The boy is father of the man.

First impressions are lasting.

YOUTHFUL IMPRESSIONS.

HE impression that every man makes upon his age and country is not so much determined by the events and associations of his manhood, as by the ruling principles or passions of his boyhood and youth; so that youth is the bud of which manhood is the flower; and, as it were, the present is the faithful type and prophet of the most distant future.

It is an eventful moment when the masterpiece of the sculptor's skill is being cast in the mould, for soon it shall harden, and whatever be its faults or its virtues, it must go down to posterity unchanged. It is an hour of thrilling interest when a nation's destinies hang trembling in the balance, and a word or act may shape them for unborn generations. But, oh! where, in the case of an individual, is there a period so eventful, so fraught with tremendous consequences for good or evil, as when the youth pauses upon the threshold of active life, and yields his plastic mind to the abiding impress of truth or error, and forms those habits which shall be interwoven with the whole texture of his coming existence?

Could the young man who is disposed to trifle with solemn truth have the future unveiled to his view, and see this or that evil practice embittering a

Youth is the season of promise.

Honest youth makes happy age.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Get wisdom.

career that is now so full of hope-see the silken
threads of sinful pleasure turning into cords that shall
strangle his soul's life-see the luxuriant harvest of
disgrace, poverty, wretchedness, that shall spring
from the seeds he so recklessly sows, he would surely
be aroused to sober reflection. Or could he who now
struggles successfully against temptation, look beyond
the present conflict and victory, and trace their bene-
ficent effects upon the confirmed principles of man-
hood and old age, he would surely be inspired with
fresh strength, nor think the most hard-earned conquest
dearly bought.

Let this thought, then, be lodged deeply in every
youthful mind, that NOW is the crisis of life-that
every
hour of time, every habit of thought, feeling, or
action, the book or paper you read, the words you
hear, the companions you associate with, the purposes
you cherish each makes its indelible mark, and all
combine and work together in forming you for future
honour, usefulness, and happiness, or for shame, misery,
and death.

COLLYER.

AVOIDING evil is but one half of our work; we must
also do good. One act of beneficence, one act of real
usefulness, is worth all the abstract sentiment in the
world, and that humanity is despicable which can be
contented to pity where it might assuage.

Hear instruction, and be wise.

Enter not into the path of the wicked.

Blessed is he that considereth the poor.

He that hath pity upon the poor,

REMEMBER THE POOR.

He

AKE heed that thou seek not riches basely
nor attain them by evil means; destroy no
man for his wealth, nor take anything from
the poor; for the cry and complaint thereof will
pierce the heavens. And it is most detestable
before God, and most dishonourable before worthy
men, to wrest anything from the needy and labouring
soul. God will never prosper thee in aught if thou
offend therein; but use thy poor neighbours and
tenants well, pine not them and their children to add
superfluity and needless expenses to thyself.
that hath pity on another man's sorrow shall be free
from it himself; and he that delighteth in and
scorneth the misery of another, shall one time or
other fall into it himself. Remember this precept,
"He that hath mercy on the poor, lendeth unto the
Lord, and the Lord will recompense him what he hath
given." I do not understand those for poor which
are vagabonds and beggars, but those that labour to
live, such as are old and cannot travel, such poor
widows and fatherless children as are ordered to be
relieved, and the poor tenants that travail to pay their
rents, and are driven to poverty by mischance, and
not by riot or careless expenses; on such have thou
compassion, and God will bless thee for it. Make

Lendeth unto the Lord.

Honour the Lord with thy substance.

Truth is truth, to the end of time.

God hateth false lips.

not the hungry soul sorrowful, defer not thy gift to
the needy; for if he curse thee in the bitterness of
his soul, his prayer shall be heard of Him that made
him.
SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

FALSEHOOD.

AKE heed that thou be not found a liar; for a lying spirit is hateful both to God and man. A liar is commonly a coward, for he dares not avow truth. A liar is trusted of no man, he can have no credit, either in public or private; and if there were no more arguments than this, know that our Lord, in St. John, saith that it is a vice proper to Satan, lying being opposite to the nature of God, which consisteth in truth; and the gain of lying is nothing else, but not to be trusted of any, nor to be believed when we say the truth. It is said in the Proverbs that God hateth false lips; and he that speaketh lies shall perish. Thus thou mayest see and find in all the books of God, how odious and contrary to God a liar is; and for the world, believe it, that it never did any man good, except in the extremity of saving life, for a liar is of a base, unworthy, and cowardly spirit.

SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

He that speaketh lies shall perish.

Tell truth, and shame the devil.

Be not thou envious against evil men.

Let us do good unto all men.

LIVE FOR OTHERS.

AN never was intended to live only for himself, and therefore it is that no man can be happy who lives for himself. The one proposition flows necessarily from the other; for man, out of the path in which God has formed for him to walk, must be unhappy and constrained; as the bird, formed to soar towards the sun, would be miserable if tied, with clipped wings and fettered feet, to the ground; or as the seraph, formed for the atmosphere of holiness and praise, would change his songs to sighings if condemned to walk the thorny path of human life.

Let it then be settled in every mind that the fundamental law of all social relationship is to be found in the dictates of a kind, benevolent heart, that wishes well to all and evil to none; that prompts alike the friendly word and courteous demeanour, and that goes to make up what nothing else can either make or successfully counterfeit the true gentleman. With this as a basis, one will scarcely require any other special rules for his guidance than that allinclusive one of the Gospel, "As ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them."

He who obeys this will ever be on the alert to

Obey the golden rule.

None of us liveth to himself.