THE

CHRISTIAN FAMILY.

In a pretty retired village, within a few miles of W, lived Mr. and Mrs. Lorraine and their four children. Edward, the eldest, a fine high-spirited boy, full of animation and affection, was about twelve years of age at the commencement of this narrative: Louisa, thoughtful and gentle in disposition; and Isabel, lively and warmhearted. To the little Henry, the youngest, it would be impossible to do justice by description: he was only eight years old, but his tender mind had advanced far beyond his age in the knowledge and love of heavenly things. It was evident to all, that he was a plant of too fragile a nature

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to flourish long in an uncongenial clime, and that he would soon be recalled to the bosom of his Lord. Each loved to pet and caress him indeed, hard must have been the heart which was not softened into tenderness by this lovely and innocent child. Mr. Lorraine had a small, but independent fortune, was fond of retirement and domestic happiness: his wife, united to him by the ties of real affection, joined hand and heart in every scheme he proposed for the spiritual welfare of themselves, their children, or their neighbours. They had been early taught, by the hand of adversity, that true happiness is only to be found in heaven; thither, therefore, they endeavoured to direct all their hopes and anticipations, and to think of this world but as of a rough road leading to that holy land where their Lord and Saviour is preparing a dwelling-place for all those who choose him for their guide.

It was on a lovely summer evening, such

a one as frequently succeeds a day of rain, when the setting sun shines with unusual splendour, tinging the passing clouds with its golden fire, and promising to cheer us with his rays upon the morrow, that Mrs. Lorraine proposed to her children a walk she knew would give them pleasure.

"Shall we go and meet papa ?" said she. "I know it will delight him to see us, and you may take poor Cassim. Fetch him, dear Edward, while your sisters put on their bonnets; and ask William to bring the donkey for Henry."

All were soon ready, and they surrounded" dearest mamma," eager to catch every word she said; Edward, walking by the donkey, and the girls on each side of their mother. She seldom allowed a walk to be unattended by some useful instruction the beauties of nature would always afford subjects for conversation, and she loved to lead their young minds, step by step, through earthly, to heavenly things.

The little Henry on this evening looked more than usually pensive; and as he raised his sweet blue eyes toward the departing sun, its bright rays falling on his delicate face and golden ringlets, his countenance was beautiful beyond description; and its expression seemed to indicate that thoughts of a spiritual nature were passing through his mind.

"Dear mamma," said he, "you once told me that that brilliant sun was made for many different purposes, but the best was, to remind us of the Lord, and that it is a type of him. What did you mean by its being a type of him ?"

"A type, my child, means an image, or resemblance of any thing," said his mother.

"The sun is a type of our blessed

Lord for many reasons, some of which I

will tell you. You know there is but one sun to give us light, and to give us heat; and that this one sun bestows these blessings on all the earth. It does not choose

good things in preference to the bad, but each, evil and good, partake alike of its benefits. is a type of the one only God?

Do you not see, then, that it

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light of his divine wisdom is poured upon our understandings to instruct us, and his divine love upon our hearts or wills to make us love him. But he does not do this to a few only, but to all, as our Bible tells us. Do you not remember, Louisa, what you read this morning in the fifth chapter of St. Matthew? Jesus Christ says, when speaking of loving our enemies,that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.""

"Yes, I remember Louisa reading that," said little Henry. "Must I then think that God looks like the sun ?”

"No, dear child; you know Jesus Christ was in the form of a man, and he