of various parts, written at different times by different men. It is divided into two Testaments, called the Old and the New, chiefly with reference to the time when they were published; the Old being published before the coming of Christ, and the New after his death. As a testament, the Bible is the will of our gracious Redeemer, full of noble gifts and legacies, confirmed to us by the death of the Testator. The great promise of the Old Testament. is a Saviour to come; the New shows us that this Saviour is come, and gives us another great promise, (though this promise is not excluded from the Old,) the promise of the Holy Ghost.

The Apocrypha, sometimes bound up with the Bible, is no part of the inspired volume, and has no Divine authority. The books which compose it were not admitted into the sacred canon until the Council of Trent, which was held in the year 1550, under Pope Pius IV., and they have therefore no claim to be considered a part of the Word of God.

The Canon of Scripture is that body of sacred books which serves for the rule of faith and practice. It is the authorized catalogue of sacred writings. The word canon is derived from a Greek word signifying rule.

The Old Testament was chiefly written in the He-, brew language, and the New Testament in the Greek. The present authorized English Bible was translated out of the original languages in the reign of King James I. Where LORD is printed in capital letters, it is, in the original, Jehovah, or self-existent and independent Being. The word Lord, in the common characters, is, in the original, Adonai,—that is, Ruler or Sustainer. This distinction may be observed, Psa. cx. 1., and elsewhere. Such words as are printed in italics are used to complete the sense in the translation, there being no corresponding original words. In the margin of the larger Bibles there are references to parallel or similar passages, the knowledge of which often helps us in understanding the Scriptures. There are also various readings; for when the excellent translators of the Bible thought any passage might justly bear a different construction, they have put this in the margin. And where they thought that the

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idioms of the English language would not permit them to translate the Hebrew literally into English, they still put the literal translation in the margin. This is pointed out in the Old Testament by putting Heb. before it,that is, literally in the Hebrew; and in the New Testament, Gr., that is, literally in the Greek. The books of the Bible, when first written, were not divided into chapters and verses. This was a modern invention, useful in many respects; but the sense is frequently obscured by it. Thus the 1st verse of 2d Corinthians, 7th chapter, should be read along with the 6th chapter. In order to obtain a general view of the plan and connexion of any particular book, we should disregard this arbitrary division. The names in the New Testament are sometimes differently spelt from what they are in the Old: thus Isaiah is called Esaias; Joshua, Jesus; Hosea, Osee, &c. This should be kept in mind to prevent us mistaking the names that frequently occur in reading.

DURING the retreat of the famous King Alfred at Athelney, in Somersetshire, after the defeat of his forces by the Danes, the following circumstance happened, which shows the extremities to which that great man was reduced, and gives a striking proof of his pious and benevolent disposition:-A beggar came to his little castle and requested alms. His queen informed him that they had only one small loaf remaining, which was insufficient for themselves and their friends, who were gone abroad in quest of food, though with little hopes of success. But the king replied, "Give the poor Christian the one-half. of the loaf. He that could feed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, can certainly make that half of the leaf suffice for more than our necessities." Accordingly the poor man was relieved; and this noble act of charity was soon recompensed by a providential store of fresh provisions, with whieh his people returned.

Sir Philip Sidney, at the battle near Zutphen, displayed the most undaunted courage. He had two horses killed under him; and, whilst mounting a third, was:

wounded by a musket-shot out of the trenches, which broke the bone of his thigh. He returned about a mile and a half on horseback to the camp; and being faint with the loss of blood, and parched with thirst through the heat of the weather, he called for drink It was presently brought him; but as he was putting the vessel to his mouth, a poor wounded soldier, who happened to be carried along at that instant, looked up to it with wishful eyes. The gallant and generous Sidney took the flagon from his lips, just when he was going to drink, and delivered it to the soldier, saying, "Thy necessity is greater than mine."

Frederick, king of Prussia, one day rang his bell, and nobody answered; on which he opened his door, and found his page fast asleep in an elbow-chair. He advanced toward him, and was going to awaken him, when he perceived a letter hanging out of his pocket. His curiosity prompting him to know what it was, he took it out and read it. It was a letter from this young man's mother, in which she thanked him for having sent her part of his wages to relieve her in her misery, and finished with telling him that God would reward him for his dutiful affection. The king, after having read it, went. back softly into his chamber, took a bag full of ducats, and slipped it with the letter into the page's pocket. Returning to his chamber, he rang the bell so violently that he awakened the page, who instantly made his appearance. "You have had a sound sleep," said the king. The page was at a loss how to excuse himself, and, putting his hand into his pocket by chance, to his utter astonishment he there found a purse of ducats. He took it out, turned pale, and, looking at the bag, burst into tears, without being able to utter a single word. "What is that?" said the king; "what is the matter?" "Ah, Sire!" said the young man, throwing himself on his knees, "somebody seeks my ruin! I know nothing of this money which I have just found in my pocket!" "Myyoung friend," replied Frederick, "God often does great things for us even in our sleep. Send that to your mother, salute her on my part, and assure her that I will take care of both her and you." - Beauties of History.

LORD WILLIAM.

No eye beheld when William plunged
Young Edmund in the stream:

No human ear but William's heard

Young Edmund's drowning scream.

Submissive all the vassals own'd
The murderer for their lord;
And he, as rightful heir, possess'd
The house of Erlingford.

The ancient house of Erlingford
Stood in a fair domain,
And Severn's ample waters near
Roll'd through the fertile plain.

But never could Lord William dare
To gaze on Severn's stream;
In every wind that swept its waves
He heard young Edmund's scream!

In vain, at midnight's silent hour,
Sleep closed the murderer's eyes;
In every dream the murderer saw
Young Edmund's form arise!

-Slow were the passing hours, yet swift
The months appear'd to roll;

And now the day return'd, that shook
With terror William's soul-

A day that William never felt
Return without dismay;
For well had conscience kalendar'd
Young Edmund's dying day.

A fearful day was that! the rains
Fell fast with tempest roar,

And the swoln tide of Severn spread
Far on the level shore.

In vain Lord William sought the feast,
In vain he quaff'd the bowl,

And strove with noisy mirth to drown'
The anguish of his soul.

Reluctant now, as night came on,
His lonely couch he press'd;

And, wearied out, he sunk to sleep,-
To sleep-but not to rest.

Beside that couch his brother's form,
Lord Edmund, seem'd to stand,—
Such, and so pale, as when in death
He grasp'd his brother's hand.;-

Such, and so pale his face, as when,
With faint and faltering tongue,
To William's care, a dying charge,
He left his orphan son.

"I bade thee with a father's love
My orphan Edmund guard-
Well, William, hast thou kept thy charge!!
Now take thy due reward."

He started up, each limb convulsed

With agonizing fear ;

He only heard the storm of night,—
'Twas music to his ear.

When lo! the voice of loud alarm
His inmost soul appals;

"What, ho! Lord William, rise in haste ! The water saps thy walls!"

He rose in haste,-beneath the walls
He saw the flood appear;

It hemm'd him round,-'twas midnight now,-
No human aid was near!

He heard the shout of joy !' for now

A boat approach'd the wall;

And eager to the welcome aid

They crowd for safety all.

My boat is small," the boatman cried,
""Twill bear but one away;

Come in, Lord William, and do ye
In God's protection stay.”