where one was least expected, of the Divine authenticity of the sacred records, which declare that originally "the whole earth was of one language and of one speech;" but that at Babel "God confounded their language, and scattered them abroad upon the face of all the earth." 7. Researches and Excavations. Here is a wide field for an interesting excursion, did our pages admit us to range therein; but a few remarks must suffice. The researches of eminent travellers in the deserts of Idumea and Arabia, and in Palestine, have so clearly identified scenes and localities mentioned in the Bible as to map them out before our minds with a kind of visible reality, shedding fresh interest upon the sacred page, and eliciting new facts and incidents in support of its testimony. The discovery of the singular yet magnificent ruins of Petra, a city of ancient Edom, and the naked rocks and wild solitudes of the Desert, makes us feel the reality of the prophetic denun ciation: "O thou that dwellest in the cliffs of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill, though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord;" also, "Edom shall be a desolation; every one that goeth by it shall be astonished No man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it." (Jer. xix. 16-18.) But what shall we say respecting the marvellous excavations of Nineveh, where the enterprizing Layard is bringing to light the monuments of a magnificent city, which has been entombed beneath a shapeless mass of ruin for two thousand five hundred years, and sculptured representations, in bass relief, of personages who flourished and events which transpired above three thousand years ago! When we stood, some time ago, amid the numerous monuments already exhumed from Nineveh, and deposited in the British Museum, we seemed to go back to the infancy of our world, and live in the days of Esarhaddon, and Semiramis, and Ninus, and Asshur; and we saw before us with astonishment and delight the authentic documents of a people's history, whose records have the earliest place of any nation in the sacred writings, and whose wealth and power, whose early civilization, whose warlike habits and religious superstitions so exactly accord with the scripture testimony. Remarkable indeed, that God should have sealed up these monuments of ancient facts for so many centuries, and at this period bring them forth fresh as from the sculptor's chisel, to confront the pretensions of idolatry and sustain the testimony of his own word. We have, indeed, a parallel in geology and astronomy. Just when infidelity has completed its imposing and plausible scheme of deriving suns from nebular matter, the telescope of Rosse touches the scheme, and it melts away. Just when the gradual development theory evolves a higher species of animal from a lower, excavations in the new red sand stone, and other strata, disclose the footprint of birds, and the bones of different animals in such eras and such order of succession as break the imaginary chain, invert the supposed order, and overturn the foundation of the atheistic theory. In like manner, just when the philosophy of the continent has the effrontery to turn part of the sacred history into a myth, behold, the marble documents which prove the myth a reality, are exhumed from their dark abode, and the enemies of the Bible are put to confusion. We might elicit further evidence from anatomy, chemistry, and various other sciences, but the present must suffice for this paper. Perhaps, at a future time, we may resume the subject. What we have now penned are merely specimens from almost inexhaustible stores of facts which the sciences present, illustrative of the important truth contained in the heading of this article, that the evidence of revealed religion accumulates with age, and brightens with advancing science. Christianity therefore has nothing to fear, but every thing to hope, from investigation. It has germs of truth yet to be evolved-it has illustra tions and confirmations to gather with every progressive movement in science, with every advance in human intellect; and with every acquisition which may be gathered from the explorations of real philosophy, it shall adorn, enrich, defend, and illustrate itself. EDITOR. THE SPIRIT LAND. THIS world is beautiful, 'tis true, Their heads in adoration bow'd, On every hand, to glad the eye, The breezes richer perfumes bear; Who would not leave a sphere like this, To reign throughout eternity? Who would not leave a world so vain, MIRTH AND MELANCHOLY.-A French physician was once consulted by a person who was subject to most gloomy fits of melancholy. He advised his patient to mix in scenes of gaiety, and particularly to frequent the Italian theatre; and added, "If Carline do not expel your gloomy complaint, your case must be desperate indeed." The reply of the patient is worthy the attention of all those who frequent such places in search of happiness, and it shows the unfitness and insufficiency of these amusements: "Alas, sir, I am Carline! and while I divert all Paris with mirth, and make them almost die with laughter, I myself am dying with melancholy and chagrin." THE DOMESTIC CIRCLE. "HE IS BUT A CHILD." WHERE this expression is used to a good purpose once, it is made use of twenty times to a bad one. The practice of severity towards young people is not a likely way to reclaim them; they require great forbearance, and when one has committed an error, it is well to remember that he is but a child. But if severity be a bad thing, indulgence is a bad thing too; and if every fault is to be excused, and every offence left unpunished, because the offender is but a child, no wonder that so many bad men are to be found in the world. Turpin, the highwayman, was once but a child; and if his childish errors had been properly corrected, most likely he would never have become a highwayman. Burke, the murderer, was once but a child, and 110 doubt, unreproved; childish offences were the beginning of his murderous career. If, then, should not wish our children to become robbers and murderers, we must set our faces against excusing the errors of any one of them merely because he is but a child. we This expression, "he is but a child," is more frequently in the mouth of an indulgent mother than any other; and thus she who would willingly be the best friend in the world to her son, becomes his worst enemy. "He is but a child," has led many a man to crime and dishonour, and brought him to a shameful death. If this be a truth, it is a truth worth a mother's consideration; for who is there that feels like a mother the disgrace and ruin of an unworthy son? If the gardener who prides himself in rearing up his trees in a straight and proper form, were to pay no attention to their turnings and twistings while they were young and tender; if he were to satisfy himself with saying, "Oh, it is but a twig," and so let the twig grow on until it became a tree; what sort of trees do you think he would have? Crooked they would be, and crooked they must remain; for it would be past his power to make them straight. Is it easier, then, to amend the crooked mind of a child, than the crooked stem of a tree? or does a mother love her offspring less than the gardener loves the produce of his garden? Surely not, and there fore mothers will do well to act as this gardener does; to begin the course of training betimes, and to leave off making the poor apology for the error of her offspring, " He is but a child." Harry Archer had a kind mother, so far as letting him have his own way went, but a very unkind one as it respected his happiness as a child, or his respectability when he became a man. Whenever Harry was complained of for throwing stones, using bad language, and getting into mischief, his indulgent mother thought that a great fuss was made about a little matter; that people had no consideration, and ended her remarks with, "Poor fellow! he is but a child." The consequence of all this was, that Harry threw stones more than every got worse and worse in his language and became so mischievous, that he was the plague of the whole neighbourhood. Now, as Harry's mother had never fixed in her own mind any particular time to begin to correct her son, so he went on month after month, and year after year, growing worse and worse, and she still continued to excuse his faults in the old way, saying, on every occasion wherein his errors required correction, He is but a child." At last, Harry went to a boarding school at some distance from home. His mother, who accompanied him, gave a particular charge to the master, in Harry's presence, to use her son kindly; not to expect too much from him, nor to be harsh with him for any little faults he might commit: her parting words to him were, "Bear in mind, sir, he is but a hild." Harry's master certainly did bear with him, until he had committed so many faults, that it became absolutely necessary to complain. A letter was dispatched to his mother to tell her, that not only had Harry sadly committed himself in using shameful language, and in telling many untruths, but that he had broken three squares of glass at dif ferent times, in the windows of a house adjoining the school, and stolen a shilling from the box of one of his school fellows. Harry's mother replied to this letter by saying, that she hoped in time her son would get the better of the habit he had fallen into of using bad words; that, perhaps, his school fellows had made more of the fibs he had told than what was true; that she would willingly pay for the broken glass, and return the shilling if her son had really taken it; and again reminded the master that he ought not to be too severe towards so young a boy. You must remember," added she, "that he is but a child." 66 In a little time Harry was past all bearing; for, child as he was, he did more mischief, gave more trouble, committed more acts of dishonesty, and got into deeper disgrace, than any boy that had ever entered the school. He was dismissed as too bad to be reclaimed, and returned home to his indulgent mother, who did not fail to speak hard words against his master, as a man of no feeling. "How could he expect Harry to be faultless? If the boy has been a little naughty, why, he is but a child!" In course of time, Harry was put apprentice, and a pretty apprentice he made. His master, who was a weak man, soon became heartily sick of him, and his mother could no longer bring forward the excuse, "He is but a child." Harry neither kept his hands from "picking and stealing" nor his "tongue from evilspeaking, lying, and slandering;" he joined a set of bad companions, and before he had served half his apprenticeship, he got thrown into prison for breaking open a chest of drawers, and robbing his master. His mother blamed Harry for his misconduct, and his master for not watching over him more carefully, but she never blamed herself. It never once occurred to her, that neither Harry nor his master was half so much to blame as she was, though all the evils that occurred were brought about by her indulgent folly in excusing his errors, and in repeating the observation, "He is but a child." If injudicious parents would but consider the shame they bring on their children, and the sorrow they bring on their own hearts, by silly indulgence and the habit of passing over their faults, surely they would act more wisely; surely they would kindly and firmly correct the failings of those they love, and never encourage any one of them in bad habits and evil ways, by the observation, "He is but a child!" Harry, owing to some little error on the part of his master, who appeared against him on his trial, was set at liberty, and then he became the plague of his mother's heart. She had to support him in idleness and extravagance; to buy him off when he enlisted as a soldier, to pay the debts he contracted, and to make many people amends for the injury he had done them. Poverty came upon her, and loudly did she complain of her ungrateful son; but still her own error was overlooked. When she first began to excuse Harry, and to say, "He is but a child," she began to sow that seed of bitterness that had sprung up around her so abundantly. Harry was again thrown into jail without hope of escaping; his crime was that of highway robbery; the evidence was clear against him, and he was sentenced to be transported for life. It was with a burdened heart and a wounded spirit, that Harry's mother went to take leave of her son; and then, while she sobbed aloud and wrung her hands, while the heavy clanking chains of the prisoners rang in her ears, Harry told her to thank herself for what she had to suffer, for that she had brought it all on her own head by her folly in excusing his faults. You have been the ruin of me, mother," said he. "If I had never heard you say, 'He is but a child,' I might now have been an honest man Harry was sent across the seas as a felon, and his mother pined away and died of a broken heart. Thus a son was driven from his country in disgrace, and an afflicted mother brought down with sorrow to the grave, by that silly and sinful excuse for early errors, "He is but a child." -The Visitor, THE DUTY OF PARENTS. PARENTS, you have a son, a darling son. He has faculties for good and for evil, and they must act. Each capable of such intense action that both cannot act on a level, one must be in some measure subservient. Your son is now young; he has no habits, no principles, no character. These must be formed, and you have been appointed by Providence to superintend and assist in this formation. This you must do, whether you will or not. The nature of the relation existing between you and your son render your non-participation in the formation of his character impossible. Towards what course of life would you direct his innocent footsteps? What would you have him become? A man in form only; independent only of good, with feeble, wavering energy; his self-respect a mere low, disgusting pride? You can easily train him for this, as a thousand have been and are being trained, unless his mind is far, very far above the commonality. Treat him as a machine, impress it upon him that he is a mere tool, and he will soon become such. Make him keenly feel his inferiority, check all his little aspirings, and like a sapling bent to the ground, he will soon learn to grow downwards. But if you would wish him to become a strong-minded, truth-loving, whole-souled man, treat him as a man that is to be, as an equal. Draw out his better nature; strengthen all his aspirings for that which is high and good. Teach him to curb his strong passions, and to attain that self-control which enables man to influence his fellow man. Let him feel that he has the germ of the man within him, which needs only a right cultivation to make it serviceable to himself and mankind. Teach him at all times to bring his actions and motives to the standard Be sure of right, and only right. that he feels confidence in you as a sympathizing friend in all cases. Never elevate yourself or depress him so that he can approach you only with an effort. He has his world of joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, which, although small to you, are all to him. Encourage him to action; place before him some desirable object which he may procure by selfdenial and extra exertion. Man needs something for which to labour, why not he? Let him find by experiment that there is something for him to gain by right, or lose by wrong, and an inducement to virtuous action will be given him. Teach him to think correctly for himself, judge for himself, and act for himself while young and under your care, and he will feel his own individual responsibility, and will not be so easily enticed and deceived when thrown upon his own resources. But above all, teach him early the great truths, the solemn duties, and awful responsibilities of religion. Let him understand that he is fallen and depraved by sin, but redeemed by Christ, and that the Holy Spirit is given to renew and sanctify his nature. Lat him early know that it is his privilege and duty to experience this blessed restoration, and explicitly show him the way. Let it be impressed upon him that religion is the foundation of every moral excel lence, and the source of true happiness. Teach him to imitate Jesus. Teach him to venerate the Bible, to look upon God as his Father and heaven as his home, and the chief object of his life here to do good. Early teach him by precept and example to love the Lord and keep his commandments, and it shall be well with thee and thy house to future generations. |