if that would do she would not trouble me, but that it would not do. She only wished it would; but to rule my planet she must have either money or money's worth from me. I wanted to get the chain back, but she said she had better have too much than too little, and then it would be ended, and that if she had not enough she would have to come again; so I let her keep all, and she promised to bring it all back the same night at six o'clock, but she never came again. That was on the 16th of July. I then told the footman, for the purpose of his giving information to the police. I was myself committed by the magistrate upon the charge of stealing the property, but I have been out on bail. What think you of this history? Did you ever hear of a inore outrageous piece of imposture? Was there ever a sillier girl than Sarah Strange? The jury found the impostors all guilty, and the judge sentenced them to two years' imprisonment for their wicked conduct. Let this be a warning to you, to set your faces as a flint against the whole tribe of Fortune-Tellers, who know no more about "the stars" and "the planets" than you do; and no more about your fortune than does the ox, or the ass, or any other beast of the field. Counsel, reprove, and bid them away from your master's door. The Fragment Basket. LENDING. Never lend money to a friend unless you are satisfied that he does wisely and well in borrowing it. Borrowing is one of the most ordinary ways by which weak men sacrifice the future to the present, and thence it is that the gratitude for a loan is so proverbially evanescent; for the future, becoming present in its turn, will not be well pleased with those who have assisted in doing it an injury. By conspiring with your friend to defraud his future self, you naturally incur his future displeasure. To withstand solicitations for loans is often a great trial of firmness, the more especially as the pleas and pretexts alleged are generally made plausible at the expense of truth; for nothing breaks down a man's truthfulness more surely than pecuniary embarrassment "An unthrift was a liar from all time; Never was debtor that was not deceiver." The refusal which is at once the most safe from vacillation, and perhaps as little apt to give offence as any, is the point-blank refusal, without the reasons assigned. Acquiescence is more easily given in the decisions of a strong will than in reasons, which weak men, under the bias of self-love, A MASTER. will always imagine themselves competent to controvert.-Taylor's Notes from Life. This AN HISTORICAL CURIOSITY. In 1798, a clergyman, vicar of a parish in Shrewsbury, committed what the Catholics or Puseyites would call sacrilege. In his church was a picture of the crucifixion of Christ, suspended over what is called the altar. picture, as he believed it to be an object of worship, he ordered to be removed. Various efforts were made to retain it, but at length it was taken from the building. The Catholic priest, on the following day, issued the following lampoon, which was circulated over the whole town. "The parson's the man, Let him say what he can, Will for gain leave his God in the lurch; Could Iscariot do more, Had it been in his power, Than to turn his Lord out of the Church?' It may be easily supposed that on one part of the community this would have its effect; but the worthy vicar soon gave evidence that he possessed wit as well as his neighbour, for he immediately replied: "The Lord I adore Is mighty in power, The One only living and true; But that Lord of your's, This God of your own, tered, without changing, however, his position, "you can tell us how this game ought to be played." Elder and deacon, minister and children, were soon all busy at the game together. This is not the way," said Mr. Thomson, "we used to play bowls in Galloway." "Come along, then," said Dr. Chalmers, "let us see what the Galloway plan is." And to it they set again with keener relish than ever, till Mrs. What a fine Chalmers at last said, paragraph it will make for the Chronicle to-morrow, that Dr. Chalmers, and one of his elders, and one of his deacons, were seen last night playing for a Well, whole hour at marbles!" really," said Dr. Chalmers, starting up, "it is too bad in us, gentlemen, we must stop." Two hours of useful and instructive conversation followed, not made in any way the less so by the manner in which they were ushered "Memoirs of the Life of Thomas Chalmers, D.D." in.-From CHRISTIANS SHOULD BELIEVE ANECDOTE OF DR. CHALMERS. While very busily engaged one forenoon in his study, a man entered, who at once propitiated him, under the provocation of an unexpected interruption, by telling him that he called under great distress of mind. "Sit down, sir; be good enough to be seated," said Dr. Chalmers, turning eagerly and full of interest from his writing-table. The visitor explained to him that he was troubled with doubts about the Divine origin of the Christian religion; and being kindly questioned as to what these were, he gave, among others, what is said in the Bible about Melchizedek being without father and without mother, &c. Patiently and anxiously Dr. Chalmers sought to clear away each successive difficulty as it was stated. Expressing himself as if greatly re-eminently of Christians. lieved in mind, and imagining that he littleness of our faith which makes us had gained his end, "Doctor," said the dwarfs in spiritual stature, cowards in visitor, "I am in great want of a little conflict and in enterprise, narrowmoney at present, and perhaps you minded in our views and plans of duty, could help me in that way." At once and niggards in sacrifice and in contrithe object of his visit was seen. A bution to the cause of Christ. Yes, it perfect tornado of indignation burst is the sin and the misery even of the upon the deceiver, driving him in very sincere disciples of Christ, that the quick retreat from the study to the promises of God have so little daily street-door these words escaping among influence on their practical habits. others" Not a penny, sir! not a Christians! be afraid of unbelief; be penny! It's too bad! it's too bad! ashamed of unbelief: only believe, and And to haul in your hypocrisy upon act as if you believed, and you shall the shoulders of Melchizedek!"-Se- see the salvation of God.-Miller. cond volume of " Chalmers' Life." DR. CHALMERS AMONG HIS CHILDREN. Mr. Thomson and Mr. Heggie, an elder and a deacon, went out one evening at Kensington-place, where Dr. Chalmers was living, to speak to him about some parish matters. They found him on the floor, busy playing at bowls with his children. "Come away, Mr. Heggie," he exclaimed when they en The lack of faith is the great, crying sin, not of an ungodly world only, but It is the SPARE MOMENTS. Spare moments are the gold-dust of time; and Young was writing a true as well as a striking line, when he taught that "sands make the mountain, and moments make the year." Of all the portions of our life, spare moments are the most fruitful in good or evil. They are the gaps through which temptations find the easiest aocess to the garden of the soul. THE SMOOTH COIN. Poetry. "Whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer; for it shall not be acceptable for you. Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut."-LEV. xxii. 20, 24. UNDER the old Mosaic law Nothing was offer'd to the Lord From both the gift and giver too. All that he has, and yet may lack The grace that makes the promise sure, And never get a farthing back. Of all the giving, O how mean To give the coin which will not pass! Too smooth to let the piece be seen, But dropp'd into the box, alas! The contribution-box might tell A story which would make one blush, If every piece that in it fell From hand of donor, cried not, Hush! I would not offer to the Lord That which I dared not give to men; Keep those bad pieces in your hoard, Lest you may hear from them again. Two mites from a poor widow's hand, The eye that sees what ail men give Approved-'t was all she could command: And yet that widow had to live. But these base coins are witnesses Full oft of one's penuriousness: The hand gives forth, none see what 'tis, But unacceptable," I guess. Some men will give to make a sound, Give conscientiously, my friends! JUST AS THOU ART. Thy sins I bore on Calvary's tree; Burdened with guilt, wouldst thou be blest? Trust not the world, it gives no rest; O weary sinner, come. Come, leave thy burden at the cross; O needy sinner, come. Come, hither bring thy boding fears, Thy aching heart, thy bursting tears; 'Tis mercy's voice salutes thine ears; O trembling sinner, come. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come;" Rejoicing saints re-echo, Come; Who faints, who thirsts, who will may come : Thy Saviour bids thee come! The Children's Gallery. A WARNING VOICE TO THE YOUNG. I WAS called on to visit a young person who had been accustomed to attend a Sabbath-school. I found her dangerously ill, and it was evident that her disease admitted of no remedy. Her countenance was pallid, and her frame much emaciated. She had been ill for two or three months, and finding her strength gradually decline, she wished me to visit her. She then related to me her painful history, as follows: "I have been," she said, "an attendant at a Sabbath-school for some time past. About a twelvemonth since I about her soul; that in answer to questions put to her, she could give no good hope of her salvation. "Nothing," she exclaimed, "but darkness before me;" and when I looked on her tortured countenance, and marked the peculiar was deeply impressed under the word, and such were my feelings that I really considered my heart to have been converted. Subsequently, however, my religious views began to decline, and the love of the world and the society of my young friends blighted the pre-glare of her eyes, as she was then cious seed of the Gospel, and choked its growth within my heart. The Lord has now for some time visited me with sickness, and I feel so deeply at my backsliding, that I can see no prospect before me but gloom and thick darkness. I think of all the promises in the Scriptures," she added, "and I try to pray, but the burden continues; and I am so wretched, that I can find no peace:" or words to this effect. I saw that her anxiety was great, and that her countenance indicated great despondency. I brought to her notice the repentance of Peter after his fall, and the forgiveness of his sin; the case of David and others who had been great sinners, and who had found the blood of Jesus sufficient to atone for all their guilt. I directed her to look wholly to the Lamb of God for that peace she so much needed, and assured her that there was no instance on record that ever one was rejected who humbly and prayerfully sought the Lord, with a penitent and broken heart. I spent some time with her in spiritual conversation, and then left her to meditate on the truths I had brought to her notice. On the following evening I again saw her; but, alas! she was then deprived of her speech, and could only look at me with her eyes rolling wildly, expressive of the deep anguish of her spirit. I learnt that on the previous night she had been very restless, and continued in the most fearful alarm drawing near to eternity, under a dark and heavy cloud, I thought on the condition of a fellow-immortal about to appear before the Judge of the quick and dead. I turned away from the painful sight, and as I left the room where the victim of mental agony lay, I gave her one parting look, her eyes still following me, and telling a tale of inward grief that no mortal tongue can describe. During that night she closed her eyes in the sleep of death. A kind friend who visited her during the day previous to my last interview, asked her how she felt in the prospect of eternity-if she felt happy? No," she answered; "when I pray I feel no access to God; it is all dark and void. I cannot feel Christ precious, as I once did. I have loved this present evil world, so that Christ has forsaken me; and when I would pray, I cannot, my heart is so hard. I once could," she added, "Draw from heaven that sweet repose Which none but he that feels it knows."" One who was in the room remarked, "You have not sinned like others, you have always been so quiet and harmless; do take the sacrament, and that will give you comfort." This proposal she instantly negatived, knowing that nothing but a heart sprinkled with the blood of Christ would ever avail to produce real comfort, and meeten her for heaven. As she was evidently sinking, her kind friend said to her, "I shall never see you more until we meet be fore the bar of God; do tell me, are you now happy? Have you the least hope beyond the grave? Do take my hand, to assure me that you have:" but, to my great sorrow, she informed me she did not, and in the course of the night expired. Reader! are you young, and in the bloom of life? Learn a lesson from the history of this young woman, not to trifle with sin, stifle your convictions, or delay to seek the one thing needful. Read carefully the latter part of the first chapter of Proverbs, and slight not the invitations of mercy, lest the Lord give you up to hardness and impenitence of heart. Remember you are a sinner, and must shortly stand before God, to render up your account. In his book all your sins, secret and open, are recorded; not one is missing, from the first dawn of your reason to the present hour. There will be witnesses against you if you die impenitent, unconverted, unsanctified. How soon you may be called to meet your Judge! and how fearful is the thought that a Christless soul is a lost soul! Nothing will stand the test of that awful judgment but a soul washed in the blood of Christ from the guilt of sin, and made holy by the influence of the Divine Spirit. No works, no outward duties, no forms, no acts of benevolence, no morality of character, no amiability of disposition, will avail you at that tremendous bar. Your past motives will be thoroughly sifted; your whole conduct through life tried by the standard of God's holy word, and, weighed in the balance, you will be found wanting, unless you appear before God clothed in the spotless robe of a Saviour's righteousness. If you die, my dear reader, with only one sin on your heart unrepented of, that sin will ruin your soul to all eternity. Let me then entreat you not to trifle, as this young person did; not to delay your salvation, nor to wait until to-morrow, lest your heart be hardened through unbelief, lest God should cut you down as the flower of the field; but now, in the hour of acceptance, in the day of mercy, fly to the Saviour with all your sins, beseech him to pardon them to the uttermost, to sprinkle you with his blood, and to pray the Father for you, that you perish not. Entreat him, as your advocate with God, to send you, in answer to prayer, his Holy Spirit, to change your sinful heart, and by his grace to make you holy, happy, and fit to die. You shall not ask in vain ; you shall not appeal to the Fountain of mercy without finding the mercy you need. There is joy in the presence of the angels of heaven over one sinner that repenteth." Let it be your main desire to become that penitent, that there may be joy in heaven over you; and then, with all your sins forgiven, your soul renewed in the image of God, justified by faith in Christ, adopted as his believing child into his family, you shall die at length in the blessed assurance of being admitted to the glorious inheritance prepared for all who love the Saviour, and you shall shine with him in his everlasting kingdom, as one of the bright trophies of his grace. take up the determination, I will seek until I find the good Shepherd of my soul! Let the short history of the subject brought before you warn you of the danger of delay, and of the awful sin of trifling with convictions ! Sept. 8, 1850. F. S. G. May the Lord lead you to |