on the Centurion, from which

ANSWER.-The explanation

we have derived much benefit, lies in the fact, that what is done we took the 8th chapter of by a man's own authority and Matthew, and the 7th of Luke direction, is regarded as being for our lesson, but were much done by himself. The Centurion perplexed with 5th verse of 8th did not regard himself as worthy Matthew. This evangelist tells either to go to Christ in person, us of a Centurion coming to or even to ask Christ to come to Christ, beseeching him to come him; therefore he sent messenand heal his servant; while St. gers to the Saviour, knowing Luke tells us, when the Centu- that he was quite able to cure his rion heard of Jesus, he sent servant with a word. The unto him the elder of the Jews, Saviour honoured his faith, and beseeching him that he would without either seeing the Cencome and heal his servant. turion in person, or visiting his Luke 7th, 13th. If you will be home, he healed his servant, and so kind as to explain this to us, thus granted his request. you will oblige us and a great many others.

Your obedient servants,

[Any one who sends a question to the editor, is expected to write out the whole passage of scrip

BOYS OF THE WESLEYAN RE-ture he may desire to be ex

FORM SUNDAY SCHOOL,

PLYMOUTH.

plained. Without this the question cannot be noticed.]-ED.

OUR CHILDREN'S PORTION.

CHARLES WILFUL;

OR, THE STORY OF A LITTLE BOY, WHO DID NOT VALUE THE

TRUTH, HIS AWFUL END, ETC. ETC.
(Concluded from page 106.)

"All liars shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire."-REV. xxi.

judge of his surprise when two of them were introduced to him by one of his companions: they bowed to him, which he coolly returned.

We must now bring the history of the young liar to a close. He was now of an age to be sent to the University, and Cambridge was fixed on for the comBeing now apprepletion of his studies. As the sole hensive his true character would heir of a baronet with an estate be known, he resolved to falsify of £17,000 a year, his father any reports they might circulate allowed him a liberal sum for to his prejudice, by being bepocket-money, and entertained forehand, and stigmatizing their strong hopes that now, associat- moral conduct. Accordingly, ing with young men of rank and when one of his companions fortune, he would be effectually asked him what he thought of cured of his hateful and danger- the two young gentlemen lately ous vice; but it happened that introduced to him, he, with some of his former schoolfellows assumed consequence and dignow belonged to the University.nity, replied, "I'll tell you, but For obvious reasons, he by no you must keep it a secret. Mr. means wished to be known; but Holland may now be a worthy

fired, and Wilful fell mortally wounded. In a few moments he breathed his last.

Thus terminated the career of the young liar in the blossom of manhood; and may his fate prove a lesson to you, my dear children, to prize the truth above all earthly blessings, and resolutely check in the bud the slightest propensity to falsehood

young man, but how the son of a publican could be admitted into the University, and, above all, into the society of young noblemen, is to me astonishing; and as to Mr. Lampard, he is the son of a carpenter." "How came you to know this?" "Unfortunately, both went to the same academy with me." "Be it so; they shall not disgrace our society another day;" and away-which, if indulged in, will inhe hurried. Young Wilful now flattered himself with the idea of security, and made no doubt of the rejection of these two young men, whose presence he so much dreaded.

evitably bring disgrace, infamy, and an untimely end.

My dear children, what does God say respecting liars? Take up your Bibles, open them at Proverbs vi., and you will find that, among the seven things God hates, is a lying tongue. Again, look at Prov. xii. 17-22, Acts v., and Psalm xxxiv. 7. Remember the words of Jesus, John viii. 44; Timothy i., 10, and Rev. xxi. 8, 27. Oh, my dear children, what fearful

are recorded

against liars! What an unruly member is the tongue!-James iii. Let me now conclude with hoping that all my young readers will, by the grace of God, value the truth; and may writer and reader meet together at last at God's right hand in heaven! One word more I have given this time a solemn subject; should I be spared to write you another tale, it shall be one my lively ones. Till then, farewell, my dear children.

A short time having elapsed, his companion rushed into his presence almost breathless, exclaiming-"How comes it, Sir Charles Wilful, that I am selected as the tool and vehicle of your infamous fabrications? I have been with Sir Thomas Trueworth, who introduced the denunciations two gentlemen. I asked him how he could think of introducing such characters into our company. He demanded what I meant, stating at the same time he knew their respectability. I immediately affirmed who and what they were, and defended my assertion upon your veracity and statement; on which, he called witnesses to prove their birth and rank: and now, Sir, the cause is mine; I demand satisfaction. I have been wronged and insulted. There, Sir," throwing his glove to him, "follow me, Sir, to the back of the College, and prove you have THE courage to defend and support your infamous proceedings." Wilful took up the glove; pistols were provided-the ground was measured the combatants

FRANCIS WHITE,

of

Brunswick Chapel.

FRUITS OF DISOBE-
DIENCE.

A WARNING TO SUNDAY

SCHOLARS.

LITTLE boys are very fond of sliding on the ice in the winter

season, and I cannot say that it which, by your disobedience, displeases me to see them, un- you may bring upon yourselves. less it be when they slide on the Do not suppose, when you get footpath, and thus endanger the from under the glance of their safety of others, or on the Sab-eye and from the sound of their bath-day the Sabbath-day of warning voice, that you are unrest, which God has commanded observed. The eye of God is us to keep holy. Sliding on the then fixed upon you, observing pathway, or on the Sabbath, be- your conduct; and though hand trays great thoughtlessness-I join in hand, it is declared the had almost said, great wicked- transgressor shall not go unness-and I trust you, little boy, punished. whose eye now rests upon this page, will never be guilty of such conduct.

Our

Having reached the marl pits, and persuaded themselves that they were unobserved by their teachers, two of the most daring of the company ventured upon the surface, and pronounced it safe. A third ventured, when suddenly the ice gave way, and the two first were in an instant submerged. With assistance,

one of them was with difficulty rescued; but, before sufficient help could be obtained, the other had breathed his last.

I was deeply affected some time ago, when visiting one of Sabbath-schools in the L- circuit. The frost had not been of long continuance, but sufficiently so to render the roads somewhat dangerous for travelling, and some marl pits in a field a short distance from the school were covered with ice sufficiently thick to bear the weight of a little boy upon their Dear children, how awful to surface. The conductor of the be removed into eternity under school, on the Sabbath previous, such circumstances! to be had warned the scholars against ushered into the presence of attempting to slide on the marl God whilst in the very act of pits, exposing the impropriety sinning against him! How disof doing so from their great tressing, also, to survivors! That danger, and, at the same time, little boy had a mother, and, speaking of the wickedness of when the information was consuch practices on the Sabbath-veyed to her, she wrung her day. It was hoped the warning hands and tore her hair in the would have been heeded-but the temptation to slide was too powerful for some of the boys present, and no sooner did the school close, than off they ran, in utter disregard of the admonitions of their teacher and the commands of God.

agony of her grief. Had her little boy died under ordinary circumstances, then there would have been some alleviation; but to be taken away in the act of despising instruction and disobeying the commands of Heaven,-this, for a time, seemed almost more than she could bear.

Dear children, little do you think, when you set at nought the counsels of your teachers, And think of the distress of of the pain you inflict upon their that little boy's teacher. Often feelings, and of the calamities had he sought to impress his

opening mind with the importance of religion, and in secret, I doubt not, had shed for him the silent tear and offered up the earnest prayer, and the hope, perhaps, had sometimes been indulged that he would begin to serve the Lord; but the consequences of this one act of disobedience caused him to experience all the bitterness of disappointed expectation. The object of his solicitude and his hope is cut down, and in the very act, too, of setting at nought his counsels and despising his reproofs.

When the information was conveyed to me by the superintendent, my heart was deeply affected, and, having to lecture the school, I took occasion to refer to the mournful circumstances of the previous Sabbath, and warned them of the consequences of disobedience.

his

blessed to the soul of little John, that he was converted to God" while very young; and having a remarkable gift in prayer, mother wished him to pray in the family. His father, overhearing him engaged in this exercise, was so struck with remorse and shame at finding his child, then not above eleven or twelve years of age, performing that duty in his house which he had neglected himself, that it brought on a deep conviction of his wretched state, and proved, through the Divine blessing, the means his conversion.

THE PRAYERFUL BOY.

A BOY about fourteen years of age, who had learned, at one of the schools belonging to the Gælic Society, the value of his own soul, was deeply impressed with the importance of family Ireligion. As none of the family could read but himself, he intimated his intention of estab

Little reader, you occasionally slide in the winter season. do not condemn you for it, the day and the place being proper. But resist the temptation when to do so would be to act in opposition to the admonitions of your teachers, and to the commands of God, Halifax.

J. H.

FAMILY PRAYER ESTAB

LISHED BY A CHILD.

THE Rev. John Bailey, an emi

lishing family worship. No answer was made, no opposition started, and as little encouragement given. Still he made the attempt. He read the Scriptures, and prayed for himself, and for all present. The rest of the family looked on. Alone he continued to worship God in this manner for some time, the others being merely spectators; but at length one after another sunk down on their knees beside him. united in the hallowed exercise: until the whole domestic circle

nent divine of the 17th century, was so honoured of God as to be made the instrument of the conversion of his own father, while he was yet a child. His mother the grey-headed father kneeling was a very pious woman, but his down beside his child, and joinfather was a wicked man. The ing in his artless aspirations to God the Father of all.

good instructions and frequent prayers of the former were so