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Distressed, disgraced, despised, he wandered hither and thither. He had no father to help him, for he was no more He had no mother that was able to support him, for her income was greatly reduced in consequence of her son's frequent applications for money. He was cast upon the world friendless and forlorn. At length he was received into a warehouse with the promise of an increase of salary if his conduct deserved it. For a few months he was careful and diligent, but restraint was grievous and irksome, and he returned, by degrees, to his old habits. The fact is, that having been so plentifully supplied with money during his juvenile years, he never knew its true value, and, as his wishes were never opposed, he never acquired the inestimable habit of self-control. As he could not associate with genteel rakes, he accommodated himself to those of the inferior class, and exchanged the tavern for the pot-house, and the boxes for the upper gallery. In this way he continued, till at length he was discharged from his situa tion and thrown once more upon the world. His mother died of vexation and regret at her own folly, and having, therefore, neither house nor home, he dragged on a miserable existence, sometimes employed to carry out parcels, and at others to write in an office, and on some occasions even reduced to solicit eharity. At length he ended his days in the workhouse, unreclaimed, unpitied!

This short but affecting history deserves the attention of my young readers. Let them guard against extravagant expenditure and lofty ideas. They may have been accustomed to have all that their heart can wish—but it cannot, it will not be so always. "Wilful waste brings woful want”'-a plain homely proverb that has been illustrated in the history of the nobleman, the tradesman, and the peasant. During the short reign of the Emperor Heliogabalus, he is said to have reduced, almost to beggary, all the subjects of the empire, and to have left, at his death, an exhausted treasury.

The habits that prevail in after years are generally formed in the season of youth-an argument for earnest prayer to God, for wisdom to direct, and divine grace to influence the heart. A knowledge, a sanctified knowledge of the word of God will lead every one to follow the maxim of the apostle

Paul-"Let your moderation be known to all men." Extravagance and ruin are inseparable, and too frequently, alas! the ruin of the soul-the immortal soul!

The youth that devotes himself to God will be preserved from all evil. He will have promises to comfort him, precepts to direct him, the Holy Spirit to instruct him, the hope of heaven to animate him, and eternal glory to crown him for R. C. W.

ever.

POWER OF CONSCIENCE.

"The sly informer minutes every fault,

And her dread diary with horror fills."

BESSUS, a native of Pelonia, in Greece, being one day seen by his neighbours pulling down some birds-nests, and passionately destroying their young, was severely reproved by them for his ill nature and cruelty to those who seemed to court his protection. He replied, that their notes were to him insufferable, as they never ceased twitting him with the murder of his father.

An accusing conscience is a dreadful evil. How restless must Judas have been, and how great his mental agony, when he reflected upon his crime in betraying Christ! Nor less was the distress of Joseph's brethren, when they exclaimed, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us."

Conscience is an accurate observer of all our actions, ana will sooner or later reprove, remonstrate, condemn. It is the scorpion of guilt, that continually preys upon the peace and harmony of the mind and will not let it rest. It has extorted a confession from many a murderer, and brought to condign punishment many an offender. A man, suspected of of having committed a murder, was tried and convicted, nothing remained but for the judge to pass sentence upon him ; when lo! the Judge himself turns pale-he attempts to perform the awful task, but his voice falters, and his whole frame is agitated-he faints on the bench.............. At length he speaks in broken accents "I, I am the murderer-this man is innocent!" Upon this confession he was tried, convicted,

.......

condemned, executed.... Behold the power of conscience; beware of crime; for soon or late," be sure your sin will find you out."

IGDALIA.

:

THE YOUTHFUL MARTYR.

WILLIAM HUNTER, aged 19, finding a chapel open, entered, and began to read in the English Bible which lay upon the desk. He was imprisoned, but bishop Bonner offered to make him a freeman of the city, and to set him up in business, if he would recant. He answered, "I thank you for your great offers but, my lord, I cannot find in my heart to turn from God for the love of the world; for I count all worldly things but loss, in respect of the love of Christ," His parents came to him, and desired heartily of God that he might continue to the end in that good way which he had begun. As he went to martyrdom, he met his father, who said "God be with thee, son William." He replied, "God be with you good father, and be of good comfort; for I hope we shall meet again."

At the stake he kneeled down, and read the fifty-first psalm, till he came to these words-The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise,' He refused to recant when offered the Queen's pardon. The sun shone suddenly out of a dark cloud. The Martyr said "Son of God! shine upon me." He cast his Psalter into his brother's hand, who said, "William, think upon the holy passion of Christ, and be not afraid of death." "Behold" he replied "I am not afraid." He then raised his hands to heaven and said-"Lord! receive my spirit!"

What a striking instance is this of the power of religion, not only in the prospect of suffering, but in the very scene itself. Reader, is your religion of this kind? renounced the world for Jesus?

Have you

B. V.

INTRODUCTION OF FRUITS.

"CHERRIES were brought from Pontus to Rome, by Lucullus, seventy years before Christ; Apricots from Epirus; Peaches from Persia; the finest Plums from Damascus and Armenia; Pears and Figs from Greece and Egypt; Citrons from the

Medes; and Pomegranates from Carthage about 114 years B.C. Cherry-trees were first planted in Britain about 14 years afterwards; they were afterwards brought from Flanders, and planted in Kent with such success, that an orchard of 32 acres produced in one year (A. D. 1540) one thousand pounds: and hence the names, Flemish and Kentish Cherries. P. K.

INVENTION OF GLASS.

To an accidental occurrence on the banks of the river Belus, now called Kardanah, is to be ascribed the invention of glass. The crew of a merchant vessel, freighted with nitre, debarked on the shore, to prepare their dinner; but not finding any stones at hand, to support their culinary vessels, they brought for that purpose some balls of nitre from the ship. The action of the fire incorporating these with the sand, produced a transparent fluid, which the sailors did not fail to remark, and thence furnished a hint for the ingenuity of their country's artists. Joliffe's Letters from Palestine. LECTOR.

ORIGIN OF THE WORD LADY.

"IN ancient times it was the custom for the rich to reside the greatest part of the year at their mansions in the country, and once a week, or oftener, the mistress distributed to her poor neighbours, with her own hands, a certain quantity of bread, and she was called by them the loff-day; which is in Saxon, the bread-giver. These words were in the course of time corrupted into Lady."

P. x.

MISSIONS OF THE UNITED BRETHREN. Remarkable instance of self denial in two Missionaries. THE first occasion of undertaking missions by the United Brethren is thus described. When Count Zinzendorf visited Copenhagen in 1731, to attend the coronation of Christian VI. he became acquainted with a negro named Anthony, who related the miserable condition of the negroes in the Island of St. Thomas, and the desire of many, especially of his sister to be made acquainted with the way of salvation. The Count

having, on his return to Herrnhut, spoken of this to the congregation, Leonard Dober and Tobias Leopold, felt an earnest desire to go among these heathen,-and when they were told that only those who were slaves and labouring with the negroes could instruct them, (for want of other time) these worthy men offered to sell themselves as slaves, if it should be found necessary, rather than not instruct the heathen.

In 1732, Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann set out for the island of St. Thomas. The brother and sister of Anthony received the gospel with joy, and were soon followed by many more, who received the word of God in faith.

The second mission undertaken by the brethren was to Greenland, in 1733. Christian David, Matthew Stach, and Christian Stach, the missionaries, laboured some years unsuccessfully, they had discoursed on the attributes of God, the creation and fall of man, salvation and damnation, christian duties, &c. but no good effect appeared during five years. At length, when the missionaries preached chiefly on the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, great success followed their labours.

THE CLOSING YEAR.

WE are brought to the last month of another year, and, perhaps, many of you are looking forward to the pleasures of the approaching season; but I would ask how many are antieipating the joyful coming of our Redeemer, whose glorious birth brought salvation to sinners. O let me beseech the youngest of my readers to seek an interest in this blessed Saviour; He receives the little ones of his flock, and gives them a place in His bosom, and regards them as His tender lambs. I would say to all, look back on your past mercies; reflect on the time that is gone, and ask yourselves a few such plain questions as the following: Is my heart right with God? Am I seeking mercy through the blood of Jesus?-Am I led by divine grace to seek a crown of glory which will never fade away?-Have I improved the talents committed to my care, by seeking to glorify God, and endeavouring to be useful to others ?-Have I been humble in my walk, and attentive and obedient to those under whose care it has pleased

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