Senior Class. nerve of the oarsman is stretched; PERILS OF YOUNG MEN.-It is not sufficient to have escaped from one danger; to have emerged triumphantly from one form of temptation. The young man must have escaped every danger; must have gone safely through all forms of temptation. There is often a point in a young man's life when he seems to have escaped danger, but which is, in fact, the prelude to his ruin. He has passed through one form of peril, and seems to be safe, and yet from that very point he will move to destruction. The mind may linger a little while, and then, when apparently safe, a new danger will arise, and though the struggle may be arduous and torturing, it will be too late for rescue. On the great river that flows west of the Rocky Mountains to the ocean, there is a place where the waters are compressed by the rocks into a narrow channel, and where the river suddenly falls many feet, pitching and tumbling over the rocks. The passage is by no means unattended with danger, but it is not unfrequently made in a boat. Yet below that fall there is a deeper danger still. The water appears smooth, gliding onwards as though there were no treachery in its flow. The boat, having shot down the narrow passage, is seen to stop, and to lie without motion on the bosom of the waters. It neither goes forward, nor backward, nor towards either shore, as if there were a moment of deliberation in which way it should go. Soon it begins to move, not forward, but in a circular direction. It moves so gently, that one who knew not the perils of the place would feel no alarm; but then commences the fearful struggle. Round it is LONDON GIN SHOPS.-In one swept with increasing velocity, in week there entered fourteen gin spite of the efforts of the boat-shops 269,437 persons; of these Every oar is plied; every 18,391 were young. man. him. Riches of earth pass away -but the treasures of religion endure for ever. As Dr. Watts has beautifully said ⚫ Glittering stones, and golden things, For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul!' or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' But I must be brief, and therefore will proceed at once to saythat Croesus, in the height of his grandeur, was visited by Solon, the great Athenian lawgiver, to whom was shown all his wealth. Croesus addressed Solon, and wished to know whether he might not be reckoned among the number of the happy? Solon, among other sentiments, used the following, in which Uncle Harry concurs :-The man of affluence is not more happy than the man of poverty, unless, in addition to his wealth, his end of life be fortunate.-Call no man happy till you know the nature of his death -he is at best but fortunate.-It is the part of wisdom to look to the event of things; for the deity | often overwhelms with misery those who have formerly been placed at the summit of felicity.' This language mortified the ambition of Croesus, who thought, Surely Solon will call me the happy man. But, my young friends 'He is the happy man, whose life e'en burned alive. The pile was prepared and Croesus laid thereon, and just at this moment, the unhappy man became deeply convinced of the truth of Solon's admonition, and cried out'Solon! Solon! Solon!' Cyrus, desired to know the reason for his crying thus-and being informed, and reflecting on the uncertainty of earthly things, liberated him. Such was the end of this wealthy prince. His wealth was all taken from him in one hour. And what is worse to reflect upon !-he knew nothing of the true riches-nor did he acknowledge the hand of God in all. In closing this letter-let me beseech my young readers to remember that all the treasures of this world will avail us nought, if we have no interest in Jesus Christ.-Our treasure must be in heaven and not only our treasure, but our affections must be set on things above. Take warning from the sad end of Croesus-and seek a kingdom which cannot be moved. May you be enabled to point to heaven and say There is my house and portion fair, My treasure and my heart are there, And my abiding home.' And if this be said by you in truth-you will possess wealth far beyond the riches of Croesus, or Solomon himself - and they shall never be taken from you. When you leave this world, you will inhabit a city whose streets are pure gold, whose gates are made of pearls, and the inhabitants are all kings and priests unto God and the Father. That this may be your portion, is the earnest prayer of Your affectionate UNCLE HARRY. The engraving is taken, by permission, from Pinnock's Introduction to Ancient History, which we have already commended. MEMOIR OF CHRISTIANA PICKERING. THIS dear child was born April 3rd, 1835, and was the only daughter of Henry and Sarah Pickering, of Baddesley Ensor, in the county of Warwick. She was evidently a child of more than ordinary mind, and the affection of her heart was so manifest as to render it apparent to all with whom she associated. Her parents she held in the highest esteem, and nothing afforded her greater satisfaction than to show kindness at home, and to requite them for their ardent affection and kindness to her. The injunction of the Apostles, Children, obey your parents in the Lord,' appeared to her so reasonable and so just, that in the most conscientious manner she paid constant regard to their feelings and commands; and was never more delighted than when attempting to serve and please them. ་ The house of God was the place of her continual resort. No force of words was required to compel her to go to chapel; nor mere threats nor promises necessary to induce her to go, for she loved the habitation of the Lord's house, and there she was, 'Not a stranger nor a guest, She was a pupil in the sabbath school almost from her infancy. There she found her friends in the teachers whom she sincerely loved. And there she met her associates with whom she delighted to converse, and to whom she opened her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue was the law of kindness. Walking along the road one day with one or two of her youthful companions, she was overheard to recommend to them a strict regard to the Lord's day, 'for,' said she, the Lord is pleased with them that keep holy the Sabbath.' She was strongly attached to her daily governess, in reference to whom she said one day to her father, 'I do think she is a good woman, she talks so prettily to us children.' In the society of good people she was very happy; and especially when their conversation turned upon the subject of religion. Her countenance has been seen to brighten with delight, when Christ and his cross, experimental and practical piety have been the subject of converse. She was no stranger to a throne of grace, but was in the constant habit of retiring in private for secret devotions, morning and evening: and that she might improve her mind in this holy exercise, and furnish herself with suitable ideas and words, she purchased, unknown to her parents, a short, but comprehensive form of prayer, of which she made a good and profitable use. Good books, especially the Bible, were her constant companions: of these she had a very choice and goodly number, which she read well; and which she kept with care, and took great pleasure in reading her favourite ones to her mother when they were alone. Her knowledge of the way of salvation through a crucified Redeemer, and of the essential qualifications of a sincere Christian, as wrought in the soul by the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit, was very definite and correct. On one occasion her father asked her, what it was to be born again. She replied, 'To have a new heart and a right spirit.' The cause of Christ lay near her heart, and she did what she could to promote its interests. She was a distributor of religious tracts, and her little feet were swift to carry the gospel contained in these silent messengers to those who would not go to the house of God to hear it. From her own little store she was a contributor of a halfpenny a week to the funds of the Home Missionary Society, and this she did of her own willing mind, while many children of her age would have spent their halfpennies on useless sweets, simply to gratify themselves. For some years past, she has been an annual collector for the Home Missionary Society by means of new year's gift cards, and this year she collected with her card the large sum of fortyfive shillings. When she was asked how it was she had got so much, her reply was, 'I have gathered up the fragments.' The above sum was collected from eighty-nine different persons, some of whom gave a halfpenny and some a penny only. This was the last act of her useful life; and a noble one indeed it was, which proved demonstratively, that her meekness, gentleness, the sweetness of her temper, and her humble perseverance, secured to her success, where a mind of opposite character would be almost sure to fail for such was her lovely aspect, her engaging manner, her kind, affectionate, benevolent disposition, that she won upon the hearts of the people, and when she appealed to them for a contribution, to the cause of Christ, they could not easily refuse to give. Five sabbaths previous to her death she was deprived of the privilege of attending the sabbath school. This she much regretted, and even the sabbath before her death expressed a wish that she might go once more. But alas! it was not possible. The disease with which she died had taken deep hold of her constitution, and on the sabbath following, after a week of great suffering and intense anxiety, she breathed her last, and her gentle spirit, we do not doubt, escaping from the frail and mortal body sped its tractless way to the regions of ineffable glory. A few days previous to her death, one of the teachers proposed to pray with her, when her father asked her if 'there were anything in particular for which she wished him to pray. She said, 'Do pray that the Lord would give me a new heart,' And as she was talking seriously about dying, she requested in the event of her death that the teachers might be her pall-bearers, and that her minister would preach her funeral sermon from the words of David, 'He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters; He restoreth my soul.' Psalms xxiii, 8, 3. She died February 28th, 1847, being nearly twelve years of age, and according to her request her teachers were her pall-bearers, and her minister improved her death, on Sabbath day, March 14th, at Baddesley Chapel. Teachers of Sabbath schools, your work is important indeed. You are called in the providence of God, to labour for Christ,—for souls-for eternity. Go to your delightful employment in the spirit of prayer, and of faith, and hope, and love. And let it ever be your first and chief aim to lead the children to the Saviour. Oh, never forget that they are in possession of souls that must live for ever, either in unspeakable happiness or endless woe. Watch closely for early religious impressions, and encourage them do not, I entreat you, suffer them to pass away as the early dew, through your indifference or inattention. Remember, it is always possible you may, by your instrumentality, save the children of your charge, and they that win souls are wise, and they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. Polesworth, March 24, 1847. J. G. |