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beauty from the indwelling light and life of Him, whom he was wont to call "the divine Author of our holy religion." There is no time left us to speak of these. We may, however, remark that from such review of his writings as we found it necessary to make in the preparation of this article, we find that prominent in his charac ter were earnestness, tenderness of heart, benevolence, mercy, temperance, modesty, humility, reverence, gravity, truth, dignity, and quietude of spirit.

In regard to his evenness of temper an incident is related worthy of record. If it be true that he became excited unduly, his humble confession of his fault shows the true greatness of that humility which underlay it all.

"When Stuart was painting Washington's portrait, he was rallied one day by the General for his slow work. The painter protested that the picture could not advance until the canvass was dry, and that there must yet be some delay. Upon arriving the next morning, Stuart turned his canvass and discovered, to his great horror, that the picture was spoiled. "General," said he, "somebody has held this picture to the fire." Washington summoned his negro valet, Sam, and demanded of him, in great indignation, who had dared to touch the portrait. The trembling Sam replied, that chancing to overhear Washington's expression of impatience at the slowness of the work, and the response of the artist that it must be dry before he could go on, he had ventured to put the canvass before the fire. Washington, with great anger, dismissed him, and told him not to show his face again. But the next day, after Stuart had arrived and was at work, Washington rang the bell and sent for Sam. He came in abashed and trembling. The President drew a new silver watch from his pocket and said, "Come here, Sam. Take this watch, and whenever you look at it, remember that your master, in a moment of passion, said to you what he now regrets, and that he was not ashamed to confess that he had done so,'

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On the night of the 19th of October 1781, a hasty and joyous messenger came into Philadelphia; and soon after, an aged watchman, going upon his round with quick glad step, sung out: "Past one o'clock-and Cornwallis is taken!" The nation was in extacies of joy. Now, mark the Christian magnanimity of him, who shares most largely in the honor. "While the troops of Cornwallis were marching out of town, with cased colors, and drums beating the sad sound of defeat, Washington turned to his troops and said: "My brave fellows, let no sensation of satisfaction for the triumph you have gained, induce you to insult a fallen enemy; let no shouting no clamorous hazzaing, increase their mortification. It is a sufficient satisfaction to us, that we witness their humiliation. Posterity will huzza for us!"

The next day he ordered that all who were under arrest should be set at liberty, and closed his order thus: "Divine service shall be performed to-morrow in the different divisions of the army; and the Commander-in-chief recommends that all the troops that are

not on duty do assist at it with a serious deportment, and that sensibility of heart, which the recollection of the surprising and particular interposition of Divine Providence in our favor, claims."

The first thing he did when the war was at an end, was to visit his aged mother! Covered with glory as with a garment, he rushed to his mother's arms, with all the simplicity of a child who has found a pearl! They talked of old times and old friends, but not a word of his renown! When, after he was absent again, the undulations of a nation's praise, rolled up to the holy retirement of HOME and MOTHER, and neighbors crowded upon her with his praises, she meekly said: "Here is too much flattery; still George will not forget the lessons I early taught him; he will not forget himself, though he is the subject of so much praise!" Oh what a world of holiness is a pious mother's heart!-the world, with all its subtlety cannot, thrust itself in between it and its child.

Years after this, when the Great Lafayette visited Washington's mother, she listened calmly to the praises which he lavished upon her illustrious son, and only replied: "I am not surprised at what George has done; for he was always a good boy." Hear it, boys! He was always a good boy. Give us good boys, and we will have good men!

After he had been elected President, he went once more to see his mother. When he was about to leave her, he said that as soon as he could be relieved of those cares which necessarily attend the outset of a new government, he would visit her again. She interrupted him: "You will see me no more! My great age warns me that I shall not be long in this world. I trust in God that I may be somewhat prepared for a better! Go, George, my son ! and perform your duties, and may the blessing of God, and that of a mother, be with you always." She cast her arms around his neck, and resting his head upon the shoulder of his aged parent, he shed tears of filial love! They parted-to meet in heaven!

The end, which comes to all, came also in due time to him. Tread silently! Tread softly! Tread reverently. 'Tis the "chamber where the good man meets his fate, quite on the verge of heaven!"

"The last end

Of the good man is peace. How calm his exit!
Night-dews fall not more gently to the ground,
Nor weary worn-out winds expire so soft!"

On the sunny banks of the Potomac, nine miles from Washington city, is Mount Vernon, and there, in the side of a little hill, is the Tomb of Washington. A small arched excavation, with a brick breast-work, over-hung with wild vines, and an iron-grated door in front, marks the good man's resting place.

In front of it, towards the south, lies a deep wooded valley. To the left, along the slope of the hill is a thicket, where the grape vine and green brier, creeping upon the wild shrubbery, make many a shaded summer bower. To the north, and around the hill is the family mansion, where the great man spent but a few

days of happy retirement. To the east, and far below, the deep blue Potomac rolls by in tranquil glory. Fit scenes are these to embosom the hallowed spot, where the father of his country sleeps; and where thousands of grateful hearts find their dearest earthly

shrine.

From all these scenes of beauty the visitor turns, in silent reverence, toward the tomb itself. A marble pannel above the door attracts his attention. It has an inscription upon it. What?

"I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE: HE THAT BELIEVETH IN ME, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE: AND WHOSOEVER LIVETH, AND BELIEVETH IN ME, SHALL NEVER DIE."

Jesus, the Saviour, is the author of the Epitaph of Washington! He died the last year in the century, the last month in the year, the last day in the week, and the last hour of the day, 12 o'clock, Saturday night, December 31st, 1799. He died? We call it death. It is so when viewed from the mortal side Viewed from yonder side it is birth! As "an angel's arm could not snatch him from the grave, legions of angels cant confine him there."

So sleep the brave who sink to rest,
By all his country's wishes blest!
When spring, with dewy fingers cold,
Returns to deck his hallowed mould,
She there shall dress a sweeter sod,
Than fancy's feet have ever trod.

By fairy hands his knell is rung,
By forms unseen, his dirge is sung;
His honor comes, a pilgrim grey,
To bless the turf that wraps his clay,
And freedom shall awhile repair,

To dwell a weeping hermit there!

We have already detained the reader beyond our ordinary habit; and we make no application of the subject. If you have not instinctively applied the facts and principles elicited as we passed along, our end has not been attained, and could not now be secured by any after reflections on our part. Have we not before us the picture of one who was at once a patriot and a Christian? Is not such a life a proper subject for study at a time when impiety has grown to Treason, and Treason has ripened in Rebellion? May the God of our Fathers show mercy to the Fatherland; and imbue the minds and hearts of Rulers and citizens with the humble piety and pure patriotism of the Father of his country!

KINDNESS TO PARENTS.-Sweeter praise can never be than that of a dying parent, as he blesses the hand that led him from sorrow to sorrow, and is even now smoothing the cold brow, damp with the spray of Jordan. And dear the thought as your tears fall upon the sod that covers the gray-headed father, that you were very kind and loving to him; that you gave cheerfully of your abundanco, and never caused him to feel that you were doing a charity.

Never can we repay those ministering angels we call father and mother. Angels, though earthly, have they been, from the time that Adam and Eve gazed on their first-born, as he slept amid roses, while the tiny fingers, the waxen lids, and the cherub arm were all mysterious to them.

DEATHS OF THE APOSTLES.

Which of Christ's disciples suffered martyrdom ? What deaths did they die? and what are their emblems?

There are various accounts. We can only offer that which appears to be the best supported by historic testimony.

Paul, beheaded at Rome.

Peter, crucified at Rome.

Andrew, bound to a cross till he died, at Patras.

James the Less, thrown from a pinnacle of the temple, and beaten to death by clubs at Jerusalem.

John, banished to be hanged against a pillar at Phrygia.
Thomas, run through the body at Coromandel.

Matthew, by the sword in Ethiopia.

Matthias, first stoned and then beheaded at Colchis.

James the Elder, beheaded at Jerusalem.

Simon, supposed to have suffered martyrdom at Mauritania.
Jude, shot to death with arrows in Persia.

Bartholomew, frayed alive in Albania.

The emblems by which the figures of the apostles may be identified are said to be

Paul, a sword; Peter, the keys; Andrew a saltier, i. e. a St. Andrew's cross; James the Less, a fuller's pole; John, a cup and winged serpent; Thomas, a lance; Philip, a staff, the upper end forming a cross; Matthew, a hatchet; Matthias, a battle-axe; James the Elder, a pilgrim's staff and a gourd-bottle; Simon, a saw; Jude, a club; Bartholomew, a knife.

The truth of Holy Writ is confirmed by the deaths of the apostles, as not one of them died by poison, although the administering of poison was at that period so prevalent a crime.-Mark. xvi. 18. Heraclion, who is quoted by Clemens Alexandrinus, maintains that Matthew, Thomas, Philip and Levi, were exempt from martyrdom.

It may be well to observe, that Levi was one of the names given to Judas, to distinguish him from the apostate. He is therefore called Jude, Judas, Levi, Lebbeus and Thaddeus.

Peter is also known by the names of Simon and of Cephas.

Simon is sometimes spoken of as Simon the Canaanite, and as Simon Zelotes.

Bartholomew is supposed to be the same person who is elsewhere called Nathanael; for St. John never mentions Bartholomew in the list of Apostles, and the other Evangelists in their lists make no mention of Nathanael.

A PRAYER OF AFFECTION.

BY MABEL.

Blessings, O Father, pour

Rich blessings on his precious head.
Guard and guide him evermore,
And may Thy Holy Spirit shed

Bright beams upon bis thoughtful hour;
That all his pure and lofty theme
May with thy Spirit's influence teem.

Beloved Father!

I ask not fame's bright gilded name
To crown his holy mission here--
To win Thee souls, be this his fame;
His praise, to dry the orphan's tear.
Fortune, power; be his spirit tried
By these, or absence, at thy will;
But let Thy peace with him abide,
Guarding his inmost life from ill

With its pure pinions still.

Let such a sense of Thee
Within his bosom ever dwell,
That wheresoe'er he move or be
His pious walk and mien may tell
His cup well filled beyond the skies,
Where fountains of pure waters rise;

And when Thou call'st him from his sphere.
Fill his last hour with joyful trust,

That so with lamp still burning clear
All wavering, doubting thoughts be hushed;
And he his Saviour meet,

And be forever blest.

BOOK NOTICES.

A Diary kept during the Rebel Occupa-
tion of Frederick, Md. New York,
Anson D. F. Randolph, pp. 43.
This is an interesting pamphlet prepared
by Lewis H. Steiner, M.D., Inspector of
the Sanitary Commission. It will be read
with great interest years to come as
furnishing a graphic picture of those
days of darkness during which the Re-
bels swept through that part of Mary-
land. His description of General Mc-
Clellan's entrance into Frederick is in-
tensely interesting. The whole pamphlet
abounds in lively and graphic dsecrip-
tions.

THE INDEPENDENT.-This weekly Religious, Literary, and Family Journal,

edited by REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER, REV. JOSHUA LEAVITT, D. D., and THEODORE TILTON, having a circulation, it is stated, more than double that of any similar newspaper in the world, gives notice in its issue of the first of January, that its subscription price will not be increased nor its size diminished-that the same terms, viz: Two Dollars per Annum, will be continued notwithstanding the great advance in white paper. The same array of distinguished contributors, including HARRIET BEECHER STOWE, REV. MESSRS. HATFIELD AND CUYLER, HORACE GREELEY, WHITTIER the Poet, and others, also, a SERMON by MR. BEECHER, will continue to enrich its columns.

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