POETRY. ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. Poetry. FINAL TRIUMPH OF CHRISTIANITY. WHO would not be a Christian? Who but now A new creation rising. Mid the gloom Awake, Anecdotes and Selections. Conder. ENGLISH CUSTOMS.-Compared with almost every other nation, the customs of the English stand out to great advantage. The right of a free road on the public highways-the right of demanding trial if accused, and that trial by jury—the right of speaking and writing and printing his opinions on public matters-and the right of local government in parishes and municipalities-with many other such privileges, were obtained for him by his noble-minded fathers, and ought to be held fast for posterity by every Englishman as guarantees of future freedom. But there is one good custom which came in with the Good Old Book when our fathers got a sight of it for the first time in print. And that is the right-a right they found given them from the beginning by God himself, the Great Ruler of ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. all-of having one day in seven as a day of rest. When Englishmen recovered this right they soon found it to be of more value-labour. ing men did-than all their other privileges put together. It gave them, for themselves and for their children, one day in every seven for rest from their hard work. And we wonder with great wonder that every hard-working man in England now does not see thisdoes not see that he would get no more for working seven days than for working six. He would soon find this out if he were in France, working in Paris, on Sundays as well as week-days; or if he were in China with no sabbath resting-day at all. Of all men in England, working men ought to stick up for the sabbath. And let them mind one thing. If the sabbath is given up to pleasure, it will soon be given up to work too. For no men can be furnished with pleasure on the sabbath without somebody working to give it them. Now we say all this without saying a word about religion. And yet, after all, it is the day which God has set apart for man to enjoy religion; and we pity the man who does not enjoy religion on the sabbath day. Our sabbath days ought to be our happiest days. Not dull and gloomy days; but cheerful, bright, and happy, as the days of heaven on earth. THE SABBATH Scholar and the SHOPKEEPER.-Sometime ago, a little boy, belonging to a sabbath school in London, having occasion every sabbath to go through a certain court, observed a shop always open for the sale of goods. Shocked at such profanation, he considered whether it was possible for him to do anything to prevent it. He thought that he might leave a tract on the subject, which he could do without exciting any ill-humour in the people; and he did not know but, by the blessing of God, this bread cast upon the waters might return to him after many days. He resolved accordingly to try. Having procured a little tract on the sin of breaking the sabbath, he stepped to the counter one day in passing, and very politely and modestly requested the person in the shop to accept of his tract. The person looked at him, and was surprised at the request; but seeing his modest, unassuming manner, she took the tract, and thanking him, laid it aside for the present, and the boy departed. On the very next sabbath as he passed, he observed that the shop was shut up. Surprised at this, he stopped and considered whether this could be the effect of the tract he had left. He ventured to knock gently at the door, when a woman within, thinking it was a customer, answered aloud: "You cannot have anything; we don't sell on Sundays!" Encouraged by what he heard, the little boy still begged for admittance; when the woman, recollecting his voice, said, "Come in, my dear little fellow; it was you that left the tract here against sabbath breaking; and it alarmed me so, that I did not dare to keep my shop open any longer; and I am determined never to do so again while I live." ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. CURIOUS EPITAPH.-In the village church of Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, there is a small wooden tablet hanging against one of the pillars having an allegorical representation and inscription painted on it, which, however fanciful, has the merit of being suited to the profession of the person it commemorates. At the top is the figure of a ship, with a man sitting on the deck, a crown of glory suspended over his head; fides is written on the sails, verbum Dei on the compass, and spes on the anchor, &c., and under this ship is the inscription:" Here lyeth the body of the right worthy William Keeling, esquire, Groom of the Chamber to our Soveraigne Lord King James, General for the Hon. East India Adventurers, whither he was thrice by them employed, and dying in this Isle at the age of 42, An. 1619, Sept. 19, hath this remembrance heer fixed by his loving and sorrowful wife, Ann Keeling. Fortie and two years in this vessel fraile, A courtier gracious, yet (alas) not old. Such wealth, experience, honor, and high praise, And thus with gales of grace by happy venter, Through straits of death, heaven's harbour he did enter." The whole is still fresh, and the letters so well painted and shaded as to appear carved in relievo. THE JEWISH SABBATH.-It is unlawful to ride on horseback, or in a carriage-to walk more than a mile from their dwellings-to transact business of any kind—to meddle with any tool-to write -to play upon any musical instrument- to bathe to comb the hair-and even to carry a pin in their clothes which is unnecessary. These, and a great many others, are complied with by the most rigid. There is one command, however, in the law of Moses, to which all Jews most scrupulously adhere: "Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the sabbath day." (Exod. xxxv. 3.) Consequently they never light a fire, or a lamp, or a candle on the sabbath, nor eat food prepared on that day - all must be done on the Friday. As it is impossible to spend the sabbath in cold climates without fire and light, the Jewish families who keep servants make it a point to have a Gentile in their service to do these things; and amongst the humbler classes, a number of families generally unite in securing the services of a Gentile neighbour for the day. We believe that nothing could wound the conscience of a Jew more than to be under the necessity of putting fuel on his fire, or snuffing his candle on the sabbath.-Rev. J. Mills. [The christian reader will see how the law of the christian sabbath differs from all this. He who is Lord of the sabbath said, It is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.] THE FIRESIDE. The Fireside. THE GOOD HOUSEWIFE. Ir is the misfortune of some men, who generously store their houses, to have wives who do not know how to use the blessings furnished to their hands. If wholesome bread, and savoury viands, and delicious desserts, do not grace the table, it is not because there is not good flour, and meat, and fruit, in the store closet and cellar; if the appropriate morning and evening beverage is not well flavoured and refreshing, it is not because China, Mocha, and Java, have not their best offerings within the house; if the pastry is tough, the preserves acrid, it is not because good butter, yeast, sugar, spices and eggs are wanting. The truth is, the good lady never learned how to put these things together. Every thing on the table bespeaks abundance, and nothing bespeaks taste and skill. The table seems to groan with its unnatural burden, and the guests feel like groaning too. There is abundance before you and yet nothing that you can eat with a relish. On the other hand, we find the housewife precious jewel-who makes even poverty itself turn to wealth in the account of beauty and comfort. Every thing she touches becomes good by the touch. If there is little on her table, that little is a luxury; it is so pure, sweet and wholesome. She will make better bread of inferior flour than the one above noticed makes of the best; she will really serve you a more delicious meal from the slenderest means, than indolent and untaught wealth, with her dozen servant hands, ever laid before you. What is wasted by the ignorant and improvident housewife, would suffice her to spread an inviting and even elegant board. Whatever her husband provides, is all returned with interest, in the health, comfort, and full content of all the family. This is but one point of domestic education, but it is a central one. All others seem to diverge from it. First of all, it produces good feelings. It makes the husband love his wife and love his home. It nerves his efforts to provide; it gives him assurance in hospitality; it serves to render him a domestic, virtuous, affectionate, thrifty and happy man. It also makes the children love their mother, love their home, and remember for ever the days of their childhood with rich delight. Those sweet maternal smiles, those clean and nice clothes, those wakeful and affectionate attentions, those pleasant fireside amusements, and not least, the delicious bread and cake and pies, and all other good things that mother made-ah! the boy will never forget these things-never! However boisterous the billows over which he may be called to dash in future life, or to whatever eminence of wealth and fame he may rise, with the same precious remembrance will his heart linger on the scenes of early home, and dart its longing hope onward to a kindred one beyond the grave. Winslow. THE PENNY POST BOX. The Penny Post Box. THE YOUNG PENITENT. A YOUNG Woman, who had lived careless of her soul and eternity, going from home into service, was asked by a christian friend if she was prepared to die. This led to examination and conviction. Directed to Christ, she found salvation in his name, and addressed a few lines to her friend, the substance of which is here given. My much-beloved friend, How once I walked the fatal road Along that path I went Before I left my home, My heart on earthly pleasures bent, But then the question came, Are you prepared to die? I thought my sins too great Ever to be forgiven; I thought I must be ever lost, Who died the lost to save- Then let me ever love The friend who was so kind; Ah me! how sad my heart was Who led my thoughts to things above, then Eternal life to find. No help for me seemed nigh. BLIND GUIDES. M. S. OUR friends who live in retired villages often see some young clergyman, full of importance with his new office, but sadly ignorant of its duties, play fantastic tricks. But we do not so much blame the men as the system which makes some of them what they are. Indeed we cannot expect them to be anything else when we look at their bringing up. W. U. tells us of one of these, who visiting a sick young woman, turned on his heel and left the chamber when he heard that she had been brought up by her grandfather, who was a dissenter in a neighbouring village. The same parson went to see a youth of fourteen, who had left his place from sickness. "You," said he, "have been such a great sinner that there is no forgiveness for you." The poor lad went distracted. We hope he was taught better; but he died. RAILWAY SUNDAY TRAFFIC. J. W. S. desires to point out the sin of money-getting and sabbathbreaking railway proprietors, in running luggage trains on the sabbath-day. This, like the boating traffic on canals on the sabbath-day, is an evil which might be avoided and ought to be put down. But what can you do with men who have made money their god? Urge the claims of God and they will defend the claims of Mammon against God in our courts of law. Verily the love of money is the root of all evil, and this is one of its evil fruits. |