34 FAMILY WORSHIP. ROOTED by the river, In the gladsome spring, Rooted by the river On the earth anew,- OME years ago, an Irish wanderer, his SOM 6 wife, and his sister asked a night's shelter in the cabin of a pious schoolmaster. With the characteristic hospitality of his nation, the schoolmaster made them welcome. It was his hour for evening worship, and when the strangers were seated, he began by reading, slowly and solemnly, the second chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians. The young man sat astonished. The expressions, 'Dead in trespasses and sins,' Children of wrath,' Walking after the course of this world,' were new to him. He sought an explanation. He was told that this is God's account of the state of men by nature. He felt that it was exactly his own state. 'In this way I have walked from my childhood. In the service of the god of this world we have come to your house.' He was on the way to a fair, where he intended to pass a quantity of counterfeit money. But God's word had found him out. He produced his store of coin, and begged his host to cast it into the fire; and asked anxiously, if he could not obtain the Word of God for himself. His request was complied with, and next morning, with their new treasure, the party, who had now no errand to the fair, returned to their own home. PRIZE ESSAYS. Boys' and Girls' Corner For their own contributions. THE HARVEST IS ENDED. THE Harvest is ended, the Summer is past, The tempest howls wildly, and fierce blows the blast; The leaves, once so green and so fair to the sight, Are withered and strewn, by the Winter wind's might. The Harvest is ended, the Summer is past, Yet we, like the green leaves, may soon fade 'Our Harvest is nigh, and our Summer's For youth is the Summer, and in it, oh! learn To fear not Death's Winter, though chilly and stern. What is iniquity or sin? 1 John 3. 4. Isa. 1. 2. What various emblems describe the awful nature of sin? Isa. 1. 5,6,18. Psa. 107. 4,10. How does the awakened sinner regard sin? Psa. 38. 4; 40. 12. Luke 18. 13. In what fountain can sin be washed away? March 9.-THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS. Psa. 32. 1-11. Memory verses: 7-11. Golden Text. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psa. 32. 1. 35 Who alone can forgive sin? Mark 2. 7, 10. Micah 7. 18, 19. What is true blessedness? Isa. 12. 1; 38. 17. Eph. 1. 7. On what ground does God forgive sinners? Rom. 4. 5-8, 23-25. What fruit does forgiveness produce? Luke 7. 47. Gal. 5. 22, 23. What is the first step towards receiving forgiveness? Psa. 32. 5. Luke 15. 18, 19. 1John 1.9. March 16.-DELIGHT IN GOD'S HOUSE. Psa. 84. 1-12. Memory verses: 8-12. Golden Text. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee. Рба. 84. 4. Why had David such intense delight in the house of God? Psa. 84. 1, 2, 10; 27. 4. Name some who dwelt in the house of the Lord? 1 Sam. 3. 1. Luke 2. 36-38. Whom did David appoint to attend to the service of praise in God's house? 1 Chr. 16. Why ought we to attend the house of God regularly? Mat. 18. 20. John 20. 19. Heb. 10. 25. With what feelings should we go there? Psa. 122. 1. Acts 10. 33. March 23.-THE ALL-SEEING GOD. Psa. 139. 1-12. Memory verses: 1-6. Golden Text. Thou God seest me. Gen. 16. 13 Where is God? Psa. 139. 7-12. Pro. 15. 3. Jer. 23. 23, 24. Who imagine that God does not see them? Psa. 10. 11-13; 94. 6-9. Who tried to hide from Ged? Gen. 3. 8. Jonah 1. 3. What comfort do the Lord's people derive from knowing that God sees them? Job 23. 10. 2 Chron. 16. 9. Psa. 32. 8. What influence should this truth have on our conduct? Eph. 4. 30. Psa. 37. 5 March 30.-Review, or Lesson selected by the School. PRIZE ESSAYS. THREE Prizes are offered for the Best Essays on the following subject: 'How can the young best advance the cause of "Total Abstinence" from Intoxicating Drink.' The competitors must not be above 15 years of age. The Essays not to exceed in length three pages of the Dayspring'; and the MSS., accompanied with a sealed envelope, giving the name and address of the competitor, must be addressed to the Rev. JOHN KAY, 11 Teviot Row, Edinburgh, and reach him not later than the 31st of May, 1879. 38 'CO LITTLE JANE'S KITTEN. LITTLE JANE'S KITTEN. OME and see our pretty wee kittens, Jane. Just look what a beauty this one is. Would you like to have it?' Yes, I would; but perhaps mother would not allow me to keep it.' 'You might ask her. I wish so much you would take one, for I don't like to think of the poor wee thing being drowned.' 'I will go this very minute.' And away went little Jane to tell her mother of the pretty little kittens, and to ask her permission to bring one home to be her own pet. Her mother was at first unwilling to have the kitten, as she was afraid that Jane would not take very good care of it; but as she promised to be very kind to itto give it some of her own porridge and milk every morning, and never to tease it, her mother at last gave her consent, and Jane bounded away back again to tell her companion the good news. Nelly was quite as happy as Jane when she heard this, for she was a tenderhearted little girl, and it was a great relief to her to know that the pretty little kitten would not be drowned. The two girls carefully examined each kitten, and having fixed on the one which they both thought the prettiest, it was put into a basket, and Nelly accompanied little Jane home with her treasure. Soon the kitten was comfortably settled in her new home, where she was duly admired by all the family; and for a time Jane was very, very kind to her. In the morning, whenever she got up, she would go to see her little pet, and many times in the day she would supply her with food and drink, and was so fond of her, that Jane's mother was glad she had allowed her little daughter to have this pet. It pleased her mother to see her child so kind to a dumb animal. But, by and by, when the novelty of having a pet had worn off, the poor wee kitten was not so well cared for. Jane was a warm-hearted little girl, and did not mean to be unkind to any creature, but any new thing would occupy her attention So much that she would forget every thing else. Her uncle had sent her some new toys, and these so occupied her time and thoughts, that she sometimes quite forgot to give pussy her breakfast. Observing this, her mother resolved to talk to Jane about it. 'Do you not think it is very unkind to treat a dumb animal so?' she asked. 'I did not mean it, mother; really I did not mean it,' Jane replied. 'Certainly, you did not mean to starve your pet, but you must not be so forgetful. Solomon says, "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; " that is, he remembers that it is God's creature, and that, while God has made the lower animals servants to man, it is his duty to treat them kindly. Dumb animals are very grateful to those who are kind to them. They are far more grateful to their masters than men are to God. God's own words arc, "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." Cats, when kindly treated, sometimes shew much attachment to their owners.' Listen to what a correspondent in the Fireside magazine writes: "For three years we kept two fine cats; but finding then that they would not agrce, we sent one to a friend at a distance of five or six miles. Before he had been a week in his new abode he ran away, and except that he was seen by a neighbour after a few days, he had not been heard of for six months. At the end of that time we saw him in the garden with our cat, and brought him into the house. He immediately seemed to recognise all his old friends, and took possession of his favourite place, the top of a sofa, where he always sat during meal times. I think the fact of his returning after so long a period proves that cats retain affection both for pcople and places.' Little Jane wondered if her pet would find its way back to her if any one took it away, and she resolved to be always gentle when playing with pussy, and never again to forget to feed her. Soon the child's care was rewarded. Pussy learned to know her young mistress, and would come |