POETRY.

her hands." On his beloved wife's coming into the room, and handing the cup to him, he said, "My dear, I wished you to give me this, for it is the last thing I shall ever take in this world." He took it from her hand and drank it; and having asked her to kiss him, and bidden her farewell, he seemed to compose himself as if to sleep. He lay in this way, frequently in the attitude of prayer, until he peacefully breathed his last-most literally falling asleep in Jesus, without a sound or a struggle.

[We found the above thrilling narrative in a foreign religious periodical, but we learn that it is abridged from a tract published by Nisbet, London, called "The Rescue."]

Poetry.

"AT EVENTIDE IT SHALL BE LIGHT."

"AT eventide it shall be light"

About the christian's way; no night

Of dark and hopeless gloom shall spread
Its sombre shadows round his head.

"At eventide it shall be light,"
Though faded be each vision bright,
Of plenty, pleasure, peace, and joy,
And bliss below without alloy.

At eventide it shall be light,"
Though foes all armed with hellish might,
And dark designs, of malice foul,

Stand forth in league against his soul.

"At eventide it shall be light,"

Though there be left, for his delight,
No kindred soul, or earthly friend,

Their prayer and praise with his to blend.

"At eventide it shall be light,"

When death itself shall come in sight,
And by his potent sceptre's sway,
Divide his spirit from its clay.

Then Christ, who is his people's sun,
Will perfect what he here begun;
And through the grave light up the way
To regions of eternal day.

ANECDOTES, SELECTIONS, AND GEMS.

Anecdotes, Selections, and Gems.

THE MAN OF THE PARABLES.

text)-but you shall go and hear

A farmer in the West Riding of him yourself.' No,' she said, 'I

Yorkshire related the following circumstance to a young minister:"I and my family are indebted to your father for what we know of the truth. When he first began to preach in our neighbourhood, a great noise was made about the man of the parables,' which excited my curiosity to go and hear him. One sabbath morning, I said to my wife, Betty, I've not been to church since we married. I think

will never go to hear such a man.'
'Betty,' said I, 'did you not pro-
mise at the altar to obey?' Next
sabbath morning she rode behind
me. On that morning, your father
took for his text, 1 Cor. vii. 14.
Betty was sitting on a form before
me, and soon I perceived the corner
of her apron wiping away a tear:
then another. Then I rejoiced, and
tears came into my eyes. On our
return home, Betty said to our son,
'Johnny, your father and I have
been very wrong. We are all wrong.'
'What,' said Johnny, 'is your head
turned by the man of the parables?
I shall never go and hear him. I
will rather leave home than do
that.' His mother said, 'Johnny,
did your mother ever advise you to
do anything that would injure you?
Go with your father and me next
sabbath.'Well, mother, to please
you I will go for once, but never
ask me to go again.' On that morn-

sermon reached his conscience,
and brought him to the footstool of
mercy."

I shall mount Kitty this morning, and ride down to the village, and hear this man of the parables.' Accordingly, I came down to the village inn, and put up my horse, and then enquired if there was service in the church this morning. 'No,' was the reply. I said,' Have you not some strange man of the parables, who comes here every Sunday?' O!' was the reply, do you want to hear him?-go down to that barn, and you will find the people assembled; he is now hold-ing, the text was Prov. x. 1.: the ing forth.' When I went in, Mr. T. had risen to give out his text; he said, And thou hast well done that thou art come.'-Acts x. 33. I thought to myself, you are a civil sort of gentleman; I should like to hear what you have to say. The truth came home, and I returned to my house with a heart broken for sin. On reaching my house, I said to my wife, Betty, we are wrong; we have been living like heathens.' 'What!' she said, 'has that man of the parables turned your head?— we have lived happily together; you have been a kind husband, and I hope that he will not be allowed to disturb our peace.' 'Betty,' I replied, 'we are all wrong; reach me down that bible. He took all that he said from this-(reading the

THE CONFUSED CURATE. - My profession lately led me into a farm-house in the village of L—, in the county of D- and the farmer, in the course of conversation, related to me the following anecdote:-The young curate, who had lately undertaken the pastoral care of the parish, had observed this farm-house, which had a very ancient appearance, having been built a great number of years, and was at this time rather out of repair. But what called the attention of his reverence to it was, he had observed that its inmates had never attended his ministry. One day, the curate directed his steps towards

ANECDOTES, SELECTIONS, AND GEMS.

the old farm house. On enquiring | my declining years. The first book for the farmer, he was introduced that inspired me with a taste for into the best-though very plainapartment, and into the presence of the very humble-looking farmer. The curate at once asked how it was that he had not seen him, nor any of his family, at church; at the same time asserting that that was the only proper place of worship. The farmer said, "Sir, it is my opinion that the proper place is wherever we think proper to go. I have divine worship in my own house, and I am perfectly satisfied with my own ministers, and I intend to continue in this course." The curate, finding that he could not persuade the farmer into his views, rose hastily to leave the house, and, as he was crossing the threshold, exclaimed, rather angrily, "Well, sir, I shall see your landlord upon this subject." The old farmer mildly replied, "You must go a long way before you find him, sir." "Do you mean to insult me?" asked the curate. 66 No, sir," replied the venerable man, "I mean that I am lord of my own land." This astonished the young gentleman, and, speaking more mildly, he asked, "Do you mean to say that this house is your own?""Yes, sir," replied the farmer, "and the land too. I paid thirteen thousand pounds for this estate!" The curate, in the utmost confusion, made rather an awkward bow, and departed; and returned not again either to persuade or threaten the dissenting farmer.

Christian Penny Record. Books. If there be one word in our language beyond all others teeming with delightful associations, "books" is that word. At that magic name what vivid recollections of bygone times; what summer days of unclouded happiness when life was new. Even now the spell retains its power to charm; the books I loved in youth are the solace of

reading was "Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress." Never shall I forget the intense emotion with which I perused this pious and interesting fiction; the picturesque description and quaint moralities, blended with the fine allegory, heightened the enchantment, and which, to a youthful and fervid imagination, “unsated yet with garbage," was complete. From henceforward my bias was determined; the passion" grew with my growth, and strengthened with my strength;" and I devoured all the books that fell in my way as if "appetite increased by what it fed on." My next step was, I commenced collector. Smile, if you will, reader, but admire the benevo lence of creative wisdom, by which the means of happiness are so nicely adjusted to the capacity for enjoy. ment; for slender, as in those days, were my finances, I much doubt if the noble possessor of the unique edition of Boccacio, marched off with his envied prize at the cost of £2,500 more triumphantly than I did, with my sixpenny pamphlet or dogs eared volume, destined to form the nucleus of my future library. The moral advantage arising out of a love of books are so obvious that to enlarge upon such a topic might be deemed a gratuitous parade; I shall therefore proceed to offer a few observations as to the modes of deriving both pleasure and improvement from the cultivation of this most fascinating and intellectual of all pursuits. Lord Bacon says, with his usual discrimination, Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few chewed and digested." This short sentence comprises the whole practical wisdom of the subject, and in like manner, by an extension of the principle, the choice of a library must be regulated. "Few books, well selected, are best," is a maxim

66

ANECDOTES, SELECTIONS, AND GEMS.

useful to all, but more especially
to young collectors; for let it be
remembered, that economy in our
pleasures invariably tends to enlarge
the sphere of our enjoyments. Fuller
remarks, "it is a vanity to persuade
the world one hath much learning
by getting a great library;" and the
supposition is equally erroneous
that a large collection necessarily
implies a good one. The truth is,
were we to discard all the works of
a merely temporary interest, and of
solemn trifling, that encumber the
fields of literature, the magnitude of
numerous vast libraries would sud-
denly sink into most diminutive
dimensions for the number of
good and original works is com-
paratively few. Study, therefore,
quality rather than quantity in the
selection of your books. As regards
the luxuries of the library, keep a
rigid watch upon your inclinations,
for though it must not be denied
that there is a rational pleasure in
seeing a favourite author elegantly
attired, nothing is more ridiculous
than this taste pushed to the ex-
treme; for then this refined pursuit,
degenerates into a mere hobby-horse,
and once fairly mounted, good bye
to prudence and common sense!
The bibliomaniac is thus pleasantly
satirised by an old poet in the
"Shyp of Fooles"-

"Still am I busy bok assemblynge,
For to have plenty it is a pleasant thing
In my conceit, and to have them ay in hand,
But what they mene do I not understande."
THE HOPELESS CHARACTER.
Who is one of the most hopeless
men upon earth? That man who
has sat, sabbath after sabbath, under
awakening and affecting calls of the
gospel, and has hardened his heart
against those calls; who has been
so accustomed to hear the most
momentous of all truths that they
now make no impression on his
heart, and in whom the habit of dis-
obedience to the call of God is in-
veterate. To such the word of God
says,
"Woe unto thee."

TALE BEARING.-Never repeat a story, unless you are certain it is correct, and even not then, unless something is to be gained, either of interest to yourself, or for the good of the person concerned. Tattling is a mean and wicked practice, and he who indulges in it grows more fond of it in proportion as he is successful. He who tells you the faults of others, intends to tell others of your faults, and so the dish of news is handed from one to another, until the tale becomes enormous. Truly, "the tongue is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."

FAITH OBEDIENT.-They that expect to enjoy what God promises, will be sure to perform what God enjoins. Holy trust takes it for a maxim, that he that contemns the commands of God as his sovereign, has no share in the promises of a God as all-sufficient. If we trust in the Son with a faith of confidence, we shall be sure to honour the Son with a kiss of obedience. Thus David; "I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments."

Facts and Hints.

RICHES at once sink the mind downward in covetous cares, and lift it upward in proud conceits. To see a man rich in purse, and poor in spirit, is a great rarity.

AN IMMENSE STALK OF MAIZE, grown in Louisiana, has been brought to Liverpool. This enormous stalk is seventeen feet nine inches in height, and bears six ears, each of which weighs a pound, and contains 880 grains, upon an average.

FUNERAL EXPENSES. Five millions sterling are expended annually in England and Wales, in funeral expenses; four of the five go to pay for the fopperies of the death.

LOST LETTERS.-It appears, from a late Parliamentary return, that no less than 800 or 900 letters, containing enclosures of value, are said to be lost every two months!

THE PENNY POST.

The Penny Post.