: yet put I my trust in Thee.

7 I will praise GOD, because of His word: I have put my trust in GOD, and will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

8 Whensoever I call upon Thee, then shall mine enemies be put to flight: this I know; for GOD is on my side.

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