to do is to follow closely the footsteps of their Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and listen to His voice. He will lead them safely, and bring them even through the last dark valley, and will suffer no harm to happen to them. If, instead of this, they listen to the advice and copy the example of companions as ignorant and weak as themselves, they will be sure to go wrong, and to be brought into difficulties, out of which they cannot be recovered unless their gracious Shepherd kindly come after them, and help them. If you would be safe in this world, and happy in the next, obey the gentle voice of your Saviour, when He says, "Learn of Me." THE EMPTY CASK. H. Now I have something more to tell you about our excursion. Soon we all have passed out of the dusty road, and are scattered on the green hill-side,—playing in groups, or trying who shall be first at the top of the hill; for it is there we are to take tea. Our Ministers are with us, and their voices soon call general attention: we gather round them, and listen to a kind and instructive, though brief, address from each of them, and then again disperse to amuse ourselves. They had used as a pulpit, or stand, in speaking, an empty cask, in which provisions had been brought up; and the cask is left standing near the brow of the hill. Soon it strikes the notice of some mischief-loving urchins, who say one to another, "What fun it would be to set it to roll down the hill! Shall we do it?" In an instant the cask is on its side: a very slight kick sets it off, and down it rolls, slowly enough at first; but it gathers force and speed as it rolls, and dashes impetuously downward. Those who are in its course get out of the way as fast as they can; but, ah! there are two boys who don't see it. It knocks them down, passes over them, and, still heedless and unconscious, rushes on with still increasing force, just missing a man, who was very near being thrown down by it. At length a fence at the bottom checks its headlong course : it bounds over, and is shivered to pieces. The two boys are badly hurt, and are carried into a neighbouring house: there is some fear that one of them has had some limb broken. No doubt the boys, whose love of fun had caused so much mischief, were very sorry when they saw their companions hurt; but they were thoughtless, and had no idea that the downward tendency was so strong. Suppose, now, they had wished to get the cask to the top of the hill: do you think a single push would have sufficed, and that it would then have rolled right up? Of course, it would not. They must have kept their hands and their strength to it at every step, and persevered upward, or their labour would have been in vain. There is something else I can tell you of, which has a downward tendency; and that is, our fallen human nature. When God made man, He made him upright; but ever since the "fall," he has been prone to do evil. Error and sin may appear small in their commencement; but who shall stop us if we once take this wrong course. Evil habits, once allowed, grow stronger and stronger. Sin, though it becomes blacker and more dreadful, hurries us along with greater violence. Having given way in one thing, who shall stop us? We may now turn, and live. God will help us, if we seek His aid; but, as in the case of the cask, every step upward is to be attained by diligence and care. If we think to be still, and give ourselves no trouble in the matter, we shall find we have made a fatal mistake. Empty-minded and foolish persons are most easily made the sport of wicked and designing men: therefore let us get wisdom, and especially that true wisdom which comes from above. We are fallen, and almost every influence around us is waiting to set us in motion downwards. Evil examples, evil communications, evil tempers; all these are to be resisted. The longer we continue in the wrong course, the more difficult will it be for us to turn. And, alas! should the fatal course be run, and the sinning soul overleap the fence of death, it will be lost for ever. Let us then "watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation." SNOW. IN flakes of feathery white, It is falling so gently and slow; The fall of the feathery snow! H. The earth is all cover'd to-day With a mantle of radiant show; The sparkling and glistening snow! How spotless it seems, and how pure! It might shine far more bright than the snow. Were my heart but as pure and as bright as the STORIES OF SCRIPTURE WATERS. THE NILE. "EVERY son that is born, ye shall cast into the river." Such, dear children, was the cruel command of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, concerning the children of the poor oppressed Israelites, whom he held in bondage as slaves, and compelled to build his cities and storehouses. The river into which the children were to be cast was the Nile, which flowed through Pharaoh's dominions, one of the most celebrated streams in the world. It has its rise among the mountains of Nubia, (formerly called Ethiopia,) uniting in its course with "the blue river," which rises in Abyssinia, After this con fluence, the Nile pursues its way through Nubia and Upper Egypt, until it approaches Cairo, the chief city in Egypt, when it branches into two arms enclosing a rich and extensive plain called "the Delta;" and finally falls into the Mediterranean Sea. As it seldom rains in Egypt, the land would indeed be a desert, were it not for the annual overflowing of the Nile. The floods are caused by heavy rains in Abyssinia and Nubia. The river begins to rise in the middle of June, and overflows its banks in August; covering the whole surrounding country with water, to a considerable depth. In the beginning of October, the waters gradually subside, leaving behind them a very rich warp, or soil, which, aided by the warmth of the climate, renders Egypt one of the most fruitful countries in the world. When the murderous command of the wicked King was made known, the poor Israelites were in great trouble and perplexity. Perhaps, some of them were compelled to destroy their children; for the King's law was very strict: but some were resolved to brave every danger rather than give up their little ones to death. The Scriptures relate the deliverance of one little boy from destruction, who lived to become a great and good man. He was an exceedingly beautiful child, from his birth; and this was an additional reason why his parents resolved to save him. They were parents who feared God, more than Pharaoh; and they believed that He in whom they trusted would preserve their babe from danger. For the first three months of his life, there |