Page images
PDF
EPUB

sincere, though imperfect obedience will be accepted, even Jesus Christ.

No. 127.]

LYING.

[MONDAY.

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. He who wilfully deceives his neighhour either by his tongue or his conduct, is a being to be dreaded in society, and, while attempting to deceive others, he is actually imposing upon and will eventually deceive himself. A liar begins with making falsehood appear like truth, and ends with making truth itself appear like falsehood. A strict adherence to truth was considered by Dr. Johnson, so sacred an obligation, insomuch that, in relating the most minute anecdote, he would not allow himself the smallest addition to embellish his story. One of his friends observes, 'that he always talked as if he was talking upon oath.'

No. 128.]

LYING (continued). [TUESDAY.

THERE is no crime more infamous than the violation of truth. It is apparent, that men can be sociable beings no longer than they can believe each other. When speech is employed only as the vehicle of falsehood, every man must disunite himself from others, inhabit his own cave,

and seek prey only for himself.

He who tells a

lie is not sensible how great a task he undertakes; for he must be forced to invent twenty more to maintain that one. Truth is always consistent with itself, and needs nothing to help it out. It is always at hand, and sits upon our lips, and is ready to drop out before we are aware. Truth is the basis of all excellence.

No. 129.]

ENGLISH PROVERBS. [WEDNESDAY.

"ONE bad sheep mars a whole flock." This is a trite truth, and a proverb among several nations. It admonishes us of the danger of associating with those who are vicious; such society being like an infectious distemper, and therefore ought to be most carefully and industriously avoided.

"It is good to make hay while the sun shines." This proverb is a great encouragement to virtue and goodness, it teaches us to let no time escape us, without serving, and doing good to ourselves and our neighbours. It calls upon us to be ever active and vigorous.

No. 130.]

APHORISMS.

[THURSDAY.

PARTY is the madness of many for the gain of a few. Prosperity gains friends, and adversity

tries them.-Truth is born with us, and we must
do violence to nature to shake off our veracity.
A contented mind, and a good conscience, will
make a man happy in all conditions. He knows
not how to fear, who dares to die.-By others'
faults wise men correct their own.-Though a
man may become learned by another's learning,
he never can be wise but by his own wisdom.—
Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues
we write in water.

How far the little candle throws his beams!
So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

No. 131.]

DOMESTIC HAPPINESS.

[FRIDAY.

DOMESTIC happiness, thou only bliss
Of Paradise, that has survived the fall!
Thou art the nurse of virtue, in thine arms
She smiles; appearing, as in truth she is,
Heaven-born, and destined to the skies again.
Thou art not known where pleasure is adored,
For thou art meek and constant, hating change,
And finding in the calm of truth-tried love
Joys, that her stormy raptures never yield.

No. 132.] VIRTUOUS PRINCIPLES. [SATURDAY. "BE virtuous ends pursued by virtuous means, Nor think th' intention sanctifies the deed."

That maxim, publish'd in an impious age,
Would loose the wild enthusiast to destroy,
And fix the fierce usurper's bloody title.
Then bigotry might send her slaves to war,
And bid success become the test of truth.
Unpitying massacre might waste the world,
And persecution boast the call of heaven.

No. 133.]

[SUNDAY.

REFLECTIONS ON NEHEMIAH. Chap. x. v. 29.

"PERMIT me, O Lord, to enter into a solemn engagement with thee, in imitation of the Jews under Nehemiah; that I may consider myself as one of thy covenant children, and look up unto thee as my Father and my God. I was graciously admitted into covenant with thee at my baptism; and I desire now to renew it with full understanding and consent of mind. I make a willing surrender of myself to thy service, and as it is hearty and sincere, O may it be entire and perpetual! Let every sin be avoided by me; let every wish which is inconsistent with thy will, be subdued and rooted out, and let me be wholly thine for ever. Amen."

No. 134.]

DUELLING.

[MONDAY.

THE Romans, the bravest men that ever ruled the world, gave no encouragement to the inhuman

H

practice of duelling. They thought there was more honour in passing by an affront, than resenting it. The highest point of honour among them was, the saving the life of a fellow-citizen. And shall we, shall Christians, whose very characteristic is a forgiving, benevolent temper, become more savage than heathens, by encouraging these barbarous encounters? When honour is a support to virtuous principles, and runs parallel with the laws of God, and our country, it cannot be too much cherished and encouraged; but when the dictates of honour are contrary to those of religion and equity, they are the greatest depravations of human nature, by giving wrong, ambitious, and false ideas of what is good and laudable; and should, therefore, be exploded by all governments, and driven out, as the bane and dlague of human society.

No. 135.]

APHORISMS.

[TUESDAY.

He that slanders me paints me blacker than I am, and he that flatters me, whiter; they both daub me; and when I look into the glass of conscience, I see myself disguised by both.-An infallible characteristic of meanness is cruelty.— Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself. -Small things make mean men proud. The utmost exertion of right is always invidious, and where claims are not easily determinable, is always dangerous.

« PreviousContinue »