. He had "decked her with ornaments, and put bracelets on her hands, and a chain on her neck, a jewel on her forehead, and earrings in her ears-a beautiful crown on her head." Thus was she "exceedingly beautiful, perfect through His comeliness, which He had put upon her." Ezek. xvi. 10-14. Now let me look at the other maiden who was to be presented to the earthly monarch. She was surrounded with the luxuries and comforts of life: she was blessed with wealth and many comforts of Providence. She was young, and although she too desired a better portion than was to be found on earth, she wished to be admitted into the presence of her earthly sovereign. She too had heard of her monarch, but it was but a distant report, she did not know her enough to love her, she was her subject and not her friend. John xv. 14. She had never learned the mind of the Potentate in whose presence she was to appear. How did she prepare for her presentation? A tasteful dress was selected, care and labour were expended in fashioning it, and to adorn the outward man; for this was all that was open to the eye of the earthly sovereign, who could not pierce the thoughts and intents of the heart. Thus I have described the two youthful aspirants, to the honour of a presentation of courts of so different a nature. Their preparation too, we have seen, was different. Let us view them each, now, while being led into the presence-chamber of the respective monarchs. The one was brought in with gladness and rejoicing. She advanced with boldness-for she knew Him who was about to receive her, even the thoughts of His heart had been revealed to her. Jer. xxix. 11; Ps. xl. 5; and cxxxix.17. The other approached with fear and timidity. As the one was 66 a great way off," the monarch saw her and ran and kissed her." Luke xv. 20. The other advanced to the presence of her sovereign, and stooped to kiss the proffered hand. The one was "presented faultless before the throne with exceeding joy;" the other could boast of no perfection, and for a while was too much overpowered to feel pleasure. It was the beloved son of the monarch who presented her, whom I had beheld sick and dying; therefore she could come boldly to her king, she feared Him not, she rejoiced to see Him "in His beauty," whose "well-beloved Son " presented her. The other was introduced to the earthly monarch, by one who was unacquainted with her sovereign, who equally with herself feared to approach the royal presence, and therefore she expected no smile of welcome or approval. But it was for a little while; the pageant was soon at an end, that maiden lingered not near the Sovereign, she dared not approach too close, she soon retired. Then I turned my eyes to her who was also before her Monarch; she was not hurried away; she was to go no more out," nor to leave His presence, where there was "fulness of joy," nor quit His right hand, where there were pleasures for evermore; she was "satisfied with His likeness," and would 66 serve Him day and night in His temple." Rev. xxi. 3. 66 "What manner of persons ought we to be ; " with such hopes, such promises? Let us rise to rejoice in them. Let us desire every day to fix our affections above, our eyes on things that are eternal, and may every event of our life, lead us onwards to that glorious day, and fit us to appear at that heavenly court, and "be presented faultless before His presence with exceeding joy." JULY, 1847. F C. AN APPEAL FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB DEAR FRIENDS :-I take up my pen to address you in behalf of those who cannot plead for themselves, and I do so with mingled feelings of gratitude, and of hope,— of gratitude for the noble and generous manner in which England's sons and daughters have responded to the cry for help, which was borne to them on every breeze from the shores of Ireland; and hope, amounting almost to certainty, that the claims of the deaf and dumb poor of Ireland for aid and sympathy from all who can give, will not be unheeded, unregarded. I take it for granted, that the readers of this Magazine are aware of the deep interest felt by the late Charlotte Elizabeth for this afflicted portion of our race, and that all of them are familiar with the little book penned by her, entitled "The Happy Mute," in which she narrated so touchingly the blessed results of instruction afforded by her to one of Erin's sons; the profits of which little book were given, by the gifted Authoress, to the Juvenile Association for promoting the education of the Deaf and Dumb poor of Ireland. Were she now on earth, from her intense love and interest in every thing connected with Ireland, we know how much of sorrow would fill her heart, not alone from the accumulated weight of suffering which our people are now enduring, but also from the fact that the prospects of the Juvenile Deaf and Dumb Association are in an especial manner affected, so that nought but clouds of darkness and gloominess seem to hang over it, and no feelings save those of despondency seem to arise in the hearts of its warmest supporters. This uneasiness and apprehension results from the painful fact, that on the closing of the accounts for this year, the Committee had to announce to the meeting held in Claremont Institution last Easter Monday, (with what feelings it may be imagined,) a deficiency in their receipts of one thousand seven hundred pounds; previously to this they had hoped, from the incoming collections, to be able to admit on that day fifteen new pupils; but instead of being able to open the doors of Claremont to the successful candidates, they could only name to the meeting, the children who had been elected, and mention the resolution they had been compelled to adopt that morning, which is as follows,-"That we feel it our duty to announce to the annual meeting assembled this day, that in consequence of the very considerable decrease in our funds, and upon the best estimate we can make of our resources yet to be received, we consider that they are not available, beyond the support of the children at present in the Institution, and that the actual admission of any of the children this day elected, must depend altogether on sufficient additional funds being received for their support.' I called these 'successful applicants,' but was it not almost a mockery of their woe to do so, for what does it avail them to have hundreds of votes more than the remaining thirty-two, if they are still left the hapless victims of utter destitution, both temporal and spiritual? One from among their number is now gone hence, and shall no more be seen, having died since of starvation; and one of the officers of the institution thus writes to me: "I greatly fear, if some exertions are not : soon made to admit the other fourteen, many of them will be carried off in the same way.' This letter is dated the 27th of last month in it he also mentions, that about three hundred and fifteen pounds would be required for the admission of fifteen children, and that the collections were fifteen hundred pounds less this year than last, thus showing that two hundred pounds has been got in since Easter Monday. I have now laid before my readers a statement of facts, which I feel assured will speak far more forcibly to their hearts than any words I could add; but there is yet another fact which I cannot forbear mentioning, as it is one which I feel ought to stir up every Bible-loving, Protestant-loving heart, to exert themselves to procure funds for the support of Claremont; it is this, that the Roman Catholics of Ireland, from the great success which has attended this institution, have exerted themselves successfully to get up a rival one, and they have given the most conclusive testimony to the value of the education afforded there, in a resolution stating, that the reason which induced them to form this institution was, the numbers of Roman Catholic children that were admitted to Claremont, and so instructed, that the priests of the Roman Catholic church, who endeavoured assiduously to eradicate the religious principles which they were taught, found it impossible to do so, and considered them to be altogether lost. Oh! surely this one fact should incite all who feel what a blessed thing it is to know Jesus and Him crucified; who have experienced in their own souls all joy and peace in believing; and who have oftentimes been comforted and refreshed from drinking of the fountains of consolation laid up in God's own word, to come forward and send help to Claremont, that so that institution may be able |