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own species; but when they perceived further that no sooner had any one of their company touched the hori zon than he instantly disappeared, they then recognized themselves in their individual forms, reflected beneath according to their places and configurations above, from seeing others whom they previously knew, reflected in like manner. By an attentive but mournful self-examination in that mirror, they slowly learned humility, but every one learned it only for himself, none believing what others insinuated respecting their own inferiority, till they reached the western slope from whence they could identify their true images in the nether element. Nor was this very surprising,-stars being only visible points, without any distinction of limbs, each was all eye, and though he could see others most correctly, he could neither see himself, nor any part of himself—till he came to reflection! The comet, however, having a long train of brightness streaming sunward, could review that, and did review it with ineffable self-complacency:-indeed, after all pretentions to precedence, he was at length acknowledged king of the hemisphere, if not by the universal assent, by the silent envy of all his rivals."

"But the object which attracted most attention and astonishment, too, was a slender thread of light, that scarcely could be discerned through the blush of evening, and vanished soon after nightfall, as if ashamed to appear in so scanty a form, like an unfinished work of creation. It was the moon,--the first new moon:timidly, she looked round upon the glittering multitude, that crowded through the dark serenity of space, and filled it with life and beauty. Minute indeed they seemed to her, but perfect in symmetry, and formed to shine for ever; while, she was unshapen, incomplete, and evanescent. In her humility, she was glad to hide herself from their keen glances in the friendly bosom of the ocean, wishing for immediate extinction. When she was gone, the stars looked one at another with inquisitive surprise, as much as to say, "What a figure!" It was so evident, that they all thought alike, and thought contemptuously of the ap

parition, (though at first they almost doubted whether they should not be frightened,) that they soon began to talk freely concerning her, of course, not with audible accents, but in the language of intelligent sparkles, in which stars are accustomed to converse with telegraphic precision from one end of Heaven to the other, and which no dialect on earth so nearly resembles as the language of eyes, the only one, probably, that has survived in its purity, not only the confusion of Babel, but the revolutions of all ages. Her crooked form, which they deemed a violation of the order of nature, and her shyness, equally unlike the frank intercourse of stars, were ridiculed and censured from pole to pole; for what good purpose such a monster could have been created, not the wisest could conjecture; yet, to tell the truth, every one, though glad to be countenanced in the affection of scorn by the rest, had secret misgivings concerning the stranger, and envied the delicate brilliancy of her light, while she seemed but the fragment of a sunbeam, they, indeed, knew nothing about the sun,-detached from a long line, and exquisitely bended."

"All the gay company, however, quickly returned to the admiration of themselves and the inspection of each other. What became of them, when they descended into the ocean, they could not determine; some imagined that they ceased to be; others that they transmigrated into new forms, while a third party thought it probable, as the earth was evidently convex, that their departed friends travelled through an under-arching sky, and might hereafter re-ascend from the opposite quarter. In this hypothesis they were confirmed by the testimony of the stars that came from the east, who unanimously asserted, that they had been pre-existent for several hours in a remote region of sky, over continents and seas now invisible to them; and, moreover, that when they rose here they had actually seemed to set there. Thus the first night passed away. But when the east began to dawn, consternation seized the whole. army of celestials, each feeling himself fainting into invisibility, and as he feared into nothingness, while his

neighbours were, one after another, totally disappearing. At length the sun arose, and filled the heavens, and clothed the earth with his glory. How he spent that day belongs not to this history; but it is elsewhere recorded, that for the first time from eternity, the lark on the wings of the morning sprung up to salute him, the eagle at noon looked undazzled on his splendour, and when he went down beyond the deep, Leviathan was sporting amidst the multitude of waves."

"Then again, in the evening, the vanished constellations awoke gradually, and on opening their eyes were so rejoiced at meeting together, not one being wanting of last night's levee,--that they were in the highest good humour with themselves and one another. Tricked in all their beams, and darting their benignest influence, they exchanged smiles and endearments, and made vows of affection eternal and unchangeable; while from this nether orb, the song of the nightingale rose out of "darkness, and charmed even the stars in their courses, being the first sound, except the roar of ocean, that they had ever heard. The music of the sphe may be traced to the rapture of that hour."

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"The little gleaming horn was again discerned, leaning backward over the western hills. This companionless luminary, they thought, but they must be mistaken, it could not be,-and yet they were afraid that it was so,―appeared somewhat stronger than on the former occasion. The moon herself, still only blinking at the scene of magnificence, early escaped beneath the horizon, leaving the comet in proud possession of the sky. About midnight, the whole congregation, shining in quiet and amicable splendour, as they glided with unfelt and invisible motion through the pure blue fields of æther, were suddenly startled by a phantom of fire, on the approach of which the comet himself turned pale, the planets dwindled into dim specks, and the greater part of the stars swooned utterly away. Shooting upwards, like an arrow of flame, from the east,--in the zenith it was condensed to a globe, with scintillating spires diverging on every side! it paused not a moment there, but rushing with accelerated velocity to

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Bible Classes.

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wards the west, burst into a thousand coruscations, that swept themselves into annihilation before it could be said that they were. The blaze of this meteor was so refulgent, that passing blindness struck the constellations, and after they were conscious of its disappearance, it took many twinklings of their eyes before they could see distinctly again. Then with one accord they exclaimed, 'how beautiful! how transient!'-After gravely moralizing for a good while on its enviable glory, but unenviable doom, they were all reconciled to their own milder but more permanent lustre. One pleasant effect was produced by the visit of the stranger, the comet thenceforward appeared less illustrious in their eyes by comparison with this more gorgeous phenomenon, which, though it came in an instant, and went as it came, never to return, ceased not to shine in their remembrance night after night."

"On the third evening, the moon was so obviously increased in size and splendour, and stood so much higher in the firmament thau at first, though she still hastened out of sight, that she was the sole subject of conversation on both sides of the galaxy, till the breeze that awakened newly-created man from his first slumber in Paradise, warned the stars to retire, and the sun, with a pomp never witnessed in our degenerate days, ushered in the great sabbath of creation, when the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them." [To be concluded in our next.]

BIBLE CLASSES.

THE Committee appointed by the General Association of New Hampshire, to consider and report what measures can be adopted by this body to promote the formation and improvement of Sabbath schools and Bible classes, presented the following Report and Constitution which were accepted, adopted, and the subjoined list of officers for the ensuing year were elected. 30*

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Bible Classes.

REPORT.

[Oct.

Your Committee beg leave to report, that they consider the Institutions of Sabbath schools and Bible classes, of inestimable importance to the prosperity of Zion and the interests of the rising generations. They rejoice to find their brethren in Massachusetts publishing, that in that State" the system of Sunday school instruction has been pursued with the happiest results, evincing the preeminent importance and efficacy of this noble expedient of bringing little children to the Saviour, and training up a whole generation for his service. Wherever Bible classes have been established, their influence has been most powerful and salutary. In several instances the Spirit of God has so signally honoured this Institution by his accompanying influence, as clearly to show, that it is a most efficient instrument of bringing the young to the saving knowledge of the Gos pel." They believe that similar results have usually attended these Institutions in other parts of the Lord's vineyard. They would therefore submit the following resolutions to be adopted by this Body.

Resolved, 1st. That the General Association of New Hampshire, earnestly recommend to all the Pastors and churches connected with their Body, to take prompt and efficient measures to organize schools for the children, and Bible classes for the young people, in all their congregations.

2ndly. That the Delegates from particular Associations in this state, be expected every year, in giving an account of the state of religion, to mention the number of Sunday schools and Bible classes in the Congre gations which they represent, the degree of interest taken in them, and the obvious advantages which result from their establishment.

*

3dly. That measures be adopted to form a State Sunday school Union, auxiliary to the American Sunday School Union, and also to organize a State Bible Knowledge Society, which may be the medium, for acquiring, originating, and disseminating a knowledge of the best

* This Sunday School Union was organized.

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