of our times. There are others to which we cannot glance at present. What we have feebly urged will, we hope, be carefully considered—for they can be practised by high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned. Every one, however humble, may thus be the means of accomplishing no little good, and bringing back days of peace, joy, and rest, when Judah shall no longer vex Ephraim, nor Ephraim envy Judah. For this let us labour, for this let us pray; and above all, let us engrave on the tablets of our hearts that sterling advice which Vaughan has so sweetly given in song: "Serve God before the world; let Him not go W. B. F. GATHERINGS FROM NATURAL HISTORY. THE DIPPER INHABITS more romantic places than those that are the most exclusive haunts of any other British birds; and its manners, taken altogether, are almost the most singular. The ravines on the slopes of the mountains, where the perennial streams have worn themselves deep and rugged channels through the strata, with here an opposing rock, there a dimpling pool, and in another place a brawling rapid, with loose stones, overturned tree, vast precipices, which annoy and astonish the guileless stranger in such places, are the favourite haunts of the dipper. The bird flits before him from stone to stone, chirping, and with a wing so apparently helpless, that he imagines it unfledged, utterly incapable of gaining the sky, of which a mere stripe appears overhead, and thus a "something" which he can easily catch and carry home as a triumph of his victory over the wild. As he gives chace with all the confidence of one who drives ducks into a decoy, the dipper flits on from stone to stone, flirting its tail, and ever and anon jerking around, as if half astonished, half inviting. So onward they pace until they come to a bolder and rougher stratum which has obstructed the stream, and at the same time gives it fall and force to scoop out a pool below, which though it boils where the cascade plunges, (or rather where it rises again) is placid compared with the brawlings that have been passed. The water merely laves a beach of clean pebbles, the rocks on the other side are "sky high," without a footing even for a bird; and the breast over which the water dashes, seems too high for a thing so hopping and badly winged. The bird halts on the beach, and forward he rushes, not in hand to the capture, but the stones are treacherous: end-long he falls, dips himself, and rising sees the hat which was to capture the bird, whirling round and round in the eddies. The bird too has vanished-it is a sprite to wile him into peril. But it soon "bobs" to the surface, at the lower end of the pool on the other side, with its feathers dry without any shaking off the water, and, leaping first on one stone and then on another, it descends the ravine with the same nonchalance that it ascended. To recover the hat is a much more arduous task than to lose the bird; but that, too, may be accomplished with one of the long suckers of hazel, which grow on the tangled and gnarled stool on the bank; though, if the hold be not taken warily, and kept carefully, there may be a second dipping and no dipper to boast of.-Mudie's Feathered Tribes. THE CEYLON GOD-TREE. The Go-tree or God-tree is held in great esteem by the natives of Ceylon, as being the tree under which Buddha, when in the island, was accustomed to sit and preach to the people, and against which he leaned at his death. It is to be found near every wihara, and every place where it grows is counted sacred. Those that grow near the wiharas are generally enclosed with stones to the height of three or four feet, the roots carefully covered with earth, and the space around kept clean. Sometimes the natives carry their veneration for it so far as to erect an altar, or place a table under it, and offer flowers to it daily as they do to the images of Buddha. If they find one of these trees in the jungle, the place is cleared round it, and it is protected with as much care as those near the temples. It is a work of great merit to plant these trees, as he who does it is sure to go to heaven when he dies. It grows to a great height, and has long spreading branches. The leaf has a stalk three inches long, and is itself four inches long and three broad, is triangular, and has a long and sharp point. The leaves are always in motion. The fruit is small and round, and about the size of a pea, full of extremely small seed, and grows at the base of each leaf-stalk in clusters of six or seven. It is never eaten. wood is soft and white, but as it is a great sin to cut it down, it is never used, the people being forbidden by their religion to burn it, even if they should find it on the ground rotting.-Selkirk's Recollections of Ceylon. ANIMAL SAGACITY. The The following well-authenticated account of the sagacity of a dog was published in the Scotsman by an eye-witness, of which there were several, on board a steamer as it passed down the Clyde. As the steamer approached a particular place, a small dog, appa rently a terrier, was seen to issue from a bothy used by the salmon fishermen, and wade into the water, till nothing was seen but its head. It, however, immediately returned with the end of the rope, to which the net-floats are fixed, which the dog carried a considerable distance upon the ground, where he left it high and dry. Now as every one must know, just before the advance of a steamboat in a narrow river, the water, owing to the action of the paddles, suddenly subsides, and as suddenly again rushes in violent waves above the water-mark. Had not the dog been aware of this, and taken the precaution he did, the rope and floats would to a certainty have been carried off.-Jesse. Church News. LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF S. SAVIOUR'S, WALMER. THIS quiet little spot, renowned as the residence of the Duke of Wellington, and frequented by invalids for the salubrity of its air, was the scene, on Tuesday the 15th August, of an interesting ceremony, which will not be soon forgotten, and the results of which will be seen many years hence. The population of the parish is 2000, and the only accommodation for them is the venerable old Church, embosomed by trees, at some distance from the mass of the people, and which has only accommodation for 600. Convinced of the necessity of giving the means of spiritual instruction to the destitute, some of the wealthier inhabitants undertook, two years ago, the preliminary steps for raising a new Church. With many hopes and fears, and many disappointments, they laboured on for two years, and at length have advanced so far as the laying of the foundation stone. The day was beautifully fine, and crowds were seen at an early hour wending their way to the parish Church. Morning prayers were said by the Rev. W. B. Holland, M.A., the perpetual curate, and an appropriate sermon preached by the Hon. and Rev. F. J. Noel. We regret that our limits will not allow us to give the sermon in full, and therefore we must content ourselves with an outline. The text was Prov. xix. 17, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD, and that which he hath given will He pay him again." After some apposite remarks on the exceeding greatness of the promises of GOD, the preacher proceeded to observe touching the early Christians, that They were a bold and daring band of brethren, united by one Head, knit together by one Spirit, charitable to each other as they were bold; and without care, as they were charitable and united. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul, "neither was there among them any that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands and houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the Apostles' feet, and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." Their principles demanded as much, their faith strengthened them to do as much; the fact is recorded for the encouragement of after ages, as a proof of what the grace of GoD can do in the heart and life of man-as an example that whenever the case demands it, a like readiness may be again manifested. What an encouragement to such a work as that which calls us together are the words before us which point out first, GoD's representatives upon earth; secondly, their dues in the sight of GOD; thirdly, GOD's recompense to those who render unto them their dues. I. God's representatives upon earth. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD. The LORD here identifies Himself with the poor; He declares that what is given to them is lent or given to Him; He considers the benefit bestowed upon the poor as conferred upon Himself. What is this but to say that they represent Him? He indeed is the "Invisible." "No man hath seen GOD at any time," but He is seen in a manner in His works. Man is said to be made in the image of GOD. It was God's design so to form him in his original creation. "Let Us make man in Our own Image." When created he was pronounced to be made after this Image. "So GOD created him in His own image." In the New Testament, under all the degradations of the fall, similar language respecting men is used; which are made," says S. James, "after the similitude of GOD." The poor are spoken of by the ALMIGHTY as especially the objects of His care, as if He watched peculiarly after their interests, considered beyond those of others their wants, defended their persons, and listened to their cry, and was known to them both in things spiritual and temporal, as their hope, their refuge, their benefactor, and avenger. "Six years thou shalt sow thy land and gather in the fruits thereof; the seventh year thou shalt let it lie still, that the poor may eat.” "When 66 ye reap the harvest of the land, thou shalt not gather the gleanings of thy harvest; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD.” "Thou, O GOD, hast of Thy goodness prepared for the poor." He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from unrighteous judges." "I will satisfy her poor with bread." "Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child: if thou afflict them in anywise, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry, and My wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless." "Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker." He says, "Let The poor themselves have implanted within them the same assurance, whose only comfort has often been to avail themselves of that assurance. "The poor committeth himself unto Thee." It is by the permission of GOD that they do so. them trust in Me. When the poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I, the LORD, will hear them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.” “Hearken, my beloved brethren," writes S. James, “hath not GOD chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which He hath promised to them that love Him." It formed one of the items of instruction to the disciples of S. John Baptist, when being in prison he sent them to CHRIST, and said unto Him, "Art Thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" "Go and show John again these things which ye hear and see." One peculiarity of the dispensation was, that the poor and needy were the especial object of its regard. "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached unto them." GOD's uniform language was that of His especial care of the poor. When there were yet but few of them, and they strangers in the land, what time as they went from one nation to another, He reproved even kings for their sake, "Touch not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm." When also the ALMIGHTY Would signify to the nations, who would enrich themselves with the spoils of Jerusalem, take captive the people of Israel, make desolate those whom GOD had claimed as His own, and established there as in the rest of the Holy Land; when He would intimate to these nations the great sin of their meditated injustice, He does it by bidding His prophets deliver this message, "Thus saith the LORD of Hosts, He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of Mine eye." The same assurance was to animate the courage of the first heralds of the kingdom of heaven. "He that heareth you heareth Me, and he that despiseth you despiseth Me." That startling question from heaven which struck the infatuated persecutor of the Church to the ground was this, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" It was this which wrung the penitential query from his agitated bosom, "Who art Thou, LORD?" and the LORD said, "I am JESUS, Whom thou persecutest." He identified Himself afresh with His persecuted flock, whom the then power and authority of the State trampled under foot, and had given letters and commission, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. But there is a time pointed out to us by our SAVIOUR, when this identity between the poor and Himself will be most fearfully made known, an announcement which if considered |