Blessed memories.-Example II.—A dark day. ered over with corn,"" the little hills rejoicing on every side;"-we heard also the general shout for joy; -and we felt as we never before had felt, a deep, thorough, abiding conviction of the truth that God is our father and our friend; the GOD OF OUR SALVA TION. I know not how soon these impressions faded from the minds of the other children,-but for myself I can say, that from that time to the present, whenever I have been exposed to apparent danger from the impending tempest, the warring elements, or the ravages of disease, the teachings of that hour have always revived in my mind to soothe my troubled spirit, and to reassure my faith and confidence in the presence of an all-sufficient and merciful Preserver. A thousand times have I devoutly blessed the memory of that faithful teacher, for having so early and so happily turned my thoughts upward to HIM, in whom "we live, and move, and have our being." EXAMPLE II. It was in the afternoon of a gloomy day in the latter part of November, when the pupils, consisting of some fifty boys, belonging to a school in a pleasant seaport town in New England, were told by their teacher, a few minutes before the usual hour, that they might lay aside their studies, and prepare for dismission. During the early part of the day there had been one of those violent southeast rain-storms, so common upon the seacoast at that season of the year It is well known to the observing mariner, that a storm Lull of the storm.-Change of wind.-Early dismission. from the southeast never continues beyond twelve or fifteen hours; and when the violence of the storm abates, it is a common remark of the sailor, that "the northwester is not long in debt to the southeaster." Previous to this change of wind, however, there is what is expressively termed the "lull of the storm,”— a period when the rain ceases to fall, the wind dies away to a perfect calm, the barometer is suddenly depressed, the clouds hover almost upon the face of the earth, shutting out the light of the sun, and causing a cheerless damp to settle upon every thing terrestrial, and a dreary gloom to enshroud the mind. itself. When the wind changes, these clouds are not gradually dissolved and broken up, so that the eye can catch transient glimpses of the blue sky beyond, as after a snow-storm in winter; but the dark drapery is suddenly lifted up, as if by an unseen hand, and the western sky, from the horizon upwards, is left more bright and more charming than ever, to refresh the eye and reanimate the soul. It was such a day, as before remarked, when the pupils of this school-partly because of the darkness in the schoolroom, and partly because of their protracted confinement within a close apartment during a gloomy afternoon-were, a little earlier than usual, about to be dismissed. The pupils all seemed to welcome the happy release that awaited them,—and in their eagerness to escape from confinement, they very naturally neglected to observe their accustomed regard Impatience.-Light breaks in.-The "garment of praise."-Song. for quiet and order in laying aside their books. It was, however, a fixed habit with the teacher, never to give the signal for leaving the room till all the pupils had taken the proper attitude for passing out with regularity, and then had composed themselves to perfect silence. On this occasion perhaps two minutes passed away while the boys were gradually, almost impatiently, bringing themselves to a compliance with this rule of the teacher. During this interval of waiting, the cloud, unperceived by the teacher, had been slowly raised up from the western horizon, just in time to allow the setting sun to bestow a farewell glance upon the sorrowing world at his leave-taking. Through the Venetian blinds that guarded the windows toward the west, the celestial light gleamed athwart the apartment, and painted the opposite wall, in front of the pupils, with streaks of burnished gold! In an instant every countenance was changed. A smile now joyously played where before sadness and discontent had held their moody reign. The teacher was reminded, by all these circumstances, of the beautiful language of the prophet, which promised the gift of "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." What could be more appropriate on this occasion than a song of praise? Without speaking a single word, the teacher commenced one of the little songs already familiar to the whole school : Lo the heavens are breaking, Pure and bright above; Singing with the spirit.-An impression.-God is good. Life and light awaking, Murmur-God is love. GOD IS LOVE. Round yon pine-clad mountain, Hear the sparkling fountain, Whisper-God is good. GOD IS GOOD. Wake, my heart, and springing, Spread thy wings above,- God is ever good. GOD IS GOOD. Instantly every voice that had ever sung, now uttered heartfelt praise. The attendant circumstances, taken at the happy moment, furnished such an impressive commentary upon the import of the words, that they were felt, as they never before had been felt, to be the words of precious truth. Every heart throbbed in unison with the sentiment. At the close of the song, there was profound silence in the room. After a moment's pause, during which the truth that God is good seemed to pervade each mind and hold it in silent reverence, the signal for departure was given. One after another the boys passed from their seats with a light and careful step, as if noise and haste would be a desecration both of the time and place,—and when they reached the open air, refreshing and exhilarating as it was, there was no boisterous shout, no rude mirth; each took his homeward course, apparently with a new and lively conviction that GOD IS GOOD. Other occasions.-Teacher's satisfaction. It has always been a source of pleasure to that teacher to recall from the "buried past" the associations connected with that delightful hour and that charming song; and it has been among the most gratifying incidents of his experience as a teacher, to hear more than one of those pupils in later life recur to the memory of that day, and acknowledge with thankfulness the lasting impressions which then and there were made upon their minds. It would be easy to furnish examples to almost any extent, of the manner in which this principle has been, or may be carried out in practice. The degradation of an intoxicated person who may pass the school,the pitiable condition of the man who may wander through the streets bereft of his reason, any instance of sudden death in the neighborhood, particularly of a young person, the passing of a funeral procession,in short, any occurrence that arrests the attention of the young and enlists their feeling, may be seized upon as the means of making upon their minds an impression for good. The facts developed in many of their lessons, too, afford opportunities for incidental moral instruction. The adaptation of means to ends,-the evidence of design and intelligence displayed in the works of creation,-the existence of constant and unìform laws as developed in the sciences, all furnish the means of leading the young mind to God. That teacher will enjoy the richest satisfaction in |