Mother, his cheeks are cold and pale, His eyes are closed, yet he does not sleep, For he wakens not at my earnest call;

Is it death, dear mother,—that rest so deep?"
"My child, his sleep is the sleep of death;
Yet we may not deem it a darkened lot;

And his spirit, more pure than the breeze's breath,
May be wandering near, though we know it not!
And wish him not back, thou lonely child,
Though we miss his love and his pleasant voice,-
Thou wilt soon to thy loss be reconciled,
And again in the summer woods rejoice.

"He dwells where the fields can never fade,
Where night comes not, nor day is dim;
Where the glory of God is the sun, and the shade
Is the shadowing wing of the cherubim.
And oh! in yon bright and happy land,
Thou again may'st his sunny beauty see,
And hear his voice, 'mid a joyful band,
From the shades of death as it welcomes thee!"

THE POWER OF KINDNESS.

In the records of history and experience, we find the most illustrious examples to exhibit the influence of the law of kindness in opening the fountain of goodness in the heart. These instances are not mere anecdotes, the stale outbreakings of fallacy; but they are facts whose truth is beyond doubt. And so little is the law of loving enemies practised, that it becomes our duty to pile fact upon fact, until demonstration shall become so open and powerful, that to depart from it shall be blind and wilful resistance of truth. For, so sure as there is a God who rules in the universe,-so sure as He has spoken to the world through the revelation of his will,- --so sure as Christ died for his foes, forgiving them the sin of his murder,- -so sure it is that the law of kindness is the true governing principle between man and his fellows.

The first illustration to be presented under this head, is the case of the benevolent Howard. John Howard was born about the year 1727, in the village of Clapton, near

London. From the year 1773 to 1790, the year in which he died, he spent his whole time in endeavouring to ameliorate the condition of prisoners of various characters. In this sublime employment, he chose to apply the fortune with which he was favoured. And most nobly did he discharge his assumed duty. He personally visited and inspected nearly all the prisons and gaols in England, Ireland and Scotland; and so well was he convinced that neglect, brutal treatment, filth and undue severity, only served to harden the heart of the offender, that, by his representations to Government, a great reformation was effected in the places of confinement and the treatment of prisoners. He visited the continent of Europe several times for the same object. He was the friend of the unfortunate. No matter how loathsome the dungeon, or how degraded and hardened its inhabitant, his voice of mercy was heard there, and his kindness was manifested, as the best means of subduing and winning the sinner; for his familiarity with and his conduct towards victims of all degrees of wickedness, only served to convince him that no person was so debased, or his feelings so callous, but that he could be reached and softened by kindness. Blows, chains, starvation and neglect, only turned the heart into iron, and froze the better feelings of human nature to their deepest fountain; but no sooner was the angel-voice of Howard heard and his kindness felt, than the long-sealed feelings were opened, the dried-up sources of tears were filled, the waters of sorrow flowed, and the heart of sin became radiated with deep and undying love for his benevolent visitor. This kindness was the principle which ever actuated Howard; and so devoted was he to its dictates, and so earnest in the discharge of his god-like object, that he yielded up his life in Tartary, while on a tour of benevolence, where his bones are now mouldering to the dust of the grave.

John Howard constantly walked according to the law, "Overcome evil with good." And even if we leave out of the account the great blessings which accrued to others from his conduct, we find, in the respect and love which exists for his memory, how advantageous is the adoption of the divine law. For wherever the name of John Howard is known, his memory is enshrined in the hearts and affections of thousands; while he is reverenced as one of those

glorious stars in human life, who, in imitation of the Saviour of the world, "went about doing good."

Fenelon was a

The next instance is that of Fenelon. Roman Catholic, and Archbishop of Cambray, in France. He was a man of the finest feelings, of the greatest benevolence, and he uniformly practised the law, "Overcome evil with good." He was kind and affable to the lowly, mild and courteous to the ignorant, philanthropic to the miserable, and ever gentle to both friend and foe. The consequence was, that he won all hearts. His diocese was often the seat of war; but the English, Germans and Dutch, even surpassed the inhabitants of Cambray in their love and veneration for him. At such times, he gathered the wretched into his house and entertained them; for his known goodness had surrounded him with a power which even contending armies could not resist; and the consequence was, that his dwellings were safe, even when towns and villages were lying in smoking ruins around him. The following is an instance of his great kindness. He observed one day that a peasant who had been driven from his home, and to whom Fenelon had given shelter, ate nothing. He inquired the reason. "Alas! my lord," said the poor man, "in making my escape from my cottage, I had not time to bring off my cow, which was the support of my family. The enemy will drive her away, and I shall never find another so good." Fenelon, availing himself of his privilege of safe conduct, immediately set out, accompanied by a single servant, and drove the cow back himself to the peasant. By thus walking according to the law of overcoming evil with good, he gained the affection of all. The peasantry loved him as their father; and long after his death, their tears would flow when they said, "There is the chair on which our good archbishop used to sit in the midst of us; we shall see him no more!" What a crown of unfading glory the law of love gave him!

The next illustration is that of Oberlin. John Frederic Oberlin was born in the city of Strasburg, near the frontiers of France and Germany. At the age of 26, and in the year 1767, he became pastor of a parish in a region of country fifteen or twenty miles from Strasburg, called the Ban de la Roche, whose inhabitants were but half civilized; their schools were nominal; many of their teachers could not read; the different villages could not communicate with each other from want of bridges and roads; their agriculture

was of the rudest kind; while their language was almost unintelligible. These evils were doubly entailed upon them by their invincible ignorance, the mother of superstition.

Among these people Oberlin settled; and his only means of defence were, a heart overflowing with goodwill to them, and a disposition so cultivated in the school of Christ, as to constantly make the law, "Overcome evil with good," his rule of action. And most nobly did those means serve him. When he exhibited a desire to make improvements among them, the people became enraged, and even waylaid him for his destruction. But, by throwing himself among them, unarmed, and with a kind yet firm and collected manner, he subdued their resentment. By uniformly pursuing a course of mild instruction, he obtained their confidence, until, by his influence and example, they successively opened roads between their village and Strasburg, reared more comfortable dwellings, adopted a better mode of cultivation, built good school-houses, and obtained more experienced teachers. Very soon, by the direction of this extraordinary man, the barren wilderness began to smile with well-cultivated fields and convenient dwellings; while happiness entered every abode, and religion was found on every family altar.

All this change was accomplished by the law of kindness, connected with an ardent perseverance, and a knowledge of human nature and its wants. And not only did he subdue all hearts around him, but his Christian conduct has obtained for him an honourable fame in all the nations where his name is known. When he died, which took place in 1826, the love of him was so universal and strong, that the inhabitants of the remotest village in his parish, though it rained in torrents, did not fail to come and take the last look of their "dear father." His funeral procession was two miles in length, and so strongly had his benevolence and kindness penetrated all hearts, that tears flowed from both Catholic and Protestant eyes, while regret for his loss and respect for his memory animated all minds alike. His grave-stone now stands in the "churchyard among the mountains," and there is recorded on it the simple and expressive fact, that he was for fifty-nine years the "Father of the Ban de la Roche."

Our last illustration in the law of kindness is found in the conduct of William I. Reese, a clergyman in Buffalo. He entered upon his charge in the year 1834, during the

summer of which Buffalo was filled with dismay and mourning by a dreadful visitation of cholera. But while the angel of death was strong in his work, sweeping crowds to the tomb, Mr. Reese was active in visiting the sick, irrespective of their faith or condition. Armed by the spirit of Christian love, which destroyed the fear of contagion, he devoted his days and nights to administering relief, consolation and sympathy to the dying and the mourning. And in this work of kindness, so full of moral sublimity, he was smitten by cholera, and died September 6, 1834. But so conspicuous was his devoted love, that it won the respect and admiration of all sects, disarmed bigotry of its frown, and procured a place for his memory in the hearts of multitudes in Buffalo. His funeral was attended by crowds belonging to all denominations.

The instances which have been introduced present this great fact, that the law of kindness was uniformly successful and beautiful in operation, and never failed to brighten its pathway with blessings. Yet the individuals mentioned were members of different denominations of professing Christians. Howard was a Calvinist, Fenelon a Catholic, Oberlin and Reese were Universalists; yet with one uniform law of kindness, of the same spirit both in precept and practice, they achieved the most splendid results. The prisoner was melted and subdued; the respect and protection of contending armies were gained; half-civilized people were changed into civilized inhabitants; the sick and dying were cheered; the admiration of opposing sects was won. For the individuals who thus sublimely illustrated the law of kindness are valued, and their memories are warmly cherished by all classes, though they belong to sects widely sundered from each other in creeds and church government. So true is it that the spirit of Christ and the power of benevolence are not confined to one sect or gathered up in one creed, but are manifested by all those whose hearts have been watered by the dews of heavenly truth, "Love your enemies,” irrespective of the denomination to which they severally belong. Can any one, in view of these facts, doubt the efficacy of the divine precept, "Overcome evil with good"? Verily I say to you, that kindness is mightier than the conqueror: the conqueror subdues only the body,-kindness subdues the soul.

Text-1 CORINTHIANS Xiii. 4-8.