Answer to Question on good Management. 245

year. This, if put into a Savings Bank, will, in seven years, come to eighty pounds. Then the young man will be twenty-five years old. This is quite early enough for him to marry, and perhaps he will meet with a prudent young woman who has laid by a trifle too, and they are thus able to furnish their house without much difficulty. They can go on then for four or five years, even if they should save nothing. The interest of what was laid up before, will pay their rent, and prevent the necessity of that over work, which distress sometimes drives a man to. If the family increases after this time, difficulties will increase. The hardest time for a labourer, with a family, is said to be from his thirtieth to his fortieth year. A prudent man looks forward to this, and tries to provide for it. After this time, the children will begin to earn something but, about the time we speak of, the infant family will prevent the wife from earning much; and the children are too little. Then there is the money in the Saving Bank to go to. It was laid up for this very purpose, and they will now want it. Suppose five shillings a week be taken out for the four dead months in the year; five shillings a week is a good pleasant addition to a labourer's wages; and this may go on for ten years, and there will then be only forty pounds taken from his capital. Now, the children are beginning to earn something, and things go on more easily. There still remains in the bank something towards setting the children forward in life, or to supply some of the wants of old age. If all labouring people attended to these rules, how little distress. would they suffer, compared with what they go through at present. They marry too soon, and have large families, which they have great difficulty in maintaining. People in higher stations, such as lawyers, merchants, and those in other professions and trades, seldom marry so young; they try.

to get an income before, they think they can afford to have a wife and family. Some wait too long perhaps, but nobody can think it very long to wait till five-and-twenty; and, having laid by something to begin with, there is a much fairer prospect of happiness and comfort, than when two young people encounter the difficulties of maintaining a family having nothing to begin with, and having learned no habits which shall give them a prospect of avoiding poverty and distress *.

LECTURE C ON PSALM III.

FROM the title given to this Psalm, and which you will find in the Bible Version, we learn that it was composed by David when he fled from his son Ab. salom, who had rebelled against him, and wished to deprive him of the kingdom. The account of Absalom's unnatural conduct on this occasion, is related 2 Sam. xv. and it conveys an awful warning concerning the dreadful effects of that ambitious spirit, against which our Saviour so earnestly cautioned his disciples. There cannot surely be a greater condemnation of it, than the fact of its having led a son to plot against the peace and welfare of a kind and indulgent father. Alas! To what crimes do our passions lead us when not restrained by the fear of God, and the grace of his Holy Spirit! And, what must have been David's feelings, when he found that his own son had conspired against him, and that so many of his subjects aided that son in his base and unnatural conduct! Yet, in this, as in every other affliction that befel him in the course of his eventful life, he had recourse to the only true fountain of support and consolation in trouble-prayer to God

* We are indebted, for the above remarks, to Mr. Sumner's" Records of the Creation."

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Lecture on Psalm III.

*

247

This Psalm shews, in a very striking manner, the firmness of his faith in the goodness and power of Him who had raised him to the throne of Israel, though he now seemed, for a time, to have forsaken him. Many one there be that say of my soul, there is no help for him in his God." To this, however, David replies, (ver. 3.) "But thou, O Lord, art my defender: thou art my worship and the lifter up of my head. I did call upon the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. I laid me down and slept and rose up again; for the Lord sustained me." David felt assured that He who had defended him in all his past dangers, would not forsake him now in his affliction, and refuse again to stretch forth the mighty arm that had already so often saved him.-Animated by these encouraging thoughts, he exclaims (ver. 6.)" I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people that have set themselves against me round about." He then calls upon the Lord to help him, and deliver him from the rage of his ungodly enemies, whom he speaks of figuratively as if they were wild beasts, which, if their jaw bones and teeth be broken, can do but little mischief.

In the last verse, he attributes (as we all should do) salvation, or deliverance from danger and affliction, to the Lord alone. "Salvation belongeth unto the Lord." He then adds in conclusion, and a most cheering one it is to the pious mind, "Thy blessing is upon thy people,”-thy blessing rests upon all who sincerely love and serve thee.

And now let us think of the great lesson to be derived from this Psalm, and let us learn, like him who composed it, always to have recourse to God, when we are in trouble and distress. We may be fully

* The word worship, here means honour or glory. Thus what is rendered in the translation in our Book of Common Prayer, My Worship," is rendered in the Bible Translation, "My Glory.”

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assured, that if we do so, He will grant us the cofisolation or the deliverance which we seek. But let us wait in patience God's good time, and let us not suppose, as we are too apt to do, that, because our prayers are not granted immediately, it can be of no use to pray any more! Let us remember that He, who sends the affliction, best knows when to remove it. Let us remember also, when we pray to God for comfort and support in our afflictions, to pray to Him, as Christians, through the mediation of our blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ. We cannot approach the Father, but through Him. So he has expressly told us (John xiv. 6.) "No one cometh unto the Father but by me." And how full of comfort is the consideration, that poor weak creatures like ourselves have such a Mediator! One, who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, having been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin," Through Him therefore, in all our troubles and dangers, let us offer up our fervent and continued prayers to Almighty God; and we shall then, through the influence of the Holy Spirit; the comforter, find "grace to help in time of need." Either our sufferings will be removed, or we shall have strength given us to enable us to bear them with patience and cheerful resigna. tion *. R. B.

In the Bible translation of the third Psalm, we meet several times with the word Selah. The exact meaning of this word is not known. Some think it signifies a note in music; others that it means "Praise God;" some too, have thought that, where it occurs, it indicates that a pause is to be made; for, anciently, each Psalm, as sung during the Temple Service, was divided into three parts, between each of which a pause was made for the purpose of allowing the people time to pray. I should think, however, that the word Selah has no reference to these pauses, for, if it had, we should naturally expect to meet with it three times in those Psalms in which it occurs; whereas, in some, it occurs only once, or twice; and in Psalm lxxxix four times. Indeed in more than half of the Psalms it is not found at all.

Family Religion.

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FAMILY RELIGION.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SIR,

As you have been upon the subject of family prayer in some of your late Numbers, I send you the following extract from a work which I have just been reading.

I am, &c.

G. B.

66 Nothing is more honourable to God, or more profitable to men, than harmonious family religion: it is the best bond of domestic peace, the best solace of domestic afflictions, and the best security for the continuance and increase of domestic felicity; while it affords an important advantage for constant "growth in grace, and the knowledge of Jesus Christ."

Genuine faith gives the Lord credit for his wisdom, faithfulness, and love, even where they are not discernible; and expects the accomplishment of his promises in the way of unreserved obedience to his commandments, however contrary to the suggestions of human policy; it also rests satisfied that the event will clear up every difficulty; and in this its excellency greatly consists.

The whole law, as it relates to our duty to man, is briefly comprehended in this saying, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." It requires that we should be as unwilling to injure, and as desirous to benefit, any human being, as we are unwilling to hurt, and desirous to do good to ourselves; and this in relation to body, soul, property, character, ease, peace, and connexions; and that we should honour what is honourable, love