written, and on very interesting subjects. Dr. Dick's name is sufficient to indicate the scientific and religious character of his work, which abounds with a great variety of valuable information. That on the structure of animals contains many beautiful illustrations of the power, wisdom, and goodness of God; and the volume on Protestantism in France is an important contribution to our Church History for young persons. These volumes should be possessed by all families and schools and the price, elegantly bound and gilt, is only 10d. each.

:

LEARN WHILE YOU MAY.

وو

A ROMISH priest in Ireland one day met a little boy coming across a field from the parish school, with a Bible in his hand : :- "Do you go to that place?" said the priest, pointing to the Protestant school. "Yes, your reverence," replied the boy. "I thought so," said the priest, "by the book that you have in your hand. It is a bad book: give it to me. "That book is God's word," said the boy, "and it teaches us the way to love God, to be good, and to get to heaven when we die." "Come home with me," said the priest. The boy did so; and on entering his study, the priest took the poor boy's Bible and threw it on the fire. "You shall never read that book again," said the priest; "it is a bad book; and, mind, I shall not suffer you to go to that school again." The Bible was soon in flames, and the poor boy at first looked very sad; but as

the priest grew more and more angry, and told him there was an end of it all now, the boy began to smile. "Why do you laugh?" asked the priest. "I can't help it," said the boy. "I insist upon you telling me why you laugh," said the priest. "I can't help laughing," replied the boy, "for I was thinking your reverence couldn't burn those ten chapters I've got by heart."

Happy little boy,- he could say, with good king David-"Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." And though that word may now be but as a grain of mustard seed in his young heart, yet shall it not return unto the Lord void; it shall accomplish that unto which God hath sent it; and, in spite of wicked men's designs, "it shall spring up and bear fruit unto eternal life."

A SHORT time before Dr. Buchanan's death, he was conversing with a friend, and describing the minute pains he had been taking with the proofs and revisions of the Syriac Testament, every page of which passed under his eye five times before it was finally sent to the press: he said, "He had expected beforehand that this process would have proved irksome to him. But no," he added,

66

every fresh perusal of the sacred page seemed to unveil new beauties." Here he stopped, and burst into tears: "Do not be alarmed,' "said he to his friend, as soon as he recovered himself, "I could not suppress the emotion I felt, as I recollected the delight it had pleased God to afford me in the reading of his word."

THE BETHEL FLAG!

IN COMMEMORATION OF OPENING THE FREE MARINERS' CHURCH, ABERDEEN, JULY 14TH, 1844.

THE Bethel Flag we raise,

To draw the Sailor's eye

To lead him to the House of Praise,
And thence to bliss on high.

Bethel, the House of God,

Here may he deign to rest;
And, by his Spirit, shed abroad
His love in every breast.

Star of the morning, shine,
Bright harbinger of day;
Around us pour thy light divine,
And show the narrow way.

Dove, with thine olive leaf,

Brood o'er his house in peace;
Give hope and joy for fear and grief,
And bid our love increase.

Free as from ocean's breast,
The breeze our flag unfurls,
The Gospel offers sailors rest,
From sin's engulfing whirls.

Ere they the shore forsake,
In prayer may they unite;
Hence their correct departure take,
And keep our star in sight.

Far on the lonely deep,

May they in Thee confide;

Oh! may Thine eye, unknown to sleep,
Through every danger guide!

Returning, may they view

This signal of Thy grace,

And find, with joy, their bearings true,
And join in thanks and praise!

JONAH'S MISSION TO NINEVEH.

FOR MY LITTLE NEPHEWS AND NIECES.

(Continued from page 168.)

THEN ceased the raging of the sea,
The men their fear of God express;
With sacrifice and vows they pay
Their tribute of deep thankfulness.
A fish for Jonah God prepared,

In which he was preserved from ill,
And he was thus in mercy spared,
The LORD's high counsel to fulfil.
He, in the deeps, three days remained!
His sins confessed, his heart subdued;
As when by sad afflictions pained,
How oft are good resolves renewed.

And well, if with returning ease

We think of all we then professed;
Nor vainly seek again to please,

With worldly thoughts and cares possessed.
Thus Jonah prayed; and we from hence,
Should learn with penitence to go

To Him, who can His grace dispense,
To all who seek his will to know.

"O LORD, my God! to Thee I cry,
From out the monster in the deep!
Thy floods and waves encompass me,
Thy servant in affliction keep.

46 Though from thy presence far I'm cast,
Yet to thy temple will I look;
Though all thy billows o'er me passed,
Thou never yet thy child forsook.

"The ocean's depth was o'er me closed,
The weeds were wrapped about my head;

The mountains' base to view exposed,
The bars of earth around me spread.

"And when my soul was faint within,
I did remember Thee, O LORD!
And then my contrite prayer came in,
For help, thou only could'st afford.
"Thanksgiving will I render Thee,
Though praise can ne'er for sin atone,
Such offering now is meet for me,
Salvation is of Thee alone."
Then to the fish Jehovah spake,
And Jonah was cast forth again;
From this we may assurance take,
That prayer to God is never vain.
Again the word to Jonah came,
Saying, "Arise and speed away
To Nineveh, the great, in name,
And preach the preaching that I say."
Quick Jonah rose, and went thereto,
Declaring that in forty days
The city God would overthrow,
In punishment for wicked ways.
The prophet was by them believed,
The king and lords a fast proclaim,
And orders were by all received,
Humbly in sackcloth to remain.
That they no food nor water taste,
But deeply mourn the time misspent ;
Turning from sinful deeds in haste,
That God in mercy might relent.

God saw their works, that they had turned
Repenting from their evil way;
And now no more his anger burned,
He spares because they truly pray.

Oh, then, in every time of ill,

Draw near to God in Jesus' name, His ear to hear is open still,

His willingness to save the same!

ANNE B.