and a kiss, she met him at the! Her husband, who really loved door.

little wife tenderly, took her ha “Why, Kate, how tired you look; and put something in it, closing have you done a great deal of walk. | slender fingers tightly over ing to-day p"

saying, "Don't distress yourself a Kate blushed and smiled, but de more about bracelets and stre ception was not a part of her nature, sweepers; here's your new-yea and she replied, “Yes, Henry, I gift, and the next time you go walked all the way home.”

town get a pretty dress with “ You shouldn't have done that," | Kate's hand had closed over said he, a little reproachfully; and note. then he laughed as he continued : The day after New Year's day! “Did you spend all your money, so was again in the city; and as that you couldn't afford a sixpence was passing by the identical s to ride home with p"

where she had given away her s “ Well, I suppose I must tell," pence, she felt her dress pull said Kate, with another blush. “I gently, and turning around, did have just one sixpence left, and encountered the same little half-d was going to ride, when such a poor little girl "

"I'm so glad that you've com “Yes, that's it, I know what's | ma'am," said the child;" coming. Why, Kate, you make the dropped this the other day, and I very mischief among the poor people been saving it for you ever since and my pennies; they are the most and pulling something out of h ungrateful set in the world.”

bosom, she putit into the lady's har " But,” said Kate, earnestly," she Hastily unrolling the bit of new was such a delicate, half-clothed, and, paper, Kate saw her bracelet. Wb I am afraid, half-starved little street à triumph for herself and for Henr sweeper "

“ Thank you, thank you, my child "Street-sweeper!” and her hus she exclaimed, taking the little ba band held up his hands in mock hand in hers. horror ; "why, Kate, they pick up “I tried to find you that day handfuls of money in a day; and said the child, “ but you went out did you walk home, and give one sight so soon that I couldn't; "ani a whole sixpence! Oh, oh, what with a bright face, she continue won't your innocent little heart do “I want to thank you, and my next?”

mother wants to thank you too; fo Kate bore this quizzing very well, I didn't get a penny all that da and was about to reply, when, on until I saw you, and that sixpend passing her hand up her arm, she ex- | bought the medicine which is goin claimed suddenly, “0, Henry, my to make her get well.” bracelet is gone-your gift last new Kate's eyes glistened as she hear year's day-what shall I do? where this, and thought of the temptatic can I have lost it P”

to ride home that God had helpe “That is too bad," said he, her to resist. “Take me with yg thoughtfully; but the next moment to your mother,” she said, still hold he continued, shrugging up his ing the girl's hand; "such honest shoulders mischievously: "May be 1 and thankfulness shall not go unr some honest person has picked it warded.” up!" Seeing the tears come into It was a pretty long walk, bt his wife's eyes at this speech, he put they finally reached the house, 1 his arm around her and kissed her, the basement of which the littl with, “Never mind, though, I can girl lived. A pale, sickly woma replace it some time."

was lying on a bed in the singl room which they occupied; but she | Henry shook his head, but it was looked up eagerly as she heard her not a very negative shake. “Nobody child's voice say, “Here, mother, can resist you, Kate," said he smilthe beautiful lady has come herself.” | ing, “and you may do as you please Kate sat down by the bedside and with the money.” Kate thanked lent her ear to a tale of want and him with her moistened eyes more privation of which she had never than with her voice; and as the door dreamed ; and, leaving what little closed after her, Henry said to himpocket money she had with her, she self, “There goes an angel; and if promised to see her again; then she ever that text, He that giveth to started for her husband's office. the poor shall not lack,' was meant Mr. Alair was poring over his books for anybody, it was for her.” when Kate rushed in, with bright The little girl's mother did not eyes and glowing cheeks, and holding get well again; but before she died up the bracelet before his eyes, she Kate told her about Jesus, and won exclaimed : "See there, Henry, that's her to love and trust Him, soothing What came of giving my sixpence to her last moments with comforting, the street-sweeper.”

cheering words. Even little Jane Her husband looked up, glad and she taught to say, with faith,“ When surprised, first at seeing her, and my father and mother forsake me, then because the bracelet was found; then the Lord will take me up.” and he listened while she told him By-and-by Mr. and Mrs. Alair took of her interview with the child and little Janet, now an orphan, to live ber mother. “And now, Henry, I with them; and if there was one am going to ask you if I may do grace more than another that Kate one thing. I really do not need so prayed the child might have, it was nice a dress as you have given the that of charity; for Jane's growing money for; and I want to take some beauty of character, and her constant of it and buy fuel and lights and gratitude, proved a continual reprovisions for those poor people; minder to her generous benefactress they had neither coal nor candles, of that sweet lesson of our Saviour's, and nothing but a little cold cabbage _“It is more blessed to give than for their dinner.”

to receive.”

PICKINGS FROM MY PORTFOLIO.

No. I. EVERY man is treasuring up stores | every day adds something to the for eternity :--the good are laying | heap. Every oath the swearer utup treasures in heaven, where moth ters, there is something gone to the and rust doth not corrupt;—the evil heap of wrath. Every lie the liar and impenitent are “treasuring up

tells, every licentious act the lewd wrath against the day of wrath." man commits, adds something to What an idea is this ! Treasures of the treasure of wrath. The sinner Wrath! Whatever the impenitent has a weightier treasure of wrath man is doing, he is treasuring up to-day than he had yesterday; he

Tath. He may be getting wealth ; will have a weightier to-morrow but he is treasuring up wrath. He than he has to-day. When he lies may be getting fame; but he is down at night he is richer in venCeasuring up wrath. He may be geance than when he arose in the uing pleasing connections ; but | morning. He is continually deepS also treasuring up wrath: I ening and darkening his eternal portion. Every neglected Sabbath left the rest. Or He may crush increases his store of wrath; every man's business, and strip him of a forgotten sermon adds something his worldly wealth, and yet leay to the weight of punishment. All untouched and uninvaded what the checks of conscience, all the dearer than all—the cradle of h remonstrances of friends, all the only child. Would it not be nobl advice and prayers of parents, will for such a man to be thankful f be taken into the account, and all what God left, than to murmur fi will tend to increase the treasures what He took away? “The Lol of wrath laid up against the day of giveth and the Lord taketh away wrath.-J. A. James.

but He always gives more than ! A CHRISTIAN sailor, who lost one takes away. If God robs a ma of his legs at the battle of Trafalgar, of His riches, He leaves him h said that he could very often mea health, which is better than riche sure the faith of the people who If He takes health, He leaves wealt conversed with him, by the way in If He takes both, He leaves friend which they alluded to his misfor And if He takes all these-hous tune. Nine out of ten would ex- and home and worldly goods-God claim, “What a pity that you lost providence is not yet exhausted your leg !” and only one in ten, and He can make blessings out * What a blessing that the other other things which remain. A was preserved !” When God comes never strips a man entirely bar into the family and takes away one A man may be left a beggar upo child, instead of complaining be the highway, and yet be able to giv cause He has taken one, it would be l increasing testimony to God's good wiser to thank Him that He has | ness and grace !-H. W. Beecher.

THE FAMILY LIBRARY. We have much pleasure in renewing the recommendation which we gave last year of Old Merry's Annual.* The volume for 1869 has just reached us, superb in colours and in gold; and, filled as it is with interesting and instructive reading,—we do not think there is a page in the book that is not interesting or instructive or both,—we cannot imagine anything better for boys. At any rate, there are certain boys of our acquaintance, who look for it longingly and devour it eagerly. I they—instead of papa-were the reviewers, we fear “The Church" would be chargeable with being not sufficiently grave.

Our old friends, The Children's Friend,t and The Infant's Magazine, also deserve a hearty welcome. They, as their titles indicate, are intended for younger children than is “Old Merry." The pictures are here the special attraction, though the reading also is as good and appropriate as it can possibly be.

As other children's books, adapted to the season, we can conscientiously recommend, With the Tide; or, a Life's Voyage, by Sidney Daryl;*| Busy Hands and Patient Hearts; or, the Blind "Boy of Dresden and his Friends, translated from the German of Gustav Nieritz ;* Lost in * Hodder & Stoughton.

t S. W. Partridge.

Paris, and other Tales, by Edwin Hodder ;* and Queer Discourses on Queer Proverbs, by Old Merry.*

Evening by Evening ; or, Readings at Eventide for the Family and the Closet, by C. H. Spurgeon,* is already doubtless in the hands of a large number of our readers. It is of course a companion volume to the author's former production, entitled, “ Morning by Morning.” The readings are brief, occupying only a single page,—but they are earnest, practical, and devout; and besides, they are never dry or dull. Mr. Spurgeon's will be a welcome voice in many households through these morning and evening readings. How, with his multifold engagements, he has found time to write them, is more than we can tell.

The busiest men can find time for the most; and not only Mr. Spurgeon, but Mr. Williams of Southampton, is an illustration of this. How busy Mr. Williams has been all this year, is it not written in the books of the chronicles of the day? But here we have, Seven Sermons, from his pen, preached in Portland Chapel. It is needless to say to those who know Mr. Williams, that the sermons are vigorous, fresh, and forcible: there is nothing hackneyed about them: and as they could not have been heard without interest, so they could not be read without instruction. We should add that the immediate purpose of the author, in the publication of this volume, is to aid in an effort to reduce the debt on his chapel. We trust he will succeed in his immediate object, and in higher objects too.

We close for this month by recommending, Christ the Centre, and other Papers, delivered at the recent Autumnal meetings of the Baptist Union at Bristol. I The papers are already, we trust, widely known; but, gathered together in this elegant volume, we hope they will exert a more lasting influence, as indeed they ought to do.

OUR MISSIONS: YOUNG CONVERTS. It was an early conception in the to education, or ignorant of its minds of the great missionaries of value, or prejudiced by the ChrisSerampore to lay the foundation of a tian superintendence employed. system of education. Next to the | And when the art of reading was preaching of the gospel, they held acquired, the Bengali tongue preeducation to be one of the most sented few books, if any, worth the powerful agencies to overthrow Hin labour of acquiring the ability to duism, and to help on the spread of read. About the year 1818, the Divine truth. At first, their atten missionaries erected from their own tion was given to schools conducted resources the college at Serampore, altogether in the native languages, intending, if possible, to reach the and many were opened in Serampore higher classes of the community. and the villages around. There was | The instruction given embraced a much to hinder their success. The wide range of subjects, and all people were, in the main, indifferent l classes of the community, Euro* Passmore & Alabaster.

† Arthur Miall.

Elliot Stock

pean, East Indian, Hindu, and Mo- | youth we instruct become' Chri hammedan, were invited to attend. | tians in heart and in life, and boldl The success was only partial; and confess the name of the Lord Jesu it was not until some years later, in the presence of their countrym when English became the chief sub- and friends. ject and medium of education, that This joy has been given to o the college could be said to fulfil the brethren now labouring in the c purpose of its founders.

lege at Serampore. The two cas The study of English has given to be mentioned are striking illu a remarkable impetus to learning trations, both of the effect of t among the Hindu people. Not so education given, and of the diffici much that the knowledge of English ties to be encountered on the op is sought for its own sake, although confession of Christ. The first ca there are now many men of high is that of a lad, who some thr caste and position who from choice years ago gave evident signs of make themselves acquainted with work of grace in his heart. He h its literary and scientific wealth. attended the Scripture classes 1 But, to multitudes of students, the about two years, when he open acquisition of English is the road declared his faith in Jesus. In co to employment, to offices of honour sequence of this he was taken aw and remuneration. Be this as it from the school by his parents, h may, the knowledge of English father being one of the owners literature, for whatever purpose the idol Juggernaut at Serampor acquired, is found to be productive Until August of last year (186) of most striking results, in destroy Mr. Dakin, his teacher, could obta ing the confidence of the students no information about him, when in idolatry, in enlightening their length he met with him in the roa minds as to the folly and injurious To his inquiries he was inform ness of the ancient customs of their that for a long time after being r forefathers, and in preparing the moved from the college, the paren way for the reception of Christi would scarcely allow him to leal anity.

the house, and never alone. Aft In the institutions established by a time, he was allowed to go to th the Government, there is not, of Government aided school in th course, any instruction given in neighbourhood. He had suffere Christianity. The ordinary ele much from ill health. He continued ments of education, scientific in to read his Bible in English, bu struction, history, and moral philo wished for a Bengali Bible, bette sophy, are freely imparted; but the to understand its contents. M Bible has no place in the Govern. Dakin further learnt that he was i ment system. In missionary insti.

the habit of speaking with his con tutions, the history and doctrines panions at the school on the truth of Christianity are an essential por- and facts of Christianity. tion of their plan. But, although Mr. Dakin did not again me this is the case, there have come with him till about two months b from the Government, as well as the fore his death. The Bengali Bib missionary schools, many converts | that was sent, appears to have falle to the gospel; and it is found that into the hands of the lad's brothe an English education, however im Early one morning be called a parted, most effectually destroys Mr. Dakin. He was in great fea idol worship, and wakens the dor lest his visit should be known to hi mant energies of the popular mind. friends. He answered all question Glad as we must be at such a result, as to his faith and hope in a ver we are still more glad when the intelligent way, and expressed hi