brought them but when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them."

That twelve years of age is quite mature for the seeds of piety to germinate in the juvenile bosom, is obvious. Their acquisitions of the rudiments of human science at that age, show it. Why not study divine science too? A modern poet tells us with lamentation, his regret to have postponed an acquaintance with our greatest poet and his greatest work, till fourteen circles of the sun had measured his ruling ignorance miserably so far advanced.

"Then Milton had indeed a poet's charms;
New to my taste his Paradise surpassed
The struggling efforts of my boyish tongue
To speak its excellence. I danced for joy.
I marvelled much, that, at so ripe an age
As twice seven years, his beauties had then first
Engaged my wonder; and admiring still,

And still admiring, with regret supposed

The joy half lost, because not sooner found."

8. We hazard one more reflection, the importance of the youthful period of life. Much it governs every

other period, and even extends its consequences into eternity. Thus often "the boy is father to the man." The indications of character, then, are unsophisticated, and they often predict and influence the destiny. To omit the darker class of portents, how often have the presages of greatness, and even of goodness, been given graphically in youth, if not in infancy! How young was Moses, was Samson, was Samuel, was John the Baptist, was Timothy, was Doddridge, and were thousands of others, when appeared the harbingers and the signals of their future eminence. Of this, how bold an instance, how sublime a demonstration, is the Saviour himself. Never died such a man, never lived such a boy. How desirable to see the signs of the divine favor and the divine purpose in their early wisdom, in their daily actions, in their common preferences, in their words and sentiments, evinced. How wise to use the means of grace with them preventively; to foreclose the avenues of the mind against the insinuations and the devices of falsehood and of crime. These signs are often not solitary, or of one class only. They are not confined to the features, the form, the manners, the talents, the achievements, the aspirations, any one of these merely; but are identified more with the contour, the assemblage, the entire

picturesque of character. They make an impression. All who know them feel that something extraordinary is there. Thus Paul to his "own son in the faith: This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare." Oh! that these proofs and pledges of eminence in all good, might be multiplied and augmented in the persons of our beloved youth, a thousand fold!

9. Finally, we are here taught to study the character of this august youth; whose name is "called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Father of Eternity, the Prince of Peace."* He indeed is the grand object of religious thought, confidence, adoration, and praise. "He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father." Our estimate of Him shall arbitrate our own destiny. To love HIM; to discern HIS excellency and HIS glory; to read HIM as the theme of the total Bible; to realize HIM "precious" to our souls; to know and serve and follow HIM; to appreciate HIM, as he is, absolutely and relatively, in himself and towards ourselves; to be HIS illumined friends and correspondents on the earth; to become HIS clients, depending on HIM alone as our Advocate

*Barnes' translation.

with the Father, and confiding in HIM as our Great High Priest in the heavens; this indeed is wisdom, peace, affluence, salvation. This is what man wants; that after which every man by nature ignorantly thirsts, pursues, and hopes somehow to attain it, and that which the Christian alone attains by faith in his name! A simple method, but a more sublime one. It is the method of God. It looks like the nondescript, the unimaginable opposite, of all human contrivance or anticipation, Here is the germ of the grand and surpassing wonder

THE YOUTHFUL SAVIOUR IN THE TEMPLE.

If his very juvenility is so rich and attractive, what must it be to know him perfectly in the eternal maturity of his developments! If we ever arrive at heaven - if we fail not in that divine and ineffable prospect of good-we shall see him youthful no more, but venerable as worthy, the Lamb that was slain, the light and the glory of the Temple of Temples in the Jerusalem of God forever.

JACOB IN THE HOUSE OF LABAN.

BY JOSEPH L. CHESTER, ESQ.

Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle; and thou hast changed my wages ten times. GENESIS Xxxi. 41.

Он, father of a princely line! We see

Thee here, a slave in willing shackles bound,

But humanized, and to our level brought.

Thou, from whose loins sprang kings, and lastly Him Whose birth gave life to myriads lost in sin,

Art present to us as the ardent youth,

With passions and affections like our own.

We see thee toiling for those seven long years — At once the price and token of thy love For Rachel, unto whom thy heart doth cleave.

Perchance those years were full of bitterness: Thou hadst the promise, but thou wert a slave; And yet, methinks, thy bonds were silken ones, For thou wert but the prisoner of love.