very full, at last the tears rushed in torrents down his little cheeks, and his voice faltered. I could not catch all the words, but I heard enough to tell me that my boy was praying for his widowed mother and her orphan children. Oh! it was a goodly sight, but it was too much for me, I felt myself unworthy of such a child; all that I could do was to throw myself on my knees, and with, I trust, a grateful heart, thank heaven for giving me such a treasure. Yes, sir, I begged ten thousand blessings upon those who had trained him up in ways of holiness."

Scarcely had Mrs. Pearce finished her pleasing account when a knock was heard at the door, and Collins, the gardener, entered with a note, which had arrived at the Rectory from the Bishop, stating that his Lordship would be at the School about one o'clock on Monday, and that he must leave again at four on business, as unexpected as it was important. As it was now late in the afternoon of Saturday, Mr. Faithful bade Mary good day and, with a promise to look in again soon, hastened to the School to give a few directions about the preparations necessary for the examination. As usual, his wishes had been anticipated, every arrangement had been carefully attended to by Mr. Firmlove, the floor had been well cleaned and a neat platform raised, flags, inscribed with suitable texts, hung gracefully-from the walls, and evergreens were profusely and tastefully distributed over the room. The whole presented a most pleasing picture, and the Rector was evidently both surprised and gratified. "You must have worked hard, Mr. Firmlove, since we parted this morning, and your labor has not been greater than your taste. I really think I never saw any thing more beautiful, and I feel truly obliged to you all for the pains you have taken, and not the least to you, Master Sailor," addressing Harry Pearce, who was seated on a beam tying up bunches of laurel and ivy: "if the Bishop be as pleased with the children's attainments as I am with the appearance of the room, I shall be quite satisfied with our examination. But I must not interrupt you in your work, it is now growing dusk, and you will be anxious to get quietly settled after the toils of the day, that you may prepare for the holy duties of the morrow ;" ad bidding them all a kind good night, he hastened home.

At length Monday arrived, the weather was fine, and every thing promised a most delightful day. From an early hour the place was stirring, and towards noon, parties were seen in their Sunday attire walking towards the School, where several of the clergy and gentry of the neighbourhood were assembled to give the Bishop the reception due to his holy office. His Lordship was very punctual, the clock struck One as he drove up to the School gates. The visitors quickly formed a line on either side, and Mr. Faithful stepped forward to express, in the name of all present, their great joy at so gratifying a visit. Having returned a most courteous reply, his Lordship at once proceeded to a seat that had been placed for him on the platform. The meeting, of course, opened with prayer for God's blessing, after which, at a given signal, Mr. Firmlove called upon the children to stand. Their neat dresses told of careful parents, and their cheerful faces were lighted up by happy hearts. At first they were a little awed, many of them never having seen a bishop before, but the examiners put the questions with so much gentleness that confidence soon returned, and the

answers given proved clearly that master and scholars must have laboured most diligently. History, Geography, Chronology, Grammar, and Arithmetic, each had its turn. The Bishop himself examined in the Catechism and Scripture History, and appeared throughout extremely pleased with the marked seriousness and intelligent answers of the Scholars. Unfortunately but a few minutes could be afforded for each subject, and by the time the Bishop finished, it was drawing towards four o'clock. His Lordship then rose and said, "I am extremely sorry that I must leave you so soon, I would gladly spend hours here, for what can be a more pleasant task than to witness the fruits of Christian education. The essential object of that education the minister of this parish evidently well understands; it is to train up an adopted child of God to live to his glory; and he feels I am sure, that any education which fails in this object is of no value whatever. He has, we have this day seen, made the standard of religious teaching, the Holy Scripture, rightly understood; not guiding the lambs of his flock according to the erroneous fancies of a self-constituted teacher, but accord

ing to the voice of Christ's Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; and the result is that the minds of these children are well-informed, their faculties are being duly developed and good moral habits daily promoted. And when they come to manhood they will know that obedience to the law of the land and to the government of the country is due, not as a matter of compulsion, but of principle and conscience. They will love their neighbour because they love their God. Again let me express to you my deep regret that I must leave you so soon-the scene of this day will ever be remembered by me with pleasure, and I can only pray that God may long continue to bless the labors of those who are set over you in the Lord." The Bishop having paused for a moment, proceeded to deliver his blessing, after which he addressed a few words to Mr. Firmlove upon the gratifying success of his exertions in the cause of education, and requested to know the name of a fine lad in the first class, whose talents were decidedly of no common kind. That lad was our hero, Harry Pearce. Having learnt his general good character and the circumstances of his family, he turned to Mr. Faithful, and desired him to ask Mary Pearce if she would entrust her boy to the care of a faithful servant of God, who was about to proceed to the East Indies as Captain of one of her Majesty's vessels, and who was desirous of obtaining the services of a steady serious-minded boy as his private clerk. He did not require manner so much as piety and integrity. Mr. Faithful arranged to make all necessary inquiries and to communicate the result to his Lordship. The Bishop then bade all an affectionate farewell, the children bowed or curtsied as he passed them, and soon little was heard save, now and then in the distance, the faint rolling of busy wheels. After the departure of the Bishop, Mr. Faithful addressed a few words to the parents of the children, and the company then separated, every one being highly pleased with what they had seen and heard.

Scripture Geography.

THE HOLY LAND.

THE Hebrews gave the name of Sea to any large body of water, we therefore find that those lakes of the Holy Land, which require our particular notice, are also called seas. The Lake of Gennesareth, being the same as the Sea of Galilee, and the Dead Sea, only another name for the

Lake of Sodom.

1. THE SEA OF GALILEE, situated in the North of Palestine, is so called from its stretching along the Eastern border of Galilee. It was anciently known as the Sea of Chinnereth (Numbers xxxiv. 11.) or Cinneroth (Joshua xii. 3), from its lying near a town of that name, afterwards Genesar, (1 Mac. xi. 67), and in the time of Jesus Christ Gennesareth. (Luke v. i.) It is also called the Sea of Tiberias, from the neighbouring city of Tiberias. Its length is about twelve miles, and its greatest breadth nearly seven. It is surrounded on all sides by lofty hills, and the scenery is described as remarkably beautiful, but from the breaks between the hills, 66 come down storms of wind upon the lake," which render sailing upon it very dangerous. Such we may suppose was the storm which suddenly sprung up as our Lord was sleeping in the ship. "Thus, he arose," we read, "and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and there was a calm." (Luke viii. 24.) On the shores of the Sea of Galilee, were formerly several large cities, and numerous ruins are still met with, but little is known of them. The only place of any importance now remaining, is the town of Tiberias, called by the Arabs, Tabarie, and this, although on the land side it is guarded by a wall of hewn stone, is said hardly to merit the name of a town. The lake still abounds with fish, as when the Apostles left their nets to become "fishers of men," but a modern traveller states that he saw only one fisherman's boat, and that nearly in ruins, and he found that the person who hired the fishery, only employed his nets along the banks.

2. THE DEAD SEA is a large lake lying about twenty miles to the East of Jerusalem. It was antiently called in Scriptures, the Sea of the Plain (Deut. iii. 17. iv. 49), being situated in a valley, with a plain lying to the south of it. Sometimes the Salt Sea, (Deut. iii. 17, Josh. xv. 5) from the extremely salt and bitter taste of its waters. We also read of the Salt Sea Eastward (Numb. xxxiv. 3) and the East Sea, (Ezek. xlvii. 18.) But in modern days, it is commonly known as the Dead Sea, from the calm heavy state of its waters, and the dreary aspect of its shores. Scarcely a tree or a blade of grass is to be seen, and consequently animals and birds of any kind are seldom met with in its neigbourhood, which gives an air of death-like stillness to the region, but it may be well to observe that the ancient tradition, that the human body could not sink in it, nor a bird skim its surface in safety, is entirely devoid of foundation. The Jewish historian states the Dead Sea to be 72 miles in length, and 19 in breadth, but having been of late years accurately surveyed, it is found to be but 45 miles from North to South, and 11 miles from East to West at its widest part. There is, however, a sandy valley, the bed of a winter-torrent, which extends some miles further south, and this may, in the time of Josephus, have formed a part of the Lake. Its depth varies continually, and in many places is so great as to be almost unfathomable. Hot springs found in the rocks and sand banks, as well as black sulphurous stones, abounding on the shores, clearly indicate that the Dead Sea has been the scene of some great volcanic eruption. What an abiding and fearful witness is it, that the Lord is of "purer eyes than to behold evil." (Habb. i. 13.)

THE WATERS OF MEROM form a small Lake North of the Sea of Galilee, and is according to Josephus, 30 furlongs broad, and 60 furlongs in length. In summer, it is little more than a marsh, partly choked with reeds and rushes. Upon the banks of the Waters of Merom, the Iraelites, under Joshua, defeated Jabin, King of Hazor, and his allies, “and chased them unto Great Zidon, and unto Mesrephoth-main, and unto the valley of Mispeh Eastward, and smote them until they left them none remaining." (Joshua xi.)