WHAT a representation

was this scene of the great principle of God's government. As our Father, he commands us to give to him the heart. We do not obey,-still he continues his gentle entreaties, our waywardness and selfishness form a barrier to our obedience, but at length, by the omnipotence of that heavenly principle,-love,—we are insensibly and irresistibly drawn to him, and we then rejoice to yield, where once we so proudly resisted. Who that truly loves the Saviour, can fail to look back gratefully on the hour when, with humility and sweet submission, they joyfully cast themselves at his feet, to be forgiven and welcomed with all a Father's kindness, to the richest his mansions can yield.

O, how much dearer doth God become to the penitent heart for his exceeding forbearance! There is a world of power in those words, "Thy gentleness hath made me great," and the experience of some hearts can bear glad testimony to its truth. What a nobility of spirit is often born of the victory over our intensest struggles against duty and principle. What eras do such moments become in our mental history, signal-stations along life's highway, from which, with telegraphic swiftness, is conveyed along the magic wires of memory, a single word of sufficient power to infuse strength into a wavering heart. They may lie far back in dim distance of childhood, but yet exerting a wonderful influence to manhood's latest day.

There are often circumstances in more advanced life, where the habitual or incidental subjugation of the will has a direct influence on the formation of Christian character. Those who are, from youth, under the dominion of strong and unsubdued passions, who are rebellious under the authority of an earth

VOL. III.

ly parent, find it a Herculean task in after years, when with an aroused conscience, they hear God's imperative summons, to give unto him those affections where the world has hitherto borne sway. While they who are accustomed to render a cheerful, ready obedience to every request of those who are training them for eternity, or in the event of insubordination, are with faithful love convinced of their error, with decision made to acknowledge it, are in the surest state of preparation to become the subjects of him, who, when on earth, distinctly recognized parental authority, and was in all things obedient to it.

I recollect an instance related to me by a friend of mine, whose home-education had been of this latter character. He had one day offended a lady, by the violation of some point of etiquette, and in which he was decidedly blameable; he became instantly sensible of his error, as he perceived he had wounded her feelings very much, and she directly left his presence. He was too proud to acknowledge his fault, and moreover asserted that he never would do so, to those who had witnessed his deviation from the rules of politeness. Having clothed himself in the panoply of such a resolution, he felt strong and secure that he should maintain his own ground.

Thrown frequently into the society of his friend,— for a friend she truly was,-there was never any allusion. made to this occurrence. Her manner continued invariably kind and gentle, as she wished to convince him of his fault. by other than harsh means, or the slightest shade of reproof, which is so galling to a proud spirit. She really respected him, and appreciated fully the many admirable traits of his character; but the fault in question had been so frequently repeated, had become almost a habit, that suddenly it roused her to a manifestation of her displeasure, which, though very quiet, was fully comprehended by him. She felt more sad that he should offend, than that she should be the sufferer,

1846.]

Ellen Newport.

127

and all her desire was that he should become sensible of his own accord that he had done wrong, and acknowledge it; that he had not forfeited her respect was sufficiently evident from her manner.

She understood human nature, and rightly judged the event. Not many days elapsed before the really nobleminded young man wrote a note, expressive of his sorrow at having forgotten what was due to her as a lady, to himself as a gentleman, in the incident alluded to,—and requested her forgiveness for his offence, thanking her most earnestly for the forbearance she had manifested under the provocation, for her gentleness and kindness of manner, and respect for his feelings, and added, that he could not feel satisfied, until he had made acknowledgment of his fault, and received her full pardon for it. He had endured a severe struggle between his pride and his sense of duty, but her kindness had triumphed and his pride yielded.

Was he not worthy infinitely more respect for thus acting so noble a part, and did he not secure far more than he could lose by such a course?

Not many weeks subsequent to that circumstance, that young man became a decided, steadfast Christian; heart, mind, soul, all were renovated,

"And passions on God's altar laid.”

In conversing with a friend upon his change of character, he made distinct allusion to the incident just related, and .said, with much feeling, "how can I estimate the amount of influence which the subduing of my pride, in that instance, had with the submission of my will to God. I feel that the one aided the other."

Christian parent! I write for you, that you may be encouraged always to do your duty by your children,—remembering your victory is sure, if you lean upon an arm stronger than your own, and your reward is certain, both here and

hereafter. You know not how widely the influence of one hour of discipline may radiate, nor how many hearts, beside that of your child, may be benefited by your steadfast, Christian course, in acting out the principle of securing obedience and submission through gentleness and firmness united. They are weapons before which the proudest nature, the most obstinate, rebellious temper, will finally yield, if, at the same time, your own spirit be prayerful.

Unconverted parent! I write for you,- for you unto whom God has committed the charge of immortal minds, and of your faithfulness ye shall be judged. The Bible is in your hand, it reveals to you the character of your heavenly Father, and his principles of government. Love him,—and govern your children by his precepts,-not in the hasty impulses of passion, but in quietness and confidence, in God's strength, will you find yours, and your aid. Thus govern, and your children will bless you while eternity endures.

Child! I write to you. Are you one accustomed to comply with the requirements of your parents,-to show a deference to their opinion, to study their pleasure, and seek its gratification, to discover that in no way can you make your home so full of sunlight as by docility and obedience? If so, you are prepared to appreciate the character of a parent, who could thus mould your character,-you are preparing, in future days, to become the companion of your parents,-and by your filial devotion to show forth your gratitude for their care, their love, their discipline.

Are you one accustomed to rule, to set at nought the commands of your parents, and trample on their authority,— forgetting the debt you owe them, the contempt you cast on God's law by your disobedience? Tremble for every such victory, tremble for the inauspicious dawning of such powIt brings sorrow and bitterness to your own heart, and a darkness over your home, where not all the gleaming of India's diamonds could ever create a light like that you have

er.

1846.]

The Word of God hid in the Heart.

129

extinguished. Tremble for your own gloomy, wretched future, when a course of crime may be the result of your present insubordination, or your own children may cause you to eat the bread of anguish and drink the waters of bitterness you once offered to those God commanded you to honor.

M. R. T.

A PLAN TO AID IN HIDING THE WORD OF GOD IN THE HEART.

WE hide the word of God in our heart when we lay it up in our memory, where we can readily find it. To do this, we need to repeat the words of Scripture frequently to ourselves. If we repeated them to others, and then were assisted by them only as far as we needed it, we might thus accomplish our object better than by taking the Bible and looking at the passage we recite, whenever we are stopped. One useful way, therefore, of treasuring the words of Scripture in our memory is, to select some of the most suitable portions of God's word, and then write on a little pocket-book, the words beginning each verse. Take for example the first Psalm,a very beautiful, appropriate Psalm, and write the first words of each verse thus:- "Psalm 1: Blessed-man; 2,. But-delight; 3, And he-a tree; 4, The ungodly; 5, Therefore-ungodly; 6, For-L." If the Psalm is committed to memory, the scholar has these minutes in his pocketbook; and when he has a leisure moment, when he is walking, or working with his hands, or waiting some appointment, he takes the opportunity to repeat a small portion of the word of God; and he says to himself some part of the first Psalm; but it may be that he overlooks one verse, or his memory fails, or he has not time for the mental effort of recalling what is really laid away in the memory, but cannot be at once recollected. He has recourse, therefore, to his pocket