THE CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN.

Original.

49

tion of aunt and neice was as tender and as faithful as the relation of mother and daughter could possibly have been, saving perhaps some degrees of the keenness of that sorrow which bereavement occasions to the survivor in the other instance. But nature knoweth her own secrets; and so sore are some, that it may be said it is unholy to question them.

Eliza inherited, in right of her mother, a more than competent, a rather large fortune: moreover she could look to her aunt's ample property as her own in reversion. This lady was also pious, and possessing much benevolence of heart, with great quickness of mental perception-her manners were rendered at once humane and elegant. And in this aunt's house of indulgence and delight was she nurtured. Yet not for these advantages did she ever for an instant conceive an idea of self-superiority or of pride. Her temper was gentle and bidable, and although she was associated with, and was by station a member of the aristocracy of the aristocratic town of P., yet she never seemed sensible of this distinction, never in her life exercised one of its offensive privileges or immunities; but grew from very infancy a child of grace and godliness. Associated as she was with this fashionable and exclusive set, it is matter of surprise how she could so conduct herself as to become exactly what she was, and is. Certain it is, that not one of her associates is like her. Yet so amiable and unaffectedly sweet and unclaiming is she that none ever stigmatize her as an oddity; and however they look at her with wonder, none regard her with distrust. Having no halfmotives, she has no half-measures. Her non-compliance with what suits not her sense of religious reverence is always accompanied and rendered by the amity of her own heart; and however firm her principles, they exhibit not the rigor and severity which would serve rather to repulse than to persuade those who think differently from herself. Whilst she was

THE CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN. ELIZA was the youngest daughter of a Baptist clergyman, resident for many years in one of our most noted New England cities, the cherished pastor of a very numerous communion, and of a wealthy and well sustained Church Establishment. This gentleman was the father of a large family, and his household government was uniformly and consistently religious. I well remember in my childhood of attending at a public baptizing where he officiated, and amongst others administered this rite to one of his own daughters, yet a school girl. And I now recall the whole scene before me, the river with its cove and the superincumbent hills around it, the, many boats filled with spectators, and the silent, solemn, gazing multitude on the side hill and the shore. And as after the immersion he led the young disciple out of the water, I see her impressed and upturned face, her holy look, unnoting of her dripping locks, or of the saturated shrouding of her robe, or of the multitude, of which for the moment she was the one object of attention. I hear the loud, sonorous voice of the father, expanding on the surface of the water, and filling hill and vale as he pronounced, "Lord, here is the child whom thou hast given me; and sooner would I have followed her to the grave, than that she should not thus have arisen out of the water, and assumed the covenant in thy name! Blessed be God for ever more!" Of his family, all were religiously inclined and conformed excepting one, a son, who proved froward to instruction, rebellious of government, and left his father's house, and died abroad at the early age of seventeen years. And when we think of the tears and prayers that were offered in his behalf, it would seem to us almost as if there were an irreversible decree that there should be some "black sheep" amidst every flock; but I would add that "the leaven of original sin," like some inherent and blight-yet young, amidst the society of the religious, she ing malady of the body, which though it passes over one, or over several generations, is yet never eradicated; and this affords but a fitting analogy of my bold remark. But of the instance in question, we know that which for the present is dark, another day may reveal to us, we know not what change may have come over the parting spirit of the boy; perhaps his own may have been the fruit of his father's prayers, which though they sufficed not for his earthly preservation, may, by the grace of God, have been effectual to the saving of his soul.

decmed it not her office to dictate; knowing that
where the efforts of older and abler teachers failed, she
could not expect to succeed.
Yet there was no
unfaithfulness, no indifference. Her course and her
example were in their eyes. She prayed for all who
sinned, and heartiness and loving kindness were in the
service. She had no words of blame for any; for she
felt that in this there is usually more of self than
of neighborly zeal: and she forebore to excite where
she could not assist. Keeping her own soul in the
counsels of God, her's was the charitable spirit and
the merciful judgment-loving peace.

Eliza was the daughter of a second marriage, and the only child of her mother, who died a few days As she had received largely of the goods of this after her birth. And this mother was also, like her life, so she dispensed freely, conscientiously. Many a other parent, eminently pious, so that it would seem that she was born to religion, as well as that she was nurtured and conformed to it.

time when the family and guests, of which that pleasant house had not a few, were engaged in some party of gayety, some resort of amusement, some Though an orphan thus carly, yet the want of a excursion of delight, would Eliza, seeking out some mother's love was never known to her; she was taken obscure companion of the Church, wend her way on and adopted by an aunt, herself childless, from the some errand of charity or of grace, the alms-giving time of her birth; and as she grew, the mutual affec-of the spirit; or to afford converse or personal soothVOL. III.-7

50

THE CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN.

ing in the chamber of disease or of destitution. And usual, was not legally called for, and might involve this with all simplicity, no words, no explanation, her personal convenience. And this was one of the

only, "Aunt, I shall be gone all the afternoon," or "You need not expect me till I come;" for such an one "is very low, or such an one needs comforting"all the time her benevolent countenance would be full of humane sympathy and seriousness. And the guests, amongst the most entirely different from herself, looking on with wonder, but no distrust, would, with a half-accordant, half-amused smile, say, "Dear Eliza is so good!" Often, too, she would join a company after a visit of this sort in the same dress in which she had taken her walk or ride, and when rallied on the subject she would reply, with the utmost sincerity, "No person, I think, will notice how I am dressed." A humble self-appreciation was natural to her, and also what fell in with her ideas of spiritual supremacy of character. She possessed, as I have shown you, with perfect singleness of heart, the most unimpaired simplicity and guilelessness of temper. Eulogium is not what I aim at, though I have commended her much: extravagant praise would be unsuitable to the Christian graces of her character. I am aware of a difficulty in the delineation, which, to be just, should be composed of the unobtrusive, bland and harmonious workings of Christian godliness; and this to the unengaged gives no impression: as the stream that fertilizes attracts less notice, even commands less consideration, being constantly in course, than the torrent that destroys and sweeps away. Every body calls Eliza good, yet few notice the fact how excellent she is in goodness, only because of the "quiet tenor of her way." I am convinced, did she make more stir and fluster about her performances, as she would attract more observation, so also would she elicit more praise; but with all her activity, she is the least of a busy body in the world: and this is exactly what would shock the delicacy of her piety, and detract from her sense of holiness in waiting upon and doing the behests of her Lord and Master.

few occasions on which this modest female has made use of an argument. She said, "I am professing, not conformity to the world, but to God-to him who on earth pleased not himself;' and I am hoping to be rewarded, not by what is presently eligible, but for that which is right!" And here I would remark how well those always speak who advocate truth-of word or deed; how lucid, cogent, and convincing is their logic: the simplest understand it, the wiliest quail before it-their eloquence is the gift of piety.

Some few more anecdotes will illustrate this character, which had but few incidents to call forth its energies. And yet perhaps the conduct of character itself is no mean achievement. We contemplate character in its results, and we have little authority to suppose that uniform propriety and rectitude, that disinterestedness and piety are attained without sacrifice and without discipline. The peace-loving disciples of Jesus get little praise-deserving much.

Mr. -- Eliza's husband, suffered much from low health, and in winter usually resorted to a southern region. It was on one of these excursions that Eliza related of herself an anecdote which many would have withheld, and which tested at once her personal humility, and the little value she set on worldly distinctions. I heard her relate, that being on a steamboat-somewhere in the south, I think-the ladies of the company affected hauteur and distance towards her-"so much so," said she in her simple goodness, "that I really felt hurt, and unhappy from loneliness." And see also the beautiful turn of affection and piety-her story takes. "But after some days," said she, "a lady, whom I had not before seen, emerged from a distant state-room where she had been nursing her invalid husband, and the similarity of her situation and my own seemed to make a tie between us, and we soon became acquainted; and when she heard that I resided at P., she said she had many years It is a fact that the circumstance of Eliza's mar- before been there for a short time, and she wished to riage I have not yet mentioned, because the personali- inquire for one person, viz., dear old parson.” ties of her life ever seemed by herself to be thrown "Do you know him," said she? Eliza continued, "I into the shade by the superior interest she ever mani- told her that he was my father-of blessed memory!" fested for the spiritual existence. She was married" And then," said she, "we had a most cordial emvery suitably to a gentleman of refinement and worth at the age of seventeen or eighteen years. Yet being the only child of the house, she still continued to reside with her aunt; and never having had a family, her life has been not inappropriately devoted to services reaching beyond the domestic pale. She has led a happy life, yet not unalloyed by worldly misfortune. And here she best tested her principles, or I may say her principle, for it is one-obedience. Her husband, some years after their marriage, failed in his mercantile speculations, and Eliza nobly alienated a large part of the property settled on herself to the use of others involved in the failure. This she did without display-unswervingly. Walking by faith, she hesitated not: though perhaps advised that such a step was not

brace."

As for the females who, with their fine lady-airs, could slight Eliza, I can only say of them, that however unassuming her manners, there were marks to those who might be associated with her in the saloon, at table, &c., affording indisputable evidence of her good breeding, and which such only as could not read them would mistake. And this ignorance of those tokens of good breeding in Eliza, shows them unfit for truly refined society, from which they would find themselves excluded.

This outside view of the subject is apart from her real merits of character. But I see it all. It was Eliza's goodness that divided them. She had a smile, a "good morning," a word of decent recognition for

WATCH!

with Heaven's seal—to him gave all the prophet's witness-angel's announced his advent

"Down through the portals of the sky,

The impetuous torrent ran,

And angels flew with eager joy,

To bear the news to man."

His forerunner, John, testified of him, that he was "the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." But, saith Jesus, I have greater witness than that of John. "The Father himself which hath sent me hath borne witness of me." This testimony of the Father was given both at his baptism and tranfiguration. The miracles which Jesus wrought fully establish his claim of a "teacher sent from God," as he expressly declares, "The works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." Jesus "healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, cast out devils," caused "the eyes of the blind to be opened, the ears of the deaf to be unstopped, the lame man to leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb to sing;" and so conclusive was the evidence of his divine mission, that one said, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him;" and another, "If this man were not of God he could do

WHEN We mark the opposition which many offer to Jesus, we almost instinctively inquire, Why is this? What evil hath he done? If the teaching of Jesus is contradicted by his spirit and practice, we might in this find ground for personal objection; but such is not the fact; for we observe the most perfect harmony subsisting between his precepts and practice. His personal character is faultless. Upon it not even the shadow of suspicion rests. And there is not only the absence of even "the appearance of evil," but the presence of all those virtues which either dignify or adorn the character. He is the "holy One and the just-harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners;" and to his most bitter and untiring foes he could say, “Which of you || convinceth me of sin?" "So perfectly pure, innocent, and spotless were the doctrine and life of Christ, that, although his enemies loaded him with slander and false accusations, yet none of them justly convict him of, much less condemn him for, the least known sin." If Jesus teaches that "men ought always to pray and not to faint," his example harmonizes with the precept; for he was eminently a man of prayer. It was the atmos-nothing." "If these" works of Jesus were "true mirphere in which his soul breathed. He would "go into the mountain to pray, and continue all night in prayer to God." Does he teach that "God resisteth the proud?" How affecting the example-the greatest example of humility, of lowliness and self-abasement, the world ever saw" who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Would he teach us patience under provocations? He has left us an example-"who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to Him who judgeth righteously." Does he teach us, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite fully use you and persecute you?" How beautifully and affectingly does the spirit and practice of Jesus harmonize with these precepts! Hear his almost expiring words, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Well may it be said, "Socrates died like a philospher, but Jesus Christ like a god." Let none revile or reject Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God; but rather let all in adoring love exclaim, "I find no fault in him."

If Jesus, who assumes to be a teacher sent from God, is unable to authenticate his divine mission, it would be fatal to his pretensions; and we might, with propriety, cry, "Away with him." But the divine mission of Jesus Christ is unquestionable. No fact can be more certainly established. His credentials are sealed

acles, they prove the whole case; he was in truth the Messias, the Son of God, the teacher sent from God, the Savior and Judge of the world, since they occurred, not as coincidences, but were actually wrought by him upon his own volition, and professedly in attestation of his mission and character."

Let us not reject this "teacher sent from heaven; for he only can give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins-he only can give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way of peace.”

If the doctrines and precepts of Jesus, in their practical results, are injurious to the morals, happiness, and usefulness of man, we ought unhesitatingly to oppose them and their author; but if, on the contrary, we find them improving the morals, increasing the happiness and the usefulness of mankind, our opposition to him is very criminal, and merits the severest censure. A careful examination of the doctrines taught by Jesus will result in the conviction that, "in all these doctrines there is nothing low, mean, or frivolous-every one of them is grand, sublime, and worthy of God-every one of them is most deeply interesting to man; and altogether they make up an infinitely more consistent and rational scheme of belief than the most distinguished sages of antiquity ever did conceive, or the most cunning of modern infidels can possibly invent." Has belief in the doctrine and obedience to the precepts of Jesus been injurious (as other religions have) to the morals of society? Go to Pagan lands for the answer, and then return with it to Christendom, and then (narrowing the field of observation) to your own laud, and to the circle in which you move, and they will all

respond, as with consentaneous voice, that the Gospel of WOMAN AS WIFE. Jesus is the only basis upon which to build the super. THE parental home is intended to be the school of stratum of sound morality. Look back to infidel France woman's education, not her permanent abode. As the as it was some years since, and mark the terrible agita-instinct which teaches the birds of passage the time of tion and the fearful corruption of her social and moral their emigration, suddenly impels them to mount to systems, when she deified reason and rejected revela- untried regions of the atmosphere, and seek through tion. The teachings of Jesus make us not only better, cloud and tempest a land they have never seen, so a like but happier. His ways are ways of pleasantness and inspiration teaches woman that there is another home his paths are peace. And he who hears and follows for her, destined by the great Designer, of still greater him may say, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not happiness than that which she has already known; want; he maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he and under the same apparent destiny. One appears leadeth me beside the still waters." Hard must be the to lead her to that happy place. Marriage comes as hearts, and frozen to their fountains the sympathies of the great crisis of woman's existence. And where, if those who would endeavor to take away from desolate you search earth through, will you find an object which widowhood, helpless orphanage, suffering, sickness, the eye bends on with such intense, I had almost said, and expiring nature, the consolations of the religion of painful interest, as a bride? What an era, when conJesus. Shame upon his opposers! They would stop sidered with reference either to the past or the future! the gushings of virtuous sympathy-they would check It is in a manner the crush of one world, and the bethe current of Christian benevolence-they would ginning of a new one. She is to go from a home that palsy the hand of active charity-they would shut out she has known and loved, where she has been loved from them that sit in darkness and in the region of the and cherished, to one to which she is an utter stranger. shadow of death the rays of the Sun of Righteousness— Her happiness is to be subjected to those on whose they would take from man his surest and only support characters, tempers, principles, she can make no calcuin a dying hour, and leave him to conflict with his last lation. And what is to assure her of the faith of him, foe in human weakness, and to fall beneath the king who has sworn at the altar to cherish and protect her? of terrors without God, without hope, and without She may, in the blindness of affection, have given her Christ, and to stand in the judgment with all his sins heart to one who will wring and break it, and she may upon his soul. O, how terrible is the inhumanity of be going to martyrdom, where pride and prudence will ungodliness! "O, my soul, come not thou into their alike deny her the poor solace of complaint. Yet she secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou is willing to venture all. The law instituted by the united." Creator is upon her, and urges her forward. With calm confidence she puts herself under the protection of that almighty principle, which issuing from the throne of God penetrates and pervades all things, and then returns to link itself to the throne of his omnipotence, the principle of love, and she is safe. Perhaps if she knew what life has in store for her, she would for a moment shrink back. The marriage festivity would not be without its fears. And for myself, so many whom I have united for life have I seen soon overtaken by calamity, hoping parents bending in speechless agony over the loved and the lost, or watching with breathless apprehension the fearful changes of extreme disease, that to me there is an undertone of sadness in the wedding's mirth; and when that bright being approaches, upon whom every eye centres, and for whom every heart palpitates, I can almost fancy her bridal attire transformed to mourning, and her blushes changed to tears. But a second thought convinces me that such anticipations are treason to God and man. Marriage is the ordinance of God, and let no man gainsay it. It is indeed the commencement of struggles and toils. But for what else is man made, or woman either? Those toils and struggles shall be lighter when mutual affection animates the effort. Troubles will come, but they come to all; and who shall better sustain them than those to whom mutual affection gives mutual support?

Original.

NOT YET.

TEN thousand times the sound "prepare,"
Struck on the sinner's heart of steel;
And starting from his world of care,
He strove his terror to conceal.
He rushed amid the glittering throng,
Where giddy hearts for pleasure meet;
The warning came 'mid wine and song-
'Mid wine and song he sighed-not yet.

Among the multitudes he bowed,

Eager in search of wealth and fame;
Wealth soon was his-the waiting crowd
Gave willing honors to his name.
One thought of Heaven's broken laws
Made him his years of sin regret;
He hurried from the world's applause,
And told his God-not yet, not yet.
Blanched by discase, the smitten lay,

A sinner on his couch of pain;
And wealth and fame, O what are they,
His wasted honors to regain?
Death's messenger was at his side-
His seal upon his heart was set-
Too late, alas! too late, he cried-

We now see woman in that sphere for which she was originally intended, and which she is so exactly