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ON APPLICATION.

NULLA dies sine lineâ,* was the motto of a celebrated painter of antiquity; may each reader of this Magazine, the youthful especially, adopt it for his own, and attend to the precept it conveys. It is certain, that constant dropping will, in time, wear away the hardest rocks, and it is no less certain, that continued application will overcome the most, apparently, insuperable difficulties. It was observed, page 312, vol. I, third series, with respect to the Hebrew, "Set apart one hour every day of the week, and in one month you will know more of the Hebrew language than thousands of persons who have had all the advantages of a learned and expensive education," and the same remark applies to every other pursuit.

How many of my young readers have been inclined to give up their studies or employments when any difficulty presented itself; how often have they exclaimed, "It is of no use for me to try, I am sure I shall never succeed, I have a great mind to give it up," with various exclamations of the same kind, when perhaps had they employed a little time patiently every day, all difficulties would have vanished, and they would have been ready to laugh at their own folly for wishing to give up in despair what now appears to them so plain and easy. Think honestly, my young friend, whether this was not once your own case, think whether you are even now sufficiently attentive to cultivate a habit of application; if you are not, be not ashamed to own it, for "the first step to knowledge is to confess that you are ignorant," and the advice of some friend may be useful to direct your steps.

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For the benefit of those who may require such assistance, let me give one or two short, and I hope, plain directions:first, never despair of being able to accomplish any thing you may have to do, for by despairing you only waste the time that might be employed to advantage, and discourage yourself more and more by the delay; secondly, endeavour, if possible, to set apart some portion of time every day, should it be but half an hour, to that particular pursuit.

By carefully continuing this plan, and never suffering yourself for one moment to be discouraged, every obstacle will be * No day without a line. X

VOL. II. 3d SERIES.

removed, habits of application, though long neglected, will be acquired, and you will in a short time, reap an abundant harvest, from what once appeared a barren and desolate wild. If the perusal of these lines shall incite only one of my readers to prove the value of application, they will not have been written in vain. Аскотум.

DAILY MAXIMS FOR JULY.

1 THEY who in a sinful way strive against the Spirit, may, in a judicial way be denied the Spirit to strive longer

2

with them.

Grace's worst is better than the world's best.

3 A Christian is a bird that can sing in winter as well as

in spring.

4 We are called to great trials, but we may reckon on great hopes.

5 God hath graciously given his people an entrance into rest during their state of work and labour, to sweeten it to them, and to prepare them for it.

6 Time destroyed is suicide.

7 There is much of God's goodness laid out, but more

laid up.

8 The spirit of the world and the spirit of Christ are at

enmity.

9 The best must have most of our affection, the poorest

most of our bounty.

10 Faith should be above all that befalleth us.

11 Trials seldom come alone.

*12 He that calleth us to pray calleth us to hear, to redeem time for meditation, and for other holy purposes.

13 A gracious heart cannot offend a good God without grief. 14 We should aim at exact obedience, but not despair if we cannot attain it.

15 Afflictions to God's people not only furnish occasions of patience but of joy.

16 A good man is a common blessing.

17 At the day of judgment it will not be inquired what we have read, but what we have done; not how eloquently we have spoken, but how holily we have lived.

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*19 The everlasting sabbath of Heaven is the repose and perfection of nature and of grace.

20 Not eloquence but truth, is to be sought after in the Holy Scriptures, every part of which must be read with the same spirit by which it was written.

21 How extravagant the folly, to neglect the study of the one thing needful.

22 Men pass away like the shadows of the morning! 23 The moment a man gives way to inordinate desire, disquietude and torment take possession of his heart. 24 All men are frail, but thou shouldst reckon none so frail as thyself.

25

*26

Graces are not crowned till they are exercised.

As justice and truth met in the Law, so mercy and truth meet in the Gospel.

27 Nothing but Christ's righteousness will serve for Christ's judgment.

28 Evil words shew a wicked heart, and idle words a vain

mind.

29 There are Antinomians in life as well as in doctrine. 30 He is truly learned, who hath learned to abandon his own will, and to do the will of God?

31 If the memory could retain the whole Bible, and the precepts of the wisest and most virtuous philosophers, what would it profit without charity and the grace of God.

Revere the sayings of the good and wise,
Press forward daily for the heavenly prize;
The world is growing old, and time is flying,
Old age is coming on, and thou art dying.
Place not thy happiness in things below,
But fix thy hopes above,

Where all is peace and love,

And purest pleasures ever flow.

Wakefield.

R. C.

SERMONS, WHEN PROFITABLE.

"WE should regard sermons as Elijah did the ravens that brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening.—(1 Kings xvii. 6.) They bring food

with them for our souls, that we may feed upon it. When the Israelites gathered manna to eat, it was bread from heaven, angels meat, food excellent and precious; but when they laid it by, it became offensive and bred worms. When God scatters truths amongst men, if they gather them to feed on, they are the bread of heaven, angels food; but if they only hoard them up in their books, or notionally in their minds, they will breed the worms of pride and hypocrisy, and make them an offensive savour unto God. When, therefore, any truth is proposed to you, learn what is your great concern therein, and let it have its proper and perfect work upon your souls."

THE CANDID CULPRIT.

pre

THE Duke of Orsuna, Viceroy of Naples, passing through Barcelona, went on board the Cape Galley, and passing through the crew of slaves, he asked several what their offences were? Every one excused himself upon various tences:-one said he was sent in out of malice-another by bribery of the judge-but all of them unjustly. The duke came up, at last, to a sturdy little black man, whom he questioned as to what he was there for. “My Lord,” said he, "I cannot deny but I am justly put here, for I wanted money, and so took a purse near Tarragona to keep me from starving." The duke on hearing this gave him two or three blows on the shoulder with his stick, saying, You rogue, what are you doing among so many honest-innocent men? Get you out of their company." The poor fellow was then set at liberty, while the rest were left to tug at the oar.

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THE RELIGIOUS SAILORS, OR, THE CASE DECIDED. On board the flag ship of a celebrated commander, a complaint was made by his captain against about two hundred of the crew for disturbing the rest of the ship's company by frequent noises. The admiral ordered an inquiry to be made and appointed a day for a hearing. The accusation was, that these men were Methodists, and that when their watch was below, they were in the constant habit of reading the Bible

to each other aloud, of frequently joining in prayer and in singing psalms and hymns; after this was proved, the Admiralasked what was the general conduct of these men on deck,' orderly or disobedient, cleanly or the contrary? "Always orderly, obedient, and cleanly," was the reply." When the watch is called do they linger, or are they ready?" Always ready at the first call! "You have seen these men in battle, sir: do they stand to their guns or shrink ?" "They are the most intrepid men in the ship, my lord, and will die at their post!" Let them alone then," was the final answer of this magnanimous commander: "if Methodists are such men, I wish that all my crew were Methodists!" This took place many years before the general exertions now made to instruct our gallant seamen, by means of Marine Bible Societies and Floating Chapels, by which, through the Divine Blessing, there is strong ground to hope that many thousands of them have been already rescued from vice and misery; and we ardently pray that those efforts of the wise and good may still triumph over prejudice and misconception, and that they may go on with increasing success in their pious and benevolent career.

AFFECTING DEATH-BED SCENE.

CHRISTIANITY must ever be valuable, if only for the superiority which it gives over the trials and afflictions in life-and the support and comfort it is calculated to impart in the hour of death. Frequently has the Youths' Magazine borne witness to this truth, in its records of the peaceful, and even triumphant departures, of the youthful Christian. To see even children meet death (sometimes in its most appaling forms) with such fortitude, resignation, and calmness, forms a striking evidence of the truth of those principles which sustain them in such a trying situation. While, on the other hand, we behold those who arrogate to themselves the title of "men of reason" (as if reason was revelation), and who reject the heart-humbling doctrines of the Gospel-with all their boasted philosophy, stand affrighted at the approach of death; and their last hours display either the despair of an Altamont, the fearful forebodings of a Voltaire, or the subterfuges of a Hume.

- M

was a native

The subject of the present sketch, Mr. Tof Scotland, but was brought to the neighbourhood of London in his childhood. He, very early in life, was called from the parental roof and left to form associations, which in a great metropolis are so liable to

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