placed before you which can only be enjoyed by the surrender of your religious principles and hopes, resolve, in God's name,' to deny the strongest desires of the flesh, and, if need be, die the most painful and agonizing death, rather than sell your birthright. May it never be true of us that

“ We barter life for pottage'; sell true bliss

For wealth or power, for pleasure or renown;
Thus, Esau-like, our Father's blessing miss,

Then wash with fruitless tears our faded crown." *

THE SIN OF JEAN MATTHIEU.

A STORY IN THREE CHAPTERS.

CHAPTER 1.-OUT OF THE DEPTHS. THERE lay å blade of grass face with never the smallest lie in across his path.

it, stood stock still before the blade Whose ?

of grass. If it had been a boulder Why, our hero's; and he was a he would have pitched it over the Breton, as full of superstition as an hedge and walked on; if the spider egg is full of meat, and fuller too, that crawled on it had been a wild if that were possible. He would bull, he would have faced it and not step over it-not he. He fought; but before this spider he thought it à barrier that some stopped. It was a narrow path, fairy had placed there in the night, and on each side a raised embankand to step on it would fix some ment crowned with a tangled spell upon himself. Then, too, a hedge of thorny goss. He might spider was crawling to and fro on go back a few rods, and get round the green pathway, and a Breton to the church by the lane and the regards a spider with awe. To be high road. That is what he meant sure the spider was hardly bigger to do at last, but in the meanwhile than a fleck of dust, but then it was he stopped and watched the spider å spider with a hideous hairy from mere curiosity. He bent over body, and six terribly angular legs, it, and watched it in its work of that made our hero's flesh creep to web-weaving. He became very look at. Under a pressure of stern much interested, so much, indeed, necessity Adrien Le Gall might that Marie Gaillard bad stood for have induced himself to step over several minutes on the other side of the blade of grass; but the spider the blade of grass before he noticed no, he could not step over that to her. Then he lifted up his head, save the sky from falling.

their eyes met, and they both Oh, these Bretons are provokingly laughed. They were in a country superstitious! Signs and wonders road, where, indeed, I candidly are written everywhere, and spells believe they had intended to meet, lurk behind every hedge, and in that they might walk to church every bunch of mistletoe that together, and here was a blade of hangs in the trees.

grass and a spider between them. Adrien Le Gall, tall and hand- They were affianced lovers, and yet some, with big brown eyes, and a they did not so much as dare to

* Keble’Christian Year.

clasp hands across this barrier, that a year he went to the famous could not have separated them Pardon. So much by way of intromore effectually had it been a wall duction: that accomplished, let me of masonry as thick as that of say before going farther with my China.

narrative that I believe nothing in While they are laughing there, this life to be trivial. What seems and merrily chatting over their most tritling at the moment may strange predicament, let us take a turn the course of a lifetime. This good look at Marie Gaillard. She blade of grass and a spider was no is a peasant girl, but with such small thing to Marie and Adrien, beauty as a duchess might have trivial as it seems to you and me. envied. You would have known her Had it not lain where it did, Adrien for a peasant by her dress--that was and Marie would have gone straight all. She was not coarse in any way, on to the fête, and I should have and I must admit that in this re- had no story more than that of a spect she was an exceptional merry day to relate. peasant. Marie had on her fête But Adrien turned back to find a costume, and it was wonderfully break in the hedge through which becoming to her. The skirt was of he might crawl, and so go through blue cloth, and was embroidered with the fields and round the obstrucrow upon row of bright embroidery tion, and join Marie on the other about its hem. Her cap, the side. He had walked back but a prettiest of all peasant caps, that of little way, when he discovered a Quimper, was of finest and snowiest place where he might crawl through. linen, cunningly wrought, and set The branches of the lande were on her head so jauntily that one freshly broken, the ground was forgave her for cutting off all her torn up somewhat, and indeed it beautiful black hair, of which some looked as if some one had crawled locks were left that suggested the through but a short time before. treasure that might have been. Adrien dropped on to his knees, The toes of her slippers, peeping put his head through the hedge, out from beneath her skirt, were and seeing the way was clear, embroidered all over, and they crawled through. It was somewere little slippers and covered thing more than a hedge he found, little feet, for it is a popular mis- it was a border some twelve feet in take that all peasants must be big- width, and the goss was mingled footed. Indeed, Marie was a comely with shrubby holly on the side lass, and a modest lass withal, and towards the field, making a dense all the people thereabouts con- low - growing thicket. Adrien sidered Adrien a lucky fellow in crawled along, scratching himself having won her for his bride. with the thorns, and keeping his

They had been children in the head near the ground so that his same town of Plougastel, though eyes might be protected. He was Marie's parents were from Quimper, almost through, when, reaching where her father as a wood mer- forward to feel his way, his hand chant had amassed a snug little touched a human body, a warm fortune. He had inherited a little live body. Adrien lifted his eyes, farm in Plougastel and they had and his gaze met the gaze of come to live there. Adrien Le Gall, another pair of eyes. forester and fisherman, was born in A man lay there under the Plougastel, and had never been shubbery, evidently hiding. He was further away from the quaint old not an old man, though he looked place than Landerneau, where once old. There is sometimes a score of years in a paroxysm of fright, and ridden Brittany, and it was more the silver crown that belongs to than a century ago. In the light of age has fallen on some heads in our nineteenth century progress, the space of a night. The man and in the safety of our free who lay there was trembling with country, such a thing seems an fright. His face pallid and wrinkled, impossibility; yet there was the his eyes anxious in expression, his — - trial the other day-well, hair dishevelled and long, his torn that showed us to be at least a few clothes, his broken shoes, his steps in advance of Brittany a censcratched and bleeding hands, all tury ago. indicated flight and fright. When This Jean Matthieu was regarded Adrien touched him, he raised him as an eccentric by everybody about self upon his elbow, clutched a Plougastel. He did not reverently heavy stick, and glared like a man and complacently accept the comat bay as he was.

fortable doctrines of the Church, The man was an outcast. The but insisted upon having opinions world was done with him, and not of his own. He had somewhere being able to shut him up, thrust gotten hold of a book called the him out to starve. The crime that Bible, a strange book in that this man had committed against neighbourhood where all books are society was in having denied the uncommon, and he had read himpower of the parish priest of self out of favour. Worse than Plougastel to raise the dead to life. that, he had dared to read the He had said it fearlessly, that was dangerous book to his neighbours. considered blasphemy-he had said The parish priest had admonished it in the churchyard with his two him, had told him how dangerous unholy feet planted on consecrated the book was when not interpreted ground, that made it sacrilege. I by the Church, and had commanded That was the crime of Jean him to deliver up the copy he Matthieu, for that was the man's possessed. This Jean Matthieu name : for this temerity, this flying refused to do. Then he had been in the face of the Holy Catholic warned of the impending anatheChurch, he was anathematised, pub- mas of the Church. This warning licly cursed, and all faithful people he did not heed. When he heard the forbidden to have any dealings with warning he was callous enough him, even so much as to sell him a in sin to say, "The truth that loaf of bread. He had a family, I find in my Bible is more precious this daring man. What of that? to me than the truth I find in 80 much the worse for the family the Church. Jesus Christ is more to have such a father, the priests to me than the priest, or the bishop, said. His family might starve, for or even the Pope-or a thousand nobody would employ the bread-like him.” winner. “Well, then," said the This was temerity indeed priests, “let him take back his then the thunderbolt fell. There words, let him come on his knees was a crowd at church, and Jean from his house to the altar, and Matthieu was there too, he and then ask pardon of the Church he his children. His wife, being ill has insulted.” In fact, the priest with a fever, was spared the dreadof Plougastel thought it would be ful scene. At the close of the decidedly in the order of Church mass, the priest, in the name of discipline if Jean Matthieu's family Rome, in the name of the Pope, did starye a little. Remember Christ's vicar on earth, stood up this occurred in bigoted, priest and cursed Jean Matthieu, as a

heretic and a blasphemer. He Leaving his seat in the church, warned all his flock to have no the crowd made way for him, and fellowship with him or his, to those standing at the door dispersed break off all business relations with as if he had been a plague-bearer. him, to refuse him or his food or In the churchyard he came face to succour, and to treat him as an face with an old 'friend and neighoutcast until he should penitently bour, from whom he had hoped to make confession of his sin, and receive some word, or perhaps only humbly beg to be taken back again a look, of sympathy. The man to the bosom of the Church, simply crossed himself, and stared

Then Jean Matthieu's troubles stolidly at Jean Matthieu. As they began. He did not hear the passed through the churchyard curse unmoved. The Church was gate, a cruel boy who was zealous the Church of his fathers. That in his devotion to the Church, same priest had married him, having been confirmed the Easter baptized his children, and read the before, walked up to little Jeanne solemn burial service over the Matthieu and spat in the child's bodies of his children. He had face. confessed his sins more than once Little Jeanne cried, and her to that priest, and received counsel father boxed the boy's ears. This and saintly admonition from him, brought a crowd of other boys to as well as absolution. The priest the spot, and they followed Jean was a good priest -- a tender- | Matthieu and his children to their hearted man—but he was a priest, very door, pelting them with mud and his Church left him no alter- and stones, and calling them native but to curse this heretic. heretics, While the anathemas were pro- Covered with dust, bruised, and nounced Jean Matthieu hung his greatly agitated, Jean Matthieu head, and scalding tears fell upon locked his door, and throwing him. his clasped hands. Little Jeanne self on his knees beside the bed of and Marthe, girls of six and eight his sick wife, covered his face with years, saw their father's pale face his hands and sobbed aloud. When and falling tears, and wept aloud he could speak, he said: while they clung to his trembling “Oh, my poor wife, it has come knees. Then Jean Matthieu at last-we are outcasts. I have prayed-how he prayed! It was brought this upon you. Can we ¡ā prayer of agony to him. He ever bear it? can we ever bear it?" blindly grasped the hand of Jesus, “Yes, dear, for. Christ's sake, we and, hanging to it, pleaded for can bear it all and more—for His strength. His heart, beating so sake and with His help.” fast with sorrow, just cried out, as | “But the children — my dear Peter's might have done :

children—they are so good and so 60-Lord, O blessed Lord. Keep gentle; have I any right to bring me from sinking down !”

this upon them?" And God answered the prayer-1 “He can take care of them, not by removing the burden, but Jean, He loves His own; let us by giving the good man strength to have no fear, He will never leave bear it.

us nor forsake us. The burden When the service was over, and may be grievous, but with His the cursed man started for his promised reward before us, I don't home, then he began to fully think we can afford to put it away realise the extent of the ban that from us. Life is short at longest, had been laid upon him. en land can we not endure anything, however hard, for Him who endured hand resting on his throbbing head so much for us?"

was a benediction. The benedicJean looked at his wife as she tion of a holy living wife seemed said this, thinking that perhaps to him, then, of more value a her life would be very short now, thousand fold than all the prayers she looked so pale, and withal so of all the dead saints that had ever radiantly fit for heaven. Ah! he walked the earth ! loved her tenderly then, and her |

DEACONS.

BY THE REV. R. C. ROBERTS.

" Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint ever this business.” -ACTS vi. 4.

EVERY member of the Church of Christ is expected to know something of the nature and constitution of that Christian community to which he may belong. There are certain rules laid down in the New Testament which are to be observed, and certain offices in the Christian Church for which some are more particularly qualified than others; and it is absolutely essential to the peace and prosperity of that Church that men possessing suitable qualifications should be appointed to those offices.

Before entering on the subject under consideration, there are three facts we may do well to observe.

1. That there are only two distiņct offices in the Church of Christ recognised in the New Testament—bishops and deacons. The word bishop is synonymous with that of pastor or minister-one who has the oversight of a Church. The word elder is frequently mentioned by some of the Apostles, both in the Acts and Epistles, and some communities regard the office of elder as being distinct from that of pastor or deacon-the deacons attending to the temporal affairs of the Church, and the elders assisting the minister in spiritual matters. But by closely examining the passages where elders are mentioned, it is very evident that the office is identical with that of bishop, pastor, shepherd, and minister. Peter calls himself an elder. “ The elders which are among you I exhort, who also am an elder.” They are to "feed the flock of God ... taking the oversight thereof." The elders of the Church at Ephesus are called in the Acts of the Apostles "the overseers," and they are exhorted by Paul to “ feed the Church of God.” The Apostle, in his letter to the Philippians, refers to only two offices—bishops and deacons. If the office of an elder were therefore distinct from that of pastor or deacon, Paul would undoubtedly have included it in his salutation. Thus there are only two distinct offices belonging to the Christian Church-pastor and deacon.