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THE TWO ORPHANS AND THE BIBLE.

in youth or old age, his end will be one of the most glorious, animating, and transporting sights, that men or angels can behold on earth, or wish to see in heaven.

Counsel to the Young. RESOLVE to form your lives upon some certain principles, and to regulate your actions by fixed rules. Man was made to be governed by reason, and not by mere accident or caprice. It is important, therefore, that you begin early to consider and inquire what is the proper course of human conduct, and to form some plan for your future lives. The want of such consideration is manifest in the conduct of multitudes. They are governed by the impulse of the moment, reckless of the consequences.— They have fixed no steady aim, and have adopted no certain principles of action. Living thus at random, it would be a miracle if they went uniformly right. In order to your pursuing a right path, you must know what it is; and to acquire this knowledge, you must divest yourselves of thoughtless giddiness, you must take time for serious reflection. It will not answer to adopt without reflection the opinions of those who may be about you, for they may have some sinister design in regard to you, or they may themselves be misled by error or prejudice. Persons already involved in

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dissipation, or entangled in error, naturally desire to keep themselves in countenance, by the number of followers whom they can seduce into their path of vice. As reasonable creatures, therefore, judge for yourselves.

Good Advice for the Young.

THE pious Mr. Kettlewell, the day before his death, (April 12, 1695,) called to him his nephew, John Danvil, a boy about fifteen years of age, whom he had educated and brought up, and gave him the following good advice:-

1. "To observe all the commandments of God; for he that breaketh one is guilty of the breach of all; for the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness.

2. "To despise and contemn the world: that is, let not the profits nor pleasure of it allure or tempt you; nor let fear of danger affright you from any Christian duty; but have a perfect dependence upon God, for he is a kind, merciful, and a good God; I have found him to be so.

3. "To be humble, mild, and meek; to have candour and charity."

Then he dehorted him from all vice-as from pride, passion, and dissimulation, hypocrisy, lying. Of which last, he said, "Do not tell a lie, no, not to save a world, nor to save your king, nor yourself."

Sabbath-school Treasury.

The Two Orphans and the Bible.

THE following circumstance occurred some years ago at Warrington, and is related by

a gentlemen of respectability:-" About three weeks ago, two little boys, decently clothed, the eldest appearing about thirteen, and the youngest eleven, called at the lodging-house for vagrants in this town for

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a night's lodging: the keeper of the house very properly took them to the vagrant office to be examined, and if fit objects, to be relieved. The account they gave of themselves was extremely affecting. It appeared that but a few weeks had elapsed since these poor little wanderers had resided with their parents in London. The typhus fever, in one day, carried off both father and mother, leaving them orphans in a wide world, without a home, and without friends. After the death of their parents, having an uncle in Liverpool, they resolved to throw themselves upon his protection. Tired, therefore, and faint, they arrived in this town on their way. Two bundles contained their little all; in the younger boy's was found a neatly covered and carefully preserved Bible. The keeper of the lodging-house, addressing the little boy, said, 'You have neither money nor meat, will you sell me this Bible? I will give you five shillings for it." No,' replied he, the tears rolling down his cheeks, 'I will starve first.' • Why do you love the

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Bible so much?" And he answered. 'No book has stood my friend so much as my Bible.' Why, what has your Bible done for you?' He answered, 'When I was a little boy, about seven years of age, I became a Sunday scholar in London.Through the kind attention of my master, I soon learned to read my Bible; this Bible, young as I was, showed me that I was a sinner; it also pointed to me a Saviour, and I thank God that I found mercy at the hands of Christ, and I am not ashamed to confess him before the world. The Bible has been my support all the way from London; hungry and weary, often have I sat down by the way side to read my Bible, and have found refreshment from it.' He was then asked, 'What will you do when you get to Liverpool, should your uncle refuse to take you in?' He replied, 'My Bible tells me when my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.""— Burns' Sketches for Sunday Schools.

Dying Hours.

Sir Matthew Hale.

THE life of Sir Matthew Hale, was truly an example of active piety, and amidst his numerous and important avocations, he never neglected the one thing needful. The fact therefore was, as might be expected, that "the latter end of this man was peace." On account of an asthma with which he was afflicted, he could not for about a year previous to his death, lie down in bed, but rather sat upright. In his last

illness, he was attended by a pious and worthy Minister, Mr. Evans Griffith, and it was observed that in all the extremities of his pain, whenever he prayed by him, he forbore all complaints and groans, and with his hands and eyes lifted up, was fixed in his devotions. He had some secret presages of his death; for he said "that if he did not die on such a day, he believed he should live a month longer,” and he died that very day month. He continued to enjoy the free use of his reason to the last moment, which

LIFE.

he had earnestly prayed for during his sickness; and when his voice was so sunk that he could not be heard, they perceived by the almost constant lifting up of his hands and eyes, that he was still aspiring towards that blessed state, of which he was now speedily to be possessed. This excellent man had for many years a peculiar respect for Christmas-day, and after he had received the sacrament and been in the public services of that day he usually wrote a copy of verses in honor of Christ, as a

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proper expression of the joy he experienced in his soul, at the return of the glorious anniversary. The last of these picces he ever wrote is supposed to have been a paraphrase on the Song of Simeon. This eminent lawyer and devoted Christian was called to enter into the joy of his Lord, on the 25th of December, 1676; in the sixtyseventh year of his age. His funeral ser mon was preached from Isa. lvii. 1, and he was buried on the 4th of January, in the church-yard of Alderly.

Poetry.

They Call me away to the Far Land.

BY EMILY VARNDELL.

They call me away to the far land,

Sister-the Angel shore,
Where the countless throng of the ran-
Assemble to part no more. [somed band

Where the angel harps in the streets of
Loud hallelujah's sing,
[gold,
To the Saviour God of that holy fold-
Jehovah, their Priest and King.

In the vigil hours of the lonely night,
When sleep closed the eyes of men,
They came to me then, in a vision bright,
They came, and they come again.

They whisper! they whisper, the unknown Their message full well I know; [band, They call me away to the far landSister, I go! I go!

Gentle Words.

A young rose in the summer-time

Is beautiful to me,

And glorious are the many stars
That glimmer on the sea:
But gentle words and loving hearts,
And hands to clasp my own,
Are better than the brightest flowers,
Or stars that over shone.

The sun may warm the grass to life,
The dew the drooping flower,
And eyes grow bright, and watch the light,
Of autumn's opening hour,-
But words that breathe of tenderness,
And smiles we know are true,
Are warmer than the summer-time,
And brighter than the dew.

It is not much the world can give,
With all its subtle art,

And gold and gems are not the things,
To satisfy the heart:

But, oh! if those who cluster round
The altar and the hearth,
Have gentle words, and loving smiles,
How beautiful is earth!

Life.

Life is like a painted dream,
Like the rapid summer stream,
Like the flashing meteor's ray,

Like the shortest winter's day,
Like the fitful breeze that sighs,
Like the wavering flame that dies,
Darting-dazzling on the eye,
Fading in eternity.

Varieties.

ON ASSOCIATING WITH THE World.While Samson lived the avowed enemy of the Philistines, and far from their cities, he was revered among them as a man elevated of God, to restore the glory of Israel: but scarcely had he associated with this perfidious nation; scarcely had he formed connections with them, and begun to imitate their manners, before he became the pun of Gaza, and the laughter of their public sports.

THE LITTLE SERAPH.-The celebrated Dr. Berkeley, bishop of Cloyne, in Ireland, lost a son in early childhood. This son was blessed with astonishing seriousness of mind, and manifested the most amiable dispositions. He once asked his father this question:-"What is the meaning of the words Cherubim and Seraphim, which occur in Holy Scripture, and in the service of the church?" The answer returned was, "Cherubim is an Hebrew word, signifying knowledge! Seraphim is another word of the same language, and signifies flame. From whence it is inferred, that the Cherubim are an order of celestial beings, excelling in KNOWLEDGE; the Seraphim, celestial beings likewise, excelling in DIVINE AFFECTION!" The child replied, "I hope, then, when I die, I shall be a SERAPH! for I had rather love God than know all things!"

EXCELLENCY OF THE BIBLE.-As the telescope to the natural eye, so is divine revelation to a spiritual understanding.

The Bible is a map of heaven, a true history of the primitive church, an infallible rule of life, an immoveable ground of hope, and an everlasting spring of consolation.

We should bless GOD for a Bible inspired and printed, but especially for a Bible explained and applied by the SPIRIT. Still be the sacred pages your delight, Read them by day, and meditate by night; Let sacred subjects on your bosom roll, Claim every thought, and draw in all your

soul.

HUMILITY.-Pride, in some shape or other, is the common and universal sin of our nature; but humility is the grand mark, and characteristic, and grace of Christianity.

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An excellent divine being asked what was the first grand principle of religion? answered, "Humility;" and what was the second? "Humility;" and the third ?— Humility:" without this, though a man may possess the talents, the abilities, and the knowledge of the greatest of men, he is in the sight of God but as "sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal."

Humility is essential to all true religion. It consists not in empty words, in large possessions, in a dejected countenance, or in outward garb and appearances, but in a low and humble estimation of ourselves, and in thorough conviction of our own unworthiness.

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MALICE AND ENVY.-Malice and Envy are but two branches growing out of the same bitter root; self-love and evil-speaking are the fruit they bear. Malice is properly the procuring or wishing another's evil; Envy, the repining at his good; and both these vent themselves by evil-speaking.

Printed by JOHN KENNEDY, at his Printing Office, 35,

Portman Place, Maida Hill, in the County of Middlesex,
London.-February, 1850.

Theology.

The Majesty of God.

But how can we convey or you receive any idea of this? We cannot describe it. The fault is not in language; it is in the weakness of our minds. We are finite beings, and any effort to comprehend infinite greatness is vain, just as vain as an attempt to measure the wide heavens with a span, or to take up the mighty ocean in the hollow of one little hand. Why then does the Holy Spirit bring before us a subject of which we can form no just conception ? Because, even the poor conceptions which we are capable of forming, are beneficial to us. Because, we must perish without some knowledge of God. Because, we may know enough of him to bring peace and life eternal to the soul. No description of his greatness can be more simple then that given us in the following words, but it would carry an angel farther then he could follow it. "The Lord our God dwelleth on high." The grandest objects of nature are mostly above us. The towering mountain, the sun, the moon, the stars, all carry our eyes upwards. We have accordingly learned to attach the ideas of magnificence and excellency to whatever is lofty. Hence, in condescension to our mode of thinking, the great God is frequently spoken of as "The High God" "The most High" "The Highest." Isaiah describes him as "sitting upon a throne high and lifted up" and calls him the "high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity." David tells us something of the measure of his exaltation. "The Lord" says he, "is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens." He first bids us look on this lower world, and while we are admiring its convenience, its vastness, and its grandeur, he says to us "The Lord dwells not there; the Lord is high above all nations." He then lifts up our eyes to the worlds that roll on high; and as we see them shining in their magnificence at an immeasurable distance from us, we are ready to say, that in some one of these bright orbs is the dwelling place of God. But no. Again the prophet says "The Lord is not there, His glory is above the heavens." Stupendous as is their height, they come not nigh the footstool of Jehovah's throne. Were we standing on the summit of them all, the distance between him and us would still be immeasurable; our minds must still be stretched and our imaginations strained to discover his abode.-View the matter in another light. Look at a little insect as it flutters in the air, or crawls on the ground. Think of its short life, and frail texture, and limited powers. Then think of one of the angels of God, of the noble faculties and long existence of the very brightest of those glorious beings. Endeavour to calculate the distance between these two creatures-the vast difference between them. You say at once that you cannot; that the distance is so great, that the mind is baffled as it strives to measure it. But what is the difference between an insect and an angel, when compared with the distance between an angel and the living God? It is a mere point, a nothing. Take yet another view of the subject. We all know how easy it is to say whatever can be said in commendation one of another. A few poor words will exhaust the praise of the most excellent of the earth. It is not so in heaven. You have heard of the songs that are singing there. They come from innumerable hosts of angels and from " a great multitude" of the redeemed among men. They have been poured forth without a moment's interruption for many ages; they will go on, without ceasing for

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