and a moment after, a pale little girl very poorly clad entered the room.

"Is he ill, Grace ?"
"He is in distress, sir; he says he has

"Mother sent you these," said the child,been so wicked, and mother thinks you can

in a low, sweet voice.

Mrs. Morris looked at her with surprise, for she was the daughter of a man who seemed lost to all virtue by that worst of vices, intemperance.

"Your mother sent them?" said she. "Yes, ma'am, father caught them this morning-he wanted mother to send them here."

"Have you ever seen such beautiful trout, husband? Your mother is very kind, Grace, and I thank you, my dear, for bringing them to me. Sit down and rest yourself; you are tired."

"I cannot stay," said the mother will need me soon. Mr. Morris ?"

do him good. He has not drank any," Grace continued in a low voice, "since you talked with him two weeks ago; he says that you were so kind with him. Oh, Mr. Morris, we shall thank you so much; no one has seemed to care for father but you; and if you could just go over and talk with him now."

"Yes, Grace, I will go with you now-I am very glad to go."

He took her hand, and she, weeping, with a full heart beating like the surging sea, led the way to her humble home.

"Now, Mary," said our beloved pastor, as he returned at a late hour from the brightenpale girl," mying home of the young Grace and her peniMay I speak to tent father, "would you not suffer any such days of trial and annoyance as this has been to you, for one such reformation?"

"Oh, yes," said the pastor, rising from the lounge towards her; "say anything you wish, my child-have no fear," and he laid his hand kindly on her head, from which the faded shawl had fallen.

The wife uncovered her face, and turned her eyes, swollen with weeping, upon her husband.

He was answered. The unspoken gratiThe bosom of the young girl heaved, and tude of that pale suffering child, had touched her lips quivered with agitation. a chord in her heart which had never vibrated

"Oh, sir, will you please to come over and to the rude grasp of coarser nature. talk with my father?-he is very bad."

that the proceeding had been concerted between her brother and herself, that the letter was empty, and that certain signs on the direction conveyed all that she wanted to know, and that, as neither of them could afford to pay the postage, they had devised this method of franking the intelligence desired. The

ORIGIN OF THE PENNY POSTAGE.-A traveler sauntering through the lake districts of England some years ago, arrived at a small public house just as the postman stopped to deliver a letter. A young girl came out to receive it. She took it in her hand, turned it over and over, and asked the charge. It was a large sum-no less than a shilling.traveler pursued his journey, and as he plodSighing heavily, she observed that it came from her brother, but that she was too poor to take it in, and she returned it to the postman accordingly. The traveler was a man of kindness as well as of observation; he offered to pay the postage himself, and, in spite of more reluctance on the girl's part than he could well understand, he did pay it, and gave her the letter. No sooner, however, was the postman's back turned, than she confessed,

ded over the Cumberland Fells, he mused upon the badness of a system which drove people to such straits for means of correspondence, and defeated its own objects all the time. With most men such musings would have ended before the close of the hour: but this man's name was Rowland Hill, and it was from this incident and these reflections that the whole scheme of penny postage was derived.-London Times.

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST.

ESIDES the universal love Paul well expresses it, choosing "the foolwhich our Blessed Sa-ish things of the world to confound the wise; viour's life displayed, and the weak things of the world, to confound His precepts inculcated, the things which are mighty; and base things He cherished those parti- of the world, and things which are despised, cular friendships which result from yea, and things which are not, to bring to some of the most amiable and enno- nought things that are." The supernatural rebling principles of our nature, andmedy of their intellectual deficiencies, and exert a highly important and inter- their being enabled to overcome all obstacles esting influence, thoroughly imbued to the establishment of the Christian faith, with virtuous and elevated enjoyment, on the are a most forcible illustration of the hand of human condition. God exerted in its behalf.

St. John and his brother readily yielded to the Saviour's call, and left their worldly con

Although He cherished a lively affection for all His Apostles, still of St. John it was more especially true that he was "the disci-cerns to follow Him. All are not required to ple whom Jesus loved." forsake secular employments, and devote This favored one was the brother of St. themselves to the ministry of Jesus; but the James the Greater. They were sons of Ze-service due Him by all His members, does bedee and Salome. Their mother being re-require that they come out from among the lated to the Blessed Virgin, these disciples devotees of the world-those who make its had the honor of kindred with their Master; pursuits, pleasures, possessions, or honors, and were often called, in a large sense of the their chief care, and the objects of chief vaterm, His brothers. lue; that they renounce its undue influence; that they be not conformed to this world; and let nothing connected with it hinder that devotion to things spiritual and eternal, and that kind and degree of service to their Lord and Master, which may fairly be considered as coming up to the measure of that love of God which the Gospel requires, with all the heart, and all the mind, and all the soul, and all the strength.

St. John's call to the Apostleship is thus related by St. Matthew:-" Going on from thence, Jesus saw other two brethren, James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee, their father, mending their nets; and He called them; and they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him."

Their minds had doubtless been prepared to expect the Messiah, by the preaching of St. John was but a young man when he St. John the Baptist; and by some know-thus obeyed the Saviour's call; and He Who ledge of the previous history of Jesus; and bestowed upon him the honor of being pecuin all probability, Christ addressed them on liarly the disciple whom He loved, has a spethe nature of His mission, and of what Hecial regard for those who, in the prime of life, required in His followers. and the vigor of their days, renounce the Our Saviour selected the most of His Apos-world, and not ashamed to own Him for their tles, as he did St. John, from the humble Lord, follow Him in all the spirituality, holirank of fishermen. This was a fit method ofness, and virtue, of the service which he reconfounding the haughty and self-willed philosophers of the day, who affected to despise all who had not been at their pains in the acquisition of human science. It was, as St.

quires. The richest crown of reward is in reserve for those who, the earliest to bear, persevere to the end in bearing, with faithfulness and cheerfulness, His yoke, which is

easy, and His burden, which is light. O how displeasure of love, and the censure of kinddo they wrong and debase the powers and af-ness, whenever we are tempted to imitate the fections of youth and early manhood, who rash feelings of the erring Apostles. These waste them on worldly cares or pleasures, or were evidently, not the indulgence of cheon the ways of sin! And how do they add rished malignity, or of satisfaction in illinsult to guilty inconsistency, who, having tempers, or of fondness for harshness and sethus enfeebled their powers, and degraded verity; but a mistaken estimate of what was and wasted their affections, bring at length proper, virtuous, or necessary indignation. the tardy offering of the mere wreck of what They knew not what manner of spirit they they were, to lay on the altar of their God! were of. They were not of the degraded When the twelve Apostles were ordained, class who find their most congenial element our Lord gave St. John and his brother the in the strife of angry passions, and who realsurname of " Boanerges, which is, The sons ly enjoy, and even fail not to seek and invent, of thunder." The reason has been various-as they can, occasions for the indulgence of ly conjectured. It might have been for that bad tempers. Love and honor for their Masenergy of character, and warmth of disposi- ter were at the root of their feelings on this tion, which fitted them to urge and enforce, occasion. But they failed in a just appreciwith great strength and boldness, the doc-ation of what that love and honor required of trines and precepts of their Lord; or for that them in their zeal for Him; and were thus natural impetuosity of temper which some- betrayed into a manner of spirit, inconsistent times surpassed the bounds of moderation and with duty to Him. His service never calls propriety. Of this an instance is afforded as upon us to renounce the meek, gentle, and follows:-Jesus" sent messengers before His loving spirit of His religion. His cause is face," to "make ready for Him," in "a vil- injured if we do; and our Christian characlage of the Samaritans." Its inhospitable in- ter deteriorated, and our soul's welfare sehabitants, in their cherished jealousy and ha-riously perilled. Indeed, it is difficult to contred of the Jews, would "not receive Him.ceive of anything short of conscious and inHis disciples, James and John," flushed with resentment for this insult to their Master, desired that instant extermination might he its punishment" Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?" Jesus "turned and rebuked them, and said, ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.”

tended wickedness, which has in it more of iniquity than the connection of bad passions and tempers with professed zeal for God and His religion. Those guilty of it may, perhaps, not know what manner of spirit they are of: but this very ignorance is often itself the result of spiritual hardness and obliquity, growing out of an indulgence of the "infecThis rebuke should be constantly in our tion of nature," sinful, because, through neminds. It derives peculiar interest and force glect or perverseness, wilful; and therefore from its own beautiful illustration of the spi-proof of alienation from God, and of the abrit it inculcates. From nothing does the sence of true justifying faith, and full of dancause of Christ, and the Christian's spiritual ger of whatever there may be of religious character, derive greater injury than en-profession, feeling, and doing, being no valid forcing with ill-temper what is supposed to ground of hope of salvation. be religious truth and duty. It is in sinful Another instance of improper dispositions contrariety to the religion professed, and di- in St. John and his brother, was displayed in rectly calculated to raise prejudices against their ambitious request, made through their it, and expose it to mockery, neglect, and op- mother, or in addition to one by her in their position. The rebuke thus administered by behalf, "Grant unto us that we may sit, one the Saviour, in a form which cannot but win on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left the heart not estranged from virtuous sensi-hand, in Thy glory." The request was probility, should sound in our ears, and our mind's eye should turn to Him, thus expressing the

bably founded on a supposed claim to the chief honors of their Master's kingdom, by virtue

The

of their consanguinity. Perhaps, too, their last class is the case now before us. having been often selected for private confer-text should read, not, "to sit on My right hand ences with Him, and other special marks of and on My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall His favor, might have induced them to be-be given to them for whom it is prepared;" lieve that He would deny them nothing. Hebut, "to sit on My right hand and on My gave them a reproof similar to that above no-left, is not Mine to give, but," or except, “for ticed-" Ye know not what ye ask ;" and re- whom it is prepared-of My Father," as St. minded them that the road to His glory lay Matthew adds: that is, the rewards of My through persecutions, sufferings, and death; kingdom are not to be dispensed on the prinand that by no other rule than the measure of ciple of personal favoritism on which you their fidelity here, would their condition here-rely; but they will be given to those only for after be determined.

whom, as the "blessed children of My Father," they have been "prepared," as the reward of their fidelity," from the foundation of the world." Thus the true translation of this passage removes from it the seeming intimation that our Lord Jesus is not Himself to dispense the rewards of His kingdom at the last day.

"After six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And behold there ap

The pride of heart whence this request proceeded, is a snare of the devil often laid in the Christian's way. He loves to have pre-eminence he wishes his religion to turn to some account pleasing to his self-love, flattering to his vanity, or ministering to his interests. He would serve God in such wise, that he may thus also serve the world, with its pomps, its fashions, and its vanities. And it matters not, in its moral aspects, whether this has regard to the world in its worldly garb, or to the world under a religious mask: whether spiritual things and forms are affected with an eye to worldly rank and associations, or inpeared unto them Moses and Elias, talking the indulgence of spiritual pride, and emulation of superior spiritual credit. Self-sacrifice lies at the foundation of all religion which is true in man, and acceptable to God. In meekness, humility, and unworldliness, in consistency of profession, fidelity to duty, and, if it be God's will, endurance of suffer-mility and poverty, of suffering and wo, in ings and wrongs, the Christian must bear the which so much of His time on earth was yoke and carry the cross of his Master, if he spent, and appears in a dazzling radiance bewould be raised to His presence in His glory.fitting His adorable nature. Moses and Elias,

In the accounts given by St. Matthew and St. Mark of this request of St. John and St. James, as they are in our translation, the reader will perceive that the words," it shall be given to them," are printed in italics, indicating that there are no corresponding words in the original, but that they were added by the translators. Such italic words are to be found throughout our English Bible; and although, generally speaking, they were judiciously added, for the better preserving of the English idiom in perfect consistency with the true sense of the original, yet sometimes they are unnecessary, and even defects. Of the

with Him; who appeared in glory, and spake of the decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem."

How august the occasion on which St. John is here brought to our notice! His Master lays aside, for awhile, the guise of hu

who long had rested in Paradise, revisit the earth "in glory," to meet the Lord, whose day of mediation they had seen prophetically, and were glad. They talk with Him and what, in the midst of all this splendor and blessedness, is their theme? O, worthy theme-most holy in its nature-most stupendous in its relations-most glorious in the issues which make up its fulness-blending the rigors of divine justice with the lenity and sweetness of divine mercy; and the suffering and sorrow through which, with the perfection of the majesty and glory of the throne of God for which, the great and me

VOL. VIII.-NO. XII.

there came a voice out of the cloud, saying,
This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well
And when the
pleased: Hear ye Him.
voice was past, Jesus was found alone." The
Law, in the person of Moses, and the Prophets,
in that of one of the most distinguished
among them, were thus present at the solemn
recognition of Jesus as greater than both-
as the Son of God. They heard the Al-
mighty Father attest this truth" from the ex-
cellent glory;" and returned to witness, it
may be, Christ's preaching unto the spirits in
paradise; and to wait the time when they
shall meet Him, for "the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honor," in His Fa-
ther's kingdom.

ritorious ministry of reconciliation was dis-feared as they entered into the cloud. And charged! Their theme was, "His decease, which Jesus should accomplish at Jerusalem," -the decease of the great Martyr-Witness to the truth of the Gospel-the decease which was a perfect pattern of a holy, happy death-the decease, above all, which was the atoning death of the Lamb of God That taketh away the sin of the world. As this was such a death as to draw towards the Lamb therein slain, the hallelujahs of the glorified worshipers before the throne of God in heaven; so was it meet to be the theme of conversation between Jesus, and Moses, and Elias, when they met " in glory, in the holy mount;" and so is it the theme nearest and dearest to the true Christian's heart, whether bowed down in penitence, or elevated in praise; whether struggling for mastery over the sins which caused it, or rejoicing in hope that he has an efficient interest in the grace which, through it, overcomes sin; and when, that grace directing and furthering him, he feels happy in heartfelt efforts at conformity, in all piety and duty to God and man, to the faith, hope, and charity of the Gospel; and in mingling with fellow-members of Christ in the services of the sanctuary; and in meetly partaking "of those holy mysteries," in which the Church does "celebrate and make, { before" God's "divine majesty, with" His holy gifts and creatures of bread and wine," then offered "unto" Him, "the memorial" His "Son commanded" her "to make, of that His precious death and sacrifice."

All true and sincere followers of Jesus have given them of the Holy Ghost, a faith and hope that they too will attain to the vision of Christ in His glory, and to the perfect bliss of His presence. Moses and Elias, the goodly fellowship of the Prophets, the noble army of Martyrs, the glorious company of the Apostles, holy men of every age, people, nation, and language, the whole Church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven, and among its glorified members, the beloved companions of their faith and piety in the Church militant, will be sharers of their joy. Blest experience of the fulness of the efficacy of the decease which Christ accomplished at Jerusalem, will lend the very spirit of angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, to their hearts' exclamation of love and devotion, "Lord, it is good for us to be here." Yes: and they will not have to descend again to the vale beneath; but having come to the Heavenly Mountain, they will be ever with the Lord.

Ravished with what he saw and heard, on the mount of transfiguration, St. Peterthen, as ever, foremost in giving vent to his feelings-exclaimed, “ Lord, it is good for us to be here ;" and proposed arrangements for But Jesus has descended from Tabor, and making the mount a permanent abode : but now too, as at other times, his zeal was faulty is again found in fashion as a man of sorrows, rashness. That stupendous "decease," of and again exposed to the labors, trials, and which his Lord, and Moses, and Elias had sufferings of His earthly ministry. The time spoken, required that Tabor should be ex- of His decease draws nigh. At His last changed for Calvary, with all its antecedent meeting, before it, with His Apostles, the beand attendant horrors. It was good, there-loved St. John leans upon His bosom. He fore, infinitely good, for man, that the Apos-repairs to Gethsemane, to give vent to the tle was not herein gratified.

"While Peter thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them; and they

anguish of His soul, which is exceeding sorrowful even unto death: His friend is there to cheer Him with his affectionate sympathy.