standing on the right hand of God." This assertion, that HE whom they had nailed to the Cross, was now at God's right hand in heaven, and had appeared to strengthen the accused person then standing for trial at their bar, carried his judges beyond all bounds of moderation; and they immediately cried out that Stephen should be stoned-and that, against the law; for the right of putting criminals to death had (as we know from the history of the Crucifixion) been taken from the Jews by the Romans, and reserved for their own courts. They stopt their ears, that they might not hear his blasphemies (as they called them), dragged him violently out of the city, and stoned him to death,-he, the meanwhile, praying to CHRIST, "Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit;" and adding with a loud voice, as he fell on his knees, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge!" Having thus prayed, he fell asleep!-a beautiful expression for a calm, holy death, and which is the more beautiful here, from its contrast to the fierce, clamorous violence of his savage executioners; and the mangling of his body by the stones, beneath which he was crushed and buried.

Observe, that this Holy Martyr plainly prayed to Christ as to God! "Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit!"

What a lesson does the history of his martyrdom give of the faith of these early Christians, of the power of that faith, and its exceeding blessedness! In that judgement-hall, before the men (the very individuals, most of them) who had condemned his Lord to death, St. Stephen's mouth was opened to accuse them of unholy resistance to God's Spirit! He was blessed with a sight of CHRIST IN HIS GLORY! What was man or man's power to him! What was pain to him, who saw Christ beckoning him, as it were, to His glory-a glory, of which a glimpse was at that moment revealed to him! What but Christian faith could make a death of fearful pain a calm sinking to sleep? What but the CER

TAINTY, that the Lord Jesus would immediately receive his spirit, and make it glorious, happy, and immortal? My brethren, CHRISTIAN FAITH is now what it has ever been!-it CAN be all it EVER WAS, if we can embrace it, and arrive at its full confidence of undoubting trust! We too, if we believe, shall see Christ with, at all events, the eyes of our spirit, standing at God's right hand. And He too will receive our spirits, if we will but commit them to His keeping with any thing of Stephen's faith! Nor must we forget to learn from the example of Stephen the lesson of forgiveness to all, and for all,— the lesson of praying for our worst enemies, and the worst enemies of the Church, that God may be graciously pleased not to lay their sins to their charge! "If you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespasses."

The Son of God is gone to war,
A kingly crown to gain;

His blood-red banner streams afar :
Who follows in His train?

Who best can drink His cup of woe,
Triumphant over pain;

Who patient bears His cross below,
He follows in His train.

The martyr first, whose eagle eye
Could pierce beyond the grave;
Who saw his Master in the sky,
And call'd on Him to save.

Like Him, with pardon on his tongue,
In midst of mortal pain,

He prayed for them that did the wrong—
Who follows in his train?

A noble army-men and boys,

The matron and the maid,

Around their Saviour's throne rejoice,
In robes of light array'd.

They climb'd the steep ascent of Heav'n,

Through peril, toil, and pain;

O Lord! to us may grace be given,

To follow in their train!

Bp. Heber.

FROM THE HOMILY OF FASTING.

THERE be three ends whereunto if our fast be directed, it is then a work profitable to us, and accepted of God.

The first is, to chastise the flesh, that it be not too wanton, but tamed and brought in subjection to the Spirit. This respect had St. Paul in his fast, when he said, "I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means it cometh to pass, that when I have preached to others, I myself be found a castaway'.

The second, that the Spirit may be more earnest and fervent to prayer'. To this end fasted the prophets and teachers that were at Antioch, before they sent forth Paul and Barnabas to preach the Gospel. The same two apostles fasted for the like purpose, when they commended to God, by their earnest prayers, the congregations that were at Antioch, Pisidia, Iconium, and Lystra, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles3.

The third, that our fast be a testimony and witness with us before God, of our humble submission to His high Majesty, when we confess and acknowledge our sins unto Him, and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulness of heart, bewailing the same in the affliction of our bodies. These are the three ends or right uses of fasting.

1 1 Cor. ix.

2 Acts xiii.

3 Acts xiv.

G

THE PEASANTS OF THE ALPS.

THE long narrow district of Switzerland, called the Valais, is almost entirely surrounded by high mountains, which separate it from Italy, Savoy, and the neighbouring canton of Berne.

At the foot of one of the lofty Alps, which, from its forked appearance, is called Mount Furca, rises the river Rhone, which, increased by many a mountain stream formed by the melting of the snow, winds its rapid way through this district until it adds its waters to the beautiful lake of Geneva. Parts of this country are warm and fruitful, but some of the villages are placed on such rugged spots near the Alps, and those valleys or plains of ice called the glaciers, that we should be tempted to think them more fit for the habitations of goats than of men, if we did not find that mountaineers gain, by practice, almost as much agility as goats themselves. This mountain region seems at the same time to feel the effects of summer and winter: with one hand, the traveller may grasp snow, with the other, beautiful flowers. There is sometimes danger in spring, when the heat of the sun loosens from the sides of the mountains immense masses of snow, called avalanches, which roll along with a noise like thunder, and occasionally overwhelm travellers, and even villages.

Most of the inhabitants of the Valais are shepherds in the spring, they bring their flocks and cattle from their winter quarters in the valleys, to the first mountain slope from which the snow is melted; and afterwards ascend higher, as more grass is exposed to view, just putting up a shed to shelter themselves on each resting-place. They live a quiet life with their cows and their sheep. The cows are adorned with bells which jingle the favorite tune of Switzerland, and one cow takes the lead of the rest, and bears a larger bell, an honour of which she is said to be proud; but this may be a shepherd's fancy.

In a village perched among these rocky mountains, lived a widow with her three children. Her husband had been killed in the dangerous pursuit of the chamois, -the antelope of Switzerland. His son, young Walter, wished at an early age to be a hunter also, but he yielded to his mother's earnest wish that he should remain with her, and be a peaceful herds

man.

The sun was just risen; and Walter, dressed, not in shepherd-trim, but in his holiday suit, was eating his hasty breakfast; at his feet, looking impatient for the signal to depart, lay Alp, an Alpine spaniel of the famous St. Bernard kind. Walter's mother looked fondly at the dog, as she gave him his food; "Ah, Alp," said she, "I would scarcely trust my boy so far, if you went not with him."

There was to be a large fair this day at the town of Sion, the chief place of the district, and to this fair Walter was going, charged with the commissions of the family. It was seldom that any traders visited this secluded village; for, though the Valais is the high road from Switzerland into Italy, no carriage, no horseman even, could reach a spot which can only be gained by ascending steep steps cut in the rock, and by crossing narrow bridges over the tor

rents.

Sometimes a poor Italian, wandering on foot from Piedmont with his little store of barometers or images, lodged for a night with the hospitable villagers, or some adventurous pedlar worked his way up with his pack of useful articles for sale, but, in general, all purchases were deferred till the time of this fair. The charge of the cows and sheep was given over to Gaston, Walter's younger brother, who in his turn felt pleased and important, as he ascended the mountain with his troop. Mabel, the sister, brought the little bag that contained the money which she had gained by knitting, and confided it to her brother with whispers which were for his ear alone.