only are offensive to others, but become themselves more liable to disease. Soap is generally used in addition to water, because it has the property of dissolving the dirt, which the water then more easily

JOHN THOMAS WILLIS, aged 13 years.

Our Correspondents' Page.

A Birmingham boy writes to us:

Entering the shop to purchase some school books, I saw lying on the counter your number, which I bought. When I had read it, I procured the two back numbers, and was so pleased with them, and the examples set by other boys and girls. that I resolved to try what I could do.

M. J. B. Bennett, who is a farmer's son, sends us some verses, which describe what he does during the day. He first milks the cows, then feeds the hens, ducks, and geese :

The poultry fed, so much is o'er,
And I go to the sheep-pen door,

And watch each hornéd cow come out,

To go and drink at the clear spout;

And after they return each day,

I give to each a feed of hay;

Then I mount on my horse's back,

I do whistle, and my whip crack.

After feeding the donkey, and giving the calves some hay and water, he ends his day's work with attending to the pigs.

Then I go out to feed each pig,

And see if he is growing big;

Him I should like, but he's so rough,
And always puts his feet in his trough.

This is not at all bad for a first attempt, and the young poet should try again, and see what he can do. Charley Saunders sends us a "tale of temper." He uses, however, such an immense sheet of paper, that it is not at all convenient to be printed from.

Lucy Cottrill writes: "I am glad to say that we have got another class-room to our school, which we find to answer very well both with respect to health and convenience." We quite agree with Lucy; and it is our firm opinion that education in England will not get much better till there is a good teacher for every class, and a separate room for him to teach in.

The ballad, entitled "Wooden Walls and Ironclads" would be better if reduced one-half, and that more carefully put together. As it is, it is hardly suitable for our columns.

THE YOUNG SCHOLAR.

MAY, 1872.

Lay Sermons.

No. 3.-ON PATIENCE.

God is a righteous Judge; strong and patient.-Book of Psalms.

E all have a natural liking for strength; if a man is strong, it is a fact that fills him with pride and satisfaction. It is not altogether wrong for us to seek strength; we ought all of us to try and be as strong as God has made us..

But there are two kinds of strength-rash, violent strength; and patient, sustained strength. The highest order of strength is that which God Himself possesses-strength used with patience. "God is strong and patient." Each young scholar who reads this paragraph has some degree of strength; but is he or she strong and patient? If every man in the world were as patient as he is strong, there would be more good done in the world, and less evil and misery existing in it.

Let us take one instance of a strong and patient man, and one instance of a strong and patient people. The man Moses was the meekest and most patient man of all the men then living in the

world. How often did the children of Israel murmur against him! How they raised factions against him to depose him from his high position as judge and prophet! A weak, impatient man would have left them to follow their own vain counsels, and perish in the wilderness. But, like the God he served, Moses was a man strong and patient.

The Romans were a people strong and patient. When they conquered Britain, they set to work building towns and making roads in a quiet, gradual manner; and we are at the present day reaping the fruit of their wisdom. They first visited the island 55 B.C., and it was nearly a hundred years after before it was finally subdued. A weak, impatient nation would have hastily conquered the people, and then left them alone; but the Romans were a people strong and patient, and therefore were the greatest race that have existed in the world up to this time present.

The result of this patience is that it allows men to use their strength with wisdom and justice. Because God is strong and patient, He is a righteous Judge. If He were strong but not patient, He would not be just. More than all things, therefore, we should try to obtain this patience in using our strength. If men were patient, and would only wait to see if it were wise to do the things they set their hearts upon, their strength would not be so often utterly wasted as it is.

A boy learning his lessons should try to be strong and patient; a girl employed at her needlework should try to be strong and patient. When a boy is challenged to fight, and called a coward because he refuses, he can console himself with the reflection that he has been strong and patient—far stronger than if he had yielded to the taunt and fought. In fact we should all learn to bind up the two words in our minds, and keep repeating them to ourselves evermore- strong and patient," "strong and patient."

The full text of this verse is: "God is a righteous judge, strong and patient, and God is provoked every day." Yes, there is no doubt of it; every day men blaspheme His holy Name, and disobey His most dreadful laws. Yet, because He is strong and patient, "He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Yet there will be a time when men will find that though God is patient,

He is very strong; and that the more they abuse His patience, the more will they some time feel His strength.

In this way all young scholars may try to be strong and patient when provoked and irritated, and use their strength as a means of obtaining patience. It is not easy to be patient when we are provoked; but if we are strong, and have made up our minds to do so, the God of all patience will not be wanting in His help.

When deep within our swelling hearts
The thoughts of pride and anger rise,
When bitter words are on our tongues
And tears of passion in our eyes;

"Then we may stay the angry blow,
Then we may check the hasty word,
Give gentle answers back again,
And fight a battle for our Lord."

Sir Thomas More.

IN TWO PARTS.

PART II.

ENRY THE EIGHTH, about this time, began pressing Sir Thomas More to acknowledge that it would be lawful for him to marry Anne Boleyn. The Chancellor fell on his knees, and reminded the king of his own words when he placed in his hands the great seal-"First look upon God, and after God upon me"-and he declared that he was not able to break that command by declaring what his conscience told him was wrong. The king stated that he was content to accept his service without this acknowledgment, but More too well knew the factions of the court to think that he should be left in peace. He therefore gave up his position as Lord Chancellor; and instead of being richer than he was before he was promoted to that high office, he was much poorer.

His wife, like many other women, was fond of titles, and delighted in hearing her husband called "My Lord." On the morning after he had resigned the great seal, Sir Thomas went