The missionary took the bill, and placed it in his pocket-book by itself, apart from the gifts of the rich, and said, "This bill shall preach for Jesus wherever I go." The poor blind girl's offering should go where he went, telling of her love and devotion to her Saviour. Others have given of their abundance, but she had given her all; and her offering was a hundred-fold more valuable, as it was evidence of what all can do who love Jesus.

THE MOTHER OF ABIJAH.

1 Kings xiv. 1-18.

T was night. Silence reigned over the land of Israel. Within the palace of Tirzah, all, save one lone watcher, were wrapped in slumber. Yet even into that luxurious home sickness and sorrow had found an entrance. In one of the lofty apartments, the wife of the king watched, with anxious tenderness, by the sick-bed of her son. Her true mother's heart could not leave her darling to the care of servants, willing though they were to render any service, for all loved the gentle young prince. Very strong and tender was the tie which bound that mother and son to each other. Her husband, flushed with success, and uplifted with pride, had turned from serving the God of Israel, and gained for himself an unenviable name, which should cling to him through coming ages, as "Jeroboam who made Israel to sin."

Influenced, no doubt, by the gentle teaching of his mother, the youthful prince Abijah worshipped the true God. To be a king like David, and reign for God in Israel, was the subject of his hopes for the future. They knew not, that mother and son, as they wandered in pleasant converse on the hills of Ephraim, and turned their longing eyes towards Jerusalem, joining in spirit with those who were praising God in the earthly Zion, that soon a brighter crown than ever earthly monarch wore should sparkle on that fair young brow, that his raptured eye should gaze, not only on David, but on David's King, and his ear drink in sweeter songs than even those of the royal singer.

With all his faults-and they were many-doubtless Jeroboam loved his child, and as he noticed the death-look which rested upon the youth's face, a spasm of pain convulsed the father's features. Abijah was the heir to his kingdom, and sin-stained as Jeroboam must have felt himself to be, perchance he had pictured a brighter, purer future for his young son. To whom will he turn in his hour of trouble: to his gods? Ah! no, he knows them powerless to aid. To the God of Israel? He had forsaken His laws and despised His commands; he dared not call upon Him now. A sudden thought flashed across his brain. He turned

to his wife, and in tones hoarse with emotion, cried, "Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people. And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child."

A gleam of hope passed through his wife's soul as the king spoke. Perchance the man of God might have a message of hope for her. She would go to Shiloh. The eastern sun poured his scorching rays upon her head, her lips were parched, and her limbs weary. She heeded not, but climbed at length the steep ascent to Shiloh, and stood on the threshold of the man of God.

The blind prophet's first words showed her that her disguise was futile. "Come in," he cried, "thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings." And in stern, awful words, the old man declared to his trembling listener the terrible doom which awaited idolatrous Israel and her sinful king. Woe after woe was pronounced on Jeroboam and the people whom he had caused to sin; but as yet the mother's heart was not wholly crushed, for he had not named Abijah. It came at length. The blind prophet's voice took a softer tone, when he spoke of the young prince. "Arise," he said, 66 get thee to thine own house; and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die, and all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him is found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel."

The decision is given; silently the mother turns to retrace her steps. Could it be that she should never again meet the glance of those loving eyes, never again feel the clasp of those clinging arms. A cry of despair bursts from her lips as the gate of Tirzah became visible. "O God, be merciful; I cannot pass the gate." Poor tried mother! in years to come she will bless God that her darling was taken ere the evil days came upon Israel. "He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. She understands it now. She had asked an earthly blessing for her boy that day, the Lord had given him a heavenly thing instead, even length of days for ever and ever. Breathing a prayer for aid, she arises and totters through the gate of Tirzah, and though her tears fell fast on her boy's face, beautiful in death, from the depths of a chastened heart she is enabled to say, "It is well with the child. I shall go to him; but he will not return to me. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem !"

M

MEDDLESOME MATTY.

ATTY was a lively, good-natured little girl; but she had an ugly trick, which made her very troublesome. Her curiosity was so great that she was continually poking her fingers into matters where she had no business. Matty lived with her grandmother-an old-fashioned lady who used big spectacles, and carried a snuff-box. One day grandmother went out, and by mistake left both spectacles and snuff-box within Miss Matty's reach. First Matty put on the spectacles; they were large and wide, but her nose kept them on her face. Now she got her eyes on the snuff-box. "Oh what a pretty box!" said she; "I'll open it." Then little fingers and thumb went tugging at the lid, when ló, a sharp jerk both opened the box and sent the snuff puffing about Matty's face! Eyes, nose, and mouth were filled with snuff; and poor Matty cried, dashed the spectacles away, and ran about smarting with pain. The spectacles were smashed on the floor, when who should make her appearance but old grandmother! Matty, still tingling and smarting, promised never to be "Meddlesome Matty" any more. And the story goes that she kept her word.

HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD.

CHEAP MODE OF FILTERING WATER. |
As efficient a filter as can pos-
sibly be constructed may be made
in a few minutes, and at the cost
of a few pence. Procure a clean
flower-pot, close the opening in
the bottom by a piece of sponge,
then place in the inside a layer of
small clean stones; this layer may
be about two inches deep, the
upper stones being very small.
Next procure some freshly-burned
charcoal; reduce it to powder, and
mix it with twice its bulk of clear,
well-washed, sharp sand. With
this mixture fill the pot to within
a short distance of the top, cover-
ing it with a layer of small stones;
or (what is perhaps better) place
a piece of thick close flannel over
it, large enough to tie round the
rim of the pot outside, and to
form a hollow inside, into which
the water to be filtered is to be
poured, and which will be found
to flow out rapidly through the
sponge in an exceedingly pure

state.

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST SCARLET
FEVER.

1. The room should be cleared of all needless, woollen, or other draperies, which might possibly serve to harbour the poison.

2. A basin, charged with chloride or carbolate of lime, or some other convenient disinfectant, should be kept constantly on the bed for the patient to spit into.

3. A large vessel, containing water impregnated with chlorides, or with Condy's fluid, should. always stand in the room for the reception of all bed and body linen immediately on its removal from the person of the patient.

4. Pocket-handerchiefs should not be used, and small pieces of rag employed instead, for wiping the mouth and nose. Each piece, after being once used, should be immediately burnt.

5. As the hands of nurses of necessity become frequently soiled by the secretions, a good supply of towels and two basins-one containing water with Condy's fluid, or chlorides, and another plain soap and water-should be always at hand for the immediate removal of the taint.

6. All glasses, cups, or other vessels used by or about the patient should be scrupulously cleaned before being used by others.

7. The discharges from the bowels and kidneys should be received on their very issue from the body into vessels charged with disinfectants.-Dr. W. Budd.

TENDER FEET may be cured by dissolving one pound of bay salt in one gallon of spring water; and by soaking or bathing the feet therein about five minutes night and morning.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

Our Mothers (Hodder & Stoughton). Ralph Saunders.-Fred's Fresh Start.--Children's Treasury (Book Society). Family Friend (Partridge & Co.). Cottager.-Sunday at Home (Religious Tract Society). The Christian (Morgan & Chase). Family Treasury (Nelson &Sons). Old Jonathan (Collingridge).

IN a sunny but secluded spot in one of our cemeteries, lie the mortal remains of a child who was dearer to my heart than I had thought a child could ever be to any human heart under the sun. I am not to flaunt her dear memory, nor am I to obtrude my

own feelings. But having, through great darkness and bitter struggle, attained, by God's goodness, to much comfort, and knowing that many at this sad time have been afflicted as I have been, I hope that what has comforted me may comfort others. To those, therefore, especially, who have been bereaved of their children, I wish to suggest some of those thoughts from which I derived strength and solace.

You have lost a child, very sweet to you, perhaps the best and dearest of all you had, and the pang of grief is very bitter. I don't suppose that any words of mine, nor even the most precious words in all the Bible, will remove your heart's aching. For a wise and gracious purpose God has sent you affliction, and affliction, in order to work its needed effect, must afflict. His own most precious words were never intended to prevent affliction from being affliction. But they were intended to make sorrow healing, instead of desolating. And to that end we also may help each other. When you see parents grieving over the loss of a dear child, VOL. VII. No. 4.]

[APRIL, 1870.