tion of their contents? Would it be satisfactory to the Mariner merely to possess a compass on board his vessel; to have received information as to its use in infancy, to admire its utility, or to discourse sometimes publicly of its merits? Meanwhile he is driving en, it may be to rocks, to shoals, to sands, or quite away from his course. But how many an individual lives In this precise manner, as to this use of the Scriptures! Day passes after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, and God inarks not his anxious eye pondering over this chart of life. Politics, science, poetry, history, it may be lighter productions, these can arrest his attention and interest his mind; but the Bible which notifies the waymarks to eternity, this excites no interest. Aud yet such a person perhaps expects God's favour-expects to reach the harbour of endless peace, and never even dreams of the probability of in tervening shipwreck ! Mournful and inconsistent expectatious! Is this to work out salvation "with fear and trembling;" is this to honour the statutes of the Sovereign of the universe; is this to value the counsels of a heavenly parent and benefactor; is this to hetoken anxiety for the blessings of his great salvation?

Many, however, are to be found who are by no means chargeable with this entire neglect of the Scriptures. Some have, from infancy, acquired regular habits of reading the Bible, and peruse. as a daily or at least as a weekly task, their allotted chapters. Bat they do this oftentimes without anxiety and without progress in religious knowledge. The fact of reading is to them more important than the contents which they read. They manifast no submission of the heart to God's teachingno godly diligence to lay up in the soul his statutes and promises. Eternity fastens not upon their thoughtsthe wonders of redeeming love attract Not their affections. They read with caldness, and languor, and unconcern. There is no solicitude whether they understand whether they feel, whether

they remember, whether they obey→ whether or not that mighty record of truth dispels falsehood, and tears away sin from their souls. There is no scrutiny as to the effect of their knowledge-as to the conformity of their views, and sentiments, and habits, with the decisions of God The heart makes progress in its voyage-it is no nearer to God-no nearer to the dispositions of Heaven than it was many years ago.

по

Think again of the Mariner Hisf eye glances daily upon his compass or once a week he fixes his look up on the needle; but he uses not the Helm-he brings not the vessel into the prescribed course. As well then might the compass be cast into the depths of the sea! Now, it is evi dent that that is not the use of the Scriptures which God demands this is not to possess any anxiety as the knowledge of God's will. Those who thus neglect, or thus imperfectly respect the Scriptures are not among those who "work out their salvation with fear and trembling."-Noel.

Child, amidst the flowers at play
While the red light fades away;
Mother with thine earnest eye,
Ever following silently;
Father, by the breeze of eve
Call'd thy harvest work to lears;
Pray! ere yet the dark hours be,
Lift the heart and hend the knee-

Traveller, in the stranger's land;
Far from thine owu household band
Mourner, haunted by the tone
Of a voice from this world gone;
Captive, in whose narrow cell
Sunshine hath not leave to dwell;
Sailor, on the darkening sea-
Lift the heart and bend the knee.
Warrior, that from battle won
Breathest now at set of sun
Woman o'er the lowly slain,
Weeping on bis burial plain.
Ye that triumph, ye that sigh
Kindred by one holy tie;

Heaven's first star alike ye seb➡
Lift the heart and bend the knee.

to

-Mrs. Hemane.

A new and inodorous sort of paint, called Kalsomine, the invention of Miss Fanny orbeaux, has been laiely introduced to public notice. The materials of which it is composed, are at first soluble in water; and while in this state admit of the design being effaced, or a portion of the colouring of a wall or ceiling being removed, if mecessary; asubsequent operation renders the paint insoluble, by a chemical change of the properties of the ma-terial, which fixes the colour dura-bly. It is free from any offensive smell dries in a few hours, is not acted upon injuriously by atmospheric influences, and is said to be more durable than oil paint, as well as more agreeable to the eye, and not at all prejudicial to the health; indeed, a room painted with it one day, may be inhabitated the next. It may also be made ap plicable to easel painting also. We have seen a little landscape painted with this material, which combined something of the depth and solidity of oil with the transparency of watercolour; and a specimen of broad flow. er painting, for a room was shown ns, which resisted the rude action of the scrubbing-brush. The effect of the .white as a ground for gilding, is extremely clear without being dazzling

and we can well understand that it

possesses the property ascribed to it of "softening and diffusing light.-Athe

Nœum.

THE CHURCH IN CANADA. There are at this moment districts of from ́one hundred to two kundred miles extent in Canada--not mere forest and waste, but peopled districts-peopled by emigrants from this country, or by the descendants of those who were emigrants

there are districts of from one hun dred to two hundred miles in which there is not a single place of worship or a single ordained minister of the gospel. And when one does make his appearence amongst them-and blesbed be God for still keeping alive the spirit-when an ordained clergyman does come amongst them, they welcome him as they would an angel from heaven: his presence makes a Sabbath. day or a' Sabbath-week: they lay aside

all their occupations, and flocking around him from field and forest, form a cons gregation, and listen with a delight to which we, pampered as we are by the abundance of our mercies, are strang ers, to the liturgy of the Church of England read by the lips of its or dained ministers. They bring out to hin their children to be baptized; and they point, in bitterness of spirit to the graves where they have been compelled to lay their dead without a clergyman to perform the last offices of religion. And these are our brethren! fresh of our flesh and bone of our bone-men whose fathers knelt side by side with ours in the same churches and received the Christian sacraments from the same hands. O! when you see our churches' spires beautifying and ballowing the scenery of England's homes-when you hear the chime of their bells summoning you to participate in their multiplied services-bes tow a thought. I implore you, on cur brethren in Canada; and remember that this Society, at the hazard of becoming bankrupt, has undertaken to save them, if possible, from sinking into a still lower depth of spiritual destitution-Colonial Guzette.

by the Statistical Society, there ap From a report elaborately compiled pears the following great discrepaney

in the ratio of mortality at some of the principal colonies. Taking the average of strength as 1,600, the proportionate rate of mortality of European troops is, at Sierra Leone 4834 Jamaica, 121; Windward and Leoward Islands, 78; Madras Presidency, 48; Bermudas, 28; Mauritius, 27; St He lena and the Ionian Islands, 25; Ci. braltar, 21; Malta and Canada, 16; Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, 44, being the same as in the United Kingdom; the Cape district of the Cape of Good Hope, 13; and on the-Eas tern frontier but 9. Of native troops the proportion is at Sierra Leone and Jamaica, 30; Windward and Leeward Islands, 40; the Madras Presidency, 16; Mauritius, 37; and the Eastern district of the Cape of Good Hope, 10; in each of these two latter cases the proportion exceeding those of En

ropeans. The above relates only to non-commissioned officers and privates; but it is generally supposed that the mortality among officers bears a nearly uniform proportion to that which prevails among the privates of about one-third less. On the average of all the stations upon which Major Tulloch has reported, excepting Sierra Leone, the proportion was as 12 to 19 per 1,000; but in the East Indies it would be higher, as officers have not the same opportunities for retiring and returning home.—Ibid.

GAMMADU, OR VILLAGE DANCE.-This ceremony commonly follows that of "Horn Pulling," or " Breaking of Cocoanuts;" seldom or never consulting

the stars to commence it. The Eduras (a name signifying a "teacher," but here given to the priests, either of the demons or gods,) and the singers, the drummers, the washers, and the watioluwa, with a few others, are duly informed of the matter some days previous to its performance, when a general donation of 6 or 8 fanams is collected from each family disposed to assist in it and partake of its benefits; this is in order to meet the expences of purchasing rice, fish, vegetables, and other ingredients necessary for food. A temporary building is erected for the purpose by the joint exertions of the Eduras and the people which building as well as every other undertaking, must be completed by the watiluwa, for whose sake the last portion of them is reserved. The Eduras and many the spot of the people assemble early on the day appointed to perform the ceremony, when they (the Eduras especially) partake of the preparation of food called Pebatta (rice dedicated) and each person takes to himself the part of service encumbent on bim. The singer, accompanied by the druinmers, cuts the branch of a jack tree for the kap pillar: the kapuwas and the pattiniyas erect their respective altars, or flower beds; and the people

on

* Watioluwa is an individual of an inferior caste invited to perform the meanest services connected with the ceremony, such as rinding the rosin; making the cups of leaves, dressing a particular offering for the inferior demons, supplying the necessaries to the Eduras, &c.

decorate the building, and assist the Eduras, &c. When the kapa, or the pillar of dedication, is conveyed to the spot under a white canopy accompa nied with music, the people have clean water to wash it thoroughly, and the attendants rinse it with a preparation of milk, sandal and saffron when they receive advice to stand in order around it, laying hands on it, until the Eduras circumambulate them three times, and pronounce a blessing over them.

Immediately afterwards it is conveyed into the building and placed on the ground, on the east of it, with little rice, an offering, and a little flower suspended on it; also a cocoanut flower, two cocoanuts, and a burning light. Next the torena, a temporary arch, the most important part of their services is erected and placed in an upright position, opposite the entrance of the building, throwing a vail before it to prevent the attendants from having a continual view of it. The

whole assembly next partakes of the food prepared for them, when the drum. mers report the time by the thundering sound of the drums, the attendants as semble in the building, torches are lighted in all directions, the singers answer with their voices, and all this continues for some time without intermission. The Pattineya accompanied by his fellow Eduras, then, with great veneration, arrives at the malyahana, the flower couch, in which the halewba is placed, when he washes and rinses it with lime juice and saffron water, and conveys it walking on white cloth, spread on the ground for hinr, under a white canopy, to the Torena, where, the instant the Halembe is to be placed on the Torena, an individual standing by looking at it strikes a coconut with a large bill-hook, and cleaves it into two. Next the attention of the attend. ants so invited to the Torena, the veil of which is removed, when they lift up their clapsed hands above their heads and nike obeisance to it, offer up their offerings on the Halembe, and take their respective seats. Here a second Cocoanut must be broken..

The Eduras continue to sing and dance with increasing vigor for two or three hours, the dance called Telmi, while the sick persons and others are gazing at them, with excited curiosity. Soon after a little refreshment, unother

which also terminates in a few hours, Amidst other observances, some of which are too ridiculous and insignificant to mention, is the performance of the twelve modes, Dolospaliye, playing the violin, blowing the trumpet, tieing a buffalo, an elephant, washing, tieing a man, and other perform ançes too ridiculous to notice, all which are mere exhibitions to excite the laughter of the whole assembly. The whole proceeding next halts for some time, when the Eduras change their dress to a most terrible and awful form and commence a most striking dance called diwol, when the singers drummers perform their respective du ties with as much energy and power as they possibly can, while the kapuwas move backwards and forwards with burning torches in their hands, whirling them round their heads as rapidly as lightning, trampling on the sparks of fire, and muttering incantations and charms, to the great astonishment and fear of the assembly. This also terminates in a few hours. Next follows

and

of milk; three hearths are formed, over which three pots with rice and cocoanut milk are placed until they boil, when they are placed in a row on the ground, there heing a screen between them and the Eduras, one or more of whom pray for a blessing over the attendants and anoint a little from them on their foreheads, by which time it is dawn of day. The cere. mony is now about to be concluded, The Pattinibamy for the low party, and the kapuwa for the high, each person for himself, takes a deer-horn and pulls them, when two persons from both parties break cocoanuts, and the party that has gained is conducted under a white canopy, accompanied with shoutings, drums, and dancers, through many of the streets of the village. On their return to the building they enjoy a portion of the food prepared, and then depart, the Eduras, the washers, the drummers, and the watioluwa only conveying with them a pingo of every article collected for the ceremony.-Friend,

No. V.