GOD CALLING CHILDREN. ELLEN WILSON had been reading the story of Samuel aloud to her mother, when the coming twilight forced her to close her book. So she sat awhile with her little hand pressed in her mother's loving clasp, looking into the blazing wood fire. At last she said, "Mamma, I don't want to go and leave you, and live along of a priest like Eli, but I do wish it was the fashion for God to call children now-a-days just as he did little Samuel."

"Why, my dear, do you desire such a fashion?"

"Because then I would know just how to be good, and what he wants me to do.'

"It is true that God does not speak with a voice which sounds in the ear, as the midnight voice did to Samuel, but I well remember that I received many solemn calls from God in my childhood; and I think if my Ellen would listen with all her heart she would find that it is still the fashion' for God to call his children."

"When did God ever call you, mamma?"

"The first time I remember I was about five years old, and read the mention of William Baker's death in the 'Child's Book on the Soul.' Then something seemed to whisper, Though you are young, you may die too. Why do you not give your heart to Christ, and be prepared?' I felt very sober for awhile, but it was a still small voice, and I soon drowned it in play. Then again, two or three years later, when I first saw a dead body, from which the soul had gone. Then something seemed to say, 'Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. They that seek me early shall find me.' Then I listened and felt sober as before, but did not obey the voice, and it soon ceased."

"Did you have any more calls, mamma?"

"As I grew older the calls became faint and less frequent, and but for God's goodness might have ceased altogether; but, thanks to his mercy, the blessed voice came again; and as the words, Quench not the Spirit' sounded from the preacher's lips, and were again repeated in my ears, as I tossed upon my bed at midnight, I saw my sins and danger, and Christ ready to forgive and save me. Then I said, 'Here am I,' and from that time resolved to love and obey Christ all my life. Then peace came into my soul, and I could sleep sweetly, for I had heard that answer the heavenly voice. From that hour I never have been troubled what to do; for I find God ever ready to tell me as plainly as he told Samuel. Ellen, have you ever heard such a voice? And don't you think, if you listened attentively, you could tell what to do?"

Ellen hung her head, for she had read the Bible, and knew her duty, and had heard God's voice more than once calling her to love and serve him. "Yes, mother, I think I have heard God call, though that is not the kind of voice I meant. I always thought it would be easier to know what to do if God would speak in my ear just as he did to Samuel."

"No, my dear, if you would not listen now you would not under any circumstances. Childhood soon passes, and the noise and din of earthly care drown the calls of God, and they are often unheeded until it is too late. Christ loves children, he died for them, and when he was on earth blessed them, and said, 'Of such is the kingdom of heaven.' Now next time you hear this voice, say, 'Here am I, for thou didst call me,' and trusting in Christ for help, try to obey his word. Sometimes he calls with a text of Scripture, sometimes by putting a serious thought into your mind even amidst your play; tonight he calls my Ellen by the story of little Samuel."

The tears ran down Ellen's face at these few solemn words from her mother; and that evening, as she knelt in prayer, she asked that help from God's Spirit without which no child can truly obey God's voice.

A CHILD'S PRAYER.

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.

A trustful little child, that loves

And leaves all to his Father's care; That all his Father's deeds approves, Nor once to grieve or murmur dare; Such, Saviour, let me ever be,Such my relation unto thee. Make me a gentle little child,

Who knows but One on earth to love,

And who amid the deserts wild
Dare not without his Father move,
But clasping close the outstretch'd
hand,

Treads firmly on the shifting sand.
Oh, treat me as a wearied child,

And let me lie upon thy breast,
And with thy voice of love beguiled,
Forget the foes that would molest.
With gentlest voice, oh, lull each fear!
With kindest hand, oh, dry each tear!
Thus, Jesus Saviour, let me be

Not only child-like in my will, But thine own child,-a child of thee, Whose love alone my breast can fill ; And if thy child, thine heir at last, When earth, and grief, and care are past.

THE POWER OF LOVE. I never was so impressed with the power of love as when I heard the following story:-A woman had a deadly hatred against a fellowcreature. Now there lived near her a child who was not polluted with the world's wickedness. Mortal man had taught that child only a simple prayer, but the angels talked to her soul, and the Lord's light shone clearly there. Now that woman once left her home burning with jealousy, and she stumbled and fell just where that little child lived. The woman was angry, and spoke bad words, when the child sweetly asked, "Has she been hurt?" Now the child was not afraid, but looked her in the face and said, "Never mind! God will cure you, and I will ask him." So she put up her little hands to the Lord, and said her little prayer. The tears of the woman started; the child was asking the Lord to bless her, and the Lord was looking at her through the child! She could not bear it: she screamed in agony. And then the child rose up, and the woman caught her and said, "Teach me to pray." The woman forgot her hatred-her fellow-sinner, everything but that child. Her look was on her when the child said, "Do

you love?" "Me! love? Me! Oh, who can I love?" Then said the child in a whisper, "Love God, who loves you and me, and all the world." "Yes," said the woman, "he loves you, but he cannot love me.' "Then," said the child of love,

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you do not know our Father, then, for he is love." Now, what that woman felt I do not know, but she fell on her knees, and the power of love impressed her; and she let the child, the little child, lead her home, feeling an angel had been sent to keep her from great sin, and to tell her God was love, and loved her. Now this woman became transformed, not by fear, but by the power of love in a little child.

LIVING AND DYING.

The late Dr. Newton was once speaking of a lady who had recently died. A young lady immediately asked: "Oh, sir, how did she die?" The venerable man replied: "There is a more important question than that, my dear, which you should have asked first." 66 'Sir,' said she, "what question can be more important than 'How did she die ?'" "How did she live?" he replied.

RICH MEN.
It were no bad comparison to

liken mere rich men to camels or mules, for they often pursue their devious way over hills and mountains laden with Indian purple, with gems, aromas, and generous wines upon their backs, attended too by a long line of servants as a safeguard on their way. Soon, however, they come to their evening halting-place, and forthwith their precious burdens are taken from their backs, and they, now wearied and stripped of their lading and their retinue of slaves, show nothing but livid marks of stripes. So, also, those who glitter in gold and purple raiment, when the evening of life comes rushing on them, have nought to show but marks and wounds of sin impressed upon them by the evil use of riches. Augustine.

THE STEAM HORSE.

Elihu Burritt, the learned blacksmith, gives the following poetic description of a locomotive. Let any of our fine poets or orators beat it if they can.

"I love to see one of these huge creatures, with sinews of brass and muscles of iron, strut forth from his smoky stable, and, saluting the long train of cars with a dozen sonorous puffs from his iron nostrils, fall back into his harness. There he stands, champing and foaming upon the iron track, his great heart a furnace of glowing coals; his lymphatic blood is boiling in his veins, the strength of a thousand horses is nerving his sinews-he pants to be gone. He would "snake" St. Peter's across the Desert of Sahara, if he could be fairly hitched to it, but there is a little sober-eyed man in the saddle, who holds him with one finger, and can take his breath in a moment, should he grow restive and vicious. I am always deeply interested in this man; for, begrimed as he may be with coal, diluted in oil and steam, I regard him as the genius of the whole machinery, as the physical mind of that huge steam horse."

THE MERIT OF CHRIST.
Were I disposed to boast (Bishop

Ashbury once said) my boasting
would be found true. I obtained
religion near the age of thirteen.
At the age of sixteen I began to
preach, and travelled some time in
Europe. At twenty-six I left my
native land, and bid adieu to myweep-
ing parents, and crossed the bois-
terous ocean to spend the balance
of my days in a strange land, partly
settled by savages. I have
travelled through heat and cold for
fifty-five years. In thirty years I
have crossed the Alleghany Moun-
tains fifty-eight times. I have often
slept in the woods without necessary
food or raiment. In the southern
States I have waded swamps, and
led my horse for miles where I took
colds that brought on diseases
which are now preying on my
system, and must soon terminate
in death. But my mind is still the
same that it is through the merits
"We
of Christ I am to be saved.
believe that through the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be
saved," Acts xv. 11.

THE HISTORY OF THOU
SANDS.

Why?

Thousands of men breathe, move, and live-pass off the stage of life -are heard of no more. They do not a particle of good in the world, and none were blessed by them-none could point to them as the instrument of their redemption; not a word they spoke could be recalled, and so they perished; their light went out in darkness, and they were not remembered more than the insect of yesterday. Will you thus live and die, oh, man immortal? Live for something. Do good, and leave behind you a monument of virtue that the storm of time can never destroy. Write your name in kindness, love, and mercy, on the hearts of thousands you come in contact with year by year-you will never be forgotten. No; your name, your deeds, will be as legible on the hearts you leave behind as the stars on the brow of evening. Good deeds will shine as the stars of heaven.-Chalmers.

I KNOW THAT I MUST DIE. My God! I know that I must dieMy mortal life is passing hence; On earth I neither hope nor try To find a lasting residence. Then teach me by thy heavenly grace With joy and peace my death to face. My God! I know not when I die,

What is the moment or the hour;
How soon the clay may broken lie,
How quickly pass away the flower.
Then may thy child prepared be
Through Time to meet Eternity!
My God! I know not how I die,
For death has many ways to come,-
In dark, mysterious agony,

Or gently as a sleep to some.
Just as thou wilt, if but it be
For ever, blessed Lord, with thee!

My God! I know not where I die,

Where is my grave, beneath what strand;

Yet from its gloom I do rely

To be delivered by thy hand. Content, I take what spot is mine, Since all the earth, my Lord, is thine. My gracious God! when I must die, Oh, bear my happy soul above, With Christ my Lord eternally To share thy glory and thy love!

Then comes it right and well to me, When, where, and how my death shall be.

EVENING HYMN.

LORD, in humble adoration,
Low before thy throne we bend,
Hear our feeble supplication,
And to us tby mercy send.
Unto thee our thanks we render,
For the mercies this day shown,
And our all we now surrender
To thy sovereign care alone.
Lord, remove our spirit's blindness,
Make us feel thy care and love,
Let thy never-failing kindness
Lead our souls to thee above.
Now fulfil thy gracious promise,

All our former sins forgive;
Take not, Lord, thy Spirit from us,
For by thee alone we live.

Though our sins we canrot number,
Let thine everlasting arm
Be beneath us while we slumber,
Guarding us from every harm.
Thus may we, on thee reposing,
Safely pass life's troubled sea,
And when life's last night is closing,
Find our comfort still in thee!

THE most important event of the month is the Meeting at Exeter Hall, to consider the future relation of Government to Religion in India. The meeting was distinguished by a tone of solemn determination that Christianity shall no longer be sacrificed to Idolatry. The following are the Resolutions adopted:

"That this meeting records with feelings of thankfulness to Almighty God, the success with which he has crowned the British arms, in the suppression of the formidable revolt of the native troops in India; and while it deeply deplores the atrocious barbarities inflicted on our countrymen and countrywomen, with their helpless children, by heathen and Mohammedan rebels, it rejoices that, through the Divine

mercy, cheering prospects are now presented of the early restoration of order, security, and peace."

"That in the judgment of this meeting, it is the sacred duty of the British Government in India, as the executive of a nation professing Christianity, at the earliest practicable period, and in the most expedient manner, to withdraw its countenance and aid from every form of idolatry; especially by discontinuing all grants for the maintenance of heathen temples and idol worship, and ceasing to administer endowments for their support, by preventing all acts of cruelty and all obscene exhibitions connected with idolatrous rites, and by entirely withholding its sanction to the social evils connected with the system of caste."

the principles and spirit of Christianity, to employ either its authority or patronage to proselytize its native subjects to the Christian faith, it is no less its duty to secure to all classes, whether Christian, Heathen, or Mohammedan, entire religious freedom, so far as is compatible with civil rights and public order."

"That, in all colleges and other educational institutions supported by the Indian Government, the Christian Scriptures ought to be admitted, and regularly taught to all those pupils who may be willing to avail themselves of their Divine instructions."

In

These Resolutions embrace great principles, which go far to meet the necessities of the case. If they shall be fully and fairly carried out, a foundation will thereby be laid for a completely new order of things in India. The first Resolution, however, is somewhat premature: the Revolt, we regret to say, is not "suppressed," but it has received a powerful check; and of its ultimate, and, we hope, speedy extinction there can be no doubt. thus speaking, our confidence is not founded on the prowess of the British arms, great and wonderful as it doubtless is, but on the conviction that England has been chosen in the counsels of the Eternal to execute a special mission of Divine mercy to the teeming millions of that great country, which is barely begun. Till that shall have been accomplished, England will retain her hold of Hindoostan, and no powers, whether native or foreign, will be able to wrench it from her.

It is of the utmost moment that the Church of Christ, in all her sections, should acquire a general ac

quaintance with this great subject; it is necessary both to regulate their action and their supplication. In the absence of this, duty with respect both to labour and prayer will probably be neglected, or gone about in a manner altogether inefficient. The Officers of our Churches, in particular, require to familiarize themselves with this and all other great public questions, that they may be qualified properly to conduct public prayer; otherwise they will be shut up to a barren generality, and their supplications will be wanting alike in light and unction. these times it is indispensable to the full discharge of the duties of Christian citizenship, that the leading men of the churches should look abroad on the earth, that they may mark the movements of nations, and discover the hand of the Most High. The duties of Christian citizenship are binding on all Christians, and the duty of acquiring the qualifications necessary for their performance is consequently paramount.

In

A Memorial to Her Majesty the Queen, and Petitions to both Houses of Parliament, founded upon the preceding Resolutions, were adopted at the Meeting; and corresponding Petitions will be required from the whole country, when we do trust the readers of the PENNY MAGAZINE will add to the aggregate of Signatures at least FIFTY THOUSAND!

Let every man who can sign his name append it to a Petition, as his personal testimony on behalf of Two HUNDRED MILLIONS OF PERISHING IDOLATERS!