been dispersed by the bright sunbeams of liberty, -but still much remains to be done. Error even now sits enshrined in splendour-while truth calls aloud for valiant defenders. Then let us emulate those departed worthies, and determine, as they fought bravely, so will we. May we possess, as did they such industry and perseverance indomitable resolution - invincible energy-and untiring devotedness in upholding and propagating the cause of truth-battling against all wrong, and preserving pure and unsullied, those "glorious institutions" for which they bled, and groaned, and died.

The

That was a noble answer of Leonidas, the Spartan king, when defending the pass of Thermopylæ, against the whole of the Persian army. Xerxes, indignant that a mere handful of men should dare to oppose the march of his splendid forces, sent a messenger demanding of the Spartans to lay down their arms. messenger on being told that the Spartans had determined to defend the pass, replied, "The darts of the Persians will fall so fast and thick that they will darken the sun.' "Then," said Leonidas, "go tell your master we will fight in the shade." And they did fight with such a dauntless bravery as to give to Thermopyla a lasting interest, and to Leonidas and his heroic companions an undying fame.

May the same heroic spirit as characterized the defenders of the pass of Thermopyla, be displayed by us in the fighting of the Life Battle. For it wants no battle field with its

bannered displays, martial strains, bugle sounds, and trumpet blasts, to develope true bravery. Be ye noble warriors, all of you. The conflict may be often severe-the struggle desperate-but let your motto ever be-No Surrender!

"Ever constant-ever true

Let the word be-No Surrender!
This shall bring us safely through,
No Surrender! No Surrender!"

LOST FOR WANT OF A WORD.

SOLOMON, the wise king, said, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue," and that divine utterance experience compels us to endorse. Believing that, constrains me to advocate the momentousness of keeping vigilant watch over the lips, knowing that" a wholesome tongue is a tree of life."

We ought to write this truth deeply on the table of our memories,-" Pleasant words are as an honeycomb; sweet to the soul and health to the bones." Then, oh, what a happy, healthy world we should have, if every one would use kind words! This terse truth should also be as deeply engraven,- "The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips." In order then to have a wholesome tongue, to speak sweet words, we must get a pure heart. While

the heart remains wrong, the tongue will never be kept right.

"The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity:-It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison -therewith we bless God, even the Father, and therewith we curse men, which are made after the similitude of God;-out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.—My brethren, these things ought not so to be."

But thus will it ever be till the heart-the instigator, master, and mover of the tongue-is renewed in righteousness. This is very aptly illustrated in the following colloquial lines:

One Mr. Tongue,

Of much renown,
Who lived at large
In Tattle Town.

Was mischief full,
And wicked too,
As all could tell,
If Tongue they knew.
The statute brought
The charge was plain,
That tongue was full
Of deadly bane.*
Tongue then was seized,
And brought to Court,
Pleading himself

The impending suit.
""Tis neighbour heart,"
Pled Mr. Tongue,
"Who leads me into
So much wrong :†

*Jas. iii. 9,

I should be good
As neighbours are;
As Mr. Nose,

Or Eye, or Ear,
"If neighbour Heart,
Who lives below,
Were changed by grace,
Or made anew!

'Tis very hard

To bear the wrong
Of neighbour Heart,"
Said Mr. Tongue.

The plea was sound,

Of Mr. Tongue;
Jurors and judge

Said, all as one,
"While neighbour Heart
Is also wrong,
"No good," they said,
"Can come from Tongue,

+ Matt. xv. 19,

"The Court decide,
As the the best good

To renovate

The neighbourhood;

That Mr. Heart
Must be renew'd,
Or never Tongue
Can be subdued;"

Oh! the hearts that are made to bleed! Oh! the feelings that are lacerated and wounded through unkind speaking! I doubt not but eternity will reveal the appalling fact that more have been murdered by words than by swords! The words of the tale-bearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly" The Poet Laureate sings::

"I sometimes hold it half a sin,
To put in words the grief I feel ;-
For words, like nature, half reveal
And half conceal the soul within."

Many clouds that obscure our life-brightness might be quickly dispersed by the use of sunny words. "A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger." Erin's ingenious bard truly sung―

"Alas! how slight a cause may move
Dissension between hearts that love;
Hearts that the world in vain has tried,

And sorrow but more closely tied,

That stood the storm when winds were rough-
But in a sunny hour fell off

Like ships that have gone down at sea
When heaven was all tranquillity,-
A something light as air, a look,
A word unkind, or wrongly taken.

Oh! love! that tempests never shook,
A breath, a touch like this has shaken,

And ruder words will soon rush in
To spread the breach that words begin ;
And eyes forget the gentle ray
They wore in courtship's smiling day :
Till fast declining one by one,
The sweetnesses of love are gone;
And hearts, so lately mingled, seem
Like broken clouds, or like the stream
That smiling left the mountain's brow,
As though its waters ne'er could sever,
Yet e'er it reach the plain below

Breaks into floods that part for ever!"

Is that poetic picture not too true? I know that my life-experience responds, Alas, too true!

This introduces my subject-that many persons are lost for want of a word,-a right word, rightly spoken. "A word spoken in due season, how good is it!" How good, finite wisdom cannot answer. I will endeavour by fact-occurrences to illustrate and impress their partial importance on all your minds and hearts. The use of kind words is like bread and salt; whatever else is wanting these should be in constant use. "I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of those things though ye know them."

A mother, on the green hills of Vermont, had a son, sixteen years of age, who was mad to go to sea. She endeavoured with all her tender pathos and earnest pleading to dissuade him from going, but all to no purpose. Every thing she said seemed to fan the flame of ardent wish to burning resolve-go he would. She then took him by the hand and led him into solitude, where she devoutly implored Heaven's blessing