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POETIC SELECTIONS.-THE CHILDRENS' CORNER.

Peace in my heart, what shall I fear
While I sojourn below?
He will defend me in the fight
From every foe.

Let friends be cold, or foes be wroth,
And bitter malice cast-

My Saviour, 'midst a hating world,
Loved to the last.

He cares for me! O wondrous care!
Lord fill my barren heart
With love divine for all Thy love:
Bid sin depart.

The lilies and the snowdrops grow
In lowly beauty rare;

But He will clothe me with a robe
Surpassing fair.

I come to Thee! Jesus, I cast
My cares and fears on Thee;
Rid me of self and earthliness,

From sin me free.

Then to Thy Father's house me bring,
That holy dwelling-place,

To love and serve and praise Thee there,
And see Thy face.

-Sunday Magazine.

COTTAGE CRADLE SONG.

CLOSE its eyes; it must not peep;
Drop its fists; its fingers slack;
Slide away far into sleep-

Sis will watch till it comes back.

Mother's knitting at the door,
Waiting till the kettle sings;
When the kettle's song is o'er,
She will set the bright tea-things.

Father's busy making hay
In the meadow by the brook;
Not so very far away-

Close its peeps, it needn't look.

God is here, and God is there-
Sees the great scythe glitter and rip;
Watches baby gone somewhere;
Sees the mother's fingers trip.

Sleep, dear baby; sleep outright;
Mother's sitting just behind;
Father's only out of sight;
God is round us like the wind.
-Geo. MacDonald.

The Childrens' Corner.

THE WILFUL LIE.

WHEN Henry B was about twelve years old he worked a few weeks in a cotton factory about half-a-mile from his house. Every morning, after bidding mother, little sister and brother, as well as his favourite "Chip;" good-by, he would trudge, dinner-pail in hand, to his work.

Chip was a little dog which a gentleman had given Henry, and he was a sprightly creature, very fond of his young master, who loved him in return. Indeed, it seemed hard for them to be separated for a day.

In the room with Henry worked a young man called Fred, who was eighteen years old, and who appeared to like Henry. One day when Fred had been out riding he went to Henry on his return, and told him that as he was passing his mother's house, Chip ran out, barking at the horse, and running under the carriage, the wheels went over him and killed him. "I am so sorry," said Fred, "but could not help it."

How badly Henry felt! His favourite Chip dead! Being a truthful boy himself, he never doubted Fred's story.

When he sat down to eat his dinner, the thought of his poor Chip almost choked him; it seemed that he could not swallow a mouthful. How long the afternoon was! and how he dreaded going home! No little dog to greet him as usual.

Boys, refrain from lying. It is mean, cowardly, and an awful sin in the sight of God to lie.

Chip lived to comfort his little master, who is now a respectable young man, and a comfort to his parents and friends.

THE COBBLER OF HAMBURG.

ON a fine summer evening, in the city of Hamburg, a shoemaker sat at work beneath an awning in front of his shop window. Crowds of artisans were passing in the street, and above his head was a starling, which seemed to keep up a busy talk with its kind owner; for while it sang and chattered, he would sing one of the fine old German psalm tunes.

While thus engaged, a young Jewish student stopped and said: "Well, friend, you seem a merry fellow." Hans looked up and replied: "Merry! to be sure. I am right merry, my brother;and why should I not be so?" "All are not so," replied the student with a smile; "and your poverty might afford a sufficient excuse for sadness. I confess, friend, I am surprised to see a poor man like you so cheerful." "Poor!" exclaimed Hans; "how knowest thou, friend, how my account stands with the bank? Poor, I am richer than thou knowest." "It may be so," said the student with a smile. "I must have heard of thy name in the Exchange, or of thy ships, but I have forgotten when." "Enough," said Hans; "thou hast confessed thine ignorance of me;" and then stopping his work, he said calmly and solemnly: "Stranger, I am not poor; I am a King's son !" The Jewish student, with a smile, made a low bow, and went upon his way.

It was even so; though the world knew him not, no more than it knew his Elder Brother, that poor artisan was an adopted son of the Great King; his name was known among the courtiers of the palace of the Golden City, and his prayers and alms had come up as memorials to his honour. He had much wealth laid up where thieves could not break through and steal. He had his Father's will in his hand, which he read attentively from day to day, and thought often of his mansion, his crown, his titles, and his enduring possessions. Like Peter the Great working as an obscure mechanic, or Alfred the Mighty working as a menial in a miserable hovel, this cobbler was fulfilling the good pleasure of his Father till the time to receive his inheritance should come. Dr. Payson said, that if Christians realized their relation to God as children, each could not avoid crying in the streets, "I am a son of God! I am a son of God!" So Hans communed as a son with his heavenly Father, and sung because he was happy.

A week passed away, the student came again to the cobbler's door, and making a low bow with his cap in his hand, he said: "Good evening to your royal highness." "Halt, friend,"

THE COBBLER OF HAMBURG.

cried Hans, "I am glad to see you again. You left me abruptly the other evening, I suppose you thought me mad. I am not so. I tell you again I am a King's son. When you interrupted me I was singing a song about my kingdom. Would you like to hear it?" "Surely, if it please your royal highness," replied the Jew, doubting the cobbler's sanity. Hans sang a hymn on "Thy kingdom come," and then asked the student if he understood its meaning. His reply was a shake of the head. Upon which Hans began to pour out his soul in explanation of the kingdom of his Messiah, about the promise in Eden, its fulfillment in the coming death, resurrection, and reign of Christ, of whose kingdom every subject was a son and joint-heir to all its riches and honours.

The Jew sat as a child at his feet, gazing upon him with his full black eye, and so absorbed with all he heard, that he was only aroused as from a waking dream by Hans taking him by the arm, and saying: "Now thou seest I am a King's son, and why I am happy; for I know and love this Jesus, and all things are mine, whether life or death, things present or things to come; and, young man," he asked, with emphasis, "believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. For unless I mistake thy countenance greatly, thy fathers did; and thou, my son, believing in them, must also believe in Him whom they have foretold, and whom God hath sent to perform the mercy promised to thy fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He sware to thy father Abraham."

66

66

The Jew was silent before the truth of God. Unutterable thoughts passed through his mind. From curiosity he was led to inquiry, and from inquiry to knowledge. Like Moses beholding the miracle of the burning bush, he felt that he must turn aside and examine. 66 Where," he asked meekly, can I learn more of this, for I see that thou believest and hast ?" peace "From this book," said Hans, handing him a Bible. Go home and read there about the kingdom, and return to me when thou hast studied the passages I shall point out to thee. I shall, like Moses, pray for thee, and ask One to pray for thee whom thou knowest not, but who knoweth thee, and who is greater than Moses." The young Jew grasped the hand of the cobbler, made a respectful bow, and departed.

He had seen something wonderful, and he resolved to know more about it. He had seen a man in humble life happier than any noble or king, and who appeared to have acquired the habits and manners of a new life. His religion seemed to have ennobled him, so that it touched his trade and made it honourable; touched

CALMNESS OF SPIRIT.

his station in society, and rendered it not unworthy of one holding good rank in the household of God. It was evident that rank with God and wealth with Him did not depend upon externals; for the honourables of heaven were often poor, and yet might convey the greatest riches to others. This cobler enjoyed all the privileges of his Father's house. The shadow of the throne was over him, he communed with the King, received the best society of the court, and was happy in its feasts, music, and emoluments. Proving that the life was more than meat, his calling comprised whatsoever things were costly, beautiful, sublime, and blissbestowing. So the Jewish student read, and weighed the evidences of the New Testament in comparison with the Old. He came to Hans and conversed about his doubts and discoveries and expectations; and the poor disciple became the teacher of the lettered student. The result was his conversion to the faith of Christ. He became the Rev. Mr. Nfor many years an eminent and successful missionary to his Jewish brethren in Siberia.

CALMNESS OF SPIRIT.

Ir were worth one's while to be a Christian, just for the sweet and healthful serenity which characterizes a trusting child of God. There are multitudes of godly matrons, any one of whom would be a living sermon in a score of homes we could name-a living sermon, with calmness as a text. Dear, good mothers in Israelwould there were more such !

Calmness and equanimity ought to be a part of every one's religion. "I dare no more fret," said John Wesley, "than to curse and swear." One who knew him well said that he never saw him low-spirited or fretful in his life. He could not endure the society of people who were of this habit. He says of them : "To have persons at my ears murmuring and fretting at everything, is like tearing the flesh from my bones. By the grace of God I am discontented at nothing. I see God sitting on the throne and ruling all things."

If every one was of this spirit, it would wonderfully improve the world. Christians lose their wayside comforts, and dishonour the Master, by their fretfulness over little troubles. Some who

can bear the great sorrows of life with a martyr's faith and patience, will even show anger over the loss of a button, the mislaying of a cane, or fifteen minutes' delay of dinner, though

POETRY.

they have stood calmly by the graves of dear ones gone, and comforted others whose hearts were breaking with grief.

Doubtless physical infirmity is a cause of much of the agitation and fretfulness which many good people exhibit; but they must guard against this. Not only must they watch against yielding to such things, but they must watch against the overwork, the stimulation, the excess, the gluttony, and the dyspepsia, which rob men of peace, and which leave them nervous, fretful and impatient. God would have us well. It is small credit to a watchmaker to have his watches continually out of order, even though it may be the fault of those who carry them; and the perpetual sickness and fretfulness of Christians does not honour Him whose apostle has said, "Glorify God in your body."

Poetry.

"FIRST PURE, THEN PEACEABLE.”

FIRST let the stream of holy life
Flow purely to its home,
Though rocks of trial, stones of strife,

Should fret it into foam;

Though cruel rocks of untold grief

Stand boldly in its course; Though yawning depths of unbelief Await it from its source.

The rocks may wrestle with the stream
And darken all its way,

And roots of lilies pure and sweet

Its waters clear shall lave,

And weary workers cool their feet
Within its limpid wave;

And trees shall dip their drooping leaves,
And happy children play,

And sturdy reapers bind their sheaves
Along its peaceful way.

Yet strong and straight the current flows
All through the leafy wood,

But light shall touch, with rainbow gleam, As strongly where the lily blows

The shivered clouds of spray.

Though down the depths of dark despair

It headlong seems to fall,

A rainbow sparkles ever there

And lights the rocky wall.

And down, far down the rocks below,

But give the river time

It gushes forth as white as snow,

Polluted by no slime,

It fell, but fell to rise again

With waters sparkling bright,

To rise like crystal free from stain,
From darkness unto light.

As where the rocks withstood,
Until at last its waters come

Where purer waters be,
Where it shall find its final home-
Within a crystal sea.

So let the stream of holy life
Fear neither shame nor loss,
For every earthly grief or strife

Is shadowed by the Cross.

The strength and love of God are sure;

His help shall never cease:
If but the first of life be pure
The last is always peace.

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