As I said my name, the woman, who had her hand on my shoulder, suddenly started, and cried out,-" Sure it's my sister's boy; it's poor Mary as lies yonder." "Are you aunt?" I asked; "mother said aunt would take care of me, and we came to find her." My aunt took me in her arms, crying over me and kissing "It's my sister's child, sir," she said; "I know it is, and, please God, he shall be my child now.” me. Thus my mother's prayer was answered. I lived many years with my kind aunt, who cared for me as if I had been her own, and taught me above all to love and serve the God who had indeed shown himself a Father to the fatherless (Jer. xlix. 11). HAVE YOU BEEN UPSTAIRS ? OME few years ago, a poor man, after a lengthened affliction, in which nearly all his temporal means were exhausted, died, leaving to the care of God a wife and several young children. At her husband's death, the support of the family was to be obtained by the widow's toil; and the means on which she depended were very precarious. Trials came upon her apace, as she trod "the widow's lonely way;" and sometimes so pressing were her difficulties, that she seemed to be on the very verge of destitution. Happily, she had chosen the Lord before these days of darkness and distress; and now found a sweetness in claiming Him as her husband: she knew He had said, "Let thy widows trust in Me," and therefore rolled her burden of care on Him. Never till now did she understand the full value of a throne of grace; for often did new trouble drive her, as a plaintive suppliant, to pour her distresses into the ear of mercy. She had regular seasons for prayer; but these were often supplemented; for when any fresh trial arose she retired to spread it before the Lord. On these special occasions she used to go into her bedroom; and so often did she go thither, that her children both knew why she went, and in every domestic trouble expected her to go. Her habit was thus formed by circumstances, and many delightful answers to prayer proved it a good one. Her greatest trial, however, had not yet come; and it remained to be seen whether she would continue faithful. All her wants had hitherto been supplied; but at length a sore calamity befell her which threatened to plunge her into inextricable distress. Employment and money failed; and as she did not like to ask credit for necessaries which she had no probability of paying for, she went to bed one night without any food in the house, or the means of obtaining any. The morning came, and when her hungry children asked for their breakfast, she had none to give them, and what to do she could not tell. Grief overcame her: the thought that she and her babes might starve flitted across her mind, and she wept bitterly. At that moment a sweet little boy stole softly up to her, and taking her hand in his, said, "Mother, what is the matter? why do you cry so?" "Because, my love," she replied, "I have no food for you, and cannot get any." "Mother," he rejoined, "you have not been upstairs this morning." The good woman took the hint; retired as usual to spread this trial before the Lord, and ask the needed supply; and while she was praying, confidence sprang up in her soul, she felt she could trust for that day's bread, and help was at hand. Scarcely had she left the room, when a lady called to ask if she wanted employment; who, on hearing of the condition of the family, immediately furnished them with necessaries, and placed the widow in a situation of ease and comfort. How many a trial would be eased, how many a temptation conquered, how many a deliverance gained, if we would go "upstairs," or elsewhere, and spread it all before the Lord! Let us never forget the closet; our Father that seeth us in secret there will reward us openly with abundant blessings. 4 THE PROMISE PLEADED. "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" (Jer. xxxiii. 3). LORD, Thy book I open in Thy presence, Not worthiness of mine I bring before Thee, I know Thou hearest, Lord, my heart's petition, 'Tis but to try the faith Thyself hast given. Not small, nor slight the gifts I dare to ask for, But gifts becoming God-THE LORD—to give; "The great and mighty things," Thy hidden wonders, Yet half in blindness is my supplication- I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me, HERE was recently an old man in an alms-house in Bristol, who boasted that for sixty years he spent sixpence a day in drink, but was never intoxicated. A gentleman who heard this statement was somewhat curious to ascertain how much this sixpence a day, put by every year at five per cent. compound interest, would amount to in sixty years. Taking out his pencil, he began to calculate: putting down the first year's savings (365 sixpences), £9 2s. 6d., he added the interest, 9s. 1d., and thus went on year by year, until he found that, in the sixtieth year, the sixpence a day reached the startling sum of £3,225 16s. 8d. Judge of the old man's surprise when told that, had he saved his sixpence a day, and allowed it to accumulate at compound interest, he might have been worth the above noble sum; so that, instead of taking refuge in an alms-house, he might have comforted himself with a house of his own, costing £700, and fifty acres of land, worth £50 per acre, and have left the same as a legacy amongst his children and grandchildren! 66 THE WISDOM OF THE PRUDENT IS TO UNDERSTAND HIS WAY; BUT THE FOLLY OF FOOLS IS DECEIT."-Prov. xiv. 8. RESOLUTIONS RESPECTING THE TREATMENT OF MY CHILDREN. MOTHER, who has felt deeply for those sorrows of children which are caused by the injudicious treatment of parents, submits the following hints to mothers. Most of these rules were written for her own guidance many years ago. After extensive observation she has thought they might possibly be of benefit to those young mothers who wish to see their children truly pious, and who desire to secure their warmest and tenderest love. 1. I will begin with the Bible as the foundation of all government. Let Bible principles, Bible motives, Bible examples, be held constantly before myself and my children. 2. I will strive to be myself what I wish my children to become. "As is the mother, so is the daughter." "The mother forms the man." 3. I will be sure that my instructions and my practice correspond. 4. I will cultivate a serene, cheerful, heavenly spirit, and a dignified demeanour. 5. I will cultivate firmness and decision, with the utmost kindness and gentleness. 6. I will strive to govern myself. Self-control and perfect selfpossession are essential to a proper exercise of authority. 7. I will make it my constant prayer and effort so to train my children that I may secure their affection, their respect, and their obedience. 8. I will remember the importance of training well the first child; as the eldest exerts great influence over the younger children. 9. I will remember that the will must be subdued, and habits of obedience formed very early; believing that if I have complete control of the child before five years of age, I shall have little trouble afterward. The first ten years is the forming period. 10. I will insist on habitual, prompt, and cheerful obedience; and that without always giving the reasons. I will allow no pouting, no fretting, no questioning, no reasoning, no disputing, delaying, or answering again. I will train them to believe that I know what is best. 11. I will make but few rules, and be firm in enforcing them, giving no needless commands, but seeing that those given are strictly obeyed. I will never command what I cannot enforce. 12. I will seldom accompany a command with a threat, but have it understood from the first that a penalty must always be expected for disobedience. 13. I will have it understood from the first that my "Yes" or "No" is a decided and final answer. If there is habitually no parleying there will be no teasing. 14. After deciding a question, I will seldom change; if for some reason it may be necessary, I will be careful to fully explain the reason. 15. I will never tantalize and irritate by indecision, keeping the child in suspense, but, if the request is improper, kindly and decidedly refuse at once. The child will submit with ease to an immediate denial, but, after expectations have been raised by suspense, it may cause many and bitter tears. 16. I will not govern capriciously, but strive to maintain a steady, uniform, firm, and mild course; so that the child may always understand just what is expected of it. I will never reprove sharply at one time for what at another I would pass over without the slightest notice. If I govern according to my moods and impulses I shall be sure to act unjustly, and forfeit the respect, and alienate the affections of the child. 17. I will be careful not to be more severe for mistakes and accidents and trifling annoyances, than for real evils of character. 18. I will always, unless special reasons suggest otherwise, punish for a wilful act of disobedience, and be more displeased and severe for an act of disobedience than for any other offence; for if I secure the obedience of my child I have the best security against the assaults of sin in every other form. 19. I will remember that careful discretion must be exercised in regard to the mode and severity of punishment. The characters of children are so different that what would be a severe punishment for one would be nothing at all for another. I will never use severity when a firm, gentle word is sufficient; nor punish severely when a light punishment will answer the purpose. Severity leads to concealment, deceit, and falsehood. I will remember that discipline is not necessarily punishment, and that punishment is not always wise discipline. I will strive to make my children love and obey without fear, and keep their affections and sensibilities tender. 20. I will on 'no account punish in anger. 21. I will never strike a child on the head. 22. I will not pull the hair or the ears, or use violence in any way. This treatment enrages the child and developes the worst passions. 23. I will not deprive a child of its necessary food by way of punishment. I have seen its evil effects, both on the health and the disposition. 24. I will endeavour to make my children feel that a punishment is a serious affair, and cannot often be repeated. When they disobey, or commit an act deserving punishment, I will, if practicable, retire with them privately, and, after talking with them seri 1 |