"In the Belgian language, a version was published at Cologne, in 1475, and before 1488, had been republished three times. A second appeared in 1518.

"There was also a Bohemian translation, published in 1488, thrice reprinted before Luther's, not to speak of the Polish and Oriental versions. In our own country, it is well known that there were versions long before that of Tyndal or of Wyckliffe. Sir Thomas More has observed that the hole Byble was, long before his (Wyckliffe's) dayes, by virtuous and wel learned men translated into the English tong and by good and godly people, with devotion and soberness, wel and reverently red.'

"Those therefore who say that the first Reformers were the persons who communicated the Scriptures, are evidently in error; for they had previously been spread in the Catholic Church, which, subject to the supervision of its pastors, permitted almost, I might say quite, their indiscriminate perusal.”

Thus have we slightly sketched the origin of the Holy Scriptures, the pains which the Church has taken to preserve them from the falsifications of adversaries and heretics, to translate them into the languages of the people, when Greek and Latin were vulgar languages, and to disseminate them into all the more modern dialects of the world when the art of

printing allowed them to be more widely spread. Let us bless God for having preserved these records of His greatness, justice, and mercy, these title-deeds to our heavenly inheritance: and while we avail ourselves of them in submission to those whom He has appointed to expound them, let us not despise the millions who, for fifteen hundred years, lived and died without the power of procuring copies of them, or of reading them when procured. Let us not despise them nor exalt ourselves; but knowing that their salvation must have been as dear to Him as is our own, let us beware lest having, by a merely human invention, secured greater means than they had of becoming acquainted with His sacred Scriptures-we be "led astray by the error of the unwise and," according to the warning of St. Peter," wrest them to our own destruction." ORIGINAL.

TREATMENT OF SERVANTS.

A party of friends setting out together upon a journey, soon find it to be the best for all sides that, while they are upon the road, one of the company should wait upon the rest; another ride forward and seek out lodgings and entertainment; a third carry the portmanteau; a

fourth take charge of the horses; a fifth bear the purse, conduct and direct the route: not forgetting, however, that, as they were all equal and independent when they set out, so they are all to return to a level again at their journey's end. The same regard and respect; the same forbearance, lenity, and reserve in using their service; the same mildness in delivering commands; the same study to make their journey comfortable and pleasant, which he whose lot it was to direct the rest would, in common decency, think himself bound to observe towards them; ought we to shew to those who, in the casting of the parts of human society, happen to be placed within our power, or to depend upon us during our journey through this world.

A CHRISTIAN'S THOUGHTS.

A devotional spirit consists in a habit of turning our thoughts towards God whenever they are not taken up with some particular engagement. Every man has some subject or other to which his thoughts turn when they are not particularly occupied. In a good Christian, this subject consists in God or what appertains to him. A good Christian, walking in his fields, sitting in his chamber, lying upon

his bed, is thinking of God. His meditations draw, of their own accord, to this object; and then his thoughts kindle up his devotions.

SOLITUDE.

No, I'm never alone. Though no friend sit

beside,

Sweet converse I hold, gentle whispers exchange.

My soul springs to all I behold far and wide, And thought awakes thought in its limitless

range.

All earth, sea, and sky the same sympathies

own,

And I ask and I hear, and I'm never alone.

Oh, I'm never alone: for I ask of the earth Wherefore blend ye such richness and beauty and gloom?

And it answers, "I smile as the land of thy birth,

And I frown and I mourn as the land of thy tomb.

I spread out a feast and I spread out a pall; Let my loveliness cheer thee, my grandeur appal."

No, I'm never alone. When I gaze on the sea, When I gaze on the stars and the heavens above,

Oh! surely they all smile responsive to me, And they speak to my heart and they fill it

with love.

And they say, "Behold God in all nature is shown

If so bright be His footstool, think what is His throne!"

ORIGINAL.

TIME.

Perhaps there is not one of us who would not have shortened his days to a very few hours if he could have killed the time that hung heavy on his hands, or skipped over that which lay between him and his hopes.

THE GOODNESS OF MAN.

We do not know ourselves. We do not know the goodness that lies sleeping in our inmost hearts and this wealth of goodness is only revealed to us by bursts of kindly and unselfish feelings.--BOSSUET.

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