ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. stowed upon the coming ones, there would but few adventure to wait upon him. But now, as he is full, so he is free. Nothing pleases him better, than to give what he has away, than to bestow it upon the poor and needy. And it will be convenient that thou, who art a coming soul, should know this for thy comfort to encourage thee to come to God by him. Take two or three sayings of his for the confirming of what is now said: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "All that the Father giveth me, shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." Bunyan. A THE FESTIVAL OF THE ASS.-This was celebrated for some time in the Gallican church at Beauvais, in Burgundy, France. handsome girl, richly attired, represented Mary. The girl, bedizened with finery, was placed on an ass covered with a cloth of gold and superbly caparisoned. The ass, accompanied by a vast concourse of clergy and laity, was led from the cathedral to the parish church of St. Stephen. The girl, seated on the ass, was conducted in solemn procession into the sanctuary itself, and placed, with the gospels, near the altar. High mass began with great pomp; and the ass, who was a worshipper on the occasion, was taught to kneel, at certain intervals, while a hymn was sung in his praise. The hymn recorded by Du Cange is a model. The following is a translation of four stanzas, though no version can equal the inimitable original : : He's fair and fit for the pack at all times. The ass is slow and lazy too; Heigh-ho, my assy! The ass was born and bred with long ears; And yet he the lord of asses appears. And faster than hound and hare can trot. But the whip and the spur will make him go. Sing, Father Ass, and you shall have grass, And straw and hay too in plenty. The worship concluded with a braying match between the clergy and laity in honour of the ass. The officiating priest turned to the people, and, in a fine treble voice, and with great devotion, brayed three times like an ass, whose fair representative he was; while the people, imitating his example, brayed three times in concert. This, as Sydney Smith would say, is the most extraordinary instance of spiritual ass-ass-ination to be found perhaps on record. Abridged from Scottish Prot. THE BIBLE. How refreshing to turn from such specimens of human folly as the above, done in the name of religion, to the book of real religion itself. Nothing of this kind can be found in it! as one has said, "It contains history the most authentic and ancient, THE FIRESIDE. tracing it back to the first creation of our world; and prophecy the most important and interesting, traced forward to its final consumation; journeys surpassing all others in the marvellousness of their adventures, and the dignity of their guide, for they were marked by miracles at every step, and in every movement directed by God; the travels of the most distinguished missionaries, the first preachers of the gospel, and the lives of the most illustrious personages, including the biography of the Son of God; events more wonderful than romance ever imagined, and stories more fascinating than fancy ever sketched; the finest specimens of poetry and eloquence, of sound philosophy and solid argument; models of virtue the most attractive, and maxims of wisdom the most profound; prayers the most appropriate in every variety of spiritual experience, and songs of praise that would not be unworthy an angel's tongue; precepts of unparalleled importance, and parables of unrivalled beauty; examples of consistent piety suited to every situation; and lessons of Divine instruction adapted to every age." Let all protestants stick to their bibles, and never exchange them for the fooleries of popery. Part with gold for dross sooner. But take care: there are Jesuits skulking about the country, some in the Church of England and some out of it, who would rob you of your bible and your Saviour, and give you a doll! The Fireside. HINTS TO HUSBANDS. Do not jest with your wife upon a subject in which there is danger of wounding her feelings. Remember that she treasures every word you utter, though you may never think of it again. Do not reproach your wife with a personal defect, for if she has sensibility, you inflict a wound difficult to heal. Do not treat your wife with inattention in company; it touches her feelings-and she will not respect you more or love you better for it. Do not upbraid your wife in the presence of a third person. The sense of your disregard for her feelings will prevent ber from acknowledging her fault. Do not often invite your friends to jaunt, and leave your wife at homeshe might suspect that you esteemed others more companionable than herself. If you would have a pleasant home and cheerful wife, pass your evenings under your own roof. Do not be stern and silent in your own house, and remarkable for your sociability elsewhere. Remember that your wife has as much need of recreation as yourself, and devote a portion at least of your leisure hours to such society and amusements as she may join. By doing so, you will secure her smiles and increase her affection. THE PENNY POST-BOX. The Penny Post Box. PRECIOUS PROMISES. A FEW days ago I was sent for to visit a poor aged woman in deep affliction of body and mind-she is a pious good woman, a member of the church of which I have been the pastor for some years. This poor woman's husband died last February-he was a little farmer, and they brought up a large family by their hard work, and always felt happy in doing their utmost to help and support the cause of Christ. They depended much on a potatoe crop to pay their rent, and the disease that first took the potatoes about five years ago, and ruined so many, brought this poor man into great distress-and by the same disease taking them for several subsequent years, and the low price of other produce of the land, he was brought very low indeed, and at his death left his wife to the mercy of a parish. She is more than seventy years of age. She is a great sufferer both in body and mind-and she well knew my state of ill health and pecuniary circumstances, and felt anxious to see me. I soon complied with her wishes. When I got into the cottage she was sitting in an old arm chair, in a very low desponding state of mind. As soon as she looked up and saw me she mustered up all her energies of body and mind, and lifted up her eyes and her hands as a person in deep distress or under some sudden fright, and exclaimed with a faltering voice, "Oh! sir, what a distressing state you and I are in, are we not? Who would have thought I should ever be brought to this." I looked her hard in the face and smiled, and said, "In a distressing state, no indeed, our state is one of mercy, and calls for thankfulness instead of complaint." "But," said she, "all I have now to support me is 1s. 6d. and a loaf for the week.' I put on another smile and looked at her, and said, "what a mercy that it is no worse. And allow me to try to make you believe, as you must if you believe God's holy word, that you and I are in a good condition after all. Our prospects as to this world, it is true, are not very bright; but remember the many gracious promises made by the Lord to his people when under afflictions and distress the most painful." She said she knew it all, but could not take the comfort of it. I said, "When you are thus tempted to complain, be sure to think of this one truth-that no affliction or distress can ever be placed upon or overtake us but by Divine permission. It is the Lord. And all that He does is done so well that it cannot be done better." I reasoned with her till she also smiled and said, "How glad I am that you came to see me. How much good you have done me, and how much more comfortable I feel now than before you came. I do hope I shall be able to trust in the Lord." I left her in a cheerful frame of mind, and urged her to read with attention when those gloomy fits came on, Psalm xci. 15; xlvi. 1, &c. P. A. FACTS, HINTS, AND GEMS. Facts, Hints, and Gems. Facts. THE WAY TO BE SAFE. When Hannah More asked Dr. Johnson why he drank no wine, the great moralist replied, "Because if I drink at all, I shall drink too much." QUESTION AND ANSWER.- Sceptic. "If we are to live after death, why have we not certain knowledge of it ?". Believer. "We have more than you had before you came into the world." STREET ACCIDENTS chiefly occur through orange peel thrown on the pavement. Always kick them off, and you will do good service to the public. ONE ANSWER TO MANY QUESTIONS. -Why are many refused work when there is work? Why are some diseased and miserable? and others poor and distressed? Why, above all, is the great salvation neglected? There is one answer for all-mainly through intemperate drinking. ANOTHER ANSWER.-Who always get work when it is to be had? Who look best and live best? Who read the bible most, love the sabbath, and die the happiest? The men and women who are temperate in all things. THE BIBLE. More copies of the Sacred Scriptures have been published in the English language than in all other tongues together. JOHN LUTHER, the father of the great German reformer, was a poor labouring man, employed as a woodcutter and a charcoal burner. A RAILROAD OVERLAND TO INDIA is now contemplated-over Europe, into Asia Minor, down the valley of the Euphrates to India, in seven days. OUR FATHERS, what would they have said of travelling 200 miles, and back again 200 more, all for five shillings. People may say what they will but this is a wonderful improvement! ENGLAND'S GREAT EXHIBITION would never have beeu gathered and opened but for railroads. Thoasands have now seen both it and London too who never would have seen either but for these cheap and rapid conveyances. Hints. MANKIND might often do without physicians if they would observe the laws of health; without lawyers if they would but keep their tempers; without soldiers if they would but observe the laws of christianity. DO GOOD WITH YOUR MONEY; for by so doing it will, as it were, be stamped with the image and superscription of heaven. DO AS THE SUN DOES; look at the bright side of everything. It is just as cheap, and a great deal better. GOLD is an idol, worshipped in all nations, but without a single temple or a single hypocrite among its worshippers. TO YOUNG PREACHERS. - The way to learn to preach is to preach. DANGEROUS THINGS.-A candle unsnuffed-garments left too near the fire all night-a fireplace without a guard to keep off childrenleaving a kettle on the fire to boil without watching it. PROFANITY AND POLITENESS are never seen together. They cannot agree to keep company. CULTIVATE YOUR MIND. If you do not it will be like yon idle fellow's garden; full of weeds when there ought to be a crop. OF ALL FAULTS there is not a greater perhaps than persuading ourselves or others that we have none at all. FACTS, HINTS, AND GEMS. HAVE YOU FRIENDS? Keep them, and get more if you can. But he that hath friends must show him self friendly. Real friendship is reciprocal. TRUE EMINENCE is best attained by your own toil in climbing-not by knocking others down and standing on them to exalt yourself, or by jumping on another man's back that you may have advantage over him. DO WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO, and then let what come that will come, you can retire into the strong castle of your own integrity and be safe from the fear of evil. Gems. CHRISTIANS should imitate their Master in his patience and compassion. How meekly he tore contradiction-how tenderly he wept over folly-how anxiously he invited all to come to him and be saved. TAKING UP THE CROSS.-He who takes up Christ's cross willingly, will find it such a burden as wings to a bird or sails to a ship. MARVELLOUS GOSFEL! which reconciles me to God, and opens to me a way of access to Him to his heaven-and his glory. And all this for me. How marvellous! KEEP WIDE AWAKE; for if you are disposed to sleep in the ways of God, satan will let you alone. He will have you safe when you fall asleep. He knows that if you do not. THE HEAD AND THE HEART.We may pray with the head when we do not pray with the heart, but we cannot pray without the head when we do pray with the heart. The head then knows what the heart wants. GOD IS LIGHT; which, though never visible to us, makes visible every object we behold. JESUS CHRIST AND THE BELIEVER are like the sun and the sunflower -one draws and the other follows. THE SOVEREIGN REMEDY for all the cares, tears, troubles, sorrows, wrongs, and crimes of humanity, is love-the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. SINS are like circles in the still pool of water when a stone is thrown into it-one produces another. Only the oil of Divine grace can smooth them down. SINAI'S THUNDERS are heard by many who never saw that theatre of terror; and the tender tones of Calvary reach the ears of myriads who never beheld the lips which uttered them. Poetic Selections. WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR? Thy neighbour?-'Tis that weary man Thy neighbour?- 'Tis the heart bereft DOING A GOOD TURN. THOUGH Small be our purse, And though narrow our span, Let us all try to do A good turn when we can. It needs not great wealth A kind heart to display; If the hand be but willing It soon finds a way. And the poorest one yet, In the humblest abode, May help a poor brother A step on the road. PRAYER AND LOVE. HE prayeth best, who loveth best All things, both great and small; For the great God who loveth us, Hath made and loveth all. |