every instance the words are associated with all-important truth, with things that it deeply concerns us to know and have, which the soul must possess to be saved. “If any man have an ear, let him hear ! ”

THE FALSE GROSCHEN.

FOR THE YOUNG. SCHOOL was over and vacation at him. He would not squander his hand. Little Constant, on his way money on delicacies, but his sisters home, went springing over the should be happy with him; and market-place and along the street, thinking of their agreeable surprise his feet scarcely touching the earth; when he should present the hoops, and the green case which hung he at once started out to look for from his shoulder, containing his them. slate and pencil and leather map, In the street he met his brother danced and bounded with him, as if Fritz, and told his plans, requesting they shared their little master's joy him at the same time to keep them at the release from study through secret. But there is a great differthe warm summer days, and sym-ence between a design and its exepathised with the pleasure he felt in cution, and this Constant was soon the approbation of his teachers. to experience.

At home, too, there was great His way lay before a booth, upon rejoicing over the good reports he which all kinds of cake and fruit brought. Mamma stroked her were exposed for sale, and here he darling's fresh, rosy cheek, and paused. He could look at the fine, praised his application, while papa great apples, he thought, the rosytook out his brown pocket-book and cheeked pears, and the oranges, produced five silver groschens, yellow and round as the full moon, bidding Constant buy what he though he did not intend to buy pleased with them.

any. Now he was almost too happy- So he allowed himself the pleafive whole silver groschens! The sure of a survey, and stood with little boy had never possessed so great bravery admiring the tempting much money. His riches quite fruit. He was turning slowly away, overpowered him, and it was a hard when, alas ! the master of the booth matter to decide what he wished placed a dish of delicious, freshlyfor. He had long desired a ball, baked cakes directly before our but then it was glorious to peel the Constant's little nose! golden oranges and eat the juicy It was too much; who could fruit-he had not eaten an orange withstand this ? He stepped inside, since he recovered from the measles; and soon one, two, three were conand apples and pancakes were both sumed, and instead of five silver very good. In fact, there was a groschens he had only four in his multitude of fine things in the world hand. which he could have for his gro! Now a weight fell upon his heart; schens.

his sisters could not have the wishedConstant thought, and thought, for hoops, nor he the pleasure of and could come to no conclusion, presenting them. until he suddenly remembered that What should he do? he was his sisters had often wished for ashamed of himself; and what could hoops to play with. This decided / he get for the remaining money? The little fellow was very much people were pretending they had troubled to decide.

received bad money from him, he Brother Karl had, indeed, spoken said—and Constant was again overof a new game which was very good, whelmed with dismay. and the merchant at the corner - You have nothing to grieve might have it.

over," whispered William, drawing Away he went at the thought, him away." Be quiet; I will tell and to his joy found that the play. you how to contrive. Come with thing cost just four groschens. me,” he added, when they were at

Pouring the money into the a safe distance from the booth. merchant's hand, he seized his - There is a merchant at the mar. purchase and turned toward the ket-place who has toys to sell, and door, but the man stopped him. notwithstanding the great spectacles

"This groschen is good for no- he wears, he sees so badly that he thing, my child,” he said ; "it is will take your groschen for a good false, I cannot use it. Go home one, and you can buy the game." and bring another, and till then, “But that would not be right," lay the plaything here."

objected Constant, walking disconConstant was quite overcome by solately along. this information. He returned the William burst into a merry game and went quietly out, but in laugh. the street stood still in amazement, “Not right!” he exclaimed. and stared at the money, turning “ You are a simpleton. Did you over and over in his hand the false not take the groschen, and does the piece, which seemed to him like an man care who gave it to you? apparition.

What others do, you may; you Now he had but three good gros- have a right to preserve yourself, chens, and this would not buy the and it will save you a great deal of game. The little boy was so dis- trouble.” tressed that he almost burst into The little boy was silenced by tears upon the spot.

this view of the case, and, though "If I had only some one with not convinced of the truth of his whom to share my troubles," he companion's words, ventured to say thought, and glanced about ques- no more ; he withstood the inward tioningly, but saw only strangers, voice which warned him to flee from who passed him without sympathy. this temptation, and followed Wil.

At last, however, his eye fell upon liam to the stall of the merchant a boy who, though himself un- with the great spectacles, asking in noticed, had been watching Con- a faint voice for the game he desired. stant for some time; and he stepped His hand trembled also as he ex. quickly to his side, forgetting that tended it with the silver, and it his mamma had strictly forbidden seemed to him that he must surely any intercourse with William, as be discovered. But no; the man the other was called.

threw the four groschens carelessly "You should go directly back to into the till with his other money, the booth from which the groschen and the danger was over. came,” said William, when he had Yet the little delinquent felt badly; heard the difficulty; and this advice a weight lay upon his mind, and was so sensible that Constant won-his breath came quickly as he redered he had not thought of it him- turned through the well-known self.

streets. He followed it instantly: but the At home the delight of his sisters man would not hear him-so many in their new toy, and the pleasure

of his mother, who praised his unfinished his story. “Now the dear selfishness with a kind smile, felt God is no longer good to me, and like needle-pricks in his heart. you will not love me more; now

Yet, when the new game was have I no one in heaven or on earth fairly tried, and their mother had to love me.” given them a whole cornucopia “No, my child," answered his of ginger-nuts for their lunch, he was mother, “ you cannot lose so lightly carried away by the gaiety, forgot the love of God and of your mother, what he had experienced, and, ro- Because God loves you so much, it joicing with the others, was soon grieves Him that you have departed the wildest among them.

from the right way.” At last bedtime came; the chil- “Tell me, then, what I can do to dren had finished playing, and the repair my fault,” cried Constant, ginger-cakes were all eaten. They but the mother shook her head. went to their rooms, where Fritz, " Think, my child,” she said ; Karl, and Albert were soon fast“ but first let us pray.” asleep.

| When the prayer was over ConNot so Constant. Why was it stant said : that he could not find the right “Now I know, dear mamma. I position; that the pillows, stuffed will go to-morrow to the merchant, with softest feathers, oppressed 'tell him what I did, and beg his him, and sleep would not come ? pardon.”

And why was it that he could not The mother smiled assent, pleased pray? Many times he began his with his answer, and at last he fell prayer, but could not go on. It asleep. seemed to him that the good God The following day, remembering would not hear him when he had his resolution, Constant went again wandered so far astray.

to the market-place, and told his Some hours after, when his fault to the merchant, with many mother, before going herself to rest, tears. The man listened in silence entered the room to entreat a bles- to the end, and then said, kindly : sing on her children's heads, she, “It is brave, my child, thus to found Constant still awake and dis- accuse yourself. The loss of this solved in tears.

groschen has not made me poor, “Oh, am I not wicked, my dear, and no doubt the impression upon dear mamma?” he cried, as he saw your mind will never be effaced. I her come in.

hope it will be a warning, and that “What ails you, my child ?" and you will never again be tempted to the mother bent over him, while commit an act of dishonesty." Constant threw his arms around And so it was. When, in the her neck with great fervour, and on future, temptations came to Conher true heart laid the burden of stant, he remembered the false his grief. Plentiful tears flew also groschen, and that gave him to her eyes as she listened, for the strength to withstand. And he sin of her child was a deep sorrow. never again spent a night like the

“Ah!" lamented Constant, as he one I have described.

“ SOME GREAT THING.”

MANY Christian people are as willing to do “some great thing,” as was Naaman, when he went away enraged at the thought of curing his leprosy by washing in the river Jordan. They often imagine that their success depends largely upon great attempts, favourable opportunities, and wide fields of labour.

Such should remember that a large proportion of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ appears to have been done in personal, private conversation. It was in a quiet evening talk with Nicodemus that the great truth of being born again, and the glad tidings of God's love to a lost world, were so clearly stated that age after age has echoed with the wondrous words which Jesus spake. It was to one woman, who approached Him as He såt faint and weary by Jacob's well, that He spoke of that well of water that springeth up to everlasting life, and enunciated the grand truth that not merely in Jerusalem and Samaria, but in every place where there were spiritual worshippers, there could be acceptable worship offered to God. That wonderful “sermon on the mount” was not preached to the promiscuous throng ; but “ seeing the multitudes he went up into a mountain, and when he was set his disciples came unto Him, and He opened His mouth and taught them.” Our Lord's great prophecy of the course of the age and its mighty consummation in His coming to judgment, was not delivered to a thousand gazing and wondering listeners, but with only a few of His most intimate disciples He “ sat down upon the Mount of Olives" and answered their earnest question—" When shall these things be, and wbat shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the age ? " His most wonderful discourse, followed by tbat prayer which seemed the beginning of the intercession which He still continues before the throne of the Majesty on high (John xiii.—xvii.), was uttered, not in the corners of the streets, nor in the precincts of the temple, but in the upper chamber where only His chosen disciples were assembled. More private still were His atterances when walking on the way to Emmaus with only two disciples, “ Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself," and kindled in their burning hearts a flame of faith and love which never could be extinguished. It was on the shore of the sea of Galilee, with only His disciples around Him, that Jesus pressed upon Peter that important question : “ Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?"

Thus our Saviour dealt with men personally, singly, individually, or in little companies, where He could speak without reserve, and answer every question that might be raised ; and those words that were spoken in secret have been proclaimed on the housetop; words which He whispered in the ear have been told through all the lands and all the ages.

Perhaps while we are thinking of doing “ some great thing” we are neglecting many little thinge. We are not without opportunities, if we are content to labour in a narrow and lowly sphere; and a word in season, spoken to a few weary souls, which proves effectual to their salvation, is better than any conceivable amount of elegant talk poured upon the ears of listening thousands, who hear, and depart, and forget it all. Let us each in our little sphere do our little work ; let us strive to bring men and women to personal consideration of the things of God; let us press upon their minds, kindly and earnestly, the thoughts of human need and human responsibility, and point out to them Christ as the Saviour of the lost, the helper of the weak, the Redeemer and deliverer of all who trust in Him. Nothing is little which glorifies the great God!

CROOKED STICKS.

In glancing lately at the contents made to subserve the most important of one of the “ Country Parson's” purposes, the most unlikely instruvery entertaining volumes, we dis-ments perform the noblest work. covered a chapter concerning “ God hath chosen the foolish things “Screws.” Attracted by the of the world to confound the wise, oddity of the title, we perused and God hath chosen the weak the chapter, and ascertained that things of the world to confound the the “screw" was not one of the things which are mighty; and base mechanical powers, as we had things of the world, and things learned in boyhood to believe, but, which are despised,hath God chosen, according to the Parson's tech- yea, and things which are not, to nology, a horse, unsound in body bring to nought things that are.'”. or limb, used up by the vicious This train of thought naturally habits of his various masters, or led us to consider the character objectionable on account of vicious and uses of what are popularly habits of his own.

denominated "crooked sticks," — The writer showed, however, that who, fortunately or unfortunately, the great bulk of the horse-work of abound in all our churches. We the world was done by just such are prompted to give expression to animals, and that they were, there our reflections on the subject, by fore, not to be despised. Passing the settled conviction that the memfrom horses to men, our author bers of the class referred to are not proceeded to demonstrate that the ordinarily treated with as much fragreat majority of the race were ternal forbearance as they are “screws,' every man having his fairly entitled to receive. own peculiar weakness, and all For our own part, the longer we men maimed, to some extent, in live, the more kindly we judge, body, mind, or morals. " Yet," and the more tenderly we handle, said he," there is a place for “ crooked sticks." Our readers them, and work for them, may think it attributable to a and hope; for in the general “ fellow feeling," but we think it economy of God's government, the owing to juster views of the most unpromising materials are characters in question. There was