Cohen! noble young Israelite! how thankful I am that I read aright your character, and permitted your own honest feeling to mark out for you the path into which I had power to force you! Don't speaklisten. You remember Ben-Melchor? As strict a devotee as can be imagined, he is moreover extremely fond of reporting all who come short of his standard, and your case was laid before some high in authority of which the world knows little. The report preceded you to Jaffa: I was employed to remonstrate with your father, and I did so. It is unnecessary to repeat all that passed: a long consultation was held with him by some of our leading men, and the result was this'-he drew a paper from his bosom 'your father's distinct permission for your removal from under Captain Ryan's care, to whom I also bear a letter of thanks and full explanation; and should any resistance be offered by you, then an appeal to the Chief Rabbi here in Jerusalem would have been resorted to: and you must have answered for your faith, either submitting to his authority or apostatizing. Now, I did not particularly relish the agency in such a matter: but I took a special liking to you from our first interview, and I likewise felt no slight share of goodwill towards that nice fellow Ryan, apart from his meddlesome ways. I confess too that my heart was fairly won by the child; and the deep feeling they all evince for us nationally; which I never before knew any of the Jew-converting gentry even to entertain, nor even to recognize our nation, except so far as they could fix the taunting accusation of being a scorn and a curse. Well, I resolved to act tenderly by all parties; and I should have approached very gradually to this point, but for the meeting with poor

old Wilhelm, whose grief for his son, and emotion on discovering in me the companion of his travels, and the sworn avenger of his wrongs, spurred me on to this rude disclosure. So now Cohen, what say you?'

'I will go with you;' answered Alick, after a severe struggle: but had you proceeded less kindly and generously, I would not have yielded-would not have left my poor friends in their affliction-they who to gratify me changed the course of their travels, and sacrificed their darling child.' He was unable to proceed.

'Be comforted, Alick. I mean to make a frank statement to Captain Ryan, and sure I am that his own honourable spirit will dictate a ready acquiescence in our plans. We will repair to him as early as possible; and while you sit with Charley and his mother, we will talk it over. At present, you must get some rest.'

They descended the Mount, and Alick soon found himself again in the Jews' quarter. Very little sleep did he enjoy, his mind was so bewildered by the new and strange position in which he found himself; but the image of the meek old Israelite who had especially interested him from the first, the hope of restoring to him his lost son, and that love of adventure natural to his age and character, almost counterpoised his bitter regrets, concerning the Ryans. The thought of becoming a stricter Jew delighted him, and he was resolved to hold Da Costa to his engagement for the daily reading of God's word, with a minute investigation of the New Testament. Early in the morning they repaired to the Missionary's house, and learned with joy that little Charley was very

materially better. They were admitted to the apartment where he lay, pale, but full of animation, his face turned in the direction of a small latticed window, through which was seen the graceful slope of the Mount of Olives. He returned the caresses of his friends, and then, eagerly pointing to the lattice, exclaimed 'Look, Mr. Alick: there's the place were the Lord Jesus used to go and pray, and to teach the people there's where he wept over Jerusalem: there's where he came down meek and lowly, and having salvation; and riding upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. There's where he sweat blood for us; and where he was betrayed and taken with swords and staves: and there's where he shall be again, for "His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives," when He comes to destroy his enemies, and to reign over the whole earth.'

'You seem quite alive, Charley,' said Da Costa. 'Yes, Mr. Dockster; looking at the Mount of Olives makes me alive. Mamma says, if I go on so well I shall soon be able to go with you all through the place. How nice it will be! You will shew me where David lived, and where he is buried; and where Solomon built the Temple, and Nehemiah built the walls up. Did'nt I tell you I should get better at Jerusalem? But why do you look so sad, Mr. Alick? Oh, it's that you are sorry because Jerusalem is taken away from the Jews: but never fear, when Messiah comes, he will give it you again, and he will be your God, and you shall be his people.'

He looked fondly at Alick, whose dejection seemed to increase, and putting his little arm about his neck, said, 'I do be sorry to see you look unbappy: but

the Lord Jesus will comfort you. Don't you remember, at Ramah, the priest said I should die? Well, it made me a little afraid, and I was very sorry to leave Papa and Mamma, and you darling Jews: and I was afraid because of all my sins and naughtiness to go and stand before God: he is so great and terrible! But then I thought of the verse 66 The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth from all sin," and it did comfort me so! and I was not afraid then. Oh, if you would but love him you would never be very sorry, and you would never be at all afraid.' He looked again to the window and repeated, "As the hills stand about Jerusalem, so standeth the Lord about his people."

'Captain Ryan,' said Da Costa, 'I want to have a few minutes' conversation with you, can you spare the time now?'

'Willingly. I hope we shall pass the whole day together; and I am at your service.'

They went out: Alick's heart beat most painfully, and Mrs. Ryan affectionately enquired if he was not well. He is sorry,' said Charley, 'I know that. Mr. Alick you shall read to me, please do; I want you to read to me the twelfth of the Hebrews.'

Alick did so, and he felt the power of that exquisite portion more, perhaps, than he had ever felt any part of the New Testament. Charley's innocent but appropriate remarks pointing more forcibly his attention. He then answered various questions of the child and his mother, as to what he had already seen, and tried to smile, when Charley talked of the pleasant walks they should take, adding, ‘I think I shall soon get well, now I am in Jerusalem, and you will be

talking to me all day long about the beautiful places, till I can see them myself.'

At length the two gentlemen returned; Captain Ryan's countenance bespoke displeasure; Da Costa looked proud and high and Alick with some trepidation obeyed a summons presently given, to withdraw with them into another room.

C. E.

THE great effort of earthly wisdom is to account for every thing, either in the course of creation, or the history of man, upon those principles which are called natural; and to represent the intermediate interposition of God not only as unnecessary, but unreasonable. According to this system, the waves of the sea may rise in their fury, and bury men and their habitations beneath the flood; the earth may open her mouth, and swallow thousands in a moment; the winds may descend in their strength, and spread universal desolation over the face of a whole country; the pestilence may walk the circuit of the globe, and fill the world with mourners; and yet all is to be ascribed to some unknown natural cause. Any solution is to be received, rather than that which God himself hath given in his most holy word. "I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace, and 'create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things." Isa. xlv. 7.-McCaul's Plain Sermons.