The General Reader. GENIUS AND TALENT. SELF-DENIAL. There is the same difference bc Anacharsis, a Scythian, was a great tween genius and talent, as there is philosopher, Croesus offered him large between a spring and a fountain. The sums of money, but he refused them: oné has naturally a constant supply of Hanno did the like; to whom he fresh water springing up from itself; answered, my apparel is a Scythian the other is made by artificial means, rug; my shoes, the hardness of my and either has to keep spouting the feet; my bed the earth; my sauce, same water over again, or is speedily hunger. You may come to me, as exhausted.-Luigi. one that is contented; but those gifts which you so much esteem, bestow, either on your citizens, or in sacrifice to the immortal God. WILLIAM PENN'S PRAYER. TIME. O Lord God! Thou lovest holiness, and purity is thy delight in the earth; wherefore I pray thee, make an end of sin, and finish transgression, and O Time! we have abused thee bring in thy everlasting righteousness much, and that thou knowest; but to the souls of men, that thy poor crea-thou must on to eternity, for thou tion may be delivered from the bondage canst stay for no one; thou wilt have it groans under, and the earth enjoy a sad tale to tell on thy death-bed to her Sabbath again: that thy great eternity that will close gently thine name may be lifted up in all nations, eyes, never to open any more, and thy salvation renowned to the ends of the world. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, ENGLISH GENERALLY ENVIED. for ever, Amen.-From "No Cross no Crown." The universal satisfaction which appears all over Europe at the idea of ON BEING STUNG BY A WASP.England's being stript of her Colonies, certainly does not originate from How small things may annoy the political sentiments; but in a great degreatest? Even a mouse troubles an gree from that reserve which kept Enelephant, a gnat a lion, a very flea glishmen from cultivating the friendmay disquiet a giant. What weapon ship of foreigners; that pride which can be nearer to nothing than the hinders them from stooping to humour sting of this wasp p? Yet what a pain-prejudices; that indifference which ful wound hath it given me? That makes them disregard the approbation scarce visible point how it envenoms, of others, and betray the contempt and rankles, and swells up the flesh. The tenderness of the part adds much to the grief. If I be thus vexed with the touch of an angry fly, how shall I be able to endure the sting of a tormenting conscience?-Bishop Hall. can compensate.-Dr. John Moore. they are too ready to entertain for customs and sentiments different from their own. These are things not easily forgiven, and for which no superiority of genius, magnanimity, or integrity SPIRITUAL FLOWERS. The sweetest flowers that come to Hewitson. LITTLE THINGS. Most of the monster evils which us from the Lord's garden soon lose afflict society have their beginnings their bloom and freshness; for Christ in trifles. Looking at them in their would not that we should rest satisfied outset they may appear to be matters with His gifts and comforts, and the of little moment; and it is perhaps tokens of His love, instead of saying, not surprising that the individual who "Thou only art my portion, O Lord.- first enters into temptation, boldly says to himself" Where is the harm? THE SPIRIT OF INTOLERANCE. I shall be none the worse." But it is We much mistake if we suppose these small matters which, after all, there is no other Pope but his Holiness make up the sum-and a huge sum it of Rome. Under a pretended renun-is-of our social degradation. "One ciation of the abhorred principle, there chance more," says the gambler, tremis a spirit of infallibility prevailing in bling on the verge of irretrievable all ecclesiastical establishments, and a ruin; "One effort more," says the certain disdain of those who presume forger, signing a name not his own to to call in question their respective the cheque which is to bear final eviclaims. The same dogmatical spirit dence of his guilt; and "One drop prevails in no small degree among the more," says the drunkard, swallowing several parties of Dissenters; and, the fiery potation which renders him what is still more remarkable, we fre- for ever the slave of intoxicating quently find it concealed even under drinks. the decent garb of a Quaker's dress. Protesting, however, against all such imperious pretensions, wherever they appear, and in devout admiration of MORAL STORES. The stores of moral wonder, beauty, the modest and liberal genius of the and goodness, are well said to be gospel, I would give the right hand the requirement of awakened inof fellowship to all denominations of Christians, and say,-Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity!—Rev. David Simpson. GOD THE SPIRIT. telligence, and these the church of Christ presents, when seeking to make men wise unto salvation, by that Word of Truth, wherewith they may be renewed, so as to become "a sort of firstfruits of God's creatures."-Dr. Hoby. A POOR MAN'S COMFORT. THE face of the soul looks most beautiful when it is turned to the face of God, the Father of Spirits; when the derived spirit is fixed upon the It is a blessed thing for a poor man original Spirit, drawing from it life to have a contented wife; one who and glory. Spirit is only the recepta- will not wish to live in a style beyond cle of spirit,-God, as spirit, is our her husband's income just because her principle; we must, therefore, live upon next-door neighbour does; one who Him. God, as spirit, hath some can be happy in the love of her husresemblance to us as His image; we band, her home, and its beautiful must, therefore, only satisfy ourselves duties, without asking the world for in Him.-Charnock, its smiles or its favor. MAN'S BURDEN. two blows from the woodman's axe What a strange variety of characters will bring it down. It takes longthere exists; with each their peculiar continued and incessant activity, to amount of sinful, remorse-bringing, build a ship; but all things being got shameful, sorrowing, and secret experience, a knapsack there is no shaking off,-an unpleasant weight that cannot be lightened, but can and may be increased. It takes in readiness, one skilful blow from a man unseen, knocking away the afterblock, sets the immense fabric gliding beautifully into the sea. perhaps many voyagcs, and the longcontinued work of many invisible borers, to render that ship unseaworthy; but yet, if her hulk be not Man is strong; woman is beautiful. watched, and beginning mischiefs reMan is daring and confident; woman paired, those same invisible borers is diffident and unassuming. Man is may render her such a honeycomb, great in action; woman in suffering. that a single blow from a swordfish Man shines abroad; woman at home. or a whale, shall carry her to the Man talks to convince; woman to bottom.-C. PARALLELS. Our hearts have a diabolical cunning to throw us off our watch, which is like that of an insane person, who can keep all trace of his insanity concealed from view so effectually that his keeper shall be thrown off his guard, and then in a moment the madman will be upon him. Sudden temptation has sometimes finished a work which seemed sudden, only because the many preceding steps towards it were not noticed; whereas the process had been going on all the while, perhaps for years, and then Satan had only need to present the temptation, and a crime is accomplished at which the whole world wonders. Thus, a tree in the forest may be growing rotten for years, and be held up only by its bark, and then, some fine spring morning, GOVERN ESSES. A lady wrote to her son, requesting him to look out for a lady, such as she described, and such as is ordinarily expected in a governess, that is to say, all-accomplished, with the disposition of an angel. The gentleman wrote back that he had long been looking out for such a person, and that when he found her he should not recommend her for a governess, but take her for a wife. REGULATED RAPIDITY. The moon shall seem to take some hours in getting half a yard from a star which it touched. But what is the fact? The moon is all this while driving through the heavens at a rate considerably more than two thousand miles an hour, which is more than double that with which a ball is shot off from the mouth of a cannon. Yet is this prodigious rapidity as much under government as if the planet proceeded ever so slowly, or was conducted in its course inch by inch.-Paley. Entelligence. CLERKENWELL. SPA-FIELDS CHAPEL SCHOOLS.-The erection of new school-rooms, adjoining this ancient place of worship, seems to display, to an amazing extent, the wants of the neighbourhood and the capabilities of the congregation to meet the demand. A social meeting of the friends of the Sunday school has been just held. Upwards of 300 partook of tea; and afterwards, a large addition to their number took place at the more public business of the evening. In the absence of the Rev. T. E. Thoresby, in consequence of a bereavement, the chair was taken by Mr. F. W. Willcocks, the Superintendent, who, after asking the sympathy of the friends on behalf of their pastor, and their indulgence on behalf of himself in presiding over such a noble meeting, gave a brief account of the very encouraging position of the school, both as to numbers and the efficiency of its agents, and referred to the great success which had also attended the Daily School, into which nearly 500 children had been admitted in about eight months, and which had proved a valuable auxiliary to the Sunday school; and stated the intention of commencing with the new year a ragged school in a very destitute part of the neighbourhood. He also stated, that, although their new room would hold 600 persons, it was too small for their purpose; the infant class, numbered an attendance of 250, being taught in another building, and seven large and important Bible classes being conducted and separately addressed in the chapel. After reading a letter from the Rev. Robert Maguire, A. M., the new Incumbent of the parish, apologising for his absence, the Chairman called upon Mr. J. B. George, the Secretary, to read the Report, from which it appears there are 980 children on the books, and an average attendance of nearly 700, with 65 teachers, the D great majority of whom are members of FITZROY DAY-SCHOOL.. On the 9th of December the children of the above old established school, (situated near the Tottenham Court Road,) and their parents were entertained at tea by the master, Mr. Turner, aided by the committee. At half-past six o'clock the chair was taken by the venerable pastor of Paddington Chapel the Rev. James Stratten, who opened the proceedings of the evening by calling on the children to sing "Holy Bible." The singing being concluded, the chairman called on Mr. Green, of Greenwich, to examine the children, which he did on the following subjects: Geography, History, English Grammar, and Mental Arithmetic. We cannot help recording it as our conviction that Mr. Turner and his Committee have taken a right step by this effort to cultivate a closer intimacy between themselves and the parents who have entrusted to their care the education of their offspring. After the examination, appropriate addresses were delivered to the parents on the importance of education in general, and of Scriptural education in particular, by the Revs. J. Vaughan, W. Landels, James Stratten, and W. R. Baxter, Esq., of the British instruction, called a meeting at the At the Wesleyan Chapel of the teachers of the and Foreign School Society. close of the meeting, Mr. Baxter propos- above named schools, in the beginning ed a vote of thanks to the master, of October, at which meeting they which was carried unanimously. The agreed to canvass the village, which meeting was concluded by singing the was divided into five districts, and allotted National Anthem.-Christian Cabinet. to the different canvassers. After which they held a social meeting in the vestry of the Old Baptist Meeting, to report the result of their united efforts. The report was as follows: PENTONVILLE. (the OFFORD-ROAD. The large school-room under the New Independent Chapel now erecting in Offord-road, foundation stone of which was laid in August by Apsley Pellatt, Esq., M. P.), was opened for Divine worship and for school purposes on Sunday, November 30. Three sermons were preached on the occasion to crowded congregations. A public tea meeting was held on the following Thursday evening, which was also very fully attended. Samuel Morley, Esq., presided, and warmly advocated the claims of the undertaking to the support of the religious world. The Rev. T. G. Horton, Rev. H. Allon, Rev. C. Gilbert, Rev. R. Ann, Rev. G. Wilkins, Rev. Dr. Hewlett, Joseph Payne, Esq., and other gentlemen, also addressed the meeting; and a report was read by the Secretary, describing the past history, present position, and future prospects of the church, congregation, and schools, by whose exertions the building is being erected. A considerable sum was sub scribed during the evening towards defraying the expenses incurred in fitting up the room which is to be used as a school-room, and also as a temporary chapel until the completion of the entire building. Among the sums announced were additional subscriptions of £10. each from the Chairman and George Hitchcock, Esq. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. RUSHDEN. The friends of the rising generation in this place, connected with the Wesleyan, the Old Baptist Meeting, and the Established Church, desirous of promoting the interests of Sunday school 46 16 sent according to promise 7 The Wesleyan Sunday school has 128 children, with 18 teachers. The meeting was of a most interesting and satisfactory character, calculated to promote feelings of sympathy and union amongst the different denominations of Christians, and to impress the world with the important fact that they are all striving to accomplish the same glorious object. The result of the Canvass shows that about 6 out of 7 of the children between the age of 5 and 15, attend Sunday schools; this result is most pleasing, and it is to be hoped that such efforts may become general throughout our country, with similar gratifying results. BENJAMIN DENTON, Superintendent of the Wesleyan Sunday School, Rushden. WELLINGBOROUGH. SALEM SUNDAY SCHOOLS.-The above schools were commenced in the year 1812; since that time, several hundred children have had afforded them the benefits of a sound Scriptural education. Many faithful and devoted teachers have labored hard, and prayed earnestly, for the spiritual welfare of their youthful charge. As an evidence that their labors and prayers have not been in vain, it may be recorded that numbers from the school, have in after life united |