2tQij> 



MOORE'S &TOAL NEW-YO&K3E&. 





OUR IDOL. 



Gtos» the door lightly, 

 Bridle the breath, 



Plain Talk's to American WomeD.--No.16. 



Bible Teachim,. — We have occasionally alluded 

 to this io former " Talks"— in the present we wish 

 to consider it more at large. 



Every mother whose heart is warm with the 

 love of Gon, and who rightly appreciates His 

 Word, will naturally desire that her children's 

 souls be also imbued with Divine grace-, and that 

 they also should reverence the Sacred Volume. 

 0, the depth, the tenderness, of a Christian 

 mother's prayers for the conversion of her off- 

 spring! How can she who possesses a bright and 

 abiding Ij.-.jh- of immortality — how can she bear 

 the thought that those so near to her heart should 

 be lost — lost forever Y And if one who' has given 

 no evidence of preparation for eternity is prostra- 

 ted by disease that brings hirn near the gates of 

 the tomb, what agony is hers lest the spark of life 

 should be quenched— his lamp go out in obscure 

 darkness! How doc3 her heart upbraid her Aen 

 if she has been unfaithful to his soul ! Bow can 

 she say "it is well," when the drops of life are 

 trembling iu the vase that totters on the brink of 

 ruin? She fears to speak then, perchance, of the 

 subject that moat agoui/.es her, lest it prove too 

 great a shock, and aho fears to delay, lest the 

 moments of probation pass. Goo pity— (ion help 

 io such an hour! Mothers, then, whose darlings 

 are in health, be faithful now! Teach your little 

 ones the Gospel while their hearts are tender and 

 their intellects regally wear the crown of reason. 

 Commit the treasures of the Sacred Scriptures to 

 the keeping of their hearts, so that if, perchance, 

 the sun of the mind burn dimly in that eventide, 



shall be light." 



We know not whose was first the beautiful 

 thought to gather the family circle around the 

 fireside at morning and at eve, to listen to the 

 words or the Most High, and kueel for His bless- 

 ing, but what has shed a holier radiance upon the 

 hearth-atone of home, than the fires kindled from 

 Heaven upon a Christian altar there ? How 

 delightful the hour of sacred worship! How 

 pleasant to hear a whole family,— from the aged 

 grandfather who bends over the old large-print 

 liihle, to the little one who can scarcely lisp the 

 words of life,— read from the Precious. Volume!— 

 how beautiful to see them bend, all in silent wait- 

 ing upon the Lord, save one, till the first words of 

 the "Out Father which art in Heaven" break 

 from the lips of him who leads, when all softly 

 join in the holy prayer of Jescs, and OS the echo 

 of the " Amen" dies awuy, rise from their knees a 

 God-blessed household! It would almost seem 

 that spirits would grow into Christianity under 

 such an influence, u naturally as spring Mowers 

 grow into beauty under the genial skies of May! 

 r-'xei'i-'i.M-s of this character should not be very 

 lengthy. Children, when very weary, will hardly 

 be interested. Short liihle readings, accompanied 

 by familiar explanations and practical remarks, 

 iiml short, simple, expressive prayers, are best. 

 If too much is rend, but little i= retained in mem- 

 ory, and the impression produced is less deep 

 than where a few verses are slowly pronounced, 

 iiu.l fully understood and appreciated. 



Another very pleasant way of imbuing the mind 

 with Scripture precepts, is to have each member 

 of the family .select and commit to memory for 

 each morning, a text to be repeated and remarked 

 upon at the breakfast table; and the texts thus 

 selected may be mottoes for the day. How many 

 lessons of wisdom would thus he treasured up, 

 and how great might be their practical bearing I 

 For instancy suppose the mother had selected for 

 her morning t est the following :— " III your pa- 

 tience posse*, y e your souls!" How careful would 

 She be through the day, that, amid all her trials, 

 the blessed .p- kr - lt of pat ience govern her! Sup- 

 pose the rather ha* r epptt , cd the text,-" Withhold 

 not good fram them ,«, wb , m u J8 due _ ^ j( jg 

 in the power of thy h» a to ^ „ .. 1( ^ 



the authority of the Bible, win he be likely during 

 the day, when he has the buhm, in his ' ket £ 

 turn awuy without payment the claimant of an 

 honeBt debt? And will not the children, seeing 

 the cheerful obedience of the parents to (he Sa- 

 cred Word, readily follow the exampU ■ Buppm 

 ono child has chosen — " Children, • 

 parents in the Lord, for this is right j" 



, heart is induct 



thy God with all tby heart," Ac. Suppose (hi 

 these passages have been familiarly explained and 

 illustrated, who shall say what influence they may 

 not have during the day iu guarding tu ( 

 hearts from sio'^ The course of which 

 spoken may be pursued, or somo one subjj si m ij 

 be selected; and each member of the ' 

 some text bcoring upon that subject, tbu • briiuj 

 ing together, perhaps, the concurrent t 

 of several Bible witnesses, and presentii _ 

 clearer light than any single one would be likely 

 to do ; and through the day all the difft 

 bers of the family might be striving to 

 theirltvcs the same gospel principle— might watch 

 over and correct each other if they saw any dev" 



These are some of the wars in winch Scripti 

 lesBons may be engrafted upon 

 watchful mother, whose 

 thereby, will often find 

 tration of family govoramei 

 upon the consciences of her children the authority 

 of the Word of Gon. There is something then 



an action so complicated that ih 

 Bible does not furnish a clue to its untanglement 

 None so deep and hidden, that the Bible does no 

 ferret out the motive that prompted it. It "ii 

 quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged 

 sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of 

 soul and spirit, of the joints and marrow, and i3 a 

 discerner of the thoughts nod intents of the heart." 

 How appropriate, then, that the mother often 

 apply this probe, not only to her own spirit, but 

 to those of her offspring, that she may discover 

 and lay open any festering wrong that may have 

 hidden itself beneath the garb of formality or 

 outward piety, but is still there, poisoning the 



\J lifted I" ■: 



sof tl 



ence. Selfishness, the monster evil of the age, 

 may be lying in the inmost recesses of the heart, 

 drinking at its life-fountains, and yet so silent bo 

 its workings that the outer world shall not sus- 

 pect its presence, and the heart itself, " deceitful 

 above all things," only fancy the presence of some 

 agent adapted to produce sensations of pleasure, 

 which, in its ignorance of true bliss, it falsely 

 denominates happiness. 



One child, perhaps, is fond of engaging in acts 

 of benevolence, and trips away lightly through 

 the storm, all comfortably clad ns she is, to carry 

 somo blessing to the poor, but all the while her 

 little heart is puffed up with self-righteousness, 

 and ns she goes she flatters herself that she is 

 very good, and wonders who among her friends 

 are observing her, and praising her charity. Lot 

 the mother be watchful to discern a case like tiny, 

 and apply for a remedy texts like the following : — 

 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, 

 i be seen of them ; otherwise ye hare no reward 

 f your Father which is in Heaven." 

 Too large a share of the responsibility of re- 

 ligious education should not be thrown upon the 



nd the Sunday-school. These 



it U.l\ili(i 



ndced a 



, but o 



tedo i 



If i 



is directed to religion and the Bible only 

 first day of the week, it will be no mar- 

 i come to consider Christianity only a 

 Sunday concern, aud that if he only observes that 

 day with propriety, and attends to its assigned 

 duties, it will not matter greatly if he is not very 

 watchful of bis conduct during the remainder of 

 the week. Perhaps this is one reason why we 

 have so many "Sunday Christians" — men and 

 women who go to Church regularly, and attend 

 to the sacraments, wear a solemn countenance 



every-day lives arc no attestation of the purity of 



gospel principles. Wo should realize more than 

 e do, that all time is holy, and should be conse- 

 'itted to Gon— that ho has given us no license to 

 u on any day, but requires that " whatsoever we 

 o, whether we cut or drink," be done to His 

 glory. Feeling deeply this truth, we shall not 

 eserve all the work of religious instruction to 

 neday in the seven, but each day shall bear its 

 wn burden, and teach its own lessons of truth 

 nd duty. 

 We can but refer to an institution to which our 

 wn heart owed, perhaps, many of its early re- 

 gious impressions, and which we consider maybe 

 greatly promotive of the interests of which we 

 ipeak, viz., the "Maternal At.wciation." It is 

 ong since we accepted it as our duty to become 

 disconnected in a manner from the religious 

 iety under whose fostering care flourished the 

 only organi/.ution of this kind with which wo were 

 or associated, yet we >li 11 l"ok buck with interest 

 the Society wlm Ii monthly mcl lor tin consider- 

 on of maternal duties, and social prayer for the 

 children under its watch-care, and quarterly gath- 

 large proportion of those children for 

 religious instruction. We could desire that every 

 of Christian mothers might adopt some such 

 plan of concerted effort for the more full under- 

 standing of their responsibilities and duties, as 

 such, and for the influencing of the minds ol their 

 ildren towards her whose " ways are pleasant- 

 ss," and whose "paths arc peace." 

 [n a time when skepticism is as prevalent ns it 

 w is, it may seem a little old-fashioned to insist 

 strongly us 'we do upon the religious ins true- 

 n — Bible instruction — of children ; but (.ion 

 forbid that we should ever love less the Old Book 

 that has strengthened so many for the stern con- 

 flicts of life— that has hung over the dark " valley 

 of the shadow of death" a how of promise bright 

 radiance of immortality! Qod/vrbid 



d»ul,l. 





Health Fuomotbd dv Family Music— Music, 

 like paintings and statuary, refines, and elevates, 

 and sanctifies. Song is the language of gladness, 

 and it is the utterance of devotion. But coming 

 lowerdown.it is physically beneficial; it rouses 

 the circulation, wakes up bodily energies, and dif- 



life and animation around. Does a lazy man 



sing * Does a milk-and-water character ever 



strike a stirring note? Never. Song is the outlet 



ulal and physical activity, and increases both 



., child has completed a re- 



.. 6 . uu s education, who has not been taught to sing 



the songs of Zion. No part of our reUgious wor- 



- ,: - s.-weetcr than this. In David's day it was 



id where the Bo wen 

 Sad Antumn'«r.'i'l 

 hite with the nam* 



THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A MAPLE THEE. 



The subjoined was found upon the trunk of a 

 huge maple, soon after it fell. Doubtless its 

 authorship could be traced to (he departed spirit 

 of the tree. I believe Isaiah, chapter 55, and final 

 clause of verse li, suggests the uuxhnnical ability 

 of a tree to write. Waiving oil desire to pursue 

 the conjecture further, I submit the subject of the 

 same to the reader. R., Ja. 



"Two hundred years ago — if the fibrous circles 

 competing me indicate my ago — I was a tender 

 twig in this vicinity. Born amid forest flowers, 

 my insignificance at first was without humiliation; 

 but when deprived of their companionship, and 

 witnessing the giont forms of my kin about me, I 

 became envious. A wise maple w urucct mo against 

 cultivating Ibis habit, and dropped a leaf bearing 

 tho instructive hint, 'as the twig is bent the tree 

 is inclined.' A sad experience had given him 

 wisdom and sympathy, for 1 learned in after years 

 that his gn&rled and crooked form was the result 

 of early misdoings. As long as he lived lie exer- 

 cised a beneficial influence over me, and died ex- 

 pressing his Mih-Uction at my comely appearance, 

 which he very justly attributed to wholesome re- 

 straint imparted in youth. 1 was honored in being 

 permitted to exemplify, oven to the last of a 

 numerous fumily reared by Mother Earth here- 

 abouts, the bench is derived from judicious training. 



" When n sapling, shut in by the boughs of my 

 ancestors, the occurrences above and around me 

 wore a succession of mysteries. The thick gloom 

 with its myriad twinklingspccks, and the dazzling 

 brightness following it ; both often preceded by a 

 tinge of beauty resting on everything above, sent 

 a thrill of delight, not unmioglcd with timidity, 

 through every fibre of my system. The withering 

 blight descending in the (turkric-- upon the foliage, 

 depriving it of the hue of life though rendered 

 beautiful in death, and reducing to skeletons the 

 tenderest twig and hardiest tree alike, was a sad 

 mystery. So was the renewal of our foliage its 

 pleasing contrast. Hut how strangely terrible was 

 that mysterious quiet leading swift destruction 

 into our midst. Whole forests twisting and writh- 

 ing raged in angry commotion. Branches of a 

 ceutury's growth were tossed as leaves. The de- 

 3ak aud graceful elm fell with a terrific crash, 

 fearfully sighing as they descended, while the 

 fiery, zig-zng stream from above intensified the 

 prevailing terror. At such times my littleness was 

 safety, though I observed that many of my superi- 

 grown up in apparent discretion, yielded with 



"Mature tree-hond acquainted me with the 

 gin of these mysteries, and the night with its 

 irs, the day with its morning and evening 

 glories, the tempests and lightnings, were often 

 repeated in all their grandeur. Then were my 

 branches mingled with the loftiest of my species, 

 sharing with them the crystal drops of the sum- 

 mer's night, that glistening died in the morning's 

 rays, accompanying the earliest notes of tho 

 feathered songsters with the music of our leaves, 

 d marking the imim changes effected and threat- 

 ened by the different enemies of our race. But I 

 tnessed the death of all my companions. Many 

 of them perished in this now nuked meadow, but 

 yesterday within the circuit of my shadows. Here 

 ne whose lungs were devoured by insects, 

 inducing premature decay. There lell another— his 

 heart laid hare by the tightn.iug's stroke. Yonder, 

 ; my evening shadows faded away, died the 

 patriarch of the forest, of old age. Just beneath 

 fell an aged relative in conflict with a tempest. 

 i the greater proportion perished by that great- 

 enemy of our race, the axe. I was so destroyed. 

 Did age wu* ii feeble plea, and availed me nothing, 

 •osity— for I had shed many drops of blood 

 that were transformed by the aid of fire into lumps 

 of delicious swectuess — was forgotten, and my 

 iceful appearance, that bad spared me in earlier 

 ■t, now appealed in vain. Hod the united pro- 

 t of the feathered familv, that found a welcome 



home among my branches, prevailed, I should have 

 numbered mauy more shadows. Or, bad the wood- 

 chuck that was once seen at my roots weeping, re- 

 appeared in bia sorrowful mood, my destroyer 

 might have been moved with pity. But my death 

 was not without consolation, for it carried with it 

 • humiliating revenge. A post mortem examina- 

 tion, commenced in u saw-mill and continued in o 

 cabinet shop, icvealed the fact of my utility oi'Ur 

 death. Will it be thns with tho rich tree -1 

 my destroyer' Let him think «f this another 

 winter, as he warms himself before my blaring 



BENJAMIN FEANKLnrS INTEGRITY. 



But few have it in their power to do so mu 

 good or evil as printers. We know they all glory 

 in Dr. 1'ranklin as a father, and arc wont to 

 lion his name with veneration. Happy would it bo 

 for them if they would read the following, with a 

 resolution to imitate it : 



"Soon after bis establishment in Philadelphia 

 Franklin was offered a piece to publish in his news 

 paper ; being very busy, lie begged the gentleman 

 to leave itfor consideration. The next day the au- 

 thor called, and asked bis opiuiou of it. Franklin 

 replied : 



■"Why, sir, I am sorry to Bay I think it highly 

 scurrilous aud defamatory. Being at a loss, on ac- 

 count of my poverty, whether to reject it or not, 1 

 thought I would pot it to this issue:— At night, 

 when my work was done, I bought a two penny 

 loaf, on which, with a mug of cold water, I supped 



coat, slept very soundly on the floor till morning, 

 when another loaf and a mug of water afforded mc 

 a breakfast. Now, sir, since I can live comfortably 

 in this manner, why should I prostitute my press 

 to personal hatred aud party passion, for a 



read t 



e without thinking of Socrates' reply to King 

 helaus, who had pressed him to give up preach 



with him in his splendid Court : 



Meal, please your Majesty, is a half-penny a 

 peck at Athens, and wutcr I can get for nothing."— 

 Prinimf Niun Idler. 



SALMAGUNDI. 





Labob.— It is only by labor that thought can be 

 :nade healthy only, by thought that labor can be 

 jiade happy, and the two cannot be separated with 



A ranLY grateful heart may not be able to tell 

 ts gratitude, but it can feel, and love, and act. 



tthon 



.lined 



in which bis neighbors live as if I 

 them. 



A wrongeo creditor, a neglected 

 ■ I' icd neighbor, aud a guilty 

 things whose presence gives great pain. 



Lick may be merry as well as useful. Every 

 person that owns a mouth has always a good 

 opening for a laugh. 



Women and young men are very apt to tell what 



BTfiiB they know, from the vanity of having been 



Politeness is like an air-cushion— there may be 



itbing solid in it, but it eases jolts wonderfully. 



The taste of beauty, and tho relish of what is 

 decent, just, and umiable, perfects the character 

 of a gentleman. 



By the use of eye-glasses, you may see as much 

 s is to be seen; by the use of another kind of 

 lasses, you may ace twico as much. 



Feuocity is sometimes OMUflMdaswel] as a gen- 

 eness. There are as many sheep in wolves' 

 lothing as there are wolves in sheep's. 



" Why don't you ask your sweetheart to marry 

 on V "I have asked her." "What did she say?" 



Oh, I've the r.fusal of her." 







ling 



retty girl and a wild horse are liable to do 



much mischief; for the one runs away with u 



'a body, and the other runs away with his 



a and folly may feel tho edge of wit, but 



i is iovultienilile; aquafortis dissolves the 

 baser metals, but has no power to dissolve or cor- 

 rode gold. 



Losornmts say that shutting the eyes makes 

 ;ose of hearing more acute. Perhaps this 

 nls for the habit some people have of always 

 closing their eyes during sermon-time. 



It is a beautiful custom in some Oriental lands 

 leave untouched the fruits that are shukeu from 

 n trees by the wind ; these being regarded as 

 :red to the poor and the stranger. 

 Economy is the parent of integrity, of liberty, 

 d of ease, and the sister of temperance, of cbeer- 

 uess and health; and profusencss is a cruel 

 and crafty demon that generally involves her fol- 

 lowers in dependence and debts— that is, fetters 

 them with "irons into their soul." 



How do you feel with such a shocking coat 

 " said u young dandy to old Itoger. " I feel," 

 I old Roger, looking at him steadily with one 

 eye half closed, as if taking aim at his victim— 

 "I feel, young man, as if I had a coat ou which I 

 had paid for — a luxury of feeling which I think 

 you have never experienced." 



. HYMN FOR A TROUBLED HEART. 



FORGIVE THE LIVING. 



We forgive those who have wronged us in tho't, 

 word, or deed, when they are laid to their final 

 rest — we speak kindly, tenderly, even lovingly,— 

 if we speak at all,— removing the veil which has 

 hitherto obscured so much of their life's harmony 



those faults and foibles, temptations and failures, 

 which are strewn so thickly in our own pathway, 

 written so indelibly in our heart's history. Wo 

 never seek to penetrate this veil, nor even wish to. 

 And why » Thoy have passed from earth forever. 

 Their bodies are mouldering in the cold and silent 

 tomb. This is sufficient. It seems to forbid all 

 entertainment, much more expression, of aught 

 but good will and kindly sympathy fur the dead. 

 But is this real, true-hearted, benetoUnt forgive- 

 ness ? No ! it is not worthy of the name. Forgive 

 the living — those who mingle with you in the 

 daily walks and avocations of life; they whoso 

 lives you may cheer, beautify, yen, ennoble if you 

 will. Forgive a light, an angry word, let it not 

 rankle in tby bosom till a fire be kindled, which, if 

 nourished, will burn thine inmost soul — unfitting 

 thee to go out among thy fellow-men lest they im- 

 bibe of the unrest and angry turbulence of thy 

 .fitting thee for all high, holy, heaven- 





tintf i 



» for life. 



and a blessed immortality. Forgive, though a 

 wound be made causing all thy future in thix world 

 to bo covered with a heavy pall. Forgive ! taking 

 for thy example the meek and lowly Jesus, then 

 shall bo gathered in the "crown of tby rejoicing" 

 jewels whose lustre aud brilliancy exceeds all mor- 

 tal thought. " For if ye forgiv 







An Eloquent Extract. — "Generation after gen- 

 eration,'' says a fine writer, "have felt as we now 

 feel, und their lives were as active as our own. 

 They passed like a vapor, while nature wore the 

 same aspect of beauty as when her Creator corn- 

 all be S3 bright 



r grav. 





i the s 



und our paths. 



appened. The I 





Our funeral will wind its 

 way, and prayers will be said, and then we shall 

 be left alone in silence and darkness for the worms. 

 And it may be but a short time we shall be spoken 

 of, for the things of life will creep in, aud our 

 names will soon be forgotten. Days will continue 

 to move on, and laughter and song will be heard 

 in the room in which we died; and the eye that 

 mourned for us will be dried, and glisten again 

 with joy ; and even our children will cease to think 

 of us, und will not remember to lisp our names." 



Thb Parish Minister,— The author ol Adam 

 licde, in sketching the rector of a parish says, he 

 was not much of a preacher. He preached short 

 moral sermons. But then he acted pretty much 

 up to whnt he said. He didn't set up for being so 

 different from other folks one day, and then be as 

 like 'em as two peas the rest ; und he made folks 

 love and respect him. Mrs. Poyser used to say, 

 he was liko a good meal o' victuals, your were 

 better for him without thinking on it. 



"All Voire Neeo."— Why was the " Bread of 

 life" hungry, but that he might feed the hungry 

 with the bread of life? Why was "Rest" itself 

 weary, but to give the weary rest:- Why was the 

 "Prince of peace" iu trouble, but that the troubled 

 might have peace* None but the Image of God 

 could restore ns to God's image. None hut the 

 Prince of Peace could bring the God of 1'eacc and 

 the peace of God to poor sinners.— Old A ul/ior. 



Life's Dotibs. — It must doubtless be the design 

 if our Heavenly Fother, that all this toil for the 

 supply of our physical necessities— this incessant 

 occupation amid the things that perish — shall be 

 o obstruction, but rather a help, to our spiritual 

 fe. The weight of a clock seems a heavy drog on 

 the delicate movements of its machinery ; hut, so 

 far from arresting m- impeding those movements, 

 it is indispensable to their steadiness, balance and 

 accuracy. 



Ai.msi.ivi.vo not Charity.— It is difficult to be 

 wisely charitable— to do good without multiplying 

 the sources of the evil. 



alms is nothing, unless i 

 that, therefore, it is wr 



Hun .. ■■ t|,,- |, ...i I" 

 i he poor;" ami 

 thought aud a little kind" 

 a great deal of money. 



ire thought also; and 

 D pot " Dlesaed is he 

 Jtlcssed is be that con- 

 e know that a little 



