good or bad.'

"How closely connected in the history of man are these three periods of a
general meeting together?

"The house of prayer--the house appointed for all living--and the house
not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. May we never separate these
ideas from each other, but retain them in a sacred and profitable union!
So shall our worshipping assemblies on earth be representative of the
general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in
heaven."

When the congregation dispersed, I entered into discourse with the
Dairyman and a few of the poor of my flock, whose minds were of the like
disposition to his own. He seldom could speak long together without some
reference to his dear child. He loved to tell how merciful his God had
been to him, in the dutiful and affectionate attentions of his daughter.
All real Christians feel a tender spiritual attachment towards those who
have been the instrument of bringing them to an effectual knowledge of
the way of salvation; but when that instrument is one so nearly allied,
how dear does the relationship become!

If my friend the Dairyman was in any danger of falling into idolatry, his
child would have been the idol of his affections. She was the prop and
stay of her parents' declining years, and they scarcely knew how
sufficiently to testify the gratitude of their hearts for the comfort and
blessing which she was the means of affording them.

While he was relating several particulars of his family history to the
others, I opened and read the following letter:--

"SIR,

"Once more I take the liberty to trouble you with a few lines. I
received your letter with great pleasure, and thank you for it. I am
now so weak that I am unable to walk to any public place of divine
worship,--a privilege which has heretofore always so much strengthened
and refreshed me. I used to go in anxious expectation to meet my God,
and hold sweet communion with him; and I was seldom disappointed. In
the means of grace all the channels of divine mercy are open to every
heart that is lifted up to receive out of that divine fulness grace
for grace. These are the times of refreshing from the presence of the
Lord. How have I rejoiced to hear a faithful and lively messenger,
just come, as it were, from communion with God at the throne of grace,
with his heart warmed and filled with divine love, to speak to fallen
sinners! Such