a small thing. Gather them
together, and put them in some box of clothing which is destined to
Michigan. Every one of those defaced and cast-off books may be a
messenger of life to some starving soul.

More than this you can do. Train your own precious children to value
their abundant privileges, and embue them with the earnest desire to
impart freely what is so freely given. Look upon your son, your pride
and joy. A few years hence may find him living side by side with one of
those unfortunate boys who knew no better than to desecrate the holy day
with gambling. Will he be able to withstand the influences which will
surround him in such society? That, under God, depends on your prayers
and efforts. Ask earnestly for grace to prepare him to do the blessed
work, wherever he goes, of winning souls to Christ, and not be himself
enticed to evil. Your daughter--your gentle, bright-eyed one--over whom
your heart yearns with unspeakable tenderness--her home may be yet
appointed far toward the setting sun. For her sake, lend all your
influence to the good work of saving those rapidly populating towns from
the dominion of evil. Labor and pray, and day by day, instil into her
young mind the principles which governed her Savior's earthly life--who
went about doing good, and who valued not the riches of heaven's glory
that he might redeem souls.

SIGMA.

* * * * *

Original.

THE STUPID, DULL CHILD.

There is always great danger of wounding the sensibilities of a timid,
retiring child. It requires great forbearance and discrimination on the
part of parents and teachers, in their endeavors to develop the latent
faculties of the minds of such children, (whether this dullness is
natural, or the effect of untoward circumstances,) without injuring the
sensibilities of the heart.

This is especially true at the present day, when the world is laying
such heavy demands upon the time and attention of parents.

We not unfrequently hear a father confessing, with regret, to be sure,
but without any apparent endeavors to obviate the evil, that his time
and thoughts are so absorbed in the cares of his business, that his
little children scarcely recognize him, as he seldom returns to his
family, till they are in bed, and goes forth to his business before they
are up in the morning.

This is, indeed, a sad evil, and if possible ought to be remedied. How
can we expect that such a father will understan