and touching a lesson a pious mother may teach her beloved child-not in a menagerie-I would not send them there for instruction; but in a walk in the woods, or by some river's side.

Boy. "What is that, Mother?"

"The Lark, my child;

The morn has just look'd out and smiled,
When he starts from his humble, grassy nest,
And is up, and away, with the dew on his breast,
And a hymn in his heart to yon pure bright sphere,
To warble it out in his Maker's ear.

Ever, my child, be thy morning lays

Found, like the Lark's, to thy Maker's praise."

Boy. "What is that, Mother?"

Boy.

Boy.

"The Dove, my son,

And that low, sweet voice, like a widow's moan,
Is flowing out from her gentle breast,
Constant and pure, by that lonely nest,
As the wave is pour'd from some crystal urn,
For her distant dear one's quick return.

Ever, my son, be thou like the Dove,

In friendship as faithful, as constant in love."

"What is that, Mother?"

"The Eagle, boy,

Proudly careering his course of joy,

Firm on his own mountain-vigour relying,
Breasting the dark storm-the red bolt defying,
His wing on the wind, and his eye on the sun,
He swerves not a hair, but bears onward-right on.
Ever may the Eagle's flight, be thine,

Onward, and upward, and true to the line."

"What is that, Mother?"

"The Swan, my love;

He is floating down from his native grove ;

No loved one now, no nestling nigh,

He is floating down by himself to die:

Death darkens his eye, and unplumes his wings,

Yet his sweetest song is the last he sings.

Live so, my love, that when death shall come,
Swan-like, and sweet, it may waft thee home."
M. G.

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DAILY MAXIMS FOR SEPTEMBER.

MERCY exceeds the seeker's expectation.

2 The strongest believer has need to pray," Lord! increase my faith!"

3 The sins of men are often read in their punishment. 4 Death is the river which parts the kingdoms of grace and glory.

5 A Christless soul, though rich as Crœsts, must still be a miserable soul.

#6 In waiting upon God in His ordinances, we may expect to be met by Him with promises.

7 The grave to the sinner is the land of captivity; to the saint it is the gate which leads into the land of promise.

8 Foul temptations may have fair pretences.

9 God must be acknowledged not only as a Saviour, but a sanctifier.

10 This world is the seat of rebellion against God; its inhabitants are engaged against their rightful Lord and Master.

11 Every unconverted sinner opposes himself to the will of God.

12 If we love God in truth, we can ask nothing that a God of love cannot bestow.

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*13 Negligent prayers and inattentive hearing, is like bringing the blind, the halt, and the lame, for sacrifice.

15 The most substantial wisdom is serious godliness. 16 If God's crown be despised, His yoke will be quickly

shaken off.

17 The strength of a christian is his faith; the strength of faith is Christ.

18 Sinners need not go down to the deep to search for hell, there is a hell within them.

19 Wherever you go you carry your life in your hand, and know not whether you shall bring it back.

*20 The life of religion cannot be maintained but by keeping up the life of duties.

21 Every increase of our faith, is a new beam of light sprung forth from the face of God.

22 Christ and Satan have each of them their spy; Christ's spy is faith; Satan's spy is sense.

23 Sin is the great cause of all our wo.

24. It is not enough that we are awakened, our souls must be renewed.

25 The more we lay hold on Christ, the more of his gracious presence we shall enjoy.

26 Apostacy begins in unwatchfulness.

*27 The end of the sabbath is the preservation and propaga tion of religion.

28 Sin stupifies the understanding and hardens the heart. 29 Grace is strengthened by exercise.

30 No ship at sea keeps more exactly by the compass which directs its course, than Providence doth by that promise which is its polar star.

Lord, let thy gracious promise be my stay,

Thy word my guide, through each perplexing way;

Let me not wander from thy path, but keep

My soul secure amongst thy favour'd sheep,

Fed by the Shepherd, let me follow still,

Till safe from harms I reach Mount Zion's hill.

Wakefield.

R. C.

HONORING GOD.

A Conversation between Mrs. Norton and her daughter Jemima. MRS. NORTON reads I Sam. ii. 30. Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 'The events connected with this portion of the divine oracles,' said Mrs. Norton, are most interesting and affecting, involving a whole family, the members of which occupied im portant stations in the service of God. The father was the High Priest of the Lord, and his two sons attendants at the altar; all chargeable with crimes, and all objects of the divine visitation. Never can we peruse any thing more illustrative of the Almighty's regard to the manner in which his service is performed. The crime of Hophni and Phineas were contempt of God's sacrifice, combined with lewdness of the most awful character. The sin of the parent was a neglect to reprove his sons, and, as a judge, to remove them from their office. The

whole constituted the guilt of dishonoring God and his holy institutions.'

The contrast contained in the words is striking, "Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." To honor God is to walk so as to please him, to pay a sincere and constant regard to the communications contained in His holy word, to dedicate ourselves sincerely and unreservedly to His glory. It will be seen by the piety of our life, by the performance of the sacred duties of prayer, meditation, and hearing and reading the scriptures. There will be an unreserved confidence in Him, and an habitual dependance upon Him, and a lively interest will be displayed in the promotion of His cause, by liberality and active exertion. Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thy increase, while on the other hand to despise God is to exhibit a conduct altogether the reverse. It is to neglect religion, to disregard His appointments, to deride His holy word, to rebel against his laws. It is to be insincere in His service, and thus answer the description given in the striking lines of our poet: But all was false and hollow; though his tongue Dropt manna, he could make the worse appear The better reason, to perplex and dash Maturest counsels; for his thoughts were low,

To vice industrious, but to nobler deeds

Timorous and slothful."

'O mamma,' said Eliza, 'I hope I shall be one of those who honor God!'

I hope you will; for it is connected with blessedness here and hereafter. Be assured that none are so happy as they who live to the glory of God.'

I have often heard you mention many of your friends, as striking instances of the fact.'

Yes! my dear Jemima, no one serves God for nought. They are honored by a sufficient portion of temporal and spiritual blessings, and an extensive promise is given them, that God will remember their children after them.'

Then it must be a great privilege to belong to them who honor God.'

Certainly, and it is thus represented in the holy scriptures:

"I am the God of thy father Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest."

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'I remember now what I have read of the awful end of Pharaoh, Belshazzar, and Herod.-Were not they despisers of God?'' Yes, they are examples of the indignation of the Almighty against their rebellious conduct. They lightly esteemed the Holy One of Israel; they rejected divine warnings, and like the guilty inhabitants of Jerusalem they perished in their sins.' 'Then I will endeavor to imitate them who honor God. But may I hope, dear mamma, that He will look upon so young a child as I am??

You may with confidence. Nothing is more pleasing to God than early piety. His promise is, "They who seek me early shall find me." To such he will be a powerful protector, to defend them from all dangers, and having abundantly honored them in this world, he will at length receive them to heaven, where they shall live and reign with Him for ever and ever.'

Thrice happy man who fears the Lord,

Loves His commands and trusts His word,,
Honor and peace his days attend,

And blessings to his seed descend.

VERUS AMICUS.

CHRISTIAN HUMILITY RECOMMENDED TO THE YOUNG. HUMILITY is one of the most amiable and attractive features of the Christian character; or, rather it is that peculiar grace which gives to every feature of true Christianity its chief beauty. The allusion of the Apostle is striking and appropriate, "Be ye clothed with humility," for he intimates that this grace is the garb and habit of the believer. Humility in knowledge, faith, hope, and zeal, is indispensable to the existence of the graces themselves, for without humility what is knowledge but self-conceit; faith and hope are but presumption, and zeal, enthusiasm and rudeness.

The passage we have just quoted is found in connexion with another, which points out the peculiar suitableness of this disposition to the youthful character, " likewise ye younger submit yourselves to the elder," consequently in young persons it is peculiarly