JOHNNIE MAURICE, OR TRUE HEROISM.

JOHNNIE Maurice had been but a short

time at school, when a circumstance occurred which led some of his companions to brand him as 'Cowardly Jack.'

One day, while playing at ball, Johnnie accidentally struck a lad named Samuel Ruff a severe blow on the eye. Sam, who was a great fighter, immediately gave Johnnie a blow on the face. All the boys gathered round expecting to see a fight. In this, however, they were disappointed, for Johnnie only said, 'I have a better way of fighting than that,' and walked away.

a

The schoolboys thought Johnnie coward, because he wonld not return the blow Sam gave him; quite overlooking the fact that he never complained to the master or to any one; a circumstance which might have shewn them that they had judged him unfairly.

Some time after there was a holiday, and a party of the schoolboys went to Sheer Cliff to spend the day fishing. Samuel Ruff, with his little brother Willie, who was only four years old, and Johnnie Maurice, were among the number. The day was dry, but stormy; and the swell on the sea was unfavourable for fishing. The boys chose a corner of the cliff, about eight feet above the sea, and were eagerly and silently waiting for fish, when suddenly little Willie Ruff fell into the water. Sam uttered a cry of distress, and became deadly pale. He thought of plunging in after his brother, but when he looked at the waves his courage failed, and he turned helplessly to his terrified companions. Already Johnnie Maurice, the boy whom they had called 'Cowardly Jack,' had thrown off his heavier clothing, and leapt into the water. Roused to exertion by this heroic example, Sam descended to the foot of the cliff, there to wait the issue. By this time the swell had carried wee Willie about thirty yards from the shore; but Johnnie, bravely buffeting the waves, reached the drowning boy just in time. Holding the child's head above the water with one hand, he made for the shore. But the effort was too much

for his weakly frame. Every stroke of his little arms became weaker and weaker, and still he struggled on. 'God grant that he may reach the shore in safety,' prayed the watchers on the beach. On he came till only about half a dozen yards from theshore; then exerting all his strength, he gave little Willie a push towards his brother Sam, who caught him, and smiling a sad farewell, Johnnie Maurice sank to rise no

more.

His pale, sweet face, as he was carried home to his almost heart-broken mother, will never be forgotten by his companions. Poor Sam was inconsolable. How bitterly he regretted ever having struck that cruel blow. If shoolboys only knew the grief Johnnie Maurice's companion then felt, it would surely be a warning to them against calling their gentle companions who refuse to fight, cowards.

When called to look at his face ere he was laid in the grave, the recollection of their unkindness towards him made the sorrow of his companions far more bitter; and when following his remains to the cemetery, they sadly wondered if he had forgotten and forgiven their harshness towards him while he was with them.

No one regrets this more than Sam, who regularly visits the little grave, and twines with flowers the simple tombstone, on which is inscribed

JOHN MAURICE,

DROWNED AT SEA,

AGED THIRTEEN YEARS.

He laid down his life for his friend.

т. п.

SOMEBODY'S BAIRŃ. OMEBODY'S bairn in danger stood, Where vehicles passed through the crowded street,

When one heart, moved to a melting mood,

Flew to the rescue with willing feet: 'Twas strange that a stranger should discern The fearful risk of somebody's bairn.

59

What standard of righteousness are we warned against, because by it no one can enter heaven?

In what different ways does Jesus shew that the sixth commandment may be broken? If we have quarrelled with any one, what must we first do before we can worship God acceptably?

Why ought we to agree with our adversary quickly?

What metaphors are here used to teach us the necessity of giving up sin?

What words of Jesus forbid the use of any oath in common conversation?

What reason is given why we should answer simply yes or no, without using any stronger expressions?

What better rule did Jesus give instead of the worldly maxim, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy'?

What motive is urged to induce us to do good to them that hate us?

What questions are here put to teach that believers should have a higher standard of

duty than others?

What is the standard at which we should aim?

[These are NOT Prize Questions; but intended solely to encourage the study of the Scriptures at home.]

Prize Scripture Acrostics and Questions.

Competitors will please observe to address their answers now to Rev. JOHN KAY, Edinburgh.

A

ACROSTIC 3.

HEATHEN god, to whom a noble knelt; A cry of grief, but not of crime or guilt; A word that filled a monarch's heart with fear;

A woman heard, where only Heaven could hear.

Those few initials joined, the name is seen
Of one who lowly lived, true nature's queen:
Beauty and youth companioned for a time,
With grief and penury, on page sublime;
Heroic courage in her bosom glowed,
While sympathetic tears of sorrow flowed
From eyes lit up with love's immortal flame,
When, from her lips, the vow devoted came,-
That still the Christian echoes in the ear
Of one he loves, and longs to linger near.
Dear daughter of an alien race, designed
To lasting honour that should bless mankind,
Thy sky, though early clouded, shone anew;
A star of promise lit the heaven of blue;
Hope lived again, while love, maternal, smiled
Upon the mother's heart, and blessed her child.

KEY C.

Paisley: J. AND R. PARLANE.]

[London: HoULSTON AND SONS.

62

THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN.'

I DARE say few of my young friends require to be told that a land, called by such a poetic name, is in the eastern hemisphere, far away from these British isles of ours. But they may not all know that Japan, during the last few years, has been growing in intelligence and power among the nations of the earth; and that her progress, as she fulfils her history, is more and more like that of the sun, brightening as he goes on his way. The sea washes the shores of Japan, as it does our island home. Hitherto the waters have been as her bulwark; now they are a highway, by which many blessings are conveyed to her waiting people.

One who knows very well about these countries, which you and I never saw, the Rev. Dr. Williamson, tells us that the Japanese seem like a people awakened out of a long sleep, and face to face with a world immensely ahead of them.' But it will not be long immensely ahead, if they follow the path on which they have entered. I will tell you how I feel quite sure of this: it is because the people in Japan are willing to be taught, and are very anxious to learn.

The ruler, who is called the Mikado, used to be regarded as a god. This man was formerly kept quite sacred; no one was allowed to see him; but now he comes out among his subjects, and receives foreign visitors, some of them connected with the governments of other nations. Ignorant people may think this is rather a downcome for a mighty emperor, who was formerly thought too grand for common eyes to look upon, but such people would be much mistaken. The more anxious a man is to do his duty, the more truly great he becomes; and the more a king meets with intelligent fellow creatures, learns from them, sees where he can with profit copy a good example, or avoid a bad one, the more able will he be to reign over the nation God has placed under his care.

Were you arriving, which perhaps you will some day, at one of the ports of Japan,

you would see all around you proofs of the great desire to learn and improve on the part of the Japanese. In some of the streets, the eastern and western hemispheres seem to meet. Many of the comforts and luxuries that we have here have been adopted there, but with an eastern stamp, as it were, affixed. They have been imported, as business people would say, and as yet have a foreign look about them. In place of our cabs, you would see rather large sized perambulators, with a grown-up lady or gentleman, instead of a baby, sitting in state, and a man, a very swift runner, drawing the vehicle along, not at the leisurely pace of our perambulators, but with a speed nearly as great as that of our hackney coaches. Beautiful shops, with their tempting windows, are seen in the finer streets of Yeddo, one of their towns. They have an ornament that we can boast of in only very few of our cities. Rows of beautiful apricot, peach, plum, and other flowering trees, border the highway, giving the refreshing, invigorating feeling always imparted by plants and shrubs--creations of God, fresh from His hand-which here we enjoy but rarely amidst the laborious works of man. Little Japanese children, with mother or nurse-their dress showing plainly that some admired British fashion has been in the dressmaker's eye-may be seen shyly, yet frankly, exchanging civilities with some well cared for English child. And this is as it ought to be; for God hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth.'

It seems as if we English people, somehow, always thought that imitations of our ways and doings must, of course, show intelligence and progress. This ought to be true, for we profess to be a Christian nation; and if the desire to be like Christ-after whom we are named-guides us in our manners and customs, then, assuredly, following in our steps would be the truest progress of all. But, alas! many of our habits should be shunned rather than imitated. What are the Japanese to think of young Englishmen who cheat in business; who