As they were revelling over their glasses, he, under their insults and cruelty, often retired and vented his grief in tears. But time rolled on, and the period of their probation ended. The drinking party began the world, but without character, with bad habits-depraved in heart. A few years more rolled on, and every one of these apprentices, became confirmed drunkards, or slept in a drunkard's grave. But not so with the last boy, of whom it was said, "He had not the manliness to drink rum." He began the world with a clear head, a noble heart, and a fair reputation; his path was easy to honour and fame; he soon attained one hundred thousand dollars, employed one hundred hands, and all entire abstainers, and he exerted an untold influence on thousands around.

SNARES OF INTEMPERANCE.

I commend to your notice the claims of temperance in order to avoid the snares of Temptation. There is no evil so prolific as that of intemperance. Temptation of this kind will beset you on every hand, it comes in the voice of song, in the charms of music, and the midnight dance. I wish I could persuade these boys to have the same firm resolution against it, which I remember reading of a little animal having—

THE MONKEY THAT WOULD NOT DRINK WHISKEY.

A gentleman had once a monkey of great value, for which he would not take a thousand dollars. He always took him out on chesnut parties, he was remarkably useful and active. He shook off the chestnuts, and when he could not shake them off, he went to the end of the branch, and knocked them off with his paw. One day, the company stopped at a tavern and drank freely. About half a glass of whisky was left, and Jack took the glass and drank the liquor. Soon he was merry-skipped, hopped, and danced, and set all in a roar of laughter, for once poor Jack was drunk. The party all agreed that they would come to the tavern the next day, and get Jack drunk again, and have sport all the day. The next morning the party assembled, and the master went to the box for Jack.

But instead of being on his box, playful as usual, he was nowhere to be seen. He looked inside, and Jack was crouched up in a corner. "Come out," said his master. Jack came out on three legs, with his fore-paw upon his head: the poor creature had got the headache, and was so sick that he could not go. The company waited three days, and Jack being better they went, and while drinking at the same tavern a glass was provided for Jack. But he ran behind the chair, and would not drink again. He had been deceived once, but he would not be so again. "Come, Jack, and drink," said his master, holding out the glass to him. Jack retreated, and as the door was opened, he slipped out, and in a moment was on the top of the house. His master went out to call him down, but he would not come. He got a cow skin and shook it at him, but Jack sat on the ridge-pole, and refused to come down. His master got a gun and pointed it at him: Jack slipped over the back side of the house. His master then got two guns, and had one pointed from each side of the house, and Jack, seeing the awkward circumstances in which he was placed, at once jumped upon the chimney, and got down one of the flues, holding on by his fore-paws. Then the master was beaten. He kept that monkey for twelve years, but could never persuade him to taste another drop of whiskey.

TEMPERANCE CONDUCIVE TO A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE.

I commend to you the just claims of temperance, in order to "live long and be happy." O what millions upon millions is the rolling tide of intemperance, carrying to the grave. There is no river so deep, so broad, and with such a constant swell. It is draining the nation of youth, strength, and age; of silver and gold. Life and property, in a thousand forms, are borne away upon its deadly bosom, and yet this river is made up of that which is of little or no manner of use. Here is a plain, simple testimony from nature. A minister of the Gospel had been preaching one Sabbath evening against intemperance, and he described some of its evils in strong terms. On the

way home, some of his hearers enquired of each other, "What is the matter, what does all this mean?" One gentleman, who appeared exceedingly wise, said, "I will tell you, gentlemen, what is the difficulty. We have none of us sent the minister anything to replenish his decanters lately, and my advice is, that we attend to the matter." Accordingly, on Monday, a full-sized cask of old spirits was sent to the minister's, accompanied with a very polite note, requesting his acceptance of it from a few friends, as a testimony of their regard. The minister at first seeing the character of the present was singularly amused, but understood well how to turn it to good account. He took the cask of liquor, and poured some of its contents into the watering trough of his stable, and brought out his horse, to see if it would drink. He expanded his nostrils, snorted, and blew at it; but lifted up his head, and looked, and seemed to say, halloo ! what is this? Next he drove his cow to the trough, to see if she liked it any better than the horse. The cow snuffed at it, shook her head, and turned away, as if offended. The good man, in order to test the true value of his present a little farther, took it to the pig-sty, and called his pig out to taste, but he grunted, and snuffed, dipped his nose into the trough as usual, but soon withdrew it, as if too hot, and coughed tremendously, walked into his sty, and left it for the next comer. The minister then returned to his study, and wrote, in substance, the following note to the presenters, with which he returned the cask, and the remainder of its contents. "Gentlemen, with due acknowledgment for your present, received this morning, permit me to say, that I have offered some of it to my horse, my cow, and my swine, but not one of them will drink it. That which neither horses, cattle, nor even hogs will drink, I cannot think to be either useful or safe for men to drink; I beg you to excuse me, therefore, for returning you the present, as I know not what to do with it. And believe me, gentlemen, yours truly," &c. &c.

VARIETIES.

GETTING READY FOR HEAVEN.

A little child was playing with its mother, and they were talking about heaven. The mother had been telling the child of the joy and glories of that happy world, the beauty and glory of the angels with their shining wings, the streets of gold, the gates of pearl, the golden crowns, and the harps, and the white robes, and the song of redemption : "There is no sickness there, no pain, no death, nor sorrow, nor sighing, for God shall wipe away all the tears from every eye; and there is no sin, that makes all the grief and trouble here, but perfect holiness. All will be holy, just as the Lord Jesus is holy, and all will be perfectly happy in him. All good children will be there; and He himself has said, 'Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.' Oh, what a happy world! There shall we see God, and love him, and rejoice in him; and God himself will be with us, and be our God.

'There we shall see his face,

And never, never sin,

And from the rivers of his grace

Drink endless pleasures in.'

Oh, what a happy world! And how happy shall we all be when we once get there!"

"Oh, dear mother," said the little child, jumping up at the thought of such a bright, happy place, and such happy company, "let us all go now! let us go now! I long to be there. Let us go straight away to-night."

"Oh, we must wait a little; God is not ready for us to come yet, but when we must come he will let us know."

"But why can't we get ready now? Oh, I should like to go now right up to heaven! Dear mamma, let us go tomorrow."

"But, my dear child, we are not ready yet, and we must wait God's time, and when he is ready, he will send for us."

66

Well, dear mamma, let us begin to pack up now,

rate."

at any

This is just what we should all be doing-getting ready for heaven. I wonder if my little reader is ready-ready to leave all behind-ready to enjoy all that is before him in heaven! Are you ready to go to heaven to-night?"

THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF ROME; HOW DEFENDED. It has pleased God, in condescension to our weakness, to confirm his promises by sigus. The bow of heaven is a divinely appointed token, confirmatory to the world of the promise that there shall be no second deluge. The world has but one sign of its safety; the Church has two of her perpetuity. The sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper,-like two beauteous bows bestriding the heavens of the Church, are seals of the Government of Grace, and give infallible certainty to all who really take hold of that covenant, that they shall enjoy its blessings. But the CHURCH of ROME has accounted that these two signs are not enough, and accordingly, she has increased them to the number of seven. These seven sacraments are baptism, confirmation, the eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony. That Church is accustomed to boast with truth that most of these sacraments are unknown to Protestants.* She might have added, with equal truth, that they are unknown to the New Testament. The institution of Baptism and the Supper is plainly to be seen upon the inspired page; but where do we find the institution of these five supplementary sacraments? Not a trace of them can be discovered in Scripture; and the attempt to adduce Scripture in their support is so hopeless, that it has seldom been made. But what is it that Roman infallibility will not attempt? Dens' proves in the following notable way from SCRIPTURE, that the SACRAMENTS must be seven in number. He quotes the passage," Wisdom hath builded her house; she hath hewn out her seven pillars." "In like manner," says he, seven sacraments sustain the CHURCH." The next

* Milner's End of Controversy, Let. xx.