He continued patient under the afflicting rod. On the Thursday preceding his death, in addressing and comforting a weeping brother, he said, "don't cry for me, for I shall soon be better off than you." The dying struggle was brief. In an agony he exclaimed, "Oh, dear! what shall I do? His mother replied, "thou wilt soon be with Jesus." He immediately answered, "I shall;" and then calmly breathed his last, on Sunday, August 4th, 1844, aged 11 years. Christian parents! train up your children in the way they should go. Christian ministers! forget not the "lambs" of Christ's flock. Sabbath-school teachers! work on earth, rest in Heaven. Youthful Reader! mayest thou live as piously, and die as happily as Joseph Simpson. Amen. X. X.

LOCOMOTIVE FACULTY OF PLANTS. THERE is a remarkable instance mentioned in the second vol. of the Linnæan Transactions, of a plain tree, 20 feet high, which grew upon the top of a wall; being straitened for nourishment in this barren situation, it directed its roots down the side of the wall, till they reached the ground, a distance of 10 feet. It was amply repaid for this trouble by plenty of nourishment, and a more vigorous vegetation. If a wet sponge be placed near a cucumber, which is growing in a particular direction, it will change this direction, and grow towards the sponge. Thus plants appear like wise and intelligent agents, to move towards their good, and to turn aside from those soils that are either injurious, or afford but scanty nourishment.

Youthful reader, go and do likewise; turn away from evil, and turn to that which is good.

A. T.

POETRY.

GOD, THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS.

GOD made the world on which we live,
And all the beauties it contains;
He makes the earth her increase yield.
And fosters it with fruitful rains.

God made the spacious heavens above,
And spread the blue expansive space;
Wherein are fixed unnumber'd worlds,
All moving in their destin'd place.
God made the glorious orb of day;
The bright refulgent dazzling sun,
To yield us light and genial warmth,
Then sink to rest when day is done.
God made the moon the queen of night,
That rides in majesty on high;
And all the stars that round her shine,
And glitter in the pathless sky.

God made the vast and boundless sea,
And fill'd its waves with living forms;
He causes it to rage and foam.

And silences its threat'ning storms.
God made all living things that be,
Which walk, or fly, or creep, or swim;
All are his works, and all their wants,
Are graciously supplied by Him.
Then let us love this bounteous God,
Who daily all our wants supplies;
And let our songs of praise be raised,

To Him who dwells above the skies.
Rochdale, March, 1815.

J. B.

THE SUNDAY SCHOLARS' MAGAZINE.

JUNE, 1845.

JERICHO.

Now Jericho was a strong city, full of fightingmen, and the walls of it were very high. The gates also were kept shut night and day; no one went out, or came in.

Joshua might fear, on these accounts, that he should have much trouble to take the city. But as he came to look at it, and was thinking what method it would be best to pursue, the Lord appeared to him in the form of a man, and told him to take courage, as he had come as the Leader of the people. See," said he, I have given Jericho into thy hand!"

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"Have given,"-why, the people had not yet come near the walls; how was this? God often speaks in his word of things which he proposes to do, as if they were already done. For who can prevent the Almighty from doing as he pleases? His words are works.

Now the Lord, who had appeared to him, told him what they should do. They were not to beat the walls with heavy instruments, till they had broken a part of them down, and so go in through the breach; nor were they to burn the gates, or get into the city by means of ladders; for the city YOL, XXI,

was to be taken as no place was ever taken before or since. "Ye shall compass the city," said he, "all ye men of war; and go round about the city once; thus shalt thou do for six days. And seven

priests shall bear before the ark, seven trumpets of rams' horns; and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to

pass, that when they make a long blast with the rams' horns, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout: and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up straight before bin.!"

What a strange way was this in which to take a town. It would not have been wonderful, if the people had said, How can this be? Who ever heard of a town having been taken in this way? Of what use can it be to shout? How can strong walls be brought down with a shout? Let us attack the city with our weapons, and then there will be some hope of our gaining it! But God told them to walk round it, and shout, to show them that he could give them victory, and bring about his designs, with or without means, and as he pleased, to teach them to trust in him at all times, and in all places.

And Joshua and the people did as the Lord bade them; they marched round the city once a day for six days, in solemn silence; and no sound was. heard but that of the rams' horns, which the priests. blew.

But why did not the walls fall down the first time when the people marched round them? Because it was the will of God that they should not. By keeping them for seven days in their movement round the place, the Lord meant to give them so much time to observe and to think of God's wonderful works, that they should never forget them; and, perhaps, he meant to show them, that they should exactly obey his commands, though they