little they were inclined to bow down before the throne of the heavenly grace.-Proceeding with the service, I came to the lessons for the day; and as this was the undoubted word of God, I imagined, that here, at least, I should be able to gain attention, and here I did expect to see the congregation in a listening attitude.-But, no: scarcely had I proceeded to read one verse, before I remarked, that in several parts of the church there was a motion of heads to be seen, and a muttering and whispering to be heard. The service was at length ended, and the congregation, if such it ought to be called, began to depart. But in what manner did it depart ? Did it go with silent footsteps, because treading the courts of the Lord's house, and countenances expressing the fine and grateful feelings which the Psalmist experienced, O how I love the place where thine honour dwells!'-Far from it. The pew doors were thrown open with violence, and nearly all went forth with much noise and unconcern. After service, having occasion to walk over a great part of the village, I met several parishioners in their work-day clothes, others bearing burdens, and others I saw in small groups making free observations upon the peaceable passengers, and even rudely laughing at them. In my way, passing a public house, it was with sorrow that I was able to count almost as many persons there as had been at the morning service at church. In the streets children were to be seen pursuing their games, and women idling and gossiping, and some making a great clamour, and some even smoking tobacco. Nor was this all-The morning of the Sabbath, I found, was the time usually appointed to settle the labourers' wages, and hence their wives and children were observed, in all directions, hastening to the different shops to buy provisions. On the banks of the river, moreover, were to be seen watermen hauling their vessels along, and giving

neither themselves nor their cattle any respite on the holy day of the Lord. This is a short but accurate description of one of our Sundays."

We do sincerely believe that there are but few parishes to which this description will apply. But if there be one parish, in which all, or any of these disorders exist, we hope that all ranks, rich and poor, will lend their best assistance towards restoring that reverence for things sacred, which always accompanies religion, and is a great means of promoting it. V..

NOTES ON SCRIPTURE.

1 PET. ii. 11. "As strangers and pilgrims, ahstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."

We are not to consider ourselves at home in this world. We are travellers on a journey. If, therefore, we do not meet with the best accommodation on the road, we need not greatly regard it; for, when we arrive at our home, we shall find all we wish for. The traveller, who would otherwise be alarmed at the dangers of his journey, and sink under its difficulties, is cheered with the thought that he is every day getting nearer home, where he shall be received with joy, and shall find peace and safety. If he meets with any thing by the way to give him refreshment and pleasure, he first asks whether it is likely to hinder him in his journey if not, he takes it with thankfulness; but, if it is likely to hinder him, he abstains from it-he will not stophe cannot he is hastening home. There are enemies, too, in the way, who will seek to oppose his progress, and to plunder him of his property. He will try every method of avoiding them; he will seek to keep as far as possible out of their way: but, if

they still beset his path, he will oppose them boldly, and fight valiantly, for he is anxious to preserve his possessions, and he cannot bear to be stopped in his progress towards his home.

Just so it is with the Christian pilgrim. There is much on his journey to delight and to please him; but, before he stops to partake of any pleasure, he first asks, "Will it hinder him?" What he sees that he may enjoy safely, he enjoys with thankfulness to the Giver. But dangers are about him, and he must be watchful. In what may look pleasant, there may be a snare which shall seize him, and prevent him from ever reaching his home. Spiritual enemies will beset him: he must try to avoid them. If they still oppose his path, he must fight manfully against them. The lusts of the flesh are the enemies which "war against his soul." Those pleasures which gratify the body are often ruinous to the soul. "I beseech you," says St. Peter," as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." Man is made up of body and soul: it is the soul-the lifethe principle which endures for ever-that distinguishes man from the brute creation. The preservation of the soul is the care of Providence; it is for the soul's safety that God watches, for which Christ died, and for which the Holy Spirit visiteth us. If we neglect the soul, and think only of the body, we oppose the great design of Heaven for our good.

Let us not thus be enemies to our Maker, and to our own happiness; let us not "fight against God," but let us fight against our sins; let us "fight manfully," and God will be on our side; let us steadfastly resist all that would check our progress towards our everlasting dwelling; let us firmly oppose all "fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."

V.

NATURAL HISTORY.

THE CROW TRIBE.

SOME foolish people once imagined that crows brought good or bad luck, according to their dif ferent croakings, or the number which were seen together, or the direction in which they flew. We know very well, however, that this is all childish

nonsense.

Some sorts of crows, when in great numbers, are thought to do much injury by devouring grain; but they, perhaps, make amends for this by the great quantity of insects and vermin which they destroy.

The Raven.

This kind of crow is very useful in devouring carrion and filth, which it can scent at a great distance. It is a cunning bird, and generally takes care to keep beyond the reach of a gun.

When brought up at home, the raven becomes very familiar, and is very amusing. He drives away the dogs, and plays among the poultry, and generally tries to make a friendship with the cook, for the sake of what he can get. He is a good deal of a glutton, and somewhat of a thief, and will not only take away eatables to his hiding place, but sometimes spoons, forks, rings, and money.

A gentleman, having found for a long time that his silver spoons kept disappearing one by one, at length saw his raven carrying one away in his mouth: he followed the thief to his hiding place, and found upwards of a dozen more.

The female builds her nest early in the spring. She lays five or six eggs. She sits about twenty days.

There are few things more extraordinary than the sitting of birds on their eggs. A bird is the most active of all creatures; and yet, when it is sitting, it seems fixed in its place, as if nothing could move it. So wonderful is the care of Providence over every creature that exists. It is the invisible hand of Providence that "detains the contented prisoner from its fields and from its groves," and makes it intent only on the work of bringing into life its young.

On an oak-tree so formed as to be particularly difficult to climb, a pair of ravens + had built their nest for so many years, that the oak was called "The Raven Tree." None of the village boys could climb the tree, so that the ravens continued in perfect security. At length the tree was to be cut down. The axes, and the saws, and the wedges, were all at work; yet all their noises and the shaking and the bending of the tree, did not cause the hen bird to leave the nest on which she was sitting. When the top of the tree was bent almost to the ground, still the bird was on her nest,-and, when the tree fell, she was beaten to death by the branches.

The Carrion, or common, Crow.

These birds live chiefly in pairs. They feed on carrion, on putrid flesh of all sorts,-from whence they get their name. They also eat worms and insects, and different kinds of grain. They will sometimes attack young lambs, or young rabbits, ducks, and chickens: they will fly at a pigeon as a hawk does-and these birds are so bold, that, when they are near their nests, neither the kite nor the buzzard dare come near them. They will seize upon the eggs of poultry if the hens lay them in hedgebottoms or in stack-yards, where the crow can come

See Paley's Natural Theology. + White, of Selborne.