I asked her what was the matter, she said that her mother had sent her to fetch a hap'orth of milk, and a rude boy ran against her and threw her down, and all her milk was spilled. You know that Jane's father has been out of work for a fortnight, and her mother has been ill for a long time: and they are very poor, for Jane told me they had not another halfpenny in the house, and so, father, I gave Jane the other halfpenny to buy some more milk with."

Her father fondly kissed his little girl. and said, "You did well, my dear child, to give Jane the halfpenny; and I think that you have made as good a use of your penny as could reasonably be expected from a child of your age. Indeed, I am much pleased with all of you to-night, and hope that you will always think before you spend a penny, whether you are about to make the best use you can of it.

Now, James, reach the Bible and let us have family worship; for we must not forget that all our comforts proceed from our Heavenly Father; and that to Him we must give an account of our stewardship, whether we have been entrusted with

a POUND or a PENNY.

IT IS BEST TO SPEAK THE TRUTH. So said a little boy in my class, the other Sabbath. So God's word teaches, and so all good men believe. You would shudder at the thought of being seen in the presence of a murderer, and pity the boy or girl who would be guilty of a theft ; now we

do not mean to say that to tell a lie is as great a sin as to commit murder, but in the Scriptures they are all classed together, and that proves to us they must be all great sins. Leviticus xix. 11: "Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another." 1 Timothy i. 9, 10: "The law is made for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers. and-for liars ;" and I am sure none of you would liked to be classed amongst characters which every body hates, and which God's word declares cannot enter heaven.

I shall first explain to you what a lie is, and secondly, prove to you that it is best to speak the truth, To lie, is simply to deceive, no matter how that is affected: sometimes it is done by words, sometimes by actions, and at other times by looks, When you endeavour to blame another for what you have been guilty of-which is very unmanly and cowardly—then, of course, you tell a lie: to have confessed the truth would have been noble. You may at times be tempted to tell a lie in hopes of being saved from punishment; and at other times, that you may profit by it: but, depend upon it, you will prosper most. and always feel happiest, when you speak the truth.

A boy left home to go to school, but on his way he met with one who persuaded him to play truant ; ye yielded to the temptation, and thus absented himself from school, and at the appointed hour for his return he appeared. His parents asked him no questions: they believed he had been at school; they were deceived, he lied, and that without uttering a word. I shall now endeavour to prove to

you that it is best to speak the truth. A father, who was lying on his death bed, one morning told his son to go to the chemist's and purchase for him some medicine (it was in the country). The boy left, but on reaching the shop he found it closed, and as the shopkeeper lived at a little distance, to save himself the trouble of going, he framed a lie and returned to his dying father; on entering the room the suffering man asked if he had brought the medicine; he hung his head, his conscience smote him, but he muttered out the lie, "Mr. says he has none." He left the room, but was afterwards called in with his brothers and mother to receive the blessing of their dying parent; and when he placed his hand upon his head, and prayed to God to bless him, and charged him always to speak the truth, he felt as though his heart would break. He left the room, ran to the shop obtained the medicine, but he only returned as his father was expiring! Poor boy, the last words he ever spoke to him was a lie; I am sure he ever afterwards thought it was best to speak the truth.

When a very little boy, I remember telling my father a lie; but the pain of mind that it has caused me will never allow me to forget that it is best to speak the truth. In the Bible we read of Gehazi, who coveted the silver and garments of Naaman the Syrian; and, grieved that his master would not accept of any, he framed a lie, ran after the chariot of Naaman, and told him that two young men of the sons of the prophets had called upon his master, and he wanted for them one talent of silver and two changes of garments: but you

all know that was a shocking lie-he only wanted them for himself. And when he returned, be

went in to his master, and appeared as though he had been about nothing that was bad; and when Elisha asked him where he had been, his reply was "Thy servant went no whither; but Elisha was fully aware of all that had passed, and, as a punishment for his covetousness and lying, he was smote with the same dreadful disease that Naaman had been cured of, viz. leprosy. I am sure he must ever afterwards have thought it was best to speak the truth. And then, again, you remember how that Ananias and Sapphira were punished for lying,

"Then let me always watch my lips,

Lest I be sent to death and hell;
Since God a book of reck'ning keeps,
For every lie that children tell."

There is just one point more to which I wish to draw your attention, and then I have done, and that is unless you both believe that it is best to speak the truth, and at the same time practise it, people will soon learn not to trust what you say; and how disgraceful to think that no one will believe you, and that God frowns upon you! If you remember, in my endeavour to explain to you the meaning of a lie, I said, it meant to deceive; now always try to bear in mind, and pray to God to give you grace always to speak the truth. When Peter asked Ananias how much he had sold his land for, he said, For so much; now there is no doubt he had sold his land for the sum he named, but he had also sold it for much more, and his

object was to deceive. Now, my dear children, guard against this dreadful sin; at all times speak the truth, and then your own consciences will be at peace; seek the converting grace of God, and all will be well with you for time and eternity.

GEORGE BATTERS.

CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

OUR young friends have most of them heard of the great good that has been done by Christian Missionaries in the South-Sea Islands, where cruel savages and ignorant idolaters have, under the power of the Gospel, become holy and spiritual worshippers of the true God. The following article is extracted from "The Missionary's Reward,” a most interesting work by George Pritchard, Esq., last British Consul at Tahiti, where the French have acted so wickedly as to dethrone the queen, take possession of the Island, and are doing all they can to destroy the fruits of Missionary labour. We would recommend those schools that have a library to obtain Mr. Pritchard's work as soon as possible.

In some of the schools they have an annual examination, which is usually kept in May, either the day before or the day after the missionary meeting. On these occasions, they have what is generally called the Children's feast, when they all dine together. They are dressed in their best, and, as far as possible, in European clothing. With great delight they anticipate the return of that day, and are long preparing for it, making hats, bonnets, and dresses of all kinds. Some,