to persuade his wife, children and neighbours to accompany him. Instead of attending to his loving exhortations, they laughed at him and otherwise persecuted him. At length, stopping his ears, he ran for his life, and after many conflicts and conquests he crossed the river, and entered the City of the living God.

But we leave the book to speak for itself.

When the writer was young he never wearied of reading it. He went five times through it by he was eight years old, and in his riper years he commends it to the esteem of all the readers of the "Juvenile Companion."

T. B.

The Tent Half-Crown.

HEN Charley Leason was about ten years old, a bright half-crown was given him hy his grandfather, to buy anything he pleased for his New-year's present. The boy's mother had that morning taught him the verse,-"He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again,' and told him the old story of the good man who asked a friend for a little money for a poor man, and offered him good security for its repayment-thereafter explaining what he meant by quoting this text. The words were running in the boy's mind while on his way to the store to purchase a toy which he had seen in the window of the shop on the previous day.

Just before Charlie reached the store, he met a poor woman who had sometimes washed for his mother, and she seemed to be in great distress.

"What's the matter, Hannah?" said the kind-hearted child.

O, Master Charlie, I've got to be turned into the street this cold morning, and my little Bill so sick too."

"Turned into the street, you and Bill! What for?" "Because I can't raise my weekly rent. I've just been to see my landlord, and he says it's three days overdue, and he'll not wait another hour. There go the men now to put my bed, and grate, and few things on the side-walk. Oh, what will I do?"

"How much is your rent, Hannah?" asked the boy, with a choking voice.

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"It's half-a-crown," said the woman. "It will kill Bill to be put out in this cold, and sure I will die with him." No, you won't; no, you shan't," said the tender-hearted child; and feeling in his pocket, he brought forth his treasured half-crown, and placed it quickly in her hand. Seeing she hesitated to keep it, notwithstanding her great need, Charlie told her it was all his own to spend as he pleased, and that he had rather give it to her than have the nicest toy in the store. Then walking away swiftly from the shop windows, which were all full of tempting New year's presents, he went bravely home to his mother, sure of her approbation.

The first person he met was his grandfather. He had observed Charlie go down the street, and was waiting for his return, that he might see what he had bought. So his first salutatic.i was, Well, child, what have you done with your

Now, Charlie's grandfather was not a religious man; and the boy knew, that though he sometimes gave money to his relations, he seldom or never bestowed it upon the poor; so he rather disliked to tell him what he had done with his money, but while he hesitated, the verse which he had that morning learned, and the story his mother had told him, came into his mind and helped him to an answer. Looking pleasantly into his grandfather's face, he said, "I've lent it, sir."

"Lent your half-crown, foolish boy? You'll never get it again, I know.”

"Oh yes, I shall, grandpa, for I've got a promise to pay."

"You mean a note, I 'spose; but it isn't worth a penny." "Oh yes, grandpa, it's perfectly good. I am sure about it, for it is in the Bible."

'You mean you've put it there for safe-keeping, eh? Let me see it."

Charlie brought the book and showed him the verse: "He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord; and that which he hath given will be pay him again."

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"So you gave your money to some poor scamp. Well, you'll never see it again. Who's got it, pray?"

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I gave it to Hannah Green, sir;" and Charlie told him her sad story.

"Oh, nonsense!" said his grandfather, "you can't pay poor folks' rent; it's all nonsense. And now you've lost your New-year's present, or will, if I don't make it up to you. Here," he added, as he threw him another half-crown, "seeing your money's gone where you never will get it again, I must give you some more, I 'spose."

"Oh, thank you," said Charlie heartily, "I knew the Lord would pay me again, grandpa, because the Bible says so; but I didn't expect to get it so quick"

"That boy's too much for me," said the old gentleman ;

and he walked quickly away.-Child's Paper..

FILIAL INGRATITUDE.-This is the worst form of ingratitude. Ingratitude is always despicable,

"More hideous, when thou shew'st thee in a child
Than the sea-monster."

Indian Superstitions.

BY MR. JOHN TODD, LATE OF LEVER STREET CIRCUIT, MANCHESTER.

nish

Y your permission, Mr. Editor, I will fur your readers, from time to time, with some illustrations of Superstitions in India; shewing the great need of Mis sionary Agency amongst its various races, and calling upon us to help in this reat work. Especially as we are the rulers of India, ought we-from our Gracious Queen, down to the humblest Christian in the land-to use every effort, to raise them from such degrading idolatries, to the worship of the true God.

In England there are many "Fairs," both in small and large towns, but none to compare with the Fairs of India.

On Saturday, July 22nd, in that part of Bombay called Byculla, there were gathered together many thousands of men, women, and children; thronging the streets on foot and stopping the way by conveyances-all bustle and stirdressed in their holiday attire; having given up the day's labour, to come together to the Annual Snake Fair. Well, now, your readers would expect of course to find exhibited a great variety of Snakes that have been killed, or rendered harmless, by some of their more daring fellow countrymen. If so, there never was a greater mistake. The Indians do not kill snakes. But you see men of mature years leading forward young and old, and carrying milk and eggs, which they make as offerings to these reptiles; laying them about on the ground, at spots they are known to frequent, that they may come and feed thereon. But knowing how dangerous these Shakes are, some may think the food mixed with poison; that thus, one day, in the fair, the people may

witness the destruction of numbers of these reptiles, and go away with a feeling of greater security for themselves and their children. No! this is not the case. The Indians are so superstitious, as to believe that the Snake, or Serpent, is one of those superior powers they have to fear, and to which they ought to sacrifice; and, therefore, they give up their business, and devote one day every year to conciliating by offerings of food, the Serpents that beset their pathways. In England there is no Snake Fair. But there are, alas, many snakes or serpents, known to be destroying the morals and taking away the lives too, of thousands of the population; far more certain and destructive in their bite than the Snakes of India, and yet they are carefully preserved; and such are theatres, dancing rooms, beerhouses, public-houses and gin palaces, and many of our public gardens.

And in England, Bible England, once a year, men and women, aye, and members of Parliament, too, come together to congratulate each other, that for another year, they have succeeded in preserving these places of destruction in their midst; notwithstanding the noble efforts of those who seek their destruction, and the preservation of the lives,bodily, spiritually, and eternally, of those who dwell in their midst.

Let us pray and labour, that the day may soon come when the Snakes of India and England alike, may be destroyed, and that the people may dwell in safety; when their sacrifices shall be those of the heart, and the people shall find their truest pleasure in doing God's will, and worshipping in His sanctuaries.