THE GODS OF THE HEATHEN. 153 Apia, Stripassa, Oestosynes, and Thamimasides; the Scandinavians adored Odin, Frea, and Thor; the Celts, whose priests were called Druids, bowed down to Teutates, Dis, and Andate: and the Greeks and Romans paid divine honours to Cœlus, Terra, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Mercury, Apollo, Mars, Vulcan, Juno, Ceres, Minerva, Vesta, Diana, Venus, Cybele, Pluto, Sol, Bacchus, and Luna. These, and many other gods, were acknowledged by the Scythians, the Scandinavians, the Celts, the Greeks, and the Romans. Under various shapes, and accompanied with unnumbered abominations, were these idols worshipped. They were formed of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone. The heathen poured out human blood before them as freely as water, and "sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils," Psa. cvi. 37. The Egyptians, Persians, and Hindoos; the Babylonians, Canaanites, Philistines, and Syrians; the Peruvians, Mexicans, and Scythians; the Scandinavians, Celts, Greeks, and Romans, of olden times, have passed away, but idolatry has yet its temples on the earth. Reader, leave awhile the heathen, and enter the recesses of thine own heart. Neither Moloch, nor Dagon, nor Ashtaroth, nor Buddha, nor Juggernaut, may have there a shrine; yet may there be a "house of 154 66 THE GODS OF THE HEATHEN. Rimmon" in which thou secretly bowest down! Thou shalt have no other gods before me," is the commandment of Him whom thou professest to worship. Remember then that selfishness is sin, and that covetousness is idolatry. The heathen bent the knee to idols in darkness and ignorance; but if thou committest idolatry, it is against light and knowledge. The heathen. worshipped gods proverbial for deformity; but if thou bowest down to sin, thou bowest down to an uglier idol than Osiris, Dagon, Baal, Ashtaroth, Moloch, or Juggernaut. Return, O holy Dove, return, Sweet messenger of rest; I hate the sins that made thee mourn, The dearest idol I have known, Whate'er that idol be, Help me to tear it from thy throne, THE DEEP PIT. I REMEMBER reading in a humorous author some pieces of advice on the matter of purchasing a horse. "If you wish to possess a sure-footed animal," says he, "and one that may be relied on, look out for one broken at the knees; for, depend upon it, a horse that has once come down, and broken his knees against the flints and stones, will not do so again if he can help it." This advice scarcely agrees with the opinion or practice of those who value themselves on their knowledge of horses and horsemanship; and not being enough of a jockey myself to settle the point, I leave the matter as I find it, contenting myself with applying the principle laid down to men instead of brute animals. It is said, with some truth, that "a burned child dreads the fire ;" and it might be added that a half-drowned man has some fear of the water; by which I gather that both our errors and calamities may, to a certain degree, be corrected and avoided by the penalties and inconveniences they bring upon us. Very proudly did I once walk along some slippery rocks at the edge of a deep pit. Again and again was I cautioned to be careful, and, in fact, to come away altogether from the place, for it was a dangerous spot, and many accidents had occurred there; but no! Mr. Highmind had too good an opinion of his own care and discretion. Suddenly my foot slipped from under me, and down I came upon the hard and slippery rock. It was a fortunate thing for me that I succeeded in laying hold of a projecting crag, just as I was sliding into the pit below; for had I not done so, it is hard to say whether I should ever have stood on my feet again. As it was, Mr. Highmind, with all the humility of a beaten spaniel, crept away from the place on his hands and knees. Now, though all the cautions of my guide had no effect upon me, my fall cured me at once of my folly. No need was there for me to be exhorted to practise care and caution. I was a perfect pattern of carefulness, a complete model of humility and circumspection: let who would THE DEEP PIT. 157 be reckless and careless, Old Humphrey was not one of the number. that text of the royal afflicted I went astray word," Psa. cxix. 67. How full of significancy is psalmist, "Before I was but now have I kept thy There is a pit deeper and more dangerous than the one of which I have spoken, even the pit of destruction. Many regard it at a distance without fear, and others venture on its very brink without apparent concern; but when once a sense of danger gets possession of the soul, what tears are shed, what groans are uttered, and what prayers are offered up for security! Sanctified fear is a costly thing. It was with this conviction on his mind that a Scottish divine put up the following prayer to the Father of mercies, for an irreligious and ungodly king, "Shake him o'er the mouth o' hell, but dinna let him fa' in!" P |