A GLASGOW SABBATH-SCHOOL STORY.

WE are sometimes very sad when we remember how very many boys and girls there are who don't at all care about going to the Sabbath-school, and then, how many more who, although in attendance at one, are making no improvement, are weary of their lessons, and long for the time when they shall not need to return any more. What a pity there should be any such little boys and girls at all! One day we were thinking over the guilt and danger of those who despise the Sabbathschool, when we fell in with the following little story :"Not long ago, there was a poor boy who attended one of the Sabbath evening schools in Glasgow, perhaps he wasn't more attentive and diligent than most boys generally are, but he could not, like many others, remain long at the school; he must go to work, he must leave his native town, and he shipped off to sea. Well, but after a long voyage, and having seen many strange sights and countries far away, he came safely back to Glasgow again. And where do you think he was found on the evening of the first Sabbath after his return? Was it on the Green playing with the wicked boys who break the Lord's day there? Or was it walking up and down the streets, taking recreation to himself after so long confinement? No, no, he was not found in these places on that first Sabbath night. He came and quietly sat him down beside his old Sabbath-school companions, and his former Sabbath-school teacher. Ay, and he was glad to sit down upon that form again, and to hear that kind voice. He used to think many a time, he said, on the scene then around him, when far off on the mighty deep, and we doubt not some tears would also now and then trickle down his face when he thought on it. How thankful would he be that he got back! Many, when once they leave the Sabbath-school, can never get back again, however anxious." Children, improve your opportunities while they last; you may soon be far removed from them. We have heard many grown up persons declare, how sorry they were that their school days had passed away quite unimproved, and that, if they had them back again, they would spend them very differently. We never heard of any one

looking back with regret upon a youth well spent in the fear of God, and in the diligent use of every means of improvement and usefulness within his reach.

Collection for Sabbath-schools.

We are happy to be able to tell you that the Free Church is going to devote more attention than ever it has yet done to Sabbath-schools. The last General Assembly directed the Education Committee to appoint a sub-committee to devote all its attention to the extension and improvement of Sabbath-schools.

"The Edinburgh Sabbath-school Teachers Magazine states, that there are 600,000 children in Scotland who might attend Sabbath-schools, but that there are only 200,000 Sabbath scholars. After counting all the scholars in the schools taught by all the churches, there are 400,000 children not at any Sabbath-school. After allowing for those children systematically taught at home, there is a very large number totally neglected. Now, the Free Church wishes to teach many more children about Christ than it now does. It wishes to have all the untaught children brought to the Sabbathschool.

In consequence of many children having never been taught God's law, there are many bad children in Scotland. In Edinburgh alone, there were 1100 children committed to prison for crime in one year. See what need for extending Sabbath-school teaching!

The Sabbath-school Committee appointed by the Assembly met a few days ago for the first time. The members all agreed, among other things, that it would be a good plan to send a number of ministers to visit different parts of the country, and preach the gospel to children, and extend and improve our Sabbath-schools. But one gentleman said, "How can we do that, for we have got no money to pay their expenses?" Another gentleman said, "The Sabbath scholars attending the Free Church Sabbath-schools raised about £1500 last year for missions. They could easily raise £500 for the Sabbath-school branch of the Education Committee, and that would be enough for the travelling expenses, and to pay for school-rooms, lights, and fires in poor districts,

and buy Bibles, and library books, and roll books, and schemes of lessons, &c." Every body agreed that we should ask you what you would do?

So we now come to you to ask, if you will do this? As we thought you would, we have requested a number of ministers to go and preach to you, and tell you not to put of flying to Christ any longer. You raised more than £600 for the Foreign Mission Scheme last year; will you raise £400 or £500 for the Education Scheme this year? The Sabbath-school mission, which is a branch of "The Education Scheme," is a very cheap mission, because all the Sabbath-school teachers work for nothing. They teach because they love Christ, and be cause they know that he wishes children to be taught to love him too.

Now, make an effort for Sabbath-schools. Let teachers and scholars do what they can. Many of you should know the value of a Sabbath-school.

GIBRALTAR.

BY REV. WILLIAM STRAUCHON, MINISTER OF THE FREE CHURCH, GIBRALTAR.

(Continued from p. 80.)

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,-Having given you to expect some further account of Gibraltar, I now endeavour to fulfil my promise. The western side of the rock in some places may be said to be almost at one with the level of the sea, and thence to rise in gradual acclivity until it reach its extreme elevation on the east side. The great upheaving volcanic force, which reared up this vast mass of limestone from the depths of the ocean, where it must have reposed for countless ages, appears to have expended its main energy upon the eastern side, which, therefore, reaches in some parts the height of above 1400 feet. The western side, being more remote from the influence of the greatest force, begins its rise from the water's edge, especially towards the north; but in following the sea line southward, even the west side assumes a bolder aspect, and presents a rocky wall, though not of considerable height. In so far as natural position is concerned, the fortress presents free access to an enemy along nearly the whole west and south. On the extreme north, and for the most part on the east, it

would be almost impossible to effect any sort of entrance, unless, perhaps, we might suppose that balloons should become so manageable, in these times of invention and improvement, as to permit men with certainty to scale what heights, and to steer what course they please. The town is situated towards the north of the west side. The main street is perhaps a mile in length, and throughout the greatest part of its extent consists of very commodious and pleasant-looking houses. You might, perhaps, have heard some people say, that the houses are painted black, in order to counteract the powerful glare of the light; but there is no truth in such a supposition, for the houses are white-washed, or dingy, or wear the colour of the stone of which they are built, just as in other countries. So great is the propensity to whitewashing in Spain, that I have seen some cottages entirely coated with bright white, walls and tiles upon the roof alike. In small houses, the effects of the summer's heat are very great. The limited quantity of air which they contain, must be very soon raised to a most uncomfortable temperature; and as white is found to reflect off the sun's rays, and thus prevent them from acting with full power in communicating heat, it is probable that the Spaniards find the advantage of whitening their cottages, tiles and all, in the acquisition of some degree of coolness. There are no particularly splendid buildings in Gibraltar. The Governor's palace might have been expected to have been a pile of some architectural grandeur; but, on the contrary, it is a very plain structure, and is called the Convent, as it had actually been a Romanist establishment before it fell into the hands of the British.

In going from north to south there are good level roads; but in going to the eastward the streets are very steep-so much 80, that in many instances a long ascent must be made by stairs. Most of the houses have a terrace, or flat space on the roof, where the inhabitants can walk in the cool of the evening, and where they dry their clothes, upon lines which are attached to upright poles for the purpose. I may state, however, that only a part of the roof is formed into a terrace, the remainder is sloped as in this country, and serves the important purpose of receiving the rain from the clouds, which is conveyed into large tanks under ground, where it is

preserved for use during the whole year, or at least as long as it will last. There are but few wells, and these altogether insufficient to supply the demands of the garrison; and hence the inhabitants are cast upon the resources of the clouds of heaven. Should the rain be delayed beyond its usual period of arrival, the cisterns are exhausted, and the wells must now more copiously yield up their contents, in order to satisfy, in some measure at least, the craving demands for this most common necessary of life, which is so wonderfully subservient to the health, cleanliness, and comfort of every household. Water is conveyed from the wells in small casks upon donkeys, which carry three of these casks at a time, one being placed on either side, and one on the top. All sort of loads which require animal strength, are borne by asses or mules. Horses are employed only for gentlemen's carriages, hackney-coaches, or for riding; they are never used, or rarely, for drawing carts or other common purposes. The reason for this allotment of animal labour probably is, that donkeys and mules are more suited to the rock, which cannot produce pasture for horses. These latter are fed upon barley, and not oats, as in this country; and they eat chopped wheat-straw instead of hay. I may mention what many of you probably know, that the rain falls in much heavier showers than here. And it is an object of no small interest to contemplate, through the aid of both eye and ear, the fall of a smart shower. The large round drops seem in haste to meet the ground, and announce their final contact with it by a loud plashing noise. Gibraltar is situated at about thirty-six and a half degrees from the equator, and the atmosphere of its latitude is more pervaded by moisture than the atmospheres of more northerly climates, and pours down more copious torrents of rain. It seems to be an ascertained law, that the number of cubic inches of rain water which fall annually upon the different portions of the earth's surface, increases as their distances from the equator diminish. And, doubtless, you will regard it to be a wise arrangement of the providence of God, that rain should fall in largest quantity where heat is the greatest, as thus vegetation is supplied with moisture adequate to ensure its existence under the scorching influence of a burning sun. Rain and cold weather, though very mild,