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SICK BEDS OF CHILDREN.

YEARS of my life have been spent, day after day, by the sick beds of children. I have made friendships with them on their little pallets, sometimes visiting at their own poor homes a score in a day, and now and then keeping a night-long watch by one of them. I know too well what a vain struggle of love it is when mothers, living by the toil of their bodies, after hard labor by day, deny themselves their sleep by night-fathers do that only when death is near. There is a refinement in poor women that is seldom to be found among poor men, which often shines with a pure lustre by the sick bed of a child. It is very beautiful and pitiful; it prompts to perform so much, those who can really achieve so little. Little, I mean in man's eyes; much, we know, in God's; it rises and falls with a rapid tide. Fatal disease runs its course often with a rapidity unknown among adults; a trifling matter, noticeable in the morning, may become serious if not observed and attended to before (the noon, deadly if left unnoticed until night. If we knew all the causes of the terrible mortality among young children in this country, we should fill England with hospitals for children, and the rich would be almost as ready as the poor to use them. In them only is it possible for each one of the little sufferers to be watched even from hour to hour by an eye specially trained to observe the turn peculiar to the disease of a child. Such diseases are unlike those of adults; they never are so hopeless, and yet they are infinitely more beset with risk of unexpected turns produced by unexpected causes. In the homes of the poor those unexpected causes are, in a vague sense, expected hurts. It is impossible, with the best care, to protect the child against imprudence and negligence in some one among a household of people ignorant and little trained to think, who often are most dangerous when they open only the impulses of love.

THE DIFFERENCE OF MEN.

THE difference of men is very great. You would scarce think them to be of the same species, and yet it consists more in the affection than in the intellect. For as in the strength of body two men shall be of an equal strength, yet one shall appear stronger than the other, because he exercises and puts out his strength, the other will not stir nor strain himself. So it is in the strength of the brain: the one endeavours, and strains, and labors, and studies, the other sits still, and is idle, and takes no pains, and, therefore, he appears so much the inferior.—Selden.

NOBLEST WORK.

It requires great wisdom and industry to advance a considerable estate; much art, and contrivance, and pains, to raise a great and regular building; but the greatest and noblest work in the world, and an effect of the greatest prudence and care, is, to rear and build up a man, and to form and fashion him to piety and justice, and temperance, and all kind of honest and worthy actions. Now, the foundations of this great work are to be carefully laid in the tender years of children, that it may rise and grow up with them; according to the advice of the wise man.

"WISE MEN LAY UP KNOWLEDGE."-PROV. x. 14.

A SHORT SERMON FOR CHILDREN.

IN Eastern Countries men lay up garments, and pride themselves in the number of their suits of apparel. In our land, men lay up money. But this is not "wisdom." In Egypt, Joseph laid up corn for the day of famine; and in Syria men lay up water for the summer in cisterns under their houses. This is wisdom; but still it is not the wisdom of which Solomon speaks. The astronomer lays up the knowledge of the stars; and the botanist lays up the knowledge of plants and flowers. This is wisdom, but it is not that of which the text speaks.

The knowledge of that which is best for us is the knowledge of God Himself; and though the knowledge of His works is good, the knowledge of Himself is far better. It is only this knowledge that can make you happy, or bring blessing to your soul.

A scholar once turned away from a poor man, smiling at him, and saying, "He does not know the name of Plato." Yet that same poor man knew something which the learned man did not know,-something far better than the name of Plato; he knew the name of God; and that name was the light of his soul, the joy of his heart.

It is a great thing, my dear children, to know God,-the living and the true God; and it is a sad thing not to know Him; for to know Him is everlasting life. It was to make Him known to us that the Son of God took man's flesh upon Him, and came into our world, that by what He was, and what He did, and what He said, we might know the Father and the Father's love.

This is the true knowledge, in having which we become wise, and without which we are fools. This is the knowledge which we are to "lay up;' adding to our stores of it every hour.

You are sent to school for education; and you know that education is the training of the mind in knowledge, and of the will in obedience. Now this is the education which the Son of God came to give us, and by which He fits us for His kingdom. From Him, through the Holy Spirit, we get the heavenly knowledge and the heavenly blessing, for He said, "Learn of Me." Let us go to Him for that knowledge which saves, and heals, and comforts. Store it up; it is the only substantial knowledge, the only knowledge to be relied upon; and, unlike the transitory acquirements of this world, it corrupteth not, it fadeth not away, but abideth for ever, to those that fear the Lord.

A poor woman, that could not read a word, once said to me, "You see I'm no scholar; but I'm Christ's scholar, and that will do." Yes, it was enough; for it made her "wise unto salvation." She was one of the wise women that "lay up knowledge." Dear children, this is the knowledge which you must have. Where will you find it? Why, in the Bible; and the Holy Spirit is most willing to become your teacher.

The General Reader.

CLEANLINESS.

EASTERN DERVISES.

Cleanliness may be considered under In Hindostan, are dervises who bethe three following remarks. First, take themselves to the top of hills it is a mark of politeness, for no one shaded with trees, where they fix unadorned with this virtue can go their habitations, and from which into company without giving a mani- they will not stir. Their usual form fest offence. Secondly, cleanliness of prayer is uttered with a loud voice, may be said to be the foster-mother of and is, " Almighty God! vouchsafe to affection. Beauty commonly produces look upon me: I love not the world, love, but cleanliness preserves it. Age but thee, and I do all this for thy itself is not unamiable, while it is sake." After their retirement they preserved clean and unsullied. In suffer their hair and nails to grow, the third place, it bears analogy with purity of mind, and naturally inspires refined sentiments and passions. It is an excellent preservative of health, and several vices destructive both to mind and body, are inconsistent with the habit of it.

IDLENESS.

and will rather perish than go out of their cells, depending on the charity of others for the means of support.

PATIENT ENDURANCE.

Titus, the son of Vespasian, followed his father's example in reservedness and patience, not suffering any person to be prosecuted for speaking disThe ruin of most men dates from respectfully of him. "If they blacken some vacant hour. Occupation is the my character undeservedly," says he, armour of the soul. I remember a" they ought rather to be pitied than satirical poem, in which the devil is punished; if deservedly, it would be a represented as fishing for men, and fitting his baits to the taste and business of his prey; but the idler, he said, gave him no trouble, for he bit the naked hook.

crying piece of injustice to punish them for speaking truth."

MAN'S

CHARACTER.

We may judge of a man's character by what he loves-what pleases him. If a person manifests delight in low AN UNJUST PREJUDICE, and sordid objects-the vulgar song The author of the New View of and debasing language; in the misLondon 1708, reports "that one James fortunes of his fellows, or cruelty to Farr, a barber, who kept the coffee animals, we may at once determine house which is now called the Rain- the complexion of his character. On bow, by the Inner Temple Gate, (one the contrary, if he loves purity, moof the first opened in England) was desty, truth-if virtuous pursuits enin the year 1657, presented by the gage his heart, and draw out his inquest of St. Dunstan's in the West, affections-we are satisfied that he is for making and selling a sort of liquor an upright man. A mind debased called coffee, to the great nuisance shrinks from association with the good and prejudice of the neighbourhood." and wise.

TRUE WISDOM.

neighborhood, or family do not culti

Surely it is true wisdom to consider vate a kind and affectionate temper, there will be discord and every evil work." Lone Star," an American Paper.

LIGHT.

our present existence, with its cares, joys, sorrows, relationships, and engagements, as a scene of discipline and trial, yet as a sphere where we may become blessed, be made blessings, and be trained up for a glorious des- Edwin Sherratt, in the introduction tiny. We should, therefore, study to his "Popular Treatise on Light," "every-day life" in the light of infal- says, "What an immense and unlible truth, and with relation to that bounded field does light throw open coming existence, compared with to our vision-enabling us to gaze which the present, with all its noise into the spacious atmosphere by sunand turmoil, its songs and sighs, its lit day, or moon or star-lit night. It gettings and its losings, is but "a is in itself a grand and indescribable vapour, which appeareth for a little phenomenon, and it must have been while, and then vanisheth away." created by a Being possessing an Sketches and Lessons from Daily Life Almighty hand, and an eye of infinite by FELIX FRIENDLY. wisdom. When we gaze into the firmament by night, or look into the azure vault, lighted by one central luminary by day, the reflecting mind is smitten with mysterious awe at the imposing sight!"

THE EVIL OF A BAD TEMPER.

A bad temper is a curse to its possessor, and its influence is most deadly

EXTRAORDINARY CHARITABLE

DISPOSITION.

A foreign jew named Simeon Cafton, whilst rich was exceedingly charitable. Having sunk into poverty, and consequently unable to give money himself, this benevolent man to satisfy the cravings of his heart and his long cherished charitable disposition, actually performed the work of a common laborer, in order to gain the means for relieving the distressed.

wherever it is found. It is allied to martyrdom to be obliged to live with one of a complaining temper. To hear one eternal round of complaint and murmuring, to have every pleasant thought scared away by their evil spirit, is a sore trial. It is like the sting of a scorpion-a perpetual nettle, destroying your peace, rendering life a burden. Its influence is deadly; and the purest and sweetest atmosphere is contaminated into a deadly miasma wherever this evil genius prevails. It has been said truly, that while we ought not to let the bad temper of others influence us, it would be as unreasonable to spread a blister upon Honor the good, that they may love the skin, and not expect it to draw, thee; be civil to the bad, that they as to think of a family not suffering may not hurt thee. Lend money to because of a bad temper of any of its an enemy, and thou'lt gain him; lend inmates. One string out of tune will to a friend and thou'lt lose him. destroy the music of an instrument Withhold not thy money where there otherwise perfect, so if all the members is need, and waste it not where there of either a church, Sunday school, is none.

GOOD ADVICE.

RICHARD I.

to keep it till he should meet with

Foulques de Neully, a celebrated one who was a greater fool than himpreacher of his day, addressing himself. Not many years after, the noble

self in a prophetic style to Richard I. King of England, told him he had three daughters to marry, and that, if he did not dispose of them soon, God would punish him severely. "You are a false prophet," said the King; "I have no daughter." "Pardon me, sir," replied the Priest, " your Majesty has three, Ambition, Avarice, and Luxury; get rid of them as fast as possible, else assuredly some great misfortune will be the consequence." "If it must be so then," said the King, with a sneer, "I give my Ambition to the Templars, my Avarice to the Monks, and my Luxury to the

Prelates."

INGRATITUDE.

Ingratitude is a crime so shameful, that there never was a man found that would own himself guilty of it. The ungrateful are neither fit to serve God, their country, nor their friends. Ingratitude perverts all the measures of religion and society, by making it dangerous to be charitable and goodnatured: however, it is better to expose ourselves to ingratitude than to be wanting to the distressed,

The

man fell sick, even unto death.
fool came to see him. His sick lord
said to him, "I must shortly leave
you."-"And whither are you going?"
said the fool.-"Into another world,',
replied his lordship.-"And when will
you come again? Within a month ?"
"No."-" Within a year?" "No."-
"When then?" "Never."-"Never!"
said the fool: "and what provision
hast thou made for thy entertainment
"None
there, whither thou goest ?"
at all."-"No!" said the fool, "none
at all! Here, then, take my staff;
for, with all my folly, I am not guilty
of any such folly as this."

ETIQUETTE.

It has been urged as an excuse for etiquette, that it produces, or is conBut upon ducive to good order. analyzing the forms, they are found, for the major part, to be nothing more than polite ceremonies, to blind the proud, the foolish, and the unwary; and in their garb many of the worst injuries to private society are effected. Depend upon it the Truth Error does not require dressing. alone needs artificial support; Truth

Great minds, like Heaven, are pleas'd with do- can stand by itself.”
ing good;

Though the ungrateful subjects of their favours
Are barren in return.

DEATH.

ABORIGINAL IGNORANCE. When the Tumbese Indians first heard the crowing of Chanticleer, "O that they were wise, that they they supposed he was talking to them, would understand these things, and and therefore eagerly inquired what consider their latter end!" Death is he said; and Pizarro having taken a the introduction into an eternal state; negro with him, they set about washand to live unprepared for it must, ing his face, but finding that they therefore, be the extreme of folly.-A could not in the least impair the certain nobleman kept a fool, to whom blackness of it, they all burst out he one day gave a staff, with a charge laughing.

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