"WISE MEN LAY UP KNOWLEDGE."-PROV. x. 14. A SHORT SERMON FOR CHILDREN. IN Eastern Countries men lay up garments, and pride themselves in the number of their suits of apparel. In our land, men lay up money. But this is not "wisdom." In Egypt, Joseph laid up corn for the day of famine; and in Syria men lay up water for the summer in cisterns under their houses. This is wisdom; but still it is not the wisdom of which Solomon speaks. The astronomer lays up the knowledge of the stars; and the botanist lays up the knowledge of plants and flowers. This is wisdom, but it is not that of which the text speaks. The knowledge of that which is best for us is the knowledge of God Himself; and though the knowledge of His works is good, the knowledge of Himself is far better. It is only this knowledge that can make you happy, or bring blessing to your soul. A scholar once turned away from a poor man, smiling at him, and saying, "He does not know the name of Plato." Yet that same poor man knew something which the learned man did not know,-something far better than the name of Plato; he knew the name of God; and that name was the light of his soul, the joy of his heart. It is a great thing, my dear children, to know God,-the living and the true God; and it is a sad thing not to know Him; for to know Him is everlasting life. It was to make Him known to us that the Son of God took man's flesh upon Him, and came into our world, that by what He was, and what He did, and what He said, we might know the Father and the Father's love. This is the true knowledge, in having which we become wise, and without which we are fools. This is the knowledge which we are to "lay up;' adding to our stores of it every hour. You are sent to school for education; and you know that education is the training of the mind in knowledge, and of the will in obedience. Now this is the education which the Son of God came to give us, and by which He fits us for His kingdom. From Him, through the Holy Spirit, we get the heavenly knowledge and the heavenly blessing, for He said, "Learn of Me." Let us go to Him for that knowledge which saves, and heals, and comforts. Store it up; it is the only substantial knowledge, the only knowledge to be relied upon; and, unlike the transitory acquirements of this world, it corrupteth not, it fadeth not away, but abideth for ever, to those that fear the Lord. "You see A poor woman, that could not read a word, once said to me, I'm no scholar; but I'm Christ's scholar, and that will do." Yes, it was enough; for it made her "wise unto salvation." She was one of the wise women that "lay up knowledge." Dear children, this is the knowledge which you must have. Where will you find it? Why, in the Bible; and the Holy Spirit is most willing to become your teacher. The General Reader. CLEANLINESS. EASTERN DERVISES. Cleanliness may be considered under In Hindostan, are dervises who bethe three following remarks. First, take themselves to the top of hills it is a mark of politeness, for no one shaded with trees, where they fix unadorned with this virtue can go their habitations, and from which into company without giving a mani- they will not stir. Their usual form fest offence. Secondly, cleanliness of prayer is uttered with a loud voice, may be said to be the foster-mother of and is, " Almighty God! vouchsafe to affection. Beauty commonly produces look upon me: I love not the world, love, but cleanliness preserves it. Age but thee, and I do all this for thy itself is not unamiable, while it is sake." After their retirement they preserved clean and unsullied. In suffer their hair and nails to grow, the third place, it bears analogy with and will rather perish than go out of purity of mind, and naturally inspires their cells, depending on the charity refined sentiments and passions. It of others for the means of support. is an excellent preservative of health, and several vices destructive both to mind and body, are inconsistent with the habit of it. IDLENESS. The ruin of most men dates from some vacant hour. Occupation is the armour of the soul. I remember a satirical poem, in which the devil is represented as fishing for men, and fitting his baits to the taste and business of his prey; but the idler, he said, gave him no trouble, for he bit the naked hook. PATIENT ENDURANCE. Titus, the son of Vespasian, followed his father's example in reservedness and patience, not suffering any person to be prosecuted for speaking disrespectfully of him. "If they blacken my character undeservedly," says he, "they ought rather to be pitied than punished; if deservedly, it would be a crying piece of injustice to punish them for speaking truth." MAN'S CHARACTER. We may judge of a man's character by what he loves-what pleases him. If a person manifests delight in low AN UNJUST PREJUDICE, and sordid objects-the vulgar song The author of the New View of and debasing language; in the misLondon 1708, reports "that one James fortunes of his fellows, or cruelty to Farr, a barber, who kept the coffee animals, we may at once determine house which is now called the Rain- the complexion of his character. On bow, by the Inner Temple Gate, (one the contrary, if he loves purity, moof the first opened in England) was desty, truth-if virtuous pursuits enin the year 1657, presented by the gage his heart, and draw out his inquest of St. Dunstan's in the West, affections-we are satisfied that he is for making and selling a sort of liquor an upright man. A mind debased called coffee, to the great nuisance shrinks from association with the good and prejudice of the neighbourhood." and wise. TRUE WISDOM. neighborhood, or family do not culti Surely it is true wisdom to consider vate a kind and affectionate temper, there will be discord and every evil work." Lone Star," an American Paper. LIGHT. Edwin Sherratt, in the introduction our present existence, with its cares, joys, sorrows, relationships, and engagements, as a scene of discipline and trial, yet as a sphere where we may become blessed, be made blessings, and be trained up for a glorious destiny. We should, therefore, study to his "Popular Treatise on Light," "every-day life" in the light of infal- says, "What an immense and unlible truth, and with relation to that bounded field does light throw open coming existence, compared with to our vision-enabling us to gaze which the present, with all its noise into the spacious atmosphere by sunand turmoil, its songs and sighs, its lit day, or moon or star-lit night. It gettings and its losings, is but "a is in itself a grand and indescribable vapour, which appeareth for a little phenomenon, and it must have been while, and then vanisheth away." created by a Being possessing an Sketches and Lessons from Daily Life by FELIX FRIENDLY. Almighty hand, and an eye of infinite wisdom. When we gaze into the firmament by night, or look into the azure vault, lighted by one central A bad temper is a curse to its pos-is smitten with mysterious awe at the luminary by day, the reflecting mind sessor, and its influence is most deadly imposing sight!" THE EVIL OF A BAD TEMPER. EXTRAORDINARY CHARITABLE DISPOSITION. A foreign jew named Simeon Cafton, whilst rich was exceedingly charitable. Having sunk into poverty, and consequently unable to give money himself, this benevolent man to satisfy the cravings of his heart and his long cherished charitable disposition, actually performed the work of a common laborer, in order to gain the means for relieving the distressed. wherever it is found. It is allied to martyrdom to be obliged to live with one of a complaining temper. To hear one eternal round of complaint and murmuring, to have every pleasant thought scared away by their evil spirit, is a sore trial. It is like the sting of a scorpion-a perpetual nettle, destroying your peace, rendering life a burden. Its influence is deadly; and the purest and sweetest atmosphere is contaminated into a deadly miasma wherever this evil genius prevails. It has been said truly, that while we ought not to let the bad temper of others influence us, it would be as unreasonable to spread a blister upon Honor the good, that they may love the skin, and not expect it to draw, thee; be civil to the bad, that they as to think of a family not suffering may not hurt thee. Lend money to because of a bad temper of any of its an enemy, and thou'lt gain him; lend inmates. One string out of tune will to a friend and thou'lt lose him. destroy the music of an instrument Withhold not thy money where there otherwise perfect, so if all the members is need, and waste it not where there of either a church, Sunday school, is none. GOOD ADVICE. RICHARD I. Foulques de Neully, a celebrated preacher of his day, addressing himself in a prophetic style to Richard I. King of England, told him he had three daughters to marry, and that, if he did not dispose of them soon, God would punish him severely. "You are a false prophet," said the King; "I have no daughter." "Pardon me, sir," replied the Priest, " your Majesty has three, Ambition, Avarice, and Luxury; get rid of them as fast as possible, else assuredly some great misfortune will be the consequence." "If it must be so then," said the King, with a sneer, "I give my Ambition to the Templars, my Avarice to the Monks, and my Luxury to the Prelates." The to keep it till he should meet with ETIQUETTE. INGRATITUDE. It has been urged as an excuse for Ingratitude is a crime so shameful, etiquette, that it produces, or is conthat there never was a man found ducive to good order. But upon that would own himself guilty of it. analyzing the forms, they are found, The ungrateful are neither fit to serve for the major part, to be nothing God, their country, nor their friends. more than polite ceremonies, to blind Ingratitude perverts all the measures the proud, the foolish, and the unwary; and in their garb many of the worst injuries to private society are effected. Depend upon it the Truth does not require dressing. Error alone needs artificial support; Truth of religion and society, by making it ing good; Though the ungrateful subjects of their favours ABORIGINAL IGNORANCE. DEATH. When the Tumbese Indians first heard the crowing of Chanticleer, "O that they were wise, that they they supposed he was talking to them, would understand these things, and and therefore eagerly inquired what consider their latter end!" Death is he said; and Pizarro having taken a the introduction into an eternal state; negro with him, they set about washand to live unprepared for it must, ing his face, but finding that they therefore, be the extreme of folly.-A could not in the least impair the certain nobleman kept a fool, to whom blackness of it, they all burst out he one day gave a staff, with a charge laughing. PUNCTUALITY. CHRISTIANITY AND Washington was a minute man. An accurate clock in the entry at Infidels should never talk of our Mount Vernon controlled the move- giving up Christianity, till they can ments of the family. At his dinner propose something superior to it. parties, he allowed five minutes for Lord Chesterfield's answer, therefore, difference of watches, and then waited to an infidel lady was very just. for no one. If members of Congress When at Brussels, he was invited by came at a late hour, his simple apology Voltaire to sup with him and with was, "Gentlemen, we are too punctual Madame C. The conversation hapfor you;" or, "Gentlemen, I have a pened to turn upon the affairs of Engcook who never asks whether the land. "I think, my lord," said Madame company has come, but whether the C., "that the parliament of England hour has come." Nobody waited for consists of five or six hundred of the General Washington. He knew the best informed and most sensible men value of time, and would not consent in the kingdom." "True, madame, to be robbed, or to rob others, of that they are generally supposed to be so." which could never be restored, or paid for. 66 What, then, my lord, can be the reason that they tolerate so great an absurdity as the Christian religion?" "I suppose, madame," replied his lordship, "it is because they have not been able to substitute any thing better in its stead: when they can, I SOLITUDE. will readily adopt it. Solitude is the hallowed ground which religion has in every age chosen for herself. There her inspiration | don't doubt but in their wisdom they is felt, and her secret mysteries elevate the soul. There falls the tear of contrition; there rises towards heaven the sigh of the heart: there, the soul melts with all the tenderness of devotion, and pours itself forth before Him who made and redeemed it. WHAT IS GRATITUDE ? At a public examination of a school for educating the Deaf and Dumb at Paris, the following question was put to a pupil of the Abbé Sicard :— 'What is gratitude?' when he answered with great quickness, 'the memory of the heart.' UNNECESSARY MODESTY. BAD PRECEPT. 'My grandfather,' say Mr. Orton, ' once asked a very excellent but modest minister to pray in his family, when there were several others pre "Tell me," said a gentleman to a poor drunkard, when urging him to give up the intoxicating cup, "where ing that he had not thought of it, and there were so many other ministers present. My grandfather replied, "Sir, you are to speak to your Master, and not to them; and my Bible tells me, He is not so critical and censorious as men are."" sent; he desired to be excused, alleg-it was you took your first steps in this intemperate course?" "At my father's table," replied the unhappy young man; "before I left home to become a clerk, I had learned to love the drink that has ruined me. The first drop I ever tasted was handed me by my now broken-hearted mother. |