tress of several servants, and liable to the cares incident to the wife of a farmer of extensive business, not only was her own soul kept in perfect peace, but the influence of her piety was seen in the order of her house, and in the conversion of the greater part of her family to God, several of whom preceded her to the skies. During forty years she was the faithful Leader of the Class, having been appointed to it on the removal of Miss Reece from the neighbourhood. Punctual in attendance, and fervent in spirit, she watched over her charge as one that must give an account; while she was ever watchful for apparent religious concern in the members of the congregation, that she might gather them into the Church. As health and opportunity served, she visited the people in their own houses, even those who were neglectful of worship, as well as those who by their own act had put themselves under her spiritual care; and in times of distress or affliction, not only gave suitable religious counsel, but afforded temporal relief. From the commencement of her Christian course she was an ardent lover of our Mission work, and readily undertook the labour of collecting in w aid of its funds. Her district was a wide one, embracing not only the vicinity of her own sanctuary, but miles beyond, as she sought that every one about her and within her reach should have some interest in the conversion of the world, even if they were neglecting their own. Her last payment was made about a month before her death, and the return of subscriptions and collections for the year was ten pounds. In this, also, she, "being dead, yet speaketh." Her health had been declining for some time, and though much confined to the house by growing weakness of body and the excessive wetness of the season, yet with a mind in thorough vigour, and a heart set upon her God, she had the peace which "passeth all understanding," and the joy which transcends human thought. Her last illness was but of few days' duration, and comparatively painless. Her final effort was to address an earnest tract to a gentleman of business; and when she had prepared it for the post, she calmly said, "Now my work is done." In about two days after, she quietly passed into the joy of her Lord. ROBERT W. BROOMFIELD. ASTRONOMICAL NOTICES. FOR DECEMBER, 1873. BY A. GRAHAM, ESQ. RISING AND SETTING OF THE SUN AND PLANETS FOR GREENWICH. 1873. December 1st 1874. January 1st SUN'S DISTANCES FROM THE EARTH. Decrease of distance for the month Throughout this month Mars and Saturn are the evening stars, Venus and Jupiter the morning stars. On the 15th, at six o'clock in the afternoon, Saturn will below in the south-west, Mars higher south-west by south; Orion will be rising in the east, Aldebaran above it, at an altitude of twenty-three degrees, and the Pleiades still higher at thirty-six degrees altitude; Castor and Pollux are between northeast and north-east by east at altitudes of ten and five degrees respectively, Capella somewhat nearer the east at an altitude of thirty-eight degrees; Vega, the bright star in Lyra, will bear westnorth-west at an altitude of thirty-eight degrees. Mercury will be in perihelion on the evening of the 1st. On the morning of the 10th it will be stationary, after which the apparent motion among the fixed stars becomes direct or eastward. It will be in conjunction with Venus on the evening of the same day, when the distance will be only two degrees. They rise next morning about six o'clock; and, as the distance will be only slightly increased, it may be possible soon after to see both with the naked eye in close proximity. Venus may be easily detected, and Mercury will be quite close to it, a little higher. On the morning of the 12th, Mercury attains its greatest elevation above the plane of the Earth's orbit. It will be near the Moon on the morning of the 18th; and next day, at three o'clock in the afternoon, it will be at its greatest angular distance from the Sun, twenty-two degrees westward; about that time it rises two hours before the Sun, and can be easily seen with the naked eye, thus vying in interest, as morning star, with Venus and Jupiter. If it can be detected on the morning after its conjunction with Venus, there will be no difficulty in recognizing it afterwards. Venus outstrips it in pro Of gress eastward, and will be six degrees ahead by the end of the month. course Venus will serve all the time to guide the eye to her beautiful neighbour. Venus is in the more remote part of its orbit, and is now nearly full. Its apparent diameter is only ten seconds. Twelve months hence this planet will be the observed of all observers who are fortunate enough to be located where they can watch its progress across the disc of the Sun; the Earth will have turned us quite away from the interesting spectacle. Mars sets more than four hours later than the sun. It is now in Capricorn, and will be very close to a fifth magnitude star in that constellation on the evening of the 13th; the fixed star will look quite like a satellite to the planet. On the 23rd it will be in the neighbourhood of the Moon. Jupiter rises about midnight, and is a conspicuous object in the morning sky. It will be in conjunction with the Moon on the afternoon of the 12th, and in quadrature on the 22nd. Saturn sets earlier than Mars, and is too low to be seen to any advantage. The dimensions of the outer edge of the ring are thirty-five seconds by twelve; the diameter of the globe is fifteen seconds. Uranus will be on the meridian on the 4th at four o'clock in the morning, and on the 19th at three o'clock; altitude fiftyseven degrees. Neptune crosses the meridian on the 15th at eight o'clock, and on the 30th at seven o'clock in the afternoon; altitude forty-seven degrees. The Sun enters Capricorn on the 21st at 5h. 32m. in the afternoon, and the winter quarter commences. Its greatest southern declination is twenty-three degrees twenty-seven minutes twentyseven seconds. Sympathy, 157 That old Bible, by John Randerson, 15 The death of Abijah, by the Rev. Jabcz The music of Spring, 144 The sure Foundation, by R. J. Keeling, 80 Work on, by H. Yates, 240 PRAYER, THE EFFICACY OF: Luke xvi. 31. Pursuits indicative of character, 328 Rabbinical wisdom, a specimen of, 239 Recollections of a Wesleyan Minister's wife, 293, 357 |