many, many other little girls who feel the same wish, though perhaps they never expressed it? Remember, that in the whole range of desirable things, there is nothing greater or better than this, "a clean heart," or, as the Scripture again speaks of it, "a new heart." Let it be your chief wish, and not your wish only, but your chief, first desire above all things else, to obtain it. Let your sincere, humble, and earnest prayer be, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

"And will He hear the humble cry

Of such a little one as I?

Oh, yes; for in his Word I see,

'Come, little children, come to me.'

PROTESTANTS MURDERED ON ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S DAY.

FRANCE, like other nations in Europe, was sunk in Popish darkness for many hundred years; but in the beginning of the sixteenth century the writings of the reformers were carried into that country, and were so greatly blessed of God, that many of the people received the truth. Several devoted men were also raised up to preach the gospel, and with much success, though more than one French king tried his utmost to oppose them. Strict search was made for the Protestants, or Huguenots, as they were called; and, when found, they were cast into prison or condemned to death. The Huguenots appealed in vain to their peaceable and blameless lives, for their enemies carried on their wicked plans with great rigour; but like the Israelites of old, "the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew." Exod. i. 12. After some time had passed, queen Catherine, the mother of the French king, Charles the Ninth, formed the awful design, along with some of the court, of lulling the

*

*The word Huguenot signifies "associated" or "united together" it is nearly of the same meaning as "brethren," one of the titles of the first Christians.

fears of the Huguenots by a fair and false show, that they might unawares strike a blow that would cut them off from France for ever.

Having laid their plan, they had a register made of all persons who were of the reformed religion. The Huguenot noblemen and gentlemen were then invited to Paris, under the pretence of being present at the marriage of the king of Navarre with a princess of France. The mother of this king, who was a Protestant, and who had come to Paris to be present at the wedding, was first removed, it is supposed, by poisoned perfume, made by the king's apothecary, and concealed in a pair of gloves. The next object was the famous admiral Coligny, who was looked upon as the leader of the Protestants. Men were hired to shoot him as he returned at night from the palace to his own house. They fired, but failed taking his life, though a ball broke the fingers of his right hand.

At length king Charles, urged by his mother, gave his consent to cut off the Protestants by one unsparing slaughter, and, with an oath, said, "Since it is to be done, take care that no one escapes to reproach me." The time fixed was St. Bartholomew's Day, August 24th, 1572: the hour, three o'clock in the morning, when their victims would be sleeping in their beds: the signal, the tolling of a great bell of one of the churches; the conductor of the murder, the wicked duke of Guise. The gates were ordered to be closed, and the walls secured; while the soldiers and others were directed to muster shortly after midnight, wearing a piece of white linen on their arms, and a white cross on their caps, lest in the dimness of the twilight the assassins should be arrayed against one another.

The morning of St. Bartholomew's day had not yet dawned, when the dreadful knell was sounded, and the soldiers hurried forth to the work of death. It being the Lord's-day, many of the Protestants took the tolling of the bell as the call to early morning prayers. The duke of Guise, with his party, first rushed to the house where the wounded Coligny lay. He was aroused from his slumbers by the noise made in breaking open his door. The admi

ral arose from his bed, and committed his soul into the hands of God; when one of the soldiers, preparing to strike with his sword, cried, "Art not thou the admiral?" "I am," he fearlessly replied; "but, young man, respect these grey hairs, nor stain them with my blood." But at the same moment the man, disregarding this appeal, plunged the sword into his bosom. After committing other outrages on his person, they threw the body out of the window, at the feet of one of the French princes, who, spurning it, cried out, "Courage, my friends: we have had a lucky beginning; let us finish in the same manner." The headless trunk was then dragged through the streets of Paris, and afterwards hung up by the feet to the common gallows. The king went to feed his eyes with the sight of the body of the man who but a few days before he had called mon pére!-"my father!”

The admiral's son-in-law, lord Teligni, next received his death-blow, and fell, repeating with his dying lips the names of his wife and children. Other nobles and attendants, with two young children, were then slain. After having murdered every one in this house, the soldiers went forward on their dreadful purpose.

The work of destruction began in many parts of the city at the same time. Tumult, shrieks, and uproar increased, until they deepened into one terrible groan. The streets were filled with soldiers, and every Huguenot's house became a place of slaughter. The assassins spared not the aged, nor women, nor the very babes. With savage joy they threw the bodies out of the houses, so that there was scarcely a street or lane but that was strewn with the dead. Even the prisons were searched to find if any Huguenots were there, that they might be dragged forth and

slain.

The duke of Montgomery, with about one hundred Protestant gentlemen, who lodged without the walls, hearing of the murders within the city, sought to escape, half naked, on horseback; but they were overtaken, and all, except about ten of their number, cut to pieces.

Thus from morning to night, on the Lord's-day, this

awful slaughter continued, until night put an end to the work of blood! The next day it was carried on again. The soldiers were now joined by all the ruffians in the city, who, for the sake of plunder, entered every place where any Huguenot might have hidden himself; and if any one was found, he was slain, his body stript, and then cast into the river. In this way for five days the slaughter went on, until thousands had fallen in Paris by the sword, the spear, and the bullet.

Messengers were quickly sent by the Romanists to the various provinces and towns, commanding them to follow the example of Paris, in slaying all of the reformed religion.

At the town of Angiers, lived a man beloved for his virtue and learning, named Masson de Rivers, the pastor of the Protestant church. As soon as the king's messenger arrived in the town, he hastened towards the pastor's house, and found him in the garden. "I am come to kill thee, by the king's command," said he, showing his letter of authority. De Rivers declared his innocence of any offence; but, while he was offering a short prayer, and commending his spirit to God, he was shot through the body.

At Lyons, when the letters from the court were brought to Mandelot, the governor, he ordered, by sound of trumpet, that all Protestants should appear before him. They, without suspecting his design, obeyed the summons, when they were thrust into the city prisons. He then desired the soldiers to destroy them; but they refused to direct their arms against men bound and suppliant at their feet. The governor then hired a number of the vilest men he could find, who, with chopping-knives and butchers' axes fell on the defenceless Huguenots, and, after first mangling their limbs for sport, then put an end to their lives. It is recorded, that so great was the slaughter, that the warm blood ran from under the gates of the prisons down the streets, until it mingled with the waters of the neighbouring river. Among those slain in this place were an aged man, named Francis Collut, and his two sons. When

holding their holy lives, and the peace with which they met the most cruel deaths, were led to renounce former errors, and to inquire after the way of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Child's Companion.—J. H. C.

INGRATITUDE OF THE PROUD.

THERE neither is nor ever was, any person remarkably ungrateful, who was not also insufferably proud; nor any one proud, who was not equally ungrateful. Ingratitude overlooks all kindness; and this is because pride makes it carry its head so high. Ingratitude is too base to return a kindness, and too proud to regard it. They feed nothing, they feed nobody, they clothe nobody, yet are high and stately, and look down upon all the world about them. Friendship consists properly in mutual offices, and a generous strife in alternate acts of kindness. But he who does a kindness to an ungrateful person, sets his seal to a flint, and sows his seed upon sand; upon the former he makes no impression, and from the latter finds no production.

A DYING HINDU.

THERE was a native convert employed by the Missionaries to read the Bible to the Hindus, whose name was Yanketsswammy. At his baptism he was called Thomas Kilpin. He married a young woman from a Christian orphan school, whose name was Lucy. They lived very happily together; they had one little boy, whom they loved very much; and never did father and mother seem more delighted with their child than were Thomas and Lucy with theirs.

Thomas used to go long journeys with the Missionary, under whose charge he was placed, and assist him in reading to the people, and very highly the Missionary regarded him; but out in one of these journies, Thomas caught a violent cold. He hoped, and we all hoped, he would get better; but he became worse and worse, and in a few