well-nigh impossible. The Jews were commanded to build battlements around the flat roofs of their dwellings, in order to prevent the children from falling over into the street. To put up the parapet cost but little; but the want of it might cost broken bones; and, alas! what human power could recall a dead darling to life? I am always thankful that I took a pledge of entire abstinence in early boyhood. But for that battlement I might have been ruined by the drinking usages which were deplorably prevalent in my college. "Stick to the teetotal," said a shrewd old kinsman to me when I started for college; and now, after forty years, I wish to commend the bridge that carried me safely over.

The best argument, my young friends, for total abstinence is, that no healthy person needs an alcoholic beverage; and even invalids had better be careful how they tamper with it as a medicine. Sir Henry Thompson and several other distinguished British physicians have deliberately declared that "alcoholic beverages cannot, in any sense, be considered necessary for the maintenance of healthy life; that it is not a food in any true sense of that term; and that the steadiest and best work is best done without it." Livingstone, the heroic explorer of Central Africa, was both a physician and a teetotaler. His testimony was: "I find that I can stand every hardship best by using water, and water only." I entreat you not to fall into the delusion that you can do any honest work the better by firing up your nerves with alcohol. If you do, you will have to increase the fuel constantly in order to produce the effect. Solid food and sound sleep are all you require.-Dr. Cuyler.

Fragments.

No heart power is even more essential than mind power. Children sorely try the patience of those who are set over them, and the most impatient suffer the most. The dull, slow scholars, as well as the rude and impudent ones, try us, and need much careful kindness and gentle forbearance. Patience implies a slowness to take offence, a subordination of personal ambition to the one great object of doing good.

LOVE FOR THE WORK. teacher, says Mr. Palmer, can be furnished for the work of Sabbath school teaching who has not a real love for the work. A teacher who does not love his school and his class is perfectly useless. We benefit our scholars without knowing how or when, and they must receive benefit without knowing how or when they received it. Our indirect efforts to teach may be contradicted by our lives, while the indirect influence is KINDLY WORDS.- Speak kindly our very life. Love has a silent in the morning; it will lighten all language; she talks with the eye, the cares of the day, turn sorrow inwith the hand, with the face, with to gladness, make household, profesthe whole manner; so, too, does sional, and all other affairs move hatred, pride, selfishness, and smoothly, giving peace to the one hypocrisy. who thus speaks, and grateful joy to PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE.—the one who hears. Speak kindly at A teacher without patience and per- the evening hour, for it may be that severance will be sadly deficient, for before the dawn of another day some

tender loved one may finish his or her span of life for this world, and then it will be too late to recall an unkind word, or even to seek forgiveness for an injury inflicted upon the heart of a loved friend departed.

THE TOWN CLERK OF EPHESUS.Cotton Mather used to say there was a gentleman mentioned in the 19th chapter of Acts to whom he was often and greatly indebted,-viz., the town-clerk of Ephesus, whose counsel was, "Do nothing rashly." And on any proposal of consequence, he would often say, "Let us consult a little with the town - clerk of Ephesus." What mischief, trouble, sorrow, and regret would be saved in the world, if people were more in the habit of consulting this cautious gentleman!

THE COURTESIES OF LIFE.-There would be fewer broken friendships, fewer unhappy unions and family quarrels, were it not so much the custom among intimate friends and relations to neglect the small courtesies of life, to shew less and less mutual deference as they grow more and more familiar. It is the foundation of misery in marriage; and many a serious and life-long estrangement

has begun, not from want of affection. so much as from lack of that delicate and instinctive appreciation of the feelings of others which make a person shrink from saying unpleasant things or finding fault, unless absolutely obliged, and in any case to avoid wounding the offender's sense of dignity or stirring up within him feelings of opposition and animosity; for although many persons profess to be above taking offence at honest censure, and even seem to court criticism, yet it must be very carefully administered not to be unpalatable. Even kind and generous actions are often so uncouthly performed, as to cause the recipient more pain than pleasure, while a reproof or denial may be so sweetened by courtesy as almost to do away with any sense of mortification or disappointment. Good breeding is always inclined to form a favourable judgment, and to give others the credit of being actuated by worthy motives. It does not wish or seem to know more about people than they themselves desire should be known, but it is always prepared, when necessary, to take an interest in the affairs of others, while self is not suffered to obtrude unduly.

Notice of Book.

A SIMPLE MANUAL FOR FAMILY | prayer, followed by a short and suitWORSHIP. By the Rev. Ernest able hymn, are printed on the other. F. Scott, Chaplin to the Royal Asylum, Gartnavel, Glasgow. Stirling: Drummond's Tract Depot; London: S. W. Partridge & Co. THIS unpretentious little manual has been prepared for the purpose of providing, in the simplest and plainest words, for the observance of morning and evening worship, both in public institutions of various kinds, and in families; and it serves its purpose admirably. Passages of Scripture, selected from the Old and New Testament alternately, are printed on the one page; while an appropriate

Additional references under the lessons afford successive readings for several weeks. The devotional exercises are all that could be desired. They are couched in language eminently plain, pointed, and practical; while the tone is decidedly evangelical throughout. No better guide could be put into the hands of the head of a family, who, however anxious, feels himself hardly equal to the task of leading audibly in family worship. The circulation of this little work is just the thing needed to aid the promotion of the

very necessary, but in too many circle.

It well deserves, and we

quarters the much-neglected, exer- trust it will speedily have, a very cise of God's worship in the family large sale.

Intelligence.

suburbs, had again issued schedules to be filled up by all the schools in the Union. It was hoped that all these would be returned without delay, so that the annual report of the Union may be made as complete and accurate as possible.

GLASGOW SABBATH SCHOOL UNION. ascertaining the state of Sabbath -The monthly meeting was held in school instruction in Glasgow and the Christian Institute on Monday, 11th February. There were 30 directors present. Sir William Collins, president, occupied the chair. Reports were read from the Western, Govan, and Rutherglen District Unions. Feeling references were made to the decease of Messrs. Matthew Wotherspoon and Henry Clow, two of the honorary directors of the Union, which had taken place last month. On the motion of Mr. James Howatt, it was remitted to the secretaries to prepare a short notice regarding their labours and personal worth. The deceased gentlemen were upwards of fifty years Sabbath school teachers; and fully two years ago, on having attained their jubilee as such, they were, along with other two gentlemen, presented with addresses at the annual public meeting of the Union. The committee on music reported that they had been considering whether it would be desirable to issue a new edition of the Union Hymnal, with a number of hymns added. As the sale of the present edition was still large, and in view of the fact that the various denominations were issuing hymn books of their own, the committee recommended that the Union should not publish a new edition in the meantime, unless a strong desire was expressed by the societies for one. This was agreed

MIDDLE DISTRICT SABBATH SCHOOL UNION.--This Union met on Tuesday, 12th February-Mr. John Morison presiding. There were seventeen representatives present. The business consisted, at first, of a conference with Messrs. James Richmond and James MacNair, the secretaries of the General Union, on the subject of local Unions, with special reference to the admission of Sabbath School Societies. The deputies were thanked by the chairman for the manner in which they had introduced the subject; and, on their retiral, after some conversation, the general feeling was expressed that the Middle District Committee had hitherto experienced no difficulty in regard to the admitting of societies, and saw no reason for altering the constitution in any way. Mr. Robert Coats, on behalf of the Festival Committee, intimated that the arrangements for the festival on the 29th February were being carried out in a thoroughly satisfactory manner. The programmes had been printed, and included a number of hymns and anthems to be sung by the children, as well as solos to be rendered by several ladies and gentlemen. programme met with the cordial approval of the meeting; and the hope was expressed that the efficient rendering of the pieces, contained in it, would give a decided impetus to

The

Notes on the Union's Lesson Scheme for 1884.

[These Notes are intended to aid Teachers in their studies at home, and not to be used in the school while teaching.]

Lesson 62.-March 9.

THE PARALYTIC HEALED.-Luke v. 18-26.

A Paralytic Healed, (ver. 16-26.)-Note verse 16-learn the lesson. He hath left us an example. Then mark the circumstances in which the miracle

was performed, as mentioned in verse 17. Describe an Eastern house,-the narrow door, leading into a sort of porch, from which there was a stair to the roof, which was flat. Then, farther in, the court open to the sky, from which the doors entered into the private apartments of the house. Jesus was sitting in this court, which was crowded, as we see from verse 17. The men who carried the paralytic could not get farther than the porch, because of the multitude. But they were resolute to get the man to Jesus; and where there is a will there is a way. See what they did, (ver. 19.) Having reached the roof, they had to remove (Mark ii. 4) a portion of the balustrade, which every Jew was obliged to have all round the roof of his house, both on the side nearest the street, and round the open court of which we have spoken, (Deut. xxii. 8.) Make all this clear to the children, so as to bring into stronger light the anxiety of the man to get to Jesus. Having, then, removed every obstacle, they let the couch on which the helpless man was lying, down, evidently by cords, until he lay right before Jesus.

This perseverance had its reward. Note the remark of Jesus in verse 20. It was a strange way of healing the man, but He used the words on purpose. Note the objection taken to the words in verse 21. The objection was perfectly natural and right if Jesus was merely a man. In that case He would have been guilty of blasphemy. Now, it was for this very reason that Jesus used the words. He wished to convince them that He was more than man,―that He was God. See how He does this. First, He reads their thoughts, (ver. 22;) He looks right into their hearts, and reads off to them what was passing there. No man could do this. Second, He will give them a proof of His divine power which they can see; and from what they see they may infer that He has power to forgive sins. It was as easy to say, "Thy sins be forgiven," as to say, "Rise up, and walk." The one is as much an exercise of divine power as the other; only you can see the result in the one case, and you cannot in the other. "You object," as if Jesus had said, "to my saying, 'Thy sins be forgiven thee,' because, being a spiritual act, you cannot tell whether the result follows or not. I shall do a physical act, which requires divine power as much as the other; and if the results follow in the latter case, then you should know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins." The answer of Jesus was complete. They could not deny the inference; and so He turned to the paralytic,-told him to take up his couch and go home; which the man at once did. Note the effect, (ver. 26.)

Learn the great lesson-Jesus is man-Jesus is God. He has power on earth to forgive sins. None else has. He has the will, as we saw in last miracle; He has the power, as we see here.

"He is able, He is willing;

Oh! believe Him, just now."

Memory Exercise-Shorter Catechism 62.-Mark ix. 23.

Subject to be proved-Faith Overcomes Obstacles.

Golden Text-"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."-Mark ix. 23.

NOTES.-The power of faith-a remarkable statement this, but true. Read Hebrews xi., any portion of it, but particularly verses 33-35, for illustrations of the power of faith. But, indeed, the whole Bible is full of illustrations, and the best way to bring out the meaning of this verse is by illustration. Compare Matthew xxi. 21-22. Whilst the power of faith is so great, note also its necessity. This man could not get his request granted without faith. In every miracle faith was an essential element. So still, without faith it is impossible to please God. See for the reason of this, Romans xiv. 23.