words of the child. She was on her knees in a moment, her little face turned expectantly to his; and as the words so familiar, "Suffer little children," etc., fell on her ear, the countenance took on a serious, holy look, and the head fell reverently on the clasped hands, motionless until the prayer was ended; and, as the weeks slipped by,

she learned to wait more and more quietly for her part of the prayer, as she called it.

Here is the secret. Pray so that the very youngest shall understand and be able to join with you in at least a part of the daily prayer. There would be less formal prayers, I think, in many households, and more heart-worship.

LV. THE STORMLESS OCEAN.

I HAD a vision of the ocean. I thought I lived in a village near the sea, inhabited principally by fishermen. We were accustomed to the deep in all its moods, when the winds played soft music as they swept lightly over its ripples, and when the waves dashed themselves in fury, like an army charging a long hated foe, against the line of broken cliff that stretched for a quarter of a mile along the beach. One afternoon a storm arose. The wind blew from the northeast with a cold rain, and seemed to pierce through one's flesh as though it would have entered even to the bones. The fishermen were busily at work, drawing the smaller boats up the shore as far as possible above high water mark, and doing the best they could to preserve their smacks from being damaged by the expected tempest. Before long we saw a ship, with her rigging gone and part of her stern broken away, driving before the gale. A number of persons were crowded on her deck; sailors and strong men as utterly at the mercy of the winds and waters as though they had been little children, mothers with their infants in their arms, and boys and maidens looking upon death with a stony horror. A mile or two to the south-west were a number of jagged rocks rising just above the water, and we knew well that if the vessel once got driven in amongst these teeth of destruction all chance of escape for those on board was gone. But our worst fears were realized. On she went right into the midst of the rocks; and all through

Several

the evening, and far into the night, amid the whistling of the wind and the dashing of the billows we heard the shrieks of the drowning, as one after another they were swept into the sea. attempts were made by the fishermen of the village to reach the ship; but in vain. And when at last one boat was capsized just as it approached the vessel, and the three men who were in her lost, no one else was found willing to risk his life against such fearful odds. By the morning the tempest had somewhat abated; but the only traces of the wreck were a number of spars floating amongst the rocks.

Now I thought in my vision that all the inhabitants of the country in which the village was situated were so filled with horror at the wrecks which had taken place along the coast,—for the one I have described was only one out of many, that they determined to supplicate the lord of the sea so to calm the ocean in future as to render it impossible for it to destroy the ships which sailed upon its bosom. After a time the petition was presented, and every one said how glorious the sea would soon become. No one would fear to sail on it by day or night, in summer or in winter; but it would be a perfectly safe highway for all who chose to traverse its waters. The ship would fear no danger from the rocks, because there would be no tempestuous winds to drive her contrary to the wishes of her crew. The boat would be able to cross vast tracts of ocean, because she would be certain not to meet with storms when she was far from land. Thus an assurance of future prosperity filled the mind

of every one who had to do with the

sea.

The supplication was no sooner heard than the change took place. There were no more wrecks; the ocean stretched away from the land, calm as a mirror. At first we all enjoyed its perfect smoothness. But before long we found that the tides had altogether ceased. The waves no longer rippled on the shore, the white crests we had delighted in were gone, and if a boat was rowed through the water it scarcely stirred it before the water was once more motionless. The sails of the fishing vessels were useless, and before long the fishing vessels themselves became useless also. No seagull dipped its white wing in the waves as it swept along the surface of the deep; no breeze blew from the shore, waking the ripples as it had been wont to do in the days of storm and sunshine; no shoal of fish passed through the sea, stirring the water for an instant with a sign of life. Over all the ocean rested a perfect calm, but it was the calm of death.

Before long the horror of the stillness filled us with a greater dread than we had ever felt in the time of tempest. Far off at sea we could perceive the outlines of ships lying motionless, as if spellbound, upon the waters. The sun, looking down on the dead expanse, soon turned the calmness to stagnation. A few hardy sailors attempted to swim in the ocean; but they found that its waters had lost all their buoyancy. The plash of oars sounded like a profanation of the solitude. But even worse than this followed. The waters became corrupt. A cloud of lurid vapour arose from the deep, and rested on its bosom. In a few days the vapour gave out a deadly poison, which began to mingle with the atmosphere and taint the air of the land. The cattle along the line of farms that

Often

Let us explain the parable. have we wished that we could destroy all passion in the heart of man, believing that by doing this we should banish all evil and sorrow from the world. We have thought that if there were no temptation there would be no misery, if there were no want there would be no sin. But we have been wrong. The change outside us is not so much the change we require as the change within. We need the passions of the human spirit rightly directed, not destroyed; the temptation to which we are exposed rendered powerless by the implanting of a deeper principle. It takes us years to learn that it is better to sail through the storm with the Divine Master than to sail without Him through the calmest sunshine.

LVI. SHADOW PICTURES.

To what shall we liken the religious impressions of the multitude? They are like the shadows cast upon the ground by the leaves and branches of a tree on a summer day. As long as the sun is shining they remain distinct and clear; but as soon as a cloud passes over its face, or it sinks from sight in the western sky, the delicate tracery is swept away by the increasing gloom, and the beauty of its form is lost.

SCHOOLS.

H. B.

ican Sunday-school system is gradually being extended over that vast continent, "How is worthy of special attention. can we obtain new scholars ?" and even,

"How can we commence a Sundayschool?" are questions which have at times been asked in these pages.

Here is an answer from across the Atlantic: "In all our great cities, in the town and country, there are vast numbers of immortal youth far beyond the reach of Churches and Church Sabbath-schools; and therefore it becomes necessary to carry the Sunday-school to them. A room is obtained, conveniently located, with seats, books, etc. The children are gathered, taught to read, to sing, to pray, presented with library books, etc.; and thus innumerable blessings are sent down into destitute families, and soon like leaven the gospel is seen diffusing itself everywhere among the

mass.

"Somewhere about seventy of these mission schools are now successfully sustained in New York city alone, with twelve to fifteen thousand pupils in them. Roman Catholic, Jewish, and other classes of children are in this way easily and successfully reached aud permanently benefited. This instrumentality must be largely increased everywhere. Some five or six denominations often unite in the labours of one of these schools, and all work together in the most beautiful harmony. This movement is in the highest sympathy with that aggressive feature of the system.

"But to come to the details of this work, and how it should be begun and carried on. First choose wisely the locality for a new Church or mission Sabbath-school; then select one or more men and women, full of life and zeal, as a nucleus of interest and labour. Next survey and visit systematically all the families in the district, and present the objects and the value and adaptedness of the Sunday-school to their wants. Pray much, and at every step, privately and socially, especially in the early stages of the effort.

"Get all ready for a good commencement. Have everything arranged so that not a moment of delay in finding the right hymn, or in singing it, will prompt the children to find something else to do. Do not admit children faster than you can conveniently control

them. Some superintendents aim at having a rush of scholars the first sabbath or two, and the result is that they lose months ere they secure the good order and control of the children. It is often better to admit only a dozen or two new scholars at a time, and get them well classified and arranged, and in the hands of good teachers. There must be order, and the superintendent must wait for it, although he may not at the first do much beside. Much depends upon starting right. Have Testaments, hymnbooks, and Sunday-school papers, if possible, ready on the first sabbath.

"Select a clear, distinct, easy lesson at the first, and whatever is done let it be well done. Select the teachers carefully, and admit none who have not a good report and are not of a teachable spirit. Meet with the teachers socially every week if possible, to aid them with your suggestions and help. Be cheerful, earnest, and respectful to all. Keep up a regular visitation of teachers and scholars, and let your visits bear a fraternal and not an inquisitorial aspect. Prove yourselves the true friends of parents and scholars, and never get discouraged or out of patience because you cannot gain the children of Roman Catholic or Jewish parents at once; it may be only a question of time. At any rate, do them all the good you can at their homes, whether you ever lead them to the Sunday-school or not. Duty is ours; results belong to God. Through the children reach the parents, and through the parents reach the children. Let your errand to the house always be one of kindness and goodwill, so that if they do not receive you kindly it will be because they misunderstand you. These visits however are almost invariably well received, if made in a natural, pleasant manner, proceeding from a charity which hopeth all things.' Respect and honour the parents all you can, whether they commit their children to your care or not. Exhibit our beautiful librarybooks, our sweet songs, our attractive children's papers; and speak of the great kindness and love of the teachers to the children.

"It is very desirable to have a course

the gold and silver, his oxen, his asses, his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had, to a place called the valley of Achor. There he was stoned to death, and the things he had taken were burnt, according to the commandment of the Lord.

Now this sad story, little ones, teaches us many lessons. (1) That we are to obey God's commands, and that if we do not He will punish us. Who was it disobeyed in the story I have told you? (2) That God hates sin. Sin is a dreadful thing in the sight of God. Some little boys and girls do not seem to think it is. They tell lies, steal, disobey their parents, and say bad words. They forget they are sinning against the great God; that they are doing what He hates. And they forget He has said He will punish sin. What was Achan's sin? What was done to him? Who can give me a text in which God says He will punish the wicked?" The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" (Ps. ix. 17). Now we have all sinned, and so deserve to be punished. How then can we escape?-Through Jesus. If we go to God in prayer, and tell Him we are very sorry we have been so wicked, and ask Him to forgive us for Jesus Christ's sake, He will forgive all our sins.

What other lessons may we learn from Achan's story? (3) When he was taking the things, he thought no one saw him. But God saw him. What does this teach us?-God sees everything we do. When children know their parents are looking at them, how do they behave ?-(Very well.) And when we know that God is looking at us, how ought we to behave?-(Properly, do right.) I hope every one of you will try to do so.

We can learn many more lessons from Achan. We will take one or two. What did he tell Joshua about the things he had taken? He said, first, he saw some good clothes, and some gold and silver. Then he wanted to have them; then he took them; and then he hid them. When Achan saw the things, I think he must have kept looking at them. When we look at nice things for a long time, we often want to have them. Sometimes

children want things they see upon the table, or in the cupboard. They keep looking at them; and if they can get near them they are likely to take them. Do not then keep looking at forbidden things; for if you do, very likely you will take them. Achan was thinking so much of the good things he saw that he forgot what God had said about them. If he had thought of God's command, it is very likely he would not have sinned. Let us do what David did. He says in one of his psalms, " Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee (Ps. cxix. 11).

Now, little ones, I want you to be like David. Ever keep in mind what God says in His holy word, and pray for grace to do what He tells you. If you will observe this, you will be kept from evil, and be enabled to obey the commands of God.

W. J. W.

A WONDERFUL DELIVERANCE. Acts xii. 1-11.

"If God be for us, who can be against us?"-Rom. viii. 81.

TO-DAY, little ones, I am going to tell you of a wonderful deliverance in the life of St. Peter. But first let me see whether you know who he was. he was one of Jesus' disciples, one of the twelve apostles.

Yes;

Do you remember the name of the wicked king who ordered all the infants to be slain when Jesus was born? Well, the king I am going to tell you about now was another Herod, greatgrandson to the one who commanded the infants to be killed. He was a wicked man, hating all who tried to serve God; and he was angry with Peter, and James, and another apostle, because they sought to do so; and he therefore persecuted them.

Do you know what it is to persecute? It means continually going after, to vex and trouble. Wicked people often try to persecute God's children, is that right? No; it is very wrong, and makes God angry; for He watches over those who love Him, and