great salvation. If so, what a blessing might it prove to him, through all eternity, that he had shown kindness to an old and helpless stranger; and what joy to the poor lame traveller, if his humble endeavour to be useful should lead to the conversion of a soul! Better for that wayworn pilgrim to be the means of removing the spiritual darkness from the heart, than if, with the skill of an earthly physician, he could have healed the infirmities of the body, and restored the blind man to sight.

Herbert stayed a little longer, to learn that the lame man had been a soldier in his youth, and had lost his limb on the field of battle; and that his companion had been deprived of his eyesight by lightning, just three summers ago. Then, after putting his only sixpence into the hand of the poor lame traveller, he bade them good day, and slowly descended the hill towards home.

"All may help their fellow creatures, in one way or other," said Herbert, half aloud; "all who have a kind heart and a willing hand. Well, I may not live to be a man; and if I do, I may not have learning enough to make me a philosopher: but, from this time forth, I hope I may say, with God's blessing, I will endeavour to be useful."

P. Q.

"THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS."

"How surprised my mother will be!" said Mary Green to herself, as she tripped along the clean swept path that led to the door of her father's neat little dwelling, half buried in the roses and honeysuckles which climbed about the porch and walls. So eager was Mary to tell her "news," that she scarcely waited to set down her basket of groceries upon the table before she began. "Oh mother, Susan Hayes has left her place in sad disgrace. I met Maria

Clarke in the town, and she says that Susan was turned away at a moment's notice, for staying out late on Sunday night without leave. Maria saw her pass their house in a great hurry at ten o'clock at night; and you know Mrs. Gregory is very particular. Are you not surprised, mother? Susan is such a favourite of yours. Maria says that William Jones was buried yesterday morning, and his landlord, Dr. Fletcher, has ordered his widow, poor old Mary, to leave the house next week, and is going to have all the goods sold. Maria Clarke saw Mary Jones talking to Dr. Fletcher as she passed the door last night, and she was crying as if her heart would break; and, as Maria said, it was no wonder she should fret to leave the pretty little cottage she has lived in so long."

Mrs. Green, who had had occasion many times to check Mary's propensity for gossipping, suffered her to finish her stories without interruption; but when Mary paused, and seemed to be waiting some remark from her mother, she looked very gravely, and said, "My dear Mary, you cannot surely be aware that, in repeating what you have heard from Maria Clarke, you have broken one of the commandments of God, that which says, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour;' which not only forbids the bearing of false witness in

a court of justice, to which I am afraid too many confine it, but also all talebearing and slander. Susan Hayes has left Mrs. Gregory for the present, but not in any disgrace. Her brother called here this afternoon, and told me that, on Sunday, Mrs. Hayes was taken ill very suddenly, and Susan was sent for. She was returning to Mrs. Gregory's when Maria Clarke saw her pass. She left on Monday, to wait upon her mother, and take care of her little brothers and sisters, Mrs. Gregory kindly permitting her to do so. I have no doubt your news about the widow Jones is equally untrue we shall hear when your father returns home; for he intended, when he left work, to call upon old Mary to see how she was after her loss."

Mary attempted to defend herself by saying, that she had only repeated what she had heard; but her mother interrupted her, by saying that listening to and repeating false reports was sinful, as well as inventing the slander. "I am afraid," continued Mrs. Green, "that your love of hearing and repeating news, as you call it, leads you to forget this. I believe you have no unkind feeling toward Susan Hayes, and would not willingly injure her; but such a report as yours, circulated and believed, might prevent Susan from obtaining a situation, should she need one, and thus deprive her

of the means of gaining a livelihood." "Oh how shocking that would be! I would not injure Susan Hayes for the world, and I am so glad I told no one but you what Maria Clarke said." "Do you wish, Mary, to break yourself of this sinful habit?" "Indeed I do, mother." "Then take your copy book, my dear girl, and write down the portions of Scripture I will tell you; and when you feel tempted to repeat any thing you have heard to the prejudice of another, say over in your mind these texts, and pray that God would enable you to keep the commandment, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour,' as well as every other he has given you."

666

Thou shalt not raise a false report,' Exod. xxiii. 1.

"Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people,' Lev. xix. 16. "Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off,' Psa. ci. 5.

666

Speak not evil one of another, brethren,' James iv. 11."

Mary could not write very quickly, and it took her some time to copy the texts; but at length they were written, and, at her mother's desire, she sat down to commit them to memory.

In a few minutes Matthew Green entered, and, in reply to his wife's inquiry how he found dame Jones, replied, "Quite as well