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instructions pleasant to the young is owned and prospered by the Lord.

THE EYE.

The deeper we look into the works of nature, the more are we struck by the bound. less resources of their great Creator, and led to exclaim. "in wisdom He has made them all." Birds, for instance. flying in the air, and meeting with many obstacles, as branches and leaves of trees, require to have their eyes sometimes as flat as possible, for protection; but sometimes as round as possible, that they may see the small objects, flies and other insects which they are chasing through the air, and which they pursue with the most unerring certainty. This could only be effected, by giving them a power of suddenly changing the form of their eyes. Hence

there is a set of scales placed on the outer coat of their eye, round the place where the light enters; and over these scales are drawn the muscles or fibres by which motion is communicated; so that by acting with these muscles, the bird can press the scales and squeeze the natural magnifier of the eye into a round shape when it wishes to follow an insect through the air; and can relax the scales, in order to flatten the eye again, when it would see a distant object, or move safely through leaves and twigs. This power of altering the shape of the eye is possessed by birds of prey in a very remarkable degree. They can see the smallest objects close to them, and can yet discern the larger bodies at vast distances, as a carcase stretched upon the plain, or a dying fish afloat on the water.

CHRISTMAS.

Children, your Christmas now is past, Your holy days are o'er;

And you must think on mirthful feasts
And festive sports no more.

Now that these joyful days are filed,
Will you, dear children, say,
Why you this season celebrate,
With cheerful gladness gay?

1 think I hear some little child
Immediately reply;

"At Christmas Jesus Christ was born, And left the world on high."

Yes, little girl, and so he did;
But why should you be glad?
For in a manger he was laid

With humble garments clad!

"Ah, ma'am, but at the school I learn And from my Bible, sure

It was to save our souls from hell,
That he became so poor."

It was indeed, to save our souls,
That Jesus left his throne,
And bore the guilt of all the world
Upon himselt alone.

It was the awful curse of God

On sinners here below,

Who, having gone astray, were doom'd To everlasting woe.

But Jesus by his precious blood

Pour'd forth in wondrous love Purchas'd our title to a crown In the blest world above.

But only they who go to him

To cleanse their wicked heart

In his atoning sacrifice

Can hope to have a part.

He tells us in his holy word,
We must believe and pray;
Be sorry for our frequent sins,
Which grieve him ev'ry day.
For ev'ry sin is in his sight
Most heinous we are sure;
Since to wipe off its guilty stain,
He did so much endure.

Now if we love not Jesus Christ,
Nor choose him for our guide,
far worse will our damnation be,
Than if he had not died.

Ah then, dear children, go to Christ,
Implore him, day by day,
To give you grace to follow him,
And take your guilt away.

But ever tremble to make glad
Or spend one happy day,
Till you have fully sought the Lord,
"The true and living way."

Then, with the hope of heav'n in view;
You might indeed rejoice,

And sing your great Redeemer's praise
With cheertul heart and voice!

FOR THE CHILDREN'S FRIEND.

Recorded here, our little friends will find
Much to intorm and entertain their mind.
Examples are presented to their view

Of what they should, and what they should not dos
And may God evermore incline their will
To choose the good, and to avoid the ill.
Happy the child, who loves and speaks the truth;
Who gives to God the days of early youth;
Who humbly seeks of him, with earnest prayer,
His Spirit's guidance and preserving care;
Who loves the Saviour, and observes his word.
With this one end in view--to please the Lord.
Snch shall with joy throughout their life discern-
What others will too late in sorrow learn--
No way is right, but that which God approves;
No soul is happy, but the soul he loves.

Ab Foster, Printer, K.tkby Lonsdale.

IOTA,

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WISE MEN FROM THE EAST.

Here you see Jesus on his mother Mary's knee. He was "born a child, and yet a King:" or, as another hymn

says,

"His shoulders held up heaven and earth,

Whilst Mary held up him."

But who are these three people on their knees before Jesus? They are "wise men," who had travelled a very long way to find him. Yes, from the East to Jerusalem. And how came they to desire to see Jesus? Because they had seen a new star in their country, which went before them till it stopped over the house where the young child was. When

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these wise men saw the star stop, they "rejoiced with exceeding great joy.' Now these men were called wise perhaps because they were learned; but I should call them wise, because they were determined to find and know him, "whom to know is life eternal." If any little child took a hundredth part of the pains to find out their Saviour which these men did, I should call that "wise child" too, however ignorant he might be in other matters. But perhaps some little boy or girl is wondering what these wise men are doing with that jar and those beads? Why, the Scripture tells us that when they had found Jesus," they fell down and worshipped him;" and then they "opened their treasures," and gave Jesus the presents they had brought with them; which were gold, frankincense, and myrrh." These three things are supposed to be emblems or pictures of Christ's holy nature. The gold was durable and lasting-so "Christ abideth for ever." Frankincense had a sweet smell-so the Scripture speaking of Jesus says, he perfumes the sincere prayers of his people, and causes them to be accepted. And myrrh was famous for preventing corruption; that is, it would keep things from growing bad. So our Lord "the holy child Jesus," can by his Spirit pre

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