A pious Hebrew might, under a sense of gratitude, or in an hour of spiritual elevation, dedicate something dear to himself unto Jehovah. It might be a person, or an animal, or a field. If the first of these, he or she was to be redeemed, and a table was drawn according to which the redemption was to be made. In this scale, we find the extremes of life, age and infancy, valued at the least sum, youth at more, and prime at the most; we find also woman placed lower in the list than man. These distinctions in the estimated value of human life may remind us -

I. THAT IN THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST THERE ARE NO DISTINCTIONS IN RESPECT OF AGE, SEX, OR CLASS. Age is not less welcome because it is old, nor youth because it is young, nor poverty because it is poor, nor wealth because it is rich, to the Saviour of souls. Woman stands on the same ground with man, and her love and service count for as much in the Lord's esteem as his. "In Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female" (Galatians 3:28). There is no respect of persons with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

II. THAT IN THE VALUE OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE SOME DISTINCTIONS MUST REMAIN. The kind of service we render our Lord differs at different periods of our life. Obviously that of the little child is distinct from that of the man in the maturity of his strength. The scale of redemption under the Law, as given in this passage, suggests:

1. That age, though of declining value, has its tribute to bring (verse 7); it can bring its purity, its calmness, its caution, its contentedness, its patient waiting: "planted in the house of the Lord,... we shall still bring forth fruit in old age" (Psalm 92:13, 14).

2. That prime has the largest offering to lay on the altar of the Lord (verse 3). Manhood brings its strength, its maturity, its experience, its learning, its vigour.

3. That youth is of great account in the estimate of God (verse 5); it can bring to the service of Christ its eagerness, its ardour, its faith, its devotedness.

4. That childhood has its figure also in the Divine reckoning (verse 6); it can bring its innocence, its trustfulness, its docility, its winsomeness, its obedience. We are thus reminded that, while there is no stage in our life when we are not heartily welcome to our Saviour, there is at each period some special work we can do, some peculiar service we can render him, and we may add that every offering of every kind is acceptable to him if it be presented in humility and with a willing mind. - C.

During the Italian war a panic occurred in a whole reserve corps d'armee of the French forces, and the account is given us by the Hen. Mr. R —, the editor of a prominent American journal, who was there, partook of the fright, and ran himself with the fugitives. Five Austrians, whose retreat was cut off, rode rapidly into the village where the reserve forces were stationed, with the design of giving themselves up. The frightened inhabitants cried out, "The Austrians are coming!" and ran for their lives. The soldiers followed suit — horse, foot, and dragoons, pell-mell, without waiting to take care of the wounded, ran fifteen miles without stopping. One wounded French general offered a large reward to be carried to a place of safety. Mr. R — confesses to have run ten miles on foot before he stopped. A panic among the loyal troops in the first battle of Bull's Run in the American civil conflict, if not the cause of their defeat, greatly aggravated the disasters of the battle.

(Lowrie.)