SUNDAY TRADING.

OME time ago an association was formed at Woolwich to obtain a better observ. ance of the Sabbath among the tradesmen. Several Christian people, interested in the success of this movement, visited the various shops which were systematically opened on Sunday, pointed out to their owners the sin they committed in breaking the fourth commandment, and urged on them the duty of at once abandoning this unscriptural and sinful custom. One man justified his practice on the ground that on Sunday morning he took more money than on any other day in the week. They reasoned with him, and at last prevailed on him to close his shop on the Sunday. At the end of three weeks, some of the above-mentioned Christian people visited him to ask what he thought of the experiment. He told them he was quite satisfied with it, for, since he had closed his shop on Sunday, his trade was thriving more than before, and he now took on a week-day more money than ever he had taken on Sundays. This fact is most cheering and encouraging. We wish that all implicated in Sunday trading would act like this man. Let them try

the experiment of closing their shops on the Lord's day -the only day in the seven He has reserved for Himself-and they

would soon find that he who honours God gains self-respect, grows in the respect of his acquaintances and customers,and, what is more, does not lose by it. "Them that honour me I will honour" has been found, whenever tried, a faithful and true saying. Be it ever remembered, that without God's will we cannot prosper in any worldly matter. Surely, then, it is our best policy to trust in Him who is the best of friends. He can give us all things, and will prosper us just as far as it is good for us.

Nor is this all. F

THE POSTMAN'S KNOCK.

ARK! 'tis the Postman's knock I hear:
How many a heart 'twixt hope and fear
Awaits that knock! For who can say
What news the Postman brings to-day?
A letter? Yes; but why so sad
Thy countenance ? why not be glad
To get a letter from a friend
Who ought to love thee to the end?

And dost thou fear to break the seal?
Retire, and in thy chamber kneel:
Ask God for strength to bear thy grief,
And He will grant thee sweet relief.

He knows thy every sorrow; He
Can fully sympathize with thee:
No earthly friend, however dear,
Can see thy every grief and fear.

Then, with a heart more calm, proceed
The dread intelligence to read.
What! is a shadow, dark and drear,
Cast o'er thy path for many a year?

May He, who hears the mourner's cry,
Comfort thy heart by drawing nigh;
And help thee now to look above,
To that bright world of changeless love!

He will give His Holy Spirit, and grant peace at all times; and, while others destitute of it are troubled and perplexed with their worldly affairs, those who trust in Him, by leaving all in His hands, may rest assured that He who has given His Son will with Him also freely give them all things.

PROFESSION AND PRACTICE.

THE Queen of Madagascar, gathering some of the Palace officers together, said to them, "I am aware that many of you are numbered among the praying people. I have no objection to you joining them if you think it right, but remember, if you do so, I shall expect from you a life worthy of that profession. I know that praying people profess to be truthful, honest, and upright, to fear God and benefit their fellow-men: if you do so, that will be right; if not, you will not be worthy of the profession you make."

FLOWERS, Fruits, Vegetables, Poultry, Bees, and other appurtenances of the Country House, are amply, originally, and practically treated by experienced Writers, in the GARDENER'S MAGAZINE, published Weekly, price 2d., post free 24d., by E. W. ALLEN, 11, Ave Maria Lane, London, E.C.

Ah! little did the Postman know
He was a messenger of woe.
Perhaps next door his knock may prove
The harbinger of peace and love.

But, after all, what is brief life, With all its mingled joy and strife? What but a span is Time, when we Compare it with Eternity?

Long, long ago, a message came
Direct from heaven in God's own name;
Oh, let us not that message slight!
'Tis health, and peace, and life and light.

The Gospel is good news indeed-
So plain, that he who runs may read;
And 'tis addressed by God to all
Who do in truth upon Him call.

No Postman since the world was made,
A letter of such worth conveyed
As that, by God's own Sen revealed;
And with His precious blood 'tis sealed.

Oh, let us love to study more
The Word of God! then, when the door
Is opened to the Postman, we
Shall suffer less anxiety.

For God, who knoweth what is best, Will give to His belov'd ones rest. Then, be the message weal or woe, It must be right-God wills it so.

GOD'S PROVIDENCE.

CANNOT see how they who deny a particular Providence can acknowledge a general one; for what is the order of things in the world but a huge stream proceeding from a little source, and continually augmented in its course by the accession of little springs beneath?

But this I am sure of, that He who takes away a particular Providence, who does not pay a great attention to it, takes away a large portion of the happiness of a Christian life, also the delightful confidence exercised in committing our ways to God, and the sweet thankfulness of acknowledging God's goodness in the direction of them. And, obscure as many providences appear to us, I am persuaded, if every one would look out for the hand of God in the management of every day's events, he might see it much oftener than we are aware of, and "what we know not now we shall know hereafter," perhaps in this world.

The road may turn and wind so that we may hardly know in what direction we are going; but, when we can look back on the whole journey as on a

map, we shall see the direction clearly, and the reason of making an elbow and doubling in the way. But how shall we know in another world?"Even as

we

are known." And what shall be the acknowledgment in such a retrospect, but that beautiful one, Josh. xxiii. 14 P-"And ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing. hath failed thereof." But if a man in his walk through this life has the privilege and comfort of thus asking for counsel from God in things tem-poral, how much more in things spiritual! Here we

are indeed blind; here it becomes us to walk closely with God. It is most true that the blessed Spirit. of God does exert a direct influence upon the understanding, making us see and know these things which by nature we cannot see nor know.

From the "Life of the Rev. Cornelius Neale."

OLD JONATHAN SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVED TO 3RD APRIL, 1872.Mr. J. Aylwin, Mr. T. Armstrong, Miss Baxter, Mrs. Berridge, Miss Bryan, Mrs. Bridger, Miss Beale, Miss Cross, Mrs. Child, Mr. H. Doubleday, Mrs. Eales, Mr. J. L. Eastmead, Mr. S. Fleming, Mr. S. Giblett, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. W. Hodgson, Mr. L. Hedworth, Mrs. Hage,. Miss Kiloh, Mrs. Morgan, Miss Michelmore, Mrs. North, Mrs. Pannett, Mr. E. Pinniger, Mrs. Painter, Mr. E. Palk, Miss Peirce, Mr. W. Porter, Miss Powell, Capt. Symons, Mr. R. Tudgey, Mr. J. G. Thomp son, Mr. Tomlinson, Mr. H. Wakely, Miss Winchmore, Mr. J. Wood, Just Published, price 3d., in large Type.

TALK BETWEEN JOHN AND MARY.

John.-Mary, can you tell me who those frightful creatures were, whom I met in the street just now? Mary.-No doubt they were those so-called Sisters of Mercy, that go sneaking about, and getting into houses where they can.

J.-Sisters of Mercy do they call them? Sisters of Misery I'm sure would be more correct, for I never saw such miserable-looking objects in my life. Just fancy any of our children meeting one of them creeping upstairs; why, it would be enough to frighten them into fits; they'd believe, after all our pains to prove to the contrary, that there was some truth in the stories about ghosts, for more ghost-like creatures I can't imagine; they look more fit for their coffins than to move about among the living. I hope you will never admit one of them into this house, Mary.

M.-I should be very sorry to do so, my husband. I should not be worthy the name of Protestant if I did. J.-No, nor Englishwoman either; for I don't see how any can be either true English or Protestant who encourage such people as these about them. In the first place, neither they nor their belongings are honest and straightforward; for, whilst they profess to be members of the Church of. England, their heart and all their inclinations are with Rome; they receive the pay of the one, whilst they, in reality, belong to

the other.

M.-So that they are two-faced and hypocritical. J.-Certainly they are. But, then, no account is taken of this, because one tenet of the Church of Rome is that "the end sanctifies the means:" that is, its votaries may say or do anything (however false or insincere), if so be the result is likely to further or advance the interests of Rome. That is how it is

that there are so many Jesuits, or double-faced and utterly-unprincipled men and women, now nominally remaining and working so assiduously in the Church of England. By continuing where they are, and labouring as they do, they make much greater progress, and gain over far more converts, than if they were openly and honestly to avow themselves what they in reality are.

M.-You mean to say that, if they were at once to declare themselves to be Roman Catholics, they would not get into the houses where they now obtain admission ?

J.-Exactly; that is precisely what I mean; the principles and practices of Roman Catholics are too well known for them openly to succeed. Although three centuries have passed away since the fires of Smithfield, Oxford, and other places witnessed the cruel deaths of hundreds of our fellow-countrymen, who thus rather died than sacrifice their noble Protestant principles, yet the fact is not forgotten-three hundred years have not blotted out those dark deeds, neither has that lapse of time led the true Protestant to imagine that Rome is in the leastwise changed. She is as tyrannical and as bloodthirsty as ever; only, in order to gain her ends and serve her crafty purpose, she hides the cloven foot till she finds herself secure. Give her liberty-afford her the same freedom of action that is acceded to others-and she will soon show what she is. She will prove what her dogmas declare, namely, that she is "unchanged and unchangeable."

M.-Do you think, then, that she would resort to the same cruelties which she formerly practised?

J.-I'm sure of it. What stronger proof can we have than in what so recently occurred in the case of the martyred Murphy? As a zealous Irishman, and with the thorough insight into Popery which he, as a converted Romanist, possessed, he was anxious to warn his fellow-men of the nature and destructiveness of the entire system. Whilst thus engaged he was assailed by a murderous mob, who had banded together, and marched many miles for the express purpose of molesting (if not actually murdering) him. It was when thus assailed he received his fatal injuries; for, under the effects of their murderous assault, he languished and died. Not only so, but, even though they had taken his life, they would scarcely allow of his poor body being buried in peace. The very mourners at his funeral were hooted and pelted, and, but for the police, there is not a doubt but his poor lifeless body would have been torn asunder and trampelled under foot or given to the dogs. M.-And all this in free and liberty-loving England, in these enlightened days!

وو

M.-But how strange this is, when Popery seems to be falling on every hand in other countries. J.-It is strange, but, nevertheless, it is true. The old Pope (notwithstanding his boasted and blasphemous attempts to prove himself Infallible) is trembling in his Vatican; and he is vexed and annoyed beyond measure because he is deprived of his temporal power. And, singular to say, all this came about just at the time of the great meeting of Roman Catholic bishops and dignitaries from all parts, who had assembled for the purpose of declaring the Pope infallible. Yet, with all this boasted and blasphemous infallibility, it is only a few days ago a man managed to evade the sentinels and to force himself into the Pope's bed-chamber; there "his holiness found him upon his knees in the act of supplication; but the Pope became so alarmed that he rang his bell violently, nor did he recover the shock for two whole days afterwards. Thus this infallible being— this creature of a day-who allows himself to be blasphemously addressed as "My Lord God the Pope," was far more terrified by this poor harmless creature, appealing to him upon bended knee, than our own loved Queen was at the wanton attack, pistol in hand, of that contemptible stripling, a few weeks ago. So much for Romish infallibility! So much for the power and authority of Rome's idol! So much for the security and sanctity of Christ's Vicegerent here on earth! Why, any system but that which has the unblushing effrontery of Rome would be ashamed of such unwarrantable assumption, and blind and besotted pretensions.

M.-But you speak of Rome's progress here in England, dear husband?

J.-I do; and that is easily to be accounted for in the removal, little by little, of those restraints by which she was necessarily kept in check-for Acts of Parliament, one after another, have been repealed, so as gradually to place Rome, a foreign usurper,

upon the same footing as ourselves in this professedly Protestant land. Not only so, but she is, as I before said, employing instruments and agencies in a variety of ways, but especially within the pale of the Church of England, for the purpose of propagating Popish doctrine, introducing Popish practices, and instilling into the mind of its people a thorough taste for its

entire system. And you must remember that, as a system, it is pleasing to the eye and gratifying to the taste. Its music, its paintings, its architecture, its gorgeous ritual, its seemingly self-denying devoutness and devotedness, are all attractive to the senses; and, inasmuch as they set men and women to do something, so that they may have some hand personally in the way of obtaining salvation and meriting the favour and approval of God, the whole system becomes so much the more pleasing and grateful to the poor proud heart of man. Man naturally does not like the thought of being saved as a poor starving prodigal son, clothed in rags and only just escaped the companionship of swine. Before a man is shown his real condition by God the Holy Ghost, he does not entertain the idea for one moment that there is no good whatever in him, that he is "altogether as an unclean thing, and that all his righteousnesses are but as filthy rags." He will not admit that, if saved at all, he must be saved precisely upon the same terms of mercy and compassion and unmerited love as was the poor publican, or Mary Magdalene, or the dying thief. No, until really brought down by God's Spirit and power, man will never acknowledge this; but, in his own mistaken and delusive way, he will proceed and persevere upon the "doing" principle; and for this kind of work Rome furnishes him with abundant material. Hence, in total opposition to the doctrines held by our Reformed Church of England, Rome declares that man to be "accursed" who says that we are justified by faith only, without works. Yet this was the positive declaration of the Apostle Paul, as inspired by the Holy Ghost: "By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast."

M.-Do you account, then, upon these grounds, for these so-called Sisters of Mercy engaging in such works as they do?

J. Certainly; it is a part and parcel of the whole system. They engage in these seemingly self-denying works, thinking thereby to merit God's favour and secure salvation. At the same time, by making converts to Rome, they believe they shall stand not only high in her favour, but likewise in the esteem of God.

M.-But now, don't you think there may be a great deal of pride even in their very dress, unsightly as it is ?

J.-Pride! Undoubtedly there is; moreover, "the pride that apes humility" is the very worst of pride. It is the very kind of thing which our Lord rebuked in the Scribes and Pharisees of His day. He declared that what they did was that it might be "seen of men." "Do not," said He, "after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi."

M.-I'm glad, dear husband, to hear you appeal to the Bible as you do. It brings so much to my mind what my dear old father and mother used to say about sticking to the Bible. I know, too, how they drew all their comfort and peace from it; and what was it that made them die so happy and joyful but the truths which they learnt from it and of God?

J.-Ah, to be sure, Mary; it was just so with my dear aged ones, too, and with many I've heard of since their day; and I can't but take my stand by the Bible, because I know it's the pivot upon which everything turns in a spiritual and saving point of

view.

M.-You bring to mind a passage my dear mother often used to repeat, "To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to these, it is because there is no light in them.”

J.-Oh, yes; and there is that text where Jesus said, "Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me."

M.-The Apostle Paul, too, said to Timothy, "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

VII. THE HOUSE I LIVE IN.-THE SALIVARY FLUIDS.

N dealing with this part of our subject, we must not omit to refer to the benefits we derive from the saliva, which moistens the mouth, and contributes considerable aid

in the important process of digestion. The glands which secrete this fluid are numerous, but there are three larger ones on each side of the face, which are more essentially concerned in the function than the others. The principal of

these is found beneath the ear, close to the angle of the lower jaw, from which an outlet penetrates the muscles of the face, and enters into the mouth between the second and

third double teeth of the upper jaw. The saliva

THE LUNGS.

Having indicated the passage leading to the lungs, it is time now to say something about the lungs themselves. They consist of two bodies of a soft and pulpy texture, which nearly fill the entire cavity of the chest. They are each contained in two bags, made of the lining membrane of the ribs, and are described as right and left lungs. They act independently of each other, and have no communication, excepting by the common passage through the wind-pipe.

Each of the divisions is divided into lobes, three

belonging to the right lung, and two to the left, the heart in the latter occupying the place of the corresponding lobe on the opposite side. These lobes again become sub-divided into lobules, which gradually diminish in size, and terminate in the

membraneous air-cells, lined with muscles, which

vellous manner by which God sustains the human. machine from day to day, cannot but suggest devout thoughts in the minds of the most careless. The fact that the breathing apparatus should draw in every three seconds about a pint of air, which is rapidly spread over fifteen square feet of internal surface, and another pint thrown out in the same time, is in itself astounding; but, when we follow the process in all its delicate operations, we are lost in amazement. Let us see what this air is which is so then, in a natural state, of about eighty parts of nitronecessary for the sustainment of the body. It consists. gen gas, and about twenty parts of another gas called The last-mentioned is sometimes called oxygen. gas

the vital part of air, because it possesses the property of supporting life. This statement is true as far as it goes, as no grade of animal or vegetable life could exist without it; but it is also true, that if the air we breath did not contain an adequate mixture of other gases with it, it would be destructive to life, by ex

hausting, instead of supporting, the vital energy of

organ. These pipes and cells are very numerous. The lungs have been compared to a large bellows,

the body. The air no sooner passes through the quantity, being probably absorbed by the blood, while another ingredient in the air, called carbonic acid, the body, and the oftener we breathe the same air the more it increases in quantity, and less of the life-supporting oxygen remains, until at last it becomes impossible to breathe at all, and suffocation

leading to the nose and ear, and beyond them, just behind the root of the tongue, appears an opening having some resemblance to a trap-door. Its business is to guard the entrance to the lungs, or breathing apparatus, which occupy a very large upper apartment of the body, and is one of the most interesting parts of the house. The passage to the lungs commences as a slit, though it soon be

comes larger. Over the slit is placed a flap, which exactly fits the opening. It is only shut when an attempt is made to swallow; at other times it is wide open.

At the approach of food it closes instantly, and, were it not so guarded, we should have frequent repetitions of portions of food "going the wrong way," which is not at any time pleasant; and, though the intruding morsel be no bigger than a crumb of bread, it causes considerable mischief, unless it quickly dissolves or is expelled.

Some years ago, there appeared in a medical journal the case of a little girl, five years of age, who placed a brass nail in her mouth, and then swallowed it. It made her cough for a short time, but she seemed to be none the worse, and her friends thought that all danger was over. About a year afterwards, the little girl caught a severe cold, which brought on coughing, perspiration, and bleeding from the mouth. The

poor

child died of a rapid consumption, and, on opening her body, the brass nail was found imbedded in her lungs. We hope our young friends will learn from this example how dangerous the practice is of putting pins, needles, nails, buttons, and like

things into their mouths, and also to avoid laughing

and talking whilst eating.

THE CHEST.

As before stated, the opening referred to above, although small at the beginning, soon broadens out into a spacious apartment called the chest. On all sides it is securely guarded by walls of bone, having the breast-bone in front, the back-bone behind, and

the ribs at the sides, and contains as furniture no less precious articles than the heart and the lungs. A large muscle, called the diaphragm, completely separates the chest from the stomach, and assists also in the function of respiration.

are

five in a minute in a full-grown person, and at a It blows its blasts at the rate of twenty to twentymuch quicker rate in children; and this operation of perpetual blowing is continued, whether we standing or sitting, sleeping or waking, as long as we live. The quantity of air contained in the numerous pipes and cells which are spread over the surface of the lungs is variously estimated; some

physiologists have supposed them to contain about two hundred cubic inches-equal to about three quarts-in an adult; but more recent experiments have diminished the average quantity to two quarts. When we breathe out, or expire, we do not empty the lungs of all the air they contained, but only a portion of it; and when we draw in, or inspire, we only take in sufficient air to supply what has been discharged. The amount of air which an adult draws in at one breath is supposed to be about forty cubic inches, or about a pint. In females the lungs are somewhat smaller than they are in males, and of course less air is inhaled by the former than the latter, and a still less quantity by children.

THE PROCESS OF BREATHING.

Speaking of the lungs, we are naturally led to reflect upon the whole process of breathing, and the manner in which it is performed. To understand this, we had better for a moment revert to our old

friend the skeleton. The ribs, though fastened to the spine, are not so firmly fixed but that they admit of considerable motion. If unconfined by external chest being considerably enlarged when inspiration, pressure, or unrestrained by disease, it admits of the or the taking-in of breath, is performed, and equally diminished when expiration, or the giving-out of breath, takes place. The motion of the ribs is provided for by the contraction of the muscles about the chest. There are two of these muscles between each rib, and as there are twelve ribs on each side-making twenty-four in all-it follows that there are forty-eight of these muscles concerned in moving the bellows every time we breathe. remarked just now, from twenty to twenty-five of these inspirations are performed by a healthy person in a minute; but during any violent exercise-such as running or swimming-the rate is increased.

As we

While upon this matter of breathing, let us refer to a remark we often hear about "taking a mouthful of fresh air." We have merely to remark that this is about the worst way in which it can be taken. We have seen people travel to the top of a hill, open their mouths very wide, and draw in "mouth fuls" of the fresh air which is so exhilarating to the wearied dwellers in a large city; but the proper channel for taking in the air is through the nose, not by way of the mouth. By this means the air is warmed by the time it reaches the throat, and we should escape many of the painful maladies belonging to the throat, were we to bear this in mind. To breathe through the mouth is as bad as talking

through the nose.

WHAT IS AIR?

These interesting particulars, explaining the mar

ensues.

incredible rate.

VENTILATION.

The air is changed on inspiration at an almost A healthy adult person inhales probably a gallon in a minute, which would make about forty hogsheads full in twenty-four hours. It has been clearly demonstrated that air breathed once is rendered unfit for the support of animal life. We may perceive from this fact how rapidly the process of vitiation is carried on, and how necessary it is to maintain a thorough system of ventilation: that is, providing an outlet for the bad air to escape, and making provision for a supply of pure air to take the place of that which is driven out. We should be less chary in opening the doors of the rooms in which we live and sleep, especially where there is no fire, for a fire promotes ventilation by drawing a draught of air from all directions towards the chimney. We are all, more or less, terribly frightened at getting a too frequent change of air; but, in fostering excessive timidity upon the point, we should do well to remember a certain amount of wisdom contained in a quaint remark once made

by a celebrated physician upon this subject, “That it was far better to have a draught of fresh air than a draught of physic."

"There is reason to believe," says Dr. Hall, in his Journal of Health, "that more cases of dangerous and

fatal disease are engendered annually by the habit of sleeping in small, unventilated rooms, than have

occurred from a cholera atmosphere during any year since it made its appearance in this country. Very many persons sleep in rooms [measuring] eight by ten, that is, in rooms the length and breadth of which multiplied together, and this multiplied again by ten for the height of the chamber, would make eight hundred cubic feet, while the cubic space for each bed, according to the English apportionment

for hospitals, is twenty-one hundred feet. But more

in order to give the air of a room the highest degree of freshness, the French hospitals contract for a complete renewal of the air of a room every hour, while four thousand feet an hour, is required.” the English assert that double the amount, or over

Just think for a moment of four thousand feet of fresh air being required every hour to ensure the healthy condition of the body! and yet there are multitudes of persons in every city who sleep with the doors and windows closed, in rooms which do not

contain a thousand cubic feet of space, and that solitary thousand is breathed over and over again all

night-at least it does duty for eight hours out of it— except such scanty supplies of fresh air as may get through the crevices in the door or windows, or come less, from imperfect ventilation; but children necesdown an unclosed chimney. We all suffer, more or sarily suffer most; they wither away like flowers when kept without water, and anxious mothers wonder what can be the cause.

J. P.