"Yes," I again replied.

"I am glad to hear that. There are many people that can talk loudly about religion abroad, that have not much at home; all their religion is for exportation, none for home consumption; but I am always pleased to see young married couples begin right, and there is nothing so likely to keep a family right as a family altar; many families professing religion have gone wrong for want of it; keep up piety at home, my lad, keep up piety at home; it keeps the fireside warm and comfortable. I am thankful that the very first day my Betty and me began housekeeping, we adopted Noah's plan when he came out of the ark. Did I ever tell thee about it?"

"No, sir, this is our first conversation."

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Well, then, I will begin a little further back. Before I began to 'follow her,' as they say in the country, I was careless, ignorant, and sinful; I thought much about her, but if I offered to speak to her I lost all my words and trembled all over. I followed her at a distance from place to place, and one Sunday evening I followed her into a chapel. And it was well for me I did. I shall never forget that night. The light of the gospel of Christ shone into my mind with such terrible force that I saw and felt myself a great sinner. I forgot all about Betty, in anxiety for the salvation of my soul. The day fol lowing, thinking I was the only person in the workshop, I kneeled down under my looms, and began confessing my sins and iniquities in a loud whisper; praying for pardon and peace, while sweat ran down my face. One of the weavers who had entered the

room in his slippers, hearing my groans and sobs, which I could not suppress, stooped down to look at me, and to my astonishment and confusion said—

"Well, lad, if thou art half as bad as thou says thou art, thou ought to be sent to Botany-Bay."

"I made no reply, but was heartily ashamed, and crept from under the looms to commence work. He said nothing to the other weavers about it, for which I was thankful. But the arrow from the Lord had pierced to the depths of my guilty conscience. I durst not again pray in the workshop, and I had no private place at home. I remembered that there was in a neighbouring field an old deserted stone-delph. Again, and again, in that stone-quarry did I plead the blood shed for me. At last I found what was more valuable than all the delphs and mines in this world. I found the pearl of great price, and was so happy that I durst tell the man that caught me praying under the looms.

"After considerable difficulty on my part, and obstinacy on the part of Betty, we agreed to be married, with the clear understanding, that at least once each day, the Bible should be read and both join in prayer for God's blessing to rest upon us. We had many a laugh about our first beginning. Neither of us had ever engaged in prayer audibly in any meeting, though we had both been sometime members of the church. So I took hold of the Bible, thinking I could manage that part better than the other. After reading a chapter we kneeled down, and I requested Betty to pray. I waited, and waited, but no voice. Then with a choking utterance, she said,—

"John, thee pray, for I cannot."

A big lump came in my throat, and as soon as I could get it down, I replied,

“Nor can I; what must we do ?"

After kneeling a little longer we rose to our feet without another word, for we could not speak. That was our first attempt at family prayer. And that God who saw the fullness of our hearts, recorded our wishes in heaven.

"And while on this subject, I will mention one other occasion when my nerves were a little tried. Betty and I were very careful and industrious, I as a journeyman weaver, and she as a spinner. We saved. a little money, and I bought a pair of looms, a jenny, and other requisite machinery, then another pair, and then another, then bought a pack of wool, and began manufacturing for ourselves, getting on and on until I could keep stock until the market suited me. One rather rough winter day, a dashing gentleman, with plenty of rings and gold chains, came to see my stock of goods. After a careful inspection of the whole he asked my price for all. I told him, and without a word he gave me a check on Rawson's bank for the amount. He then put on his coat and gloves, looked out into the dark, wet night, and I saw he seemed troubled. The coach was gone, there were no cabs in our neighbourhood, and railways had not then been thought of.

"He walked back into the house, and forward to a bright fire in the kitchen, our principal sitting-room, and asked if he could not get lodgings somewhere in the neighborhood. Yes, I replied, my wife can make

you up a clean comfortable bed in a plain way. You should have seen our Betty's face when I said that; it was almost scarlet, for she was afraid of the fine gentleman; but she quietly went up stairs to make all ready. He took off his overcoat and gloves, and sat down by the kitchen fire, and seemed very glad to remain with us. We talked about wool and prices, and prospects of trade, and about his family, which he informed me consisted of a wife and six children, until eight o'clock, our time for family devotion. My wife had got all ready for the grand man, and was sitting in her usual place. I was rather timid and had not taken hold of the Bible at the usual time. My wife saw it, and gave me a look which said,

"What! are you afraid of the big man too? Do your duty, and never mind him."

That look nerved me, so I took down the Bible, saying to the merchant,

"Sir, ever since this dear body and me became man and wife, our custom has been to daily read God's word and bow down before him in prayer. I do not know your views or opinions about these things, but feeling it to be our duty, we hope you will excuse us." "Certainly, certainly," was his reply.

"I read the one hundred and fourth psalm, our lesson for the evening, and in prayer besought the Lord to make us thankful for the day's mercies, to bless the stranger sojourning with us for the evening, to save him from making a bad bargain, and that if his riches. should increase, that he might never set his heart on them; and I prayed for his wife and six children he had left in Scotland, that God would take care of

them in the absence of the husband and father, and that not one of them might ever give their parents any trouble, finishing with the verse in the evening hymn,

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"O may our souls in Thee repose."

"The gentleman tried secretly to wipe his eyes with his scented pocket-handkerchief. The mention of his wife and children had touched his soul.

"I have done much business with the fine Scotchman since that night, to our mutual profit, and he never sends us an order without a note saying, Never forget the Scotchman and his family when you pray, and use the same words you used that memorable night I was your guest, especially that part, 'may not one of the children ever give their parents any trouble.""

Mysteries.

The Bible contains mysteries and duties; but the two are not entirely dependent upon each other. Men may understand all mysteries, and yet, without charity, it will profit them nothing; and so the duties of the Christian may be performed, while many of the mysteries are but dimly seen.

The peasant can plant his corn, even if he cannot explain the philosophy and mystery of its growth. The savage may be guided by a star-beam, though he knows nothing of astronomy, and cannot comprehend the order of the celestial revolutions. No man thinks of starving to death because he does not understand all the processes by which food is made to sustain his physical life. And so, no person need wait for the