up to darkness, or we may be illuminated with the light of life. "If thine eye be evil," the Lord says, "thy whole body shall be full of darkness; but if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." Luke xi. 34. And so St. Paul, addressing the Thessalonians, says, "Ye are all the children of the light, and the children of the day we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 1 Thess. v. 5.

With this idea, my sister said,-How beautifully does it refer us to Jesus, who is called the Day-star, the Day-spring: He is the Light that lighteth every man.

As it would be some time before Louisa could return, we agreed to separate; and I went out to call on my friend, Mr. Conway, who immediately commenced a conversation on the subject of the divisions in families, and said,

I should much like to go with you to talk to a family in my neighborhood, with the view of ascertaining what is the real reason of the unhappiness there, and which is the blameable party, the father or the son. The complaints of the father are bitter, and I have always thought it impossible that a father could feel so severely against his son without some strong provocation.

I have an hour or two at my disposal this morning, and I will with pleasure accompany you; perhaps, too, we may be so happy as to be peace-makers.

I begin to suspect the difference is on account of religion.

If so, the office we would desire to fulfil will prove very difficult, if not impossible; for they have, in that case, two such opposite springs of thought, word, and deed, that they must forever dissent from each other. Nature possesses the carnal mind only, and grace receives a spiritual mind all the movements of the heart, all the motives of action, all the ends in view, are "diverse one from the other ;" and they are irreconcileable one to the other. The natural mind may have amiable intentions and feelings; but being only natural, it cannot discern or understand the principles of the gracious mind; therefore they are continually mistaken, and wrong motives ascribed to them. These are two unbending principles, nor can congeniality be produced but by the overpowering grace of God, operating upon the heart of the unconverted, and letting in that light upon the soul which can enable it to discern spiritual things. No wonder, then, that where this difference exists, there should be division. But there is often a lamentable and needless aggravation of this evil from the want of wise conduct on both sides.

Here is the house, said my friend; the father is a respectable kind of a man, and engaged in a little trade, by which he makes a decent provision for his family. We will go in and make some purchase.

Though the civility of the tradesman naturally threw an expression of pleasure on his face, there was an evident care on the brow, which, in the

intervals of recommending his goods, seemed the predominant aspect.

How is your son? inquired my friend.
Well, I thank you, Sir.

Is his conduct more pleasing to you of late? I cannot say, Sir; I have this morning been exceedingly grieved with him.

May I ask the cause?

It is very vexatious to a father when he wants to promote the interest of his son, to be always thwarted by perverse refractory ways; and he is of such an obstinate nature, there is no bending him when once his mind is made up; for this reason, I have tried what I can do by stratagem to get my own way, but he inspects particulars so minutely that I cannot succeed.

What is the present disappointment?

It is this, Sir: A few days since I had an offer from a gentleman in a great way of trade, to take my son into his counting-house he had seen him and thought he was a promising youth. Now, Sir, you may be sure that, as it was natural for a father, I was rejoiced at such a prospect; it would have been the making of him, and set him on his legs at once. He himself seemed pleased at first, but then he began to inquire into the nature of the business and the character of the gentleman; and when he found it to be one said to be not very honorable, and that the gentleman himelf did not worship God in his way, he said he could not consent: and I

have been hard at work these three days to endeavor to overcome his prejudices.

At that moment some other person came into the shop, and the man ringing a little bell, it was answered by the appearance of a youth about eighteen years old, to whom he gave a signal to go to the other counter, and attend to the customer. He went, and in a quiet way supplied their demands.

That's my son, Sir; he's a promising looking youth; its a thousand pities he's so self-willed; and you see, Sir,-he continued, he has no spirit in business; he will not, all I can do, learn to commend the goods, and endeavor to persuade people to buy. I believe he lets many a customer slip away; and yet, as I tell him, it's all to his own disadvantage, for the less I make, the less he'll get.

As the customers were sooon supplied, I went to the other side to enter into a little conversation with the youth. He had the appearance of great unhappiness, but there was a calmness in his countenance which gave a peculiar interest to it.

Are you bringing up to your father's business? I can hardly say, Sir; I am naturally helping my father, but I don't think he means me for this kind of business.

What are his intentions for you ?

I believe he wishes to put me in a way more likely to advance my temporal interest.

But sometimes when we look to the temporal,

we forget the spiritual interests. Do you wish to combine the two?

It is on this point, Sir, my father and I have some little difference; for whatever becomes of the temporal, I hope never to forget the spiritual interest. Like a kind father, who believes all the good that can be desirable is to be obtained through temporal prosperity, he naturally fixes his mind on that only. He means it for my good, I know, Sir, and that makes it harder to seem to reject his kindness.

My friend, seeing me enter into conversation with the youth, contrived to draw the father with him over to my side of the shop; and I instantly took the advantage by saying to him,--I am talking to your son about his future prospects.

Ah, Sir!-he said, with a severe tone ;—that's a matter we are at variance about. I have had three good opportunities for him, but he has refused them all and if he wants to hang on with me in an idle way, he's mistaken.

Dear father, said the young man,—only provide me an honest way of getting my livelihood, where I can serve God and my master, and you shall see I want no idleness.

It's such a stupid way of talking he's got, as if he could not serve his master, as his master, and surely, he can serve God like other people. He may say his prayers night and morning, and there's Sunday for church-going, as if he couldn't take care of his soul like other people; but (taking up a bit of paper, twisting it hard, and