QUESTIONS ON HOLY SCRIPTURE. From the promise of Isaac to his birth. B.C. 1913-1896. After Abram's return from the slaughter of the kings, for what did God appear to him?* What was the purport of this covenant? How did the fulfilment of it appear improbable ? When Abram complained of this, what was God's answer? (Gen. xv. 5.) God had promised the land of Canaan to his seed; how did he now confirm it? What was the sign? (Gen. xv. 9-11.) What the vision? (Gen. xv. 12-17.) In this vision, what was revealed to Abram concerning his seed? How was it fulfilled? How is Canaan here said to be bounded? (See page 22.) What nations inhabited it? (Gen. xv. 19-21.) Who was Abram's first born? Who was Ishmael's mother? How old was Abram when Ishmael was born? How old, when God again renewed his covenant? (Gen. xvii. 1.) What was the sign of this renewal ?§ The meaning of the word Abram ? Of Abraham? What rite was now instituted? (Gen. xvii. 10.) Of what was it а token ? Of what a type? For whom commanded? (Gen. xvii. 12, 13.) What was the punishment for neglecting it? Is there a like danger in neglecting Holy Baptism? (Mark xvi. 16.) What promise was now made to Sarai? Where did God afterwards confirm it? (Gen. xviii. 14.) What was the sign of the promise? The meaning of Sarai? Of Sarah ? What was to be the name of Sarah's son? The meaning of Isaac ? What was Abraham's prayer for Ishmael? What was God's answer? With which son was the covenant established ? How does God afterwards speak of Abraham's character? (Gen. xviii. 19.) The destruction of what cities did he then reveal to him? Where were they situated? (See page 41.) Why to be destroyed? Who interceded for them? What was God's final answer? What relations had Abraham in Sodom? How were they warned of the coming destruction? Whither did they escape? What happened to Lot's wife? Why? How were the cities destroyed? What solemn lesson may we learn from this? How is it taught us in the New Testament? (Jude 7. 2 Peter ii. 5-6. Luke xvii. 26-30. Matt. x. 15.)

*To renew his covenant. By a sign and a vision. Baptism.

+The descent of the Messiah from Abraham. 2 Abram's name was changed. Of Holy

Holy Days in March.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, (MARCH 25.) This day is appointed by the Church in memory of the declaration made to the blessed Virgin by an Angel, of her being the mother of the promised Messiah, together with the glory, greatness, and everlasting duration of his kingdom. It has also particular respect to the great mystery of the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour-that the Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin of her substance, to become a sacrifice not only for the original sin, but also for the actual sins of every man born into the world. Let us then learn from the observation of this Festival, not to invocate the mother of God for that would be idolatry, but rather to admire and adore the great goodness and humility of Christ, who stooped so low to work out our Redemption. Let us pray, that as he was pleased to be united to our nature, so we may make it the great care and business of our lives to be really and spiritually united to him.

EMBER DAYS.-The Ember Days (probably so called from the Saxon Imbrem, a circle, as they are not occasional fasts merely, but move round the year as it were in a circle,) are the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent, after the Whitsunday, after the fourteenth of September, and after the thirteenth of December. These days are set apart for consecrating to God the four seasons of the year, and for imploring his blessing by fasting and prayer upon the Ordinations performed at those times, the Church having enjoined that deacons and ministers be ordained only upon the Sundays immediately following the Ember Fasts. Surely it well becomes us at such holy seasons to address heaven after the manner of the Apostles and holy men of old (Acts xiii. 2, 3, and 31st Canon), that God would be pleased so to govern the minds of the bishops, that they may admit none into holy orders but such as are duly qualified for the discharge of that saered function, and that those who shall be ordained to serve at the altar, may by their exemplary lives and zealous labors turn many unto righteousness.

A MEDITATION

ON THE EARLY LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.

BY BISHOP KEN.

GLORY be to thee, O Lord Jesus, glory be to thee, who, when thou wert twelve years old, didst go up to Jerusalem with thy parents after the custom of the feast, to eat the passover, and to worship thy heavenly Father. O blessed Saviour, give me grace, like thee, to make religion my first and chiefest care, and devoutly to observe all solemn times and holy rites, which relate to thy worship.

Glory be to thee, O Lord Jesus, glory be to thee, who, when thy parents returned home, didst stay behind in Jerusalem, and after three days was found of them in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions, O blessed Saviour, who in thy very childhood didst triumph over all the vain delights of youth, and didst love to abide in the temple of God, mortify in me all inordinate love of sensual pleasure, which may pervert me from my duty; raise in me an awful reverence for thy house, an early devotion in my prayers, and a delight in thy praises.

O blessed Jesu, who didst resort to the company of the doctors, and didst both hear them and ask them questions; Give me grace to abhor all lewd company and all filthy communication; To love wise, and sober and profitable, and religious conversation, and to be diligent and inquisitive after learning and whatsoever is good.

Glory to thee, O Lord Jesu, glory be to thee, who, when thy father and mother had sought thee sorrowing, didst reply to them, How is it that ye sought me ? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? O blessed Jesu, who from thine infancy didst make it thy whole employment to do thy Father's will, kindle in me a forward zeal for thy glory, that I may consecrate my youth to thy service, and make it the great business of my life to know and fear, to love and obey my heavenly Father.

Glory be to thee, O blessed Jesu, who didst return home with thy parents, and wert subject to them: Give me grace to honour my parents and governors, and readily to obey all their lawful commands.

Glory be to thee, O Lord Jesus, who in those tender years wert blessed with such heavenly wisdom, that all who heard thee were astonished at thy understanding and answers, who didst daily increase in this wisdom, and in favour with God and man, O bless me with all abilities of mind and body, that I may daily increase in learning; but, above all, bless me with wisdom from above, and give me thy Holy Spirit to assist and enlighten me, that as I grow in years, I may daily grow in grace, and in the knowledge of thee, and in favour with God and man, and be every day more and more conformable to thy unsinning and divine exmaple. Amen, Lord Jesus, Amen.

INSTRUCTION.

I

"To teach goodness is the greatest praise: to learn goodness the greatest profit. Though he be wisest that can teach, yet he that doth learn is wiser, will not therefore be unwilling to teach, nor ashamed to learn. I cannot be so ignorant but I may teach somewhat, nor so wise but I may learn. I will therefore teach what I know, and learn what I know not. Though it be a greater praise to teach than to learn, yet it is a lesser shame to learn than to be ignorant."

Warwick.

THE ADVENTURES OF A SIXPENCE,

AS RELATED BY ITSELF.

I came into existence about fifty years ago, and since that time I have been travelling from place to place, and seeing all sorts of sights. am now come to a good old age, and believing that the story of a Sixpence will be something new, I propose to relate my adventures.

Although my form is now bent with age, yet in my youthful days my face was as bright, and my features as well marked as any of my acquaintance. Immediately on leaving the Mint, where I first began my being, I came into the possession of a man who lived close by. At first, I was much pleased with his house and all that I saw in it; but in a few days I had reason to change my opinion. Every thing seemed going to ruin and decay, and he himself following in the same track. The chimney and fences were tumbling down, the house was out of repair, so that when the wind blew very hard, every body thought the roof would fall in; and when it rained, the water found its way through at twenty different places. My Master and his house were very like each other, for both seemed thoroughly broken down. I endeavoured for some time to find out the cause of all this, but could not. After waiting in a state of suspense for several days, I was carried one morning by my Master to a very gay looking shop; the outside of the house was very white and clean, and there was a large clock above the parapet, huge barrels and bright taps, and flaming gas lights, even though it was morning, were visible inside. The shop had been opened that very day for the first time, and great numbers of people were standing round the door. Some looked good-humoured, others very cross. There was a great deal of wicked talking and swearing. One thing I noticed among them all, the young and the old, the cross and the pleased, were all alike in this respect; they all looked very poor, very thin, very ill, very dirty, and very ragged. By the conversation that passed, I found that this fine house was called a 'gin palace.' The miserable mob kept pressing in with eager haste, and when they reached the bar put down their penny