aid in procuring her a governess for her children. She described in the usual strain, the all-accomplished and superior person she required, he sent her this short reply.

MY DEAR SISTER,

I have never yet met with such a woman as you describe; but when I do, I shall make her my wife, and not your governess. Yours, &c.

We may add to the above remarks, that the miserably small pittances which are given, in recompence for the services of those from whom so much is expected, must prevent the really superior amongst that class, from obtaining the support they so richly deserve.

There is, alas! even among Christian parents, too often a wretchedly carnal spirit; and they are just as anxious that their children should excel in all the accomplishments of this world, as are those who are avowedly choosing it for their portion; and the effect of this spirit is naturally felt by them. Our parents,' say they' profess to care nothing for earthly things, but why then are they so laboriously seeking to qualify us to shine in society; they tell us that they long to see us panting after heaven, and yet, if religion is introduced amongst our daily tasks, what proportion of time does it leave for our other engagements?'

This is no imaginary picture—this is a plain factwhich a very slight survey of the religious world will easily confirm. Those who have laboured so hard, to be qualified to shine in the world, will pant to make the legitimate use of their possessions, and many a

one has thus been led to cast away the faith of her forefathers, and to live and die without God, and without hope.

I have sought to lay before you some of the crying evils which have crept into the work of home education. Now let us endeavour to point out some of the remedies. The first I would suggest is an improved method of treating governesses. If a religious mother desires to find some one well qualified to assist her in teaching her family, she will of course turn her desires into earnest prayers. And if in answer to prayers, she meet with a Christian suited for the work, then let her shew by every means that she considers her a fellow-helper in the kingdom of God. Let her be treated with respect, kindness, and confidence: if there is no openness between the mother and the governess-no free access from the one to the other-no fellowship of spirit, it will be a sore evil for the children. A mother should always hold up the authority of the teacher, never by her own conduct and words, lessen the respect her pupils should entertain for her—they should feel that there is no appeal from her authority; that the rules of the school-room are not reversed in the parlour, or all her influence is at an end. Few, who have not been placed in similar situations, are aware, how far a little warm-hearted kindness goes to cheer on a poor labourer in this work. Sometimes only an affectionate commendation, or a friendly shake of the hand, will dispel hours of gloom and sadness.

Education is confessedly the most laborious, and the most important of all employments; reaching if rightly understood, not the mere outward man, but to the affections, dispositions, propensities of the

spirit within; yea, to the leading the immortal soul back to its centre, its God. Now then, if those who are engaged in this toilsome occupation, have their affections blunted, and their best feelings crushed by harshness, distance, or suspicion, on whom will the effects recoil? On the mother surely. And on the children who are led by her example to look down on one who is labouring for their good.

Or if, as before described, want of judgment in the parents had led her to select a person unfitted for the task; or still worse, if she has for the sake of obtaining an accomplished Preceptress, chosen one who fears not God—then she will, sooner or later, eat the bitter fruits of her folly or inconsistency.

It would be easy to follow out these observations much at length, but“ a word spoken in season, how good it is”—and especially when the Spirit shall send it home with irresistible power to the conscience.— When the complaint is uttered so loudly on all sides, that the church and the world are merging so closely in each other, that it needs an eagle's eye to mark the boundary line which separates them; it may be useful for those who really sigh and cry for the abominations of the land' to have their views directed to some of the sources of the evil-that they may see to it that sin lieth not at their own door.

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I am, madam,
Yours respectfully,

June 10th, 1834.

M.

ON THE SPIRIT OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.

IN the February number of the Christian Lady's Magazine, was a paper upon the Preaching of the gospel,' in which a somewhat singular question was started, as to which part of the church service is most important,-its prayers, or the preaching? It reminded me of a very little girl, who once asked me which part of the tree I liked the best,-the flower or the fruit? Her attention was attracted to an appletree, then in its fullest beauty of luxuriant blossom; and being exceedingly fond of flowers, the child artlessly believed she could have resigned the enjoyment of the promised fruit, rather than the blossom which she was at that moment regarding with so much infantine delight: but the answer made to her inquiry might not unaptly, perhaps, be applied to the present subject; that, without the fruit, the tree would be, comparatively, of small value: although without the flower no fruit would be produced. May not this be said of public worship? that, did it embrace only prayer, the extension of gospel knowledge would be comparatively limited; while, on the other hand, what preaching would avail, without prayer for that outpouring of God's Spirit, which can alone open the sinner's heart, to believe, to under

stand the message of salvation? And shall we say that although both be admitted as essential to the completeness of religious worship, the prayers are secondary in importance, so that the preaching be powerful in itself? This last seems to be inferred in the paper to which I have alluded. I do not, however, wish to appear as a disputant: but the remarks offered upon the subject, led me to a closer investigation of our church liturgy, and never before, perhaps, have I seen so much of its excellence, or felt so much of its power, as when thus roused to analyse the service, with the sole view of doing what is there strongly recommended, examining the grounds' on which the opinion is founded, that the prayers of the church are more important than the preaching; or, rather should I say, to inquire on what grounds the question can admit of argument at all? The writer states, that' every body' answers in favour of the prayers. I was not aware that such is at all the case; but if a distinction could be admitted, I am not sure, that on a closer examination of our church service,— under all those circumstances which must blend some imperfection in all human systems,—we might not find that " every body' is, in fact, in favour of the prayers, rather than the preaching.

Of the importance, the vital importance of preaching, none can, of course doubt, who feel the blessedness of a soul's emerging from darkness, to God's marvellous light, of which the word is as a lantern.' But neither can it be denied, that there is in these days a fastidiousness in our taste for public preaching; and I do not hesitate to affirm that it is a snare, deluding many a soul from the service of God, to the mere eloquence of man. We make too much of

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