HIGH on a rock, the wise man marks his plan,
Its deep foundations closely he would scan;
Though gentle zephyrs breathe through summer
skies,

He knows that storms wide-wasting may arise;
On solid base his building rises fair,
And points its turrets through the ambient air.
With tranquil joy, his eyes delighted, greet
The beauteous fabric furnished and complete;
In conscious safety makes it his abode,
His duty done, he leaves the rest with God.

A wise man desiring to build a house for himself and family, sees many very pleasant and romantic lots; he is tempted to choose a delightful situation, but he remembers that the

But soon dark clouds o'erspread the troubled sky.
And soon is heard the voice of tempest high;
Deep rolls the thunder, rains in torrents pour,
And floods tumultuous beat with deafening roar.
Floods, rain, nor thunder, nor rude tempest'a
shock,

Can harm the house-'t is founded on a Rock.
Not so the simpleton who built on sand,
And wrought his labor with penurious hand;
'Midst howling tempests, and loud thunder's roar,
His house-it vanish'd, and was seen no more.

country is often visited with violent storms, that hurricanes are frequent, and that the rivers frequently overflow their banks, and sweep away bridges, houses, cattle, and inhabit

BEE how Self-confidence his friend doth treat,
Nor heeds the danger from beneath his feet;
With head erect, he proudly stalks along,
The warning voice is but an idle song;
As to the precipice he draws more nigh,
His friend yet louder lifts his voice on high.
But deaf and blind, he neither sees nor hears,

The engraving shows a traveler in the greatest peril. He is on the brink of an awful precipice: he knows it not. But this is not the worst of his case: he is confident in his knowledge, and that he is fully prepared for every emergency, although he has not examined any book of roads, or any charts or maps; nor has he made inquiries of others who have traveled

From friends or foes he nothing wants or fears;

He "knows, and that's enough-all right," whez, lo!

At once he falls into the gulf below:
Adown the rocks he tumbles o'er and o'er,
And sinks in darkness, to arise no more.

these parts before him. A friend is seen, who endeavors to apprise him of his danger; he calls to him, but he turns a deaf ear to his remonstrances, and still proceeds. As he draws near the fatal brink, his friend, knowing his danger, exerts himself to the ut most to have him stop, to listen, but for one moment; but no, he has no need of advice; on he goes. The

ground, which is hollow, gives way beneath his feet; he falls, and is instantly dashed to pieces. The name of the man is "Self-confidence."

The moral of this is, that dangers stand thick all through the path of human life-dangers such as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, with their numerous attendants. False doctrines also, the tendency of which is to destroy the happiness of mankind, prevail. They are covered with a flimsy garb, which deceives superficial observers.

Moreover, youth is presumptuous, self-willed, and self-confident. They are too much inclined to follow the light which their own vanity has kindled. But their self-confidence does not remove the dangers from their path, nor render them invulnerable. But man is ignorant, how shall he know? helpless, what shall he do? If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God. "Do" ponder well the paths of thy feet. Lean not to thine own understanding. He that trusts to his own heart is a fool. In all thy ways acknowledge God; he will direct thy paths. Here, then, is the conclusion of the whole matter; imminent perils surround the youth, but the greatest of all perils is the danger of trusting to his own heart. Lean upon God, and all will be well. Though weak

and ignorant, yet God is wise and strong, able to guide and preserve all those who trust in him.

The mariner who should put to sca without chart or compass, trusting to his own knowledge, would, without doubt, on the first stormy night, repent heartily of his folly. O, how much greater is the folly of those who, trusting to self, neglect to use the lamp of God's truth, or to seek the enlightening influences of his Holy Spirit, or to follow the advice of the wise and good.

The case of Pharaoh, the Egyptian monarch, affords a striking example of self-confidence. When the children of Israel had left the house of bondage and were well on their journey toward the land of promise, the king, confiding in his strength, exclaimed, "I will pursue, I will overtake," and presumptuously set forth for that pur pose. Each recently-received plague remonstrated, and forbade the rashness of the monarch, but all in vain. On he rushed, even to the division of waters. In his self-confidence, he en gaged in battle with Jehovah, God of Armies. The conflict was of short duration; the arm of the Lord prevailed; Pharaoh and his men of war were swept away with the waters of destruction.