A THOUGHT. (By Mrs. M. E. Sangster.) IF we certainly knew it, brother, Would the thought to us be sweet, That the very next sound at the door might be Are our lamps all trimmed and burning, That, clear as beacons bright, They may cleave their way through the shadows grey, If we knew at eve, my brother, That our Lord himself would answer us Before the dawn of the day; If our eyes were opened, brother, We could see the glorious angel hosts If through and under and over Our feeble songs, we heard The thrill of their lofty choral strains, Would our souls with joy be stirred? Oh! Heaven is near us, brother, And our blessed Lord is coming And swift as a weaver's shuttle Our working time shall fly, And we shall dwell in the light of His face, And we may be glad, my brother, And count it passing sweet, That sooner perhaps than it seemeth now, The Bridegroom we may meet; And we'll keep our lamps all burning, With ever steady light, And pray that we may not be found asleep, When He calleth in the night! S. S. Times. MEN NOT CONVERTED BY PHILOSOPHY.-I do not suppose that the fishermen of Galilee, or even the accomplished and erudite Paul, had any distinct philosophical notions as to what they taught. But they were only the better fitted for their work because they had no pronounced philosophy of sacred things; for the capacity of fructifying faith exists in unnumbered minds that have neither the ability, taste, nor culture requisite for this philosophy; and such minds are best reached by the simple statements which plain non-philosophizing men may give of accredited facts, and of truth resting on adequate authority.-Professor Peabody, of Harvard. TEACHING CHILDREN. THE Sunday School Helper (American) speaks of Infant Class teachers as follows: "The teacher of a class of small children must be thoroughly in love with her work-capable of awaking enthusiasm in the pupils. A vast amount of will-power is needed in the teacher who can, at a moment's notice, but without a word spoken, command every mind into co-operation with hers. Be intensely in earnest; do not beg of the pupils to pay attention; conduct yourself so that they cannot be inattentive. I have noticed that those teachers in day-schools who are always pleading for order have noisy schools, while those who go quietly about and say little have a quiet room. Yet the latter mode of governing is harder on the governor; it tires the will. A teacher of the little ones must have this will-power that can organize enthusiasm, even though she feel dull. She must be all animation, vivacity, interest, excitement, and the pupils will catch her spirit very soon. You have seen the difference in people trying to address Sunday schools. One will begin, clearing his throat, 'Children, I am glad to meet with you this morning; and I have been thinking 'and then he will go off into dry analysis of his thoughts for ten minutes, while books will be rattling and whispers heard all over the house. There is no use trying to induce children to consent to be bored; you may succeed with old folks, but not with children. I have seen another speaker, when the whole school was noisy, and the superintendent failed to reduce it to stillness, begin in an undertone, lightly, happily, tell some stories, and withal enforce the healthiest of doctrine, and, without any apparent effort on his part, bring the children all to listen, and keep them all listening until he finished. This is a difficult thing, this enforcing attention, but it can be acquired, if not natural to you. I have put it first, for without it you cannot succeed at all with an infant-class." "CHRIST'S great end," says Richard Baxter, "was to save men from their sins; but He delighted also to save them from their sorrows." DO YOU ATTEND CHURCH?-Most of our teachers of course attend church, but very many of our children who go to the Sabbath school do not. They attend the school, and then they go home. Some children, for good reasons, are obliged to do so, but many are not. This is not as it should be. One object in having Sabbath schools is, to teach our children to go to church; to attend public worship on the Sabbath. Our Sabbath schools ought to be the nurseries of our churches. Our children ought to be taught in the Sabbath school to attend church. Going to the school only is not going to church. The one attendance is of as much importance as the other. Who are to be the attendants upon our church services in years to come, if our children are not rightly trained to this duty? Parents and teachers, will you look to this? Is it not in every way worthy of your special attention?-The Myrtle.-[What if scarcely once in a twelvemonth the children attending church hear a sentence they can understand in the sermon, or a petition in the prayers level to their thoughts and sympathies? Is this a rare thing, or the reverse?] JESUS IN SOCIAL LIFE. THE home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, was made glad by the presence of Jesus. Did they hesitate to express themselves joyfully? Were they embarrassed in the familiar words of domestic life? Had they sad faces, and a restrained manner, and fell into gloom as soon as the Saviour came to the place? We cannot think so. It is the farthest from our thoughts that the personal presence of Christ would have such an effect. His coming was the signal of comfort, freedom, self-forgetfulness, and delight. His words of love brought peace to the heart, allayed the unrest of the soul, and incited all about Him to acts of affection and happiness. Who knows that He did not laugh? unless it be accepted that a smile is proof of greater joy. The Bethany home of Jesus shines in the thought of the world like the bright portals of a hall of light. It was a glad place. The home, to-day and ever, is to be regulated by the spirit of Jesus. How would He do, and what would He encourage, if He were here? Would He allow the impression to be made that our blessed religion is gloomy? Would harshness be in any tones? Would sarcasm or complaint be heard? Would any scolding be there? The heart of every one gives a strong negative. The home of Jesus would be a heaven on earth. NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. The matter for each Number of the Magazine requires to be in the hands Intelligence. WESTERN DISTRICT SABBATH | west end of Bath Street, every TuesSCHOOL UNION.-At the bi-monthly day evening from November 7th till meeting of the Directors, held 28th March 19th, inclusive, at eight November, a letter was read from o'clock. These meetings are now the Secretary of the Protestant Laymen's Association, dated October 27th, announcing that a Controversial Training Class was about to be begun under that Association's auspices. It was to meet in the Classroom of Free St. Matthew's Church, going on; the admission is free, the lecturers embrace many of the popu lar clergymen of our city, and the subjects taken up are the leading points of the Romish controversy. According to request, the Directors have pleasure in calling the attention of Sabbath school teachers to the | Sabbath school teachers and those subject, it being one upon which all interested in the religious instruction Christians should be informed. of the young, was held in the Macdonald Hall, Rutherglen, for the LECTURES ON THE EVIDENCES. This course of lectures, by Principal purpose of taking steps towards Fairbairn and Dr. Islay Burns, is the formation of a Sabbath School attended by upwards of a hundred Union in Rutherglen and Cambusyoung men, who are going zealously into a methodical study of the subject. The project-which is that of the young men themselves-is a great improvement upon the common practice of desultory lecturing on all manner of topics; and its success is highly encouraging. lang. Provost Baker presided; and there was a good attendance, including Rev. W. F. Stevenson, Rev. John M'Neil, Bailie Scoular, Messrs. J. J. King, (representative of the Glasgow Union,) S. T. Baker, Wm. Stark, John Thomson, besides representatives from all the Associations PROPOSED SABBATH SCHOOL UNION in Rutherglen and Cambuslang. FOR RUTHERGLEN AND CAMBUSLANG. Apologies for unavoidable absence -A meeting of the teachers and were received from Rev. John friends of Sabbath schools was held Brownlie, Rev. T. W. Patrick, on Monday evening, 27th November, Robert Macallum, Esq., Cambusin the Macdonald School, Rutherglen, lang, &c. Mr. Joseph C. Robertson, for the purpose of considering a pro- Convener of Committee, having read posal to form a Sabbath School Union the Minutes of last meeting, intifor Rutherglen and neighbourhood. mated that the Committee had reThere was a large attendance, con- ceived favourable answers to the sisting of representatives of all the proposal to establish a Union from churches in the town, and also from almost every Association in RutherCambuslang. Provost Baker pre- glen and Cambuslang, and accordsided; and there were present the ingly the meeting proceeded to draw Revs. W. F. Stevenson and J. up a Constitution, and appoint officeM'Neil, with Messrs. Clow, Brown, bearers, which are as follows:Richmond, King, Miller, and Taylor, President, Provost Baker; Viceas a deputation from the Glasgow Presidents, Bailie Scoular and Mr. Union. The chairman explained the David Reid; Secretary and Treaobject of the meeting, and several of surer, Mr. Joseph C. Robertson, the deputation from Glasgow followed Blairbeth; honorary directors, Revs. with statements as to the importance, W. T. Stevenson, John Brownlie, benefits, and practicability of local John M'Neil, and T. W. Patrick, unions of the nature proposed. An Rutherglen; Revs. James Johnson, animated conference followed; and ultimately, on the motion of the Rev. Mr. Stevenson, it was unanimously resolved that the meeting should express its hearty approval of the proposal; and a committee was appointed-with Mr. Joseph C. Robertson of Blairbeth, convener to communicate the result of the meeting to all the societies interested, with the view of securing their concurrence, and to report to another general meeting to be held in a couple of weeks or so.-On Monday evening, 18th December, a second meeting of A. Orrock Johnston, and Robert of Burnside, John R. Gray, Bellevue; in carrying out the objects of the Dr. Scott, Ruther House. It was Union. On the motion of Rev. Mr. agreed to invite the co-operation of Stevenson, a vote of thanks was the Foundry Boys Religious Society awarded to the Provost for presiding. A 1872. Notices of Books. MRS. GIBBONS' PARLOUR-MAID. An before he was put to death by his Episode in the Life of Susan brother John's orders. The account Clemens. By M. G. HOGG. Edin- of his imprisonment, after his de burgh: William Oliphant & Co. position, is a mournful feature of the book. Amongst his numerous writings, the translator fails to mention his hymns. One of these, named "Eric's Death-Song," is a beautiful and touching expression of profound contrition and humble Christian hope, breathing a spirit which reminds one of the fifty-first Psalm. Mrs. Overend might do worse than give us a translation of it. WELL-CONTRIVED and well-told tale, "specially dedicated to domestic servants." It is intended to shew the folly, not uncommon in this class, of the rage for fine dressing; and of people endeavouring to appear to be what they are not,-a foible by no means peculiar to servant girls. Susan's mistress duly lectured her parlour-maid on the absurdity and danger of this love of finery, yet thoughtlessly put opportunities in her way of gadding about at night, when her pretty face and preposterous ambition to be a lady had wellnigh led to her ruin. A vein of sound common sense and wholesome moral and religious feeling runs through the story. THE BESIEGED CITY and THE HEROES THE WANDERINGS OF MASTER PETER MASTER PETER came to Saardam in Holland in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and worked as a journeyman carpenter in a shipbuilder's yard. It was his chief desire to acquire a practical knowledge of the art of building ships; but, while living at Saardam, he also worked at forging iron, making ropes, sawing timber, drawing wire, THE principal figure in this pleasing and manufacturing paper. His name volume of Swedish History is that of was Peter Michaeloff, but he was the Christian hero, Gustavus Adol- known amongst his fellow-workmen, phus, and the events are those of the with whom he was a great favourite, Thirty Years' War. Due prominence as Peter Baas, or Master Peter. is given to the religious character of He made himself a wooden cabin this devout soldier, and of his ser- or workshop, which only strangers vices in the cause of religious free- were allowed to enter, and who, dom. Historical notices are intro- by the way, were observed to pay duced of the predecessors of King scrupulous deference to Peter. Peo Gustavus Adolphus, including Eric ple came to him with messages eviand his brother John, whose atrocious dently of importance, and the messenconduct to each other can only be ac-gers had sometimes to mount the counted for on the ground of insanity. rigging of a man-of-war before they Eric was guilty of the most astound- could deliver their papers to Peter, ing cruelties, but appears to have been who might be found, on such occarecovered to a right state of mind sions, sitting astride on the cross |