them; and after his death, and burial, and resurrection, charged one of his most ardent and zealous disciples— solemnly enjoined upon him the touching charge ‘feed my lambs.

I have thought that Sunday school teachers need to be more deeply impressed with the nature and object of this important work. O to be baptized with the Spirit of the great Teacher that came down from heaven! Herein we have his warrant, his example, his command. The work is of God; it concerns precious souls; it has a bearing on eternity! Only the last judgment will fully discover, its momentous consequences on the eternal destinies of man! And what has it done already? It has, to a considerable extent, supplied students to our academies, given ministers to congregations and sent Missionaries to the heathen, yes, a Morrison, and a Williams, and a Moffatt were all Sunday scholars! Let all our schools—every teacher and child know this, and God have all the glory! It forms moreover, a chief source of members, or shall I rather say, hopeful candidates for the churches of the living God, whilst thousands have passed from the church militant to the church triumphant, and tens of thousands more are treading in their steps, have become 'followers of them, who through faith and patience, are now inheriting the promises. Reader, are you and I of the number, 'following hard after God,' treading in the footsteps of Christ, and guiding little ones—the rising race, in the way that leadeth unto eternal life? We are teachers-Sunday school teachers. But have we qualified for the work? Are we converted teachers,—holy teachers, faithful,— humble, patient, steadfast,-prayerful, heavenly-minded teachers, anxiously and devoutly seeking the glory of God, in the salvation of immortal souls? So shall we win souls to Christ, feel happy in our work, and at length be crowned with glory, and by and by, have many of our youthful charge for our companions in light,' and with them, ceaselessly ascribe our salvation unto Him who hath loved us, and washed us, and made us kings and priests to God, unto whom with the Father and the eternal Spirit, we will offer equal and undivided praise.

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On these several points, or qualifications, it is designed, (D. V.) to furnish an occasional paper in the SUNDAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE, which the writer would humbly and heartily pray, may be blessed of God, for the advancement of His glory, in the success of the hallowed Cause. Hexham.

E. R.

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A CHILD'S FAITH.

A BELOVED minister of the gospel was one day speaking of that active living faith, which should at all times cheer the heart of the sincere follower of Jesus, and related a beautiful illustration that had just occured in his own family. He had gone into a cellar, which in winter, was quite dark, and entered by a trap-door. A little daughter, only three years old was trying to find him, and came to the trap-door, but on looking down all was dark—dark ; and she called, are you down cellar, papa? ?' Yes, would you like to come, Mary?' 'It is dark, I can't come, papa.' Well, my dear, I am right below you, and I can see you, though you cannot see me, and if you will drop yourself, I will catch you.' Oh, I shall fall, I cannot see you, papa!' I know it,' he answered, but I am really here, and you shall not fall or hurt yourself. If you will jump, I will catch you safely.' Little Mary strained her eyes to the utmost, but she could not catch a glimpse of her father; she hesitated, then advanced a little farther, then summoning all her resolution, she threw herself down, and was received safely into her father's arms. She fell shouting with childish glee into his arms, and clasping his neck, said, 'I knew dear papa, I should not fall.'

And now, my dear readers, the Lord Jesus is calling you to himself. Many of you, I trust have already obeyed his call, and chosen him as your portion; but he is still saying, 'Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not,' and 'they that seek me early shall find me. Though like Mary, you cannot see him visibly present, yet, he assures you, he is willing and waiting to receive you. You have only to drop yourselves into the arms of his sovereign mercy, and he will as surely receive you now as when while on earth, he took little children in his arms, laid his hands upon them, and blessed them.'

COST OF WAR.-Out of every ten hours that a man works, the product of five is taken to pay the cost of the wars that have been, are, or are yet to be carried on; and that individual is as much robbed of his rightful possession, as if the Government were to send a police-officer or an exciseman to take one-half of his money.

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THE PITCHER PLANT.

THE vegetable world, as well as every other part of creation, contributes its proofs of the power, wisdom, and goodness of God. The commonest plant which we may be ready to pass almost without notice, if it come to be strictly examined, will be found to contain within itself a powerful testimony of the provident care and unerring skill of its great Creator. There are men who can look without emotion or interest on the wonders of the world around them, but he who has ever studied nature in the spirit of a true christian, will be often reminded, even by the humblest flowers of the field that others may despise, of that God who clothes even the grass with a loveliness and beauty that the art of man might strive in vain to rival. There is a lesson taught us even in these simple objects, which we would do well carefully to study, and thus to learn the character of God from his works, as well as from his revealed will.

A general survey of the vegetable kingdom, of the many and varied provisions made for the accomplishment of one great end, the unity of purpose continually kept in view

amid the different expedients employed for its attainment, of the ways in which thus the numerous seeds are preserved and brought to perfection, as well as of the important purposes answered by plants in the economy of nature, would be attended with great interest and advantage. Our young readers would find themselves amply compensated for any labour and time necessary to such an investigation, by the wonders that would continually open before them. At such a season as this, when everything is starting into new life, when the trees have put on their luxuriant foliages, 'when the flowers appear on the earth, and the time of the singing of birds has come,' they are especially invited to engage in a pursuit which, while it will enlarge their views, and extend their knowledge, will impart a fresh zest to all their rambles among the pleasant scenes of the country.

We cannot do more at present than give them a very brief description of the remarkable plant that appears in the engraving at the head of our article.

The leaves which are here represented are of a very curious and complex structure. At the lower part, that which is nearest the stem, it will be seen that they are very wide; they then contract into a narrow tendril, which again expands, forming a pitcher, from which the plant derives its name. These pitchers contain from a pint to a quart of water, and are covered by lids (see a a in cut) moved by hinges which raise or depress them according to the necessities of the plant. The water is formed in the inside of the pitchers, and as it never rises above certain little glands found in the lower part, it is supposed by some that these serve for the purpose of secreting the fluid. Although the plant generally grows in marshy places, yet the water is, for the most part, pure and tasteless; sometimes, indeed, it is brackish and sour, but this may arise from the number of insects, which some conjecture are attracted by a sweet gum found round the margin of the plant, and are drowned in the water. When the lid is raised the heat of the sun causes the water to evaporate rapidly, but where this is the case, a new supply is provided in the course of the night. When the pitcher becomes full and requires additional support, a small hook shoots out behind the lid and lays hold on a neighbouring tendril. B B are pitcher's just unfolding. The whole history of the plant is exceedingly interesting, and well worthy of careful examination.

J. G. R.