Sunday-school times

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VOLUME VII.
PPBUSHED EYERY SATURDAY AT ONE DOUAR AND FIFTY CENTS A YEAR,-.pmLADELPHIA, DECEMBER 16, 1865.
NUMBER 50.
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL TIMES,
A Weekly Beligious Paper.
Price OneDoUarandFifty Cents aYear in Advance.
Philadelphia subscribers who wish the Paper served
at their residences, will be charged 60 cents additional.
Those who call at the office will receive it for One Dollar
and a half.
The Postage is 20 cents a year, which must be paid in
advance at the post office where the subscriber resides.
Letters containing articles for publication, should be
addressed
Editors Sunday-Bchool Times,
Philadilphia, Penn'a.
Letters containing subscriptions to the Paper, or
orders for books, should be addressed
J. O. GARRIGUES & CO.,
148 South Fourth Street,
  Philadelphia, Penn'a.
For the Sunday-School Times
THE BEST NAME.*
By the Rev. Richard Newton, D. D.
Ohhdbis's Sibmons—No. 7—PabtH.
"A name which is above every name."   Phil. 2: 9.
WE have spoken now of the power that there
is iu the name of Jesus, to make people
good. There is also great power in this name
to make people rich as well as good. I dare say
you have all read the story of the "Forty
Thieves." It is not a true story, but it does
very well to illustrate the point of which I am
now speaking. You know the story says, that
there was a woodman once, in a forest cut¬
ting down trees, when he heard a band of
robbers approaching and saw their long train
of horses come winding over the hills, to¬
ward the place where he was. He quickly
climbed into one of the trees, where he could
watch their motions without being seen.
They rode up on their horses till they came to
a great rock, where dismounting, the cap¬
tain of the band walked up to the rock aud
said, " Open Sesame." The very moment this
word was spoken a great doer flew open, aud
they all went iu and stowed away their plun¬
der in the cave. The woodman watched, in
great surprise, while all this was going on.—
He remembered the wonderful word " Sesame,"
which opened the door. So he remained quiet
until the robbers were gone. As soon as they
were out of sight, he came down frnm t.h*
tree, and went up to the rock aud cried out—
11 Open Sesame!" Instantly the door flew open,
and he went in. Then he gazed, in wonder,
on all the precious things which were gathered
together. He filled his panniers, or don¬
key baskets, with gold and silver, as much as
the animal could carry, and went home a rich
man. He was made rich by the power of the
word " Sesame." But as I said before, the story
is not true. Now suppose, my dear children,
that there was a cave in this country, filled
with gold and silver and jewels ; aud that it
was locked and fastened, so that no key could
open it; but suppose there was one word
alone that would unfasten that door, aud that
somebody should tell you what that word was,
and give you permission to use it, and open
the cave and fill your bags with its treasures,
would there not be power in that word to
make you rich? But I need not tell
you, that there is no such cave of trea¬
sures in this world, and no such wonder¬
ful word to open it; but there is something
better. There is a treasury full of all good
things. There is a door to that treasury too;
but it is closed and fastened. No key, that
man can make, will ever open that treasury.
Yet there is a key that will open it;
and this key is a single word. And if that
word is used aright, this door will fly open
and all who wish may enter in, and get every¬
thing that is necessary to make them rich and
happy. This treasury is in heaven. The grace
of God, and all the good things that belong to
him, are in it. And the name, the only aame that
will open it, is the name of Jesus. Jesus said,
when he was on earth, " Whatsoever ye shall
ask the Father, in my name, he will give it
you." If you are a sinner and want pardon,
the name of Jesus will get it for you. If your
heart is very wicked, and you want to have it
changed, the name of Jesus will change it. If
you do not understand the Bible and want to
understand it, the name of Jesus will secure
for you the influence of the Holy Spirit, and
nothing but this can enable anybody to know
its meaning. If you have evil passions, bad
tempers and dispositions, and are striving
against them, but feel that you cannot help
yourself, if you seek it in the name of Jesus,
you will obtain all the aid you need. And,
whatever you require to make you truly rich
and happy, he will give you, if you ask him
aright. Oh, there is wonderful power in the
name of Jesus I
There is also power in it to make people
love him. Wh^ n people understand this name,
and learn to love Jesus, they love him better
than they love anything else in this world. There
was an old man once, who had loved and served
Jesus Christ for eighty years, or more. He
lived in a time when Christians were very
sorely persecuted, on account of their religion.
His nama was Poly carp. At tbat time the
Roman Emperor was very angry with the
Christians, and determined to seize all he
could find, and throw them to the wild beasts
to be devoured alive. Hearing of Polycarp,
he sent for him, and on his appearing before
him, commanded him to curse the name of
Jesus.   " I cannot do it," the old man mildly
"■Entered according tb Act of Congress, in the year 1866,
by J 0. Garrgue* * do., in the Clerk's office of the
District Court of tbe United States for the Eastern
District of Pennsylvania.
said. " If jou don't I will throw you to the
wild beasts. Renounce the name of Jesus."
Polycarp stood before the Emperor, with his
long silvery locks, as white as the driven snow,
hanging down over his shoulders, and said,
"I have loved Jesus more than eighty years,
and he has never disappointed or forsaken
me—I cannot renounce him now." "Goto
the wild beasts, then," said the wicked tyrant,
and he was led out, blessing God for letting
him die a martyr's death. He was not will¬
ing to save his life, even, if he could only do
it by renouncing Jesus. There was another
man, hundreds Of years after Polycarp's time,
who was On hfs way to the stake to be burned
to death. When he was walking to the place
of execution, his wife and children were fol¬
lowing him, and some one asked him, " Do
you love your wife and children? Would you
not like to live with them ?" " Ah," said he,
" I love them so that if I possessed all the
gold and silver in the world, I would gladly
give it to be permitted to live with them, if it
were only in a prison; but, compared with
Jesus, I love them not at all." What power
there must have been in the name of Jesus, to
make him love so much! There was another
martyr, who was actually tied to the stake
burning to death. The flames were wrapping
themselves around him, as you have seen them
do around a burning stick. His arms, his
hands and fingers were all on flame. And
yet, before he died, he lifted up his burnt and
blazing arms, and smote his hands together,
crying, "None but Jesus ! None but Jesus 1"
and then his spirit left his poor, suffering
body. Ah, there is wonderful power in this
name to make people love Jesus!
Bat it has also power to do one other thing,
and that- is, to make people happy. But how
does Jesus make us happy ? Is it by giving us
houses and lands and gold and silver? Not
at all, but by making us know and love him.
This is the great secret of real happiness. I
was reading, not long ago, about a minister
who used to visit a poor, sick man in his
neighborhood. He lived in a very humble
dwelling. It had but one room, and although
it was a pretty large room, there was very
little in it. There was a sort of chair hanging
down from the ceiling, iu which this poor
cripple sat. He was very lame, and could not
stand, or walk at all, or scarcely move a fin¬
ger, but all day long, and all night too, he sat
in this ohair, propped ud with pillows. When
the minister went to see him on one occasion,
he said to him, "My friend, you must.feel
very lonely here, when you have no one iu
the house but yourself, do you not ?" " No,
sir," said he, " I do not feel lonely, for God is
with me." Aud looking on his pillow, he saw
a Bible there, which his wife had left for him
while she had gone out to work, and he had
been reading one of the Psalms of David.—
"Why," said the minister, "how do you ma¬
nage ; you seem to be very sick, aud iu great
pain; your limbs are much swollen, and yon
cannot stir without suffering—I wonder you
can live and be contented ?" "Well," said
he, " I did not use to be contented, but since I
have loved Jesus, he makes me so; and though
I cannot move or walk, and at times can
hardly speak, I can still look at the beautiful
passages in his Word, and that makes me
glad; and when I cannot praise him with my
lips, I praise him in my heart. I love my Sa¬
viour, and he makes me happy." Here was
one who was poor, friendless, and suffering;
yet Jesus could make him happy. Yes, there
is wonderful power in the name of Jesua to
make people happy. This, then, is our third
reason why the name of Jesus is the best
name. Because it is full of power. It has
power to make people good—power to make
them rich—power to make them love him, and
power to make them happy.
There is but one reason more I will give
you, why the name of Jesus is the best name.
And that is, Because it never changes. You
know, my dear children, that people's names
often change in this life. Females change
their names when they get married; and
there are many other circumstances which
lead people to have their names changed.
We read in the Bible about Abraham's name
being changed; and so we do of Jacbb'B j and
Peter's; and Paul's. And people sometimes
have their names changed now. All our
names will be changed when we come to die.
If you have a father, or a mother, or a dear
friend in heaven, you know not by what names
they are called there. You know what their
names were on earth, but what they are in
heaven you cannot tell. Jesus says in his
Word, that his people are called by a new
name, when they go to heaven; but nobody
knows what that name will be until it is
given them. A wonderful name, indeed, this
will be, and a blessed thing it will be for
those who receive it.
But the name of Jesus never changes. Jesus
was his name when he was upon the earth;
and Jesus is bis _ame now in heaven. And
when he comes back again to this earth in
glory, Jesus will be his name still.
Have you ever seen a Christian die ? If so,
you have found one of the last words upon
his lips was the name of Jesus. He died
speaking of Jesus, whispering perhaps, the
words, " Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly."
Or, if he could not' speak distinctly, still his
lips would be muttering something about
Jesus. He knew that Jesus was the name of
his Saviour in this werld, and in the world
to which he was going he knew that Jesus
would be his name still. There is a beautiful
hymn which says,
« His name shall stand forever—
That name to us is Love."
For these four reasons the name of Jesus Is
the best name. Because it is so simple. Be-
iliuse it is so full of meaning. Because it is
so/full of power; and because it never changes.
Now, my dear children, can you wondejr
that Christians love the name of Jesus? Look
at the last of the hymns, in our selection for
to-day, and see what it says,
/'_Iow sweet the name of Jesus sounds,
'In a believer's ear;
It soothes his Borrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear."
It was thinking of this hymn made me
choose the text for our sermon to-day. I trust'
you may all learn to love the name of Jean*/
and then you will be able to sing this hymh
with your heart, and you will find great dej-
light in it. Now, children, I want you to d£
two things in regard to this name. I want
everyone of you to pray to God to help you
to understand it. If God should give you
grace rightly to know and love this name, i)
will be the most blessed thing for you that
can possibly happen to you. To understand thi
meaning and feel the power of this name,
will be better for you than to be in possession
of -all the riches this world can give. Ohj
pray, then, pr_y earnestly, now, and always*
that God may help you to understand and
love this name "which is above every name.'*
And I am anxious that you should do one
thing more;—it is, that you do all you can to
send the knowledge of this name to those
who are ignorant of it. Oh, there are hundreds;
and thousands who never heard it. They
know nothing of the sweetness, simplicity
and power of this precious name. All over
the world there are multitudes who never
heard that Jesus lived and labored, taught,
suffered and died for them; and I want you
to do all you can to send the knowledge of
his sweet name to them. I hope this is what
we shall always live for. It is the only thing
in this world worth living for; and I hope
aud pray that God may help us all to love
that glorious name, and spread it all abroad.
For the Sunday-School Times.
THE STRANGER'S QUESTION.
MANY years since two sisters, the younger
just emerging from childhood, attended
a protracted meeting, as they were then call¬
ed, held in a chnrch some miles distant from
their place of residence. The morning servicW
made Iittleor ho impression upon the mind of
the younger sister. At its close, several pews
in front of the pulpit were vacated, and those
anxious for the salvation of their souls and
desirous of the prayers of Christians, were
invited to occupy them.
After dining with a hospitable family, the
sisters returned to the church for the after¬
noon service. It was early, and they seated
themselves in one of the largest of the large
old-fashioned square pews. Scarcely were
they seated when a gentleman whose pleasant
aud benevolent countenance attracted their
attention, entered the pew, accompanied by
another gentleman and two or three ladies.
There was some ehange of seats, to accommo¬
date the new comers, and when at last all
were settled, the younger sister found herself
next to the pleasant-looking stranger.
He soon began a conversation by asking, in
a tone inexpressibly tender and gentle,
" Are you one of Christ's chosen ones?"
The reply was in the negative.
" Did you go to the anxious seat this morn¬
ing ?" was the question that followed, and
again the reply was in the negative.
These two questions drew forth all the in¬
formation the stranger desired. He knew that
the youth by his side was without Christ, and
careless and unconcerned in that condition.
Then followed a most earnest and tender ap¬
peal to the heart and conscience. It was the
only incident of the day which left aa impres¬
sion upon that youthful mind. After they
left the church, the elder sister remarked,
" That man is the one I heard with so much
interest at the temperance meeting in B-	
church, but I do not know who he is."
The interview was not forgotten. Two or
three years passed. The elder sister died in
the triumphs of faith. One night a member
of the family came in, and said to the younger
sister,
"Do you  remember  how  much  H	
was interested in one of the speakers at the
temperance meeting, in B church ?"
Thought flew quickly back to the scene in
the old square pew of the ancient church.
" Yes," was the eager reply r " can you tell
I me who he was ?"
»It was Harlan Page I"
That name was heard with a thrill of emo¬
tion. Harlan Page had gone to his rest, and
that family had read and re-re id the simple
story of his labors, which has incited many a
Christian to " go and do likewise." From
that hour the one who had been so tenderly
and faithfully dealt with by this earnest
worker in his Master's vineyard, was at no
loss to understand the secret of his eminent
usefulness, and his peculiar power to win
Bonis. Mayflower.
THE INTOXICATING BOWL.
" Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
And every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write what alcohol has done
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
If stretched from sky to sky.
Man; are fond of ministers who are not
fond of Christ.—McCheyne.
For the Sunday-School Timet.
A REMINISCENCE
SEVERAL winters ago I was in Savannah
during Sabbath, and iu the afternoon
went into a pleasant little negro church, as:
much from curiosity as from a better motive.
It was communion Sunday, I found, after en¬
tering, and solemn thoughts were soon fast
chasing away the unworthier ones which the
unusual surroundings would call up. The
dark mass before me seemed to lie like a dead
weight upon my powers of thought; and as
the afternoon wore away, and the shades of
early evening.fell deeper and thicker upon
the windows and around the doors, I could
scarcely throw off the gloom which would
gather upon my spirits. It became at last
painful and oppressive to me. Everything
appeared out of place. The bright colors
worn by some in the audience were frightfully
incongruous. The choir, to my differently
attuned and associated ears, sang irreverently
and altogether without the spirit of praise
and worship, and I watched for au opportu¬
nity to escape into the sunset light, the blue
sky and green grass of those delightful south¬
ern Sunday afternoons. But there was a
moment when all this scene faded before me,
and a clear and beautiful light, as from heaven,
made the picture bright with unfading colors.
The minister was calling particular attention
to the dying love of Jesus, which they were
about to celebrate, and before doing so.
sketched briefly his life on earth. Then fol¬
lowing him to the cross, and the grave, he
led us with him to where "a cloud received
him out of their sight." On and on, he said,
the Saviour rose with a glorious escort of
" the heavenly host." Above the clouds and
the world they rose, while Jerusalem beneath,
with Calvary and Gethsemane, soon became
lost in Palestine, and water and land, ocean
and continent, were left far behind, and bless¬
ed be God 1 those long years of suffering and
labor tool Beyond the moon, beyond the
sun, past the silent, watchful Stars they sped,
their bright wings and glad songs of " home¬
ward bound," telling their joyful errand. Up,
up, up they hasten,' with growing numbers, as
they are joined aud welcomed by kindred
hosts; until at last before them rise the fla¬
ming battlements of the heavenly world.
Quick to the pearly gates they fly, and while
the golden streets and shining; ones are dis¬
cing uioiim. 4_»«_>£k tiro crystal w«iIs, and the
music of .the goldeu harps and hymns of
praise floats down upon them sweet and clear,
they raise their own triumphant song of
" Lift up your heads, oh ye gates ! Be ye lifted
up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of
glory shall come in 1" But, said the speaker,
the gates moved not, and back the question
came, " Who is this King of glory ?" Loud
rose the answer, the full chorus shouting,
" The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord,
mighty iu battle. Lift up your heads, 0 ye
gates, even lift them up ye everlasting doors,
and the King of glory shall come in." Still
the gates moved not, and sadly came the rea¬
son from the keeper: "I saw the King of
glory go to earth some thirty years and more
ago, and him whom you now escort is not the
King of glory. His brow bore no marks, as
of a crown of thorns, no print of nails was on
his hands and feet, and his fair side wore no
such cruel wounds as these. It cannot be the
King of glory I" (Ah, my brethren, he was
not recognized in heaven from having died
for you!) Yet once again the ready answer rang
from the heavenly escort: " Worthy the Lamb
that was slain to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength and honor and
glory and blessing,"—and with the " new song"
filling heaven with the new music of a world
redeemed and sinners saved, the King of glory
entered!
My memories of that Sabbath afternoon are
among the bright, warm spots I love to have
lioger about me; the blackness and darkness
are gone, as they will be over the river, and
the living Christian faith made and left the
impression which no learned eloquence could
have done.
Let us as Christians remember who
has redeemed us. Let us think more of
what it cost him, and surely we can but
be earnest in telling what we know—that
it is " a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac¬
ceptation, that Jesus Christ came, into the
world to save sinners." W. S. P.
St. Paul, Minn.
A RARE BIBLE CLASS.
SOME Sabbath-schools are composed almost
entirely of children, and the older mem¬
bers of the church seem to take no interest in
Bible study. It is difficult to gather or sus¬
tain adult classes, for want of a good example
on the part of influential Christians.
No such difficulty exists in the school con¬
nected with my own church, and nearly one
half its members is found in adult classes.
One of these classes is worthy of special men¬
tion : I have never seen one quite like it else¬
where. It numbers eight members, and the
youngest is nearly seventy years of age, while
the oldest is eighty-four. The teacher,is
sighty-one, aud has been a deacon in the
church over half a century. The average age
of the class must, be considerably above
seventy, but it is probably the most regular
class iu the entire school. The seats are
generally fall, and it is a pleasant sight to
look on that company of gray-haired men,
eagerly engaged in the study of God's word.
Every eye is intent, every face lighted wi<h
enthusiasm, and one sees at a glance that their
whole souls are engaged ia the work before
them.   Two or three of them are profoundly
acquainted with the Scriptures, and few min¬
isters can explain so well its higher doctrines,
or quote so readily its promises and comfort¬
ing truths.
With such an example before the young,
there is little danger of boys just growing into
manhood thinking they are too old to remain
in the school. They pass naturally into the
adult Bible classes, for there are classes for
young men, for married men, aud for old men,
as well as for young ladies, and married
ladies, and old ladies.
These aged veterans find the hour spent in
the Sunday-school one of the pleasantest and
most profitable of the week, and their instruc¬
tive discussions of great Bible truths furnish
food for thought in the days that follow: It
would be well for every Sunday-school, if
such a class could give it dignity and. social
power.—The National Baptist.
for the Sunday-Sohool Times.
"A Soldier of the Cumber/and," *
MEAD HOLMES, JR.
(Died at Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 12th, 1863.)
Br the Author op "Youb Mission."
He died for his country—Why should we deplore
him ?
Why weep for the soldier whose battles are o'er ?
No patter how plainly the Future before him
Stood waving her laurels, he needs them no more.
He loved the old banner, and oft on its beauty
Had gazed in his boyhood with pleasure and
pride;
And when, on its folds, he could read the word
" duty,"
He was willing to die as his fathers had died.
From voices that called him and hands closely
clinging,
The true-hearted soldier turned tearful away,
And into the conflict his eager soul flinging,
He stood in the thick of the terrible fray.
Around him were scattered the dead and the
dying;
Like rain, on the grass, fell the blood of the
brave;
And ballet and shell through the troubled air fly¬
ing,
Made many a heart break and many a grave.
But he fell not in battle life's end to dissever;
By him must no pathway of anguish be trod;
He lay on the green sward, at rest and forever,
Touohed by the invisible finger of God.
He was willing to go, and he needed no warning,
For the soldier must always be ready to start,
And whether at nightfall or in the gray morning,
From old camping-places must rise and depart,
And he was Christ's soldier; 'twas while he was
singing
Some song of that land where no battle shall be,
That an angel flew downward, the glad summons
bringing,
"Enter into thy rest, it is waiting for thee."
* Copyright secured.
lor the Sunday-School Times.
THE RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPER.
I WAS spending a day not long since in
a pleasant farm-house, which was fitted
up with a taste and neatness not always found
iu such homes. The farmer Bat down in the
parlor after dinner, aud conversed with ease
and intelligence on varions topics of interest
in the religious and literary world—showing
a perfect familiarity with what was doing in
the great world outside the bounds of his lit¬
tle farm. He was a man of only common
education, yet his information was far more
extended than is customary in people of his
calling. The secret of his superiority became
very apparent in the course of the conversa¬
tion. He was frequently referring to some
remark or paragraph iu his religious newspa¬
per which bore upon the subject of which
we were speaking,—sometimes taking up a
recent number, which was just at hand, and
reading a few lines. One could not listen to
him without obtaining valuable information
and food for after thought.
An excellent religious newspaper was the
great educator that made this farmer so much
superior to those whose lauds lay upon either
side of him, and who were content to jog on
year after year, in the same dull round of mo¬
notonous d uties, without a thought of anything
beyond them.
He had taken this paper many years, aud
what was more important still, he read it
every week thoroughly and carefully. Cut off
from much society, he had a little world of
his own in the pleasant family sitting room,
where he experienced the most delightful in¬
tellectual enjoyment.
What a blessing that religious newspaper
was to him, and what a blessing such a p per
is in every circle where it is introduced. You
cannot do a greater kindness to any family
than to send such a messenger of good things
into its' fold fifty-two times a year. I wonder
that newspapers are not oftener presented as
New Year's gifts to cur frieads; for certainly
there can be none which yield such large re¬
turns of profit and happiness for so small an
outlay.
Who will make one hearth-stone bright
this New Year coming on, by such a gift?
L. L.
TREAD carefully, sinner, on the globe where
Jesus' blood trickled down. Forget not
Calvary. Jesus did no*, die in heaven, nor in
hell, but he came to earth, that every hill
might remind you of the hill of atonement;
that every tree might tell you of the cross;
that every garden migit whisper "Gethse¬
mane." The earth is sacred now, for Christ
Jesus came upon it to pour out his life for us.
for the Sunday-School Time*.
REPROVING CHII/PBEN.
By thb Rxv. J. T. Obanx, D. D.
"fn&E rod and reproof," says the wise man,
A "give wisdom." But streams rise no
higher than their fountains. Neither the rod,
nor reproof, nor both united, will give wisdom,
unless they are wisely employed. Where folly
wields the rod, it is folly to expect good to
come of it. Where folly reproves error, the
prospect is equally hopeless.
No one doubts that children often need to
have their errors pointed out and their faults
rebuked. But how to do it aright—" there'*
the rub." Sometimes what is meant to be
reproof degenerates into mere scolding, which
is a species of domestic eloquence not likely
to improve, in any great degree, either the
orator or the audience. Sometimes it is aa
exhibition of mere weakness of character*
A command is given, the child disregards it,
and the parent, instead of firmly insisting
upon obedience, retires from tbe contest de¬
feated and defied, vainly endeavoring to cover
the retreat by pouring out a stream of feeble
expostulations and reproaches, a pattering ef
empty words, which scarcely reach even the
outward ear for which they are intended.
Sometimes it is an outburst of fierce passion,
before which the child trembles for the mo¬
ment, but .which lacks the elements which
make a permanent moral impression. How,
then, shall we administer reproof so that it
may " give wisdom ?"
1. Reprove without anger. You may re¬
buke with emphasis, where the occasion de¬
mands it; but your rebuke will have little
force if you leave room for'the suspicion that
your emphatic expressions are prompted by
your passions, rather than your judgment.
The child will instinctively feel that those
who cannot control themselves have no right
to assume to control others.
2. Reprove justly and with consideration.
If the child sees that you are determined to
construe his conduct iu the most unfavorable
way possible; if he is accused of malice when,
he knows that he was only thoughtless, a
sense of injury will take the place of repent¬
ance. Charges which he knows to be false
and unjust prevent sorrow for real errors; and
the memory of the wrong dome by him is lost
in the sense of the wrong which he suffers*
Give the. offender, therefore, a chance to ex¬
plain, and receive his disclaimers as valid,
unless you have good reason to suspect him
of a want of truth and candor.
3. When you reprove, let the appeal be to
reason and conscience. To denounce the of¬
fence vehemently, to rail at it in good set
terms, is not enough. Let there be a strong
foundation of good sense to support your re¬
bukes, so that when the irritations and an¬
noyances of the hour have ceased, there will
remain a clear conviction on both sides, that
your view of the case was the correct one. Your
government will not be strong unless it Is
based upon the right.
4. Reprove kindly, inflicting no needless
shame upon the offender. The self-respect of
a child is an element of his character upon
which no rough hand should be laid. There
may be cases where the child deserves to be
covered with confusion, even in the presence
of strangers ; bet no ordinary offence demands
this hard penalty. Older or younger, every
one who gets iu the wrong is entitled to a fair
chance to get right again.
5. Do not reprove so often as to make *
well meaning child unhappy.' " Fathers, pro¬
voke not your children to anger, lest they be
discouraged." A child is but a beginner &►;*;.
everything, and for that reason is liable to dtp"
everything imperfectly. If you are always
looking for defects, you will be sure to find
them iu abundance. If you talk of nothing
but his imperfections, you will strip him of all
courage, and tempt him to feel that it is no
use. for him to try. Just praise is as valuable
as just censure, and much more pleasant to
give and take.
THE CHILDREN'S ANGELS.
" For I say unto you, that their angola do always b
hold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
Each child has a heavenly angel,
Fast by the burning throne,
Beholding the face of the Father,
In the likeness of Christ the Son.
And whosoever offendeth
The poorest child, has done
What offends the invisible Father,
And grieves the incarnate Son.
For ^hee to die it were better,
Than to injure a little child,
For such have lain in his bosom,
On such he has looked and smiled,
Saying, " My heavenly kingdom
Into no soul can come,
Save with the spirit of childhood,
The heart of a little one." f
•—From the N. Y. Evangelist.      Pbdb Cructs.
Robert Hall, hearing some worldly minded
persons object to family prayer as taking np
too much time, said that what might seem a
loss will be more than compensated by that
spirit of order and regularity which the stated
observance of this duty tends to produce. It
serves as au edge and border, to preserve the
web of life from unraveling.
Keep your smaller differences; let us have
no discord on that account; but let us march
in one solid column, under the banner of the
Captain of our salvation, and with undivided
counsels form the legion of the cross upon the
territories of darkness and of death.—Calvin*