purpose. But, as soon as the saints of God enter on a state wherein this six day toil and labor is not required, then the Sabbath will be without intermission, and eternal. It is an eternal principle, thanks be to God for such a hope.
O! how grateful we ought to be for such an institution as this. It so strongly tends to moralize humanity, and cheer the hearts of the children of God, by bringing to view that bless ed state of eternal rest and glory which God has promised to all who love him and keep his commandments. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, and I believe in my soul if there ever was such a thing as a moral precept, the Sabbath is that one; and you having frankly acknowledged that if it is moral, the seventh day is binding, I know not how you will escape without keeping it. "By education many are mislead,
They so believe because they so are bred.
The Priest continues what the nurse began
And so the child imposes on the man."-ELIAS SMITH.
The infant heard his nurse devoutly say
The first day of the week is Sabbath day,
For reasons in the primmer plainly told,
And thus the child believes when he is old;
When he becomes a man he's made a priest,
Acquires the arts and language of the east,
He'll talk the speech of almost every clime,
And speak in style that one would think sublime;
And thus prepared he makes the world believe,
What from his nurse he early did receive:
He tells about a new made Sabbath day,
And says the former one is done away.
The people say, it surely must be so,
It will not do to think the priest dont know:
Thus round the world the primer story flies,
While quite unseen the Scripture doctrine lies.
WM. STILLMAN.
FOR A YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAD LATELY BURIED HER HUSBAND. Life is a dismal scene to many of our race,
Unreconciled to God, strangers to pardoning grace;
Come then, dear Saviour, come and renovate my heart,
Yea make me truly find good Mary's better part.
Exposed as I am to scenes of sorrow here,
Let not my soul despond nor yield to sad despair.
Is not that mighty arm that calmed the raging sea,
Still quite as potent now to calm and comfort me?
Amidst severest trials that nature can endure,
Believe God's promises to be forever sure:
Experience proves to all who feel his chastening rod,
That those are always safe who truly trust in God.
His providences all are holy, just and right,
Severe although they seem to feeble human sight.
'Tis surely wise in me to be profoundly still,
In humble acquiescence to his most gracious will.
Let never once a word or murmuring thought arise,
Look up with humble prayer to him who rules the skies,
My God will surely hear and recompense my pain,
And make my trials here at length to be my gain,
Nor true submission ever proves to any one in vain.
WM. STILLMAN.
I have lately read a little book, written by Doctor Edwards, called the Sabbath Manual, in which I found so much sophistical evasion of the Scriptures, and so much wringing and twisting to get rid of his obligation to keep holy the seventh day according to the everlasting law of God, that it brought to my mind a certain vague poem that I once found in an old Almanac, and it struck my mind that it might be as suitable a description of his book as any thing I could think of. It was as follows:
When a twister a twisting, will twist him a twist,
In the twisting his twist, he three times doth untwist,
But if one of the twists of the twist doth untwist,
The twist that untwisteth, untwisteth the twist.
ACROSTIC FOR ELDER ALFRED B. BURDICK.
All human wisdom men acquire at the collegiate school,
Leaves many one but little more or better than a fool;
For all such wisdom, God foresaw men wanted better teaching,
Reveals himself more plainly through the foolishness of
Except such wisdom men acquire as cometh from on high,
Darkness and gloom forevermore pervade their mental sky.
Blow loud the gospel trumpet then, ye watchmen on the wall;
But if you them neglect to warn, their blood will on you fall.
Unless the gospel trump is heard, in all the nations round,
Religion is but idolatry, where none have heard the sound.
Did I the Bible understand, complete in every part,
I then could talk to sinners so, 'twould reach their very heart.
Come then, dear Savior, send the power to such a child as me,
Keener than a two-edged sword, thy gospel then should be.
WM. STILLMAN.
ACROSTIC FOR CHARLES WM. GARDNER, A RUDE BOY.
Children should early learn to think
How close they stand upon the brink.
A thousand dangers round me spread,
Ready to lay me with the dead.
Let me no longer idle stand;
Eternity is just at hand,
Salvation now is free to all
Who will repent, and timely call,
I must not wait another day;
Let me at once begin to pray,
Like prodigal, when all was spent,
In haste unto his father went.
Alas! I've been a wicked child:
May God in mercy on me smile,
Give me to see how vile I am,
And lead me to the bleeding Lamb.
Remembering how the wicked Jews
Did once the Son of God abuse,
Now with them down to hell I'm sent,
Except in time I do repent,
Redeem the time so vainly spent.
ACROSTIC FOR DANIEL B. MAXSON, A YOUNG MAN.
Daniel was once a man of wondrous fume,
And Belteshazzar was his given name.
Now all the dreams and visions, the kings so bad affright,
Is all by him explained, and quickly brought to light.
Excelling all the wisdom of all the king's wise men,
Lions could not destroy him, in their most starved den;
But all his envious enemies they quickly did devour,
Much ere they reach the bottom of that terrific tour.
And may the present Daniel, forever prove to be
Zealous of all that goodness, if not so wise as he.
Such men as Belteshazzar, nowhere on earth abound,
O! may this Daniel Maxson somewhat like him be found,
No one beloved more than he, in all the country round.
WM. STILLMAN.
ACROSTIC FOR THOMAS V. STILLMAN.
To make my intellect compete with those in high repute,
How long and hard I labored at De Ruyter Institute!
O! could I now a year or two at college have a seat,
My intellect, as many think, would nearly be complete.
Although, perhaps, I'd better not to college go to school,
Since many one return from thence, no better than a fool.
Vainly I strive to rise so high, with great men to compare,
Since nature has on me bestowed so very small a share.
The God of Nature doth impart among the sons of men,
Inspiring one with talents two, while to another, ten.
Let every man his gift improve, and keep his proper place,
Lest, while aspiring to be great, he doth himself disgrace.
May I, at least, be wise enough to know myself a fool,
And never think 'twould make me great to go to college
school,
Nor, like our great and learned meu, become a southern tool.
WM. STILLMAN.
With a supplement, for Melissa Stillman, wife of Matthew Stillman, who had buried two children, neither of which had lived two years.
My sweet little flower, to me it was given,
Esteeming it surely a present from heaven,
Like the rosebud in June, it expanded and grew,
It shows like the lily a beautiful hue.
Such was its affection, it twined round my heart,
Sure nothing but heaven could tempt us to part.
Alas for the time it no longer could stay,
Sweet angels from heaven had borne it away
To dwell with the Saviour, in glory to reign;
It left me in anguish, yet I dare not complain:
Like Rachel in weeping, I mourned until
Lo! another was sent me the vacuum to fill.
My heart then rejoiced in hope it would stay,
And sooth all my sorrows or chase them away.
No longer, however, to comfort his mother,
Within two short years, he followed his brother.
Such anguish and sorrow then on me did fall,
I cried the fell monster has taken my all-
No more can I look on those faces so dear,
No more their sweet prattle my spirits to cheer.
But hush! this adieu, and just think for awhile
How happy in heaven they now sit and smile;
Ah! think how delighted and joyful they roam
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