come unto him, and make our abode with him." And the presence of God, instead of being a dread and a terror, as it is to the wicked, causes the heart of the Christian to rejoice with joy unspeakable," as Peter says, who knew much about it.

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The third thing which makes a way pleasant, is a good end. One fine June afternoon, a little girl skipped by me with as beaming a face as ever I saw.

"Where so fast my little one?" I said

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'Oh, I'm running home to see mother," she answered. Willing to get more acquainted, I showed her my bouquet of beautiful flowers.

"Yes," she said, " they are pretty, but I must run home to mother ;" and away she went. It was the end in view which gave wings to her steps and made all the way pleasant.

Not long afterwards, Is aw a couple of boys dragging another boy between them, who was crying, struggling, kicking, and swearing in quite an awful manner.

"What does all this mean?" I asked; "where are you forcing this boy to go?"

"He's been playing truant," they said, "and we are taking him to the master; and he's got to go whether or no, and he's got to take it too."

That boy, I daresay, thought the way of truancy a pleasant way, but he finds it has an unhappy end; and no way can be justly called a pleasant way which ends in sorrow or ruin. The " way we have been describing ends in a blessed home in heaven, where we shall be happy with God and His dear children for ever and ever.

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I hope some of the dear children will ask, "How can I find my way there? May I, can I, walk in it?"

"Oh yes." Jesus, when he was upon the earth, said, "I am the way." He also said, "I am the door; by me if any man enter in he shall be saved.” So, you see the ways of Wisdom are all in Christ, and he is the door to

them. If you feel yourself a poor sinner, finding it easy to do wrong and hard to do right, go to God and Him pray to forgive your sins for Jesus' sake. If you feel what a hard, stubborn, disobedient heart you have, pray God to cleanse it with Jesus' blood, and make it a new heart, loving and obedient, that you may grow more and more like Jesus every day you live. Diligently consult your guide, the precious Bible, which tells what Jesus said and did; pray for grace to understand and to do His will, and you shall find that His " ways are ways of pleasantness, and all His paths are peace."-Child's Paper.

Mrs. Martin's Shop.

A TRUE STORY.

YOUNG lady of nervous temperament and diffident spirit was requested by a celebrated clergyman, in a populous part of London, to act as a Sunday-school teacher and district visitor. The teaching she much liked, but the visiting was sorely against her natural taste. She liked very well to go to those who were civil and disposod to receive a tract or listen to her advice, but the rude terrified her; and it often gave her a sleepless night when she knew she had some such to call on in the following day. However, she persevered from a sense of duty, and looked for Divine help and grace to bear any cross.

She had been sorely troubled for several Sundays by the inattention of some of her class. As soon as she began teaching one, another produced apples and nuts and diverted the attention of all. It was in vain she made seizures and put the offending fruit in ward till school was

over;

way.

the stock was inexhaustible, and her patience gave

"Jemmy, where did you get these from? Thomas ?Mary?"

No answers. It was a conspiracy; and not until she threatened to confiscate what she had captured, would they confess that they had got them on the way to school, at Mrs. Martin's shop.

Sad news this! Mrs. Martin was one of her district— a hard, angry-spirited woman, who took a tract with an air that showed she thought she was conferring a great obligation, and if she chanced to be busy, said "thankee" in a tone that meant "Come again if you dare!"

This woman she now found kept her shop open on Sunday, and not only broke the Sabbath herself, but enticed little children to do so. She felt she must go to her, not quietly to leave the tracts, but to warn her and expostulate with her.

It was with a beating heart she stepped up to the little shop-door on Saturday morning-and it seemed as if she could not have chosen a more unfortunate time. Mrs. Martin was full of business, and when she saw who it was who had tinkled the little door bell she turned away as if she could not bid her welcome.

"I've brought the tract, Mrs. Martin," said the visitor, lifting up her heart in prayer for wisdom and courage.

"Oh, very well," said the woman angrilly—“but you needn't trouble yourself to leave any more traxes; I've got summat else to do than look at 'em."

What was to be done? Putting the tract slowly in her basket, she said, "Mrs. Martin, you are a very unhappy woman!"

The decided tone in which these words were uttered, so unlike the faltering voice she was accustomed to hear, struck her, and she stopped in rubbing her counter and stared her full in the face.

"Perhaps you'd be unhappy too if you was in my place," she answered: "a dog wouldn't have my life!"

Once in the battle and the most timid soldier loses fear, they say; so it was in this case. "I should be, if I were like you, let my case be what it would."

"What d'ye mean like me?" said the woman, fairly amazed.

"You bring a curse on yourself by breaking the Sabbath," was the plain and immediate answer.

And now followed a long argument. The visitor made her charge, and told her the double sin she committed in tempting the young.

'Why, miss, this is how it is," said Mrs. Martin; "my husband is a good-for-nothing drunken man, who never gives me a shilling, but expects me all the same to pay the rent and give him all he wants when he's at home; and if I run short we come to blows, and he's a strong man, and I get the worst on it. Now Sunday is my best day, and if I didn't keep open on it I should never make up my rent nor have a shilling to spare."

"The blessing of the Lord maketh rich," was forcibly dwelt on, so forcibly that the hard heart seemed a little moved.

"I am sure, Mrs. Martin, you would find it more profitable to serve God than Satan, more really profitable. Do try it now. Shut up your shop one Snnday, and go to church."

Hoping against hope the visitor pressed this, and the woman consented.

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Mind," she said, "I promise only one Sunday; if I don't make up my rent in the week, as you think I shall, I sha'n't do it no more!"

All through that week the visitor made humble, earnest prayer that the woman might have her words confirmed, "Them that honour me I will honour." Once she thought

of sending customers to the shop on her own account, but soon rejected so unworthy and unwise a plan.

On the following Saturday she repeated her call; Mrs. Martin received her with a grim smile. "You was out of your reckoning miss; I shut up and went to church on Sunday, but I've never had a worse week."

The visitor looked sorry, but reminded her she had long neglected God; she ought to wait a little to receive his help.

"Well, there's reason in that," said the woman, 66 and I meant to try it for a Sunday or two; I think being out a bit last Sunday did me good, and I don't know but I've been comfortabler for it; so as I've saved a little I shall go on that for my rent till it's gone."

Once or twice after this the visitor called to inquire as to the woman's weekly receipts and her state of mind respecting them; she could not make her rent; her business was much as it had ever been; deducting the Sundays, she thought she must give up, but really she would be very sorry, for she found it a good thing to rest on Sunday, and she liked to go to church.

The visitor could not but be sensible of the change she perceived in her, and returned thanks and pleaded for her at the throne of grace.

Soon after her last visit she had the scarlet fever, and was many weeks confined, leaving her room at last for a long visit to her country friends. On her return she resumed her usual round of duties.

Mrs. Martin had often been on her heart during her sickness, and her first visit was to her.

Such a reception she had: how unlike the graceless one of former days! "I see you have prospered, my good friend," she cried, almost overcome with gratitude.

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Well, miss, please to walk in, and I'll tell you all about it. I went on shutting up and going to church till all my money was gone, and I began to be afeared I must open