THE Bible! what is it? a fable, a dream,
That has floated for ages o'er time's
troubled stream?

A mere history human, in mystery cast,
With a ray to illumine the gloom of the past?
Then, who has constructed that beacon-like form
That lifts a calm front amid sunshine and storm,
To the dawn of Creation that wafts us along
When the morning-stars echoed their jubilant
song:

As the world, which the word of Jehovah had reared,

In the glow of her virgin-like beauty appeared; And the rich crowning thought of an Infinite Mind

Stood forth in the features and form of Mankind?

How strange that those records, once lost to the sight,

Should be searched for, and brought out of darkness to light;

That the first of the Writers who handed them down

Appeared when this people lacked country and

crown:

That its pages, compiled by no present compeers,
Are the produce of sages far severed by years,
Till the Book, as a whole, seems a series of tracts,
Sublime in their substance, yet simple in facts;
As varied its Authors in station and name;
As diverse its subjects, and distant its fame;
From the Peasant who handled the pen or the
plough,

To the Priest with the mitre adorning his brow; From the Prophet and Prince of the highest degree,

To the Fisher who steered his frail bark through the sea:

Now pouring their images freely and fast,
Like the leaves of the forest borne thick on the

blast;

Or pleading in pathos, most powerful and grand,

Yet so simple, an infant might well understand; Like the roll of the ocean that tempests have

stirred,

Or soothing and sweet as the song of a bird; These, like nature's own voices, though varied in tone,

Each answering each with a note of its own,
Combining to raise one rich pæan of praise
To the Ruler of providence, nature, and grace;
As one in their utterance, one in their aim,
Their echoing keynote is ever the same!

"Tis thus that the Bible stands singly alone,
Unrivall'd in history, character, tone;
And they who ascribe its rare glory to man,
Those features peculiar explain if they can.
What book but the Bible such influence shed
O'er the aspects of empires now living or dead?
Wherever its truths have been honour'd and
known,

There freedom has flourished, and intellect

grown,

And vile superstition has vanished away

Like a dream of the night at the dawning of day;

Inspiring the Poet to loftiest praise,

The Artist the noblest ideal to raise,
And bidding man value most justly and meet
Human life and its liberties, sacred and sweet:
Nor selfishly seeking such pleasures to gain,
But in cause of humanity racking the brain
To bind in one Brotherhood nations afar,
Uniting in peace countries severed by war;
By steam and by telegraph linking the race,
And less'ning the evils of time and of space.

The Bible! let scoffers its power deny, Let them call it a fable, a myth, or a lie! Like a rock of the ocean, unmoved, it appears 'Mid the shock and commotion of seasons and years.

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HOME LESSONS ON THE COMMANDMENTS.

TRUTH.

THOU shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

'Mamma, what is false witness?' asked Charley, when he had repeated these words. 'Do you know what it is to be a witness in a court of justice, Charley?'

'I know that when any one is to be tried, people are summoned to give evidence.'

'These persons are called witnesses, and they promise upon oath to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. For a witness to say anything that is untrue, is a sin of an awfully aggravated kind. A faithful witness will not lie; but a false witness will utter lies. We shall read the story of Naboth, and it will shew you what a terrible thing it is to bear false witness. 1 Kings xxi. 1-14.'

'What an awfully wicked woman Jezebel must have been, mamma!'

་

Awfully wicked, Charley! Only think of what a wicked purpose she formed,-to murder Naboth, because he had had courage to obey God, rather than to please the king; and then how many persons she caused to sin in executing her wicked plot. But how did she get the law to condemn him when he was innocent?'

'It was the false witnesses who did it, mamma. Verse 13th says: "And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king." That was not true.'

'No, it was not true. Naboth was a good man, and it was because he feared God that he had refused to sell his vineyard, and yet he was stoned to death on the testimony of false witnesses. This shews what an awful thing it is to bear false witness. No one can tell how dreadful the consequences of such a sin may be.'

False witnesses spoke against Stephen,

"We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God." It is an awful crime to suborn witnesses.' 'False witnesses spoke against Jesus, too, mamma.'

Even the holy Jesus suffered from false witnesses. Read Mark xiv. 55-59, Nelly.'

""And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put Him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against Him; but their witness agreed not together, &c."

"These instances shew us that innocent persons may be condemned by false witnesses, and should make us very careful to avoid saying anything that is untrue, or injurious to our own or our neighbour's good name. What is required in the ninth commandment?'

'The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially in witnessbearing.'

'We may never be called upon to bear witness in court, but we are always required to speak the truth, and to protect our neighbour's good name. What does Solomon say of a good name? Pro. xx. 1.'

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches; and loving favour rather than silver and gold."'

'To rob a neighbour of his good name, is to injure him far more seriously than to steal his purse, because his good name is of far more value. The 15th Psalm describes the good man as one who backbiteth not with his tongue, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.'

'What is maintaining and promoting of truth, mamma?'

'It is being very careful always to speak of things exactly as they happened, and doing all we can to get others to do the same. Alice knows Dr. Watt's hymn about truth,' and she repeated:

'O, 'tis a lovely thing for youth

To walk betimes in wisdom's way;
To fear a lie, to speak the truth,

That we may trust to all they say.'

'You all know the story of little George Washington, the boy that could not tell a lie. Supposing little George Washington had not been a truth-loving boy, and had been more afraid of punishment than of telling a lie, what would he have said when his papa asked about the cherry tree?'

'He would have said, "I don't know who cut it;" or perhaps he would have said, "some one else had done it."

'Had he laid the blame on any one else, that would have been bearing false witness against his neighbour.'

"That is the way the boys in our school sometimes do, mamma. One day a boy broke a window, and he said it was another boy who had been playing with him who had done it, but the teacher found it out and was very angry.'

'But I can tell you of a little boy named Charlie, who was playing with his ball in the school-yard one morning before school began, and accidentally broke a pane of glass. When Charlie saw what he had done he was frightened, but he had been taught to love the truth and stick to it at all times, and he did not think for a moment of trying to hide what he had done. At once-though trembling with fear-he ran along the road to meet his teacher, and addressing him, said, "Stop a moment please, Sir."

Oh, Charlie. Good morning. Why, what's the matter now, my little man?'

'I broke your window, Sir, but I did'nt mean to. I'm very sorry for it. I did it with my ball, and the ball is in the schoolroom now.'

'Poor child,' said the teacher, who saw his eyes filled with tears, and a look of great distress in his face, so you ran all the way to tell me, did you? You've begun right, Charlie, my boy. Whatever mischief you do, never be afraid or ashamed to tell of it.'

'Liars are sure to be found out some time or other. It is far better to have courage to speak the truth, whatever be the consequence. Read Pro. xii. 19, 22.' The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a

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