The cross of Christ has a mighty influence upon all who believe on His name. Paul said, with holy earnestness, "God forbid that I should glory in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. vi. 14). Once, as a Pharisee, he loved the world--the religious world--the esteem of men, the applause of his fellow-Pharisees; but now they hated and persecuted him, and he despised their favour. So, if we are led to behold by faith Jesus crucified for us, the sins, the pleasures, and the friendships of the world will lose their power and attractions, and the love of Christ will constrain us to live to Him who died and rose again for us. We find that, when the Apostles were first beaten and threatened for preaching the Gospel, "they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His sake" (Acts v. 40, 41). They knew that Jesus loved and gave Himself for them, and they, out of love to their Saviour, were willing to lay down their lives for His sake, or to live despised and hated by the world. Before He died, Christ said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." He foresaw His own sufferings from the first, but the joy that was set before Him animated Him all the while, and, as His people's Leader, He says, "Follow Me, and enter at last into My joy." But Jesus never said, "Take up My cross." Oh, no! His cross He alone could bear! His saving sufferings He only could endure! It is our own cross that we are called to bear as His followers, and His love will strengthen and support us. Oh, that we may indeed know Him as our once crucified, but now exalted Saviour, and follow Him through all life's changes to the bright home whither He has gone, living henceforth to Him, and Him alone. Our next subject will be, Psalm xxxii. Your loving friend, H. S. L. PRIZE ESSAY. HOW TO LIVE WELL. We cannot live well without we acknowledge God in all our ways. A Christian cannot exist without prayer. Thus, in 1 Thessalonians v. 17, it says, "Pray without ceasing," which shows us that we cannot live well without prayer. To live well also means that we should obey and honour our parents, as enjoined in Ephesians vi. 1, 2, and make ourselves useful to those that surround us. And, in 2 Thessalonians iii. 13, it says, "Brethren, be not weary in well doing." Jesus Christ has also set a pattern, for He was always doing good. He even came into this world to die for sinners. As Jane Taylor says-- "Jesus, who lived above the sky, Came down to be a Man, and die; And in the Bible we may see How very good He used to be. "And so He died; and this is why He came to be a Man, and die: The Bible says He came from heaven That sinners' sins might be forgiven."