to be content. Good bye, brother half-crown, many thanks to you, and remember if we ever meet again (as I hope we may) I shall want some more philosophy. Half-Crown.-Adieu, my friend, Adieu, adieu! but mind you teach the other shillings what I have taught you. [alone] There now, there's some hope of that shilling; but after all, those shillings are such slippery things; they are here to-day and gone to-morrow. Well now, you little Boys and Girls are the shillings, and your Teachers are the half-crowns; therefore, mind you pay great attention to them, and they will tell you what is good, and what will make you happy. Don't grumble because you are not half-crowns, or sovereigns, or five pound notes, or Bank of England Twenties; be thankful you are not pennies or farthings. But remember, at the same time, that farthings and pennies, as well as shillings, and half- crowns, and Sovereigns, are stamped with the royal image, and have the royal protection. What we mean is this, that all of you, as God's creatures, (whatever your position in life may be) are stamped with God's image, and have the Divine protection. Accordingly, my dear young friends, your aim through life should be, to do the work and fill the place, and display the spirit, your Heavenly Father intended you. Birmingham, April 6, 1858. R. H. HOW TO LIVE THE LONGEST. SOME of our young friends may die in a few days, while others of them may live many years; and yet the one who dies first, even though the youngest, may live the longest! You may wonder how this can behow a child of twelve or fifteen can be said to live longer than a person who does not die till his hundredth birthday. Children, there are different ways of living. People may be said to live in this world even after they are dead and buried. So we are told that Washington still lives in the hearts of his countrymen. The truth is, the one who does the most good will live the longest, even though he die early. Come to the Bible for some illustrations. There was the poor widow who gave all she had to the Lord, and although it was but two farthings, yet, because she was actuated by pious motives, her gift has never been lost sight of, but, by her example, she has been giving ever since, although dead and buried more than eighteen hundred years ago. Then there was another woman called Dorcas, who made garments for the poor in the early days of Christianity, and who, by her influence, has been busy ever since in the same labour of love, not in one, but in all true churches. Then think of the apostles, who used to travel about and preach in different cities; they are not dead yet; for every Sabbath they preach in all our churches, in almost every language, to millions on millions of listeners. But you may say these people's names and doings are recorded in the Bible, and that is the reason their memory and actions can never die. That is true; but, then, how many thousands have lived since then in the church, who are known even in this day far better to us than they were to those who lived at the same time and place with them. See, the holy martyrs still live amid the flames! The missionary in distant lands, who fell at his post long years since, still encourages his surviving brethren! Nor is this true only respecting those advanced in years. The young "Dairyman's Daughter" still lives, and is doing more good now than she did at first. Those pious children whose history may be found in your Sunday-school library, live and speak to you, though their bodies may have long since crumbled to dust. The sayings of mere infants, out of whose mouths God had perfected praise, still speak to you in tones of sweetest accents, and with voices of heavenly melody! Come, then, dear young friends, do not wait any longer; do not stand idle till some great opportunity offers; but whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might. Live for some good purpose. Give to the cause of Christ, even if you have but one penny. Speak for Jesus, if you can say but one word. Do what you can, and do it always, and your heavenly Father will say to you before an assembled universe, "Well done;" "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." THE SHIPWRECKED SAILOR AN idle, disobedient boy, Although he so ungrateful proved, With tears the father gave his son, Before he went away, But when upon the wide blue sea, Not by his father now advised, And with his shipmates oft he would But when one night a storm arose, While wishing he was safe at home, At length the ship to pieces went, The only thing beside himself His heavenly Father's name, His life was saved, his soul renew'd, The Fragment Basket. ANECDOTES OF THE REV. LEMUEL HAINES. He happened to go into a store where ardent spirits were drank as well as sold. In his pleasant manner he addressed them, "How do ye do?" The merchant, willing to jest a little, replied, "Oh, not more than half drunk." "Well, well," said Mr. Haines, "I am glad there is a reformation begun." A minister, having had his house burnt, was stating the circumstances to Mr. Haines, adding, that the most of his manuscript sermons were consumed. Mr. Haines replied, "Don't you think, brother, they gave more light from the fire J. D. than they ever did from the pulpit?"" A physician, of libertine principles, to whom he was indebted, had started for the then far west, and stopped in town. Mr. Haines learning the fact, waited on him, confessed the debt, and started off to borrow the money. He was called back by the doctor, who presented a receipt in full, adding, "Here, Mr. Haines, is a discharge; you have been a faithful servant here a long time, and received but a poor support. I give you the debt." Mr. Haines thanked him, and still expressed his willingness to pay, when the doctor added, "But you must pray for me, and make me a good man." Mr. Haines quickly replied, "Why, doctor, I think I had much better pay the debt." Meeting a preacher who had been on a tour, preaching false doctrines, he said to him, "You have been out on a preaching tour, and what success do you meet with?" 'Oh, great success! great success! The devil himself can never destroy such "You a cause," was the reply. need not be concerned about that; he will never try," said Mr. Haines. Having solemnized a marriage in a neighbouring town, the young and rather ignorant bridegroom said to him, "What, sir, is your usual fee?" He humourously replied, "That depends entirely upon the parties; if they are promising and respectable, we of course receive a liberal reward; if they are what we call poor things, we expect but little." A liberal fee was instantly presented. TEXT AND COMMENT. It has been publicly claimed that the Roman Catholic is the most tolerant church in the world. The records of the Inquisition in Spain show that for 327 years, from 1481 to 1808, 34,658 souls were "dismissed to the flames of hell, after their accursed bodies had been burnt to ashes at the stake;" 18,049 persons were burnt in effigy, and 288,214 were condemned to prison and the galleys-a punishment involving, perhaps, greater misery than that of suffering at the stake. AN UNEXPECTED SPEECH. "They had a parish meeting in our church," writes a New England correspondent, "and the great question of increasing the salary of our excellent pastor was up for discussion. But the debate was like the handle of a pitcher-all on one side-nearly every one taking the ground that it would be impossible to go beyond the present starvation point. At length, to the surprise of all, a poor old man, who was never known to speak in meeting, rose, and holding upon the pew to steady himself, said, 'Mr. Chairman, they call me a droll fellow, and so I am; they call me a drunkard, and so I am; they call me a swearer, and it is too true, and I'm ashamed of it-ashamed of all; but I ain't half so much ashamed of it as I am that I have to live in a town where the people are too stingy to give the minister a decent living!' The effect of this short speech was very happy. It shamed the people into duty and decency, and the salary was increased by the unanimous vote of the congregation." ELOQUENCE. What we know thoroughly we usually express clearly, since ideas will supply words, but words will not always supply ideas. I have myself heard a common blacksmith eloquent, when welding of iron has been the theme.-Cotton. HINT FOR SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHERS. At our tea-meeting at Gentleshaw, on Good Friday (says the Rev. D. Griffiths), Mr. T. said, in the course of his remarks on Sundayschools, "I had addressed the Wesleyan Sunday-school at Walsall the Sabbath before the fair, particularly cautioning the children against attending it. Having occasion to pass through the fair on business, a little boy encountered me at the outskirts, and with an air of considerable gravity thus addressed me, Ah! I saw you; you told us yesterday not to go to the fair, and you have been yourself!"" How important it is that teachers should avoid the appearance of evil, as far as possible. AT THE PRAYER-MEETING. "How is it you are always at the prayer-meeting, let it blow hot or blow cold?" asked one young man of another. "Because I go upon the principle that if it is right to have a prayermeeting, it is the duty of the church to attend. If it is right for one to ONE by one the sands are flowing, One by one the moments fall; Some are coming, some are goingDo not strive to grasp them all. One by one thy duties wait thee, a blessing to be found at the prayermeeting.' CHRISTIAN UNION. In one of the last of his published works, Dr. Archibald Alexander makes this remark: "The author in a long life has found that real Christians agree much more perfectly in experimental religion than they do in speculative points; and it is his belief that a more intimate acquaintance among Christians of different denominations would have a tendency to unite them more closely in brotherly love." Poetry. Let thy whole strength go to each; Let no future dreams elate thee: Learn thou first what those can teach. One by one (bright gifts from Heaven) Joys are sent thee here below; Take them readily when given, Ready, too, to let them go. One by one thy griefs shall meet thee; Do not fear an armed band; One will fade as others greet thee, Shadows passing through the land. Do not look at life's long sorrow, See how small each moment's pain; God will help thee for to-morrow,Every day begin again. Every hour that fleets so slowly, Has its task to do or bear; Luminous the crown and holy, If thou set each gem with care. Do not linger with regretting, Or for passion's hour despond; Nor, the daily toil forgetting, Look too eagerly beyond. Hours are golden links, God's token, Reaching heaven; but, one by one, Take them, lest the chain be broken, Ere the pilgrimage be done. THE CLOSE OF DAY. WELCOME! the solemn calm of night, Day's busy hours are flown; Freed from the world's delusive light, I turn to God alone. 'Twas at the cool of closing day, That man could once, without dismay, Approach such hallow'd ground? There may the burden'd heart find ease, Its daily cares unload. To Him who knows and feels my need, I own the sad amount Of sins in thought, and word, and deed, Oh, let my conscience sprinkled be Thus would I now in Jesus sleep, Shall wake in glory's light. South Africa. DR. LIVINGSTONE'S TRAVELS. THE following are extracts from the popular work lately published by the intrepid African explorer, Dr. Livingstone: AN EXCITING SCENE. Messrs. Oswell and Vardon once saw three lions endeavouring to drag down a buffalo, and they were unable to do so for a time, though he was then mortally wounded with a two-ounce ball. This singular encounter, in the words of an eyewitness, happened as follows: "My South African journal is now before me, and I have got hold of the account of the lion and buffalo affair; here it is: 15th Sept., 1846. Oswell and were riding this afternoon along the banks of the Limpopo, when a water-buck started in front of us. I dismounted, and was following it through the jungle, when three buffaloes got up, and after going a little distance, stood still, and the nearest bull turned round and looked at me. A ball from the two-ouncer crashed into his shoul der, and they all three made off. Oswell and I followed as soon as I had reloaded, and when we were in sight of the buffalo, and gaining on him at every stride, three lions leaped on to the unfortunate brute; he bellowed most lustily as he kept up a kind of running fight; but he was, of course, soon overpowered and pulled down, We had a fine view of the struggle, and saw the lions on their hind legs, tearing away with teeth and claws in most ferocious style. We crept up within thirty yards, and, kneeling down, blazed away at the lions. My rifle was a single barrel, and I had no spare gun. One lion fell dead almost on the buffalo; he had merely time to turn towards us, seize a bush with his teeth, and drop dead with the stick in his jaws. The second made off immediately, and the third raised his head, coolly looked round for a moment, then went on tearing and biting at the carcass as hard as ever. We retired a short distance to load, then again advanced and fired. The lion made off, but a ball that he received ought to have stopped him, as it went clean through his shoulder-blade. He was followed up and killed, after having charged several times. Both lions were males. It is not often that one bags a brace of lions and a bull buffalo in about ten minutes. It was an exciting adventure, and I shall never forget it. Such, my dear Livingstone, is the plain, unvarnished account. The buffalo had, of course, gone close to where the lions were lying down for the day; and they, seeing him lame and bleeding, thought the opportunity too good a one to be lost.' Ever yours, Frank Vardon." THE LION AND THE BUFFALO. The African lion is of a tawny colour, like that of some mastiffs. The mane in the male is large, and gives the idea of great power. In some lions the ends of the hair of the mane are black; these go by the name of black-maned lions, though, as a whole, all look of the yellow tawny colour. At the time of the discovery of the lake, Messrs. Oswell and Wilson shot two specimens of another variety. One was an old lion, whose teeth were mere stumps, and his claws worn quite blunt; the other was full grown, in the prime of life, with white perfect teeth. Both were entirely destitute of mane. The lions in the country near the lake give tongue less than those further south. We scarcely ever heard them roar at all. The lion has other checks on inordinate increase besides man. He seldom attacks fullgrown animals; but frequently, when a buffalo calf is caught by him, the cow rushes to the rescue, and a toss from her often kilis him |