your pipe, to take a nap now and then, and to chat with a friend: and, with respect to your servants and children, they can find time, by your own account, to do plenty of mischief; but, in fact, this little portion would be fully made up by the habit of order and regularity which it would introduce, and would prove a real benefit. An old divine has called family devotion "an edge or border to prevent the web of life from unravelling." Consider who gives us our time, and that it is one of those precious talents for which we must render an account. In truth, this excuse proceeds from the principle that religion is not the grand concern of man; that there is something more important than the service of our Maker, and that the pleasing of God is not the end of human existence. B. If we could manage to spare time, still I have not the ability, for I don't possess the gift. A. You can read, and that is all that is necessary; for you may buy a useful little book of prayers, called " Bp. Blomfield's Manual," (published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge,) for three pence; or you might begin with some of the prayers from different parts of our admirable Liturgy, which has been well named "the daughter of the Bible." What other objections have you to offer? B. I dislike to be laughed at, and setting up to be better than my neighbours. A. If we would be saved, we must not only appear, but be really better than such neighbours. "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." We are cautioned not to follow a multitude to do evil; and our blessed Lord has declared, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed." B. You are right, neighbour; and I heartily wish that I had the courage to begin. A. Begin, and God will give you the courage. Begin, and God will help you. Begin, and the courage will come with the resolution, with prayers to God for his grace to rest upon you. The rapidity with which the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, is well accounted for by Nehemiah, who says, "the people had a mind to work." Those who feel, as they ought, the necessity of this duty, will neither want the mind to pray, nor decline the little effort necessary for carrying it into execution. B. I sometimes think I see things rather differently from what I did. I used to get so tired of your way of talking, and now I like to hear all you have to say. Who knows but it may turn to some good? for you must mean well; you have always been so friendly like, and we are never too old to mend. A. You have repeatedly told me that you are under obligations to me which you can never repay. I only ask you in return to try family prayer for a week. Try it for a week for my sake, and you will keep it up ever after for your own sake. B. My mind is made up; and much as I was before indebted to you, I feel confident that I shall have reason to thank you more than ever for this advice. In humble dependence on divine grace, I say, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." O. T. K. LINES ON THE BAPTISM OF THE PRINCESS ROYAL, THOUGH of a royal race her babe is born, Though mid the monarchs of our land her name L. S. R. THE FALLS OF NIAGARA. THE greatest cataract, or waterfall, in the world, is that of the river Niagara in North America. The breadth of this river is nine hundred feet, and its depth very considerable; but its current is so exceedingly strong, and its channel so rocky, that it is navigable only for small boats. As it proceeds the stream widens, and at Fort Chippeway, about three miles above the cataract, the river is so violently agitated, that a boat would be certainly dashed to pieces if it was permitted to go down so far. So impetuously do the waves break among the rocks, that the mere sight of them from the shore is enough to strike terror in the beholder. As it approaches the falls, the stream rushes along with redoubled fury, until it reaches the edge of the stupendous precipice, when it tumbles suddenly to the bottom-a height of 137 feet-with the swiftness of an arrow. It ought to be observed, that the water does not cast itself down the vast abyss in one entire sheet, but being separated by islands, forms three distinct falls. One of these is called the Great or Horse-shoe Fall, from the likeness of its form to that of a horse-shoe, as may be seen in the representation. It is situated on the north-west side of the river, and is most deserving the attention of spectators, as its grandeur is evidently greater than that of the other cataracts. As the extent of this fall can be told by the eye only, it is impossible exactly to describe its limits; but its circle is generally computed to be somewhat more than one-third of a mile. No words can describe the astonishment and terror which the sight of it is calculated to produce in the mind. In scarcely any other of the wonders of creation can travellers behold the dreadful power of God more mightily displayed. The roar of the waters is heard at the distance of forty-five miles, and the spray rises in a cloud of immense height, upon which, when the sun shines brightly, are formed the most beautiful rainbows. The entire breadth of the cataracts is not far short of 3000 feet, besides the islands which divide them. VOL. XXI. G THOUGHTS IN DEPARTING FROM A CATHEDRAL. DURING the last winter I made a short stay in a cathedral town. While I was there, I constantly attended the weekly prayers, oftentimes twice in the day. As I returned one day from the cathedral, I thought to myself, what an ample provision the Church of England had made for the souls of her children, in thus providing the means of grace for all those "who are religiously and devoutly disposed;" following, in her appointments, the wisdom of God rather than the will of man; opening the doors of her temples, and there daily offering up the morning and evening sacrifice. I next reflected how sad a thing it was, that so wise, so pious, so bountiful, so charitable a provision was so little valued. I felt how strange it was that a service so simple, so sublime, as that of our cathedrals,-a service, the form of which is sanctioned by Scripture and the usages of the Jewish and Christian churches from the earliest times,-should be so neglected. I then thought to myself, are there not persons in our cathedral towns who have leisure to attend upon these services? Are there not persons under the very shadow of these venerable piles, who live within the sight and sound of the clock and deep-toned bell, who could attend? The young female in the better ranks of society having completed her education, and before she leaves her "kindred and her father's house," to enter upon the duties of a wife and a mother; might not she attend? Persons of both sexes in more mature life, who are clothed in fine linen and fare sumptuously every day, having little occupation and much time to bestow upon their pleasures; might not they attend? The aged of all ranks, the retired tradesman, the poor pensioner, the decayed domestic; might not these, who have toiled for this world, who having borne the heat and burden of the day, to whom the days are come "in which they have no pleasure;" might not these attend? Then I thought with myself, was it not such a place as these, which our Lord Jesus Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, even the holy temple in Jerusalem, when He was but twelve years of age? Was it not such a place as these which He fre |