forth, and the whole assembly of the congregation, the heads of houses according to their number, put to death the lamb,-a lamb for a house, as the Lord their God commanded them.

The blood, as it flowed, was collected in basins; a bunch of hyssop was dipped in each, and then the blood was sprinkled on the two side posts, and upon the top beam of the door posts of the houses in which the lamb was to be eaten. This was done as a mark of safety; for on that night the Angel of Death was to be busy in the land of Egypt. Wherever the mark was placed, that house was safe. But where there was no sign, into that home did the Destroying Angel enter, and put to death the first-born.*

As soon as they had sprinkled the blood on the lintel or top beam and the two side posts, they were commanded to go into their houses or tents, to shut their doors, and not stir out until the morning.

(e) Each one has carefully shut his door; he has no fear; the sprinkled blood will secure him from harm; he collects his children around him, and prepares the lamb that is to be eaten.

It was not to be cut in pieces; it was not to be boiled nor sodden at all with water; it was not to be eaten raw; but it was to be roasted with fire, entire-"his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof." That is, the head and legs were not to be separated, nor were the heart, the kidneys, the lungs, and the liver to be removed. Neither was a bone to be broken; and whatever they were unable to eat was not to be kept, butburned with fire. The flesh of the lamb was not to be eaten

alone, but with bitter herbs and unleavened bread.

Each one was to have his loose flowing garments girded on his loins, his sandals on his feet, and his staff in his hand, for at a moment's notice were they to be ready to start, to leave their house of bondage for that good land which God had promised to Abraham and his seed for an everlasting inheritance.

III.

1. The Paschal+ Lamb was a type of Christ. is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. v. 7).

"Christ our Passover

2. It was to be a lamb; and Christ is the Lamb of God (John, i. 29).

3. It was to be without blemish; and Christ is called a "Lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet. i. 19). "Who did no sin,

neither was guile found in his mouth" (1 Pet. ii. 22).

4. It was killed in the evening; and our Blessed Lord died soon after the ninth hour, after our three in the afternoon, the time of evening sacrifice (Matt. xxvii. 46, 50).

5. The sprinkled blood saved the Israelites from the destroying angel; and the blood of Christ is the sole means of deliverance from the wrath to come. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from

all sin" (1 John, i. 7). "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins," &c. (Col. i. 14: see also Eph. i. 7; 1 Pet. i. 18, 19).

* Here try to draw from the children the name "Passover," and why so called. Explain the meaning of "Paschal" and "Type."

"But Christ, the heavenly Lamb,

Takes all our sins away;" &c.

6. The lamb was to be roasted with fire; this denoted the sufferings of Christ, from the fire of God's wrath.

7. It was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

(a) The bitter herbs denoted the severe and bitter bondage of the Israelites in Egypt; but they also show the necessity of penitence for sin, and shadow forth the afflictions and trials which the Christian must undergo in his journey to the heavenly Canaan.

(b) The unleavened bread shows that we cannot partake of the mercies of God, while we cherish in our hearts the leaven of malice and wickedness (1 Cor. v. 7, 8).

"Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Tim. ii. 19).

8. It was to be eaten with their loins girded, their shoes on their feet, and their staves in their hand. These had reference to the haste with which they left the land of Egypt; but they also speak to us; they tell us that "Here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come" (Heb. xiii. 14). For "now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly" (Heb. xi. 16).

9. Not a bone of the lamb was to be broken (v. 46). This too refers to Christ; for in speaking of his death, St. John says, "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken" (John, xix. 36).

W. M'L.

ON SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

In our September Journal we ventured on some remarks on the subject of Sunday schools, which we felt at the time might seem to many uncalled-for, and which were liable to be misinterpreted. The responsibility was not small: still we thought ourselves justified in calling attention to the subject. Great, then, was our relief to find afterwards that thoughts similar in the main to our own had also occurred to the author of "Friends in Council." If our readers will call to mind in what terms we have lately alluded to this able writer, they will not be surprised that we gladly shelter ourselves behind his sevenfold shield. On the present occasion, therefore, they shall hear him. It is necessary to premise that the work above mentioned consists of Essays put into the mouth of a Mr. Milverton, and of Conversations between the Essayist and two friends on matters suggested by the Essay. One of these friends is Mr. Durnsford, an elderly clergyman; and the other, Mr. Ellesmere, is a barrister, who, being of a lively temperament, sometimes expresses himself in stronger language than his friends admire or ourselves would use. At one of the meetings of the Friends, a part of their conversation runs thus :

"Milverton. But look now: it is well to say 'It is natural and beautiful that the young should ask, and the old should teach;' but then the old should be capable of teaching, which is not the case we have to deal with. Institutions are often only to meet individual failings. Let there be more instructed elders, and the 'dead-weight' of Sunday schools would be less needed. I

think the result of our thoughts would be, that there should be as much life, joy, and nature put into teaching as can be; but I, for one,am not prepared to say that the most mechanical process is not better than none.

"Ellesmere. Well, you have now shut up the subject, according to your fashion, in a rounded sentence; and you think after that there is nothing more to be said. But I say it goes to my heart

66

Durnsford. What is that?

"Ellesmere. To my heart, to see the unmerciful quantity of instruction that little children go through on a Sunday. I suppose I am a very wicked man; but I know how wearied I should have been, at any time of my life, if so much virtuous precept and good doctrine had been poured into me.

"Milverton. Well, I will not fight, certainly, for anything that is to make Sunday a wearisome day for children. Indeed, what I meant by putting more joy and life into teaching was, that in such a thing as this Sundayschooling, for instance, a judicious man, far from being anxious to get a certain quantity of routine done about it, would do with the least-would endeavour to connect it with something interesting-would, in a word, love children and not Sunday schools."

Now this extract has been made chiefly to introduce the last sentence, which contains no doubt the author's real meaning; and the tone of the whole passage is to be attended to rather than particular expressions. To the same writer, in another book, we are indebted for the following healthy and benevolent sentiments; which, if we mistake not, are well calculated to be useful, not only to those interested in Sunday schools, but to the masters and mistresses of National schools, and indeed to all concerned in the great work of education.

"Let us now consider the subject of the school-room more in detail. And the first remark I have to make is, that we should perpetually recal to mind the nature of our own thoughts and sensations at the early periods of life at which those are whom we are trying to educate. This will make us careful not to weary children with those things which we long to impress most upon them. The repetition of words, whatever they may contain, is often like the succession of waves in a receding tide, which makes less of an inroad at each pulsation. It is different when an idea, or state of feeling, is repeated by conduct of various kinds; that is most impressive. If a child, for instance, is brought up where there is a pervading idea of any kind, manifested as it will be in many ways, the idea is introduced again and again without weariness, and the child imbibes it unconsciously. But mere maxims embracing the idea would very likely have gained no additional influence with him from being constantly repeated; that is, at the time: for, in after years, the maxims may perhaps fasten upon his mind with a peculiar strength, simply from their having been often repeated to him at an early period of his life. But, at present, this repetition may be of immense disservice. You cannot continue to produce the same effect by words that you did on first using them; and often you go on hammering about a thing until you loosen what was fast in the first instance. It is well to keep such reflections steadily in mind as regards religious instruction for the young, and especially as regards religious services for them. Go back to your own youth, and recollect how little command of attention you had yourself; how volatile you were; how anxious to escape all tedium; how weary of words; how apt to dislike routine. Then see whether you make sufficient allowance for these feelings in dealing with the young; and whether it might not be possible to give them the same holy precepts, to communicate the same extent or nearly so of religious instruction, and yet to ensure their love for the times and places and circumstances of this communication? You must allow that you do a very

dangerous thing indeed, when you make that wearisome which you wish to be most loved. I must confess that it has often struck me that we insist upon too much religious attendance from children of a tender age; and, considering what we know of the impatience of the human mind, I cannot but think such a system is often most prejudicial. I say these things with much hesitation, and some fear of being misunderstood; and I do not venture to enter into details, or to presume to say what should be the exact course in so difficult a question. What I wish, is to draw the attention of those engaged in instruction to a point of view which may sometimes escape them, or which they may be tempted to neglect for the sake of appearances-the household gods of this generation."

Are we over-sanguine, if we suppose that these sober reflections of a deeply reflective man may approve themselves to the generality of our readers? For ourselves, we look upon the words in italics as being, under God, among the principal foundation-stones of all-certainly of all moral or religious-training. C. P.

DICTATION HOMONYMS.

(Continued from page 382.)

LESSON II.

He

WELL, it is strange that the window pane should give the finger pain. There is a sad waste of cloth in his waist-coat. How was it that you did not fare better at the fair? A vessel for sale, sail and rigging complete. I dare not untie the knot. Here they come,-don't you hear? Yes, I heard a noise like a herd of cattle on the road. knew very well it was a new gig. He threw it through the window. I told the sexton, and the sexton toll'd the bell. Do you call that singing bass? well, it is base enough. The plumb-line was suspended from the plum-tree. Ask the char-woman to dust the arm-chair. I thought it flew through the window, but it appears it went up the flue of the chimney. His birth-place was the berth of a ship. This was once a coal-field which you are now sowing with cole-seed. Indeed it is so; while the men sow the field, their wives sew at home. She ate eight apples before breakfast. If you meet the butcher tell him to send the meat directly. If I go by the place, I will buy it for you-good-bye. When you put my clothes in the trunk again, I beg you will close it. Animals clothed with fur and fir-trees are found chiefly in the cold clime of the north. Do you think you could climb a tall fir-tree? It is a clever feat certainly for a man to jump five feet high. Who said the yellow buoy was taken from the river? Smith the fisherman's boy said it was removed this morning. She ought to have taken it for aught I know. The pail should be painted a deep green without, and a pale yellow within. Whither shall we fly when the withering blast comes on? He knows well enough that his nose is small, and I feel that my eye is weak. Venison, my dear, is the flesh of deer. Order in one tun of wine, and five tons of coals. He has read about the Red Sea, suppose he reads now about the Pyramids and the far-famed reeds of the Nile. He was one day with the Bey of Tunis, another with the Dey of Algiers. The man must be a knave himself to put such a nave as this in

my wheel. To hear sighs and groans from a monster grown to such a size, is strange indeed. This may be a good site for a building, but the building contemplated would be a bad sight to view. I should cite both builders and architects to an interview. If he sells the house what use can be made of the cells in the cellar? This foul weather will try our African Guinea fowl. Do you weigh cheese in the same way? We get whey from cheese as buttermilk from butter. Travellers get but little dessert in the desert. Clouds rain and hunters rein in their steeds; but kings and queens reign in a very different manner. What is a solemn rite? Perhaps George Wright will answer the question. It is a Church appointment, or a divine ordinance. You are perfectly right. Write it on your slates that you may not forget.

OBSERVATION AND EXPERIMENT.

IN the Exhibition there was a stone transmitted to this country a few months since, by a Canadian geologist; who, not being a naturalist, entertained no suspicion that the marks which had arrested his attention were traces of an animal. He thought them likely to have been produced by the trail of a long sea-weed. He requested our far-famed zoologist, Owen, to examine the mysterious marks, and decipher them, if he could. After much thoughtful scrutiny, that gentleman found them to be small prints, occurring in regular succession, in pairs,extending in two parallel linear series, with a continuous groove, midway between them. Then he observed that one of the prints was larger than the other in each pair; and that both the larger and smaller print were short and broad, with indications of toes at their fore part; and that the intervals between each pair, of the same side, were much less than those between the right and left pairs. Hence he inferred, that the impressions in question, must have been produced by some Animal, that had crawled or walked along that oldest of sandy shores; that such animal had been a Quadruped, having the hind-feet larger and wider apart than the fore-feet-both fore and hind feet being very short; and that the limbs of the right and left side were wide apart wherefore the creature must have had a short and broad trunk, supported on short limbs, with rounded and stumpy feet, capable of taking only short steps. Then as to the midway groove :he at first suspected that it might have been produced by the trail of a Tail. The impression was well defined throughout, midway between the right and left limbs: shallower where the footprints indicated a steady rate of motion-(how delicately exact the observation !)deeper where that motion had been retarded, and the animal's body had rested awhile on the sand. Hence the sagacious naturalist concluded, that this midway groove impression must have been made by some hard projecting covering of the belly-such as would be made by the breast-plate of a Tortoise. The broad trunk; the short steps; the stumpy feet hardly capable of carrying the trunk clear of the ground, -all this deducible solely from these faint footprints-seemed to bespeak the Tortoise. EXPERIMENT succeeded OBSERVATION. Owen betook himself to Lord Bacon's realized Atlantis, the Zoological Garden in the Regent's Park, and caused the living Reptiles there to