the fumes of ardent spirits. "Oh," cried the man, “I might have known it. I might have known it all!"

"Might have known what, sir ?”

Oh, I might have known that to-day one of my family must go; but I did not think, could not think, it must be my youngest boy!"

Pray, how might you have known that one must die to-day ?"

Why, when I came home last evening, old Rover" (pointing to a stupid old dog that lay crouched under the table) "sat on the doorsteps, with his face to the east, howling, and howling. I knew then some one-or I might have known that some one-must go to-day, but did not think it must be poor little Lewis!" "Do you believe there is a God ?" Oh, yes, I have no doubt of it."

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"And do you suppose He reveals events to a dog, a creature without a soul, and without reason, which He does not reveal to the wisest of men? Nothing is more common than for a dog to howl when his master is gone, and he feels lonely; and as to his face being towards the east, I see nothing strange in that, since your house faces the east."

"Ah, you may say so; but I might have known it would come," and again he turned away to sob, and I fear to drink, and then wonder over his being more stupid than his dog.

I led my scholars into the room. They seemed to breathe only from the top of their lungs. I lifted up the white napkin, and there was little Lewis-a mangled corpse! The children were all hushed as we gazed. The little girls covered their faces with their handkerchiefs and aprons. The little boys wiped their eyes with their hands and with the sleeves of their jackets.

For some weeks, it had been very dry, and the streams had become low. But during the preceding day and night, a heavy rain had fallen. A mill, on a small stream near by, which had stood still for some time for want of water, was set going early on Sabbath morning. I need not ask if the miller feared God.

About an hour before the Sabbath school usually came together, little Lewis went down to the mill-stream to bathe. The poor boy had never seen his parents keep the Sabbath holy. He swam out into the stream. The current was strong too strong for him-he raised the cry of distress-the miller heard him and saw him, but was too much frightened to do anything. The current swept along-the little boy struggled -again cried for help-the waters rushed onhe was sucked down under the gate-the great mill-wheel rolled round-crash!-he was in a moment crushed and dead! Scarcely had his last cry reached the ears of the miller, before his mangled corpse came out from under the wheel.

It was the same little boy who had looked so disappointed the last week, because I omitted to talk about the holy Sabbath.

While standing beside the lifeless clay of this fair child, with all the children about me, my feelings were awful indeed. It seemed as if

every child would cry out, “Oh, had you kept your word, and told us about breaking the Sabbath, he would not have gone into the water— he would not have lain there dead." It seemed as if the lips, though sealed by the hand of death, would open and reproach me. "Had I not put off my duty, probably this life would have been saved-perhaps an undying soul would have been saved from the guilt of being the everlasting enemy of God. What sacrifices would I not make, could that child once more come into my Sabbath school!" Such were my thoughts. I have never been able to look back upon that scene without keen anguish. I have sometimes mentioned it to Sabbath school teachers, and, by it, urged them never to put off till the next Sabbath any duty which can be performed on this. And since I have been a minister, when I have felt weary, and feeble, and tempted to put off some duty to a more convenient season, I have recalled that scene to my mind; and truly thankful shall I feel in the great judgment-day, if you, my dear children, will learn from this simple story two things.

1. To remember and keep holy the Sabbath day. Had that dear child only obeyed this one short text, he would not have been called to the presence of God while in the very act of sin.

"This day belongs to God alone;

He makes the Sabbath for His own;
And we must neither work nor play
Upon God's holy Sabbath day.

'Tis well to have one day in seven,
That we may learn the way to heaven;
Or else we never should have thought
About His worship as we ought.

And every Sabbath should be passed
As if we knew it were our last;
For what would dying people give

To have one Sabbath more to live!"

2. Never to put off any duty, or any opportunity to do good, because you do not feel disposed to do it now. You may never have the opportunity again.

Should you live and grow up, I have no doubt but you will be prospered and happy, respected and useful, very much as you keep the Sabbath. God will honour those who honour Him. He does not ask us even to open the doors of His house for nothing; no, He will repay us in this life, and in the life to come, with everlasting blessings. May all these great rewards be yours, my dear children, by your keeping His commandments. Amen.

XIII. THE GRAVE LOSING ITS VICTORY. "O grave, where is thy victory ?"-1 CORINTHIANS XV. 55.

THE Bible, my dear children, talks a great deal about the shortness of our lives. Did you ever get up on some October morning, and see a thick vapour or fog hanging over the wide meadows and fields? You could not see a man, or even a great tree, at a little distance, the fog was so thick. But go out a few hours afterwards, when the sun is up, and where is all this vapour gone? It is all melted away, and has left no mark on anything. Such, the Bible says, is the life of man. You may look upon a great congregation to-day, and see the street full of people, and in a few short years they are all gone-and forgotten, like the

vapour.