ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. Anecdotes and Selections. THE FAULTY MILL. An active and skilful young minister was once told of a miller who, with more than usual profaneness, had repelled every attempt to approach him on the subject of religion, and had discouraged the hopes and efforts of the few serious persons in his vicinity. Among other practices of sinful daring, he uniformly kept his windmill, the most striking object in the village, going on the sabbath. In a little time the minister determined to make an effort for the benefit of this apparently hopeless man. He undertook the office of going for his flour the next time himself. "A fine mill," said he, as the miller adjusted his sack to receive the flour; "A fine mill indeed! One of the completest I have ever seen.' This was nothing more than just what the miller had heard a thousand times before, and would firmly have thought it, though he had only heard it once; but his skill and judgment were still gratified by this new testimony, and his feelings conciliated, even towards the minister. "But oh !" continued his customer, after a pause, "there is one defect in it." "What is that ?" carelessly asked the miller. "A very serious defect too." "Eh ?" replied the miller snappishly. "A defect that is likely to counterbalance all the advantages." "Well, what is it ?" said the miller standing straight up, and looking the minister in the face. But he still went on unmoved-"A defect that is likely to ruin the whole mill." "What is it ?" reiterated the miller. "And will no doubt ruin the owner." 99 "Can't you say it out?" exclaimed the impatient miller. "It goes on the Sabbath?" pronounced the minister in a firm, solemn, and monitory tone. The astonished man stood blank and thunder-struck, and remained meek and submissive, under a remonstrance and exhortation of a quarter of an hour's length, in which the danger of his state and practices, and the call to repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ were fully proposed to him. A PRETTY THOUGHT.-A little girl inquired of her friend, who had passed her eighth year, "What causes the rain ?" to which the following beautiful reply was given-" The drops of rain are the tears shed by the angels over the sins of the world." ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. THE PREACHER AND THE PLAYER-A CONTRAST!-Shuter, the comedian, it is well known, at one time had serious impressions, and attended at the Tabernacle, where he heard, among others, Mr. Kinsman, to whom he was personally known. Sometime after he went to Plymouth, where he unexpectedly met him, and inquired if he lived there. "Yes," said Mr. Kinsman, "but I am just returned from London, where I have preached so often, to such large auditories, that Dr. Fothergill advised my immediate return to Plymouth to recover my health." "And I," said the comedian, "have been acting Sir John Falstaff so often, that I thought I should have died; and the physician advised me to come into the country for the benefit of the air. Had you died," added Mr. Shuter, "it would have been in the service of the best of Masters; but had I, it would have been in the service of the devil." JUDGE HALE ON THE SABBATH.-This great man, in writing to his children on the duties they were called to observe, thus speaks of the sabbath;-"I have by long and sound experience found, that the due observance of this day, and the duties of it, hath been of singular comfort and advantage to me. The observance of this day hath ever had joined to it a blessing upon the rest of my time; and the week that hath been so begun hath blessed and prospered to me; and, on the other side, when I have been negligent of the duties of this day, the rest of the week has been unsuccessful and unhappy to my own secular employments; so that I could easily make an estimate of my successes the week following, by the manner of my passing this day. And this I do not write lightly or inconsiderately, but upon a long and sound observation and experience." FAITH ACCOMMODATED TO ITS OBJECT.-Faith and its object are always just suited to each other. If Christ is set forth as the brazen serpent was, faith is the eye to behold him; if Christ speaks, faith is the ear to hear him; if he is the bread of life, faith feeds upon him; if he is the city of refuge, faith flees to him; if he is a gift, faith is the hand to receive him; if a garment, faith puts him on; if a way, faith walks in him; if the truth, faith is the knowledge of him; if the life, faith lives upon him; if he be a prophet, faith sits at his feet and learns; if a priest, faith relies on his sacrifice; if a king, faith submits to his authority. In a word, it adopts the whole and every part of Christ in his nature, offices, relations, and names. Wherever Christ is, there would faith be: it follows him as the needle does the loadstone. T THE EARLY HEARER.-A pious woman who always used to attend public worship with great punctuality, and took care to be always in time, was asked how it was she could always come so early. She answered, very wisely, "It is a part of my religion not to disturb the religion of others." ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. A FORTUNATE DISCOVERY.-A poor shepherd in France, the father of a numerous family which he maintained with difficulty, purchased a second-hand Bible to occupy his evenings. On turning over the leaves one Sunday he found two of them pasted together, which he carefully separated, when, to his amazement, he discovered a 500 franc note (£20), and upon the margin of one of the leaves was written, "I collected this sum with much trouble, but having no natural heirs, I make you my heir who shall read this Bible." We hope he also found in the same book a jewel of higher value-the Pearl of great price-Jesus Christ the Saviour! IMPORTANCE OF PROMPTITUDE.-The benevolent Dr. Wilson once heard of a clergyman at Bath, who, he was informed, was sick, poor, and had a numerous family. In the evening he gave a friend fifty pounds, requesting he would deliver it in the most delicate manner, and as from an unknown person. The friend replied, "I will wait upon him early in the morning;" "You will oblige me, sir, by calling directly. Think of what importance a good nights rest may be to that poor man." Now was not this done as such things always should be ? MEETINGS FOR PRAYER.-There are some christians who somehow or other cannot be got to attend prayer-meetings. I do not stop to ask how this is, for I think I know; but for my part, though I love to hear a good sermon, I would rather go to a good meeting for prayer. Both are appointed of God for our edification: but I speak from many years' experience, when I say, that I mostly get more good to my soul-as the old Methodists used to say-at a prayer-meeting where we all confess our sins and look for mercy together, than under a sermon. A RIGHT VIEW OF DEATH.-Dr. Grosvenor being at the funeral of Dr. Watts, a friend said to him, "Well, Doctor, you have seen the end of Dr. Watts, and you will soon follow him; what think you of death ?" "Think of it ?" replied the Doctor, why, when it comes, I shall smile upon death, if God smiles upon me." PRAYING IS BEGGING.-A negro boy in a sabbath school in Jamacia had been ill. When he got better he told the missionary he had learned to pray. "Indeed! I am glad to hear it," said the missionary, "how did you pray?" "I begged," said the boy. Yes, praying is begging; and, another thing, praying is wishingwhat we wish for we beg for. GOOD REASON FOR PRAYING.-A little girl, about four years of age, being asked, "Why do you pray to God ?" replied, "Because I know he hears me, and I love to pray to him." "But how do you know he hears you ?" Putting her little hand to her heart, she said, "I know he does because there is something here that tells me so." THE FIRESIDE. The Fireside. VENTILATION IN BED ROOMS. PURE air is essential to health, and at night the free supply of it is of especial moment. Each sleeper draws into the chest, about fifteen times in every minute, a certain quantity of the surrounding atmosphere, and returns it after a change within the body, mixed with a poison. 150 grains by weight of this poisonous ingredient are added to the air of a bed-room in one hour by a single sleeper, more than 1,000 during the night. Unless there be a sufficient quantity of air to dilute this, or unless ventilation provide for a gradual removal of foul air, while fresh comes to take its place, health must be seriously undermined. Dr. Hunter states, in his work on the "Diseases of the Throat and Lungs," that impure air alone will bring on consumption in the soundest constitution. The oxygen of the air we breathe regulates our appetite, and to the weight of a grain the nutriment that is built up in the system. The chyle undergoes its last vital change in the lungs, and that change depends on the perfect performance of respiration, and on a sufficient supply of pure air. When respiration is obstructed by disease, the appetite fails and the body wastes away. When the air breathed is impure, the same thing takes place. MR. BRAIDWOOD'S ADVICE TO PREVENT FIRE. On the first discovery of a fire, it is of the utmost consequence to shut, and keep shut, all doors, windows, or other openings. It may often be observed, after a house has been on fire, that one floor is comparatively untouched, while those above and below are nearly burned out. This arises from the doors on that particular floor having been shut, and the draught directed elsewhere. If the fire appears at all serious, and there are fire engines at a reasonable distance, it is best to wait their arrival, as many buildings have been lost from opening the doors, and attempting to extingush fires with inadequate means. If no engines are within reach, it is well to keep a hand-pump. If that is not to be had, the next best thing is to collect as many buckets outside the room on fire as can be obtained, keeping the door shut; then creep into the room on the hands and knees (if the heat and smoke are considerable), and throw the water as nearly in the direction of the fire as possible, keeping the door shut while more water is being collected. The police of the metropolis understand shutting up fires so well, that they have in many instances kept fires two or three miles distant from the engine stations shut up till the firemen arrived in time to extinguish them. THE PENNY POST BOX. The Penny Post Box. THOUGHTS ABOUT THE THOUGHTLESS. I HAVE been thinking about those who never seem to think themselves. If the few thoughts I have tried to put into rhyme will lead only one who has thought little, to think much on things worth thinking about, I shall have my reward. S. S. Ar eventide, while musing by the fire, A thought arose, which led me to inquire Nor seek for light from heaven that way to shun; Deluded child of earth! Art thou not blind? Soon will the God that made thee take thy breath; |
