suffering he had experienced, I was afraid he would have a painful struggle at the last. Silently, but most fervently, I prayed to the Lord that, if it was his will, he might die easy and tranquil. And I believe the Lord heard the prayer and answered it; for twenty minutes or more before he died, I don't think he had any pain. He was placed on his aunt's knees, I stood by his side, took hold of his little hand, silently gazed on his pale face, and prayed to the Lord to relieve his pain, and when his spirit left the body to take it to heaven. His pain soon left him, his breathing gradually became more easy, till at length the last pulse beat, the last breath was drawn, and his spirit departed. But, oh, it was so silently, so gently, so peacefully; not a moan, not a sigh, not even a twitching of the flesh, not the least motion that indicated pain or uneasiness.

"His eyes grew dim, and dimmer still,

And closed without a cloud.

They set as sets the morning star, which goes
Not down behind the darkened west, nor hides
Obscured among the tempests of the sky,

But melts away into the light of heaven.'

Thus did William die: 'twas a scene that angels might gaze upon with delight; and I could almost imagine I saw those holy beings bending with delight over his dying body, anxious to convey his spirit to their happy home. Joy and grief were in my heart together, and when, the following Lord's day,

"I saw the black pall o'er his coffin extended,

Though I wept, yet they were not the tear-drops of woe;
The prayer of my soul that in fervour ascended,

Was, Lord, when thou callest, like him may I go !"

I can only say, in conclusion, repent of your sins, and leave them off-love Jesus Christ, and obey his commandments-love your bible, and do what it tells you-love prayer, and pray often. May you all die the death of the righteous, and may your last end be like his!

Melbourne, Derbyshire.

J. H. W.

THE SLEEPING FLOWER.

On the Death of a Little Girl aged Three years.

ONCE this pretty little flower
Grew within its parents' bower,
Every leaf was fresh and fair,
Nurtured by parental care.
Often they this flower caressed,
Frequent to their bosom prest,
In their fond embrace it hung,
Round their heart its tendrils clung;
Pleased they saw the bud expand,
Reared by kind and gentle hand,
Fondly hoped the time would come
When the flower would fully bloom.
But, alas! the hope was vain,
Nothing could the flower retain ;
Death, in passing o'er the bower,
Nipt the pretty little flower.

Like the plants by winter bound,
Slumbering underneath the ground,
Waiting for reviving spring,

Leaves, and buds, and flowers to bring,
So this frail and fragile flower,
Borrowed from its parent's bower,
Spends its winter in the tomb,
Waiting for the spring to come.
Yet a little while, and then
We shall see this flower again.
When the earth shall yield the dead
In her darksome caverns laid,
Then this little flower shall rise
To the garden of the skies;
There unfold its beauteous bloom,
Where no deathly blight can come.
Oh, how lovely then this flower
In that never-fading bower;
Planted safe in yonder skies,
'Midst the flowers of Paradise.

Fenny Stratford.

T. C.

AWFUL THUNDER STORM.

"The God that rules on high,
And thunders when he please;
That rides upon the stormy sky,
And manages the seas-

This awful God is ours,

Our Father and our love;

He will send down his heavenly powers,
To carry us above."

HAPPY they who can sit and sing this song of faith and love when awful storms are raging around them!

The summer of 1846 was remarkable for great heat, followed by dreadful storms of thunder and lightning. One of these storms passed over the town of Leicester, on Saturday evening, August 1.

In the afternoon black clouds were seen gathering in the distance, and frequent thunder was heard-all portending a heavy storm.

About six o'clock the rain began to fall in heavy showers, attended by thunder and lightning, which lasted for about an hour, and then seemed to be passing away.

In about half an hour, the clouds which had passed over appeared as if returning to meet and join another storm, which seemed to be approaching. These, together, formed an awful and tremendous array. The rain now fell in torrents, and the gutters and streets were flooded.

But the lightning and thunder were such as are seldom seen and heard in this country. One dazzling flash of electric fluid was discharged a little after eight o'clock-the flash of the lightning and the report of the thunder coming both together. Oh it was terrific! It seemed as if some tremendous power had crashed the whole town to atoms. Many screamed from involuntary terror.