THE COMPUTATION OF ST. PAUL.

"And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, He divided their land to them by lot. And after that, He gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.”—Acтs xiii. 19, 20.

ALL kinds of endeavours have been made to reconcile this term of four hundred and fifty years with other Scripture dates; it has furnished enough material for whole volumes, and this period is still called the computation of St. Paul, in the title of Sir Henry Ellis's new edition of Blair's Chronological and Historical Tables.' Now, in the most ancient copies the period of four hundred and fifty years stands in quite a different connection,-'He destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, and gave them their land by lot, about four hundred and fifty years; and afterwards He gave unto them judges,' &c. Attention ought to have been paid to this reading, instead of its being wasted on one more recent.-New Testament Historic Evidences, by S. P. Tregelles, LL.D.

BILLY BRAY'S PARABLE.-A celebrated local preacher, generally known as Billy Bray, was once preaching with great effect to a large congregation, principally miners. In that neighbourhood there were two mines, one very prosperous and the other quite the reverse, for the work was hard and the wages low. He represented himself as working at that mine, but on the "pay day" going to the prosperous one for his wages. But had he not been at work at the other mine? the manager inquired. He had, but he liked the wages at the good mine the best. He pleaded very earnestly, but in vain. He was dismissed at last with the remark, from which there was no appeal, that he must come there to work if he came there for his wages. And then he turned upon the congregation, and the effect was almost irresistible, that they must serve Christ here if they would share His glory hereafter; but if they would serve the devil now, to him they must go for their wages by and by.The King's Son; or, a Memoir of Billy Bray.

TAT.-Love swings on little hinges. It keeps an active little servant to doa good deal of its fine work. The name of the little servant is Tact. Tact is nimble-footed and quick-fingered; tact sees without looking; tact has always a good deal of small change on hand; tact carrie no heavy weapons, but can do wonders with a sling and stone; tact ever runs its head against a stone wall; tact always spies a sycamore tree up which to climb when things are becoming crowded and unmanageable on the level ground; tact has a cunning way of availing itself & a word, or a smile, or a gracious wave of the hand; tact carries a bunh of curious-fashioned keys, which can turn all sorts of locks; tact pints its monosyllables wisely, for, being a monosyllable itself, it arrangs its own order with all familiarity of friendship; tact-sly, versatile, riving, running, flying tact-governs the great world, yet touches the bigbaby, under the impression that it has not been touched at all.

RELICS OF THE CHILD THAT DIED.
(From Cassells' Magazine.)

Shut the door closely, let no passer-by
Our task o'erlook; 'tis only you and I
Who care with reverent hands to lay aside
These simple relics of the child that died.

Within this casket lay them one by one,
Nor let us weeping linger when 'tis done;
Such tears might breed repining; 'tis not ours
To grudge the Lord the gathering of His flowers.

They are all here: the toys that she loved best;
The little pillow that her soft cheek pressed;
Her picture books, defaced with frequent touch
Of tiny hands that prized them overmuch;

A tattered leaf, with verses of a hymn-
Nay, do thou fold it, for my sight grows dim.
It seems but now she spelt it at my knee,
"Nearer to God," and asked how that could be.

I see again the look that sought the skies,
The earnest wonder in the pure blue eyes,
As the rapt ear my meaning faintly caught,
Though scarcely comprehending all I taught.
She hath these mysteries solved in soaring there;
And we, too, have drawn nearer than we were,
Strengthened by faith that heeds not let nor stay,
Since those child-footsteps trod the narrow way.

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Intelligence.

GLASGOW SABBATH SCHOOL UNION., the National Sabbath School Caven-The Directors of this Union met tion, to be held at Perth, on the 5th on Monday evening, 19th August. and 6th September. Reports were submitted of the pro- SOUTH-EASTERN SABBATH SCHOOL ceedings of four of the District UNION.-The usual bi-monthly meetUnions,-viz., Partick and Hillhead, ing of this Union was held on ThursNorth-Western, Middle, and the day evening, 8th August. Ir. D. South-Eastern. The Committee on Whitelaw, one of the vice-presdents, Publications reported as to the occupied the chair. The coveners arrangements for next New-Year's of the various committees rported Address, and the List of Lessons for regarding the children's frenoon 1873. The committee entrusted with meeting; proposed new schols in the arrangements for the Teachers' east end; delegates to Convetion at Training Class reported satisfactory Perth, &c. The secretary sumitted progress; and a number of the a letter from the General Uion reDirectors were appointed to attend garding the decrease in the umber

pointed to be held on Sabbath evening, 22nd September. The visitation of societies at their business and preparatory meetings was agreed upon; and the subject of "The Co-operation of Societies in organizing Sabbathday Services for the Young and Preparatory Meetings for the Teachers," was specially commended to the attention of the committee. The following gentlemen were appointed delegates to the Convention at Perth,

of schools and scholars recently reported; but the subject had been fully discussed at the two previous meetings of the South-Eastern Union. A conversation took place on the practice of giving Sabbath scholars rewards in the form of books, soirees, and excursions; and it was agreed to resume consideration of the subject at a future meeting. It was agreed that " the growing practice of closing Sabbath schools during the summer months" should engage attention at viz., Messrs. Colin Brown, John first meeting.

are located at the Annual Fair) immorality and drunkenness have increased much of late; and it was suggested that the General Union should bring its influence to bear upon the authorities by representing the degrading effect which the presence of these exhibitions has on the population of that locality, that these shows might be prevented from obtaining ground in future in any part of the city. It was also agreed to refer this subject to the Visitation Committee, to be discussed and considered by societies when visited.

Steel, James H. Thomson, and AndPARTICK AND HILLHEAD SABBATH rew Fleming. A letter was read from SCHOOL UNION. The bi-monthly the secretary of the General Union meeting of this Union was held in calling the attention of this Union to the hall of Newton Place U.P. Church, the decrease in the attendance at Partick, on Thursday, the 8th August. Sabbath schools. The meeting exA communication from the Glasgow pressed its sense of the importance Sabbath School Union was read, re- of the subject, and suggested several ferring to the decrease of Sabbath reasons as accounting for the decrease schools and scholars in Glasgow of in the attendance. It was stated late. In the conversation which that in the east end of the city (the ensued, it was thought that such neighbourhood in which the shows decrease did not apply to the district of this Union; but, in the absence of statistics, it was considered not possible to ascertain definitely. The subject of attendance was next taken up; and it was agreed to recommend the different Sabbath school societies to have their entertainments about the same time, and endeavour to confine them to their regular scholars; and also, that the various secretaries should use every endeavour to prevent children alternating between the schools. It was also agreed that the visiting and prayer meeting committees should hold meetings at an early date to arrange their work. NORTH-WESTERN DISTRICT UNION. Delegates were appointed to repre--This Union met on Tuesday, 13th sent the Union at the proposed Na- August, in one of the halls of Free tional Sabbath School Convention at St. Stephen's Church, under the prePerth. sidency of Mr. Gray, the Union's president. The first business possessing any general interest was the consideration of the forthcoming National Sabbath School Convention, to be held at Perth in September. It was agreed that three or four gentlemen should be sent to represent the NorthWestern Union at the Convention.

MIDDLE DISTRICT SABBATH SCHOOL UNION. The meeting of this Union was held on Tuesday evening, 13th August. Mr. Colin Brown, president, in the chair. It was agreed to resume the music class for Sabbath scholars early in November. The half-yearly prayer meeting was ap

ence to those who may choose to apply for it.

After this had been disposed of, the remit from the General Union in regard to the decrease of Sabbath schools and scholars in Glasgow was MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. considered. An interesting discus- FRUITS OF SOUTH SEA MISSIONS. sion took place on the subject. It -It has been stated on good authorwas thought that possibly the dimi- ity that in more than three hundred nution of schools and scholars was islands of Eastern and Southern Polyin some measure due to the greater nesia the Gospel has swept heathenism accuracy and correctness with which entirely away. The missionaries of the statistics were now procured. It the four great societies have gathered was also thought that the falling off four hundred thousand people under in the number of scholars might be Christian influences, of whom a quaraccounted for partly by the removal ter of a million are living still; and from the town to the country of the fifty thousand of these are communiparents, and partly (in the case of the cants. Polynesia, south of the equamore advanced) by the want of pro- tor, and Melanesia have been the per and sufficient means of imparting sphere of English_missionary enter instruction. It was suggested that prise, through the London, Wesleyan, the want of a continued or sustained and Church Missionary Societies; interest in Sabbath school teaching while Northern Polynesia and Mion the part of the teachers might ex- cronesia have been, or are being, plain the falling off. It was remarked evangelized by the American Board that the decrease in both items gave of Foreign_Missions. In 1820 the no good ground for alarm or appre- American Board commenced its mishension as to the success of Sabbath sion in the Sandwich Islands, and in schools in Glasgow. At the close of 1870 rendered its last report: the the discussion it was agreed to have whole group having been evangelized a conference of the teachers, for the in half a century, and the native purpose of stimulating and encour- Church becoming self-supporting unaging them to greater activity during der native pastors. Being thus rethe coming winter. The financial lieved from the burden of sustaining arrangements of the Union were next and managing missions in the Sandtaken up, when it was agreed to soli-wich Islands, the American Board cit the sum of not less than five shil-was able to give more attention to lings from each society. The meeting, regions beyond, now called Microthough thinly attended, was alto- nesia. The same methods of evangether agreeable and interesting.

gelization are being pursued in these groups as were employed with so much success in the Sandwich Islands, and there is no doubt but ultimately similar success will be realized. Missionary News.

FAIR WEEK EXCURSION.-During the Fair holidays a party of the working boys and girls belonging to Free St. George's Schools had a pleasant six days trip to the Lake of Menteith, Perthshire; during which time MISSION TO NORTH AMERICAN they had daily trips to Aberfoyle, INDIANS.-At Simcoe reservation, Loch Ard, Callander, &c. The wea- Washington Territory, where are lother was delightful, and nothing cated the Kliquital and Yakima Inoccurred to mar the young folks' en- dians, once the most dangerous and joyment. The party numbered 63 warlike in the north-west,-there are in all. We hope next year other now almost two hundred comfortable societies will organize similar excur- houses, with barns and out-buildings, sions; and we doubt not that the and two neat churches, all built by promoters of Free St. George's trip Indians. They own twelve thousand will give the benefit of their experi-head of stock, and have several thou

sand acres of land under successful | known as the German, but which cultivation. About a thousand are encompasses also Switzerland, Dennot only civilized, but Christianized, mark, Sweden, Norway, and Russia. and some two hundred and fifty Though the number of congregations adults are professing Christians. The in this province is only eighteen, women do no more of the out-door there is, however, a very large conwork than white women similarly tingent of societies. The Moravian situated do. The farm labour-school colonies comprise Sarepta, Lausanne, is a grand success. The boys culti-Montmrail, and Zeist, in Holland. vate eighty acres, and raise enough They stretch upward to Greenland, to supply the wants of both their round by Labrador, to the Indian setown and the girls' boarding-school. tlements, the negro colonies, and push During one winter the boys made southward to the Cape, Australia, twenty-eight complete sets of har- and Surinam; while there is a new ness, besides many of the shoes worn settlement on the Western Himalaya. in the school. The girls' boarding- The assembling of deputies of such a school, under the charge of a Chris- scattered Church must have been an tian woman, is also very successful. auspicious event for Hernhut. The Besides the usual studies, the girls missions are largely subscribed to by are taught sewing, knitting, and all Christians outside their own body, kinds of domestic work. These and they used to receive considerable schools number some fifty scholars, support from Glasgow. and but for the want of means would be much larger. Every employee on the reservation, some twenty in number, is married; all are professing Christians, and take part in the work of Christianization. Two of the Indians have been licensed to preach, and have met with much success in their Christian labours.

HOME FEELING IN HOME MISSION WORK.-In a characteristic speech in behalf of the Home Missionary Society, the Rev. Thos. Jones recently said: "I love my native home. The bones of the fathers are here; here I first saw the light; fell in love. Dear England-dearer Wales! Beautiful England-more beautiful Wales! MORAVIAN MISSIONS.-The unob- When I go to my home there are some trusive body of Christians known as things that displease me very much. the Moravians have just completed Gentlemen who have made money the hundred and fiftieth year of their come over from England and spoil existence as a community. The an- the beautiful wildness of the Welsh niversary has been celebrated at Hern- landscape by changes which prove hut, in Saxony, for which purpose their own clumsy taste. I like to go deputies assembled from all the "col- through the old graveyard, and read onies" belonging to the denomination. the names of the grey-headed men Hernhut is the headquarters of the and women I knew when a little boy. Moravian brotherhood, which was Put that home feeling into your founded in 1722 by Count Zinzendorf, preaching. Give me a man who who endowed it with rich and exten- loves his home. In the Welsh, 'To sive estates, from which it drew the be present with the Lord,' is literfirst means of subsistence. This re- ally to make my home with the ligious family has grown to such an Lord.' I would speak my most sweet, extent as to embrace with its system eloquent, and intense words for such of colonies almost the whole globe, a Society. It is a Society to make and is still successively pressing far- our home beautiful. Englishmen, ther into the heathen world. In you ought to love your home, and England it possesses thirty-six colon-work for your Society supremely, if ies, and the same number in America. for no other reasons, for this, that it The largest of its provinces is that is a Home Missionary Society."