tian's dying day will be his resting day, when he shall rest from all sin and care and trouble; his reaping day, when he shall reap the fruit he has sown in tears and faith; his conquering day, when he shall triumph over every enemy, and even death itself shall die; his transplanting day, from earth to heaven, from a howling wilderness to a heavenly paradise; his robing day, to put off the old worn-out rags of flesh, and put on the new and glorious robes of light; his marriage day; his coronation day; the day of his glory, the beginning of his eternal, perfect bliss with Christ.

We at death leave one place to go to another; if godly we depart from our place here on earth, and go to heaven; we depart from our friends on earth and go to our friends in heaven; we depart from the valley of tears and go to the mount of joy; we depart from a howling wilderness and go to a heavenly paradise. Who would be unwilling to exchange a Sodom for a Zion, an Egypt for a Canaan, misery for glory?

What a superlatively grand and consoling idea is that of death! Without this radiant idea, this delightful morning star, indicating that the luminary of eter nity is going to rise, life would, to our view, darken into midnight melancholy. Oh, the expectation of living here, and of living thus always, would be indeed a prospect of overwhelming despair! But thanks be to that fatal decree that dooms us to die! thanks to that gospel which opens the vision of an endless life! and thanks, above all, to that Savior friend who has promised to conduct all the faithful through the sacred

trance of death, into scenes of paradise and everlasting delight!

Oh, that all may be prepared for this awful change, but how often we hear the mournful exclamation, "Too late!" from men who come up to the doors of a bank just as the key has turned in the lock; or up to the great gates of a railway terminus just as they swing to, and tell the tardy traveler he has lost his train; or up to the post office just as the mail has been despatched; but how should we tremble if our ears could hear the despairing cry of souls whom the stony gaze of that grim messenger has fixed in sin forever. How would our hearts thrill with horror to accompany one, without hope of heaven, to the portals of death. How do men dread such death scenes as that of a young skeptic called suddenly from time to eternity. "Begone!" he cried to the clergyman; "I want none of your cant," when he showed him the great need of repentance. "I am not going to die; and if I were! would die as I have lived." The physician came, to whom he said: "Oh! tell me I am not dying; I will not die!" "My poor friend, I cannot speak falsely to you; your soul will, ere long, be with your God." "My God!" he said, "I have no God save the world; I have stifled conviction, I have fought against God, I have resisted my mother's pleadings, and now you tell me that I must die. Do you know," he added, in an awful whisper, "all that means? If I die to-day I shall go to hell! Take it back; tell me I'm not going to die. Father," he said, "'twas you who taught me this; you led me on in this way, and now you

say I'm to die. Stand back!" he shrieked; "I will not die!" and a torrent of invectives issued from his fever-parched lips, so terrible in their madness that it seemed like a wail from the sea of woe. No wonder the poor mother was borne fainting from the room, and the father's brow was corrugated, while great drops of agony rested there. Ah, that infidel father! how must his heart have bled in that dreadful hour, when in the midst of dire cursings, his gifted son fell back a corpse.

What a striking contrast between such a death and the following:

One of Martin Luther's children lay on her death bed; the great man approached her and said to her: "My little daughter, my beloved Margaret, you would willingly remain with your earthly parents, but if God calls you, you will go with your heavenly Father." "Yes, dear father, it is as God pleases." He then said: "My daughter, enter thou into thy resting place in peace." She turned her eyes towards him and said, with touching simplicity, "Yes, father." How resign. edly could the believing Luther part with his dying child, and methinks the sentiment of his heart was very like the inscription on a child's tombstone in an English churcnyard, as follows: "Who plucked that Aower?' cried the gardener, as he walked through the garden. His fellow servant answered, 'The Master.' And the gardener held his peace."

When this hand of mine shall be pulseless and cold, and motionless as the grave wherein it must lie; when the damp, dewy vapors shall replace "this sensible,

warm motion," and death shall spread my couch and weave my shroud; when the winding-sheet shall be my sole vesture, and the close-sealed sepulchre my only home, and I shall have no familiar companion, and no rejoicing friend but the worm; O, thou cold hand of death, unlock for me then the portals of eternal life, that whilst my body rests in its bed of earth, my soul may recline in the bosom of God!

"Life! we've been long together,

Through pleasant and cloudy weather;

'Tis hard to part, when friends are dear;

Perhaps 'twill cost a sigh, a tear;

Then steal away, give little warning,

Choose thine own time;

Say not, Good night, but in some brighter clime
Bid me good morning."

Dr. C. H. Fowler, Editor of "The Chris- L. Marks, D.D., Pastor of the Hanover

Street Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, Del., says:

"The Royal Path of Life' embraces a large number of important topics discussed in The work abounds a brief but able manner. in noble sentiments well expressed, and deserves a place in every family library. The publishers have done their part of the work well. The book will doubtless meet with a ready sale, and be read with interest and with profit. It affords us pleasure to give it our hearty indorsement."

W. M. Stanford, M. S., Pastor of the
Fulton Street Evangelical Church,
Pittsburgh, Pa., says:

President W. H. Allen, M.D., LL.D., of Girard College, Philadelphia, says: "I have examined The Royal Path of Life,' and noted its direction, the lands through which it passes, and the end to which it leads. It is a straight path, and the young "In journeying observingly along 'The man who walks in it will not go astray in Royal Path of Life,' a number of marked excrooked ways. It is a safe path, and the cellences strike the attention: First, the quite young woman who walks in it will not be successful blending of the theoretical with the caught in a snare nor fall into a pit. It is practical. Secondly, the natural order of the the path of wisdom, in whose right hand is many subjects, as so many steps in The length of days, and in her left hand riches Royal Path,' exhibits mature judgment in and honor. In a word, the book is full of selection and exceptional wisdom in arrangewise precepts for the conduct of life, gath-ment, one step always preparing the traveller ered from numerous sources, and clothed in for the next above it. Thirdly, in the treata perspicuous style."

ment of these subjects we notice the beautiful blending of two indispensable qualities, namely, brevity and perspicuity. It gives the J. Grier Ralston, D. D., LL.D., Prin-kernel without the hull, the wheat without the cipal of Oakland Female Institute, Norristown, Pa., says:

chaff. Finally, its thought is ever pure, fresh, and vigorous, presented in the most pleasing, clear, and forcible diction, leaving with the careful reader a lasting impression and strong resolutions to reach a higher plane of life.

"I am much obliged to you for calling my attention to 'The Royal Path of Life.' It is a book of rare excellence. I have read it with interest and profit, and think it will be found attractive alike to the old and young, to the grave and gay. The subjects of which it treats are all practical, and are so discussed as to furnish lessons for daily use. The spirit of the book is eminently Christian, its doctrines evangelical, its style crisp and lucid, its language direct and vigorous, and all its teach-O. C. Pope, Editor of ings pure and elevating. It does not contain a dull or prosy page. Any one who reads the first four chapters will want to finish the book, "While I give it my hearty indorsement, I cordially recomniend it to the general reader as highly entertaining and instructive, and especially to the young as a judicious counsellor, a safe guide, and a discreet friend."

"The Royal Path' should be in every family, and would be a happy substitute for much of the trifling and corrupting BookFurniture' that to-day decks the centre-tables of so many American homes."

The Baptist Herald," Houston, Texas, says: "I most cordially and heartily commend The Royal Path of Life.' It is a book that will be read by the great masses of the people, and, next to the Bible, is the most valuable book ever printed in the English language. It is a thoroughly practical guide in the every. day walks of life."