I will try you." The young woman consented, and entered into the family. A gentleman visiting in the house, being made acquainted with the case, presented her with a Bible, on the blank leaf of which he wrote-Luke xviii. 29, 30. "Verily, I say unto you, there is no man who hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's 'sake, who shall not receive manifold more, in this present time, and in the world to come, life everlasting." J. C. L.

THE Puharrees have no idols or images of any kind; a black stone found on the hills, is by some ceremonies consecrated, and used as an altar. They have several festivals which are held in high reverence. The Chitturia is the greatest, but seldom celebrated on account of its expense. It lasts five days, during which buffaloes, hogs, fruits, fowls, grains, and spirits, are offered up to the gods, and afterwards feasted on. This is the only festival in which females are permitted to join. During its continuance they salute nobody, all honour being then appropriated to the gods. Polygamy is not forbidden, but seldom practised. The bridegroom gives a feast on occasion of the marriage; the bride's father addresses a speech to him, exhorting him to use his daughter well; the bridegroom then marks her forehead with red paint, links his little finger in her's, and leads her to his house. The usual way of making oath is to plant two arrows in the ground, as in the above

sketch, the person swearing taking the blade of one and the feather of the other between his finger and thumb. On solemn occasions, however, salt is put on the blade of a sabre, and after the words of the oath are repeated, the blade being placed on the under lip of the person sworn, the salt is washed into his mouth by him who administers it.-Heber.

THE PATRIARCH'S PRAYER.

O that Ishmael might live before Thee!-Gen. xvii. 18.

How beautiful and appropriate is this aspiration of the patriarch Abraham! how characteristic of a pious and feeling parent, tenderly solicitous for the welfare of his son! and how excellent an example for parents in general!

The patriarch was chiefly concerned for the spiritual interests of Ishmael, but the desire of many parents is limited to this life. Some heap up riches, exercise great self-denial, and withhold from the cause of God that which he demands, and that for the ignoble purpose of making their children rich, and bequeathing them large possessions. How often it happens that youth so provided for become children of Belial, and, u the way of sinners, and the seat of the scornful, scatter those treasures which their foolishly-anxious parents had saved for them. There are others (equally culpable) who are only careful that their children may rise to worldly eminence, and occupy some commanding station in society. These constitute the wishes of too large a proportion of parents; they forget that "man being in honour abideth not"-they forget that earthly grandeur is evanescent as the insect that lives but a day, or the flower that fades in the evening. A Christian, however, will lose sight of objects so comparatively empty and worthless, and, conscious that a human soul is beyond all calculation, he will pray-"O that Ishmael might live before thee!"

Ishmael, the subject of this prayer, appears to have been a wild and undutiful son: hence it is said (Gen. xxi. 9.) "And Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, mocking." Probably he might be mocking at the piety of some in the family, or ridiculing Isaac. The patriarch might have noticed, at an

early age, the germ of those vices which would have grown with his growth, and have led his mind from the faith of his parent. It is thus many are tried with perverse and profligate children, who grow up to mock instead of to pray, who defeat the intentions of their friends, and choose the way of transgressors.

The insubordination of Ishmael seems to have occasioned the expulsion of himself and his mother from his father's house. The watchful parent might have frequently admonished his son, and advised him to be more circumspect in his behaviour, but the wayward youth, fearless of consequences, manifested no improvement, and, for the peace of the family, the punishment was inflicted. This act may appear unreasonable, but how many parents, weary with expostulation and warning, are reluctantly compelled to separate their children from them, and perhaps for ever!

Let youth be taught by this affecting history, not to despise parental advice; in some cases the result has been peculiarly tragical-ruinous to the youth and his connexions.

The most eventful and touching scene in the life of Ishmael was his banishment from the parental roof, with his mother Hagar, his state of destitution in the wilderness of Beersheba, and their miraculous deliverance in the hour of extreme peril. Little is said of his subsequent life, except that he became a hunter in the wilderness of Paran, and died at the age of 137.

In the merciful interpositions of God to Ishmael and Hagar we see the divine character remarkably displayed, that even the prodigal excites the compassion of him who says (Ezek. xxxiii. 11.) "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked."

In the patriarch's prayer there are many profitable reflections: first, we see that good men are employed with God; our associations proceed from the character we possess. Are we destitute of religion? we select worldly connexions. Abraham was a man who feared God, and he kept up communion with him. Happy would it be if every professor of religion had the patriarch's experience and conduct, to despise the pomp and glory of the world, and cultivate that heavenly-mindedness which so adorned the Father of the Faithful.-Secondly. True

Christians are very solicitous for the salvation of their relatives. The conversion of the world is an object ardently desired by a sincere and devout believer; he often prays, like the son of Jesse, And let the whole earth be filled with his glory"But his tenderest sympathies are exerted for his own household; and, in the hallowed precincts of the closet, he exclaims, "O that Ishmael might live before thee!" The prayers of God's people are not always answered as they expect. The conversion of Ishmael would have rejoiced the patriarch, but there is no reference to it in the Sacred History. It teaches us that our anxieties and prayers, in matters of vital importance, may not receive a literal answer; the individual may not be benefitted, but God will be glorified in the denial, and we shall have done our duty. We are to pray for all, and leave the event to God; the prayer will accomplish some purpose. "I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain." J. C. LYMINGTON.

PRINTING.

THE art of printing, as it is in Europe, is a modern invention; it is, indeed, of a very ancient standing among the Chinese; but their printing is very different from ours. It is asserted by Couplet, that printing has been in use in China from the year 930.

Who were the first inventors of European printing, in what city, and what year, it was set on foot, has been long disputed among the learned. In fact, as the Grecian cities contended for the birth of Homer, so do the German cities for that of printing. Mentz, Haerlem, and Strasbourg, are warmest on this point of honour. Italy would have entered the lists; but the suffrages being at first divided between the first three, they were less in possession of the question, which, in reality, is not yet justly decided; though, (says Chambers,) it must be owned that Mentz has always had the majority of voices.

John Muntel, (Mentel or Mantel,) of Strasbourg, John Guttenburg, and John Faust, of Mentz, and Laurenz John Koster, of Haerlem, are the persons to whom this honour is ascribed, by their respective countrymen. There is an anecdote recorded

by a respectable author, that one Laurentius, of Haerlem, (that is Laurentius John Koster,) walking in a wood near that city, cut some letters upon the rind of a beech-tree, which, for fancy's sake, being impressed on paper, he printed one or two lines for his grand-children; and this having succeeded, he invented a more glutinous ink, because he found the common ink sunk and spread; he then formed whole pages of wood, with letters cut upon them, and pasting the back sides of the pages together, that they might have the appearance of manuscript, written on both sides of the paper. These beechen letters he afterwards changed for leaden ones, and these again for a mixture of lead and tin, as a less flexible and more durable substance. He died in the year 1440.

The Haerlemans refer the first invention to Laurenz Janz Koster, (Laurentius John Koster,) of Haerlem, in the year 1430, adding, that he, having associated himself with Guttenburg, the latter stole away his tools while Koster was at church, and carried them to Mentz, where he set up for the first inventor; though others attribute the theft, to Faust or Faustus. By the advocates of Mantel, of Strasbourg, it is contended that he first invented printing at Strasbourg, in the year 1442. This was two years after the death of Koster, and twelve years after his advocates assert his invention. It is probable, therefore, that Mantel had made some improvement in the art during that period. Cyclopædia.

It appears, therefore, that Koster was the original inventor, and the others only contributed towards the improvement. EUGENIO.

PRESERVATION OF A MISSIONARY.

"DURING Mr. Mack's second visit in Potatik, Gideon, a native remained in Pachgatgoch; here he was one day attacked by a savage, who presenting his gun to his head, exclaimed, now I will shoot you for you speak of nothing but Jesus.' Gideon answered, if Jesus does not permit you, you cannot shoot me.'-The savage was so struck with this answer, that he dropped his gun and went home in silence."-Loskiels Missions.