SUNDAY.

The Sabbath day is distinguished by a simple olive leaf.

This day was anciently dedicated to the bright luminary of day, and from hence was called Sun-day, after the Gothic sunno, or the Saxon word sunna.

Sabbath is derived from an Hebrew word, signifying rest.

"Here ev'ry day was Sabbath: only free

From hours of pray'r for hours of charity;

Such as the Jews, from servile toil releast,
Where works of mercy were a part of rest;
Such as blest angels exercise above,

Vary'd with sacred hymns and acts of love!"

Dryden.

Graham pictures the blessings of the Christian Sabbath in the following beautiful lines:

"Hail, Sabbath! thee I hail!-the poor man's day, On other days the man of toil is doom'd

To eat his joyless bread lonely-the ground,
Both seat and board, screen'd from the winter's cold
And summer's heat by neighbouring hedge or tree;
But, on this day, embosom'd in his home,

He shares the frugal meals with those he loves.-
With those he loves, he shares the heartfelt joy
Of giving thanks to God-not thanks of form,.
A word and a grimace; but reverently,

With cover'd face and upward earnest eye!

Hail, Sabbath, thee I hail!-the poor man's day;

The pale mechanic now has leave to breathe
The morning air, pure from the city's smoke.
While wandering slowly up the river side,
He meditates on Him whose power he marks
In each green tree, that proudly spreads the bough
As in the tiny dew-bent flowers that bloom
Around its roots-and while he thus surveys
With elevated joy each rural charm,

He hopes, yet fears presumption in his hope,
That Heav'n may
be one Sabbath without end!"

February

Floral Emblems

January

EMBLEMS FOR THE CALENDAR

MONTHS.

JANUARY.

Come, melancholy moralizer-come!
Gather with me the dark and wintry wreath;
With me engarlan'd now."

Le jour de l'an."

This month is represented by a robin encircled in a garland of sweet-scented tussilage, Tussilago fragrans. Since the one cheers our dwellings at this season by its cherup, whilst the other regales the early month by its fragrance.

"Hail! then-hail to thee, January, all hail!
Cold and wintry as thou art."

Hark! even now the merry bells ring round
With clamorous joy to welcome in the day,
This consecrated day,

To Mirth and Indolence."