A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.-ECCLESIASTES,

vii. I.

S

THE COMMON LOT.

TRANGE it doth seem that man should die,

When his plans are form'd, and his hopes are
high;

He walks forth a lord of the earth to-day
And the morrow beholds him part of its clay :
He is born in sorrow, and cradled in pain,
And from youth to age it is labour in vain ;
And all that seventy years can show

Is, that wealth is trouble, and wisdom is woe;
That he travels a path of care and strife
Who drinks the poison'd cup of life!
Alas! if we murmur at things like these,
That reflection tells us are wise decrees;
That the wind is not ever a gentle breath—
That the sun is often the bearer of death-
That the ocean-wave is not always still—
And that life is chequer'd with good and ill:
If we know 'tis well that such change should be,
What do we learn from the things we see?
That an erring and sinning child of dust

Should not wonder, nor murmur, but hope and trust!

REFLECTIONS.

7. Hall.

PATIENCE is the guardian of faith, the preserver of peace, the cherisher of love, the teacher of humility. Patience governs the flesh, strengthens the spirit, sweetens the temper, stifles anger, extinguishes envy, subdues pride; she bridles the tongue, restrains the hand, tramples upon temptations, endures persecutions, consummates martyrdom.-BISHOP HORNE.

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.PROVERBS, Xxii. 16.

E will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will É make known thy faithfulness to all generations.—PSALM lxxxix. 1.

GREATNESS OF GOD.

HESE are Thy glorious works, Parent of good, Almighty! Thine this universal frame, Thus wondrous fair: Thyself how wondrous then! Unspeakable, who sitt'st above these heavens To us invisible, or dimly seen

In these Thy lowest works: yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.

Speak, ye who best can tell, ye sons of light,
Angels; for ye behold Him, and with songs
And choral symphonies, day without night,
Circle His throne rejoicing; ye, in heaven:
On earth, join, all ye creatures, to extol

Him first, Him last, Him midst, and without end.

Milton.

REFLECTIONS.

LOOK at John Milton. What was there in his circumstances to press him into greatness? Shut out from the light of heaven by blindness, most, in his situation, would have thought that they did well, could they have sung a few tunes, and earned their bread by making baskets. But Milton !-he has thrown a glory over his age, and nation, and language which can be impaired only by blotting the world out of existence.— Todd.

For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.—Proverbs, iii. 32.

E will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart; and E will glorify thy name for evermore.—Psalm,

lxxxvi. 12.

TRUST AND BELIEVE.

HAS not God

Still wrought by means since first He made the world?
And did He not of old employ His means

To drown it? What! is His creation less
Than a capacious reservoir of means
Formed for His use, and ready at His will?
Go, dress thine eyes with eye-salve, ask of Him,
Or ask of whomsoever He has taught,

And learn, though late, the genuine cause of all.
Cowper.

Он, whether, by Thy prime decree ordain'd
To days of future life, or whether now
The mortal hour is instant, still vouchsafe,
Parent and friend! to guide me blameless on
Through this dark scene of error and of ill,
Thy truth to light me, and Thy peace to cheer.
All else, of me unask'd, Thy will supreme
Withhold or grant; and let that will be done.
Milton.

REFLECTIONS.

THERE is nothing magnanimous in bearing disappointment with fortitude, when the whole world is looking on. Men in such circumstances act bravely from motives of vanity; but he who, in the vale of obscurity, can brave adversity; who, without friends to encourage, acquaintance to pity, even without hope to alleviate his misfortunes, can behave with tranquillity, is truly great, and, whether peasant or courtier, deserves admiration and should be held up for our imitation and respect. - GOLDSMITH.

Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.—Proverbs, viii. 10.

1

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.—ISAIAH, i. 17.

THE MESSAGE OF FREEDOM.

MID the drear haunts of force and strife

The ministers of peace shall stand,

And pour the welling words of life
Around a parched and thirsty land;
While, spread beneath the tamarind-tree,
Rise "happy homes, and altars free."
Ye isles, that court the tropic rays,

Cluster'd on ocean's sapphire breast;
Ye feathery bowers, ye fairy bays,

In more than fable now-"the blest :'
Waft on each gale your choral strain,
Till ev'ry land has rent the chain.
O England, empire's home and head,
First in each art of peace and pow'r,
Mighty the billow crest to tread,
Mighty to rule the battle hour,-
But mightiest to relieve and save,

Rejoice, that thou hast freed the slave.

REFLECTIONS.

Lord Morpeth.

LET us never exercise cruelty upon the smallest creature that is within our power, but ever remember, that everything which breathes is the object of Divine Benevolence; that they who would receive mercy from God are expected to practise it towards all that have life; and that the truly merciful man will be merciful to his beast.-TRIMMER.

Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless.—PROVERBS, Xxiii. IO

Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. -PSALM xl. 4.

R

FAITH IN THE CREATOR.

EGARD the world with cautious eye,
Nor raise your expectations high ;
See that the balanced scale be such
You neither fear nor hope too much,—
For disappointment's not the thing,
'Tis pride and passion point the sting.
Life is a sea where storms must rise,
'Tis folly talks of cloudless skies;
He who contracts his swelling sail,
Eludes the fury of the gale.

Be still, nor anxious thoughts employ:
Distrust embitters present joy;

On God for all events depend :

You cannot want when God's your friend.
Weigh well your part, and do your best;

Leave to your Maker all the rest.

The hand which form'd and bids thee come,
Guides from the cradle to the tomb.

REFLECTIONS.

ΤΗ HERE is no security in a good disposition if the support of good principles (that is to say, of religion, of Christian faith) be wanting. It may be soured by misfortunes; it may be corrupted by wealth; may be blighted by neediness; it may lose all its original brightness, if destitute of that support. -SOUTHEY.

He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife; but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.— PROVERBS, Xxviii. 25.