THE CHILDREN'S CORNER. SOME ARE APT TO THINK that because they have not been able to do great things for Christ, they shall not be noticed in that day. This is a mistake. For if faithful over a few things, they will be made rulers over many things. SOME CHRISTIANS have yet such awkward unsubdued tempers left. that we can only love them for Christ's sake. What a pity! THE BEST WAY to show we are thankful if God gives us abundance, is to imitate him, and give of it to others. IF WE GIVE to him that needeth for Christ's sake, our charity is bestowed on ourselves too, for it is sure to bring back a blessing. Poetic Selections. AN INSCRIPTION ON THE TOMBSTONE Who Died at Dalkeith, Feb. 9, 1738. STOP, Passenger, until my life you've read; Five times five years I lived a virgin life; Ten times five years I lived a widow Now, tired of this mortal life, I rest. Four times five years the Common-wealth Ten times the subjects rose against the law. An end of Stuart's faithless race I saw; SOME time ago a great drought prevailed in some of the midland counties of England. Several pious farmers, who dreaded lest their expected crops should perish for lack of moisture, agreed with their pastor and others to hold a special prayer meeting to pray God to send the needed rain. They met accordingly; and the minister coming early had time to exchange kindly greetings with several of his flock. He was surprised to see one of his little sabbath scholars bringing a big old family umbrella. "Why, Mary," said he, "what made you bring that umbrella on such a fine evening as this?" The child, gazing on his face with evident surprise at the inquiry, replied, "Why, sir, I thought as we were going to pray to God for rain, I'd be sure to want the umbrella." The minister smiled on her, and the service shortly after commenced. Whilst they were praying the wind rose; the sky, before so clear and bright, became overcast with clouds, and a heavy shower of rain followed. Those who attended the meeting unprepared to receive the blessing they sought reached their homes drenched with wet, whilst Mary and her minister returned together under the big old umbrella. WINKS AND SON, PRINTERS, LEICESTER. THE CHRISTIAN PIONEER; A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, ISSUED IN NUMBERS, ONE HALFPENNY EACH. EDITED BY JOSEPH FOULKES WINKS. VOLUME XIV. 1860. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO. LEICESTER: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY WINKS AND SON. The Editor to his Readers. THIS is our Fourteenth Volume, and there is both pleasure and hope in the fact. There is pleasure in the thought that so many hundreds of thousands of copies of this humble but useful periodical have found their way into the homes of the working classes. And there is hope, from its increasing circulation, that it is finding, and will yet find, a hearty welcome in many more. Men, women, and children, are all reading something now-adays. They will read, and we rejoice in the fact. That they might learn to read, our numerous day and sabbath schools were opened. But here a question arises. What do they read? Reading is for the mind, as food is for the body. If it be good reading it feeds the mind and makes it healthy and strong; but if it be bad reading it injures the mind, and makes it feeble and sickly. Men are careful what food they eat, and they should be careful what books they read. No man can deny this. JOHN MILTON said, and he knew all about it-"Books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are. A Good Book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life." In every number of this cheap little magazine we try to give as much good food for the mind as we can put into it. We now thank those who have helped us, by sending, either in prose or poetry, many very useful papers, and we request the continuance of their favours. As long as God permits we shall continue to do all that in us lies to provide useful and entertaining reading for the cottage homes of our beloved land. Pages 13, 25, 37, 49, 61, 73, 85, 97, 109, 121, 133, 141. FACTS, HINTS, GEMS, AND POETIC SELECTIONS. Facts, 14, 26, 38, 50, 62, 74, 86, 98, 110, 122, 134, 142. Hints, 14, 26, 38, 50, 62, 74, 86, 98, 110, 122, 134, 142. Gems, 15, 27, 39, 51, 63, 75, 87, 99, 111, 123, 135, 143. Poetic Selections, 15, 27, 39, 51, 63, 75, 87, 99, 111, 123, 135, 143. Pages, 16, 28, 40, 52, 64, 76, 88, 100, 112, 124, 136, 144. |
