WATCHING ONE'S SELF. "WHEN I was a boy," said an old man, we had a schoolmaster who had an odd way of catching idle boys. One day he called out to us: "Boys, I must have a closer attention to your books. The first one of you that sees another boy idle, I want you to inform me, and I will attend to his case.' "Ah," thought I to myself, "there is Joe Simmons, that I don't like. I'll watch him, and if I see him look off his book, I'll tell." It was not long before I saw Joe look off his book, and immediately 1 informed the master. “Indeed,” said he; “and how did you know he was idle?" "I saw him," said I. 66 'You did; and were your eyes on your book when you saw him?" I was caught, and I never watched for idle boys again. CLEAR AND COLD.-The Christian must beware of being satisfied with "clear views." It is, no doubt, very needful to "hold fast the form of sound words;" but then, a form of sound words without near and intimate fellowship with Christ, will leave the heart as cold as an icicle. We must remember that, in nature, the clearest nights are often the coldest. Thus it may be with professing Christians. They may be clear in their views as a bright winter's night, and yet remain in heart as cold. A sound creed in the head, without the genial presence of Christ in the heart, is a poor, cold, dead, worthless, soul-deceiving thing. The true way of obtaining clearer views of the Gospel is to look "in the face of Jesus Christ." The true way to attain a knowledge of sound doctrine is to feel, by the touch of faith, the very pulsations of the heart of Jesus. Thus, light and love will be found together. TREATMENT OF ANSWERS.-Make the most of the answers you get from your scholars. They will be blundering and badly expressed many times. Some of them will be erroneous in matter as well as manner. But give them the same advantage that you would a picture; put them, by all means, in the best light possible. An honest, well-meant answer, wide of the truth though it may be, is far better than no answer. When it is corrected in a kind and forbearing spirit, the wrong answer will help to fix the right one indelibly in the mind. Let your scholars never, from a fear as regards its reception, hesitate to give, in proper time and place, such response to your questions as they are able. Through timidity, a well prepared scholar will not unseldom give a very faulty answer. Check the smile that is going round, by seizing upon the best point, and turning the answer to the best possible account, ignoring the mistake while you yet make the fact or truth patent to all. The scholar's feeling will thus be spared, while others will be encouraged to answer. OUR Conversation need not always be of grace, but it should always be with grace.-Matthew Henry. THE POWER OF PRAYER.-The mightiest man on earth is the man who has most power with God. For God is almighty; and man is omnipotent for the accomplishment of his purpose when he has the promise of all needed help from the Most High. The hiding of the power which determines the destiny of nations is not in the cabinets of kings or the heavy battalions of war, but in the closets of praying men, who have been raised by faith to the exalted rank of princes with God. The conflict which gained the greatest victory for Scotland, and gave her such freedom and intelligence as she enjoys to-day, did not originate in Holyrood Palace, nor was it waged upon the high places of the field, but in the solitary chamber of the man who prayed all night, crying in the agony and desperation of faith, "Give me Scotland, or I die !"—Night unto Night, by Dr. March. THE GOOD SCHOOLMASTER.-What a well assorted union of qualities is required to constitute a good schoolmaster! A good schoolmaster ought to be a man who knows much more than he is called upon to teach, that he may teach with intelligence and taste; who has a noble and elevated mind, that he may preserve that dignity of mind and deportment without which he will never obtain the respect and confidence of families; who possesses a rare mixture of gentleness and firmness; a man not ignorant of his rights, but thinking much more of his duties; shewing to all a good example, and serving to all as a counsellor; not given to change his condition, but satisfied with his situation because it gives him the power of doing good; and who has made up his mind to live and die in the service of primary instruction, which, to him, is the service of God and his fellow-creatures.-Guizot. THE SAILOR BOY AND THE SHIP" DUFF.”—In the year 1796, when the ship Duff was preparing to take out the missionaries from the London Missionary Society, Mr. Cox, one of the directors, was one day walking in the street, where he was met by a very fine-looking boy, about fourteen years of age, who, stopping him, said, "Pray, sir, have not you some management in the ship that is going out with the missionaries?"-"Yes, I have, my young man," said Mr Cox. "I should like very much, sir, to go out with her as a cabin-boy."-" Would you?" said Mr. Cox, "have you any parents?"—"I have a mother," said the boy, "but no father." "And is your mother willing you should go?". Oh yes, sir, very willing." Mr. Cox then desired the boy to call at his house, and to bring his mother along with him, that she might speak for herself. At the time appointed the boy and his mother came; and she having declared her willingness that her son should go, the matter was accordingly settled. In the course of the conversation, a gentleman who was present, in order to try the boy, said to him, "So you wish to go to sea?"-"Yes, sir, in the missionary ship." And you can swear a good round oath, I suppose?" Shocked at the very idea of such a thing, the ingenuous little fellow burst into tears, and exclaimed, "If I thought there would be swearing aboard at all I would not go!" 66 NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. The matter for each Number of the Magazine requires to be in the hands of the printers not later than the middle of the month before publication. The insertion of communications sent later cannot be guaranteed. Intelligence. LONDON SUNDAY SCHOOL UNIONSECOND SCRIPTURE EXAMINATION FOR SUNDAYSCHOOLTEACHERS.-The Sunday School Teacher announces that the Union has arranged to hold a second Scripture examination in February next. The plan includes local examinations in the principal towns in England. The examination is to be conducted by printed questions, sealed, and only to be opened at the THE GATE OF PEARL. hour agreed upon; the answers to be in writing. The subject of examination will be, "The State of Palestine and the Jewish People in the time of Christ; embracing the political divisions of the country; the topography of our Lord's life and ministry; the relations of the Jews to surrounding nations; their social habits; and their religious condition and expectations. Notices of Books. Edinburgh: |tion from the Romanists at the same time that the Puritans of England and the Covenanters of Scotland were suffering persecution at the hands of the Romanizing House of Stuart. The narrative is one of stirring interest. Blanche Gamonde, a young woman, passed through a furnace of affliction, for the truth's sake, with unflinching steadfastness of faith. Her brief history is an instructive study for young and old. Oliphant & Co. AN allegorical story, well sustained, and turned to good account, as a vehicle for conveying important instruction concerning the winning and wearing of "the pearl of great price." To some it will enhance the book to learn that it is of American origin, and is very popular in the United States. In execution and spirit, it may be regarded as a favourable example of the style of literature for youthful readers to which it belongs. BLANCHE GAMONDE: A FRENCH PRO- THEWONDERFUL POCKET; AND OTHER A NARRATIVE of Christian fortitude, which carries us back, in the history of France, to the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in the year 1685, which, our young readers will remember, was three years before the great British Revolution. The Huguenots THE career of two school-boys is of France were enduring fell persecu- sketched in this story-the one hon DRIFTING AND STEERING. Edinburgh: ourable, truthful, industrious; the other mean, deceitful, dishonest, and lazy, and who began to shew the dark side of his character by plundering his companion's school exercises, and gaining prizes through false pretences. The one "steered" his course by principle; the other, for want of it, "drifted" from evil to worse. It is not difficult to guess the country of their birth. The story is racy of the American soil; and by the same token as travellers tell us that there are no children in that country, all the young folk introduced in the book talk like men and women, and sometimes like philosophers. Still, it is a capital story for school-boys. LITTLE BLUE MANTLE; OR, THE POOR MAN'S FRIEND. Edinburgh: Oliphant & Co. THE incidents in this little book profess to be real, and to have occurred in Paris. The principal character is a jeweller, who, having been raised from a humble condition, devoted much of his wealth to the relief of the poor and needy, his primary object being to honour the Lord with his substance. BIBLE WONDERS. BY RICHARD NEWTON, D.D. Edinburgh: Oliphant & Co. of Bible Scenes. By the Rev. DANIEL MARCH, D.D. London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co. Pp. 352. INCIDENTS in the Old and New Testaments occurring in or connected with night, form the themes of twenty-five chapters in this remarkable production. The author is new to us, but recommends himself by a manner of treating Scripture subjects which is at once fresh and vigorous, often picturesque, and even dramatic; but always serious, earnest, and considerate above all of the spiritual profit of the reader. Few who peruse the opening chapter-The Teachings of Night," a beautiful and impressive meditation, will fail to be attracted onwards to the night scenes of Scripture. The two extracts from the work which appear in another part of the Magazine are intended to illustrate rather the spirit than the style of the writer. SHEAVES FROM THE HARVEST-FIELD Morgan & Chase. Edinburgh: UNDER the above general title we have received two series of neat uniform little books, concerning the first of which the following statement is THE plan of this book is happily de- given:-"Narratives illustrative of vised and executed. It treats of the the good results of Sunday School "wonderful things" which are to be work" were advertised for some found in the Word of God; and that short time ago, to which a number in a manner well fitted to attract of ladies and gentlemen cordially attention to the study of this inex- responded. The Rev. Norman L. haustible source of wonders. The Walker adjudicated on the manu name of the author is a guarantee for scripts received, and selected the the liveliness and variety of the book, following six as the best:- "Charley which, by its devout and earnest Smeaton;" "Work in Waste Places;" spirit, and its never-failing treasury "Willie's Good-bye;" "Bread found of apt illustrations, reminds us of after many Days;" "Neddy Bruce, Abbot's Young Christian, a de- or, Happy Changes;" "The Child's servedly favourite production some last Prayer." The second series conthirty years since. We recommend sists of five, written by the author it as an uncommonly good gift-book of "Recollections of Home Mission for the approaching season, and desire | Work,"-viz., "Beautiful Christ;" for it an extensive circulation amongst "My dear, dear Saviour;" "The the young. Model Son;" "All Saved but One;" 66 "The Broken Flowers;" and two was pleased to make of himself to edited by the same author, viz., Minnie," ("Beautiful Christ," pp. 38, 'Buds of Grace expanding in Glory," 39, 40, 43): and, fourthly, another 'Labours of Love, or, Forty Years' picture of a girl's death-bed, with Experience in the Sunday School." another vision, thus: "I'm so happy It would have been satisfactory to be this morning; I've seen Jesus." informed which of these little books "Was 't a dream?"-"No, mother, are really to be regarded as 'Sheaves I saw Him," ("Forty Years in the from the Harvest-Field of Sabbath Sabbath School," pp. 58, 59.) We Schools." Are not most of them re- had written thus far, when it ocligious fictions? and if so, is it right curred to us to turn up the only to give them forth as the fruits of remaining book by this author, to Sabbath school work? Of the first ascertain whether the same stock group, which are all undoubtedly well topic might not cast up in it also, written, "Work in Waste Places" when, lo, it reappeared, for the fifth seems, with certain deductions, the time, in the following highly dramatic only result of genuine labour and shape:-"I've had a great conflict experience; and Neddy Bruce, or, through this nicht, Margie--a great Happy Changes," probably embodies conflict.' 'Have ye, father?'-'Ay, some of the realities of home mission lass! Satan came an' held up my sins or medical mission work in Edin- afore me-a' the sins that ever I've burgh, the story otherwise being very committed; an' oh the sicht was improbable. We frankly own our fearfu'! The scroll that they were dislike to religious novels and novel- written on was that big that every ettes generally, the creations of which bit o' the licht o' heaven was shut often bear the same relation to Christ- oot, an' I couldna deny ane o' them. ian character and conduct that the But just as I was lookin' roun' me heroes of romance bear to men and an' roun' me in a kin' o' despair, women in the common life of this work- Jesus cam', -ay, Jesus cam', Margie, a-day world. Should we have the mis- -an' He took the great scroll oot o' fortune, however, to differ from any of Satan's han' an' row'd it up, and said, our judicious readers in this matter, 'I've atoned for these sins, they are are persuaded that we shall, at all put away.' Here," the narrative least, be of one mind in wishing that, continues, "observing the incredulous if such writings are to form part of looks of his wife and the grown-up the intellectual and spiritual pabu- members of the family, who thought lum of the youth of our Sabbath his mind was wandering, he said very schools, we may at least have them emphatically,-'Remember this is no free from sensationalism. In three fanciful thing, it is a REALITY [the of the little books written by the capitals are the author's]; an' Jesus author of "Recollections of Home is here i' the noo-in this very roomMission Work," and in one edited just there,' pointing to a particular by him, we find, first, an account spot.' We are far from saying that of a dying girl who, twice over, fiction may not be usefully employed saw a vision of Christ, ("All Saved as a vehicle for moral and religious but One," pp. 29, 30): secondly, instruction; but there are topics another account of a dying girl who which ought certainly to be excluded first beheld a vision of angels, and from its sphere-such as professed then a vision of Christ, ("My dear accounts of conversion, descriptions Saviour," p. 56): thirdly, another of Christian experience, death-bed description of a dying girl, who had scenes, &c. While some of the three visions of Christ, and which "Sheaves" deserve our warmest comthe writer characterizes as a "wonder-mendation, we must, in all honesty, ful manifestation which the Saviour say that the wheat of others much We' 66 |