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POETRY.

from her bed, and received some injury. The pilot was also injured during the storm, being thrown on his head and rendered insensible for a short time. The missionaries came on shore at Weymouth, where they were most hospitably entertained by several of the religious denominations to which they belonged. Mrs. Mickie was attended by Dr. Tizard, and it is anticipated she will be able to resume her voyage. On Sunday two of the missionaries preached in two chapels at Weymouth, where, in course of their sermons, they described the perils to which they had already been exposed. Intelligence of this safe arrival at Portland of the John Williams was speedily despatched to London, and soon after one of the secretaries, Mr. Robinson, who had not heard anything of the vessel since she had been seen off Broadstairs, left London for Weymouth, and the joyful intelligence was then disseminated to other parts of her safe arrival in Portland Roads.

Poetry.

"THERE SHALL BE NO MORE SEA."

"THERE shall be no more sea :"

So spake the Prophet of the golden lips,

Whose vision, clear and free,

Saw the far depths of that Apocalypse.

No more the treacherous wave

Shall whelm poor wanderers in the homeless deep—
The dark and lonely grave

Where thousand shipwreck'd souls have slept their sleep.
From each cavernous deep,

Where storms come not, and tempest wave is dumb,
The forms of them that sleep

Shall rise undying when the Judge shall come !

And then, its history o'er,

The great wide sea shall flee and pass away,
And many a golden shore,

Long hidden, greet the bright, eternal day.

Crown'd high with amaranth grove,
The hills shall rise by man and angels trod;
The ocean of His love

Shall still make glad the city of our God,

God shall make all things new,

And shoreless sea shall join with sealess shore;
And cleansed eyes shall view

Might, wisdom, merey, met for evermore.

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ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS.

Anecdotes and Selections.

A LOST LIFE.-A very affecting incident in the life of a young man is related. Like too many, he had not sought the Saviour's help until affliction brought him to reflection. He then felt his need of mercy, which, seeking earnestly, through divine grace he found. At this time hopes were entertained that he would recover; and this he himself desired that he might prove that his repentance was sincere. But he became worse, and as death drew nigh he seemed greatly depressed. His anxious mother, hearing him exclaim, "Lost! lost! lost!" asked him if he had lost his hope in Christ. His answer was an expression of deep but unavailing regret. "No, mother, no; I have yet hope in Christ; but I am now twenty-four years of age, and have done nothing for Him. My life has been lost! lost! lost!"

THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.-Not with a man or a beast, nor against fire or water, to save my body for this life, but a soul struggle with an unseen enemy for eternal life. It was a struggle between the devil and myself at the time when I wanted to be saved, and almost hoped I should be saved. It was about these words of Christ-"Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out;" Satan at one end of the promise, and I at the other. O what work we made! It was for this that we did so tug and strive; he pulled and I pulled; but, God be praised! through his grace I overcame him by faith; and Apollyon flew away to his den, while I, like Christian, went on my way singing for joy!

WHOSOEVER WILL LET HIM COME.-In the spirit of Him who told of the prodigal's welcome to his Father's house, I invite the most sinful and guilty to come to God by Christ; for He is only waiting until he sees in your heart the first faint motions of penitence to pour into it the comforts of boundless love. Only come, confessing that you owe much and have nothing to pay with, and he will frankly forgive you all. Come back to your Father who can see you a great way off, and ere you are aware will run to meet you; and angels hearing of your return will rejoice over you with music and song. Come then, come at once, come now.

OUR HEAVENLY CROWN.-If we love Christ he will give us one. But what will it be? We cannot tell. He will prepare it and bestow it on every one who is faithful unto death. And yet it seems as if we, while we live here, have something to do in providing ornamental gems for it,-those gems being the souls of all those we have been the means of leading to the Saviour. Paul seemed to think so when he said, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy."

THE FIRESIDE.

A VALUABLE TESTIMONY.-The late excellent Dr. Wayland, of America, after a life of labour in preaching and writing, was told by his physician that he must refrain, or paralysis would ensue. He did, and afterwards wrote "I laid aside my papers and took rest. But I read the Bible more than I had ever done before in the same time. Every new reading made me admire and love it. O how much have I lost by not reading it more! I have great reason to bless God for setting me on a side bench in his school to learn my lesson alone. I now can entertain a more steady and constant hope of Eternal Life!"

THE FIRST VERSE IN THE BIBLE.-It has been observed that this is the most comprehensive, perfect, and sublime sentence ever written. It is just what we might naturally expect God would say first of all in his own book to men of all nations and ages. He knew that Science, falsely so called, would make its bold speculations; and that stupid idols would be set up to dispute his claims; and so the very first words that meet our eye when opening His book are these—“IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH."

MR. TURRELL, A NEW ENGLAND PREACHER, in forty-six years preached five thousand, five hundred, and eighty-two sermons. If all these had been printed, they would have made two hundred and eighty volumes, of twenty sermons in each volume. Upon an average of one soul for each sermon, what sheaves of souls would this labourer have to present to the Lord of the harvest!

The Fireside.

A CHRISTIAN MAN'S HOUSEHOLD.

HOME! is there a word that we so cling to, a memory so dear to us? Is not the heaven we are looking for a home where love reigns, blessed with the fulness of joy and peace?

But there is a flaw in every earthly thing. As the winds move the surface of the lake, and, troubling its waters, destroy the fair picture it presented, so the closest union, the most tuneful harmony that a pious family can know, is at times broken by discordant jars.

"The kindest and the happiest pair

Will find occasion to forbear,
And something every day they live,
To pity or perhaps forgive."

When a man has taken on himself to be the head of a household, he has entered on a high and holy calling-whether his lot be cast among the great or the lowly-and his duties and their rewards are closely related. He feels, concerning his wife, his children, his servants, that

THE PENNY POST BOX.

to pass safely and happily through this life, they must be guided, trained, and governed as God has directed him in his own word. And he will rejoice in his labour.

People talk of the breaking up of homes. Christian homes never "break up." The members being knit together with that which is imperishable-the love of Christ-they may be forced to separate for a few years, they may wander north, east, south, and west, but only to reunite for ever in the many mansions of their heavenly Father's house. And so with the eye of faith the christian man looks on those around him, looks upward for help, and points them onward by his teaching and his example. Here, he will generally reap what he has sown; hereafter, who can estimate the reward of his work?

No work tells like home work. A godly household is a burning and shining light; a careless worldly one is a reproach, and a weight round the neck of its master. God commends Abraham for commanding his children and his household after him; and of the "excellent woman" it is said, "she looketh well to the ways of her household." A really christian family or household is as a bright light shining in a dark world.

The Penny Post Box.

LAND ALLOTMENTS.

I AM always pleased when I see near any of our English villages a few acres of ground laid out in patches for working men to cultivate at a low rent; and those considerate owners of the land who do such things are worthy of all commendation.

But this can only be regarded as a few short steps in the right direction. I know that as our British Isles are bound in by the sea all round we cannot enlarge the land; but do we make the best use of its surface? I think not. I believe the land of these islands might be made to maintain a far greater number than it does.

Now mind; I am no leveller. I would not rob the rich to pamper the poor. All I plead for is that there may be wider scope for honest industry. God gave the earth to man in the Garden of Paradise, and renewed the grand charter at the foot of Mount Ararat. No laws made by man ought to be allowed to abrogate or supersede this great law of nature and of God. But I fear they have; nay I am sure that most of our old feudal laws did, and some of them remain to this day. Now mind again, I have no sympathy to spare for the men who are called poachers. Their conduct is always foolish, and sometimes cruelly wicked. But, on the other hand, I cannot believe God Almighty ever intended that thousands of acres in all parts of our land should be

FACTS, HINTS, GEMS, AND POETRY.

set apart for the preservation of four animals-hares and conies, pheasants and partridges-affording maintenance only to the few keepers employed to watch them.

I know the difficulties which surround these questions in our old country, and so I have been careful in what I have said. And yet I never take up a newspaper but I read something about prosecutions for poaching. I am tired of reading them; and heartily do I wish that the foolish men who go out on such dangerous errands could be provided with honest employment in the cultivation of the earth. I wish rich landlords would think of these things, for men are of more value than game. HUMANITAS.

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Facts, Hints, Gems, and Poetry.

Facts.

POST OFFICE REPORT-1864. EVERY yearly report requires another year in which to prepare it.

The increase of letters in 1864 was thirty-seven millions-book, paper, and pattern parcels seven millions.

Registered letters, above two millions-only fourteen lost or stolen. The returned letters numbered above three millions.

Twenty-eight millions of letters and twenty-one millions of book, paper, and pattern parcels passed between this and foreign countries and our colonies.

The total sum deposited in Post Office Savings Banks up to March 31, 1865, was £9,217,000, of which £3,852,000 deposited for safety only, had been withdrawn.

The number of valentines posted in London in the Western District alone, was nearly one-fourth of the whole of the letters posted in London. The total revenue of the Post Office | service was £4,231,558. The total cost £3,072,235. Clear balance in favour, £1,159,383.

The average balance in favour for the first five years was £509,966; for the second five years, £851,655.

Upon the whole our Post Office system in all its branches is the most perfect that the wisdom of man ever devised or his energies ever accomplished, embracing as it does nearly the whole civilized world.

Hints.

ONE OF THE BEST WAYS of doing good to ourselves is to try to do some good to others.

EVERY HOUR has its appointed duty, which, if neglected, may never come back to give us a new trial.

HASTY WORDS may be compared to the shout which we are told sometimes brings down an avalanche when climbing the Alps.

BOISTEROUS AND BLUSTERING MEN are generally fearful cowards, and are often as cruel as they are cowardly.

A TRULY COURAGEOUS MAN is cool and calm. He fears not other men, but he fears himself lest he should do wrong. When assured he is in the right he advances boldly.

CONSTANT EMPLOYMENT is good for both body and mind. What a burden it is to have nothing to do! "To be employed is to be happy," said one; "employment is the best physician," said another.

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