and, using simplest speech, to make statements of doctrine as much like as possible to statements of fact. Instruction in duty requires ample explanation; explanation of the reasonableness and of the obligation to certain courses of conduct, attended by full and earnest appeal to strong motive. SENIOR SCHOLARS. To the case of the senior scholars, several of the foregoing remarks will apply. But we may add, that a separate room for their instruction—a distinct devotional exercise in the opening of the class-providing for them a pew in the place of worship-bringing them under the eye of the minister in his own Bible-classes-occasional social meetings at the house of the teacher, or in the vestry of the chapel with the pastor-are arrangements which are found to work well. And in the instruction, these things are found to work well. First, that interesting information should be the channel through which religious truth is conveyed. And secondly, That personal appeal should be mingled with the giving of information. If any one word is capable of expressing what is required to render Sabbathschools more efficient for religious impression, that word is ELEVATION. The object of these institutions requires to be raised to the high ground of religious impression, and kept at that level. Teachers too often aim at reading-at mere information, and not at religious impression. And it is to be feared that there are cases in which the object is not to be found in the sphere of the pupil's welfare at all; but consists in the blind purpose of doing a benevolent something; or in a desire for the occupations or companionships which a Sabbathschool implies. Then the means must be raised to the object: that is, the means must be religious ;-they must be instruments allied to God by His sanction, and by His appointment. As we sow, we reap. If we sow to the flesh, although it be professedly to the Spirit, we reap corruption. If we sow to the Spirit, we reap life everlasting. As when you place high the reservoir of your fountain, you secure eminence in the play of its waters; so, when you raise the standard of means, you elevate the nature of your success. In years gone by, secular education was sought by Sabbath-schools, and for multitudes of children it was thereby secured. Now, as a rule, this is unnecessary. Children can learn to read, and can receive common education on the week-day. Let even the shadows of this secular object be made to disappear, and let it be understood that the Sabbath-school is more for the conscience than for the intellect and the heart-that it has chiefly to do with the child's relationships to God and to eternity; and that the whole nature and condition of the child are recognized only because God and Eternity are connected with all objects in Time. These objects, so recognized, would uplift the entire Sabbath-school Institution, and make it the instrument of eternal life to the young. Where these ends are now sought, they are found—and where they are not now enjoyed, they would be possessed if sincerely pursued. The ungodly makes impressions on children; the devil makes impressions on children; the inconsistencies of Christian professors make impressions on children; false and impure books make impressions on children; and what shall we say of the godly-of holiness-of the Scriptures-of Christ-and of God? Is our hope from God weaker than our fear from evil? Are we to conclude that those who work for the devil get more help from their master, than those who labour for Christ obtain from their employer? Is the Scripture less able to make wise unto salvation, than impure books are to make foolish unto condemnation? Is there more power in an unholy life, than there is in a life of righteousness? Christ has represented his disciples as the salt of the earth, and us the light of the world. God speaks of the gospel as his own power unto salvation. Let us honour God by honouring Christian influence and gospel truth, and we shall realize the promise. "Them that honour me will I honour." Now, by the underrating of Christian influences and appliances, many come under the threatening, "Them that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." 66 DO YOU RISE EARLY? "THE habit of early rising is of great importance to the due discharge of morning prayer. O how many precious hours do indolent Christians lose, while those who are more self-denying and diligent, are gaining the favour of God and enjoying communion with him." In this respect Col. Gardiner set an admirable example. "He used constantly to rise at four in the morning, and to spend his time till six in secret exercises of devotion, reading, meditation and prayer; in which last he contracted such a fervency of spirit, as I believe few men living ever obtained. This tended very much to strengthen that firm faith in God, and reverend animating sense of his presence, for which he was so eminently remarkable, and which carried him through the trials and services of life with such steadiness and such activity; for he indeed endured and acted as always 'seeing him who is invisible.' "If at any time he was obliged to go out before six in the morning, he rose proportionably sooner; so that when a journey or a march has required him to be on horseback by four, he would be at his devotions at furthest by two. He likewise secured time for retirement in an evening; and that he might be the better able to rise early the next morning, he generally went to bed about ten. “He seldom ate any supper except a mouthful of bread. In consequence of this, as well as of his admirably good constitution, and the habits he had formed, he required less sleep than most persons I have known; and I doubt not but his uncommon progress in piety was in a great measure owing to these resolute habits of self-denial."-Doddridge's Life of Col. Gardiner. Bickersteth says-"Our first waking thoughts should be directed towards God; copying David's example, who says, 'When I awake I am still with thee.' I would advise you to be longest in your morning devotions, when your spirits are lively and vigorous, and undisturbed by the events of the day; in the evening, when you are tired and spent with its labours, be shorter, and endeavour to attend to this duty some time before you retire to rest. "If your evening devotions are deferred till everything else is done, there is great danger of their being often imperfectly performed, if not altogether omitted. Prayer has been compared to a key, that in the morning opens the treasury of God's mercies, and in the evening shuts us up under his protection and safeguard. It has ever been found, that as we have sought God in spirit and in truth in the morning, so the rest of the day has prospered." Dr. Doddridge remarks, "that there are few who, with proper care, might not have half or three-quarters of an hour at command for reading the Scriptures and prayer, morning and evening." "Let those," says Bishop Horne, "who retire in the middle of the day to adorn their persons, take the opportunity of putting on the ornaments of grace, and renewing the spirits of their minds." "I have," says Baxter, "more and greater business to do with God in one day than with all the world in all my life. My business with God is so great, that if I had not a Mediator to encourage and assist me to do my work, and procure my acceptance, the thoughts of it would overwhelm my soul. Therefore let man stand by. I have to do with the great and eternal God, and with him I am in this little time to transact the business of my endless life." Scripture Mlustration. ABANA AND PHARPAR, RIVERS OF DAMASCUS. THE following passage from "A Summer ments; No,' said I, not quite like it? -What! have you no water about the town?' 'Not of that colour.'-' But have you no river?' 'Oh, yes! we have a river called the Thames, which will float a seventy-four into the city if need be.' The Jew held his peace. "I really believe these people are so engrossed with their own water, that they scarcely credit the existence of it elsewhere; and they still plume themselves as much upon the Abana and Pharpar as did Naaman before them. Their places of resort for amusement are by the water side: the most frequented café is built upon piles in the middle of the Abana, near the 'gate of peace,' and the operation of taking coffee there would be a very nervous one to a man who was not tolerably confident of his own swimming; for the planks over which you walk, and upon which you sit, are thin, rotten, and wide apart, while the river roars below and around you like a "The rivers Abana and Pharpar, diverging into seven principal streams, are conveyed through the city by numberless minor ducts, and supply each divan in every house with a fountain, as well as every public building. *** As I was sitting upon one of the chests, kicking my heels against the side, and wondering at the immense burden some porters were laying upon a splendid ass, a Jew addressed me in Italian : 'You are an Englishman?' 'I am.'-'Where do you come from ?' Cairo.'-'Is there anything like this Xan at Cairo ?' Certainly not. Or in London have you any thing like that?' pointing to a tank in the centre, into which some crooked cocks of lead were dribling their dirty water by instal-cataract.-Ch. 21. was the printer of the first English Bible, which was issued in 1537; it was printed on the continent; a licence was obtained by Archbishop Cranmer for publishing it in England, and it was dedicated to Henry the Eighth. 29th.-The Reformed Parliament first met in 1833. George the Third died on this day in the 82nd year of his age. NATURAL HISTORY. The golden-crested Wren is frequently seen in January: it is a very beautiful bird, and is the smallest of all British birds. Its weight seldom exceeds eighty grains, or its length three inches. The male has a beautiful orange crest; it remains uninjured during the severest weather, and will sing even when the snow is falling. Its nest, which is very small, is composed of green moss interwoven with wool; the eggs are scarcely larger than peas, they are so light that it takes eight hundred of them to weigh one pound. As these birds generally resort to the tops of the largest trees, winter is the best time for observing them; at other times they are concealed by the leaves. During the month of January, the Redbreast sings; the gray, white, and yellow Wagtails appear; the Misel Thrush, the Hedgesparrow, the Titmouse, the Skylark, Woodlark, and the Chaffinch sing. BOTANY. usually appears about the 8th; it is a shining, yellow, jelly-like substance, and glitters in the sun like the light of a feeble lamp St. Gudule's Lamp (one of the lichens) Hence its name. The Black Hellebore, or Christmas Rose, comes into flower about the 21st; this flower is large and handsome, like a single blush-rose; and the root, which is thick and fleshy, looks quite black when first taken out of the ground; this is only the outer skin, which when peeled off, leaves a white and succulent substance, used in me dicine. The Snowdrop, the herald of flowers and of spring, frequently appears about the 27th. It has been made the emblem of consolation. A lane near Newport, Isle of Wight, is so full of its pure white blossoms, that it is known as Snowdrop-lane. ASTRONOMY. On the 2nd of this month, the Sun is at his nearst approach to the earth during the year; his distance being 93,407,000 miles. Mercury is an evening-star from the 15th, and is near the Moon on the 25th. Venus is an evening-star during the month; is near the Moon on the 28th, and near Saturn on the 29th. Mars is a morning-star, and is visible a short time before sunrise. He is near the Moon on the 21st. Jupiter, is visible during the whole night, and is near the Moon on the 11th. Saturn, is an evening-star, he is near the Moon on the 28th, and Venus on the 29th. The Moon is at her First Quarter on the 2nd, at 38 minutes past 7 in the morning; at the Full on the 8th, at 10 minutes past 10 in the evening; at the Last Quarter on the 16th, at 6 minutes before 7 in the morn ing; it is new Moon at 3 minutes past 10 on the morning of the 24th; and the First Quarter on the 31st, at 43 minutes past 4 in the afternoon. Poetry. THE REWARD. BY J. G. WHITTIER. Who, looking backward from his manhood's prime, Of funeral cypress, planted thick behind, Who bears no trace of Passion's evil force? Half of his Future from him, but to win Alas! the evil, which we fain would shun, Is but to-morrow's weakness, prone to fall; Yet who, thus looking backward o'er his years, Permitted, weak and sinful as he was, |