against our neighbours, because it either deceives or injures them. It is a sin against ourselves, because it depraves the heart; it deprives us of all self-respect; it causes a mean, timid and anxious spirit; and sooner or later liars severely suffer; they are almost always found out; and when they are detected, they are not believed even when they speak the truth; their neighbours will not trust them, and it is a wretched feeling not to have confidence placed in us. We learn from the Bible that lying is a sin which God will severely punish; Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for telling a lie. How can those who die with a falsehood on their lips be in a state to appear before God in heaven? Lies should never be spoken even in play. White lies, as they are called, have a very bad effect on the mind; and when the practice of sporting with truth is indulged, it leads on to a habit of disregarding our words in matters of a serious nature.

Lies may be acted as well as spoken. Nor is it enough merely to keep within the strict bounds of direct truth. We must not practise the least deceit; we must not allow the slightest degree of prevarication.

People not unfrequently, through mere carelessness, commit offences; let them never attempt to conceal them, for that is only committing a second fault, and one, too, far worse than the first; but let them immediately and frankly tell the truth, and they will find it much easier to obtain forgiveness than when it is not sought till concealment is no longer possible.

Let us often examine ourselves, to see if we are improving or going backward; for as we never continue in the same state, we must become either better or worse. Earnestly let us strive that every day may give a satisfactory account of faults corrected and virtues acquired.

Sometimes we shall meet with discouragements, for those around us may not observe our endeavours to please them; let us, however, persevere; the time will come when they will better understand our conduct. But we are certain that whatever may be the mistaken opinion of our fellowcreatures, in the sight of God the most trifling effort to do right is not overlooked. Though good men are not always perfectly happy in this world, yet they cannot be really miserable, because they are supported by a good conscience;

and most assuredly the time will come when all their trials will be amply rewarded in the perfect and lasting happiness of heaven.

Text-PROVERBS iv. 23-27.

WE HAVE SUMMER STILL.

THE summer flowers have passed away,
There's scarce a flower seen;

The fields have lost their bright array,
The trees their robe of green;

The warm, sweet breath of summer's gone,
The wind is sharp and chill,
And yet, though winter's coming on,
Oh! we have summer still!

For in our hearts and in our home
The sweetest blossoms bloom;
Affection's buds to flowers blown,
Shed out their choice perfume.
With brave, true hearts, all free from guile,
We journey life's steep hill;

Love, hope and truth, in faith's rich soil,
Make summer round us still.

In sorrow and affliction's hour

We never turn from man,
But do the most within our power,
And give the help we can;

And though our home is humble, yet

We bear the great no ill;

We're richer far than many yet,

For we have summer still.

Oh! though stern sorrow's piercing dart
Will wound the happiest here,

Will bring a throb to every heart,

To every eye a tear;

Yet meet it boldly-ne'er repine,
It is our Father's will-

Remember, though 'tis winter time,
Bright summer's coming still.

ANECDOTE.

AN Italian bishop struggled through great difficulties without repining, and met with much opposition in the discharge of his spiritual function without betraying the least impatience. An intimate friend of his, who highly admired those virtues he thought it impossible to imitate, one day asked the prelate if he could communicate the secret of being always easy. "Yes," replied the old man, “I can teach you my secret with great facility; it consists in nothing more than making a right use of my eyes." His friend begged him to explain himself. "Most willingly," returned the bishop. "In whatever state I am, I first of all look up to heaven, and remember that my principal business here is to get there. I then look down upon the earth, and call to mind how small a space I shall occupy in it when I come to be buried. I then look abroad in the world, and observe what multitudes there are who in all respects are more unhappy than myself. Thus I learn where true happiness is placed, where all our cares must end, and how very little reason I have to repine or complain.” Text-PHILIPPIANS iv. 11—13.

THE CONTENTED LABOURER.

LET none but those who live in vain,
The useful arts of life disdain;
While we an honest living gain,
Of labour we will not complain.
Though some for riches daily mourn,
As if their lot could not be borne,
With honest pride from them we turn-
No bread's so sweet as that we earn.

With food by our own hands supplied,
We'll be content, whate'er's denied;
The world would not improve the store
Of him who feels he wants no more;
Among the rich, among the great,
For all their wealth and all their state,
There's many a heart not half so free
From care, as humble honesty.

COMMUNION-DAY.

MARY IRVING was at church a few Sundays since with her mother; it was communion-day. The minister preached a sermon on the life, character and sufferings of Jesus Christ: it was a very plain sermon, and it appeared from Mary's sitting unusually still, and from her keeping her eye fixed on the minister, that she understood him. He dwelt particularly on the love of our Saviour, and on his manifesting his love in relieving the sick, enabling the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and in raising the dead, and in giving them back to their sorrowing friends. His miracles were not simply manifestations of his power, but demonstrations of his love.

"Jesus," he said, "was a teacher sent from God; a voice had been heard from heaven, proclaiming, 'This is is my beloved Son; hear ye him.' He had more wisdom than any other teacher ever possessed, and yet he did not seek the society of the wise men of those times, who might have been astonished at his superior knowledge, and loaded his name with honours, and spread his fame. But so meek, so lowly, so condescending was he, that he went out upon the hills of Judea, and gathered the ignorant multitude about him and instructed them. He did not speak to them in elegant language, which, though they should not have understood it, might have made them feel how much more he knew than they did; but he used the plainest language, and taught them the simplest truths, truths they could comprehend, such as, 'Blessed are the merciful; blessed are the pure in heart; blessed are the peacemakers.'

"The object of his teaching was to make his hearers wiser and better. He might have adorned his sermon on the Mount; he might have talked of many things of which that poor ignorant multitude never heard, and which would have made him appear very learned and very great in their eyes. But instead of that, he pointed to the birds that were hovering over their heads, and told them to learn from them a lesson of trust in God. 'Behold,' he said, 'the fowls of the air; they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.'

"And from the gorgeous Judean lily that grew at their feet he drew the same lesson: Consider the lilies of the

field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; yet I say unto you that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.'

"Jesus had all power committed to him. In the strong language of Scripture, it is said, 'God was with him;' 'God dwelt in him.' How did he use this power? Like the mighty ones of the earth, did he reign over other men? Extend his sway over distant countries? No. He said to his followers, 'My kingdom is within you.' His purpose was to subdue bad passions, and to rule over the heart.

"Did he collect treasures, and drain distant countries to fill his coffers? No. Though he was rich, for our sakes he became poor. He did not promise his disciples riches, worldly distinction, or even worldly prosperity; but he promised to them what the world can neither give nor take away, he promised them immortal life."

After relating what Jesus had done for us, the preacher spoke of what he had suffered in life and in death. This part of the sermon was almost too much for little Mary. She could not bear to think of that being, towards whom her heart was then beating with gratitude and love, crucified and slain" by wicked hands.

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The preacher then recurred to Jesus' last supper with his disciples. He said that knowing certainly that the very next day he was to be taken from them by his cruel persecutors, he had gathered them about him for the last time. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, "This is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me." Likewise also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood which is shed for you."

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"And what he did for the disciples who were then with him," said the preacher, "he did for us; what he suffered for them, he suffered for us; and what he asked of them, he asks of us,—that we should meet together, and eat bread, and drink wine, in remembrance of him. My friends, are there any of you who have the heart to turn a deaf ear to this last affectionate request of your Benefactor and Saviour? He invites all,-and I, as his servant, and in his name, invite all who believe on him, and wish to keep his commandments, to eat this bread and drink this wine in remembrance of him."

When the usual services were over, and the congregation