would not know much about the post. Very likely he had heard it was the quickest way of sending messages to our friends at a distance, and of getting answers from them; and as he had read in his bible that Jesus Christ had gone up into heaven, and heaven seemed to him very far off, he probably thought he had found out the best way of sending to the Lord Jesus Christ to tell him all his troubles. It was therefore quite an act of faith in little Frank; and you will hear how God, who looks at the heart, rather than at the manner in which things are done, kindly condescended to answer him.

The postinaster, seeing the direction, thought that the letter was from some foolish or mad person, and therefore threw it aside for a time; but when he had sent off all the other letters he took it up again, looked at the writing, and saw it was that of a child. He opened it, and was much affected by reading this infant prayer. He showed it to a friend of his, who was a Moravian, and who took the letter and read it at a meeting of the Moravian Society. There was a rich and kind lady present, the Baroness de la Lippe, and when she heard it read, it seemed to her like a message from her Saviour, to tell her to take care of one of his “little ones." Accordingly, she took the young orphan under her protection, and placed him at the school where he so much desired to be. Thus you see, though the letter itself never reached heaven, yet the prayer contained in it did; and so will all prayers, which, like this little child's, are offered up in faith, and in the name of Jesus: for has he not said, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do?"

Before I leave off, I wish to direct the attention of my young readers to the second text, which I have put at the beginning of my story ::-"If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us;" because I think it helps greatly to explain the general promise in John xiv. 18. If you read both the texts you will

THE LITTLE BOY'S LETTER TO JESUS CHRIST.

see, that, in order to obtain our petitions, we must not only ask them in the name of Jesus, but also according to his will; such things as he sees would be good for us. The reason why many children, and grownup people too, do not get what they ask, is, that they want what Jesus Christ would not like them to have; for he is so wise and kind, that if we are his children he will not give us what would be bad for us, though it might please us very much at the moment. I know a little girl who thought God would give her every thing she asked for in the name of Jesus; and therefore as she wished above all things for a large wax doll, whose eyes could be opened and shut, she used to pray every night, that when she awoke in the morning she might find a beautiful large doll lying by her side. As you may suppose, this prayer was not answered; and she never had the doll. She wondered very much at the time that it did not come; but when she grew older and wiser, and knew more of her bible, she found out that she had been very foolish in setting her heart so much on a toy, and in expecting that God would work a miracle to please her childish fancy, James iv. 3.

Now you see it was according to the will of God that Frank should be taught to love and serve him; therefore his prayer was a wise one, and God answered it.

Let then this story of Frank encourage you to take all your little troubles and sorrows to Jesus Christ; for he is so merciful, he does not think any thing too trifling, which makes his children unhappy. And even if your troubles are brought on by your sins, which is very often the case, still you need not be afraid to carry your sins also to Christ; for does he not call himself "the Saviour of sinners ?" and did he not say, "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out?" John vi. 37. Let it also induce you to seek earnestly of God, the best gift, even a wise and understanding heart.

THE WONDERFUL PROPHET.

A Reply (See page 63.)

HE's not the Wandering Jew, nor Noah's son,
Nor the old Levite, nor the Dipper he,
His father lived ere Adam's life began,

Or sin was born, or Eve approach'd the tree.

No parents does he know, nor mother's breast
Yielded him nourishment, nor bed has he.
Watchful he is; and early leaves his rest,
A teacher and exampler unto me.

Nor knit, nor spun, of woollen, silk, or hair,
The texture of his beauteous coat is made-
He counts e'en gold as dross: his feet are bare,
Of summer's heat, nor winter's cold afraid.

Nor to the creeds of Islam, or of Rome,

Nor protestant of any sect or name

Does he subscribe; and yet, where he may come,
Loudly he tells the world of sin and shame.

For once he preached a sermon which was made
Mighty in power; it smote and broke the rock,
Producing penitence, and grief, and shame:
Repentant Peter ne'er forgot the Cock.

A. M. E.

ANOTHER.

THE Thorverton prophet, described in your last,
With many more such, I believe, may be classed,
Whose habits, and tastes, and costume are the same,
And bearing the very identical name.

May all your young readers who hear his shrill voice
Arise, and in God their Preserver rejoice;
Nor scorn any lesson a Cock may impart,

Since Jesus employed him to speak to the heart.

C. N. L.

AN ACROSTIC ON THE SAME.

THE Sound of that prophet I often have heard,
His voice shrill and loud-he's a beautiful bird;
E 'en now you have on him great honour conferred.

Clear it is that when Peter his master denied,
On hearing his voice, he bitterly cried,
Crept away from the crowd, in silent dismay-
Knowing what he had done-in secret to pray.

R. L. L.

EASTERN SALUTATION.

THE salutations of the Jews were usually of a religious character, at least in form, and were attended with much ceremony. Sometimes there was nothing but the simple exclamation "God be with you," or "Peace be with you." To this last and most common form, striking allusion is made by our Saviour, John xiv. 27. The time occupied in the ceremonies of salutation, repeatedly bowing, kissing the beard, &c., was often very considerable, Gen. xxxiii. 3, 4; and hence the caution, 2 Kings iv. 29, and in the present passage, Luke x. 4. The prohibition here is probably designed to secure the close and undivided attention of the apostles to the work before them, and to prevent the loss of time or the waste of thought on matters of mere form and ceremony.

From Nelson's Ed. of Henry's Commentary.

FROM THE GERMAN OF HERSCHFELD.

ONE of the most dreadful events of the last century was the earthquake which destroyed the capital of Portugal on the 1st November, 1755. In order fully to estimate the disasters that fell on the inhabitants of Lisbon, we will take a few glances at the city as it appeared before that day of terror.

Lisbon, next to London, Amsterdam, and Hamburg, was one of the principal trading places of Europe. If our young readers look at a map of Spain and Portugal, they will find that Lisbon lies on the north side of the river Tagus. It was built, like old Rome, on seven hills, and seen from the river was a inost magnificent sight. The houses were erected on the hills in a terrace form, and gradually approached the waters' edge. From one bank to the other the river was two miles and a half wide, and contained on its bosom many thousand vessels. The city was surrounded by a strong wall, upon which stood seventy-seven little ancient towers, and though not able to keep off an invading foe, yet gave the city a very venerable aspect.

On the top of the highest hill stood a castle, a strong old building, which was, from every point, a most conspicuous object.

The nobility had excellent houses built of freestone, connected with beautiful gardens, which tended greatly to ornament the city. Within the city were forty churches, besides the cathedral, an old Gothic building; twenty-five convents for monks, eighteen for nuns, and nearly one hundred and thirty for laymen. For the military there were numerous barracks. The royal palace occupied a very advantageous position, and was a most costly edifice. Near this was the great square where the bull-fights were held, and where the mock trials of the Inquisition were conducted. Many, alas! have been the victims cruelly murdered by its command on that square!