of the day, and penetrate into the recess of its feelings, and she will not long be a stranger to its infant struggles and broken resolutions. She will discover how much it needs all her strength, her wisdom and experience; but more, she will lead him to feel how much he needs the divine Helper. She can then make his besetting sin, or sorrow, or temptation, the occasion of prayer, and the next time he leaves her side, can give him some effectual motive to take with him, when temptation assails, for she may now touch a chord which will vibrate, when she may be out of sight.

From children thus watched, thus aided, how often have we heard the cheering remark," Mother, when I felt fretful at school to day, I thought of this passage," or, "when I was tempted to sin, I formed this resolution," or "when wrong thoughts came into my heart, I lifted it up to God, and he helped me to overcome them." In the remembrance of our years of childhood, what are stronger than the unsuccessful efforts to do right, which needed so much that aid we had not the courage to solicit. Let us then become intimately acquainted with the sorrows, trials, temptations, joys, and sorrows of our children, and as we find that our own wisdom, experience, and resolution, cannot keep us from folly, without divine aid, let us from hour to hour, direct them to the great Helper. B.

For the Mother's Magazine.

CONSISTENCY.

TO THE EDITOR.-An article in the second number of the Magazine, reminded me of an incident, which occurred some time since; if you think it would be of any good service you are at liberty to publish it. A mother had a family of three interesting daughters, and requested me,' for a time, to be their tutor. During the time in which I was employed as their instructor, the church in appointed visiting committees, and the pastor and an elder came to the house of Mrs. The venerable minister affectionately inquired of the mother, if she was conscious of having faithfully discharged the duties of a Christian mother to her impenitent children, and whether she "did not believe that she, by her prayers and example, might be instrumental in bringing those daughters to Christ, if she should evince as great anxiety for their immortal interests, as she did in securing for them an interest in the accomplishments, possessions, and esteem of this world." The mother replied that she believed she had done all that she could; she had prayed for them, and talked with them, until it seemed to do no good. She professed great anxiety for them, and wished that they might be made the subjects of prayer.

A few days after this visit, I called at the usual hour for recitation, and found that Miss one of the associates of the Misses, had stepped in for a fashionable call. She sat a few minutes, and was treated very civilly by Mrs. -, and when she arose to leave, was very warmly urged to sit longer. She declined this, and as she left, Mrs. expressed the hope, that they should have the pleasure of seeing her often. The hall door had scarce closed, when the mother turned round, and with a petulant air and manner," Wondered how

folks could find so much time to walk about the streets, and trouble their neighbors."-Here, (thought I) it is no very difficult thing to see why, "it does no good," for the mother" to talk about religion,” to her daughters. And I thought it must be impious mockery for that mother to pray for the conversion of her children, while she continued to set before them such an example.

J.

FILIAL OBEDIENCE.

Not that this virtue is binding upon daughters only, what son is he that honoreth not, loveth not, comforteth not, his father and mother? Wherever Providence should cast his lot, let him continue in every possible way to promote the happiness of his parents. Young people are but too apt to think, that obligations to filial piety diminish in number and strength, as years increase. I am afraid, that really one of the signs of the times-and it is no bright one-is the decrease of this lovely and amiable virtue. I think I see rising and I wish I may be in an error-a spirit of independence, which is aiming to antedate the period of manhood, and to bring as near to fourteen as possible, the time, when the yoke of parental control may be thrown off. This is neither for the comfort of the parent, nor the advantage of the children. It is not obedience only, that should not be refused, for where this is denied there can be neither religion or virtue; but all that public way of showing them honor, and all that private way of promoting their comfort, for which opportunities are constantly presented. There is no period in the life of a father or mother, where the obligation to be in some measure subject to them, and in all measure to promote their happiness, ceases.

It has been brought as an allegation against the BARD, whom an Englishman might be proud to name, that he was so severe a father, as to have compelled his daughters, after he was blind, to read aloud to him, for his sole pleasure, GREEK and LATIN authors, of which they did not understand a word. Compelled his daughters! What daughters must they be who need compulsion in such a case!

The following is the description of a daughter, which I have somewhere met with: "M. E. S. received her unhappy existence at the price of her mother's life, and at the age of seventeen, she followed, as the sole mourner, the bier of her remaining parent. From her thirteenth year, she had passed her life at her father's sick bed-the gout having deprived him of the use of his limbsand she beheld the arch of heaven, only when she went forth to fetch food or medicines. The discharge of her filial duties occupied the whole of her time, and all her thoughts. She was his only nurse, and for the last two years, they lived without a servant. She prepared his scanty meal, she bathed his aching limbs. And though weak and delicate from constant confinement, and the poison of melancholy thoughts, she had acquired an unusual power in her arms, from the habit of lifting her old and suffering father out of and into his bed of pain. Thus passed away her early youth in sorrow; she grew up in tears, a stranger to the amusements of youth, and its more delightful schemes and imaginations. She was not, however, unhappy; she attributed no merit to herself for her virtues; but for that reason were they the more her reward,

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WOMAN'S BEST ORNAMENT.

The peace which passeth all understanding, disclosed itself in all her looks and movements. It lay on her countenance, like a steady unshadowed moonlight; and her voice, which was at once naturally sweet and subtle, came from her like the fine flute tones of a masterly performer, which still floating at some uncertain distance, seemed to be created by the player, rather than to proceed from the instrument. If you had listened to it, in one of those brief Sabbaths of the soul, when the activity and discursiveness of the thoughts are suspended, and the mind quietly eddies round instead of flowing onward; in such a mood, you might have half fancied, half felt, that her voice had a separate being of its own-that it was a living something, whose mode of existence was for the ear only so deep was her resignation, so entirely had it become the habit of her nature, and in all she said or did, so perfectly were her movements, and her utterance without effort, and without the appearance of effort. Her dying father's last words, addressed to the clergyman who attended him, were his grateful testimony, that during his long and sore trial, his good MARIA had behaved to him like an angel; that the most disagreeable offices, and the least suited to her age and sex, had never drawn an unwilling look from her; and that whenever his eye had met hers, he had been sure to see in it, either the tear of pity, or the sudden smile, expressive of her affection and wish to cheer him. "God," said he, " will reward the good girl, for all her long dutifulness to me!" He departed during the inward prayer, which followed these his last words. His wish will be fulfilled in eternity!"

What daughter can read this and not admire, and if need be, imitate the conduct of Maria? Few are called to these self-denying acts of filial piety; but who would not do all they could to sweeten, as far as may be, the dregs of life to an aged mother or a blind father? It has been observed, that a good daughter generally makes an exemplary wife and mother.

James' Christian Father's Present.

RELIGION, WOMAN'S BEST ORNAMENT.

"A woman that feareth the Lord," says Solomon," she is to be praised.” The wicked reverence her name, the good and virtuous love and imitate her example; angels minister to her wants, and the Lord Jesus Christ claims her as his own, and will one day plant her as a jewel, to glitter in his crown forever. There is no mistake, no deception as to her goodness. It does not consist in personal beauty, in rich and splendid attire, in family rank or opulence. These are baubles-gewgaws-enchantments, that will soon be broken. It is not a little outside morality, not that extrinsic ornament with which modern education and fashion have adorned females. This is tinseldross. There is not a particle of bullion in it. And hence it is, that the glories of young ladies, whose ornaments consist chiefly in fine countenances, in elegant forms and dress, so soon fade and disappear. They are meteors, which, for a moment dazzle and are gone. Not so the woman, whose heart and conduct are under the controling influence of religion. Misfortune may clothe her in rags; ill health may wither the bloom of her countenance; afflic

PRAYERS NOT ANSWered.

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tion may furrow her cheek, and throw a melancholy aspect over her conversation and deportment; but there is a serenity in her soul, which remains discomposed by the troubles of time. There is a brilliancy in her eye, which the hope of immortality has kindled. There is a sweet majesty in her demeanor, which the grace of God inspires. Here is real worth-genuine virtue-undying glory.-A mother, or a daughter, wherever she be, will act on the principle of the gospel, and employ her talents as God designed them to be employed. For this she eats, dresses, visits, arranges the concerns of her family, discharges its duties, educates her children, prays, labours, lives, and dies. She has no interest separate from the interests of her Saviour-no objects to promote, which are not dear to him—no indulgences incompatible with his laws-no prospects but what are pure and heavenly. Who will not say, there is an unearthly grandeur in such a character, that is above all commendation? There is the same reason why we should love such virtue, as that we should love God. It is only an emanation from his glory, and whether we see it in man or woman, in saints or angels, it demands our admiration, and is entitled to receive it.

PRAYERS NOT ANSWERED.

A.

Prayers not answered! What is the reason? It may be, they are offered in unbelief. One cause of men's unbelief in prayer, may be, the wrong notion they entertain respecting the manner, in which they should pray. If they suppose the answer of prayer depends entirely on the sovereign will of God without any regard to his promises, they will always pray conditionally, “If it is thy will," and of course pray unbelievingly, and so obtain no answer.

An aged female, once being admonished that she must die soon, immediately began to lament the case of her children: saying she had prayed earnestly and perseveringly for them, and yet none of them had obtained religion, and she feared they never would. "Have you prayed believingly?" said a friend. O no, "that is the cause," said the weeping, dying mother. Then turning her face to the wall, she endeavored to pray in faith for the conversion of her children-they all being present-and while she was yet praying, one of them began to feel awful conviction which was soon removed by a divine application. Another, and another, and finally all of them began to feel, and to love the Lord, and in a few days the praying, believing, mother, saw all her children rejoicing in the Lord; and then with Christ in her soul, and glory in view, she exchanged this world of weeping and praying, for that of rejoicing and praising! "Only believe," "All things are possible to them that believe."

Nashville Revivalist.

PRAYING IN SECRET.

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Little Mary W., whose religious experience is narrated in the Evangelical Guardian, was once asked, “ Mary, do you love to pray in the family or in secret best?" Her reply was, "I love to pray with others; but I can say to God, when I am alone, what I cannot say when I am with others."

At the commencement of this work, we stated, in general, the topics which appeared to us important to be brought before the minds of mothers. We would specify the following list of subjects as particularly called for in the prosecution of our contemplated plan. When communications shall have been presented, upon the topics specified, other subjects may be proposed. These, or any others preferred, may be discussed in the form of letters, or essays, or exemplified in narratives, or, if not entirely original, may be illustrated by a concise analysis of some eminent writer, on the subject of early education. The subjects, which we would at present suggest, are, the importance of truth; for instance "Mrs. Opie's white lies," the dangers, to children, of having improper associates, the evils of duplicity, on the treatment of different tempers, viz. the sluggish, volatile, obstinate, passionate, indolent, selfish, proud, vain, &c. &c.

We should be pleased often to insert a brief memoir of some individual distinguished for talents, wisdom, or piety, whose character was moulded by the hallowed influence of a pious mother-also letters of such mothers. For the sake of our widowed sisters, letters of fathers to their sons, may be very acceptable; on mothers qualifying their daughters, not only for married life, but to be useful and happy in the single state. As the great object of this publication is to do good, we do not hesitate to say, we wish it may be the medium of communication to mothers from the wisest heads, and warmest hearts, and ablest pens, that can be enlisted in this object.