ROB'S MAGIC MIRROR.

FOR THE YOUNG. ROB waked up cross on Monday poor Rob. He failed in one lesson morning, crosser than usual. The and blundered in another, was first thing he said was: “Dear me; beaten at marbles, struck the boy I wish that old bell wouldn't ring. who won, and was reprimanded by I don't want to get up." Neverthe- the teacher. He came home in loss, he got up and dressed, pouting bad humour, but was surprised and all the while.

mollified to find lying by his plato Breakfast was on the table, and a pretty pocket-case containing father and mother were taking their comb, brush, and a dear little lookseats when Rob came in. But Rob ing-glass. “Oh, thank you !” cried did not even say “Good-morning,” Rob, smiling up at his father. “I've in answer to his mother, but only wanted one this long time." this instead: “There now, mother; “Don't lose it," replied his father; you said you would have some tea- “ Rob, that is a sort of magic glass cakes !"

such as you read of in Arabian "They are coming, Robbie ; Jane Nights." is toasting them now," said his Rob looked doubtfully, first at mother ; " wait a minute.”

the glass, then at his father, and “Yes, 'wait,'" he grumbled, “ I asked, “ But what will it do? always have to wait. I want my “Oh, never mind, you'll find out. breakfast.”

| All you have to do is to be sure to “Robert !" said his father, warn- I look into it whenever anything goes ingly. When father said “Robert!"wrong." it was best to be careful; and as the Rob ran back to school, his gift cakes were just then brought, safe in his pocket, and his mind so Robert contented himself with full of curiosity about it that he looking sulky while he ate them. almost wished something would go By-and-by he broke out again : wrong, to give him a chance to "Father, can't I have a new ball?" make trial of its powers. He had

“Another ball? Where is the not long to wait. Proud of his new last one you had ?”

| possession, he made haste to dis“Oh, I lost that last week!” I play it to the other boys. In spite "Then I think it will not pay to of his rather boastful air, the boys buy another for you to lose.” were all admiring the neat case and

“Oh,father, I should think I might the pretty toilet articles, when Ben have one! All the boys do but me.” Barlow came up. Ben was a rough,

“No, Rob,” returned his father; coarse lad, who took pride in “not till you can be more careful “ taking down” his corapanions. and more- "Pleasant,” he was No sooner had he seen the toiletgoing to say, but Rob snapped out: case than he exclaimed, “Pooh!

“I don't care; you never let me that's nothing great,” and with a do anything!” and marched out of quick movement tossed it into the the room.

muddy street. “What shall we do with the “For shame, Ben Barlow!” cried boy ? " sighed his mother.

half a dozen voices, as Rob, white "He is growing crosser every with anger, ran to pick up the case. day. He needs a lesson," said his It was covered with mud, and,

scratched by a rough stone, pretty School went ill that morning with and new no longer,

father.

“You coward!” muttered Rob, " things going wrong," do you? shaking his fist at his tormenter, Do you suppose that the magic “I'll—I'll " But words failed, was beginning to work? Do you and Rob was not ready for deeds. In suppose he felt anxious to see his stead, he began to examine his case, own expression at that minute ? drawing out one by one the brush, Whatever the reason was, Rob did comb, and glass, to see if each was pull out the glass and take a good safe. As his eye fell on the last his look. Then he put it back and went father's words came to mind, and into the house. In a minute more Rob eagerly scrutinised the shining out he came with the butter-pail in surface with vague anticipation. hand, and marched over to the shop. Nothing remarkable happened, how- “ What is there about that glass ? ” ever; but while Rob gazed he he thought as he went along. “I noticed the disagreeable scowl on don't see anything ever but just my the face he saw reflected. It was own face, same's I should in any not a pleasant sight, and it changed looking-glass. Don't see that's any the currentof his thought. “Whew! magic. 'Tisn't very handsome. I didn't know I looked like that,” Wonder if I do look like that much he whistled under his breath. of the time. Wonder if I shouldn't

Just then the school-bell rang, look better if I kept pleasant." and the boys hurried to their seats. Once admitted, that last thought Once again that afternoon Rob stole was not to be easily banished. It a glance at his magic mirror. He took firm hold of Rob, and resulted failed in his spelling lesson, and in a stout resolve that he would had gone down two places. Now keep pleasant henceforward. Poor things were going wrong, if ever, boy! when any one has a habit of and he quickly drew out the glass, being cross, that resolve is not so but with no better result than be easily kept. He fell into the habit fore. “H'm!" pondered Rob, “I of peeping into his glass on all ocdon't see what father meant.” At casions-not now to look for magi. the tea-table he asked for explana- cal results ; he had forgotten all tions, but his fatker only said with about that, but to see if he looked a knowing smile, “You follow any better. Of course, it was not directions, Rob, and you'll see long before the boys noticed this, before long what the magic is.” So and began to laugh at him; and Rob went to bed more curious than then, of course, poor Rob was ever.

furious, and forgot his good resolve. Next morning everything went so day after day went by. Rob smoothly till about half past eight, thought he had never passed so unwhen, as Rob was counting his best happy a week. By Saturday night marbles, he heard his mother's he was utterly discouraged. He had voice calling, “Robbie, where are been very cross that day, and he you? I want you to run to the cried himself to sleep. Sunday shop for some butter.”

morning he told the whole story to "Oh, mother!” Rob called back, his mother, with many chokings "I can't: I shall be late."

and a stray tear-drop or two, in “Not if you hurry. Come, spite of Rob's efforts at self-control. quick.”

"And there never were so many "I shan't!" muttered Rob, with things to vex me," he added, “as emphasis. Now what do you sup- since I tried to be pleasant; andpose put it into Rob's head to pull on dear! it isn't one bit of use." out his glass just then? You don't, “Robbie,” said his mother, suppose he called that a case of “ once there was a man in a boat

floating down a river. He did not). . . Here is a great advantage have to work at all. But after a which a Christian has over others. while he took up his oars to row Others try to cover up their sins, back. He tugged and tugged, but or pretend to think them not of still the current drifted him along. much consequence; but a Christian • Why,' said the man, the current knows he may bring them all to was not half so strong before I Jesus, for Jesus has borne them all. began to row !'"

He may confess to Jesus what "How foolish!” said Rob. “It others dare not own to themselves, was just as strong, only he didn't and in Jesus' presence he dares face feel it when he was floating the himself.” same way.”

| “That's what I want,” thought “Yes," said his mother; then she Rob, with a glad bound of heart. stopped.

“I'm willing, I know I'm willing, "But why?" began Rob. “Oh to have Jesus do it all.” So the yes, I see! You mean things were great load was lifted. just as bad before I tried, only Il Not many days after came Rob's didn't notice. But that doesn't birthday, such a happy one! His make it any easier - does it, presents delighted him. From his mother? And I can't be good; mother there was an illuminated it's no use at all," wailed poor Rob. text, “My grace is sufficient for

“No, my darling; you can't-all thee;" from his father, the muchalone,” she answered; and there desired ball and a little Bible. On the conversation dropped, for Rob's the fly-leaf of the latter were Rob's father called that it was time for name, the date, and below, this text: church. It would be useless to “ But we all, with open face betell Rob that the sermon he heard holding as in a glass the glory of was not made for him. He knew the Lord, are changed into the it was, though how his minister same image from glory to glory, found out about him he could not even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” guess. And I think he was right. (2 Cor. iii. 18.) To be sure, the minister did not “Oh, father!” cried Rob, with know about Rob, but God knew-sparkling eyes, “now I know what and He sent the message, did't He ? you meant by saying there was A part of what Rob took home was magic in my little glass. But I this: “ Some of you are trying to don't think it is a bit like the do the work yourselves. You are Arabian Nights." asking, What shall I do?' and you “No matter," said his father, think that you are to make your smiling; “ your face already shows selves better before you can come the magical effect." to Jesus. But Christ's work is fin- “I hope it will go on till I am ished. You cannot add to it. All changed into the same image."" He wants of you is to take it, and Rob whispered very low. own that it is His work, not yours.

CLEANING UP AND KEEPING CLEAN. A CERTAIN old grandmother who was somewhat noted for the “ words of wisdom” which used to fall from her lips, would sometimes remark that " any fool could clean up a house, but it required a very good housekeeper to keep a house clean.”

The force of the remark will be obvious to any one who is conversaut with that endless round of duty— " woman's work "_which“ is never done.” The same principle is capable of other applications. It is not always difficult to get wrongs righted, but to keep things right demands more care and labour than most people are willing to bestow. The great art of housekeeping consists not in the hurlyburly of traditional and periodic house-cleaning, but rather in a constant and careful attention to all details and the prompt performance of all necessary duties, which, if faithfully accomplished, obviate the necessity for much of this periodic and spasmodic en. deavour.

There are individuals who in their own personal religious life exemplify the idea of getting clean rather than keeping so. Instead of living lives of careful, watchful, prayerful fidelity to God, they follow paths of worldliness, and seem far too careless of moral considerations, until at length they find themselves involved in darkness, sid, and condemnation. At length, and none too soon, their cpportunity arrives : the coming of a stranger, the inauguration of special services, or the labour of some new evangelist, offers them a chance for cleaning up, and they enter with zeal upon the work. The new broom sweeps clean; and for a few weeks they may be pointed out as patterns of piety and propriety, and remarkable illustrations of the power of saving grace. Unfortunately they find it easier to clean up than to keep clean, and six weeks or six months later they resume their accustomed course of worldliness, and return to their old ways, continuing to be a reproach to the gospel which they profess, and to the Lord whose name they have pamed, until some new excitement comes, and the process of cleaning up is repeated.

Quite similar to this is the course of many churches, notably such as are ruled by men who cannot rule their own houses well, and who, consequently, are liable to meet with difficulties in taking care of the Church of God. In such cases the house-cleaning is periodic, while the need of it is chronic. In some places a church-meeting is scarcely ever held except it be to raise money or settle quarrels. The family spirit is almost entirely lacking, and, instead of a “household of faith" where love and unity and fellowship prevail, we have a sort of religious boarding house, where people stay and endure and grumble as long as they can, and finally give the managers “ a piece of their mind," and leave, or perbaps withdraw quietly, and allow them to continue their mismanagement to their heart's content.

If churches would devote their attention to keeping things right instead of putting them to rights, we are confident that they would secure much more desirable results than they do by the mode of procedure to which we have referred. The apostle's exhortation to bis brethren is on this wise: “ Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” And it is in this diligent, quiet looking and watching, this nipping of evil in the bud, and settling troubles before

they gain headway, that we find the secret of the quiet prosperity of those churches which pass their years in peaceful diligence, and show in the end results of labour far more substantial than those which attend a course of chronic carelessness and occasional cleaning up. There is no substitute for watchfulness in the care of the Church of Christ. Hence it is required of office-bearers in the Church that they be sober and vigilant. They are described as persons who " watoh for souls, that they may give account with joy and not with grief.” And the admonition of the apostle to his son in the gospel applies to all who do the work of an evangelist, or who labour in any department of the gospel field: “Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, make full proof of thy ministry.” With more watchfulness in the Church, we may expect fewer difficulties, less occasion for discipline, and more permanent fruits resulting from the labours put forth to save the lost.

DAY BY DAY.
IF I were told that I must die to-morrow,

That the next sun
Which sinks should bear me past all fear and sorrow

For any one-
All the fight fought, and all the short journey through,

What should I do?
I do not think that I should shrink or falter,

But just go on,
Doing my work, nor change nor seek to alter

Aught that is gone;
But rise, and move, and love, and smile, and pray

For one more day.
And lying down, at night, for a last sleeping,

Say in that ear
Which bearkens ever, “ Lord, within Thy keeping,

How should I fear ?
And when to-morrow brings Thee nearer still,

Do Thou Thy will."
I might not sleep for awe; but peaceful, tender,

My soul would lie
All night long; and when the morning splendour

Flashed o'er the sky,
I think that I could smile-could calmly say,

" It is His day.”

NEWS OF THE CHURCHES. THE chapel at Dalston Junction, Stratford, London, for the ministry London, under the care of the Rev. of the Rev. G. Towner.-A new W. H. Burton, has been re-opened chapel has been opened at Little after enlargement.-A new chapel Coxwell, Berks. — The chapel at has been opened at West Ham, | Brompton (Onslow chapel), under