Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Hymn before reading the Scriptures.

565

full of money, and to keep himself in health, and to leave a property behind him for his family whether he would or not; and it would oblige many an understrapping workman to become a master man in a very few years :-very hard indeed!

EFFECTS OF DRINKING.

THE grand jury of Middlesex county, New Jersey, have declared, that, of the cases of breach of the peace that have come before them, all, without exception, have been produced by drunkenness ; and higher crimes that have been committed in the state, as far as the jury have been informed, have almost, without exception, been committed by those who have first degraded themselves by drunkenness, and the excessive use of spirituous liquors.

American Paper.

HYMN BEFORE READING THE SCRIPTURES.

(By a Shropshire Cottager.)

THY book, oh Lord! of life and light,
Is now before us spread;

Do thou direct our minds aright,
Thy Spirit o'er us shed;

That we may read, and mark, and feel

The blessed truth thy words reveal!

Saviour of all! oh lead us where
Thy healing waters gleam,
That we with deep contrition there
May drink the living stream!

Deep on our hearts thy word impress,
And to our souls the treasure bless.

They who drink here, thou, Lord, hast said,
"Shall never thirst again;

And they who eat this living bread,

Shall never eat in vain."

While others blindly thirst and fast,
May we enjoy the glad repast.

How oft do worldly hopes arise
To turn our steps aside;
And bright and fair before our eyes
Earth's transient pleasures glide!
Oh! let not these the truths efface,
Which on our hearts thy fingers trace.

That thus if earthly friends should fly,
Or earthly comforts end,

We still may feel that thou art nigh;
Our best, our surest friend.

Still know that peace, which ne'er hath blest
The unrepenting sinner's breast.

Thy book, oh Lord of life and light,
Is now before us spread,

Do thou direct our minds aright,
Thy Spirit o'er us shed;

That we may read, and mark, and feel,
The blessed truths thy words reveal!

AGUE.

EIGHTEEN grains of sulphate of quinine made into twelve pills with conserve of hips, or any other simple ingredient. Take two pills every four hours for 24 hours, beginning to take them 2 hours after every fit. It is advisable, as soon as the ague comes on, to take a small aperient dose of medicine-viz. a quarter of an ounce of Epsom salts, six grains of rhubarb, and one grain of ginger. Half the above for a child. This is a very good opening medicine, not only in case of ague, but in any case; and if it should not answer the purpose, a second dose may be taken. No family should be without the knowledge of a good opening medicine;-a dose of this

[blocks in formation]

kind may often be the means of preventing a serious illness. We do not recommend people to get into a habit of taking physic;-Air, exercise, and wholesome diet, taking care not to over-load the stomach either with meat or drink, will generally keep people, of common constitutions, in health, better than physic will. If, however, there is a load either in the stomach or bowels, it must be removed; and it is of great use to know what sort of medicine will do this.

HAPPINESS.

ALL men desire to be happy;-how is it then that we see so many thousands fail in the attainment of this natural wish? The answer is easily given ;-the greater part of mankind mistake the nature and source of true happiness. Some men fancy they shall find it in riches, some in honours, others again, seek it only in pleasures: but he who has made the experiment, will readily allow, that none of these are suited to make a rational, immortal being happy. Riches cannot last for ever; and there are many unspeakable blessings which they cannot purchase. The honours, which this world has to bestow, are certainly gratifying to our pride, they may please for a time, but they will not satisfy us: a still small voice will often whisper in our ear, "what will these honors avail when we come to die?" What are again the pleasures of the world? Many who have given them a full trial, are ready to say with Solomon, "They all are vanity and vexation of spirit." The hearts of men, in all ages, who have eagerly pursued these pleasures, and have then given them up for the pure, everlasting pleasures of Religion, do, from conviction, acknowledge the truth of this assertion. In the gayest scenes, how often does it happen that

the heart is heavy, though the smile plays upon the lips. God in his mercy, speaks to sinful man in various ways, and frequently makes him feel the utter impossibility of ever attaining happiness from the sinful pleasures of the world, by giving him, even in the midst of his pleasures, some cause of bitterness, some canker-worm gnawing at the root. How then is man to find this hidden treasure?—If he seek, he will find it, in the never-fading joys of true religion. He must give his heart in sincerity to the service of God; he will enjoy no society where God is not honoured, where his Redeemer's name is slighted, where the Holy Spirit is despised. He will look for happiness and peace, in resting on the merciful promises of the Gospel, and his joy and delight will be to do the will of that Master "whose service is perfect freedom;" and he will desire to shew that he loves God, by his earnest and constant endeavour to live according to his commandments.

K. K. K. K.

EXTRACTS FROM THE PUBLIC NEWSPAPERS.

UNION HALL.-A female, named Alice Horton, a housemaid in the service of a gentleman's family, named Grimaldi, residing at Croydon, was brought up, charged on suspicion of stealing a gold watch, and divers other articles, the property of her master.

The complainant stated the prisoner to have been about three months in his service; soon after which, various articles were missed, but it was a difficult task whom to accuse of the robberies. At length, the prisoner became the suspected party, in consequence of having been detected wearing her mistress's silk stockings, and other articles of dress at the time when Mrs. Grimaldi's gold watch was stolen out of the bed-room. This circumstance immediately caused an examination to be made, and in the prisoner's box the greater part of the stolen property was discovered.

The Magistrate, observing the girl very gaily attired for a person in her station, remarked, that it was her love for dress, in all probability, that had induced her to plunder the family with whom she resided.-London Paper.

Extracts from the Public Newspapers.

569

The following melancholy occurrence took place at Bury. Mr. M. perceiving that his house was infested with rats, had laid poison under a chest of drawers in one of the chambers. Tho poison was arsenic, mixed with oatmeal. In the course of the day, Mr. M's children went to play in this chamber; and, discovering the poisonous mixture on the floor, which they took for pure meal, they gathered up and ate as much of it as they could. They were soon violently attacked with sickness; and, though the unhappy parents procured prompt medical assistance, they had the pain of seeing two of their little innocents expire, before the following morning. These were two boys of the ages of three and four years; another child was for some time considered to be in danger, but is now thought likely to survive.-Blackburn Mail.

FORGERY. A young gentleman was, not long since, tried at the Old Bailey for forging and uttering a check on Messrs. Coutts & Co., bankers, for 301. He was found guilty. In his defence, it appeared that he was in the habit of attending a gambling house. To what wickedness will not gambling lead! London Paper.

CAUTION. A child was lately smothered in a bed that was turned up by a boy, who did not know that the child was in it. The same.

Steam Carriage.-About half-past five o'clock on Saturday morning, Sep. 8th, a steam-carriage, carrying nearly a dozen persons inside and out, made its appearance on the Camden-town road. It proceeded through Kentish-town and up Highgate-hill," at the rate, as nearly as we could calculate, of thirteen miles an hour, its velocity being the same in ascending the bill as over the comparatively level ground. Upon arriving at the summit of the hill, opposite Holly-terrace, the conductor turned his ponderous vehicle, and immediately commenced the descent of the hill, at a rate perhaps of four miles an hour. Whether, however, arising from the unskilfulness of the manager, or from the defect of the machinery, we cannot tell, this pace became gradually much greater, until the power of controlling its force seeming to be almost lost, it was driven so violently over a paved gutter, opposite Holly Lodge, that one of the wheels gave way, and put an immediate termination to its farther progress by. steam. A horse was then procured, and the machine dragged away upon the five remaining wheels. A good deal has been said at various times of steam-carriages, but we believe this is the first that has been brought fairly into action before the public. In size it undoubtedly appears unwieldy, as compared with the common stage-coach, being, with somewhat more breadth, nearly twice the length of those vehicles; but it appeared, notwithstanding its bulk, to be thoroughly under the control of the steerer, until the disorder of the machinery, or the weight of the body proved too heavy for the wheels.-Evening Paper.

Having extracted the above account from a London newspaper, we ought to say that a letter was written to the cditor

« AnteriorContinuar »