minds were not so matured in wicked-run to the cross of Christ. This kind of ness as their parents. He said also preaching had a good effect upon their that he experienced much difficulty in minds. It led them to ask all kinds teaching them the doctrines of the of curious questions about Jesus, the Bible. It would be of no use for a mini-cross, and the joys of heaven. ster or teacher to stand up and teach them as we receive instruction in this Christian land, for they could not understand it. One day the missionary wished to instruct the children from this text, Heb. xii. 1, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us; and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." The manner in which he preached was as follows:-Having assembled a large crowd in an open field, he set up at a distance from them a stick resembling a cross, and calling two boys to him, he desired them to run a race, promising the one who should reach the cross first, a little crown which he held in his hand. The boys ran, and the larger one reached the cross before the other. The people all began to shout and clap their hands when the boy received his reward. This kind of preaching pleased them. After they were quiet, the missionary called the larger boy to him again, and bound a block of wood upon each foot; then he desired the boys to run another race, making them the same offer as before. But the boy with the wood upon his feet could not run-he fell down upon the ground. Then the people began to laugh, and desired the missionary to tell them what all this meant. These poor children are anxious to hear the Gospel. They call for books and for instruction. Do you not, my young friends, hear the voice that comes from Africa, requesting you to help the missionaries, and to send them the Bible? This is just what they need. It will make them happy. It will guide their feet to the cross of Christ. It will teach them to worship the living and true God. It is the greatest blessings they can possess. Darkness and ignorance will vanish away before the light of God's truth. THE CHILD AND THE TIGER. IN the far east, "on a stern and rockbound coast," the encroaching waters of the ever-restless ocean have formed an estuary, separating from the mainland a bold and beautiful promontory, called, from its singular appearance, "The Dolphin's Nose," on whose green and richly-wooded summit man with good taste has erected a castellated building, with turrets and towers overlooking the sea. A covered way leads from the house to a detached building, surrounded by a very high wall, by way of protection from beasts of prey. This formed the sleeping apartment of the widowed master of the mansion, and in an inner room was the little He then began to explain the text bed on which reposed his son and heir, by telling them that Jesus Christ a lovely boy. A lamp was burning, hath bled upon a cross for sinful men; and the light fell on a mirror which that we all had a Christian race to stood opposite the door, the only artirun, if we would reach heaven and be cle of furniture to mark that woman happy; and that when we reached once "had part and portion there." It this happy place a true God would was midnight-the infant slept "calm give us a crown of life. He also ex- as a child's repose;" but the father plained to them that every one had a could not sleep-fast the thronging weight of sin upon them, which would memories of bygone days, the thoughts prevent them from running, unless of that dear partner separated from they would go to Christ and ask him him by the hand of death, anxieties to take it away. He then called the regarding the welfare of his child, and boy to him and unbound his feet, tell-official duties, stole over him and coming them that Jesus was as able and willing to take off their weight of sin, as he was to take off the blocks; and that there were angels in heaven, ready to rejoice when any one should bined to keep him watchful. The weather was oppressive, though every door and window stood open to woo each passing breeze. His child awakes and cries, and the attention of the whose name we will call Mary. She was a beautiful girl; every one loved her and she loved everybody; her teacher at school, her fellow-playmates, her parents, brothers, and sisters, loved her. Would you like to know why she was such a favourite with every one? It was because she was good, and never got angry, like some of you, nor spoke unkindly, nor disobeyed her parents. If she thought any one was displeased with her, she would raise her large blue eyes towards them with a pleading, sorrowful look, and the tears would stream down her cheeks; but no word of murmuring passed her lips. I remember one bright and sunny afternoon, we obtained leave to go a strawberry lonely watcher is at once arrested; suddenly he observes a dim and shadowy form creep by him, with stealthy step, into the room that held his child. Is it a dream or phantom conjured up by the memories of the past? The light of a solitary lamp swung from above, and glanced upon the glossy coat of a huge royal tiger, which, impelled by hunger, and attracted by the cries of the child, had sprung over the protecting wall. Oh! the intense, the breathless agony of that moment, which allows scarce time for thought, none for action. The royal brute sees his own image reflected in the mirror, to him as the image of an enemy; scowl reflects scowl, and as he crouches for a spring, his silent enemy is prepared also; one wave of his snake-ing, and taking our baskets upon our like tail, one indignant growl, one bound, and the mirror falls clashing around him in countless glittering fragments. Scarce two more bounds, the first through the suite of chambers, the second over the wall, and he had sped far away to the solitary lair, far away in the deep forest, where the still night echoes the deep throbbing of his panting heart; and the father kneels with clasped hands over the bed of his child; and when the animation had returned, when the mantling blood fled back through his veins, his gratitude to the Almighty hand that had willed that his child should be spared, was not loud, but deep. He soon followed his beloved partner to the tomb, and they both lay buried in a shady spot side by side, unheeding the "summer sun's most piercing rays, and the vexed ocean at the topmost swell." The infant, thus preserved, has since been amidst the roar of cannon and the clang of war; he bears a charmed life. The hand of the God of mercy is upon him, and has not suffered that one hair of his head should perish. STORY FOR CHILDREN. I PROPOSE to tell a story to little readers, for I love children, and like to talk to them. I hope my story will please and interest you all; then I shall feel well paid for telling it. Years ago, when I was a child like some of you, I visited a dearly-loved cousin arms, away we went, clambering over fences, and up hills, and having filled our baskets with the red and luscious fruit, we threw ourselves upon the grass, under the wide-spreading branches of a pine-tree, and looking up to the clear blue sky, we wondered if heaven was there-if God lived there-if he saw us then, and knew what we were talking about. Then we spoke of death, and shuddered at the thought of being buried up in the cold, cold ground; and then Mary said we must be good and love God, then we should go to heaven where he lived when we died; and we said we would be good. One day, Mary complained of being sick. Her parents sent for a physician. When he came he felt her pulse and said, "Mary is very sick, but I will leave her some medicine which I hope will do her good." It did not; she grew worse and worse every day, and they knew she must die. Her mother saw she must part with her youngest child, her darling Mary, and she wept. Mary seeing her, called her to the bedside, and said, "Mother, do not cry for me, I am not afraid to die; I have got religion!" She folded her little hands, and her spirit winged its way to her Maker's presence, there to sing his praises for ever. My dear children, could you meet death thus calmly, and say, like little Mary, "I am not afraid to die!" Perhaps you think you are young and shall not die till you are old. But Mary was young, and she died; so may you. Remember, Jesus saith, "Suffer little children to come unto me," and "they that seek me early shall find me," and believe what I tell you; if you live to be old you will never be sorry for loving God and giving him your heart while you are young. THE NEW ZEALANDER'S NEW HEART. ONE day a chief in New Zealand met a missionary, and told him that his old heart was gone, and that a new one was come in its place. Gone! whither?" "It is buried; I have cast it away from me." "How long has it been gone?" "Four days." "What was your old heart like ?" "Like a dog-like a deaf man; it would not listen to the missionary, nor understand." "How long have you had your old heart?" "Always, till now; but it is now gone." "What is your new heart like ?" "It is like yours; it is very good." "Where is its goodness?" It is altogether good; it tells me to lie down and sleep all day on Sunday, and not to go and fight." "Is that all the goodness of your new heart?" "Yes." "Does it not tell you to pray to Jesus Christ ?" "Yes; it tells me that I must pray to him, when the sun rises, when the sun stands in the middle of the heavens, and when the sun sets." "When did you pray last ?" "This morning." "What did you pray for?" "I said, O Jesus Christ, give me a blanket, in order that I may believe." "I fear your old heart still remains; does it not?" "No; the new one is quite fixed; it is here," pointing to his throat. "But the new heart that comes from God does not pray in that way." "How then?" In answer to this last question, the missionary went on to tell him what it was to pray, what he should pray for, and how ready God is to hear us, when we ask for heavenly blessings in the name of Christ. But it was hard for him to understand the meaning. This story shows you what Paul means when he says (2 Cor. iv. 4), "The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Will you not pray that many such ignorant heathens as this New Zealand chief, may find the way to Jesus Christ, and be truly washed in his blood, and made heirs of heaven? TO MY MOTHER. Of happy scenes and blest; Then nestling in thy lap, Mother, The prattler would relate the scenes That had for him such charms. So sweetly didst thou smile, Mother, How playfully we raced, Mother, Upon the outer door; And I would spring into his arms, And clasp his neck, while thou Would'st kiss the shade of care, Mother, From off his manly brow. But, ah! those hours have fled, Mother, Noontide's exhausting beam. And when my prostrate form, Mother, Oh! how I miss'd thee then. The hour I love the best, Of happy scenes and blest; When life's sweet eve is come, R. S. JAMES. The Cabinet. REVIVAL OF DOMESTIC RELIGION. THE Inspired Writers delight to represent religion in its domestic aspects. When judgment was impending on the Cities of the Plain, the bolt was not permitted to descend until the fact had been intimated to the Father of the Faithful; and the signal honour by which he was thus distinguished was mainly founded on the consideration of the character which he sustained as the head of a household: "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him," Gen. xviii. 17-19. What a testimony! How full of instruction and encouragement to all parents who walk in the footsteps of faithful Abraham! There is, indeed, no point in which he deserves more implicit imitationno point on the imitation of which so much depends. Abraham combined in himself and in his domestic administration all the qualities necessary to the Divine approval. His example was shining; his authority was decisive and uniform; his prayer was fervent and believing. Of all these things he had just given a remarkable proof by obeying the Lord's command, in at once circumcising both himself and his household; and he who knew the hearts of all knew that, through the grace given him, he would teach Isaac to walk in his footsteps, and that thus a way would be made for the promised blessing to be conferred on his posterity. The Lord's conduct towards him beautifully exemplifies the precious Scripture, "The Spirit of the Lord is with them that fear him," and shows that he graciously notices parental attention, and sympathizes with parental solicitude, for the welfare of children and domestics. No offering is to him more pleasing than the devout exercise of parental authority in restraining evil, encouraging good, and building up virtuous habits; no instructions will receive more uniformly the Divine benediction than those which parental lips pour out upon the filial circle; no prayers will more certainly enter the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth than those which supplicate for the effusion of his Spirit, to renovate the souls of the rising race. This view, which is so conso nant to Scripture, has the concurrence of reason, and it is supported by all history; while, on the contrary, indifference and neglect in these matters have been as uniformly followed by the frown of Heaven, by disobedience, impiety, and disaster. In our last Number we cited the example of the venerable Philip Goodwin on the importance of domestic religion, and showed that, in his day,—that is, in the year 1655,-the complaint was loud of the decay of family piety. "The languishings of the Lord's day, and the lamentable neglect of family duties,” was the burden of his sorrowful song. With a view to obviate this abounding evil, he addressed himself to his contemporaries, and the then existing churches of the land, expounding and expatiating on the words of Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,”— words the worth of which has been attested in every age, and which will continue, so long as there is piety, and as there are families on the face of the earth, as a watchword. On no occasion did that noblest of men-Joshua-appear to greater advantage, and never from his lips did he issue a more important declaration. Somehow the glory of Moses has partly overshadowed that great character, although the position of Joshua was, in some respects, superior, and his services more important. It was reserved for him, through many combats, to complete the deliverance, and to bring the people into Canaan, for which cause he is properly designated their "Saviour;" and in this capacity he brilliantly shadowed forth the glory of the coming Messiah. In point of piety he was preeminent, not excelled by any, not even the most distinguished member of the Old Testament dispensation. He was endowed with a most plentiful portion of spiritual abilities, and in himself wonderfully combined devotion with bravery. The promise which had been given never failed him. The great thing, however, that is particularly noticeable, is, the identity of the governor with the householder. While he ruled Israel so admirably, his own dwellingplace was not forgotten. Indeed, as the centre, he began there, and never ceased to act from that centre to the circumference, comprising all the tribes. As a governor, few are required to imitate him, and ¦ in all points none can, since his function and position were peculiar; but as a parent, he is a model to all flesh, and the time will come when his words will be known, and the principle supplied by them acted upon, throughout all the families of the earth. There is no more sure method of testing the true moral condition of a country than by looking into the heart of its families. Alas! what multi |