on the left.

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How many do we meet dressed in sable attire! "Man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets." Alas, alas! what has sin done for us! what misery has it brought into this our world! By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom. v. 12). Sin is the cause of death. How beautiful was this world before sin entered! But oh, what an unspeakable mercy to have an interest in Christ Jesus, who, by dying on Calvary's cross, obtained a complete victory over sin for all His dear people. "That through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. ii. 14). To the believer now, death is but falling asleep in Jesus-the messenger sent from the high court of heaven to usher him into the presence of God and the Lamb, into those mansions prepared above, that everlasting rest on high, where death can never enter, because there is no sin there, for "God will wipe away all tears from their eyes." Yes, there is everlasting life. There is one eternal day; no night is there. It is everlasting spring-eternal summer. No wintry blast shall evermore sweep over those immortal flowers; no tender bud shall evermore be nipped by the frost of affliction. Oh, what has the Gospel done! What blessings has it brought into this our world! How amazing the love of God to poor sinful worms. We love Him because He first loved us. O my dear young friends, who may read these lines, do not think you are too young to die. The young as well as the old are cut off by death. How many a fond parent has had to watch by the dying couch of her darling child, or a widowed mother been called to part with her only son, to whom she was looking for support |

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when grown up! But the Lord was pleased to
call him by His grace, and then receive him to
glory. What a sweet change for him! A flower
plucked in its bloom. This has lately come under
my own notice.
Jesus has said, "Suffer the little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not:
for of such is the kingdom of God." Wisdom's ways
are ways of pleasantness," and all her paths are
peace. The Lord in mercy take early possession of
my young reader's heart. Dear young friends,
to have an interest in Christ, is better than ten
thousand worlds. How delightful to see a dear
child happy in the prospect of death, and longing
to depart, and be with Jesus! Such was the case
with him just referred to. How blessed to have
Christ formed in your heart, the hope of glory!
Permit me to ask the all-important question, Is
Christ precious to your soul? Is His name most
dear, as ointment poured forth? Can you say,
"Give me the wings of faith, to rise
Within the veil, and see

The saints above-how great their joys,
How bright their glories be"?

Whether young or old, what a mercy to be united to Christ, the sinner's Friend, the Christian's All-inall! Then, when Death shall come, he will not come as the king of terrors, but as an angel of light, to break off our chains, and deliver us from a body of sin and death, and from all suffering. Oh, may we have our loins girt about with truth, our lamps trimmed and burning, ready to go forth and meet our heavenly Bridegroom when He shall come; so that when we shall hear Him say, "Behold, I come quickly," we may be able to say, "Even so, come Lord Jesus. Come quickly." Walworth.

MARY ANN.

BUTTERFLIES ARE PRETTY THINGS.

BUTTERFLIES are pretty things,

Prettier far than you or I;

See the colours on his wings:
Who would hurt a butterfly?

'Softly, softly, girls and boys;
He'll come near us by and by;
Here he is; don't make a noise-
We'll not hurt you, butterfly!"

Not to hurt a living thing
Let all little children try;
See, again he's on the wing:
Good-bye, pretty butterfly.

A TYRANT AND HIS END. THE tyrant Huneric, who was an Arian, in his horrible persecution of the orthodox in the African Church, after having almost starved the whole clergy of Carthage, exiled them.

Two Vandals, who loved the faith, accompanied by their mother, forsook their wealth, and followed the clergy into banishment, Theucarius, an apostate, advised the Arian governors to recall some of the young children, whom he, according to his office, had taught to sing the service of the Church, and whom he knew to have the best voices. Messengers were sent to recall twelve, who, weeping and holding the banished clergy by their knees, refused to leave them. They were separated from them by force, and brought back to Carthage; but neither flatteries nor the bastinado could cure them of their attachment. These, after the persecution was over, were held in high estimation in the Church. The Arian bishops went everywhere, armed with swords, accompanied by their clergy. One named Anthony distinguished himself by his cruel treatment of Eugenius, bishop of Carthage, who was his prisoner, and whose life he in vain attempted to destroy by repeated severities. Another bishop, called Habet Demm, was bound by him hand and foot. Anthony, stopping his mouth, poured water on his body. My brother," said the Arian, unbinding him, "you are now a Christian as well as we; what should hinder you in future from obeying the will of the king?" While you were stopping my mouth, I made," said the holy confessor, a protestation against your violence, which the angels have written down, and will present to God."

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At length, after a horrible reign of seven years and ten months, in which time the Church was purged by as severe a persecution as any ever known, in the year 485, died the tyrant Huneric of a disease in which he was corroded by worms-a signal monument of divine justice.