lives of slaves were cut short, especially in the West Indies, by constant labor.

George. But were the slaves made to work on the Sabbath?

Mrs. M. They were not compelled by their masters to work on the Sabbath; but then they labored for their own support, and went to market on the Sabbath, after they had worked hard six days for their masters. The climate was favorable to their health-but this constant labor, it is said, shortened their life.

Mr. Henry R. Schoolcraft gives an account of an expedition which he made, with twenty men, to examine the Upper Mississippi, in the summer of 1830. He went on another tour in the summer of 1832. He says, "No Sabbath-day was employed in travelling. It was laid down as a principle, to rest on that day, and wherever it overtook us, whether on the land or on the water, the men knew that their labor would cease, and that the day would be given them for rest. It may, perhaps, be thought that the giving up of one-seventh part of the whole time employed on a public expedition in a very remote region, and with many men to subsist, must have, in this ratio, increased the time devoted to the route. But the result was far otherwise. The time devoted to recruit the men not only gave the surgeon of the party an opportunity to heal up the bruises and chafings they complained of, but it re

plenished them with strength; they commenced the weekly labor with renewed zest, and this zest was, in a measure, kept up by the reflection that the ensuing Sabbath would be a day of rest. It was found, by computing the whole route, and comparing the time employed with that which had been devoted on similar routes in this part of the world, that an equal space had been gone over in less time than it had ever been known to be performed by loaded canoes, or (as the fact is) by light canoes, before." I give you the account in his own language; and it is a striking proof that nothing is lost by keeping, and nothing gained by breaking, the Sabbath. For here was a long, fatiguing journey, made in less time, by resting on the Sabbath, than if they had traveled every day.

You remember, George, that we read the other night, that in the revolution in France about forty years ago, the French thought they would not have any Sabbath like ours. So they divided the week into nine days of labor and one day of rest. But it is said that they found men could not do so much work, and were more wearied when they rested only one day in ten, than when they rested one day in seven.

The celebrated Dr. Spurzheim says, "The cessation of labor one day in seven contributes to the preservation of health, and to the restoration of the hodily powers." Your uncle John cannot say that

Dr. Spurzheim wrote so because he was a bigot, and was prejudiced in favor of the Sabbath; for Dr. Spurzheim was not at all strict in his religious notions, or in his views of the Sabbath. He was a very learned and scientific man, and would not have said what he did about the Sabbath unless he thought he had good reasons.

Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, one of the ablest physicians that have ever been in the United States, and a fine scholar, says, "If there were no hereafter, individuals and societies would be great gainers by attending public worship. Rest from labor, in the house of God, winds up the machine of the soul and body better than any thing else, and thereby invigorates it for the labors and duties of the ensuing week."

George. I will tell uncle John what Dr. Rush says. I hope he will not think any longer that it is a waste of time to keep the Sabbath.

Mrs. M. A year or two ago the British Parliament took up the subject of observing the Sabbath. They appointed a committee to examine the matter. On this committee were some of the most distinguished members of parliament. The parliament wanted to learn whether it does men any good, in this world, to keep the Sabbath.

You see they were not inquiring whether God has commanded men to keep the Sabbath. I suppose some of the members of parliament did not

much care whether the fourth commandment is now binding or not. But if the Sabbath does any good to men in this world, when it is well kept, they wanted the British nation should enjoy the benefit. The committee put questions to a great many men of different trades and professions, to get information about the Sabbath. They examined, among others, one of the most eminent physicians in London, called Dr. Farre. He was a skillful man, and the committee asked him many questions. I cannot tell you all he said, though it is very interesting. I will tell you a part of it in my own language. He said the Sabbath does men good in this world, as well as in the next. He said that the rest which men get by sleeping in the night, is not as much as they need to keep them healthy, and give them long life. He said it is very kind, therefore, in God, to give men one day in seven for rest, that they may get recruited. Try an experiment, he said, on beasts that labor. Take the horse, for example. Work him for some time, as much as you can make him bear, every day in the week. Do not let him rest on the Sabbath. Then work him for the same length of time again, and just as hard, only let him lie still on the Sabbath. You will soon see that he is more vigorous, and works better, when he rests on the Sabbath, than when he works seven days in the week.

Charles. Now I see, mother, why God com

manded that the cattle should not be made to work

on the Sabbath.

Susan. Why did not God make every thing which has life keep the Sabbath? The birds fly about in the air on the Sabbath-day, and the lambs skip about in the field. Why does not God make the birds, and the lambs, and every thing which has life, keep the Sabbath?

Mrs. M. Every thing which has life does not need the Sabbath, perhaps. In trees and vegetables there are veins which carry the sap from the roots to the branches and leaves, and then back again to the roots, as blood is carried from the heart to every part of our bodies, and then back again, by arteries and veins. I suppose God might have made trees and vegetables, so that they would need to rest one day in seven, as we do. And I suppose God might have made the beasts that rove about in the woods, and the birds that fly about in the air, so that they would need the Sabbath as well as man. But he has not done it. The rose is never tired of hanging on the bush and being beautiful; nor the lily with standing on its stalk and being fragrant. The wild beasts of the forest, when undisturbed by man, never appear to be weary. They do not labor, they get their food, and then lie down to sleep. And the birds of the air, our Saviour says, neither sow nor reap," have "neither storehouse nor barn" -so they are not anxious about laying up wealth,