mistake," or words to that effect. Re- Jesus Christ. We saw him then fall membering what we were-heretics- down and offer the latria, or worship and where and in what company we which is only due to the true God, to stood, we remained silent, and the that wafer. All sounds, throughout priests moved on. that assembly, were shortly afterwards hushed; all the eyes of that mighty multitude were turned towards the mysterious doings at the altar; a bell was rung, and instantaneously the troops that stretched along towards that altar dropped on one knee, thousands of knees were bent, and amidst the loud reverberations of the carbines of the troops grounded on the tesselated marble floor, thousands of foreheads pressed the ground, and thus adored the body, the soul, and the divinity which that aged man had just then made. Before that august audience he had created, adored, offered, and eaten, the body, blood, soul, and divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Clouds of incense frequently rose from the waving censers, and seemed to curl along over the heads of the people. Solemn music, with intervening prayers and other ceremonies, continued for some time. The Pope then approached the richly-decorated altar, as the ceremony of the Mass proceeded. There we saw that feeble, venerable man kneel and pray, and cross himself, repeating over the plain and simple wafer the words of Christ, "This is my body;" and thus, before that great congregation, pretending that-though the keenest scrutiny could not perceive the slightest change -that simple wafer had become the real body, blood, soul, and divinity of The Letter Box. HINTS TO ALL WHO MEDITATE MATRIMONY. YOUNG PEOPLE, and all others who fear God, and contemplate a change of life, give ear! Attention to one great principle will preserve you from a fearful evil. "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price;" and the purchase being made "not with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ," forms the strongest, highest, and most delightful motive to Christians to live "not unto themselves, but unto Him who loved them, and gave himself for their redemption :" and if they are bound in eating and drinking to glorify God, much more so are they in the formation of that union which, next to their union with their Redeemer and his church, is the most solemn, close, and endearing of all relations, bearing with an overwhelming influence on their preparation for that eternity "where there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage." The Scriptures leave us in no doubt as to the persons believers may unite with in marriage. Their precepts and examples are sufficient to set our minds completely at rest. Paul, in 1 Cor. vii. 39, leaves everything else to the discretion of believers, but he commands them to marry "ONLY IN THE LORD." "Be not ye unequally yoked together with unbelievers." "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly." And after describing those in a state of nature, and the awful punishment to which they are exposed (Eph. v. 1-6), he adds, "Be not ye, therefore, partakers with them." The first of these passages appears to be law; the others, although relating to Christian conduct in general, certainly by inference bear very strongly on this subject: for if it be wrong in other things to have "fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness," it must be much more so in a relation that has such an influence on the character and happiness of the Christian. How can they obey the exhortation of Peter, to live "as being heirs together of the grace of life, that their prayers be not hindered" (1 Pet. iii. 6, 7), unless both are followers of Christ? 66 wisdom of all the children of the east country, and of Egypt, for he was wiser than all men," forsook the commandment of God to the Israelites, forbidding them to make marriages with the heathen, "for they will turn away thy sons from following me," Deut. vii. 3; and we find him bowing himself down to idols, for his wives turned away his heart after strange gods." 'Did not Solomon, king of Israel, sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless, even him did outlandish women cause to sin. Shall we, then, do this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?" Neh. xiii. 23-27. Although these were heathen who seduced Solomon to go after strange gods, yet in the eye of God what is the difference between. them and a merely nominal Christian? Are not both "enemies of his by wicked works," "sold under sin," and led captive by the devil at his will; mise, having no hope, and without God in the world?" Those who are "in the Lord" are they, and they only, who "have put on Christ," and are bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit, and thus giving evidence that they are his; and they who, professing themselves his followers, unite in marriage with those who do not give this evidence, as wilfully break the commandment of their Saviour as they would by slighting his command, "This do in remembrance of me." The examples given for our warning are many. "When the sons of God"strangers to the covenants of prosaw the daughters of men that they were fair, and took from among them wives of all that they chose," the wickedness of man became so great in the earth, "that the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of the earth." These wicked connections banished the last lingering traces of piety from almost every heart, made this earth a scene of dreadful desolation, and hurried multitudes to the pit of perdition. Lot's daughters joined themselves to the men of Sɔdom in marriage, and heedless of their father's warning, perished in the destruction of the city. Solomon, "whose wisdom excelled the The comfort and happiness of Christians are very much at stake when, regardless of what their Master and their profession of him requires, they unite in this relation with those who do not fear him. How must it break in upon their happiness to think that the one they love most tenderly is standing upon the verge of eternal ruin! that no matter how amiable, intelligent, kind, and moral they may be, God is their enemy, and that after death an eternal separation must take place! Who could bear such a thought of one who is dear as their own soul? How much does it mar their comfort that they cannot take sweet counsel together of the bright and glorious prospects that await them in heaven! the tastes, feelings, and desires of the one leading them to seek pleasure where the other cannot find it. It hinders the usefulness in the family, and is eminently dangerous to the one who is a Christian. The family has been appointed by God as the most important and most powerful of all means for training the members of it for "glory, honour, immortality, and eternal life;" and can that mother who knows not the power of religion in her own heart teach her children and servants the way to the Saviour, and lead them in it ? Can the father, like David, "return to bless his house," and shed a holy and salutary influence over all his family, when he lives "without God in the world?" They may give them an education that will make them useful in life, but the teaching of the one on religious subjects will be rendered of little use, by the carelessness of the other to everything like spiritual religion. How sad not to have a place in the hearts of both parents for Him who so often blessed the family of Bethany! Of the danger of such a union we have already given awful examples from the Scriptures of truth; but when we look around among our own acquaintances, how often do we see some who once appeared promising fair for heaven, when united to followers of the world, forsaking the path of peace. These tempt them to join in pleasures that they once abhorred, to neglect duties they once loved, to profane the Sabbath, to neglect their religious privileges, to slight their pious friends, and to join with them in scenes of dissipation. Gradually, but too surely, the blighting, blasting influence of the forbidden union is felt upon the soul. Religion languishes, declines, dies. The day of their marriage is the day that sets the seal to their ruin. According to the Divine Word, they marry, “having damnation, because they have cast off their faith." We need helps, not hindrances, in the way of life. The words "What knowest thou, O wife, but thou mayest save thy husband?" (1 Cor. vii. 16) refer to those who were both strangers to religion when married, one of whom, being brought to the knowledge of Him after marriage, may be made the means of leading the other to him also. But it is seldom he honours those who wilfully violate his law to become the instruments of converting the persons for whose sakes they have despised his authority. Such an important step as marriage the Christian will not take without earnest prayer. But if we pray for direction in an affair which we know to be in opposition to God's word, we only add insult to rebellion, and draw down on ourselves his severe and just displeasure. But we may rejoice in this, that "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." The Counsel Chamber. A WORD TO WIVES. THE most beautiful object on earth is a happy family. The very sight is a feast to the soul of benevolence! It is here, that happiness may be considered to reach its climax; on the other hand, misery is nowhere so intense as when its home is the household. This has often been meetly distinguished as a "hell upon earth!" All war is terrible; but a war between neighbouring nations, however dreadful, is a light evil compared with that which is civil; where society is divided against itself, neighbour opposed to neighbour, brother to brother, and parent to child! Of this character is war between husband and wife, with the divisions among children which are generally consequent upon it. The spectacle is too terrible to be endured even in imagination! In this case, a shocking violence is done to nature, as they who are one become two-each part is charged with a spirit of hostility against the other! The thing is comparable only to a moral suicide, of a double character. Such a state of things, of course, implies that "the fear of God is not in the place," for "the voice of thanksgiving and of melody is heard in the tabernacle of the righteous." Unless parties have been most miserably mismatched, there is always a goodly measure of harmony in the house of persons who fear the Lord. The vast majority of marriages, however, take place while both parties are without religion, and afterwards, one or other, more frequently the wife, is brought to a knowledge of the truth: then is the hour of danger! But even then, if the husband be a man of superior sense, and native generosity, and deeply attached to his wife, her conversion may make no difference in his conduct towards her. He may even see it his solemn duty cheerfully to allow her to take her own course; he may show her indulgence by externally falling in with her ways, and in the end becoming her companion in the path that leads to heaven. But where it is otherwise, she will require great prudence, and by that prudence she may work wonders. On this subject we shall introduce to our fair readers one of the wisest of men, the renowned Thomas Fuller, author of the "Holy State of Matrimony," who speaking of the "good wife," generally, gives counsels which will be of great service to wives in every situation of life, more especially to such as are in the condition of which we have been speaking. Let us hear Thomas Fuller: "She commandeth her husband in any equal matter, by constantly obeying him. It was always observed that what the English gained of the French in battle by valour, the French regained of the English by cunning in treaties. So if the husband should chance by his power, in his passion, to prejudice his wife's right, she wisely knoweth, by compounding and complying, to rectify it again. "She never crosseth her husband in the spring-tide of his anger, but stays till it be ebbing water. And then mildly she argues the matter, not so much to condemn him as to acquit herself. "She keeps home if she have not her husband's company or leave for her patent to go abroad. For the house is the woman's centre. "Her clothes are rather comely than costly, and she makes plain cloth to be velvet by her handsome wearing it. She is none of our dainty dames, who love to appear in variety of suits every day new, as if a good gown, like a stratagem in war, were to be used but once. "Her husband's secrets she will not divulge. Especially she is careful to conceal his infirmities. If he be none of the wisest, she so orders it that he appears on the public stage but seldom, and then he hath conned his part so well that he comes off with great applause. "In her husband's sickness she feels more grief than she shows. Partly that she may not dishearten him, and partly because she is not at leisure to seem so sorrowful, that she may be the more serviceable. "The heaviest work of her servants she maketh light by orderly and seasonable enjoining it. Wherefore her service is accounted a preferment, and her teaching better than her wages." The Fragment Basket. DEATH'S PRIME MINISTER. DEATH, the king of terrors, was determined to choose a prime minister, and his pale courtiers, the ghastly train of diseases, were all summoned to attend, when each preferred his claim to the honour of this illustrious office. Fever urged the numbers he had destroyed; cold Palsy set forth his pretensions by shaking all his limbs; Gout hobbled up, and alleged his great power of racking every joint; and Asthma's inability to speak was a strong though silent argument in favour of his claim. Stone and Colic pleaded their violence; Plague, his rapid progress in destruction; and Consumption, though slow, insisted that he was sure. In the midst of this contention, the court was disturbed with the noise of music, dancing, feasting and revelry; when immediately entered a lady, with a bold lascivious air, and flushed jovial countenance. She was attended, on the one hand by a troop of bacchanals, and on the other by a train of wanton youths and damsels, who danced halfnaked to the softest musical instruments. Her name was INTEMPERANCE. She waved her hand, and thus addressed the crowd of diseases: "Give way, ye sickly band of pretenders, nor dare to vie with my superior merits in FILIAL REVERENCE. WHEN Sir Thomas Moore was Lord High Chancellor of England (an office second only in rank to that of Archbishop of Canterbury), he was wont publicly, upon his knees, to beg the blessing of his father, who was one of the judges of the Court of King's Bench. The loosening of the tie between parents and children is one of the worst features in our time. St. Paul calls the fifth "the first commandment with promise; and certainly there is no duty which seems to bring its own reward so speedily along with it as the religious education of children. Let parents ponder well that fearful threat made by God to Eli: "Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. I will judge his house for ever, |