young people were fonder of going to church than some are whom I could name. I wish I were able to go twice to church on Sunday; but it is all I can do to get there once, and in the afternoon to step across to Mrs. Wingfield, who lives on the other side of the lane, nearly opposite to us. She has lost the use of her limbs, and it is a real treat to her to get a neighbour to come and sit with her."

The

Very soon after dinner, Mrs. Thorpe departed to make her visit. Richard and Susan were gone home, "to smarten up a bit," as Susan said; and Mary had just put on her bonnet and cloak, and was on the point of setting out for church, when all their plans were disconcerted by a change in the weather. sun had been, for the last half-hour, obscured by dark threatening clouds, and the wind had been rising higher and higher, "blowing up for a storm,” the farmer said; and down came the storm, in good earnest―rain, hail, and sleet—and the wind too high for any umbrella to afford protection. It was some time before the storm abated, and not till quite too late to think of going to church. The three cousins made up their minds to stay at home, as the weather would not suit for a walk towards the town either, for it continued raining, more or less, all the afternoon; but Farmer Thorpe walked out, to see whether the hail had done any damage to his farm. Jane and Bessy remained some little time at the window, looking out, and lamenting the change in the day,

when Jane looked round, to see what Mary was about. She was reading.

"What are you reading, Mary?"

"The Lessons for the Evening Service. But I have just finished," replied Mary, closing her Bible. "That is very much the same," said Bessy, "as if you had been to church. I do not think you would have had a sermon."

Mary said, "I like going to church for the prayers as well as the sermon; and I do not feel that it is the same thing, Bessy, as if I had been to church. It is one great advantage of a regular form of prayer, that we can, if prevented from attending public worship, use the same prayers at home that our fellow-creatures are offering up at the same time in the house of God. But it seems to me that it would be presumption on our parts, did we think it a matter of indifference, whether these prayers were said in our own house by ourselves, or in the building consecrated to the public worship of God, and read by His appointed ministers. Besides, we have not at home the satisfaction of joining our voices with the congregation in prayer and praise; and if we once begin to consider anything in religion a matter of indifference, there is no knowing where we should stop."

"But Susan says," observed Jane, "that the master and mistress she last lived with (for she was in service before she married Richard) used to tell her, forms were nothing-the heart was everything."

"Forms are certainly not everything, nor the principal thing," said Mary; "but to say they are nothing, must be wrong, for our Saviour Himself has given us a form of prayer, and, besides the Lord's Prayer, many instructions how to pray. The beauty of the prayers used in our Church is, that they all agree with those instructions, and are taken from the Bible itself, one may say. Moreover, we cannot go on at all, without forms of some kind. We either follow those that are made for us, and for which we have good authority, or follow those of our own fancy. I have often heard Mr. Howard say that, as 'God is a Spirit,' He must be worshipped 'in spirit and in truth,'' and that, if we did not worship Him sincerely with our hearts, our worship would be of little value. But as it is the heart and mind that influence the actions, if they are not interested, the fancy will soon grow tired of outward forms. To every sincere worshipper, the forms of worship are of the greatest use and benefit, and are never found irksome; while the reverse may confidently be affirmed of those who are but nominal worshippers. For instance, do we not see some sitting during the prayers in which we confess our sins and pray for God's mercy and pardon, for Christ's sake? But if they really felt themselves miserable sinners,' in need of God's forgiveness, would they not pray for it on their knees?"

Bessy.

"That is very true. I am afraid I do not

1 John iv. 24.

join heartily in the prayers, for they often seem to me so long; and I get so tired of the sermon, too.”

Mary. "I should think, Bessy, if you always made an effort to fix your attention on the sermon, you would not find it so long; nor would the prayers seem so tedious, if you tried truly to pray. I remember when I was much younger than I am now, I used to be vexed with myself because my thoughts were often distracted at church. If I began by attending seriously, in a very little time I found myself thinking of something quite different. The same remedy that cured my inattention would prevent your feeling so tired, I think, Bessy."

Jane and Bessy both exclaimed at the same time, "O! do tell us; what was that remedy, Mary?"

"Prayer," replied Mary. "I heard Mr. Howard in his sermon, one Sunday morning, say very impressively, 'You must pray that you may pray.' These words struck me very forcibly; and I then listened very attentively that I might understand what he meant by them. He went on to say that many people were cold and inanimate when they prayed, whether at church or at home; and it frequently made them unhappy that they did not feel more what they were saying. Many people suffered from wandering thoughts; and, instead of praying fervently, and listening attentively to the word of God, they were thinking of their worldly occupations and of light and trivial matters. But, he said, if these persons were conscious of their failings, and

wished to be cured of them, let them pray to God, not once, but repeatedly, continually. It does not signify how short a prayer, so that it is sincere, and in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ, that God will keep their hearts and minds from wandering and inattention, or from drowsiness and weariness, in order that they may pray more heartily, and that the service may not be only from their lips, but from the heart; and if they exert themselves at the same time to overcome these failings (for we must not expect that God will do anything for us unless we are willing to help ourselves), they will be sure to have their prayer granted; and in reaping the reward, they will feel what a real comfort and blessing it is to be able to pray."

Bessy. "Do your thoughts never wander to other things at church now?"

Mary. "I will not say never, but I hope seldom. I pray continually against wandering thoughts; and whenever I find myself beginning to think of other things, I can recall my attention directly, and fix it on what is going on. To-day, being the first time I have been in a country church since leaving my own dear home, there were so many things reminding me of the church at Hazels, that I was more disturbed in thought than usual. But the prayers of our

service come so home to one's heart, that it seems impossible not to join in them from one's very heart. There is nothing that we are in need of that we do not find mentioned in them; and all so beautifully