and comfort has surrounded the domestic hearth, because health has shed on us its genial influences, and qualified us for the enjoyment of life. And we have been not less favoured in our persons than in our relations. Our bodies have not been racked with pain. Our faculties have performed without inconvenience their various functions. Our work has been a pleasure, because our physical frame has been competent to its performance. We have eaten our food with gladness, because He who provides the daily supply has given us the daily desire. Our sleep has been fraught with balmy blessings, because no feverish restlessness—the result of ill-health-has disturbed our nightly repose. The sunshine has brought gladness to our eyes, and the bracing influence of the atmosphere has caused our frame to throb with new and bounding life. Our very existence has been a luxury, because with a healthy physical system, all outward things have ministered to our enjoyment, while the healthy play of our various powers has been a pleasure in itself. With an organization wonderfully wrought, but easily deranged, the action of which the slightest accident might terminate, which a pestilential vapour might instantaneously destroy, which at any moment might cease to move, and for the maintenance of which a constant exercise of Omnipotence is necessary, we have been preserved in health and safety through the Ficissitudes of another year. Diseases have been flitting around us, but God has protected us from their assault, so that they have neither entered our dwelling nor fastened on our person. Others have been prostrated by feebleness, and incapacitated for the duties of life; yet through the good hand of our God upon us, our limbs retain their vigour, and our nerves are not unstrung. The Providence which bas watched over us every moment, has kept us safe until this hour ; and at this season of retrospective reflection and renewed resolution, shall we not recognise the beneficence of our God, and resolve that not only shall our lips express our grateful acknowledgments, but that the devotedness of our future lives shall testify how thankful we are to Him whose goodness has crowned the year? “ Shall I not sing praise to Thee, Shall I not give thanks, O Lord, How thy love keeps watch and ward Ever fills Thy heart, my God, Spreads her sheltering wings abroad, Doth Thine arm defend me, Lord; Of the being Thou didst give, Faithful guardian still wert Thou. God's love only lasts for aye." There are some of our readers, however, to whom these statements are not applicable. To you the year has not been without its trials ; you have been afflicted both in your person and your relations; and yet it year is not distinguishable from another in this respect. Whatever aspect Providence may assume towards us, we are bound to believe that God is always good-infinitely good; and that all his dealings with us are in harmony with, and an expression of, his goodness. For though sometimes there appears to be severity in his dispensations, what is his severity but goodness seeking in another way the fulfilment of its purposes, as a parent by chastisement seeks the welfare of his child? We speak of the judgments which in his Providence he inflicts, and very properly so, the Bible having set us the example; but the reason why Providence assumes that aspect is simply the evil which is in us, and from which it would drive us. It implies no change in his feelings-he is still good; and when we see those judgments in another light-when we look down on them from that lofty state where we shall know even as we are known-we shall see that, painful as they were, and judgments as we called them, they testified, no less than those dispensations which we called mercies, to the goodness of God. The clouds so dark to us are, on their sunward side, all bright and glorious, and even to us they are productive of good; so the providences which are so expressive of anger in relation to our sinfulness, are, in relation to the Divine Being, all radiant with love; and, to all who are rightly exercised by them, they are salutary in their influence. Accordingly, our purpose is not to speak of the past year as having been in a remarkable manner crowned by the Divine goodness, or as if in that respect it were absolutely superior to years that are gone, and to the years that are yet to come; but rather to notice those features in the year's history which, affording us the most sensible manifestations of goodness, appeal most directly and forcibly to our grati tude. Thus may we with suitable sentiments celebrate this division of time, interweaving with our devotions the words of the Psalmist, employ ing them not as a form but as the fitting expression of our gratitude, and letting our lives as well as our lips testify how gratefully we recognise the goodness which we celebrate, as looking up to our Father in heaven we unite with all his works in saying, "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness." It is frequently observed that we prize least those blessings which are most valuable, because, being most constantly enjoyed, our attention is not often directed to the degree to which they are conducive to our hap piness. And it may be that, in calling to mind the goodness which has crowned the year, our readers are slow to think of the blessing of health. Yet among the many grounds of thankfulness which we have, it is surely not the least that many of us can call to remembrance the almost uninterrupted health of ourselves and our families. No shadow from the grave has darkened our households. We look on no vacant chair, which once was filled. We miss the tones of no familiar voice. If some wear the weeds of mourning, which show that the destroyer has entered their dwellings, and that they mourn the loss of loved ones who are now no more, still there are not a few whose family circles remain unbroken. God in his goodness has preserved to us our loved ones. Nor have we had to pass through the deep waters of affliction. Our hearts have not been wrung by witnessing in the objects of our affection the agony which we could not relieve. We have had no nights of watching nor days of suspense, when the shadow of death hung over our dwelling, and the sounds of joy were displaced by the soft step, and the hushed breath, and the scarcely audible whisper, which become the chamber of sickness. The sounds of rejoicing have been heard in our homes, and comfort has surrounded the domestic hearth, because health has shed on us its genial influences, and qualified us for the enjoyment of life. And we have been not less favoured in our persons than in our relations. Our bodies have not been racked with pain. Our faculties have performed without inconvenience their various functions. Our work has been a pleasure, because our physical frame has been competent to its performance. We have eaten our food with gladness, because He who provides the daily supply has given us the daily desire. Our sleep has been fraught with balmy blessings, because no feverish restlessness—the result of ill-health-has disturbed our nightly repose. The sunshine has brought gladness to our eyes, and the bracing influence of the atmosphere has caused our frame to throb with new and bounding life. Our very existence has been a luxury, because with a healthy physical system, all outward things have ministered to our enjoyment, while the healthy play of our various powers has been a pleasure in itself. With an organization wonderfully wrought, but easily deranged, the action of which the slightest accident might terminate, which a pestilential vapour might instantaneously destroy, which at any moment might cease to move, and for the maintenance of which a constant exercise of Omnipotence is necessary, we have been preserved in health and safety through the vicissitudes of another year. Diseases have been flitting around us, but God has protected us from their assault, so that they have neither entered our dwelling nor fastened on our person. Others have been prostrated by feebleness, and incapacitated for the duties of life; yet through the good hand of our God upon us, our limbs retain their vigour, and our nerves are not unstrung. The Providence which has watched over us every moment, has kept us safe until this hour ; and at this season of retrospective reflection and renewed resolution, shall we not recognise the beneficence of our God, and resolve that not only shall our lips express our grateful acknowledgments, but that the devotedness of our future lives shall testify how thankful we are to Him whose goodness has crowned the year? “Shall I not sing praise to Thee, Shall I not give thanks, O Lord, How thy love keeps watch and ward Ever fills Thy heart, my God, Spreads her sheltering wings abroad, Doth Thine arm defend me, Lord ; Of the being Thou didst give, Faithful guardian still wert Thou. God's love only lasts for aye.” There are some of our readers, however, to whom these statements are pot applicable. To you the year has not been without its trials ; you have been afflicted both in your person and your relations; and yet it may be affirmed that, even in your case, it has not been unmarked by the goodness of God; you can call to remembrance many reasons for devout gratitude. Relative affliction, when its issue is such as we desire-the recovery of those whose loss we have fearfully anticipated-makes us more vividly sensible of the Divine goodness. When the life of a loved one has been trembling in the balance, when by the side of their bed we have stood in anxious suspense watching the struggle between the natural force and the fell disease, uncertain which would gain the mastery, when we have pictured to ourselves how desolate our home would be rendered by their removal ere a few hours were past:-in such moments how deeply we have felt our dependence on God for the most treasured objects of our love! And when the calamity we feared has been mercifully averted, and we are still privileged to look round on our unbroken family circle, the heart glows with unwonted gratitude, as if the dead had been restored to life and the lost ones found. Right and dutiful it is in such circumstances to look at the mercies we have experienced in the light of those troubles which we feared; to contrast our actual with our possible state; and should your experience during the past year have been such as we have described, you will not be the last to exclaim, as you lift up your eyes and your heart on high, in your approaches to the throne of the heavenly grace, "Thou hast crowned the year with thy goodness." Then, if you have been visited by personal affliction, it is no less incumbent on you to call to remembrance the ameliorating circumstances by which your affliction has been attended. You were brought nigh to the gates of death, perhaps. Friends may have watched by your bedside, as we have supposed you to have watched by that of others, expecting to hear your last sigh, and to look on your lifeless form. And think you nothing of the goodness by which you have been so mercifully restored to health and strength? Because the year has not been free from trouble, has it therefore been void of goodness? Owe you no gratitude because God has sent you a temporary affliction, from which already he has granted you a merciful deliverance? Nay, the very trials through which you have passed should give you a more lively appre hension of the Divine mercy. With David you should say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.' Or it may be that goodness has been manifested in the manner in which you were supported under your troubles. If you have had a season of trial, your strength has been according to your day. God's grace has been found sufficient for you. You have passed through deep waters, and have not been overwhelmed. If, with one hand, God has smitten you, with the other he has healed your wounds. You have had joy in the midst of your sorrow. Though outwardly afflicted, you have enjoyed inward peace. When the darkness was greatest, God has looked through the cloud, and his shining countenance has rendered the darkness light, while you have felt that you would willingly bear that darkness for the sake of that smile. Your soul has been most peaceful when your bodily distress was greatest. In your deepest sorrow God has given |