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at once cheerfully acquiesces. It is not our prerogative to prescribe to God; nor, when his will is revealed, should we wish it altered. But our Heavenly Father allows his children to plead with Him for other and larger blessings, than at any time he has promised. This Abraham did. God had made no distinct and special promises to Ishmael, but great and incomprehensible blessings to Isaac. Grateful for these in prospect, Abraham ventures to intercede for blessings for Ishmael. The bestowment of great blessings should lead us humbly to seek for still greater. Blessings bestowed upon one child should not deter parents from soliciting favors for another.

In this connection, it may be observed, that parents, especially those who have large families, are often guilty of a singular and surprising wrong to the grace of God. They seem to apprehend, that if several of their children are converted, it is all they may expect. But why not all? Where is the intimation that some of any family must necessarily perish? Alas! while some, perhaps, of almost every large family do perish, may it not be imputed to this most unwarrantable and mischievous assumption to which we have adverted? The apprehension is indulged, in the first instance, that the grace of God must be limited; and hence, after the conversion of some, prayer and effort are, in a most cruel degree, suspended in relation to the others. This was not the reasoning or the practice of Abraham. He considers the divine liberality, in respect to Isaac, no obstacle to the solicitation of blessings for Ishmael. Let parents who have converted children be indeed grateful; but let them remember that, notwithstanding this, they may pray for those out of the covenant, as earnestly and importunately, as if none were converted; nay, they may urge blessings bestowed, as a good argument, why others should follow.

This first prayer was immediately answered. "O, that Ishmael may live before thee," was the humble supplication of the believing patriarch; and the prompt reply of a gracious and prayer-hearing God was, As for Ishmael, I have heard thee." Parents! do you wish for a higher warrant to pray for your children-for all your children, than is here presented? The first

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prayer recorded in the Bible is that of a parent in behalf of a child that prayer asked for more blessings than had been promised; and, finally, that prayer was immediately answered.

The example of Abraham is a beacon-light, which may well guide parents to a God, who hears prayer for children!

Editorial.

BETHLEHEM.

(See the Engraving.)

BETHLEHEM is one of those places in sacred history which cannot be mentioned without exciting emotions of intense interest. Here David was born, and spent his early years as a faithful shepherd, until he finally arose to be king over Israel. Here also, Ruth is supposed to have lived, and furnished us the foundation of that beautiful and thrilling narrative recorded in the Bible. But that which gives it its pre-eminence over all other places, is the fact of its being the birth-place of our Saviour. "And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been of old, from everlasting."

Bethlehem has been visited by many modern travelers, who describe its first view as imposing. The following description, by Dr. E. D. Clarke, will be read with interest. "After traveling about an hour after we left Jerusalem, we came in view of Bethlehem, and halted to enjoy the interesting sight. The town appeared, covering the ridge of a hill, on the southern side of a deep and extensive valley, and reaching from east to west; the most conspicuous object being the monastery, erected over the cave of the nativity, in the suburbs, and upon the eastern side. The battlements and walls of this building seemed like those of a vast fortress. The Dead Sea below, upon our left, appeared so near to us that we thought we could have rode thither in a very short space of time. Still nearer, stood a mountain upon its west

ern shore, resembling in its form the cone of Vesuvius, near Naples, and having also a crater upon its top, which was plainly discernible. The distance, however, is much greater than it appears to be, the magnitude of the objects beheld in this fine prospect causing them to appear less remote than they really are. Everything about it was in the highest degree grand and awful.”

Bethlehem is six miles from Jerusalem. That well for which David longed when he said, "Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!"2 Samuel xxiii. 15-is still said to remain, sending up its pure and delicious waters for the weary and thirsty traveler.

But the glories of Bethlehem have passed away. The anxious mother, who fled with her babe into Egypt, and all the mothers, whose hearts were made desolate by the bereavement of their little ones, have passed off this cruel scene of action and suffering. Jesus, the once crucified, now reigns King eternal in heaven. Mary still adores her Lord, and David tunes his golden harp in a still sweeter song of praise

Original.

THE PRIDE OF ANCESTRY.

A SHORT time since, a little paragraph was migrating from one paper to another, the purport of which was, that the " proud Duke" of Somerset used to say, that he pitied Adam because he had no ancestors.

The idea was a novel one; it never occurred to the mind of the writer, that it was possible our first parents had any need of the sympathy of their descendants. Made "very good"—but “a little lower than the angels"-placed in a beautiful garden, well watered by rivers; breathing a balmy air; what more could they need? In this Eden, which signifies pleasure or delights, 66 grew every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food." Here, too, Adam had a companion with whom he held sweet converse. As if this was not enough for man, God himself condescended, from day to day, to hold communion with him. Could the happy

pair be more highly favored? Did our great progenitor need sympathy? We would not have thought it possible, had not that pitiable nobleman suggested the idea. Now verily, we do believe Adam was to be pitied. Not, however, because his birth was not deduced from loins enthroned, but because he was a stranger to filial love. There is happiness, which to him was unknown. To all that is contained in those endearing words, father, mother, brother, sister, he was a total stranger. Not having any childhood, he knew not how good it was to confide in a fond parent; to be moved by the wise counsel of an aged father; or to be solaced by a tender mother. Some of the most hallowed and devoted affections of the heart were never his. Those family scenes and regulations so dear to us; the family altar-the going together to the house of God-the pleasant evening fireside, when the venerable sire takes down the Holy Word and instructs the family group-thou couldst not enter into the joys of these, our brightest and sweetest remembrances. O, Adam! thou art indeed to be pitied, for to thee was denied an early home.

The family!—what a holy compact—a constitution organized by Deity-a union of hearts and interests. Oft-times the family circle is so sacred, that the entrance of a kind friend seems like intrusion. It is a little heaven below. Whose silent influences make home so sweet, so sacred a place? The mother. Her peculiar sphere is in her own household; she is to make home happy; to draw around it such attractions, that no allurements from without will be preferred to their own sanctuary. The mother is to secure the confidence of every child, and make it feel that she is its best friend. If the mother realizes her duty, and strives to do it, the child will soon feel that there are mutual obligations.

"Pious mothers have done more to people heaven than any other class of persons next to the preachers of the Gospel." When such mothers are no more, then will their children rise and say, in the language of Cowper

“My boast is not, that I deduce my birth

From loins enthron'd, and rulers of the earth;

But higher far my proud pretensions rise—
The son of parents pass'd into the skies."

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HEN we closed our last lesson we told you
that Joseph and Mary were warned
of God t
take the child Jesus, and flee into Egypt, so
that Herod should not kill him. His parents

kept him in Egypt until the death of Herod.

When Herod was dead, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, in Egypt, saying, "Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead which sought the young child's life." And he took the young child and his mother, and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth-the place where his parents once lived. The Saviour was sometimes called a Nazarene, by way of reproach, because Nazareth was a place which the Jews despised-they thought nothing good could come out of Nazareth. But our Saviour was born in a manger, and he was not afraid of being despised. After Joseph and Mary returned to live at Nazareth, the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him.

The parents of Jesus went up to Jerusalem every year, to celebrate the feast of the Passover. And when the child Jesus was

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