and those who manage it, I yet sympathise with the objects for which it was instituted. With regard to the great purpose of this society, it is, in inception, just a simple Benefit Society; giving what, after all, is. but a wretched and a sorry pittance, to its aged members, but which yet may smoothe the way of some of them to the grave. It is not likely to be written about them, 'Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked.' I would to God it were more. With a little more management, care, and warning beforehand, I think we may succeed in getting more collections, both in London and in the provinces. In every chapel in the connexion we have a right to go and ask for assistance for such an institution as this. In all the country places we have to preach. Their main dependence is upon us. As for the other chapels, we don't go to them, because they won't have us : but they ought to give something for being allowed to do without us. Then a great many people must be called upon. You must get a great many Mr. Durleys to write letters and wait upon those who can help the cause, and importune them for contributions." Mr. Waddy here stated the purport of a letter addressed to a friend of his by Mr. Durley, whose importunity and perseverance on behalf of the Association he eulogised and commended to imitation. He then proceeded:-" Those who, in the kind providence of God, can give something,-why, they must. I approve of the principle that leads people to stand by their order." The learned gentleman then gave expression to the sentiments reported in page 218, in the course of which he quoted from Hudibras They first shake hands before they box, Then give each other plaguey knocks." He then said, "We reverse this order, and shake hands after plaguey knocks.' And now, instead of crying ́ Stop the supplies!' at the top of our voices, we are all trying to get more supplies. After various other remarks, Mr. Waddy concluded with a pledge which it is to be hoped he will not deem binding. "I beg your pardon for talking so long, and I promise you most faithfully I will never do so any more." Bro. NELSTROP, in moving a vote of thanks to the Chairman, said, "You never filled a chair, sir, in connection with any institutions, in the course of your life, that conferred upon you greater honour than does the occupying of that chair in connection with this Association." Then, adverting to the speech just delivered, he remarked, "I think it is well for Mr. Waddy that he has been here tonight. By what he has said he has put himself right with the whole connexion." In allusion to his forensic talents and prospects, he said, “I may not live to see his elevation, but I believe my children will live to see him Lord Chancellor!" An explosion of laughter from the learned gentleman was provoked by this unexpected prediction. The speech of the Chairman is given with amplitude and correctness in pages 219-221. It merits the studious attention of every Methodist local preacher. It indicates the sort of stuff that they should be made of, the zeal and earnestness that should distinguish them, and the assiduous self-culture they ought to maintain, if they would meet the wants of the churches in these "perilous times." We commend it to the study of all our brethren. We have endeavoured to supplement the previous report of our late meetings, so as to afford those who will read both a complete view of what was said and done. We have only now to express the hope that our Association will go on prosperously, and be a permanent engine of good to the local ministry of Methodism, and a blessing to all its churches. and delighted with its perusal, we gladly give it whatever benefit can be conferred by a favourable notice in the pages of this magazine. The lady whose active and devoted life is here placed before the public, was the daughter of Mr. Roger Sharpley, a wealthy yeoman, and godly country gentleman of Lincolnshire. Her religious life-as that of her parents -was maintained in connection with the Methodist church of her native village. Her conversion to God was sound and clear, and her Christian course was one of unbroken devotedness and usefulness. In winning souls to Christ, by tract distribution, conversation, and prayer, she became eminently successful. Many souls attributed their salvation to her instrumentality; and over the happy death of not a few she was privileged to rejoice, as the fruit of her unwearied efforts. The book is distributed into four chapters: Introductory, Personal History and Character, Extracts from her Diary, and Epistolary Correspondence. All bring out the character of the exemplary Christian lady. Born on April 8th, 1833,she lived till Nov. 30th, 1868, and then at the age of thirty-five years and seven months "sweetly passed away," to use the language of her biographer, one of the most pure, benevolent, and devoted spirits that ever inhabited a tenement of clay." The volume appears in elegantly embossed ornamental cloth boards, gilt leaves, toned paper; and also in a cheaper form for those to whom sixpence difference in the price may be an object. There are some quotations from authors that might well have been abbreviated; such as that containing "Oh, the precious blood of Christ! If we accept our Lord's theology, as delivered in John iii. 16, and many other parts of the gospels, we must reject such Baalistic sentiments as that of soothing "the Father's ire." It was the Father's love that provided an atonement for sin, and accepted the atonement rendered, because it honoured his justice and holiness, and met the requirements of law. Let us hold to that, and not countenance the idea of bloodthirstiness on the part of the infinitely benignant One. Other sentiments of supreme excellence in the hymns quoted, no doubt impressed the mind and touched the heart of Miss Sharpley, and when anything of a different complexion belonged to the verse or couplet, the whole was transferred to her manuscript to complete the versification. Instructive biography ought not to be criticised very rigidly. Not one piece of biography in twenty issued from the press is equal to this in religious thoroughness and instructiveness. We strongly recommend it, and especially to young ladies. WHY AM I A TOTAL ABSTAINER? By Rev. Joseph Kirsop. London: Wm. Reed, 15, Creed Lane, Ludgate Street; Philip Parker, 8, Exeter Hall. THE author of this pamphlet-comprising sixteen closely printed pages of small octavo-having wholly renounced the use of alcoholic drinks, pledged himself to abstain from them, and found the practice of total abstinence suit his health, his intellect, and his pocket; believing, also, that the practice and the decided avowal of it give him an influence for good far beyond what could be possessed without such practice and avowal, -states his reasons for the course adopted, and advances arguments to induce others to follow his example. We have seldom read anything upon the subject so really argumentative, and so temperately written. So far as the arguments advanced bear upon temperance, scripturally and rationally viewed, we are in agreement with the author and cordially wish him "God speed!" To be "temperate in all things" is a principle acknowledged both in common ethics and by Christianity. Those who adhere to that principle will never become drunkards; but those who cannot use an alcoholic stimulant without giving up themselves to its dominion, are under moral and religious obligation entirely to abstain. To such cases the injunction solemnly applies, "Touch not, taste not, handle not." We quarrel not with those who for the sake of saving any from drunkenness have them Such teaching doth God's word dispense Who wins the prize must run the race; And o'er man's falsehoods grieve? And helpless man deceive? Forbid it, Lord! we humbly cry, Choice Selections. AN OBEDIENT CHILD. T. H. No object is more pleasing than a meek and obedient child. It reflects honour upon its parents, for their wise management. It enjoys much ease and pleasure, to the utmost limit of what it is fit. It promises excellence and usefulness, to be, when age has matured the human understanding, a willing subject in all things to the government of God. No object, on the contrary, is more shocking than a child under no management. We pity orphans who have neither father nor mother to care for them. A child indulged is more to be pitied; it has no parent; it is its own masterpeevish, forward, headstrong, blindborn to a double portion of trouble and sorrow, above what fallen man is heir to; not only miserable itself, but worthless, and a plague to all who in future will be connected with it. SUNSHINE IN PARLOURS. THE horror of a sunshine by no means too abundant in this region, has more to do with the fear of discoloured curtains and carpets than it ought to have, especially among the rich. What signifies the flying of a few colours, easily replaced, compared with the giving a proper welcome to the great colourer himself-the sun, that makes WE have heard of taking blood from the veins of a young person, and injecting it into the veins of the aged invalid. There are two ways of doing it -the one is purely mechanical, the other is spiritual. By entering into a full sympathy with the spirit of a child, one feels that young blood has entered his veins. When children are innocently at play, enjoy their mirth, checking it only when it annoys the unsympathising, or is rude and boisterous. Take pleasure in the trifles that amuse them, for their sakes, and because they afford them pleasure. You will thus catch the contagion of their youthful feelings. Phenomena of the Months. OCTOBER. THE average fall of the temperature this month reaches eight degrees, as shown by tables compiled on the observations of fifty years. From the 1st to the 4th the average is 54 degrees Fahr.; on the 5th and 6th it is 53 degrees; from the 7th to the 11th, 52; on the 12th and 13th, 51; from the 14th to the 18th, 50; from the 20th to the 23rd, 49; from the 24th to the 27th, 48; and from the 28th to the 31st, 47 degrees. The average rainfall in October for seven years has been about 2.6 inches. In 1867 the average was nearly seventenths of an inch less, although there was rain on sixteen days. The sun rises on the 1st at one minute after six, and sets at twenty minutes before six; on the 15th it rises at twenty-five minutes after six, and sets at six minutes after five; on the 31st it rises at seven minutes before seven, and sets at twenty-six minutes before five. The mornings decrease fifty-four minutes, and the evenings one hour and six minutes; so that we shall have two hours less daylight on the last day of October than on the last day of September. The moon is new on the 5th at twenty minutes after two in the afternoon, and full on the 20th at three minutes before two in the afternoon. On the first Sunday it rises in the early morning, and sets in the afternoon; on the second Sunday it sets at eighteen minutes before nine at night; on the third Sunday it rises at about half-past four in the afternoon; on the fourth Sunday it rises at thirty-seven minutes after sunset, and shines all night; and on the fifth Sunday it again rises in the early morning, and sets in the afternoon. The moon is near to Mercury on the 6th, to Mars on the 8th, to Venus on the same day, to Saturn on the 9th, to Jupiter on the 22nd, to Aldebaran on the 23rd, to Uranus on the 27th, and to Regulus on the 29th. Mercury is an evening star until the 16th, after which it sets before the sun. Venus is an evening star, setting an hour after the sun on the 1st, and one hour and forty-four minutes after it on the 31st. It is in conjunction with Mars on the morning of the 6th, and with Saturn on the morning of the 26th. Mars is an evening star, setting about an hour and a quarter after the sun. Jupiter rises shortly after sunset, and is visible all night. Saturn sets about two hours after the sun. Passing Events. THE failure of the "Albert Insurance Office" sustains the view taken by the poet: "He builds too low .Who builds beneath the sky." In this failure comes out this sad fact, that moral honesty is miserably low where it ought to be of the highest order. Wherever there is trust, the trusted should be above all suspicion. Hundreds of provident husbands and fathers have been paying into insurance offices, that their families might have a provision, in case they should be taken away. Many persons have held back from insurance offices, when they have looked at the large sums paid for establishments, managers, secretaries, agents, advertisements, &c.; and if 10s. out of 20s. go in expenses, it will induce many others to pause before they insure. In "The United Methodist Free Churches' Assembly," this year, there was a lengthened discussion whether the Mission in Ireland should be continued or not. The society there had been for thirty years a constant drain upon the funds of the connexion, with very slight results. This would not have been of sufficient importance to be noticed by us, had it not been for certain facts which came out in the discussion. Mr. Myers is reported to have said, "That, having been appointed to investigate the mission stations there, he found that the people had no confidence in the localpreaching element." Mr. T. Newton said, "It was time to abandon Carrickfergus, when they had tried it for thirty years, and expended a sum of fifty pounds a year over it. Though poor, and not prepared to pay for ministerial assistance, they would not listen to local preachers; and when he was there, and wished to go away on any particular Sabbath, he was obliged to do so very quietly, or the chapel would have been deserted." There is nothing in the remarks of these two itinerants to show that their local brethren in Ireland were below the standard in character and ability of local preachers elsewhere. How was it, then, that there was no Such teaching doth God's word dispense Who wins the prize must run the race; And o'er man's falsehoods grieve? And helpless man deceive? With what can ne'er be his? Forbid it, Lord! we humbly cry, Who bliss to all wouldst give: Forbid it! Thou who ne'er canst die, And will'st that all may live. Choice Selections. T. H. AN OBEDIENT CHILD. No object is more pleasing than a meek and obedient child. It reflects honour upon its parents, for their wise management. It enjoys much ease and pleasure, to the utmost limit of what it is fit. It promises excellence and usefulness, to be, when age has matured the human understanding, a willing subject in all things to the government of God. No object, on the contrary, is more shocking than a child under no management. We pity orphans who have neither father nor mother to care for them. A child indulged is more to be pitied; it has no parent; it is its own masterpeevish, forward, headstrong, blindborn to a double portion of trouble and sorrow, above what fallen man is heir to; not only miserable itself, but worthless, and a plague to all who in future will be connected with it. SUNSHINE IN PARLOURS. THE horror of a sunshine by no means too abundant in this region, has more to do with the fear of discoloured curtains and carpets than it ought to have, especially among the rich. What signifies the flying of a few colours, easily replaced, compared with the giving a proper welcome to the great colourer himself-the sun, that makes all things beautiful? There are few sights in your town-house more cheerful than a sudden burst of sun into the room, smiting the floor into so many windows, and making the roses on the very carpet look as if they felt it. Let them fade in good season as the others do; and make up for the expense, dear fashionable people, by staying a little more at home, keeping better hours, and saving the roses on your cheeks.-Leigh Hunt. FAMILY PRAYER. ROBERT HALL, hearing some worldlyminded persons object to family prayer as taking up too much time, said that what might seem a loss will be more than compensated by that spirit of order and regularity which the stated observance of this duty tends to produce. It serves as an edge and border, to preserve the web of life from unravelling. "The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked; but he blesseth the habitation of the just." LOVE CHILDREN. WE have heard of taking blood from the veins of a young person, and injecting it into the veins of the aged invalid. There are two ways of doing it -the one is purely mechanical, the other is spiritual. By entering into a full sympathy with the spirit of a child, one feels that young blood has entered his veins. When children are innocently at play, enjoy their mirth, checking it only when it annoys the unsympathising, or is rude and boisterous. Take pleasure in the trifles that amuse them, for their sakes, and because they afford them pleasure. You will thus catch the contagion of their youthful feelings. Phenomena of the Months. OCTOBER. THE average fall of the temperature this month reaches eight degrees, as shown by tables compiled on the observations of fifty years. From the 1st to the 4th the average is 54 degrees Fahr.; on the 5th and 6th it is 53 degrees; from the 7th to the 11th, 52; on the 12th and 13th, 51; from the 14th to the 18th, 50; from |