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I cannot tell you anything about him until his illness; but the illness, of whatever kind it was, was supposed by his medical attendant to have taken a favourable turn, and that he was fast hasting towards recovery, when one night, or morning early, his mother overheard him in prayer (for he slept in a little bed in the same room with his parents). "Oh," she thought, "what is that ?-it sounds like prayer! Can it be? Yes, it is just like my poor old grandmother used to pray; the words are similar. Oh," said the prayerless mother, "where has the child learnt that? He has never heard any one pray in this house, and we have never taken him to any church or chapel, and at school they are not taught such things; what does it mean?" And in the morning she hastened to the bedside of the dear little fellow, and said, "Why, Charlie, what were you saying in the night ?" I was praying, ma," he replied. "Praying, child ?" interrogated the astonished mother. "Yes, ma. But who taught you to pray?" she asked. "I don't know, ma," said the dear little fellow. "But I shall leave you," he continued. Angels have been to-night for me; I saw them, and I wish to go with them, and I shall go: they will come again, and take me to heaven.' "Why, Charlie,' said the poor mother, “you are delirious; you will not die—ma cannot spare you: and besides, the doctor says you will soon be well, and I will go downstairs and fetch you some nice warm milk to drink. Compose yourself till I come back."

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She went for the milk, and when she had got it ready for the little patient, she quietly returned and slowly opened the bedroom door, and looked in, hoping to find Charlie asleep. But no; Charlie's celestial visitors had returned, and she

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his dear little eyes fixed upwards, and his lips uttering the words, "Yes, I'll come; yes, I'll come; yes, fetch me, I'll come." The poor mother could hear no more, but abruptly entered the room, and in half-frantic accents said, "Why, Charlie dear, whatever are you saying? Why, what a strange child you are! What do you mean ?" When the dear Charlie coolly replied, "Why, ma, can't you see them ?" "See what ?" asked the mother. "Why, the angels, ma! why, ma, I see them: there they stand. I am going with them to the Lord; and, ma, cannot you see them ?"*" I shall go," continued the little dear; and so he did before midday. When the poor father returned from business the weeping mother had the sad news to tell of dear Charlie's death; "and," said she, "the dear child is gone to heaven. God has taken him, He sent angels for him; I am sure he saw them, and I heard him pray to be taken. And you and I are going to hell; we have never prayed in all our lives. We never took him to a place of worship; but God has taught him Himself. But I tell you, if you will not go to church, I will; I'll go out this very day, and secure sittings in some church near at hand. I'm determined; for we shall all be lost together, and this dear child be a witness against us." She was as good as her word; she went out to find a church, but in going down the street she saw a chapel. "That will do," thought she; "I'll be here on Sunday;" and so she was, and her husband too. The Lord owned the testimony of His servant. She was a broken-hearted sinner; soon the Lord applied the balm of Gilead" to her wounded spirit; and she rejoiced in God her Saviour: and

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* We never can let this kind of thing pass without cautioning our readers against trusting to any sight or sound. Repentance for sin and faith in Jesus all must have who enter heaven, and nothing without these could prove the soul is safe..-ED.

soon after the Lord took her to join dear Charlie. The father, too, heard the voice of God in the law, and found mercy at the cross; and I am informed that he still lives. Now, little gleaners, it may be that some of you have parents who never let you hear them pray: show them the account of little Charlie. Perhaps they will lay it to heart. Perhaps they trifle away the Lord's-day: tell them of little Charlie, and ask them to go to hear the Gospel. It may be the Lord may meet with them, and, by-and-by, when the Lord comes and the tens of thousands of His saints and angels, little Charlie will be one of the number. And thus you see, even now, angels have their work-to look after little ones whom the Lord loves; and "out of the mouth of babes and sucklings the Lord ordaineth praise." My last piece was complained of as being too short, and I fear this will be too long; but I know your dear Editor's object is to make the LITTLE GLEANER profitable. May the Lord bless its circulation! None can tell how many little gleaners there are, whose hearts are secretly wrought upon by the blessed Spirit; and who read the little work with delight. At some future time I might write "something else," but for the present, little gleaners, farewell, and believe me to be, Yours affectionately, W. W.

HISTORY OF THE JEWS,

FROM NEHEMIAH TO THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM.

CHAPTER III.

SOME of our readers may remember that the period at which we concluded our last chapter was one of peace and prosperity; but it will be seen by the foregoing that after the death of Euergetes, Judea began to be involved in fresh troubles by Antiochus

the Great, who reigned at this time in Syria. He attempted to recover Colosyria from Ptolemy Philopater, who succeeded his father, Euergetes, and got possession of the strongest cities in it; so that Judea became subject to him. But, after a short truce, the war broke out again between him and Ptolemy; and, at the battle of Raphia, Antiochus was defeated, and retreated to Antioch. The conqueror was submitted to with great cheerfulness, and his court was soon crowded with ambassadors from all the cities, including those from Judea, to pay their homage, and offer him presents. They were all graciously received.

Ptolemy, after this, made a progress through the conquered provinces, and, among other cities, visited Jerusalem, where he entered the temple, and, it is sad to say, offered sacrifices to the God of Israel, for the victories he had obtained over Antiochus. But, not content with being admitted into the outer court (beyond which no Gentile was allowed to go), he signified his intention of seeing the whole, even the Holy of holies. Simon the second, son of Onias the second, being high-priest at that time, strongly expostulated with him, but to no purpose; he forced his way into the second court. The people, in the utmost consternation, implored the Almighty to interpose, and not suffer their holy sanctuary to be defiled. Their prayers were heard; for, as Ptolemy was preparing to enter the Holy of holies,it is said he was suddenly stopped by Him who says to the raging sea, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther;" being struck by the Almighty with such horror, that he was carried out half dead. But instead of being humbled under the mighty hand of God, he was exasperated on account of the disgrace he experienced, and vowed vengeance on the Jewish nation. He ac

cordingly raised a cruel persecution against the Jews, endeavouring to force them to worship false gods. A few of them forsook their religion on this occasion, but the greater part stood firm, refusing to violate their conscience by attending to idolatrous rites. This so incensed the king that he resolved to destroy the whole nation, beginning with those who resided in Egypt, whom he ordered to be brought in chains to Alexandria, to be slain by his elephants.

As this was to be done publicly, a vast concourse of people were collected together to behold the horrid exhibition, when, to their great surprise, the elephants having been made drunk with wine and frankincense, turned all their rage upon the spectators, and destroyed great numbers of them, while the Jews remained in perfect safety.

This striking interposition of Providence had such an effect on the mind of Ptolemy, that he immediately ceased the persecution, and restored the Jews to their former privileges. But he lived not long after this, being cut off in the prime of his days. He was succeeded by his son, Ptolemy Epiphanes, who was only five years old.

Antiochus took advantage of the king's minority, and endeavoured to regain Judea; but being afterwards employed in Asia Minor, the ministers of the young king sent Scopas into Palestine, who retook Judea, threw a garrison into the citadel at Jerusalem, and returned to Alexandria with much booty.

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When Antiochus was apprized of this event, he immediately marched to retake the places he had lost. Upon his near approach to Jerusalem, the Jews, being dissatisfied with the Egyptians, went out to meet him, delivered the keys of the city to him, and assisted him in driving out the soldiers

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