small pittance, he deliberated with
himself for a long time whether he
should lay it out in the purchase of
something to allay his hunger, or of a
pair of shoes, of which he was in ex-
treme want; and his countenance
expressed the deep interest he felt in
this consultation. A merchant, see-
ing his embarrasment, asked him the
cause, which he ingenuously confessed
to him; and did so in a manner so
agreeable, that the merchant, perceiv-
ing him to be a man of talent, took
him home with him, to dinner, and
When
thus settled the question.
Sixtus became Pope, he did not forget
his old friend the merchant, but repaid

LIFE'S SALT.

PATIENCE AND COURAGE. Courage is an occasional act or effort of the soul; patience, a continuous habit. Courage is the mission of some; patience, the duty of all. Courage courts observation, and sustains itself by every possible outward prop and stimulus; patience, is as a prince the service he had received lovely and quiet-its warfare is within, as a beggar. its victory without sound of trumpet, for the eye of God and the award of heaven. Courage may give its strength Riches have made more men coveto evil, and may nerve the arm of the tous than covetousness hath made thief or the manslayer; patience, rich. As much as you excel others in dwells only in the bosom of piety, and fortune, so much ought you to excel always beholds the face of her Father them in virtue. Let great actions in heaven.-Rev. A. P. Peabody. encourage greater; and let honor be your merit and your design. Recreation is a second creation, when weariness has almost annihilated one's spirits One hundred hours of vexation, says the Italian proverb, will not pay a farthing of debt. False wit like false money, only passes current with those who have no means of

THE RULING PASSIONS. M. P called on me one day, at the time when daily regulations were taking place in Paris, with regard to the change of the coinage. He told me he had just been visiting M. de L., a rich banker, who was on the point of death. The dying man, after tell- comparison. The clouds that intercept ing him he was perfectly reconciled to the will of God, and recommending himself to his prayers, turned to him as he was leaving his bed-side, and said to him, "Well-any news of specie to-day ?"-Valesiana.

POVERTY & PROSPERITY.

Pope Sixtus V. was so poor when he came to Rome, that he was obliged to ask alms. Having at last saved a

the heavens from us come not from the heavens, but from the earth.

LEARNING.

Human learning gives place to the knowledge of the word of God. A scholar, in the near view of eternity, said to his mother, "I have been endeavouring to obtain one of the highest seats in the literary world, but I can now willingly resign it, to obtain the lowest seat in heaven.'

THRONES AND KINGDOMS.

MEAN MEN.

"The liberal soul shall be made Bajazet, after his capture, observing his conqueror to laugh at him, said, fat; and he that watereth shall be "Do not laugh at my misfortunes, watered also himself." How true that Tamerlane: it is God that has subdued is, even in all the relations of life. me, not you. He is able to reverse The liberal man never loses anything our situations, and to undo to-morrow by his generosity. On the contrary, what he has decreed to-day." Tamer- he gains by it for " he shall be watered lane, assuming a more serious counte- also himself" in return; and yet, nance, replied, "I did not laugh with strange as it may seem, the world is any design of exulting over you, but half full of niggardly, mean, pennyWhen will these men from a sudden impression of the low wise men. estimation in which thrones and king- have their eyes opened? When will doms must be held in heaven, since they divorce themselves from their littleness? royalty has been bestowed on such a blink-eyed man as you are, and such a limping one as myself.

DOES SUCH A QUALITY AS
REASON EXIST?

THE GLORIOUS SUN.

Many have been the souls overwhelmed with gratitude while contemplating this "sublime illuminator of worlds', this " diamond of the heavens"-this "golden lamp of God." Amongst them we have Thomson, the roet, who beautifully sings of the sun,

when he says,

There are persons of much talent who treat reason as a chimerical existence, and wholly insufficient to demonstrate great metaphysical truths. But this is a mere sophism on their part; for in denying the existence of reason they do it with the aid of reason, or not in the latter case, they of all material things first and best! fail in their argument; and in the Effiux divine! Nature's resplendent robe ! first, they betray their own cause, and Without whose vesting beauty all were wrapt establish that which they have under-Soul of surrounding worlds! in whom best seen, taken to deny.

"Prime cheerer of all light!

In unessential gloom! And thou, O Sun!

Shines out thy Maker, may I sing of thee!"

And another poet, Baker, says of him,

DEPLORABLE IGNORANCE.

It is related by a minister who resided at Bedford, that in taking a ride one afternoon, he overtook a decent-looking woman on the road, to whom, after a little conversation on other subjects had passed, he said, 'Good woman, you seem to be an intelligent person, pray, do you know anything of the Lord Jesus Christ?' She replied, 'No, sir; there is no such nobleman living hereabouts that I know of.'

"Along the sky the sun obliquely rolls, Forsakes by turn, and visits both the Poles;

Different his track, but constant his career.

Divides the time, and measures out the year;
To climes returns where freezing winter reigns,
Unbinds the glebe, and fructifies the plains;

The crackling ice dissolves, the rivers flow,

Vines crown the mountain tops, and corn the

[vales below."

Of the sun when setting, the poet,
Rogers says-

"Lo! the sun is setting, earth and sky,
One blaze of glory;

And lessening to a point,

Shines like the eye of heaven."

Entelligence.

Although one recital followed another in an unbroken succession for more than three hours, with the exception of one short anthem sung by the choir, while we were re-arranging the parties on the platform, there was no flagging and the greatest decorum was maintained; and so far as we were able to ascertain, no person connected with this gathering was guilty of inebriety, or of any other conduct tending to mar the pleasure of the day.-(British Baptist Reporter.)

As it was now between two and three produced upon the congregation can o'clock in the afternoon, and the evening scarcely be described. But the chief meeting fixed at half-past five, we had piece of the evening was a debate not much time to enjoy the good cheer between the compulsory system and the so essential to the happiness of some voluntary principle in religion, supposed Christmas parties. While the young to be carried on between Lady Drusilla children and females from the country, and Dorcas. The importance of the and those who had their cattle to attend subject, the fairness of the discussion, to, returned to their respective homes, and the ability of the young females those of us who reside in the town, with who represented the parties, all united other friends remaining from the country in rivetting the attention of the audience. who resolved to stay till the evening meeting, hastened to take some refresh. ment. At half-past five we were again in the chapel, and, although it is a large and commodious building capable of seating more than 900 persons, it was soon filled and densely crowded in every part, so much so that even a standing place in the aisles could scarcely be obtained. The recitations in this meeting were confined to our own school, the members of which recited thirty-two select pieces in prose and verse. Several of them were of considerable length, and were repeated with accuracy. But those which excited the greatest interest were the productions composed in the form of a dialogue, in which more than one person sustained a part; such as the dialogue between the eye and the ear, in which each claimed the superiority as being of the greatest use to man, while a third checked their vaunting speeches, reminding them that their services were mutual, and they ought to rejoice in each other's prosperity. Also a debate between Michael the archangel and Satan, in which the latter was reminded of his past sins and future doom. Another very interesting piece, and recited with great effect, was a dispute between the Christian and the Jew, in which the latter was supposed to have been vanquished by the Christian's proving from the Old Testament predictions that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah; attended any day-school; 82 have atand when the two young men represent-tended a day school five years; 20 are ing these characters sang together, at attending select classes; and 72 are in the close, a well known Welsh hymn of service or apprenticeship. praise to Jesus as the Messiah, the effect

SHEFFIELD.

PARK SCHOOLS.-These schools, in connexion with Wesleyan Methodism, have been in operation forty-five years. Among its early promoters, but five or six persons now live. But the fruit of their labor remains. Ministers of the Gospel, missionaries, local preachers, and class-leaders are still laboring in the I ord's vineyard, who were taught in these schools the story of the Cross. At present there are 71 teachers, who supply alternately; and there are 257 boys and 274 girls on the books. Of this number 207 are between the ages of six and nine; 147 between nine and twelve; 85 between twelve and thirteen; 80 between thirteen and fifteen; and 12 between fifteen and twenty years of age. Of these, 183 are in attendance at a day-school; 2 have never

Fellow Teachers. Glean encouragement from the past. Cherish hope for the future. Determine to know nothing among men save Christ and him crucified! Let your communion be with the Father, and with his son Jesus Christ! Thousands of little hearts beat with From the retirement of your closets