be long spared and encouraged to comprising this book are sung, are continue his work in behalf of this abridgments from the popular work class of the community. Not many by the Rev. R. Newton; and the men, engrossed daily with the cares music and hymns are from a variety of business, could give such a good of sources. The giants described are account of their leisure hours as this Heathenism, Selfishness, Covetousvolume does of Mr. West's. ness, Ill-Temper, and Intemperance. Those who have had to do with the management of a "service of song," especially with the training and rehearsal meetings, do not need to be told of the value of this method of fixing upon the heart and memory the most important lessons. We are glad to see them becoming more and more common; but, if the publishers of such books want to have a wide sale for them in Scotland, they must send them in the sol-fa as well as in the old or staff notation.

COME AND SEE: A New-Year's Ad-
dress. By the Rev. Andrew A.
Bonar, D.D. Glasgow: Charles
Glass & Co.

MARTYR STORIES: A New-Year's
Address. By J. Forbes Moncrieff.
Glasgow: Charles Glass & Co.
BOTH of these are most excellent
gift-books, each 32 pages, done up in
enamelled stiff covers, for 8/4 per 100,
or 13d. each. Dr. Bonar, as usual,
presents the Gospel in language well
fitted to arrest the attention of the
young; and, the narratives given of
the persecutions of those who have
suffered and died for the cause of
Christ are portions of church history
which young and old should be
familiar with. Our feelings of grati-
tude for the religious freedom we
possess would be greatly deepened if
we were to recall more frequently
the "great price" wherewith such
privileges were secured for us.

THE NATIONAL TEMPERANCE READER. Second Séries, 188 pp., cloth boards: London National Temperance Publication Depôt, 337 Strand, W.C.

OUR Band of Hope chairmen and conductors need have no difficulty in keeping up an interest in their meetings with a volume like this in their possession. It is stored with recitations, readings, dialogues, &c., original and selected. "Jock Armstrong's Dream" is only a specimen THE GIANTS, AND HOW TO FIGHT of a hundred other pieces in verse THEM: a Service of Song. London: and prose. Many of them are the The Book Society, 28 Paternoster composition of the most popular Row, E. C. writers of the day-Canon Farrar, THE words, or readings rather, Dr. B. W. Richardson, J. G. between which the various songs Whittier, Frances R. Havergal, &c.

Intelligence.

GLASGOW SABBATH SCHOOL UNION. -The monthly meeting of Directors was held in the Christian Institute on Monday, 10th December-Sir William Collins, president, occupied the chair. There were 28 directors present. Reports were read from the Western and Govan District Unions. It was resolved that the

query relating to ministers' Bible classes should be deleted from the Statistical Schedule, as there was difficulty in obtaining the returns necessary to give a complete and reliable report of such classes. A few other minor alterations having been made, it was agreed that the schedule be printed and issued immediately

GOVAN SABBATH SCHOOL UNION. This Union met on 26th November, 1883. Present 15-Mr. M. Paterson in the chair. A report was given by the delegates who had attended the Paisley Sabbath School Convention. Interesting reports were also given of visits paid to a number of Sabbath school societies in the district. The chairman gave a state

to all the societies. It was reported | tion reported on the interesting and that the illustrated appeal on behalf profitable nature of the meetings of the Children's Day Refuges had which had been held there. been circulated among the schools of Glasgow and neighbourhood. The matter referred to the Directors from the recent Conference of Teachers with regard to the subject of the "Minor Morals in the Sabbath School," was considered, and it was agreed to remit the matter to a joint committee, to devise some plan of bringing the subject prominently before the young in the various Sab- ment regarding the Model Lesson bath schools of the Union. It was Class, which had been resumed in reported that two classes, to assist the Baptist Church Hall, with an those who intended to take part in attendance of teachers of about 40. the next Teachers' Examinations, | It was reported that the Rev. George would be commenced early in Janu- Gladstone had consented to deliver ary, one for the study of "Chris- the annual sermon in Govan U. P. tian Evidences," and the other for Church, on 2nd December. the study of the "Principles and Methods of Teaching." Full particulars would be given in the advertising pages of the Sabbath School Magazine for January. Mr. Peter B. Bryce having been deputed to attend a joint meeting of the Teachers of Kilsyth, reported regarding his visit, and stated that there was some likelihood of a Sabbath School Union being formed; in fact, the teachers there were already associated for certain Sabbath school purposes. Arrangements were also in progress for deputies to visit other towns to assist in forming local Unions.

WESTERN DISTRICT SABBATH SCHOOL UNION.-This Union met on Monday, the 26th November, 1883. Present, 29 Directors-Mr. Alex. Sloan, president, in the chair. The convener of the committee on Music reported that singing classes in connection with several schools were now formed, and the work of preparation for the competitive examinations was being carried on. It was agreed that this Union co-operate with the North-Western Union in carrying on Model Lesson Classes for Teachers, for the joint benefit of the districts. The delegates to the Paisley Conven

DALREOCH PARISH CHURCH-NEW HALL.-A handsome addition has been made to Dalreoch Church in the form of a new hall, grouped partly on two sides of the church at the north-east corner. It is of the same style of architecture as the churchearly English pointed. The arch of the main doorway is filled in with a stone panel, supported on corbels. On this panel there has been cut in high relief a delicate carving of the "Good Shepherd," the gift of Mr. James M'Lean, monumental works, Dumbarton, and Springburn Road, Glasgow. The work was executed by Mr. John Barron, sculptor, Glasgow. Round the arch of the doorway there is an appropriate Scripture text:-"Feed my sheep; feed my lambs." All the windows of the hall have crisp heads, and are filled in with cathedral glass and coloured borders. The hall is of an L shape, and is suitable for being used either as one hall or as two separate halls, divided by a curtain. The larger hall is 37 feet long and 30 feet broad. The lesser hall, which will be used as an infant department during the Sabbath school hours, is 26 feet long and 19 feet broad. The architect of the hall (as also of the church) is Mr.

John M'Leod, Dumbarton, and 160 Hope Street, Glasgow. The whole work was contracted for and carried out by Mr William Barlas, builder, Dalreoch. The total cost of the hall, including furnishings, is £704. At the opening ceremony the Rev. Mr. Dunn, of Cardross, congratulated the congregation on the erection of the beautiful hall, and especially the Rev. Mr. MacBain, to whose indefatigable exertions it was due. Mr. MacBain afterwards made a few appropriate remarks.

DUMBARTON FREE HIGH CHURCH -NEW SABBATH SCHOOL HALLS.On Tuesday, 27th November, a commodious hall and suite of rooms was opened in connection with the Free High Church, (Rev. Mr. Tait.) The hall, which is erected at the back of the church, is built of brick, with a white freestone frontage. It is 54 feet long, by 44 feet broad, and will accommodate 500. In connection with the hall there is a room 20 feet square, another 10 feet by 9 feet, and a third 16 feet by 10 feet. Above these three rooms is a lesser hall, 25 feet long by 18 feet broad. The cost

of these buildings, which are to be used for mission work, Sabbath school, Presbytery meetings, and other religious purposes, is over £1300.

VALE OF LEVEN SABBATH SCHOOL UNION.-The quarterly meeting of this Union was held on Thursday, the 13th December. The Lectures Committee had arranged two lectures to be given-one by Mr. R. B. Smith of Glasgow in December, and one by the Rev. Mr. Smith, Bonhill, in February of next year. Arrangements are also being made for a series of meetings, by Mr. C. A. Inglis of Edinburgh, at the end of February. The Committee on Music reported that 13 schools have entered for the singing competition, and are now in full working order. A minute of condolence by the directors, with Mr. Wylie of Cordale, hon. president, in the great loss sustained by him through the death of his wife, was read, -an excerpt having been sent to Mr. Wylie. Mr. Gray gave in an interesting report of the Paisley Convention.

Notes on the Union's Lesson Scheme for 1884.

[These Notes are intended to aid Teachers in their studies at home, and not to be used in the school while teaching.]

Lesson 53.-January 6.

JOSEPH HATED OF HIS BRETHREN.-Genesis xxxvii. 1-22.

First ground of Hatred.-Joseph brought to his father the report of the evil conduct of his brethren. He was what boys call a clype-i. e., a tale-bearer; and such an one is generally hated. In many cases he is justly disliked, because often he tells for mere telling's sake. Such a character cannot be liked. But then there are times when it is right to tell. This was one of them. These young men were away from their father's eye. They were wicked, and Joseph did right to inform his father. Any one who thus rebukes sin may count on being hated. But this hatred is an honour. Impress this upon the children, because the code of honour among children, especially boys, on this point, is very low. Jesus was hated for this very reason, (John vii. 7.) If you wish to be like Jesus, do not be afraid of reproving sin. It is a manly, as well as a godlike thing to rebuke whatever is wrong. This is the same Joseph who after

wards said, "How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God?" The boy is father to the man.

Second ground of Hatred.-Jacob's partiality to Joseph. He was the son of his old age-the son of his beloved Rachel, who was dead. No wonder Jacob loved him. There was nothing wrong in this; but he was wrong in the way he manifested his love. He gave Joseph a peculiar dress. It is thought, and with great probability, that the coat of many colours was the coat which grown-up men wear, and that Jacob wished Joseph to be a man before his time. No doubt Joseph would like this. Boys wish to ape their elders. But whether this was so or not, it was wrong in Jacob thus to distinguish Joseph. Partiality is the cause of many evils. But then this was no reason why his brethren should hate him. Had they been true generous brothers, they would have remembered that Joseph was a boy,-a motherless boy,-and that it was natural that his father should try to make up for the loss of his mother. But so far from this, they could not speak peaceably to him. They mocked him, called him names, made faces at him, and held him up to ridicule. This was very unbrotherly, and led on to the greater crime of selling him. Notice this-evil feelings indulged will grow from bad to worse. There is no safety except in resisting the beginnings of evil.

Third ground of Hatred.-Joseph's dreams. Go over the two dreams, and shew what they portended. Joseph could not help having these dreams. God sent them, no doubt, to comfort him in the sore trouble which he afterwards had. But Joseph was not called upon to tell them. There is no doubt there was a good deal of boyish brag in this telling of his dreams. He was rather pleased than otherwise in being thus honoured, and did not know through what a terrible ordeal he had to pass before these dreams could be fulfilled. Had he known that, he might have said less about his dreams. Even his father, though he observed-i. e., laid up in his heart-and thought of these dreams, thought it necessary to rebuke him. This was right, and what a father should have done. But his brethren were still more enraged. They hated him yet the more, and envied him. Here, again, they were without excuse. They might have known that dreams were from God; that this was a very common way whereby He manifested His will; but they were blind to everything but their hatred and their envy.

Envy Worketh.-Note the occasion. His brethren had gone to Shechem, and Jacob was anxious to hear about them. He proposes to send Joseph. Note Joseph's willingness. He must have known his brethren's feelings towards himself, but he does not hesitate for a moment to obey his father. How like Jesus! He knew the enmity He would incur in going in search of His wandering brethren, but He did not hesitate. He came to seek the lost. Joseph lost his way, but at last found his brethren. The moment they saw him they conspired against him to slay him. See how they speak of him. They call him this dreamer. They do not speak of him as their brother, but as the upstart, who thought he would one day be greater than they. But they do not stay with hatred. Hatred leads on to murder. They propose to slay him. What a terrible thing hatred is! How easily it leads to worse! The only one who seems to have had any pity upon him was Reuben. In all the others pity was dried up. Great lesson-Resist the beginnings of evil.

Memory Exercise-Shorter Catechism 53.-John i. 11.

Subject to be proved-We should not cherish Envy.

Golden Text-"He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."-John i. 11.

NOTES.-He-what He ?-The Lord Jesus. His own-primarily the Jews, who were specially His own, for He was a son of Abraham, (Heb. ii. 16;) but it is, too, true of all. Mankind were His own, for He was the Son of Man. How was He treated?-They received Him not. Give examples. There was no room in the inn that He might be born there; but Mary had to be content with the

stable. He had not where to lay His head. He begged a night's lodgings in a country village, and He was rudely ordered to be gone, (Luke ix. 51-53.) He had even to borrow a grave. He comes to His own still, but how many refuse to receive Him! He stands and knocks, (Rev. iii. 20,) but how many shut the door in His face! Take care that He does not shut to the door, (Luke xiii. 25.)

Lesson 54.-January 13.

JOSEPH SOLD AS A SLAVE.-Genesis xxxvii. 23-36.

Revise the previous part of this chapter, and remind the children of the lesson to be drawn from it; then go over the details of the present lesson, noticing particularly these two things:

I. Joseph is Sold, 12-18.-Notice the occasion.-His father sent him to inquire after their welfare. After much wandering he found them. Whenever they see him they plot mischief. See how dangerous it is to cherish hatred and envy. When they first began to hate him they had no intention of killing him. But the beginning of sin is like the letting out of water. At first a drop begins to trickle through. But if the drop is not stopped, it will increase and grow, until it throws down every barrier. So with sin. It may seem small at first, but unless checked, it will grow. Resist the beginning, therefore, and you are safe. They would have at once killed him but for Reuben. He has some sparks of love. He wishes to restore him to his father, and so he persuades them to cast him into a pit, intending to take him out, and send him home. To him they agree; and as soon as Joseph comes up they pluck off his coat, and cast him into a deep pit. Notice their malice in taking his coat, and their cunning too. They intend to send it to their father. Having cast Joseph into the pit, they sit down to eat bread. They are quite callous. They have no anxiety about their poor brother. He may be hungry, but that is nothing to them. While he is weeping they are eating. So it often is still. The world rejoices while God's children weep. But it will not be so always. The day came when the tables were turned-when it was their time to weep. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Joseph in the pit was a far happier man than his brethren at their bread. Notice the coming down of the Ishmaelites, and the sale of Joseph to them. Judah proposes this, and it is carried out. How wonderful are the ways of God! He moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform. Who would have thought that God was in this way preparing a saviour for the Israelites ? But so it was. Joseph was sent before them to preserve them alive. He did not know that; his brethren did not know it; but God knew it. So, if we are God's children we need not fear. All things work for our good. Joseph was a type of Christ. He also came unto His own, and His own received him not.

II. The Treatment of Jacob, 29-36.-This was the blackest part of their conduct. But one sin always leads to another. They must needs have some account to give of Joseph. They cannot tell the truth, so they invent a dreadful lie. They had no compassion on their aged father. One would have thought they would have spared him; but no. They make him believe that Joseph is dead; and still another sin they are guilty of-hypocrisy. When the old man grieves for his favourite boy, they rise up to comfort him. What a black list comes from their hatred! Look at the catalogue-hatred, envy, murder, deceit, hypocrisy-the one leading on to the other. Notice, further, how Jacob was punished for his sin. He was partial to Joseph, and he shewed his partiality: so Joseph is taken from him. God often takes away what we set our hearts upon; breaks our idols, that He may draw our hearts to himself. Let us be glad when God does this, and let us give our hearts to Him.

Memory Exercise-Shorter Catechism 54.-Proverbs xxvi. 27.

Subject to be proved-One Sin leads to another.