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delightful of all occupations upon earth, that of serving Christ, and that if I died, I should go to my adored Saviour, and dwell with him for ever: that for me to live would be Christ, and to die be gain.' The former of these blessings was allotted me: my health was restored, my work resumed, my gratitude excited, and my confidence in Christ still further increased.

Dear reader, are you inclined to scepticism? I would strongly and unhesitatingly affirm, that your doubts have no ground on which to rest: that it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.' I would affectionately and earnestly say, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' Put your trust in Him -do so without delay-devote yourself with persevering ardour to his cause. Happiness will then assuredly attend you in all your future steps; and at your journey's end, when you have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will fear no evil, but, triumphing over the last dread foe, exclaim, 'O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God who giveth me the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.'

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FAMILY PRAYER.

IN our last number (page 62), we left the miserable inebriate promising to read the Bible which the compassionate Pastor had given him.

The promise was kept, and we now witness the happy result.

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recovers the position from which he fell. He now knows, by happy consciousness, the truth of Hannah's declaration-The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth

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LORD ROSSE.

The entrance of Thy word,' says the Psalmist, giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. Our poor friend experienced the truth of this inspired declaration. The more he read the wiser he became. Taught by the Word of God that 'Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging,' and receiving the succours of Divine grace, does he continue to frequent his I old Bacchanalian haunts? No. If he approaches gin-palace, or public-house, uttering from his heart the cry, 'Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil,' he avoids it, he passes not by it, he turns from it, and passes away.' Ceasing to waste his time, strength, and substance, with dissolute companions, diligently following his lawful calling, aided by his friends, and walking humbly with his God, he becomes a thoroughly altered man. He acquires a new, a divine nature, and thereby more thar

up the beggar from the dunghill to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of his glory.'

Glance for a few moments at the altered state of his room (see page 69). There's a fire in the grate now, and the kettle is singing on its hob; a fender and hearth-brush have been obtained, and there's a couple of good chairs. on the mantel-piece there's a candle in a candlestick, instead of being placed in a bottle. Over the mantel-piece the ribald song, and the last dying speech and confession,' have given place to a print of the penitent prodigal son. The window has been repaired, and on its sill there stands a nosegay, displaying its beauty, and emitting its perfume. A new work-bench, with its appropriate tools-a cupboard, with a bolt on the door (declaring that there are stores within)-a toy for the children to play with (implying that 'there is food enough, and to spare') -an opened Bible on the tablefamily prayer commenced-the father reading the Scriptures aloud, the wife and children listening with attention and delight-all conspire to force from the admiring spectator the exclamations, 'What hath God wrought!'

'Wonders of grace to God belong!'

'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new!'

LORD ROSSE.

IN the neighbourhood of Parson's-town, in Ireland, is the cas

LORD ROSSE'S GREAT TELESCOPE.

tle of LORD ROSSE, whose name has become indissolubly associated with the progress of astronomical science. The contrast which is presented as the visiter finds a smelting furnace, blown by a steam-engine, within a dozen feet of the drawing-room window of a nobleman's house is sufficiently strange; yet it seems but an apt embodiment of the genius of its proprietor, who, with all the amenity of demeanor which add dignity to his exalted rank, is familiarly and practically acquainted with mechanical dils; so conversant with

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On one occasion, when he called at an engineering it in London, it is said, the owner, ignorant of the of his visiter, offered him a situation, with a salary dred pounds a year.

LORD ROSSE'S GREAT TELESCOPE.

antic instrument measures 50 feet in length, by six It is suspended between substantial walls of cashitecture of about sixty feet in height, one of them iron semicircle, against which the tube bears when dian. By means of a windlass and a very skilful of chains and counterpoising weights, it can be o a variety of positions or turned fairly round from orth. Enormous as are its dimensions, and though together not less than twelve tons, it is managed with and exactness. On his telescopic experiments and s the noble earl has expended more than £30,000. ce-penetrating power of the telescope is vast. One es us, that the appearance of Jupiter as revealed by it ant, that it seemed as if a coach-lamp were advanced e; and Sir John Herschel affirms, that the sublimity acle afforded by some of the larger clusters of nebulæ ords fail to express. By the aid of this instrument, wed with a power to penetrate without difficulty into st five hundred times further than is possible for the vision; in other words, it will descry a single star nore remote than an average orb of the first magning the eye through an interval so extensive that nough travelling at the rate of nearly 200,000 miles 1, would take 60,000 years to pass through it. Yet, abroad on the immensity of existence thus opened we feel that, mighty as is the power which God has s to exercise, we are but children gazing on incomand mysterious wonders; and burthened by the maghe thoughts which press upon our minds, are comhe consciousness of our own littleness, to exclaim, ledge is too wonderful for me: it is high, I cannot it!'

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THE WHOLE BIBLE LEARNED BY HEART.

THERE was living in 1832, at Stirling, in Scotland, a poor old man, known in the neighbourhood by the name of BLIND ALICK, who, though destitute of sight from his childhood, had committed to memory the whole of the sacred Scriptures. His parents were poor, and sent him to a common school; as well to keep him out of mischief, as that he might learn something by listening to the lessons of the other children.

The only volume then used in such institutions as a class or reading book was the Bible, and it was customary for the scholars, as they read in rotation, to repeat not only the number of the chapter, but that of each verse as well. By constantly hearing these readings, young Alick soon began to retain many of the passages of Scripture, and with them the places where they occurred. It is probable that being incapacitated by his want of sight from engaging in any useful occupation, he may have remained an unusual length of time at this school; and that his father, as was generally the case with the Scottish peasantry, was a great reader of the Bible at home. A constant attendance at Church would also contribute to the result. However this may have been, when Alick had become a man, it was observed with astonishment that he knew the whole of the Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments, by heart!

Many persons of education have examined Alick, and been invariably amazed at his prodigious knowledge of the Word of God. You might repeat any passage of Scripture, and he would tell you the chapter and verse where it occurred, or you might tell him the chapter and verse, and he would repeat to you the precise words. A gentleman, to put his knowledge to the test, made a slight verbal alteration in a verse which he read to him from the Scriptures. Alick hesitated for a moment, and then said where it was to be found, but added, 'It has not been correctly delivered;' and forthwith gave it as it stood in the book. The same gentleman then asked him for the words of the ninetieth verse of the seventh chapter of the book of Numbers. Alick seemed perplexed for a moment, but speedily exclaimed, You are fooling me, sir! there is no such verse-that chapter has but eighty-nine verses in it.'

"Receive I pray thee the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.'-'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in

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all wisdom.'-'Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.'

'Oh, how I love thy holy Word,
Thy gracious covenant, O Lord!
It guides me in the peaceful way,
I think upon it all the day.'

A SACRED SONG.

HAPPY are they to whom the Lord His gracious name makes known! And by his Spirit, and his Word, Adopts them for his own!

He calls them to his mercy-seat,

And hears their humble prayer And when within his house they meet, They find his presence near.

Though men despise them, or revile,
They count the triumph small;
Whoever frowns, if Jesus smile,
It makes amends for all.

Though meanly clad, and coarsely fed,
And, like their Saviour, poor.

They would not change their Gospel bread
For all the worldling's store.

When cheered with faith's sublimer joys,
They mount on eagles' wings;
They can disdain, as children's toys,
The pride and pomp of kings.

And if their path below be rough, Or strew'd with thorns their road, This single thought is joy enoughIt leads them to their God.

POWER OF PARENTAL PRAYER. WELL would it be, if all Christian parents and guardians of youth were more fully impressed with the value and power of prayer, when offered in the exercise of a lively faith. While the rod might be sometimes useful to children, it loses its efficacy in nine cases out of ten, from the temper with which it is applied; and becomes a mere carnal weapon,' producing more injury than good while prayer is a divine instrumentality which secures the aid of Omnipotence, and therefore availeth much.'

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I was some time ago talking with a Christian friend on the subject of pious children, and congratulating him on his own happiness, in having all his children, four or five in number, decidedly pious. He told me that when his youngest son was eleven years of age, he felt much concerned for his salvation, and one day expressed his desire to the boy, and asked him to accompany him up stairs for prayer. The boy and the father retired to an upper chamber, and kneeling down together, the father poured out his soul to God, with considerable freedom and fervour. He prayed distinctly for each of his children, by name, from the eldest till he came to the youngest, which was the lad kneeling at his side; and in referring to him, he was more particularly importunate. On rising from their knees, the boy clasped his praying father round the neck with both arms, while a flood of tears indicated the intensity of his feelings, and from that day he gave pleasing evidence of a change of heart,-engaged with ardour in the duties of the Sunday-school-became a member of

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the church, after a time engaged in the important work of village preaching, and finally entered a college with a view to the Christian ministry.

NECESSITY OF RELIGION.

Hear what the celebrated infidel Voltaire says on this subject, in Sullivan's Survey of Nature-'Wherever society is established, there it is necessary to have religion: for religion, which watches over the crimes that are secret, is, in fact, the only law which a man carries about with him; the only one which places the punishment at the side of the guilt, and which operates as forcibly in solitude and darkness as in the broad and open face of day.'

NOW I DIE HAPPY.

WHEN Bishop Butler lay on his dying bed, he called for his chaplain, and said, 'Though I have endeavoured to avoid sin, and please God to the utmost of my power, yet, from the consciousness of perpetual infirmities, I am still afraid to die.'

My lord,' said the chaplain, 'you have forgotten that Jesus Christ is a Saviour.

'True,' was the answer; 'but how shall I know that He is a Saviour for me?'

'My lord, it is written, him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.'

'True again,' said the Bishop, 'and I am surprised that, though I have read that Scripture a thousand times over, I never felt its proper virtue till this moment; and now I die happy!'

A SLAVE'S ANSWER.

A FUGITIVE from slavery was asked if he was not well fed and clothed? Yes. Was his master kind to him? Yes. Was he over worked? No. Then go back to your master; you were better off than you will be in freedom. Gentlemen,' he replied, the place that I left, with all its advantages, is open to any of you that want to fill it.'

THE ALMOND TREE.

ITs botanic name is Amygdalus Communis, (the first word derived from amugdale, the Greek for almond tree). About the end of March, or a little later, this beautiful plant displays a mass of deep pink or whitish pink-sometimes even snow whiteblossoms, which are the more conspicuous because they come before the leaves. To give a complete view of the tree, the leaves, flowers, and fruit are, in our engraving, all shown together (see page 72). The tree grows about twenty feet high. The leaves resemble those of the peach: there is a degree of similarity between the two plants in their fruit also, save that, instead of the delicious pulp of the former, the outer coat of the almond is tough and leathery.

Some writers on the almond tree give Syria, some China, and others Barbary, as its native soil. Be this as it may, it is now widely diffused over the south of Europe, and the temperate parts of Asia. It will yield its fruit in the southern parts of even our own country. The principal eatable varieties are the sweet and the bitter. The 'Jordan' is the best of the sweet kind.

Almonds, in general, should be eaten sparingly, for though nutritious, they are not easy of digestion. Bitter almonds in particular should be partaken of with caution. A stout labouring man, who ate a large quantity, died soon after, in consequence of the prussic acid which the fruit contained. Essence of almonds, used for culinary purposes, is made from bitter almonds, which also should be very cautiously employed, and be studiously kept out of the reach of children. Various preparations of almonds are used both in medicine and perfumery. The famous Macassar Oil is oil of almonds, coloured red, and flavoured with oil of cassia. Both almonds and almond oil are an important article of commerce. In the Great Exhibition there were several samples of the oil, including some from Portugal. When refined it is used for the more delicate kinds of mechanism. The almond tree is frequently alluded to in Scripture. Its fruit formed part of the present sent by Jacob to Joseph, (Gen. xliii.) perhaps the only article in the collection,' say

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Dr. Adam Clarke, of which we know anything with certainty. It is generally allowed that the land of Canaan produced the best almonds in the last; and on this account they might be

deemed a very acceptable present to the governor of Egypt.' The bowls of the great golden candlestick, were, by Divine appointment, made like unto al'monds.' Aaron's rod that miraculously budded blossomed, and yielded fruit, was the bough of an almond tree. (Num. xv.) A traveller in Judea, who saw the tree covered with silvery coloured flowers, compared it to an old man with his white locks;' and in harmony with this represenbeautiful emblem of old age given in the last chapter of Eccletation is the striking and siastes, in which it is said, the almond tree shall flourish.' Again, near the commencement of the writings of Jeremiah, we read that the prophet saw a rod of an almond tree.' That tree, on account of the earliness of its buds and blossoms, and with reference to its name (which in the Hebrew is derived from a root which signifies to hasten) being selected as symbolic of the speed with which God would fulfil his word; as well in respect of judgments threatened, as of promised mercies.

THE ALMOND TREE.

page 71.

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THIS animal inhabits chiefly the southern parts of Africa. Its stripes, which are of a brownish black colour on a fawn or whitish ground, give it a beautiful appearance. It is about the size of the ass, and is classed by naturalists with it, as the first word of its scien

tific name (asinus zebra) indicates. There are two kinds of zebra, one (Burchell's) inhabiting the plains, and the other (the true zebra) being found in the more northern and mountainous d parts of the country. The chief difference between them is in the hoof.

The zebra is social in its habits, living in troops, and frequently herding with other animals, such as the gnu, the springbok, and the camelopard. Its food is hard dry herbs, and it is very difficult to tame. The voice of the zebra is

the first word (from the Greek) meaning a sucking-pig, and the second (from the Latin) a millstone. It obtains the appellation of sun-fish (and moon-fish, as the French call it) from its nearly circular shape, and its phos

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phoric splendour.

When full grown, this inhabitant of the deep is from four to five feet in length, and in weight from three to four hundred pounds. It has no teeth, but the jaws are armed with a continuous cutting edge. The skin is thick and hard. The flesh is not much softer than the skin, nevertheless sailors (foreign, not British) employ it as food. A fishing smack returning to the Lizard, Cornwall, fell in with a large sun-fish,

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THE SUN-FISII.

which lay basking on the surface of the water. The crew secured it with a boat-hook. Being too large to be lifted in, it was taken in tow, brought to shore, and cut up as bait for crabs. After all the trouble, however, that was expended upon it, it proved to be of little value. The flesh resembled the fat of bacon, but in appearance only, for it was so hard that it required a very sharp knife to make any impression on it. Consequently the crabbers, finding it impossible to pierce it with the pointed sticks to which they attach the bait, threw it all away.

The sun-fish often exhibits during the night a high degree of phosphoric effulgence. It lives, however, chiefly at the bottom of the sea, feeding there on sea-weed: it is therefore not often observed, except when it rises to bask on the surface.

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very peculiar, and can hardly be described.' Its flesh is said to be flavoury, like venison, and is eagerly sought by beasts of prey. CUMMING, the great South African hunter, on one occasion falling in with a troop of these creatures, a supply of zebra

venison was hailed with delight by himself and his companions. The flesh of such as were taken was hung in festoons on the trees around the camp. In the night a lion and a leopard claimed their share. The leopard was making off with a large fragment of a zebra's ribs, when the huutsman's dogs set upon him. He very reluctantly dropped his booty, and in his attempt to preserve it, so wounded two of the hounds that they shortly after died.

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