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favour; as all those things which are opposite to these should be discouraged by marks of disapprobation.

8. EARNESTLY WATCH AGAINST SEEKING GREAT THINGS FOR YOUR CHILDREN. Oh! the inexpressible folly of aiming to gain for them high connexions, in classes of society above them; and for this end placing them in situations of danger, that they may form associations with their superiors! What havoc has this made among the children of pious parents! Mind not high things, should be our plain rule. Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not. God give us grace to attend to these clear directions of His word! If we trust Him, His providence will call our children to those scenes in which they may safely and honourably serve others, and glorify His name; and we shall be preserved from the anguish of seeing them bring reproach on the gospel of Christ.

9. The last thing that I would notice is OUR OWN CONSISTENCY OF CONDUCT, as essential to the full effect of a Christian education. If Christian parents act inconsistently with their blessed principles, -if they are irritable, selfish, proud, disorderly, passionate, and covetous, what can be expected, but similarly evil tempers in their children? But if they are poor in spirit, meek, mourning for sin, and hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and possess and manifest the other graces of a Christian, it is an immense auxiliary to all their religious instruction. In fact, it is one just retribution of all evil ways, that our children soon manifest similar evil ways: while on the other hand, an exhibition of holy conduct enforces every pious exhortation, and strengthens every solid principle, which we endeavour to communicate to them.

A HINT TO GRUMBLERS.-One day, an old man walked into a shop and asked a tradesman if he wanted any of his wares. The shopkeeper made a purchase, and in the meantime asked how he was getting on. The old man answered, "Better since I removed." "Oh, have you removed?" "Yes; I used to live in Grumbling Street, and I was never well; but since I have lived in Praise and Thanksgiving Street I have got on a great deal better." He added, "Grumbling Street is a very unhealthy atmosphere, while Praise and Thanksgiving Street is altogether different." We say to all who live in Grumbling Street, remove as quickly as possible; for, as this old man said, "No one is healthy in it;" and get into Praise and Thanksgiving Street. Then, if you can appreciate the change, you can recommend it to others; in other words, give up grumbling, and count your mercies, and say with the Psalmist, "BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS.

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Once the mother sat beside it
When the day was growing dim,
And her pleasant voice was singing,
Soft and low, a cradle-hymn.
Now there's no more need of singing,
When the evening shadows creep,
For the cradle-bed is empty,

And the baby gone to sleep.

Little head, that used to nestle

In the pillows white and soft;
Little hands, whose restless fingers
Folded there in dreams so oft;
Lips we pressed with fondest kisses
Eyes we praised for purest ray,-
Underneath the churchyard daisies,
They have hid you all away.

Ah! the empty, useless cradle!
We will put it out of sight,

Lest our hearts should grieve too sorely

For the little one to-night.

We will think how safe for ever,

In the better fold above,

That young lamb for which we sorrow
Resteth now in Jesus' love.

DESPAIR OF NONE.

MONG the many interesting cases which Mrs. Vicars, of Brighton, has met in her devoted labours of love among the lost," one is especially worthy of being recorded, as illustrating the power of the Word of God, and as teaching us to despair of none.

One morning Mrs. Vicars received an anonymous letter from a district visitor, giving her the address of a woman whom the letter stated to be one of the worst characters in Brighton, and a great corrupter of others; so bad, indeed, that no respectable person had thought of entering her house for many a long year. But as the writer had been told that Mrs. Vicars did not shrink from visiting the vilest, would she go and see her? adding, that could any impression be made on her, it might be the means of saving scores. That same day saw Mrs. Vicars on her way to the house named in the letter. The door was opened by the very woman, and Mrs. Vicars at once boldly stated the errand on which she had come. "I have no time to hear about such things," the woman answered roughly. "Religion is all very well for you gentlefolk, but poor folk can't afford it; one must live.”

"And we must die," Mrs. Vicars said solemnly.

"Well, that's true, and I know all about that," said the woman, with an odd boastfulness. "I am not so ignorant as some; I

warn't always like what you see me now. Why, up there," she added, pointing to a top shelf, "I have got a beautiful large Bible I bought with my own money-years ago it is now." "A beautiful large Bible!" exclaimed Mrs. Vicars. should like to see it! Do you think you could get it down for me?"

"How I

"Well, ma'am, I'll try; but I'm afraid it will nigh smother you with dust; for it is right on the top shelf, where I can't get at it with a duster."

So, with the combined help of a table and a chair, she managed to get the Bible down. Alas! the dust stood so thick on it, that, in Whitefield's strong words, she would have no difficulty in writing "damnation" with her own finger on the whitened cover. But, wiping it carefully with the corner of her apron, she laid it triumphantly down on the table before Mrs. Vicars.

"Well, that is a beauty!" exclaimed Mrs. Vicars; "and what a beautiful print too! Can you read it?"

"Read it! I should think I can, indeed; at least I can when I have got my glasses; but unluckily I happened of an accident with one of them.

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"Can you find them? for if you will give them to me, I will get them mended for you."

"Well, I can't say as how I know exactly where they are; but I think I can lay my hand on them somewhere," she said, proceeding to rummage in several drawers. Mrs. Vicars joined in the hunt; and during the search for the glasses the ice seemed to melt, and they got quite friendly.

"Here they are!" exclaimed Mrs. A., producing them at last from among a heap of odds and ends.

"And a capital pair of glasses too," rejoined Mrs. Vicars: "this one is cracked; we must have a new glass for that eye; but the other is all right; just try it," she added, opening the Bible. So, putting the odd glass to her right eye, the woman read a few words.

"You do read well! why, you are quite a scholar;" and so Mrs. Vicars kept on turning the pages, and getting her to read one verse after another, till she found the passage she wanted.

"There is nothing amiss with that glass, is there? Read this." And the woman read, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Slowly she read the solemn words, through the one old spectacleglass; but, as she read, Mrs. Vicars felt one great warm drop after another falling upon her hand, which rested on the open Bible.

"Come, let us reason together:' your is knocking at the door of your heart now.

Father loves you; He 'Come,' He says, 'let

us reason together.' Oh, why will you perish when He says, through me, 'Come to Me, and though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow?'.

She did not say much more, but left, taking the glasses with her. As soon as they were mended, she returned to the house with them. The moment the woman saw her, she exclaimed, holding up both her hands, "I've done with it! I've done with it! Night nor day I have never been able to get that verse out of my head. Not another day of this dreadful life will I lead, if I can help it."

With tears of joy streaming down her face at this wonderful change, Mrs. Vicars ascertained that Mrs. A. had a brother, a respectable man, living at W. She at once wrote to him, and received in answer that he was willing to do anything he could for his sister; but that knowing what she was, he could not at once take her into his house, till the reality of so wonderful a conversion had been tested. Should she conduct herself well, he would gladly, after a time, share his home with her. It was agreed, therefore, to place her in lodgings at W-for a time; and at Mrs. Vicars' persuasion, her brother himself came to fetch her; and Mrs. Vicars had the double joy of placing her in safe hands, and seeing one of the worst houses in Brighton shut up, and some of its inmates received into the Home. Mrs. A. is now living with her brother, conducting a small business, having been known for many years as a respectable woman and a most earnest Christian.

O wondrous quickening power of God's Word! from the day when Augustine, fast bound with the chain of his sins, heard the child's voice singing in the garden, "Take and read, take and read," and one verse made him Christ's free man for ever-to the day when in a low Brighton street, to one whose vileness cannot so much as be named, the words came, "Though your sins be as scarlet," and ended "as snow."-From " Work among the Lost."

CHRIST'S GARDEN.

HRIST has a garden here below,
Where, planted by His hand,
Sweet, tender little flowerets grow,
And into bloom expand.

They are His own; and when He wills
He takes His own away,

To plant them by celestial rills,
Where they shall ne'er decay.

No blast shall beat around their heads,
No low'ring sky be found,

Where heavenly sunshine ever sheds
Eternal spring around.

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