1838.] LIFE A JOURNEY. 47 or your interest? What better end can you propose to your journey than to obtain heaven? You are placed in this world, with a choice given you, that you may travel which way you please; and one way leads to heaven. How can you direct your course better than in this way? All men have some aim or other in living: some mainly seek worldly things, they spend their days in such pursuits. But is not heaven, where is fulness of joy for ever, much more worthy to be sought by you? How can you better employ your strength, use your means, and spend your days, than in travelling the road that leads to the everlasting enjoyment of God,-to his glorious presence,to the new Jerusalem,-to the heavenly Mount Zion, where all your desires will be filled, and there will be no danger of ever losing your happiness? No man is at home in this world, whether he choose heaven or not; here he is but a passenger. Where can you choose your home better than in heaven? This is the way to have death comfortable to us. To spend our lives so as to be only a journeying towards heaven, is the way to be free from bondage, and to have the prospect and forethought of death comfortable. Does the traveller think of his journey's end with fear and terror? Is it terrible to him to think that he is almost at his journey's end? Were the children of Israel sorry, after forty years' travel in the wilderness, when they had almost arrived at Canaan? This is the way to be able to part with the world without grief. Does it grieve the traveller, when he has got home, to quit his staff and load of provisions that he had to sustain him by the way? Let Christians help one another in going this journey. There are many ways whereby Christians might greatly forward one another in their way to heaven. Therefore let them be exhorted to go this journey as it were in company, conversing together, and assisting one another. Company is very desirable in a journey, but in none so much as this. Let them go united, and not fall out by the way, which would be to hinder one another; but use all the means they can to help each other up the hill. This would insure a more successful travelling, and a more joyful meeting at their Father's house in glory. D6 Sent by F. C. BROTHERLY LOVE. CHRISTIAN brethren are united by a threefold cord; two of them are common to other men, but the third is the strongest, and theirs peculiarly; their bodies are descended of the same man, and their souls of the same God; but their new life, by which they are most entirely brethren, is derived from Jesus Christ; yea, in Him they are all one body, receiving life from Him their glorious head, who is called "the first-born among many brethren." And, as His unspeakable love was the source of this new being, and fraternity, so doubtless it cannot but produce indissoluble love among them that are partakers of it. The spirit of love and concord is that precious ointment that runs down from the head of our great High-Priest to the skirts of his garment. The life of Christ and this law of love are combined, and cannot be separated. Can there be enmity betwixt those hearts which meet in Him? Why do you pretend yourselves Christians, and yet remain not only strangers to this love, but most contrary to it, haters and devourers one of an other, and will not be convinced of the great guiltiness and uncomeliness of strifes and envyings among you? Is this the badge that Christ hath left his brethren, to wrangle and malign one another? Do you not know, on the contrary, that they are to be known by mutual love?" By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." Oh! that there were more of this love of Christ in our hearts, arising from the sense of His love to us! Do we believe what the love of Christ did to us, and suffered for us, and will we do nothing for him, nor forgive a shadow, a fancy of injury, much less a real one, for his sake; and love him that wronged us, whoever it is, but especially being one of our brethren in the spiritual sense?-Sent by F. C. BROTHERLY LOVE. As we travel along through this valley of tears. A sharer of sorrows, a soother of fears, 1838.] SELECTIONS FOR PARENTS. Then teach us, dear Saviour, to feel for each other, May I ne'er cause sin in the heart of a brother, From "Daily Readings," by a Lady.-Sent by F. W. SELECTIONS FOR PARENTS. 49 A CHRISTIAN mother loves her little child, she brings it up on her knees, she feeds it; if it is sick she nurses it; she watches it when it is asleep, she forgets it not a moment, she teaches it to be good, she rejoices to see it grow under her tender care. But who is the Parent of the mother? who makes the sun to shine, the rain to fall, and the earth produce food for her? who watches over her with tender love, and remembers her every moment? God is the parent of the mother, he is the parent of all, for he created all. All the men, all the women, all mankind, all who are alive in the wide world, are his children, he loveth them all; he is good to all. God is our father, therefore we will love and obey him.-Mrs. Barbauld. Of all the lessons parents can give their children, none is of so great importance as their own example. There is no age at which we are not apt to follow the example of those around us, but in childhood above all, example has most power over us. It is the nature of children to imitate all they see; it is by this means they learn so much in the first years of their life. We see that speech is taught them by imitating those around them; but we are too little aware how many of those passions and feelings which we call natural, are taught in their early infancy. Very few persons are aware how soon children are led to imitate the examples of those they live with; how careful then should a father and mother be to see that they are not led to do wrong by the example of their parents: how great must be the importance that they shew them no evil ways. I entreat every parent deeply to consider this. If your children see you obeying the commands of God, they are thus taught to obey them; if they see you kind and willing to give up your pleasures for them, they are led to do the same; if you are passionate, they will learn this of you; if you are cross and selfish, they will be so too. How bitter must be the feelings of those parents, who, when they see their children grow up in wickedness, have to remember that their example led them to evil. How happy, on the contrary, must those parents be, who see their children following a course of Christian godliness, and hear them say, I owe all my happiness to my father and mother, they taught me to be good-natured, to be religious, to command my passions: they acted thus themselves, and I desire to be like them. Never deceive your child. If any of them find that you promise what you do not give them, or threaten them with what you cannot do, they will not believe you another time; teach them early to speak openly the truth, and confess when they have done wrong; forgive them when they do so. If you wish your children not to deceive you, set them the example of never deceiving them, or any one else. Be certain that your children will love and respect you just in proportion as you have taught them good, and to act from the love of God and a desire to obey his commands. They will thus be the comfort of your old age; and, when death shall approach, how blessed, how happy, you will feel, that you have taught your children the way to heaven, and that you will meet them in that kingdom where there shall be joy for ever. Sent by A Correspondent. "LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER." COME now, my soul, and kindred own Though numerous now the race are grown, Thus near by birth and blood allied In strictest bond thus closely tied, To this design see thou attend, And show the power of love. Let kind affections soothe my heart, 1838.] ALLOTMENTS OF LAND, &c. 51 Let me my passions all subdue, But peace with constant zeal pursue, Thus would I near relation own To all the human race; Love I'll exalt, and self keep down, By God's assisting grace. From the Christian Remembrancer.-Sent by D. I. E. MR. SMITH'S ACCOUNT OF HIS ALLOTMENTS OF LAND TO CHILDREN AT SOUTHAM. MR. Smith selected, in 1832, (from a list given him by the Master of the National School, of those most likely to manage a small piece of garden ground successfully,) twelve boys, amongst whom an acre of land was divided, at 6d. 9d. or 1s. per month, according to the size of each allotment, for nine months in the year; the three winter months they were not to pay rent. It is recommended to admit two or three boys as old as seventeen or eighteen: they assist, by their example, in keeping the younger ones in order. They have paid their rents regularly on the first Monday in every month, at eight o'clock in the evening. They were to grow, for their own use, or for sale, garden vegetables, not grain, and were requested to grow as many varieties as possible; at any rate not less than six. Onions, pease, beans, carrots, celery, radish, turnips, cabbages, and early potatoes, are the principal favourites. The reason for not wishing them to grow wheat, or common potatoes, is, that there is not so much after-skill required. By growing as many other kinds of vegetables as possible, a succession of occupation, with its attendant and healthful thoughtfulness, anxiety, hope, inspection, promise, and reward is insured; and this interest could only be kept alive under a succession of summer, autumn, and winter crops. Thirdly, they were to have each a small flower border, two feet wide, to run uniformly by the side of the foot-paths through the whole piece. The reason was, that they might acquire a taste for flowers, and thus learn to cultivate every foot of waste land near the cottages which they might hereafter occupy when they be |