GOD'S RELATION TO MOTHERS.

THEN a true-hearted mother "feels for the first time her first-born's breath," she not only is conscious of her tender relation directly to that new-born creature, but feels a new tenderness and sacredness added to relation to her husband. Dear as the babe is, con sidered simply as her own, it is yet more precious because it is his. Closely and tenderly as she was united to him before, she feels the union to be closer and tenderer now.

In a still higher sense does a Christian mother find that her experience of maternity gives a new preciousness and sacredness to her relation to GOD. She was His creature before, now she is the mother of His creature. The great God has come very near to her.

He has made her the subject of the most marvellous exercise of His power which is ever exemplified. However lightly and profanely this may be treated by some, the Bible teaches us to regard it with the utmost reverence and solemnity.

The birth of a child is a more wonderful event than the creation of a material world. God causes a new human life to begin in mysterious connection with the life of the mother. It is possible to receive such a gift with natural joy, without duly regarding the Divine Giver. It is possible to feel the gush of that new fountain of affection, without thoughtfully considering who has opened it. It is, perhaps, possible for a mother to look upon her own child and feel the pleasing emotions connected with the thought that it is her child, without solemnly remembering that it is a gift from God. It must not be so with Christian mothers. They should remember that God has come near to them in a wonderful manner, and has brought them into a new and peculiar relation to Himself. This relation is distinctly recognised in His word, and He has made it the subject of a special covenant. This covenant is indeed with both the parents, if they both are believers. I would fain encourage all such to take a strong hold upon God's promise, that He will be a God to them and to their seed after them. But in order to claim this promise, Christian mother, you must make the same unreserved commitment of your child to God which you are required to make of yourself. This, when you view God rightly, will be your highest privilege. You will commit your child to God more trustfully, more joyfully, than you lay it in the arms of its father. This may involve your consent to painful separation. You may be called to give up your child, in death, to Him who gave it; or you may be called to consent that the winds and waves shall bear that child far away from you to some distant heathen land, where" the Lord hath need of him." There are many mothers who know by experience that, keen as the pang of such parting is, there is also a peculiar new joy which springs up from it like a clear fountain, and flows on in a serene and steady stream of precious experience through all the life.

When Christ is so precious to you that you freely give to Him not only yourselves but your children-those dearer selves; when you have learned to think of them as His, and to train them as His, and to love them as His-even as you have always thought of them and loved them as the children of him who, of all men, is the object of your strongest affection-then will you know how sacred and how sanctifying and how heavenly God has designed and fitted the maternal relation to be.

An unconverted mother is about the most successful servant Satan has. Many children are ruined by their mothers!-Dr. H. A. Nelson.

OVER MY SLUMBERING INFANT.

VER my slumbering infant,

A newborn "infant of days,"
In his dainty nest-like cradle,
I hung with wondering gaze;
Ilis tiny, delicate fingers,

His face so gentle and small,
And soft to the touch as velvet,—
I silently pondered on all.

I saw in that slumbering infant

The dawn's first glimmering ray,
And I thought of the glorious future,
The long, everlasting day;
The vast far-stretching duration,
The hidden powers of good,
That there lay quietly sleeping,
Like the folded flower in the bud.

As a little shining acorn

From its cup embossed and round By a breath of wind is loosened,

And buries itself in the ground; And, behold! long centuries after, From that acorn small we see, Towering with growth umbrageous, A magnificent oak-tree:

As a mossy fountain bubbling

From its basin fringed with fern,
Glides along through leafy dingle,
Tinkling fall, and eddying turn;
But swells from a brook to a river,
And rolls majestic down,
Making glad the corn-covered valley,
Lone village, and populous town:
So before that cradled infant
A mighty destiny lies,
Beginning 'mid earthly shadows,
Expanding beyond the skies;
A life of wide-branching influence
From that tiny form may grow;
And rivers of living water

Through time and eternity flow.
Oh, may the dew of God's blessing
On that tender plant be shed;
May the sunshine of His favour

Rest on that infant's head;
May He turn its heart as the rivers,
Even whithersoever He will:
That its life may reflect His glory,
And His purpose of love fulfil!
RICHARD WILTON, M.A.

EFFICACY OF PRAYER. In a recent sermon, Bishop Bowman related the following incident, among others, illustrating the efficacy of fervent, effectual prayer :-In 1858, Bishop Simpson was supposed to be dying in Pittsburg. When this startling telegram arrived, a number of ministers were together, among whom were himself, Bishop Janes, and Wm. Taylor. Bishop Janes called on Brother Taylor to pray, and others followed. When they rose from their knees, one said to another, till it went round the circle, "The bishop will not die." Such was the impression made that it almost amounted to a certainty. The telegram in a very short time announced him convalescent. His physicians were puzzled with the sudden change. On inquiry, the time he began to amend was the hour of prayer.

EAR little lambs! They were trotting down to breakfast one morning full of chatter; their merry little voices were heard farther than they supposed, and their childish words sank deeper than they intended!

"Phoebe !" said her little brother, five years old, whohad been out the previous evening with his mother, "what do you think? Ma promised me that when the summer comes she'll give me a nice big ship, to sail on real water! Won't that be jolly?" "Phoebe" is a rosy-faced, laughing little lassie of four, who is so eager to talk fast that she scarcely takes time to speak plainly. Ye-ye-yes, Gershom! 'tw-'tw-'twill be very jolly! but d' you know ma promised me if I'm quite good, and-and-and don't cry at all when bedtime comes, for a whole month, she'd give me a-a-a lovely box of bricks, such a beauty! Ma promised me that!"

Now mamma happened to be within hearing, though out of sight, and she said to herself, I must certainly keep those promises, for see how the dear pets count upon them: it would never do to disappoint their confiding expectation that I shall be true to my word! And then she looked up and breathed a prayer: "Father, unseen but ever near, help me thus to trust THEE, and confidently look for the fulfilment of Thy every promise! If I feel thus pledged to my little ones, how much more dost Thou to Thine! Help me to grasp Thy promises as these babes grasp mine; for hast Thou said, and shalt Thou not do it? Hast Thou spoken, and shalt Thou not make it good?"

Dear friend who may read these lines, have you grasped this promise: "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved;" or this: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;" or this: "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out"? If you have, are you rejoicing in hope of the glory of God as these children rejoiced in their promised treasures? They were glad and felt rich, not because they had the things, but because they had the promise of one they could trust. Can you not trust GOD? Think a little! He meant what He said when He gave these promises! He is well able to fulfil them! He is perfectly willing to fulfil them. Willing! Why, has not Jesus Christ died in your stead, in order that He might be able to save you from eternal death? "He died, the Just One," instead of us, the unjust! Can you help trusting to the promises of One who has given such a proof of His love to you? Oh, trust God and be happy, and go on your way "filled with peace and joy in believing," saying, " God has promised me eternal life!"

GOD IS GOOD.

I hear it in the rushing breeze
The hills that have for ages stood,
The echoing sky and roaring seas,
All swell the chorus, "God is good."
Yes, God is good, all nature says,

By God's own hand with speech
endued;

And man, in louder notes of praise,
Should sing for joy, that God is
good.

For all Thy gifts we bless Thee, Lord;
But chiefly for our heavenly food,
Thy pardoning grace, Thy quickening
word:

These prompt our song, that God is
good.

SING, MOTHER, SING!

J. H. GURNEY.

HILDHOOD is made much happier, and the task of training children is very much lightened, when mothers adopt the wise practice of constantly singing to their little ones. Some remarkable cases of the children of working men who have risen in life, indirectly through the cheerful singing habits of their mothers, have come under my notice.

Let me mention one interesting case for the encouragement of mothers.

The wife of a humble Yorkshire shoemaker was noted for her tidy person and home, for her well-washed children with their bright little faces, especially when on the way to God's house with their parents or to the Sunday-school on the Lord's-day. She was like a lark in her household, and was constantly teaching her children to sing. So successful was she in training the voices of her boys that they attracted the attention of the managers of the Sunday-school. This led to the introduction of them into the choir of the church, where they had the advantage of skilled teachers.

Step by step these little boys-whose snow-white pinafores and happy looks often secured words of commendation for their worthy mother-by their good behaviour, and perseverance in acquiring musical knowledge, gained friend after friend, until at length they attained to a very high position in the musical world.

One of the sons of this estimable mother has on many occasions had the honour of singing before Queen Victoria in Windsor Castle!-British Workman.