An unrepented fault, or an unmourned sin, will plant a thorn in your side, and poison your peace. Never, then, hide your errors; let the first motions of penitence be encouraged, and not on any account restrained. God will receive all who return to him, repenting of their sins, and seeking pardon through faith in his Son Jesus Christ. He is

no respecter of persons. The girl who sincerely prays in a garret, will be accepted equally with the prince who prays in his palace.

"How simply, beautifully, and strikingly is the penitence of the poor prodigal set forth in Holy Scripture, as well as the forgiveness and affection of his kind-hearted father. Listen attentively while I repeat the account. 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against

I

heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.' And no sooner did he humble himself, and confess his fault, than his father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found,' Luke xv. 18-24.

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"What need have we all, my dear children, of true, heartfelt, and thorough penitence, when we call to mind that all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,' Rom. iii. 23. And what thankfulness of heart ought we to encourage towards our heavenly Father, who, 'so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,' John iii. 16. Well may we regard ourselves with shame and grief, and look on the Saviour of sinners-on him whom our sins have pierced-with penitence and gratitude. Again, I say, whatever may be your faults, never, never let that of an impenitent heart be ranked among them. Go at once, like the poor penitent, to your Father, even

your heavenly Father, and humbly acknowledge your offences."

Mr. Railton here paused, and would willingly have made a few cheerful remarks; but when he saw, by the faces of his children, that their youthful minds were impressed by his serious observations, he became anxious to draw the subject to a close, that they might profit by their own reflections. With this end in view, he once more accosted them thus.

"Would you learn to feel penitence for your faults to those around you, consider, among other things, what anxiety and affliction you bring, by your waywardness, on those who love you. Every fault of yours is a trouble to them, a dark shadow in their paths; and a want of penitence on your part, would be as a poisoned arrow in their hearts. Would you learn to feel penitence towards God, you must often reflect on the exceeding sinfulness of sin, which required that the only Son of God should die a cruel death on the cross to atone for it. What desperate hardheartedness must it be, then, to return such compassion, love, and mercy with impenitence, unthankfulness, and ingratitude! I will now close my remarks. If holy Job, in his penitence, could say, 'Behold, I am vile,' Job. xl. 4! I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes,' Job xlii. 6. How truly should we humble ourselves before God!"

THE little lectures, if they may be called such, which were given by Mr. Railton to his children, to assist them in learning to feel, were not without their effect. Whatever the subject of his address might be, it was sure to be referred to by the children many times in every succeeding day, until another subject occupied its place in their minds. An emulation was excited among them, which should best remember and put into practice what fell from the lips of their kind-hearted

parent; and, whenever any little failing was manifested among them, it was usually reproved by the rest by repeating some observation, bearing on the point, which had been used by Mr. Railton. "You have forgotten what papa said;" 66 or, Do you not remember what was said by papa?" was continually in the mouth of one or other of them.

The impression on the minds of children well brought up, with regard to the knowledge and wisdom of their parents, is usually a very favourable one; and certain it is, that William, Mary, George, Susan, and Fanny, always took it for granted, that what their papa and mamma said must be right. They were not in the habit of hearing a different opinion from one parent expressed by the other, for Mr. and Mrs. Railton thought alike on most subjects; and if in any little particular they disagreed, they were too wise to exhibit it before their children.

It happened, in the course of the week in which Mr. Railton had spoken on the subject of penitence, that Mary, on reading to her mother, came to the quotation,

"Teach me to feel another's woe;

To hide the fault I see;

That mercy I to others show,

That mercy show to me."

Susan was much pleased with these lines, and talked with her mother about them; when Mrs. Railton pointed out to her, that in this short verse there seemed to be sympathy,