him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and the cause which I heard not, I searched out."m The pleasures of benevolence surpass all others, and the luxury of doing good is inferior only to communion with God: and nothing so surely assimilates us to Him, whose most endearing attribute is love. We should be emulous of imbibing the spirit and of treading in the footsteps of a compassionate Saviour, and of knowing by personal experience that << mercy is twice blessed : It blesseth him that gives and him that takes, SHAKESPEARE. and if conscience is beginning to do its duty, delay not to render to God the things that are God's, and to your fellow-creatures that which you have hitherto heedlessly or covetously withheld. Look around you, and search out the widow, the fatherless, the destitute, the wretched, and the ignorant, and especially investigate and relieve the circumstances of those best of men, the ministers of the Gospel, many of whom, both in and out of the national church, are insulted by being occasional guests at your luxurious tables, although struggling at home with scarcely sufficient to meet their personal and relative expenses, whilst they have every claim on you for liberal support;—and yet of your abundance you deem it enough to supply them with a most miserable portion. This is a crying sin among Christians, and must be most offensive to the great Head of the Church. 0 Ambassadors of the cross, cry ye aloud, and spare not, but fearlessly and faithfully do your duty. You well know there are in your congregations those who are notoriously " joined to idols of silver and gold,"n who " are feeding on ashes-deceived hearts have turned them aside, so that they cannot deliver their souls, or say, is there not a lie in our right hands?" No longer, then, tacitly connive at this universal, this paralyzing, this fatal crime, by your silence or feeble warnings; or by your participation in the luxuries, or unchristian expenditure of your people. Listen to the uncompromising apostle Paul, addressing both you and private Christians," I have written unto you not to keep company with a brother who is covetous, or an idolater: with such an one no not to eat."p And ever bear in mind the solemn command and threatening of Jehovah by his prophet: "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, therefore hear the word of my mouth and give them warning from me. When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, he shall die, and because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered, but his blood will I require at thine hand."q m Job xxix. 11-16. n Psalm cxi. 4. p 1 Corinthians v. 11. o Isaiah xliv. 20. ? Ezekiel iii. 17—20. Sabbath Day Cheese-making not a work of necessity; or, Dialogues between a Country Clergyman and his Parishioners. J. Armitstead, M.A. Vicar of Sandbach. DIALOGUE III: By the Rev. TIME wore on, and the Minister, though he did not fail to make occasional visits to the happy home of Mr. Fairman, studiously avoided introducing the subject of cheese-making, beyond an occasional remark or two, perfectly satisfied that all was going on as he could wish. Mrs. Fairman made her appearance, with her family, at church, at the hour of morning prayer-an unusual thing in former days with her, in the summer season. Mary, perfectly restored to health, in simplicity of attire, a charming specimen of a village maiden, took her class at the Sunday-school, bringing her younger brothers and sisters with her, who took their places, with their poorer neighbours, in the classes for which their attainments qualified them-whilst every fourth Sunday, father, mother, and daughter were ever found at the Lord's table, to partake of the blessed body and blood of their Redeemer, and show forth His death until He come. All this was very satisfactory: yet, it was not without something approaching to anxiety, that, late in the autumn, when but a leaf here and there remained to tell of warmer suns that once had been, the good Minister having heard that the dairy was not only sold, but delivered, bent his steps towards the farm of the Fairmans. If he had before avoided the subject, the time was now arrived on which his hopes were to be realized or destroyed for ever. Upon opening the wicket, the younger children ran joyfully to tell of the Minister's approach, and Mrs. Fairman, smoothing down her apron, with a look of cheerfulness that betokened something more than contentment-a heart at peace within, awaited his approach at the door. Min.-Good day to you, Mrs. Fairman; is the good man at home? I'm come to have a little talk with him on the subject of his dairy. I hear it is sold, and I am anxious to know all about it. Mrs. Fair. He is not at home, Sir; but I dare say I may be able to answer for him any questions you might wish to put. You know, farmers make great secrets of the price at which they sell their cheese; but I am sure, under all the circumstances, you have a right to know all about our's. Min.-I feel a good deal assured by your looks. Has it equalled your expectations? Mrs. Fair. It has, Sir. I think, in quality, our cheese has been as good as I ever recollect it; and, certainly, the price, which is what farmers look to, is fully equal to what it ever was. Min.-Then making cheese on the Sabbath is not a work of necessity? Mrs. Fair.-Oh, no, Sir, that it is not; it would not be that, if your plan were accompanied with some loss: but I do not find that our taking it up has been followed by any. Min.-What, then, can you see no difference between the cheese made in part of the curd reserved from the Saturday evening, and the rest of the dairy? Mrs. Fair. There may, possibly, be a difference, but I can truly say that I can see none. Min.-Nor the factor either? Mrs. Fair. -No, Sir, nor yet the factor. Min.-Well, this is very satisfactory; and what does Mr. Fairman say? Mrs. Fair:-Say, Sir! I do not think, if I was ever so anxious about it, that he would consent to our going back to the old system. You know, Sir, what a farm-house is, when cheese making is going on. What with carrying in the milk, taking the whey from the tub, breaking the curd, pressing the whey from it, attending to the boilers-do what you will, it is a bustling time, and there will be slops, and so forth; and besides all this, it is seldom you can get your cheese out of the way before two or three in the afternoon. A rich cheese is not like one from which the cream is taken in any quantity; to stand well, and retain its richness, it must not only be made cold, but have plenty of time. Now, I do not wonder that my good man, when he compares the air of comfort and quiet, cleanliness and good order, that distinguish the Sabbath from every other day in our household, with what used to be the case formerly, should value the change as highly as he does. It was only the other day, he was saying, he never could have believed how much our happiness and comfort would have been increased by the change. Cler.-Does it not convince you, that "Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, and also of that which is to come ?" Mrs. Fair. That it does. And before, Sir, you are aware that it was not often, in the height of summer, that our women servants could get to Church at all; and one would hardly have thought it, but seeing us women all so busy on the Sabbath, had no very good effect upon the men. They did not work, it is true; but they might as well, perhaps, for they were loitering about the stables and yard all the forenoon. My master says, that all he could do was not enough before to get them to church, and to know that Sunday was Sunday; but now, you see, Sir, we all go one way, and one encourages the other to do well, whilst before, I fear, we but encouraged each other to do evil. Cler.-Example has great weight, it is said to be better than precept. Mrs. Fair.-True, Sir, and when our precepts are contrary to our practice, we need not be surprised to find it so. Cler.-All this, that you now tell me, is just what I expected, but I was anxious that you should make the discovery for yourselves. I cannot tell you, the good I look forward to, from the general adoption of the system, or how much I thank you for having given it such a fair trial. It is no trifling matter, you may depend upon it. Mrs. Fair.-I am sure it is not to us, Sir. Cler.-No, nor will it be to the country generally. Only think what an important duty every master of a house is called upon to performthe man-servant, and the maid-servant, the cattle, nay, even the stranger for the time, are placed under his control as head of the house. He is answerable in some degree to God for them all. What a noble resolution was that of Joshua: "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord." This duty, I fear, has been greatly neglected of late years, yet it is not the less binding for all that: the word of God will not pass away-we may forget, but God will not. When I think upon this, it makes me tremble for the consequences; but I am not, however, without hope, that God may put into the hearts of many masters of families not only to give their servants the Sabbath, as a day of rest from labour, but to see that they spend it properly, (without which, it would prove any thing but a blessing,) in attendance upon divine worship, and in all other respects, in a manner becoming the holiness of the day. It is but reasonable to suppose, that the good effects that have followed in your case, should in others. The knowledge of God and of his ways and laws, will follow from the due observance of the Sabbath. It was intended by the Almighty Himself to be a blessing to man-and it will be so. Many will be brought to the hearing of the word, that have long been strangers to its blessed truths." Faith_cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Children that have before suffered from bad example, in seeing their parents and elders following their accustomed employment on the Sabbath, will now be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. I need not tell you, what ready learners they are by example; what copyists of all they see and hear. Imitation is a principle of our nature; we learn to speak in our infancy from imitating the words of others, it grows with our growth, and strengthens with our strength;-its influence you have already witnessed amongst those whom you employ. Oh! why may it not be directed to an holy purpose? What forbids us to hope, that your example may have its imitators ? Mrs. Fair. I have very little doubt but that it will, Sir. We farmers, for the most part, have our connections about us: the young farmer does not usually go far from home for a wife. What one does, another soon hears of; so, that what we have done is no secret by this time, and when occasion offers, it will not want a word from us to recommend it, you may depend on it; I have no fear of standing alone, long. Cler.-It is better to stand alone in a good cause, than to follow the multitude to do evil. Mrs. Fair.-Yes, Sir; but it is the fear of being thought singular, or being laughed at, that prevents many a one from doing what they know they ought to do. Cler. I am aware that ridicule is a powerful weapon in the hands of wicked people, but the true servant of God will not fear it. "Whoso confesseth me before men, him will 1 also confess before my Father who is in heaven." And the sooner we make the confession before man, that it is our aim to live unto God, and to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, the better it will be for us. We have no reason to doubt the promise, that all these things shall be added unto us. Mrs. Fair.-I believe all you say, and this I am sure of, that there is neither comfort, nor yet profit, in breaking God's commandments. Cler. That, I think, a brief experience of the benefit which follows from a due observance of the Sabbath has already proved to you. You have not, I know, been so plagued with servants as some people: for, I am glad to say, your household, generally speaking, has always been well ordered but you are aware, that there is no complaint more general among farmers, than that they connot meet with good servants. Some are so foolish as to attribute it to education, which they say, makes thein above themselves. No doubt, it is rather awkward, when the domestics are better taught than the members of the family; but this, whilst it is a very good reason for the latter paying more attention to education, is no rea-on for depressing the former. But it is not that; scriptural education will exercise, by God's blessing, an holy influence upon all classes. How beautifully the apostle lays down the relative duties of masters and servants upon the true Christian principle, Ephes. vi. 5. "Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye service, as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your Master also is in Heaven; neither is there respect of persons with Him." Such doctrine as this can be productive only of good. No; I fear the evil of which they complain may be traced to another source. No class of people have their servants under their control at so early an age as farmers. What they grow up to be, must therefore, in a great measure, depend upon what they hear and see, and so learn in their service. Would that farmers generally could be brought to think on this, that as regards the Sabbath and every other duty, they might be able to say to their household, "So walk, as ye have us for an example." Mrs. Fair-Sir, this plan of your's now seems to be a step taken towards changing the character of the whole agricultural population. Cler. I do believe it would be productive of great good. Great results have followed before now from small beginnings, and why should we despair in this case? The result of our endeavours must rest with Him who ruleth over all for good. Believing, as I do, that it is a cause which He will make to prosper, I am not inclined to place any very narrow limits to my expectations. Mrs. Fair.—And yet, Sir, when I think how strong habit is, and the prejudices against which it will have to contend in the minds of farmers generally, I confess I have my misgivings. Cler. I am sure, hitherto, as far as the attempt has been made, it has met with success that ought to encourage us. It was only last year that the Marquis of Cholmondeley and Mr. Tollemache, with truly Christian liberality, offered a very handsome premium to the best dairy of cheese, made within the county, upon condition, that no portion of it was to be made on the Sabbath-and I had almost said, I envied them the gratification they must have experienced, upon finding some of the best dairies in the county competing for a prize so worthy their ambition. But I did not envy them: I rather rejoiced to see the foremost in rank and importance amongst us setting an example so deserving our imitation. |