to the house of God, to worship him who made heaven and earth, instead of the stupid wood or stone idols which they once worshipped! My dear young reader, as God has, in his kind providence, cast your lot on England's happy shores, I hope you will always feel pity for those who dwell in lands of darkness. Always do all you can, even if it be but little, to help on this great and good work-the greatest and the best in the world. You will feel much more happy in thinking that you have spent your money in sending the glad tidings of great joy to the perishing heathen, than in wasting it in trifles that are no good to you, and no benefit to others. THE TRIUMPHS OF THE GOSPEL. LIKE the sun going forth on his mighty career, A glorious course it shall nobly pursue, The shadows that cover the regions of Ham, The slave is now free in the isles of the west, And the negro with spiritual freedom is blest; A voice in the desert-a voice in the wood! And greet the new light that now dawns on thy skies. "His star in the east," is to millions display'd, And its lustre has put the proud crescent in shade; O'er the darkness of nations, for ages forlorn, The Gospel is shedding millenial morn! "The sign of the cross" has appeared-the blest signAnd faith has read plainly the motto divine; "He must reign" till all nations in homage bow down, The wicked his footstool-believers his crown! For life's crystal river shall everywhere flow, And the "record" denounces great Babel to fall, All over the wide earth the Gospel shall spread, What funny fancies some little girls have about their dolls. talk to them, and praise them, and scold them, just as if they were alive, and could hear, and know all that was said to them. Lucy had four-yes, four dolls-all her own, and all dressed in a different way, and she had names for them allthere was Clara, and Rosa, and Eva, and one with a black face, which she called Topsy. One day when in the parlour with mother and aunt Phoebe, Lucy set four chairs all in a row, and placed one on each chair. She had something to do to make them sit up, for they would slip on one side. Topsy was the worst; but after a good deal of lifting up, and setting down, and a good scolding for her awkwardness, she made the little black scholar sit as upright, and as still as the white ones. "There now," said Lucy, "You be all good girls, and learn your lessons well, and you shall have a holiday this afternoon." In this way Lucy would amuse herself with her little dumb companions for an hour together. Mother and Aunt let her have her own way in playing with them, for they thought it was an innocent amusement that would not do her any harm, but might do good in exercising her mind, and drawing forth kind feelings from her heart. But when she had played with them in her own funny and amusing way for an hour or so, her mother would say, "Now, Lucy, you have played with your dolls long enough; let them leave school, and put them all to bed together in your box. They will be very quiet until the afternoon. Dolls dont fall out with one another, as some little live dolls do sometimes." "Live dolls, mother! are there any live dolls? I wish you would buy some for me, mother; will you?" "Ah, I see you do not know what I mean, Lucy. I mean little boys and little girls like you." "Oh, I thought you meant living dolls. I should so like a live doll." "I dare say you would my dear. But there are no such things. I was only comparing some little folks to live dolls." 66 Yes, I see now. But I dont want to be like a live doll. I hope to be something better than that.” "I hope so too, my dear. And the way for you to be better is to learn your lessons well. Dolls cannot learn, but you can." "I will try, mother. I can read now a little you know, and I should like to read as well as you or father." "You may sometime, and I hope you will. But you must spend more time in trying before you do. Do you remember a verse that father read after breakfast this morning?" "I think I do. But I cannot say it off. Can you, mother? It was something about a child and childish things." "It was. I will tell it you. It was this—'When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.' And so you, Lucy, as you grow up to be a girl, and a woman, must put away these childish things. Your aunt and I have. You would not like to see us playing with dolls, would you Lucy ?" "No mother. I should think that very odd; and I dont think father would like to see you." "I am sure he would not. And though we all like to see you amused and happy when playing with your dolls, you will have, before long, to put away these childish things, and learn many good things which you do not know yet, and if you do you will make us all happy." "I will, mother; for I have sometimes thought when I have done playing with my dolls, that it is very silly of me to do so. I see that I must do something better soon and I will try." |