l e7'4jt fautiti ei.ittif NUMBERS OF THE SORROWFUL. 'TRUST Him who is thy God and have no fear: Ilis eyelids ache not with the drowse of sleep, He cannot tire, and how should He forget? Self-centred in His own infinity, He that is all is cause and law of all Alike in orb and atom infinite. The worlds He soweth broadcast with His hand, As o'er the glebe the sower soweth seed, Till with Hie glory all the heavens are sown. Yet perfect from His shaping fingers sent The rain-drop glitters populous with life ; And in a jewelled aurcoat wheels the gnat Behold the yearly miracle of spring 1 The pinky nipples of the budding leaves Break in a night, and, 10, the wood is green ! Art thou more bare than is the winter wood, Or less esteemed of Him who gives thee joy In the fresh rustle of the April leaves ? And if thy prime be gone and thou lament, " The leaves are falling and the fruit is done :" Yet shrink not from the winter of thy days. See, where the cruel winds have swept the trees, And all are branching bare against the night, There, in the barren spaces, hang the stars So, when the leafage of thy days is past And life is desolate, repine thou not : God can give thee the stars of heaven for fruit ! Nor fear thou death. God's law is gain in loss Growth and decay obey a common law, The starry blossom and the seed' are one. Think ! Thou wert born and fashioned for a world Assorted to thy needs and thy delights, And wherein thou hast dwelt and had content. Not of thy strength or cunning didst thou come into the fief and heritage of life, And shall all fail thee in thy going hence? The salt foam of the sea upon thy lips, The blown sand of the desert in thy face ;,; Shall these outlast the ages and not thee? Content thy soul and comfort thee in this! In God's design is neither best nor worst, But ever-ordered change is ordered good : In Him love rounds the infinite of might, And He who giveth both to live and die Is equal Lord of Life and Lord of Death. —Gentleman's Magazine OUR CHAT WITH THE LITTLE FOLKS. We believe that children generally are fond of dogs, if they are not cross dogs. But whether they like dogs or not, we are sure that they are all fond of dog stories. These animals are very knowing; indeed, they seem sometimes to reason, and we have known some dogs which really appeared to know more than their masters. There are many very interesting stories about dogs, some of which, from time to time, we hope to give to our young readers. Dr. Beetle says he has one for us now. So let us hear what it is. "HOW A DOG SAVED A SHIP " A Yankee sea captain, when in France, got a fine little rat-terrier, which he called Neptune. He took the little dog to sea with him, and he soon became quite a sailor. They were sailing at one time in the Gulf of Mexico in. a dangerous neighborhood, and had to keep constant watch; for all along the coast near which they were there are long, low reefs and islands and bars, which have caused the destruction of many vessels. " One evening when the captain went to bed he told the mate to be sure and call him by three o'clock in the morning, for by that time he expected to be within sight of a light-house which was near a dangerous reef of rocks called the 'Double-headed Shot- Keys.' He wanted to look after the ship him self at that dangerous place. After the cap tain went to bed, the mate went into the bin for something, and while sitting there, being very tired, he fell asleep. The men on deck having no one to watch them, also fell asleep one by one, and even the Spanish boy at the wheel, whose business it was to steer, was about half asleep. " Meantime the wind changed, a stiff breeze sprung up, the sails were filled, and the good ship ploughed through the ocean briskly, straight toward the Double-headed Shot-Keys. The little Spanish boy, half asleep at the helm, knew not of the danger, nether could he see ahead from where he stood, for the great sails concealed the view of the light-house ; but Nep, good sailor that he was, discovered that land was near; he smelt it, and he saw the light. He rushed down to his master's state-room, and barked, and jumped up to him as he lay in his berth. Get down ! be still, Nep said the sleepy captain. But Nep would not be still—be only barked the louder. Be still,' said the captain again, and he pushed the dug away. Again the faithful little fellow jumped up, pulled his master's sleeve, and took hold of his arm with his teeth. Then the captain thorou t ,ahly roused began to think something must be the mat ter. He sprang up, and Nep ran forward, barking, to the companion -way. The cap tain's head no sooner came above the deck than he saw what was the matter. Right ahead was the fearful rock and the light house, and the ship plunging toward it at the rate of, nine miles an hour! lie seized the helm, the ship struggled, swung round, and when her course was shifted, she was so near the rock that in three minutes more she would have struck and been a wreck. The sleeping sailors were roused to their duty, and the astonished mate rose up from his nap on the chest, to learn that but for the faithful' dog the waves might have al ready closed over them. "Do you wonder that the captain thinks his dog is worth his weight in gold ? He has been offered large sums of money for him, but money cannot buy him. He does not go to sea now. Nep went as long as his master went, and now he makes himself quietly useful at home by catching all the rats in the neighborhood." THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1869. That was certainly a faithful dog. He was more faithful than the sleepy mate The only way for either men or clogs to succeed is by faithfulness. Hold on and hold out, and success is yours. " That I know to be true," says Mr. Short. " I've watched folks a good deal in my time. I've seen some who are lazy, who sleep when they ought to work. They never get along well. I've known some who get discouraged very easily. They are not the ones to push their way through life. Then I have known others who kept on trying until they succeeded. I read the other day about a boy of this sort. Here's the story. " THE PERSEVERING BOY " ' Sir,' said a boy, addressing a man, ' do you want a boy to work for you ?' " ' No,' answered the man, have no such want.' The boy looked disappointed; at least the man thought so, and he asked : Don't you succeed in' ottinA- a place?' " have asked at a good many places,' said the boy. ' A woman told' me you had been after a'boy, but it is not so, I find.' " Don't be discouraged,' said the man, in a friendly tone. " Oh ! no, sir,' said the boy cheerfully, because this is a very---big world, and I feel certain God has something for .me to do in it. lam only trying to find it.' " Just so, just so,' said a gentleman who overheard the talk. 'Come with me, my boy; . I am in want of somebody like you.' He was a doctor; and the doctor thought any boy so anxious to find his work, would be likely to do it faithfully When be found it; so he took the boy into his employ and found him all that he desired." . Yes ! God has something for everYbody to do in this world. It's "a very big world," and there's room enough for all. - • A GOOD .STOAL A very amusing anecdote is told Ofanlrish-! man who happened to be in Paris a short time, ago, while three crowned' heads 'of _Eu rope were there on a visit tophis Imperial Majesty Napoleon. These distinguished persons were the Emperors of Russia and' Austria and the King of Prussia. One day; having thrown aside all state ceremonial, they determined to see the sights of the beau tiful city on the Seine, for their own delec tation, and for that purpose' they resolved to go mcog., so as not to be recognized by the people. However, in their stroll through Paris, they went astray, and meeting a gen tlemanly-looking person, who happened to be an Irishman, they politely asked him if be would kindly direct them to' the Palais. Royal. " Faith and that I will, my boyS," says Pat, at the same time taking a mental pho tograph of the three " boys. " This way, my hearties ;" and'so they were conducted to the gates of the Royal Palace; and the Irishman was about bidding them farewell, when the Emperor of Ru ma, interested and pleased as much by the genuine politeness of Pat (and what son of Erin was ever yet deficient in courtesy and politeness ?) as by his naivete and witty remarks, asked him who he was. - " Well," rejoined their guide, ." I did not ask you who you were, and before I answer you, perhaps you would tell me who you may be ?" After some further parleying, one said : "I am Alexander, and they call me Czar or Emperor of all the Russias.' " Indeed," said Pat, with a roguilala twin kle in the corner of his eye, and an incredu lous nod of the head (as much as to say, " This boy is up to Codding me a r ,' bit!'y "And might I make bould to ax who ye may be, my flower ?" They call me Francis Joseph, and the Emperor of Austria." , " Most happy'to make your acquaintance, Frank, my boy," said the Irishman, who, thinking he was hoaxed, and in his despair ing efforts to get the truth, as he conceived, out of any of them, turned to the third one, and said : " Who are you ?" "They call me Frederick William, and I am King of Prussia." They then reminded him that he promis ed to t(11 them who he was, and, after some hesitation and a mysterious air of confi dence, Pat, putting his hand to. his mouth, whispered : " I am the Imperor of China, but - don't tell anybody." - THE PEARL... BY JENNIE WREN One afternoon Daisy was eating some oysters, when • suddenly a pert youngster jumped out of the plate, and, landing on the spoon, began to speak. " You little cannibal," said he : "do you know what you arc eating? You are worse than the heathen in the Sandwich Islands, who live upon missionaries." "But you are not a missionary," replied Daisy. " You are not a man, and you don't preach." "Yes, I am a missionary; for I am always preaching. My whole life is a sermon; and, if I am not a man, I am very much like one." " What a fib," interrupted Daisy.. " You are nothing but a little soft gray thing, not worth listening to; and I an] just going to eat you right up as fast as I can." " Stop, stop!" sighed :the oyster; "I Came from Yankeeland, and. I must ask one ques tion before I die. What is a man ?" " A man—why, a man is papa," said the hesitating Daisy. " Yes; and papa is a being with a heart, and lungs, and liver, and stomach. And so am I." "Dear me, dear me, what an impudent creature I Show me your lung", and heart, and liver, and stomach, if you wish me to believe you." So the oyster made a little martyr of himself, and dropped all into pieces on the spoon, in order to satisfy Daisy's curiosity. A little black piece said: "I am the liver; the stomach is hidden in me." And a fair-shaped piece said: "I am the heart, and take the blood from the lungs." "But I don't see any lungs," said Daisy, perfectly bewildered by this unexpected lesson in physiology. " The lungs are those thine, finely-streaked plates which make a fringe at the very edge of my shell." " Very well, Messrs. Lungs, and Heart, and Stomach, and Liver, come right into my mouth, and let me see how you taste !" "Oh 1 wait! wait! wait 1" squealed the oyster, in a faint, frightened voice. " I want to tell you something else. I make pearls. I made that large one you admire so much in mamma's necklace." . "Impossible l" said 'Daisy. "How can you make pearls without. any hands?".. "Oh ! I just take a jelly that comes from my skin, and feed it with sunbeams; and when the jelly has had plenty of sunbeams it grows into a pearl. ' If you don't believe me, look at mamma's necklace, and you can see the sunbeams glancing and gleathing, beautiful prisoned rainbows of color. It is the easiest thing in theivorld to make'pearl, if you only know how. have made so much that I didnftrknow what to do with it, until finally I pearled :myihouse all overin side. That proved to be'a very brilliant proceeding, for I- have never -been in dark ness since; even when I , shut up for the night, the prisoned sunbeams gleam in a faint way, mitring the' ruostiovely_twilight." " You dear little artist," said Daisy; "-if you really made my lavorite pearl, you are too smart to live = you are;good enough to eat." And ; so saying, she tossed •the, oyster into her pretty mouth, and smashed 4 all to pieces, with her shining teeth. 0131"SCHOLARS' WATCH US. ' was early at my: post' one 'Sabbath. morning, but LfoundJohn'there before me. Hitipeenliarly happy smile told me of great ,joy and peace Within,' for he had some monifitif befOre Opened his heart to the Lord Jesus. After a, few words of greeting, I said, John, I am ;010 to see 'you are so near the Saviour 'this n:Lorning.' ' Yes, Ido feel very happy ; but hovi r did you hnow ?' Ah, I can tell as soon at§, leek into' your 'face when you are. happy,' I said. .He smiled, and looked 'as he wished to say Something, but could hardy speak it. What is it, m 3 boy ?' I asked; 'did' you. 'Wish' to 'tell 'me something?': Yes,' teacher, I was going to say, I can always tell ;when you are close.to JeSus, too.' How can you tell ?' Oh, by your lboks one way, and then by the way you talk to us.' -Just then the rest of the class•came and'iwiE, talked no Mere ;. but those few words kept speaking to me allthe day, I can tell when: you are sear to Jesus. . I had often scanned each face, to see if love of Christ lighted up the eye, or if the tear of penitence welled .up from the heart: So long bad I been with them, so well had.l .kno w n them, that , 'thought I could tell. muchiof the heart' ,by the out ward appearance., But John had turned ,the tables. He had 'been watching me,— could tell when I was far from Jesus. I knew that my-pupils watched my conduct, to see if precept and example went togeth er; knew they watched my words when I spoke of Jeshs; but I knew not that they watched my very;looks. I had not expec ted this. I had not thought they felt the difference whenl came with a heart warmed by communion with Jesus, or with a closely studied but' prayerless lesson. ThoSe few words made me •think, if I would have.them close to Jeans, I must be there myself. Teachers, our, classes are watching us. Do they see that we are near to Tempi ? We• must lead, if we wish, them to follow." The Rive. ' ENGLISH GIRLS -IN FOREIGN CONVENT'S. The Paris Correspondent of the London. Post reminds the public, of the number of English young ladieS who become Roman Catholics abroad, and then later enter occasionally a convent, and are lost to their parents and the world. They have. almost invariably, a little fortune,.which becomes the property of the convent on their taking the veil. The financial part of the business is all arranged beforehand. 't I will narrate how two sisters, born and educated as Protestants, caused so much grief, to friends at home. The:daughters are sent to a school, a sort of retreat, where the, young ladies of Italy are Prepared for-the world by an education which is almost exclusively re ligious, and where useful mun&ne knowledge is ignored. The mother does not visit the girls of ten, but sends them all they want.- Two years pass over when mamma.„ who .is now in Paris, hears from Augusta that she has-become a Roman Catholic. Anne is called to Paris immediately, but is so inexplicably, unhappy With her mother; looks ill, and weeps, and has fits, and prays to the Virgin Mary. W ell, it comes out that she wishes, to become a Roman Catholic too Mam ma. says ' No r The girl runs away from the ma ternal home and. cannot be traced. As time rolls on Augusta informs her mother that she has decided on retiring from, the world, and has al ready gone through-the probationary steps. Au ''- tmsta is of acre, and is mistress -of 8,0001. All that the mother has heard of the daughter since is by a letter which reaches her periodically on the saint's day of her name from the pretty little nun (she was pretty, at all events, but not bright minded), saying she is very happy, has never re pented, and prays eternally for ber family. The other young lady turns up later in America, where she has become a nun also. Now, here is, the curious part of it. The superior of the con vent in America applies to the mother for money for a dowry, as this young lady,, on coming of age, contrary to expectations, has no claim on the father's will. Anne had been horn after the will was executed, and the father had not made any provision for the youngest girl. This was not pleasant to the finance minister of the little queendom where Anne had been taken in, as 8,000/, was, expected on her, coming of age. No one knows to this day how she got from Paris to the United States. Up to the time I lost sight of Mrs. X— she had not paid a farthing, and declared she did not intend to do so. What way be the life of these girls—how they may be treated—will never be known to the outer world. The letters they write to the mother are evident. ly dictated. I believe most English ministers plenipotentiary at foreign courts in Catholic coun tries have stories to tell about British subjects in foreign convents." (Prepared weekly for the American Presbyterian.) LESSONS ON PAUL—XV. Acts xiv. 28; xv. 1, 4. Gal. ii. 1-40. How long were Paul and Barnabas in An tioch ? What position in the Church would they hold ? ,In'what relation did the Church of Antioch Stand to the Church, at large ? • Shortly after the return of the Apostles what great controversy arose ? Who had come froth Judea to Antioch ? • What did they teach ? What was theirl,pur pose ? Were these men regularly commissioned as teachers ? • • When they required men to be circumcised, what test was it ? .'• , ifeaninc , of " after the manner of Moses!' ? What heretical sect adopted this doctrine? Whit, was the first characteristic of the separ ation-between the Jews and Gentiles ? • Whatwould be abhorrent to the in.. all Gentile religions? • 3 How were proselytes regarded, by. both Jews and• Gentiles? ii• , What was the sec,ond. characteristic ? Whntidid the Jews think of Greek and Ro man philosophy? Was it studied in any Jewish schools ? What was the third characteristic ? In 'What respeets , did the Jews ',mingle freely with Gentiles .?• In what respects keep themselves separate ? What did they consider particularly . unlaw ful? Was , it expressly forbidden in 1 the law of Moses? What separation in a modern heathen nation is . somewhat like this ? • What important point in reference to the Gen tiles had previously been settled? • What did the Apostles say at: that, time ? • What was the precise point. now? How did Paul's recent: journey.bring up, this question.?, Were the Jewish Christians 'sincere' in their opposition.to Paul? • , • • .What'had our , Saviour said which they might quote on •their. side ?, Matt. , XT: 24 26. . • Of what sect were th9se l Judaizing, teache'rs ? What did Paul think of their doctrine ? Meaning of " - dissension"? What does it imply ? - - Meaning 'of " disputation"'? What would be the natural result among the Syrian' Christians How could the question 'be decided ? What was determined at last ? Why was it, proper that it should be decided at Jerusalena ? ' Why were Paul and Barnabas appointed as delegates What account does Paul himself give of it ? How to reconcile the two? Who was one of the "certain "other" men-• tinned as accompanying Paul ? • Where else is he spoken of?. Meaning of "being brought on, their way by the Church" ? Was this usual ? Was it merely an act of pri vate friendship ? - Through what provinces did they pass ? Why is not Galilee mentioned ? When .and by ,whom bad the Gospel been preached in. Phenice and Samaria? Is it probable they had heard before of the tidings brought by the Apostles ? r '' How Hew many times before, since hiS conversion, had Paul been in Jerusalem? • On what occasions ? What, changes had taken place since his last visit? ARE WE-CHRIST'S?. BY Ray...THEO. CUTLER: Hundreds of our readers have lately sat down to commemorate the love of Jesifs at His table. We have just, come from that scene where we, saw Him by the 'eye of faith. At His bidding we prepared' the " guest chamber where He might eat the supper w.th his disciples." His countenance seemed to present itself to Sometimes when we sit, at twi lig,ht, by the fireside,the face of an absent friend, or of, a dear departed child comes back and looks into ours. Upon that sweet visage are the traces of Gethsenaane's struggle and Calvary's agonies. Meekness broods on that face like a dove, and love that is stronger than death. , Holy, harm less undefiled Himself, He has come to-day to " be a guest with one, who is a sinner." As that countenance of the Divine Re deemer looks in upon me at these sacra mental seasons, thuse lips that tasted the myrrh and :the 'gall seem to say to me : "Thou art, mine ! I redeemed' thee with, my blood. Dive for me ! Whatsoever ye do, do all for, the glory of God." Christ seems to say that every strength ,ened. power or the every faculty of the mind, - improved and purified by His grace, and every impulse of the converted heart, must all be tributary unto Him. " Yo are mine !" I redeemed you unto myself and for myself, to be_a peculiar people, .zealons of good works. Brethren, this ownership of us by our blessed • Saviour-±asserted and confessed anew ,Eit, the. commtinion-table--should go everywhere , with us.. Sometimes a,bribe is offered us to betray, Him; and then that divine' countenance seems to look, upbraidingly upon us ; as if He said: "Betrayest thou the Son of Man with .a kiss ?' Sometimes we are strongly tempted into sinful complian ces-and self-indulgences, then that holy face rebukes me with the 'tender reminder : Ye are mine. Wound me not in the house of, my friends. Be ye not conformed to the world. If ye love the world more than m e , ye cannot be my disciples. At another time we are computing the cost of some coveted luxury. "Itis so su perb; just the thing we want. Can we af.. ford it ?" Bat a hand seems to be laid on our purse, and in that hand is the mark of the nail that pierced it on the cross. "This is mine. This silver and gold belong to me. The Lord hath need of it. It is more blessed to give than to receive." When a genuine Christian hears this plea falling on his conscience, he drops the longed-for lux ury at once ; it is too costly for him if it costs a sting of conscience and the frown of Christ. The dearest articles in Christians' houses are those which are purchased out of the stealings from Christ's treasury. Shall I help that poor woman again ? She has come , to me already, and here she is again with the , same sad story. "Yes," re plies the loving Jesus; "inasmuch as ye do it unto her ye do it unto me." And so there is not a struggling church that asks for our dollars, or a mission-school that demands our time and our gifts, or a hungry orphan that asks for a• share of our loaf, or a drunk ard erigaged in his awful daily combat with the bottled devil, or a neglected child run uitig wild to ruin through broken Sabbaths, :or a heart-broken harlot. sighing for re-ad tniSsion ! to her , lost home and hopes—not ori6 of all thae Cali come up before except the face of our Master comes with them, saying : "Ye are mine. Do this for me. Help them for my sake. Ye are not your own. No man liveth to himself, or dieth to himselfi , but, living or 'dying, ye are . the Lord's. Glorifylne With , your bodies and spirits and substance,which are mine." What is the title of possession which our Redeemer holds? We are His by-gift. On the night of His betrayal, Jesus prayed : "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou haat given me. I will that they whom thou.halt given me be with me where I am." .*We are His by. the purchase of His redeem ing blood. "Ye are not your own ; ye are bought with -a price." "Ye were not re deemed (i. e., ransomed) with corruptible things, as silver and !gold; but witti the precious blood of a Lamb without blemish and without spot:" " I lay down my life," said Jesus, "for my sheep." We :are Christ's by - Voluntary choice. We gave ourselves to 'Him. when we chose Him as our Saviour, and joined ourselves to His band of disciples. We took upon us that yoke which grace makes easy, and that burden which loVe makes:light. We made our solemn vow to be His for time and for eternity. - Now, if we are Christ's by divine gift, and by -Christ's own redeeming purchase, and by our own free surrender, then " what manner of persons ought we to be ?" Christ's am' I? , Then my brain is His to plan for Him, and my hand:is Histo toil for Him, and my ininostheart is His to adore and to love him. Christ's am I? Then must I strive to be pure as He is pure, and holy as He is holy. "How can Ido this great wicked nessand sin against Him ?" Then .must provide things honest ,in • the sight; of all men. Therobe of Jesus is large and ispot lege ; but He never lends it to cover kna very; or to , screen a lie. A man can't be honest at the communion-table who cheats inhis. daily business., Let a man, beware how he takes the bread which typifies the broken body of Jesus, into lips that are be fouled. with falsehood. 'We may all well shudder at the thought that "verily he who betrayeth me sitteth with me. at the table." Finally, milli. Christ's?, Then this one thing must I do :- forgetting those things which , are behind; I must press toward the , mark of'the prize of His , high calling. "Go a little deeper,"' said the:-wounded French %soldier tothe surgeon who probed his left 'side forth bullet;," g6a, little deeper, and yourwilli find my; emperor:" So should we, thh '-blood-botight Solloivers , of Jesus, say: •" , Go deeper—deeper than gold, or lands, or houses, or kindred ; go to the very core of thy heart, and yoti will find my Saviour!" HOW IvIUQH IS LEFT? A correspondent, of the Rural New Yorker has ,as article on the • agricultural value of our public domain, from which we clip the folio wing " Without •counting Alaska, the United States has still 1,500,000,000 acres of public lands." Why not count Alaska ? It cannot be more superlatively worthless than ninety nine hundredths of this niuch heralded " bil lion and a half acres of public land." It is high time that our careless, credulous, spend thrift, 'sovereign: people, should know, not merely the extent, but the quality of their possession. • ; Of all this vast public domain, not one acre in three hundredis worth one dime for farming purposes: Exeepting a few fertile valleys on the Pacific slope, which generally have' to be irrigated in order to produce crops, there is no land fit to farm on west of a line drawn through Texas, Kansas, Ne braska, and Minnesota. This line will . leave at least one-third of those States "out inthe cold"-or more de finitely, out in the dkv, for drought comes in to spoil what sterility has spared. West of this line, and east of the Continental divide, (the Rocky Molintains,) most of the surface is covered with wild grass generally short And thin, but which gets a start the last of May, and , for three or four months affords some pasture, but early frosts render it nearly worthless. Its value as a grazing re ginn has been greatly overrated. This year stock would fall away rapidly, if left on prairie grass after the middle of September, These dry prairies will not bear close feed ing. Cropped like New York pastures, they will run oat, and there is little hope that they can be renewed with tame grasses. Our cheap, fertile, arable lands are mostly all appropnated,—bought up by actual set tlers or speculators,--and this fact should be speedily known to all w ho intend to go West with a little money toprodnce hothes.