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especially when we consider that our Savi our hath said, "For every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."

One great means in assisting us in this hard task of bridling our tongues will be to watch our thoughts continually; for if they are evil, no wonder that our words are so likewise. The devil is very active in trying to make us indulge hard and wicked thoughts of our merciful God, but when we feel these, we should say; "Get thee hence, Satan; I had rather think of God than thee;" and if we were continually to do this, our evil dispositions would weaken and the enemy have less advantage over us. But we must not suppose that we can do this or any thing else of ourselves. It is the grace of God that can alone do it; and for this we must earnestly pray. We may be assured that if our tongues are not held in subjection, it is impossible for us to be walking in the narrow road which alone leadeth to eternal life: for St. James says, "That if any among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, that man's religion is vain." Oh then may I from henceforth pray that I may be enabled to bridle my tongue, and aim at consistency in my walk and conversation, earnestly imploring for giveness for my past sins.

Promise.

Whoso keepeth his mouth and bis tongue, keep. eth his soul from troubles. Prov. xxi. 23.

Our tongues, if not subdued by the power of God, lead us into much sin and trouble. They often tempt us to take God's holy name in vain, or to dishonour the doctrine of God our Saviour by rash and heedless expressions. But if the Holy Spirit has convinced us of our sins, and if we are striving to keep our own mouths and tongues from evil, they may be the happy instruments of leading many a poor sinner from the error of his ways, and likewise of spreading the Gospel while we remain strangers and pilgrims upon the earth. What a privilege then ought we to esteem it to be permitted to do any thing for our dear Saviour, and oh! may we be earnest in making use of our tongues in praise and thanksgiving to God for having showered down upon us so many mercies, though we are so continually grieving him by our neglect of him.

Prayer.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my lips; keep the door of my heart.

Oh what a necessary prayer is this. If we were to make this our prayer whenever we feel sinful thoughts coming into our minds, it would be of great use to us: for by this means the enemy would not venture to attack us so often. And in making this cur

prayer we may be assured we shall be heard, if we pray in faith, believing that we shall receive it, through the intercession of our dear Saviour.

O blessed Jesus, do thou enable me, whenever I feel tempted to say that which is not right, to make this my prayer; "Set a watch, O Lord, before my lips; keep the door of my heart:" and then I am sure if I pray with all my heart, thou wilt hear and answer me, and implant in me the fruits of the Spirit.

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SAGACITY OF THE SHEEP DOG.

I was sent to a place in Tweedale, called Stanhope, to bring home a wild ewe that had strayed from home. The place lay at the distance of about fifteen miles, and my

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way to it was over steep hills, and athwart deep glens ;-there was no path, and neither Sirrah nor I had ever travelled the road before. The ewe was brought in and put into a barn over night; and, after being frightened in this way, was set out to me in the morning to be driven home by herself. She was as wild as a roe, and bounded away to the side of the mountain like one. I sent Sirrah on a circular route wide before her and let him know that he had the charge of her. When I left the people at the house, Mr. Tweedie, the farmer, said to me, 'Do you really suppose that you will drive that sheep over these hills, and out through the midst of all the sheep in said I would try to do it. Then let me tell you, said he, that you may as well try to travel to yon sun.' The man did not know that I was destined to do both the one and the other! Our way, as I said, lay over wild hills, and through flocks of sheep. I seldom got a sight of the ewe, for she was sometimes a mile before me, sometimes two; but Sirrah kept her in command the whole way-never suffered her to mix with other sheep-nor, as far as I could judge, ever to deviate twenty yards from the track by which he and I went the day before. When we came over the great height towards Manor Water, Sirrah and his charge happened to cross it a

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little before me, and our way lying down hill for several miles, I lost all traces of them, but still held on my track. I came to the two shepherds' houses, and asked if they had seen any thing of a black dog, with a branded face and a long tail, driving a sheep? No; they had seen no such thing; and, besides, all their sheep, both above and below the houses, seemed to be unmoved. I had nothing for it but to hold on my way homeward; and at length, on the corner of a hill at the side of the water, I discovered my trusty coal-black friend sitting with his eye fixed intently on the burn below him, and sometimes giving a casual glance behind to see if I was coming:-he had the ewe standing there, safe and unhurt.

When I got her home, and set her at liberty among our own sheep, he took it highly amiss. I could scarcely prevail with hiin to let her go; and so dreadfully was he affronted, that she should have been let go free after all his toil and trouble, that he would not come near me all the way to the house, nor taste any supper when we got there. I believe he wanted me to take her home and kill her.-Shepherd's Calendar.

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