luxury attending a country residence in India. The languages of this country, as well as all others arè various, but Persian is still maintained as one of the highest; Arabic is understood by the Mahometans, because the Koran is written in that language. W. G. B. THE DISCOVERY OF PURPLE. THE dying of purple was first invented at Tyre, and by a mere accident. A dog having seized a fish, called Conchilis or Purpura, stained his lips with that color. This led to the discovery, and it soon became the richest and most valuable color by persons of the first quality." B. V. DEW. 'Thy goodness is as the morning cloud, or as the early dew which goeth away." Hosea xi. 4. THE dews of the night," says Dr. Shaw, "as we had only the heavens for our covering, would frequently wet us to the skin; but no sooner was the sun risen, and the atmosphere a little heated, than the mists were instantly dispersed, and the copious moisture, which the dews communicated to the sands, would be entirely evaporated."-Travels in Arabia Petræa. B. V. MEMOIR OF AGNES FALKINGHAM. AGNES FALKINGHAM was born in Brooke's Market, Holborn, October 5, 1812. She became a scholar in Surrey Chapel Sunday school at about nine years of age, was always much attached to the school, and entertained great respect for the teachers. She left it in June, 1827, in consequence of taking a situation, in which she remained till the following Christmas, when she returned home, and worked at the artificial flower trade She was constant in her attendance on the means of grace, either at Surrey chapel, or with her father, at the Mariner's church. An opportunity of attending a prayer meeting she esteemed as a great privilege, and was often present at one held in Pearl Row. When one of her sisters was ill, and stood in need of some nourishing things, which her parents had not the means to procure, Agnes cheerfully parted with the little money she had saved out of her earnings, to purchase the requisite articles. In the month of November, 1828, when she was one day returning from her daily employ, between the hours of eight and nine o'clock in the evening, a man, standing at the corner of Creed Lane, Ludgate Hill, imprudently fired off a pistol by the side of her head, the report of which alarmed her so much, that she became very unwell. That she did not receive religious instruction in vain, will appear from the following particulars. During a painful illness of three and twenty weeks, she manifested habitual submission to the will of God, never uttering a single murmur during the whole of this period. She was delighted to see any one who would converse with her on religious subjects, particularly the visitors from the Benevolent and Christian Instruction Societies, watching the clock till the hour came for their accustomed visit. Of her teacher she always spoke in the most affectionate terms, and felt herself much indebted to a conversation which took place in the class one Sunday afternoon, when her teacher urged upon her scholars the importance of making preparation for eternity, from consideration of the uncertainty of life, and the immortality of the soul, often saying, in reference to it, "Mother, I never could forget it." One day she remarked to her mother, "I now see what induces the teachers to devote themselves to their work, it is that they may save souls; I am sure my teacher was in earnest, indeed I love and respect them all." She frequently spoke of two of the male teachers, from whose addresses she hoped she had derived benefit, and very much wished to see them, but would not suffer her mother to request them to call, because she could not bear to give them trouble. After she had been ill about a month, as she was one day sitting by the fire side, she said, "Mother, what do you think of my illness?" "God is all sufficient, and can raise you up," was the reply." Yes, Mother," rejoined she, “I know that, but what do you think of it?” Her mother replied, "I do not know, my dear, what to think of it.” Agnes then said, "You know that all things work together for good, and I think God has some great end in view in sending this affliction; should I recover, I hope it will leave a deep and lasting impression upon my mind, and make me think more seriously about religion, and lead me to devote myself to His service; but should I not be restored to health, I hope he will prepare me to inherit His everlasting kingdom.” At another time, when the family was without money in the house, and her father expressed some uneasiness about it, on her account, as he wished to obtain some refreshment for her, she observed, "Father, if we can but trust in God all cur wants will be supplied, He has indeed been very kind to us during my illness, for though we have sometimes waited, we have never wanted." A little while after, a person called to pay her father for some work, and he immediately went out to purchase something for her. When he returned, he found her in tears, and on his enquiring the cause, she said to him, "I cannot help crying, when I think how good the Lord is to such an unworthy creature as I am; I do not cry for grief, but for joy, to think how good He is to us in this time of deep affliction." say, During the latter part of her illness, in proportion as her bodily strength became weaker, her faith grew stronger. She was wont to "Father, do not neglect to pray for me, for God will answer your prayers; you were the means of procuring me that religious instruction, which enables me so sweetly to enjoy the conversation of those kind female friends who come to see me in my affliction." On the Tuesday night before her death, when her father wished her good night, she whispered, "I am going! but I am happy! Christ died for me." This solemn intimation of her approaching end, led her father to watch, with the deepest anxiety, till the very moment of dissolution. To her younger sisters she spoke most affectionately, entreating them to return to the school, which they had left. To her mother she gave her Bible. To a person standing near her, in tears, she said, "Do not weep, but pray." On the morning of her death, her father, thinking she was not sensible, said to her, "You do not know me, Agnes, do you?" "Yes, father," she answered, "kiss me." He then enquired after the state of her mind, to which she replied, "I am happy, I am reconciled; the Lord is my portion, death has lost its sting." She then looked round on all in the room, and said "I know you all." After this she did not speak again, but lay some time quite still, and without a struggle or a groan, departed this life on Good Friday, April 17, 1829, aged sixteen years and six months. Should any young person, who, like Agnes Falkingham has been favoured with Sunday school instruction, read this account, the writer would affectionately ask, "Have the same good effects resulted in your case ?" "Do Agnes loved the Saviour, of whom she had heard so often. you love him? if not, you will fare worse, in the day of judgment, than those children who perished with their parents in the destruction of Sodom." They had no Sunday schools to go to; they were not favoured with religious instruction, and consequently will not have so much as you to account for in that solemn day. Or should these lines meet the eye of Sunday school teachers, let them derive encouragement therefrom. You perceive that God does honor such unostentatious labors, as the means of conversion. Go forward; let nothing discourage you. Be not content with merely teaching the knowledge of words, but, like the instructor of poor Agnes, explain and enforce the word of God. A word spoken in season, how good is it! H. H. POETRY. ADDRESS TO MY SPIRIT. My soul, the hour is coming, When thou must leave this clay; Heav'n's choral band is singing, To cheer the darksome way: Fear not, though gath'ring o'er thee, The rising vapours roll; HE who has gone before thee Their darkness shall controul. He enter'd death's dread regions→→ 'Tis night, but not for ever, The day will break at last; Thou'rt nigh the troubled river, And Jordan must be past- But heav'nly winds are blowing A band of bright immortals A happy land of glory, In snow-white garments shining, The death-tide o'er thee rushes, Now bid the world adieu ! T. M. B. THE FIRST PSALM. A Paraphrase. BLESSED pre-eminently is the man His soul shall prosper like a healthful tree, Not so the ungodly, they are like the chaff, Jehovah knows the way the righteous take, J. S. HARVEY. |