The Two Urns. "SOCIETY is composed of two urns: one of good and one of evil. I will suppose that every individual of the human species receives from his natal genius a little phial containing one drop of a fluid which shall be evil if poured into the urn of evil, and good, if into that of good. If you were proceeding to the station of the urns, with ten thousand persons, every one of them, predetermined to empty his phial into the urn of evil, (which I fear is too true a picture of the practice of society,) should you consider their example, if you were hemmed in, in the centre of them, a sufficient excuse for not breaking from them, and approaching the neglected urn? Would you say "the urn will derive little increase from my solitary drop, and one more or less will make very little difference in the urn of ill; I will spare myself trouble, do as the world does, and let the urn of good take its chance from those who can approach it with less difficulty." No you would rather say "That neglected urn contains the hopes of the human species: little, indeed, is the addition I can make to it, but it will be good so far as it goes: and if, on approaching the urn, you should find it not so empty as you had anticipated, if the genius appointed to guard it, should say to you, "There is enough in this urn already to allow a reasonable expectation that it will one day be full, and yet it has only accumulated drop by drop through the efforts of individuals who broke through the pale and pressure of the multitude, and did not despair of human virtue;" would you not feel ten-fold repaid for the difficulties you had overcome, by the single reflection that would then rush upon your mind-I am one of these ?” GOD is better lodged in the heart than in great edifices. Che Strange Preacher. "WHEREVER I went, the rumour spread through the place before me, "The man in the leather suit is come." " GEORGE FOX's JOURNAL. An old man there came to the market place, In the looks of the stranger who stationed was there, Was something they were not accustomed to see- Some said t' was his dress, which of leather was made, And questions were getting impatient and loud, With one word of his mouth they were silent as death, When he stretched forth his hand there was pause in each And a feeling like thought through each bosom there ran, Had he spoken of wrongs which the people endured- But his words were of peace, and of truth, and of love- THE STRANGE PREACHER. Much spoke he of temples that were but of stone 259 And priests clothed in purple whom Christ did not own : Of merciless pastors whom Christ had foretold Should seem to protect, while they ravaged the fold. Such a picture of Christ and his people he drew, Of the chosen and simple, the faithful and few : They were chained by his spirit-they could not depart :- Ere he ceased, all the strong holds of pride were overthrown : years." TAIT'S MAGAZINE. A CHANGE, (to a certain degree,) has taken place in female education and instead of hanging the understanding of a woman on walls, or hearing it vibrate on strings, instead of seeing it in clouds, or hearing it in the winds, it is beginning to become the first spring and ornament of society, by being enriched with attainments on which alone its power depends. SIDNEY SMITH. TRUE delicacy, (that most beautiful heart-leaf of humanity,) exhibits itself most significantly in little things. MARY HOWITT. The Present. "It is something to learn to live in the present: to feel, that the present duty, pleasure, circumstance, is alone good and wonderful; we say, if we were only differently placed, life would be so interesting; if we were in such or such a position, then should we be intellectual, or amiable, or useful: or if this or that event should happen to us, then should we be elated and happy. It is all a mistake. That very event, or position, if possessed by us, would look just as little extraordinary as that we are now in situations not our own, lie before us like a landscape view: every part, however mean in detail, goes to contribute to the effect of the whole, and shares in its ideal character: but we cannot see the picture of which we ourselves form a part. We do not know, that the day, the hour, the employment, the incident, before which we, in our own persons stand, and that looks perhaps so worn and dusty, is in reality an inexhaustable well of truth, could we but wipe from our eyes the blinding dust of familiarity. For life to cease to be poor and common-place, and become intrinsically rich and wonderful, we must realise, that if it is as a whole, the gift of God, then all the parts must so be; if relation to parents, friends, society, are of divine appointment, then every thing flowing out of this relation, intercourse and influence, are of divine appointment. How grand and mystic then, is this every-day life! It is inlaid with divinity, as black oak inlaid with gold: and David utters a literal fact when he speaks of his " down-sitting and uprising," as encompassed by God. FRIENDS may have the same tastes, but different talents. Che Synagogue. "BUT even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart: nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away." ST. PAUL. I SAW them in their synagogue, as in their ancient day; Sheds mingled with the hues of day, a lustre nothing bright; And dimly gilds the Pharisees' phylacteries and fringe! The two leaved doors slide slow apart, before the eastern screen, With voice of solemn cadence, o'er the backward letters ran. But be forever rent in twain, like that before the ark. For yet the tenfold film shall fall, Oh Judah! from thy sight, WM. CROSSWell. |