The Children's Box. ANCIENT BRITONS. They In this picture, our little readers may see what were the ancient people of this country. were almost naked. Often, their bodies were painted or covered with old skins. They lived on acorns and berries, and many wild fruits. They dwelt in mud huts without windows or doors. They were dreadfully quarrelsome, and, alas! often killed each other; and worshipped false gods. Let us rejoice that the Lord sent us the gospel. Under the influence of that gospel, our country has risen in civilization, and peace, and piety. Let us all try to make our country better still, so that when we die we may leave it better than we found it. THE HOLY CHILD JESUS. (See Oetober Mag. p. 237) AND now the long-expected time had come, the Holy child was about to be born. But the prophesies of bygone ages had to be fulfilled, as well as the promises of more recent days, in the circumstances of his birth. The Roman emperor had issued a decree for a general registration or census to be taken, which, according to the custom of that time, required all to repair to the city of their ancestors. This obliged Joseph, and Mary his espoused wife, to travel from Naza reth to Bethlehem, a distance of 76 miles, which would occupy three or four days on the journey. It appears they travelled but slowly or started late, for they did not arrive at the little town of Bethlehem until after the rest of the company; and as the lodging room was occupied, they had to go, as was customary on such oc casions, into the stable or shed at the back, where the horses and camels were generally housed. The little town, usually so quiet, was that evening all in a bustle. Pilgrims were arriving from all parts, and a thousand associations rendered their visit to the home of their forefathers exciting and pleasant. Many a happy visitor would climb the surrounding hills which commanded an extensive view of the country on every side. And as the happy groups walked through the terraced vineyards, and into the almond-groves, and plantations of fig-trees, or sat down by the gentle rivulets which did then, and do even now, murmur through the terraces, they each would have some story to tell, or some remark to make, or some hymn to sing of David who once wandered here as a shepherd boy, little thinking then that he was one day to be Judah's King. But perhaps few, if any, called to mind, that one of their prophets had said, some hundreds of years before, that out of this Bethlehem, so 'little among the thousands of Judah, should He come forth who was to be the ruler in Israel, and the Saviour of the world. Little did the crowds of visitors imagine, as they lingered on the hills that night, that ere another sun shone upon them, the 'great light' would have arisen, even the 'Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings:' Malachi iv. 2. And as little did those shepherds, whom the visitors had left on the hills, when they retired home to rest,-little did those shepherds imagine, that the next morning was to usher in a new age upon the world; and that their wakeful slumbers would be broken by the sweet songs of angels, announcing the birth of a Saviour for our guilty race! And now all is silent, as the moon hangs over Bethlehem, casting its beams on the flat roofs of the houses, the many ridges of the mountains, and the glittering waters of the brooks. All on earth is noiseless and calm 1 But how different is it in heaven! Among the angels it is high festival, and ten thousand times ten thousand voices are chanting glad hallelujahs, while as many hands are sweeping the chords of their resounding harps. As soon as it is announced to them that the Saviour is about to appear amongst men, they burst forth into an acclamation of praise; and when Gabriel receives his commission to muster a mighty host to proclaim to guilty men the joyous news of salvation; and to utter a glad welcome to the Prince of Peace, all heaven is in rapture, until its arches echo so loudly that earth itself can catch some notes of their jubilee strains. And as the loud music proceeds, Gabriel again visits the earth to announce the appearance of the new born child, and to direct to the place of his birth. But to whom is Gabriel sent? Who are honoured with the first announcement of the birth of the Holy Child? Was it the mighty Augustus, emperor of Rome, and of the nations? Or was it Great Herod, the haughty king of Ju dæa? Or was it the learned Gamaliel, to whose instructions the youth gathered in crowds? Ah! no! 'But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to con. found the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence.' God did not wish to honour wealth, or power, or learning, but simply MAN, without regard to outward circumstances; and, therefore, the angel appeared to those who possessed little more than just humanity that coin, priceless in itself, and of which circumstances are but the image and superscription;-yes 'there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night: and lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.' The simple shepherds knew not what to think of the dazzling brilliance that encircled the angel's But secondly, notice, the angel is very emphatic in stating for whom these good tidings of a Sa form; and, surprised at this unusual appearance, they were sore afraid.' But the kind angel soon bid them dismiss their fright, say-viour are intended: Which shall ing, 'Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.' Now I would have you notice here three things in the angel's words to the shepherds : First, he says that the good tidings ought to take away fear. 'Fear not!' Why not fear? 'FOR I bring you good tidings of great joy. I bring you good tidings, not evil tidings: tidings of great joy, not of great grief: therefore, shepherds, 'Fear not.' Yes, the gospel, which is in other words the good tidings' of a Saviour for sinners, is intended to take away all fear from the guilty soul. 'We have all sinned,' and 'the ways of sin is death;' and here is good reason for fear. Sinners are condemned already for their sins, and if they die in their sins, they are lost for ever: and the danger of this is a good reason for fear. But the gospel comes in to meet the sinner's case. It proclaims a Saviour from sin; it reveals a sacrifice for all sin; it tells of a mighty work done by the Saviour for all sinners; and surely here is good reason for joy and not for fear. Again, the gospel, i. e. the good news of a Saviour, teaches that sin need be no obstacle now to a sinner's salvation; for Jesus came to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself: and that sins though as crimson or scarlet in enormity, or like the sea-sand in number, may all be washed away, made whiter than the snow or the wool. Surely this is enough to give joy to every sinner. The angel might well say that the birth of a Saviour ought to banish all fear from the shepherds' minds. Fear not: FOR I bring you good tidings of great joy.' be to all people. The angel came from heaven, and what he said was with the authority of God: so that his words are God's words, and when we find him saying that the good news of a Saviour were to be good news to all people, we are to understand God to be saying that Jesus was to be a Saviour to all people. Oh should we not, therefore, rest with confidence in what God declares, and believe that Jesus was sent as a Saviour for all, without exclusion, and without exception. To all people;' that is to all classes of people. Not only to shepherds, but to princes; not only to poor, but to rich. Not only to the unlearned, but to the learned, are the good tidings sent; for in the matter of salvation, there is no difference,' for 'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' And as all need a Saviour, so to all are sent the good tidings of great joy. 'To all people' i. e. to all nations. To the Jews and to the gentiles: to the barbarian and Scythian: to the bond and free. To persons of every country, and colour, and clime. To 'people' in the north and south, east and west. To one and all is this salvation sent. God's heart is large; it embraces in its wide affection a world:-God so loved the world.' To him, physical divisions and man-made distinctions are nothing. To him, the boundaries of seas and mountains, oceans of water, and deserts of sand, are nothing. He looks upon our race as one whole, as one family; as one sinful race, as one guilty family. And in his love to the world, he has sent a Saviour for all, without respect of persons, So that if any perish, it is not for lack of love on the part of God; nor from a deficiency or limit in the redemption of Jesus, but from the perverseness and unbelief of man himself. Blessed be God, his character is pure and untarnished; his ways are equal and just; his love is co-extensive with the race, for he sent the 'good tidings of great joy for all people.' 'All people; therefore, to every individual amongst them. To all people generally, and to every individual in particular. The whole is made out of parts; and, therefore, good tidings of salvation to the whole, must be so to every individual part. Here, then, we see for whom Jesus came to be a Saviour. It was not for one particular class of people, but for all: and what he did for one part of the whole, he did for all the other part of that whole: and the salvation he brought was as much for all as for any one: and the sufferings by which he brought salvation, were as much for one as for all, and as much for all sinners as for any one. All sinners, then, have a share in the love of Christ; and all may share in the benefit of his salvation. All are welcome, for he excludes none: thousands have believed, and been saved; and yet there is room' for thousands more. Yea, whoever will, let him come and take freely. And, thirdly, when are sinners warranted to feel the 'great joy' which the 'good tidings' of the angel were intended to produce? Why, when would any other good tidings' give joy? If a criminal, condemned in his cell, is told by a messenger from his king that he is welcome to liberty and life, when does he begin to feel 'great joy'? Surely as soon as he believes these tidings. If a poor slave is told that his freedom has been purchased, and he is welcome to cast off his chains, when does he feel great joy'? Surely when he believes these 'good tidings.' And when may you, my young reader, begin to feel great joy' in reference to your salvation? As soon as you believe the 'good tidings' that Jesus is a Saviour for you; that what he did for others, he did for you; that as much as he did for others, he did for you; that in the same sense that he died for others, he died for you. O then believe this :-that when Jesus died for you on the cross, he died to put away your sin, to answer for your sin, as much as for the sins of Paul, or John, or Mary, or any other sinner. Believe that for the sake of what Jesus did, you may now be accepted and forgiven, and you will enjoy the peace which the apostle Paul says flows from being justified by faith in Jesus Christ.' Rom. v. 1. MEMOIR OF MARY ANN CLAY. MARY ANN CLAY was born on the 27th of October, 1835. Her parents are both members of the church of Christ, assembling in the Independent chapel, Ellesmere. Their daughter, the subject of this brief memoir, at a very early age, excited hopes, and gave very pleasing indications of devotedness to God, love to Christ, and strong attachment to the saints, but especially to her teacher, and those with whom she delighted to associate in the sabbath school. Being of a very delicate constitution, she was an object of great parental solicitude and anxiety. These no longer exist, assured that she has joined the family above, and entered upon that state of being where no sickness or death is felt or feared, but where the highest bliss is realised from a vision of the Lamb, and from perfect assimilation to Him, on whose head are many crowns.' Mary Ann loved her Bible, and delighted to store her memory with its sacred truths: they not only interested her in life, but sustained and comforted her in her affliction, and in prospect of that great change which awaited ber. Hence, with great beauty and earnestness, she would often repeat portions of Scripture and hymns which she had committed to memory. She was often heard repeating the following verse:'My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness: I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand,All other ground is sinking sand.' In her last affliction, which was very severe, Mary Ann was visited by her teacher, and the scholars of her class in the Sunday school, as well as her pastor and other friends, to whom, when strength permitted, she would offer counsels, with artless simplicity and fervour, far superior to her years, and, as if conscious of her own obligations to redeeming love, she would pressingly invite to celebrate his praises, and to seek his favour, first and before everything else. On one occasion, she exclaimed in the presence of her parents, brothers and sisters, O love the Lord with all your hearts, with all your soul, and with all your strength: seek him now. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless and praise his holy name.' Her joy at times was quite extatic. I As her end approached, her resignation to the divine will be came still more manifest; and she enjoined her friends not to weep: If Jesus says I must goI must go and if it is His will, shall stay a little longer.' Shortly, clasping her hands, she exclaimed, 'Now I am dying and early on the morning of the 2nd of July, 1847, aged eleven years, Mary Ann Clay, beloved as a daughter, and exemplary as a Sunday scholar, changed this mortal for an immortal state of existence: and it is hoped that those whose eyes this simple, but truthful statement, meet, whether parents, teachers or scholars, will thank God-take courage-and say, Alleluia ! UNCLE HARRY'S SAYINGS. NEVER QUARREL.-If a dog bark at a sheep, a sheep will not bark at a dog; and if you are lambs in the fold of the Good Shepherd, you will not render railing for railing. Love one another,' for this is the command of Jesus, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, but' was led as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep dumb before her shearers, so he opened not his mouth.' 'Deal with another, as you'd have 'BEND THE MULBERRY-TREE WHEN IT IS YOUNG.'-Were you not to do this, you would find it to grow into a most awkward looking shape, and it would, most likely, break down by its own weight. Now, Uncle Harry would call upon his young friends to be careful of forming bad habits. If you indulge yourselves in idleness and sloth, when you grow up you will be worse than a deformed mulberry-tree. You will be looked upon by the industrious and good, as in a most awkward position, and they will fear for you, lest you should break down, and die with all your evil habits upon you, and thus be lost for ever. Let me entreat that, while young, you will avoid evil habits and bad company. Begin to serve God early; to walk in wisdom's ways while young. It is easier if you begin to seek God before you grow hardened in sin. "Tis easier work if we begin To serve the Lord betimes; For children that grow old in sin, Are hardened in their crimes.' Bend the mulberry-tree when it is young.' |