SABBATH SCHOOL VISITER. VOL. VII. MAY, 1839. No. 5. The Pious Mother. AND does the pious mother sleep? Is pouring o'er the darkened way. The hour was tranquil, Christ was nigh; "She winged her way to realms above, With those who sing, 'My God is mine."" But, can the feeble minstrel tell, VOL. VII. 9 "Alas!-their aching bosoms swell, "Or who, at blessed eve and morn, Hush, minstrel, hush that plaintive tone! Then bless the Lord! who dwells in light, Bids her to him her children give! B. The Brazen Serpent. The silver trumpet had sounded far and wide through the camp of Israel, and the fatigued travelers commenced their weary march around the land of Edom. Alarmed at the recent movements of Arad the Canaanite, and despairing of relief from so fierce and powerful a warrior, they pledged themselves that should God give the victory, instead of devoting to themselves the spoils of the Edomitish cities, they would sacrifice them to divine justice. But unable to force their way through the heart of the country, they were reluctantly led back into the wilderness, when they had expected to enter at once into the land of promise. The road was rough— water failed-and they received of the manna God had so kindly supplied to them. And the people complained of God, and bitterly reproached Moses for bringing them out of Egypt, to die in the wilderness. As a punishment for their distrust and ingratitude, sickness and death came upon them. God had guided them thus far,-protecting them and their children from danger, but now, because they murmured, he sent fiery serpents among them, the bite of which produced immediate inflammation, extreme suffering, and insatiable thirst. Who can conceive the scene of terror and death, as the chastened travelers now halted on their journey, and pitched their tents round about the tabernacle, under whose shadow they were to lay themselves down to die? The prayer and shriek mingled in the still air of night. The moonlight sky only revealed the desert's gloom to those who bore forth from the camps the bodies of the dead. We can imagine, grouped in one place, the mourning, sorrowing souls, who had but yesterday complained of the injustice of a God who cannot err. In another place were clustered about the dying, those who were to lose their companions through the wilderness, and the cheerers of their solitary way. And here, we may suppose, walked and prayed and agonized a fond mother, as her beloved child lay before her, in fearful suffering. They had borne away the bodies of her husband, and little one, and turning to her first-born, she gathered up her wasting strength to close his eyes also, ere she laid herself by his side, in despair to die. Her long hair fell upon her shoulders, and the night wind lifted it silently, and passed across her burning cheek. Now the feeble wailing child unclosed his parched lips, and asked for water. The mother folded her hands convulsively across her breast, and cast her eyes wildly about. The cries of those whose life the fierce, fiery fever was suddenly checking, came confusedly upon her ear. All about her, the low, deep moan of the dying mingled with the earnest prayers gushing out from repentant hearts. Bitter tears stole from her dark eyes, as she turned again to watch the dying agonies of her son. Fearless and alone she watched, for the storm had swept away him upon whose strong arm she leaned. But what sound was that which now fell upon her ear. Through the olive hue in her cheek the blood mantled, as she started to her feet, and bent her head forward to listen. It was the voice which had cheered them in toil, in weariness, in pain and fear,-the voice of their leader. "And Moses prayed for the people." The day dawned. Rapidly the news had spread through the camp, that their ruler was girt with power to stay the pestilence. Joy and gratitude filled every heart. Go forth Israel, and behold your deliverer! High suspended in the air, beneath the gladdening rays of the exulting sun, hangs the brazen serpent. "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." "God of mercy," exclaimed the Hebrew mother, "lend me strength, that I may bear forth my son!" Amid the crowds that were pressing on, she passed out from the camp. The head of her boy rested heavily upon her bosom. His eyes were closed, and, as the light of day fell upon his face, her heart sickened. The serpent was now in sight, and, lifting her dying son high in her weary arms, she besought him to look upon it. With agonizing earnestness, she watched his dark eyes unclose. The slow poison had wasted the glow of life, and they were glassy and sunken. "Look," she exclaimed," look, and live!" The curtained lids were heavily raised,—the drooping head lifted, and the eyes of her only child were fixed in a long gaze upon the serpent of brass, glittering in the sun-light. No sound escaped her lips. Her faith had saved her child, and, as she turned again and laid him upon his pallet, the restrained tears of grateful joy burst forth, and, kneeling by his side, she bent her head in silent prayer. sounds filled the air, and the desert resounded with the voice of praise,-"for it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." Glad Years,-ages, have passed by, since that scene of living interest. But the wilderness is spread about us. The land of promise lies beyond. We have complained of the weariness of the way, and the bread of life,— that bread of which there is enough and to spare,—is rejected. The fiery darts of Satan are poisonous to the soul, and painful to the trembling conscience. Sin bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. What voice comes to us in our danger and sorrow? It says, "Look unto me and live!"-without delay,-with earnestness, -with faith. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish. The Infant Class. Ar. The Infant Class is an important branch of the Sabbath school. It is a powerful means, with the blessing of God, of producing religious impressions on the hearts of children, as soon as they are capable of understanding the simplest truths. It also preoccupies the tender mind with religious truth, before it is filled with senseless. trash. This, of itself, is of vast importance; for there is, perhaps, no greater barrier against the entrance of the truth, than to have the mind preoccupied with nonsense; which cannot but exert a hardening influence upon the heart. No one can fail to observe the difference in the behavior of a child that is always prattling nonsense, and the one that amuses himself by repeating hymns, and asking questions about those elevated subjects embraced in infant school instruction. When it is recollected how deep these early impressions are, this subject assumes an aspect still more interesting. Who is there that has not cause to regret some things that were learned in childhood; and which are so deeply fixed in the memory, that, however unwelcome, they cannot always be kept out of mind, often intruding upon hallowed seasons? These remarks are not designed to condemn playfulness in children, which, indeed, is indispensable to physical culture; but the occupying of the mind with foolish stories, nonsensical sayings, &c., which cannot be too severely censured, nor too sedulously guarded against. Another weighty consideration, in favor of the infant class, is, the influence it exerts on the higher departments of the Sabbath school. It accustoms the minds VOL. VII. 9* |