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LETTER.

A DILIGENT and kind sabbath school teacher will watch for opportunities of stimulating and encouraging his scholars in their pursuit of knowledge, and in the improvement of their minds. One of our active friends having been told, some months ago, that a little chubby fellow in his sabbath school had learned to write, said to him, "Well, write me a letter at Christmas, and I'll give you a Christmas box." He had forgotten the circumstance, but was reminded of it, in due course, by the receipt of the following letter:"December 25, 1846.

My Dear Superintendent,-I believe it was understood between you and me that I was to address a few lines to you, for you to have on Christmas morning. This being the first letter I ever wrote to you, I hope you will excuse all imperfections. I have thought a great deal about my Christmas box as I was to receive from you, and I hope that you and I shall live a many years, and I shall have the pleasure of writing to you again for a Christmas box-you are aware, Sir, that little boys are very fond of presents.

This being a very fine Christmas morning, I hope you are comfortable and happy, as most people are on clear, frosty mornings; and I hope, Sir, that you and I shall live a sober and pious life in this world, and be prepared for heaven when the Lord thinks fit to call upon us. I remain, my dear teacher, your affectionate little Sunday school boy, A. F.

On the following new year's day morning, our friend had the pleasure of receiving forty-one similar letters, from other sabbath scholars, and never did teacher or scholars with more sincerity or delight wish one another a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Our young friends should cultivate the gift of letter writing-it will greatly promote their usefulness and happiness in future life, especially when the providence of God shall separate them from beloved friends.

Addressed to a little boy four years and six months old,

BY HIS FATHER.

FULL of frolic, full of play,
Run and rattle half the day:
And thy books! thy greatest treasure,
N ever fail to read with pleasure!
Keep thy little heart from fretting,

N or thy eyes with tears be wetting;
I would see thee, good and happy,
Canter gaily on thy "Dappy,"*
H unt the slipper, thread the needle,
Or enact the parish beadle.

Love thy sisters,-love each brother,
S miling homage yield thy mother.
Oh that God may bless and save thee,
N or his mercy ever leave thee!

*His rocking-horse.

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS;

A CHARADE FOR CHILDREN.

FIRST, take a river, east of Persia found,

Its length is 1600 miles in numbers round;
Then add the half of what you're now about,
And probably you'll find the secret out.

Then half an empire take, where Cyrus once did reign,
Five-sevenths of a Roman, who his conquests to retain
In Britain, built a wall from Solway to the Tyne;
Then half the distance take without plummet or a line.
Let these two virtues be in you combin'd;

In them the secret of success you'll find.
Amersham.

S. A. S.

A PROVERB.

He that delights to plant and set
Puts after ages in his debt.

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ANCIENT ABBEYS.

We have told our young readers about ancient castles: we shall now give them some account of ancient abbeys.

Castles, as we said, were strongly fortified places, built usually on a hill or rock, in which the baron or lord, with his servants or soldiers, lived.

Abbeys were religious buildings, and they were usually erected in retired and fertile valleys, through which a brook or small river flowed.

The abbot, or chief man of the abbey, was regarded as a nobleman, and had his seat among the nobles in the house of lords.

The property belonging to these abbeys was very great. It maintained a great number of priests and servants, who lived in the abbey; and, as there were then no poor-laws, the poor people of the neigbourhood would go to the abbey for food, and their wants were usually supplied. Strangers, also, passing through the country were often entertained at the abbey, and provided with refreshment and rest.

But, although these abbeys appeared to be very useful in these ways, there is too much reason for believing that in other respects they were very mischievous. Much of the property they possessed was obtained through the priests using their influence with ignorant people on their death beds to leave their estates or money to the abbey, thus depriving children of their rights. They often told the people that they would go to purgatory or hell if they did not; but if they did, they would pray them out of purgatory into heaven. And the people, not having any bibles, knew no better, and were frightened into doing whatever the priests required. And very often

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