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do it: he may give up his predilections and yield to her wishes, but he must not abdicate the throne, nor resign his sceptre. One of the finest scenes ever to be presented by the domestic economy, is that of a sensible woman employing her talents and address not to subvert but to support the authority of a weak husband; a woman who prompts but does not command-who persuades, but does not dictate who influences, but does not compel; and who, after taking pains to conceal her beneficent interference, submits to the authority which she has supported and guided. Let me, then, my female friends, as you would submit to the authority of Christ-as you would adorn the station that Providence has called you to occupy-as you would promote your own peace, the comfort of your husband, and the welfare of your family, admonish you, meekly and gracefully to be subject in all things, not only to the wise and good, but to the foolish and ill deserving.

The next duty enjoined upon the wife is reverence. "Let the wife see that she reverence her husband." Your reverence will be manifest in your words: for instance, in your manner in speaking of him, you will avoid all that will tend to lessen him in the esteem of others; all exposure of his faults or minor weaknesses; all depreciation of his understanding or domestic rule. Such gossip is detestable and mischievous; for can any thing tend more to irritate him, than to find that you have been sinking him in the esteem of others? Reverence will be displayed in your manner of speaking to him. Almost all domestic quarrels begin in words; and it is usually in a woman's power to prevent them, by causing the law of kindness to dwell upon her lips, and calming the gusts of her husband's passion, by those soft answers which turn away wrath. Especially should she be careful how she speaks to him, or even before him, in the company of her family, or of strangers: she must not talk him into silence, nor talk at him; nor say any thing that is calculated to

wound or degrade him; for a sting inflicted in public is doubly charged with venom: she must not endeavour to eclipse him, to engross the attention of the company to herself, to reduce him to a cypher, which is valueless till she stands before him. Her reverence will extend itself to her actions, and lead to an incessant desire to please him in all things. All her conduct should be framed upon this principle-to give him contentment, and to increase his delight in her. In all her personal and domestic habits, her first care, then, next to that of pleasing God, must be to please him; and thus hold to herself that heart, which cannot wander from her without carrying her happiness with it; and which, when once departed, cannot be restored by any power short of Omnipotence. Meekness is a disposition which it is the duty of every wife to cultivate. No one stands in greater need of this disposition than the female head of a family: either the petulance or waywardness of children, or the neglect and misconduct of servants, or the sharp words of a husband, are almost sure, if she be easily provoked, to keep her in a state of irritation all the day long. It is astonishing the influence which meekness has sometimes had in a family; it has quenched the sparks, and even coals, of anger and strife. The strength of woman is not in resisting, but in yielding; her power is in her gentleness : there is more of real defence, in one mild look, or one soft word, than in hours of flashing glances, and of angry tones. Put on, then, the "ornament of a meek and quiet spirit."

Christian females ought to abstain from expensive, showy, and extravagant fashions in dress, jewellery, and all kinds of unsuitable personal decoration. The evils of an improper attention to dress are great and numerous. 1st. Much precious time is lost in the study, and arrangements, and decisions of this matter. 2nd. The attention is taken off from the improvement of the mind and heart,

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to the decoration of the person. 3rd. The mind is filled with pride and vanity, and a deteriorating influence is carried on upon what constitutes the true dignity of the soul. 4th. The love of display infects the character. 5th. Money is wasted which is wanted for relieving the misery, and improving the condition of mankind. 6th. Examples are set to the lower classes, in whom the propensity is often mischievous in many ways. Let it be remembered, that not only the ornament, but the which it adorns, is corruptible. How soon will every other dress be displaced by the shroud, and every other decoration be stripped off to make way for the flowers that are strewed in the coffin upon the corpse, as if to hide the deformity of death. But the graces of the heart, and the beauties of the character are imperishable: such let a wife be continually seeking to put on them. She must wear the veil of modesty, and the robes of chastity, the ornaments of meekness, and the jewels of faith and charity ; she must have no paint but blessings; her brightness must be her purity; and she must shine round about with sweetness and friendship: and then she shall be pleasant while she lives, and desired when she dies.J. G. M.'s Collectanea.

A WORD ON THESE HARD TIMES.

If, my reader, you dwell in a manufacturing town or village, I can scarcely hope that you do not know the meaning of the word Chartist.

Ah! I see you are looking more eagerly on this page because that word is here-but stop a few minutes, for I have no new outbreaks to disclose, but I want you to try and discover what it is that makes a Chartist, what is the beginning of Chartism. I live in the midst of them, and after thinking about them all the winter, after seeing their families,

and pitying their misery, I fancy I have discovered the secret is it not discontent? Discontent is at the root of Chartism. The poor man is discontented with his wages, with his employer, with his parish, with his country, and with its government: but this is not all, he becomes discontented with his home, with his wife, and with his children; he thinks that he could make things better, that he could make things equal; but, alas! he remembers not that if every thing were made in perfect order by some master hand, that moment sin would creep in and spoil the beautiful plan. Are you, my reader, young? do you hear your fellow-workman complaining? does he ask you to come with him to a meeting, and there find a remedy for all these evils? Before you consent to listen to those exciting speeches, ask yourself-am I now contented? If I am, why should I go and begin to feel that worm which must gnaw at the root of all my happiness even in this world? Discontent spreads like the cholera is one in a family dissatisfied, another brother soon becomes so-then the father, nay, that quiet female catches it, and she who worked so willingly from morning until evening for her happy family, now feels something which says-why should I slave so? why should I not have a servant to do my work, as well as Farmer B's wife, or the squire's lady ?"

I know too well you have real difficulties to contend with; you can sometimes scarcely get bread to eat; it is impossible to get decent raiment to put on; this winter has been more trying than the last; there are your children crying for bread, and you cannot get work. Alas! my friend, the tale is too true, and thousands have to tell it, and retell it. Your visitor has given her little all, and has only sympathy to bestow; but which is the happiest room? that where all these hardships have to be borne, and where there is a contented spirit, or that wretched cottage, where discontent is the only chord ever struck?

But come and see for yourselves-turn up the next street: -there is a cottage by itself; look through the broken window, there is an aged man; what book is that upon his knee? It is his Bible. He has been for ten years the almoner of the Benevolent Society, under the good clergyman; but now through the "changes and chances of this mortal life" the society has no funds left, and he has only three shillings a-week for himself and his sick aged wife. When he is hungry and has nothing to eat, hear what he says, when, for the first time, he tells me of his destitute condition-" but if I never have a bit of bread to eat from this moment, if I am prepared to meet my God it matters not." O! I think, my reader, I need not tell you that poor man knows how to live contentedly as well as talk of it. But we must not stop here, for we can learn a lesson next door: here is dirt and misery— the mother pale-the children seem starving; the frame is going-no want of work, but where goes the money? Instead of being received with thankfulness, and spent with care, the greater part goes to the beer-shop. Well may discontent reign at home! Now let us think about a cure for this spirit: you will find one if you read your Bible -take it down from that shelf, and find such a receipt for your case. "To the poor the gospel is preached ;" and there is not one sorrow or one care that sin has brought into your dwelling, but you will find a healing balm for it there. Seek to love the Saviour there offered to sinners, that you may have a friend to go to every night, a guide to lead you by day; he is a friend you may trust, and you will see that He himself had not where to lay his head when he dwelt on this poor earth; so that he has felt all your wants, and he can teach you by his good Spirit what is the meaning of that word so little understood by sick and poor, by high and low-CONTENTMENT.-The Village Churchman.

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