follow a good meal; and by a good meal we mean anything, however simple, well dressed in its way. A rich man may live very expensively and very ill, and a poor one very frugally but very well, if it be his good fortune to have a good cook in his wife or his servant; and a ministering angel a good cook is, either in the one capacity or the other, not only to those in humble circumstances, but to many above them of the class served by what are self-termed professed cooks, which is too frequently an affair of profession purely, and who are to be distinguished from plain cooks only in this, that they require larger wages for spoiling food, and spoil much more in quantity, and many other articles to boot. Great, we repeat, would be the benefit, both to the subjects of the instruction and to the public generally, of making cookery a branch of the education of the female poor; and amongst the prizes which the Bountifuls of both sexes are fond of bestowing in the country, we should like to see some offered for the best-boiled potato, the best-grilled mutton chop, and the bestseasoned hotch-potch soup or broth. In writing of a well-boiled potato, we are aware that we shall incur the contempt of many for attaching importance to a thing they suppose to be so common; but the fact is, that their contempt arises, as is often the origin of contempt, from their ignorance, there not being one person in ten thousand who has ever seen and tasted that great rarity—a well-boiled potato." HOW TO TURN PUBLIC EVENTS TO ACCOUNT. THERE is a class of persons who have grace. WHAT NEWS ? This question is very frequently asked, and the answer is commonly listened to with attention. If it have some connection with one's personal interest, it is remembered; if not, it 800n passes from the mind. With regard to most persons, the news serve as an amusement for the passing hour, or as furnishing available topics of conversation. It was not so with President Ed wards. He informs us that he was He The same was true of the apostolic Elliot. When incidents had been related in his hearing, and had formed the subject of conversation, he used to say, "Now let us turn all this into prayer." The example of these holy men suggests the light in which the news of the day are to be regarded, as furnishing occasions for thanksgiving and prayer. The religious, and even the secular newspaper, may thus become an assistant to devotion. He who takes up his newspaper for the purpose of finding occasions for lifting up his heart to God in thanksgiving or supplication, will find it more and more interesting and valuable. He will render a more perfect obedience to the injunction to "pray without ceasing," aud will see more clearly the hand of God in the government of the world. The Letter Box. A NICE little volume, entitled, "Plain Letters to Friends of Sundayschools," has just been issued, comprising nine letters on a great number of subjects, all important, both to parents and children. We are happy to believe that this little book will have an extended circulation, as it is much suited to make people better and happier. Indeed, it is a very sound system of directions how to accomplish the great thing referred to in the last Number, namely, to make Happy Homes. We trust the following specimens, in themselves very valuable, will induce great numbers of our readers to purchase the book, since it is very cheap : HOME INFLUENCE. If you wish your children to rise in the world to respectability, and anything like competence, you will have to teach them not only to be industrious, but persevering; not to be overcome or cast down by real or imaginary difficulties, but to determine to conquer them. I have known some Sundayscholars, both boys and girls, nice, attentive, well-behaved, and tolerably in dustrious children, who, after leaving school to go out in the world as servants or apprentices, have disappointed the hopes that had been formed of them, both by parents and teachers, just because they have wanted perseverance. One situation after another has been tried for a little time by them, and given up because of some unexpected difficulty which they were afraid to meet, or some small privation which they were too self-indulgent to put up with. The end of such faint-hearted boys and girls is too often painfully instructive. They linger through an unprofitable youth, afraid to go forward, lest they should get into fresh troubles, but unable to remain at one point, as they seem as though they would gladly do. Without a stain upon their character, and without altogether disliking employment when not accompanied with much trouble, they make no way for themselves. They often hang about their parents' home, encumbrances rather than helps; and when, after a time, they obtain homes for themselves, it is to commence a course of listless poverty, out of which they may now and then try to emerge, but by such fits and starts, and ill-directed and illsustained efforts, as yield no chance of success. To avoid such a miserable termination of your hopes for your children, let them be early taught by the example of your lives, and by the precepts of your lips, to persevere against all the difficulties and discouragements which beset every path in life. Depend upon it, dear friends, and let your children be early taught the important lesson, that success in life, whether in the higher or lower walks of it, is not to be found but in continuous and persevering exertion. ness. Then another most necessary quality -necessary, I mean, both for success and comfort in life-is that of politeDo not be startled at the word, reader, and say that politeness is all very well for gentlefolks, but that working people, such as you are, have something more to do than to trouble themselves with such nonsense. Let me tell you that this is a very great mistake, and that the principle of true politeness is equally binding upon all, equally practicable by all, and equally useful to all, be they rich or poor; and I commend to your notice a few sentences which some of my readers may have met with elsewhere, but which, without any impropriety, may be quoted here: "True politeness is kindness and courtesy of feeling brought into everyday exercise. It comprehends hearty good-will towards every body, thorough and constant good humour, an easy deportment, and obliging manners. Every person who cultivates such feel- | when spoken to, are more likely than ings, and takes no pains to conceal them, will necessarily be polite, though he may not exactly know it; while, on the other hand, a man essentially morose and selfish, whatever may be his pretensions, must be very far from truly polite. "We recommend politeness as a branch of family economy. We take it for granted, that in this world of competition, and in a country of abundant, if not superabundant labour, there must and will be different degrees of success and consequent prosperity, and that the weakest go to the wall' Skill, honesty, and sobriety must be the main recommendations of all whose subsistence depends upon the labour either of hands or head; but, all things else being equal, the greater probability of well-doing is theirs who, by attention to the courtesies of every-day life, avoid all grounds of just offence, and bespeak for themselves the favourable regards of those to whose good-will they must look for an opportunity of distinguishing themselves as Working Men."* I am tempted, in addition to the above quotation, to furnish an extract from a little book once or twice before referred to in previous letters; for although that work was written with an especial reference to one class of society, the principles it contains, if good or suitable for any, are suitable for all. "There is a good habit of civility, and an opposite bad one of rudeness. Without being in the least degree servile, a young working man may be truly polite; and, without being really independent, or even appearing so, he may behave with great incivility. It is a very great mistake to suppose that good manners may not be practised by persons in your rank and station in life, or that they prove a young man to be sneaking and cringing if he does attempt to practise them. "We have known too many young working men who, when a well-dressed stranger, or a stranger differently dressed from themselves, has appeared in sight, have thought it clever to make rude remarks about him, laughed loudly as he passed, or jeered him until he was out of sight. Such men as these, Family Economist-" Politeness." * not to stare insolently, and reply in uncivil language. Now, what good is there in all this rudeness? Does it make any one the happier or the richer? No, not for a minute, not by a farthing. Does it prove that the uncivil person is a fine, independent, free, English-born son of the soil? It proves nothing of the kind. It shows only that he has been ill-taught, and that he is ill-conditioned, and probably vicious. So far from showing his independence by such conduct, it may very fairly be concluded that he, of all his fellow-workmen, has no true and proper spirit, no love of liberty; but that he would be the first to cringe to tyranny and rank oppression. "On the other hand, it is a strong proof that a young working man has a proper respect for himself when he behaves respectfully to others. There is a manly dignity in answering a question in a civil manner, and in showing a readiness to oblige, which can never be supplied by rudeness. "Be civil to your employers. They have a right to expect civility from you. There is a very great difference among working men in this respect. Without being downright insolent, some receive orders with such a sullen look, and with so much apparent badhumour, that, though they obey, the merit of obedience is almost lost; while others, by their cheerful and willing obedience, render their services doubly acceptable. "Be civil to your neighbours and fellow-workmen. Do not, by an illnatured and churlish way of speaking, bring dislike upon yourself; but let your readiness to oblige be shown in your countenance and your words. The gratitude due to a kind action is often forfeited by the ungracious way in which it is performed."* Now, as I just now observed, these sentiments, if good for any, are good for all. They may possibly be read to advantage even by some parents. They are as well adapted for young women as for young men. They are, I think, the principles which should be early taught to our children of every degree. They are, I know, what Sunday-school * The Young Working Man. teachers wish their scholars to put into constant, every-day practice; for they are the principles which the Bible teaches, when it tells us to "love as brethren." to "be courteous," to "be kindly affectioned one towards another, with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another." They are the principles also which must and do tell wonderfully in our worldly success; and we pray you, parents, to follow up the teachings of the Sunday-school by your deportment and your parental control at home. Tell your children- I am sure you may do so with truththat while uncourteous and disagreeable manners may possibly exist along with sterling excellences of character, they are, at the same time, a curse to the person who owns them; and that while many families have traced much of their success in life to the cultivation of true politeness, many others have had reason to attribute at least onehalf of the difficulties under which they labour to habits of rudeness and incivility. The volume is published by Green. The Battle Field. WHETHER We look into Churches established by Law, or into the various communities of Protestant Christians,-whether we look at the effects of Sabbath-school instruction, at the state of Public Colleges, as to the number of Students in attendance, and the prayerful and liberal spirit with which these Colleges are regarded by the churches,-whether we look to foreign lands and the Protestant missions which are being there conducted,―all lead to one conclusion that there is universally a want of spiritual power in the Church of God, and the utmost need of a special outpouring of his Spirit from on high. We need wait no longer for a painful illustration of the following words of the ancient church: "Thou hast cast us off and put us to shame, and goest not forth with our armies; thou makest us to turn back from the enemy.' It is to be observed that, at this time, outward wickedness was not remarkable; the church could say, "All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee; neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant: our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way." From this, then, it will appear that the great want was life -the presence and power of the Spirit of God. We, therefore, beg and entreat our readers to ponder the following Addresses: SPECIAL EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF GOD. BY THE LATE REV. W. C. WALTON. We In order to help the cause of God in remained beyond Jordan; and Dan and Asher remained at the sea shore" among their ships, deeming their commercial business of more importanee than the cause of God! Such is the spirit of many professors of religion at the present day; and these are the persons who are continually saying "we can do nothing!" They have time and energy, and ability for other things but none for promoting the cause of God. The interest they feel is in reference to other objects. Why then do they not class themselves accordingly? Why not throw off the mask, and profess to be, what they are in the sight of God" the children of this world?" For, "if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." "He that is not with me is against me." Those who are with Christ, and who are to gain that victory which shall extend his empire over the nations, are described as "called, and chosen, and faithful" Now, suppose a soldier to go out to battle when the interests of his country are at stake, and to feel no concern or solicitude as to the result of the contest, could he be safely depended on to render any important service? What would an army of such soldiers be worth? Would they not be rather dangerous to the cause, than otherwise? And what shall we say in regard to those professors of religion whose hearts are so set upon the world, that they can feel no interest in anything else; so full of the world as to have no place for a disinterested concern for the glory of God, or the salvation of men? What can we expect from them? Can they be safely trusted with the concerns of the kingdom of Christ? The interest we feel in reference to this object should be paramount, so as to control our regard to all other interests, producing a willingness to make sacrifices and to render personal services whenever they are demanded. It ought also to be habitual, not confined to one, or a few meetings or special efforts, but extending to every meeting and every effort. And the question should be asked, what can I do to increase the efficiency of every means employed to promote the work of God? A punctual attendance at all the meetings is highly important. If the impenitent see the members of the church absent, through apparent indifference, or driving after the world, instead of giving at least the sanction of their presence to the meetings, they will feel less concerned to attend; for "surely" they will think, "if it were a matter of much importance, these members of the Church would be there." And if they cannot be induced to come where the truth is dispensed, of course they cannot be benefited by it. In this, as well as in other ways, souls may be lost who might be saved. It should be a prominent object with Christians to fill up the meetings. The mere report of full and crowded meetings will bring many to attend. Ôn the other hand, if they hear that the meetings are thinly attended, it will be taken for granted they are uninteresting, and few will be disposed to go. These, as well as other obvious considerations, ought to lead every Christian to the fixed determination to attend every meeting, when it is possible to do so, without neglecting some more important duty. In taking leave of this part of the subject, I would simply ask the question-how would it look for a soldier or an officer to absent himself from his company when that company was called out to battle to make a special effort against the enemy? Would it be deemed patriotic ? THOUGHTS ON PUBLIC PRAYER. PRAYER is founded in the very necessities of our being. It consists in looking into our hearts to see what we want; in looking into the Divine Word to see what God has promised, and then asking, with a fixed expectation, of receiving the things which we need, and which God has promised. Public prayer does not differ in its nature from private prayer. As we live in neighbourhoods, towns, and commonwealths, in social relations, we need social blessings, and it is our obvious duty to render thanksgiving, and repent of our sins, in social and public meetings. Every man of a correct and unperverted taste, loves simplicity in opposition to complexity; artlessness in opposition to artificial ornament, in private or family prayer. And if we love this simplicity because of its real excellence or propriety, in more retired circles, why should we not, for the same reasons, love it in public supplications? Not being ranked among the "conscript fathers," who have a right to be heard, and disliking the office of a |