still his helper, and he had the firm assurance that "when heart and flesh should fail," the Lord would still be the strength of his heart, and his portion for ever. His domestic concerns were arranged in a calm frame of mind,-his house "set in order,"'-as a solemn duty, which he owed to those whom he must shortly leave for a little while. "As for me," said he, "I am resting on the Rock of ages, which can never be moved." To a friend, who asked him how it was with him, he said, he had not one misgiving as to his state, not one anxious thought about the future; all was well; he had long trusted his Saviour, and he knew that his Redeemer lived, and "was able to keep that which he had committed to Him against that day." His conversations, with his pastor and with other Christian friends, all tended to show his happy state of mind. As he had all through his Christian course loved to sing the

Songs of Zion," so it was during his last illness; and when unable to take part in the exercise, he still took delight in hearing it. On one occasion, and in a time of great weakness, he said he had a strong desire to sing

"Jerusalem, my happy home,

Name ever dear to me;

When shall my labours have an end, In joy and peace and thee ?" That hymn was sung for him by a number of his young friends, when he was quite overcome, and wept for joy. At another time, when in

great bodily pain, with faith in lively exercise, he looked up and said, "Rock of ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in thee." He was like a shock of corn fully ripe, ready to be gathered into the garner of the Lord. In patience he was waiting the appointed time till his glorious change should come; he knew that for him to live had been Christ, and that to die would be gain. He fell asleep in Jesus, December 15th, 1859. His end was peace.

66 They die in Jesus and are blest,

How kind their slumbers are! From suffering and from sin released, And freed from every snare." His remains were followed to the tomb by a large concourse of those Christian brethren with whom he had long and honourably laboured. "Devout men carried him to his burial, and made lamentation over him," for the loss the church militant had sustained by the removal of "a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

On Sunday, January 9th, 1860, the solemn event was improved in a sermon by his pastor, the Rev. T. Green, M.A., from the words, "He is a good man," to a large and deeplyinterested congregation.

May the mantle of Elijah fall upon Elisha; may that spirit of Christian earnestness which animated the breast of the departed saint, rest upon the young men who are rising up to fill the places of those who are being called to their rest and their reward! J. FRANCE.

Ryecroft, Ashton, April, 1860.

No feature in the face of a child is lovelier than the lips, with rows of pearly teeth playing hide and seek behind them. But ah, sometimes mouths which look like rosebuds send forth words unfit for a mother's ear-unfit for the ear of Heaven! Some boys, who would not dare to take God's name in vain, say what is coarse and bad, forgetting that this, also, is sin.

We knew an old lady, who, many years ago, taught a little private school. Her heart was pure, and therefore her words were sweet. She loved the Saviour, and cared most tenderly for the lambs of His fold. She seemed to live in the little children's world, rejoicing and suffering with them. She had always something pleasant to say, and a flower or a kiss to give; so that the scholars loved the school-house next best to "mother's room " at home.

They never had to be sent to school, but ran off cheerfully before nine o'clock, that they might speak to her before the little bell rang. She believed what Solomon said about the "rod of correction;" but, in some way, she got along without using it very often. Once her heart was deeply wounded by hearing that a little fellow had spoken unclean words when out at play. When forced to punish very little ones, she used to take them on her lap to do it; but, as Master Charlie was nine years old, she called him to stand before her. Taking both his hands between her own, and looking into his blue eyes, she asked, "Have you been using wicked words to-day, my dear?"

"I didn't swear," whimpered Charlie.

"Are you willing to go home, and repeat all you have said in your mother's presence?"

Charlie hung his head, coloured deeply, and whispered, "No, ma'am, because it would grieve her."

"And have you forgotten, my

dear boy, that One who is far holier than she, and who loves you better than she can, has heard in heaven the naughty words which came from those little lips to-day? I am afraid there is something unclean in your heart; but, as I cannot reach that myself, I will ask Jesus to do it. I can reach your lips; and, as I am sure they are not fit to give your mother the 'good-night kiss,' nor to say your prayers, I will cleanse them for you." She then took from her desk a bowl of water, a tiny bit of soap, and a small sponge, and, bidding Charlie open his mouth, she washed it well-teeth, tongue, lips, and all! She then wiped them dry with a soft napkin, and bathed his tear-stained face, on which she pressed the kiss of forgiveness. This simple punishment, and the real sorrow of her who inflicted it, made a deep impression on the minds of all her scholars.

Charlie is now almost a man; but never, since that day, has an impure word escaped his lips. At the very thought of such a word he says he fancies that he tastes soap; and that he hears again the gentle rebuke of his first teacher.

Blessed now is she-the pure in heart-for she sees God as He is, and hears only the words of triumphant praise in the sweet land of heaven.

church, he saw that it was open, and determined to enter in and pray there; for his mother's dwelling was so small and crowded that he was never able to say his prayers quite alone. So he went into the church, not knowing that any one was there; he knelt down in the middle aisle and said the following prayer :

"Dear Father in heaven, we children have nothing left to eat. Our mother has no food in the house for us, and without thy help we must all starve. O Lord, help us. Thou art rich and powerful, and to thee it is an easy thing to help us. Thou hast promised to do so, therefore now fulfil thy word."

So prayed Christian with childlike simplicity, and then went to school. On his return home he saw the cloth laid for dinner, and bread, meat, eggs and rice temptingly spread upon the table.

"Thank God," said little Christian, when he saw it. "He has heard my prayer. Mother, did a beautiful angel bring these things for us?"

66

No," replied the widow, "but God has sent them in answer to your prayers. When you were in church you thought no one saw you but God; but there was a lady sitting in one of the pews, and she heard you pray, and saw you through the lattice-work on the other side of the pew. She sent us our feast; she the angel whom God raised up to help us. Now let us ask His blessing

A FRENCHMAN'S RELIGION. DR. THOMPSON, in his letters from France, relates the following as an illustration of the free, easy, goodnatured religion of the French :

"Now," said a Frenchman, as we sat down together in his carriage, "I must confess to you I am a Catholic. I cross myself, I say my prayers, I go to mass and to confession, I teach my children to do so

too. I do all this because my father did, and it does no harm-it does good; when I am well, it makes me better; when I am afflicted, it makes me less afflicted.

"You are a Protestant; you say I am wrong-the bread is not flesh, and the wine is not blood, but God can do all things. Will He make such a transformation? What says His Word? I do not know, the priest does, and he says the Bible teaches this doctrine. It is not my