taken the first false step, and thus started upon the down-hill road, I ever found my way back into the path of truth. I think that, under God, the remorse which drove me back must be attributed to the teachings of my mother, whose aim it was to give us correct ideas of right and wrong, and to keep our consciences ever active and tender. I wish I might warn every boy in the land against trying the experiment. I would tell them how, even now, after so many years, my cheeks sometimes tingle with shame as the sudden recollection of that turkey's nest in the fence corner rushes over me, I would say, 'Boys, it is not a safe or pleasant thing to try. Every boy might not be so drawn back by a kind Providence. To-day I recognize and adore the Power that led me through so much distress into the safe way.'

Boys, the story which Cousin Faye tells you here is true. The boy Willie still lives-he speaks to you here. Will you profit by his sad experience, so that, when you are old, the flush will not, as with most, rise to your cheek at the remembrance of some boyish folly or sin ?-FAYE HUNTINGTON. [We much admire the moral lesson here taught; but do remember, dear reader, there is no way of being saved but by the Lord Jesus.-ED.]

BIBLE SUBJECTS FOR EACH SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER.

82. November 6. Commit to memory texts on apples as an emblem.

83. November 13. Commit to memory texts on pomegranates as an emblem. 84. November 20. Commit to memory texts on grapes as an emblem.

85. November 27. Commit to memory texts on figs as an emblem.

SAMUEL AND ELI.

Most of us are familiar with the lovely face of little Samuel, whether in painting, print, bronze, marble, wax or wood, with its small hands clasped, kneeling down and looking upwards. May be the eye of young Philip Doddridge was often directed by his wise mother to the child Samuel on the Dutch tiles of her chimney-corner; and, no doubt, little Philip could tell all about little Samuel. At five years old there was scarcely a question in the Bible which the future commentator could not answer, thanks to his mother and the Dutch tiles.

We are not told the age of the prophet Samuel when "he ministered to the Lord before Eli" (1 Sam. iii. 1). Josephus says he was thirteen ; but that is only the word of man. It was in dark days that his tabernacle service commenced-days when, "The word of the Lord was precious" (rare, dear, costly, Heb.): there was no open vision for priest or prophet; Eli's sun had gone down in a cloud, the priesthood was dishonoured by his sons, and the judgments of God close at hand. The mother of Samuel was a woman of no ordinary character; her song of praise is excelled only by that of Mary (Luke ii. 1, 4, 6), and much resembles it. Hannah had prayed for Samuel, and the Lord granted her petition, which she acknowledged by the name she gave him-asked of God; and when the desire of her heart was granted, she did not cling to the child, and keep him all to herself, and in spirit fall down and worship him; but she gave the precious gift back to the gracious giver, and said, as the margin of our Bibles tells us, He whom I have obtained from the Lord by petition, shall be returned. The home of Samuel's childhood was the temple, and his earliest service there, for we

are told in this chapter that he knew not the Lord; and from that we learn a very important lesson, that the prayers and examples of godly parents, valuable and gracious as they are in themselves, educational religion and all outward forms, however morally useful they may be, can never change the heart of a child until a greater than the temple" comes and puts grace into the heart.

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Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. Eli, blind by age, and blind to the dangers around him, had laid down to rest "ere the lamp of God had gone out"-that lamp which was to burn always in the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the tabernacle, from morning to evening before the Lord" (Exod. xxvii. 20); and little Samuel had lain down also, when, for the first time, the God of Israel comes to manifest Himself to the child as He does not to the world, calling Him by name, Samuel." The answer is a ready one, "behold me" (Heb.), the same as Abraham and Moses gave when Jehovah called the one by name upon the mountain of Moriah (Gen. xxii. 1), and the other at Sinai's burning bush (Exod. iii. 3). Samuel concludes this voice must have been that of Eli, so he runs to him (showing the swiftness of (obedience), and says, "Behold me, for thou calledst me." But the aged man denies it, and bids the child lie down again. Samuel, still obedient, does as he is bidden; but the same voice comes a second time, and once more Samuel goes to Eli, and speaks a little more confidently: the first time it was, "Thou calledst me"; now it is, "Thou didst call me." Eli varies slightly his reply, calling Samuel "My son"-an expression of love, perhaps brought forth by his ready obedience. Then the most important verse of the chapter is given: “Now

Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him." The Lord must be made known to us in his true character, and His word revealed to our souls, before His voice can be heard or understood by us. It is the Lord's work, and not man's; the soul must be sought out, before it seeks aright; this was the father running to meet the child, before the child the father-the ear opened, and then hearkening-the eye anointed, and then seeing-the shepherd calling, the sheep following. Never, till the effectual call, shall we spiritually reply, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth."

That Eli heard the voice of the God of Israel by revelation and manifestation, we cannot doubt; but sin had separated between him and his God (though his God still); for when Samuel is called for the third time, and goes again to Eli, and speaks as before, then we are told, "Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child;" but as the divine communication was not to him, and he knew nothing of its purport, the aged priest speaks indefinitely, and says, "Go lie down, and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." It was a word of wisdom, showing that grace was still alive in his soul, shining out over indwelling corruption. "And the Lord came and stood." There must have been some personal appearance of the Lord, for He stood-perhaps like the man standing upon the altar, as He appeared to Amos (chap. ix. 1); or the man standing among the myrtle trees, with whom Zechariah held converse (chap. i. 8); the "Man of God's right hand " (Psalm lxxx. 17). The Man Christ Jesus, He stood and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel." But the child's name is now twice uttered. "Then

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