*.

The drunkard feels his vitals waste,
Yet drowns his health to please his taste!
Till all his active powers are lost,

And fainting life draws near the dust.

The glutton groans, and loathes to eat;
His soul abhors delicious meat :
Nature, with heavy loads oppress'd,
Would yield to death to be releas'd.

Then how the frighted sinners fly
To God for help with carnest cry!

He hears their groans, prolongs their breath,
And saves them from approaching death.

THE USEFUL TEXT.

"Doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? and He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? Prov. xxiv. 12.

HANNAH WILSON was an old woman even when I first knew her she was respected by her neighbours, and distinguished by the notice of all the respectable inhabitants of the village where she lived. Her children loved and cherished her, and even her little grandchildren delighted to be with her she was a cheerful happy Christian.

I used often to call upon Hannah, and I never conversed with her, without deriving both pleasure and profit from what she said. I found that she had had the blessing of pious parents; and to their instructions she seemed to owe, under God's blessing, all her happiness: they early accustomed her to learn, by heart, portions of Scripture:-and happy, thrice happy they, whose infant souls have been thus nurtured with the "bread of life!"Large portions of the Proverbs of Solomon were treasured up in her youthful mind; these she found useful guides in daily life. Her remarks on

The useful Text.

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the words I have placed at the head of this paper, I thought particularly striking; and, as they may be useful to some of those who are, like her, exposed to trials and temptations, I have noted them down as they occurred.

When tempted to do wrong, this excellent Christian was checked by the thought that God "who pondereth the heart," considered her sinful purpose —and that "He that keepeth the soul" knew her intention; thus she had time to pray not to be "led into temptation ;" and was preserved from sin.

If a neighbour said an unkind word of her, or she was accused falsely, she would console herself with the thought that God "considered," and knew her wrongs. She had much needle-work to do for her mother when a girl, and, after she married, she used to work for her own little ones. This employment leaves the mind more at leisure than any other. Hannah had been early taught to "keep her heart with all diligence"-to do this she knew she must watch her thoughts. Who can count the number of vain, foolish, anxious thoughts, that enter the vacant mind?-To chase these away, what can be more effectual than the words of the text?-Who could bear to present those idle thoughts to the eye of a pure and holy God?-who could bear to think that" He that pondereth the heart should consider them?" that "He that keepeth the soul should know them?"

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In seasons of affliction these words were also her consolation. Many a time," she would say, "when things seemed going hard against us, and my good man was quite out of heart, I used to remind him that we were not forsaken, that all was for the best, that God considered our sorrows, and that He that knew our souls knew our trouble." Thus acting and feeling, it was no wonder that Hannah Wilson exhibited, in her life, a picture of Christian holiness.

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Returning from the cottage of this poor woman, I felt that she had been to me, in her own simple way, a preacher of righteousness." Some talk of religion-some scoff at religion-and others forget it altogether: those, who not only believe in its declarations, but who likewise obey its precepts, are the true "lights of the world;" these are led by the Spirit, and they daily and hourly "glorify their Father which is in heaven!"

IOTA.

GREEN CORN.

(From the Farmer's Golden Treasury.)

FAIR and beautiful looks this field! Behold, what a lovely sight it is now, in comparison of what it was when overrun with brambles and moss! It was then the picture of a man in his natural state, when his soul is overrun with vicious habits, and his life and actions, all over, deformed and irregular. But it is now the resemblance of the same man in a state of holiness, when the Spirit of God hath formed him into a new creature; and there is an inexpressible sweetness and beauty in all his conversation, when he is all love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, &c.-Lord, what lovely virtues are these! who can be otherwise than ravished with them?

Grant, O Lord, that I may see and abhor the ugliness of sin, and be taken with the excellency and beauty of holiness! Let me have no pleasure in wickedness; suffer no evil to dwell with me. Let my delight be in those things which thou approvest, and in those people who serve thee. Let me always love righteousness, and let my countenance behold the thing that is just.

Wash me throughly from my wickedness, O God, and cleanse me from my sin. Make me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me; so shall I be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

1

ON DRESS.

How much wiser it is to place our money in Saving Banks, and properly constituted Benefit Societies, than to lay it out in Dress. In every rank of life a love of dress is dangerous. We are warned against it in Scripture. It is dangerous to men as well as women-but more so to women. It is dangerous to those of high rank-it is still more dangerous to those of the middle and lower classes, for it exposes them to very great dangers and temptations, and often leads them into situations which prove fatal to their virtue. The present low price of articles of dress naturally tempts persons to an improper fondness for show, and seems to plead an excuse for it; -but I am, on this account, the more anxious to warn my friends of the danger they are thus led into. Beware how, in the choice of apparel, you assume an appearance beyond your rank, thus shewing a disposition to attract the notice of those who are your superiors in rank; but whose attention to you will probably end in your ruin. If the melancholy history of many of those once lovely females who perish in vice and infamy could be told, their misfortunes might often be traced to a love of dress. Female servants and young women whose occupations lead them into notice, cannot be too cautious to observe the strictest propriety and neatness of dress. This in itself will be some check upon those

who would be but too ready to take liberties with persons who had the slightest appearance of levity and vanity.

Neatness is always becoming; and, though you might be more admired by some persons in a shewy dress than in a plain one, believe one who has had long experience of the world, that the admiration you would so gain would not be that of those whose esteem and respect would be valuable.

IGNOTA.

FUR OF ANIMALS.

THOSE who study the works of nature, cannot help seeing how mercifully the care of Providence is extended to every thing that he has made. How beautiful is the contrivance by which a thick warm coat is provided for the animals, which inhabit the cold northern parts of the world, whilst those which live in warmer climates have a lighter covering. The following extract from Captain Parry's northern expedition, shews, in a wonderful manner, this admirable contrivance for the comfort of the inferior animals; and that it does not seem to belong merely to a particular kind of animal, but that the nature of an animal actually seems to be changed, for the sake of its comfort and preservation, and to change according to the season,-the warm coat to come just when it is wanted, and to go just when it would be an inconvenience. We see these changes in horses and other animals ;-but the English dog seeming to take the nature of an Esquimaux dog just as its wants required it, is a striking proof that the mercies of God are 66 over all his works."

"The fur of our Esquimaux dogs was peculiarly adapted to a cold climate, consisting, not merely