& GOING HOME. HRISTIAN! why should death affright "Dying is but going home!" "Dying is but going home!" Death is not a path untried, "Dying is but going home!" Sin and death, and grief and fear, Let those foes make heaven more dear— RULES FOR HOLY LIVING.-Let us be on our guard against old self in every form, whether it be indolence, or temper, or coldness, or rudeness, or disobligingness, or slovenliness, or shabbiness, or covetousness, or flippancy, or self-conceit, or pride, or cunning, or obstinacy, or sourness, or levity, or foolishness, or love of preeminence. Let us cultivate a tender conscience, avoiding crotchets and conceits, yet watching against the commission of little sins and the omission of little duties, redeeming the time, yet never in a hurry; calm, cheerful, frank, happy, genial, generous, disinterested, thoughtful of others; and seeing we must protest against the world on so many important points, let us try to differ from it as little as possible on things indifferent, always showing love to those we meet with, however irreligious and unlovable, especially avoiding a contemptuous spirit or an air of superiority. Dr. H. Bonar. THE age of infancy is that of the undeveloped flower,-the season when the whole spiritual man still lies inclosed in the bud of strong feeling. Beware of wiping off from it with too rash a hand the morning dew. MOTHER, mother, guard thy child! Oh, be careful when you chide! Then 'twill haunt his memory. RULES FOR HOLY LIVING.-Let us be on our guard against old self in every form,-whether it be indolence, or temper, or coldness, or rudeness, or disobligingness, or slovenliness, or shabbiness, or covetousness, or flippancy, or self-conceit, or pride, or cunning, or obstinacy, or sourness, or levity, or foolishness, or love of preeminence. Let us cultivate a tender conscience, avoiding crotchets and conceits, yet watching against the commission of little sins and the omission of little duties, redeeming the time, yet never in a hurry; calm, cheerful, frank, happy, genial, generous, disinterested, thoughtful of others; and seeing we must protest against the world on so many important points, let us try to differ from it as little as possible on things indifferent, always showing love to those we meet with, however irreligious and unlovable, especially avoiding a contemptuous spirit or an air of superiority. Dr. H. Bonar. THE age of infancy is that of the undeveloped flower,-the season when the whole spiritual man still lies inclosed in the bud of strong feeling. Beware of wiping off from it with too rash a hand the morning dew. MOTHER, mother, guard thy child! Oh, be careful when you chide! Then 'twill haunt his memory. Be to him a mine of love! HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD. QUACK MEDICINES. The merest glance at the advertising columns of our daily and weekly papers is amply sufficient to convince any one of the enormous extent to which the sale of quack medicines is carried on in this country; but no one can form the remotest idea of the terrible mischief which results from the indiscriminate use of such medicines, except he be engaged in a public hospital practice, or be occupied, as I am, in tracing the progress of disease and mortality among the poor. Often and often has it been my lot, acting under the instructions of a coroner's jury, to find in the dead body of some unfortunate victim the frightful effect of a dangerous quack medicine. Here are men, ignorant beyond description, propounding theories which are wilder than madness, applying them to the most delicately organized fabric of creation, doing, as it needs must be, no end of mischief, and yet maintaining their position among those whom they have so grievously injured, and even living in affluence upon the credulity of their victims! A more perfect but sorrowful picture of deceit could not be presented.-Dr. Letheby. THE MIND AND BODY. The mental condition has far more influence upon the bodily health than is generally supposed. It is no doubt true that ailments of the body cause depressing and morbid conditions of the mind; but it is no less true that sorrowful and disagreeable emotions produce disease in persons who, uninfluenced by them, would be in sound health; or, if disease is not produced, the functions are disordered. Not even physicians always consider the importance of this fact. Agreeable emotions set in motion nervous currents which stimulate blood, brain, and every part of the system into healthy activity; while grief, disappointment, and brooding over present sorrows or past mistakes, depress all the vital forces. To be physically well one must, in general, be happy (see Prov. xvii. 22). The reverse is not always true-one may be happy and cheerful, and yet be a constant sufferer in body. Though the brain is the organ of the mind, these, its actions— called emotions, affections, or passions are generally felt at the heart; as that organ has, in these cases, a sudden and considerable demand made on it to supply the necessary quantity of blood to the brain, that it may sustain the required efforts without injury. Hope, joy, delight, and love produce an agreeable and salutary action of the heart and other organs, increase the circulation, improve the appetite and health, often aid greatly in removing disease, and always render life more pleasing. Anger stirs up both physical and mental powers violently, especially when it increases to rage; the heart beats with hurried rapidity, the blood is forced into the capillary vessels with such force as sometimes to burst them, the secretion of bile is increased, and the muscles are, for the time, firm and strong. Excessive terror often produces nearly similar results. Fear, grief, melancholy, despondency, and despair, retard the action of the heart, enfeeble the nervous and muscular system, often derange the digestive process and the bowels, and, if continued, originate severe and fatal diseases. THE MOTHERS' TREASURY. LITTLE TANGLES. NCE upon a time there was a great king who employed his people to weave for him. The silk and woof and patterns were all given by the king, and he looked for diligent workpeople. He was very indulgent, and told them when any difficulty arose to send to him and he would help them, and never to fear troubling him but to ask for help and instruction. Among many men and women busy at their looms was one little child whom the king did not think too young to work. Often alone at her work, cheerfully and patiently she laboured. One day, when the men and women were distressed at the sight of their failures, the silks were tangled, and the weaving unlike the pattern, they gathered round the child, and said, "Tell us how it is that you are so happy in your work. We are always in difficul ties." Then, why do you not send to the king?" said the little weaver; " he told us that we might do so." "So we do, night and morning." "Ah!" said the child, "but I send directly I find I have a little tangle." We all have "little tangles" in our lives, and are discouraged because we cannot make them straight; so, instead of singing at our work, we are heavy-hearted and complaining. But is there really so easy a remedy always at hand? May we send directly to the King? Hear what He says about it Himself; for if it is true, why should we go on carrying all our burdens and keeping our sorrows pent up within? "Cast thy burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain thee."Ps. lv. 22. 66 Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."-1 Pet. v. 7. "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." -Phil. iv. 6. Every word of the Bible means just what it says—“ all "—"in everything"; then there is not a single thing shut out, from the smallest every-day care that worries, to the greatest sorrow that nearly breaks the heart. Nor is the King, like earthly ones, difficult of access: "His ears are open to their cry." Though by seraph hosts adored, He to earth's lowest cares is still awake. |