ON THE LOVE OF CHILDREN. Speak gently to the little child Its love be sure to gain ; Instruction give in accents mild : TO PARENTS: To try and shield the helplessness of infancy, and cause children to show more love towards each other, and to induce parents to lessen the crying and to dry up the infantile tears, is the object of this paper. Can anything be dearer to you than your tender offspring? Is not their loveliness, their innocent simplicity and artlessness, delightful to you? and are not all their fond affections like so many ties around your hearts? They are pledges of the endearment which subsists between you and your partner in this world of trouble, and they are entrusted to your care and keeping by that Great Being who gave you birth, and who watches over and provides for the human family. In their infancy they require the greatest care, and can only make their wants known by cries and faint attempts at words, and are often-times the source of the deepest anxiety; yet they richly repay those who are fond of them, and who strive to make them happy. Oh, 'tis piteous indeed to see little children harshly treated; to hear their cries and see the tears trickling down their cheeks, and unable to escape from it, is enough to affect the heart of any person. If parents knew how much crying hurts their infant offspring, in spoiling their tempers and dispositions, and even laying the foundation of disease, they would try all means to prevent these evil consequences; and if they reflected for a few moments on the time when they were children, it would tend much to strengthen the bond of love towards them. They are sometimes spoken to by those who have the care of them, as harshly as if they Q had no feeling; yet they well know the difference between kind and harsh treatment. It is in their nature to be fond and loving, and it is a great pity when it is discouraged: remember, "They have least the taint of earthly clod, They are freshest from the hand of God.”—Campbell. The poorest of the poor can have joy of their children when it is frequently unknown to the wealthy; and their love of these little ones though in the meanest hovel, is better than the carelessness and indifference of those who ought to set a good example. It is much to be feared there are some who are taught to do evil and to hate each other; this is indeed wicked and offensive in the Almighty's sight, and the result of such teaching is sometimes seen in the miserable end of these unhappy objects: but parents who are fond of their offspring, who study their health and cleanliness, and who teach them good things-to love their brothers and sisters and all their play-fellows—will have a reward in their children's conduct, and Divine consolation, of which no stranger can deprive them. The Saviour of the world rebuked his disciples when they would have prevented those who brought children to him, and said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of heaven;" and he blessed them; Mark x. 13—16. It is the injunction of an Apostle for "children to obey their parents," and for parents not to rebuke their children in anger.” How kindly this command is given-first, it enjoins the child's obedience, and then the parents' right authority which ought to be complied with. No doubt many of you have cares and troubles to contend with, in addition to making a provision for your families; this ought not to lessen your love, but, on the contrary, to cause it to flow more strongly and as the ivy clings around the oak tree for protection, and the tender plant around the stronger, 66 so will your children cling around you, and be your comfort in old age: in thus loving and caring for your little ones, shewing all patience and forbearance, you will perform your part towards them; and, having done your duty, you may rest on the promise of God, that by "training up your children in the way they should go, when they are old they will not depart from it."- Proverbs xxii. 6. H. VARIETIES. THE EFFECT OF A CHRISTIAN'S DYING EXPERIENCE. My first convictions on the subject of religion, says the late Rev. R. Cecil, were confirmed by observing that really religious persons had some solid happiness among them, which I felt the vanities of the world could not give. I shall never forget standing by the bed-side of my sick mother: "Are not you afraid to die?" I asked. "No." "No! Why does the uncertainty of another state give you no concern ?" "Because God has said, Fear not; when thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.'-'Let me die the death of the righteous."" HOW TO MEDITATE ON GOD.-If you would meditate on God and the things of God, then labour to get a deep impression of the things of God upon your heart and soul. It is a deep impression that calls for meditation. A man reads the word of God, and, it may be, he understands it; but he does not meditate. Why? Because the word made no impression upon his heart as he went along. But if he read it and understand it, and hath an impression made upon his soul as he reads it, then he thinks on it afterwards; as, in hearing the word of God, a man hears the word in public or private, and he meditates not thereupon. Why? Why, because it has made no impression upon him. Possibly a man may think of the free grace of God; yet, if it make no impression upon his soul, he does not go away and meditate on it. If a man think on the wrath of God, and it make an impression upon him, he goes away, and is still in the thoughts thereof. What is the reason that many poor souls, troubled in conscience, are always thinking of hell and judgment and wrath, but because the wrath of God hath made a deep impression upon their souls-and the more deep the impression is upon your soul, the more full will your meditation be.-If you would meditate on God and the things of God, take heed that your hearts and your hands be not too full of the world, and the employments thereof. The more full your hand is of worldly employments, the more you will think thereon; and the more you think thereon, the less you will think of God and the things of God. And what is the reason that many meditate and think so little of God and the things of God, but because their hearts are so full of the world-"Where their treasure is, there will their hearts be also."-W. Bridge. UNSEARCHABLENESS OF GOD.-God is unsearchable. The ages of his eternity cannot be numbered, nor the spaces of his immensity measured; the depths of his wisdom cannot be fathomed, nor the reaches of his power bounded; the brightness of his glory can never be described, nor an inventory made of the treasures of his goodThis is a good reason why we should always speak of God with humility and caution, and never prescribe to him, nor quarrel with him; why we should be thankful for what he has revealed of himself, and long to be there, where we shall see him as he is. 1 Cor. xiii. 9, 10, -Matthew Henry. ness. LOSERS OF SOULS.-All they who wrong others to enrich themselves; all that rob upon the highway, pick pockets, or break open houses; all that forge deeds, forswear themselves, or suborn others to do so in lawsuits; all that willingly cheat, defraud or over-reach their neighbours, in buying or selling their goods; all that pilfer and steal, or so much as withhold and conceal what they know belongs to another; all that are able, yet will not pay what they owe, but lie in prison, or hide themselves, or at least pretend they cannot do it; all that smuggle the king's customs, or corrupt his officers, and by that means keep to themselves what the law hath made due to him; all that refuse or neglect to relieve those of their relations or others, which are really in need, and so withhold from them the maintenance which God hath appointed for them; all that oppress and gripe poor workmen in their prices, or servants in the wages which are due to them; all that work upon people's necessities, and extort from them more than the laws of the land allow of; all that follow unlawful trades as tend to the corrupting of youth, and to the nourishing of vice and wickedness in the world; all that by false weights or measures, by lying, over-reaching, or by any trick, impose on those whom they deal with; and all that are conscious to themselves that, by these and such like unlawful ways, they have got other men's money, goods, or estates in their hands, and yet will not restore them again to their right owners as far as they are able :—these all as plainly lose their souls for this world as if they should make a solemn contract or bargain with the devil that, upon condition they may have such and such things at present, he shall have their souls for ever; for so he will, and leave them in the lurch too; he will serve them in their own kind; as they cheated others, he will cheat them, and put them off with nothing but dreams and fancies, instead of the great profit and advantage they expected.—Bishop Beveridge. |