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MEDUSA.

lost the impulse given them when they were disengaged, they showed a downward tendency, and, after a few windings, came down to the ground. Another was formed in the same manner, with this difference, that it was filled with hydrogen gas, which had been collected in a bladder; and thus, being lighter than the atmospheric air, it rose beautifully, and soon fastened itself on the ceiling of the room in which the experiment was performed.

Will my juvenile friends forgive me should I say, that by balloons and Medusa I am reminded of "young men and maidens," and should I try to read them a short lesson? Has not "God made of one blood all the nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth?" Has he not "fashioned their hearts alike?" And yet, with a common origin, and a common nature, and great similarity in many respects, is there not in other respects a striking dissimilarity? Take a given number of the young of the same age, of the same rank, and with the same privileges how often does their history prove as different as day and night! Some are fair, but frail, floating or fluttering about for a little in great beauty, and with some promise; but they are unsound at the core; they seek not to get quit of the stony heart which they carry about with them: they have consequently a tendency to descend, and, like our carbonated bubble, they fall lower and lower, till they mingle with the dust. Others are like the massive Medusa, without energy, or effort, or aim. They swim with the tide; they allow themselves to be driven about and tossed by every wind and wave; they think not of the breakers ahead, though they are constantly nearing them; and a life of aimless case soon terminates in utter ruin. Others are like the great stinging Scoudre-intent on evil, and capable of inflicting it. See you a person of this description, my young friends? Flee from him; habet fænum in cornu”— "he has a wisp on his horn," showing him to be vicious, given to push and gore. Shun him as you would the pestilence.

Another class there is, puffed up with self-conceit, aiming at great things, but, from want of ballast, unable to execute them. How aspiring is that little hydrogen bubble! It mounts high; but it carries little up, and it brings less down. Chemists tell us that hydrogen is the lightest of all ponderable substances. Vanity is lighter. Unhappy they who have their head full of it. They remind us of the aspiring youth in Heathen mythology, whose ambition it was to drive for a day the chariot of the sun, but, having neither strength nor skill to guide the wing-footed steeds, and leaving the beaten track, he perished in the daring enterprise. They recall also to our remembrance another ancient fable, written when foxes spake, and players on the stage not only personated fictitious characters, but wore a false facea mask, sometimes with finer features than those it covered. In those days of yore Reynard found a fine mask. He looked at it with surprise and admiration; but happening to turn it over, and finding that it was light, light, he lifted up his voice and exclaimed, not in Latin, Fronti nulla fides""there's no trusting to looks,"--but in pure ancient Greek, which, as his interpreter, we must render into

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English, "What a beautiful head!-but it has no brains!" Had this gash fox understood Scotch, we doubt not he would have said, "It's very bonny, but, alas! it is toom !”

But we must close with the little Medusa with which we started; which, unless it has been known and named before, we may not improperly name, in honour of its Scotch discoverer, Thaumantias Milleri. It was less than any around it; but, endowed with spirit and innate vigour, it evidently rejoiced in the exercise of its power, and seemed not only the most active, but the most happy of the whole. It was delightful to see this little crystal bell putting forth a miniature giant's strength, and, instead of yielding to the adverse tide, bounding at will through the opposing waves, in companulated beauty.

And is not it the representative of a class? Yes, of a noble class the excellent ones of the earth, whom God has ennobled, giving not mere talent, but energy, generated and sustained by grace. We honour talent; but mere talent may dishonour the possessor of it. Even genius may perish amidst its own deceitful coruscations; but grace burns, not with a flickering blaze, but with a steady flame-the fire of holy zeal for God's glory, accompanied with the kindly warmth of brotherly love. It gives elevation to the mind, and heavenly strength to human efforts. He who is rich in grace is "always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as he knows that his labour shall not be in vain in the Lord." It has been quaintly said respecting one of this class, "The sun stood still when he was not busily employed in his Master's service." In trying circumstances it exalts what might have seemed an ordinary charactor into one that is extraordinary, in doing or in suffering, converting the natural timidity of female lovelincss into the warrior's courage or the martyr's endurance; or giving to the man whose life has been spent amidst the useful arts of peace, that heroic firmness of Christian principle which mighty kings may not be able to imitate; and which raises above the fear of man, that worketh a snare. BERNARD PALISSY, to whom France was indebted in the sixteenth century for the introduction of the manufacture of enamelled pottery, was one of the most extraordinary men of his time; in his moral character displaying a high-mindedness and commanding energy altogether in harmony with the reach and originality of conception by which his understanding was distinguished. "Although a Protestant, he had escaped, through royal favour, from the massacre of Bartholomew; but having been soon after shut up in the Bastile, he was visited in his prison by the king, who told him, that if he did not comply with the established (Popish) religion, he should be forced, however unwillingly, to leave him in the hands of his enemies." "Forced! sire," replied the brave old Huguenot "forced! this is not to speak like a king; but they who force you cannot force me. I can die." And he did die-not by the sword, nor by the axe of the headsman, which, comparatively, would have been merciful, but by lingering imprisonment in the dungeons of the Bastile, from which he was not delivered, till, in the ninetieth year of his age, death set him free!

THE CONDITION OF THE LABOURING CLASSES IN PALESTINE.

BY JOHN KITTO, D.D.

THE information on this interesting subject which may be gleaned from the Scriptures is very scanty of definite facts, although there are general statements conveying the impression that the labouring population rarely experienced the want of necessaries, and enjoyed a fair amount of comfort, except when the regular current of the national existence was obstructed by scarcity, or disturbed by war.

From the parable of the householder and his labourers in Matt. xv., we learn that the rate of wages for field labour in the time of Christ was one denarius by the day. This is reckoned as equal to sevenpence halfpenny. The wages of agricultural labour in Syria, before Mehemet Ali became master of the country, was considerably less than this in nominal, but probably about the same in real value; and although there was a great rise in all kinds of wages under the Egyptian rule, the prices of commodities rose in more than an equal proportion, and the labouring man was not better, nor indeed so well off, upon the higher than he had been upon the lower rate of wages. The comforts which he could secure upon his higher wages were, therefore, not greater than those which his previously lower wages would provide; and this explanation is necessary, because the information on which our statement proceeds was obtained while the higher rate of both provisions and wages existed-being that which is embodied in the report on the commercial statistics of Syria, rendered to the Government by Dr Bowring in 1840.

From a careful consideration and comparison of circumstances, we strongly incline to think that the current rate of wages for field and other labour in Syria bears very much about the same proportion to the price of provisions as it did in the time of Christ; and therefore that the sevenpence halfpenny of the Jewish labourer at that day went quite as far, in the purchase of food and other necessaries, as the wages now obtained in the same country: d

if so, we shall see, in the condition of the present Syrian labourer, no bad representation of that of the labouring population among the ancient Hebrews.

Then, bearing in mind the temporarily enhanced rate of wages and cost of commodities, the following may be taken as exhibiting the rate and proportion of expenditure to one of the labouring classes:

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hibited when both wages and prices were lower than at the time this estimate was made.

On this expenditure, the condition of the labouring population in Syria is described as easy and good, comparatively with that of the (at about twopence halfpenny the pound) sevesame classes in England. They feed on mutton ral times in the week, bread daily, sometimes rice pillaus, and always bulgur pillaus. Bulgur is a preparation of wheat, husked and bruised i or half ground, after being moistened and dried. These pillaus are lubricated either with butter or oil, and are very palatable and satisfying. They have also curds and butter-milk, cheese, eggs, olives, various dried fruits, and a large variety and abundance of vegetables, besides herb-roots, turnips, and radishes preserved in brine or vinegar, and cucumbers and capsicums in vinegar, for winter use.

Their clothing is not very coarse. The fine climate allows them to wear light cotton, and other similar apparel; and in the short winter they are generally well covered. Their lodging is good. Generally every family has a separate house, or set of rooms. The cost of this varies with the locality; but lodging generally is cheap in Syria, compared with most other countries.

It should be observed that this statement with respect to food, clothing, and lodging, emnot limited to husbandmen. braces the labouring classes in general, and is Some artisans earn twice as much, and a few thrice as much, as the field labourer. Smiths, stone-cutters, carpenters, painters, tailors, and saddlers, are the trades whose wages are highest. These and other trades probably have the same relation in ancient times as now to agricultural labour.

And there is sufficient reason to think that the

labouring classes generally among the Hebrews Promised Land; and their food, clothing, and were quite as well off as their successors in the accommodation not materially different in quality or kind.

THE SHEPHERD AND THE LAMB.
(FOR PARENTS.)

THE only child of two thoughtless parents died. The parents became on this account, not only sorrowful, but disposed to question the goodness of God. They even petulantly inquired of their minister, how it could be possible that a God of love could have dealt so hardly with them as to take their only child. To this question the pastor promised a reply, and he gave it :

heaven.

"You would know from me why God has taken your child from you? Well, then, he is determined to have from your family at least one member in You parents would not prepare to enter into heaven; and if that child of yours had been allowed to remain, you would also have prevented it from going thither. Hear, further, a parable. There was a good shepherd, who had prepared costly fodder in his fold for his sheep, but the sheep would not enter. He gave himself much concern to induce them to enter, but they always retreated far

TRIFLING WITH CONVICTIONS.

ther backward from the open door. Then he took a lamb from the flock, and dragged it in; and behold, the parent sheep ran in after it! The good Shepherd is Christ; the open fold is heaven; the lamb, your child. Have ye the hearts of parents? Prepare to follow your child. It has been taken from you on purpose to allure you to the skies."

THE DYING MAN AND THE THIEF. A QUEER old humorist lived in a little old cottage in the outskirts of our village. He had travelled much in the East, and had made money as a merchant in Smyrna. Being a native of our parish, and a bachelor, he came to close his mortal chapter where it began. I need scarcely say that, like so many of his class, he was fidgety, testy, and troublesome, but a lover of fair play-withal, warm-hearted, and benevolent. At bottom, too, he was a thoroughly religious man. He and I were getting on uncommonly well together, when, greatly to my sorrow, he took ill and died, only a few months after we had become acquainted. An odd incident befell him on his deathbed; and I must relate it, as illustrative of his cha

racter.

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bed. "Now, brother worm," said the queer but wise old patient, "I asked this last piece of service for your own good as well as mine. You will be worth of an armful of poor, sinful, dying clay. It nothing the worse for having felt the weight and will help you to keep in mind your good resolutions. Christ be with you! In his own gracious words, Go, and sin no more."-The Old Bachelor in the Old Scottish Village.

TOO LATE FOR CHURCH.

SOME people are always behind-hand in everything. It is their habit. They sit up late at night, and rise late in the morning, especially on the Sabbath; and it is ten o'clock before they are aware of it. The bell rings, and then they are in a great hurry; but after all do not get to the place of worship till the service has commenced. They meant to have been in season, but something happened to detain them; and so something almost always happens, and will happen, till they put their clocks a quarter of an hour forward, or resort to some other expedient to quicken their dilatoriness. Viewed in every light, this is a great fault. In all ordinary cases, families can be punctual on the Sabbath if they please. Even when the mornings are shortest, and they live several miles from the church, by making suitable arrangements and rising early, they can be in good season, as many such families always are. If it is our duty to attend public worship at all, it is a duty to be in our seats when the exercises commence. How our thoughts be collected, and our minds suitably composed, if we do not enter the house till the middle of the psalm, or till the first prayer is half through? What right have we to ex

can

A thief made his way into the cottage one midnight, and entered his dying chamber to steal; for he was counted rich as a nabob. There was a light burning in the room. "What do you want, friend" was the testy demand of our disturbed old gentleman. "Your money and your jewels," said the thief. "Oh! you are there, are you? Very well. Just look at these old legs of mine (thrusting out his emaciated members from beneath the bed-clothes); nay, lay hold of them-feel them-so, you must be perfectly convinced in your own mind now that I cannot go into the next apartment, where my money is. Come, then, take me on your back, and carry me there." Saying this, the old chap, dying though he was, actually rose and got out of bed. The thief drew back, with a look of ghastly surprise. "Harkpect that God will meet us with a blessing, if we do ye! son of woman born," continued the old gentleman emphatically, as he sat him down on the front of the bed, and raised his fore-finger with warning solemnity; "I am far on my way to eternity, and you are coming on behind me. You are here to steal certain trash of mine. Come, now, you must do better than that. Draw near. Here is this bald old heart of mine. Stand forward. Reach me now your thievish hand into this inveterate bosom of mine. Oh! do but steal, rob, plunder from it covetousness, lust, anger, and every other lingering bad passion, and send me lighter on my way. Oh! do this, and you shall have all my gold. You shake your head-you cannot. Here, then, friend-I am anything but heavy-you must take me on your back." The thief could not stand this. He fell down on his knees, and begged the old man's forgiveness. "Are you really in want?" asked the eccentric invalid. "I am," was the reply; "but I deserve to be so, for I have been dissipated and idle; but I think I am a changed man." "Take this key, then," said our dying friend; " open my desk in the next room there (pointing to the door); you will find a purse of gold in it-bring it to me." The thief did so. "Take that," said the worthy humorist, and he served out his gold liberally into the thief's trembling hand. With tears in his eyes, the poor penitent again fell on his knees, and craved a blessing on the dying man. He was about to retire. "Nay, friend, you must help me into my bed first," said the old gentleman; "it is anything but reasonable that I be raised up at midnight in this sort of manner." Accordingly, the thief lifted the old man up in his arms, and put him into the

not punctually meet him in the place and in the way
of his appointment? Will he wait for us when we
are stupidly lagging behind the time; or will he with-
draw his presence and withhold his blessing? Those
who can say with David, “I was glad when they
said unto me, Let us go into the house, of the Lord,"
will never be late if they can avoid it. It is a great
fault-a grievous sin. Emphatically is it great and
grievous, when families come in late, and march with
their rustling silks up the broad aisle, to draw all
Is this
the eyes of the congregation upon them.
an uncharitable supposition? We fear not. We
have known persons who seemed, at any rate, to
court this sort of notoriety-who were so far from
making it a part of their religion not to disturb others
in their devotions, that it was a matter of calculation
not to come in till the whole congregation was seated
and ready to receive them.

TRIFLING WITH CONVICTIONS.

You that are at any time under convictions, O take heed of resting in them! Though it is true that conviction is the first step to conversion, yet it is not conversion-a man may carry his convictions along with him into hell.

What is that which troubleth poor creatures when they come to die but this-I have not improved my convictions; at such a time I was convinced of sin, but yet I went on in sin in the face of my conviction; at such a sermon I was convinced of such a duty, but

I slighted the conviction; I was convinced of my need of Christ, and of the readiness of Christ to pardon and save; but, alas! I followed not the conviction.

My brethren, remember this-slighted convictions are the worst death-bed companions. There are two things especially which, above all others, make a death-bed very uncomfortable :

1. Purposes and promises not performed. 2. Convictions slighted and not improved. When a man takes up purposes to close with Christ, and yet puts them not into execution; and when he is convinced of sin and duty, and yet improves not his convictions, O this will sting and wound at last!

Now, therefore, hath the Spirit of the Lord been at work in your souls? Have you ever been convinced of the evil of sin-of the misery of a natural state of the insufficiency of all things under heaven to help-of the fulness and righteousness of Jesus Christ-of the necessity of resting upon him for pardon and peace, for sanctification and salvation? Have you ever been really convinced of these things? O then, as you love your own souls, as ever you hope to be saved at last, and enjoy God for ever, improve these convictions, and be sure you rest not in them till they rise up to a thorough close with the Lord Jesus Christ, and so end in a sound and perfect conversion. Thus shall you be not only almost, but altogether a Christian.-Mead.

LINES

WRITTEN AFTER A SLEEPLESS NIGHT DURING SICKNESS.

How welcome shines the morning light
Within the casement clear,
As, after dull and tedious night,
It comes arrayed in colours bright,
The sick man's couch to cheer!

O thus, when life is ebbing fast,
Lord, leave me not forlorn!
But as my night of woe rolls past-
That night of sin and pain the last-
Upon thy suffering servant cast

Beams of eternal morn!

"CHRIST IS MINE."

MANY of our readers must have heard of the gentleman who took a friend to the roof of his house to show him the extent of his possessions. Waving his hand about, "There," said he, "is my estate." Pointing to a great distance on one side, "Do you see that farm? Well, that is mine." Pointing again to the other side, "Do you see that house? That also belongs to me." In turn, his friend asked, "Do you see that little village out yonder? Well, there lives a poor woman in that village who can say more than all this." "Ah! what can she say ?" "Why, she can say, CHRIST IS MINE!" Indeed she was the richer of the two.

"How vain a toy is glittering wealth
If once compared to Thee?

Or what's my safety or my health,
Or all my friends to me?
Were I possessor of the earth,
And called the stars my own,
Without thy graces and thyself,
I were a wretch undone."

ABSOLUTION.

Ir a man be truly a penitent, the promise of God renders his absolution certain. If not, though a priest may pronounce him absolved a thousand times, his guilt remains. It is the sole prerogative of God to give repentance and remission of sin. The priest can do neither. The man who relies upon the absolution of a priest, is like an imprisoned and condemned malefactor, who in the night dreams that he is released, but in the morning finds himself led to the gallows.

Fragments.

MONEY.-A philosopher has said, "Though a man without money is poor, a man with nothing but money is still poorer."

Worldly gifts cannot bear up the spirits from fainting and sinking when trials and troubles come, no more than headache can be cured by a golden crown, or toothache by a chain of pearl.

Earthly riches are full of poverty.-Augustine.

WHY WE PRAY.-We do not pray to inform God of our wants, but to express our sense of the wants which he already knows. As he has not so much made his promises to our necessities as to our requests, it is reasonable that our requests should be made, before we can hope that our necessities will be relieved. God does not promise to those who want that they shall "have," but to those who "ask;" nor to those who need that they shall "find," but to those who "seek."-Hannah More.

Now! Now!-As it is never too soon to be good, so it is never too late to amend; I will, therefore, neither neglect the time present, nor despair of the time past. If I had been sooner good, I might, perhaps, have been better; if I am longer bad, I shall, I am sure, be worse. That I have stayed long time idle in the market-place deserves reprehension; but if I am late sent into the vineyard, I have encouragement to work: "I will give unto this last as unto thee."- Warwick.

We should never estimate the soundness of principles by our own ability to defend them, or consider an objection as unanswerable to which we can find no reply.

INCONSISTENT PROFESSION.-To have an orthodox belief and a true profession, concurring with a bad life, is only to deny Christ with a greater solemnity.

FAITH THE RESULT OF A RENEWED WILL.-Men must love the truth before they thoroughly believe it; and the Gospel has then only a free admission into the assent of the understanding, when it brings great faculty of dominion that commands all that a passport from a rightly-disposed will, as being the shuts out and lets in what objects it pleases, and, in a word, keeps the keys of the whole soul.-South.

HEART DEPRAVITY.-Human nature is like a bad clock-it may go right now and then, or be made to strike the hour; but its inward frame is to go wrong. -Adam. Striving against nature is like holding a weather-cock with one's hand: as soon as the force is taken off, it veers again with the wind.-Ibid.

LICENTIOUSNESS.-The freedom of some, is the freedom of the herd of swine that ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and were drowned.-Jay. FAITH. When Latimer was at the stake, he breathed out these words: "God is faithful."

THE CHRISTIAN TREASURY.

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THE MISSION, THE TRIALS, AND THE CLAIMS, OF THE EVANGELICAL MINISTRY.

A Sermon.

BY THE REV. W. M. BUNTING, LONDON.

(CONTINUED.)

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him, that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that

bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

ISAIAH lii. 7.

feeling, both in the pulpit and out of it? Of the temptation to substitute a critical for a derout daily use of the Scriptures, and to mistake fervour and elevation in public exercises for a heart right with GOD? Of the deadening effect on frail minds of a necessary professional familiarity with the same routine of sacred studies and services; unless it be counteracted by almost painful habits of watchfulness and private devotion? Of the misgivings, or positive disgusts. excited by contact with certain fanatical abuses. or profane counterfeits of religion, more easily detected than dealt with? Of disappointment. (itself apt to become selfish and sordid,) at the want of ministerial success? Of frequent most acute trials of temper, and that in situations of most serious responsibility? Of not infrequent exposure to still more fearful forms of tempta tion; particularly in seasons of sociality, or physical exhaustion, or that insidious relaxedness of mind, which is the common reaction of intense public excitement? In a word, who cannot understand, and sympathize with, a solemn habitual anxiety, often wrought up into a dis tressing fear, on the points of personal charac ter, the welfare of the work of GoD, and the anticipated final appearing of "every one of us," at once with his soul and his surrendered ministry, "before the judgment-seat of Christ"? O brethren! such considerations appeal, not so much to your generous feelings, as to your piety and brotherly consideration. "Pray for us;”not less frequently than you are wont to do for 1. Should we touch on the Spiritual exercises our physical vigour, our acceptance, or our useof Ministers,-whom would not the words re-fulness; but more frequently for our personal mind, for instance, of daily conflicts with un- holiness, our power day by day to crucify destroyed, though subdued, sinful nature, ever fleshly affections,' as well as 'lusts,' our support threatening to break out in pride, selfishness, under spiritual depressions, and our excelling uncharitableness, unbelief, and the like, in all in all sanctity and virtue. 'Behold, we are, their subtle and changing forms? Of either according to your wish, in God's stead;' yet, oh! a harassing sense of insufficiency, or an en- remember, we also are formed out of the clay.' snaring tendency to self-confidence? Of the felt 2. Or should we touch on the Temporal mortidanger of envy in some circumstances, and of fications of the Ministerial lot in most Churches, arrogance or assumption in others? Of a constant-you would think, for instance, of long hours and a conscious liability to mix up animal passion or personal motives, with inspired religious No. 9. *

II. In the exercise of this ministry, faithful "Men of GOD" encounter some PERSONAL HARDSHIPS AND HUMILIATIONS. These, however, the Prophet presents under so veiled and modest an aspect, that we shall do no more than just glance at them. Nor is it needful; for "ye │know what manner of men" your Ministers are among you, for your sake." In carrying the good tidings abroad, their 'feet are upon the mountains:' they traverse, so to speak, a rough, difficult, dangerous, and wearisome road; and the effects of such a course of life are not seldom painfully apparent. We sorrowfully allow that many, who assume what is called the Sacred Profession," incur but little inconvenience by the rigidness of their fidelity to it. We gratefully acknowledge, on the other hand, that the most suffering servants of Christ and His Church have their daily helps and solaces, as well as the prospect of a great reward. Still, the general proposition is affectingly true, nor would any pious or honourable mind desire to lessen its force-that the Evangelizing and Pastoral Office, (especially in some Communities,) has, when consistently sustained, its peculiar and its inseparable trials.

Were we to touch, however delicately, any one string, what heart would not vibrate in quick and intelligent sympathy?

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of toil and exposure, frequently embittering those of after rest and retirement: for Christ's

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