24 HARD WORK AN EXCELLENT MEDICINE. 



battle of life who will remember the Sabbath school in 

 connection with the late Dr. Beattie's church, and who still 

 carry with them the vivid impression of truths forcibly 

 inculcated by an earnest teacher Robert Boyle. 



A very practical philosopher of modern times has said that 

 " work kills half the ills that flesh is heir to." So thought 

 Robert Boyle when overtaken by a severe illness which 

 kept him for a time from active labour. 



On one occasion, when confined to bed with a severe 

 illness, he so chafed at his enforced idleness, that at last he 

 devised a novel means of propagating the knowledge he 

 could not orally impart. He collected and arranged a 

 number of striking facts relating to missions, heathen 

 manners, customs, &c., and had them condensed and manu- 

 factured in the form of small wafers, so that booksellers 

 might distribute them to be used instead of seals for letters. 

 At that time envelopes were not generally used, and almost 

 all letters were sealed or wafered ; the consequence was that 

 these wafers became very popular. They were a ready 

 means of conveying gospel truths far and wide, and, to 

 extend their influence for good, they were translated into 

 several different languages. The sale of these attractive 

 little messengers of " good tidings " ultimately realised an 

 amount sufficient to build a large boat, which was appro- 

 priately named The Wafer, and was specially designed and 



