Of earth's shallow waters the drinking That flows by my Father's own door, The gold of this bright happy dwelling, Shine forth and allure me to Him. For pains a torn spirit is feeling, No balsam from earth it receives, I go to the tree that is healing, To drop in my wounds from its leaves. Its home and its parent, I'm coming- EJACULATORY PRAYER. WERE We acquainted with the way of intermixing holy thoughts, ejaculatory eyeings of God, in our ordinary ways, it would keep the heart in a sweeter temper all the day long, and have an excellent influence in all our ordinary actions and holy performances. This were to "walk with God," indeed, to go all the day long in our Father's hand; whereas, without this, our praying morning and evening looks but as a formal visit, not delighting in that constant converse which yet is our happiness and honor, and makes all estates sweet. This would refresh us in the hardest labor; as they that carry spices from Arabia are refreshed with the smell of them in their journey; and some observe that it keeps their strength, and frees them from fainting. - Leighton. MAKING SECRET PRAYER PLEASANT. 1. Be regular in the observance of it. Arrange your affairs with reference to your daily seasons of retirement; and do it with just as much purpose as with reference to your ordinary meals; and if you are very irregular in the latter, with more. 2. Watch over your life and conversation. If you suffer yourself to be betrayed into any irregularity of conduct, or frivolity of conversation, it will press like lead upon your spirits as you enter your closet. There is meaning in the words of the apostle, "Watching thereunto, with all perseverance." 3. Prepare for it by meditation. The mind which has been engrossed in secular business, needs time to recall itself, that it may gain a proper attitude to commune with Jehovah. You must labor to secure the conception of a present God. You are alone with a grieved, offended, yet compassionate friend. That friend is He before whom the angels veil their faces. There must be a preparation in order to enter suitably into communion with Him. 4. Read, in connection with your devotions, a few pages in such works as Baxter's Saint's Rest, Kempis' Imitation of Christ, and above all, devotional portions of the Bible. 5. Let your heart dictate every word you utter in the form of prayer. In other words, do not go to the closet merely to discharge your conscience in relation to the duty; but go there to unburden your soul of its emotions; and while there do not utter words significant of desires you do not feel. If you have not the emotion which you ought to have, do not mock God by expressions which signify its possession, but meditate and pray for it till it is awakened; and when it comes, utter it. 6. Pray much to Christ. He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He was tempted - tried in all points as we are, and presents Himself before us in a form to meet our sympathies and invite our most confiding approaches. Why did Stephen in the hour of his trial, pray, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit?" There is a volume of instruction in that prayer. It points us to One who, having trod the path of temptation, suffering, death, bears toward us the heart of a brother that can be touched combined with omnipotence to save. "MAMMA," lisped little Eveline Wilson, when the visiter was scarcely seated, "mamma, put on my new muslin frock." "No," said her mother, "I don't wish you to wear that to-day." "But I want to," persisted the child, endeavoring to unfasten her dress; "do let me, mamma." Mrs. Wilson repeated the refusal. "Then I will bring it for Miss Green to look at," said Eveline, and away she ran. Returning presently, and laying the frock upon the visiter's lap, she stepped back and fixed her eyes on her face with an expression which seemed to say, “Now I expect you to praise it." "How charming!" exclaimed the inconsiderate young lady. "Now I really think your mother almost cruel, to deny you the pleasure of wearing it this afternoon. I hope she will indulge you the next time she takes you out; you would certainly be mistaken for a little fairy. What an uncommonly fine taste you display in dressing your daughter, Mrs. Wilson," she continued, turning to the mother; "she always looks like a doll. But I believe she cannot look otherwise, she is so beautiful," giving the gratified child a warm embrace, and an affectionate kiss. Mrs. Wilson was silent. The intended compliment was evidently not well received, and Miss Green at once changed the conversation. Eveline left the room, but soon reappeared, claiming the visiter's attention to a tiny pair of gloves. Hurriedly drawing one on, she held it up triumphantly, with its 66 thumb protruding from the back of her hand, repeating " See, see my gloves!" "Yes, very pretty," observed Miss Green, unwilling to be interrupted. 66 Eveline," said her mother, "I have told you never to take anything from my bureau; return them directly, my dear." The child took no notice of her mother's command, but bounded away, and just as the conversation had been resumed, again entered, drawing a large linen table-cover by one corner, exclaiming, “Look! look Miss Green!" Mrs. Wilson rose quickly, with a mortified air, and folding the article, bade her daughter replace it in the drawer. She pouted, and turned away. The mother repeated her command, and was obliged to threaten punishment, to secure obedience. Eveline returned to the parlor, apparently undecided as to whether she could most annoy her mother by crying violently, or enjoying a genuine fit of pouting. Before she had settled the matter, the door-bell rang. The sound operated like magic on that young creature; her sobs were instantly hushed, and her face wreathed in smiles. Away she ran to the landing of the staircase. A pleasant old gentleman was shown up. "How do you do, my little miss?" he asked. "Pretty well, I thank you," she answered, extending her hand, and bowing with a grace not unbefitting the finest lady in the land. He led her into the parlor, and placing her upon his knee, filled the intervals in conversation by putting questions to her. She soon became very officious, and troublesome; rudely pulled the gentleman's watch from his pocket, and jabbered incessantly, so that the others were compelled to suspend conversation. "Be silent, Eveline," said the mother, deeply humiliated by her child's conduct. She was obeyed. Scarce a moment had passed, however, when the gentleman inquired, "How old are you, my dear?" "Three, next May-day," she replied, with restored assurance. "Ah!" rejoined he, "then you are a May-flower. Well, a sweeter one is rarely found." "Miss Green says I always look like a doll," remarked the conceited child. "Does she say so? well, she is certainly right," returned he, laughing. EFFECTS OF UNDUE PRAISE ON THE YOUNG. 115 75 When he took leave, Eveline followed to the door, repeating in a bold manner, "Good day sir, good day sir." "Have you called upon Mrs. Coleman yet?" inquired Mrs. Wilson. Miss Green replied that she had. "I shall embrace the earliest opportunity to do so," resumed Mrs. Wilson; "for, from what information I have received, I judge her to be a valuable acquisition to our society." "She is highly interesting and intelligent," said the other, "and these qualities render less pardonable prominent faults in the character of their possessor. I was surprised to see her very deficient in so important a point as parental government. Her little son was exceedingly importunate, and she appeared to lack the decision necessary to silence him. At length she rang for a servant, and ordered him taken from the room; but because he cried, she allowed him to remain, when that alone was a sufficient reason for sending him away. I think if mothers could see their children with the impartial eyes of other people, they would discover many defects of which they were previously ignorant, and adopt a different and more judicious system of training." "Your maternal qualifications have not yet been brought to the test," replied Mrs. Wilson; " and, believe me, whenever they are, you will find there are other influences besides yours, operating on the mind of your child, and, although perfectly conscious of its faults, you may find it extremely difficult, not to say absolutely impossible, to counteract those opposing influences, and educate your little charge in a manner strictly conformable to your views of right and wrong." "I do not understand you," said the young lady. "I believe a mother's influence to be greater than any other, greater even than all others combined; and that influence, properly exerted, cannot fail of making the child constantly good and amiable." "Then you attribute all misbehavior on the part of children, to mismanagement on the part of mothers?" "Exactly so." "I must deviate from you in opinion; a mother may, by unremitting exertion, so mould the character of her child, that the future man, or woman, will be useful and respected members of society; this, I believe, she is usually, I may almost say inva |