I could only answer with my tears. And so ended the first dream of my childhood, the only one perhaps on which

I can look back with unmingled feelings of purity and

peace.

FINIS.
0

St. Basil the Great.

C. F. A.

ST. BASIL, called by way of eminence for his extensive learning, and noted piety, the GREAT. He was the second child of Basil and Emmelia, born in Neo-Cæsarea, A.D. 329, of parents who were obedient to the law of the Lord. Thus, happily, for the future, St. Basil was early instructed in those lessons of piety which are calculated to bring in a harvest of peace in the time of age. "Train up a child in the way he should go," says the wise man, "and when he is old, he will not depart from it." For the first eleven years of his life, he was his father's pupil; after this period he studied successively at Cæsarea, Constantinople, and Athens. At Athens, the companion of his life and studies, was Gregory of Nazianzen, with whom he appears to have been on terms of the closest intimacy. They lived together, shared the same table, and each esteemed the other's success as his own. Their "one aim and object" says Gregory, was to be called and indeed to be Christians." But Basil did not find the satisfaction to his yearnings he aspired after; he was made for higher and more spiritual things than could be found in the schools of oratory; he spoke of Athens with all its inducements as "hollow blessedness," and in the year 355 he returned to Neo-Cæsarea, gave up nearly all his possessions for the Church and the poor; and adopting the habit

of a monk, fixed upon a spot close by his native city, and near where his pious grandmother, Macrina, had lived, as the scene of his future retirement.

While, however, he and Gregory were fellow-students, and fellow-friends at Athens, the latter had promised to join Bazil as soon as he was settled in his new abode. Accordingly Basil now sends for his friend Gregory, no doubt expecting great consolation in his presence; and as we may suppose, was much surprised to learn that he had quitted Athens, and had gone to see his aged parents at Nazianzen.

But Gregory thus owns to his want of fidelity, "I act against my wish, duty annulled by duty, the duty of friendship, by the duty of filial reverence"; an apology which, Basil, however wounded and disappointed he might be, could not but readily receive. A great disappointment it must have been, for instead of abiding in strict retirement as he had intended, he set out, on a journey of inspection to the principal monastic establishments in Egypt, Palestine, and Mesopotamia. He refuses the invitation of Julian, with whom he had no sympathy, and was harshly treated in consequence. The emperor sent an answer demanding without delay the sum of one thousand pounds weight of gold towards the Persian expedition; to which the saint replied that he was only a poor indigent scholar, and could not, therefore, comply with the emperor's demand.

In the year 358, he returned to Cæsarea, where he was ordained a deacon by Dianæus, the bishop of that place, by whom also he had been previously baptized. He remained here but a short time, for Dianæus having departed from the catholic and true faith, by agreeing to the false doctrine of

gift of time, its warning seasons, its cheery days,—for it and they never will return to you.

Lift up your hearts to Him in gratitude and love, in the devotions of the heart as well as the utterance of the lips; and do not let your lip belie your words, but do-as well as talk.

You would not like it to be said of you, when autumn wind is blowing and fallen leaves strew the ground,-" Ah, poor foolish soul, here is death coming to you, and though the harvest is past, and the summer is ended, you are not saved! PARVUS.

SUMMER.

The day goeth away, for the shadows of evening are stretched out.-JER. vi. 4.

SWEET summer's day,-how calm, how bright,

How beautiful art thou;

Mirth waits around thy path of light,

And sunshine gilds thy brow:

The fairest flowers our earth bestows,

Are blooming at thy feet;

The gentlest youngest breeze that blows,
Sighs round thee, soft and sweet.

The soul-refresh'd and gladden'd,—
-soars
Exultingly above;

And, lost in ecstasy,―adores

God, in His works of love;

But soon the longest loveliest day,
Yields up its short delight;

And smiles and sunshine fade away,

Wrapt in the clouds of night.

Why live we then for fleeting hours,

Whose beauty and whose bloom,-
Whose brighest scenes and fairest flowers,
Smile only round the tomb ?

Ours be the sunshine of a face

That knows no shade or frown;

A long, bright summer's day of grace,
Whose sun no more goes down!

Monsell's Parish Musings.

TALES FOR MY GOD-CHILDREN.

No. IV.

THE CHURCH BELL.

LITTLE Mary Sefton was feeding her pretty canary-bird one Sunday morning, when Louisa called to her to be quick, for it was nearly time to go to Church.

"Oh! we are in good time," replied Mary; and she continued, " Pretty Dick! Pretty Dick!" while Louisa was preparing her bonnet and polka, and making all the haste she could.

At this instant, in bounded Frisk; and he sprank towards She had the Mary. "Down, down, Frisk!" said Mary. door of the cage open, and was afraid that her little pet would fly out. And although Frisk was on pretty good terms with Dick, she would not like to have trusted him too far.

Mrs. Sefton now looked in, to her little girl's abashment; "the Church bell is going, my little girls," said the affectionate mother, "and I fear we shall be late."

"

"Is it mamma ?" said Mary, still dawdling over her bird's cage, "I do not hear it, and I think we are in very good time."

"Your papa hears it, and I hear it," replied Mrs, Sefton, rather gravely; "Come, Mary, and put on your bonnet and polka directly! I see I shall have to dispose of that bird, since you cannot find proper times at which to feed it."

Mary did not longer hesitate, but proceeded to get ready as fast as she could. But now her papa's voice was heard calling his wife and little girls. Mrs. Sefton sent Louisa on before her, and staid to assist Mary; and presently the whole party were on their way to Church.

As they proceeded, the sound of the bell became more and more distinct; and in a few minutes three bells struck up together, giving notice that the time drew on, at which they were invited to enter the House of God. These bells sounded very sweetly. Louisa delighted in them very much; and Mary, who had not been very happy when she left home, became soothed and happy as she proceeded. At last she was sufficiently at ease to go and take her papa's hand, and began talking to him; and Louisa went to the side of her mother.

"It is very useful to have a bell to call us all to Church, Papa!" said Mary; but I did not hear it to-day."

"And shall I tell you why you did not hear it, my little girl?" said Mr. Sefton, very kindly. "Because you were too much occupied with other things, and with employments which should have been cared for before."

"But, papa!" said Mary, rather smartly, "the poor bird could not have been left without food. You know our