gious journal to record, and most painful to witness, the covetous and money-making spirit of men, which recent circumstances have called out in the far West. A large quantity of gold has been discovered in California, which our readers will remember is a narrow peninsula of land to the west of Mexico. There are now about 4,000 men employed in washing and smelting the gold. And the daily produce is said to be 30,000 or 40,000 dollars. All are flying thitherward; the broken-down tradesman, the unfortunate merchant, the half-starved mechanic, are giving way to dreams of gain and gold, and hastening to the spot. Whether the speculation will be successful or not, we cannot say; but it is a melancholy proof of the love of money in the heart of man, which is but one development of the deep-seated corruption which is found within. But God will surely smite this idol, as he has done many a one before, and teach man the vanity of earth, if he is not won over to the reception of the Gospel.

The state of the Continent remains much the same as when we last wrote. The imperial troops are reducing the Hungarian insurgents to obedience; one decisive victory has been gained, and the Hungarians have experienced great losses; but there are still skirmishings carried on in various parts of the country. Affairs are progressing satisfactorily at Moultan; one victory has been gained, and the result will probably be the annexation of the whole Punjaub to the British empire.

The annual Gipsy Festival was held, Dec. 28, at Southampton. Mr. Crabbe, the originator of these efforts for their conversion, was, we were sorry to see, unable to take any prominent part in the proceedings of the day, in consequence of illness. About 250 gipsies were present, and the children from the Gipsy-school at Farnham, Dorset, were examined. In that institution there are at present 12 or 14 children; but the whole of the buildings have not been completed, from want of funds. Good, to be effected among this wandering and degraded people, must, we are convinced, be effected in this way, viz., by the education of their children.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

66

We cannot give an accurate answer to "C. R's" two first queries. Biddulph on the Liturgy" is an excellent book, but rather prolix.

J. FOSTER, FRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE.

A SUNDAY LESSON FOR THE MARY SCHOOL.
OUR SAVIOUR'S CURE OF THE PALSY.

ST. MATT. ix. 1-8.

Good morning, children; I am glad to see you looking cheerful and happy this fine day. The school-room is glowing in sunshine. Your faces are bright and smiling; but the sun is brighter, and, to use the figure of speech which I explained to you the other day, more smiling still-for it makes the whole room look joyous and gay. I do not wish to cover your bright faces, but we must try to cast a shade over the face of the glorious sun; so one of you may let down the blinds while I take a glance round the room.

How pretty our three classes look, ranged in three straight rows,—the girls all dressed alike in their blue and white striped Sunday dresses,-class F on one side, class C on the other, and class B at the lower end of the room. I do think there is not a vacant place to-day. Oh, yes I see one in class F, but the absent girl is "on leave;" for she has a just and proper cause of absence: she is staying at home to nurse her sick mother. I hope she will read the Bible, and some of the prayers out of the Church Prayer-Book. Perhaps her mother may wish her to read them aloud; for, as no hand can smooth the pillow of a sick mother as tenderly as the hand of a loving daughter, so, I think, no voice can sound as sweetly in her ear as the voice of her child, reading those words which are able to make both mother and child wise unto salvation, through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

Is that the Bible Lesson Bell which rings? Yes: and now every sound is hushed. Both Teachers and children have submitted instantly to the touch of the little bell. How still and quiet! Not a whisper is to be heard: and the girls are seated with folded hands, waiting in eager expectation for their kind Teachers to read to them.

Shall I take your places, dear friends, this morning? I see by your smile that your free and willing consent is granted; so I will take my seat at the upper end of the room, where the children and I can see each other. It is pleasant to be so situated as to be able to meet the eye of the persons addressing or addressed. Do you not think so, girls ?

Now we will begin. I am glad to see you have all your Bibles. Open them at the ninth chapter of St. Matthew.

[What has all this to do with the Lesson on the Cure of the Palsy? we hear some of our readers ask. We answer, it has a great deal to do with it. If our instructions are to benefit our pupils, those pupils must be willing and attentive listeners; and, humanly speaking, they will never be either the one or the other unless we cultivate a lively and an attractive manner. Children have no sympathy with deadness, coldness, and formality. They are all life, energy, and warmth; and we must catch somewhat of their spirit if we would become successful labourers in those fair spots in the vineyard of the Lord where we are privileged to lead the lambs of the flock to the pure fountain of living waters. Again and again we have seen the commencement of thoughtlessness, indifference, and disorder, changed instantaneously into willing and even delighted attention, by means of a few simple words such as those with which we have commenced our lesson: and we think those means may well be deemed important ones which can so easily and so pleasantly fix the attention of the class, and prepare it for the coming lesson. It is true, the words, to be effective, must flow from the lips of one who wields with a monarch's hand the sceptre of his power-who possesses that almost magical influence over the young which impels them onward wheresoever he leads the waythat subtle, penetrating, indescribable something, which gives him a command over the minds of his charge more powerful than the mightiest king ever swayed over his subjects, and enables him to guide them to the point at which he aims, as easily as the mariner at the helm guides his vessel through the soft and yielding waters into the haven which he desires to reach. It is not to be expected that this controling influence should be exercised by that too numerous class of monitors and Teachers who have not yet passed the threshold of their childhood. It is all very well for one child to assist another child to learn a lesson; but to set one child to

educate another is a fatal delusion. We have somewhere seen it remarked, that "the action of mind upon mind in the process of education is, in strict philosophic truth, a fecundating action, and to be capable of that fecundation, the mind that teaches must have reached its maturity. The flower that would shed its seed before it was mature, could produce no flower like itself." We will proceed with our lesson, trusting our kind friends will bear in mind that it must be rather a rough sketch, than a finished picture, of what it would be were we seated alone with our children in the school-room. We conceive that what may be termed extempore teaching, cannot be adequately represented on paper. It is impossible to reduce to writing either the imperfect and incorrect answers of the children, or the words of caution, encouragement, and love, which flow fresh from the Teacher's heart as he sits in the midst of his class, gazing on the beaming countenances of his youthful charge. The eye, too-that important instrument in teaching-the tone of voice, the animated earnestness which should characterize the whole manner of the Teacher, are wanting; and on these the efficacy of extempore teaching mainly depends. A lesson on paper is, at the best, a tame and an imperfect thing.]

Teacher. Well, children; have you found the ninth chapter of St. Matthew?

Children. Yes.

Teacher. Hold your Bibles properly-sit in a straight line-look at your books-and read after me, all in one tone of voice, from the first verse to the eighth. I shall read slowly and distinctly, and you must do the same.

"1. And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

"2. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

"3. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

"4. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

"5. For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

"6. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

"7. And he arose, and departed to his house.

"8. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled,

and glorified God, which had given such power unto

men.

Now, you shall read a verse by turns, beginning with the girl on my right hand. Read slowly-sound every letter, and try to understand the sense of what you read. Children read.

Teacher. Very well. You have read this portion of God's word as it ought to be read,-carefully, reverently, and accurately. By accurately, I mean you have read the words as you found them in the New Testament: not saying of instead of to, and on instead of in, and similar mistakes. Now you shall tell me what you have

been reading about.

Children. A miracle.

Teacher. What do you mean by a miracle?
Children. Something which man cannot do.
Teacher. Look at that fly walking up the window.

[The more simple and natural we make the lesson the better; and there is nothing like seizing on little passing incidents and events for the purpose of illustration. There is a freshness about this style of teaching which is peculiarly taking with the young; and, moreover, it comes home to them with a force and power which the more formal and studied address may in vain attempt to acquire.]

Could man make that fly walk so steadily up the smooth, slippery glass?

Children. No.

Teacher. And yet we do not call a fly walking on the window a miracle. It is only the effect of the ordinary laws of nature. By the laws of nature," I mean certain laws which God has made to govern the world. But suppose some one were to be cruel enough to take the little fly and crush it to death, and then to place it on the table before us: and suppose you were all to look at it so as to be sure that it was in reality quite dead. Then suppose that, all on a sudden, the fly were to come to life again, and fly away, and walk on the window as before, would that be an event according to the common course of nature?

Children. No.

Teacher. No. If a fly be dead, it would be out of the