to rise from the ground and float motionless in the air. As the sun beat down upon it with increasing warmth, it rose gradually higher and higher into the heavens. A gentle breeze arising, the whole mass moved slowly to the East; and as the wind increased in strength, it was torn into many fragments, and floated round the sky, in large fleecy shining clouds. The sun shone forth fresh and bright, and as it dispelled thefog from the earth, so it did the sadness from James's mind. He put his head from the window, to enjoy the pleasant prospect. the same time a robin, seated on the elm tree, warbled some clear notes of song.

At

"Aye you little robin! that's right; sing away with all your heart, you joyous little fellow. I like to see you so glad this morning; it makes me happy. Oh George," said he, as his friend's head appeared from the window below him, "I propose that we go to the bay, and have a sail to-day. There is an excellent breeze, and it has cleared up very pleasantly; what say you? will you go?"

"That is just what I want; we have been thinking of some expedition for to-day, and I am glad you proposed that. My room-mate and Smith are here; and we shall be just enough to man the boat."

They hunted through the Academy for canes, and soon started for the bay, which was two and a half miles off. Smith was very fond of gunning; and while he stopped at a store for some powder, the party walked slowly on. He soon rejoined them, and they proceeded together.

The bay was large, being several miles in extent, and having many islands scattered about it. A few old houses were near the shore, and a wharf extended far out over the flats, into the deep channel beyond. At the extremity of the wharf was one small vessel, with two masts. Ropes extended from one to the other, and to the bow-sprit; and from the top of the masts down to the sides of the schooner; booms extended out behind, and old black sails lay along their length. Two men were leaning idly over the sides, watching the fish-hawks as they wheeled their course in the air, and occasionally plunged into the deep, or following with their eyes the gulls and herons as they skimmed along the surface of the water. As the students approached, the two men turned around. Smith inquired if they could let them a boat for the day.

"I don't know; said one of the men, "there is a boat down at the side of the vessel which you can have, if you want, I suppose."

"Who owns the boat?"

"It belongs to the vessel."

"Well do you not know whether we can have it?" "Why yes; I suppose you can have it, I say."

They looked down over the side of the vessel; there was an old boat half filled with water, with several large stones in the bottom, for ballast.

"Where is the sail? I do not see that in her."

Why that is at the house."

"Can we have that?"

"Yes I suppose so, if you have a mind to go for it."

"Have you anything to bail the water out with?"

"There is a bucket in the hold; I suppose I can get that, if you want me to."

Two of the party went for the sail. The other two were employed in bailing out water by turns. Soon the boat was ready. They shoved off from the vessel, and rowed a short distance till they were in the current. They then shipped their oars and floated rapidly along in the ebbing tide. The sail hung idly by the mast; but they could see by the dark ruffled water at a distance, that the wind was breathing feebly. The sun beat down warmly into the boat, and they impatiently waited, till the tide should bear them onward to the cooling breeze.

Behind them, were the few houses on the shore of the bay, the wharf, the vessel, and the flats, which the tide had left bare and exposed to the warm rays of the sun. All around them the waters presented a smooth polished surface, unruffled by the wind it was all in gradual, noiseless motion, setting out to the sea. In the distance, far before them, the water presented a dark and irritated appearance, as the wind chafed down upon it. Islands were scattered around them on either hand; some were barren and rugged rocks; others smooth but sterile sandbanks; others again appeared like a thick grove of tall trees growing from the surface of the water. The air had that purity and freshness which is peculiar to a May morning. The sky was of a pure blue color, and was hung with clouds like white flowing drapery floating in the wind. In every direction many birds were seen, hawks, herons, and gulls; all eagerly engaged in the pursuit of food. Some were wheeling their steady, solitary flight in the air; others plunging headlong into the bay. Flocks of gulls filled the air with their cries, as they pursued one of their number, which had luckily fished up his meal from

the deep. And near the summit of a distant island, an eagle was seen winging his heavy flight.

James and his companions floated calmly on enjoying the quiet scene.

"What are you aiming at, Smith ?"

"Keep still; you will see in a minute."

Smith was standing by the mast, half concealed by the loose folds of the sail; he had his gun extended, aiming at an approaching heron. He fired. The heron turned, and fluttered away to a neighboring island. The report of the gun, echoed from the various islands, came to them in successive and distinct sounds, like the repeated falls of a heavy clap of thunder..

"Ha, there goes your heron Smith; you will not get him. But hark! what an echo! There it is again, just like thunder. Let us try that again, Smith; and put in a good charge, one that will speak well."

The gun was again fired; and as the smoke rose slowly up, they waited silently for the echo. It came in successive claps; each one becoming more feeble, as it proceeded from a more distant island, till at length, it gradually died away and

was not.

"I declare, I never heard any thing like it. It is precisely like thunder. It is thunder; only on a small scale. I wish we had a cannon here; we would make the people expect a thunder shower. Try that again Smith, will you?"

As they amused themselves thus, they floated on, and soon felt the influence of the wind. Their sail was spread; and the boat was urged rapidly through the water. For an hour or more they sailed to and fro on the bay, approaching and receding from islands, and reefs of rocks, as curiosity dictated.

To be Continued.

TO THE READER. We shall hereafter omit the customary phrase, "For the Religious Magazine," before the articles inserted in this work. The reader will consider all articles as prepared expressly for the work, unless they are credited to some other source.

EDS.

THE

RELIGIOUS MAGAZINE.

No. VIII.

MAY, 1834.

TRACT OPERATIONS IN ENGLAND.

BEFORE presenting to our readers an account of the origin of Bible Societies, as promised in our last, we have thought some further statements respecting the Tract Society might be interesting.

It is probably known to most of our readers, that in England a large proportion of the business of societies and public institutions, is transacted at the breakfast table. A large committee or Board of directors meet in the morning at a Hotel or Coffee House, or at the Rooms of an institution, and while discussing coffee and toast, decide questions that affect their operations half round the globe.

It seems strange to us; but it is almost a matter of necessity in the endless round of duties, which press upon a business man, in a great metropolis like London, to redeem time. And at the breakfast hour, a score of gentlemen come together, not wearied out with the labors of the day, but fresh and in good spirits. One of the number presents the items of business to the others, who perform double duty with the ear and the palate. Their sanction or disapproval is readily obtained and a vast amount of important transactions is despatched with as little loss of time as possible.

The following extracts from a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Am. Tract Society, will give some idea of the mode of conducting the affairs of the London Institution.

"MY DEAR BROTHER,

London, July 28, 1833.

I resolved to devote a part of this day to you. This morning I breakfasted with the Committee of the Tract Society. I wish I could convey to you a clear and distinct impression of all that I have seen and heard. As it will doubtless interest you, I will endeavor to give you a description of the scene to which I was introduced. It was in a long pleasant room in the Society's house. A breakfast table was spread, neatly yet frugally, for 20 or 30 persons. A large tea urn stood on one end of the table, and tea, with bread of various kinds, warm, cold and toasted, with butter, composed the enter tainment.

At

At 8 o'clock precisely, I entered the Committee room. the moment the clock struck, the attitude of prayer was assumed and the invocation and thanksgiving offered. After rising and the ceremony of introduction over, all were immediately seated around the breakfast table.

The cups were filled and arranged around the table; all rose, and a blessing was asked. They then proceeded to business. The Secretary commenced reading the minutes of the last meeting; they were approved. Then the various letters which had been received through the week were read and several other items of business were laid before the committee. I would remark before going farther, that this Society has not made a permanent division in their committee which corresponds to your Executive. The whole number sit, upon all business, whether financial, distributing or editorial, and in this meeting business in each of these departments was transacted. In case of necessity any item of business under either of these heads was referred to a sub-committee of two or three. The different subjects of business of course appeared to come up with rather less of regularity and system, than in your operations.

For instance the order of business was as follows:

1. A letter of application from a small village for a grant of tracts.

2. A letter from A. B. offering a book for publication.

3. A letter from E. M. asking tracts for a female friend, an active distributor.