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"Then," says I, "If no person were to strike you when you struck him, what would you do?"

"I think I should cease to strike any body," said John. "And, on the other hand," said I, "if you should never strike those who strike you, what would they do?" "I suppose they would soon cease to strike me,” answered John.

"Yes," said I to the boys, "this is true philosophy and true religion, and the only safe way. Only let all be assured that, however angry they may be with you, and however they may beat you, you shall never be angry with them, and never hurt them in any way, you will probably always be safe against injuries and insults. For who can harm you ?"

Which of these two boys was THE HEROIC BOY-John or Ralph ?

England hates those who hate her, and wishes to take vengeance on all who injure her. She hires and retains in her pay and service her army and navy, to execute her hatred and revenge. God's command is "Resist not evil,"-" Return to no man evil for evil,"-" If thine enemy hunger, feed him." But England sustains her army and navy to resist evil"-to return evil for evil," and to kill her enemies. Thus nations retain their armies, and their soldiers hire themselves out, and are engaged to do the very things which God forbids.

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What shall we call such a nation? What shall we call those who are thus hired to do deeds of violence and blood? Shall we call them Christians?

HENRY C. WRIGHT.

Though the hero be praised and honoured; though in life he is loaded with wealth and rank, and after death his fame survive, and the costly monument display his courage and success, yet the true Christian would prefer to spend his existence in humble labour, or in calm retirement; and at its close, rather than have such mockery over his mortal remains, he would choose his resting place under the green sod with the lowly and the poor. The poet SOUTHEY, describing PIZARRO, says:

"A mighty realm

He overran, and with relentless arm,
Slew or enslaved its unoffending sons,

And wealth, and power, and fame, were his reward.

E

There is another world beyond the grave,
According to their deeds, where men are judged ;
0, reader! if thy daily bread be earned
By daily labour-yea, however low,
However wretched be thy lot assigned;

Thank thou, with deepest gratitude, thy God,
Who made thee that thou art not such as he."

The hero hath his fame,

'Tis blazoned on his tomb,

THE PRIZE ESSAY.

But earth withholds her glad acclaim,
And frowns in silent gloom :
His footsteps o'er her breast

Were like the simoon's blast,
And death's wild ravages attest
Where'er his chariot past.

Behold yon peaceful bands,

Who guide the glittering share,
The quiet labour of whose hands
Doth make earth's bosom fair;
From them the rich perfume
From ripen'd fields doth flow,
They bid the desert rise to bloom,
The waste with plenty glow.

Ah, happier theirs to prize

The humble rural shade,

And like our Father in the skies,
Blest nature's work to aid;

Than famine and despair

Among mankind to spread,

And earth, our mother's curse to bear,

Down to the silent dead.

MRS. SIGOURNEY.

HUMANITY, HUMILITY, &c.

HUMANITY, 1. The nature of man. 2. The collective body of mankind. 3. Benevolence; tenderness.

JOHNSON.

Look to thyself; reach not beyond humanity.

SIDNEY.

All men ought to maintain peace, and the common offices of humanity and friendship in diversity of opinions.

LOCKE.

This word is derived from the Latin adjective Humanus, belonging to man, from whence we have also the words HUMAN, HUMANE, kind; HUMANIZE, to render humane and gentle; INHUMAN; INHUMANITY; SUPERHUMAN; that is above the nature or power of man, the Latin preposition super, meaning above, beyond.

IN, when used as a prefix to an adjective, commonly gives the word an opposite meaning to that which it otherwise possesses; hence Inhumanity signifies want of humanity; barbarity; cruelty.

Joyless inhumanity pervades and petrifies the heart.
THOMPSON.

(Warriors)-O, what are these?

Death's ministers, not men; who thus deal death
Inhumanly to men; and multiply

Ten thousand fold the sin of him who slew
His brother.

MILTON.

True humanity consists not in a squeamish ear; it consists not in starting or shrinking at tales of misery, but in a disposition of heart to relieve it. True humanity appertains rather to the mind than to the nerves, and prompts men to real and active endeavours to execute the actions which it suggests. CHARLES JAMES FOX.

THE CIRCLE OF HUMANITY.-FENELON was accustomed to say, "I love my family better than myself; my country better than my family; and mankind better than my country; for I am more a Frenchman than a Fenelon ; and more a man than a Frenchman." This reminds us of the saying of the Roman emperor, "As I am ANTONINUS, Rome is my city; but, as I am a man, the world." According to PYTHAGORAS, "A stranger, if just, is not only to be preferred before a countryman, but a kinsman." And MARCUS AURELIUS gave this injunction, "Be always at leisure to do good; never make business an excuse to decline the offices of humanity.”

Man is dear to man. The poorest poor
Long for some moments in a weary life,
When they may know, and feel that they have been
Themselves the givers and the dealers out

Of some small blessing; have been kind to those
Who needed kindness, for this single cause,

That we have all of us one human heart.

WORDSWORTH.

The senate of the Areopagites was a tribunal of high antiquity, the members of which were renowned for their equity, their blameless manners, and their wise and prudent conduct. The name of this tribunal was derived from the place where its sittings were held, the Areopagus, or hill of Mars, at Athens. Being one day assembled, according to custom, without any roof or covering but heaven, the senators perceived a bird of prey, which pursued a little sparrow, that flew to save itself into the bosom of one of the company. This man, who naturally was harsh, threw it from him so roughly that he killed it, whereat the court was offended, and a decree was made, by which he was condemned and banished from the senate; let it be observed that this company, which was at that time the gravest in the world, did not pass the decree for the care they had to make a law concerning sparrows, but it was to show that clemency and a merciful inclination was necessary in a state; and that a man destitute of it was not worthy to hold any place in the government, he having, as it were, renounced humanity.

HUMILITY, freedom from pride; modesty. JOHNSON. Humanity cannot be degraded by humiliation. It is its very character to submit to such things. There is a consanguinity between benevolence and humility. They are virtues of the same stock. BURKE.

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From the Latin noun Humus, the ground; comes Humilis, belonging to the ground; and thence we derive the words INHUME, to bury; INHUMATION; EXHUME, to disinter; EXHUMATION; HUMBLE; HUMILITY; HUMILIATION; and, according to some etymologists, Hoмo, a man, that is a creature formed from the ground; HUMAN; HUMANE, &c., see HUMANITY, which is so naturally associated with HUMILITY in the mind of the true Christian, that it has been thought better to place them both under one head, the more especially as they are traced to the same derivation.

In midst of dangers, fear and death,
Thy goodness I'll adore ;

And praise thee for thy mercies past,

And humbly hope for more.

Humility, that low sweet root

ADDISON.

From whence all heavenly virtues shoot. MOORE.

The sufficiency of my merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient. ST. AUGUSTIN. The light of the understanding, humility kindleth, and pride covereth. ST. GREGORY. Humility is but a speaking truth, and all pride is a falsehood. JEREMY TAYLOR. Humility is the vital principle of Christianity; that principle by which, from first to last, she lives and thrives; and in proportion to the growth or decline of which, she must decay or flourish. WILBERFORce.

To confess that you have been in the wrong, is but owning what you need not be ashamed of, that you have more sense than you had before, to see your error; more humility to acknowledge it; and more grace to correct it.

Seed.

There is small chance of truth at the goal, where there is not child-like humility at the starting-post.

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COLERIDGE.

Sorrow and humiliation for sin are indispensably requisite to all who would enter the temple of the New Testament. Do we wish that Jesus should befriend us, we must plead that we are lost; and should we even have good qualities and good works whereof to boast, we must on no account make them our plea; for the Lord might answer us, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' Let others boast of the sincerity of their repentance, the fervour of their piety, the purity of their desires, or whatever else they please; our plea must be, "Lord Jesus we are lost and ruined, therefore have mercy on us!" This appeal humbly urged, will never meet with a repulse. "The Lord abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself;" and he declares that the humbled and the lost are the objects of his saving mercy. * Instruction,

education, example, correction, and punishment, may do much for man, but they can never make him truly humble in spirit. A whole array of scripture passages, exhortations, and philosophical evidences of transgressions, judgments, calamities, and I know not what besides, will of themselves produce no effect to the purpose. He will often rather break than bend. The change so devoutly to be wished, is the work alone of Him who "giveth repen

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