Book of books we have an especial portion of the volume set apart for a collection of these sayings. Here are treasured up the thoughts of one who was among the wisest of men,—short, clear, and easy to be remembered. They have the authority of the King of kings, who has thus had them handed down for the benefit of all peoples through all times. Among those proverbs we find some that suit almost everybody; others which apply to different periods in life, and others to different positions in life. It is not difficult to select from these royal stores some that are especially applicable to mothers; choice household ornaments which none can steal, and which suffer no decay nor change. We see With what better motto can the mother of a family wish to commence the year, than these words of Soloman: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it?" It is a proverb which sounds as a command in our ears, yet it closes with a promise. How many illustrations of the truth of this saying do we find in the Bible itself, and in the lives which have been written! constantly the bad results of a neglect of this precept, or of a feeble and irregular attempt to keep it; and we have also around us plenty of proofs of the benefits which have followed its observance both to parents and children. Alas! Solomon himself, though he wrote those words, did not "keep them diligently." Amidst the cares of state, the gaieties of a court, and the numerous members of which his family consisted, his children, we have reason to suppose, met with a measure of neglect. Rehoboam, according to the account we have of him, was a "foolish son; the want of home training made him just what thousands have been since, whose father's wisdom was of little use to them, because it was not brought to bear upon them when they were young, and easy to be impressed. The first word of the proverb is a very im portant one. "Train" implies a work which will cost both time and trouble to do it well. We all know how much has been done by training, with constant patience, even among animals; also what has been done with the human body by those who have set themselves when young to the performance of difficult or dangerous feats; beginning early, and continuing patiently till the thing was mastered, was the secret of success, and so it must be in the training of a child. No time must be lost; if the seeds of good are not sown at the first dawn of intelligence, and from time to time the unwholesome and injurious plants of evil habits, which spring up so readily, without any fostering, carefully rooted out, it is vain to hope for success; it is useless to defer the commencement of the work until some imaginary time when we may fancy that the child, growing older, will see that our plan is wise, and co-operate with it. Training must begin early, as the gardener winds and twists the pliant shoot of the seedling, before it can receive any injury from a treatment which may seem severe. It must be a constant thing; with affectionate yet persevering faithfulness must the Christian mother keep before the child's attention those laws which should regulate its behaviour to God and man. It is dangerous to allow oneself at any time to be, as we say, "off our guard;" at that moment the tempter may be ready with a snare, and one lost opportunity will likely enough be followed by many more. It is interesting to look at this training in another light. Every Christian is a soldier, and here are warriors belonging to both sexes-to women it is not given to combat with evil in many ways which Christian men must do. The fireside and her own heart witness perhaps the greatest part of her battles and her victories, and she may look around sometimes half in sorrow, and wish that she could do more for her Master-but has she sons ? Christian army? From Samuel in the and because its intention is to raise the We for his service. So can the Christian mother act; she may drill her children in the quiet parlour, and there with prayer and tears put upon them the "armour of God," and at length send them forth with a parent's blessing to fight the battles of the Lord. It is well to remember that the work of training is one that must at times. be painful; it is sad to think that there are mothers, and fathers too, who feel a pleasure in fault-finding; for to the right-minded parent it must always be painful to reprove; yet all children, however amiable, gentle and obedient they may be, must at times be reproved and also punished. It is well, when we can, to rule by hope rather than by fear, and this may be done in the family by commending good conduct,-and what are often forgotten, good intentions, as well as by pointing out, and if need be, punishing what is wrong. The desire of a loving mother's approval is an active principle, which will produce greater results in the heart and conduct of a child than the fear of the rod, an angry word or a frown. The parent must uphold her authority, a command being given, obedience must follow without always knowing the reason why. Argument on a subject where the parent has a right to expect quick and full obedience, is hurtful to both parent and child."entered the drawing-room of my friend, NE morning," says a lady, "as I Something might be said about the use of the little word "up" in the proverb. The training is " ' up in two ways, because it begins, or should begin, at a very early age, (To be continued.) BEGIN EARLY TO RULE BY I found the little group of cherubs at high play round their fond mother, who was encouraging their sportive vivacity, which was at that time noisy enough, but which on my entrance, she hushed by a single word. No bad humour followed, but as the spirits which had been elevated by the preceding amusement could not at once sink into a state of acquiescence, the judicious mother did not require what she knew could not without difficulty be complied with; but, calmly addressing them, gave the choice of remaining in the room without making any noise, or of going to their own. apartment. The eldest and youngest of the four preferred the former, while the two others went away to the nursery. Those who stayed with us amused themselves by cutting paper in a corner, without giving any interruption to our conversation. I begged to know by what art she attained such a perfect government of her children's wills and actions. By no art,' returned this excellent parent, but that of teaching them, from their very cradle, an implicit submission. Having never once been permitted to disobey me, they have no idea of attempting it. But you see I always give them a choice when it can be done with propriety; if it cannot, whatever I say they know to be law, like that of the Medes and Persians, that altereth not.'" talents God has given them; as one says truly, "'Tis a great thing to be a man!" But to my mind, it seems no less a thing to be a woman; there is just as large a measure of honour and of dignity achievable by every woman who will act well her part, whatever that may be. My friend is not a rich woman, nor is she beautiful, nor what the fashionable world might call " accomplished." Nor has she reached that golden age when mothers' burdens fall upon the shoulders of their children, and so leave them partially free from household cares. She is still in the forenoon of life, bearing its burdens every day, and they are often heavy. Her home is so well-ordered that her husband and children think it is the sweetest place on earth; her servant loves to do her bidding; and her friends, both old and young, know few more restful, pleasant places than her little parlour. She rises early, an hour before the rest, and spends her first half-hour, the only quiet time in all the day secure to her, alone with Jesus. Here she may "put on the whole armour for each day's battle with the powers of sin; here her heart is rested, and warmed and stored with wisdom for the exigencies of the day. What is not possible for those who walk with God! Then she makes her toilet tastefully, though "only the family" will see her, for she is a lady in her heart; MY FRIEND A TRUE WOMAN. then the household gather round their A PICTURE FOR WIVES AND MOTHERS. Y seasonable breakfast. After this they all unite in praising God, not carelessly, not M those dear to her, and much esteemed actual presence of the Lord each day. by all who know her. To me, a young housekeeper and near neighbour, she has been a study, not merely for the sake of ascertaining why she is universally beloved and always useful, but because I have lately entered the earnest, active sphere of wife and mother, and truly wish to learn how I may fill it well. I honour noble men who shrink not from their cares and burdens, who make the most of all the Then each child has some duty to perform, making a bed, bringing in wood, or helping to dress baby before school-time; and each one takes away the mother's kiss and a little word of loving admonition, to make the day a good one. By nine o'clock the house is tidy, and the sweet-faced mother is ready to sit down to prepare some household garment, or to receive a morning call, or even read a pleasant book. She is ready to visit the poor and the sick; to hear the troubles of a friend, and comfort wisely; or to write a note to some youth, whose soul is much more precious in her sight than in his own; and I am sure her crown will bear bright stars in it in heaven. She knows her children's hearts, she is their confidant; they are not afraid to pray with her, to tell her their temptations and their dawning love for Jesus, and the “dear Saviour" is an often-spoken name amongst them. She keeps herself in sympathy with her children's lives. She invites their school-teachers frequently to tea, and makes their Sabbath-teachers her fast friends, and the playmates whom she approves find such a welcome at her house as only timid children can appreciate, for she keeps a young heart and a merry voice for them. I wish I might tell of her many kindnesses toward me; of her ready counsel, helping hand, and never-failing sympathy with the discouragements of a young housekeeper; but I dare not, lest she should recognise her portrait by its background. I think the following quaint lines by Kelly will express the lesson I would draw from my friend's daily life : "If on our daily course, our mind "The trivial round, the common task H. R. E. HINTS FOR HOME USE. TO PREVENT IRON AND STEEL FROM RUSTING. Heat it until it would burn the hands, and then rub it with a piece of pure white wax, and polish it with a piece of cloth or soft leather. This simple operation, it is stated, fills the pores of the metal, and defends it entirely from rust, even though it should be exposed to moisture. TO MAKE BEEF TEA. Take two pounds of very fresh beef, remove every bit of fat, and cut it into very small pieces, scoring it to let out the gravy; place it in a jar with half a salt spoon full of salt, half a clove, four peppercorns, and a pint and a half of cold water. Tie over the top of the jar, and immerse it in a saucepan of water, allowing it to boil gently for two hours and a half. Strain, and in order to remove any particle of fat that may be on the surface, pass blottingpaper or a piece of stale crumb of bread over it. Notices of Books. Pits and Furnaces; or, Life in the Black Country. London: Hodder & Stoughton. An interesting peep into the life and labours of the collier; particularly suited to a winter evening's entertainment. Adrift in a Boat. By W. H. G. Kingston. London: Hodder & Stoughton. Full of interest; just what the boys will devour with avidity. The Franconia Stories. By Joseph Abbott. London: Hodder & Stoughton. These stories are simply told, and will just please the little ones in the nursery, who are in a measure forgotten by many who write for their elder brothers and sisters. Tales of Old Ocean. By Lieutenant C. R. Low London: Hodder & Stoughton. Another volume of adventures; an appropriate New Year's gift or birthday present for a boy. The British Workwoman. The British Juvenile. Office: 335, Strand. The Dying Saviour and the Gipsy Girl. London: Hodder & Stoughton. A touching tale, calculated to be very useful. Notices to Correspondents. We present our thanks to "J. R. S. C.""Ernest."-"L. St. C."-" Agatha." THE MOTHERS' FRIEND. REALIZED WISHES. HE sun was setting far away in the west on a beautiful autumn evening; the tints of purple and gold overspread the sky, and a delightful calm pervaded the far-spreading landscape, visible from the top of Arthur's Seat, which lies in grandeur above the ancient city of Edinburgh. On this evening the Frith of Forth looked like a sheet of glass, and the Inchkeith looming over the waters seemed a friendly beacon to the mariner. How unlike the same scene when the waves are lashed into fury by the eastward gale! The Pentland and the Lammermoor hills formed a grand background to the magnificent picture; the city reposed in majesty at the foot of the mountain, and all things appeared at rest. Yet upon the summit of that world-renowned hill, a young man stood gazing upon the beauties it offered to the eye with a mind ill at ease. William Steward was a student for the practice of medicine; he had just arrived at the University. Being a native of a village in Lanarkshire, he had seen but little of city life, but he was not unintelligent, and had been educated at a good school in his native town. Edinburgh was like a new world to him. At first he was enraptured with its beauty, the number of eminent men who resided there also added to the enthusiasm he felt for the capital of his country; nor was this diminished by the memory of those who had lived there in former years; but there came the thought that he was only a poor student of humble parentage. How should he ever be able to rise in life? How should the young man without capital, name, or friends ever be able to be a distinguished professor of medicine? Should he be successful in his studies? Would a large practice ever be his? More tender thought mingled with his reflections as well; would he, the unknown William Steward, ever be able to win the hand of Florence Sutherland, the beautiful daughter of the greatest man in his native village? He had often watched her at the kirk on the Sabbath, and he not only admired her, but he felt for her the passion of love. Would she ever be his? This was almost too much to hope for, yet he sometimes thought she regarded him with fondness. The future, aye, the future! When he had conquered all the difficulties now before him, when he was a popular doctor, had many friends, when Florence |