ing trees or rough walls with only. They never shift their equal facility. While feeding position of head downwards they hang by one of the hinder either sleeping or feeding. These extremities, head downwards, bats appear to be restricted to using the other paw to hold their the south-eastern coast line, profood, and carefully distending bably as far as they find banksias the wing-membranes to save any and other honey-producing trees, pieces, which may chance to upon the blossoms of which they break off, from falling to the feed during other seasons. ground; they are also furnished specimen from which the accomwith cheek pouches, by which panying was made, was about they are enabled to take in large 3 feet 6 inches from tip to tip of morsels at a time. Of some the wings. They have been fruit the juice alone is extracted; found as large as 4 feet 3 inches but of apples or pears, if tho- in New South Wales. roughly ripe, they reject the peel Queries and Replies. GUERNSEY. REV. SIR,-Seeing that God made the angels holy, and that heaven was free from all iniquity, how was it that sin entered heaven at first? This to me is a great difficulty. D. M. M. This is a question that has puzzled learned heads for many generations, and though attempts have been made to answer it, they have left the subject as dark as ever. We must regard it as among the secret things that belong to the Lord. See Deut. xxix. 29. WOLVERHAMPTON. The For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes." An answer to the above when convenient will much oblige. A PUDDLER. This passage may be supposed to mean-The transgressions of Israel have been repeated, so that their punishment will not be unjust if severe; for the sins enumerated in the following verses have laid them open to divine chastisement. They have taken bribes to pardon the guilty, and in the absence of bribes have punished the innocent. Silver and clothing, even a pair of shoes, had been used as bribes. DEAR SIR,~In reading Amos ii. 6, I find a hard knot which I am not able to untie, and if you will be so kind, you will much oblige "Thus saith the Lord: Read the whole chapter. ELY. DEAR SIR,-I take the liberty of asking you to be kind enough to explain the former part of the forty-eighth verse of the ninth chapter of St. Luke's Gospel. Also the last verse of the last chapter of John and the the first verse of the first chapter of Acts. A. D. and received by me. The child is put as a substitute for disciple. The passage in John is figurative, and by a common mode of expression, especially among people in the East, (called hyperbole) represents the great number of Christ's wonderful works. Virgil says of a man that he was so tall as to reach the stars-meaning simply he was very tall. See Gen. xi. 4; Num. xiii. 33; Dan. iv. 20. So the first verse of the Acts-does not literally mean all, but the principal part. Such modes of expression were common. See Acts xiii. 10; 1 Tim. i. 16; James i. 2; Matt. ii. 3; iii. The text in Luke ix. 48, is parallel to one in Matt. xviii. 1-6. The reader should compare the two texts. The design of our Lord was to teach humility and kindness to his disciples. The words seem to say, whosoever shall be as humble as a child, and shall be kind to my disciples 5, &c. for my sake, is sure to be loved Poetry. THE NEGRO CHILD'S PETITION. Missi, missi, tink on we, When we young, and when we weak, Den he clap on hebby chain, Ob, we member well de day, How we poor heart trob and ache, Do, missi, say how tink on we, Toder side de big blue sea, Missi pray her massa dear, Wipe away de neger tear. Do, dear Missi, plead we cause, Missi den fill neger eye De neger for dear Missi pray. For Massa too de lib-long day, For fader, broder, ebery friend, For ebery blessing widout end. * A child. Sent by E. J. Vouths' Department. WENTWORTH HOUSE. (With Engraving.) WENTWORTH HOUSE-formerly called "Wentworth Woodhouse "is the seat of Earl Fitzwilliam. It is eight miles N.E. of Sheffield, and four miles N.W. of Rotherham. This magnificent building consists of a centre and two wings. The front is 600 feet long, in the middle of which is an elegant porch. The hall is 60 feet square and 40 feet high, with a gallery 10 feet wide running round, the whole supported by 18 Ionic pillars. The grand gallery at the end of the hall is 130 feet by 18 feet wide; in it are many exquisitely beautiful paintings. The park, in the middle of which Wentworth House stands, contains 1,500 acres of richly variegated land, and is beautified by several fine sheets of water. On the north side is a splendid column, erected by the Marquis of Rockingham in remembrance of his gallant friend, Admiral Keppel. The most conspicuous object on first entering the park is the Mausoleum, built by the late Earl to perpetuate the memory of his revered uncle; it is ninety feet high, and consists of three divisions. From this brief sketch of the country seat of one of the most noble families in the land, permit me, my dear young friends, to remind you of that building above, whose architect and builder is God. When, amid "the wreck of matter and the crush of worlds," Wentworth House, with all other specimens of human ingenuity and wealth, shall have passed away, the house above shall stand unmoved and uninjured. It is the glorious inheritance which our blessed Redeemer bought, and it is quite possible that each of you may possess it. Then seek after it, so that when you leave this world of certain trouble and transient joy, you may experience a similar happiness to that of the Apostle, when he said, "For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." May God help you at once to obtain a title to it. Amen. WILLIAM PERKINS. ECHOES FROM THE CHRISTIAN'S STUDY. THOUGHTFULNESS. "MEDITATE upon these things," is advice given by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, after having directed the attention of this young minister to certain ministerial duties. Man differs from all other earthly creatures in his possession of powers to meditate on the past, present, and future. The God of the Bible is an intelligent Being" a God of knowledge" and a Being possessing infinite wisdom; and angels, who dwell with him in heaven, are intelligent creatures. And he has so constituted human beings on earth that they are capable of reviewing the past, meditating on the present, and contemplating the future. Man is not only capable of thinking, but the Divine Being has furnished him with themes for meditation. He is therefore responsible not only for the words he utters, but for the thoughts he encourages in his bosom. It is important not only that we endeavour to think, but that we try to think aright-think for our personal benefit, the good of others, and the Divine glory. It is a lamentable fact that, notwithstanding all the intelligence by which we are surrounded, there is a vast amount of mental idleness existing among persons who ought to be actively engaged in the Lord's vineyard instructing the ignorant, and endeavouring, by counsel and example, to make mankind wise unto salvation. In Angels in heaven are ever engaged in thinking of the goodness, wisdom, power, &c., of the Divine Being. Christian believers on earth love to have their thoughts_turned towards Him, who is the object of their supreme affection. But with regard to the ungodly, the Book of holy inspiration declares "God is not in all their thoughts." How empty of all that which is good is the natural heart. such a heart it is no wonder that vain thoughts lodge, and that unbelieving thoughts, proud thoughts, mean thoughts, and uncharitable thoughts are to be found. In such a heart Satan reigns, rules, and has the pre-eminence; here the world lives, and self occupies a very prominent position. What base ingratitude ! How cruel, how offensive to a Holy God to be kept out of a temple which his own hands have made, and in which he ought to reign and constantly govern. Such callousness of soul we cannot fully describe, and nothing is more certain than that its possessor will be punished with everlasting burnings, unless this sin be repented of. Long has the Lord Jesus been standing at the |