DAVID'S LAMENT OVER SAUL AND JONATHAN. "How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!" YE virgins of Judah, lament, For the spear of the foe has prevail'd; 2 Sam. i. 17, &c.. 1838.] 313 AN INDUSTRIOUS LABOURER. ABOUT eight years since, Mr. Wayth, of Friningham, Kent, purchased a farm on Boxley Hill. Two small fields were lying at some considerable distance from the farm house; he detached these fields entirely, and erected a cottage on the property. The whole he let to an industrious labourer, named Thomas Woolley. Results. From the time of his taking possession, 1824, to the present hour, he has not only paid his rent punctually, even to the day it became due, but has bought for himself two cows, and is in comfortable circumstances; yet this man has a large family of young children. As to receiving parish relief, he would consider himself and family disgraced by the proposal. He works occasionally for the neighbouring farmers. When they have no employment, he works on his own land, By these means his time, as well as his mind, is engaged; whilst he is prosperous and happy. HYMN, (PRINTED ON A CARD.) COME Holy Spirit, heavenly dove, Conduct us safe, conduct us far Lead to Thy word, that rules must give; Lead us to holiness-the road That we must take to dwell with God; Lead us to God, our final rest, PRAYER FOR A CHILD. HEAVENLY Father, help me to come unto Thee_in_the name of Jesus Christ my Saviour, who died that I might live. For His sake hear, and bless me. May I seek Thee with my whole heart, and thank Thee for Thy care over me by night and by day; for I am a helpless child, O Lord! and Thou only canst preserve me from evil. Forgive all my sins, and keep me from all that is sinful in thought, word, and deed. Thou art good and doest good teach me to love Thy word, and to do Thy will. Create in me a clean heart, O Lord! and renew a right spirit within me. Let Thy Holy Spirit continually dwell in me, that I may be a child of God for ever, that I may love and serve thee here below; and at last. dwell with Jesus Christ my Saviour in His kingdom above, for ever. Amen.-Printed on a card.-Sent by Iota. HYMN. (PRINTED ON A CARD.) My Father when I come to Thee, I plead the name of Thy dear Son, My Saviour, guide me with Thine eye, Thy Holy Spirit, Lord, impart, Sent by Iota. NUMBER OF LIVING BEINGS. THE immense multitude of animated beings which people the earth, and the ample provision which is made for their necessities, furnishes irresistible evidence of Divine goodness. It has been ascertained that more than sixty thousand species of animals inhabit the air, the earth, and the waters, besides many thousands which have not yet come within the observation of the naturalist. On the surface of the earth there is not a patch of ground, 1838.] A HINT TO AGRICULTURISTS. 315 nor portion of water, a single shrub, tree, or herb, and scarcely a single leaf in the forest, but what teems with animated beings. How many hundreds of millions have their dwellings in caves, in the clefts of rocks, in the bark of trees, in ditches, in marshes, in the forests, the mountains, and the valleys! What innumerable shoals of fishes inhabit the ocean, and sport in the seas and rivers. What millions on millions of birds and flying insects, in endless variety, wing their flight through the atmosphere above and all around us! Besides these, there are multitudes of animated beings which no man can number, invisible to the unassisted eye, and dispersed through every region of the earth, air, and seas. In a small stagnant pool, which in summer appears covered with a green scum, there are more microscopic animalcules than would outnumber all the inhabitants of the earth. How immense, then, must be the collective number of these creatures throughout every region of the earth and atmosphere! It surpasses all our conceptions. Now, it is a fact, that from the elephant to the mite, from the whale to the oyster, from the eagle to the gnat, or the microscopic animalcule, no animal can subsist without nourishment. Every species, too, requires a different kind of food. Some live on grass, some on shrubs, some on flowers, and some on trees. Some feed only on the roots of vegetables, some on the leaves, some on the fruit, some on the seed, some on the whole plant; some prefer one species of grass, some another. Yet such is the unbounded munificence of the Creator, that all the myriads of sentient beings are amply provided for and nourished by His bounty "The eyes of all these look unto him, and he openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing." A HINT TO AGRICULTURISTS. "IT has been remarked, that a thin-looking crop (of wheat), always brought an abundance of fine and well filled ears." Barley, also, "is too thick upon the ground; and we believe that seed would be economised with good effect, leaving the plant less close, and more likely to produce heavy ears, and well filled grains." See Agricultural Report for July, 1838. It is advised not to plant potatoes too close, in order that they may not crowd each other. To prevent young gardeners wasting flower seeds by thick sowing, they are told to mix sand with the seed and sow both together; annuals are thinned and planted out if you wish to have fine plants. Why should corn only be crowded? PUBLIC WORSHIP. How many do we see idling away the sabbath in the streets, or walking in their fields, looking at their cattle or their corn, without ever turning their footsteps to the church of Him who alone prospers all their labours, and blesses them with fodder for their cattle, and the full sheaf of corn in their barns. I do not hesitate to say,that such characters are not only a disgrace to themselves, but a mischief to their own children, as far as example goes. The worship of God, in His church, is a duty which no one, with anything like religious feeling, will ever neglect. No parents, who reflect for a moment, will ever without some reasonable cause, absent themselves, or their family, from church, even for one sabbath-day. A punctual and faithful attendance upon the outward duties of our religion will always make a family respectable, let them be ever so poor. And, if I were to have my choice between two families, as to which of them I would rather belong to, the one rich and prosperous, but only seen at church once now and then: the other poor, working hard for a livelihood, but honest, and always seen at church; I would say, Let me belong to this family, for they are using and employing a means of grace, which will sooner or later, be blessed to all who diligently and constantly seek it however poor and humble," it will be well with them," because the use of sacred ordinances is one way in which Jehovah designs to receive honour from us; and He has said "them that honour me I will honour," (1 Sam. ii. 30.) Rev. J. C. Rosser. |