there are servants to help to do the work: all these dwell in one house; they sleep beneath one roof; they eat the same bread; they kneel down together and praise God, every night and every morning, with one voice; they are very closely united, and are dearer to each other than any strangers. If one is sick, they mourn together; and if any one is happy, they rejoice together. Many houses are built together; many families live near one another; they meet together on the green, and in pleasant walks, and to buy and sell, and in the house of justice; and the sound of the bell calleth them to the house of God, in company. If one is poor, his neighbour helpeth him; if he is sad, he comforteth him. This is a village see where it stands enclosed in a green shade, and the tall spire peeps above the trees. If there be very many houses, it is a town-it is governed by a magistrate. Many towns, and a large extent of country, make a kingdom; it is enclosed by mountains; it is divided by rivers; it is washed by seas; the inhabitants thereof are countrymen; they speak the same language; they make war and peace together a king is the ruler thereof. Many kingdoms and countries full of people, S and islands, and large continents, and different climates, make up this whole world-God governeth it. The people swarm upon the face of it like ants upon a hillock; some are black with the hot sun; some cover themselves with furs against the sharp cold; some drink of the fruit of the vine; some of the pleasant milk of the cocoa-nut; and others quench their thirst with the running stream. All are God's family; He knoweth every one of them, as a shepherd knoweth his flock; they pray to Him in different languages, but He understandeth them all; He heareth them all; He taketh care of all: none are so great, that He cannot punish them; none are so mean, that He will not protect them. Psalm cxlv. 15, 16, 18, 19.—The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them. PART OF MRS. BARBAULD'S HYMN, 11. Look at the milky way,-it is a field of brightness; its pale light is composed of myriads of burning suns. All these are God's families; He gives the sun to shine with a ray of His own glory; He marks the path of the planets, He guides their wanderings through the sky, and traces out their orbit with the finger of his power. GOD'S FAMILIES. What wondrous love, what wondrous care, And whether joy or woe befall Thou lovest them each-Thou lovest them all. The flowers unfolding glorious hues, The grasses bathed in morning dews, Thou carest for each-Thou carest for all. The lowliest reptile of the ground, The insect tribe upon the wing, The birds that in the forest sing, Have each their home, have each their nest, And each is cared for, and is blest! Our Father watches over all, And sees if e'en a sparrow fall. And man, endowed above the rest, The young, the old, the weak, the strong, Oh, how can we e'er hope to prove LESSON XXII. TO SERVE GOD OUR PRIVILEGE. "The Temple of Education," Part I, chapter 5, lesson iii.-Also, "Agathos; or, The Whole Armour of God," by Samuel Wilberforce, M.A., Archdeacon of Surrey. IN the morning, the wish was still strong in Bertha's heart to do something for her mother, in return for all her never-tiring love and kindness. She felt that nothing she could do could repay it all, but still she longed to do something; it was the strongest wish she had, and she thought over many plans, but could not determine about it; so when she saw that Walter was busy learning his lessons, she got up, and, putting her hand on her mother's shoulder, said earnestly, "Mother! dear mother! I want to do something for you ;what can I do? Can't I help you in your household work? or do something to earn money for |