THE LADIES' REPOSITORY. APRIL, 1846. THE BOA-CONSTRICTOR. (SEE ENGRAVING.) THIS scene and reptile should be in some Asiatic, tropical region. And how thankful should we "temperate" people be, that a monster so hideous and so destructive has no approach to us! The mind is filled with wonder wherefore these things are; yet not for a moment does it stagger our faith in the beneficence of Heaven, that they are allowed an existence. That it is good, upon the whole, cannot be doubted. God, who created angels and men, did, also, on the sixth day, "create every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Moreover, "God saw every thing that he had made; and behold it was very good." were in a gorged state, this would not be surprising; but he has not yet demolished his victim. How far these "snake doctors" may have "mesmerized" the animal, we cannot say. But we do say, he is a very quiescent snake, considering the number of persons, and of deadly weapons, by which he is assaulted. We may assume, perhaps, that he is already disabled, and can make but weak demonstrations. But this aspect, were a nullifying of the subject, which would not suit its object. These Asiatics must themselves be fully possessed of the efficacy of their antidotes, or they would not adventure, as it were, within the very folds of the monster. Their attitudes seem sufficiently energetic; if combined with this there were some degree of natural revulsion expressed, the piece would be more impressive. It is a good name, that of the delineator. Yet it is not probable that he ever saw the snake or the scene. Seeing it, we may believe he would hardly sit, tablets in hand, for an accurate transcript. Still, if he had seen it, some more of the life-of the vital horror of the thing were here. Had we not this Scripture, nature herself would be sufficient authority for this idea, for the usethough, may-be, yet unknown to science of every thing and creature comprised in the creation. Analogy, that unerring creed of the philosopher, warrants, even to our ignorance, a certain mission to all that lives. The serpent of the dust shall render that dust less deleterious to humanity. Without injuring himself, the reptile is bade do good to man. The The drawing of the trees, and the landscape altomalaria of the dank masses of vegetation which fes-gether, is good, and the shading of the snake, generter, and ripen, and rot in the humid fatness of trop- { ally, admirable. ical climates, are food for such as these. The character of snakes, as a genus, is less fully Mark, too, how nature has implanted an instinc-treated of by zoologists than other of their classifitive horror of these monsters, guarding us from their haunts, and forewarning us of their venomvenom collected in defense of all men; whilst one, in many thousands, is the "scape-goat" of the sacrifice. And even thus does it fall throughout the whole of nature. The lightning's shaft, the cleansing fire of heaven, shooting in direct lines, finds ever, now and then, a human target on which to spend its fullness. And so in all. cations, for the very good reason that the approach is less frequent and less familiar than in other departments. No doubt there is, here and there, an obscure and sequestered individual, who, in reality, knows more about them than the book-people, or even the philosophers (we beg their pardons) do; for it is a matter of "personal acquaintance" to know them well; and some have a genius this way. But these, as we have said, are not book-people; and their lore, being not chronicled, probably perishes in the wilds where it was collected. As to the truth of the representation of this plate, we confess it is not very impressive upon us. His snakeship, though of sufficient dimensions, is not Mr. Pierpont, in his "Airs of Palestine," tells us made to seem so powerful as might be; the curvature of the magnanimity and generosity of a certain of the neck, for instance, is not, either in its anat-species, (the rattlesnake,) with some instances. omy or shading, as overpoweringly malicious and But whether this were collected from a reliable diabolical as should be. It would seem, in fact, source or not, makes the whole difference of its not militant, but barely defensive. If the creature merit and authority. VOL. VI.-13 THE BIBLE. BY BISHOP MORRIS. In reading mere human productions, however excellent, the mind becomes weary. The most attractive work among them, on the second or third perusal, begins to lose its interest. But not so of the Bible. Drawn from the fountain of all wisdom and goodness, its themes are sublime, its depths are fathomless, and its variety is infinite. The oldest, closest, and most uniform readers, pronounce it always new and ever fresh. Each repeated perusal, leads to the discovery of new beauties and unknown excellences. The more they read, the more they desire to read it; and the longer they read, the better they love to read it. The Bible is emphatically the Book-the Book of books-yea, the Book of God. It is a rich boon from our heavenly Father, to his children of all ages and nations-the people's book-the heavenly chart, with which alone life's boisterous seas can be safely navigated. Its precepts are so simple that the most ignorant may understand them, while its mysteries are so profound that the most learned could never have invented them. If the Bible were perfectly comprehensible in all its parts, by one human mind, that might suggest doubts of its being a revelation from heaven, for all the world of intellectual beings. Its sublime mysteries, so far from discrediting, only confirm its claims to a divine origin. Many of the precious truths of this sacred volume, such as that of the resurrection of the body, are purely matters of revelation, and could never have been discovered by the light of reason. The same may be said of all things future, which the prophets have made known; "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Hence, the authority { of its commands, the terror of its denunciations, and the consolation of its promises. While all things in the Bible, essentially connected with doctrine, experience, and practice, are sufficiently plain for ordinary readers, its resources are so boundless, as to call into requisition all the research of the learned, directed by the strongest intellect, without exhaustion. What are all the treasures of classic lore compared to the "word of life?" For depth of wisdom, beauty of style, and sublimity of thought, it surpasses the sages of Greece, the orators of Rome, and all the literati of modern times. The far-famed British, and other poets, are thrown into the shade by the Book of Job, the Psalms of David, and the prophetic visions of Isaiah. All the works of fiction, by the most popular authors, may be safely challenged to produce one single essay, that would bear any just comparison to the simple, veritable, and pathetic narrative of Joseph and his brethren. As to the sermon upon the mount, and all other discourses of our Lord and Savior, it is enough to recite the concession of his enemies: "Never man spake like this man." Why should a man expend thousands of dollars for a mass of books, and commit himself to the toil of a lifetime in examining them, when, for a few shillings, he can obtain the Book which contains more wisdom, and is of infinitely more importance than all the libraries in the world? Nor is this saying too much for the Bible, which dates back near two thousand years beyond the oldest history extant, and by prophecy extends forward to the end of time. If all human productions, from the first imperfect scrawl on bark or skin, down to the ornamented volumes of 1846, be placed in one scale, and a single plain copy of the Bible in the other, in point of real value, it outweighs them all. Would you learn the origin of the world, and the years of its existence? instead of resorting to geology, and dealing in uncertain conjecture and inference, go to Genesis, and read an authentic history of the creation of all things from nothing. The earth first arose, without form and void, and darkness covered the face of it; but, under the plastic hand of the Creator, assumed its proper shape and function. "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." The sun took his appropriate position, and the rolling planets were distributed around him, so as to receive his light and heat. The whole system was then put in motion by its Author; and, for near six thousand years, has never, for one moment, ceased to move. As yet there were none to till the earth, or rule the multitudes of its living creatures; but the Lord God formed man out of the dust, breathed on him and he lived, having dominion over every living thing on the earth. From his rib, God made woman to be the companion and help-meet of man. And from them have descended all the babbling tribes of humanity. Would you know whence came death and all the woes of man? Read it in the history of the fall. Do you desire to learn what is the only remedy for sin and its miseries? It is all comprehended in this, Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification. Are you still prostrated, fettered, and powerless under the bondage of sin? Accept of his free, unmerited advocacy, nothing doubting, and you are "redeemed, regenerated, and disenthralled." Such are the history and doctrine of the Bible. It guides the pilgrim stranger, through this howling wilderness, in the path of safety. It hangs out the lamp of its exceeding great and precious promises, to pilot him over the gulf stream of death; and leads him forth with songs of deliverance to join his friends in the deathless regions of immortality, where the river of life glides for ever, amidst the beauties of perennial spring. Now the Bible, which alone affords any satisfactory information of our origin, duty and end, or any assurance of a higher and happier state of existence than the present, is alike suited to all classes of society, and to all the circumstances of human life. MY STEP-MOTHER. It is the plain Christian's manual, and the learned man's text-book; the rich man's monitor, and the poor man's treasure; the traveler's guide, and the mariner's chart; the widow's companion, and the orphan's guardian. It is the basis of legislation, and the standard of morals; it binds over the witness, juror, attorney, and judge to a future reckoning, and requires the administration of universal justice, according to the golden rule, of doing unto all men as we would they should do unto us. It checks the turbulent passions of the wicked, protects the rights of the innocent, and enjoins peace on earth and good will to man. It tunes the harp of the musician, furnishes the song of devotion, and kindles the fires of eloquence. It imparts light to the ignorant, and peace to the broken-hearted; relieves the oppressed of their burden, and breaks the wizard spell of superstition. It is the sick man's consolation, and sustains the dying man's hope. The final inference is, there should be, at least, as many Bibles in the world as there are rational beings, and every man, woman, and child, should own a copy. MY STEP-MOTHER. AMONG my earliest pleasant memories, is that of my loved step-mother. My father landed at one of our American seaports, a stranger in a foreign land. Fatal disease soon sealed the fate of the dear partner of his hopes, leaving with him three babes, a mother's prayer, and a mother's blessing. In process of time, a gentle being became the orphan's mother, and the stranger's friend. Probably no member of society is, and has been, more unjustly treated and persecuted, than the stepmother. To some, it seems a peculiar pleasure to serve up, for criticism, the character of every stepmother of their acquaintance. How unjust! how unchristian! Can we expect that the step-mother will, at all times, and in the same degree, feel such maternal yearnings toward those borne and cradled by another, as toward her own offspring-those over whom, in tender infancy, she has wept and smiled? Is it in consonance with nature? And yet there are those in whose families the distinctions which nature would authorize, could not be noticed except by them, to whose acute vision lynx-eyed jealousy has imparted the keenest edge. Having been educated, instructed, loved, and cherished by a beloved stepmother-having seen the kindness, self-denial, patience, and love of some filling this honorable and responsible station, I have no patience with the criticisms of those, who, if placed in the same situation, I doubt not, would exhibit, in bold relief, the very traits of character they so earnestly condemn. The original of my sketch was one of those mothers, in whose families the natural and adopted children are alike. O, how well I remember the kindness of that mother-long since "lost to sight," 99 but still "to memory dear." And could I now address her spirit, how ardently would I thank her for her tenderness; and how earnestly would I implore her forgiveness for the many pangs my childish waywardness must have inflicted. She it was that taught my infant mind to recognize the great truths of religion, and to peruse and treasure up the sacred Word. She was my confidentmy guide. If any petition was to be presented to the paternal branch of domestic authority, she was my intercessor. But sickness and death sever the most cherished connections. On my return from a journey, a summons brought me to the bedside of my dying mother. Nature was nearly exhausted; but, with her remaining strength, she exhorted me to meet her in heaven. I was not permitted to be near her in her last moments. Imperative duty demanded my absence for a week. How unwillingly was that journey taken, and what a week of suspense, solicitude, and prayer! One day was a day of fasting, humiliation, and earnest entreaty. As I rode along and saw the many healthful forms around me, I often thought, how little of that superabundant health would secure the life of my dear mother. It was bitter to think "That she should die, And life be left to the butterfly." During the week, no news reached me from my far-off home. The week and the journey were drawing to a close, when, meeting with an acquaintance, in answer to my eager inquiries, he informed me that the loved object of my solicitude was an inhabitant of another world. The information was scarcely believed, surely not realized. Like the sound of the clods upon the coffin, it was the knell of my deferred hope. My own mother had died, but I was too young to appreciate my loss. But now as I entered my home, never again to be lightened by the smile of the lost one, a sense of utter desolation overwhelmed me. If there is a place in the world that can bring to the heart contrition and repentance, that place is the pious mother's grave. Seared indeed must be the heart of him, who can view the last lowly bed of her who wept over him in childhood, and prayed for him in youth, and not, with repentant tears, pray for pardon and peace. Mother, to whom are committed the children of her who once bore thy present name, thou hast an important charge. Be tender to those who have now no natural mother to listen to their infant complaints. Their helplessness demands it; the yearnings of her, whose mother's heart tenderly responded to their slightest sorrows, demands it; your tacit promise demands it; religion demands it. Be faithful. Train the young immortal for God, and fear not the strife of tongues, thou shalt be rewarded. Thy adopted "children shall rise up and call thee blessed." From that number, probably, shall be 437017 A |