the bank of the river, and cover them with sticks, and in passing over them the reptile falls in and cannot escape. They leave it there several days without food, and then let down nooses over its jaws or tongue, and thus draw it out with a cord." Herodotus, the celebrated historian, has told of another method by which men have caught this cruel tyrant. Hence he says: "They take a piece of a pig and bait a hook with it, and throw it into the midst of the river; and the fisherman stands at some distance on the shore holding a young pig, which he causes to squeak. When the crocodile hears this it immediately makes towards the sound, and finding the baited hook in his way, swallows it, and is then drawn to land." From these two methods of capturing this amphibious monster we are almost inclined to think that Job had some reference to it when he said: "Canst thou draw out leviathans with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?" In some countries crocodiles have become objects of religious worship, and heathens have presented to them their offerings. The ancient historian to whom we have already referred has left on record the following statement, that "among some of the Egyptian tribes the crocodiles are held sacred." Perhaps it may not be out of place if we observe here that, in the Amphitheatre at Rome crocodiles were amongst the animals produced to fight. After the death of some of these creatures their stomachs have been dissected, and within them have been found such things as rings, armulets, human bones, and a variety of ornaments. In the creation of these reptiles both the power and wisdom of Almighty God are wonderfully visible, for from him they derive their life, and in their creation and preservation he has a noble design in view; for "known unto God are all his works." And although there may be to us thousands of mysteries in the creation of the animal world, yet we should learn to say "Infinite strength and equal skill WILLIAM BIRKS. SHORTNESS OF TIME. A NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS. MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,-Allow me to address you in a few brief observations. You remember my paper which appeared in the December number? I told you that I should write some short papers for you. Well, I thought I would like to address you at this particular season, the beginning of a new year. How soon the time passes away; the twelve months that have passed away from us do not appear long. Yes, 1868 is gone, never more to be recalled by anyone. Queen Elizabeth would have given a million of money for a moment of time, but it was too late. Money cannot buy time. I said that we can never recall time. No, we cannot redeem the time that is lost, yet everything we have done is recorded in heaven, and at the last and final day we shall all be judged, and every one of us receive his reward accordingly. Solemn thought this! May you well consider the object of being placed in this world; that is, to prepare yourself, by the help of Jesus, to dwell with him when you come to die and leave this world behind you. I hope you will begin to serve God, if you have not done so before; at the beginning of a new year try to live differently; live closer to God, and then it will indeed be in the best sense of the word a happy new year to such. May it be so. Reuben Rogers, when he went to school, wrote in his copybook, "Time flies." But he did not think much of the value of time. When walking through a churchyard one day, he saw on the dial of the clock, "Time flies." but it did not warn him of the fleetness of time. Reuben went to church one day, and the minister was telling the congregation in solemn language, "Time flies," but still he remained unmoved, still conscience was stifled. At last Reuben was laid on his deathbed, after a life wasted in sin and indifference. When the minister came to his bedside he said, "My friend, time flies. If you had taken warning before, you need not have been in such a despairing state." Ah! he saw his error, but it was too late. My dear young friends, take warning, and beware how you pass away your time, and delay not the day of salvation. What is your life? It is compared to a vapour which appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away." Yes, truly we are "here to-day, but gone to-morrow;" everything is constantly changing. Let us rejoice to know that there is one who can never change, and the home he has prepared for us will know no change as do the kingdoms of this world. I hope to write some papers for you this year, and I shall be glad to give you a Scripture acrostic monthly for solution. If our kind editor will insert them it will be the means of making you find out many things with which you may not otherwise come in contact. I wish you all a happy new year. Plymouth. THOMAS HEATH, JUN. THREE BAD THINGS. "ÅLL have sinned and come short of the glory of God." "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men." "But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." And "we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ."-St. Paul. By the teachings of holy writ, dear children, you see all are sinners. You are sinners, the youngest reader is a sinner, and to help you in understanding this matter I am going to write about three bad things. The first is the parent of the second, and the third is the putting into action the first two. All sin comes from the first. If this were checked, the second and third would never have an existence. Can you think what these three bad things are? I will give you a Bible narrative to illustrate them. You will find it in the Book of Esther. King Ahasuerus promoted a man called Haman above all the princes that were with him, and all the king's household reverenced him except Mordecai, a Jew, Queen Esther's uncle; he "bowed not, nor did him reverence." This made Haman full of wrath, but he "scorned to lay hands on Mordecai alone," but sought "to destroy all the Jews" in the land of Persia. Then Haman went to the king and said, There are certain people scattered abroad in thy kingdom, who keep not thy laws, who have laws diverse from all others. If it please the king, let them be destroyed, and I will pay a large sum of money to be brought into the king's treasuries. Ahasuerus granted Haman's request, and immediately letters were sent into all "the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, in one day." How cruel! Thus you see how these three bad things would have had a fearful ending, had not Providence interposed, thwarted the scheme, and caused the punishment to revert to Haman himself. Instead of the Jews being destroyed and Mordecai hung, Haman himself was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. If Haman had not allowed bad thoughts to have a place in his mind, he would never have gone to the King Ahasuerus with such bad words, nor would such bad deeds been the intended ending. As far as Haman could go, or do, the bad deeds were done; but his power was a limited power. Take another instance, in later times, from secular history. The Roman emperor Nero wished, and uttered the wish in words, "That all the nation had but one neck, that he might destroy them all at one blow." Could he have done so, the deed would have been carried into execution. Thus, dear children, you see that bad thoughts generally find their vent in bad words, and that bad deeds are frequently the result. See to it, dear little one, that you harbour no bad thoughts, use no bad words, and do no bad deeds. Think good thoughts, happy thoughts; let them have expression in kind words, gentle words, cheering words; and let your deeds be good deeds, deeds of charity, of kindness, of love. Remember, "Love is the golden theme that binds The happy souls above; And he's an heir of heaven that finds His bosom glow with love." Above all, love Jesus, love your Bible, love your parents, and then Jesus will love you, love you through eternity. A. E. PORTNALL. |