minutes, work both vigorously and pleasantly. To select a subject which, from the beginning, appeals to the emotions, or is hortatory, or to commence at a point above one's own state of feeling, are both unsafe; for in either case the mind, instead of rising, sinks into deeper depression, and the preacher retires from the pulpit with the distressing feeling that he has made a failure.

3. It is unsafe to come to any new conclusions, or materially to change one's plans, whilst labouring under such depressions. At such times nothing appears in its true light. We are likely to err in regard to the state of feeling in our congregations; and difficulties, which at other times would produce no discouragement, appear insurmountable. In our own experience, once and again, an hour's sleep, a ride to the country, or a good cup of coffee, has removed mountains of difficulty, and driven away dark clouds that seemed to threaten ruin to all our plans of usefulness. The forming of important plans, which are to give direction to our labours for life, or at

least for years, requires a clear intellect and a manly vigour. It is often difficult, though it is most important, to avoid talking and acting unwisely in these fits of despondency.

4. There is little use in attempting to reason persons out of these gloomy moods. The effort to reason away a headache would be about as successful. The trouble is physical; the body is affecting the animal spirits, and thus obscuring the views and paralyzing the energies of the mind. It is generally even more unwise to ridicule the unreasonable conceits of persons who are low-spirited. Despondency is something strangely contradictory. It is very distressing; yet the mind nurses it as though it were a most delicious feeling. Ridicule appears unfeeling and cruel, and only fixes the mind more firmly in its gloomy state. If it can be diverted to some agreeable subject, the advantage will be very great; and a hearty laugh sometimes drives away all the demons of melancholy.

Some years ago, a minister from Virginia was lying sick at our house in Cincinnati.

He had nearly recovered; but, as it often happens, he had become very desponding, and seriously concluded that he should not live to reach home. Just while he was talking thus gloomily, our family physician came in. Discovering the desponding state of the invalid, he gradually turned the conversation into a more pleasant channel; and in half an hour he had the sick preacher laughing heartily. When the doctor left, he dressed himself, and walked about the house; and on the next day went on his journey.

Others, as well as ministers of the gospel, are afflicted with what is jestingly called the blues; and the suggestions already made may be of some advantage to them. A little timely rest and diversion will throw sunshine over the affairs of a man, which in hours of gloom seem desperate; and the Christian who is just ready to give up his class in the Sabbathschool, will resume his labours with cheerfulness."

In the fourth chapter of Dr. Alexander's "Thoughts on Religious Experience," will be

found, among many wise counsels to persons subject to spiritual depression, some very striking examples, interspersed with judicious remarks. The importance of special watchfulness and prayer against the invasion of melancholy in the decline of life, especially when the tendency is constitutional, may be inferred from the cases of two persons who were overwhelmed with this malady at last, though as far from it in early life as any that the writer ever knew.

The first was a man of extraordinary talents, and eloquence; bold and decisive in his temper, and fond of company and good cheer. When about fifty-five or six years of age, without any external cause to produce the effect, his spirits began to sink, and feelings of melancholy to seize upon him. He avoided company, but I had frequent occasion to see him, and sometimes he could be engaged in conversation, when he could speak as judiciously as before; but he soon reverted to his dark melancholy mood. On one occasion he mentioned his case to me, and observed with

emphasis, that he had no power whatever to resist the disease, and said he, with despair in his countenance, 'I shall soon be utterly overwhelmed.' And so it turned out, for the disease advanced until it ended in the worst form of mania, and soon terminated his life. The other was the case of a gentleman who had held office in the American army in the Revolutionary war. About the same age, or a little later, he lost his cheerfulness, which had never been interrupted before, and by degrees, sunk into a most deplorable state of melancholy, which as in the former case, soon ended in death. In this case, the first thing which I noticed, was a morbid sensibility of the moral sense, which filled him with remorse, for acts which had little or no moral turpitude attached to them. Let the depressed and desponding LOOK HABITUALLY TO CHRIST.

A counsel, the most important, as it is the most comprehensive of all that have been offered. Look to Him continually for his ascension gift, the Comforter, to purify from sin, to help in overcoming the world, the flesh, and