different excuses made by the little girls, and try to recollect whether you have not often given the same or at any rate quite as foolish reasons for staying away from school. I fear that many of you who would be shocked at the idea of telling a direct untruth, do not hesitate to make false excuses, which are often almost as bad. If you have been in the habit of doing so, pray try to leave it off; exert yourselves more to overcome all temptations to neglect the duty of coming regularly to Church and school, and if ever you are tempted by indolence, or carelessness or love of play, or any other cause to idle away your Sunday morning instead of spending it as you ought, be sorry for your fault, and do not make it worse by a false excuse, which, even if it should deceive your teachers, will not deceive the Great God Who sees all your thoughts, and words, and actions, and Whose ་ eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." L. R. P. A THOUGHT IN THE CRYSTAL PALACE. "And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass."-REV. xxi. 21. Wonders of earth! how beautiful ye seem, And gorgeous scene, this Palace hyaline, And catching the cloud glories! If so rare The marvels of this earth, that, in some hour, ELIZA C. GREEN. ST. CYPRIAN. THACIUS CECILIUS CYPRIAN was born in the city of Carthage-the exact year is not known, though it was probably about A.D. 200. He was educated in all the learning of the times, and was passionately fond of oratory and eloquence. He practised as a lawyer for a considerable period, realizing both a noble reputation and an extensive fortune. What is remarkable in his personal history is, that he was unusually advanced in life, before he sought his spiritual, his second birth, in other words, before he became a Christian. God, as we know, ordinarily works by means. His eye is often upon us for our good, when we least suppose it. Young people especially should bear this in mind. Youth, buoyancy of spirits, activity, and the absence of those greater cares which press more heavily upon older persons, if not carefully regarded, lead the young and throughtless into crooked paths. God, as observed, works by means; and in the case of Cyprian, the instrument employed, was in the first instance, that of mutual friendship. He and Cæcilius, an aged presbyter of Carthage, became friends, such as were Jonathan and David. They conversed and were companions together; and in the year 246, the blessed result of that friendship showed itself in the conversion and regeneration of Cyprian. Like Nicodemus in the Gospel, he could not, at first, understand or receive the mystery of the new birth. "It appeared to me extremely hard," he said, " to be born again to a new life and to become another man, still keeping the same body." When, however, he had really put off the old man, his doubts vanished away, and what before appeared to him impossible, now seemed easy, clear, and open. He came, penitent and believing, to the sacrament of Baptism, and received that grace of regeneration at which his natural reason had stumbled. It may be remarked, in passing, that a devout friend, one who knows and fears God, is a pearl of great price. Such a friend should be very highly esteemed. It was God's Providence that led Cyprian to Caecilius; the same Almighty Father, who in an age preceeding, led St. Peter to Cornelius. Only the careless and foolish lightly esteem a pious friend. The careful and wise will make it an object to gain many such friends, and, having once obtained them, will take heed lest, through any fault of their own, they should suddenly lose them. "The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead." The conversion of St. Cyprian, who at his Baptism, had assumed the name of Caecilius out of affection to his instructor, brought upon him the odium of his former associates who, we may suppose, were, still immersed in the darkness of Paganism. He now entirely altered his mode of living; and, one of his first acts was to sell all his goods, and with the produce supply the wants of the poor; thus manifesting his little value for the things of this world, compared with the happiness of heaven. Shortly after he had embraced Christianity, he was made a Presbyter, and on the death of Donatus, Bishop of Carthage in A.D. 248, he was called upon by common consent, to fill the vacant see. The modesty of the young presbyter, however, would have urged him to decline the offer; and, for a time indeed, he actually withdrew, concealing himself from the people. But, it was the will of God, that he should become the successor of Donatus; a dignity which, at last, he consented to have, much to the joy of the flock over whom he was episcopally to preside. Some few persons, indeed, had opposed his election; but these he treated with so much gentleness and meekness, that they were soon numbered among his closest friends. For two years he quietly discharged the duties of his Bishopric, exhorting to holiness of life, to patience after the example of Job, and administering with his own hand to the wants of the poor and needy. In fact, St. Cyprian was an especial friend to the poor. "Give alms of thy goods, and never turn thy face from any poor man; and then the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee." While St. Cyprian was thus engaged, the Decian persecution commenced, so called because it existed under the Emperor Decius. Its fury raged with great severity in Africa and in Carthage. The untamed beathens, whose cause he had done so much to destroy, assembled in the theatre and other public places, demanding with a clamorous voice that Cyprian should be thrown to the lions. In this lamentable state of things he thought it best to retire for a period into a place of safety. He hoped by this course to spare the Church further trial on his account, or else that presently the storm might pass away. He declared further that he was only acting by a revealed will from Heaven, and in obedience to the direction, "when they persecute you in this city flee ye into another.”—(To be continued.) R. E. B. THE MISSIONARY SERVICE. There is a voice from Eastern climes, From Afric's sultry strand, Where Ethiopia doth stretch, It cometh on the winged breeze, A cry of heathen misery, And of the soul's despair; And hearts, by Heaven's own spirit touch'd And lo! they break the tender ties, That bind their holy zeal; And fearless, dare the mighty sea, |