FACTS, HINTS, AND GEMS. OUR FAULTS.-Every human being has his faults, and the forgiveness of our faults we have a right to ex pect from others, and especially from those who profess to love us, that we may do the same by them. We should all remember the first prayer we were taught, "Forgive us as we forgive others." Gems. NEGLIGENCE.-O what a heaven do negligent sinners lose! how many gracious smiles, blessed tokens, celestial raptures, the dainty diet of angels, and all through the negligence of the soul! SELF CONDEMNATION. When thou art ripe for hell in thine own eyes, then art thou ripe for pardon and grace in the eyes of God. SIN. He that laments his sin, shall never languish under it, or meet its punishment. ABOMINATION.-An eye to heaven, and an heart for hell; an humble knee, and a haughty spirit; a serious posture and a frivolous soul, are abominations before the Lord. WHAT PLACE BUT HELL is fit for that heart which will not seek rest in heaven? THY DEAREST SIN is the worst thing in the world to thee; more ugly than the devil, more horrid than hell. By the translation of Enoch and Elijah, God showed how men should have left the world if they had not sinned-not by death, but a glorious translation. Matthew Henry. SOME people make religion house of correction work; but no, I love the service of God, and feel at perfect liberty. Matthew Henry. SOME receive the form of godliness to take away their reproach, but not the power of it to take away their sins. Be sure that God has not forgiven that sin of which you have not repented. The gift of repentance is the token of forgiveness. Brief Poetic Selections. LOVE all! there is no living thing Which God has ever hated. And love through love increaseth; The goal where all are tending; The hate shall die, the strife shall cease, But love is never-ending! THE PEN. THE pen, whose worth has ne'er been told, Has been employed in various ways, THY FAITH FAIL NOT CHIDE MILDLY. GOOD WISHES. BE Christ thy strength, MY DUTY TO OTHERS, THE CHILDREN'S CORNER. The Children's Corner. THE OLD ARM CHAIR. AND there it stands beside the hearth, That clumsy-looking chair, Which hath survived so many years Of trouble and of care: A hundred years have come and pass'd, A hundred Springs and Winters too, The lark is singing in the air, The leaves are on the trees, An dings around about our path The earth and skies are smiling still The lonely heart to cheer! Creation's self no change hath known, All seemeth sull the same; The mills are standing witere they stood When from God's hand they came; The sun, the moon the midnight stars Still shine from yonder sky; And Nature all appears exempt From Mutabiinty! But hath no change swept o'er the earth; Is every thing the same? Where is the man who made this chair? Departed-Whence he came ! And where are now those youthful forms But all his tales are ended now, And those he loved are gone; His merry laugh hath died away, liis sous-dead every one. No vestige now of him remains, Save that on yonder wallHis picture in an oaken frameThis chair-and these are all ! Then marvel not that I should love This strange old-fashion'd chair; To you it seems a shapeless thing, Not worthy of my care. "Tis nought bat lumber in your eyes, All useless piece of wood, Just fit to light the fire withal, No other earthly good But it is more than gold to me; I see my Grandsire's hoary locks, And once agam my Mother comes I feel her gentle hand in love Just as 'twas laid which I have knelt- I feel her Kiss upon my cheek, Hier warm and hund breath- From out the realms of death! Then while I live thou shalt remain And when kind Heaven shall call me hence And I have ceased to be, My children shall have charge to take J. H. THE PIRATE CAPTAIN. SOME years ago Moravian missionaries sailed from London to the Island of Saint Thomas, where they were to labour among the slaves. The name of the ship in which they sailed was the Britannia. At first the voyage was pleasant and prosperous; and in their hearts as well as their voices, the missionaries would often thank God for his goodness to them. But one day a great danger threatened them. A pirate ship was distinguished afar off, but bearing down towards them. Now, pirates are at sea what robbers are on land, but even more terrible, because there is seldom any help near. They sail about the seas in their light-built, swift-sailing vessels, seldom go on land, but make it their whole business to rob other ships. And on their ill-gotten spoils they live. Generally they murder as well as rob. Sometimes they lay a plank over the ship's side, blindfold the eyes of the unfortunate crew and passengers, and compel them to walk thus along the plank, till, without knowing it, they reach the end, and then they fall into the sea and are drowned. No wonder that the sight of a pirate vessel was a very alarming one to the people in the Britannia. It came on, nearer and nearer. And what could those who saw it do, all alone there, in the wide ocean? Each did what he thought wisest and best. The captain judged it best to put the ship in a state of defence: so he ranged his men, and prepared to resist, as well as he could. The sailors, whatever they thought best, had no choice but to obey the captain. But the missionaries thought it best to pray; and they went down into the cabin, and there, heedless of what was going on upon deck, they poured out their souls in earnest prayer to God, remembering, no doubt, his promise, and the words, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" The pirate ship approached, till it came within gunshot of the Britannia, and then, from the cannon ranged along its deck, began to pour out a heavy fire. And there were grappling irons on board, or strong sharp hooks, fixed to long ropes, ready to throw into the Britannia, and hold her fast, while the pirates should board her, and do their work of destruction. It seemed that there was little chance of escape from such an enemy. THE PIRATE CAPTAIN. But the captain, whose heart was sinking at the fearful prospect before him, did not know what powerful helpers he had below, in a few peaceable missionaries, whose fervent prayers were then ascending, through the noise of the fight, to heaven. The moment the pirates tried to throw their grappling irons across to the other ship, their own was tossed violently, and the men who held the ropes were thrown by force into the sea. Vexed by this disaster, the pirate captain sent others, who shared the same fate. Seeing he could not succeed in this manner, he resolved to fire at the Britannia, till she sank with repeated blows. But this effort strangely failed also, for the balls missed their aim and fell into the sea. The smoke of the frequent charges was very dense, and hung about the vessels for some minutes, hiding them from each other's view. At last a sudden gust of wind cleared it away, and to the amazement of the pirate captain, the Britannia was seen at a distance, with all her sails spread to the wind, speeding swiftly away from the attack. And they were forced, in great anger, to abandon their cruel purposes. Thus wonderfully had God appeared, and saved the vessel, in answer to prayer. The missionaries' prayers had been greatly honoured; but they were to have a further fruit still. Five years afterwards, during which the missionaries had been diligently preaching the gospel at St. Thomas, they, and the other missionaries on the island, agreed to meet together to celebrate the anniversary of their deliverance from the pirates, and to thank God for his other mercies. As they sat together, word was brought that a stranger wished to speak to them. And, at their permission, a tall man entered, with fine bold features, and a daring expression of face. The missionaries wondered, and one asked what was the stranger's business with them. "First, answer me one question," said he. "Are you the men who came to this island five years ago, in the English ship Britannia ?" "We are," replied the missionary, who had spoken. "And you were attacked upon the sea by pirates?” "Exactly; but why are these questions? 66 Because," answered the stranger, "I am the captain who commanded the pirate vessel which attacked you." Then the missionaries looked at one another in silent wonder, as their former enemy continued: "The miraculous way in which your vessel escaped, was the cause of my own salvation from the power of sin, through faith in Christ." THE PIRATE CAPTAIN. It would be too long to tell you all his words; but you may imagine with what unspeakable joy the missionaries listened to his tale, as he went on to tell them how, in his vexation at their strange escape, he had made enquiries of the captain of the Britannia, and learned that it was through the prayers of the Moravian missionaries of St. Thomas; and not understanding how a vessel could be saved from pirates by prayer, he resolved to know the Moravian brothers. He sold his vessel, and in the United States of America one day visited a Moravian chapel, and heard a sermon from the words, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." He sought the preacher, and heard from him the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. "And thus," he concluded, "from a pirate captain, I am become a poor sinner, justified by the grace and mercy of Christ; and my chief hope has been that I might some day be able to see you, and relate to you my miraculous conversion. This joy is granted to me to-day." And He ceased, and you may imagine the feelings of the missionaries. They were met to celebrate their deliverance from the pirates, on that day five years ago, through prayer. there stood before them the pirate captain himself, not fierce now, but humble and pious, who traced his own deliverance from the bondage of satan, to the same prayer that rescued them from him! And they all knelt down together before God, and thanked him for his great mercies. The above narrative is only like several others, which are related on good authority, of the wonderful manner in which these very remarkable men, the 'Moravian missionaries, have been delivered from impending danger. They are very simple, sincere, pious men. In trouble they fix their eye on God and on him alone; and why should it be thought a thing incredible that the eye of God should be fixed on them, and his arm be stretched out for their help? Verily, God hath not yet forsaken this world, as some men seem to think. He is not far from any one of us, and did we but trust in him more than we do, we should more frequently find him to be a very present help in time of trouble. |