only to Him, who knoweth likewise, how fit or unfit we are to meet our God." As the tree falls, so must it lie," -there is " no work or device in the grave.""Take heed, then, watch and pray." Yes, let us watch over ourselves, and forget not, night and morning, to pray to God to help us, by His grace, to avoid the numerous temptations which are sure to beset our paths every day of our lives. Let us keep this in mind:-if death comes so suddenly, would it not be well so to live that at any hour "to die may indeed be gain." And how must that be? By committing ourselves wholly to Christ for the pardon of our past offences; and by praying for His sanctifying grace, that we may be fitted to serve Him in this world, and be prepared to serve Him for ever in heaven. Imagine the horror, greater than words can express, of being called to meet our God with our hearts in a state of sin unrepented of, and unforsaken, and consequently unforgiven. Think of the horror of dying with a lie in our mouth; and who shall say, if we indulge in such a habit, or in any other sin, that we may not be called away in such a moment. How should we, then, appear before the God of truth,-before Him "who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity?" Human nature is weak, and requires all He has promised of divine grace to enable us to live to the service of God; and we are assured, that by effectual fervent prayer we shall have the help we need. The misfortune is, people are too apt to neglect the duty of prayer,-too apt to think they want no help, -that they are no worse than their neighbours,—that they do nothing bad. A sure way to prove this is, to try it with the question-" If I die this moment, am I ready?" A habit of considering our way of life by this test, and acting accordingly, will be a means of taking "the sting from death," come when it will; of taking, indeed, "victory from the grave." Let us seize every opportunity of seeking the promised blessings of the Gospel,-its pardoning mercy, its strengthening grace, its divine instructions,-that, resting on Christ, the Rock of Ages, and seeking to live to His service and His glory, we may, when our last hour shall come, be found ready." F. 1838.] COTTAGE ALLOTMENTS. 113 COTTAGE ALLOTMENTS. In our last number (p. 105) we had an opportunity of stating some of the advantages arising from the plan of letting out a small piece of land to a labouring man, that he might raise a few vegetables for his family, and might have an agreeable method of passing his summer evenings after his usual work with his master was finished. We have seen so much good arising from this plan, that we should be quite sorry to hear that any such objections were made to it, as should check the endeavours of benevolent people from encouraging what we believe to be a most useful method of assisting the labouring classes, without degrading them. There is nothing in this world that is perfect,-nothing to which some objections may not be found, especially by those who are seeking for them. There is too much of this disposition in the world. If we stop our endeavours till we find such a method of exerting them as shall be wholly free from the possibility of objection or of abuse, we must be content to do nothing; and all our religious and charitable institutions would be likely to stand still. The following objection to the allotment system, of which we are speaking, has been delivered to us by a gentleman who has the whole property of a parish, and who has not adopted the system. We know this to be a benevolent gentleman; and, from his particular circumstances, he is able to supply every man in his parish with work, and to afford them a number of little opportunities of benefiting themselves; and he does not see the necessity, in his case, of setting the allotment system in motion: besides, I believe, most of his cottages have a little slip of garden, so that the scheme does not seem to be particularly necessary in his place. But he makes the following objection to the allotment system. He says, a man is generally paid for his work by the day; and, if he has done a good day's work for his master, he should then go home and rest: he is generally too tired to set about any more work; and if he has land of his own he will try to spare his strength whilst he is at his master's work, and keep it for his own; and that this is a temptation to dishonesty; for if he is paid for a whole day's work, and does only a part of it, either by idling during part of the day, or by leaving off too soon, he is defrauding his master of so much work, and this is the same as if he robbed him of as much of his money as the work was worth. This, in principle, is perfectly true; but when the quantity of land allotted is generally so small,-at most only a quarter of an acre,-the extra labour is so little, that it is hardly likely to make the difference which our correspondent supposes. It is, however, a consideration for an honest labourer to bear in mind, and to question his own conscience upon. If a much larger portion of land were allotted, the objection would have considerable weight; and we have therefore preferred this small allotment system to that in which larger portions of land are allotted; for, in this last case, the man's daily labour is interfered with, and if he should be obliged to give up an engagement as a labourer for the sake of attending to his little farm, he will find that he has made a bad bargain. Some few clever labouring men have done well with an acre or two of land, but to many it has been a great loss; and it is always a great risk. But the man who receives all his pay as a labourer, runs no very great risk, even if an occasional season should be against him. We believe it, however, to be the fact, that the occupation of a little piece of land, such as a quarter of an acre, has not been found to make a man a worse workman to his master, but a better; and that it is the idle fellows who spend their evenings at the beer-shop, who are in the greatest hurry to leave their work,-and that those who have left off thus wasting their time and their money, and come home to their little bit of land, have become better servants to their master, and better friends to themselves. V. ADVICE TO A YOUNG FRIEND LEAVING HOME FOR NEVER let a Sabbath-day pass unregarded, wherever you are; nor ever suffer yourself to be laughed out of it. Keep stedfast in your duty to God, and that will keep 1838.] EPITAPH, &c. 115 you faithful and trust-worthy in your duty to your employers. Do every thing required of you with cheerfulness, with diligence, and good-nature. In a moment of danger exert yourself with spirit, looking up to God, who knoweth us all to be set in the midst of dangers, and is able to help and deliver us, as seemeth best to His infinite wisdom.-Warner. TO THE EDITOR OF THE COTTAGER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. DEAR SIR, I lately met with an epitaph on a faithful servant; and, knowing that you are desirous to obtain such for your useful publication, I beg to send you a copy of it. On a Tablet in Wrington Church, Somersetshire. In memory of VICTORIA PLUMER', who after living nearly 50 years in the family died, Jan. 16, 1792, in the 76th year of her age. As an example to all in her station. of Piety, Carefulness, and Fidelity, and in grateful testimony of that constant attachment which united her rather to the name of Friend than Servant, this Stone is erected. I also venture to send a bit of music, which you may not consider unsuitable for insertion in your pages, and by which means it may become more generally used. It is rather curious also from the circumstance of its having been composed by my worthy clerk, Thomas Bush, who is a self-taught genius in that way, and who spends nearly all his leisure hours, not employed in his daily work of a blacksmith, in composing sacred music. The words of the hymn were lately published in the Church of England Magazine. It is sung every Sunday morning by about 200 children who attend our School at Oldland Chapel, in this parish. Bitton Vicarage, I remain, dear Sir, Your faithful servant, H. T. E. 1 She was Servant to Dr. S. Wathen. |