in school life, that we lose sight after awhile of you. You go from us into the bigger life of a bigger school, and hence into the great world beyond, and we may never see you more on this side the grave, and may be you will forget us, and your life here, though not always, I hope. Yet herein lies a thought of comfort; for hereafter, in that land where GOD and His dear angels are, in that blessed home beyond the skies, we may meet and know each other. And if we by one word, or one act of ours, have furthered you on the way to GOD, if we have taught you, however imperfectly, as indeed must needs be, but still as best we might, to hold fast that which is good; to set before you a dim, imperfect standard of what you should be, to pray aright, to speak the truth, to lead the lives of Christian boys, O then we are repaid a thousandfold. And we must ask ourselves, Have we done our duty to you? have we striven to be just in our punishments, stern against the sin, yet loving to the sinner? full of sympathy to sorrow, more strict to ourselves than to you? Truly we need to say in the words of the hymn,

"Give those who teach pure hearts and wise,
Faith, hope, and love, all warmed by prayer;
Themselves first training for the skies,

They best will train their people there."

And on your side, look over the account of your Have you profited by this term? First,

term.

then, are you able to say you have learnt anything in your work? Have you a clearer insight into it, and have you tried to do your best in your lessons ? Your parents have sent you here partly that you may become wiser and learn: we labour as best we can to teach you what we know. How is your account in this respect? And yet again, how is the account of your spiritual talents? Can you put your finger on any one darling sin, and say, "By God's help I have striven against this sin, and I think I have got the better of it? Have you tried to be kinder and less selfish in little daily acts ? Have you found a new meaning in prayer, and a reality in GOD's service which was not there before? Can you honestly say that through all your slips and shortcomings, all your forgetfulness of GOD, and the wishes of those who care for you and pray for you, yet that you have gained a little of that spirit of CHRIST, and tasted the happiness and inward peace which can only be in the purest and best sense to those who love GOD and follow His commandments? You on your side should one and all pray with heart and soul,

"Give those who learn the willing ear,

The spirit meek, the guileless mind;
Such gifts will make the lowliest here
Far better than a kingdom find."

You are going home for your holidays-well earned holidays, I feel sure, I know, for many of

you; do not think that larger liberty means larger licence; do not live one life here, another at home. You will be among other friends and companions; you will be also among other temptations. Do not think for one moment that we grudge you one hour or one minute of your happiness; nay, in the best sense of the word, we wish you "GOD speed," but I for one should be sorry indeed that in your home life you should forget the lessons which you have learnt of unselfishness, love, forbearance, selfdenial, putting away of temper and wrong thoughts. Oh, I beg you, do not forget these. Let those at home who love you so dearly and so well see with pleasure that you are more considerate to them in their wishes, more kind and ready to give up to your brothers and sisters; less given to sullen looks and angry moods, and conceit and thoughts of self. Do you think this means a loss of holiday? Believe me, no. You will find in the love of others, and in inward happiness, a new holiday that you knew not of,—and we who have watched over you in our little way shall feel we have not cast our bread upon the waters in vain.

Thus labouring, ever all of us learning the lessons our great Master CHRIST has taught us; ever looking to Him as our Guide and Teacher; ever counting ourselves to know nothing, and as children in the eyes of our great FATHER, we shall at length reach our endless holiday, when the term of life is over, and we exchange the school of life for

the home of GOD's Paradise in Heaven. Should not we, if we truly seek that better land, if we would do our duty in this life, if we would be ready to meet our GOD, ever pray in the words of the hymn ?

"O bless the shepherd, bless the sheep,

That guide and guided both be one,
One in the faithful watch they keep,
Until this hurrying life be done.”

XIII.

THE INNER LIFE.

"What, could ye not watch with Me one hour?"—S. Matt. xxvi. 40.

It is even-tide, and the sun has sunk to his rest over the Mount of Olivet. The great Temple with its marble pillars and stately grandeur, stands out cold and clear under the pale light of the moon, peeping through the trees of the garden of Gethsemane. The waters of the brook Kedron prattle along in the still air of evening, and the scene is one of rest and solemnity. Can it be that in a few short hours the city that sleeps so nigh will be mad with the tumult of Jews clamouring for CHRIST's blood? Can it be that this very hour the Son of GOD will be betrayed and de

livered into the hands of wicked men? Can it be that a brief day will see a nation setting at nought their SAVIOUR,-a world crucifying the LORD of Life?

How calm looks that city of towers, "that sweet city with her dreaming spires," the earthly Jerusalem, the joy of the whole earth. Perchance our SAVIOUR is looking back on it with sorrow as He enters this garden, a favourite resort of His,-with His three chosen ones, Peter, James, and John. If so, be assured, more in sorrow than in anger." Even now the band of conspirators, with Judas Iscariot at their head, are stealing through the trees, bent on the foul design of seizing the defenceless JESUS. Alone He wrestles in prayer with GOD HIS FATHER in that last dread hour of agony. Yes, in the valley of death, into the lengthening shadows of night, He must enter alone. "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with Me." Yet even in this anguish of soul He yearns for human sympathy, and we feel His tone of sorrow in the words of the text, spoken to His sleeping Apostle, "What, could ye not watch one hour ?"

Boys, I wish you to-night, at the beginning of a new term, to lay before you this message of CHRIST," Watch with Me one hour." One hour? Is it too much? Is one hour much in all lifetime? And yet for the loss of that one hour, you may lose the eternal Presence of GOD, and the heaven