say our Saviour had any sin? (1 John iii. 5. and Heb. vii. 26.) What did he mean by "sin"?-Speaking falsely of himself or his doctrine. What was the truth that he told them? (18, 24.) V. 47. Why would they not listen to or believe it? Who are of God"? (1 John iii. 10.) Shall we not hearken to what God says, if we are of him?-V. 48. Was Christ a Samaritan ?-His city was Nazareth of Galilee, but he was a Jew. (Matt. i. 1. and Luke ii. 4.) Was it not blasphemy to say that Jesus had a devil? (Matt. xii. 24, 31.) By what power did he cast out devils? (Matt. xii. 28.)V. 51. Who does Christ say should never taste of death? What did he mean by keeping his saying? (See v. 24.) What death should he not see ?-The death of the soul: eternal death.-V. 52. How did the Jews think this proved that he had a devil? Is it not appointed unto all men to meet this death of the body? (Heb. ix. 27.) Did he speak of this death of the body?-V. 53. Was Jesus greater than Abraham ? (See Heb. i. 2.)-V. 56. What did Abraham rejoice to see? How did he see Christ's day ?-He beheld him by faith as the future Saviour of the world. (See Gal. iii. 8.)→ V. 57. Did the Jews understand this ?-V. 58. What answer did Christ give them? Was he before Abraham? Was he not from all eternity? (See Heb. xiii. 8. and John i. 1.)-V. 59. Why did the Jews wish to stone him? (x. 33. and v. 18.) Was he not God as well as man? (Rom. ix. 5.) How did Jesus avoid them?

GLOSSARY.-V. 48. A Samaritan. The Jews were most hostile to the Samaritans, even so far as to have no dealings with them.~ V. 49. This assertion they well knew would embitter the multitude against Jesus.-V. 56. To see my day. He saw it by faith, just as Simeon saw it by sight, and rejoiced. (Luke ii. 30.)

GENERAL REMARK.-If any man will do his will, our Saviour says, he shall know of the doctrine, &c. (vii. 17.) These Jews were full of prejudice, and obstinately determined not to leave their evil ways and follow God; therefore they were unable to understand Christ's words. A veil of blindness was cast over their hearts and minds, so that they failed to comprehend him. The right way to understand the Gospel is by opening our hearts to receive it.

SUNDAY BEFORE EASTER.

GENESIS XV. Further promise to Abram of inheriting Canaan.

QUESTIONS.-Verse 1. How did God now appear to Abram ? What encouragement did he give him? When lately had he been his shield? (See last chapter.) Whom does God promise to protect? (Ps. xci. 2, 4, 5.)—Vv. 2, 3. What request did Abram make? Had not God promised to make his seed numerous? (xiii. 16.)

Did it not then seem that God had forgotten this by giving him no child?-V. 4. What promise is now given him? Who was this heir to be? (Rom. ix. 7.)-V. 5. How did God shew him that his seed should be numerous? Was this likely, seeing Abram was so old, and with but little possession in the land? (See Rom. iv. 18-20.)-V. 6. Did he believe what God told him? Why did he believe? (Rom. iv. 21.) How was this faith rewarded? (Rom. iv. 3.) Who gave him this faith. (Eph. ii. 8.) Will not God bless all that believe in him likewise? (Gal. iii. 9.)—V. S. What did Abram further wish to know about his possessing Canaan? What sign did God give him? (17, 18.)-V. 12. What happened to Abram at the going down of the sun? Has God ever caused such a deep sleep to fall on one of his creatures for a purpose of his own? (Gen. ii. 21.)—V. 13. What did he further reveal to Abram? How long was it to be before they came out? Where did this happen? (Ex. ii. 23.)—V. 14. What was then to be done to this nation? Relate some of these judgments. Did they go out with great substance? (Ex. xii. 37, 38.)-V. 15. What was to become of Abram? Did this come to pass? (Gen. xxv. 8, 9.)-V. 16. Whither were the Israelites to come at last? Why were they not to inherit it then? Why, then, were the Amorites driven out of Canaan? Does not this shew God's justice?-V. 18. What were to be the boundaries of the land? When was this fulfilled? (See 2 Sam. viii. 1, 3, &c.) But do we not expect a more complete fulfilment of this promise? (Is. xi. 11-14.)

GLOSSARY.-V. 9. Three years old, as being in its full vigour. Under the law, they were generally one year old.-V. 10. Divided them, cut them in halves, through which the parties that made the covenant passed, to signify, that if either broke it, he should be cut asunder, as these animals were.-V. 12. Deep sleep. (See Job iv. 12, 13.)-V. 13. Four hundred years, which they were to pass partly in Canaan and partly in Egypt. From the birth of Isaac, the promised seed, to the Exodus, this number is reckoned, which amounts to 405, or, in round numbers, 400; but whereas it is said (Ex. xii. 40.) that this sojourning was 430 years. It is reckoned from Abram's call, 1921, to the same point, 1491, which gives the exact number .-V. 18. River of Egypt, probably a small river flowing out of the Nile towards Judea.

GENERAL REMARK.-God's lovingkindness to his servant Abram, and the patriarch's simple faith, are much to be noted here. God's lovingkindness in speaking to him just when he most needed direction and advice, and in graciously answering his questions, and acceding to his requests; Abram's faith in implicitely believing all

these promises, though most unlikely to come true. May we shew the same childlike, undoubting faith in God, that we may receive his blessings likewise.

AFTERNOON LESSON.

MATTHEW XXvii. 1-54.-Christ's Crucifixion.

QUESTIONS.-Verse 1. When did the chief priests take counsel to put Christ to death? What had happened during the night? (See John xviii. 3, 12, 13.)—V. 2. To whom did they carry Christ? Why did they take him to Pilate? (John xviii. 31.)—V. 3. Did Judas repent of what he had done?-V. 4. Why did he repent ?— V. 5. What became of him? (Acts i. 18.) May we suppose that he really repented, and was accepted of God? (See Heb. xii. 17.)— Vv. 7, 8. What was done with the pieces of silver?-V. 9. By whom had this been prophesied ?-V. 11. What did the governor ask Jesus? Did Jesus confess it? Was he not their King? (Jer. xxiii. 56.) Did he come to set up an earthly kingdom? (John xviii. 36.)-V. 12. Who else accused him? Did he answer them? Did Pilate say that their accusations were false? (Luke xxiii. 14.) Was not this meekness of Christ foretold? (Is. liii. 7.) Is it not good to take provocations patiently? (1 Peter ii. 20.)-V. 15. What was the custom at this feast ?-V. 21. Whom did they wish to be released unto them?-V. 22. What did they desire to be done to Christ? V. 23. Did Pilate think he deserved it ?-V. 24. How did he shew himself to be clear ?-V. 25. Were the Jews willing to take the blame?-V. 26. What was now done to Jesus ?-Vv. 27, 28. How did the soldiers treat him?-V. 29. What did they mean by putting this crown on him?—To mock at the idea of his being a king.-V. 32. Who bore his cross? What was the name of the place whither they brought him?-V. 34. What drink did they give him? Why did he refuse to take it?-Because it would have hastened his death, which was to be given up voluntarily. Was this foretold? (Ps. lxix. 21.)-V. 35. What did they do with his garments? By whom had this been foretold? (Ps. xxii. 18.)—V. 37. What was set up over his head ?-V. 38. Were others crucified with him? Was it foretold that he should be numbered with transgressors? (Is. liii. 12.)-V. 40. How did they mock at him? Could he have saved himself, if he pleased? (See Matt. xxvi. 53, 54.) Why, then, did he endure all this ?-To complete the salvation of sinners, which he had undertaken.-V. 42. On what condition did they promise to believe? Is it likely that they would, had he come down? Had they not seen greater miracles than this would have been? (John xi. 43, 44, &c.) Why did they not believe before

this? They had no love for the truth, or desire to be delivered from their sins.-V. 44. Did both the thieves revile him? (Luke xxiii. 40, 41.)-V. 46. What were these words which Jesus uttered? What did they mean? Was it spoken of the Messiah before this? (Ps. xxii. 1.) What made him feel this pain and distress?—The heavy burden of the sins of the world, which he was bearing.-V. 50. What is meant by yielding up the ghost?-Vv. 51, 52, 53. Relate the wonderful things which happened immediately. What did they prove? That he was God's Son.-V. 54. Did the centurion and the others feel this? Ought not we, who read of these things, to be affected in the same manner? Ought we to love sin, which caused the death of God's own dear Son?

GLOSSARY.-V. 9. This prophecy is not to be found in Jeremiah, but Zechariah. The prophecy was probably originally delivered by Jeremy, but has been now lost, and was repeated by Zechariah, as the Jews have a saying: "The spirit of Jeremiah rested on Zechariah.-V. 11. Thou sayest: or, Yes, I am.-V. 15. To please and ingratiate himself with the people.-V. 27. These actions shewed that they believed he confessed to the charge. (11.)-V. 34. Gall, bitter, poisonous ingredients, which, with vinegar, was given to malefactors before death, to stupify their senses and hasten it.— V. 46. Eli. The Roman soldiers, who were ignorant of Hebrew, naturally thought he meant Elias, whose name they must often have heard of.

GENERAL REMARK.-"When we were yet without strength, Christ died for the ungodly." (Rom. v. 6.) All these sufferings were endured for sinners who had forfeited God's favour, and were his enemies. How great should be our love to Christ for all that he has done for our sakes! (1 John iv. 19.) How great our hatred of that sin, which nothing could wipe out but the sacrifice of God's only-begotten Son.

A LESSON LEARNT.

A GOOD man lately speaking of a teacher who had much instructed him, said, “He has taught me to be silent.” There is much more in this than the mere words. Men can talk about God's truth as if it were a mere subject of conversation; but not so when their consciences are aroused, and they begin to realize God himself, and eternity bound up in that truth.

AN AMERICAN CHURCH AND SUNDAY

SCHOOL.

(Continued from page 76.)

THE feelings of a devoted flock on such an occasion will be better realised after a perusal of the following account, written by Dr. Cutler himself. The lessons of wisdom which may be gathered from it, justify the space it occupies.

"Our voyage home (he writes) was one continued affliction, and I hope it has not been without some salutary effect.

"We had hardly left Liverpool before we were overtaken by a violent gale of wind in the Irish channel, between Holyhead and Tuscar light. We had public worship twice on Sunday, and prayers daily in the ladies' cabin.

"On Friday, the 10th November, the wind was ahead; and in beating up, we run into twenty fathoms water, on the east side of Long Island-here it fell calm at daybreak. On the 11th (Saturday) the wind became fair, and at eight o'clock we were rejoiced at the sight of a pilot boat, bearing down upon us. We were soon furnished with a pilot, and saw one put on board the ship Siddons, a few miles astern of us. The wind being fair, we had every prospect of concluding a boisterous and protracted voyage of thirtyseven days, upon the same evening. At about twelve o'clock, (I quote the account of a fellow-passenger, the editor of the New York Express,) the Highlands were made, and though a heavy rain and mist were falling, the light-houses were distinctly seen by all in the ship. Two minutes before the ship struck, two men were lashed to the rigging, with orders to make ready to cast the lead. The order had not been given when the ship struck-once and again-gently at first, but the blows increasing in force until the last, for the moment, seemed to have a force sufficient to destroy the strongest ship. A scene of consternation followed, which few can imagine, and which no one can describe. From the most buoyant hopes-which had utterance from a hundred hearts and more, as land had been seen for the first time for weeks-the scene was changed to one of the greatest gloom and despondence. The passengers from their cabins and state rooms, where they had been preparing themselves for home, and friends, instantly rushed to the deck. Groans, shrieks, and prayers, were everywhere audible; and a scene of confusion was threatened, which could only be overcome by the most determined conduct upon the part of Captain Popham. ""The ship, though strong as oak and iron could make her, was too weak to fight out such a contest: One by one, the mizenmast,