THE HOME OF MY CHILDHOOD.

CHARLES HASSEL.

The home of my childhood is dear to me still,

Though now it is far from my sight; Let me stray through the wide world wherever I will,

I think of it still with delight.

To many an eye it may have but few charms;

They may call it but barren and wild; But a sight of those scenes my fond heart ever warms,

Where I roam'd, when a free happy child.

My fancy still pictures the happy young
throng,

Who met me so joyously there;
When we danc'd to the sound of the lin-

net's gay song,

And our bosoms were strangers to care.

But ah! the bright vision recedes from my sight,

I may taste those pure pleasures no more,Those bright sunny days, when my young heart was light,

Alas! they for ever are o'er.

But the uplands and meads, where in

childhood I roved,

Are still looking blooming and green, And the tall rugged trees, whose cool shade I then lov'd,

Still wave in their pride o'er the scene.

The chill blast of winter each rude limb may shake,

And scatter their leaves o'er the plain, Yet spring shall once more from her slumbers awake,

And sun them to verdure again.

So I, when life's tempests around me, shall low'r,

And I feel keen adversity's blast, Would patiently bow, in the terrible hour On the firm ground of hope, rooted fast;

Till the drear course of time, like the winter, is o'er,

And my spirit shall wing its last flight, Beyond the earth's bounds, and shall joyously soar

To the realms of unceasing delight.
Richmond.

A cloud lay cradled near the setting sun,
A gleam of crimson tinged its braided
snow,

Long had I watch'd its glory moving on,
O'er the still radiance of the lake below;
Tranquil its spirit seem'd and floated slow,
E'en in its very motion there was rest,
While every breath of eve that chanced
to blow,

Wafted the traveller to the beauteous
west;

Emblem methought of the departed soul,
To whose bright robe the gleam of bliss
is given,

And by the breath of mercy made to roll,
Right onward to the gates of Heaven;
Where to the eye of faith it peaceful lies,
And tells to man his glorious destinies.
Professor Wilson.

OUR CHILDREN'S PAGE.

FACTS WORTH REMEMBERING

Leap year is the year which divides evenly by 4.

Epiphany, or Twelfth Day, celebrates the arrival of the Wise Men from the East.

Plough Monday, was the feast of the Plough, in honor of Agriculture. The Purification, or Candlemas, celebrates the Jewish ceremony of the presentation of the Mother of Jesus.

Quadragesima Sunday is the first Sunday in Lent, On Ash Wednesday commences the 40 days of Lent.

MISCELLANY AND

My young readers must excuse me for calling upon them to acquire, while their minds may be impressed with new images, a love of innocent pleasures, and an ardour for useful knowledge; to remember that a blighted spring makes a barren year; and that the vernal flowers, however beautiful and gay, are only intended as preparatives for autumnal fruits. Johnson.

WISDOM and knowledge do not always go together. There may be wisdom without knowledge, and knowledge, without wisdom. A man without knowledge, if he walk humbly with his God, and live in charity with his neighbours, may be wise unto salvation. A man without wisdom may not find his knowledge avail him quite so well. But it is he who possesses both that is the true philosopher. The more he knows, the more he is desirous of knowing; and yet the farther he advances in knowledge, the better he understands how little he can attain, and the more deeply he feels that God alone can satisfy the infinite desires of an immortal soul. To understand this is the height and perfection of philosophy.

NATURE has perfections, in order to show that she is the image of God; and defects, in order to show that she is only his image. Pascal.

MONTHLY NOTICES.

AUGUST.

On the first of this month, and until two Sundays have elapsed, County Lists to be fixed on Church and Dissenting Chapel doors. 11. County Court, at Crown Inn, Soham.

20. Last day for leaving with the Overseers objections to County Electers.

25. Last day for service of objections to Electors on their Tenants. 29. Overseers of Parishes or Townships to send list of Electors and number of objections to the High Constable of the Hundreds.

Churchwardens and Overseers are to make out before the first day of September, a list of all persons qualified ro serve on juries, and affix a copy of such list on the three first Sundays in September on the Church or Chapel door.

NE of the greatest evidences of individual and national
apostacy from God is, the desecration of the Sabbath
Day. For, as this day was a sign by which the Israelites
might know that God was their sanctifier, and their
deliverer from Egyptian slavery, so it is a sign by which
every christian may
discover his personal interest in the
promises and privileges of the gospel. Considered in
this light, it must be a matter of deep concern to all
who are imbued with right sentiments upon the subject,

to observe the growing indifference towards the sanctity of this day, which has become so apparent among us. And we shall esteem ourselves happy, if, from a brief view of its nature and obligations, we should be instrumental," in any degree, towards its more religious regard. Every one acquainted with the recent history of a neighbouring country will remember that the abolition of the observance of the Sabbath Day was one of the chief acts of that infidel and awful power which deluged the streets of Paris with blood, and which, setting up the image of silence amid their graves, proclaimed to the world their impious hope, that death was only an eternal sleep! May our highly-favoured country be ever preserved from so frightful a desolation ;-a desolation in which all the worst propensities of human nature seemed to combine, till the cup of human misery was poured out to the very dregs, and the principal actors in the tragedy were themselves crushed beneath the engine of their own devising, amid the execrations of the civilized world.

In the first place then we may notice, that the first day of the week has been set apart for the uses of religion, from the earliest ages of christianity: for the history of the acts of the apostles bears the fullest testimony to this fact. The observance of the seventh day of the week having been closely connected with the Jewish law, it was abrogated at the commencement of the christian dispensation, when the shadows of that law were dissipated for ever, by the rising of the Sun of Righteousness. "It appears from Gen. ii., 3, (says Bishop Tomline) that God "blessed the seventh day and sanctified it ;" and thus ordained, that every seventh day, or one day in seven, should be exempted from the ordinary cares and business of the world, and more immediately dedicated to religious uses, and the service of God. This ordinance which, from the nature of its origin, must necessarily be binding on all mankind, was repeated as one of the ten commandments given on mount Sinai, which our Lord expressly declared to be of perpetual obligation, (Matt. v., 17, 19.) The strict observance of the seventh day, or Sabbath, was enforced upon the Jewish nation by peculiar commands, adapted to the general tenor of institutions designed to separate them from the rest of the world, and declared to be founded in circumstances peculiar to that people (Deut. v. 18.) These positive injunctions, designed to commemorate their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, which was a shadow of things to come," (Col. ii., 17) were of a temporary nature, and ceased to be binding on them when the Jewish law was abrogated by the coming of the Messiah; and the Saviour of the world having risen from the dead on the first day of the week, that day was then appointed to be set apart for the purpose of religious worship, according to the original institution at the creation, to commemorate the emancipation of all mankind from the power of sin and death. The sacred writers do not mention that the apostles received any express direction to make this change in the day, which had been so long appropriated to the service of God; but, as we know that they acted by inspiration on all occasions where religious doctrines or duties were concerned, it is impossible to doubt their authority on this point; and indeed this change seems clearly to have been sanctioned by the appearance of Christ in the midst of them, when they were assembled together, (John xx. 19,) and by the descent of the Holy Ghost, both on the first day of the week.

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It is difficult to imagine circumstances more strikingly calculated