A Goodly Heritage

We cannot be too familiar with the story of the martyrs. Thier sufferings secured our liberties. The brief reign of the wretched queen Mary was made ever glorious by the burning of some of England's noblest witnesses. Hooper ,Taylor, Saunders, Bradford, and Rogers, were among the first to suffer. Ridley and Latimer were chained to one stake at Oxford, and therefore bore testimony in one fire to the power of truth. "My breakfast may be sharp, but I am sure my supper will be most s weet " said the noble Ridley . "I shall go to bed, and God willing , shall sleep as quietly tonight as ever I did in my life." The next morning he and Latimer walked praying to the stake. Embracing Latimer , Ridley said ," Be of good heart brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flames, or else strengthen us to abide it." Then it was Latimer's turn to triumph . As the lighted torch was placed on the faggots, Latimer cried out , "Be of good comfort...

The Lord of life Himself slept for a little while in the tomb, and then rose up in the morning; so He has become "the first fruits of them that slept." " I went down Death's lonely stair, Laid my garments in the tomb; Dressed again one morning fair, Hastened up and hied me home- Saith the Elder Brother. "Then I will not be afraid Any ill can come to me: When 'tis time to go to bed , I will rise and go to Thee- Saith the little brother."

Falkland , in Fifeshire , was the birthplace of Richard Cameron. The passer by may still see the house in which he was born. His father , who was a merchant in the burgh, appears to have been very eager to secure for his son the benefit of a good education. However sanguine the father's hopes may have been , he probably little dreamt of the prominent part his son was destined to take in the affairs of both the Church and nation. Neither could he have anticipated that touching scene at that prison in Edinburgh when the head and hands of his son Richard were handed to him, having been carried from Ayresmoss , where he fell:- "I know, I know them ,"said the aged father as he kissed them; "they are my son's , my own dear son's ; it is the Lord; good is the will of the Lord, who cannot wrong me or mine, but has made goodness and mercy to follow us all our days." Richard was born an Episcopalian, and for many years remained in connection with that Church .He ...

Doubtless the piety of the martyrs was rendered more sterling, and shone forth more brilliantly , by reason of the afflictions wherewith they were afflicted. Trees of righteousness, they were pruned that they would bring forth more fruit; jewels of gold they were put into the furnace-heated seven times- that the pearls of their graces might sparkle by the fiery trial. He who sat as the Refiner and Purifier brought out more clearly His own image on them. The piety of the martyrs was eminent, because it rested on right foundations- on the doctrines of the Book of Inspiration. It rested , not on the rubbish of self-righteousness, not on the sand of self-will, but on the everlasting rock of revealed truth. Those eminent saints believed in the great doctrines of election- sovereign, absolute; predestination; the total depravity of human nature by the fall; the substitution of Christ in the room of sinners; regeneration by the Spirit alone; justification by faith alone in the righte...

,Martin Luther was in his boyhood so poor that he went about the streets of the city singing songs for a little money to buy food to keep him from starving. But he was a faithful student , and God raised up friends for him, and made him , at last , the great and useful man that he was . On a cold dark night , when the wind was blowing hard , Conrad , a worthy citizen of a little town in Germany , sat playing his flute , while Ursula , his wife , was preparing supper. They heard a voice singing outside ; "Foxes to their holes have gone , Every bird into its nest; But I wander here alone , And for me there is no rest." Tears filled the old man's eyes as he said ,"What a pity that voice should be spoiled by being tried in such weather!" I think it is the voice of a child . Let us open the door and see," said his wife , who had lost a little boy not long before , and whose heart was opened to take pity on the little wanderer. Conrad opened the door , and saw a ...