"I was not aware that you took in children to nurse," he observed. "Oh, this is not a nurse-child," quickly answered Jane. "This is the little baby I found in the great ship that was wrecked some months ago, nearly drowned in a box full of water."

Mr. Harewood showed great interest in the account given by Jane's grandmother, who came to the door and continued the history of the little boy's discovery.

I should like that boy for my own," said the poor gentleman, for he had lost many children, and had none alive. " I should like to bring him up as my own, and it would relieve you of your burden, Mrs. Harris."

Jane's colour rose to her cheeks, and tears filled her eyes, but she endeavoured to conceal her face behind her dear baby. "You hesitate, I perceive," said the gentleman, "and poor Jane, I see, is quite overcome at the idea of parting with her found treasure. I commend you both for your kindness to the poor destitute child, especially as the addition to your family must be a great increase of expense."

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Why, sir," said the old woman, "I had thoughts of soon applying to the parish for a little assistance, for Jane overworks herself to prevent my feeling any inconvenience, and she begins to look pale and thin, but she is so attached to the boy, that—”

"Ah, I do not wonder at that," interrupted Mr. Harewood. "Well, perhaps we shall be able to make some compact about the little fellow. I should like to show him to my poor wife, who is in very low spirits, though it is several years since we lost our last child. The having her attention diverted by an object of interest might be of great service to her."

Certainly, sir," replied Mrs. Harris; "Jane shall bring the baby for Mrs. Harewood to see, whenever you like."

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"I respect your feelings, Jane," said Mr. Harewood, shall not do anything to make you unhappy. To-morrow I will send my carriage to fetch you both, for the distance is too far for you to carry the boy, and I think you will not object to the arrangement I shall then make."

Jane, with tearful eyes and faltering voice, agreed to be ready at the proposed hour, and Mr. Harewood rode off. Jane ran into the cottage her heart was full, and her tears increased at the thought of parting with her dear little Charles, which she felt would be a great trial to her.

"Do not fret so much, Jane," said her grandmother. "Mr. Harewood is a kind gentleman; matters will not be so bad as you think for. Wait and see."

Jane listened to her grandmother; she dried her eyes, and set about finishing some worsted articles which were to be taken to the town to supply the shops, and which were in great demand among the sailors.

Jane went her errand, and on her return employed herself as much as she could about the house, scarcely trusting herself to notice the little boy. When Joe came home to supper, she could with difficulty restrain her tears, as she recounted the visit of Mr. Harewood, and his wishes respecting the child.

The following morning the carriage arrived to convey them to “ the Grove,” and a servant delivered a message from Mrs. Harewood, to beg that the grandmother would accompany them. They all got in neatly dressed: the novelty of the ride delighted little Charles, and amused Jane and her grandmother. They thought the time short when they were set down at Mr. Harewood's hall door. The whole party were shown into a handsome drawingroom, where were seated Mr. and Mrs. Harewood.

Jane's heart beat and Charles stared and looked red in the face, as the lady advanced to speak to them.

"What a fine boy," she said, turning to her husband; “I am struck with the likeness you told me of: dear little creature. Will you come to me?" she added, speaking to the child, and she held out her arms to take him.

Her manner was so pleasing, and her look so engaging, that the child, though naturally rather shy, did not refuse to go to her.

"I have heard of yours and your granddaughter's kindness to this poor orphan," observed Mrs. Harewood; "and I think highly of your kindness towards him, and am sure that you are become attached to the dear baby."

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"Yes," said Jane, holding out her arms to Charles, we love him very much, and don't wish to part with him.” "Hush, Jane," said her grandmother, "let the lady speak." Jane coloured and was silent.

"What I have to propose," said Mrs. Harewood, "is that I will adopt the child and bring him up as my own, and provide for him, and that you, Jane, shall come and live with me and be his nurse." "Ah!" said Mr. Harewood, "I see that last observation has improved Jane's countenance very much. And your grandmother shall often receive a visit from you both, and as you are advancing in years, Mrs. Harris, and will miss your granddaughter's useful assistance, I will provide a good steady girl to wait upon you, and you shall receive a pension from us to supply the place of Jane's industry."

Jane and her grandmother expressed their gratitude, and although the old woman knew she should very much miss her granddaughter and her little charge, of whom she had also become very fond, yet she considered how much better off they both would be; and as she was frequently to see both Jane and Charles, she was reconciled to the separation.

They returned once more to their cottage, to make all needful arrangements, and in about a week's time Jane was established as

little Charles' nurse at "the Grove," and Charles soon became the delight of his new parents.

About six months afterwards, when Jane accompanied by little Charles came to visit her grandmother's humble but cheerful cottage, Mrs. Harris observed as they sat laughing and talking round the tea-table, "How happy we all are now! You, my dear Jane, have an excellent situation, and a good and kind mistress, while I have every blessing and comfort that I could desire in my old age."

"And it is to your own and Jane's kindheartedness," said Joe, who that evening made one of the party, "that, under Providence, you owe this, for all your happiness and prosperity may be traced back to your humanity in supporting and taking care of a poor and friendless orphan."

THE OFFERTORY.

In our endeavours to explain the services of our Church, we cannot omit to enter somewhat at length into the subject of our present article. It follows, naturally, the remarks we have already made upon public worship, as it is no unimportant part thereof. It is, we feel, one upon which greater ignorance has heretofore prevailed than upon almost any other portion of revealed truth. It may be that among our readers there may be some who have not thought much upon it; these we would ask to weigh well our observations, however imperfect.

We said that this subject was connected with kneeling, and singing Psalms, as a posture of worship, and for this reason.

By kneeling we worship Gop with our bodies, by saying prayers or singing Psalms, we worship Him with our tongues, and by making offerings we worship Him with our substance. Indeed we cannot serve GOD without the heart, but when our heart is devoted to GOD it necessarily leads us to show forth homage and thankfulness to Him with the choicest and best of our possessions. Inward and outward worship act and re-act upon each other, and in all common cases we cannot serve GoD with the inward man, unless the outward man be subjected to discipline.

To form habits of devotion there must be acts of devotion, and as devotion implies the act and habit of offering to GoD suitable proportions of our substance, it follows that the Church, by making the offertory an essential part of Divine service, is so far a faithful interpreter of GOD's will, and a school for learning habits of truth.

We will commence the examination of the subject with the

following observations of S. Chrysostom on the offerings of Cain and Abel.

"And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD."-Gen. iv. 3.

"Observe how the Author of nature has grafted knowledge in our conscience. 'Twas this inward principle which made the offering. Cain knew that it was becoming in him to offer somewhat of his possessions to his LORD and Master. GOD does not

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need such things as these, but He requires us to offer unto Him thanksgiving' for the favour and mercies which He bestows upon us. GOD is not worshipped with men's hands as though He needeth anything,' but for our salvation He mercifully condescends to accept this service, that we may be trained to virtue by this method of recognizing His power and goodness.

"And Abel he also brought the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and his offering. But unto Cain and his offering He had not respect."ver. 4, 5.

"In the very beginning God tells us that He is no respecter of persons; but that every man shall receive according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. But let us give the most earnest heed to these things. Holy Scripture never speaks in vain or at random, but every syllable, every jot, every title of it contains a hidden treasure. Cain and Abel made offerings to the LORD according to their respective occupations. But observe the piety of Abel, he offered of the fat of the firstlings, i.e., he offered the choicest parts of the choicest of his flocks. Cain, on the other hand, took no such care. He offered indeed a sacrifice of the fruits of the earth; but as one might say, it was not a choice but a chance offering. I say again, and I will not cease to say, that GOD needs no such service at our hands as offerings; yet He chooses that in this way we should show our gratitude to Him. But when a man offers of his possessions, if he only considers the difference between himself and his Creator, and the privilege of offering, he cannot but be anxious to set before GOD the best and most that he is able. Though neither Cain nor Abel had any external guide to direct them, yet both had an inward monitor, and both were taught by the wisdom from above. So far there was equality, but while there was an excellence of disposition in the one, there was a carelessness and infirmity of purpose in the other, and hence the LORD had respect unto the offering of Abel, but He had not respect to the offering of Cain.

"GOD would have us manifest our principles rather with the hand than with the tongue. He requires us to honour Him with our flocks and our fruits, because He would have us perpetually feel and acknowledge our dependence on Him. Abel's offering was

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respected, yet God does not prefer flocks to fruits, and if the choicest and the first of the fruits had been offered, they would have been accepted; and if Abel had offered a corrupt thing instead of a male of the flock, it would not have gone up as a sweet savour in the nostrils of the Most High.' GOD was no respecter of offerings, but He was a respecter of the disposition of the mind, and of the thoughts and intents of the heart." "*

The foregoing translation is not literal, but it contains the substance of S. Chrysostom's observations, and it is a condensed statement of the doctrine of the offertory.

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Now if we look around us, we cannot help seeing that there is something amiss; population and wealth are daily increasing, but Christianity is comparatively come to a stand, and the injunction to preach the Gospel to every creature,' is not in the way to be fulfilled. It was otherwise in the days of our early forefathers; it was otherwise in the days of S. Chrysostom, and this because there was an element in ancient laws and ancient teaching which is not found in modern legislation and modern theology.

The true way to propagate the Gospel is to proceed in a systematic and comprehensive manner, modern efforts are only desultory. Whilst, therefore, history records the success of the one, experience proves the failure of the other. God has not thought fit to make His Church dependent upon the voluntary grant of states, or the voluntary contributions of individuals. Man, neither in his collective nor individual capacity, is fit to be trusted to fix the tribute which he is to pay to his Maker. Modern Churches, modern states, and modern individuals, have claimed for themselves this liberty, and hence Almighty God is robbed of His honour, His treasury is not duly replenished, and through want of funds to maintain spiritual instructors, masses of the people both at home and abroad are left in entire ignorance of a GoD and Saviour. Christianity quite as clearly contains within itself its own patrimony, as it does its own jurisdiction, its own priesthood, and its own office of prophesying. If we go back to ancient times, we shall find that the Bishops and the Clergy lived upon the offerings of the faithful at the altar, and upon Scripture principles we may as well talk of religion without prayers as of religion without offerings. The subject, both as it affects our own salvation and the propagation of the Gospel, is of the greatest importance, but whilst only faith can realize the invisible results of defrauding GoD of that which is due, the neglect of the principle of the offertory, and our present inability to propagate the Gospel, are as visibly connected with each other as if they were natural cause and natural effect. It will be worth while then to attempt a little further elucidation of this subject, and in doing so it will be necessary for us to search for truth by going to the bottom of the well.

* St. Chrysostom, Hom. in Genes. xviii.