I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. IT is too common to hear men giving way to bitter complaints when any trouble befals them, as though their case were without hope, and they had lost all on which they depended for happiness. Observe a man deprived of his wealth by some sudden calamity, and see how grievous are his sufferings; he thinks not of the many blessings still left him-health, friends, and a good name; his soul is so swallowed up with sorrow for the loss of one of God's gifts, that he finds no comfort in the rest. See again another, who has lost a dearly loved child; listen to his heart-rending cries-behold his bitter tears -he will scarcely regard the children who may yet be spared to him, in the anguish of his grief for him who VOL. XIV. NO. 24. A a has been taken away. Such is "the sorrow of the world," a sorrow that worketh death. But think not that such sorrow is ever felt by a Christian-a Christian, who is one in heart, and not only in name and profession. He has sorrows, it is true-he is afflicted. God often sees fit to try his faithful servants with greater sufferings than any which He inflicts upon the ungodly-" for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth." Yet the faithful servant of God sorrows not without hope-he looks beyond this short life, to that eternal state for which this is but a preparation. He can bless His Father's hand as well when it takes away, as when it gives. And wherefore? Because he "reckons that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed.' And did we, my Christian friends, look stedfastly with the eye of faith, to those glorious mansions which our Lord is gone to prepare for us, how light would seem all the cares of this short span of life! Are the sufferings we now endure, for a short time only, to be compared with that glory which is everlasting? Even supposing the whole life of a man to be one continued scene of suffering, (a lot which, blessed be God, has been seldom, if ever, assigned to any man,) still it could be but for a term of fourscore years, perchance a few more-a term no more to be compared with the countless ages of eternity than one small drop to the mighty waters of the great deep. But the secret of our impatient murmuring is our want of faith. We do not stedfastly believe that this glory shall be revealed-we say, with the scoffers of old, "Where is the promise of his coming?" We see the world lying in wickedness, we see men groaning under sufferings; we see, it may be, the wicked in prosperity, and the righteous in want; and, instead of looking forward to that state wherein all these seeming evils shall be fully and eternally remedied, we sinfully ask, "What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto Him??" 1 2 Pet. iii. 4. 2 Job xxi. 15. 1834.] EPISTLE FOR 4TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 399 Far different is the language of the Christian. He knows that, when sin entered into the world, and death by sin, all this once fair creation was made "subject to vanity and corruption." Satan was suffered to bring men into bondage, to afflict them, to tempt them to deny their Maker but he knows, too, that it was not thus left without hope: for, at the very time when our first parents forfeited their happiness, and drew down the curse upon themselves, and upon all the world, a promise was given that they, and all their race, should be restored to their first glory and blessedness, through Him who was to bruise the serpent's head. They were all made subject to suffering during their earthly pilgrimage, and were finally doomed to pass through the gates of death. But beyond that dark valley there was opened to them a glorious prospect of a better country, "even a heavenly," where all tears should be wiped from their eyes, where sin and death could no more enter. Oh! then, instead of ungratefully murmuring at the "light afflictions" we may be called to endure," which are but for a moment," let us receive them as they are intended, as instruments of good-as designed to purify and cleanse us from our corruption, to wean us from earthly objects, to draw us nearer to God, to make us more earnestly desirous of that glory which shall be revealed. Let us, when we pray for the coming of God's kingdom, pray also, from our hearts, that His will may be both done and suffered by us; and let us, day by day, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. O God, the protector of all that trust in Thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy, increase and multiply upon us thy mercy, that thou, being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our Lord. Amen. L. S. R. EPITAPH ON A FAITHFUL SERVANT. WE have frequently given to our readers copies of the inscriptions on the grave-stones of faithful servants, for the purpose of showing how highly such characters are regarded by those who are able to judge properly of their worth. It is not of great consequence what our condition in this world may be,-for the things of this world soon come to an end :--the great question is, whether we have sought to serve God, and, from a desire to do His will, have studied to discharge, in a Christian manner, the duties of the station to which He has appointed us. There are trials and temptations in every condition of life. Persons in high rank and station have temptations many and great; -blessed are those who, with the help of divine grace, have been enabled to resist them :-servants too, of all classes, have many temptations though they are of a different kind. The subject of the following Epitaph was an honest and upright steward, greatly respected by the whole household to which he belonged. He died in the month of October, at Tunbridge Wells; and was followed to his grave by the whole male establishment of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent. The following inscription was written on his tomb: Here lieth the remains of MR. PHILIP BECK. He had been thirty years Steward of the Household of his late Royal Highness the Duke of Kent; and filled the same situation in that of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent for nearly fifteen years. He died in Her Royal Highness's service, at Tunbridge Wells, on the 16th October, 1834, in the 82d year of his age. Her Royal Highness has directed this tablet to be raised to the memory of a most faithful, honest, and attached servant. TUNBRIDGE WELLS INFANT SCHOOL. THOSE who have not visited Infant Schools have no notion of the cheerful and pleasant manner in which they are conducted. The children seem full of happiness; and the sort of instruction is just such as to suit the tender age of the infant scholars: it is a sort of play, 1834.] TUNBRIDGE WELLS INFANT SCHOOL. 401 which indeed would be out of place for children of a more advanced age, but quite suitable for infants; and, without labouring over books, a great deal of information is gained. These schools are now in all parts of the kingdom. There is an excellent one at Tunbridge Wells. The following little song is sung by the children. 1. THIS is the Tunbridge Wells Infant School, To love our God and parents kind, And leave all useless things behind. 2. In figures we take much delight; We spell, and read, and sometimes write; To sing and march we also learn, 3. Besides, the girls do learn to sew, 4. And only two-pence do we pay, 5. We also must attend to time, 6. Oh! then, how good I ought to be, 7. Then let us sing this little song, Both soft and sweet, it is not long ; And pray that God would bless this school, |