John xii. 42.-10. Should we adhere to religious principle if it involve us in trouble?-11. Does Herod's proceeding from one sin to another teach any great truth ?-12. How did the Church act under Peter's imprisonment?-13. Why did they go to God rather than to Herod ? -14. How do you explain Peter's calmness just before his expected death? Deut. xxxiii. 25, Is. xxvi. 3. 4.-15. By what means was Peter released?-16. By whom was the angel sent ?-17. Does Christ sympathize with his servants when they are in trouble?-18. Why did the angel leave Peter in the street?-19. How far may we expect God to help us?-20. Will God do our work in watching, praying, believing, reading, &c.? Phil, ii. 12, 13.-21. May we feel sure of God's help when we have done all in our power? APRIL 2.-THE PRAYER MEETING.-Acts xii. 10-19. NOTES. Ver. 11. Expectation, &c.' it seems the Jews were very eager for Peter's death. Ver. 12. Mary, &c.' sister to Barnabas, Col. iv. 10: Praying,' the first Christians most generally met by night because of persecution; the prayer meeting was doubtless on Peter's behalf. Ver. 13. The gate,' most of the houses in the East have an area before the door with an outer gate. Ver. 15. His Angel,' his separate spirit, Matt. xviii. 10; Peter was supposed to have been murdered in prison, and the spirit or soul to have come in order to announce the death, or to give the church some warning; some think there is here an allusion to an opinion among the Jews that the guardian angel sometimes assumed the shape and appearance of particular persons. Ver. 17. 'James,' the son of Alpheus, the author of the Epistle; probably this James became the Bishop of the Church at Jerusalem; if there were any supremacy it was in James not in Peter, for we find him here distinguished; he also presided at the discussion at Antioch; when Paul came to Jerusalem he especially honoured James, and Peter was afraid to eat with the Gentiles when he heard that James had sent a deputation; James was in fact the visible head of the Mother Church at Jerusalem. Ver. 19. Put to death,' jailors generally suffered the punishment due to persons whose escape they allowed: Went down, &c.' to be beyond Herod's jurisdiction. QUESTIONS. 1. What connection has this portion with the last one!-2. What does come to himself' signify ?-3. How did Peter regard his deliverance ?-4. For what reasons may we suppose God effected this miracle ?--5. Where did Peter first go?-6. What was being held there?-7. When are christians most likely to prevail with both God and man?-8. Why should Sunday Schools have their own prayer meetings?-9. Is any scholar or teacher converted who does not love them?-10. How do you explain Rhoda's duty and conduct? -11. What is meant by his angel' in ver. 15?-12. Why did Peter leave Jerusalem soon after?-13. But was not God able to keep him as well as to release him from prison ?-14. Is it our duty to avoid danger when we can do it without sin ?-15. Why was Herod so severe with the keepers?-16. How would Peter's escape help the cause of Christ?-17. Had any similar miracle caused the church to triumph? Acts v. 19.-18. Does this portion confirm any scripture doctrines, and enforce any christian duties? QUESTIONS. 1. In what circumstances was this Psalm composed ?-2. Why were the Jews taken captive into Babylon, 2 Kings xvii. 6-23?-3. How came they to be by the rivers of Babylon ?-4. What produced weeping ?-5. Why hang their harps on the willows? Prov. xxv. 20, Amos. viii. 10.-6. Of what would the sound of the harp remind them?-7. What is our duty in trouble, and what in joy? James v. 13.-8. Why will the harps of heaven never be unemployed?— 9. From what feelings did the Babylonians demand a song?-10. How are we to act toward people in trouble? Rom. xii. 14, 15.— 11. Why did they refuse to sing a song ?-12. Are our inward religious feelings to be told to wicked people? Matt. vii. 6, Ps. lxvi. 16. -13. Do converted children have many anxious feelings which they cannot tell to unconverted persons ?-14. What was the chief concern of these captive Jews?-15. Did they invoke any punishment on themselves if they forgot Jerusalem ?-16. How should we feel to the Church of Christ? John ii. 17.-17. When our congregations and schools do not prosper, how should we act?-18. Will God remember to punish those who have injured his Church? Zech. ii. 8, 9. -19. How can young persons promote the happy prosperity of the Church of Christ? MARCH 26.-PETER'S IMPRISONMENT.-Acts xii. 1-10. NOTES. Ver. 1. That time,' a time of famine when all hearts should have been humbled, chap. xi. 28: 'Herod,' grandson of Herod the Great-nephew of Herod Antipas, who beheaded John-brother to Herodias, who instigated her daughter to ask for John's head-and father of Herod Agrippa, who tried Paul. Ver. 2. 'James,' a son of Zebedee; Matt. iv. 21. Ver. 3. Unleavened bread,' Ex. xii. 14, 15. Ver. 'Four quaternions,' sixteen soldiers in four divisions: 'Easter,' this word should have been translated 'the passover:' 'Intending, &c.' wishing to keep up an appearance of religion at the time of the feast, yet meaning afterwards to commit murder! Ver. 6. Two chains,' for greater safety. Ver. 8. Gird thyself; shewing that all was done in a cool deliberate manner. Ver. 9.Wist not, &c. Peter was accustomed to see visions and thought this was one. Ver. 10. 'Ward, perhaps walls surrounding the prison: Opened,' by the unseen influence of the angel: departed,' having brought Peter where human care would suffice for his safety: miracles were always wrought very sparingly; God never releases us from what is in our power. QUESTIONS. 1. At what time did Herod Agrippa shew this cruelty ?-2. Why did the dearth cause his conduct to be more wicked? Is. xxvi. 9.3. What important purposes has persecution accomplished for the church? 4. In what way are persons sometimes now persecuted ?5. What do you know about the history and end of this Herod? Acts xii. 23.-6. Do you see any connection between the third verse and Matt. xx. 23? see also Rev. i. 9.-7. From what motive did Herod act in taking Peter also?-8. Why was not Peter brought forth for execution at once?-9. Can you name any cases in which a superstitious fear of man led to sin? John xviii. 28, Acts xxiv. 27, John xii. 42.-10. Should we adhere to religious principle if it involve us in trouble?-11. Does Herod's proceeding from one sin to another teach any great truth ?-12. How did the Church act under Peter's imprisonment ?-13. Why did they go to God rather than to Herod ? -14. How do you explain Peter's calmness just before his expected death? Deut. xxxiii. 25, Is. xxvi. 3. 4.-15. By what means was Peter released?-16. By whom was the angel sent ?-17. Does Christ sympathize with his servants when they are in trouble?—18. Why did the angel leave Peter in the street?-19. How far may we expect God to help us?-20. Will God do our work in watching, praying, believing, reading, &c.? Phil. ii. 12, 13.-21. May we feel sure of God's help when we have done all in our power? APRIL 2.-THE PRAYER MEETING.-Acts xii. 10-19. NOTES. Ver. 15. His Angel,' his Ver. 11. Expectation, &c.' it seems the Jews were very eager for Peter's death. Ver. 12. Mary, &c.' sister to Barnabas, Col. iv. 10: Praying,' the first Christians most generally met by night because of persecution; the prayer meeting was doubtless on Peter's behalf. Ver. 13. 'The gate,' most of the houses in the East have an area before the door with an outer gate. separate spirit, Matt. xviii. 10; Peter was supposed to have been murdered in prison, and the spirit or soul to have come in order to announce the death, or to give the church some warning; some think there is here an allusion to an opinion among the Jews that the guardian angel sometimes assumed the shape and appearance of particular persons. Ver. 17. 'James,' the son of Alpheus, the author of the Epistle; probably this James became the Bishop of the Church at Jerusalem; if there were any supremacy it was in James not in Peter, for we find him here distinguished; he also presided at the discussion at Antioch; when Paul came to Jerusalem he especially honoured James, and Peter was afraid to eat with the Gentiles when he heard that James had sent a deputation; James was in fact the visible head of the Mother Church at Jerusalem. Ver. 19. 'Put to death,' jailors generally suffered the punishment due to persons whose escape they allowed: Went down, &c.' to be beyond Herod's jurisdiction. QUESTIONS. 1. What connection has this portion with the last one!-2. What does come to himself' signify ?-3. How did Peter regard his deliverance ?-4. For what reasons may we suppose God effected this miracle ?--5. Where did Peter first go?-6. What was being held there?-7. When are christians most likely to prevail with both God and man?-8. Why should Sunday Schools have their own prayer meetings ?-9. Is any scholar or teacher converted who does not love them?-10. How do you explain Rhoda's duty and conduct? -11. What is meant by his angel' in ver. 15?-12. Why did Peter leave Jerusalem soon after?-13. But was not God able to keep him as well as to release him from prison ?-14. Is it our duty to avoid danger when we can do it without sin ?-15. Why was Herod so severe with the keepers?-16. How would Peter's escape help the cause of Christ?-17. Had any similar miracle caused the church to triumph? Acts v. 19.-18. Does this portion confirm any scripture doctrines, and enforce any christian duties? Entelligence. Burnley.-A beautifully bound copy of the Holy Scriptures, with a suitable inscription, was presented on the eighth of January, to Jane Graham, a person in humble life, on her removal to Rochdale. She had been long and honorably connected with the Independent Sunday School, both as a Scholar and as a Teacher and her friends in Christ, assembled at the Monthly Meeting for Prayer, presented her this Book in token of the high estimation in which she was held for her unobtrusive, useful, and devoted career. All present, about a hundred, felt deep regret at the separation. The friendships formed among pious teachers are of a very touching nature. Chesterfield.-On Thursday, December 29th, the first Annual Tea Meeting of the Teachers and Friends of the Silk Mill Sunday School was held, Mr. Sayer was called to the chair. During the evening a very beautiful Mantle Piece Skeleton Chronometer, inclosed in a Conical Glass Case, was presented to Mr. Hurst, with this inscription:-" Presented to Mr. F. Hurst by the Teachers and Friends of the Silk Mill Independent Sabbath School, Chesterfield, as a token of their high regard and affectionate esteem." Lambeth.-APPALLING ACCIDENT.-FALLING OF A GALLERY IN A CHAPEL.On Sunday, January 15th, the greatest consternation was created amongst the congregation of Queen-street Chapel. It appears that the anniversary sermons of the Sunday School were being preached, and in order to provide additional accommodation for the occasion, a temporary gallery was erected, built with scaffold poles and boards, and was about fourteen feet from the floor. During the public examination of the children, about half-past three o'clock the whole ponderous mass, containing upwards of fifty children, suddenly fell with a tremendous crash to the floor beneath, and all the children fell between the boards, &c., while the greater part of the congregation imagining that the roof of the chapel was falling in, rushed to the doors, screaming in an awful manner. Several persons immediately rushed into the place and assisted to rescue the children, when it was found that many of them were very severely hurt, and they were carried home to their friends, near the spot. One boy was so dreadfully injured as to render his recovery doubtful. New Mills, near Manchester.-On Monday, January 2nd, the teachers and scholars of the Thornset Sunday School, presented Mr. S. Bridge with a very valuable silver snuff box, as a mark of respect for his services as secretary and teacher for upwards of nine years. Ramsgate. On Tuesday, January 24th, the Pictorial Bible, elegantly bound, in three vols. was presented to Mr. G. Hurst, who for twenty-five years has been the faithful Superintendent of the Independent Sunday School. This token of regard was purchased by thirty of the Teachers, twenty-five of whom are church members, several of them having formerly been under Mr. Hurst's instruction. Wells: Norfolk.-Mr. E. F. Elliott, formerly a pupil and lately a teacher in the Congregational Sabbath School, was recently presented with an elegant Bible by his fellow labourers in Wells. The presentation was made at a social tea party, raised as a suitable occasion for commending him to God, and exciting renewed diligence previous to his departure for another scene of labour. The Rev. S. Martin presided. A great many cases were recited in which that Sunday School had been highly useful and evidently honoured by God. The occasion was one of a very gratifying kind. THE BOOKSELLER'S STALL. IN China the Bookseller, as well as the schoolmaster, is abroad. Finding that the demands of the people for knowledge and amusement are great, he leaves the crowded mart, and travels into the adjoining districts, where he hawks his books for sale,-books of no great utility or importance, but merely novels or ballads, which from their low prices, and from their adaptation to the taste of the lower classes, actually deluge the land. It must not, however, be imagined that works of this trifling and ephemeral class only are in demand, for in the catalogue of a respectable Chinese bookseller, which is issued in a style similar to that of our far-famed English Bibliopolists, we may discover works in all the principal departments of litera E |