the bed of the unhappy sufferer.

The life of

the poor child was spared: he felt deeply on account of his sin, and it was well for him that he was taught to seek pardon from God, through the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

And it is for us, dear children, to cast the burden of our guilt and sorrow on Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world, and who has promised never to cast out any that come to him in faith.

But suppose that Henry had died immediately, from the effects of the poison: or, suppose his heart had been hardened to go on in the ways of sin; what would have become of him at last? -and what will become of you, if you neglect to ask continually the help of Him who alone is able to keep you from falling, and to use that help when you obtain it?

My little readers, and elder ones too, "Pray without ceasing." Study God's word, obey his laws, and seek for safety, blessing, and peace, holiness here, and heaven hereafter, only through the blood and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, "Who gave himself for us, that He might redeem

us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Can hearts endure, or hands be strong,
When God shall call the guilty throng
To stand before his throne ?
In light revealed each sinful deed,
And each transgressor left to plead,
Unaided and alone?

Be wise in time, to Jesus flee,
He died to set the captive free,

And change our fearful doom:
The gospel feast is spread for all,
Who listen to that glorious call:

"Approach-there still is room!"

THE

WILLOW TREE.

I KNEW a little girl, and a very little girl she was then, who used to take great notice of every thing about her; but, because she did not like to ask questions, she often made strange mistakes, and puzzled herself to no purpose, when she might have learned a great many useful things, which from her ignorance it was not possible she should find out of herself. This is very silly when children have kind parents or friends, willing to instruct them they ought to be thankful, and to ask for all the information that they want.

This little girl, Eliza, among other matters was greatly distressed about a willow tree, which grew before her papa's house, in the little garden. It was a pretty weeping willow, but not very

large. Eliza had taken notice, that, when she sat in the parlour below stairs, and looked across the street, the willow was so tall as to hide from her sight the house of a neighbour, over the way; but if she went to an upper window, the tree hardly reached the knocker of the neighbour's door, and she looked over the top of it with great ease; and the silly child thought that the willow stretched itself up, or threw itself down, as if to teaze her; and she was teazed, and used to lie awake at night thinking what could be the reason of it.

At last, one morning, at breakfast, Eliza's papa, seeing her constantly looking out at the window, asked what she saw there to amuse her so much. Eliza would not tell an untruth: so she said, "I am thinking, papa, how odd it is that the willow tree should grow higher than Mr. Davis's house." "It is not nearly so high my dear."

No, papa, not always," said Eliza; "it was little enough when I looked at it half an hour ago, out of the study window, above: but now it is so tall that I cant see Mr. Davis's chimney." Her papa smiled; and explained to her that all the difference was owing to her looking at the tree from above or from below. And he stood

up, and bade her observe that his head seemed to her higher than the opposite window, when he stood near her. Then Eliza wondered

how she could have been so silly; and was ashamed to have puzzled her little head so long, when her kind papa would have set her right in a minute, if she had asked him.

When Eliza grew up, she often thought of the willow; and I will tell you some reflections that it brought to her mind.

There are many things of no great consequence that we keep close before our eyes, and we look to them till we fancy them very grand; up

and they hide from us other things much better than themselves, as the small willow tree hid the large house from Eliza. Some children think so much of their toys, that they neglect their books; others are so fond of looking into silly story books, which they call amusing, that they have hardly any time or wish to study the blessed Bible, or listen to instruction. Some take great pride in fine clothes, and will not see how wicked and ugly, in God's sight, are the hearts which they try to hide behind these gay dresses. Many care for nothing but play, and are always