laugh as he picked me up, and took my cap, and shook the dust from it, and rubbed my trousers, saying, "Mother won't be pleased to see you in this pickle."

So we went on to the cottage door, and I still held the primroses tight in my hand for my mother. Her bed was always placed at the further end of the kitchen, and her first words were sure to be, "Well, Roger, my boy!" and then, "Is father there ?" But today there was silence, terrible silence.

"Mother must be asleep," father said, as the old tabby cat came up to us, rubbing against us, and purring; "Mary," he said, 'Mary, are you tired? Are you taken worse? Mary! Mary!"

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Ah, dear! there was no answer-never would be an answer any more. I was close behind my father, and I saw him fling himself on the bed, and heard his cry. Then I caught sight of my mother's still, quiet face I had never seen any one dead, but I wanted no one to tell me she was dead. The primroses fell right out of my hand, and awestruck and frightened, and not knowing where I went or what I did, I ran out into the lane. The gate was open that led to the sunny garden. All was sunshine there: the crocuses full blown like gold cups; the polyanthus and violets in the borders bright and sweet. A little terrier growled and barked; but I rushed into the house, and cried out"Oh, my mother, my mother! Pray come to father."

I hardly knew what I expected, but I was quite surprised to feel gentle arms round me, and to hear a kind voice say,

"What is the matter?"

I was wild with grief and fear, and I don't know what happened next. But I believe the lady sent her own gardener for the doctor,

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and the village people came flocking to our cottage, and I heard them say, 'Mary Beckinsall had died suddenly of heart complaint; and no one need be astonished-she that had been so weakly all her life; and that Roger had had his share of trouble,-poor man, with a sick wife!"

Ay, and his share of happiness too. If ever a man loved his wife, that man was my father. And, looking back, she was worthy of it. I have seen sick people since, cross and touchy, poor souls! and put out at the least thing. But my memories of my mother are only of patience and gentleness. An old woman had always come in of a morning to clean up for the day, and she always stayed on Saturdays, and had her dinner as well as her pay. I remember she said to me, the Saturday after my father and I were left alone, "Don't you go and forget your mother, boy. She was one of God's saints, she was. It made a body feel the better even to be near her, and that's the grand thing."

So it is. Betsy Gale was right. It is not what folks say, and what they do, it's what they are that tells; ay, and helps others to be like them. Every year I have counted up, since I began to think seriously of God and my soul, I have felt Betsy Gale was right.

"It's what folks are, not what they say, that tells."

That day when my mother died was a sort of starting-point to me; and every spring time, as it comes back, brings all I felt with it when those primroses fell from my hand, and I heard my poor father's cry, “Mary! Mary!"

Well, they have met now long years, and here am I, older than either of them when they died, waiting God's time.

HE taxes are indeed heavy," said Dr. Franklin, on one occasion, "and if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them; but we have many

us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from these taxes the commissioners cannot ease or deliver us by allowing any abate

T is not an uncommon thing for men to endeavour to cast off all responsibility for their evil doings. This delusion takes various shapes and is put in different ways. Sometimes we find it in some such form as this: "God has made me as I am, and I can't help it." Or again, "I have no heart or will to turn to God, and therefore I am not to be blamed." Or again, "God knows what my position is; and as I am placed, it is quite impossible to do any better."

But whatever shape this error may assume, it is a refuge of lies, and it will not avail. The great waterflood will sweep it away, and leave without a shadow of excuse those who have made it their shelter. It may be well therefore to look at it closely, and expose the craft and deceit of the heart in trusting to it.

One thing we must never lose sight of. We must take into account the fall of man. Man is not now as he came from the hands of his Creator. God made man in His own likeness, upright, holy and good. Then came the Tempter. He seduced man from his allegiance. He persuaded him to transgress the one precept which was the test of his obedience. Thus pride and sin came into the world. And ever since man has been prone to evil. Whilst every other creature is fulfilling the purpose of its creation, man runs headlong into evil. And for this he is responsible. He has forfeited the rich heritage of holiness and love in which he was made, and through his own fault he is now under the dominion of sin.

Another point is important. We must

As an

account of such a plea as this. answer to the charge of murder or rebellion, a man would never plead that he could not help it. The law would not pass by the offence because a man tried to make out that he was not responsible. He might have had little education, or have been exposed to many evil influences, or have a very hasty and passionate temper; but in spite of all this, the jury would condemn him, and the judge pass upon him the sentence of the law. It would be regarded as a mere empty excuse which could not for a moment be allowed to stay the course of justice.

And as truly will it be so hereafter. The law of God is in every way just and right. If a man break it, he is answerable for doing so. God requires nothing but that which it is reasonable man should do. And if he fail he must bear the consequences. Justice will do its work. It will not stand still while man pleads his temptation or his circumstances. In fact, the corruption and sinfulness of a man's nature will only increase the condemnation which a wicked life will bring.

Add to this, a man's conscience will in this matter take God's part against himself. The power of conscience is a great fact which cannot be gainsaid. It often speaks out in no uncertain tones. It often makes a man condemn himself at the very time of yielding to temptation. It is God's vicegerent witnessing for Himself within a man's own breast. And though men may succeed for a season in stopping its voice, and even in rocking it to sleep in the cradle of forgetfulness and insensibility, it will wake by-and-by and show plainly how guilty they have been, and how worthy of

Another answer to this vain plea, that it has not been their own fault if they have yielded to the power of sin, is this: Many others in the very same position have resisted temptation and have triumphed. Whatever may be the snare, however you may be circumstanced, you will find that others have had the same conflict, and yet in the power of God's grace they have not been overcome by it. Those who have lived in the same street, those who have been as poor as yourself, those who have been surrounded by relations and friends who were a stumbling-block in their way, those who have been subject to like passions as you are, have yet been able to overcome all, and have lived and died in the fear and love of God. And why might not you? Why might you not have used the same means of grace, and have found them as helpful to you in the struggle? Why might not you also have exercised the same self-denial, and have won the same crown of righteousness?

But lastly: the merciful calls of God to sinners and the rich provisions of His Gospel prove the utter worthlessness of his plea.

God appeals to men continually as to His willingness to help and save them. He pleads with them most tenderly, and beseeches them to turn back from the path of sin. He promises forgiveness and salvation to all who will return. Hearken to His merciful call: "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his ways and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" What greater proof could we have of God's tender compassion for the lost and perishing? And if men refuse such a call as this, will not the sin lie wholly at their own door?

Again: how freely He offers ready and complete forgiveness even to the chief of

Though a man has been living in the most daring sin, though he has been for years rebelling against God's laws and despising His love, yet pardon is brought nigh through Christ. Christ has died the just for the unjust; He has borne our heavy load of guilt and suffered for it on the cross. He has been condemned in our stead, and endured the curse which would have fallen upon us. So that the sinner who owns his guilt and seeks for mercy through Him is at once forgiven and accepted. The debt of his transgressions is cancelled and his sin cast into the depths of the sea. God looks upon him in Christ as if he had never sinned; nay, more, as righteous as His own dear Son, because clothed in His perfect righteousness. Ah, what wonderful love is here! How will this abounding grace and mercy, offered so freely to men in Christ, leave them without excuse at last if they die in their sins!

And God promises moreover the mighty help of His Holy Spirit to subdue the iniquities of those who trust in Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit there is no temptation or evil habit but may be overcome. It may cost many a struggle, it may require much watchfulness and prayer, but sin shall not have dominion over those that lean upon the grace and strength which is in Jesus. It is a matter of daily experience in the Church of God that this is the case. At the present day you might find in almost every Christian Church those who once were the slaves of vice and ungodliness, but who are now living a godly, righteous, and sober life. So that it is in vain to plead that such a life is impossible. "With God nothing is impossible ;" and God loves to put forth His strength to aid those who flee to Him for help.

"It is not my

Ah! men may say now, own fault," but by-and-by they will look at it in a very different light. We have

A New Drink in COUNTRY clergyman, who is not a teetotaler -though we should not mind if he were (he might influence us to follow his example)tells us that in a recent harvest season, when the weather was intensely hot, and very trying to the harvesters, he wrote to two surgeons practising among the ironworkers in Staffordshire, where the work in the furnaces is perhaps the hottest work that Englishmen do. He asked these gentlemen their opinion of oatmeal and water as a drink instead of beer; and he got answers from both of them almost word for word alike. One, writing from Bilston, the very centre of the iron district, said,

"There is but one opinion throughout this district as to the great superiority of oatmeal and water to any other drink. It is refreshing, cooling, and eminently sustaining. Even the men who drink heavily, and insist upon having beer at every opportunity, admit in their sober moments that they can do their work more quickly,

Harvest Weather.

and therefore more easily, and withal better work, on oatmeal and water, than on anything else.

"The method of mixing is most simple. About one pound of ordinary household oatmeal is placed in the bottom of a large jar, a little water is added at first until the oatmeal becomes of the consistency of thin paste, all lumps being broken down. The jar, which probably holds four gallons, is then filled to the brim, and the men help themselves as they like. A long spoon is left in the jar, with which each man stirs up the contents before he drinks. "By letting one gang of agricultural labourers have oatmeal and water as much as they like, and another gang the usual quantity of beer, you would in one week thoroughly test the value of the former."

It is much to be wished that some of our farmers this year would give the above plan a fair trial, as a cheap, refreshing, wholesome drink is a matter of real importance to working men. We should be glad to hear what measure of success attends the experiment.

THE EDITOR.

A HAPPY MAN. N eastern caliph being sorely afflicted with ennui-nothing to do-was ad

a man who was perfectly happy would cure him. After a long search he discovered such a man, but was informed that the happy