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breathe one word-refrain. If you will not do what your inner voice tells you is wrong, you may save yourself and many others. Touch not the electric chain of evil, and no shock will be felt from you through the circle with which you come in contact. Thus your influence will be apparently negative, but positively great.

And woman, too, has much to do with influence and its power. I would mention but one of the many paths open to her, for from this she is never shut out,-prayer. She may not lift her head among the graceful and the gay-she may not stand on the platform of politics or science-she may not be able to lay her hands on heaps of gold and call them her own; but whether crowned with all that woman ever possesses, or with nothing given her but a soul, she can pray, at all times, in all places. With this, heaven itself can be moved.

Dear reader, whoever, whatever, wherever you may be, you can never say "I have no influence." While you live, you can never be without it.—Presbyterian Treasury. (Am.)

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee," Exod. xx. 12.

"Honour thy parents, those that gave thee birth
And watched in tenderness thine earliest days,
And trained thee up in youth, and loved in all.
Honour, obey, and love them; it shall fill
Their souls with holy joy, and shall bring down
God's richest blessing on thee; and in days
To come, thy children, if they shall be given,

Shall honour thee, and fill thy life with peace."

The judicious Hooker used to say, "If I had no other reason and motive for being religious, I would earnestly strive to be so for the sake of my mother, that I might requite her care of me, and cause her widow's heart to sing for joy."

Washington, when a boy, was about going to sea, as a midshipman, and his trunk had been taken to the boat,

when, as he went to take leave of his mother, he saw the tears bursting from her eyes, and an expression of deep sadness on her countenance. Seeing the distress of his parent, he at once turned to the servant, and said, "Go, and tell them to bring back my trunk. I will not go away and break my mother's heart." His mother was struck with the spirit and manner of the decision, and at once said to him, "My son, God has promised to bless the children that honour their parents, and I believe he will bless you."

Philip Henry, speaking of a wicked and undutiful son in his neighbourhood, charged his children to observe the providence of God concerning him. "Perhaps," said he, “I may not live to see it, but do you mark if God does not send some remarkable judgment upon him in this life, for thus violating the fifth commandment." But he himself lived to see it fulfilled soon after, in a very signal providence.

Olympia, the mother of Alexander the Great, was so severe in her conduct, that his deputy, Antipater, wrote him long letters of complaint against her; to which Alexander returned this answer "Knowest thou not that one tear of my mother's will blot out a thousand of thy letters of complaint."

A youth lamenting the death of an affectionate parent, a friend endeavoured to console him, by saying he had always conducted himself towards the departed one with tenderness and respect. "So I thought," said the other, "while my parent was living; but now I remember with shame and deep sorrow many instances of disobedience and neglect, for which, alas! it is now too late ever to make any atonement."

"Let all children remember," says Dr. Dwight, "if ever they are weary of labouring for their parents, that Christ laboured for his; if impatient of their commands, that Christ cheerfully obeyed; if reluctant to provide for their parents, that Christ forgot himself, and provided for his mother amid the agonies of the crucifixion. The affectionate language of this divine example to every child is, 'Go thou and do likewise."-American Messenger.

CHRIST ALL IN ALL.

"I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life;" was Christ's sublime announcement. He is the Way-the way of access, the way of forgiveness, the way of justification, the way of purification, the way of heavenly peace and joy, and bliss inexpressible. He is the Truth-the truth of God, the truth of mortals, the truth of religion, the truth of time, the truth of eternity. He is the Life-the life of God in the soul, the life of the Christian through the wilderness, his life in sickness and sorrow, his life in death, his life in the resurrection, his life in heaven. He is the Door, through which all must enter to gain access to the inner temple of God's glory: He is the door of hope, the door of joy, the door of faith, the door of love, the door that opens to the still waters and green pastures, of salvation. He is the Vinethe vine of beauty, the vine of fruitfulness, the vine of consolation, the vine having many branches reaching from earth to heaven. He is the Lamb-the lamb of God's appointment, the lamb of innocence, the lamb of spotless purity, the lamb of sacrifice slain from the foundation of the world. He is the lion of the tribe of Judah-a lion, in his kingly majesty; a lion, in the terribleness of his mighty strength; a lion, irresistible in the destruction which he shall bring upon his enemies. He is the Passover of his people, in that, his blood being applied to their souls, they shall be passed over when God inflicts his eternal judgments upon the incorrigibly guilty. He is a Well of water to the traveller in the wilderness as the Bread of heaven to the famishing—as the Oil of Consolation to the sorrowing-as the Balm of Gilead to the wounded spirit. He is our Hope-hope of the despairing sinner, the hope of the Christian, the hope of the resurrection, the hope of glory. He is the Star of Bethlehem, the star of hope, the star amid the gloom and clouds of earth. He is the Sun of Righteousness, whose beams are penetrating the deep moral darkness of earth, and are flooding heaven with eternal and celestial glory.

These are some of the striking metaphorical representations of the Lord Jesus, in respect to his character as Mediator. How important and vital are the relations which he sustains to us! Who would not love, and adore, and magnify such a Saviour?—N. Y. Evangelist.

KEEP GOOD COMPANY.

It should be the aim of young men and women to go into good society; not the rich, the proud, the fashionable, but the society of the wise, the intelligent, and the good. Where you find virtuous persons that know more than you do, and from whose conversation you can gather information, it is always safe to be found. Many a one has been ruined, by associating with the low and vulger. Lord Clarendon attributed his success and happiness in life, to associating with persons more learned and virtuous than himself. If you wish to be wise and respected, if you desire happiness and not misery, we advise you to associate with the intelligent and the good. Strive for moral excellence and strict integrity, and you will never be found in the sinks of pollution, or on the benches of gamblers. Once habituate yourself to a virtuous course-once secure a love for good society, and no punishment would be greater than, by accident, to be obliged for half a day to associate with the low and vicious.-Am. S. S. Treasury

THE FOUR ORPHANS.

FOUR children were left without a parent, when the oldest, Laura E————, was only fifteen years of age. The father of these children was not professedly pious, though he was a moral man, and exemplary in all his habits. The mother, whom God called from her family after her partner had been dead only four years, was a warm-hearted disciple of Christ, whose religion shone brightly in all her walk and conversation. On her deathbed, although she was calm and tranquil, she did not give up her children without a severe and protracted struggle. I have often heard her oldest daughter

describe the scene. The dying one, when she knew her end was near, embraced them all again and again. "How can I leave you, my darling ones ?" she said. "What will become

of

my children?" She surrendered them, however, at last -gave them up, with many prayers and tears, into the hands of Him to whose embrace her spirit soon flew away.

Laura devoted herself, after the departure of her mother. entirely to the care and education of her younger sisters, Then it was that the garden of her soul exhibited, fair, blooming, fruitful, the plants which had sprung from the seeds early sown there by her mother, and which the Spirit of God had quickened. It was several years after the event which placed her in this responsible position, that I first became acquainted with the family; and at that time, from one of the younger sisters, I learned many interesting particulars respecting the manner in which Laura discharged her duties as a mother. The girl's communications were spontaneous. There was no art about them. What she said welled up from her heart, as waters from an overflowing spring.

One day I met her alone. There was a "What is the matter, Anna?" I asked. sad? What has happened?"

"I am not sad," she replied.

"Then why have you been weeping? meaning of your tears?"

tear in her eye. "Why are you

What is the

She did not know. She was sure she was not unhappy. It was true-there are other tears than those of sadness and

grief.

"Dear Laura has been talking so good to us!" she said, and then she wept afresh.

It seemed that the three sisters and their foster-mother were sitting under a tree in the front yard. The oldest had been conversing, in a cheerful strain, with her sisters, while they, with hearts full of affection, were crowning her with flowers, and calling her their May Queen.

"Dear sisters," said the eldest, "let me tell you a story about One who was crowned a great many years ago.", They were prepared to listen to the story.

Even Caro

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