Reflection. an ignorant, and therefore an unhappy, man, and who to blame but himself? The patient mother avoids compulsion, and hopes to win by long endurance; and haply she will succeed in time. But what of the grown-up reprobate, who will neither turn nor hear, even though Christ bear long with his wilfulness, and seek him once and again? What of the perverse spirit that would die sooner than enter the doors of a Church; or entering, comes only to scoff and to despise? I see not the difference between putting the fingers in both ears during the delivery of a sermon, and allowing the words to pass through them unregarded. As well stay away from Church altogether as come with thoughts pre-occupied with the farm or the shop, and, as it were, with a settled purpose to refuse instruction in the way of holiness. "He that hath ears to hear," said our Saviour, "let him hear." "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." We shall be judged hereafter as surely for neglect of the due use of the ear, as we shall for the undue use of the tongue. His Lex AMUEL RUTHERFORD was one of the ablest Scotch writers in the early part of the seventeenth century, who displayed a fine Christian spirit through stormy times. He was silenced in 1636 for preaching against the articles of Perth, and was for a time imprisoned. His letters, many of which were written in jail, are rich in Christian experience, and have also a literary value as specimens of the English then in use among scholars. In 1639 he was appointed Professor of Divinity at the New College, St. Andrew's, and was one of the Commissioners at the Westminster Assembly. Rex, a Treatise on Civil Polity, written in reply to the Bishop of Ross, was, after the Restoration, burned by order of the Committee of Estates. Anworth, where he fulfilled his ministry, is one of the loveliest spots in Scotland. The Solway, coming up between The following round hills, encircled by still rising heights covered with shrubs to the top, presents a beautiful picture in summer. lines on his last words, Glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel's Land,' which breathe the spirit of his own works, were written by a lady, and some of them are truly exquisite. THE sands of time are sinking, The dawn of heaven breaks: Oh, well it is for ever! Oh, well for evermore! My nest hung in no forest Of all this death-doomed shore. There the red rose of Sharon With ravishing perfume: Be by its fragrance fanned, Without a veil is seen; Oh, Christ, He is the fountain, The deep, sweet well of love! Oft in yon sea-beat prison My Lord and I held tryst, And preaching was not Christ. But that He built a heaven A little new Jerusalem, Like to the one above,- But flowers need night's cool darkness, In Immanuel's land. Fair Anworth by the Solway, New Year's Day. I've wrestled on toward heaven That leaneth on his guide, From Immanuel's land. Deep waters crossed life's pathway, With mercy and with judgment Were lustered by His love. I'll bless the Heart that planned, When throned where glory dwelleth In Immanuel's land. Soon shall the cup of glory Wash down life's bitterest woes, Break into Eden's rose. Oh, I am my Beloved's, I stand upon His merit, I know no safer stand, I shall sleep sound in Jesus, To see Him with these eyes. But at my King of grace. Of Immanuel's land. I have borne wrath and hatred, They've stamped their foulest brand; They've summoned me before them, My Lord says "Welcome home!" New Year's Day. RISE, sons of merry England, from mountain and from plain, The morning is before you, and glorious is the sun; Rise up, and do your blessed work before the day be done. "Come help us, come and help us," from the valley and the hill The soul that wanteth knowledge, the flesh that wanteth food;- Your hundreds and your thousands at usage and in purse, Behold a safe investment, which shall bless and never curse! Oh, who would spend for house or land, if he might but from above Pour out upon the needy ones the soft and healing balm; Go, throng our ancient churches, and on the holy floor Cry out at morn and even, and amid the busy day, Spare, spare, O Lord, Thy people ;-oh, cast us not away!" Hush down the sounds of quarrel; let party-names alone; 19 ALFORD. BY JOSEPH ADDISON, A.D. 1672-1719. T is a celebrated thought of Socrates, that if all the misfortunes of mankind were cast into a public stock, in order to be equally distributed amongst the whole species, those who now think themselves the most unhappy would prefer the share they are already possessed of before that which would fall to them by such a division. As I was ruminating on this, seated in my elbow chair, I insensibly fell asleep, when, on a sudden, methought there was a proclamation made by Jupiter, that every mortal should bring in his griefs and calamities, and throw them together in a heap. There was a large plain appointed for this purpose. I took my stand in the centre of it, and saw with a great deal of pleasure the whole human species marching one after another, and throwing down their several loads, which immediately grew up into a prodigious mountain, that seemed to rise above the clouds. There was a certain lady, of a thin, airy shape, who was very active in this solemnity. She carried a magnifying-glass in one of her hands, and was clothed in a loose flowing robe, embroidered with several figures of fiends and spectres, that discovered themselves in a thousand chimerical shapes as her garments hovered in the wind. There was something wild and distracted in her looks. Her name was Fancy. She led up every mortal to the appointed place, after having very officiously assisted him in making up his pack and laying it upon his shoulders. My heart melted within me to see my fellow-creatures groaning under their respective burdens, and to consider that prodigious bulk of human calamities which lay before me. There were, however, several persons who gave me great diversion. I observed one person carrying a fardel (ie. a bundle) very carefully concealed under an old embroidered cloak, which, upon his throwing it into the heap, I discovered to be poverty. I saw multitudes of old women throw down their wrinkles, and several young ones who stripped themselves of a tawny skin. There were very great heaps of red noses, large lips, and rusty teeth. But what most of all surprised me, was a remark I made, that there was not a single vice or folly thrown into the whole heap, at which I was very much astonished, having concluded within myself that every one would take this opportunity of getting rid of his passions, prejudices, and frailties. I took notice in particular of a very profligate fellow, who, I did not question, came laden with his crimes; but, upon searching into his bundle, I found that, instead of throwing his guilt from him, he had only laid down his memory. He was followed by another worthless rogue, who flung away his modesty instead of his ignorance. When all had thus cast down their burdens, the phantom which had been so busy on this occasion, seeing me an idle spectator of what passed, approached towards me. I grew uneasy at her presence, when, of a sudden, she held her magnifying-glass full before my eyes. I no sooner saw my face in it than I was startled at the shortness of it, which now appeared to me in its utmost aggravation. The immoderate breadth of the features made me very much out of humour with my own countenance, upon The Mountain of Miseries. which I threw it from me like a mask. It happened very luckily that one who stood by me had just before thrown down his visage, which, it seems, was too long for him. It was indeed extended to a most shameful length; I believe the very chin was, modestly speaking, as long as my whole face. As we were regarding very attentively this confusion of miseries, this chaos of calamity, Jupiter issued out a second proclamation, that every one was now at liberty to exchange his affliction, and return to his habitation with any such bundles as should be allotted to him. Upon this, Fancy began again to bestir herself, and, parcelling out the whole heap with incredible activity, recommended to every one his particular packet. The hurry and confusion at this time were not to be expressed. A poor galley-slave, who had thrown down his chains, took up the gout instead, but made such wry faces that one might easily perceive he was no great gainer by the bargain. It was pleasant enough to see the several exchanges that were made-for sickness against poverty, hunger against want of appetite, and care against pain. I must not omit my own particular adventure. My friend with a long visage had no sooner taken upon him my short face, than he made such a grotesque figure in it, that as I looked upon him I could not forbear laughing at myself, insomuch that I put my own face out of countenance. The poor gentleman was so sensible of the ridicule, that I found he was ashamed of what he had done; on the other side, I found that I had myself no great reason to triumph, for, as I went to touch my forehead, I missed the place, and clapped my finger upon my upper lip. Besides, as my nose was exceedingly prominent, I gave it two or three unlucky knocks as I was playing my hand about my face, and aiming at some other part of it. I saw two other gentlemen by me who were in the same ridiculous circumstances. These had made a foolish exchange between a pair of thick, bandy legs and two long trapsticks that had no calves to them. One of these looked like a man walking upon stilts, and was so lifted up into the air above his ordinary height, that his head turned round with it, while the other made such awkward circles as he attempted to walk, that he scarcely knew how to move forward upon his new supporters. at last distributed among the two The whole heap was sexes, who made a most piteous sight as they wandered up and down under the pressure of their several burdens. The plain was filled with murmurs and complaints, groans and lamentations. Jupiter, at length, taking compassion on the poor mortals, ordered them a second time to lay down their loads, with a design to give every one his own again. They discharged themselves with a great deal of pleasure; after which, the phantom, who had led them into such gross delusions, was commanded to disappear; There was sent in her stead a goddess of quite a different figure. her motions were steady and composed, and her aspect serious, but cheerful. She every now and then cast her eyes towards heaven, and fixed them upon Jupiter. Her name was Patience. She had no sooner placed herself by the Mount of Sorrows than, what I thought very remarkable, the whole heap sunk to such a degree 21 |