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is clearly and powerfully insisted on, and, among other subjects discussed, the writer's pleadings for a more hearty encouragement to young believers who desire to be communicants, has our thorough sympathy. When will christian people cease to urge children to believe, while they reserve the Lord's supper as a privilege for mature years, and regard with grave suspicion all candidates for church fellowship who have not attained to the age of sixteen or eighteen years? Mr. Edmond seems hardly favorable to the children of christian parents attending the Sunday school, because it, to some extent, disperses a family; and he values the school chiefly as a missionary institution. It should not, however, be forgotten, that such an agency, even when so regarded, must suffer severely if christian parents stand aloof, and leave the work of instruction to their junior and inexperienced brethren; while the separation complained of, temporary at the worst, may be to some extent avoided if both parent and child are found in the Sabbath school.

True Womanhood. Memorials of Eliza Hessel. By Joshua Priestly, Hamilton, Adams, and Co.

WE can say of this memoir what we cannot say of many recent biographies, that it was well deserving of publication. It traces the course of a young christian female, who, possessing good abilities, bestowed upon them the highest cultivation she could give, and consecrated them all to the glory of God and the good of man. Miss Hessel's literary tastes are conspicuous in the narrative, and will render the book especially acceptable to those of like bias with herself. No thoughtful reader can fail to be benefited by such a record of sanctified talent, and to our young female readers we especially recommend its perusal.

Among smaller publications we have to notice Revival of Religion, its Principles, Necessity, Effects; Snow. A series of Papers contributed to the "British Standard," by the Rev. J. A. James, of Birmingham; thoughtful, earnest, and valuable. The Gate of Heaven; by Charles Larom, Sheffield; Heaton and Son. A well written little pamphlet. The opening of the Third Seal, and The Fourth Trumpet; by a Working Man. Reed and Pardon. We recommend the Author to leave Trumpets and Seals alone for the future. A Sermon on the Spring; by the Rev. W. T. Rosevear; and one entitled Teach the Children; by the Rev. P. Colborne; from both of which we have given extracts in our present number.

Of Periodicals received, we have only space to enumerate The Family Treasury for March, April, and May; a publication of very superior excellence. The Leisure Hour and Sunday at Home for March and April, with their varied stores of useful information. The Educator and British Controversialist; each containing many well written articles. Also The Jewish Herald; Christian Miscellany; Wesleyan Sunday School Magazine (what need is there for denominational Sunday school periodicals?) and Early Days.

The General Reader.

THE BISHOP AND THE CURATE. swered, "No put offs, my Lord:

A violent Welsh squire having taken offence at a poor curate, who employed his leisure hours in mending clocks and watches, applied to the bishop of St. Asaph, with a formal complaint against him for impiously carrying on a trade, contrary to the statute. His lordship, having heard the complaint, told the squire he might depend upon it that the strictest justice should be done in the case. Accordingly, the mechanic divine was sent for, a few days after, when the bishop asked him "How he dared to disgrace his diocese by becoming a mender of clocks and watches?"--The other, with all humility, answered,-" To satisfy the wants of a wife and ten children.""That won't do with me," rejoined the prelate. "I'll inflict such a punishment upon you, as shall make you leave off your pitiful trade, I promise you." And immediately calling in his secretary, he ordered him to make out a presentation for the astonished curate to a living of at least one hundred and fifty pounds per annum.

FLATTERY.

answer me presently." "Then, Sir," said he, "I think it lawful for you to take my brother Neale's money, for he offers it."

IMPIETY.

Impiety consists in neglecting to cultivate pious affections; in cherishing evil passions: or in being guilty of such practices by word or deed, as may lessen our own or other men's reverence of the divine attributes, providence, or revelation. If we neglect the means of cultivating pious affection, it is a sign that in us piety is weak, or rather that it is wanting, and that we are regardless of our own improvement, as well as insensible to the best interests of mankind.

SPARE MOMENTS.

Spare moments are like the gold dust of time. Of all the portions of our life, spare moments are the most fruitful in good or evil. They are the gaps through which temptations find the easiest access to the garden of the soul.

His Majesty, King James the First, AXIOM AND MAXIM. once asked Bishop Andrews and BiThe words axiom and maxim are shop Neale the following question."My Lords, cannot I take my sub- sometimes indifferently used one for jects' money when I want it, without the other, but very improperly. The all this formality in parliament ?" first, as it is applied in arts and Bishop Neale readily answered, "God sciences, signifies a principle already forbid, Sir, but you should; you are established; an indubitable truth genthe breath of our nostrils." Where- erally known; a proposition, the truth upon the king turned, and said to of which speaks at once for itself, and Bishop Andrews-" Well, my Lord, requires no circumlocution to prove it. what say you?" "Sir," replied the A maxim is a sententious thought; bishop, "I have no skill to judge of an idea commonly acknowledged, and parliamentary cases." The king an- energetically expressed.

THE BIBLE AND ELOQUENCE. The Honourable Fisher Ames was one of the most enlightened and eloquent patriots of the United States. In piety and consistency of character he was not less distinguished. His estimation of the word of God was great. "No man,” he said, "ever did, or ever will, become truly eloquent, without being a constant reader of the Bible, and an admirer of the purity and simplicity of its language."

PRAYING IN LATIN.

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The following anecdote is related of Svend, a Danish bishop: When raised to the episcopal dignity, Svend, though well versed in his own native literature, was miserably deficient in Latin. The preference shown him by the King excited the envy of many, and by way of making him ridiculous, it was contrived, when he had to celebrate mass, to lay before him a book in which the first two letters of Famulum tuum ("thy servant,") in the prayer for the King, were erased, so that, in his ignorance, he prayed to God to protect his majesty mulum tuum. On inspecting the book, the King perceived the trick, and caused the bishop (whom he loved for his virtues) to apply himself to the study of the liberal arts, in which he

afterwards excelled.

ANCIENTS AND MODERNS.

THE DILEMMA OF
PROTAGORAS.

Protagoras maintained that all is illusion, and that there is no such thing as truth. But Aristotle refuted him by the following dilemma. Your proposition is true, or false: if it is false, then you are answered; if true, then there is something true, and your proposition fails.

THEOLOGICAL STUDIES. "Of all studies, theological studies seem to need most and prayer watching in the midst of them, lest while our intellects are feasting our souls starve; lest we keep touching holy things, and having them in our mouths, and writing of them, while we are not advancing in grace and

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intermission of them for more than five centuries. John the Baptist was "a prophet, and more than a prophet;" We live upon the Ancients; we but it is expressly said of him, that he squeeze them; we get all we can out"wrought no miracle." After so long

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of them, and swell out our works with theirs and when we become authors, and think ourselves able to stand alone, we rise against them, and illuse them like those pert children, who having grown strong with the milk which they have sucked, afterwards beat their nurse.-La Bruyère.

an interval, it was reserved for our Lord Himself to excite the attention of His people by miraculous operations; which, though at all times awful and astonishing, must have struck men with an additional force by the novelty of their appearance."— Newcome's Observations.

Entelligence.

THE NORMAL CLASS. SOUTH WEST DISTRICT, WEST LONDON AUXILIARY SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

idol-worship, but that it was common amongst English children, and even amongst Sunday school scholars. Several instances were given. COVETOUSNESS. Gold was a beautiful idol, but though worshipped and sought after greedily, it was of no use when help was

On Friday, March 25th, 1859, this class brought its sixth session to a close. The evening was devoted to the consideration of "Sunday School Addresses;" most needed. An illustration was given. two addresses being delivered on one A steamer, with a large quantity of topic, intended to show different me- Californian gold on board, was wrecked. thods in which the same subject might All were in the utmost danger. The be treated. gold, which many of the passengers had risked so much to obtain, was strewed over the sofas in the cabin, on the floor, and on the deck; none cared for it; none would burden themselves with it, but it was cast aside as useless.

After the usual devotional exercises, the President called upon Mr. C. Beard to give the first address, the text selected being-1 John v., 21., "Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

Mr. Beard commenced by stating that having to speak about idols it was necessary to find out what an idol was, and proceeded to instance Juggernaut, the idols in the Missionary Museums, the deities of the Greeks and Romans, and the image-worship of the Church of Rome, showing how all this was in opposition to the command of God (Exodus xx)-that it excites his anger, and will bring down his judgments. The example of the Jews was adduced-their tendency to idolatry, and the punishments that came upon them in consequence. The prevalence of idolatry at the present day was spoken of, and the duty of helping to do away with it enforced.

The speaker then referred to the apostle John, and his letter to the Christians, containing the precept which formed the subject of the address: to the city of Ephesus, where for a long time he lived; to its splendid temple, and the great goddess Diana; to St. Paul's visit, and to the uproar made by Demetrius and his fellow-craftsmen on behalf of their deity.

AMBITION, was next instanced. The foolish and wicked-attempts of Alexander to attain universal dominion, and the career of Napoleon, being adduced as illustrations; and the sad close of the life of each was adverted to as proof of the vanity of the idol they served.

FINE DRESS, was then spoken of as an idol very common among children. The temptations to pride, dishonesty, &c., to which it is likely to lead, were pointed out, and commented upon.

In conclusion, the scholars were exhorted to love God aright-with all the heart; this would leave no room for idols to occupy the place that belonged to God.

The speaker concluded by suggesting as a prayer, the hymn,

"The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,

And worship only Thee."

The president then called upon Mr H. Barker, to give the second address, (he according to arrangement not having heard the first.) He remarked that it appeared a strange subject upon which to speak to English children; they pity the idolaters when they hear After dwelling for some time on the of their cruelty and ignorance, yet it topics thus presented, allusion was next was necessary to think whether we made to the fact that it was not neces- were not in danger of becoming, in a sary to go to India or China to find sense, worshippers of idols.

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The heathen have some notion of a God, and try to some extent to serve him. We, know his will. Those who best know, and do it, find it no hard service; those who do it not, are most troubled and unhappy. We must see that we give Him our most faithful service. We cannot have two masters; we cannot serve God and mammon. We are naturally inclined to love something-something to which we can look up; God has given this power that it may be given back to Him. Man naturally prefers this life, and what seems pleasant and desirable-choosing earth rather than heaven; but we do wrong if we thus give to earth that which should be given to God.

was shown by reference to the fact that the sheep and the silk-worm had worn our clothes before we could get them. Contrasted with this, was the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, and the robe of righteousness. PLEASURE, was next alluded to, and its insufficiency to give happiness was shown. AMBITION-the desire of excelling others—of getting to the top of the class, even by unfair means-of being thought the swiftest, the boldest, &c.

As closing remarks, the love of God was set forth as the chief thing to be sought after. The service of Satan was shown to be a "hard service," and all were urged to "set their affections on things above."

At the close of the addresses, the members expressed their opinions upon them, and the subject in general.

Reference was then made to various things that usurp the place of God: that there was pride in heaven once, even among the angels of God, and how One, deprecated set, formal, theoloit caused their downfall; that Alex-gical discourses, and recommended the ander, after all his conquests, found only sorrow and disappointment from his ambition and love of dominion; that Wolsey, notwithstanding the greatness he had won, closed his days in trouble and affliction; that the desire of fame sustains the spirit of the soldier; that the love of money is a form of idolatry, as shown in the case of the man who works even seven days in every week to get wealth; that the statesman labours for the triumph of his party, or to secure a statue for himself.

All, indeed, have their idols; but the subject refers to "little children." They may say they are not guilty of these things, yet we see the beginnings now.

Is the Bible most read? Is the Sabbath more prized than a holiday? Is Christ best loved, or do you please self? Do you live to Him now, that you may live with Him for ever? If not, you do not love God most.

A few things likely to prove idols to children were then pointed out. FINE CLOTHES-the danger of being proud of them. This idol often keeps God out of the heart. The folly of this idolatry

free use of illustrations, and of adaptation to the capacities of the children, suggesting that the teacher should recall the memory of his own childhood, and speak as a child to children. Another pointed out the similarity of the addresses in many points, in the illustrations and practical lessons, especially instancing the references to "Alexander," to " ambition," and to "fine dress;" by both speakers recommending also the use of questions, energy and liveliness of style and manner, and condemning written addresses as a general rule.

The use of the verse of a hymn, at the close of the first address, was much approved of. The length of addresses was adverted to by another speaker, and some were instanced as occupying only four minutes, whilst others extended to 55 minutes-the short ones being usually the best.

The failure of many addresses was attributed by the next speaker, to an attempt on the part of teachers to do too much: brevity, point, and earnestness were insisted on as special requisites,

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