Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

promote the pleasures, or increase the pains, of the animals which surround us, we are cherishing the general spirit of benevolence or its contrary, which will naturally be extended towards our fellow-creatures. In this point of view, it is of very great importance to cultivate, in young persons especially, proper dispositions and conduct towards the creatures endued with animal life.

The unwarrantable curiosity which I have just mentioned, continued to operate, in some degree, for many years; and, occasionally, showed itself long after I was grown up. I recollect a particular instance of it, which was very near proving fatal to me. As nearly as I can recollect, the inci

dent was as follows.

When I was in England, in the year 1771, I went to see the elephants, which were kept at the Queen's stables, Buckingham House. Whilst I was gratifying myself with observing the huge creatures and their various actions and peculiarities, I took occasion to withdraw from one of them a part of the hay which he was collecting on the floor with his proboscis. I did this with my cane, and watched the animal very narrowly, to prevent a stroke from him, which I had reason to expect. The keeper said that I had greatly displeased the elephant, and that he would never forget the injury. I thought but little of this admonition at the time, but about six weeks afterwards, when I accompanied some other persons on a visit to the elephants, I found that, though probably several hundred people had been there since my preceding visit, the animal soon recognised me. I did not attempt to molest or tease him at all, and I had no conception of any concealed resentment. On a sudden, however, when I was supposed to be within the reach of his proboscis, he threw it towards me with such violence, that, if it had struck me, I should probably have been killed, or have received some material injury. Happily for me I perceived his intention, and being very active, I sprang out of his reach. To every other person present he was gentle and good tempered, and his enmity to me arose, as the keeper declared, solely from the circumstance of the little affront which I had formerly put upon him. This incident made some impression upon me. Life of Lindley Murray.

SHORT PIECES BY OLD HUMPHREY.

ALAN DREW.

ALAN DREW walked in his garden in autumn to visit a

favourite pear-tree, which he had planted in his youthful days. Alan leaned heavily on his stick, and crept slowly onward; he felt that his days were numbered, and that he was going the way of all flesh. As he gathered a pear, "This is the last time I shall gather fruit of this tree," said he, "but the will of God be done. All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come," " Job xiv. 14.

Alan Drew walked in his garden once, and only once, in the following winter. An icicle was hanging from one of the boughs; Alan looked at it for a moment, and then knocked it off with his stick. "Never shall I again," said he, remove an icicle from this tree. 'Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is, that I know how frail I am,' "" Psa. xxxix. 4. may

66

Alan Drew walked in his garden in the spring, when the leaves of the pear-tree were budding forth. Alan mused awhile, and then turned away, saying, "My budding days are past, I shall never again see a bud on this tree. Let me

die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his,"" Numb. xxiii. 10.

Alan Drew walked in his garden in summer for the last time, when the fruit was green on the pear-tree boughs. "It will ripen," said Alan, "but not for me, yet all is well! "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me,' "Psa. xxiii. 4.

Before the pears were ripe, Alan Drew was called away from the world, but his hope was fixed on Christ, and therefore death could not destroy but only complete his happiness. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace," Psa. xxxvii. 37.

KINDNESS.

It is said that Alexander the Great was so pleased at seeing one of his soldiers relieve an overburdened mule, by taking from his back a load of gold and placing it on his own shoulders, that he gave him the gold for his humanity. Now, if you can relieve the overburdened heart of a fellow-sinner, heavily laden with sin or sorrow, you will do an act of kindness greater than that which called forth the commendation of Alexander. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ," Gal. vi. 2.

66
WORLDLY BOOKS AND THE BOOK,"

FOOLS that we are to eat so much of the unripe fruit of worldly wisdom, setting our teeth on edge, and injuring our healthy appetite, and to partake so little of the mellow fruit of God's holy word within our reach, on which we may banquet freely.

NOT INTENDING TO SEEK RELIGION.

0. H.

THE Rev. Dr. Payson, after having repeatedly invited meetings at his house of those who wished to seek religion, one day gave an invitation to all those young persons who did not intend to seek religion. Any one who did not know Dr. Payson, would be surprised to hear that thirty or forty came. He had a very pleasant social interview with them, saying nothing about religion until, just as they were about to leave, he closed with a very few plain remarks, in the following

manner:

66

Suppose you should see coming down from heaven a fine thread, so fine as to be almost invisible, and it should come and attach itself to you. You knew, we will suppose, that it came from God. Should you dare put out your hand and brush it away?'

He dwelt a few minutes upon this idea, until every one had a clear and fixed conception of it, and of the hardihood which any one would manifest who should openly break even such a tie.

"Now," continued he, "just such a slender, delicate thread has come from God to you this afternoon. You do not feel, you say, any interest in religion; but, by coming here this afternoon, God has fastened one little tender thread upon you all. It is very weak and frail, and you can in a moment brush it away. But you certainly will not do so. Welcome it, and it will enlarge and strengthen itself, until it becomes a golden chain to bind you for ever to God."

MISSIONARY ANECDOTES.

THE AGED NEGRO DISCIPLE.

UPON a remote coffee plantation in the island of Jamaica, lived an aged African negro. Sickness having visited him, he was removed to the town of Kingston for advice. Knowing no language but a confused jargon of broken English and

the dialect of his native country, it was with some difficulty a Christian friend could be obtained to converse with him on spiritual subjects.

Considering that this poor man had passed nearly all his life in a remote mountain-settlement, having had no apparent means of instruction, neither speaking nor understanding English, the astonishment of the individual who visited him may well be supposed to have been great, when he discovered in this poor fellow-creature a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, and one who was anxiously looking for his coming. The following particulars, however, will explain the mystery.

By some means, of which no clear account could be obtained, intelligence had been brought to the remote district in which he lived, that a missionary was in the habit of preaching or expounding the Scriptures every Sunday morning. Who this missionary was, or where he preached, he was quite unable to say; but there is no ground for believing that any such had ever at the time held public service within eighteen miles of the spot. However this might be, it appears that amongst those who frequented his ministry, was a negro from a plantation adjoining the one on which the poor old African resided. This neighbour was in the practice, when he returned late at night from attending the preaching, of recounting to him as well as to other interested listeners, whatever he could recollect of the truths he had himself but just learned from the minister of God. Thus, in a manner at once simple and wonderful, was the seed of eternal life sown in the heart of this aged man, and the dew of God's blessing descending upon it; it quickly sprang up, flourished, and brought forth fruit.

The end of the poor invalid was peace. When his kind visitor inquired, shortly before his departure, whether the night was not long and dreary to him in his afflicted circumstances, his answer was, "No: I am quite happy; as I lie on my bed, I think of Jesus my Saviour."

The Christian minister, whose instructions (although conveyed through a most imperfect channel) were so richly blessed to the poor old African, could not possibly have known what God was silently accomplishing by his agency. He may have been one who was often dispirited at the small success attending his ministerial labours; but the Lord often works by us when we think it not. So it was clearly proved in this instance. Let us then sow in hope. According to

our imperfect and feeble means of benefiting others, let us gladly avail ourselves of those means. And though we may only be able to give a confused account of what we have heard, like the negro's friend, yet that may and will be useful, if a blessing be sought upon it. Whoever would do good to others, in this our day, should remember the words: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good," Eccles. xi. 6.

THE HOLY LAND.

LAND with holy interest teeming,
Lovely land of Palestine !

Heavenly light is on thee beaming,

In God's own brightness thou dost shine.
"Beautiful for situation,"

Zion, joy of earth, doth stand,
Thoughts of sweet association

Cluster round the Holy Land!

Scenes portray'd in sacred story,

Linked with hopes most dear, most high,
In spirit oft we view your glory,
Thither turns our longing eye.

Jerus'lem! all within, without thee,
Doth our covenant-God declare;

The very

"mountains round about" thee,
Picture forth His faithful care.

With wondrous charms art thou invested,
City of our Saviour-God!

Upon thy hills His eye hath rested,

Thy paths His holy feet have trod.

Seat of His own chosen nation,

For thee in waking dreams we sigh!

And long, with fond anticipation,
To see thy beauty ere we die.

But though we're far from David's city,
David's God is ever near,

Our Gentile land hath shared His pity,
His "eye and heart" are with us here.
Content let us by faith be viewing

Our Immanuel's life of love,
And in faith His steps pursuing
To" Jerusalem above!"

M.

« ElőzőTovább »