heritance incorruptible in the heavens. And accordingly we have the concurrent testimonies both of Scripture (Acts ii. 1. -XX. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. 2. Rev. i. 10.) and antiquity, that the first day of the week, or Sunday, hath ever been the stated and solemn time of the Christians meeting for their public worship and service. 66 (Translated from the German of the Rev. F. W. Krummacher, D. D. of Elberfeld, in Prussia.) "Lord, it is enough!" Ah, this little prayer is known also amongst us! How many a workshop, how many a chamber and bed of sorrow do I know, from whence this aspiration is almost incessantly ascending to heaven, in the midst of many tears and pangs! Many of these supplicants are mistaken, just as Elijah was. It is not enough yet. Many a faithful labourer has yet to learn, that his labour is by no means in vain in the Lord, although he thinks it is. Many a righteous one shall yet see the light arise here below, which, contrary to the express promises of God, he thinks is for ever extinguished. Many a broken instrument will the Lord use again for his work, before he takes it away into the land of rest; and many a troubled sufferer, before he departs, shall again take his harp from the willows, and sing thanksgivings to him, whose counsel is wonderful, and his ways mysterious, but who doeth all things well. And then it will indeed be "enough." Ah, who is warranted yet in saying, "it is enough!" It is only enough, when the Lord saith it. And if you have still to remain for years in the furnace of affliction, be assured that you will eventually acknowledge, with joyful acclamations in heaven, that it was then only enough, and not a moment earlier, when the Lord stripped you of the garments of your pilgrimage, and took you to himself. Some are very apt to indulge in melancholy recollections of a past and better state than that which they now enjoy. They laud the golden days of their espousals, the blessedness they knew when first they tasted that the Lord was gracious; and thus they stand like supera nuated old men, who have left the fairest periods of their life behind them, and having no definite hopes for the future, only occasionally begin to warm a little, when the past presents itself to their minds, and sends some sunny rays into their present winterly existence. Oh, how different does St. Paul appear in this respect! Still brighter attainments of the confidence and joy of faith are the objects he keeps perpetually in view. He presses forward towards the mark for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus. He cannot be satisfied with beholding only a few glimmering rays of the divine glory; nor with any thing short of being "changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. iii. 18.) He saw the fairest days of his spiritual 1 fe lying not behind him, but before him. Compared with what was yet to come, all the past was to him only as a foretaste" an earnest of the inheritance." (Eph. i. 14.) [NOTE. The Editor strongly recommends this excellent work, lately published by the Religious Tract Society.] A HINT TO THE WORKING CLASSES. If a man at 21 years of age began to save 4s. a week, and put it to interest every year, he would have, at 31 years of age, 1307. 15s. 1d. at 41, 371. 7s. 7 d. at 51, 735l. 14s. 114d. at 61, 1,2291. 5s. 24d. at 71, 2,2967. Os. d. When we look at these sums, and when we think how much temptation and evil might be avoided in the very act of saving them, and how much good a man in humble circumstances may do for his family by these sums, we cannot help wondering that there are not more savers of 4s. a week. He who saves this sum, may not only pay his own way, but he may help the afflicted, and subscribe to various benevolent societies. In short, he may shew mercy to thousands in this world, and he may help them on their way to a better. A NEW YEAR'S PRAYER. "Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well."--NUM. xxi. 17. "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but it shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."-JOHN iv. 14. Spring up, O well flow brightly forth, Here, on the wondrous fountain's brink, Water of life! whose crystal stream Let the glad fountain onward roll, Spring up, O well! within the heart, And flowers that breathe of Paradise Spring up, O well! H. V. THE FRIENDLY VISITOR. No. 221.] FEBRUARY, 1837. [VOL. 19. THE SABBATH IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE. Among the many reflections on my early days, I trust I shall never forget the manner in which the Sabbath was observed in my father's house. In very many cases where the day is observed as it ought to be, the Saturday evening is observed as a season of preparation for it, by leaving off at an early hour all attention to the business of life, and by trying to draw off the mind as much as possible from this world, in order that it may become calm, and have nothing to engage its attention in the morning but the meditations and exercises which Sunday is calculated to call forth. Such was the manner in which the Saturday evening was observed in my father's house. The boots and shoes were all cleaned-the Sabbath day's suit for all was looked out - the conversation of the evening turned pretty much on the expectations and improvements of the coming day-and the devotional exercises around the family altar (whilst the Ebenezer was gratefully erected for all the blessings of the week) had a special reference to the ordinances of the sanctuary, and the preparation of the heart for them which comes from God. On the morning of the day itself, it was no unusual thing for the younger branches of the family to be awoke by the sound of prayer from the soft sweet voice of the mother. When they arose, there was no hurry, nor confusion; and though all wore a serious look, yet it was. such seriousness as indicated that the Sabbath was a delight to them. When they had got up, the closet was visited by all in succession. It was a room set apart for the purpose, and was usually, as a matter of course, visited first by our parents; and, as I think of it, I cannot but regard it as a hallowed spot; and ardently do I wish that every family on the face of the earth had such a place for such exercises. Breakfast was soon despatched, and family worship, according to the practice of pious: B families in Scotland, was reverently gone through-that is, the presence and assistance of God was first implored, in a short address at the throne of grace; four verses of a psalm were then usually given out, which all unted in singing; a chapter was then read, with the Practical Reflections in Brown's Family Bible, which was followed by a simple but earnest prayer suited to the day, and the expresion of a heart that was intimately acquainted with the Scriptures, and no stranger to the delights of commu ion with God. After this, all began to prepare for public worship; and if any time remained, it was usually occupied in looking over the passage that was to form the subject of lecture, which all knew, as the venerable man of God who was then our minister, lectured regularly in course. When the ringing of the parish bell announced that the hour had arrived when we should go up to the house of God, all were ready, and all glad to go. None stayed behind, and none wished to stay, unless detained by sickness. The public exercises of the day were usually highly instructive, and deeply impressive; and, as evening services then, except on sacramental occasions, were exceedingly rare, they were generally over about four o'clock, P. M. About five o'clock the family was again assembled for worship, and to implore the blessing of God on what they had heard, and on the means of grace to all, that the seed which had been sown might take root, and in due scason, in very many instances, might bear much fruit. An early tea then followed to recruit the energies of the body, and no sooner was it over than all began to attend to the duties of the evening-the parents to peruse some of their favourite authors, and the children to learn the Catechism. Between seven and eight o'clock, the father commenced asking the questions, in the answering of which the mother-for the sake of example, as well as her own improvement-joined with the children, and the whole of it was gone through with every Sabbath evening. A few words, in the way of address from the father, closed the exercise; for, like Abraham, he ceased not to mand his children after him, to keep the way of the Lord." 66 com |