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my father's family but there was an awe of parental authority; anything to which he could not freely consent was out of the question with us; at least it was so to a considerable degree. This is a preservative from a thousand sins and follies and miseries to which those young persons who have an unsubdued will of their own are exposed. I heartily wish we may all, by God's blessing, succeed in establishing the same system in our families.

He enforced, as of great importance, the forming of habits of application. The idea of teaching everything as play or entertainment, could it be realized, would sacrifice, he observed, the great moral benefits of education. The difference between work and play should be felt; and the proportion of the former to the latter gradually increased. The habit of application is of vastly greater importance than any particular branch of learning which is to be acquired by it.

I will here subjoin the remark of a wise man, Mr. Richardson of York, who said, "It seemed to him that the wide difference existing among families brought up under the same religious instruction, was, in a very main degree, to be traced to some being trained to industrious habits, and some not."

On the subject of teaching children religion, he had in some degree altered his opinions. He had done too little, he was convinced, in the way of teaching us catechisms, prayers, and portions of Scripture by heart; not only from the want of time, but from a fear, beyond what was warranted, of producing formality; and he apprehended that there still prevailed an error on this head among many persons agreeing with us in our general sentiments. Observation of facts had produced the change in his judgment. He had lived to see to how good account a pretty large measure of such instruction might be turned; particularly storing the mind with Scriptures for future use. He would have the memory, while tenacious, as in children, preoccupied with such matter; without, however, rendering it burdensome.

He had not attempted a great deal in the way of talking directly to children, and drawing them forth to talk upon religious subjects; but much, he trusted, by family worship and the constant reading and expounding of the Scriptures; much also, he hoped, by the conversation kept up in his family, and by the spirit of supreme regard to religion which he had endeavoured to maintain. This he pressed upon our particular attention with reference to our children.

To the effect of his general conversation I gave my testimony, by observing that the knowledge which I had found turn to most account in life, appeared to have been gathered up gradually and imperceptibly from what thus passed in his family.

He urged the improvement of passing events, of occurrences relating to our own conduct and that of others, as the occasions of religious remark, illustrative of scriptural truths-teaching

young persons to take a religious and Christian view of whatever took place.

If surrounded by a young family, he said, his expositions would be somewhat varied from their present form: they would be less full and minute, and, as far as he found it practicable, more suited to arrest and impress the youthful mind. He would also make a point of having evening prayer at such an hour that the younger branches of the family (from seven or eight years of age) might be present, as well as in the morning. He much recommended extemporary prayers in the family, glancing at existing circumstances, in preference to any fixed forms, especially among young persons. He pressed the importance of gaining the affections of our children; drawing them to choose our company, to enter into our conversation, and to make us their confidants.

He expressed his hope that there might be little need to say to us, Let brotherly love continue; but, said he, let everything be done to train up your children also to union and cordiality; let them be guarded, and taught themselves to guard, against whatever might violate it. There will be different turns of mind; there will be occasions tending to excite jealousy, envy, and grudging; but let the demon of discord be watched against as the deadliest foe to a family. Respectability, happiness, usefulness, all depend on its exclusion. A threefold cord is not easily broken; but a divided house cometh to desolation.

My father concluded with prayer for all present, and for all those belonging to us who were absent; for us and our children after us, and our children's children to future generations, if there should be such; that religion might not decline and become extinct among us, but that all might prove (like Abraham, who had furnished our text) blessed ourselves, and blessings to others.

His friend, the Rev. Daniel Wilson, thus speaks of Mr. Scott's exemplary character in the domestic circle: "He was in all respects an excellent father of a family. What he appeared in his preaching and writings, that he was amongst his children and servants. He did not neglect his private duties on the ground of public engagements; but he carried his religion into his house, and placed before his family the doctrines he taught, embodied in his own evident uprightness of conduct. This determination and consistency in personal religion instructed his children better than a thousand set lessons. It is indeed commonly found that the general behaviour and conversation of parents produce a decidedly deeper impression on the minds of the young than any formal instructions, however in themselves excellent. When children are addressed directly, their minds recoil, or at least their attention is apt to flag; but their own shrewd observations on what they see done or hear said by others, on the estimates which they perceive their parents to form of things and characters, and on the govern

ing principles by which they judge their conduct to be regulated, sink deep into their memories, and in fact constitute by far the most effective part of education. It was on this principle that our deceased friend acted. He did not inculcate certain doctrines merely, or talk against covetousness and the love of the world, or insist on the public duties of the Sabbath or the private ones of the family, whilst the bent of his conversation was worldly, his tempers selfish, his habits indulgent, and his vanity or ambition manifest under the thin guise of religious phraseology; but he exhibited to his household a holy and amiable pattern of true piety; —he was a man of God-imperfect indeed, but consistent and sincere. Accordingly, all his children became, by the Divine mercy, his comfort during life, and now remain to call him blessed, and hand down his example to another generation."

IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE OF A LITTLE BOY.
IKE a wee timid birdie flown back to its nest,
Our darling hath entered the fold of the blest;
With Christ, the good Shepherd, for ever to be,
Who said, Let the little ones come unto Me.
Oh, bird of bright promise! so timelessly torn
From the strong parent stem in thy life's dewy morn,
How fain would affection have lavished her store,
To ward off the summons she lives to deplore!

And yet, all is well; for we know that in love
Our dear one is taken to mansions above,

To be with the Saviour, and aid the glad throng
In swelling eternity's rapturous song.

Sweet child of two summers, we bid thee farewell!
Though grief for a season our bosoms may swell,
We hope to rejoin thee one day in the skies,

Where youth never sickens and age never dies. M. M.

"WHERE ARE THE NINE?"-See how the majority of people act after Christ has blessed them. There are ten lepers going to be inspected by the health officer at Jerusalem, when, by one flash of miraculous power from the heart of Christ, their sores dry up; their feet, that could not touch the ground without pain, become transilient; their faces, which were written all over with hieroglyphics of disease, become the pictures of intelligence and health. Oh, how thankful they will be! They will say: "Where is Christ? I must rush into His presence with loud acclaim. I must tell everybody about this cure. What can I do for this Physician that has cured my leprosy?" No, they go on; only one of the ten turns back to give God the glory. No wonder that, while Jesus lovingly acknowledged the grateful behaviour of the one man, He flung His disapprobation and indignation at all the rest, crying: "Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?" Well, it is just so now.

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LOVE AND TRUST.

Y little one comes at the close of day,
When the shadows are falling fast and grey;
And, "Take me, mamma," then coaxes she,
"For I am as tired as I can be!"

Turning, I gaze with a mother's pride
At the little wee pleader at my side,
Who has come to her mother's arms for rest,
And knows no fold save her mother's breast.
And there while the twilight is falling fast,
Holding us both in its gloom at last,
My little one slumbers upon my arm,
With never a dream of grief or harm;
And the childish trust in a mother's love
Leads my thoughts to the world above,
Where a Father waiteth to welcome all
Who will turn to Him when the shadows fall.
And as my little one comes to me,
Pleading, "I'm tired as I can be,"
So must we all, with the same sad prayer,
Ask to be taken to God's own care.
My little child reaches her arms to me:
Oh, God, I would lift my own to Thee!
Oh, grant that I sink in as sweet repose
When the shadows of death around me close!

CHILDLESS CHURCHES.

T should not be so. It must not be so. God ever has been, and ever is, ready to bless all suitable means for the conversion of children. And when converted-however young-they should be taken into and have the watch-care and help of some Church. Our little Church here may be called "The Children's Church." At the organisation, one

little boy was among the original members. And since then our Sunday-school children from time to time have come to Christ, and have been received to the Church. At one time we received three German children. At another time one (my little daughter). At another time six-the youngest not eight years old. And this month a number of the "little ones" have given their hearts to Jesus, and we expect more and more will come to Christ. We labour and pray for their conversion, not only in the Sunday school, but in monthly " children's meetings," and frequently preach a sermon especially for them.

Most emphatically do we believe in the conversion of children. It is unspeakably more easy to lead children-young children-to Christ and train them up in the Christian life than older persons. Those that seek Me early shall find Me." Let us believe they can be converted, and labour for it.

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G. T.

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