there were great blocks of buildings, and there were shops; and he said

"These are all mine."

Then my friend said, "Well, what have you got up there?"

And the man's countenance fell. He knew what my friend meant, but he said, "Where?"

My friend said, "What have you got in heaven?"

He replied, "I have got nothing there." My friend exclaimed, "You have spent all your time and energy in accumulating this wealth, but you will die a beggar, and enter eternity a pauper."

Four months from that time Jacob Strong died as he had lived. He had lived without Christ, and he died without Him. What an illustration of the Redeemer's words, "What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"

It may safely be said that a pauper, who can claim nothing in this world, but who can say 66 Christ is mine," is far richer than ever Jacob Strong was; for, possessing Christ, he possesses all things, and, like as Lazarus ascended from the rich man's gate, escorted by a convoy of angels, into the presence of God, so will the godly pauper from the workhouse ward, and his humble bed of straw, receive a glorious welcome to the right hand of their gracious King, who is no respecter of persons; while all those who, like Dives and Jacob Strong, were contented with a portion in this world, will be shut out for ever.

It is often noticed that the Lord's jewels upon earth seem to be an afflicted and poor people, toiling hard for the bread which perisheth, yet the hidden treasure to which they are heirs is of inestimable worth.

An aged Christian, carrying a heavy load on a very hot day, paused for a few minutes' rest. An acquaintance had just accosted him, when a splendid carriage rolled past, in which rode a rich and haughty man.

"What do you now think of God's

5

providence, of which you sometimes speak," said the acquaintance. "You know that is a wicked man, yet he spreads himself like a green bay tree; while you, serving the Lord, and trusting in His providence, get little more than bread and water. How can you reconcile this ?"

The aged saint, with the greatest earnestness, replied, "Couple heaven with it! Couple heaven with it, and then?"

This dear old saint knew something of the hidden riches which he was heir to, through the intercession of a precious Christ

"Poor and afflicted, Lord, are Thine,

Among the great unfit to shine;

But, though the world may think it strange,

They would not with the world exchange.

"Poor and afflicted, but, ere long,

They'll join the bright, celestial throng;

Their sufferings then will reach a
close,

And heaven afford them sweet repose."
Reader, where is your treasure?

EBENEZER.

THE late President Garfield, in speaking to his pupils, said, "The comb of the roof at the court-house of Ravenna divides the drops of rain, sending those that fall on the south side to the Gulf of Mexico, and those on the opposite side into the Gulf of St. Lawrence; so that a mere breath of air or the flutter of a bird's wing may determine their destiny. It is so with your lives. A passing event (perhaps of trifling importance in your view), the choice of a book or companion, a stirring thought, a right resolve, the associations of an hour, may prove the turning-point of your lives."

B

Y this time the Cyprian was driving higher up in the frightful sea which raged along the shore of the coast of Wales during that dreadful hurricane. The distress signal could not be recognized, and no life-boat could live in such a surf. There were a couple of hundred people waiting on the beach ready to save, but utterly powerless; and at last, off Nevin, the steamer grounded fast on a rock, and opened at each shock from stem to stern. The captain had not miscalculated matters. It was, indeed, a case of "sauve qui peut." One after the other those who had life-belts dropped over the vessel's side into the water. Some who had not any artificial support, seized an oar or a barrel, risking anything rather than stay on a steamer with a broken back, waiting to be engulfed in the boiling waves. The engineer's boy, who had before been almost washed overboard, said "good-bye" to his companions and leaped, trusting to a life-belt and an old oar. Two firemen alone stood paralyzed. They looked hopelessly at the sea, and going down below, were never seen again. Meanwhile, what was the captain doing-Captain John Alexander Strachan, of Great Crosby, Liverpool, who had counselled " every one to look to himself"? All was over, discipline was at an end, the vessel was breaking up. There was no human hope of saving a rope or a spar, and the captain, who had seen the rest of them take to the sea, stood ready to jump with a life-belt about his waist. If they could see a chance in those wild billows, why not he? for already he heard the encouraging voices on the friendly beach.

It was the very moment that Captain Strachan was ready to jump for life, for home, for safety, that he noticed in all this hideous confusion the pale and terrorstricken face of the neglected stowaway. The lad had shipped for a ghastly voyage and a bitter port, hiding in that doomed ship! Yesterday he was a young scamp,

to be held worthy of the rope-end; now he was a wretched creature left alone on the sinking steamer. A few hours ago he was a sneak, an unworthy thing, a miserable pilferer of privileges; but now the skipper only remembered he was a human being, to be saved if possible-at any rate, not to be left behind. Without another word Capt. Strachan unbuckled the lifebelt from his waist and lashed it shipshape upon the little stowaway, bidding him save himself, if it were the mercy of Providence that this should be so. "I can swim," said the captain; "take the belt." Over the side went the stowaway, lifted upon the surf like a cork; over the side went the captain, trusting, like the good, brave fellow that he was, to his strength, enfeebled with long watching and anxiety. But swimming was impossible in such a sea. The boatswain, struggling for his own life, caught at the captain, who was still making headway, and both went down, never to be seen again; while the little stowaway, with the captain's belt about his waist, was flung upon the Welsh coast, battered about, but alive, to tell the story of his strange fate and his kind friend's heroism.

The moral of such a story is contained in its recital. Words would be wasted in saying more of the perfect humanity and fearlessness of a man who gave up his best chance of life without hesitation for one of the unworthiest of "those little ones," who stood helpless by his side when man and boy were in the immediate presence of death. John Strachan, of Great Crosby, unlashing his life-beltwith two miles of white water between himself and the shore-to tie it upon the little rascal who had stolen a passage with him, is a figure which tells us with new and noble force that manhood is stronger than storm, and love mightier than death. -Telegraph.

[We hope that the relation of this humane and kind act of Captain Strachan's

may serve to remind our readers of the love of Jesus to sinners, in coming from heaven to bear their sins and die an accursed death in order that they might be saved from an eternal hell. Dear reader, may you by faith know His great love, and be able to say, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me."]

GREATEST AND BEST; OR, A BUNDLE OF SUPERLATIVES.

NO. I.

THE BOOK OF BOOKS.

I WANT a Book for “one and all,”
In lowly cottage or lordly hall;

For the busy man, for the playful child,
For the pure in heart, for the most defiled;
That tells the "News of the World" afar,
And shows us the bright and "Morning
Star;

That teaches the nature of things around, Tells whence we came, and whither we're bound;

Will furnish a motto for every day,
And guide us in each untrodden way;
Will show us the way to peace and wealth,
To honour and undecaying health.

I've heard of books for the learned and wise,

And of those which only the vulgar prize;
Of stories, poems, and works of art,
Of trade reports of the bustling mart;
I've heard of volumes of every kind,
For readers of every turn of mind;
But if I could purchase only one--
Pray show me a book beneath the sun
Adapted alike for age and youth,
That teaches us every kind of truth;
Will always serve me in weal and woe,
And be fit to take wherever I go.

Oh, yes, there is one, and one alone;
Its equal was never, never known;
The youngest child may its meaning gain,
And even the foolish find it plain;
Yet the greatest king and the wisest sage
Have meekly revered its wondrous page;

7

The healthy and glad have loved it well, But who can its worth to the sufferer tell? When earthly joys are eclipsed from sight,

It opens the gates of heavenly light. Dear volume, thy worth was never told ! More precious art thou than finest gold. Through changes untold this Book has passed,

But Time's first Volume shall prove its last;

The oldest of books alone is new,
And falsehood's tongue only proves it

true.

The Church of Rome, with its utmost rage,
Has but preserved it from age to age:
Like gold it has passed from hand to
hand,

And travelled afar by sea and land;
But still it is shining, pure and bright,
Reflecting rays of eternal light,
And bearing a mark on every line
That tells of its Authorship Divine.
HEPHZIBAH.

THE SAFEST WAY TO SILENCE EVIL TONGUES.

IN America there was a circuit judge who was always sure of meeting some cutting or sneering remarks from a self-conceited lawyer when he came to a certain town in the rounds. This was repeated one day at dinner, when a gentleman present said, "Judge, why don't you squelch that fellow?" The judge, dropping his knife and fork, and placing his chin upon his hands, and his elbows on the table, remarked, "Up in our town a widow woman has a dog that, whenever the moon shines, goes out upon the steps and barks, and barks away at it all night." Stopping short, he quietly resumed eating. After waiting some time, it was asked, "Well, judge, what of the dog and the moon?" "Oh," he said, “the moon kept on shining."

EPORTING on the plague of

R locusts in Cyprus, in a Blue Book

just issued, Major-General Sir R. Biddulph says the measures that had been adopted for their destruction by the Government were found to be quite inadequate, and it was evident that increased numbers would appear in 1882. "Under these circumstances, a large outlay was needed; and having consulted a number of the leading personages of the island, I submitted a scheme which involved a large expenditure for the manufacture of traps, estimated to cost, with the necessary labour and transport, about £23,000. This was to be supplemented by the purchase of locust eggs, and the cost of the whole was to be defrayed by certain extra taxes. Two ordinances were passed for carrying these measures into effect. The collection of eggs began at one piastre per oke (about d. a lb), and the price was subsequently raised to three piastres per oke. These prices, which were very much less than had been paid during the two previous years, produced nevertheless an enormous quantity of locusts' eggs, thus showing the formidable increase that had taken place. When the collection, which began in July, 1881, ceased early in February, 1882, no less than 1,329 tons had been collected and destroyed, being five times as much as had been collected in the two years 1879 and 1880 together. The cost amounted to £12,262. This large collection, combined with the fact of its being continued up to the middle of February, instead of being discontinued in November as usual, showed that a large amount must still be remaining in the ground, and that the extensive preparations made in the autumn of 1881 for the destruction of the live locusts were fully needed. These preparations involved the manufacture of 5,500 screens, each fifty yards long, and 8,180 traps, which, with other tools and materials, cost more

than £11,000. The total expenditure from July 1, 1881, to June, 1882, when the locusts die, was estimated at £32,000. Enormous as is this outlay in comparison with the revenue, yet there is no doubt that, if it succeeds in eradicating the locust, it will be more than recouped to the people in a single year. The operations will need to be continued for one or two years more, but the outlay for traps, &c., will be comparatively small, and it will perhaps be unnecessary to collect eggs, thus diminishing considerably the expenditure for next year.

"As regards the visitation of locusts under which we have suffered during the last three weeks, it would seem that their increase was gradual and unperceived for some years after the great destruction in 1867; and when once their numbers had assumed considerable proportions, they could no longer be combated except by extraordinary measures. It is, however, asserted by some persons that locusts come in cycles of years, and that their numbers then diminish from unexplained causes.

"There can be no doubt that, after a time, the locust is followed by natural enemies which assist in his destruction. The first of these is the grub of the beefly (bombyliida), which devours the eggs of the locust. This grub was noticed for the first time in Cyprus among the eggs collected in the autumn of 1881, five per cent. of which were found to be thus affected. Another enemy is a parasite which attacks the live locust. This has not yet been seen in Cyprus, but it is said to follow the bombyliid larvæ; and, if that is true, we may hope for its assistance in 1883.

"Many birds seem to consider the locust an excellent food, but it is the russet-starling that has acquired a peculiar pre-eminence by its habit of killing locusts, not for food, but apparently for amusement. The operations of this bird at Smyrna

and in other parts of Asia Minor have been described to me by eye-witnesses, who have stated that this bird continues its insatiable desire for killing locusts till its beak becomes perfectly clogged with the flesh of the locust, and it has to seek for water to cleanse it, after which it returns to its occupation with renewed activity. I regret that this bird has not appeared in Cyprus. Being a bird of passage, it would be impossible to domicile it in the island.

"Of the ravages of the locusts, few can have any conception who have not seen them. With marvellous rapidity, and utterly regardless of any interruption, they strip off every green thing, and in a few hours the green patches that they attack disappear, leaving a few brown stalks issuing from what appears to be a fallow field.

"The causes of their appearance may be said to be three, namely, deficiency of population, deficiency of cultivation, deficiency of trees. Sparse as is the population of Cyprus-less than fifty to the square mile-it nevertheless yields considerable agricultural products. Were its population trebled, as it would easily bear, it would yield probably three times its present produce of corn, cotton, carobs, wine, and olives, whilst much of its waste land would be cultivated, and would no longer afford a breeding-ground for the locust, which, by a remarkable instinct, avoids laying its eggs on ground that has been recently cultivated, and selects the hard, undisturbed land for that purpose. This curious habit is easily noticed. A field may be full of locusts actively engaged in eating the crop, but not a single female will lay her eggs in it; but if, in passing through the cultivated lands, there appears a patch of rocky ground which the plough cannot touch, there the females will be found depositing their eggs. There are also extensive breeding-grounds quite away from the cultivated plains, on the rough, low hills that lie between the mountains and the plains. These hills are mainly bare.

In

9

the hollows, where a little soil collects, patches of cultivation may be found; but broadly speaking, a belt of country thirtyfive miles long and three to four miles wide, at the foot of the northern range of mountains, is given up entirely to the locust. Every year this ground gets more and more bare, as the water washes away the soil, till it resembles a barren, rocky desert, without a blade of vegetation."

We look, however, in vain in this report, as well as in the letter from the Colonial Office to the Treasury, in which it is quoted, for any assurance that the hint we threw out some time ago is likely to be adopted in Cyprus. We suggested the propriety of employing as a destructive agent a certain beetle well known to Sir S. Hooker and Sir J. Lubbock. This devastator of devastators might have been introduced with much effect into the island before this time, and its family would have increased and multiplied exceedingly in years so productive of locust eggs as the two last. Once replenished with the descendants of this insect, Cyprus would have hardly required the services of ubiquitous peasants scouring the fields, and bringing their okes of plunder to be exchanged for blood-money at the commissioners' offices. The mass of eggs collected last winter would have been compressed into the bodies of a few millions of beetle-grubs, and a part at least of the £28,000, with the labour which it represented, might have been saved to the insular exchequer.-Globe.

If the very idea of having a hard heart makes you tremble, it is a certain sign your heart is not hard. The Christian often says his heart is like a stone, but it may be more fitly compared to a lump of ice. The sun does not affect the stone, but it melts the ice; so does the Sun of Righteousness melt the hard heart of the children of God into brokenness at His feet, while the stony-hearted sinner is never touched by this divine influence.