THE FIRESIDE. EFFECTS OF SIN.-It cast the angels from heaven, it drove our first parents from the favour of God, it brought death into the world, and all our woe; it brought the Lord of Glory from the blissful realms above to take up his abode among the habitations of human misery-made him, through life, pre-eminently a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief-and, finally, nailed him to the cross. Sin it was that lighted the flames of hell, and sin will be the fuel that shall feed those flames eternally. "Let not, therefore, sin reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." HEAVEN.—An infidel, wishing to display his ungodly wit, said to a pious, humble christian, "Can you tell me what sort of a place heaven is ?" "Yes, sir," replied the latter, "heaven is a prepared place, for a prepared people; and if your soul is not prepared for it, with all your boasted wisdom you will never enter there." "And what is it to be prepared ?" inquired the infidel, somewhat abashed. "It is to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, washed in the blood of Jesus, and clothed with his righteousness." The scoffer was confounded by this plain dealing. TO-DAY.-Rabbi Eliezer one time said to his disciples, "Turn to God one day before your death." "How can a man," replied they, "know the day of his death ?" "True," said Eliezer, therefore you should turn to God to-day. Perhaps you may die to-morrow; thus every day will be employed in returning." The Fireside. 66 A FEW WORDS ABOUT CHOLERA. THIS alarming disease is again amongst us. Up to September 9, as many as 6,120 persons had died of cholera in London, which appears this time to suffer more than any other place in the kingdom. The cases are chiefly from those parts which are nearest to the river-low, damp, and dirty. And the victims are generally, with some exceptions, the dissolute and the intemperate. Many recipes for the cure of the malady have been proposed. We think that no one can do better than live temperately, avoiding corrupt meats and unripe fruits, and taking especial care to remove all nuisances from within his dwelling or near it, keeping his own person well washed every day. These seem to be the best preventatives; but should any one be attacked, send for a doctor directly, whether it be night or day. This will be the safest and the cheapest course. Above all things, put a cheerful trust in the protection of your Heavenly Father, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Then, though die we must, we are safe for ever. THE PENNY POST BOX. The Penny Post Box. PROFANE SWEARING. "Because of swearing the land mourneth." So says the prophet Jeremiah; and no doubt the righteous souls of many are vexed in our day to hear the filthy conversation of the wicked. By the wicked I mean those who do wrong when they know they are doing wrong, and yet do it on purpose. These are downright wicked—the devil himself not being able to do more than this. And their conversation is filthy. Yes: and as if it were not already filthy enough, they have lately made it more filthy. Go where you will now you hear the wicked calling everything and everybody "bloody;" and this foul expression is already getting into the mouths of young women as well as young men, and into the mouths of boys and girls. How horrible! To check this profanity, every man, and woman too, who fears God, should use his best influence, and boldly, yet meekly, reprove the transgressors. To this end I send the following lines, which I lately met with. A WORD TO SWEARERS. OF all the fools with which our nature's curst, When the grand injur'd Ruler of the skies 'Tis folly's proof; for none on wisdom's list Think ye, O fools, insulted Majesty FACTS, HINTS, AND GEMS. Facts, Hints, and Gems. Facts. THE MORTALITY IN ENGLAND is 1 in 45 annually. age of the people is 32. The mean THE MORTALITY IN THE ARMY is 49 in 1000,-of men under 25 it is 24 in 1000,-of those above 40 it runs as high as 126 in 1000, HUSBANDS AND WIVES in Eng. land, who marry at 25, live together upon an average 27 years. BANK OF ENGLAND NOTES.-AS many as twenty gentlemen, at £500 a year, are employed in signing Bank Notes, at the rate of 1,500 notes every day. THE NEW CRYSTAL PALACE has cost one million of pounds sterling, and it is calculated that as much as one-fourth more of that sum will yet be required to complete the designs. A POLAR BEAR having been killed, its stomach was found to contain raisins, tobacco, pork, and adhesive plaister-a curious compound!which no doubt it had met with as the remains of some encampment. A MONSTER TRAIN. AS many as eight thousand persons were conveyed by one excursion train from Birmingham to Bristol. What would our Father's say? A LABOURING MAN, who has a wife and large family, was lately working in a ditch near Gainsbro', when he was called from his work and told that a deceased relative had left him £20,000. But all will depend on their own conduct whether this turn out a blessing or a curse to the family. JAMAICA.-Fifty years ago there would hardly be found a missionary chapel on this island. Now there are 264 missionary stations with chapels or preaching places. CONTENTMENT is a pearl whose Who value is beyond all price. ever yet grumbled at the price he paid for it? TEMPERANCE, by strengthening both the mind and the body, leads to contentment and happiness; and so Intemperance, by weakening both, leads to misery and ruin. CONVERSATION, to be enjoyed, must be made up of three thingstruth, good sense, and good humour. CONFESS YOUR FAULTS. It will do you good. For a habit of doing so will be your best preservative from committing them. INDULGE NOT any desire at the expence of virtue. If you do you are on the road to vice and ruin. THREE QUESTIONS. Before speaking ill of any person, we should ask ourselves three questions-1. Is it true? 2. Is it kind? 8. Is it necessary? DRESS AND AMUSEMENTS.-The best test in all these things is, " Lord, thou seest me;" or, "I shall soon see thee." FACTS, HINTS, AND GEMS. Gems. foot of the cross of Christ. STRIVING AGAINST SIN is most painful at present, but indulging in sin proves most bitter in the end; for we cannot trifle with any sin without bitterly paying for it. THE LORD THINKS most of them who think least of themselves; he looks upon the contrite with plea sure, and takes up his permanent residence with the humble. THE PRINCIPLE which influences God in all he does for us, is love; and the principle which influences the Christian in every act of obedience to God, is the same. WHEN A SINNER is awakened by the Holy Spirit, he feels that he needs rest, food, clothing, a home, freedom, friendship, and favour; all these are to be found in Christ, and can only be obtained from him. JESUS IS THE LIGHT that disperses gloom, guilt, and fear; that discovers God's character, man's misery, mercy's provision, and the only path of safety: O Saviour, shine upon my soul, and fill me with thy heavenly light! FAITH SPRINGS from God's testimony, embraces the great facts of God's free gift, and saves the soul as God's instrument. Have I such a faith? Is it strong, or weak? RECONCILIATION TO GOD was not an act of sovereign mercy without regard to justice. The Bible is silent on such a way of reconciliation. Jesus Christ opened the way for reconciliation by the shedding of blood. Only by that blood have we access to God. IT IS DARING PRESUMPTION in a sinful creature like man to imagine for one moment that he can have peace with God in any way that is dishonourable to his holiness and righteousness. "RELIGION," says Robert Hall, "is the final centre of repose; the goal to which all things tend; apart from which man is a shadow, his very existence a riddle, and the stupendous scenes of nature which surround him as unmeaning as the leaves which the Sybil scattered in the wind." DEATH.-We must not, if we are true believers, make ourselves anxious about death, but leave a dying day to a living God. FEELING AND INSENSIBILITY.— There are many who can weep over a dead body, and yet look with insensibility on a world dead to God. Poetic Selections. PUNCTUALITY. EPITAPH ON AN INFIDEL. BENEATH this stone the mould'ring relics lie, AN OLD EPITAPH. Should well be understoode, ON THE SOUL. CREATION's ample and extensive round, All, all are trifles, all an empty sound, JOYS OF HEAVEN. And friendship smiles in every eye; The Children's Corner. THE MOTHER TALKING OVER HER DEAD CHILD. HUSH'D be each murmuring thought Great Arbiter of life and death, I bow To thy command. I yield the precious gift Serene in death. Thou slumberest more still But now all dimmed in death, it beams no more! Oh, yet once more I kiss thy marble lips, Sweet babe! and press with mine thy whitened cheeks; Farewell, a long farewell! Yet visit me In dreams, my darling! Though the visioned joy I still possess thee. Peace, my bursting heart! Oh, I submit! Again I lay thee down, Dear relic of a mother's hope. Thy spirit, The grace that ransomed it, and lodged thee safe |