■■
6
Christian Faptiily.
The little folk need help ; they need
Agassizand His Father.
cheer and encouragement, and who
BY BD'UMUDX.
A story is told of Agassiz, the great
should be so ready, so willing, so able
naturalist,
whieh, we believe, has never
There is much of well meaning to give as the parent ?—Ax.
yet appeared in print.
talk, and many benevclent plans made
His father destined him for a com
•Mother Comfort.
to assist the poor—to carry the loaf
mercial life, and was impatient at his
of bread to the needy. This is well.
This beautiful expression occurs in devotion to frogs, snakes, and fishes
It is Christ-like, for He cared for
The latter, especially, were objects of
bodies as well as for the souls of trten. Isaiah Jxvi. 13; “As one whom his
mother comforteth, so I will comfort the boy’s attention. His vacations he r
But let us look for a moment and
spent in making journeys on foot
see if there is not something to be you.”
It was Luther who spoke of God through Europe, examining the dif
done before the loaf of bread is car
ferent species of fresh water fishes.
as being our father and mother.
ried in charity^ Have you given em
“ If yon can prove to me,” said his
Whatever there is in the universe
ployment to those you might ?—that
father, “ that you really know any
has
been
first
in
the
mind,
in
the
shed to be shingled, that fence need
thing about science, I will consent that
ing repairs you think might last a heart, in the nature of God. Even
you
shall give up the career I have
little longer without. Your heart is sex seems to be there. He calls him
planned
for you.”
touched by the cries of the needy, self our Father, and now he speaks of
Young Agassiz, in his next vacation,
himself as our mother. /
... And looking back upon the changeful asking for bread ; how much better
being then eighteen, visited England,
■>
All
human
relationship
seems
to
be
scene
1
to help them buy their own, earned
intended to show us God. We could taking with him a ietter to Sir Rode
So dark with shade, so bright with bless by holiest labor.
never
reach to the conception of the rick Murchison.
ing
Have you, prudent housewife, dis
We draw us nearer to the sacred .cross,
“ You have been studying nature,”
fatherhood
of God if we did not have
missed your washerwoman, because of
Discerning where the buried sacrifice
said the great man bluntly.’ “ What
human
fathers,
and
there
are
loves
id
the cry of hard times, when you could
Rose from its gloomy sepulcher, and
have you learned ?”
»
-
.
have retained her services without the recesses of the nature of God
Bursting the bars, put on immortal
-
The
lad
was
timid,
not
sure
at
that
which
we
can
only
reach
through
our
Vestments.
impoverishing your family, or with
moment that he had learned anything.
mothers.
And thus we stand upon the threshold— holding luxuries from the table ? Her
“
I think,’\Jje said at fast, “ that I
We have just as much' right to say
We enter the veiled presence—pregnant
one day’s work for you is of the ut
know a little about fishes.”
With weal or woe, for ns an<l anchor
most importance to her. She can do “ Our Mother, which art in heaven,”
All our hopes upon Hit word, who
“ Very well. There wilt be a meet
as
“
Our
Father,
which
art
in
heaven.
”
nothing else ; is neither fitted by
Baid, “ All things *sha 1 work for good.”
ing
of the Royal Society to-night; I
The
study
of
mother-love
gives
us
an
education or culture for other work,
—Record and Evangelist.
will take you with me there.”
idea
of
God
’
s
love
for
us.
Nothing
is
and the bread for her little ones she
so clbse to a man as his mother.—His
Ail of the great scientific savans of
“ Beautiñil Snow.”
would rather earn than beg.
first
life
is
a
life
bid
in
her.
His
first
England
belonged to this society. That
It is a false economy for those
Fulling gently clown from the open whose income allows them fyr more sustenance taken by his own action is evening, when the busineas of the
sky or sifting its way through the than actual needs, to withhold the drawn fromdrer. And so it is of the meeting was over, Sir Roderick rose
dark green fir trees, comes the “ Beau work from seamstress, dressmaker, soul and God. In him we live and and said ;
" I have a young friend here from
tiful Snow,” like a great white cover from any they might employ, in tnesiT move and have our being, " All my
springs are in thee." We are his Switzerland, who thinks he knows
ing sent by angel hands to. hide all times of sorest need.
the dark places of the world.
If your heart is charitably in- offspring. Each one of us is .his something about fishes ; how much, I
. Nothing is so grand or lofty, and ’clined, give employment in every offspring. It is important to remcm- have a fancy to try. There is, under
nothing is so small or obscure that it way you can, and then pay the worth ber that.
this cloth, a perfect skeleton of a fish -
Her many children never become which existed long before njan.” He ’
remains untouched by this magical of it; not striving to secure the ser
down, which comes falling, ever fall vices of those ,,w|jo will Work at confounded in a mother’s heart. She then gave him the precise locality in
ing, until even the streets seem pure starvation prices because they must not only knows all, she knows each ; which it had been found, with one or
and white, and the restless pines have have it, but rather “ provide things she knows his peculiarities of bodily two other facts concerning it.
ceased to murmur beneath their snowy honest in the sight of all men,” that constitution and temperament, and
“ Can you sketch for me on the
burden, while no one would dream there be no temptation to slight your his mental* peculiarities. She knows blackboard your idea of this fish ?”
that the old churchyard, beneath all work, giving only the money’s worth. how to reach him and what to do for said Sir Roderick.
this purity and loveliness, was hold How much better to pay the full him. The wife may be fond as wife
Agassiz took up the ohalk, hesitated
ing in jts, bosom many graves, the value of labor dpne. “ The laborer is can be, but she does not know what a moment, and then sketched rapidly
hopes of many hearts.
kind ofbabe or
her Jusb^d wagy a skeleton fish._ Sir Roderick hejd up_____
worthy of his hire.”
But now, the leaden cloud, which
I know of scores of mechanics and but his mother knows it all. So the the specimen. * The portrait was cor
has overshadowed us only that it many single women, struggling to Lord “ knoweth our frame; he re- rect in every bone and- line. The
might drop down pure white snow make an honest living, whose clothes membereth that we are dust.”
grave old doctors burst into loud ap
In
its
little
hurts,
disappointments,
flowers for the baby fingers, and stars
plause.
- uimuujy VV uvw tuuiu >9 DuaiUly, '
of beauty from the older hands, is
and
distresses,
no
one
can
comfort"
a
“ ” Sir,” Agassiz said, on telling the
who rarely taste of meat but once in
slowly parted and rolled away, and in three or four weeks. They are in our child like its mother ; for no one will 6tory, " that was the proudest moment
its place we see the “ far off blue of a community, and in our own churches, allow for it and be tender to it, even of my life—no, the happiest; for I
cloudless sky ” smiling down upon us. have spent the savings of prosperous when it is naughty and bad;^ So knew now my father would consent
Looking out upon the world how years, and will not run in debt. You God comforts us with tho comfort that I should give my life to science.”
beautiful it seems, we do not wonder ask “ why not let their wants be which one needs.
—Ex.
He
can
comfort
us
all
the
more
if
that so many poems have been dedic known.” Would you if you could
ated to the falling snow, we find our help it ? “ Then what shall be done?” we will recognize that he is verily our
L iver as F ood .—The California
selves involuntarily wishing for the I will tell you ; employ them and pay spiritual mother, if we can call him as Scientific Press Rays: “We cannot
silver tongue of some sweet bard, that well, telling them, “you are sure it the Psalms do—our own God. An too strongly condemn the use of liver
we too may express in fitting words will not come amiss in these hard other man’s mother may be best for and kidneys as food for man. These
the thoughts which crowd our minds. times,” and you will see the tear of him, but my own mother is my best organs are constantly charged with
We forget the clouds and the shadows gratitude start, and may be assured it comfort.
the worn out excrementitous matter
of the morning in our joy at earth’s will be “ bread cast upon the waters.’’
A mother’s love never fails her of the system, the presence of which,
beautiful mantle, and the glorious —Household.
child.
Ordinarily, as long as he when rightly understood, are disgust
‘
’
sunligTl which falls upon it and upon
lives, though he himself should be ingly offensive to the taste. Their
eur hearts also, making the one to
come an old man before his mother presence is evinced by the fact that
Sensitive Children.
sparkle more brilliantly than all the
dies, she is tender towards him.q in these portions of an animal are al
jewels of the queen’s coronet, and
Most children are sensitive, and it his infancy, in the night, when others ways the first subject to decomposi
filling the other with a gladness is wrong to wantonly wound their weary, she wakes and watches and tion. They make very good food for
which earth’s treasures are not able feelings by censuring them too harsh yearns over him, and that yearning hens and dogs, but for man—never.”
to give. Beautiful as the day is it ly for their faults. Time cures a goes out to him through his career of
can not linger, and while we watch great many things; children outgrow life. She loves him with an ever
Till we have reflected on it, we are
the sunlight go out through gates of infirmities and faults, and if right lasting love, and the Lord says to scarcely aware how much the sum of
gold, throwing a parting glory over principles of action and feeling are in each one of his children, " I will love human happiness in the world is in
hill and shore, we think of our life’s stilled gently, constantly, wisely, the thee with an everlasting love.”
debted to this one.'eelihg—sympathy.
day, and would only a-k, that, like results will ultimately appear. It is
A mother sacrifices ease, comfort, We get cheerfulness and vigor, we
the day which has left us, its evening mere cruelty to make the weak pleasure, for her child ; devotes her scarcely know how or when, from
• hours may be its brightest, and that points of a child a source of teasing days and nights to the wearied, the mere association with our fellow-men,
,l it may pass illumined and glorified by and ridicule, as is often done in sick, or disabled child. Just as she and from the looks reflected on us of
the light which shines down from the schools and families. A mental in fondles, consoles, forgives, and cheers gladness- and enjoyment. We catch
eternal city.
firmity should be treated as tenderly her child, so the Lord does his child, inspiration and power to go on from
S ylva L oomis .
human^presence and frnqi cLeeiftrf___
as a bodily deformity. A quick tein-
•
• wife becomes coretes? iff pei;iSTrKt^“tTm0ro'us* or’ teks'- ture to suit each word in the pro looks.
her personal appearance because of ing disposition, requires far more tact ceeding sentence. But nothing can
her husband’s indifference. Now in and judicious management than any make you ever think* too tenderly of
Little arms encircling the neck will
the simple manner of dress—not so mere physical infirmity.
God, nor feel too fondly toward him make the heart light over which no
simple, either—how often men think
When grown to maturity, our sen who has said to you, “As one whom diamonds sparkle. All the grand
it beneath their notice to approve the sitive children become the poets, his mother comforteth, so will I com pictures and splendid works of art
choice of their companions. iVe once musicians, artists, writers, leaders of fort you.”— Sunday Magazine.
one can possess will never adorn a
remarked to a gentleman that his their times. Help them, too, v^th
room as do the smiling faces of those
wife disp’ayed most admirable taste
The way to meet infidelity iaylo preach dearest to us. The things that may
in her attire, and what think you was their tasks, which to many of them
his answer ? With a sigh, we record seem hopeless. Definitions are hard the goepol; the way to build up the char- be bought are pleasant to have—nor
is to preach the Gospel ;<he way to
it: “ Has she ? Well, now, I should to remember ; the geography lesson ohea
keep down church troubles is to preach the is wealth to be despised; but never
hardly know -whether she had on a is difficult to comprehend, and won’t Gospel; the .way to check luk^wartnneBS
trarmness pity the poor man who has the wealth
world
tv.world-
wash gown or a satin dress.” We stay fixed in the mind ; history is selfishness,faultfinding, ill! beralltv,
lines«, is to preach the gospel; the way to that gold cannot buy, nor the woman
involuntarily —»disliked him, and
error and sin, sectarianism i and whose jewels are those of which Cor
thought that the expression upon the dull and dead ; arithmetic a hopeless suppress
_ way to
strife is to preach the gospel; the
countenance of his partner spoke tangle of figures, and grammar more «are souls and glorify God is to preach the nelia was so’proud—good and obedi,
volumes.
puzzling than any possible conundrum. Gospel.
i.
,____ »
ent sons.
The far-off shore« are bright with tpring-
Time verdure. Echo comes bock to ua
With gosh,of «oag, the twittea of loaves,
Grandma e Sermon.
The dash and roar of leaping Water«,
I The murmuring lallabjr of crystal
The supper is over, the hearth is swept,
streams.
And in the wood-fire's glow
Content with their quiet oourse
The children cluster to hear a tale
Among the whispering willows that fringe
Of that time so long ago,
*
When grandma's hair was golden brown, . Its banks. We see where roaring
cataracts
•
And the warm blood oame and went
Plunge
over
rooky
ledges —throwing np
O'er the jpoe that scarce was sweeter then
Their jets of spray, into the magio sun
Than now, in its rioh oontent.
shine,
The face is wrinkled and oareworn now,
That turns to rainbow-hues its flying
And the golden hair is gray,
crystals.
But the ligb that shone in the young
Mingled with
thé innate
girl’s eyes
Of words—whose thrilling vibrations
Has never gone away ;
■ shall ' ",r f < <2; * V'
. \
And the needles catch the fire’s bright
Pulsate the sweet air, until the atmos
light
•
phere
,
As in and out they go,
Of
worlds
hsve
felt their power.
With the clicking music that grandma
loves,
Shaping the stocking-toe.
’I
And the waiting childred love it, too
For .they know the stocking-song
Brings many a tale to grandma’s mind
Which they hear ere long.
But it brings no story of olden time
To grandma's heart to-night;
Only a sermon, quaint and short,
Is sung by the needles bright.
“ Life is a stocking,” grandma says,
“And yours is just begun,
And I am knitting the toe of mine
And my work is almost done.
With merry hearts we begin to knit,
And the ribbing is almost play;
Some are^fay-colored, and some are white.
And so£e are ashen gray.
“ But most are made of many a hue,
With many a stitch set wrong,
And many a row to be sadly ripped
Ere thé whole is fair and strong.
There are long, plain spaces without a
break,
That in youth are so hard to bear;
And many a weary tear is dropped
As we fashion the heel with care.
“ But the saddest, happiest time is that
Which we count, and yet Would shun,
When our Heavenly Father breaks the
thread,
And says th it our work is done."
The children came to say “ good-night,’’
With tears in their bright, young eyes,
Whiie in grandma’s lap, with a broken
thread.
The finished stocking lies.
The Old Year and the New.
To-night, the old year drops into the
shoreless
Sea! As silently, the new comes in.
With all its hoarded gifts (perchance its
Deep, dark sorrows) clo.e-hiddeu from
our
Wistful eyes. Love's golden key has
Locked them from us, until they fall into
Our waiting hearts, like ripe fruits on the
Waiting earth.
Another year! And still onr frail
Bark ripples the life sea :
With recreant homage we give the praise
To Him who crowned the days with bless
ing
And our life with golden halos, caught
From heaven's own burnished heights.
Anew, we light the altar fires, whereon
our
Grateful love shall offer incense, whose
Curling, cloudy pillars, shall ever rise
Until they reach the eternal throne.
Looking back, we see where
Wrecked hopes strew the angry sea, and
Life is lashed bv sudden, shrieking .
Storms, and maddened waves that bear
Upon our fragile bark, like hordes of
Thirsty foes, to take the last red drop
That holds the life we loved.
When all the world seems a vast char
nel*
House, for bnried joys, and bleaching
Bones, of hopes that wait no resurrection.
Where hearts are leaden, and weary feet
Are forced al;ng the barren way,
Unto the far-off slopes, that once were
Glory-crowned, but now the mists
Have wreathed and thickened above,
Until the smile of G<xi shall never
Penetrate thier gloom.
Oh, earth ! we loved thee well,
TSëKta file fritting MrpenTsloIêlnîé
Peace that brooded o'er its beauty,
And left it bare and blackened.
v
Anon: we see the rolling sea
Drops slowly into rest. The scattered
wrecks
We gaiter np and precious treasures
Cast np by ragiDg storms comes to'
Us on the foam-capped waves
tWhich—out from the.depths, liko brave
—**souls' tempest-driven,
Convulsed by affliction, will rise nearer
heaven.
And through
Gar tears, we catch the gleam of wings
The flutter of sails, and lo ! our sea
Is flecked with freighted Asets of good
For us.
How to Help the Needy.
V
4.
4
t
- I
y t ÿ