or chapel because you do not go there, for which I am very sorry, as you thereby lose much happiness. Doubtless you desire to be happy, I therefore shall in this sermon try to show you how you may obtain so great a blessing.

If you will open your Bible at the 119th Psalm and read the first two verses, you will see who David thought were the happiest people. He was one who had seen many ups and downs in life; he had once been a poor shepherd boy, was envied by his brothers, and hated by Saul, who sent men after him to kill him if they could. He had been obliged to fly for his life, and hide himself in dark caves and wild woods, where he had nothing to eat, and was often very hungry like some of you; but during all his trials he was happy in loving and obeying God; and the beautiful Psalms he wrote, so full of joy and gratitude, prove this, and also his history, as we read it in the first and second books of Samuel. He was beloved of God, and was called the man after God's own heart. Now just contrast him with Saul, a man who never was happy, and why? because he was a bad man, and did not love or obey God. Just think of his miserable death, which you may read in 1 Samuel, chap. xxxi., and it will make you tremble ever to break God's Word.

Think again of Adam and Eve-how happy were they in the garden of Eden while they loved and obeyed God; everything smiling around them-fields, flowers, beautiful birds,

and gentle animals, all for their enjoyment; sweet sounds and rich fruits, all to make them happy. But, as soon as they broke God's Word, and did what God commanded them not to do, how wretched they at once became. They were immediately afraid of everything; the very animals began to growl at them, the winds to howl, the thunders to roll, and the lightning to play round them. Wretched and miserable, they are driven from the lovely garden, and sent to wander over the wide desert earth, friendless and alone, and all because they disobeyed God.

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Think again of Daniel, happy even in a den of lions, because he obeyed God and served Him amidst heathens who served idols. He would not bow down to a king even to save his life and mark how God blessed him, and sent an angel to shut the lions' mouths, as you may read in the sixth chapter of Daniel. As you read the chapter, notice how miserable the king was even in his fine palace, while Daniel was happy even in the den of lions, and ask yourself how was this.

Think again of Jonah, fleeing from God instead of obeying Him, and the misery he got by his foolish conduct. But for God's mercy he would have perished, and perished in his sins. Compare him and St. Paul, who amid perils by sea and perils by land, was always rejoicing. Why? because he delighted to do God's will. I could give you many more

examples from Scripture, but these, perhaps, are enough for one sermon.

If you will look them carefully over, and read the parts of the Bible I have told you of, I think you will see how you may get true happiness; not happiness some are contented with, that of mere eating and drinking, idle play or sinful pleasure, but that heartfelt happiness, that consists in obeying and loving the God who made both you and me, and in mercy preserves us from day to day, and in great loving-kindness has sent His blessed Son into this our world, that "whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

May you believe in Him, my dear young friends, and find peace and joy in so doing, amidst all the chances and changes of this mortal life! So good-bye, till next month. Your affectionate Friend, H. S.

POISON FANGS OF SERPENTS.

In the early number of last year's volume we gave a few particulars of the serpents, and said they will bite, sting, cause great pain, and even death." Since we wrote that sentence this fact has been fearfully verified in the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park.

On Wednesday, October 20th, 1852, one of the keepers was feeding the serpents, and most unwisely laid hold of one called a Cobra, and

held it towards his face as though he was looking at its mouth, when it sprang forward and bit the man's nose. The keeper instantly screamed, and the other keepers came to his help. The serpent merely pushed his teeth or fangs through the skin of the nose and instantly let go, and was put back into its cage. The effects will show how deadly was this bite.

The face instantly began to swell, and immediate blindness followed. The man was at once put into a cab, and with all haste taken to the hospital. His head by this time was swelled very much. The doctors lost no time in doing all they could for the poor man, but it was no use, for he died when he had been

in the hospital one hour and five minutes. The poor man's agony was extreme.

The Cobra serpent which did all this mischief is a small one of its kind, about three feet long. Some are eight feet in length. It has two large poisonous teeth or fangs hanging out of the upper jaw. It has a broad neck, a dark brown mark on the forehead, and its eyes are fierce and full of malice. The skin is whitish and the neck covered with oblong smooth scales; and near the head is a kind of hood. It is therefore sometimes called the HOODED SERPENT.

It has several teeth, which are only used to hold fast its prey till it is dead, and then swallows it whole. Two of these teeth which you will clearly see in the picture, are called fangs, and are very peculiar in their formation. There is one on each side of the fore part of the upper jaw; they are hollow, and their roots rest on a kind of bag which contains the poison. The moment these fangs are buried in the flesh of the prey, a portion of the fluid in the bag rushes through the fangs and is lodged in the wound; it then rapidly mixes with the blood of the bitten creature, and when the poisoned blood reaches the heart it dies.

The poison juice is said to be yellow, thick, and tasteless, and that it will do no harm unless it gets into the blood through a wound; so that a wound may be sucked, and the poison taken into the mouth, and if spat out will do no harm to the person sucking, and may save