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give him the deepest wound. Where, for instance, are the backsliders of the church, when God's people are holding their communion with each other and with Christ in the holy Supper? And who is around them? Who is it that draws the contrast between their professions and their conduct? Who are they that are hardened in their wickedness by their example? Ah! the enemies of Christ at that time rejoice in the unfathfulness and inconsistencies of his professed followers.

What was the end of this betrayer? Behold, and fear. Ah! short is his triumph! It is but a little while and his candle goeth out in darkness. How solemnly does the Saviour himself announce the fearful retribution which hangs like an ominous thunder cloud over his guilty head! "Wo unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man, if he had not been born!"

He went to his own place!" And what place is that? soul come not thou into the secret of that sorrow!

Oh wretched state of deep despair
To see my God remove;

And fix my doleful station where

I must not taste his love!

66

O my

THE DEACON'S DINNER-PARTY.

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DEACON Goodman was the very best man that ever lived. said his friends and neighbors, who certainly ought to know, and for enemies, he probably had not one in the world. It is true however, that the remark above quoted was generally made as a sort of apologetic preface to something like the following: But then he has such queer notions, he is so unlike anybody else, that we hardly know what to make of him." Perhaps these worthy people were oblivious of the fact, that in order to be very good, it is often a painful necessity to be different from one's neighbors.

We cannot better illustrate Deacon Goodman's peculiarities than by describing a little entertainment given by him at his country-seat not long ago. For the Deacon, with all his unworldly goodness, is a prosperous merchant in New Nork, and the owner (by perfectly fair means) not only of a brown-stone front in the city, but of a charming suburban residence. The Deacon's wife, though a very good woman in her way, was a far less peculiar personage than her husband. She fell quite gracefully into an amiable conformity with the ways of the world, and is not to be distinguished from the thousand of good women-of the wealthy class-who throng our city churches. Their two daughters, Miss Adelaide and Miss Ellen, had just left the restraints of their fashionable school, and enjoyed the prospect of "coming out" another winter, as full-fledged members of society.

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"Husband," said Mrs Deacon, one May morning soon after the family migration to the country, Husband, you know we did not give that dinner that we were proposing last winter-what do you say to having

it here instead.

We are so convenient to the city that they can easily come out in coaches."

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'You gave a large party, did you not, which included all that should have been your dinner-guests?"

"Dear me, yes! but that was quite a different thing. Now at this little affair I am speaking of, I should want only our most particular friends."

"Oh! if that is the plan, I like it well," rejoined the warm-hearted Deacon. "But why not ask them to pass a week with us?

"Ask-whom?”

"Well, your brother John's family first; the children would enjoy it -and then-"

"Oh! you don't understand me at all! I mean only a few of the best familie, whose acquaintance it is most desirable to cultivate."

"Really, wife, it does not seem quite honorable to invite guests for our own selfish purposes. I can sell hardware with a good conscience, but the hospitalities of my house—”

Who wants to sell the hospitalities of your house? No, no, my dear, that is one of your old notions. Everybody in society does just as I am proposing. And after all, this inviting is only doing as we would be done by."

"True, true," said the Deacon, with a merry laugh. "But why not do this favor to some one who will value it, to whom it will be a real kindness? There are hundreds now whom I could name, to whom a day spent among these green tress, in the fresh, sweet air of the country, would be an event to remember for a year."

"Oh, you mean a charitable visit, that is very good in its place, but very different from the matter I have in hand. For our children's sake,

my dear, it really is a duty to hold our place in good society." The Deacon was always accessible to considerations of duty. He merely said:

"Well, name your day, and give me the list. I will have the invitations sent from my office."

"A capital thought; your accountant there is such a splendid penman. And as to the names, you know the families to whom we are under the greatest obligations. I would have the company as select as possible, and I will try to make the whole affair pass off finely," said the worthy lady, beaming already with amiable complacency upon her prospective guests.

The expected day arrived. Mrs. Goodman and daughters, their elegant toilets at last perfected, were seated in the drawing-room, whose long windows looked across a cool verandah, and commanded the way of approach from the city. Though the fingers were occupied with light fancy work, expectant eyes were glancing continually down the road to meet the first arrival.

"No one will come for an hour yet, you may be sure," said Mrs. G. "Your father has such a horror of late hours, that he wanted us to be dressed and waiting by four o'clock "

I never saw an omnibus on this road before," said Miss Ellen, as one of these plebeian vehicles made its appearance over the brow of the hill.

"Chartered for some special purpose," said her mother absently, as she mused upon the dinner.

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There is another," said Adelaide.

"And another," added Ellen.

"

There is quite a procession of them," said the mother.

"And the first one is stopping at our gate," exclamed Ellen.

"What in the world can all those forlorn-looking creatures want here?" cried Adelaide, in consternation.

'Do go and send them away before our company comes," said Mrs. Goodwin.

I have seen some of them at the Industrial School," said Ellen, with a sudden gleam of merriment; can this be one of father's curious tricks?"

It certainly is," replid Adelaide, "for there he comes himself out of the last omnibus "

And in fact the good Deacon was now seen making his way through the crowd of poor people, who stood humbly waiting near the gate, and offering his arm to a withered old lady in rusty bombazine, who had been among the first arrivals. He presented her and the foremost of the guests to his lady, who stood all in a rustle of astonishment and stiff brocade, on the verandah steps, and to his elegant daughters, who were half-way between laughing and crying at the novelty of the scene before them. Mrs. Goodwin fortunately had the good sense or philosophy to perceive that a state of things which was manifestly not to be cured, had better be endured with the best grace possible; and her innocent guests, though somewhat awe-struck at such undreamed-of magnificence of apparel, were all unconscious of the struggle-and triumph, too-of grace that was going on beneath the studied hospitality with which she received them.

There was the old lady in black, who proved to be a widow, and utterly alone in the world; about the supply of whose wants the Deacon probably knew more than any other man living. And there was an old man with one wooden leg; and a blind man, who was strongly suspected to have been seen at the way-side begging, until some benevolent individual-name unknown-had supplied him with a basket of saleable articles, by means of which he was now able to support himself and family There were women, too, with wan faces, who seemed to have never enjoyed the freedom of God's blessed air; and puny children in their arms, whose heavy eyes brightened at the sight of green grass and waving trees The older people were soon seated in the house, or on the piazzas, while the children, under convoy of Miss Ellen, who entered heartily into the spirit of the occasion, scattered about in merry games on the green lawn. Never was such play before; and to Ellen herself it seemed that the little birds never sang so sweetly, nor the fresh summer air breathed so softly, and never was it so delightful to have a home in the country as on this very day.

The company once disposed, a sober second thought occurred to the lady hostess, more distressing doubtless than the first. An appealing look brought her husband to her corner. "What in the world am I to do?" she said, "I have not half provision enough for them to eat.” "That is all right," replied the Deacon, pointing to a market-wagon

which was just unloading at the kitchen gate.

"There is abundance

for them all, and I have given directions to the cook."

Anxiety was needless; every arrangement had been completely made; and the entertainers devoted themselves again to their guests. Happily passed the hours of the golden afternoon. The ladies of the family recovered speedily from the shock of disappointment, and could not help admitting that they had never so thoroughly enjoyed a company before. It was only because the real delight of social life, that of conferring happiness on others, had never been so fully within their reach. It was a lesson worth the learning.

THE CUSTOM OF OPENING CONGRESS WITH PRAYER.

As a part of the records of the "times that tried men's souls," we cannot omit to refer to the action of Benjamin Franklin, when he found the convention in great difficulty as to the satisfactory settlement of pending questions. He rose and said:

"Mr. President, the small progress we have made after four or five weeks' close attendance and continual reasonings with each other, our different sentiments on almost every question-several of the last producing as many noes as ayes-is, methinks, a melancholy proof of the imperfections of the human understanding. We, indeed, seem to feel our want of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the forms of those republics which, having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution, now no longer exist. And we have viewed modern States all around Europe, but find none of their constitutions suitable to our circumstances. In this situation of this assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of Lights to illuminate our understanding? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.

"All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe the happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance?

"I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proof I see of this truth-that God governs in the affairs of men ; and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that except the Lord build the House, they

labor in vain who build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed on this political building no better than the builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and by-word down to future ages. And, what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom, and leave it to chance, war and conquest.

"I, therefore, beg leave to move that henceforth prayers, imploring the assistance of Heaven, and blessings on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."

The motion was carried, and thus was inaugurated the custom of having prayers at the opening of the session of both Houses of Congress.

NEW BOOKS.

A Superintendent's Addresses to the Children of His Sabbath School. By the Author of "Jane Eaton." Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, No. 821 Chesnut Street. pp 156

Though the modest author of this interesting little book is pleased to hide himself under covering of the "Author of 'Jane Eaton,"" yet we happen to recognize his friendly face nevertheless. In reading the little volume we hardly know which has given us greater joy, the beautiful things therein so beautifully told or the ful co-working with the amiable author in the cause ing vallies of the Susquehanna, which by aid of this

many pleasant memories of delightof Sunday-Schools among the charmbook have been called up afresh.

"Long, long be my heart with such memories filled,
Like a vase in which roses have once been distilled,
You may break, you may ruin the vase if you will,
But the scent of the roses will hang round it still."

The Book contains fifteen brief Addresses to children based on the lessons as they were passed over in the school over which the Author presides. We greatly admire the taste displayed in the choice of language. It is childlike but not childish-a mistake into which many fall who write for children. An affectionate heart breathes in simple and forcible thoughts, and chaste. appropriate, and impressive illustrations. Elsewhere in this number will be found one of these Addresses as a specimen. We heartily commend the book; and hope the author, a zealous and intelligent layman, will not let this be his last work for children.

MOUNT WASHington College for Young LADIES. We have received the third annual catalogue of this excellent Institution, located near Baltimore, Md. Fifty young ladies have been connected with this College The course of study is thorough, and the religious character of the Institution is zealously maintained. Rev. George L. Staley, A. M, is Principal.

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