resisted every attempt to draw him from the true faith. He was then thrust into a dungeon, where torture was inflicted on him; all which he most heroically endured. He was afterwards brought out to be beheaded, with his hands tied behind his back, upon a platform erected opposite to one of the principal mosques, where a blacksmith was employed to perform the dreadful operation with a sharp sword. The Turks still hoped that the Greek might give up his resolution when he saw the instruments of death, and they again, upon the scaffold, made him this conditional offer of pardon; they even pressed him to accept their offers; but he steadily refused them all. On this, the executioner was directed to peel off, with his sword, part of the skin of his neck; but even this torture did not shake his resolution, but, on the contrary, strengthened it, to the astonishment of the assembled multitude. The young Christian then looked up to heaven, and loudly exclaimed, " I was born with Christ, and with Christ I will die." On pronouncing these words, his head was struck off at a blow, in the presence of crowds of Greeks, drawn thither to witness the constancy of this young martyr in the cause of Christ. FALSE FRIENDS. IT has often been said that false friends desert us just at that season when we most stand in need of their assistance. This may teach us prudence; and a sort of prudence that is very much wanted. How very common it is to hear people say,-" if I could but find a friend to help me, I should soon get out of my troubles, and do well."-But this is very seldom true. Sometimes, indeed, a person does fall into difficulties, where a little timely assistance might be of very great use to him, and it is always the duty of fellow Christians to try to help one another. But, still, it very frequently happens, that, though you are constantly helping a person, you cannot keep him out of difficulties;-and the reason often is, that it is bad management which brought on the trouble, and the same disposition still continues, and therefore always will prevent a person from doing well. This, however, should not check the exertions of those who have the power of relieving distress, however that distress may have been produced: but it is a good lesson of prudence, to teach us to exert ourselves to keep out of difficulties; for, when we are reduced to poverty, or oppressed with debts, we shall probably see that it is a hard matter to find relief. Those who do give much to the poor, would rather give where they think their assistance is likely to make a real improvement in the condition of the person whom they try to serve, than to one whose imprudence and bad management give them but little hopes of doing any great or lasting good; and, as to those who have been the idle, thoughtless, companions of our pleasures, they will be the first to leave us, when they see that we want their help.-I once heard a sensible man give the following prudent advice to a person who thought he had many friends to whom he might look for help in time of need. "Take care of yourself;-be industrious, be sober, be frugal;-and you will find plenty of friends when they know that you do not want them.' The remark was, perhaps, too severe, but we are afraid that it has much truth in it. The following passage, from the reflections of the Hon. Robert Boyle, applied to a man's eternal state, may not be out of place here." None of that jolly company, whose examples prevailed on us to join with them in a course of vanity, will stand by us at the bar of God to excuse the actions they tempted us to : and, if they were there, they would be so far from being able to justify us, that they would be condemned themselves. V. ON FAMILY PRAYER. "A constant Reader" tells us that we have improperly attributed two sentences on Family Prayer to the Editors of the Theological Quarterly Review. We have not that work before us at this moment;. but, as far as we recollect, the extracts were taken from the review of "Bishop Blomfield's Family Prayers." If there be however a mistake, it will have proved a happy one, as it gives us an opportunity of laying before our readers the excellent advice of Bishop Blomfield on the same subject, which our correspondent has sent us. Family Religion is the most effectual means of keeping alive a spirit of piety-the use or neglect of it must make a very serious difference in the religious knowledge, principles, and habits of our children and servants, not to say of ourselves."Bishop Blomfield on Family Prayer, p. 17. 66 Christian, are you a father, or a master? Remember, I beseech you, that you do not stand alone in the world; that you have others to take care of, and to answer for, as well as yourself. Neglect no opportunity of forwarding them in the way of life: but set them onward in their course, and go along with them yourself, their companion, friend, and guide. Bring them to an acquaintance and fellowship with Christ; teach them to converse daily with God. Give them every help to the faithful discharge of their duty, for their sake, and for your own. Make every morning and evening a season of mutual advancement in the road to glory; comfort and encourage one another by the way. It * In our Number for March. is by the sanctification of your own family, amongst others, that you will contribute to a great national improvement in piety and virtue; and not only ensure the blessing of God upon your own household, but diffuse a healing influence beyond the immediate sphere of your example. And surely it will be a source of unspeakable comfort to you, when the Lord shall call you to give an account of your stewardship, if your conscience shall tell you, that you have acted the part of that faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord made ruler of his household, to give them meat in due season; and you can say to Him with truth, "Lord, of those whom thou gav est me, by my own carelessness, have I lost none."Bishop Blomfield on Family Prayer, p. 24, 25. HYMN, COMPOSED IN THE NIGHT. WHERE'ER I am,-whate'er I see, If pain invade my broken rest, Thy wisdom guides, Thy will directs, Then as the sun illumes the skies, GOOD ARGUMENT. To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR, I HAVE long thought how foolish it is of people to do things because others do them; and if you will excuse a Cottager, I will just tell you what I mean. You must know, my little cottage is not far from town, close on the banks of the Thames, in a very pretty rich part of the country. Well then, as Ĭ was sitting one night last summer at the door, with my wife and children around me, who should step in but Jack Styles, (he lives just opposite) and, says he, "Tom Smith, that you and I used to go to school with, has just hanged himself." This news made me very thoughtful, and, thinks I, suppose I should and hang myself, because Tom Smith did, every body would call me mad, and so I should be. And yet should not I be as mad, if I was to go to the alehouse, and drink and spend my money, because Ned Tykes does; or stay from Church, because Bill Simpkins does? If every one was to ask himself these questions, we should not have so many bad fellows about us. go A COTTAGER. A CHILD'S MORNING HYMN. I. My Father, I thank thee for sleep, II. My voice would be lisping thy praise, O teach me to walk in thy ways, |