just marking out by their side the spot where he hoped shortly to lie in peace, when he was started by the sobs of a child. He turned, and at a little distance, beheld a lovely little white-headed boy, who was kneeling and sobbing over the grave of his father.

"O, Sir," said the child, "let me cry for my father-he lies deep in that grave; they tell me he will never again be my fatherI fear that I have offended him, that he will no more be my father, and I want to ask him to forgive me, and to kiss me as he used to do!-Oh! if he would once more be my father, and I want to ask him to forgive me, and to kiss me as he used to do-Oh! if he would once more be my father, I would never again offend him, But they say he is dead! Oh! I would sit here and cry all night-I would never stop if my poor father would come to me! But he will not come-for, a few days before they put him in this hole, he told me-O, I do remember it-he told me he was going to leave me, and I should never have a father any more; and he stroked my hair with his sick hand, and told me when he was buried in the gronnd, that I must be a good boy and love God: Oh! my poor, good father!"

The feeling pastor pressed the hand of the sorrowing child within his. The first object was to sooth him into confidence, and then to direct him to a Father who would never forsake him. With patience he satisfied his curiosity respecting death-how that it is a long sleep, but that the voice of God will one day awake even the dead. He told him how death was introduced into the

world, and made him understand that it was the consequence of sin. He explained to him the natural depravity of the hearthow we, "like sheep have all gone astray." He laboured to impress upon him a correct view of the character of God-his attributes of love, mercy, justice, &c. and then explained how we might be saved by Jesus Christ. He next strove deeply to impress upon the listening boy what is "the chief end of man;" and thus concluded, while his hearer seemed to hang upon his lips: "And now, my dear little boy, you have indeed lost a tender Father, who has promised never to forsake the poor orphan."

"But," says the child, what is it to be an orphan ?"

"It is to be left destitute of parents while we are yet children.

"I think I understand; but what is a poor orphan ?"

The clergyman was affected, but replied, "It is a child who is left destitute of property as well as friends."

"O, I wish," said the child, in the simplicity of his heart, "I wish that I was a poor orphan, if God would be my father."

The good minister wept, for he knew that the child's wish respecting property would be fully satisfied. "I trust, my dear child, that God will be your father. You know how short are our lives---how certain our death-how much we have to do to prepare for death-and how we should devote our lives to God, that we may meet death with peace. I hope you will not only be good, and live so as to meet your poor father in heaven, but I hope your life will be spent in trying to do good to others."

The clergyman held the hand of the child, and they knelt in prayer on the grave. The petition was, that God would provide for the little orphan. It was now dark, except what light was afforded by the bright twinkling of the stars. As they left the graveyard, the shepherd directed the attention of his lamb to these wonderful works of God, and his heart beat with joy when he exclaimed, "My father made them all."

He led the orphan to his house-soothed his grief, and determined to adopt and make him his child.-But God had otherwise determined. The faithful pastor was soon after laid upon the bed of death, and the child was left a second time an orphan. At the death of the clergyman, the little boy was thrown upon the wide world with but few friends-his patron was dead, and he was forgotten. But there is one who heareth even "the young ravens when they cry," and will provide for the fatherless.

I have only to add that God was ever near him. He was placed in many different situations-passed through many trials, but was ever protected through the tender mercy of God. At the age of sixteen, it is believed he felt the power of the Spirit of God upon his heart and he devoted his life to the service of God. The hand of charity was extended. He is now a member of one of the most respectable colleges; and it is hoped and believed that this orphan may hereafter be known as a Missionary of Christ Jesus our Lord, whom he has found to be his Saviour and Redeemer, in some heathen land, where he has determined to spend his days.

Isaiah xxi. 14.-"The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty they prevented with their bread him that fled."

"Fatigued with heat and thirst, we came to a few cottages in a palm wood, and stopped to drink of a fountain of delicious water. In this northern climate no idea can be formed of the luxury of drinking in Egypt: little appetite for food is felt; but when, after crossing the burning sands, you reach the rich line of woods on the brink of the Nile, and pluck the fresh limes, and mixing their juice with Egyptian sugar and the soft river water, drink repeated bowls of lemonade, you feel that every other pleasure of the senses must yield to this. One then perceives the beauty and force of these similes in Scripture where the sweetest emotions of the heart are compared to the assuaging of thirst in a thirsty land.-CARNE'S LETTERS FROM THE EAST.-VOL. 1. P. 111.

POETRY.

By Dr. J. Mason Good.

Jesus with an eye of love

Marks little children from above;

And when on earth for them he bled,
Took them in his arms and said,
Little children, come to me,
And a Saviour's welcome see ;
If you love me, you shall share
While you live my tenderest care;
And in death shall mount above,
Where your angels live in love;
And their Father's presence view;
For heaven is formed of such as you.

GIVEN TO HIS LITTLE GRANDSON,

With a picture of Samuel.

Jesus to little children says,

Those who love me with heart and mind
I too will love, and all their days
Whene'er they seek me, they shall find.
Thus little Samuel, when a boy,
Grew by his pious mother's side;
And every day 'twas his employ,
To pray that God would be his guide.
He bent his knees, and raised his eyes,
And clasped his little hands so tight;
And God who makes the sun to rise,
Poured on his soul divinest light.

A. Foster, Printer Kirkby Lonsdale.

THE SAME.