Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub
[graphic][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]

David playing before Saul.

I SAMUEL XVI. 23.

ND it came to pass when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." (Read from the 14th verse of the chapter.) Saul had sinned against God so that the spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an evil spirit troubled him. When God departs Satan comes. But whether it was a case of actual possession by a demon, or merely a mental malady is not certain, perhaps something of both. supposed that music had power to diminish painful symptoms connected with such afflictions. times it has often been said that,

[graphic]

66

It was

In our own

"Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast."

This has often been witnessed even in the case of wild beasts and serpents. While there is something mysterious in the narrative, there are matters which are plain and practical in other portions of God's holy word. Thus,"A soft answer turneth away wrath." In remarks which are gentle, friendly, and affectionate, there is as much music as there was in David's harp, and music quite as effectual ir. subduing anger and sweetening bitterness. Adopting such a course will succeed better than any other in making our enemies to be at peace with us. May our young readers learn ever to speak with the meekness of wisdom and with the wisdom of meekness.

T. B.

The Pocket Bible.

WAS standing at the counter of a bookstore some years since, when a lady entered and enquired for pocket Bibles. I knew her well. A few years before she had married a respectable young merchant, who, although possessed of little if any capital himself, had been started in business by a gentleman of wealth, with every prospect of success. He was active, honest, and enterprising, and although he had married early after commencing business for himself-perhaps too early-the lady whom he had selected as his companion was worthy of his choice. She had more ambition, some of her friends thought, than comported with their circumstances; and, though she contrived to repress it, in consideration that her husband's income for the present was small, it was apparent that her spirit was aspiring, and that she was looking forward with some impatience to the time when she should be the mistress of a fine house with furniture corresponding. A friend of hers, who was married about the same time, had at once entered upon the enjoyment of those objects of ambition, and had even a carriage at her command. Quite possible Matilda Grant cherished the secret hope that she might one day be able to receive that friend in a similar establishment of her own. The dispensations of God, however, not unfrequently intervene to thwart our plans and defeat our hopes of worldly good. He has higher views respecting us than we ourselves entertain, and a preparation, therefore, is necessary, which requires sorrow here in order to joy hereafter. Through

much tribulation must we enter into the kingdon of Gol. For a few years Mr. Grant went on well in business. His purchases were made with judgment, and his goods cre

[graphic]

THE JUVENILE COMPANION.

dited to those who, he then thought, would be able to pay. But, unfortunately and unforeseen, his principal creditor failed, and, in a single day, Charles Grant was a bankrupt. At the time of this sad reverse he was ill of a fever. It was difficult to conceal it from him; but the news had a still more unhappy effect upon him than was anticipated; and from that hour he continued to decline, and in a few weeks he was carried to his grave. It was a grevious blow to his wife, with whom her friends most sincerely sympathised, and to whom they tendered, for herself and two children, a son and daughter, all the kind assistance which their circumstances allowed. On an investigation of Mr. Grant's affairs, his failure proved even worse than was feared; and, although the gentleman who had advanced the capital was quite liberal in the settlement of the concern, the widow and her children had but a few hundred pounds, and for most of that she was chiefly indebted, it was thought, to the generosity of her husband's friend. This result, following the loss of a fond and truly estimable husband, made the shock still more terrible. She felt the calamity keenly, and the more so as she had no near relatives at hand to speak to her, and she was ignorant of the Divine consolations of religion. The Spirit of God came in to heal that troubled spirit, and to sanctify those trials to her soul; and at length she was enabled to bow in humble and quiet submission to the will of God, and betake herself to the support and education of her lovely children, now her solace and delight. At the time I saw her in the bookstore she was in pursuit of a pocket Bible for her son, named Charles after his father. The purchase was soon made. A further circumstance about this Bible I knew in after years. On presenting it she turned the attention of the happy little fellow to a blank page in the beginning, on which, in a beautiful wreath, she had inscribed her own name, and under the words "To my son," followed the appropriate and touching lines:

A parent's blessing on her son
Goes with this holy thing;

The love that would retain the one,
Must to the other cling.

Remember 'tis no idle toy,

A mother's gift, remember, boy!

And still a little below were printed, in small but beautiful capitals, words which a mother's faith might well appropriate :

His loving kindness changeth not.

At the age of seventeen Charles Grant was a stout, strong, active youth. He was more than ordinarily ambitious, but, as his ambition had not full scope, he was restless, and, I sometimes thought, unhappy. Had his mother, at this critical era of his life, been able to find him some employment suitable to his active and ambitious genius, it would have been fortunate indeed, but she knew of none; and besides, she needed his aid, and, more than all, she was alone, and felt she could not dispense with his company. About this time a young sailor, by the name of Thornton, belonging to the neighbourhood, arrived at home from a voyage. Charles naturally fell in his way, and was delighted with the story of his adventures. He listened long and intently. His age and circumstances raised in his ambitious bosom the desire for similarly exciting scenes. Without designing any special wrong, young Thornton at length proposed to Charles to accompany him on his voyage, which he should commence in a few weeks. For a time he hesitated, or rather declined-his mother and Alice would never consent, and to leave them by stealth was more than he felt willing to do. Thornton did not urge him, as it afterwards appeared, but Charles was himself strongly inclined to go, while the young sailor was quite willing to have a friend and companion so bright and enterprising as Charles Grant. In an evil hour the latter decided to go, and go without the knowledge of his mother.

« ÎnapoiContinuă »