6. ONE SIDE.

Orator Gabble says that it would be a good thing to change sides, and make the clergy give up their share for the support of the poor, and let the clergy have the poor's share.

THE OTHER SIDE.

The poor would be worse off for this change, and the clergy the better; because the poor have many times as much divided among them as the clergy have. 7. ONE SIDE.

I wish something could be done to better the condition of the poor!

THE OTHER SIDE.

So do I, with all my heart! but the way that those who encourage them to oppose their masters, and to riot, and to injure property, will only lead them to a worse state than they are in at present. When they hurt their masters, they are hurting themselves.

8. ONE SIDE.

Tom Grumble is always complaining of the taxes, and he says, if half of them were taken off, the poor would be set all right.

THE OTHER SIDE.

This would save a poor man only a few pence in the year: perhaps he would not perceive that it had saved him a farthing. The taxes are mostly paid by the rich, and the produce of them spent among those who work.

9. ONE SIDE.

Some say that it is of no use obeying the Scriptures, or submitting to the laws of our country, but let every one "judge for himself."

THE OTHER SIDE.

This has been the cry of the ignorant in all ages;

Selections from different Authors.

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but there never has been an instance yet of any who have followed this course being made happier for it. It is the wrong course; and not having God's blessing on it, it ends in ruin.

V.

SELECTIONS FROM DIFFERENT AUTHORS.

Reader, be very careful that thou neglect not the checks of conscience, nor thine own heart reproving thee of thy way; for time runs apace, and thou know'st not how soon that conscience of thine, which doth now check thee, shall judge thee; and that heart of thine, which now doth reprove thee, shall torment thee, and thou by it shall be accused and convicted, that thou hast been a wilful chooser of thine own destruction.Samuel Smith.

When we have a mind to a thing, all reason seems strong to persuade us to it.-Bishop Patrick.

That mischief may be done in a day, which many ages cannot repress.-Bishop Hall.

When we are most praised, we generally act the most foolishly; for those very praises cloud the understanding, and pervert the judgment.-Scott.

EXTRACTS FROM THE PUBLIC NEWSPAPERS.

Unwholesome Lobsters.-When lobsters are caught, it is usual to tie up the claws with cord, to prevent their injuring each other. They are fretted by this, but they sustain no damage in quality as food. To save trouble, however, dealers in shell-fish stick a plug in the spot where the claw is divided. This is supposed to cause great agony to the fish, for when the shell is removed, the substance appears to have lost its firmness, and the place where the plug was stuck, is completely mortified. It was stated before the lord mayor, that cholera morbus and other serious and dangerous complaints were caused by eating lobsters in this state, not to speak of the dreadful torture inflicted on the fish by this practice.-Art. Police, Morning Herald.

Το prepare seed-wheat.-Instead of white mercury, by the incautious use of which many fatal accidents occur, soak the wheat 3 or 4 hours in a mixture of common salt and water (strong enough to float an egg); such wheat is never affected with slime, and it is added, on good authority, that it produces a more abundant crop, and of finer quality.-Country Paper.

Advice to Young Men.-When a man has got money enough in his pocket to buy himself a pint of ale, and is going to take it to the ale-house and spend it, let him not go just yet, but let him wait till he has got double that sum; then let him wrap it up in a paper, and set off with it in his hand-and, instead of stopping at the ale-house just then, let him pass by it, and go to the deepest pond, or river, or well, that he can find, and let him chuck the money in, so that he shall never see it more. By this method, practised every time that he is going to the ale-house, he will find himself far richer and happier at the end of the year than if he had adopted his first intention. This plan will be found to cure some very diseased habits, and will introduce some very healthy ones. The patient, after a very few trials, will find money growing in his pocket, and he may then be left to use it according to his own discretion.

N.B. Those persons who already know the danger of an alehouse, need not attempt to take the above remedy.

Good Conduct of Workmen.-The men belonging to the collieries of Thomas Kinnersley, Esq., in Staffordshire, learning that some other colliers were going about in large bodies, attempting to force others to join them, assembled and agreed not to be forced from their employment (with which they were satisfied), without making every resistance in their power. They accordingly shewed themselves in great force to the rioters, and made them acquainted with their determination. From the truly English spirit shewn by these men, and the measures adopted by Mr. Kinnersley, it is hoped that a stop will be put to these unlawful and disgraceful proceedings.—Staffordshire Advertizer.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received the communications of C. S. R.; Ignota; J. C.; A Correspondent; Amicus; A Friend to Rich and Poor; S. W.; Industry; C. S.; India; and R. W.

We are very sorry that we are obliged to postpone the valuable articles of many of our correspondents. Our small space scarcely allows of papers in the character of sermons. We have a very large collection by us on the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

MARCH, 1831.

THE POOR MAN'S EXPOSITOR, No. IX.

Matt. xviii. 7. "It must needs be that offences come.”—This means, that, in consequence of the corruption of man's nature, there will be offences,-there will be hindrances and obstacles in the way to oppose the progress of Christians. This is no excuse for those who cause hindrances, and introduce the offences; for our Lord says, "Woe unto that man by whom the

offence cometh."

Matt. xviii. 8. "If thy hand or thy foot offend thee." Any habit or sin which is as dear to us as a hand or foot, if it hinders our progress in vital religion, must be overcome, it must be parted with.

Matt. xviii. 13. "He rejoiceth more." We are not to suppose from this passage that the Almighty feels more approbation upon one repenting sinner than upon ninety-nine faithful persons. "This can never be imagined, nor would it correspond with the illustration. The shepherd does not set a greater value on the lost sheep, than he does on those that are safe; but his joy for the moment, at the recovery of the lost sheep, is greater than he receives from all the rest, because he has regained that, and is sure of all the rest."

"

Matt. xviii. 17. "Tell it unto the Church;" not the universal Church of Christ, but the particular congregation of Christians to which they both belong.

Matt. xviii. 18. "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven." Whatever shall be thus solemnly determined (for it here evidently refers to the case of the offenders mentioned above), shall be approved and ratified in heaven. In this passage, our Saviour gives the same authority to all the Apostles in general which before, xvi. 19, he had given to St. Peter in particular; hence all ground for supremacy, claimed by the Church of Rome, is taken away. See note,

xvi. 19.

Matt. xviii. 20. "Where two or three are gathered together in my name." What an encouragement is this to induce us to join in public worship! where, though we sinners be upon earth, and our Saviour be in heaven, yet he has promised to be in the midst of us; and if we pray in his name," he will hear us,

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and answer our prayers.

Matt. xviii. 22. "Seventy times seven." That is, -the duty of forgiveness has no limits.

Matt. xviii. 24. "Ten thousand talents." One talent was equal to about 1807. of our money, while "a hundred pence" of money then in use was only about 31. The vast difference of these sums should lead us to reflect how much greater are our offences against God than those of our fellow Christians against us; and "who is there amongst us," exclaims the pious Bishop Porteus, "who is there amongst us that has not had ten thousand talents forgiven him by his heavenly Father? Take together all the offences of his life, all his sins and follies, from the first hour of his maturity to the present time, and they may well be compared to this immense sum; which immense sum, if he has been a sincere penitent, has been all forgiven through the merits of his Redeemer. Yet, when his fellow Christian owes him an hundred pence, when he commits the slightest offence against him, he