drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. xxiv. 38, 39). Is it not grievously true that the greater part of persons are living in sin and indifference? Although the truth is told them, that the path of sin is the path to hell, they fearlessly tread it; and although it is told them that the only way of salvation is Jesus, that he is the only ark of safety from the threatened flood of God's fury, yet how few are at all concerned to have power given them to take refuge in Jesus. How is it with the reader of these lines? Are you, dear young friend, are you among the thoughtless, careless ones, who despise the warnings of the Word, and are indifferent to the good news of the Gospel? Are you amongst those to whom sin is no grief, and who see no beauty in Jesus, that they should desire Him? My heart pities you. May God the Holy Spirit show you that a storm lays over your head more terrible than those black clouds that burst over the doomed antediluvian world. "The wrath of God abideth on you." O may you be sent to your knees on reading this paper, with a cry for mercy to Him who has said, "Seek and ye shall find." Dear young friend, you'll never find true happiness in the pleasures of sin :"Fading is the worldling's pleasure, All his boasted pomp and show; Solid joy and lasting treasure,

None but Zion's children know."

Is my reader anxious about his soul's eternal safety? How many false refuges will invite your confidence, dear youth! I assure you, from the words of God and experience, that just as there was only one

place of security against the drowning flood-the ark, so there, is only one shelter from the storm-the dear Redeemer. May you never rest until you find rest in Him. On the open door of this blessed ark is inscribed

"Love's redeeming work is done:

Come and welcome-sinner, come."

May the blessed Spirit of God lead you to, and give you precious faith, in Jesus the Lamb of God.

Has my reader found a precious Jesus? Is your hope fixed on the cross of Immanuel? Oh, may you not only rejoice with Noah, but may your heart, your lips, your life offer sacrifice with saved Noab,

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Rom. xii. 1, 2).

Dear young friend, grace has saved you; may grace govern you, and grace will enrich you. "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me, and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God."

THE EDITOR.

JOE BENTON'S COAL-YARD.

JUST imagine the loveliest May morning that ever dawned; the sun so lately risen that his long golden hair still trailed on the hill tops, and the robins singing such extravagant songs, that the violets opened their blue eyes as wide as possible. There must have been something very curious in the air that morning, for when little Joe Benton sprang out of the back door with hair as golden as the sun's, and eyes as blue as the violet's, and voice almost as sweet as the robin's, he took one long breath, shouted a vigorous hurrah! but seeming to grow just as crazy as the birds, he did'nt feel at all relieved till he had climbed a tree, and jumped over the garden fence.

"Saturday, too," he said to himself, as he rested upon the other side. "Was there ever anything so happy? Now, I'll just have time to run down to the brook before breakfast, and see if our boat is all right. Then I'll hurry home, and learn my lessons for Monday, for we boys are to meet and launch her at nine o'clock, and the captain ought to be up to time.'

So Joe's small feet clattered vigorously down to the little cave where the precious boat was hidden. But as he neared the place, an exclamation of surprise escaped him, for there were signs of some intruder, and the big stone before the cave had been rolled away. Hastily drawing forth his treasure, he burst into loud cries of dismay, for there was the beautiful little boat which cousin Herbert had given him, with its gay sails split in a hundred shreds, and a large hole bored in the bottom.

Joe stood for a moment, motionless with grief and surprise; then, with a face as red as a peony, he burst forth,-"I know who did it, the mean scamp! It was Fred Brown, and he was angry because I didn't ask him to come to the launch. But I'll pay him for this caper, "said little Joe; and hastily pushing back the ruined boat, he hurried a little further down the road, and fastening a piece of string across the footpath, a few inches from the ground, he carefully hid himself in the bushes.

Now the good honest sun was afraid something was going wrong, and he covered himself with a little cloud, but Joe did not notice it. He only knew that he was very angry and miserable, and he wondered that he had ever thought it was a pleasant morning.

Presently a step was heard, and Joe eagarly peeped out. How provoking; instead of Fred, it was Cousin Herbert, the very last person he cared to see, and hastily unfastening his string, Joe tried to lie very quiet. But it was all in vain, for Cousin Her. bert's sharp eyes caught a curious moving in the bushes, and brushing them right and left, he soon came upon little Joe. "How's this?" cried he, look. ing straight into the boy's blazing face; but Joe answered not a word. "You're not ashamed to tell me what you were doing?"

"No, I'm not," said little Joe, sturdily, after a short pause; "I'll just tell you the whole story," and out it came, down to the closing threat, “and I mean to make Fred smart for it."

"What do you mean to do?"

"Why, you see, Fred carries a basket of eggs to market every morning, and I mean to trip him over this string, and break the eggs."

Now Joe knew well enough that he was not showing the right spirit, and muttered to himself, "Now for a good scolding;" but, to his great surprise, Cousin Herbert said quietly

“Well, I think Fred does need some punishment; but the string is an old trick. I can tell you something better than that."

"What?" cried Joe, eagerly.

"How would you like to put a few coals of fire on his head ?"

"What, and burn him?" said Joe_doubtfully. Cousin Herbert nodded with a smile. Joe clapped his hands. "Now that's just the thing, Cousin Herbert. You see his hair is so thick he would'nt get burned much before he'd have time to shake 'em off; but I would just like to see him jump once. Now tell me how to do it, quick, quick!"

"If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord shall reward thee," said Cousin Herbert, gravely; "and I think that's the best kind of punishment little Fred could have.'" Joe's face lengthened terribly, "Now I do say, Cousin Herbert, that's a real take-in. punishment at all."

That's just no

"Try it once, ," said Cousin Herbert. "Treat Fred kindly, and I am certain he will feel so ashamed and unhappy, that he would far rather have you kick r beat him."