which divided them here, and about which, it may be, they contended and wrangled so hotly, can keep them asunder there, in that deeper, diviner life into which they have entered. Let us think, too, if it be ours to join one day their blissful society, whether we shall carry with us much of our ecclesiastical partnership or our theological jealousies into the still, sweet rest of heaven.

Travellers as we are, amidst the mists and shades of life, it is not wonderful, perhaps, that in its dim and deceptive light we should sometimes mistake a friend for a foe, or turn away from a brother as if he were a stranger or an alien. But the night is far spent, the day is at hand, not distant is the hour when the Sun of our souls shall rise full-orbed on our waiting eyes, and the mists shall disperse and the shadows flee away for ever; and then, then at last, if not now, we shall recognise in every soul that has ever loved and lived for Christ, the face of a brother and a friend.Dr. Caird.

A SUBJECT FOR A PAINTER, HE labours of the watching wife were now drawing toward their close. Her husband would require little more of earthly care. As she turned to him once again, and looked and listened, she discovered that the days” of his « mourning” were

< ended.” When the first burst of pent-up grief had passed, a glorious resolve occurred to the widow's spiritual nature, which she immediately carried into practice. She was alone with the corpse and her children. She took her six little ones, sleeping or waking, from their humble beds. But let us give her own words: «Come, children,' I said, 'come. The Lord has taken away your earthly father; I must give you now afresh to your Heavenly Father !' And placing the wondering infants on their knees around me, I knelt in their midst and prayed. I said: 'O my God! Thou hast taken away these children's father. My heart is overwhelmed. What am I to do with them ; Thou must find them bread, and enable me to bring them up for Thee.' There was more of this prayer, but we pause. Let us describe its blessed results. These are her own words; “I rose from my knees wonderfully strengthened. My load seemed gone. It was just as if I had heard the Lord say, "I will do all you have asked.' My load was gone. I felt so strengthened and comforted, I returned the children to their beds, and prepared my husband for the grave.” What a subject this for the painter's wondrous art—the dead father in his bed, the strangely grouped children, the widow, with upturned face, kneeling in their midst! He who could paint this subject worthily should paint for bread no more. His picture would be worth a nation's purchase.

R.W.V.

GLEANINGS. DISCIPLINE IN CHILDHOOD.-Some who never had children, and others who would be wiser than Solomon, or rather than God's word itself, have written books to show, that chastisements should be utterly excluded from education. Doubtless, it requires prudence and temper to chastise properly, and it ought to be done with a secret looking to God for a blessing, as well as on any other duty; but those have either taken up false principles of human nature, or have had but very little experience of it, who presume that it will do very well without the fear of punishment, or that it can be reasoned into all the irksome duties and toils of life. Such methods we know will not restrain even grown persons, who certainly can reason, and receive reason, better than children. Corruption is to be checked by all means; and if the gentler kinds fail of effect, as they will in the far greater number of instances, the more severe must be used, but always without passion and in moderation. It should be understood to be a parent's sad duty, which therefore can give him no pleasure, but on the contrary pain and mortification. When it is thus performed, it will not easily be abused; when otherwise, it is not really performed at all. The parent's ill conduct, in such a case, deserves a severer chastisement from God, than any that can be due to the misdemeanour of a child.- Ambrose Serle.

INDEED, it is woeful when the young usurp the place, or despise the wisdom, of the aged; and among the many dark signs of these times, the disobedience and insolence of youth are among the darkest. But with whom is the fault? Youth never yet lost its modesty where age had not lost its honour; nor did childhood ever refuse its reverence, except where age had forgotten correction, The cry, “Go

up, thou bald head,” will never be heard in the land which remembered the precept,“ See that ye despise not one of these little ones ;” and although, indeed, youth may become despicable when its eager hope is changed into presumption and its progressive power into arrested pride, there is something more despicable still in the old age which has learned neither judgment nor gentleness, which is weak without charity, and cold without discretion.-Ruskin.

EMPLOYMENT BETTER THAN SCOLDING.-Great unkindness and injustice is often done to little children, by treating them as mischievous, and scolding them for being troublesome, when the truth is, the little creatures are either weary for want of employment, or else the love of knowledge, or curiosity, has induced them to examine the inside of something they ought not to have meddled with. Find them something to occupy them—work such as they can do, or innocent amusement-and they will not trouble you with mischievousness.

'Tis gentle, delicate, and kind,
To faults compassionate or blind;
And will with sympathy endure
Those evils it would gladly cure.
But angry, coarse, and harsh expression
Shows love to be a mere profession;
Proves that the heart is none of his,
Or soon expels him if it is."

- Cowper.

DEATH OF LITTLE CHILDREN.

B

" Around the throne of God in heaven

Thousands of children stand,
Children whose sins are all forgiven-
A holy, happy band,

Singing, Glory-glory

Glory be to God on high !”
LESSED be God for the teachings of the death of little

children! Their ministry is accomplished ; and how
often is it one of reconciliation between an impenitent

parent and a neglected Saviour! The vacant place at the table which was once filled by the child, the unoccupied crib in the chamber, the picture books, well worn by those dear little hands, are mutely, but most eloquently, pleading with the father and the mother, who are left behind to begin to walk in that path, if they are not already in it, which shall lead them where the family will be uplifted once more and for ever.

How many might be found who date their first religious impressions from the death-bed of " our little girl," or our little boy”! That father, whose thoughts and cares have been limited to this brief life, awakes from his worldliness, as he wakes up through tears, to see the pearly gates open for the admission of one of his idolized children. That mother, whose anxiety for the future of her offspring has been confined to the vain things of time and sense, is taught at last, by the removal of her loved babe from her sight, that there is a world for which preparation is of infinitely greater importance than for this - a better country, even a heavenly. Thus is she taught a lesson which could have been impressed only upou a bleeding heart.

The households are many of which it may be said—one is in heaven. Bereaved mother, is a child of yours there, and are you on the way thither? Listen to the Divine voice which has spoken to you so tenderly and in so much mercy, and commit yourself and your all to Him who has already taken one of your treasures to Himself.

• There, in the Shepherd's bosom,

White as the drifted snow,
Is the little lamb that we missed one morn
From the household flock below."

A.

RISEN WITH CHRIST.
“ He hath raised us up together.”—Eph. ii. 6.

URELY then the bitterness of death is past. The sting of death is gone. The sentence of death is annulled. The fear of death has fled away. Death itself is destroyed. O garden of Joseph, let me visit thee this

morning! Let me look upon that empty sepulchre. « The Lord is risen indeed.” “ Also ye are risen with Him,” all ye that believe. The sin that deserves the death

is gone. My sin He took into that tomb. And He came up without it, and “ without sin shall He appear” to take me to Himself. I am “risen with Christ.” I am partaker of new life, resurrection life, eternal life. I die no more. My flesh shall die. Oh, let me hasten to crucify it and its lusts, already. But I“ live in the Spirit.” Death cannot touch me. Jesus, my Lord, is the Death of death. “ He hath abolished death.” " He that liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.” This is thy witness, deserted sepulchre! this thy joyous Easter testimony! Henceforth let me live more as one that hath been raised from the dead, in newness of life. Oh! my heart, go up in the fellowship of the Spirit; rise to rejoice in "things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."

EMMA'S LAST WORDS.

• Tell her to read that pretty hymn,

You know I dearly prize,
· When I can read my title clear

To mansions in the skies ;'
Tell her I read my title clear,
And know my final home is there.

EAR mother, sit beside my

bed,
Gently my pillow raise,
The curtain draw aside,

that I
May on your features gaze;
While yet I objects dear can view,
My mother, let me look on you.
“Mother, I do not fear to die,

I trust in Jesu's blood,
"I know in whom I have believed,'

An ever faithful God,
Who will those little ones receive,
That in His promises believe.
"Oh ! haste to little Catherine,

When I am dead, and say,
Emma's last words to her were these,

· Seek God without delay;
A dying bed is not the place
To learn to seek the God of grace.'

“Go to my Teacher, mother dear,

My Holy Bible take,
And ask her to receive that Book

And keep it for my sake ;
She taught me how to find the road
That leads a little child to God.

“ And now, dear mother, cease to

weep,
And, brother, cease to sigh,
I love my Saviour, and He says,

* Fear not, for I am nigh;
And truly He was with her then,
She smiled, but never spoke again.