of a good teacher, is not so much to talk as to elicit truth from his class. In order to do this, you must have the willing attention of your children. Compulsory attention will not help you in this matter, and it is quite clear you will never possess the voluntary attention of your young flock, unless your instructions are of a pleasing, attractive

nature.

(To be continued.)

The Voice of the Months.

No. 1, JANUARY.

MR. EDITOR, I hope to prevail on the other eleven members of my family to write, each in turn, a letter to our dear young friends. As these correspondents all differ in their characters and productions, as well as in their names and travels, I doubt not that they will furnish through the year, a pleasing and instructive variety; and I need do no more to insure them an intelligent and candid reception than repeat Cowper's beautiful lines:

'I shall not ask Jean Jacques Rousseau,

If birds confabulate or no;

'Tis clear that they were always able
To hold discourse, at least in fable;
And e'en the child, who knows no better
Than to interpret by the letter,

A story of a cock and bull,

Must have a most uncommon skull.'

I am, Mr. Editor, yours, to serve,

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,

THE YEAR.

It may be proper, together with my observations, to give you some of my names; as to my character, that will be almost entirely what you may please to make it. Many will, I fear, give me a bad character, while some, and I trust, you among them, will do all they can to render me instructive and profitable. If you be numbered with the latter, you will commend me as furnishing a happy introduction to the year one thousand eight hundred and forty five. I now proceed to speak for myself:

The ancients, who were ingenious in giving bodily representations of abstract ideas, called me JANUS. With the Romans I was supposed to be a young man, to preside over the whole year, and my temple had four sides, to point out the four Seasons, and in each side three windows, the number of months in a quarter of a year. I had various names and insignia. Eanus, from a Latin word meaning to proceed, because the revolution of the earth round the sun makes a year; Consivius, from another word signifying to sow, as the year is productive; Martialis, as controlling war; and, what I wish you especially to remember,

Patuleius, signifying open, and Claucius, signifying shut, because the gates of my temple were open during war, and closed when there was a universal peace. Was it not wonderful that although my gates had been closed only twice before for 700 years, they should have been shut when Jesus Christ was born into the world, to bring peace on earth and good will to men?

Some described me as having four heads, to show that you should always think in season; but I was most commonly exhibited with two faces. 'Well,' you exclaim, 'then you must be a hypocrite!' I do not, indeed, deserve this name; yet many will be deceived by me; they will not believe that December comes so soon after January, and so, like Misfortune, I am often blamed for their own folly. You must know, then, that I have two faces, because I can look both on the past and on the future. The face that looks over the old year I call Memory; that which is turned to the new year bears the name of Expectation. I would rather, however, remind you, that God sees the past and the future, and entreat you to ask what he has seen in you in the streets, at home, when you should have been reading some good book, and at prayers: what he has seen in you when in school, and when in his house? Has he seen you forsake wicked boys and girls? affectionate to your parents, and brothers, and sisters? anxious to know and to walk in the way of salvation? And what do you intend he shall see in you this year? any improvement-any true piety and godliness?

I must now just tell you that very old astronomers called me CAPRICORNUS, or the Goat, because a cluster of stars through which the sun is viewed at this season bears that name. A great many heathenish fancies have been indulged in as reasons for my having this name. That reason, however, which best commends itself to your good sense is, that the sun begins to rise higher every day from the 21st of December, or the shortest day, and that its rise is evidently seen in January. Now goats are very fond of rising or climbing, and thus they represent the sun. My exhortation to you, therefore, is, that you not only reflect on the past, and think how you will act for the future, but that you will climb as the goat, or rather, rise and shine as the sun. The beginning of the year is the time for resolutions. Resolve, therefore, my young readers, to rise. Exert yourselves in every proper way to ascend-to reach higher in general knowledge, especially in the excellency of the know

ledge of Christ; to read the Bible and to hear the gospel, whether from your teacher or minister, with greater attention and more earnest prayer-to rise in heart till you really love Jesus Christ, the Saviour of sinners, both adult and children. Like the sun, rise higher each day, till your piety shall wear a summer's brightness, and bring forth a summer's fruits. Farewell, my dear young friends,

Accept the love of

In the scripture we read of the fuller,' Mark ix. 3, and of his 'sope, Mal. iii. 2, and of his field,' 2 Kings xviii. 17. We have but little knowledge of the plan adopted by the Jews in cleaning their clothes. It appears, however, that they first trod the clothes with their feet in a trough or a fountain, and then rubbed them on an inclined plane. Both these operations are depicted in our cut, taken from ancient paintings. The Turks call a sincere repentance the fuller's soap of sins.' David was wiser; he, in Ps. li. implored the Holy Spirit to wash him, that he might be whiter than snow.

·

Master James Henry Eyre, youngest son of Mr. Eyre, surgeon, of Lee, Blackheath, finished his earthly course while but a youth; yet, in the full assurance of hope,' delightfully illustrating the benefit of Sunday school instruction, and the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ; his parents had brought him up with pious solicitude; regarding not only his literary instruction, but manifesting a constant concern for his spiritual welfare; this was especially the

case with his mother, and with his venerable grandmother, now with God.

At the age of fourteen he left school, and spent the following year with a relation, near Tunbridge, where he secured the esteem of many acquaintances, particularly the kind regards of an excellent clergyman, the Rev. Mr. May. Having been taught to venerate the Bible, as the word of God, and to observe with reverence the Lord's day, he was glad to be invited by Mr. May, to act as a teacher in his Sunday school; there his heart was called forth in benevolent concern for the poor and ignorant children of the village, and his mind was improved in scriptural knowledge. He returned home to Lewisham, and frequently attended with his mother, the ministry of the Rev. T. Timpson, by which he appeared to profit, and to increase in his attention to the doctrine of life and salvation by Christ. His course in business was very short; for about midsummer, last year, he caught cold, which produced inflammation of the lungs, so that he was prostrated by the power of the disease, and his friends became alarmed at the unfavourable symptoms which his case soon made visible.

Mrs. Eyre felt all the anxiety of a mother for the recovery of her youngest child, but her chief solicitude appeared for his spiritual health; fearing that he might probably be taken away from her, by the sovereign will of her heavenly Father. Her minister frequently visited the afflicted youth, who seemed always delighted to see him, and wished that his visits were more frequent, as he thought himself improved in strength, after a little religious conversation and prayer. That he might more conveniently read the scriptures for his comfort, as he lay on the sofa, he purchased a small diamond Bible, which was his constant companion in his confinement, lying on his bed with him until his last hours.

A visit for about a month to the village of Penshurst, was found to contribute nothing to his restoration; and the best medical advice, including that of a physician, his relative, Sir James Eyre, failed to counteract the disease, and he gradually sunk under its insidious power. It was deemed proper, about a month before his decease, to satisfy his inquiry as to the real opinion of his medical friends, that he could not recover; but when his father informed him of that opinion, however desirous he had been of restoration to health, he bowed with pious resignation to the will of God, as his heavenly Father, committing his soul for pardon and eternal salvation to the care of the Lord Jesus Christ his Redeemer.

With the progress of his disease his conviction of the evil nature of sin became more deep, and his faith and hope evidently increased; while, after all expectation of recovery had been taken away, his mind was most delightfully reposing on the promises of God in Christ Jesus, waiting the perfect holiness and consummate happiness of the heavenly state. His pastor conversed much with him on the pardoning mercy of God through Christ, and the glorious fulness of redemption and grace in the Saviour, directing him especially to fix his mind on that consoling passage of the Word of Life, Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.' Heb. vii. 25.

To record all the remarkable sayings that fell from the lips of this interesting youth, expressive of his faith and hope, and spiritual consolation, would be impossible; but they were so many, and so truly edifying, so eminently characteristic of a soul taught of God, and ripening for the society of saints and angels, that no one who conversed with him could doubt but that they were from the richly imparted grace of the Holy Spirit.

On the evening before his departure to his eternal rest, apprehending that his end was very near, he desired once more to see his pastor, that he might declare to him the fulness of his joy in the prospect of heaven. After returning, therefore, from preaching in a neighbouring village, he hastened to visit his dying young friend, who, sitting up in his bed, was able, with some difficulty to converse freely on the solemn but blessed realities of death and heaven, and eternal redemption through Christ our Redeemer. He declared, with perfect calmness, but with overflowing joy of heart, that he had not a doubt of his eternal salvation through the Saviour; he referred to the gracious promises of pardon, 'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.' Isaiah i. 18; and he remarked that God, in promising to pardon all sin by Christ, is saving us to the uttermost from evil.'

After staying with him from ten till eleven o'clock that night, and commneding him by prayer, to the faithful care of our Covenant-God in Jesus Christ, with his father and mother, and three sisters kneeling by his bedside, his pastor took leave of him, under feelings not to be described; and at two o'clock the next morning he breathed out his happy spirit into the hands of God his Saviour. Who is able correctly to delineate such a scene as this of the dying youth? He appeared in the perfect possession of reason; clearly conscious of his state as a guilty mortal, about to enter into the presence of God, who is infinite in justice and holiness, yet in the full assurance of immortal glory; Dr. Young has truly declared in relation to such a case

The death-bed of the just is yet undrawn
By mortal hand: it merits a divine:

Angels should paint it; angels ever there,
There on a post of honour and of joy!'

Most certainly it is impossible to describe correctly the death-bed scene of this departed youth; his countenance indicated the life of God within him, and the grace of God upon him; while he exhorted his parents, and his sisters, and the faithful domestic in attendance upon him, to refrain from weeping on his account, as he was assured of his inheriting a mansion in heaven. His beloved sister, on whose arm he breathed his last, in a letter, furnishing some particulars for his funeral sermon, states,

'Dear Henry was, from childhood disposed to reflection, and constantly attended public worship wherever he might be visiting; but was particularly interested in hearing you; so that Mamma was sure to have his company to chapel when at home. He delighted in the Scriptures; and the Rev. J. May, vicar of Leigh, greatly appreciated his assistance in the instruction of the poor of that parish, during his visit in that neighbourhood. His convic