Imagine a room filled with little girls, all animated and happy. The centre of the room is occupied by a table, upon which are placed paper, pens and ink. The hour for opening the meeting arrives, and all kneeling, unite with their pastor in a short prayer. After the officers for the year are chosen, the question arises, What shall be done with our money?

"I should like to give it to the Colonization Society," says one. "I should prefer having a heathen child educated," says a second. Some objections are made to both these plans, and after some farther consultation, the president of the Society addressed them as follows:

"There are many Sabbath Schools, even in New England, which are almost entirely destitute of a library. I know of some where a book larger than a tract, is scarcely to be found. A friend of mine told me of one where the foundation of a library was laid a few years ago, by stitching together several little tracts of four or five pages each, and covering them with strong brown paper; and that the people had manifested great. eagerness to read these. Now, why would it not be a good plan, if we could find some such school, to send it a donation of a little library ?"

This plan seemed to strike all favorably, and committees were chosen to carry it into effect. One was to collect themoney; another, to select books, which were to be examined, however, by the pastor, before they were sent; and the third was to prepare a letter. This business was accordingly attended to. The money was collected, the books purchased, and the letter written; and it was decided that their pastor should take the donation with him on a contemplated journey, and find by inquiry, a suitable school to receive it. It may interest the reader to see a copy of the letter. Here it is.

As our Pastor anticipates making a journey into the interior, we have availed ourselves of the opportunity to supply some destitute Sabbath School with a small library, and we hope that the present, however small, will be both acceptable and useful. Previously we have purchased tracts and testaments for ourselves, with the money, but being amply supplied with both, we have concluded to devote it to this object; and hoping that the school on which our Pastor shall bestow this library, may receive lasting benefit from the perusal of these books, we close by subscribing ourselves,

The Juvenile Tract Society of

The scene of our narrative now changes. We must leave the rich and populous village, and go in imagination to a secluded region, on a distant frontier, surrounded by wild mountains and forests, among which the hardy settlers cultivate their scattered farms.

It was Sabbath afternoon. A large covered waggon drawn by two horses, drove up to the door of the superintendent's farmhouse to take him and his family to the distant Sunday school. The party were soon seated, and rode first through an open field, and then came upon a rough road, which led them through tangled woods and wild vallies, to the remote district where the school was 'established. They crossed rough log bridges; and in some places deep mire, and in others, rocks and stumps obstructed their way.

At length a secluded school house came in sight. Behind it was a range of lofty hills, in some places bare and rugged, in others, clothed with vegetation to the top. Directly in front was a narrow cultivated field, and beyond that a dense native forest. The school house itself stood on the bank of a ravine, through which a mountain torrent finds its way at certain seasons of the year. It was a small house, rough in its external appearance, and still more so within.

Several small groups of men and boys were standing around the house, and some little bustle was produced among them by the arrival of the superintendent and his party. As they entered the building they found the room well filled with the pupils and teachers of the school, and others who had assembled to witness the exercises. There were thirty or forty scholars, collected from the families of the settlers, who were scattered among the hills for many miles around. They, with their teachers, occupied the body of the school house, while the parents and friends, who made the whole number present, sixty or seventy, took the other seats. Poverty was evidently in the homes of many of the children; some were barefoot, others had come a long way with nothing but handkerchiefs over their heads. All, however, looked clean, healthy, intelligent, and what was better still, seemed thirsting for instruction in the way of life. The Sabbath School was their only opportunity for receiving it.

The school opened with prayer, and the scholars began their recitations from the Bible. The room was now still, except the low, murmuring sounds, that rose from the little groups that surrounded their several teachers. The person, whose office it was to distribute books, then stepped lightly up to the desk of the superintendent, and taking from it a bundle of old tracts and tattered books, their only library, offered one to each of the visitors.

The worn and soiled collection was afterwards carried round to the classes, and each pupil had an opportunity to take one, and from the air of satisfaction and pleasure, and sometimes

eagerness, with which it was done, it was evident that access to this library, rude as it was, was a valued privilege.

The superintendent then asked a few questions on the lesson of the preceding Sabbath. They were answered with hesitation and reluctance. It might have been doubtful whether this proceeded from ignorance or fear, till a mother, who had listened with eager interest, to all that had passed, rose and said, earnestly, "Sir, I am sure our children remember what you said. They are bashful. They don't care to speak, but they have talked about it at home several times."

After an hour spent as usual in the exercises of the school, the signal was given for bringing them to a close. The superintendent then rose, and opening a little package of books, which were lying on the desk before him, he made a statement, somewhat as follows.

"I have some business to bring before the school, before it is closed. In a town, several hundred miles from this place, some children who had formed themselves into a Tract Society, have contributed a sum of money, which they have expended in purchasing eighteen bound volumes, of Sabbath School books, for the purpose of presenting them to some newly established Sabbath School. They were sent by their pastor, who has been journeying in this vicinity, and who is now present, and after some inquiry he has concluded to offer them to this school."

The expression of eager interest which animated all the countenances present, showed how the gift was valued. The superintendents then said, that, as he had supposed an expression of thanks would be proper, he had prepared a letter, which he would read to the school, to see if it met their approbation. The letter was read and adopted, with an eagerness of manner which showed how sincere was their gratitude. All were anxious to get one of the interesting volumes, but as there were not enough to supply each scholar, the books were distributed in the different families. At last a hymn was sung, and the school was closed. You might, however, have seen the children, as they were returning to their homes,, walking along in little groups, earnestly examining their new treasures. probably, during the long evenings of the coming winter, many a farmer's fireside will be cheered by the influence of these volumes. And it is not too much to hope that some will be guided by them to purer joye, and a more happy home than earth can afford.

And

TO INQUIRERS.

For the Religious Magazine.

It is very common for persons who are beginning to be interested upon the subject of their own personal piety, to feel that in their case there is something peculiar, which renders it more difficult for them to become religious than for other persons. They have such or such a difficulty, peculiar to their case, and they imagine that if that were only out of the way, they would not hesitate. These difficulties are different in different situations. One young person may have parents who are not pious; and feel that this is in the way. Another dreads the ridicule of gay acquaintances. An individual at the head of a family, considers that if he becomes a Christian, he will have to pray in his family. Another shrinks from the idea of making a public profession of religion, &c. Each feels that if his one peculiar difficulty were removed, he should come to his duty at once, and he almost envies his neighbor, who has not exactly such a difficulty in his way. But this is all a mistake. For it is most manifestly the settled arrangement of Providence that every individual must have difficulties of some kind or other to overcome, in commencing a life of piety. We shall wait in vain to have them taken out of our way; we must work against them. We must triumph over them. The way of every individual is hedged up in such a manner that to break away, must require an effort. We shall wait in vain for such obstacles to disappear.

Why is it then, it will be asked, that the path of duty is represented as so plain and easy? The answer is this. The obstacles spoken of are obstacles only as long as the heart is not right. Our duty is hard only from our reluctance to perform. it. The difficulties in our way, are but the test of our sincerity; they try our earnestness, but they oppose no effectual obstacle to duty.

THE SUMMARY.

THE FAMILY AT HOME. Messrs. Carter & Hendee have in press a work under the above title, recently published by the London Religious Tract Society, under the name of the Family Book. It was given by a lead

ing member of the Executive committee of that Society, to the editor, during his recent visit to London, with a charge to effect its republication in this country. The name has been changed on account of there being al