widow. But it was too late. He had been his mother's only hope, her only stay, her only joy; "for he was a good lad once," his mother said: "but that drink, that accursed drink has ruined him," she cried, as she lifted her trembling hands and streaming eyes to heaven: and it seemed as if her poor heart would break as she thought of flashing swords and glistening bayonets, of rattling muskets and roaring cannon, of fields of battle and of blood. It was too much for her; she went away, perhaps to die of a broken heart. F-Oh, I say, Mr. Shilling, don't tell me any more tales like that; I really can't stand it. S.-Well then, I'll tell you something for your encouragementsomething which a very great Authority once said about farthings. Well, there was once a very fine city, called Jerusalem; and in that city there was a very splendid temple, called the temple of God; and the rich went by in all their grandeur, and cast their gold into the treasury at the temple door; by-and-bye there came a poor widow, in homely and humble garb, and with meek and modest mien, and she cast into the treasury not her silver and gold, for silver and gold she had none, but two mites, which make a farthing; and Jesus said-for it was Jesus, the Saviour of the world-Jesus said unto his disciples, "Verily, I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her poverty did cast in all that she had, even all her living." And thus the farthing was more acceptable to God from this poor widow, than the gold and silver of the rich so proudly given out of their abundance. Well now, my little friends, I told you before that you Sundayscholars were the shillings, and your teachers the half-crowns, and that you ought, therefore, to put in practice all the good and holy things they teach you; but there are the poor farthings there; don't despise the farthings, that is, the poor children who have not the many good instructions and counsels, or the many kind friends and teachers you have. Take them by the hand, and tell them what your teachers have told you; try to bring them to the Sabbath-school; and then you will find, as I have said, that even farthings and shillings may do their duty as nobly and as well as the half-crowns, or sovereigns, or five-pound notes, in the bank. And you, my dear friends, the teachers, take the loving Saviour as your example; remember his condescension to little things. He did not care so much for the great and good things of this world; for he said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God," Mark x. 14. R. H. Birmingham, Oct. 1, 1858. A CHINESE CONVERT. MR. DOTY, of Amoy, in China, gives some account in a recent letter, of several persons who think they have been brought to love the truth by the labours of the missionaries there, and have united with the church. In the story of one of these the readers ofthe PENNY MAGAZINE will be interested. They will see that now, as well as in the days of Christ, in some places, men must forsake father and mother, and be persecuted, if they will be Christ's disciples. Ang Bun-kiam is twenty-two years old. He is the son of a small rice-dealer at Chioh-be, During the holidays of the Chinese new year, in February last, he heard the gospel for the first time in the chapel at that place. His attention was arrested, and his heart was affected by a sense of his sinfulness, and his need of salvation. Soon he found peace in believing, and now he resolved to cling to Christ at all hazards. The father noticed the change in his son, for he forsook all his former religious practices, and refused to have anything further to do with idols and idolatry. And now the father, by commands and threats, tried to prevent the son from going to hear the gospel preached. But the young man persevered. He diligently performed the duties of the shop during the day, but devoted the evenings and Sabbaths to the study of the Scriptures, to hearing the word, and seeking instruction. HE IS HANDCUFFED AND LOCKED UP. The father then put handcuffs on him, a painful Chinese instrument of torture, and locked him up in a room of the house. In this situation he remained about two days, suffering much bodily pain. But he did not waver in his purpose, living or dying, to cling to Christ. At last, in his agony of pain, he threw himself heavily on the tiled floor of his prison. The blow of the fall broke the lock to his irons; and he forced open the door and rushed out of the house. After this he found lodging and food among the members of the church, but returned daily, for a few days, to his father's shop, and attended as formerly to his business. HIS FATHER CASTS HIM OFF. Still he refused to comply with the wishes of his father respecting his religious views and duties, and the father soon cast him off, almost naked and entirely destitute, refusing to allow him to take away even his own clothes. After a short time he came to Amoy to seek employment, and is now learning a trade. Thus by his labour he obtains food and clothes; and he appears to be an humble, earnest Christian, loving the Lord who bought him, and living to his glory. The Fragment Basket. EARLY RISING. Any person spending his precious hours in bed till eight or nine o'clock in the morning, on awaking, feels himself almost like one who has reached mid-life, looking back on earlier years squandered, and in the most favourable light but a few to run, ere the heart and lungs, now warm, lie cold and dead, ripe for the loathsome grave. Let him get up betimes, for a walk by the woodside or silent glen, in spring, summer, or autumn, and he will feel so invigorated, renewed, and full of happiness, as if transported back to the time when the heart beat lightly below the pinafore, or lived anew the care-void teens; having the satisfaction, when life's sands are run, that they have not been spent in unnecessary sleep: for we may be guiltier of actual sin doing this, than performing the active duties of life. The loss of privileged opportunities in doing good to ourselves and others will not pass unpunished. BE YE READY. What a fool! we would say of one who, when the coach is started, cries, "Where is my travelling suit -my bag and baggage?" More fool he who, when death's carriage has begun to move, inquires, "Where is my travelling robe of righteousness? my bag of faith? and is my luggage of sin left behind?" Let us see whether these things are ready, before death lays his finger upon us, to distract our thoughts with pain. He only performs a friend's part, who speaks to the thoughtful or thoughtless of Christ, death, or judgment, before they are laid on the bed of sickness. CANDLES. Fellow-Christians! how dimly do many of our lights shine before the world, when, through the discoveries of science, and the investigations of travellers, the light of revelation is burning brighter than it has ever done! How imperative that we should throw away the dim candle, and introduce the brilliant gas of virtuous actions, backed by intercourse with God! JOHN WESLEY-"THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT." The Rev. John Wesley gives us the following account of his receiving the great blessing of "the witness of the Spirit:""I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, whilst he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed, I felt I did trust in Christ-Christ alone -for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." Cowper, the poet, in describing his feelings when he received the same blessing, observes: "Unless the Almighty arm had been under me, I think I should have been overwhelmed with gratitude and joy. My eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with transport; I could only look up to heaven in silent fear, overwhelmed with love and wonder. But the work of the Spirit is best described in his own words; it is 'joy unspeakable and full of glory. CHRISTIAN CONSISTENCY. Let a parent exhibit the Christian character with consistency and prudence, and he will seldom fail to be loved and revered by his children. What authority will belong to his example! What weight to all his admonitions! What ready attention will be paid to his very wishes! The difficulties of education will be wonderfully smoothed. PITHY SAYINGS. A drunken and angry man do both agree in this, that they speak they know not what, and afterwards they know not what they spake. We obtain nothing by the merit, but many things by the means of prayer. Surely if we thought that God were good to us in every condition, we should have good thoughts of God in every condition. Did we consider that both our good and evil were from God, it would make our good to be better, and our evil not to be so bad. There is no truer misery than false joys. Late repentance is seldom true, but true repentance is never too late. Contentment is the true philosopher's stone, which turneth all into gold, makes the best of the worst. A saint ought so to carry it, that he may say, I am not ashamed to live, nor afraid to die. The work of the gospel is to make bad men good, and good men bet ter. Latimer saith of the clergy, that they were so wise, that by their wisdom they had almost made all the world fools. He hath all things who hath God, though he have nothing else; but he hath nothing who hath not God, though he have all things else. Though it sads a saint that he is no better, yet it glads him that he is no worse. They who hold the largest farms must pay the greatest rents. Differing mercies call for differing duties. It is very meet that he should be magnified by us, that makes us meet to be glorified with him. The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skilful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests. A good man suffers evil and doth good; a natural man suffers good and doth evil. All our present glory consists in our preparation for future glory. SELECT SENTENCES. There is a deep self-abasement which clings close to the side of real humility, with a simplicity at the same time which storms the very heavens. Let every man be occupied, and occupied in the highest employment of which his nature is capable, and all with the consciousness that he has done his best. Life is a short day, but it is a working-day. Activity may lead to evil, but inactivity cannot lead to good. The Holy Scriptures are an adorable mixture of clearness and obscurity, which enlighten and humble the children of God, and blind and harden those of the world. The light proceeds from God, and the blindness from the creature. A LIGHT BURDEN. 'My burden is light." A light burden, indeed, which carries him that wears it. I have looked through all nature for a resemblance of this, and I seem to find a shadow of it in the wings of a bird, which are, indeed, borne by the creature, and yet support her flight towards hea ven. MONITORY MAXIMS. There is one sin that destroys its THE SCOFFER'S END. As one of Lady Huntingdon's students was preaching in the street of a country town, a person in the neighbourhood sat drinking at the window of a public-house, scoffing at and ridiculing the preacher the whole time. About a fortnight after, the same student, coming into this town again, met a funeral, and inquiring whose it was, was told it was that unhappy scoffer, who had since that time been overtaken by the Lord. He fell from his horse on his return to his house, broke his leg, and was now summoned to appear at the awful tribunal of a righteous God. Poetry. TRUST. "Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."-ISA. xxvi. 4. TRUST ye in the Lord for ever, Night and day no evil neareth, Trust ye in the Lord for ever, On his guests all blessings sheddeth. Trust ye in the Lord for ever, Trust ye in the Lord for ever, Hope, then, though thy night be darkest, Help is nigh ere yet thou markest. With the morrow shall be gladness. Trust, then, though thy mind disputeth, Trust, then, though thy eye refuteth; Thought of man not ever measures. ON MY CHILD'S DEATH. FROM THE GERMAN OF RICHENDORFF. I. WHEN first the garden paths along, And, nestling in the dewy green, The bright-hued insects flew about. The cuckoo, also, playfully Called to thee from th' o'erhanging spray, And all the forest questioned me, "Why comest thou alone to-day?" And when I answered not, a sigh Through all the rustling leaves I heard, And whispers rose, afar and nigh, From every bush, and flower, and bird. Soon on the grass the bright tears hung, And slower through the stillness crept The little brook, and sadder sung,- Far off the clocks are striking, Dreaming that we shall hear thee Poor fools! thus to dissemble! III. The shadows deepen yonder, That shroud thy quiet breast. The birds sing o'er thy head. And while, like dreams of heaven, The spring winds pure and mild Breathe softly through the forest, Sweet be thy sleep, my child. LIFE, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. A SHADOW moving by one's side, That would a substance seem, That is, yet is not, though descried Like skies beneath the stream; A tree that's ever in the bloom, Whose fruit is never ripe; A wish for joys that never comeSuch are the hopes of Life. A dark, inevitable night; A blank that will remain; A waiting for the morning light, When waiting is in vain ; A gulf where pathway never led, To show the depth beneath; A thing we know not, yet we dreadThat dreaded thing is Death. The vaulted void of purple sky, That everywhere extends, That stretches from the dazzled eye, In space that never ends; A morning, whose uprisen sun No setting e'er shall see; A day that comes without a noonSuch is Eternity. |