companions are received into the treasury of Jehovah, you will hear the awful sentence, "he that is filthy let him be filthy still," and be excluded from all the glories and felicities of the New Jerusalem. How many of your youthful acquaintance are removed to eternity!Could they speak from the grave, would they recommend that you should squander your youthful thoughts and affections, your choice days in attending to objects which you know take off your thoughts from God and serious things? God forbid, that we should abridge the real happiness of the young. No we wish you the possession of everlasting felicities. We wish you splendour and raptures which as much exceed those of vain amusement, as the light of the sun exceeds the twinkling of a fire-fly. Our hearts desire and prayer to God is, that you may not suffer lying vanities to cheat you of the heavenly inheritance. O that our fears on your account were changed into substantial grounds of hope that you would all adorn the stations in which you are placed in time, and be gathered into the treasury of the Lord in eternity.

Finally; From our subject we infer that Christians ought ever to be patient under the hand of him who is purifying away their dross, removing their asperities and discolourings and polishing them to shine in his diadem of redeemed souls.

FOR THE MONITOR.

LIVES OF THE FOUR EVANGELISTS.

Ir the following short sketches should serve to promote the careful reading of the Scriptures, the hopes of the writer will be satisfied. Most young people among us have been familiar with the sacred volume from their childhood: but, perhaps, from this very circumstance, have acquired a habit of reading it negligently, and of course, to little profit, it is of the highest importance in every respect, that such a habit, where it exists, should receive an efficient check in early life; and where it does not exist, no little care and attention is necessary 2d Edit.

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in most cases, entirely to prevent its formation. I have thought that pieces on the plan of those here offered to to the readers of the Monitor, might contribute something to this desirable end. They will at least give some idea of what has been to me a very pleasant, and, I believe à profitable method of reading the New Testament history.

All that we know with certainty of the personal history of the four Evangelists is derived from the New Testament, and all that is important may be learned, I believe, from the following references. Much more, it is true, has been written concerning them, but on authority so doubtful as to be entitled to little attention, except in two or three instances.

MATTHEW

was a publican or tax-gatherer, (Matt. ix. 9.) that is, one of the subordinate agents employed by those who had the management of the revenue, (such as Zaccheus, Luke, xix. 2.) and stationed at proper places to examine the goods that passed and receive the taxes that were to be paid upon them. The station of the tax-gatherer was called the "receipt of custom," and was generally near the gate of the city. The frequent extortions of these officers made them objects of hatred to the Jews, who reckoned them in the same class with notorious sinners. (Luke iii. 12, 13. Mark ii. 15, 16.) Mark and Luke mention the calling of a publican, whose name was Levi. From this some have concluded that there were two disciples of that character. But if we examine these passages in their connection and compare them with Matt. ix. 9. and the context, we shall be satisfied that Matthew and Levi are only different names of the same person.— Levi is the name by which he is called while a tax-gatherer. When he became a follower of Christ he changed his name, as the other apostles did, and is ever after uniformly called Matthew. We hardly know any thing of his subsequent life. He is said to have died a martyr, but it is doubtful.

MARK.

His original name was John, and his mother, Mary, was a Christian. (Aets xii, 12.) He was evidently a native Jew; and Barnabas, who was his cousin, (Col. iv. 40.) was a Levite But this does not render it certain that Mark also was a Levite. Mary was of the tribe of Judah, and Elizabeth of that of Levi, yet they were cousins. (Luke i. 36.)

Mark was with St. Paul in the commencement of his first journey into Asia Minor, (Aets xii. 25.) but left him at Perga and returned to Jerusalem. (Acts xiii. 13.)This was the reason of Paul's unwillingness to take him as a companion in his second visit to the Asiatic Churches. In consequence of this Paul and Barnabas separated; and Mark in company with the latter, visited the island of Cyprus. (Acts xv 36-39.) Many years after he is mentioned among the companions of Paul at Rome. (Col. iv. 10. Philem. 24.) Early Christian writers uuiversally call him the companion of Peter, and their testimony is confirmed by 1 Pet. v. 13, where the expression "my son" must be understood as meaning that he was peculiarly dear to that apostle.

It is proved by pretty good evidence that Mark wrote his gospel at Rome under the inspection of St. Peter. It will be interesting to turn to a few passages,which furnish internal evidence in support of this opinion. Many interesting circumstances are mentioned concerning Peter, which are omitted by the other Evangelists. (See Chap. î. 29-33. ix. 34. xi. 21. xiv. 30.) He explains some Jewish customs and words, which were doubtless unintelligible to Romans, but which, had he written for Jews, would have needed no explanation. (Chap. viii. verses 2-4 and 11.)

LUKE.

From Colossians iv. 10-14, we are perhaps justified in the conclusion, that Luke was not a Jew, and therefore not a disciple before the death of our Saviour. He was a physician. (Col. iv. 14.) He rarely speaks of himself, and our information concerning the events of his

life is derived almost entirely from his use of the personal pronoun in the Acts of the Apostles. By this means we learn that he joined Paul at Troas and accompanied him into Macedonia. (Acts xvi. 8—10.) At Philippi, Paul and Silas were thrown into prison. Luke it would seem, escaped and when Paul and Silas left that place for Corinth, he remained behind, as is evident from his use of the pronoun in the last verse of the fifteenth and in the seventh chapter. On the return of Paul to Asia, Luke joined him again at Troas. (Acts XX. 5, 6.) He accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, and, whether he was a fellow prisoner or not, was with him during his imprisonment at Cesarea, and attended him in his journey and voyage to Rome. He was there with Paul about the year 67, (2 Tim. iv. 11.) which was several years after his first arrival, but whether the intermediate time was spent there or elsewhere we have no means of determining.

JOHN.

St. John, the "beloved disciple," was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of the elder James. (Matt. iv. 21. xxvii. 56. Mark xv. 40. xvi. 1.) He was `probably a son of John the Baptist. (John i. 35-41.) In his disposition he appears to have been peculiarly mod est, amiable and affectionate. He was one of those disciples, who witnessed our Saviour's transfiguration on the Mount, and his agony in the garden. (Mark ix. 2. xiv. 32, 33.) It was he, that leaned on Jesus's bosom at the last supper, (John xxi. 30—34) and to his care our Saviour, while on the cross, commended his mothera circumstance, which John has himself related with the most melting simplicity. (John xix. 26, 27.) After the resurrection he contiued to be, in the language of St. Paul, one of the "pillars" of the Church (Johu xxii. 2-4. Acts iii. 1-11. iv. 13-20. viii. 14. Gal. ii. 9.) He appears to have remained a long time in Judea, but at length, when the war broke out between the Jews and Romans, he removed to Ephesus. He was banished, probably by Domitian, A. D. 94 or 95, to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the Revelation. (Rev, i, 9.)

He is said to have lived to extreme old age, and to have died a natural death.

B. Y.

SELECT ANECDOTES OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON.

SIR ISAAC NEWTON, at school, diplayed a very singular passion for mechanical contrivances. By means of little saws, hatchets, hammers, and all sorts of tools, he made models of wood, when his companions were at play; and such was his dexterity that he constructed a wooden clock, and a good model of a wind-mill, which was erected about that time near Grantham, on the way to Gunnerby. Into this model he sometimes put a mouse which he called his miller, and by means of whose action he could turn the mill round when he chose. He executed also a water-clock, about four feet high, with a dial-plate at top for indicating the hours. The index was turned by a piece of wood, which either rose or feel by the dropping of water. The passion of the boy for these mechanieal occupations often withdrew his attention from his regular studies; and in consequence of this the other boys gained places above him, till he was roused to outstrip them all by a little extraordinary exertion. The intermission of his mechanical pursuits, which was thus rendered necessary, rather increased than abated his ardour for them. He introduced the use of paper kites among his school-fellows. He made paper lanterns, by the light of which he went to school in the winter mornings; and he frightened the country people by tying them to the tails of his kites in a dark night. He watched too the motions of the sun with great diligence; and by means of pegs placed in the wall of the house where he lived, and marks for the hours and half hours, the time of the day was shown to every person, on what went by the name of Isaac's dial. He had also a great turn for drawing; and, according to the account of Mrs. Vincent, who was neice to the wife of Sir Isaac's landlord, at Grantham, he frequently made little tables and cupboards, for her and her play-mates. She mentions also his having made a cart with four wheels, in which he could drive himself by turning a windlass.