benefit. "We have introduced," says Phillips, "no exotic tree that has so greatly embellished the country in general. Its pale and delicate green cheerfully enlivens the dark hue of the fir and the pine, and its elegant spiral shape, contrasting with the broad-spreading oak, is a no less happy contrast; whilst its stars of fasciculate foliage are displayed to additional advantage when neighbouring with the broad-leaved chestnut, the glossy holly, the drooping birch, or tremulous asp." When planted singly on a lawn, too, it is a beautiful and interesting object at every period of the year, from the all-reviving season, when at the genial voice of spring "The larch has hung all her tassels forth," HEMANS, till it stands before the winter's ruthless blast to unveil the regular and symmetrical arrangement of its tapering branches, which are of a lively brown, and streaked with a golden tinge. The remarkably death-like character it then displays, is peculiar to this tree, and renders the sudden transformation of its spring-tide appearance yet more beautiful. Even Wordsworth allows that a young larch tree shows some elegance in form and appearance, though he strongly censures the uniform and unpicturesque appearance produced by the little variety of its form, and the unvaried tinge of its leaves. Being for the most part planted at regular distances, and in unbroken masses, its picturesque effect is, no doubt injured, by the very circumstances which enhance its pecuniary value. Yet, on the rugged sides of the Alpine and Tyrolese mountains, and even upon our Highland clifts, it often assumes the form and bearing of a truly majestic tree. The largest larches, in Britain, are believed to be those at Dunkeld and Mongie. The largest, at the latter place, is one hundred and two feet high, and its branches extend over a space above one hundred feet diameter. Of the five originally planted at Dunkeld, two only are now standing; the largest of these measured, in 1831, ten feet six inches in circumference, at five feet from the ground; the trunk was one hundred feet in height, and its contents estimated at three hundred and sixty-eight cubic feet." These majestic trees, interesting on account of their apparently accidental preservation, and as being the harbingers of the noble plantations which now cover the whole surrounding districts, are no less so, on account of their locality; for their branches overshadow the venerable remains of the abbey of Dunkeld, and the bleak and barren hill once covered with the renowned Birnam wood. Of the other three trees, originally planted, one was accidentally felled while yet young; the second, containing one hundred and forty-seven cubic feet of timber, was felled in 1809, and sent to Woolwich dockyard; and the third, of one hundred and sixty-eight cubic feet, was purchased on the spot, by a Leith ship-builder, for three shillings per foot. The nine larches at Dalwick, are yet standing; one of them, known as the tall larch, is eighty feet high, and the trunk fifteen feet in circumference at the ground. Another, designated as the crooked larch, is a remarkably picturesque tree; its main limb having been struck by lightning, one of the side branches has, with a remarkable curve, assumed its place. The tree does not exceed fifty feet in height; but the trunk is of extra size, measuring nineteen feet at the roots, fifteen feet beneath the junction of the limbs, and thirteen feet yet higher. The larch tree is considered, by Dr. Candole, as less subject to disease than any other alpine tree. At one time, the English larch plantations were much infested and injured by the ravages of a small insect (Coccus laricis) _which covered them like a hoar frost. It lives on the resinous sap of the tree, and deposits its eggs at the angles formed by the last year's buds. The trees affected by this blight, appear to have their foliage covered with a whitish substance, which adheres to the touch; and after the leaves have fallen, they appear covered with black stains. Serious apprehensions were entertained as to its results; but since 1815 they have gradually disappeared. It appears strange, that a tree so interesting in appearance, and the associations connected with it, should have been almost entirely overlooked by our poets. But though unrenowned in song, the Christian student of the works of nature will view the larch with no uninterested, unbenefitted gaze. The eyes of his understanding have been illuminated, and to him "Not a tree, A plant, a leaf, a blossom, but contains For nought that bears the impress of a hand Divine, is dumb to his attentive ear, or veiled to his observant gaze. He looks upon the larch, an exotic plant, yet so naturalized to our atmosphere and soil, that by means of its valuable products, the rocky cliff and sterile acclivity become as a plumy forest, and are rendered more intrinsically valuable than "Rich Peru with all her gold," or the diamond treasuries of Golconda, Herein he traces an emblem of the Divine principle of grace, that wonderworking power, heaven born in its origin, and heaven tending in its effects, which, when implanted in the sinner's stony heart and barren nature, renders them as a garden enclosed, a fertile soil. The wilderness becomes as a fruitful field, and the desert rejoices and blossoms as a rose; when the incorruptible seed, the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever, has been implanted there by the heavenly Husbandman, nurtured by his fostering power, and strengthened and refreshed by the gentle and fructifying showers of the sacred Spirit. Thus the human heart, once yielding only briars and thorns, fit to be burned, is changed into a garden enclosed, bringing forth fruits of righteousness, to the glory and praise of Him who has planted, watered, and takes pleasure in the work of his hand. THE EVANGELICAL REFORMATION. THE Covenant of Sinai had formed a sort of starry heaven for that national church. The Shechinah was their sun; the holy days, their moon; and prophets, priests, and kings their stars: but Jesus shook them all off, that he himself might fill their place. He is our bright and morning Star, and the glorious Sun of righteousness with healing under his wings. He removed the covenant of Sinai, to give place to the new covenant. The covenant of Sinai had no remission of sins in it. It was only a small vessel, trading only with the land of Canaan. It carried some here, and shut out many even from the temporal privileges of that country; but it never delivered one soul from eternal death; but the new covenant will bring all its subjects to their incorruptible inheritance. was Relationship to Abraham, or being of the seed of Abraham, according to the flesh, as the prerequisite qualification to church membership, instead of regeneration, or a change of heart, shaken, and entirely removed. For "now the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire;" however near he may be related to Abraham, he has no right to the privileges of the church of God under the gospel dispensation. Think not, therefore, to say within yourselves, that you have Abraham, or any other good man, for your father; but bring forth fruit meet for your repentance, always recollecting that the religion of Christ is a personal concern; that you must give an account to God for yourself, and not for others; neither can your relationship with any other avail you anything in the day of judgment. Ye must be born again. Ye must experience a real change of heart, which will manifest itself in your general conduct. You must be born, not of blood, nor of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.— Wherefore, henceforth know we no man after the flesh," 2 Cor. vi. 16, 17. Also the circumcision made with hands in the flesh, as a mark of membership in the Jewish church, is taken away, to give place to the circumcision of the heart, so that those who have experienced the cutting knife of conviction and conversion shall not be lost like thousands of those who have been circumcised in the flesh, but never were pierced into the heart, like the murderers of the Prince of life. The seat of government was removed from Mount Zion above; and the sword that had been useful in the hand of old Joshua, is put in its scabbard, according to the command of our Jesus, to give place to the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; that twoedged sword, which cometh out of the mouth of the Messiah, by which he subdues his enemies, and establishes his kingdom. The priesthood, according to the order of Aaron, was removed to give place to the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedeck. The priests, according to the order of Aaron, were all put out of office by Death, the king of terrors, before the work was accomplished; but Jesus put on his priestly garments according to the order of Melchizedeck, and death could not strip him of them. He died in his office, and by one sacrifice made an end of sin. He is able to save to the uttermost, because he ever liveth to make intercession for us. Also the middle wall of partition that kept the poor Gentiles far off, was shaken and demolished. The merit of the sacrifice of Christ more than filled the temple; the whole land of Judea was too small to contain it. Therefore, it burst forth into the land of the Gentiles, in living streams and rivers, that can never be frozen in winter, nor dried up in summer. In short, all the vessels of the sanctuary were taken away by the Lord of the temple-the golden table, the golden candlestick, the molten sea, the twelve oxen-to give place to the twelve apostles, to proclaim the washing of regeneration, justification, and sanctification, by the blood and water that gushed from the wounded side of the High Priest of our profession. The cherubim of glory upon the mercy seat were taken away, to give place to the mercy seat in the blood of Christ. The priests, the altar, and all the Jewish sacrifices were turned out; for Jesus, the sum and substance of all the shadows, suffered and died without the camp. Behold, the glory is gone from the temple, and rests upon Jesus on Mount Tabor, in the presence of Moses and Elias, Peter, John, and James, and a voice from heaven was heard saying, Hear ye him, go after him, follow him through evil and good report. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son," Heb. i. 1, 2. "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," Col. ii. 9. Behold him nailed to the cross, and hear him cry with a loud voice, "It is finished." The power of that voice which made Sinai of old to shake, is now making the earth tremble to its centre, and the sun is putting on his mourning apparel. Gabriel, come down from heaven, and explain the hieroglyphic to the spectators on Calvary! The darkening of the natural sun, as if he were setting in his full meridian, figuratively denotes the setting of the sun of the empire of Satan, sin, and death; and the Dayspring from on high, rising upon the dead, and awakes them in their graves; and on the morning of the third day, you see the Sun of righteousness rising from the night of death, as a sure testimony that your debt is paid, that you might have life in his death, and riches in his poverty, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light by the gospel.- Christmas Evans. COME BACK AGAIN. COME back again, if you have moved ever so little; nay, if you have only set your foot, or turned your face towards an evil thing. Come back again, or you will find, what all have found who have trod the paths of iniquity, "There is no peace to the wicked." Come back again, if you have erred and strayed from the performance of a single duty; if you have gone in pursuit of a single forbidden pleasure. Come back again : the path may be flowery, but your hands and your feet, ay! and your heart also, will be pierced with thorns; the fruit may be sweet in your mouth, but in your belly it will be bitter as wormwood. Come back again, if you have injured a fellow sinner intentionally or unintentionally; make restitution according to your ability. Go not forward in the error you have committed. If you go on, your peace will be sorely wounded. If you come back again, your hurt may be healed. Come back again, if evil companions have led you astray. The joy they promise will turn into sorrow, the happy life into a miserable death. If you will have self-reproach and destruction, and despair, and mourning, then may you pursue your course; but if you desire pardon and peace, and hope, and faith, and joy, come back again to the path whence you have wandered. Come back again, if sickness and pain have been the means of subduing your spirit, so that you think God in wrath is afflicting you; if you think he has for gotten to be gracious, call to mind his past mercies, think of his present forbearance. Come back again; for he can bid you take up your bed and walk, he can heal your body and soul. Come back again, if worldly care has absorbed your soul, and poverty come upon you. Remember that the silver and the gold are His, and the cattle on a thousand hills. He that has taken away, can bestow more abundantly. Come back again to Him who can give more than you can ask or think. The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. Come back again to Him, that your latter end may be better than the beginning. Come back again if you have neglected the Scriptures, the sabbath, and holy things. However long you may have erred, and hardened your heart against the Holy One, despising the way of his commandments, come back again, like the prodigal, to your Father and Friend. "When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive." "To the Lord our God be long mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him.' Come back again if you, like the fool, have said in your heart "There is no God." If you have openly defied the High and Holy One, come back again from your perilous path, lest a millstone fall on your head, that will grind you to powder. O raise not your feeble arm against Almighty power, let not a mortal man contend with his Maker. Rush not on the thick bosses of his buckler. Come back again if you are walking in shadows instead of sunshine, if you are doubting the faithfulness of God in his promises to repentant sinners, if you are desponding with fear when you should be exulting in the hope set before you in the gospel. Come back again, and call upon the name of the Lord; for he will be better to you than your fears. "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth." Come back again if you have been led from the good old way of salvation, if some new thing has been proposed to you, and in a measure dazzled your eyes, captivated your affections, and misled your judgment. If you are looking to something as more necessary than faith in a crucified Redeemer, and un reserved trust in His merits and mercy, O come back again to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. Come back to the simplicity of the gospel of peace. Come back to the plain declarations of the unadulterated word of God. Listen not to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely. Why will you be wiser than your Bibles, why will you wander from your peace? Come back again whatever may be your trouble, your infirmity, your folly, or your sin. If it has led you from the Saviour of sinners, it is an enemy to your soul. Come back again from fear to hope. Come back from sorrow to joy. Come back from the prospect of eternal death, to the promise of everlasting life. GENTLE REPROOFS.-No. V. THE BASKET OF APPLES. In walking, with a flower in my hand, the suburbs of London, through which along one of the many thoroughfares in the population of one district must of necessity pass to get to another, I came latter just learning to walk. The man suddenly upon a father and his child, the the dwelling; and he had put a basket kept a fruit stall in front of his litof apples on the ground as a temptation to his child, who, with no small difficulty, was tottering towards it." Now, steal an apple, Willie!" said the man, playfully, steal an apple, Willie!" "Thou shalt not steal!" said I, holding up my finger to the child, and throwing down my flower. As I passed on, the child picked up the flower, and the father took up the child into his arms. ment. Had I stopped to expostulate, All this occurred, as it were, in a mothe man might have thought me severe; but as I passed on without further remark, I cannot but hope that my gift of him to my gentle reproof, and that he a flower to his little one, may reconcile will not again instruct his child to break the eighth commandment. JOY. THERE is more joy in the penitential mournings of a believer, than in all the mirth of a wicked man. I appeal to you that have had melted hearts, whether you have not found a secret content and sweetness in your mourning? So far from wishing to be rid of your meltings, you rather fear the removal of them.Crisp. PILGRIMAGES. Pilgrims approaching the Holy City. DR. Robinson, when alluding to the early part of the eleventh century, says: A wild idea had prevailed in some minds, that the Saviour's second coming was to take place in the year 1000; and others now saw in the disorders of times a prognostic of the near approach of antichrist. Under the influence of these circumstances, and perhaps of the concessions of the khalifs, multitudes of all ranks and classes flocked to the holy city. It was no longer single pilgrims, with staff and scrip, a monk or an abbot, or even perhaps a bishop with a few companions, who wended their way to the promised land, and were sustained wholly or in part by the alms of the pious; but henceforth, also, the common people and laity in great numbers, and especially noblemen and princes, often with a large retinue of armed followers, assumed the garb of pilgrims, and found their way into the East. Even noble ladies did not shrink from the hardships and dangers of the pilgrimage. Many of the pilgrims desired to find their death in the Holy Land. It was, perhaps, in order to keep back these throngs, or more probably in order to derive the greater profit from them, that the Muslims about this time demanded of every pilgrim the tribute of a piece of gold, as the price of entrance into the holy city. Among the remarkable pilgrimages of this period, was that of Robert, duke of Normandy, the father of William the Conqueror, which was undertaken in A.D. 1035, in spite of the remonstrances of his barons. Having settled the succession upon his illegitimate son, William, and leaving him under the protection and guardianship of the French king, he set off with a large retinue of knights, barons, and other followers. He himself, like every |