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on that subject. When she practises self-denial for the good of others, or active benevolence, prove to her, by your decided approbation, that you set an equal value upon these attainments. That Being whose wisdom is infinite, does not characterize himself as a God of knowledge; but God is love." The most prominent point in our blessed Saviour's character on earth was his "doing good." Make your daughter feel that all her intellectual acquirements and her accomplishments are designed to increase her power of conferring happiness.

Be careful that her sensibility is not expended upon fictitious subjects. The true feelings of the heart are often thus foolishly and wickedly wasted. The passive emotions are all weakened by frequent excitement. On the contrary, the active emotions are increased by exercise. Many a bright eye, which has wept itself dim over scenes of fictitious sorrow, would turn away in disgust from real distress. Act efficiently and promptly, and the revolting circumstances which often attend suffering will be unheeded. When your daughter is old enough for your companion and friend, allow her to participate in your cares and duties. It is the affectionate daughter and kind sister, who will make the self-denying wife, and devoted mother. A woman may be gifted with splendid talents; she may be accomplished and beautiful; she may be even pious in principle, but without affections strong and active, she is like an iceberg glittering in the moon-beams; for none can dream of communion with frozen sterility.

From the "Educational Magazine."

THE CHILDLESS.

THERE are those who have had years of married life embittered, because it has pleased Providence to

withhold from them a family, and who, while they hear others complain of the various trials to which they are thereby exposed, are ready to think that such troubles are not to be compared with their own- so foolish are we, and ignorant!" So apt to forget that the all-wise disposer of events, who both gives and withholds, in subservience to the best interests of his people. The time is at hand when those who have wives, and husbands, and children, shall be as though they had them not; and then, although you may not literally be entitled "here am I, and the children thou hast given me; you may, nevertheless, bring up a long train to join in the triumph of that day, who may own you as their spiritual parents, as the honoured instruments of their new birth unto God. In such an animating prospect Paul gloried, although he had probably neither sons nor daughters, according to the flesh; and well he might, and well may every zealous promoter of the Gospel of Christ rejoice, for "whoever converts a sinner from the error of his ways, shall shine as the stars in the firmament for ever and ever."

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Remember then, my dear reader, that although Providence has withheld from you the pleasures and the cares of a family, as a Christian you may have other pleasures, and should have other cares; your responsibility, although altered in its character, is not diminished. Should you see the work of the Lord prosper in your hands, happy are you. It is evidently His pleasure, that the talents with which you are intrusted should be directed into a foreign channel. It will be well if you are enabled to cooperate with his wise designs. He will give you a name better than that of sons and daughters."

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TAYLOR.

THE FEMALES' ADVOCATE.

"MY DAYS ARE AS AN HAND'S BREADTH."

A TRUTH I very fully acknowledge; yet to how little practical effect do I consider it! How seldom as applied to my own self, does its remembrance come home with realizing power! I cannot stir beyond my door but the tolling bell repeats the lesson; I hear it, and I heed it not. An acquaintance drops, and I am startled; a nearer and a dearer friend is withdrawn, and now I weep, and reflection busies itself in following the departed; and a voice is heard, saying, "Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die;""Prepare to meet thy God." Conviction follows the appeal; for a little season the solemn change appears to be at hand: "Lord! comest thou to me in this watch?" is the enquiry, which the heart, impressed under such warnings, will with solicitude put forth. Time passes, and the summons comes not; forgetfulness and security succeed: but every closing day abridges something of the short remaining portion of the sojourn here; and, ere another sun arises, "I may go hence and be no more seen." The sentence may even now have proceeded from on high, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee;" shall I not therefore ask, Then VOL. III.

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whose shall those things be which I have provided ?” Shall they be thine, my Saviour and Redeemer ? Shall this soul, this spirit, which thou didst go forth to purchase at so dear a rate, shall it return to Thee? Where are my thoughts, my affections, my desires? Roving to the very ends of the earth? Centered in some little spot of home endearments, and of intellectual joys? Or, fixed on heaven, on things unseen, on the living God, "the heavenly Jerusalem, on an innumerable company of angels, the general assembly and church of the first-born, and God the Judge of all, and on the spirits of just men made perfect?" Where are my hopes? Rest they on myself? On the faint prayers which I have breathed? On the poor pitiful performances of a charity but scanty in its measure, and cold and tardy in its performance? On tears of repentance seldom shed; on deeds of self-denial, in number few; in spirit, little in accord with Him who trod privation's painful path? Are these my hopes? Poor perishing delusions all! Or, are they anchored on a firmer rock? Ascend they to the Rock of Ages, to Salvation's Lord? Do they with trembling yet believing faith, lay hold on Christ? Am I in lowliness of spirit, come to "Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel?" Lord! if here I make my resting-place I fail not; therefore do thou henceforth take my heart, my life, my thoughts into thy keeping; mould them into confor

mity with thy will, and then shall I be safe. Then shall I know no fear, for the everlasting arms shall be beneath me and shall bear me up; and, with confiding trust, my latest breath may testify that "into thy hands," I do in hope, "commend my spirit," because "Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of Truth."

L. H.

TRIED AND FOUND FAITHFUL.

I HAVE no greater joy," writes the beloved disciple, "than to hear that my children walk in truth;" and it must afford the friends of the London Female Mission great gratification at all times to learn that those who have been the objects of its solicitude, either in the Probationary House or in the District Asylums, are conducting themselves well in the situations to which they have been introduced. The following are some of the communications which have been received by the St. Marylebone Female Penitentiary Society, relating to the young women who have left its asylum: :

"Dear Madam,

"C, S———.

"At the request of Mary J.'s mother, I have promised to write to you. Her parents regret you have not received any account of her before this, but they concluded that the gentleman to whom Mary brought a letter from Mr. Nasmith would have written. Mrs. J. wishes me to say that she feels very grateful to you for your kindness to her daughter, and that Mary has conducted herself well

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