glory. Spring has its growth, summer its fruitage, and autumn its festive in-gathering. The spring of eager preparation waxes into the summer of noble work; mellowing in its turn into the serene autumn, the golden-brown haze of October, when the soul may robe itself in jubilant drapery, awaiting the welcome command, "Come up higher," where mortality shall be swallowed up in life.

2. Why, then, should autumn tinge our thoughts with sadness. We fade as the leaf, and the leaf fades only to revivify. Though it fall, it shall rise again. Does the bud fear to become a blossom, or the blossom shudder as it swells into fruit; and shall the redeemed weep that they must become glorified'? Strange inconsistency'! Strange inconsistency'! We faint with the burden and the heat of the day. We bow down under the crosses that are laid apon our shoulders. We are bruised and torn by the snares and pitfalls which beset our way, and into which our unwary feet often fall.

3. We are famished, and foot-sore, and travel-stained, from our long journey, and yet we are saddened by tokens that we shall pass away from all these,-away from sin and sorrow, from temptation and fall, from disappointment, and weary waiting, and a fearful looking-for of evil, to purity and holiness, and the full fruition of every hope,-bliss which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived, -to a world whence all that made this dreary is forever banished, and where all that made this delightful is forever renewed and increased, a world where the activities and energies of the soul shall have full scope, and love and recognition wait upon its steps forever.

4. Let him alone fear, who does not fade as the leaf,him whose sources are not in God, and who does not draw his life thence,—him whose spring is gathering no strength, whose summer is maturing no fruit, and whose autumn shall

have o vintage. a dread of change, but a secret consciousness of wasted power, of disloyalty to God, as the supreme object of our love and service.

Is not this the real sorrow of us all? not

5. Yet even here the fading leaf brings hope. Our future is always before us. The past is fixed. No tears can wash away its facts. Let us waste no vain regrets upon it; but, from the wisdom which its very mistakes and sins have bequeathed us, start afresh on the race. Though yesterday we were weak, and selfish, and indolent, let us to-dayat this moment-begin to be strong, and brave, and helpful, and just, and generous, and considerate, and tender, and truthful, and pure, and patient, and forgiving. "Now" is a glorious word. "HENCEFORTH" is always within our

grasp.

QUESTIONS.-1. To what are we compared? 2. What is said of change? 3. What change takes place in the leaf? 4. What, in man? 5. Who have reason to fear? 6. What is said of the past and the future?

LESSON CXIII.

UN HEED' ED, not regarded.
EX POS' ED, unprotected.

EX HORT ED, urged; persuaded.

AT TUN' ED, put in tune.
ES SEN TIAL, real; true.
AN NOUNCED, proclaimed.

TEACHINGS OF NATURE.

1. THE seasons came and went, and went and came,
To teach men gratitude; and, as they passed,
Gave warning of the lapse of time, that else
Had stolen unheeded by the gentle flowers
Retired, and, stooping o'er the wilderness,
Talked of humility, and peace, and love.

POLLOK

The dews came down unseen at evening tide,
And silently their bounties shed, to teach
Mankind unostentatious charity.

2. With arm in arm the forest rose on high,
And lesson gave of brotherly regard;
And, on the rugged mountain brow exposed,
Bearing the blast alone, the ancient oak
Stood, lifting high his mighty arm, and still

Το courage in distress exhorted loud.

The flocks, the herds, the birds, the streams, the breeze, Attuned the heart to melody and love.

3. Mercy stood in the cloud, with eye that wept
Essential love; and, from her glorious brow,
Bending to kiss the earth in token of peace,
With her own lips, her gracious lips, which God
Of sweetest accent made, she whispered still,
She whispered to Revenge, Forgive! forgive!

4. The Sun, rejoicing round the earth, announced
Daily the wisdom, power, and love of God.
The Moon awoke, and, from her maiden face
Shedding her cloudy locks, looked meekly forth,
And. with her virgin stars, walked in the heavens,—
Walked nightly there, conversing as she walked
Of purity, and holiness, and God.

5. In dreams and visions, sleep instructed much.
Day uttered speech to day, and night to night
Taught knowledge: silence had a tongue: the gravə,
The darkness, and the lonely waste, had each
A tongue, that ever said, Man! think of God!
Think of thyself! think of eternity!

6. Fear God, the thunders said; Fear God, the waves;
Fear God, the lightning of the storm replied;
Fear God, deep loudly answered back to deep.
And, in the temples of the Holy One,
Messiah's messengers, the faithful few,
Faithful 'mong many false, the Bible opened,
And cried Repent! repent, ye Sons of Men!
Believe, be saved.

QUESTIONS.-1. What do the seasons teach? 2. What, the trees? What, the sun and moon? 4. What, Messiah's messengers?

3,

LESSON CXIV.

BE DECK ED, adorned.
AR RAY', dress; attire.
MAN' TLED, spread; rushed.
DE VOTION, attachment.

I DOL' A TROUS, excessive.

SEVER ED, rent; sundered.
EN CIRCLED, inclosed; surrounded.
SABLES, mourning clothes.

GIFTED, talented.

FOUND' ED, established.

AL LURE', (AL, to; LURE, draw;) draw to; entice.

PASSING UNDER THE ROD.*

MARY S. B. DANA.

1. I SAW the young bride, in her beauty and pride,

Bedecked in her snowy array;

And the bright flush of joy mantled high on her cheek, And the future looked blooming and gay:

* These lines are founded on the following passage of Jewish history :"It was the custom of the Jews to select the tenth of their sheep after this manner: The la.nbs were separated from their dams, and inclosed in a sheepcot, with only one narrow way out; the lambs hastened to join the dams, and a man, placed at the entrance, with a rod dipped in ocher, touched every tenth lamb, and so marked it with his rod, saying, 'LET THIS BE HOLY.' Hence, God says by his prophet, 'I will cause you to pass under the rod.'"

And with a woman's devotion she laid her fond heart

At the shrine of idolatrous love;

And she anchored her hopes to this perishing earth,
By the chain which her tenderness wove.

But I saw, when those heartstrings were bleeding and torn,
And the chain had been severed in two,

She had changed her white robes for the sables of grief,
And her bloom for the paleness of woe!

But the Healer was there, pouring balm on her heart,
And wiping the tears from her eyes;

And He strengthened the chain He had broken in twain,
And fastened it firm to the skies!

There had whispered a voice,—'twas the voice of her God: "I love thee-I love thee-pass under the rod !"

2. I saw the young mother in tenderness bend O'er the couch of her slumbering boy;

And she kissed the soft lips as they murmured her name,
While the dreamer lay smiling in joy.

Oh, sweet as the rose-bud encircled with dew,
When its fragrance is flung on the air,

So fresh and so bright to that mother he seemed,

As he lay in his innocence there.

But I saw when she gazed on the same lovely form,
Pale as marble, and silent, and cold,

But paler and colder her beautiful boy,
And the tale of her sorrow was told!

But the Healer was there, who had stricken her heart,
And taken her treasure away;

To allure her to heaven, He has placed it on high,
And the mourner will sweetly obey.

There had whispered a voice,--'twas the voice of her God: "Ive thee-I love thee-pass under the rod !"