much larger than the others, that does not twinkle like its neighbours. The great stars that shine so steadily are called planets, or wandering stars, because they move round the sun like our own world. Yonder, rising above the topmost bough of the old larch tree, I see one of them, the largest of that little company of worlds with which we journey round the sun, the planet Jupiter.

I

That bright round star is farther from the sun than we are, so that it has much less daylight; and very dim we should think it at noon. But perhaps the children of that world have much larger eyes than ours, and then it will not seem dim to them. Jupiter is much greater than our earth-fourteen hundred times greater. think you can hardly understand how much this is; but you had two ripe golden oranges before you, one eleven times larger round than the other, you would see a great difference in their size, and this is about the difference between Jupiter and the earth.

if

Jupiter is, as I said, farther from the sun than we are, so that we suppose its days are dimmer; but its nights must be more beautiful than ours, because four moons shed their light on that huge world, moving through the sky much faster than our moon does, changing very fast, too, and throwing shadows in all directions -from the hills, and trees, and buildings, if there are any. Picture to yourself the skies of Jupiter at night; the moons now full, now half moons; and again, their silver crescents-all things in heaven-stars, and moons, and planets, seeming to sweep very quickly across the night. This is the case, because Jupiter turns round so much faster than our earth-in about ten hours, instead of twenty-four-therefore the day must be very short indeed as well as dim. Some persons have said that there are broad bands of light always stretching across the heavens there, but of this I am not sure. I know that our earth, which we think so great and so fair a world, cannot be seen at all there by the strongest eyes in the clearest night; therefore, to wear purple and fine linen, and a golden crown, and to sit upon a throne, and rule all men-if we could gain the whole worldwould not, after all, be so great a thing. No; there are

countless stars, and countless companies of stars, whose children never give our far-off world a thought, any more than you think of the multitude of living creatures in a shining water-drop; indeed not so much, for you can see the water-drop, but they cannot see our earth at all. Yet this need not trouble you, for God can see us; and it is not because a thing is large that he cares for it and watches over it. He gave his Son to live amongst us and to die for us; and, he has said, "that even the hairs of our heads are numbered."

If Jupiter turned round like our earth, in twenty-four hours instead of rather less than ten, and if the ground there were as dense, that is, as close and hard as it is in our world, and the air were as heavy as our own, we could scarcely breathe in such a home; all our limbs would ache; we should be almost killed by lifting a large stone from the ground, and should be obliged at all times to creep on our hands and feet. The same cause which makes the branch of the apple tree bend heavily towards the earth when it is laden with rosy fruit in our world, which makes the acorn drop when it is loosened from the bough, would cause this misery. I dare say you have sometimes watched the little rabbits at play near their holes on a quiet autumn evening; you have seen the long ears above the grass, listening, that were out of sight in an instant if any noise was made; but in Jupiter, in the case I have supposed, the little rabbits would be nearly as heavy as the cows that stand so gravely in the shade of the elm on a summer day. Those pretty snowdrops, too, beneath the bushes, could not show themselves above ground, for the sap would not rise in their slender stalks. We are told, however, that Jupiter is not, by any means, so solid or so dense (which is the proper word,) as our earth. I am not sure that you will understand me, but you can see and feel a great difference, can you not? between a fragment of stone, a block of wood, a piece of sponge, and the bright clear water in which your finger sinks directly. Now we are told that Jupiter, the fair shining world that has risen so far above the larch tree while we have been speaking, is not much more solid than water; and, as I

have twice mentioned, it turns round very fast, and from these two causes things are not so heavy there, we suppose, as otherwise they would be in so large a world; but still they are much heavier than on earth, and you could not be comfortable in that beautiful star.

We sometimes forget, when we are at all unhappy or ill, on this fair earth of ours, how many things are arranged for our comfort, even in the most comfortless hour. If God were to permit a very little change in some of the things for which I am afraid we often forget to thank him, we should know torment of which we do not now even dream when we think ourselves most to be pitied.

When the snow was dropped like feathers,

That a rosy-footed dove

Scatters from its wings in moulting,

And the violets dared not move;
For the north-wind blew so coldly
That it made the holly shake,-
White as baby in its cradle,

Little snowdrop! thou didst wake.

Quietly, one starry midnight,
Lifted was thy tiny head,

While the great round star above thee
Shone across the garden bed;
Just to say that spring was coming,
(Thou hadst dreamed it in thy sleep,)

Forth into the starry midnight,

Little snowdrop! didst thou peep.

Thank thee, thank thee, little snowdrop!
For my fingers ached with cold;
Bread was dear, and I was hungry,
Thou wert like a piece of gold!
Father works, and so does mother,
Through the long bright summer day;
And I knew that it was coming,
It was this I heard thee say.

In the great round star that glittered
Like a lamp above my home,

When thou camest to the door sill,
Just to say that spring was come-
I have heard that little snowdrops
Never wake among the snow;
Pretty flower! I should be sorry
To that great round world to go.

1. T.

LETTER ADDRESSED TO SABBATH-SCHOOL TEACHERS.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,-I acted as a Sabbath-school Teacher yesterday for the first time in my life; and I found the duty so delightful, and it has given me so much interest in, sympathy with, and attraction towards all of you to whom this office is habitual, that I feel impelled to address you while all these feelings are fresh in my mind. I must first explain the circumstances which have made yesterday's duty so memorable to me.

Until I was well grown up, I lived in a part of the country where there was no Sabbath-school within reach, so that I had actually never even seen one. When I was twenty years of age, it pleased my heavenly Father to shew me great and sore troubles, which kept me near the edge of the grave for seven long years, when I never walked out of doors, and was quite unfit for any exertion; more especially for that of teaching, as I had continual weakness of chest, and seldom could speak so as to be heard. For the last six years, I have enjoyed intervals of perfect health and strength; and oh! I appeal to all God's people who are favoured with such seasons of strength, if desire to be of some use in one's day and generation, and to work while it is day, is not a very urgent desire, seeing that the night of sickness so soon cometh again when no man can work?

To me there cometh, at the fall of every year, a long night of sickness, when I am shut out from every ordinance church or school-until spring and the time of singing of birds comes again and sets me free. Then, during the winter months, I can only join in spirit, not in person, with the worshipping assemblies of God's people. But it is a great part of the occupation of my silent Sabbaths to pray for all those pastors, and flocks, and schools, and teachers, whom I have been amongst in the summer; and it is a very blessed privilege to have so many objects of interest in prayer-a privilege I love -to know enough of different parishes to be able to realize their wants, and to spread them out before the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. But as I have

only liberty of health during about half the year, I never undertake any office in the church, whether as a teacher or member of any missionary committee, because that duty which cannot be attended to regularly, tends to confusion instead of order; and all things ought to be done decently and in order in Christ's house. Incidental circumstances, however, have made it my duty to give occasional help to schools or missions; and oh! you who can give your attendance regularly, day after day, and year after year, have, perhaps, little realization of the intense delight I enjoy, who can only labour in the vineyard for a day's service now and then.

I wish to stir you up to be sensible of the high value of having such privileges statedly, by shewing you what a deep impression my rare opportunities make on me.

First of all, I am taking for granted, I am addressing those who, like myself, have given themselves up as clay into the hands of the great Potter, to be moulded into any shape or vessel fitted for his service, and to be a channel for his salvation to run through, to water, and refresh, and strengthen others, whom he may, by our means, bring also within reach of the living waters. I take for granted I am addressing those who think there is, if possible, a truth more desirable still than "that all things" in God's providence "will work together for their good," even this, that all things are created for God's glory, and to shew forth his praise-we amongst the rest. O! the certainty of this word of truth, and the satisfaction of it to the ruffled spirit; that giving ourselves up, body, soul, and spirit, as a reasonable service to God, he will, most certainly, use us to shew forth his praise, and advance the great exalted ends of his government, so that we poor and weak creatures cannot fail to increase the Creator's glory.

Under this point of view, whatever work he appoints us to do, however small, however seldom, we seize as an honour worthy of an angel's crown, of which we, who are created lower than the angels, are altogether unworthy; but are yet called unto by this covenant, which raises us to be kings and priests unto God, created in Jesus Christ unto good works, which God has before