gality, nothing contributes more to the raising of a young man in the world than punctuality and justice in all his dealings therefore, never keep borrowed money an hour beyond the time you promised, lest a disappointment shut up your friend's purse. forever.

The most trifling actions that affect a man's credit are to be regarded. The sound of your hammer at five in the morning, or nine at night, heard by a creditor, makes him easy six months longer; but if he sees you at a billiard table, or hears your voice at a tavern, when you should be at work, be sends for his money next day; demands it before he can receive it in a lump.

It shows, besides, that you are mindful of what you owe; it makes you appear a careful, as well as an honest man, and that still increases your credit.

in

Beware of thinking all your own that you possess, and of living accordingly. It is a mistake that many people who have credit fall into. To prevent this, keep an exact account, for some time, both of your expenses and your come. If you take the pains at first to mention particu lars, it will have this good effect; you will discover how wonderfully small trifling expenses mount up to large sums, and will discern what might have been, and may for the future be saved, without occasioning any great inconvenience. In short, the way to wealth, if you desire it, is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality; that is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality nothing will do, and with them every thing. He that gets all he can honestly, and saves all he gets (necessary expenses excepted,) will certainly become rich -if that Being who governs the world, to whom all should look for a blessing on their honest endeavours, doth not, in his wise providence, otherwise determine.

AN OLD TRADESMAN.

་

RELIGION.

RATIONAL religion, hostile to nothing which is not hostile to the happiness of man, was never an enemy to innocent amusement, or a cheerful enjoyment of the gifts of providence; and they who teach otherwise, or exhibit it to their brethren under a forbidding aspect, do an essential injury to the very cause which they pretend to support. But God be praised, we live in a period when it seldom assumes such an aspect, when the sincerity of your piety will not be estimated from a sanctimonious appearance, demure looks, illiberal sentiments, violent zeal, and monkish manners.

Ye have seen the sun which rose in a mist, gradually dispelling the gloom, ascending to his meridian altitude, and with brightest splendour beaming on the nations—in like manner, religion emerged from the obscurity in which she was involved during the dark ages; at the glorious era of the Reformation, the shades of superstition fled away; and, since that auspicious period, she has become a fairer form, and shone with a purer lustre. BeHold her arrayed in her native charms, and walking through the reformed churches to cheer and bless mankind.

LAURIE.

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PIETY THE FOUNDATION OF GOOD

MORALS:

PIETY to God is the foundation of good morals, and a disposition particularly graceful and becoming in youth. To be void of it argues a cold heart, destitute of some of the best affections which belong to that age. Youth is the season of warm and generous emotions. The heart should then spontaneously rise into the admiration of what is great,

glow

glow with the love of what is fair and excellent, and melt at the discovery of tenderness and goodness.

Where can any object be found so proper to kindle these affections, as the Father of the universe and the Author of all felicity? Unmoved by veneration, can you contemplate that grandeur and majesty which his works every where display? Untouched by gratitude, can you view that profusion of good, which, in this pleasing season of life, his beneficent hand pours around you? Happy in the love and affection of those with whom you are connected, look up to the Supreme Being as the inspirer of all the friendship that has ever been shewn you by others; himself your best and your first friend; formerly the supporter of your infancy, and the guide of your childhood; now the guardian of your youth, and the hope of your coming years. View religious homage as a natural expression of gratitude to him for all his goodness. Consider it as the service of the God of your fathers; of him to whom your parents devoted y you; of him whom in former ages your ancestors honoured, and by whom they are now rewarded and blessed in heaven. BLAIR.

RELIGION TO BE TREATED WITH
REVERENCE..

IMPRESS your minds with reverence for every thing that is sacred. Let no wantonness of youthful spirits, no compliance with the intemperate mirth of others, ever betray you into profane sallies. Beside the guilt which is thereby incurred, nothing gives a more odious appearance of petulance and presumption to youth, than the affectation of treating religion with levity. Instead of being an evidence of superior understanding, it discovers a pert and shallow mind, which, vain of the first smatterings of know

ledge,

·ledge, presumes to make light of what the rest of mankind

revere.

At the same time, you are not to imagine that, when exhorted to be religious, you are called upon to become more formal and solemn in your manners than others of the same years, or to erect yourselves into supercilious reprovers of those around you. The spirit of true religion breathes gentleness and affability. It gives a native unaffected ease to the behaviour. It is social, kind, and cheerful; far removed from that gloomy and illiberal superstition, which clouds the brow, sharpens the temper, dejects the spirit, and teaches men to fit themselves for another world by neglecting the concerns of this. Let your religion, on the contrary, connect preparation for heaven with an bonourable discharge of the duties of active life. Of such religion discover, on every proper occasion, that you are not ashamed; but avoid making any unnecessary ostentation of it before the world.

Ibid.

The Cottager's Advice to his Daughter

UPON HER GOING TO SERVICE..

Christ must be obeyed in whatever he commands... The danger of neglecting the sacrament of the Lord's Supper... Motives to this duty.

IT is trifling to talk of the religion of Christ, and to pretend to be one of his followers, and not to remember him in whatever he hath commanded.

I have much reason to fear there are many who live and die without receiving the sacrament of the Lord's supper, though it is required by Christ himself.

If I was to invite my neighbour to sup with me, and he excused himself because he was not in a cleanly condition,

3

would

would not you be astonished that he did not set about to wash himself? But, supposing that I were to furnish him with the requisites for making himself clean, and he should still insist that he could not come; might I not suspect that he was not heartily inclined to my friendship, and sought for a reason to excuse himself? 7

There is no miracle in the effects of this celebration : It neither saves nor destroys, but as it operates on the hearts, the lives, and manners of men, like other religious duties.

Our Lord and Master, in whom we profess to trust, invites us to his supper; as, upon another occasion, he says, "Come unto me all ye who travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you." And do you think you can go to him, in true sincerity of heart, and not find refreshment? He directs us, on this occasion, the most solemn the world ever knew, to go. He, the son of God, was going to suffer a cruel and ignominous death, and commanded us to do this in remembrance of him; and do you think, while memory holds a place in your brain, you shall forget him? He tells us why we should do this, and how it is to be done. He bids us receive the bread and wine in remembrance of his death and passion, of his body pierced, and blood spilt, as a token of his wonderful love towards us; and requires this memorial to be continued through every generation, until his coming again in glory.

Now, of all commands, it is natural to lay the greatest stress upon those which are given us by our friends a little before their death, especially if we really love them, and they particularly desire it to be done in remembrance of them. Let us suppose that the lady whom you are now going to serve, by an astonishing mark of her love and compassion for you, should preserve your life:

; suppose

she

should