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STORIES OF ALEXANDRIA.

men. Once He Himself stood before a judge and was condemned; but now He is exalted to be the Judge of the whole earth.

Ah! what a fearful thought for the sinner, that He who died to save the guilty is now the Judge-that He who offered to bless now condemns. Terrible as the sentence is, it would sound less terrible from any other lips than His. With any

other judge there might be some room for excuse, but there can be none with Him. 'Twas He who knocked at the door of our hearts-He who entreated us, and stretched out His hands to welcome us; and therefore, with Jesus as the Judge, all explanations and excuses will be in vain. But think

II. OF THE Judged.

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We must all appear." All without exception. Our teachers and parents-our companions in sin, and those whom we may have enticed to sin-those whom we have wronged and those by whom we have been wronged. All! You will be there, but upon which side of the Judge ?-the right hand or the left? Among which band? the sheep or the goats? The answer to these questions lies with yourself. Think

III. OF THE JUDGMENT.

1. It is based upon a thorough investigation. God keeps a record of everything that we do. Our secret as well as our open sins our thoughts as well as our words are written down in His book of remembrance, and the Judge will not need witnesses to confirm the evidence, for our own hearts will condemn us. Are you prepared for such investigation? Would you not blush if all the thoughts which passed through your mind yesterday, and all the deeds you committed were to be told out to your friends? But this record will reveal before an assembled universe the thoughts and actions of your whole life, and by these you will be judged, for we are each to receive according to that we have done, whether it be good or bad.

2. It is conducted by impartial justice. The Judge will show special favour to none-He is no respecter of persons. He

will dispose of each case upon its own merits. He will take into account the fact that all have not had the same advantages, but He will act upon the principle that to whom much is given much shall be required. And consider how much will be required of you, with all your advantages. Ah! it will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for the heathen, and for those who have not been born in a Christian land, than it will be for us. Great mercies now will bring heavy judgments then.

3. It is followed by a sentence that is unalterable. In courts of justice an appeal is allowed to a higher court, and sometimes the decision of one judge is reversed by another; but from the sentence of this Judge there will be no appeal.

And what is the sentence?-to those on His right hand, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father; to those on His left, depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.'

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But He has not yet taken His seat as Judge-He is still a Saviour, still waiting to pardon and receive the sinner. Nazareth, you remember that He read from the book of Isaiah a remarkable passage about Himself, and all at once, in the middle of a verse, He stopped and shut the book. If He had read on, it would have been about the day of the vengeance of our God.' When the books are opened He will begin where He left off and proceed to the judgment, but as yet the book is shut and His work is to save. Has He saved you? Do you wish Him to do so? He is willing if you are. Accept Jesusthe Saviour and then you will have no dread when called to stand before Jesusthe Judge.

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STORIES OF ALEXANDRIA.

Let us come to the orchard, grandpapa?' said Maidie, very proudly and tenderly holding his hand while she walked. Very well, little one, you are my guide, you know.'

6 But first I must run back and tell grand-mamma. Will you wait for me, grand-papa?'

So

'Yes, birdie, I shall wait here.' little Maidie was gone-herself the brightest sunbeam in the garden, grand-papa thought -as he watched the little eager face flash past the lilies and the butterflies.

Presently there reached him the sound of voices and laughter together, and then Maidie re-appeared, and grand-mamma and Johnnie with her. Maidie carried a rug and Johnnie carried two garden chairs-which was the cause of the laughter that had greeted grand-papa.

So the little group moved slowly along till they came to the sunshiny spot which Maidie had chosen in the orchard. Then the chairs were set for grand-papa and grand-mamma, and the rug was spread upon the grass at their feet for Johnnie and Maidie's benefit. And the soft sunshine touched them all-not warm enough to scorch for it was still that lovely May time which is like the kiss of the year. A shower of apple blossom fell in Maidie's lap when a low wind came from the west with just the sweetest windy sigh. And little Maidie looking up saw the blue sky between the branches, and grand-mamma's eyes, which were looking up like her own.

But Johnnie was already impatient for grand-papa's story. It was promised to be told in the orchard, and in the orchard they

were now.

'My story is little suited for so quiet a place,' said grand-papa.

Why?" asked Johnnie.

'Because it is about St. Cyril.'

But if he was called Saint, I suppose he was good,' said Johnnie.

There you are mistaken,' said grandрара, 'he was good in no manner.'

Then he was not a saint,' said little Maidie, who did not know many things, but had her own true simple notions of a saint.

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Those who came after him, and were no better than himself called him St. Cyril, and so his name remains to us. But I could not tell you about Alexandria and omit to tell you about him, for he was nearly its most famous Bishop.'

'And why was he famous?'

'I should almost say for his wickedness. Yet he was a Bishop of the Christian Church. While very young (it was in the year 412), he was sent to a monastery in Egypt to be educated by the monks. The Abbot Serapion was his teacher, and the pupil was apt. He is said in one sleepless night to have read the four gospels, the Catholic epistles and the Epistle of Romans. He read unweariedly the writings of the early church, meditated much, and wrote many books of Theology. After five years in the desert of Egypt, he returned to Alexandria. There he became a great preacher. Crowds flocked to the Cathedral to listen to his eloquence. The beauty of his person and the music of his voice charmed his hearers.'

'Yet he was not good, grand-papa?'

'No. I wish I did not need to tell you this but I must. He was no follower of Christ, though he called himself by his name. After the death of his uncle

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Theophilus he was made Bishop of Alexandria. Then his power became immense, and how he used it I would rather not tell you. Five hundred monks of Nitra, wild beasts from the desert,' they have been called, poured into Alexandria to do the bidding of the Bishop. Jews and Greeks were treated with the same ferocity. Their most noted victim was Hypatia, a beautiful Alexandrian lady-whose worth made her loved by all the city, while her wonderful genius and learning drew philosophers to listen to her teaching. Then followed nothing but war-war of words and war of weapons-and after a long reign of violence, in June of the year 444 A. D. Bishop Cyril died.

Grand-papa's grave voice ceased. And the blackbird on the apple tree broke again into the floods of musie that filled all the quiet place. And grand-mamma said softly :

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THE BEDOUIN OF THE DESERT.

Like

HE readers of the Dayspring must no doubt have seen this name in connection with the late war in Egypt. Every now and again they made their appearance on the banks of the Suez Canal, and gave our troops no little amount of trouble. They inherit a roving and restless disposition, and for generations have been the dread of the traveller in the east. the Midianites of old they are fond of plunder, and scorn to work on the soil, if they can live by stealing from their neighbours. With their swift horses, and their tremendous spears, they strike terror into the hearts of the unprotected traveller. For many centuries they have been nominally under the government of the Sultan, but this power is too weak to keep them under subjection.

A number of years ago a distinguished American traveller, who spent some time

among them, says that they are liars, thieves and cowards; and that their insolence is intolerable. IIe longed for the day when a strong government would take these old Arabs in hand; and he was convinced that their ostentatious courage would truly fail before even a small force of European soldiers. These Arabs are very religious in their own way. They daily pray to Allah (God) and the Prophet, but, alas! what influence has such religion upon their lives! They even pray that they may be successful in stealing. They make better thieves than soldiers, and run fastest from the enemy. Let us pray that they may yet become good soldiers of Jesus Christ. He is the Prince of Peace, and does not wish us to fight against one another, but to love one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath loved us.

EASY QUESTIONS ON BIBLE ANTIQUITIES.

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THE WEE SPOOT IN THE GLEN.

Verses recited by one of the Scholars at the Soiree of a country Sabbath School.

IN

N this drouthy warld there's nocht to compare
Wi' the water that comes frae the sky,
For washing your face, or makin your tea,

Or slockening your drouth when you're dry.
But of a' the waters that cheerily flow

To bless bairns, women, and men,

There's nane in this place that's at a' to compare
Wi' the wee trinklin Spoot in the Glen.

It's no vera big-it's jist a wee spoot

That comes oot o' the breist o' the brae,

But it's sweet and it's cule, and it's pure as the snaw
That comes frae the clouds far away.

And it's free to a' comers-the bairns wi' their cans,
And a' folks aboot the West en',
E'en the rough carter lads will pu' up their carts
And tak a gude swig at the Glen.

There's a great deal o' drink that's no vera gude,
And brings meikle sorrow and shame,

It steals awa health, and your money to buit,
And lea's ye a sair ruined name.

But the drink that I praise has nae siccan fauts,
It'll no land ye in the prison's dark den,
And ye'll no haelyour heid sair, or your jacket in rags,
If ye stick by the Spoot at the Glen.

There's mony a ane in a far distant land

Wha minds hoo, in youth's sunny day,

They gaed wi' their stoups, and ca'd their bit crack,
At the place whaur the wee Spoot's to-day.
And there's mony a ane's gane farther awa,
Wha asked on his deathbed tae sen'

For a jug o' the cule, cule water that rins

Frae the wee trinklin Spoot in the Glen.

And the wee Spoot aye rins, year in and year oot,
And it asks neither fame nor a fee,

Content if it slockens the drouth o' the weans,
And maks your drap parritch or tea.

And the lesson it teaches tae young and tae auld,
Frae childhood tae threescore and ten,

Is 'Do what ye can, and ne'er think o' reward,'
Jist like the wee Spoot in the Glen.

these as they appear from month to month will be the better able to compete for the Essay when the subject is given.

TRADES.

91. What was the principal occupation of the people?

Cultivating the soil.

92. What was the next chief employment? Herding cattle.

93. How were the flocks preserved at night? In a fold.

94. Which prophet was originally a ploughman? Elisha.

95. Of what employment was King David? A shepherd.

96. What was the occupation of the prophet Amos? A herdman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. 97. Was every person taught some trade?

Yes; they had a proverb, that the father who did not teach his son a trade, taught him to be a thief.

98. What men were called on to carry arms? All above twenty years and below fifty. 99. What defensive weapons did they carry? Shield or buckler, helmet, breastplate, coat of mail.

100. What were their offensive weapons? Sword, spear, javelin, bow, sling. 101. How did they use horses in war? In chariots.

THE YEAR.

102. How did the Hebrews count their day? From evening to evening.

103. On which day of the week was the Sabbath? On the Seventh day or Saturday.

104. How did they count their months? By the changes of the moon.

105. How many months were in their year? Twelve, and sometimes thirteen.

106. What was the first month of the year?

Abib or Nisan, which answered usually to our month of April.

107. What sacred feast took place on the 14th day of Abib?

The Passover.

108. What harvest was ready at the Passover? The barley harvest.

109. When did the feast of Pentecost take place? Fifty days after the Passover.

110. What harvest was ready at Pentecost?

The wheat harvest.

111. When did the feast of Tabernacles take place?
On the 15th day of Tisri, the seventh month.

Easy Questions on Bible Antiquities. 112. What harvest was ready
at this feast?

THESE are not given as 'Prize Questions,' but

are intended to stimulate our young friends in the study of the Scriptures. Prizes, however, will be offered for papers on one or more of the subjects, and those who make themselves most familiar with

The vintage.

113. When was the great day of Atonement held? On the 10th day of Tisri.

114. When was the year of Jubilee? Every fiftieth year.

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