Page images
PDF
EPUB

considerable to the funds of the peniten- | you but knew for whom I ask your

tiary. She began to learn the art of painting, and the sale of those paintings, which she accomplished with her mouth, produced last year $75 to the funds of the institution. We would not say, Go and do likewise; but we would say, You have hands and you have feet, and you have a tongue to tell the wonders of Redemption: go and do what

you can.

(b) LE PELLETIER AND THE MERCHANT. — I was traveling through Orleans, says Diderot, accompanied by an officer. Nothing was talked of in the town but of what had lately happened to an inhabitant of the name of Le Pelletier; a man who showed the deepest commiseration for the poor; so that, after having, by his great liberality, exhausted a considerable fortune, he was reduced to a state of poverty himself. Though he had barely sufficient for his daily wants, he yet persisted in the benevolent labors he had undertaken, and went from door to door, seeking, from the superfluities of others, that assistance for the destitute which it was no longer in his power to bestow.

The poor and well-informed persons had but one opinion of the conduct of this individual; but many rich men, who wasted their substance in riotous feastings and journeys to Paris, looked upon him as a madman, and his near relations treated him as a lunatic who had foolishly spent his wealth.

Whilst refreshing ourselves at the inn, a number of loiterers had assembled round a man who was speaking, a hairdresser, and were earnestly addressing him, "You were present, do tell us how it was.'

[ocr errors]

"Willingly, gentlemen," replied he, and appeared as impatient to relate as they were to hear, the following narrative :

Monsieur Aubertot, one of my customers, whose house faces the church, was standing at his door, when Mons. le Pelletier accosted him, "Monsieur, can you give me nothing for my friends?" (thus he called the poor.)

"Not to-day, sir."

Mons. le Pelletier added, "Oh! if

charity! There is a poor woman! a distressed mother! who has not a rag to wrap round her new-born babe!—” "I cannot to-day!"

"There is a daughter, who, though young, has for a long while maintained her father and her mother; but now she wants work, and starves."

"I cannot, Mons. le Pelletier; I cannot afford it."

"There is a poor working man, who earns his bread by hard labor; he has just broken his leg by a fall from a scaffolding.'

[ocr errors]

"But, sir, I cannot afford it, I assure you."

"Pray, pray, Mons. Aubertot, allow yourself to be moved; oh, have compassion!"

"I cannot afford it, sir; I cannot, indeed, afford it."

"My good, good, merciful Mons. Aubertot-"

"Mons. le Pelletier, I beg you will leave me when I wish to give, you know I do not need to be entreated."

Saying these words, he turned and passed into his warehouse. Mons. le Pelletier soon followed him to his warehouse, to his back shop, and then into his apartment. Here Mons. Aubertot exasperated by his continued and pressing entreaties, lifted his hand, and struck him! The blow was received. The hero of Christian charity smiled, and with a bright smiling look exclaimed, "Well, that for me; but the poor! what for the poor?"

[At these words all present expressed their admiration by a burst of applause, and the feelings of some produced tears.]

The officer with whom I was, had the presumption to exclaim, " Mons. le Pelletier is but a poltroon, and had I been there, this sabre would soon have obtained satisfaction for him. A blow, indeed! a blow!"

The hairdresser replied, "I perceive, sir, you would not have allowed the insolent offender time to acknowledge his fault."

"No, indeed!"

"Well, sir, Mons. Aubertot, when he saw such a benevolent spirit, burst

into tears, fell at the feet of the injured | inspecting the receptacles of crime, of man, offered him his purse, and a thou- poverty, and of misery throughout Great sand times asked his forgiveness."

"But, what of that ?" said the officer, his hand upon his sabre, and his countenance inflamed with anger, "I would have cut off the ears of Mons. Aubertot."

I then answered calmly, "You, sir, are a soldier; Mons. le Pelletier is a Christian!"

Britain and Ireland, left his native country, relinquished his own ease, to visit the wretched abodes of those who were in want and bound in fetters of iron in other parts of the world. He traveled three times through France, four through Germany, five through Holland, twice through Italy, once through Spain and Portugal, and also through Denmark, Sweden, Russia, and part of Turkey. These excursions occupied (with some short intervals of period of twelve

These few plain words had a wonderful effect. The street resounded with applause; and I said within myself, How much more dignified are we with rest at home) the the gospel in our heart, than when years. we would maintain, at the point of the sword, that imaginary idol, that vain phantom, which the world calls honor!

(c) MELVILLE AND HIS BRETHREN.-Mr. Andrew Melville, professor of divinity at St. Andrews, in the reign of James VI, was a very bold and zealous man for the cause of God and truth. When some of his more moderate brethren blamed him for being too hot and fiery, he was wont to reply, "If you see my fire go downwards, set your foot upon it and put it out; but if it go upward, let it return to its own place."

(d) HOWARD'S LABORS.-The great philanthropist, John Howard, after

864

Never before was such a considerable portion of the life of man applied to a more benevolent and laudable purpose. He gave up his own comfort that he might bestow it upon others. He was often immured in prison that others might be set at liberty. He exposed himself to danger that he might free others from it. He visited the gloomy cell that he might inspire a ray of hop and joy in the breasts of the wretched. Yea, he not only lived, but died in the noble cause of benevolence; for in visiting a young lady, who lay dangerously ill of an epidemic fever, in order administer relief, he caught the distet per, and fell a victim to his humanity, January 20th, 1790.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Deering, Rev. Mr., and the swearer, 254a.
Degradation of intemperance, 231.
Dehme, Rev. L. C., narrow escape of, 285c.
De Lambert, lie of, 215d.

Delay of repentance causes regret, &c., 125.
hardens the heart, 15c, 126, 196, 367.
grieves away the Holy Spirit, 127, 365a,
367.

accompanied by sudden death, 128.
miscellaneous, 129.

Delicacy, false, 265k.

Delight in wickedness, 358.

Delirium tremens, 2366.

Delusion, moral, 402.

Demetrius and the Athenians, 184a.

Denades and the Athenians, 252d.
Denial of Christ, 130.
Dependence on God, 131.

Depravity, 70, 73, 117, 132, 213, 288.
De Sallo and the robber, 43c.
Des Barreaux, poem of, 28h.
Deserter, execution of a, 434c.
Despair, unfounded, 133, 406b.

Despair of the impenitent, 32b, e, f, 70b, d, f,
876, 97c, 120b, 121c-g, 126a, 128d, e,
129e, 196, 310a, 406c.

Devil, existence and agency of, 400, 425ƒ.
Devizes, inscription at, 208c.
Devotees, Hindoo, 286, 279c, f.
Devotedness of ministers, 258.

Dickinson, Rev. B., sudden death of, 122a.
Diderot, confession of, 56b.

[blocks in formation]

Disobedience to parents, 143.

[blocks in formation]

Earthquake, wonderful escape from an,
Economy, 1, 8h.

Education of ministers, 151.

Religious, 152, 286i.

Edward, the Confessor, reply of, 202g.
Sixth and the swords, 531.
Edwards, Rev. J., experience of, 250f.
Effectual calling, 249c.

Effort, prayer without, 326a.
Elliot, Mr., submission of, 409j.
Elliott and his brethren, 175c.

and his labors, 256d.

zeal of, 286n.

prayer of, for Foster, 331g.

3416.

Ellsworth, Gov., a S. School teacher, 399f.
Eloquence, sacred, 153.

Elwes, the miser, 267e.

and his friends, 967f.

miscellaneous, 180-182, 252, 373,375, 377. Enemies, love to-nature of, 154, 175j, 176a.

Disinterestedness, 142, 258q.

Disquietude and misery of infidels, 219.

Distillers, 144.

Distinctions, nice, in sermons, 261f.
Divisions in churches, 93, 104f, 134.
Doctorates, venal, 199d.

Dod, Rev. Mr., and his persecutors, 136.
meekness of, 254c.

and the nobleman, 260g.
singular visit of, 344i.

Doddridge, Rev. Dr., and the apostate, 26h.
and his daughter, 46t.
and Rev. Mr. Hervey, 105d.
righteousness of, 170d.

exhibitions of:

blessing, 155.

doing good to, 156, 176b.

praying for, 157, 175i, 176f, g.
examples of, among the heathen, 158.
motives for:

it often checks and reforms them, 159.
it often changes them into friends, 160.
it often leads them to become Christians,
161.

miscellaneous, 162.

Enmity to God, 132b, h, j, l, m.
Enmity subdued, 21, 92, 155-163.
Envy, 163.

Epaminondas, not to be bribed, 197d.

[blocks in formation]

of hope, 200.

of love to Christ, 249.

Asbury, Bishop, and Punch, 109e.

and his good works, 256g.

Atheism and atheists, 73a, c, g, 185, a-e, 209c,
213a, 216d, 219d, e, 221a, b, 222e, 223e.

Athenagoras, conversion of, 214b.
Athol, Duke of, a lunatic, 429h.
Atonement, 28, 81, 240, 256.

Attendance on Divine worship, 193, 279g, 350e,
388.

Augustine, conversion of, 65a.

fortunate mistake of, 345e.

Aurelius and Antony, 45c.

Avarice, 29, 48, 267.

Avery, Rev. Mr., and the promises, 171.

Backsliders, backsliding, 13g, h, 26, 145c, 225c,

231e.

Backus, Azel, and the heathen, 242e.
Bacon, Lord, and atheism, 83g.

Bacon, Dr., and ministerial education, 151c.
Baily, Rev. J., and family prayer, 328a.
Bajazet and Tamerlane, 116c.

Balls, or public dances, incompatible with pray-
er, 30.

deaden natural sensibility, 31.

prevent conversion and ruin the soul, 32.

Bankruptcy, 33, 146c, 182a, b, c.

and Sabbath-breaking, 381k, 384c, f.

Baptism, 844, d, e, f.

Barclay, and the robber, 2916.

[blocks in formation]

Becket, Thomas á, shrine of, 304c.

character of, 337g.

Bede's translation of the Bible, 53a.

Bedell, Rev. Dr., sermon of, 195d.

Beecher, Dr., sermon of to one hearer, 263i.

Beecher, Rev. Henry Ward, and profanity, 356d.
Beggars, beggary, 35, 333c.

Bell, David W., recantation of, 4266.
Beneficence, in hazarding life, 36.

in dying for others, 37.

self-denying, shown by the rich, 38.
self-denying, shown by the poor, 39.
with rule and system, 40.
with industry and frugality, 41.
with promptitude, 42.

to debtors and robbers, 43.

Beneficence, miscellaneous examples of, 44, 71,
184, 279a, 286, 317a-g, 418, 420a.
rewarded by its own exercise, 45.
rewarded by gratitude and respect, 46, 203.
rewarded in various ways by Providence,
47, 282.

Benevolence, want of, 48, 29j.

misdirected, 49.

and cruelty combined, 117.

Bennet, Rev. Mr., and unsuccessful preaching,
256e.

Bereavements-the bereaved comforted, 50,
409c, g, j, k.

the bereaved converted, 51, 3486.
the bereaved rebuked, 52.
Berridge and Hicks, success of, 263b.
Bessus and the birds, 94e.
Beveridge, Bishop, at death, 2006.
and music, 289i.

Bible, historical facts, 53.

inspiration of, 54, 60a, e, f, i, 237d, e, g.
testimonies to the value of the-

testimony of distinguished persons, 55.
testimony of infidels, 56.

happy effects of the-

morality promoted, 57.

conversion of seamen, 58.

conversion of the profligate, &c., 59.

conversion of infidels, 60.

[blocks in formation]

conversion of the learned, &c., 63.

conversion of the heathen, 64.

miscellaneous conversions, 65.

benefits to Christians, 66
love for the Bible, 67.

searching the Scriptures, 68.
familiarity with the Bible, 69.

the Bible neglected, &c., 70, 299, 310c.
zeal in circulating the, 71.
miscellaneous, 72, 183, 219a.
Birth, obscurity of, 19b, c, d.
Bishop, Mr., and delirium tremens, 2366.
Blackstone, punctuality of, 355b.

Blair, Dr., and virtue embodied, 1321.
Blair, Mr., and evil company, 87c.
Blasphemy, 73, 304e, 358a, 3596.
Blessings at meals, 329.

on enemies, 155.

Blind, the, blindness, 14b, c, 69a, 116b, 153m,
278g, 286e.

Blount, character of, 215d.

Boerhaave and slander, 407b, f, g.
Boldness, 112, 260.

Bolingbroke and Lady Huntingdon, 321a.
and Christianity, 217d.

Bonaparte, Louis, and war, 437j.
Bonaparte, Napoleon, high hopes of, 18c.
and the peasant, 18d.
and the church-clock, 18e.
blasphemy of, 73i.

and the Divinity of Christ, 81g.
dying, 122g.

worshiped, 269a.

delight of, in massacre, 3586.

Bonnell, integrity of, 228f.

Bonner, his treatment of Cranmer, 298a.

Books, religious, usefulness of, in effecting con- Cathcart, diary of, 189c.

versions, 74.

in promoting revivals, 75.

Borgia, dying confession of, 120b.

Bourdaloue and Louis XIV, 260k.

eloquence of, 153e.

Bourne, Captain, and fishing on the Sabbath,

381h.

Boyle, Hon. Robert, benevolence of, 71a.

interest of, in missions, 2860.

Bowdler, apt saying of, 188e.
Bradbury and the assassin, 349a.
Brainerd and the Indians, 209a.
Bribery, 2286, g, 239c.
Bricconet, apostacy of, 225c.
Brothers, affectionate, 10.

Brown, Rev. D., punctuality of, 355e.
Brown, Rev. J., tribute to, 153f.
and his enemies, 156j.
confession of, 188a.
and the opposer, 261i.
submission of, 409i.

Brougham and war, 4371.

Bruce, Robert, death of, 119e.

Bruen and his enemy, 155c.

Brutes, lessons from the, 5, 231a, 235c.

Buchanan, Rev. Claudius, and the Highlanders,
54h.

and the Bible-reader, 67i.

and the aged Christian, 107a.

and the Syrian Christians, 237e.
Buckley's misdirected letter, 1346.
Buller, Judge, and evil company, 87d.
Bundy and the prisoner, 2426.

Bunyan, Rev. John, zeal of, 258ƒ.

and the jailer, 344e.

Cato, reward of, in doing good, 45a.
and Marius Curius, 103a.

the model and the monster, 318c.
Cecil, Rev. R., and the bookseller, 13a.
and the servant girl, 471.

in illness, 66g.

and his dying mother, 118g.
faithfulness of, 145c.

and the robbers, 198c.

love of, for study, 2581.

indebtedness of, to his mother, 287p.
obedience of, to his father, 296a.
and his rich hearer, 374h.

Censure, censoriousness, 78, 407.
Chalmers, Dr., and the nobleman, 111c.
congregation of, 193f.

early preaching of, 256j.

Chandler, Rev. Dr., and illness, 131.
Character, loss of, 141c.

Charity, gospel, 36-47, 83a, d, f, 106-110, 154-
162, 175, 176, 202, 203, 277a, c, f,
279e, f, i, 285, 286, 291-294, 311, 313,
317.

Charles V, words of, 319c.

disappointed, 337i.

Charles IX and the Prince of Condé, 173c.
and the Catholic governor, 2026

and Movilliers, 239g.

Charles, Archduke, humanity of, 203f.
Charles, Rev. Mr., humility of, 204f.
practice of, 262b.

escape of, 345f.

Charlotte, Princess, benevolence of, 38d.
Chastisement of children, 135-139.

Chastity, 7g, 246a.

Bumford, Countess of, and public worship, 439c. Cherokee Indians and the Osages, 156e.

[blocks in formation]

duty to, 135-139.

Chinese, pretensions of the, 24.

monarch and the rebels, 160d.
superstition of the, 268a.
infanticide of the, 272a.
and European idolatry, 283c.
Choirs in churches, 289e, h.

Cadogan, Rev. B. W., and the musician, 261h. Christ, divinity of, 81.

Cæsar, Augustus, and idolatry, 268e.

Cæsar, Julius, at Pharsalia, 202a.

benevolence of, 45b.

and his enemies, 1586.

Calumny, 407.

Calvary, rock of, 81f.

Calvin, disinterestedness of, 1426.

and Eckius, 173i.

labors of, 2586.

Cambyses and Caligula, 163c.
Candor, 407h.

Cannibalism, 274.

Card-playing, 76.

Carey, Dr., humility of, 204m.

labors of, 286v.

Marshman and Ward's donations, 286w.

Carter, Rev. J., and the tanner, 243e.

Caste, 77, 284a, b.

miscellaneous, 82.
denial of, 130.

love of, 186.

character of, 218.

love to, 248, 249.

crucifixion of, 261d.

Christian, Rev. Mr., death of, 119j

Christianity, character of, 217.

Christians, the early, 162b, c, d, 437b, c.

Chronology of the Chinese, 24.

Chrysostom in exile, 1126.

and profanity, 339m.

Church discipline, 140.

joining the, 84.

Churches, difficulties in, 134.
Cicero, retort of, 19c.

and idolatry, 268e.

and war, 437a.

« PreviousContinue »