A CHILD'S FAITH.

A BELOVED minister of the Gospel was one day speaking of that active, living faith, which should at all times cheer the heart of the sincere follower of Jesus, and related to me a beautiful illustration that had just occurred in his own family.

He had gone into a cellar which in winter was quite dark, and entered by a trap-door. A little daughter, only three years old, was trying to find him, and came to the trap-door, but on looking down, all was dark, dark-and she called, "Are you in the cellar papa ?"

"Yes; would you like to come, Mary ?" "It is dark. I can't come, papa."

"Well, my daughter, I am right below you, and I can see you though you cannot see me; and if you will drop yourself, I will catch you."

"Oh! I shall fall; I can't see you, papa."

"I know it," he answered, you shall not fall or hurt you. catch you safely."

but I am really here, and

If you will jump, I will

Little Mary strained her eyes to the utmost, but she could not catch a glimpse of her father. She hesitated, then advanced a little farther, then summoning all her resolution, she threw herself forward, fell shouting into his arms, and clasping his neck, said, "I knew, dear papa, I should not fall." She believed what her father said.

And now, my dear readers, the Lord Jesus is calling you to come to himself. Many of you, I trust, have already obeyed his call, and chosen him as your portion, but he is still saying, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not," and "they that seek me early shall find me." Though, like little Mary, you cannot see him, visibly present, yet he assures you he is willing and waiting to receive you. You have only to drop yourselves into the arms of his sovereign mercy, and he will as surely receive you now, as when, while on earth, he "took little children in his arms, laid his hand on them, and blessed them."

Christian Witness and Advocate.

A GOOD EXAMPLE.

THERE is a sweet and simple custom which prevails in Iceland, and is a good sign of the habitual devotion of its inhabitants. Whenever they leave home for a short journey, they uncover their heads, and for the space of five minutes silently pray for the protection and favour of God. A traveller who observed it in the Icelanders, who acted as his guides, also remarked it in the humblest fishermen when going forth to procure food for their families. After having put out upon the sea, they row the boat into quiet water, at a short distance from the shore, and bowing their uncovered heads, solicit the blessing of their Father in heaven. Even when about to pass over a stream, which in their country of precipices is often attended with great danger, they observe the same sacred custom. This affecting habit of devotion has been ascribed to the fact, that from the fathers being chiefly engaged in fishing, and consequently much absent from home, the mother is almost the only teacher, and her instructions are not easily forgotten.

SIGNS.

SOLOMON said, many centuries ago, "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."

Some people seem to think that children have no character at all. On the contrary, an observing eye sees, in those young creatures, the signs of what they are likely to be for life.

When I see a little boy slow to school, and glad of every excuse to neglect his book, I think it is a sign that he will be a dunce.

When I see a boy in haste to spend every penny as soon as he gets it, I think it is a sign that he will be a spendthrift.

When I see a boy hoarding up his pennies, and unwilling to part with them for any good purpose, I think it is a sign that he will be a miser.

When I see a boy fond of the Bible, and well acquainted with it, I think it a sign that he will be a pious and happy

man.

And though great changes sometimes take place in the character, yet as a general rule these signs do not fail.— American.

"THE LORD GOD IS A SUN."
God is a sun; His glories shine
O'er earth with brilliancy divine;
But on the Christian's lonely way,
His presence kindles constant day ;-
No cloud need that bright radiance dim,
No lack have they who trust in Him.

God is a sun: His presence cheers
The wanderer through the vale of tears;
No warmth-save where His sunbeams glow;
No light-save where His glories flow;
No hope-save when his cheering ray
Illumes the pilgrim's onward way.

God is a sun in sorrow's night
He gives us hope, and joy, and light;
Glides the dark billow's surging foam,
And shines upon the saint's bright home:
Gaze on the sun with tearful eyes,
And, lo! the rainbow beauties rise.

O be my Sun: while in life's morn!
My onward path with grace adorn :
Each day, in sunlight I would dwell;
Each day, Thy presence I would feel ;
And, when life's noonday wanes to night,
"At evening time it shall be light."

And when all earthly shadows fly,
And Jordan's billowy flood rolls high,
Thy radiance then shall brightly gleam,
And make dark death a golden stream:
I'll plunge beneath the awful wave,-
The sun can cheer-the Lord can save!

three feet in thickness, the inside is but about nine feet in the clear.

"About nine feet from the ground on the north side, it has a door five feet high, and two feet wide, which appears to have been the chief entrance. On the south side there are three of these doors, the lowest of which is, as nearly as I could measure it with my eye, about thirty feet from the ground. This tower is finished at top with a pyramidal or conical roof; and immediately under this, it has four doors or openings, which I found by my compass to be placed very nearly to the four cardinal points of heaven." That is, east, south, west, and north. "None of these doors or openings are arched; they are all finished with horizontal stones; but the lower door, or chief entrance! mentioned above, has a piece of oak timber laid across as a lintel; and this oak, though a very little decayed on the outside where it is expossed to the weather, is otherwise perfectly sound, though it must have occupied its present situation for several centuries.

"There is no church, nor any remnant of any religious building near the tower; but the proprietor told me that in the adjoining grounds, human bones, teeth, &c., are frequently turned up by the plough and spade. Hence it is evident, that there has been a burying-place in the vicinity of this tower; and if a burying-place, consequently a church, or some religious building; as the dead were supposed to have repose, sanctuary, and safety in such consecrated places. When I was about to leave this building, the proprietor directed my attention to a stone, above the lintel of the principal door-way, which he said was supposed to contain some hieroglyphic. This stone, the only one in the building which appears to have been chiselled to a tolerable smoothness of surface, has portrayed on it a cross of very rude workmanship, with five deeply indented holes. The five holes were

in all probability designed to point out the five wounds which our blessed Lord received at his crucifixion, in his hands, his feet, and his side."

Dr. Clarke has also given descriptions of two other