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They wandered in deserts."-HEB. xi. 38. "For here we have no continuing city, but seek one to come."-HEB. xiii. 14.

PASSAGE THROUGH THE DESERT.

Amid the arid desert's burning sands,
The caravan proceeds, in various bands;
Jew, Frank, and Mussulman, in search of gain,
Unite to traverse the destructive plain,
The desert drear, more terrible to brave
Than furious tempest on the ocean wave:
The sky, a molten dome of quivering heat;
The earth, a furnace, glows beneath the feet;
The wild waste echoes, as they move along,
With laugh, or humorous tale, or voice of song.

Armed and united, they no danger fear
From lion prowling, nor from robber's spear;
But other foes ofttimes 'gainst them advance,
More to be dreaded than the Arab's lance:
The sandy column and sirocco's blast,
Laden with certain death, come rushing past.
Down straight they fall, flat on their faces lie,
While the destroying angel passes by.

Through varied dangers thus their way they wend,
Until at length they reach their journey's end.

HERE is represented the passage of a caravan through the great and terrible desert of Africa. Merchants, being desirous of visiting the interior parts of Africa, for the sake of trading with the natives, form themselves into companies for this purpose. Here may be seen Arabs, Jews, Franks, and others, uniting for a common end, regardless of the differences of country and of creed; they hire a certain number of camels, with their drivers; they lay in their stock of goods, provisions, etc.; they furnish themselves with a compass, and with arms for defence. When all is prepared, the signal for departure is given, and the caravan moves onward; by degrees they leave all traces of the living world behind them-soon they come in sight of the desert-evening now casts its shadows round them, -they find a stopping place; here they rest for the night. In the morning they commence the perilous route; in a short time nothing is beheld by the travellers but one vast ocean of sand, bounded only by the horizon; as they move on, the heat becomes intensethe sky appears like a dome of molten fire-the earth glows like a furnace beneath their feet; a momentary gloom overspreads the faces of the travellers as they see, scattered here and there upon the sand, skeletons, the remains of former travellers. They shorten the distance by rehearsing tales of wit and humour; sometimes the desert rings with the sound of their merry songs. They trust to the guides for direction, and to the guards for safety; being well armed, they fear nothing. Sometimes, while yet on the border, the lion of the desert appears; he sees them united and watchful-he dares not attack them; he lashes his sides with his furious tail, and with a dreadful roar he bounds out of sight. Sometimes the Arab robbers, who think they have an hereditary right to plunder travellers, attack the caravan-t -they meet with a stout resistance, and finding themselves worsted, they quickly disappear amid clouds of dust and sand. Other enemies, however, frequently appear, that laugh to scorn their might of union, and hold in derision the shaking of the

glittering spear; the pestilential simoom, with the speed of thought, comes rushing on toward them, and unless they fall instantly upon their faces, and hold their breath, they are all dead men. Sometimes they behold huge pillars of sand before them, the sun gleaming through them, giving them the appearance of pyramids of fire— each one is large enough to bury the caravan; now they movė toward them with fearful rapidity-now they take another direction. The wind shifts, and dashing against each other, they vanish in a storm of sand. Sometimes the caravan is refreshed by meeting with a fertile spot called an oasis. Here is seen the grassy plain, the flowing fountain; here is heard the voice of singing birds; here the palm, the vine, and the olive tree abound. New spirited, the caravan resumes its journey, and in good time reaches the place of its destination.

The passage through the desert may be considered as an allegorical representation of the passage of the Church of Christ through the moral desert of this world. The Church is in quest of eternal gain. She seeks a city which is out of sight-" the New Jerusalem." The way thereto is through a moral desert, which is destitute of every heavenly plant. No living stream flows through the midst thereof; no food for the soul is there; no provision for immortality. Above, around, beneath, the elements are, in themselves considered, unfriendly to spiritual life and spiritual progress. Hence the Church furnishes herself with provisions,-Christ, and the word of Christ; her compass, the law of Jehovah; her weapons, the whole armour of God; her watchmen and guides, the ministers of Jesus.

The caravan was exposed to danger and death from the lion, the robber, the moving sands, and the fell simoom. The Church, too, has her dangers to contend against. No sooner does she commence her march, than Abaddon, the destroyer, comes out against her. If he sees her united, moving on firmly, and watchful withal, she is safe, and he knows it. He gnashes his teeth with rage, and looks about for more defenceless prey. Woe, woe to the straggler he may meet with in his wrath,—to him who through indolence has lingered behind, or through pride thinks he can take care of himself! he falls a victim to his temerity. His fate becomes a monument of warning unto others. Next she is assailed by the disciples of ancient heresies. These come forth against her with their rights of prescription and of proscription. They advance "damnable doctrines," and seek to plunder her of her heaven-born rteasures. But the Church is armed, thoroughly armed. The efficient panoply," the whole armour of God," is round about her.

The sword of the Lord and of Gideon prevails, and the spoilers, vanquished, retire amid the dust of their own confusion. But other foes sometimes appear, more dangerous than Satan undisguised. Splendid images of idolatry present themselves, glittering with the gilded pageantry of pompous ceremonies; impositions of unrighteous prerogative. Their tops reach the very heavens. They move to and fro, threatening to overwhelm the Church beneath their crushing weight. She looks on a while in astonishment at such heaven-daring impiety. She stands firm; she is girt about with truth. With a loud voice she gives utterance to her faith,— Jehovah, he is the God! Jehovah, he is the God!" The sandy fabrics disappear like the moving columns of the desert.

Sometimes, as the last resource of fiendish malice, the simoom of persecution is let loose upon her. Earth and hell combine. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, saying, "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." The watchword is, "destroy, destroy," and the whole power of the enemy is hurled against the Lord's anointed. Her ordinary weapons of defence are here of no avail. She has recourse to "all prayer." She falls down low in the dust. In God is all her trust. He is her help and her shield. She hides herself in Him until this calamity be overpast." In every conflict she comes off victorious, as long as she continues united and watchful.

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Sometimes the Church is favoured with extraordinary manifestations of divine power and love; these are to her as an oasis in the desert. The river that makes glad the city of God pours its full streams into the midst of her. She enjoys a glorious revival; it is a foretaste of heaven. She arises and puts on strength. Multitudes are added unto her. Clothed with salvation, she again moves onward in all the power of truth and in the majesty of holiness, clear as the sun, fair as the moon, and glorious as an army with banners. Above her waves triumphantly the banner of redemption. Taking up the song of prophecy as she advances, she sings

"In the wilderness shall burst forth waters,
And torrents in the desert,

And the glowing sand shall become a pool;
The desert and the waste shall be glad,

And the wilderness shall rejoice and flourish,

Like the rose shall it beautifully flourish.”

Thus she goes forward from strength to strength, scattering in her path a new creation, until mercy's triumphs are complete, and God is all in all.

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"He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them."-Ps. xxxix. 6. "The covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth,"-Ps. x. 3.

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