Gavazzi on the Bible ..................... 185 The Protestant Watchword ............. On Visiting a Family in which a Sudden Death had Occurred......... 191 Christian Fellowship Meetings......... 46 Youthful Responsibility............... 128 Call to the Ministry........................ Page ton Page 270 The Way to be Happy..................... 130 History of George Whitfield Pinker- What Young Men might Do............ 133 ........................................... The True Gentleman ..................... 218 Solid Reading ............................... 297 Success in Business........................ 219 History of a Prodigal ..................... 322 Political Knowledge 246 Gold, What it Can and Cannot Do.... Hymns for Christian Fellowship 110 Fellowship in Christian Labour 304 304 Call to the Sluggard........................ 249 326 326 Proud Flesh.................................. 249 The Sting of Death THE CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE, AND FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE. The Cabinet. A DAILY THOUGHT FOR THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR. and "Fifty-three! The year's begun! Greet thee with a voiceless prayer." 1. BEGIN the year well: with enlightened meditation, seriousness, prayer, relying implicitly on the care and kindness of the God of immutable fidelity and love, and it will proceed well, and end well. You know not what may occur this year, but leave all with Heaven; God will dispose everything wisely, and for your ultimate good. one. 2. This is the first Sabbath in the year. Let it be a memorable Let it be one of special humility, special reflection, special gratitude and praise. Be determined that it shall not pass away listlessly and unimproved. Be resolved, in God's help, that a singular blessing shall result from its engagements and services. Commune with God pre-eminently, believers! at the table of the Lord this day it may give a tone to all the succeeding Sabbaths of the year. 3. In commencing the year, let the inquiry be searchingly proposed, "How are we living?" Is it in the exercise of faith? in the spirit of holiness? under the influence of prayer? or in the neglect of everything which is spiritual and divine-everything associated with our happiness and salvation? This is a most grave inquiry for every reader; let it be seriously pondered. 4. During this year, and, indeed, every year, let us confide implicitly in nothing of a sublunary nature: if we do, we shall indubitably be disappointed, and shall act with the utmost weakness and folly. Mutability is identified-essentially interwoven-with everything that is terrestrial. We can securely and infallibly depend on no object but what is heavenly. Where is your dependence fixed? You are not relying, are you, on any of the streams of earthly comfort? If so, how greatly will you be disappointed! 5. This day, every day, let me walk with God, as Enoch did, as Noah did, as Abraham did; and the day, indeed every day, will be one of pure affections, of elevated thoughts, of sublime resolves, of holy desires, and heavenly communion. If you thus walk, dear reader, you will partake of angels' food, and cherish the angelic spirit; yes, and more, you will possess the temper of the Son of God himself. 6. As the days revolve, do you not feel how great is the weakness of man? That excellent old writer, Mr. Shower, observes, "He cannot carry his own wishes, without falling under them. He can not prosper in his designs, without being changed in the temper of his mind upon every success." If we were to have our wishes uniformly gratified, we should be ruined. Do you feel, reader, in this manner? 7. Human life, it cannot be too earnestly remembered, is too precious to be trifled with; much less, frittered away. By multitudes, however, it is wantonly and criminally squandered, without reflection and without remorse. A long life passes away with many without any regard to its object and end-without any improvement whatever. My soul! how is it with thee? What report does conscience furnish? Is life properly estimated? Ever consider that its due appreciation is of transcendent importance. 8. It is a contemplation the most impressive and wonderful, that our present existence, instead of being the whole, or the greater part of our duration, is, in fact, comparatively nothing. It is only a drop, when contrasted with the ocean; a moment, when viewed in connection with eternity. Our future existence will be boundless, undefinable, inconceivable. We shall be ever in happiness, or ever in misery! What a thought! Let us, then, at all times, rightly |