would cleanse the sons of Levi and purify them, and they shall be the Lord's to present an offering in righteousness. He now allows us to present this offering, which he will not only look upon, but accept at our hands. It is not without a purpose that I have thus related to you the experience of my past life. It is useful and necessary you should know all the mercies of my God towards me, and a true and sincere memorial of them cannot be taxed with pride. To you, in particular, I address these recollections, that what you have not seen with your eyes may yet be engraven on your memory as coming from the lips of your father, that in your turn you may tell to those who are younger than you, and they to their descendants, not to forget the works of the Lord, nor cease from the study of his holy Word."

After giving some further explanation of the nature and use of the Postills of Lyra,* and his own additions to the work, he concludes his introduction with these words:

"This, my dearly beloved son, is my testament to you, and let it also be your inheritance that the law of the Lord may be your delight, and that you may meditate day and night on his Word. This meditation will become more pleasant and delightful to you by reading such works. Accept, then, your father's gift, offered with a father's tenderness and joy. And now it is enough. Having asked help of Almighty God, from whom and in whom alone, is all wisdom, and having committed the work to him with humble prayer, let us lay our hand to the plough.

* See page 39.

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32

BIBLE FLOWERS.

NO. I.-THE LILY.

'MAMA," said little Charles "I have been wishing, since you read to me about James Laing, that I could love Jesus as he did, and be 'Another lily gathered.' Why was he called a lily, mama? Please, will you tell me, for I thought a lily was a flower?"

Mrs. T.-Yes, Charley, the lily is a flower. Do you not remember those pretty lilies you saw in the corner of grandpapa's garden, and the lilium in the conservatory at Chiswick?

Charles.-Oh yes, mama; I do remember them. The lilies in grandpapa's garden were tiny flowers, like little cups; and they hung down from the stalk, and were hidden among dark green leaves : but the flower you called a lilium, had a low stem, and looked as if it loved the sunshine, and was not afraid of being looked at, as the little lilies were.

Mrs. T.-What colour were the lilies, Charley? Charles.-White, mama; quite white, like snow-drops. Oh, mama, was little James called a lily, because his heart was made white by the blood of Jesus?

Mrs. T.-Yes, dear; that is one reason why the people of God are compared to lilies. Can you think of any other reason, Charley?

Charles.-No, mama.

Mrs. T.-Lilies are very beautiful and fragrant, and in the sight of God, those who believe in His dear Son, appear fair and lovely, because they are clothed in the white robe of Christ's righteousness.

Charles. And how are they fragrant, mama? Mrs. T.-Their fragrance is the prayer and praise they send up to heaven, my boy, and the holy and loving actions which God gives them grace to perform.

Charles. Mama, what did papa mean on Sunday, when he said that one of the Psalms was a lily Psalm ?

Mrs. T.-I will try to explain it to you, dear. You know that many musical instruments were used by the Israelites in the worship of God, Some of them are mentioned in the last Psalm :the sweet harp, and the ringing timbrel, and the silvery trumpet, and the full deep organ, are all spoken of, and probably many others were used. One of them was formed like the stem of a lily, with a single flower at the end, fully opened, and it was called Shushan, or lily. When the 45th, 60th, 69th, and 80th Psalms were sung, the Shoshannim, or lilies, were played, so these four Psalms were called lily Psalms. It was a sweet name for them, as they describe Christ and His Church, and Jesus calls Himself a lily, and His people His lilies, in the second chapter of the Song of Solomon.

Charles.-Oh, mama, I should like to hear the lilies played, and the Psalms sung to them on mount Zion. Do you think they will play the Shoshannim when the Jews are safe in their own land again?

Mrs. T.-I do not know, my child; but it will be a joyful time, and there will be much sweet music, and many songs of praise sung to Jesus then. Do you remember the verse I read to you one day from the last chapter of Hosea,

in which God promises that Israel shall grow as

the lily?

Charles.-No, dear mama; I do not quite remember the words.

Mrs. T.-Take my Bible, then, Charley, and look for them.

Charley found the fourteenth chapter of Hosea, and read the fifth verse; and then he said :Mama, will you tell me exactly the meaning of it ?"

Mrs. T.-Lilies grow very quickly, Charley; and they are not like many flowers which require a great deal of care and training. They spring up in the quiet valleys of the Holy Land; and if they have sunshine by day, and dew by night, they need no gardener to watch over them. Israel is now like a dry and withered plant; but God will send the dew of His grace upon her children, and then they shall grow as the lily does, and Israel will be beautiful and fragrant in the sight of all nations, and in the sight of God Himself.

Charles.-And, mama, we Gentiles shall be the little lilies, and Israel will be the tall lily in the garden of God. Are all the lilies white which grow in Canaan, mama?

Mrs. T.-No, Charley; there are many varieties. Some of them are gold coloured, and others crimson. I have read of one lily, which has a rich crown of yellow blossoms at the top of its stem. The flowers are bent downwards, and at the bottom of each leaf there is a drop of pure water. The lips of the Lord Jesus are said, in the Song of Solomon, to be "like lilies dropping sweet-scented myrrh,"-His words are so pure, and sweet, and precious."

Charles.-Oh, mama, I should like to know every thing about the lilies.

Mrs. T-I have much more to tell you, dear Charley, but not to-day. Some time you shall look at the map of Canaan with me, and I will show you where the lilies grow most abundantly, and tell you of the use which is made of them.

J. T.

.

LEILA ADA.

(Continued from page 10.)

IN common with the rest of her nation, the Talmud formed the basis of Leila's religious education. Of the Old Testament she knew comparatively little. It is far from certain, indeed, that she knew a great deal of the Talmud. For this there were causes: first, she did not like its study: she tells us in her reflections, that while believing in its divinity, as she was instructed, she experienced a smothered dislike to many of its forms, observances, and precepts. "I felt it," she says, "smouldering at the bottom of my heart, long before I had moral courage to permit a single thought upon it. I shuddered at my suspicions as blasphemous, yet I could not conquer them. But as the Spirit of God opened my eyes, I felt no difficulty in fully avowing my severest thoughts upon the inane, absurd, debasing studies of the Talmud.

I felt no compunction while I openly declared to my own heart that it was an impure, stupid fabrication, composed by fallen and sinful man." What a volume is contained in these few thrilling