MARIAN'S VISIT TO THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL.

89

od you may do. If you are always wishing to do od, you may find plenty of opportunities; and reember nothing is too small for Christ to notice, if it only a kind word you have said, or by some way revented angry words from being spoken; anything, f done from a pure heart, is owned by Christ as His work.'

"Did you remember all that, Ellen, and write it lown yourself,” said Mary. 'No, I thought a good leal of it, so I asked my teacher if she would take the trouble to write it for me; and Mary, I think it suits you as well as it did me."

"Yes, girls," said Marian's father, "I think this suits you all. You see there are other ways of usefulness besides being ministers, or missionaries, or Sunday-school teachers? But we must get on." He then took up a paper of names, and read them out one after another, each child who was thus called coming up and receiving from Marian a book, which every one received with a courtesy or a bow. Now and then her father stopped the distribution for a minute or two, to say something about the book. Thus, one boy received, Robert Dawson."* 66 'Ah, my lad," said Marian's father, "that is the book which will teach you to be brave. Read it, act like Robert in the story; and you will be a greater hero than many a man who marches to the sound of music, with a red coat on his back, or musket on his shoulder." Then came some other little books from the same shop. One, given to a thoughtful looking girl, was entitled "Ellen and Clara, or Am I a Sinner?" "Stop a moment, Marian," said her father again." My child," (turning to the scholar

*The cheapest and prettiest edition of this capital boy's book is published by Nelson and Sons.

who was receiving the book,) "read that story car fully. It will teach you something about God's holyl and about yourself, which, perhaps, you have neve thought of before. It will teach you to understand the Ten Commandments that I heard you repeat so well few Sundays back, and your own heart also better the ever." The child courtesied as she took the book; she saw when she sat down again that there was a ver pretty picture at the beginning, but she was evident most desirous to read the story, after what had been said.

And now came up a rosy-cheeked little boy, with eyes full of cleverness and fun. "Here," said his kind friend, "is a book for you about some little folks who all set to work making fables one fine day after tea;* and some very excellent fables they made. But you know you must not forget to read the Morals." Some day, perhaps, you will be able to make as good fables yourself, who knows?"

In such a style he went on until every scholar had received a book. One of the smallest on the table, he said, 66 was one of the most useful.” “But," added he, to the scholar who received it, "you may not be able to understand it all. I thought of your parents, as well as of you, when I chose it. Take it home, read it together with them, and talk over it." The title was "The Childhood and Youth of Jesus," by the Rev. Dr. Hetherington.

This ended the distribution. A few remarks were then made on the Example of the Holy Child, the Son of God; the young people present were eamestly

sought to follow Him, and seek to be like him, after another hymn and prayer the happy

nd

assembly

was dismissed, and Marian, tired, yet cheerful, med

* "The Little Fabulists." Nelson & Sons.

MY DEAR LUCY,—I hope you are quite well-but no! grandfather told me that I must never begin a letter that way, but say at first what I wanted to write about-so I must begin again. Well, I did so wish you had been with me yesterday. Aunt Sarah and I got up so early, and directly after breakfast we had a long ride in the omnibus, through miles and miles of streets. I thought the houses and the crowds of people would never come to an end. A funny gentleman in the corner told me a story of a man who walked one day from Mile End to Charing Cross, so busy thinking, that when they asked him what he had seen, he could not remember, only he thought that there were one or two houses by the roadside. How I did laugh, to be sure! But I want to tell you where we went when we got out of the omnibus. We stopped at a large sort of gateway, up as high as the houses, and went with a great number of people up a stone staircase, almost to the very top, and then we were in a large room—oh, so large !—I never saw such a room before. I should think it would hold thousands and thousands of people.* Ladies and gentlemen kept pouring in; but aunt and I sat down on a very comfortable bench, just in the middle. have not told you the name of the room; it is Exeter Hall. At the end before us there was a great platform, with galleries sticking out at each end, and a *The writer of this letter did not count, we dare say. The room holds about four thousand, when quite crowded.

But I

splendid organ at the back. Ladies came into the galleries, many in quite gay dresses, and other ladies sat up in the corner of the platform. By-and-by, great number of gentlemen, who looked like ministers came on the platform, and sat before the great organ But there was a row of chairs, quite in front of the platform, with a great chair in the middle, all empty and aunt told me they were for the speakers who were going to tell us about Missions.

We sat a long time; not quiet, I assure you, Lucy, like people at chapel, but talking quite cheerfully, just as if we were in a room. Some ladies were working perhaps for the Missionaries or the heathen children. A few persons began to eat sandwiches and biscuitsI suppose they had come from home without their breakfast. At last there was a great stamping of feet and clapping of hands. I looked up and saw a number of gentlemen walking along the front of the platform, and standing before the empty chairs I told you of. One of them seemed to say something that I could not very well hear, then they all sat down. Everybody was now quiet and attentive. Then a gentleman got up and read a hymn, in a loud, clear voice, that all the thousands of people could hear.

was rather

Then a minister prayed, and afterwards the gentleman who was sitting in the large chair in the middle, made a short speech. Then Mr. Trestrail, whom you know, got up to read the report. The people called out, "Louder," at first, which, I thought, rude of them, for I am sure I could hear Mr. Trestrail very well, and I was glad to see him again. I wonder whether he saw me, but I don't think he did, for there were so many there; but certainly he looked my way two or three times. Aunt Sarah says it is all non