give way in the least, and I left them, more than ever convinced, that temper is everything.

The value of good temper appears in a strong light in the contrasted examples of two families well known to me.

Robert Jackson was a hard-working labourer: he had saved sufficient to set up house, and soon after marriage, he took a small farm. His wife was a strong-built woman, and capable of any exertions, but intolerably idle, negligent, and dirty, with the usual accompaniment of bad temper. When he had occasion to go from home, or take a job of work at a distance, she would not take the least care of the land or the cows. He soon lost all he had earned, and returned to a mean cottage and to common day labour. He now began to visit the public-houses; and the next report was that they quarrelled.

One day I was sent for in haste, not knowing for what purpose; and on my arrival I found report true. With as much delicacy as possible, I mildly remonstrated, and desired each separately would tell me the cause of their unhappiness. The man wept much. The wife said he had been spending his money, and neglecting his family. He answered that "He had always done the best he could for his family, and had thrown into her apron several pounds only two nights beforehis hard-earned wages during a few weeks from home; and that, as to going to the public-house, he said he was in fact driven to it, for she afforded him no comfort in his home; that on his arrival the other night, tired and hungry, he had asked her for something to eat, but she was sullen and would not prepare it."

I then turned to the wife to hear what reply she would make; but though she could talk freely enough when I first entered, she was now silent as one convicted and condemned; indeed, I well

I had always found her house and herself in a dirty, disordered condition, and the children ragged and sickly through neglect. She would beg clothes for them, but would neither wash nor mend; and she would gossip in other houses, and leave the little ones exposed to fire and water. I have seen her seated close to the grate when the cinders have reached almost to the end of the room. Can it be any wonder then that a man so circumstanced, and with a wife thus wasteful and negligent, dirty and ill-tempered, should have recourse to the public-house? He was, in a sense, as he expressed it, driven to it; and I fear thousands more are thus driven. I do not pretend to deny that there were faults on both sides; I speak of facts only as I saw them through a course of years; and they were a sad illustration to prove that temper is everything.

On the other hand, I know a couple who are as happy as poor people can well be. The man is a collier, and, like persons in his situation, is exposed to great hardships, having to go to work by three or four o'clock in the morning over bleak moors. When I have occasionally gone to his cottage, a little before his return, it has pleased me much to see the table spread with a coarse clean cloth, and victuals in readiness; or a plate with bits of mutton or bacon before the bars, and potatoes on the fire; or the tea-things would be set and the kettle boiling. The good man coming in tired, wet, and black as coal could make him, and bearing a heavy lump of that article on his back, meets with a smiling welcome; the wife would run to help him off with his burden, and the children would prattle with delight-"Oh, daddy is come." He would then apply to the pail of water which always stood in readiness; and afterwards sat down to his baggin, as it is called, with as good an appetite and as easy a mind as a king

To a man thus circumstanced, the public-house has no attractions. His comfort is studied; his earnings are economized; his wife and children are clean and decently clad; his fireside is comfortable, and he can enjoy it in peace. Having to rise early, they must needs retire early to bed. When I have seen the cottage shut up at eight o'clock, I could not but mark the difference in many others, and particularly the public-houses, in which I have found numbers of colliers and labourers; some, perhaps, through the discomforts of home, and others, no doubt, from their own depraved choice.

These are characters of real and everyday life; and what I wish should be particularly observed, is the striking difference. between two families in similar station. The former commenced life with fair prospects as working people, but were soon reduced. to wretchedness through idleness and surly tempers; the latter were in the hardest condition, and yet lived most happily, proving that temper is everything. I believe it is very unusual for the mar

M

ried to thank the clergyman who tied the knot; it is sometimes sung, "The parson is to blame, for he tied the knot." I can however mention one case, and only one. Many years ago a poor man put in the banns, which were objected to; and the circumstance occasioned a few weeks' postponement of the union. About four years afterwards, a man came up to me with an open smiling countenance, whom I did not at first recognise. He addressed me thus-" Sir, you remember marrying me, don't you?" Pausing for a moment, I replied, "Oh yes, it was you that had some trouble over it-I hope you have not repented it ?" With emphatic tone and joy of countenance he answered, "Oh no, sir, I am very happy; and I thought whenever I saw you I would thank you for what you did for me."

There would be no difficulty in giving a character to the good man's wife in this case, and no unpleasant rebuke would have been conveyed, if the motto had been placed in the most prominent position in their cottage home-"Temper is everything."

Y God, I thank Thee who hast
The earth so bright; [made
So full of splendour and of joy,
Beauty and light;

So many glorious things are here;
Noble and right!

I thank Thee, too, that Thou hast made
Joy to abound;

So many gentle thoughts and deeds
Circling us round:

That in the darkest spot of earth

Some love is found.

I thank Thee more, that all our joy
Is touched with pain;

That shadows fall on brightest hours,
That thorns remain ;

So that earth's bliss may be our guide

For Thou who knowest, Lord, how soon
Our weak heart clings,

Hast given us joys, tender and true,
Yet all with wings;

So that we see gleaming on high
Diviner things!

I thank Thee, Lord, that Thou hast kept

The best in store;

We have enough, yet not too much To long for more:

A yearning for a deeper peace

Not known before.

I thank Thee, Lord, that here our souls, Though amply blest,

Can never find, although they seek,

A perfect rest

Nor ever shall until they lean

HIS remarkable fortress belonging to Great Britain, which forms the key to the Mediterranean, standing on a peninsula at its entrance, is connected with the continent of Spain by a low, sandy isthmus, one mile and a half long and three quarters of a mile broad.

The highest point of the rock is about fourteen hundred feet above sea-level. Its northern face is almost perpendicular, whilst its eastern side is full of tremendous precipices. On its southern side it is almost inaccessible, making approach from seaward impossible. The western side, although nearly as rugged and precipitous as the others, slopes towards the sea; and here the rock is secured by extensive and powerful batteries, rendering it apparently impregnable.

In various parts of the rock there are many remarkable caves; some beautifully picturesque, but all difficult of access. The most singular of these natural excavations is St. Michael's, on the S.W. side; the entrance to which is 1000 feet above sea-level.

The natural animals of Gibraltar are wild rabbits, woodcocks, teal, partridges, snakes, and monkeys; the latter are of a dark fawn colour, and without tails.

When seen from a ship's deck, no appearance of vegetation presents itself on the rock,

the whole having an exceedingly barren and forbidding aspect; but it is not in reality so destitute in this respect as it seems; acacias, fig, and orange trees growing freely, together with a great variety of odoriferous plants. The climate is temperate.

Vast sums of money and an immense amount of labour have been spent in fortify. ing this celebrated stronghold. The total number of guns now mounted on the rock is said to be not less than one thousand.

The town of Gibraltar, beyond the rock, consists chiefly of one spacious street, about half a mile in length, lined with shops, and paved and lighted. The principal buildings are the governor's and lieutenant-governor's houses, the admiralty, naval hospital, victualling office, and barracks, several churches, also public schools, libraries, etc. As a garrison town, the power of making laws is vested in the governor alone. Every precaution is taken to prevent the increase of new residents. Foreigners are permitted to remain during specified periods only, and on giving a required security. The population is about 13,000, of which less than 4,000 are females. The strength of the garrison is generally between 3,000 and 4,000.

The fortress came into possession of the English, by conquest, in 1704. It has been since repeatedly besieged, but always without

success.

shall go.

At the very outset, we have to remind them that our own country is monarchical, while the other is Republican. We are quite aware that some who see far ahead seek for disestablishment in order to

maintain that the American people are more "establishment" in their practice than in their theory. Their Parliament is opened with prayer. Ministers of religion are invited to preach before their Congress. The Sabbath is protected by statute-as well as judicial oaths, marriage laws, and, in some States, the Bible in the Common School. Where this

York, the Roman Catholic Church virtually established and substantially endowed. Good men of all Christian denominations now see the mischiefs which are taking place, and are therefore organizing an effort towards National Religion.

The following document has been recently published in that country. It is entitled "A Call to the Convention." It is in the following terms :

"The question of the Bible in the Public Schools, of Sabbath laws, and many similar questions, are now demanding attention and decisive settlement. Shall the nation preserve the Christian features of its life? This is rapidly becoming the issue of our day. Many thoughtful citizens view with deep concern the assaults now being made on everything of a Christian character in our civil institutions. Not only time-serving politicians and irreligious men, but eminent officers of Government, and leaders among Christians, accepting the false theory that Government has nothing to do with religion, co-operate in these assaults. An appeal against the Bible in the Common Schools now lies before the Supreme Court of Ohio. It will come up for adjudication in its regular order some time this winter, when a determined effort will be made to overturn the present noble School system of that State.

"The Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of New York has decided that the Bible, though assigned an honourable place in the State system of education when first established, and actually used for sixty years, can no longer be legally read during regular hours in any school of the State. Armed with authoritative decisions like this, the enemies of the Bible certainly will succeed, unless the friends of our Common Schools awake to the dangers that threaten them, and take prompt and adequate action.

"In order successfully to repel their assaults, the assailants must be met at their own point of attack. They assail the Bible

GOOD REMEDIES.-For drunkenness, drink

in the Schools, Sabbath laws, laws against polygamy, and every similar element of our Christian civilisation, on the ground of their inconsistency with the Constitution of the United States, which acknowledges neither God nor the Bible, and with which everything in the actual administration of the Government should harmonise. What should be done? This is the momentous question now forcing itself upon the American people. It must soon be answered in one of two ways. Which shall it be? Shall we obliterate every Christian feature from existing institutions? Or shall we make the Constitution explicitly Christian?

Shall we thrust out the Bible from our schools to make them conform to the Constitution? Patriotism and true statesmanship answer, No! Let the acknowledg ment of God and the Bible be inserted in the Constitution to make it conform to the Common Schools.'

"The National Association has been formed for the purpose of securing such an amendment in the Constitution as will suitably acknowledge Almighty God as the Author of the Nation's existence, and the ultimate Source of its authority; Jesus Christ as its Ruler; and the Bible as the fountain of its laws; and thus indicate that this is a Christian nation, and place all Christian laws, institutions, and usages in our Government on an undeniably legal basis in the fundamental law of the land."

With the experience of America thus before us, we cannot too strenuously resist the principle of the Liberationists, which would drive the Christian element from our laws and constitution. Let us continue to maintain a National Church, Scriptural in its standards and belief, and thereby help on the destiny of England as a minister of good to other nations, so that "Kings shall be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to the Church of Christ," till all empires, kingdoms, and nations shall fall down before Him, whose right it is to reign.

be industrious; to please all, mind your own