When the Prophet got to the place where this poor widow lived, he found her gathering sticks. He was most likely weary with his journey and faint from want, so that he begged her to go and fetch him "a little water and a morsel of bread." She told him her poverty: "I have but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruise: and behold I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die." But the Prophet comforted her with these words: "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruise of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth." The poor woman had faith given her to believe God's promise, and act upon it. She shared her little with the man of God, and his Heavenly Master blessed and increased it. Probably they saw many famishing around them, whilst they had enough.

But the Lord's people are an afflicted people."-Their Heavenly Father "chastens them for their profit, that they may be partakers of his holiness.” (Hebrews xii. 10). The widow's son was taken ill and died. The poor mother felt her state as a sinner, and that she was deserving of this heavy stroke; she had probably heard that the drought had come upon Israel in answer to Eli

Jah's prayer, and she thought her afflic tion had come upon her in the same way. Elijah himself seemed to wonder at what the Lord had done, and he goes to God in prayer, wondering at the stroke. But first he took the child from his mother's bosoin, "carried him up into the loft where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed."-Then he began to pray: he said; "O Lord my God, I pray thee let this child's soul come into him again.' And did Elijah pray in vain? Ah no! It seemed next to impossible that such a request should be granted; but "is any thing too hard for the Lord?" The history adds; "and the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the child's soul came into him again."

What must have been Elijah's view of the tender love and faithfulness of a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God, when he saw the dear little boy breathe, move and seem to wake from the sleep of death. With what joy would he take him to his delighted mother: " see, thy son liveth."

And now has this story nothing to do with you, my dear little reader? Yes, your soul is by nature as dead as the widow's son. Have you never had any praying friend? no pious parents, who with Elijah's earnestness, have besought the spiritual life of their child? Ah if so (and many I believe are in this

Case) may you be awakened from your spiritual sleep! may "the Lord hear the voice" of your friends; and may they rejoice over you as "born of the spirit," and say "see! my child liveth!"

ON CONFIRMATION.

(From the Christian Observer.) The approach of A. B. to Confirma◄ tion gave me, from the beginning, nothing but pain. My conversations with him, from time to time, on the subject, produced no convincing proof of true penitence. The habit of his mind and character was decidedly, though not grossly, worldly; and therefore the profession of giving up of the world, entirely and sincerely was the main point of examination, and of the express application of the baptismal vow to his individual case. He professed increased seriousness of mind, and a readiness to give more thought than hitherto to the subject of religion; but the intention of buying "the pearl of great price," at the cost of " selling all that he had," I fear, had never found a place in his heart. I entered into the subject with him in close conversation, entreaty, and prayer. "Are you willing to stand to this profession, to renounce all that this world offers for Christ?" He was afraid -not all: he was willing to give up

some things, but he could not say more. I told him that some, and not all, meant nothing that where there was not a readiness to forsake all, it was more than doubtful whether there was a real desire and sincere intention to yield any thing. That "faith" which alone could enable him cheerfully to make one sacrifice for Christ, was "the victory that overcometh the world," in every form of temptation in which it could present itself. I should have spoken to him in a different tone, and should have made allowance for his hesitation, had I felt any reason for hope, that the seed of Christian sincerity, even in its weakest influence, was hid in the ground of his heart. But I had no competent satisfaction or encouragement on this point. He hoped that he might be of a different mind some future day; but at present he was not prepared to come up to what the Gospel requires. The gate was too strait, and the way too narrow: he had not counted the cost; or, if he had, he was not prepared to abide it. The faint resolutions which he was ready to make, derived all their strength from himself, and were little, if at all, connected with a sense of helplessness and dependence upon strength from above. It was therefore easy to determine their character, and the certainty of their failure.

Another case, slightly varying in its

character and mode of treatment, though with the same sad issue, was that of C. D. a wild and careless lad, whose mind had never been troubled hitherto with the least thought of religion. The world was every thing with him; all his care, all his employ, all his delight. Eternity, with its important stake, he wholly disregarded. Confirmation, in his view, was a thing of course. Several of his family had gone to the last Confirmation; and he was old enough for the present; and he thought that, if he could repeat his catechism, that was enough. I endeavoured to impress serious conviction upon his conscience, but could only obtain a promise that he would turn the matter over in his mind. Some slight impressions, however, were made by repeated conversations. As the time

drew near, I endeavoured to bring his mind to a point. He told me, that he was willing to be confirmed; to which I replied, "I am glad to hear it, if it be really true that you wish to confirm your baptismal vow, and really to renounce the devil, the world, and the flesh. But I must make you understand the meaning and seriousness of the determination you have just spoken of. Confirmation is a promise you are going to make or rather to renew-to God. You are going to promise great things, -things which, if you perform them,