are real Christians. There may also be diversities in regard to views on doctrines and on government. No creed is laid down in the New Testament; men think differently on religious subjects as well as on others. PATIENCE. Patience consists in the bearing of evils with calmness and complacency of mind, without raging, fretting, despondency, or an inclination to comply with any improper method of extricating ourselves from them. It is very common to rank it among the more humble and obscure virtues, such as belong chiefly to those who groan on a sick bed, or languish in a prison. But although such situations undoubtedly call for the exercise of patience, yet it is a great mistake to suppose it restricted to them. Assuredly, it always implies the existence of something unpleasant in our condition; some hardship to be sustained or difficulty to be surmounted; but the Scripture supposes this to be the continual state of Christians in this world. THE ADVANTAGES OF INDUSTRY. badly abuseth. Memory in a liar is no more than he needs. For, first, lies are hard to be remembered, because many, whereas truth is but one. Secondly, because a lie cursorily told takes little footing and settled fastness in the teller's memory, but prints itself deeper in the hearers', who take the greater notice, because of the improbability and deformity thereof; and one will remember the sight of a monster longer than the sight of a handsome body. Hence comes it to pass, that when the liar had forgotten himself, his auditors put him in mind of the lie, and take him therein.-Fuller. THE SOUL'S PROGRESS. There is not, in my opinion, says Addison, a more pleasing and triumphant consideration in religion than this: of the perpetual progress which the soul makes toward the perfection of its nature without ever arriving at a period in it. To look upon the soul as going from strength to strength-to consider that she is to shine for ever with new accessions of glory, and brighten to all eternity -that she will be still adding virtue to virtue, and knowledge to knowledge-carries in it something wonderfully agreeable to that ambition which is natural to the mind of man. Nay, it must be a prospect pleasing to God himself, to see his creation for ever beautifying in his eyes, and drawing nearer to him by greater degrees of resemblance. MINISTERING SPIRITS. The more a man accomplishes, the more he may. An active tool never grows rusty. You always find those who are the most forward to do good, or to improve the times and manners, always busy. Who starts our railroads, our steamboats, our machine shops, and our manufactories? Men of industry and enterprise. As long as they live they work; doing something to benefit themselves and others. It is just so with a man who is benevolent-the more he gives, the more he feels to like giving. We go for activity-in body, in mind, in everything. Let the gold grow not dim, nor the thoughts become stale. Keep all things in motion. It is better that death should find us scaling a moun-invisible guard. O blessed Jesus, tain than sinking in a mire. THE LIAR. O Lord, if thou shouldest leave me in my own hands, where were I? How easily should I be robbed of thee by every temptation! How should I be made the scorn and insult of men and devils! It is thy wonderful mercy that thou hast given thy angels charge over me; those angels, great in power, and glorious in majesty, are my sure, though what an honour, what a safety is this, that those heavenly spirits who attend thy throne should be my He hath a good memory which he champions! Those that ministered to thee after thy temptation are ready to assist and relieve me in mine; they can neither neglect their charge, because they are perfectly holy, nor fail of their victory, because they are, under thee, the most powerful. -Bishop Hall. PROMISES. pocket Bible. I never SECRETS. A man who entrusts his secrets to another, is like a man who gives up his arms, and declares himself a slave. But what greater infamy can he to whom he yields himself be guilty of, than to use the arms which have been put into his hands to assassinate him who had given them up? Fidelity is, therefore, the greatest treasure that can be found; and a secret entrusted is the last token of unfeigned friendship.-Count Ox A promise should be given with caution, and kept with care. A promise should be made by the heart, and remembered by the head. A promise is the offspring of the intention, and should be nurtured by recollection. A promise and its performance should, like the scales of a true balance, always present a mutual adjustment. A promise ne-enstiern. glected is an untruth told. A promise attended to is a debt settled. THE BEST GUIDE-BOOK. "When I went," says his friend Collins, "to bid Sir David Wilkie farewell, a day or two before he left home for his last journey (to the East), I asked him if he had any guide-book? He said, 'Yes, and the very best;' and then unrolling his travelling-box, he showed me a ETERNAL GLORY. The term of this glory is for ever. Even in the short life of man, men who are raised very high in place and popular esteem may, and often do, outlive their own glory. But the glory of God lasteth as long as himself, for he is unchangeable: his throne is for ever, and his wrath for ever, and his mercy for ever; and therefore his glory for ever. SIN. Purtry. FROM THE JOURNAL OF PRESIDENT I find my heart so exceedingly sinful, SIN haunts my steps where'er I fly, To travellers still as they descend, GIVE, EVERY DAY. LET us give something every day A tear for her o'er whose wan cheek The objects of our love and care In every path we see; And when they ask a simple prayer, Oh, shall we selfish be, And turn away with haughty thrust, As if the God above Were partial to our pamper'd dust, And only us did love? Let us give something every day, That to the inmost soul will reach, And warmth and life impart. We all can give, the poor, the weak, And scatter joy abroad, SABBATH MORNING. BY MRS. SIGOURNEY. SWEET day of rest, begin; The week hath had its way, With care, and strife, and folly's din, And scarce a pause to pray. The week its league hath kept It as a sower went Its earthly seed to cast, And some upon the winds were spent, To reap the winds at last. With many a deep regret, And hope that vainly burn'd, The work-day world our tasks hath set, And we her lessons learn'd. The week hath had its fill Of service and of speech; Six days and nights it ruled at will, But one it may not reach. We see its dawning gem Gleam o'er the mountain's breast, Kneeling, we kiss its garments' hem; Begin, sweet day of rest! THOUGHTS AT THE CLOSE OF DAY. THE shades of night are falling fast, The toils and cares of day are o'er; So life's bright day will close at last, Its sun will set, to rise no more. May all my hopes and thoughts be given There shall I see my Saviour's face, All nations will its healing know. When shall I tread the heavenly field, And close my pilgrimage below? The Children's Gallery. THE HOME-MADE BOY. WE have heard of home-made Question book. He has committed bread, and home-made beer; but this story is about a home-made boy. Read, and you will see. Arthur is a lad of twelve years, in a class in a Sunday-school. With a rare exception he is always present in his seat at the ringing of the bell. He carries home with him and brings back regularly his Bible and to memory ten verses of the lesson, (his regular task), and these he recites without stumbling. While the eyes of the other boys are wandering, Arthur's are directed to his teacher's face; for he seems to think, that to look at one who is speaking to him, is both polite and useful If you will stand by the class, and listen for a few minutes, you will find he has learned the answer to every question. Arthur is not pious: and yet the looker on would think that he was, by the interest he takes in listening to the truth. He shows no weariness up to the close of the lesson; and when the school is dismissed, you will see him go quietly home, with his library book, Question book and Bible, neatly wrapped up in his handkerchief. He is somewhat noisy in the streets on a weekday; but now he keeps the pavement with a slow, steady step of a man in miniature! Lewis is a lad of fourteen, in the same class. Just as it suits his whim or convenience, he is at school; and when he does come, he is half an hour before or behind the time of opening. He had a Question book, but he left it out in the garden, and a shower spoiled it beyond use. He has no recitation of verses to make! When the books are opened for study he has to be told where the lesson is; and gives what is a frequent excuse with him, that he was not at school last Sunday. And yet Lewis is not a very bad boy; and his friends all hope, that when he grows up, he will be a sober, industrious, and respectable man; but, alas! he will leave the Sabbath-school unblest by some of its best influences. I need not waste words to say, that the difference between Arthur and Lewis, is chiefly made at home. My three boys are fond of going to church. Sometimes they can all go together; other times one or two must stay at home; and the question often is, which shall go. On a bright Sabbath morning, they will all spring up from the breakfast table, and, hanging upon their father, say: "Papa, may I go to church today?" Only one of you can go to-day." All three at once: "Then, papa, let me go?" "Which wants most to go?" "Which is most willing to stay at home?" No reply. "Which of you will stay most willingly, if your father requires it?" No reply. And the two youngest, who are oftenest denied, look sad. "Now, my dear boys," says the father, "you might all go, if I thought best; but does either of you wish to go against your father's will?" All reply, "No." 66 'Who, then, will stay at home most cheerfully, if your father requires it?" A CHILD. A child is a man in a small letter, yet the best copy of Adam before he tasted the apple; and he is happy whose small practice in the world can only write his character. He is nature's fresh picture, newly drawn in oil, which time and much handling dims and defaces. His soul is yet a white paper, unscribbled with observations of the world, wherewith, at length, it becomes a blurred notebook. He is purely happy, because he knows no evil, nor hath made means by sin to be acquainted with misery. He arrives not at the mischief of being wise, nor endures evils to come by foreseeing them. He kisses and loves all; and, when the smart of the rod is past, smiles on his beater. Nature and his parents alike dandle him, and 'tice him on with a bait of sugar to a draught of wormwood. He plays yet, like a young 'prentice the first day, and is not come to his task of melancholy. All the language he speaks yet is tears, and they serve him well enough to express his necessity. His hardest labour is his tongue, as if he were loath to use so deceitful an organ; and he is best company with it when he can but prattle. We laugh at his foolish sports, but his game is our earnest; and his drums, rattles, and hobby-horses but the emblems and mocking of man's business. His father hath writ him as his own little story, wherein he reads those days of his life that he cannot remember, and sighs to see what innocence he hath outlived. The older he grows, he is a stair lower from God; and, like his first father, much worse in his breeches. He is the Christian's example, and the old man's relapse; the one intimates his pureness, and the other falls into his simplicity. Could he but put off his body with his little coat, he had got eternity without a burden, and exchanged but one heaven for another, and then returns again to his regiment. one A HINT FOR CHILDREN. A little chimney-sweep was evening hurrying through a street in one of the towns of England, when a larger chimney-sweep met him, and shouted out to him, "Halloo, Jack, where are you going in such a hurry?" The little fellow replied, "Don't bother me now; I am going to the missionary meeting. I've got a share in the concern, and I want to go and see how things go on." This little sweep was in a Sabbath-school; and he was also a subscriber to a missionary society, and was going to see how it got along. Are there not some little boys and girls who read the CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE, who have no share in a missionary society? Perhaps there is no such society where you live. Can you not unite with other children in forming one? Will it not be pleasant to have a share in the concern? TO BOYS AND GIRLS. Deut. xxii. 6. BY WM. B. TAPPAN. THUS said Jehovah to the Jew, name? Ah, little boy! whose crushing foot It is to prove the smallest thing As lower Exemption from an endless grave |