The ordinances are holy, pleasant ways, where pious children walk, and become more and more holy. Therefore it is said of holy Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke i. 6, "They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."

6th. God's holiness shines in his saints. They are lovely; but they are lovely in Christ's loveliness. The holiness of pious children consists of the graces of the Spirit. These graces are the beauties of holiness. Saints appear very comely in those graces; therefore, it is said of the saints in the following words, Ps. xlv. 13: "The King's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold." It is in heaven where saints, where pious children shine most gloriously and perfectly, in the beauties of holiness. Holy John saw them in vision, and said, Rev. vii. 14: "Who are they arrayed in white robes ?" The angel answered, "These are they who have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb."

Lord Jesus, make us holy. Say to us, in thy mercy, "I will, be ye holy." Amen!

CHOICE SAYINGS.

SELF-ABASEMENT.

WHEN Christ entered Jerusalem in triumph, the people spread their garments in the way. When Jesus enters into our hearts, we pull off our own unrighteousness, we lay it under Christ's feet, and trample it under our own.

AFFECTIONS.

A believer's affections are too often like a cascade, or waterfall, that flows downward; instead of being like a fountain, which rises, and shoots upwards towards the heavens.

AFFLICTIONS.

1. The world may be compared to a sea of glass. Affliction scatters our path with sand and ashes, in order to keep our feet from sliding.

afterwards published a folio volume of "Remarkable Providences." But whether Mr. Turner had then acquired his taste for extraordinary narratives, or whether the imagination of the pupil was inflamed by their recital, we cannot tell. There is no love of the marvellous in his writings. But in the formation of his character, and the direction of his studies, by far the most influential element was veneration for his learned and saintly sire. The father's devotion and industry inspired the son. And surely, this was what it ought to be. Though love to a pious father is not piety, yet with the children of the godly the fifth commandment has often proved the portico and gateway to the first. And perhaps, theirs is the most scriptural devotion whose first warm feelings towards their " Father who is in heaven," mingle with tender memories of their father that was on earth. No character could be more impressive than Philip Henry's; no spirit more impressible than that of Philip Henry's son. Till an up-grown lad, he was constantly in his father's company. He witnessed the holy elevation and cheerful serenity of his blameless life. He was aware how much his father prayed in secret; and, besides occasional sermons, he heard his daily expositions and exhortations at the worship of the family. And from what he saw, as much as from what he heard, the conviction grew with his growth, that of all things, the most amiable and august is true religion; and of all lives, the most blessed is a walk with God. A hallowed sunshine irradiated Broad Oak all the week; but, like rays in a focus, through the Sabbath atmosphere every peaceful feeling, and every heavenly influence, fell in sacred and softening intensity. On these days of the Son of Man, the thoughtful boy was often remarkably solemnized; and when the services of the sanctuary were over, would haste to his little chamber to weep and pray; and could scarcely be prevailed upon to come down and share the family meal.

On one of these occasions, his father had preached on the grain of mustard-seed; and wishful to possess this precious germ, he took the opportunity of a walk with his father, to tell his fears and anxieties about himself. The conversation is not reported; but he afterwards told his confidante, his sister, that he hoped he too had received a "grain of grace," and that in time it might come to something. With his young sisters he held a little prayer-meeting on the Saturday afternoons; and amid the sequestered sanctity of their peaceful home, and under the loving eye and wise instruction of their tender parents, these olive plants grew round the table.-Rev. J. Hamilton.

EARLY PIETY.

Think, my young friends, of the early piety of Matthew Henry, and endeavour to give utterance with the heart, to the following lines:

Happy the child, whose youngest years
Receive instruction well;

Who hates the sinner's path, and fears
The road that leads to hell.

"When we devote our youth to God,
'Tis pleasing in his eyes;

A flower, when offer'd in the bud,
Is no vain sacrifice."

INTERESTING ANECDOTES.

THE SWEDISH PRISONER'S SON.

A GENTLEMAN of Sweden was condemned to suffer death, as a punishment for certain offences committed by him in the discharge of an important public office, which he had filled for a number of years, with an integrity that had never before undergone either suspicion or impeachment. His son, a youth about eighteen years of age, was no sooner apprised of the affecting situation to which his father was reduced, than he flew to the judge who had pronounced the fatal decree, and, throwing himself at his feet, prayed that he might be allowed to suffer in the room of a father whom he loved, and whose loss he thought it was impossible for him to survive. The magistrate was amazed at this extraordinary procedure in the son, and would hardly be persuaded that he was sincere in it. Being at length satisfied, however, that the young man actually wished to save his father's life at the expense of his own, he wrote an account of the whole affair to the king; and his majesty immediately sent orders to grant a free pardon to the father, and to confer a title of honour on his son. The last mark of royal favour, however, the youth begged leave with all humility to decline; and the motive for the refusal of it was not less noble than the conduct by which he had deserved it was generous and disinterested. "Of what avail," exclaimed he, "could the most exalted title be to me, humbled as my family already is in the dust? Alas! would it not serve but as a monument to perpetuate in the minds of my countrymen the remembrance of an unhappy father's shame!" His majesty, the King of Sweden, actually shed tears when this magnanimous speech was reported to him; and, sending for the heroic youth to court, he appointed him to a confidential office.

FREDERIC AND HIS PAGE.

Frederic, King of Prussia, one day rang his bell, and nobody answering, he opened his door, and found his page fast asleep in an elbow chair. He advanced towards him, and was going to

awaken him, when he perceived part of a letter hanging out of his pocket. His curiosity prompting him to know what it was, he took it out and read it. It was a letter from this young man's mother, in which she thanked him for having sent her a part of his wages to relieve her misery, and finished with telling him that God would reward him for his dutiful affection. The king, after reading it, went back softly into his chamber, took a bag full of ducats, and slipped it, with the letter, into the page's pocket. Returning to the chamber, he rang the bell so loudly that it awakened the page, who instantly made his appearance. "You have had a sound sleep," said the king. The page was at a loss how to excuse himself, and putting his hand into his pocket by chance, to his utter astonishment he there found a purse of ducats. He took it out, turned pale, and, looking at the king, shed a torrent of tears, without being able to utter a single word. "What is that?" said the king. "What is the matter?" "Ah! sire," said the young man, throwing himself on his knees, "somebody seeks my ruin! I know nothing of this money I have just found in my pocket!" "My young friend," replied Frederic, "God often does great things for us in our sleep; send that to your mother; salute her on my part, and assure her that I will take care of both her and you."

FREDERIC AND HIS POMERANIAN SERVANT.

Frederic the Great, of Prussia, during his last illness, endured many restless nights, which he endeavoured to soothe by conversing with the servant who sat up with him. On one of these

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occasions, he inquired of a young Pomeranian from whence he came. "From a village in Pomerania." "Are your parents living?" "An aged mother." "How does she maintain her"By spinning." "How much does she gain daily by it?" Sixpence." "But she cannot live well on that?" "In Pomerania it is cheap living." "Did you never send her anything?" "Oh yes, I have sent her at different times a few dollars." "That was bravely done; you are a good boy. You have a deal of trouble with me. Have patience: I shall endeavour to lay by something for you, if you behave well." The monarch kept his word; for, a few nights after, the Pomeranian, being again in attendance, received several pieces of gold, and heard, to his great joy and surprise, that one hundred rix-dollars had been settled on his mother during her life.

WASHINGTON'S REGARD FOR HIS MOTHER.

General George Washington, when quite young, was about to go to sea as a midshipman. Everything was arranged, the vessel lay opposite his father's house, the little boat had come on shore to take him off, and his whole heart was bent on going. After his trunk had been carried down to the boat, he went to bid his

mother farewell, and saw the tears bursting from her eyes. However, he said nothing to her; but he saw that his mother would be distressed if he went, and perhaps never be happy again. He just turned round to the servant, and said, "Go and tell them to fetch my trunk back: I will not go away to break my mother's heart." His mother was struck with his decision, and she said, to him, "George, God has promised to bless the children that honour their parents, and I believe he will bless you."

ORIENTAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE NEW
TESTAMENT.

THE VIRGIN.

Behold, a Virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son."-Matt. i. 23.

Ir was an opinion common to many ancient nations, that distinguished sages, legislators, and founders of religious systems, were born of virgins, in a supernatural manner. This is noticed by St. JEROME, in the first of his books against Jovianus. He says, "Among the Indian Gymnosophists, an opinion, handed down by tradition, prevails, that Budha, the founder of their religion, was born by a virgin from her side."

A similar opinion prevails in China. BARROW, in his Travels in China, says: "The most common of all female deities in China, is Shing-moo, or holy mother; or rather, the mother of perfect intelligence. This lady is the exact counterpart of the Indian Ganga, or goddess of the river; the Isis of the Egyptians; the Ceres of the Greeks. Nothing shocked the Missionaries so much, on their first arrival in China, as the image of this lady, in whom they discovered the most striking resemblance, as they thought, to the Virgin Mary. They found her generally shut up with great care, at the back part of the altar, and veiled with a silken screen, to hide her from common observation sometimes with a child in her hand, at other times on her knee, and a glory around her head. On hearing the story of the Shing-moo, they were confirmed in this opinion. They were told that she conceived and bare a son, while yet a virgin, by eating the flower of the lienwha, or the nelumbium, which she found lying upon her clothes, on the banks of a river where she was bathing. Also, that when the time of her gestation was expired, she went to the place where she picked up the flower, and was there delivered of a boy: that the infant was found and educated by a poor fisherman, and in process of time became a great man, and performed miracles."

A remarkable resemblance to the usual representation of the Virgin Mary, with the Infant Jesus at her breast, is found in an old Indian painting. It represents the foster-mother of Chrisna,