point! How do they waver and hesitate! How inconsistent are their calmer views and their practice! How little can they endure the thought that their children shall forego on account of religion any advantage esteemed by the world; and how often do they risk their eternal interests by setting them the example of professing to give up the world, while still, in many things, they conform to it, and set a high value on its approbation! What can be expected from such an education, but that young people should grow up with their heads full of religious knowledge, and their hearts full of the love of things, which, though perhaps not the most glaringly so, are yet altogether worldly? Were religious parents more single-hearted in obeying the precept, "Train up a child in the way he should go,”. they might more confidently trust to the fulfilment of the promise, "and when he is old he will not depart from it."

INTRODUCTION.

In the following Story an attempt is made to assist religious parents in impressing the important truth on the minds of their children, that this life is only a portion of time, short and rapid in its progress, in which the "one thing needful," is to prepare for the eternity that shall follow.

All religious parents, at those moments when their views are clearest, and their resolutions most single, desire to impress the minds of their children with this truth, and also to preserve them from those pursuits which fascinate and ensnare the unrenewed heart, and make it turn with indifference or disgust from that religious training which is uncongenial with its nature, but which God has appointed as the means to bring the soul to Himself; but how few steadily and perseveringly act up to their convictions on this

those they most dearly loved might be amongst the number who must have suffered in the battle. Such were the feelings of Mrs. Ross, the mother of the little girl whose story will be told in the following pages. On that morning Mrs. Ross and Anna had risen at their usual early hour, and were beginning the day as they did every day. Anna had read a portion of the Bible to her Mamma, who had explained it to her as she proceeded, and listened to all her questions and remarks with her usual gentle kindness: and answered her so as to make Anna feel that God was present everywhere, and saw her heart every moment, and loved those who loved Him, but was angry with the wicked every day. After this reading and conversation with her Mamma, Anna had sat down on a footstool beside her, to commit to memory some verses, as she did every morning, while Mrs. Ross read to herself. When the first gun fired from the castle, little Anna started up and hastened to the window. Mrs. Ross's house was in a street from whence the castle was seen, and, just as Anna reached the window, she saw the flash and smoke of a second

cannon.

"Oh, Mamma, the castle is firing!" exclaimed she. "There must be a victory! Papa will get home!" On turning round, Anna perceived that her Mamma had become very pale, and was leaning back in her chair. Anna ran to her. "Dear

2