my oath as some seem to be willing to do." A "protest" was got up; special meeting of the corporation was convened. "His worship" was urged to worship at church, not at chapel, next Lord's day; but, no! no! Mr. Ridgway is not a reed shaken with the wind. The mayor had his principles, and these he would not barter or conceal: he would stand by them if even councillors deserted him, and municipal honours made themselves wings and flew away." Mr. Town Clerk," inquired the mayor, "is there anything contrary to the oaths which I have taken in the course which I have proposed to adopt?" The Town Clerk: Certainly not."

The legal difficulty disposed of, Mr. Ridgway stuck to his text, namely, a good breakfast for all who were bidden and liked to go; "and while those who felt free to do so should honour him by accompanying him to chapel, he should feel no disrespect to those gentlemen who did not go." Moreover, the mayor did not ask what at a future period he would not be willing cheerfully to give. "He would repeat, that he would go to church when the mayor should be a Churchman." This counsel prevailed, and it was decided to go to chapel in the morning and to church in the evening, all accompanying the mayor whose consciences did not make "cowards" or martyrs of them.

With but "few exceptions," the invited guests met at Cauldon-place and accompanied the mayor to Bethesda Chapel. The large and splendid edifice was crowded. The Rev. S. Hulme conducted the service, preaching what the Staffordshire Sentinel (no doubt correctly) terms

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a very masterly, intellectual sermon, entirely free from denominational bias," from the text, "Thou crownest the year with thy good

ness."

In the evening, a similar procession was made to church, and the Rev. G. F. Whidborne, the incumbent, preached a suitable and carefully prepared sermon on "Righteousness exalteth a nation."

OR, THE TWO TESTIMONIES.

1. The worldling's testimony of the world.-For Lord Chesterfield nature had done much, and birth and education more. He was allowed to be the most elegant and accomplished man in Europe, and no less conspicuous in the political than in the fashionable world, and no man ever possessed greater advantages for the attainment and enjoyment of worldly pleasures. Yet, at the close of life, he says, "I have seen the silly rounds of business and of pleasure, and have done with them all; I have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world, and consequently know their futility; and do not regret their loss. I appraise these at their real value, which is, in truth, very low; whereas those that have not experienced always overrate them. They only see the gay outside, and are dazzled at the glare. But I have been behind the scenes; I have seen all the coarse pulleys and dirty ropes which exhibit and move the gaudy machines; and I have seen and smelt the tallow candles which illuminated the whole decorations, to the astonishment of the ignorant audience. When I reflect on what I have seen, what I have heard, and what I have done, I can hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry of bustle and pleasure of the world had any reality; but I look upon all that is past as one of those romantic dreams which opium commonly occasions, and I do by no means desire to repeat the nauseous dose for the sake of the fugitive dream. Shall I tell you that I bear this melancholy situation with that meritorious constancy and resignation which most people boast of? No; for I really

cannot help it. I bear it because I must bear it, whether I will or no. I think of nothing but killing Time the best way I can, now that he has become my enemy. It is my resolution to sleep in the carriage during the remainder of my journey."

2. Dr. Doddridge sought his happiness in God: let us hear his testimony.-"My days begin, pass, and end in pleasure; and seem short, because they are so delightful. I have more of the presence of God than I ever remember. He enables me to live for Him, and to live with Him. When I awake in the morning I address myself to Him, and converse with Him, and He meets me in my study, in secret, and in family devotion. It is pleasant to compose, pleasant to converse with my friends at home, pleasant to visit the sick and the poor, pleasant to write letters of necessary business, by which any good can be done, and pleasant to preach the gospel to poor souls; pleasant in the week to think how near another Sabbath is; and oh! how much more pleasant to think how near Eternity is, and that it is but a step from earth to heaven." So lived and so died the pious Dr. Doddridge, whose Family Expositor is invaluable. What a comment would his own life be on the natured and inspired opinion of Solomon, when he says of wisdom, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."

LET ME LIVE THE LIFE AND DIE THE DEATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS. LET MY LAST END AND FUTURE STATE BE LIKE HIS. AMEN!

another Martha, full of activity, began to make preparation for the Sabbath.

"Come, dear Joseph," she exclaimed, "the night is approaching; come and light the Sabbath lamp!" But he, full of sadness and anguish, continued walking up and down the room. His good wife spoke again in anxiety, "See the stars are already shining in the firmament of the Lord, and our Sabbath lamp is not yet lighted." Then my grandfather took his hat, and evidently much troubled, hastened out of the house. But in a

few moments he returned with tears

of joy in his eyes. "Now, dear Rebecca," he exclaimed, "now I am ready." He repeated his prayer, and with gladness lighted the Sabbath lamp.

Then he related the dispute which had occurred in the morning, adding, "I could not pray and light my lamp before becoming reconciled with my brother Isaac.' "But how did you manage to do it so soon?" "Oh," he replied, "Isaac had been as much troubled as I was; he could not begin the Sabbath either without becoming reconciled to me. So we

met in the street; he was coming to me, and I was going to him, and we ran into each other's arms and wept." -Dr. Capadose.

THE MUMMY WHEAT.

Of

AMONG the marvels of the natural world, a few things are more surprising than the fact that some seeds are capable of retaining the principle of vitality unimpaired for centuries. late years we have had abundant examples of grains of corn, whose living germs, after having lain dormant during the revolutions of kingdoms, the change of dynasties, the extinction of languages, and the transfer of the great seats of civilization, learning, and commerce, have germinated and sprouted, and given birth to abundant harvests, whose increase is now feeding the children of men in the present generation. Many of these wondrous seeds have been taken from the mudlining of the mummy cases of Thebes, where they were interred at least two thousands years ago. A contributor

to the "SUNDAY AT HOME" has thus celebrated the theme in sacred song:

Behold how pleasant to the eye

Yon waving corn appears;
The slender stalks swayed to and fro
Beneath the golden ears.
Strange is the story of the seed

That first was planted there;
How marvellous the wither'd grain
"An hundred-fold" should bear!
Within a silent tomb it passed
A lapse of ages slow,
Bound in a dark Egyptian's hand
Three thousand years ago.
Portrayed upon the massive walls
Might all his deeds be viewed,
But none had never yet disturbed
The awful solitude.

At length within the sculptured cell
A stranger dared to tread,
And lo! with sacrilegious hands,
He stole the ancient dead.
Far from the gorgeous sepulchre
He bore his prize away,

Till here on British ground he laid
His venerable prey.

With careful fingers he removed
The swathings one by one,
And gazed at last upon the form
Of Egypt's swarthy son.

And straight arose the fragrant scent
Of spices, oils, and balm,

And grains of corn went rolling down
From off the blackened palm;-
Grains that perchance were treasured up
In Canaan's time of dearth:
Dry as they were, we planted them,
In hope, beneath the earth.
The gentle rain of heaven came down,
And soft refreshing dew;

The mummy-wheat their influence felt,
Awoke to life, and grew.

And lo! the springing blades came forth,
As tender, fresh, and green,
As though the parent grain last year
Within the car had been.

And now the tall and fragile stem
Its graceful head uprears;
And see! within the bursting husk,
The yellow corn appears.
Come hither, ye whose patient hands
"Beside all waters" sow;
The lovely crop ye long to view

In God's good time will grow.
In faith and hope a mother taught
Her lisping babe to pray;
The seed she planted in his heart
Sprang when his head was gray.
Go forth with courage; still
your bread
"Upon the water's cast;
Tho' vainly sought for many days,
It shall be found at last.

TOBACCO.

TO THE EDITOR.

JOSEPHINE.

"The use of narcotics naturally grows upon men, until in most cases it overmasters them."

"Men's judgments may be right even while they are trampled in the dust by triumphant passion."

III. THE SUDDEN ABANDONMENT OF THE USE OF TOBACCO NOT IN

JURIOUS OR UNSAFE.-Many persons have an opinion that suddenly to renounce the use of tobacco would impair their health. Experience, however, shows the contrary effect. We beg most respectfully a kind and candid consideration of the following facts, which are only a few out of a multitude that lie before us.

"It is said by Dr. Rush, that Sir John Pringle was afflicted with tremors in his hands, and had his memory impaired by the use of snuff; but on abandoning the habit at the suggestion of Dr. Franklin, he found his power of recollection restored; at the same time recovering the use of his hands."

"Hypochondriasis, or melancholy, is a very singular disease. There are probably in America-a country of inveterate smokers and chewersmore hypochondriacs than in any other on the face of the globe. Many a case of this kind is caused in great part by tobacco. This is proved by the fact that when tobacco is discontinued, the hypochondria is

cured."

"Dr. Chapman, of Philadelphia, informed Dr. Wood, as is stated in the United States Dispensatory, that he had met with several instances of mental disorder, closely resembling delirium tremens, which resulted from the excessive use of tobacco, and which subsided in a few days after it had been abandoned."

"The Rev. Mr. Lane, in Mysteries of Tobacco, quotes a case from Dr. Clarke, as follows:-'A lady of my acquaintance who had been an immoderate snuff-taker for upwards of forty years, was frequently afflicted with a sudden suppression of breathing, occasioned by a paralytic state of the muscles which serve for respiration. The only relief she got in such cases was a cup of cold water. This became so necessary to her, that she could never venture to attend even a place of worship without having a small vessel of water with her, and a friend at hand to administer it. At last she abandoned the snuff-box: the muscles re-acquired their proper tone, and

in a short time after, she was entirely cured of her disorder, which had been occasioned solely by the use of snuff."

"In my youth I was addicted to smoking and chewing. I was warned by a medical friend of the pernicious operation of this habit on the stomach and nerves; and the advice of the physician was fortified by my own experience. More than thirty years have passed since I deliberately renounced the use of tobacco in all forms. Though the resolution was not carried into execution without a struggle, yet in the space of three or four months I ceased to feel it any privation. I have often wished that every individual of the human family afflicted by this artificial passion, could prevail upon himself to try but for three months the experiment which I have made, sure that it would turn every acre of tobacco land into a wheat-field, and add five years of longevity to the average of human life."-John Quincy Adams to Rev. Dr. Cox.

"I have had some experience my. self of its ill effects, having suffered from it for more than thirty years. I was, while a boy, induced to adopt the use of this narcotic, because it was considered manly to do so. Immediate and distressing sickness was the consequence of my first attempt. Custom gradually diminished this unpleasant effect, and the use ultimately became habitual and pleasurable. But I was occasionally visited with nausea, faintness, heartburn, and a feeling of lassitude, especially in the morning, which continued until I could obtain the supposed restorative from my tobacco-box. Years passed on before I became convinced that the ills I suffered were to a great extent owing to tobacco. But I did so become convinced, and resolutely determined to discontinue its use. This caused me no inconsiderable suffering for a time, but this suffering gradually disappeared, and with its disappearance my previous ailments also disappeared; since which I have enjoyed greatly improved health."-Professor

E. Nott (Union College, America) to Dr. Shew.

"Some individuals assert that it would be injurious to the aged and habitual smokers to give up the custom suddenly; but what is the fact? Thousands of aged persons long accustomed to smoking, are annually sent to our prisons and houses of correction, where they are suddenly deprived of tobacco, and yet no bad consequences ensue : they return to society, after their period of confinement, improved in appearance and evidently in better health."

"February, 1829. A memorable epoch in my eventful life. Meeting with four or five particular friends, all of us inveterate users of tobacco, it was proposed that we should break off the practice, and a unanimous resolution was passed instanter to that effect. But my friends fearing to take so bold a step at once, limited the positive interdiction to the use of the weed; and, as any tyro in such matters might have predicted, after their respective limitations had expired, treated their good resolutions. Bitter experience, as well as observation, had taught me that it was in vain to think of escaping from the fangs of so potent an enemy by any species of gradualism; my resolution was taken to use no more tobacco while the world stood, and my purpose was fixed to sustain that resolution, come life or death. The consequent breaking was by no means a light or comfortable one, but was much shorter and easier than it would have been but for the settled, immutable decree. Thanks to a kind and guardian Providence, ever ready to help those who help themselves, the yoke of bondage is broken, and the oppressed is free from the tyrannic servitude of tobacco. For years I have felt no more appetency for this narcotic plant than I have for skunk-cabbage. Grateful for such signal deliverance, I would fain do all in my power to aid others, who are under the dominion of a strong tobacco habit, to escape therefrom. Reader, if such

M M

is unfortunately your condition, permit me to commend to your special attention and unflinching application, the only rational and trustworthy remedy for so formidable an evil. Adopt for your motto IMMEDIATE

EMANCIPATION AND TOTAL ABOLI

TION. And not only discard at once and for ever all use of tobacco, but admit of no substitute of camomile flowers, or other substance, with a view to alleviate the horrors, or sense of depression and wretchedness which will be very likely to ensue upon a disuse of the narcotic stimulus. The hotter the battle, the sooner over.' There is no danger to be apprehended from suddenly arresting the pernicious habit, no matter how long it may have been indulged, or how strong it may have waxed, nor yet how feeble the constitutional powers. The depressed or uncomfortable feelings which ordinarily flow from an abandonment of protracted or excessive stimulation, result directly from a wise and provisional movement, designed and tending to restore damaged machinery to soundness and vigour. The less, therefore, it is interfered with, or embarrassed by counteracting influences, the sooner and more perfectly will the good work be accomplished."-A Correspondent with Dr. Joel Shew.

And now, Mr. Editor, I close, hoping I have not spent the time devoted to the preparation of this paper altogether in vain. I will

.

hope that some few, at least, by its perusal, may be induced to abandon the use of tobacco, and some few, who never were addicted to the practice, may be still preserved from it; while others, who never indulged in it from a conviction of its deleterious effects, may be confirmed in their views and form more determined resolutions than any hitherto entertained to leave it no coun-tenance whatever. This hope realized, I assure you, will prove an ample recompense for the labour bestowed in this effort to benefit my fellow-men. I do seriously think that anti-tobacco users ought to lay themselves out more fully than is generally the case, to propagate their opinions, especially among the rising generation, in order to preserve them from the practice in question. Even ministers, I think, might occasionally, in social intercourse, kindly warn against the evil, and be careful not to indulge themselves, lest their example should prove mischievous to our people. Our friends, too, who address our Sunday and weekday school scholars, might very properly warn them against allowing themselves to regard with favour a practice so prevalent and so pregnant with evil, and thus confer on them a life-enduring benefit. Wish

ing you and your readers every blessing, I am yours and theirs very sincerely, &c.,

W. SHUTTLEWORTH.
Vine Grove, Hulme, Manchester.

MR. JOSEPH PLANT,

LONGTON.

OUR esteemed brother was the youngest son of Benjamin and Ann Plant, of the town of Longton, who usually attended the established church, St. John's, under the ministry of the late Revs. J. Wright and T. Cotterill. While the family were somewhat regu lar in their attendance at church, and

cultivated good moral conduct, still, there was no pretension to experimental piety, so that our brother did not enjoy the advantages of direct religious instruction from his parents connected with family worship and the daily example of a living and active domestic piety. It is right, however, to observe, that he was taught daily to repeat the Lord's prayer and the apostle's creed,