HOW TO BE USEFUL.

Be in earnest. Intend to do good at any cost, at any hazard. Count not your life dear, if you may but win Christ, and win souls to Christ. Live, and plan, and pray, and act, to be useful. Applause is a puff. To do good is the great matter. The question should not be, How long have we lived? but-How long have we lived to purpose and to God?-how long for the Church and for God? That life is longest which best answers life's great end.

Let good will to man always rule in your heart. The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. We must love. The benevolent temper of the Gospel is not confined to civilized and refined people. "A young girl in South Africa was seized by a savage enemy of her father, who cut off both her hands, and then sent her bleeding home. Many years passed—the poor girl recovered from her wounds, and the stumps healed. One day there came to her father's door, a poor, worn-out, grey-headed man, who asked for alms. The girl knew him at once as the cruel man who had cut off her hands. She went into the hut, ordered a servant to take him bread and milk, as much as he could eat, and sat down and watched him eating it. When he had done, she dropped the covering that hid her handless wrists from view, and holding them up before him, uttered a sentence meaning, 'I had my revenge; the very sentence he had uttered when he so cruelly maimed her. The man was overwhelmed, deeply humbled, and filled with surprise." The secret was, the poor girl had been brought to Christ, and was trying to be a Christian. Bless and curse not. Be both courteous and compassionate. "Deal gently with those who stray. Draw them back by love and persuasion. A kiss is worth

a thousand kicks. valuable than a mine of gold." Bartimeus may lead the blind to Christ, but he may not take a club and beat them because they will not go to the Saviour. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour.

To the lost a kind word is more

Let one act of usefulness lead to another. When a fakeer brought in an English babe to the authorities of Meerut, she refused any reward for the act, but said they might dig a well to her memory. If God has enabled you to do one good act, make the position thus gained the means of further usefulness.

Pray much. Live in prayer. Without that every man is weak. "Prayer is knowing work, searching work, and nothing worth if heart and hand do not join in it." In this duty be not of a doubtful mind, but draw near to God with full assurance and a pure heart.

And take heed that you lose no time. Be ever on the alert. Be eager for opportunities. Whenever you meet a man, let your first question be-How can I do good to

this man's soul?

Let love to Christ always inflame your heart. Give him all you have and are. Never measure the service you render to him. Never think any sacrifice for him too great.

Had I ten thousand thousand tongues,

Not one should silent be;

Had I ten thousand thousand hearts,

I'd give them all to thee.

Blessed Saviour! He deserves all the love we can exercise, all the service we can render.

RELIGION.

RELIGION should promote a courteous and obliging temper toward all.

THE JUVENILE REPORTER.

THE Reporter has been reading with a full heart-he had almost said, with tears in his eyes-the affecting account of that noble man who was martyred at Delhi, and his equally noble wife, who clung so courageously to the cross of Jesus amid all her trials. It reminds us of olden times, such as we read of in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Friend! read that simple narrative over again and again; let it stir you up to greater diligence, and shame you into a more constant and a firmer faith: and oh! wherever you are, whatever you are called to do or to suffer, remember the dying counsel of that poor Indian,-Don't deny Christ.

You will be very glad to know that the preaching place Mr. Carstairs Douglas was afraid would be taken from them has been secured for another term.

The Reporter is glad to say that a letter has been received from the Rev. Alexander Grant - the last missionary who went out from us-telling us of his safe arrival at Amoy. The other missionaries are also well.

A note has just been received from the Rev. William Burns, from a place called Swatow, where he has been labouring for some time past.

And now about the new Collecting Cards. The Reporter very earnestly hopes they will be better cared for, and better used, than they were last year. The idleness and neglect shown then were very disgraceful. Something ought really to be done this year by way But the Reporter would rather leave that to the consciences of his readers, believing that every one with a proper conscience will feel as he does himself, and will act accordingly.

of compensation.

JAMES STIRLING.

ONCE a poor boy, named James Stirling, was employed to "mind" cows and sheep for the keeper of a country ale house in Scotland. His mother was a good woman, though poor, and had tried to bring James up-as every good mother does-in the fear and love of God. The boy often saw the sad effects of drinking on those who frequented the ale house, and he hated the drunkard's drink with all his heart. It had been well for him if he had always done so. After a year or two, a change came over James's circumstances. Through the advice of a relative, he was sent to learn shoemaking, in Glasgow, AUGUST, 1858.

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where he was put to work in an attic, along with twelve men, all low, drunken sots. The first thing these wretches tried to do was to break in this poor simple country boy to their own drunken ways. For a short time he withstood them, but not long. They were toc strong for him and before he had been many months ir this den, he could drink and swear as well as any of them. What a dark, sad course he had entered upon now! What misery, wretchedness, and sin was before him! For more than thirty years he remained a drunkard. During this time he married, had a family, and returned to his native district; but still he was a slave to the drunkard's drink. His wife was a good woman, and strove hard to keep her children tidy, and bring them up in the fear of God. But it was not easy. Many an anxious hour she spent, when sleep had got the better of the hungry cries of her children, wondering how, or where she could get a breakfast for them in the morning. Little did the children know of the deep grief that had settled on their poor mother's heart; they saw her often dejected and sorrowful, they knew something of her trouble when they saw her on her knees, and heard her sobbing forth earnest prayer for the conversion of their father, but they did not know it all.

But the mother's prayers were heard at last; the father took the temperance pledge, and soon after became a changed man.

His wife had always been in the habit of observing family worship with her children, whether their father was at home or not. Often they were singing the praises of God in their wretched cottage, when he was singing the drunkard's song in the next tavern. One night she sat down to this exercise with a very heavy