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PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE.

word, and speak affectionately to each child, seven or eight in number, and then commend them to Him who hears and "stills the young ravens when they cry." In all these exercises she was perfectly calm; but when her children slept around her, she poured out her full heart to God. With strong crying and tears, she pleaded with him for her absent, wretched husband, and earnestly asked wisdom of God to direct her to the path of duty. There being only beams and a floor between us, I heard every word. I need not say what were my reflections; every pious mother will easily supply them. Next morning I called my attendant. I told her what I had witnessed, confessed my sin in neglecting my duty the evening before, and my determination, until the return of my husband, to perform my duty as head of a family. She was of a pious family, and cheerfully attended. Before my husband's return, she made conscience of secret prayer and reading the Scriptures, and when we returned to the city, became our fellow church member.

The good woman in the kitchen remained several weeks, during which time her husband occasionally was at home; but his presence did not prevent his wife from performing her duty morning and evening. One day he bought a quantity of water melons, intending to sell them at market; but getting into a frolic they were left to decay. His poor wife determined to try and dispose of them herself, and asking me to let my woman look a little to her older children, she, with her infant, attended the market till the melons were all sold.

On her return home Saturday afternoon, she came to my room. After thanking me for permitting her to stay in the kitchen, she said, "I have another favor to ask; there is no church nearer than three or four miles, and only English preaching half the time; many do not understand Dutch, and others will not take the trouble to go so far; I have occasionally got a missionary to come and preach to us in the kitchen; if you are willing he will preach here to-mor. row." Here is another reproof to me, thought I, and I assured my neighbor that not only the kitchen, but both my rooms and wide hall, should be opened for worship. We had a large congregation. The good man was hospitably entertained, and requested to come and preach as often as he could make it convenient. In all this there was no ostentation on the part of the good woman. She was occupied early and late, spinning and providing for her family. Nor did she ever make a complaint, or even name her husband to me.

From that time, during thirty-five years, I have endeavored conscientiously to attend family worship when my husband was absent, while he lived, and since it pleased God to call him to his rest above. Are any mothers reproved by the conduct of this pious cottager? Let them follow her example; and should they be spared to hoar hairs, may they, like the writer, with their children, and children's children, be partakers of the same salvation. A GRAND MOTHER.

For the Mother's Magazine.

PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE.

A DREAM.

Mrs. W.-I have been much interested in your Magazine, and deeply so, in the piece entitled "Parental Decision." A few days since I sat with the

Magazine in my hand, meditating with regret and sorrow, on my own want of decision. My mind reverted back to the years of childhood, when, with youthful eagerness, I read good old John Bunyan, and often wished that I could fall asleep, and dream as long and as interesting a dream as his. O that some Bunyan would rise up, at the present day, I mentally exclaimed, follow. ed by a long train of pilgrims, determined that nothing should impede their progress to the heavenly city. Presently my senses were lulled to sleep, and a vision full of interest was impressed on my mind. The strait and narrow path which leads from the city of Destruction to the New Jerusalem lay be. fore me. A promiscuous band of pilgrims, from many nations, were pressing forward, guided by two beings of most angelic appearance. Their names were Precept and Example, twin sisters, daughters of Paradise, and while their efforts were united, I saw they and their followers never swerved from their path. But Precept was of a sanguine and ardent temperament. She held in her hand the Word of eternal life, and exhorted her followers by every motive which two worlds could present, to untiring perseverance. She spoke to them from the pulpit, the press, in the religious conference, at the social fire side, and in the closet. The multitude hung on her lips with earnest attention, and I could not but remark how fondly mothers repeated her words to their beloved children, with their eyes turned towards the celestial city. But while Precept was thus advancing, with heaven and glory in her eye, where was her mild, but slow and less confiding sister? Fearful and unbelieving, her footsteps had long wavered, and "now I saw in my dream," that she sank by the way side, pale, trembling, and disheartened. Full of zeal, Precept missed not her retiring sister, until she saw confusion and dismay among her followers. Parents wept and prayed for their wandering children; churches lamented for the dis. affection of their members, and the affectionate minister mourned over the desolations of Zion. Old giant Despair exulted, in gloomy triumph, and filled his castle with the bones of the slain. The professed friends of the meek and lowly Jesus, having now departed far from Example, Precept found that they were fast deserting her banner also, and were, too many of them, following the vain fascinations of time and sense. Mournfully she turned to look for her loved, yet deserted sister. Her plain bonnet had fallen from her head, and a mother was endeavoring to bind her light tresses with frizzets and finery. Another had torn her Bible from her bosom, and was striving to supply its place with golden chains, and other superfluous ornaments. Another would have led the drooping fair to scenes of fashionable amusement. "O, who will save my sister!" exclaimed Precept, despairingly, and raising her eyes to heaven. Suddenly the sound of soft and celestial music was heard, and a form appeared of more than earthly majesty and beauty. With a majestic, yet tender air, she waved her hand, and Example sprang, with renovated strength, to her sister's arms, from whom she should never have been separated. Her name was Faith; and with a voice, solemn and awful as eternity, she commanded this pilgrim band once more to arrange themselves under the united banner of Precept and Example.

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LETTER FROM A FATHER TO HIS SON.

I awoke; and although it was but a dream, I was more fully convinced that faith alone can so unite example and precept, as to guide a sinful world to the New Jerusalem, the city of our God.

Utica, March, 1833.

A. S. E.

LETTER FROM A FATHER TO HIS SON.

A gentleman in this vicinity, who for many years has written letters weekly to his children while at school and college, has permitted the Editor to publish a series of them in the Mothers' Magazine. They were written without the least expectation of publicity.

My dear son-You know in the early ages of Greece, there lived seven persons who were designated wise men. One of them was very fond of this maxim, "Know thyself." So wise and important was this injunction deemed, that many contended it was an oracle delivered by Apollo; and the founders of his temple at Delphi, had the maxim placed in golden letters over the gate of the edifice.

The great point in which we are ignorant of ourselves, is in not knowing the degree of temptation to sin and folly that we can successfully resist. There is scarcely a man or woman in Oneida county, who does not think that he or she could possess all the power and wealth which Napoleon possessed, without being induced by it to commit any act of cruelty or oppression. I am sure, in this respect, they know not themselves; for you can scarcely enter a house, where the master of it will not sometimes use his authority arbitrarily over his wife and children and servants, and you can scarcely see two boys at play together where the stronger will not occasionally ill-use and oppress the weaker. These things, however, ought not to be so; but it is well to note them, so that we may "know ourselves."

There is another maxim of the ancients, and I believe it is attributed to the same wise man: it is " Respect thyself." If you let this govern your conduct, it will save you from doing any thing censurable; because you will not subject yourself to the mortification of reproof. The moment a man disregards himself so much as to be insensible to the good opinion of the wise and virtuous, he has already arrived at the last stage of depravity, and is a fit instrument for any folly and wickedness.

As you are beginning life, and are only forming your character, I will suggest one rule on this maxim, and I believe it will be important if you adhere to it. Most persons respect themselves, so far, as to do nothing censurable while they are in the presence of their instructors, their parents, and others whom they reverence; but we are all far too prone to indulge in improper words and actions, when we are with persons whose good opinion will not be forfeited by such conduct. Now the rule I would suggest is this, that you should so much respect yourself, as to do nothing, even when alone, that you would not do before me. You ought to respect yourself more than you respect me. Again, you ought to indulge no thoughts that you would be ashamed to speak before me and your mother, or your minister, or your teacher; because you ought to respect yourself as much at least as you respect us. I should

wish you to respect yourself more than you respect all of us; and to be as cautious of preserving your own self-respect, as you are of preserving ours. I know that we cannot help having bad and impure thoughts arise in our minds; but if you respect yourself as much as I wish, you will no more solicit such thoughts and dwell on them, than you would publish them before me. Of this you may be assured, that the man who respects himself so little as to commit indecent and wicked conduct when alone, and to indulge in impure thoughts, will never possess the fine, open, manly countenance of a virtuous man ; but he will feel self-condemned, and base, and contemptible, when he mixes in society. Many persons think it is unimportant what they do, and how they think, so long as it is known only to themselves; but nothing is more fallacious. Independent of the great fact, that our most secret conduct is always transacted in the presence of God, who is the most august being in the universe, it is impossible for us to be virtuous in our conversation and honest in our dealings, if our secret thoughts and actions are impure and vicious. The Bible says, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh;" which means that our words and actions are always tinctured, more or less, by what passes secretly within us. A man who respects himself so much, as never to commit an act in secret, that he would be ashamed to have known, and never to indulge thoughts that he would not dare to utter, will be sure to act wisely in public, and to have the respect of the world; and will be sure to have a respect for himself, and a quiet and commending conscience, and will finally be sure to have the smile of Heaven on all his undertakings. I beg you now to remember, whenever you are in the company of wicked boys, and whenever you are alone, "Respect thyself.”

Your affectionate Father,

MOTHER'S NOTE BOOK.

The subject of the Mother's Note Book, contained in the following article, it is believed, is timely suggested, and will be found worthy the attention of every mother who can guide a pen. If the adoption of this plan will not absolutely save a mother from errors, yet she may be assisted, by frequent recur. rence to her note book, to turn her mistakes to some profitable account; for how much more forcibly are we impressed on beholding our mistakes when registered in a book? We can speak from recent experience. It will not have required very critical acumen, to have discovered many typogra. phical errors in the third number of the Magazine. We are aware that no explanation or apology that we can offer, will obliterate them from our pages. There they will stand to be regretted by every successive reader.

Justice to the Editor, however, demands the explanation, that none of these errors were found in the manuscript. They doubtless occurred from a pressure occasioned by having three numbers in the press at the same time, and from the stimulus applied to hasten forward the work, that we might not forfeit our credit for the want of punctuality. These mistakes were pointed out in the proof sheet, but unfortunately they were not corrected. The moral which obviously may be derived from such mistakes, may be useful to others as well as

10

to ourselves. Though our thoughts and actions may not come under the cognizance of our fellow men, yet it will be important for us to bear in mind, that as with the point of a diamond, they are all faithfully inscribed in God's book of account, and will one day be proclaimed before an assembled universe. If mistakes which can only be imputed to us, can be the occasion of so much regret and mortification, how shall we, in the refulgent light of eternity, and with an enlightened conscience, bear the review of our numberless sins, with all their aggravations, and in full view of their overwhelming consequences!

For the Mother's Magazine:

In one of our popular periodicals, a year or two since, I met with some extracts from a "Teacher's Note Book."

The utility of keeping a note book appeared to me so obvious, so well calculated to assist mothers in their arduous labors, that I venture to suggest the plan to the readers of the Mother's Magazine.

To some, it may perhaps appear impossible to carry on, with any degree of system, a regular journal. It would at first require some effort; but if it would aid a mother in discharging her duties, where is the conscientious one, who would shrink from such an attempt?

There are many benefits to be expected from such a record, and it should perhaps be merely a record, or note book, that it might not encroach too much upon a mother's time, who is obliged to devote herself chiefly to domestic duties.

1. The benefits resulting to the mother herself, would be found in the necessity of regular mental effort. A young and inexperienced mother, surrounded with a little family, often wearied with cares and duties, may feel as if she had no time for intellectual improvement, but by fifteen minutes devoted to such a purpose each day, she would soon find, that as a wife and mother, her duties are performed with more effect and with deeper interest, and her hands have been strengthened and her heart encouraged in the cause of infant instruction, by keeping such a diary. The progress of her children, in moral and mental improvement, will be more carefully watched, while she is gradually qualifying herself, by such a discipline, to be their teacher and guide.

2. The habit of keeping such a memorandum, would induce a mother to look with greater scrutiny, into her own motives of action; to examine her principles of family government; to control her own heart, and to cultivate a spirit which every mother needs above all things, a spirit of prayer.

The plan I would suggest may be something like the following:

1. Notice the earliest development of anger in your child, and mark the result of simple experiments, made to subdue and correct its temper.

2. Describe the course pursued to insure obedience; state the difficulties encountered, and by what means they were overcome.

3. Remark what subjects particularly attract the attention of your child, and describe in what way you improved the opportunity of giving moral and religious lessons.