young friends with a beautiful chromographic Frontispiece, in illustration of an incident relating to a very important subject, contained in an article entitled "The Child's Fortune Told" (p. 264). h The Editors take this opportunity to express their gratification at the repeated assurances received, that the young readers, for whose especial benefit this magazine is intended, highly appreciate both the matter and the spirit provided for them in its pages, and that they continue to look forward, with much anticipated pleasure, for the appearance of each monthly number. The encouragement of this feeling by parents would greatly help to increase the circulation, and consequently promote the useful ness, of THE FRIEND OF YOUTH. When it i considered of how great service such a mediu may be made for introducing the great truths the church to the juvenile mind, it might concluded that parents would gladly avail themselves of it. It is to our children we must look, under Providence, for the future of the church, and the sooner they are made familiar with its precepts, and are taught to reduce them to practice, the more firmly will they be fixed in the mind, and realized in the life. The thanks of the Editors are again sincerely offered to the several contributors who, by their kindly aid, have greatly helped to lighten the labour of love bestowed in the conduct of this periodical, and assisted considerably in making it so attractive and serviceable to its numerous readers. In proceeding with their pleasing duty, the Editors trust to be favoured with the continued aid of the Members of the Church, both as contributors and patrons. ed that parents would gladly avail themof it. It is to our children we must nder Providence, for the future of the and the sooner they are made familiar precepts, and are taught to reduce them tice, the more firmly will they be fixed in nd, and realized in the life. thanks of the Editors are again sincerely to the several contributors who, by their aid, have greatly helped to lighten the of love bestowed in the conduct of this cal, and assisted considerably in making tractive and serviceable to its numerous roceeding with their pleasing duty, the s trust to be favoured with the continued he Members of the Church, both as cons and patrons. CROOKED THINGS STRAIGHTENED. A SERMON FOR CHILDREN. "That which is crooked cannot be made straight."Ecclesiastes i. 15. All Born with Crooked Hearts.-Bible-Proofs of Crooked Hearts-Proofs Without the Bible.-Trees Known by their Fruits-Different kind Crooked Tree. Schools.-The 2 HIS text does not mean that no crooked thing can ever be straightened, for we all know, very well, that this is not true. It is easy enough to straighten some crooked things. Here, for instance, is a piece of paper. I can take it in my hand, till there is not one straight piece in it, as big and squeeze and crumple it all up, as your little-finger nail. And then I can spread NO. XXV.-VOL. III. it out on the table, and smooth it down, and make it just as straight again as ever it was. Or here is a piece of dough, or a bit of clay. I can roll it out, and twist it round, till it is as crooked as a ram's horn. Now, if I put it into the oven, and bake it, while it is in this state, why, then our text will apply to it, and "that which is crooked cannot be made straight." But before it gets thus hardened, I can take and roll it out, between the palms of my hand, and make it as smooth and straight as I want it to be. And just so if I take a tender willow-twig, I can wind it round my finger like a thread; then I can unwind it again, and it will come out as straight as ever. But let that willow-twig remain crooked, while it is growing, for five or ten years, and then you may write on it the words of our text; for "that which is crooked cannot be made straight." Now, God is compared, in the Bible, to a potter, and his people to clay. God compares himself to a gardener, and his people to plants or trees, which he has planted. And as it is true of clay and of trees, that if you begin at the right time, and take proper pains, you can straighten what is crooked in them, so it is true of boys and girls. And as it is true of clay, and trees, that if you let the one get baked, or the other grow old, while it is crooked, you cannot straighten it, just so it is true of boys and girls. How very important, then, it is, for us to know what there is crooked |