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"SUSAN," said a little girl to her elder sister one Sunday evening, "I want to ask you something."

"Well dear, what is it?"

"Why this afternoon as Jane Barton and I were walking home from Church, we were talking about the first of May, which comes this week, and we said as it would be a halfholiday, we would go with some of the other girls, and have a nice long walk, and gather lots of cowslips and bluebells and orchises, and make such beautiful garlands. While we were talking, Mr. Wilson came up to us, and said he was glad to hear that we had such a nice plan in our heads for May-day, and that he hoped it would be fine, warm weather, and that we should enjoy ourselves very much. But then he went on to say, that we must not think only

of our half-holiday, and of gathering flowers, for that the first of May was a Saints' day, and that we should go to Church in the morning, and he hoped we should be very good and quiet, and attend to the Service. Now, I don't at all know what he meant by a Saints' day, and I felt afraid to ask him, can you tell me?"

"I will tell you what I know," replied Susan, "I did not understand much about Saints' days myself, till Mr. Wilson explained it to us to-day in the catechising, so I was very glad he did so, and I will try and remember what he said to tell you. Saints, you know, are holy people, and those Saints whose names are in the Prayer book services, are all men who lived about the same time as our blessed Saviour when He was on earth, and who preached His Gospel, and loved and served him faithfully. Many of them were martyrs, that is they suffered a great deal for the truth's sake, were ill-used and some of them killed by wicked men, who did not believe in Christ and would not listen to the preaching of His word. Now, Mr. Wilson said that it was a very good thing that people should often think about these holy men, in order to remember the blessed truths, they received from their Lord and wrote down in the Bible for us, and to remind them to thank God for all His goodness in spreading His gospel, after our Saviour had been received up into Heaven. So, in order, that we may think of these things, the Church has appointed certain days on which we may remember about each of the Apostles and other holy men in turn; and hear in Church what happened to them in the course of their lives, and what were the chief things they taught us. Do you think you understand me, Annie?

"Yes, thank you, Susan," replied the little girl, "I think I do, and now I will sit down and begin learning the Collect for St. Philip and St. James' day."

On the first of May, about an hour before Church time, Mr. Wilson came into the school, and said he would examine the first class on the subject of the day. Some of the best behaved of the younger children, among whom was our friend, Annie Lee, were allowed to stand by and listen. Mr. Wilson began by questioning the girls on the subject of Saints' days in general, and finding that they remembered tolerably well what he had already told them, proceeded thus:

"Which of the Saints are brought to our notice to-day?" "St. Philip and St. James, sir, two of our Lord's Apostles." Mr. W.-" Now tell me what you have been able to find in the Bible about St. Philip?"

"He lived at Bethsaida, a city of Galilee; he was the first disciple called by our Lord, and he immediately followed Him, and continued with Him during His ministry."

Mr. W.-"Very well answered. Now what is the first thing we hear of his doing after our Lord had called him?" "He brought Nathanael to Christ, as we read in John, i. 45."

Mr. W.-Right; let the next girl tell me something else about him."

"Our Saviour, before he fed the five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, asked St. Philip the question, 'Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?' and in John xii. 21, we read that some people came to Philip and asked him to show them Christ, saying 'Sir, we would see Jesus!'

Mr. W.-"Yes, and in John, xiv. 8, 9, we find our Blessed

Lord conversing with Philip respecting Himself on the evening before His betrayal. This is the last thing we hear in the Bible about St. Philip, but history tells us, that after our Saviour's ascension, he preached the Gospel in Asia, and converted many persons to Christianity. This, however, made some of the people very angry with him, and at a city called Hieropolis he was put in prison, scourged and illtreated, and at last put to death. Now what can you tell me about St. James?"

"Was he not one of the twelve Apostles, too, sir?"

Mr. W.-"Yes, he was also one of that holy band who accompanied our Lord as He went about doing good.' In Gal. i. 19, he is called the Lord's brother. The word brother is often used in the Bible to signify any relation, so we do not know for certain how nearly St. James was related to his Divine Master. After our Saviour's ascension, St. James was chosen Bishop of Jerusalem; and in the Bible we have an Epistle written by him, part of which you will hear read in the Service to-day. St. James lived, as we learn from history, till he was 96 years of age, and at last was killed by the wicked Jews, because he persisted in teaching the people about Christ: he was killed in a dreadful way, his wicked murderers throwing large stones at him, and beating him with a club till he died. You must recollect that this St. James is not the same person as James the brother of John, one of the sons of Zebedee, who also was one of the Twelve Apostles. You will hear about him another day."

The bells were now heard ringing for Church, and Mr. Wilson had only time to say, as he rose to leave the school,

"May God grant, my dear children, that, as we pray in

the Collect for to day, you may so 'perfectly know His Son Jesus Christ to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that following the steps of His Holy Apostles, you may stedfastly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord."

L. R. P.

BIBLE ILLUSTRATIONS.-CHAP. IV.

LAYARD'S

NINEVEH.

(Continued from page 98,-No 4.)

“BENEATH the two bas-reliefs previously described was one subject: the king, followed by his eunuchs and by his chariot, from which he dismounted, was receiving a line of prisoners brought before him by his vizir. Some bore objects of spoil or tribute, such as vases, shawls, and elephants' tusks; others were bound together by ropes, and were driven forward by Assyrian warriors with drawn swords.

"The upper compartments of the third and fourth slabs containing hunting scenes. The king was represented discharging an arrow against a lion springing upon his chariot, whilst a second, already pierced by many shafts, had fallen beneath the feet of the horses. Two warriors, with drawn swords appeared to be running to the assistance of the monarch. This bas-relief, from the knowledge of art displayed in the treatment and composition, and correct effective delineation of the men and animals, and the spirit of the grouping, is one of the finest specimens yet discovered of Assyrian sculpture. The rage of the fallen animal, who is struggling to extricate the arrow from his neck, is admirably portrayed;