prophet, and every other which he may think good to send, with due reverence, and turn from the allurements of life to the Lord our God, lest by evil treating them, we at length become blind to the last messenger to repentance, and crucify afresh the Lord of glory." The Rectory of Valehead.

MOUNT ARARAT.

BUT see where Persia's beauteous clime extends,
How gloriously diluvian Ararat

Hath pinnacled his rocky peak in clouds;
He thrones a winter on his awful head,
And lays the summer laughing at his feet.
Time cannot mar his glory; grand he swells,
As when the ark was balanced on his brow,
That saw the flashing of the far-off floods
Beneath, and heard the deluge die away.

R. Montgomery.

THE FIRST MARRIAGE IN THE FAMILY.

You will suppose that the hour of my sister's departure, would, in a family so united, where every member had so definite a place assigned, be one of proof and trial.. So indeed it was. My sister could not but be aware that she was going from a tried to an untried state, that she was leaving those with whom love was co-extensive with life, for him with whom it was but as yesterday. To add to her regret, we were on this day met in our full numbers, and home seemed to put on all its charms to mock her. Our neighbours too, with

whom she was justly popular, were collected in crowds at the gate; on every side familiar faces presented themselves, to be shortly supplanted by strange countenances all which she was going to abandon: seemed to unite in upbraiding her, by putting on the most inviting appearance; the very flowers of the garden seemed confederate in the general conspiracy.

She was going through the several members of the family, with her mournful adieu, and had just quitted the embrace of her mother, the last embrace of fostering protection, and dearly loved and duly appreciated authority, when suddenly a loud peal rang from the neighbouring steeple, to proclaim that the envied bride was proceeding from her father's home. The sound seemed to strike on her heart as heavy as his passing bell to the prisoner on his way to execution. She would have fallen, had she not caught hold of my father, on whom she supported herself, sobbing and shedding tears. "My dear child," he cried, as he gently released her twining arms, "this I know is to thee a bitter hour. Poor mortal, it is thy first change; thou art for the first time quitting known for unknown. Yet, what a slight foretaste is this of a time to come! Thou now exchangest a father for a husband; hereafter thou shalt leave a husband for an everlasting Lord. Take courage, therefore, and anticipate some of that fortitude which thou must needs summon up at thy last day, of which this is the warning figure. Come, lift up thine head, and remember the high station to which the holy church hath this day advanced

thee. Thou hast been called from the lowly estate of a child, to be a Christian matron; from a handmaid, to be mistress of a household. Thou hast been taken from the troop of attendant virgins, and admitted into the holy company of the typical spouses of Christ.

"Dost thou not remember what words were addressed to thy prototype? Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house. So shall the king have pleasure in thy beauty, for he is the Lord thy God; and worship thou him.' Yea, my dear child, forget thy father's house, forget the daily satisfaction of thy love and duty towards us, though never can we forget in return thy unalterable sweetness, thy affectionate attention, thy unremitted offices of kindness. Yea, forget all here except that one thing, which alone shall survive all change-the knowledge of Christ which here thou hast acquired. O thou type of his blessed church! O thou image of his spiritual spouse! remember that, as she is the mother of pure and holy children, such also must thou be. Thou must be the mother of Abel, and not of Cain,-thou must add champions to the host of God, and not revellers to the route of Belial. Go forth, then, with a portion more precious than ten thousand times the worldly goods with which I send thee forth endowed; carry out with thee the economy of a godly household; induce thy husband (if indeed he need to be induced) to unite with thee heart and hand in this labour of love, so

I I

that the house of thy sojourn may not be less holy than that whence thou shalt have come. Let no descendant of mine bring discredit on my instructions, nor sorrow to my grey hairs. I have earnestly, and ever prayed God that he would of all trials spare me this; and therefore, I charge thee, in his blessed name, before his holy angels, and by all which thou hast received from me in body and soul, for this life, and for the life to come, diligently to watch, labour, and do the utmost which in thee lies, to avert so lamentable, so shameful a consequence. But whither am I running? Pardon, dear daughter, the excess of my love and jealousy for my Master's honour, which have led me unwittingly to address thee in words approaching too nearly to an upbraiding strain.

"Oh, whom in this world can I trust, if not thee? thee, the help and comfort of so many years! Farewell! Ah, poor child, it is indeed a sad rent. But here stands one nigh thee, destined to close up the void of thy affections. Oh, I beseech thee, as thou clingest round him, and findest how fully his love and duty have filled the dreaded void, think, and think of him of whom he is to thee the mystic representative, and assure thyself how fully he can supply every void, and draw entire upon himself the affections which have been withdrawn from the fleeting objects of this world below. There, I commit thee to him, who is henceforward charged by God and man, with the love and care to thee. Again, farewell! Even thus must we all, in our appointed time, part to our

several stations, whether God shall fix them immediately in this world, or in the next. Heaven's blessing be upon you both, now and for ever."

The Rectory of Valehead.

GRATITUDE IN HUMBLE LIFE.

ABOUT twelve months since, as two boys were watching the sheep confided to their charge, upon a wide common in the county of Somerset, their attention was attracted by a soldier, who walked along apparently with much fatigue, and at length stopped to rest his weary limbs beside the old finger-post, which, at one time, pointed out the way to the neighbouring villages, but which now afforded no information to the traveller, for age had rendered it useless. The boys were gazing upon him with much curiosity, when he beckoned them towards him, and inquired the way to the village of Eldenby. The elder, a fine intelligent lad, about twelve years of age, pointed to the path, and asked if he was going to any particular house in the village. "No, my little lad," said the soldier, "but it's on the highway to Frome, and I have friends there; but in truth, I am weary, and perhaps some person will befriend a poor fellow, and look to God for a reward." "Sir," said the boy, "my father was a soldier many years ago, and he dearly loves to look upon a red coat, if you come with me, you may be sure of a welcome." On arriving at the house, and crossing the threshold, he was recognized as their old friend and benefactor, and was received with open