182

THE ELDER'S DEATH-BED.

9 the American war; of all the measures to which he had objected; and all the evils which he had prophesied would be the consequence of them: adding, at the end of each, “And so it proved."

DEFINITIONS, &c.-House of lords-corresponding with the Senate of the United States, only the members hold office for life; our Senators for six years: the House of Commons, with our House of Representatives; together they form the Parliament of England as the Senate and House o Representatives form our Congress. Define leaning upon, friends, wrapped up, flannel, looked, (appeared?) pale, emaciated, still, penetrating, evident, appearance, dying, figure, dignity, superior, species, rose, from, seat, slowly, difficulty, crutches, supported, casting, (turning up?) enabled, (made able ?) here, perform, duty, impressed, old, infirm, deeply. One foot in the grave-near death, already, as it were, in part dead. Define cause, risen, feeble, warm, harmonious, oratorical, affecting, former, period, measures, objected, prophesied, consequence, adding, proved, (turned out?)

SECT. CC.-The elder's dEATH-BED.

"PUT the word of God into the hands of my son, and let 1 him read aloud to his dying father the 25th, 26th, and 27th verses of the eleventh chapter of the Gospel according to St. John." The Pastor went up to the kneelers, and, with a voice of pity, condolence, and pardon, said, "There was a 2 time when none, William, could read the Scriptures better than couldst thou can it be that the son of my friend hath 3 forgotten the lessons of his youth?" He had not forgotten them: there was no need of the repentant sinner to lift up 4 his eyes from the bedside. The sacred stream of the Gospel had worn a channel in his heart, and the waters were 5 again flowing. With a choked voice he said, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life; and whosoever 6 liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou 7 this? She said unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe thou art the Christ the Son of God, which should come into the world."

8

"That is not an unbeliever's voice," said the dying man triumphantly'; "nor, William, hast thou an unbeliever's 9 heart. Say that thou believest in what thou hast now read, 10 and thy father will die happy!" "I do believe; and as

thou forgivest me, so may I be forgiven by my Father who 11 is in heaven." The Elder seemed like a man suddenly in12 spired with a new life. His faded eyes kindled, his pale

cheeks glowed, his palsied hands seemed to wax strong, and his voice was clear as that of manhood in its prime. "Into 13 thy hands, O God! I commit my spirit;" and so saying, he gently sunk back on his pillow; and I thought I heard a sigh. 14 There was then a long, deep silence; and the father, the mother, and the child, rose from their knees. The eyes of us all were turned towards the white, placid face of the 15 figure now stretched in everlasting rest; and without lamentations, save the silent lamentations of the resigned soul, we stood around the DEATH-BED OF THE ELDER.

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Pastor-shepherd: a minister so called because he feeds his congregation with truth, as a shepherd feeds his flock. Define chapter, pity, condolence, pardon, none, forgotten, repentant, sinner, lift up, (turn up?) stream, (of truth?) channel, choked voice, (as if it came from a man strangling?) resurrection, unbeliever, triumphantly, happy, new, faded, kindled, glowed, palsied, wax, prime, sunk, pillow, sigh, everlasting, save, resigned.

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define sable, bier, throng, slow, lonely, sudden, anguish, flow, sleeper, (does this word mean one simply asleep, or something more?) pride, (does this mean pride in the usual sense? or strength of mind and body of which manhood is proud ?) cheek, pallid, shade, hoarse,

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THE SABBATH-SCHOOL TEACHER.

distant, surges, roared, tones, woe, deep response, (i. o. a deep sound in answer,) poured, mourn, billowy, shield, torn, anchor. Afric-Africa. Where is Africa?

SECT. CCII.-THE GOOD MINISTER: AN EASTERN TALE.

1 THE great Aaron Raschild began to suspect that his vizier Giafar was not deserving of the confidence which he 2 had reposed in him. The women of Aaron, the inha›itants of Bagdad, the courtiers, the dervises, censured the vizier with bitterness. The calif loved Giafar; he would not condemn 3 him upon the clamors of the city and the court'; he visited his empire: everywhere he saw the land well cultivated, the country smiling, the cottages opulent, the useful arts honored, and youth full of gayety. He visited his fortified cities and seaports: he saw numerous ships, which threat4 ened the coasts of Africa and of Asia: he saw warriors disciplined and content: these warriors, the seamen, and the peasantry, exclaimed, "O God, pour thy blessings upon the faithful, by giving them a calif like Aaron, and a vizier like Giafar." The calif, affected by these exclamations, 5 enters a mosque, falls upon his knees, and cries out, "Great God, I return thee thanks: thou hast given me a vizier of whom my courtiers speak ill, and my people speak well." DEFINITIONS, &c.-Vizier-prime minister. Define reposed, courtiers, dervises, calif, clamors, empire, everywhere, cultivated, smiling, (because prosperous?) opulent, fortified, seaports, numerous, threatened, coasts, warriors, disciplined, seamen, peasantry, mosque. Where is Bagdad?

1

SECT. CCIII.-THE SABBATH-SCHOOL TEACHER.

My fancy has sometimes presented me with this picture of a faithful sabbath-school teacher's entrance to the state of her everlasting rest. The agony of dissolution is closed, 2 the triumph of faith completed, and the conquering spirit hastens to her crown.

3 Upon the confines of the heavenly world, a form, divinely fair, awaits her arrival. Wrapt in astonishment at the 1 dazzling glory of this celestial inhabitant, and as yet a stranger in the world of spirits, she inquires, "Is this Gabriel, chief of all the heavenly hosts, and am I honored with his aid to guide me to the throne of God?"

With a smile of ineffable delight, such as gives fresh 5 beauty to an angel's countenance, the mystic form replies, Dost thou remember little Elizabeth, who was in yonder world a Sunday scholar in thy class? dost thou recollect the child who wept as thou talkedst to her of sin, and directed her to the cross of the dying Redeemer ? God 6 smiled with approbation upon thy effort, and by his own Spirit sealed the impression upon her heart in characters never to be effaced.

7

Providence removed her from beneath thy care, before 8 the fruit of thy labor was visible. The seed, however, had taken root, and it was the business of another to water what thou didst sow. Cherished by the influence of heaven, 9 the plant of religion flourished in her heart, and shed its fragrance upon her character.

Piety, after guarding her from the snares of youth, cheered her amidst the accumulated trials of an afflicted life supported her amidst the agonies of her last conflict, and 10 elevated her to the mansions of immortality; and now behold before thee the glorified spirit of that poor child, who, under God, owes the eternal life on which she has lately entered, to thy faithful labors in the Sunday school; and who is now sent by our Redeemer to introduce thee to the world of glory, as thy first and least reward for guiding the once thoughtless, ignorant, wicked Elizabeth to the world 11 of grace. Hail, happy spirit! hail, favored of the Lord! hail, deliverer of my soul! hail to the world of eternal glory!

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Presented me with-showed me. Define picture, entrance, dissolution, closed, (over?) confines, awaits, arrival, wrapt, dazzling, celestial, ineffable, mystic, class, cross, effaced, providence, (God?) beneath, fruit, seed, (what is meant here by seed? truth? taking root? Producing effect?) cherished, the plant of religion, (religion?) flourished, accumulated, afflicted, elevated, mansions, glorified, introduce.

1

SECT. CCIV.-THE CONVERT: AN EASTERN TALE.

DIVINE mercy had brought a vicious man into a society of sages, whose morals were holy and pure. He was affected 2 by their virtues: it was not long before he imitated them, and lost his old habits: he became just, sober, patient,

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A MORNING PRAYER FOR A STUDENT.

3 laborious, and benevolent. His deeds nobody could deny, but they were attributed to odious motives. They praised 4 his good actions, without loving his person: they would always judge him by what he had been, not by what he was 5 become. This injustice filled him with grief: he shed tears in the bosom of an ancient sage, more just and more hu6 mane than the others. "Oh my son," said the old man to him, thou art better than thy reputation: be thankful to 7 God for it. Happy the man who can say, my enemies and my rivals censure in me vices of which I am not guilty. 8 What matters it, if thou art good, that men persecute thee as 9 wicked? Hast thou not, to comfort thee, the two best witnesses of thy actions, God and thy conscience?"

66

DEFINITIONS, &c.-Sages-wise men. Define lost, just, sober, patient, laborious, benevolent, odious, motives, ancient, (old ?) humane, reputation, rivals, censure, persecute, witnesses.

SECT. CCV.-A MORNING PRAYER FOR A YOUNG STUDENT AT SCHOOL.

FATHER OF ALL! we return thee most humble and hearty 1 thanks for thy protection of us in the night season, and for the refreshment of our souls and bodies, in the sweet repose 2 of sleep. Accept also our unfeigned gratitude for all thy mercies during the helpless age of infancy.

3 Continue, we beseech thee, to guard us under the shadow 4 of thy wing. Our age is tender, and our nature frail; and without the influence of thy grace, we shall surely fall.

5 Let that influence descend into our hearts, and teach us to love thee and truth above all things. O guard our hearts 6 from the temptations to deceit, and grant that we may abhor a lie as a sin and as a disgrace.

Inspire us also with an abhorrence of the loathsomeness 7 of vice, and the pollutions of sensual pleasure: grant at the same time, that we may early feel the delight of conscious purity, and wash our hands in innocency, from the united motives of inclination and of duty.

Give us, O thou Parent of all knowledge, a love of learn8 ing, and a taste for the pure and sublime pleasures of the understanding. Improve our memory, quicken our appre9 hension, and grant that we may lay up such a store of