Anecdotes and Selections. “Better HIGHER UP."-Not long ago there lived an old bed-ridden saint, and a Christian lady who visited her found her always very cheerful. This visitor had a lady friend of wealth who constantly looked on the dark side of things, and was always cast down, although she was a professed Christian. She thought it would do this lady good to see the bed-ridden saint, so she took her down to the house. She lived up in the garret, five stories up, and when they had got to the first story the lady drew up her dress and said, "How dark and filthy it is!" "It's better higher up," said her friend. They got to the next story, and it was no better; the lady complained again, but her friend replied, "It's better higher up." At the third floor it seemed still worse, and the lady kept complaining, but her friend kept saying,,'It's better higher up.' At last they got to the fifth story, and when they got into the sick-room there was a nice carpet on the floor, there were flowering plants in the window, and little birds singing. And there they found this bed-ridden saint-one of those saints whom God is polishing for His own temple-just beaming with joy. The lady said to her, "It must be very hard for you to lie here.' She smiled, and said, It's better higher up." Yes! and if things go against us, my friends, let us remember that "It's better higher up.' 66 A MINISTER'S FAMILY.-Rev. John Newton relates that many proofs have passed under his immediate notice of the faithfulness of God in answering the prayers of parents who had left behind them young and helpless children. He especially mentions a friend of his, a laborious Christian minister in the west of England, in whose family the divine promise was fulfilled. This good man, when dying, was advised to make his will, but he replied, "I have nothing to leave but my wife and children, and I leave them to the care of my gracious God;" and soon after died happily. No prospect appeared for the support of his family, but the Lord disposed a man who had always despised his preaching to feel for his destitute family, and by this means £,1,600 were raised for them, and the clergy of Exeter, who never countenanced his ministry, gave his widow a house and garden for life, so that she lived in greater ease and plenty than in the life-time of her husband. THE SCOTTISH DIVINE AND THE SCOTTISH LAWYER.—An eminent Scottish divine happened to meet two of his parishioners at the house of a lawyer whom he considered too sharp a practitioner. The lawyer jocularly and ungraciously put the question, "Doctor, these are members of your flock; may I ask, do you look upon them as white or black sheep?" "I don't know," answered the divine dryly, "whether they are black or white sheep; but I know if they are here long, they are pretty sure to be fleeced.' DAVID HUME AND BISHOP HORNE.-David Hume observed that all the devout persons he had ever met with were melancholy. On this Bishop Horne remarked, this might probably be; for, in the first place, it is most likely that he saw very few, his friends and acquaintances being of another sort; and secondly the sight of him would make a devout man look melancholy at any time. THE FIRESIDE.-THE PENNY POST BOX. The Fireside. CATCHING UP THERE are but few housekeepers who are not perpetually, but in vain, trying to "catch up" with their work. There is always so much ahead that needs doing, that is "suffering to be done," and so much in the present to occupy all the time and more, too, that it seems, and it is, impossible to do all that apparently needs to be done. It is like buying all the land that joins you. But housekeepers are not the only class of workers that never overtake their work. Go into any big law office and see how many people and how many things that ought by rights to be promptly attended to, have to wait and wait till their turn comes. Ask any large contractor if he keeps up with his building contracts, or can keep up with them. Ask any writer if he finishes up or can finish up all he plans to accomplish. A woman with a house to keep and a family of children to rear has a large contract on her hands, and no matter how much she does, the work she is compelled to leave undone will always be in the large majority. But if from day to day she meets the pressing duties of the day, that ought to satisfy her. If, instead of trying to anticipate all the work for the next week and the next year, she simply does not put off till to-morrow what might and ought to be done to-day, she would allow herself to feel that she has done enough. The Penny Post Box. CHRISTIAN INDUSTRY. THE trouble with much of the religious life of to-day is that it is allowed to rust and stiffen from disuse. If a Christian expects to have a religion that is worth anything he must use it daily. A great many bang up religion, as they do a coat in a closet, six days in the week, and then take it down and give it a nice airing and brushing, and wear it on Sunday. But such a religion won't wear. An engine that is idle soon rusts; a house unoccupied and uncared for soon goes to ruin. The only thing that will keep religion bright is the friction of constant use: "If," said Paganini, "I let a day go by without touching my violin, I immediately am aware of it; if I let two days elapse, it is the public who are aware of it." Everybody who heard Rubenstein when he was in this city marvelled greatly at his wonderful execution. The secret of it all lies in two words-constant practice. He kept in his room a small portable key-board, having neither wires nor hammers, and which emitted no sound. Upon this key-board he practiced constantly. Whether on the steamer crossing the ocean, or in the cars, or travelling by stage-coach, the practice of the noiseless keyboard was kept up with unceasing regularity. This is just what we FACTS, HINTS, GEMS, AND POETRY. want in religious life-a daily, unceasing practice of the life and doctrine of Christ in our lives wherever we are. In no other way can religion be made a living force. Let a Christian put aside religious thought and work for even a day, and like Paganini he will be immediately aware of it; let a little longer period elapse, and the world soon finds out that something is wrong. Facts, Hints, Gems, and Poetry. Without belief in personal immortality, religion is surely like an arch resting on one pillar, like a bridge ending in an abyss.-Max Muller. Life in itself is neither good nor evil; it is the scene of good or evil as you make it; and, if you have lived a long day, you have seen all.-Montaigne. M. Taine writes: "A fixed idea is like the iron rod which the sculptors put in the statues. It impales and sustains." There is in every human countenance a history or a prophecy, which must sadden, or at least soften, every reflecting observer.-Coleridge. We gain nothing by being with such as ourselves. We encourage one another in mediocrity. I am always longing to be with men more excellent than myself.-Lamb. Gems. CHINESE PROVERBS. The ripest fruit grows on the roughest wall. It is the small wheels of a carriage that come in first. The man who holds the ladder at the bottom is frequently of more service than he who is stationed at the top of it. Better to be the cat in a poor man's family than a mutton-pie at a king's banquet. The learned pig did not learn its letters in a day. True merit, like the pearl inside an oyster, is content to remain quiet until it find an opening. POETIC SELECTIONS.-THE CHILDRENS' CORNER. Poetic Selections. THE UNCHANGING. FRIENDS I love may die or leave me, O my Saviour, in Thy love. Thou the same Redeemer art. On the cross love made Thee bearer Can we go but unto Thee? Hope and strength to bear its own. Yet, since Thou hast made it mine, This Thy love will make it sweeter Than the world's best mingled wine. Darker days may yet betide me, STREAMS FROM THE ROCK. OFT when of God we ask Though strange to us it seem; The blessing on us streams; We dig the wells of life, And God the water gives; Then He within us lives; The Childrens' Corner. SOWING. A GENTLEMAN was stopping a few days with a farmer, who, though a man of sound sense and many good traits of character, had neglected religion. He was an excellent farmer, priding himself on the fine appearance and culture of his farm, and evidently was pleased with his guest, who was a man of winning manners and extensive information, and a Christian. One day he walked out where the farmer was scattering his seed broadcast in the field. "What are you sowing, Mr. H-?" he asked. 66 Wheat," was the reply. "And what do you expect to reap from it?" "Why, wheat, of course," said the farmer. At the close of the day, as all were gathered in a family circle, some little thing provoked the farmer-the husband and father, the head of the family-and at once he was in a violent passion; and forgetting in his excitement the presence of his guest, he swore most profanely. The gentleman, who was sitting next to him, in a serious tone said, "And what are you sowing now, Mr. H-?" The farmer was startled. A new light at once flashed on his mind from the question of the morning. |