hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt." Do you know who caused the merchants to pass by just at that time? FAITH is the Spirit's sweet control From which assurance springs, Faith is the pencil of the soul That pictures heavenly things. Faith is the throb of Love that makes Faith is the wondrous power that shakes The Tempter on his throne. Faith is the conq'ring host that storms Faith is the quick'ning fire that warms Faith is the smile that plays around The dying Christian's brow, Faith was the light by which he found The hope that fills him now. Faith gives the wings that heavn'ward bear Our cold imperfect praise, Faith is the soul of ev'ry prayer The weakest saint can raise. Faith is the lamp that burns to guide Our bark when tempest driven, Faith is the key that opens wide O Rock of Ages! Fount of Bliss, And let our constant prayer be this, J. BURBIDGE. JOSEPH IN EGYPT. "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. "And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison."-GEN. xxxix. 1, 4, 19, 20. JOSEPH's troubles, which I spoke of last Sunday, were also a cause of trouble to his father Jacob. After Joseph had been sold, Reuben his elder brother returned to the pit, intending perhaps to deliver him; and when he could not find him there, he rent his clothes to show his great anguish. It is not known whether the other brothers informed Reuben of what they had done; but we read that they dipped his coat of many colours in the blood of a kid, and took it to their father. I need not describe to you Jacob's grief; the poor man exclaimed at once that some evil beast had devoured his dear son; that he was, no doubt, torn in pieces; and he refused to be comforted. There was, I dare say, much grief in Joseph's heart also! Oh, it was a sad thing to be parted from his dear father; and to be carried on the back of a camel across the hot desert! But the same good thought which I spoke of before, comforted him still. They could not separate him from his Father above! The Ishmeelites were travelling southward to Egypt, and when they arrived there, Joseph was, perhaps, taken to the slave market, and held up for sale. How sad must he have felt then, and how ashamed to be sold like one of his father's cattle! But in the midst of his grief and shame, the old thought comforted him again, "GOD IS PRESENT EVERYWHERE.” Perhaps there came another good thought-I dare say he remembered, "God is good," and could look up to heaven, and say to Him, "Thy will be done!" For he knew full well that whatever God wished to happen to him, must be for his good! Oh, what joy all people might have in the midst of their hardest troubles, if they could only look up to their Father above, and say, "Thy will be done !” Ion. I should have thought, papa, that he would have been afraid that God had left him. P. No, he was not, as you will soon see. He was soon purchased by a soldier, a captain of the soldiers who guarded the king. This captain's name was Potiphar, and when Joseph was removed to Potiphar's house, the same thonght of God guided him into the right way. He did not begin to complain of his bitter lot, but remembered again, GOD IS EVERYWHERE, and performed all the duties which were appointed him, not only to please his master, but to please God. Thus he would be a good servant always—why? Ion. Because when his master Potiphar was not looking at him, he knew that God was; indeed he would try to do right always. P. True; and Potiphar soon found out this. Perhaps, instead of making him work in the open fields with the other slaves, he took him to live in the house, where he soon found that he could trust Joseph very much; and in the course of time he had so good an opinion of his slave, that he raised him to be an overseer, giving him the charge of all the other slaves, the fields, and the cattle; in fact, making him his steward, and thus placing him in a situation of the highest power and authority. When Joseph found himself in this high station, how thankful must he have felt toward God! No doubt, he would have been quite happy had not his mind sometimes wandered to his native land, and the far off tents and flocks of his father. L. I wonder he did not ask Potiphar to give him a month's holiday; I suppose that his master would have trusted him-he knew that he would not run away. P. I dare say Joseph would have done so, but at the very time when he was thus happy he was again plunged into trouble. The wife of his master Potiphar was not a good woman, and wanted to persuade Joseph to do a very wicked action. But Joseph still remembered, and answered her, "How am I to do this great wickedness, and sin against GOD!" Then, she tried again to persuade him, but he would not be persuaded; and when she found that he would not listen to her, she behaved very badly. She told Potiphar that Joseph had been trying to do the very wickedness which he had refused to do; and, as Potiphar of course believed her, he was so angry that he caused Joseph to be thrown into prison. Ion. And was he really thrown into prison, papa? P. Yes. What sort of thoughts do you suppose he had when perhaps he was marching down the streets of Egypt with his hands tied, and guarded by soldiers? W. Perhaps he began to think that God was not in Egypt, or else he would not have been served so unjustly. P. No, he would still believe in God. True! his thoughts would be very bitter. How painful to think that his master, who had loved him, and been kind to him, and had trusted him very much, was now angry with him!-that his master believed him to be wicked, and would not even hear him speak! These thoughts made Joseph very sad; but he still hoped. Yes! he would always hope,-even when the prison doors were opened, and he was led down the dark steps, and through the dark passages, to the door of his cell-even when he was placed in his dark lonely cell, and the heavy door was slammed, and shut against him-then perhaps the dreary feeling might come, "I shall never get out again." But it would only stop for a moment; the old bright thought would return again, and as he sat down alone, he would perhaps look up through his dark cell to heaven. Then, as he thought of his Father above, even in the darkness, he would cry out joyfully, "GOD IS EVERYWHERE!" HYMN. LORD, a little band and lowly, We are come to sing to thee; Fill our hearts with thoughts of Jesus, And let nothing ever please us For we know the Lord of glory Of our thoughts and actions too. Let our sins be all forgiven; MRS. SHELLEY. THE SABBATH. SWEETLY the Sabbath morning dawns- Like an o'erwearied child the world I love to deem the Sabbath-day To man, where he may breathe awhile The wheels of life stand motionless,— Action in slumber lies, The thought resumes its throne, and Faith Upon our ear the sound of bells- Religion's hallowed walls! A day of joy! Why walk ye then They are, but 'tis not well to mourn Can tears be grateful to the dead? Sweetly the Sabbath morning dawns- Ye have six days to laugh or weep, THE SABBATH. FRESH glides the brook and blows the gale, The whirring wheel, the rushing sail, |