fast, guiding and cheering the stormtossed mariner. It has been found necessary to remove this lighthouse, not from any defect in the building, but because the rock upon which it rests has become undermined in a way to endanger the edifice; and the foundation stone of the new Eddystone Lighthouse was laid on the 19th of August, 1879-the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh taking part in the ceremony.

Smeaton's Eddystone Lighthouse has been the model followed in building many other lighthouses.

Including harbour lights, and floating lights, there are now more than 500 lighthouses on the coast of Great Britain. Many of these are wonderful triumphs of engineering skill, and have been built at immense cost. The Bell Rock Lighthouse, 117 feet high, was erected at a cost of £61,332, and the Skerry Vore Lighthouse, 158 feet high, cost £83,127. No one can tell how many lives have been saved by the lights of these beacons on our shores, and no cost can be too great for such an object.

The friendly warnings and guidance given to the mariner by the lighthouses on our coast, remind us of the work believers ought to do in this world. It is theirs to shine as lights (or lighthouses) in this dark and dangerous world, and thus to save souls from everlasting death.

As the lighthouse must be firmly fixed on the rock upon which it is built, so must we be united to Christ, built up in Him, that we may be unmoved by the winds and waves of trial and temptation to which we are exposed. The rock itself may, by the ravages of the ocean, become undermined, so as to endanger the lighthouse built upon it but the Rock of Ages can never be moved; and those who build on this Rock need have no fear of its ever failing them.

The lighthouse continually holds up light to all who come within sight of it; so must we let our light shine that others may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.

M. T. 8.

THE CHILD IN THE MIDST.

47

50

GRANDMOTHER'S STORY.

RANDMOTHER, let it be about when you were young,' pleaded Milly. When you were young, echoed Madge. 'Oh 'ess!

when you were young,' lisped Lucy. So a story they must have. Milly was in a minute stretched at my feet; Madge rooted at my side, with eyes that would have drawn a story out of a millstone; and Lucy on my lap, stroking my wrinkled hands.

Will it do about when your mother was young?' I asked, feeling sure that many stories lately had left me with but little to tell of my own childhood. 'Was mother ever as young as oo?' asked Lucy, with a sadly puzzled air. Had she asked if anybody had been as old, I should not have wondered, for I believe if I were to tell her I had stood and seen the last of Noah's family into the Ark, she would not be at all surprised, nor trouble herself to think how it came to pass that I was not drowned. Nothing ever could happen to grandmother, I am a bit of the dear child's life. The fact being settled that their mother once had been young, they all thought that it would be delightful.

Well, I began: One early summer day when your mother was a little girl, she was playing in the garden behind our house and a very lovely garden it was, sloping down to a clear swiftly flowing stream-when, faintly in the distance, she heard the rat-tat-tat of the street-crier's drum. Nearer and nearer it came, till he was upon the bridge close at hand, for our house and garden were at a corner. 'Lost! lost! lost!' he said, 'Lost in Merton

wood, a small black terrier dog, with white breast; answers to the name of "Help." Any one bringing the same to the schoolmaster's house, will receive Five Shillings Reward.' Five shillings! the very sum, Hilda-your mother you know-was saving up her slow pennies for; and here she could get it all at once, if she could only find this dog. Not another thought about it, she would set off that minute.

She was a very foolish little girl, for it was very unlikely she should find the dog; and I am afraid she was a naughty one, for she knew she was not allowed to go beyond the garden alone. No matter: out she slipped by the side gate, and across the bridge. The earth was green, the sky blue, the larks happy, and so was Hilda. She never stopped, except to ask her way, and at last she was in the wood. Through among the trees and flickering sun rays the little maiden tripped-a very sunbeam herself. "Help,' "Help," "Help," she called, but not the smallest stir among the rich crimson leaves strewn round, answered to her call. Yes, there certainly was something black moving now; only a bent old man gathering sticks, and as Hilda looked--down fell his bundle, and off she ran to pick up every one; for she was a kind child. I heard you calling "help," my little girl, are you in need of any? For I am sure you have helped an old man who would be very glad to do any thing for you if he could.'

'Oh no,' smiled Hilda, that's the dog's name,' for she thought every-body knew

about him.

'Well, well, I hope you'll find him, my dear.' So they parted very good friends.

For a little time she almost forgot about the dog, in her delight over the abundant wild flowers. Making a basket of her round shady hat, and filling it with her treasures, she sat down at the foot of a tree to amuse herself, looping the long stemmed primroses in her fair curls, and weaving a garland of violets after a fashion taught her by nurse. Then she fell asleep to dream she had found Help,' and had the coveted five shillings in her hand.