am!"

corners of our land are going forth this Sabbath morning with this one sacred object in view? Some plying their hallowed task in the crowed lanes of the dark city, some like me in the happier retreats of rural life: perhaps none quite so blessed as I And she looked around with a loving eye upon the scenes among which her childhood had been nurtured, and which were blending imperceptibly with all the thoughts and feelings of her ripening age, forming a storehouse of bright thoughts and memories, of holy and happy recollections, to which she might revert in after life, when its active duties, and perhaps sad realities, should come upon her in all their overwhelming power. "What verse shall I learn for you to-day, Ellen ?" said little Charlie as they sat at the breakfast table. "The ninth verse of the last chapter of Galatians, Charlie."

"Are you going to the school this morning, Ellen ? I thought you said last night you should stay at home."

"So I did, Charlie, but I have changed my mind since then; and I must not linger," said she, as she tenderly kissed him, "for the nine o'clock bell is ringing, and I must not be late."

"I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God.' There is my text for to-day," said Ellen, as with her Bible in her hand she entered the porch of the village school-house. And whether she was permitted to realize on earth the fruit of her labours or no, the promise had long since gone forth, by One who cannot lie, "Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."-Tract Magazine.

A PROFITABLE VISIT.

WE sat musing, a few days since, over the history of God's afflictive dealings with us and ours for a few years past. Though judgment proclaimed that it was all right, yet the feeling would occasionally obtrude itself, that others had been more favourably dealt by whose claims were not greater than our own. We banished such thoughts as suggestions of "the wicked one," but still the mind would revert to the odious comparison.

A gentle knock at the door aroused us from our reverie. A neat, but poorly clad little girl entered, and stated that her mother desired us to visit her father, who was sick. We followed her to the humble abode. As we entered, we were met by the mother with a grateful smile. Her countenance betokened cheerfulness and calm resignation, though care had marked its furrows down her cheeks. There was but a single apartment occupied by the parents and four interesting children. Every thing in it bore the air of neatness and order, but of extreme poverty. The father was stretched upon a bed of disease, which he had occupied for some weeks. The mother was engaged in trimming hats, for which she said, she received three shillings per dozen; for making shirts, two shillings each; and for pantaloons, one shilling. Her needle was the main resource of the family for a support. Whilst she plied it, she gave a short history of herself and family. She was the daughter of Presbyterian parents, and was herself a member of a church in a distant city. She spoke with enthusiasm

of the many happy hours she had spent, in her girlish days, in the Sabbath school, and Bible class, and in the company of the pastor's daughters, who have, some of them since, married men of distinction, and are now occupying high places in society. She then spoke of her own happy union with the man of her choice, an humble but industrious mechanic; how Providence had blessed and prospered them, until a few months since disease had fastened upon him, and rendered him, to a great extent, incapable of labour."Still, however," she added," "he can teach the children, and do some kinds of work, and that enables me to devote most of my time to my work, so that we have got along without any assistance thus far." We inquired, "Do you never feel like murmuring at the dispensations of Providence towards you?" The tears rolled down her cheeks, as she exclaimed, "O no! Our heavenly Father is very, very kind to us; just as we have begun to feel that we were about to come to want, he has always provided a way of supplying our necessities. We have had many kind friends raised up, who have thrown work in our way, so that we have always been comfortable, and we now hope that Mr will soon be well enough to commence business again." We proffered them, in as delicate a way as we knew how, pecuniary aid, which they both promptly declined, promising, however, if it should ever become absolutely necessary, they would let me know. We also proposed to take one of the children, and see that she was educated and provided for. The mother replied, "You cannot understand a mother's affection. They love each other, and are all very good and obedient to me, and I do not wish to separate any of them from the others, or their father and mother." After reading the Scriptures, and enforcing their precious promises, and praying with them, we left, with very different views of God's goodness to us and ours, from those which had forced. themselves upon our mind prior to the visit. We could but feel humbled at the thought, that this woman, in what the world would regard as such deep affliction, could still, apparently so sincerely, express gratitude to God for his goodness to herself and family; whilst we, who had enjoyed so many countless thousand mercies, had still been unable to hush to entire silence a repining spirit. Verily, it is better to go to the house of affliction than to the house of feasting and mirth. If any of our readers should ever find a murmuring spirit creeping over them, as they muse over the ills and sorrows which they are called to endure-and "each heart knoweth its own bitterness "-we advise them to shake it off, by rousing up, and going out into the highways and byways, and searching out and relieving some of the sons and daughters of affliction and want, of which the towns and cities are so full. If they continue at home, and brood over their afflictions, and contrast their condition only with the more highly favoured portions of society, they will be very apt to find that a feeling is creeping over them, whatever their judgments may say, that God is dealing hardly by them. But let them shake off their ennui, and go out and see how much sorrow and suffering there is in the world, and go to work and relieve it, and they will come back wiser, happier, and better men and women, and the world will be a happier and better place for their having lived in it.

ELIZABETH AND HER MOTHER.

"I was quite surprised, mamma," said Elizabeth, as with her mother she was returning homewards, after a call which they had been making in a neighbouring

village; "I was quite surprised to find that Miss Myles lived in so small a house. I thought we were going to a beautiful place, like Hartlands."

"I did not say so, my dear;" quietly returned Mrs Owen.

"No, mamma; but I expected it, because I have heard that Miss Myles has a great deal of money to spend as she pleases; and, of course, I supposed that she would have lived in a very nice house."

"You are difficult to please," said Mrs Owen, with a smile. "I think that Miss Myles's cottage is remarkably pretty, besides being in a most delightful situation."

"Oh yes!" answered Elizabeth, "it is very well for a cottage; but I thought there would be spacious grounds, and a handsome entrance. Then did you notice how plainly she was dressed ? "

"I must confess," said Mrs Owen," that I did not observe Miss Myles's dress so particularly as you seem to have done; but I was much struck with the neatness and pleasing simplicity of her appearance."

"She looked like a lady, certainly," said Elizabeth; "but still, mamma, do you not think that, if she has so much money, she ought to live in a larger house, and have more expensive furniture, and wear better clothes?"

"I do not think," replied Mrs Owen, "that Miss Myles is rich enough to purchase these things, without giving up other objects which she regards as much more important."

"What objects do you mean, mamma ?" "Miss Myles is very kind and charitable, and does much good amongst the poor people of the village, many of whom look to her as their best earthly friend. She is also a liberal supporter of several benevolent institutions, both for our own country and for distant lands. All this could not be done with her income, if she were to indulge in needless luxuries."

Then, mamma, do you think it wrong to live in a house like Hartlands, and to have carriages, and servants, and beautiful gardens, and all other delightful things?"

"Certainly not, my dear; provided such is the station in life which God has appointed to an individual, and if the claims of duty are carefully attended to, and the poor remembered and assisted as they ought to be. Provided also, I should add, that the heart is not set upon these earthly possessions, nor the soul endangered by love of the world, and forgetfulness of God. I will now, my dear, try if I can reconcile you to Miss M.'s small house, and simple attire. And here," continued Mrs Owen, stopping to tap at a cottage door, "I may, perhaps, obtain some assistance towards this end from a person whom I have known for many years."

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that the sick woman, though greatly afflicted, was in possession of that "good hope through grace," which makes all earthly sorrows light, Mrs Owen purposely mentioned the name of Miss Myles. Immediately the poor woman's countenance brightened with an expression of gratitude and pleasure. She spoke of her as the kind friend who had first told her of a Saviour, had read to her of his dying love, and prayed that she might be a partaker of his pardoning mercy. It was Miss Myles, too, who had provided her with a comfortable lodging, in the abode of pious cottagers; and who, now that her last days were approaching, had sent for her daughter from a distant service, to wait upon her, and supply all her wants. Ever since the time when she was left a distressed and ailing widow, with a young family dependent upon her for support, Miss Myles had pitied and befriended her. "The Lord alone can reward her," said the poor woman, "for all that she has done for me and mine." After some further conversation, it became time for Elizabeth and her mother to leave the cottage.

Mrs Owen perceived that an impression had been made upon her daughter's mind; but before Elizabeth could remark upon what she had heard, they again stopped at a little low-roofed building, and lifting the latch, the door opened, and several rows of smiling healthy-looking children met their sight. It was the village school, established and supported by Miss Myles, who gave to it, not only money, but a considerable portion of her time and attention.

sums.

Elizabeth looked at the work of the little needlewomen, and examined their copy-books, and their Some of the older girls then read a portion of Scripture, upon which they were afterwards questioned by the governess, and their answers showed that they had been carefully instructed in the way of eternal life. Mrs Owen pointed out to Elizabeth the value and importance of such an education to the children of the poor, as fitting them for the duties of their station, and, above all, teaching them to seek, through divine grace, for the pardon of their sins, and their everlasting happiness in a world to come. Elizabeth was interested and delighted with all that she saw; and left the school with evident reluctance, and a hope that they might shortly visit it again.

"Now, my dear," said Mrs Owen, after a short silence," can you forgive Miss Myles for living in a small house, and for choosing to wear a plainer dress than the housekeeper at Hartlands?"

"Oh mamma!" replied Elizabeth, with tears in her eyes, "I am quite ashamed of the disdainful thoughts that were in my mind while you were talking to her this morning. Dear, kind Miss Myles! I little knew the good that she was doing with her money."

they had been wasting their lives upon. Their giggle and talk had caught no elevation of tone or worth of meaning from all the thought and passion through which they had been whirling their giddy fancies. They had managed both to miss the advantage and escape the risk of taking in much of any thing good for evil, by always reading in the spasm of a hysterical paroxysm, which affected them in the body and mind very much as the hooping-cough affects a child-the nerves vehemently shaken, muscles in an earthquake, the lungs worked to exhaustion, flushed cheeks, and a sharp appetite; and so prepared for the next attack. Their mother sometimes complained, sometimes boasted that they were "such great readers," and the poor girls treated themselves to the innocent delusion that they lived all the time in the land of romance; but I never knew any thing happen to any of them, except prattle parties, pic-nics, bad colds. Poor girls! under the steam pressure of sentimentalism, they took a literary railroad ride every day, made up of dash, rush, a little zest of alarm, whirling landscapes, a collection of strange faces, an occasional shriek, or a loud laugh, giddiness, fatigue, and finally the whole is set down at the regular depot, just as every body expected when they took their tickets for the trip. It is amazing how these people can fend off thought so successfully as they do. A girl, naturally clever enough, who had read all Walter Scott's novels in this fashion, knew that "there was a serf and a jester in England in Ivanhoe's time;" but when asked about the feudal system, answered, "that she never bothered her head about politics." This is very deplorable; for the girls are not natural idiots; not any thing like it. They were only novel-readers, and nothing else.

THE SNOW.

"He giveth snow like wool: He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes."-PSALM CXlvii. 16.

"My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of His correction; for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth."-PROVERES iii. 2.

THE winter fields are green with springing corn, Which a pure shroud of snow will soon invest, And cover from our eyes:

Until by vernal airs that robe be torn,

When cereal riches from Earth's teeming breast
Will bounteously arise.

If on thy firstling energies there chance
A check, a chill, a blight, and a surprise,
Despond not, but be still.

That winter comes to strengthen and enhance
The life, the love that in thy spirit lies,

And bend thee to God's will.-Pietas Metrica.

POWER OF AN OLD BIBLE. THE following pleasing incident is given in a letter of one of Dr Pinkerton's correspondents in Germany:

In 1823, my eldest brother, a merchant in Memel, came home to his dinner one day, and said to his wife :-"You must not be astonished to see a very large Bible brought into the house this afternoon; I have been buying it at auction. In passing through the street I perceived some young men laughing aloud at the foolish idea of expecting any one to bid for an old Bible. The want of respect vexed me, and I

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stepped forward and offered a good price; no one else bidding, I naturally am become the proprietor of the Bible: but I have had the satisfaction to see these young men withdraw, ashamed of their jokes at the expense of God's holy Word."

The large volume came to the house, and for weeks was found in the way of every person in the diningroom, where it had been deposited. It could never find a convenient corner, and no one thought of opening it.

At last one of the younger brothers of the proprietor discovered that Luther's Introduction to the Epistle to the Romans had been printed before that Epistle, and that the work contained many other explanations, taken from the writings of Luther and others. It was in fact, not the Word of God alone, but a valuable edition of the Bible, with commentaries for the use of families. Luther's name first attracted the attention of the young man, who, from curiosity, became desirous of reading something written by the Reformer himself.

He read, and read, and understood what he read. After finishing the Introduction, he read the Epistle to the Romans; his eyes were opened to the leading truths of revealed religion-sin, law, grace, holiness, &c., and the young man, who had often before endeavoured to read the Bible, and wondered how little he understood of its holy contents, had now found the key to the divine volume. He likewise understood that it had now become his duty to spread the knowledge of that book in the world.

He went to Königsberg, and commenced the labourous study of German theology under the late Dr Olshausen, and has ever since looked back to that most wonderful event as the beginning of many a blessing that has since, by his preaching in various countries and languages, been brought by the Word of God into the hearts of perishing sinners.

We will only allude to one fact more, that eight young men, who belonged to his small congregation at Strasburg, are now preparing for the gospel ministry as missionaries in South Africa.

NOT KNOWING JESUS.

It is not spoken in censure of Mary, that on meeting the risen Lord, she "knew not that it was Jesus." It might be that it was dark; or that her eyes were purposely "holden;" but whatever it was, the lack of recognition was owing to no culpable indifference nor thoughtlessness. She could think of nothing else. While yet it was dark, she had risen to pay her tearful visit to the tomb where all her hopes were centred. It was not indifference to the Lord that could induce her to brave the insult or violence of the soldier guards; nor that extorted the mournful cry, "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him." "Last at the cross, and first at the sepulchre," piety and affection were never more sweetly and touchingly blended than in the heart and life of the mother of Jesus.

And when at length she recognised the well-known voice, with what reverent ecstasy her response was given, Rabboni! How cheerfully she bore to the disciples the welcome news of the Lord's resurrection.

Would to God that all of us had as guiltless a reason for "not knowing Jesus." He comes often