present than he was. He was a humble devout worshipper, and an eager selfapplying hearer of the word. His chief delight was to be in the sanctuary; and I cannot refrain from remarking,-because it would appear as if God, by His Holy Spirit, had communicated to him on that day special strength for his unexpected death on the following Tuesday, that on the evening of the last Sabbath he was in church he spoke to his family with more than usual feeling, of the great pleasure he had experienced in the services of the day. As an elder, my brethren in the session will join me in bearing testimony to the deep interest he took in the temporal and spiritual welfare of the congregation to the fidelity with which he visited the members of the congregation who resided in the district of the city assigned to his oversight, and also attended the meetings of session, when health permitted him to the wisdom, enlightened judgment, high-toned religious sentiment, humility, and brotherly feeling which he manifested in all our deliberations—and to the harmony and pleasure which characterized all their intercourse with him. We deeply mourn his removal from our session; and in this new loss and sorrow we are led to think of other beloved brethren in the session who preceded him to the better world, who were also men of eminent piety, intelligence, and usefulness; for this congregation has been singularly favoured with a session,-presided over by Dr. Mitchell, whose memory is still so hallowed and fragrant, not only amongst ourselves, but in our denomination; and then by my revered and beloved colleague Dr. Robson, who have both infused into its successive members so largely their own spirit,-with a session, under which a congregation ought to take a high place in the Church for intelligence, piety, liberality, and usefulness.

In his capacity as a citizen, Mr. Young at one time took an active part in the management of municipal affairs. He once discharged the duties and wore the honours of the magistracy; but neither city affairs nor politics particularly interested him. His sympathies lay rather in the direction of work connected with the Church, and the benevolent institutions of the city. When Dr. Heugh, to whom belongs the honour of having

originated a missionary society in connection with the then Secession Church, laboured so zealously to induce his people to undertake the support of mission schemes and stations, from none did he receive more active and generous assistance than from Mr. Young, at that time a member of his congregation. The energy and attention which he continued to devote to benevolent agencies and church work were most praiseworthy. When engaged in business, which was conducted by him on so large a scale that it must have required much of his thought and time, he was an instructive example of the way in which secular pursuits and the interests of religion and of the Church could be combined without either suffering harm, as I believe he endeavoured to act in accordance with the apostolic precept: 'Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.' Since he retired from business, he devoted almost his whole time to the work of our Church. In meetings of the Home and Foreign Mission Boards (for he was a member of both), and in the numerous committee meetings connected with these Boards, he spent day after day. For such work he lived; it was his delight. He gave to it his time, his earnest thought and prayer. And what all who were associated with him in that work valued so highly in him, was his practical wisdom, his sound judgment, his active and prompt business habits, his thorough conscientiousness, his deference to the opinions of others, and, still more, his warm earnest sympathy with all that pertained to the prosperity of the Church at home and the spread of the gospel abroad, to which must be added his willingness to do any work for the Church that might be assigned to him. Last winter he visited our mission churches in Jamaica, as a deputy from the Synod, along with Dr. MacGill, to inquire into their religious and financial condition, with the view of making certain changes in the mode of conducting that mission-generously bearing his own travelling expenses, while doing the Church's work-a visit which was to him a source of much satisfaction and enjoyment. He was not on the Union Committee. Two of his brethren in the session, whose knowledge of church law rendered it of consequence that they should be in that committee, were requested to become members of

it, and so he was freed from taking active part in this important movement. But the negotiations with a view to union had his thorough sympathy, as the speedy and successful consummation of the movement was the subject of his prayers.

But I must not forget to notice his distinguished liberality. At a meeting of that mutual improvement association to which reference was before made, he read an essay on the words, 'Occupy till I come;' and in that essay he expounded the principles, that every Christian man should regard his money, however much or little it be, as a trust committed to him by God, and that it was his duty to devote a fixed proportion of his income to the cause of the Redeemer. These were the principles on which he then began to act, and on which he continued to act all through life. When a young man, with an income of forty or fifty pounds a year, he gave the tenth part to religious purposes. As he prospered in business he gave more than that proportion-generally one-fifth, and sometimes one-third, of his income. He loved the beautiful both in nature and art, but he never allowed himself to gratify his tastes at the expense of the Saviour's cause. If he was satisfied that the object whose claims had been laid before him was worthy of his support, he seldom, if ever, refused to contribute to it, even when the sum he had laid aside for benevolent and religious purposes had been exhausted. He was a succourer of many; he gladdened and cheered the heart of many a minister who came from the country to solicit pecuniary assistance in some congregational undertaking, not merely by the liberality of his gifts, but also by the kindly, interested, ready, and cheerful manner in which he gave them; and, what all who were acquainted with him must have remarked, he seldom spoke of his own deeds or donations, showing that not the desire for praise, but a sense of duty and of Christian stewardship, was the principle by which his conduct in these matters was regulated.

His home life, it may be added, was equally beautiful. He was an affectionate, kind husband and father, and a warmhearted friend; cheerful and happy himself, he made his home the same. It was his delight, as well as that of his likeminded partner, to have ministers, and

Many

Christian friends at his table. will long remember the pleasant and profitable evenings they spent under his hospitable roof. Very closely did he answer to Paul's description of a spiritual ruler in the Church: He was a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught.'

His unexpected removal has caused a great blank in his wide circle of friends, in our session and congregation, in the Church at large, and in this city. It is the doing of Him who is righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works. He has led us tremblingly into the cloud, and through the cloud we would hear the voice which bids us be still, and know that I am God.' There is much to imitate as well as admire in our late friend: he was an example of what a Christian merchant should be, and what a Christian merchant may do for religion and the Church. Like him, let us, each one, endeavour to adorn our sphere by a holy, consistent life; let us regard our worldly substance as a trust from God, for the right use of which we are responsible to Him, and conscientiously devoting a due proportion of it to His work and cause, let us strive to do good as we have opportunity in one direction or another, and we shall at last receive the same reward. And while sitting under the shadow of bereavement to-day, and mingling our tears with mourners', we think sorrowfully of our brother and other friends who a few days ago were with us, but in whom now there is nothing save a tendency to decay, to distinguish them from the cold statue which may be chiselled by the sculptor's hand to perpetuate their image to future generations, let us hear the comforting voice which speaks to us from the heights of immortality on which their ransomed spirits now are; sorrow not as others who have no hope; the end of their life on earth and of their faith in Jesus is obtained; their sorrow is all past, and their joy is come; grace is ended, and glory is begun; their journey is finished, and they have reached home at last: 'And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth : yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.'

VERY many and beautiful are the names God gives to His people in His word. In the book of Malachi He calls them jewels: They shall be mine in the day that I make up my jewels.' How bright and beautiful a jewel is, shining on the bosom of beauty, or sparkling in a king's crown! But it was not always bright and beautiful; for the precious stone it embosoms once lay neglected in some deep cavern, or by some long, unlovely pearl shore. But the pearl-fishers caught it up; then it was cut, and set, and polished; by and by it was embedded in a setting of richly-wrought gold, till at length it was bright and beautiful, and fit to sparkle in a king's crown. So with the people of God. They were not always good and gracious. Once on a time they were unloving and unlovely, hating God and hating goodness. But the merchantman seeking goodly pearls, found them. Jesus changed their hearts; thereafter they became pure and good. Through sharp afflictions He set and polished them, to make them purer and brighter still. And very pure and bright they will be that day when they shine as jewels in His crown.

Very beautiful, too, are the names God gives to good children. They are the lambs of His flock, and as such the special care of the Good Shepherd. Once there was passing through a village street a flock of sheep. Behind, in his plaid, and with his dog at his feet, came the shepherd, carrying very tenderly in his arms a little lamb, that was so footsore and weary that it could not keep up with the rest. A little boy took note of this, and in after years he could not help thinking of it when he read, 'He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm.'

He knew that this was a prophecy about Jesus; and one day, when he read about Jesus taking the children up into His arms and blessing them, he said, 'That is the fulfilment of the prophecy children are the lambs whom Jesus gathers with His arm.' Footsore and weary with little sins and little sorrows, there is a place for you, dear

Come

children, in the Saviour's arms. to His loving bosom; lean on His faithful love.

There is a psalm which says, 'Lo! children are the heritage of the Lord.' Here is another beautiful name: children are God's heritage. You all know what a heritage is. It is an estate which yields the owner corn and cattle, or wood and minerals. If you had an estate, the value of all these in money would be your income or revenue from the estate. Well, good children are part of God's estate on the earth, and the revenue they are to yield Him is praise and prayer, joyful hearts, and loving obedience. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings He can perfect praise. The praise of the children crying hosanna in the temple is something by itself. The heritage is peculiar. Save among the little ones, the Father receives no such worship.

But perhaps the most beautiful name of all which God bestows on good children is that contained in the text, 'Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.' Good children, God's princes. What a sweet thought is that! What a beautiful name! What a high dignity! But some of you may say, 'Is it quite true? Can Jesus make us real princes?' This question of yours I shall try to answer in the remarks I am now to make.

First of all, Good children are God's princes, for their Father is a King. You all know who the Queen of Britain is. Her name is Victoria, and a very noble queen she is. Everybody loves her; and even the New Zealanders, when they sent a letter to her, called her their royal mother. When she lives in London, it is in Buckingham Palace; oftener, however, she resides at Windsor Castle. Sometimes she goes to Osborne House, in the Isle of Wight; and once or twice a year she comes to Balmoral, in Scotland. Several years ago, when the Queen was at Balmoral, two girls met each other there, and began making acquaintance by asking each other's

-n.'

names. 'What is your name?' said the one to the other. 'My name,' she said, is Jessie MWhat a pretty name!' the first responded. What is your name?' said the other. The answer given was, 'Princess Beatrice.' This was one of the Queen's daughters. A queen or king's daughter is a princess; a queen or king's son is a prince.

Now, good children are God's princes, because their Father is a King. If I were to ask the youngest child, Who is your father? he might think at first of his earthly parent. But if I asked again, Have you any father besides? he would be ready to say, God is my heavenly Father. Yes; God is your heavenly Father. He made you; in Him you live, and move, and have your being; He protects you, and provides for all your wants. He is your Father, for He does for you all a father can do. But if I were to ask some of the older children, What other proof have we of God's Fatherhood? perhaps I might get this answer, In Jesus Christ He redeems me. This is the answer to the question in full: God is our Father, because in Jesus Christ He redeems us. He is the Father of good children, because in Jesus Christ He pardons their sins, changes their hearts, and beautifies their lives by His Holy Spirit. 'What manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God!' Yes, what manner of love indeed! For if we are children of God we are children of the great King, and, because children of the great King, His princes.

A little slave boy lay dying in Jamaica. He was a great favourite in the plantation, and his his name was Pompey. The neighbours came in to see him, and some of them, as they stroked his woolly head, said in affectionate sympathy, 'Poor Pompey.' The little slave boy said, 'Me not poor Pompey; me Prince Pompey.' There is a companion story to this, which takes us from the cane-fields of Jamaica to the ducal palace of Hamilton. A younger son of that house was sick, and his sickness was unto death. His elder brother, the Marquis of Douglas, was watching by his bedside. The younger brother looked up to him and said, Douglas, you'll be a duke, but I'll be a king.' The negro and the young lord were both

children of God; they could say and sing, 'Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.'

But some of you may be asking, How am I to become a child of God, and so be made one of His princes? The first chapter of the Gospel according to John answers your question. We read there: As many as received Him' (that is, Jesus), 'to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.' None of us are God's children by nature. By nature we are wayward and disobedient, apt to prefer our own will to God's and our parents'. But when we receive Jesus, all this is altered. Our sins are pardoned, and our hearts changed, for the sake of Jesus. We begin to love God's will, and we strive, through the help of His Spirit, to do it. The great thing, then, is to receive Jesus; in other words, to ask everything for the sake of Jesus. That is the simplest explanation I can give to receive Jesus, is just to ask everything for the sake of Jesus. Dear children, seek pardon; seek the new heart; seek the Holy Spirit for the sake of Jesus. Seek each of the three with your heart; seek earnestly; seek in faith, that is, believing that God loves His Son so well, that for that very love's sake He will hear you, and love you too. seek the Lord, and you will soon be able to say 'Abba, Father.' God will set you among the children; He will number you among His princes.

Thus

II. Good children are God's princes, for their elder Brother is the great Prince.

In the days of the French monarchy, there was a territory called Dauphiné, which was conquered by the French kings and added to the French crown; in other words, it became part of France. In honour of this, or rather in commemoration of it, the eldest son of the French kings was called the Dauphin. In the days of the old English kings the kingdom of Wales was subdued, and became a portion of England. Ever after that, the eldest son of the King or Queen of England was named the Prince of Wales. The elder brother in the royal family is distinguished by a special title and special honours. He stands nearest the throne, and the younger members of the household take rank after him.