Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

stances at that supper; at the agony in the garden: at the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrim; at his examination before Pilate; on the way to Calvary; on the morning and evening of the day of resurrection; are peculiar to St. Luke, and include large and integral portions of his account.-Greswell.

THE DOOR OF HEAVEN.

Ir was a fearful time when the steamboat Tyro was lost. It was long ago, and almost everyone has forgotten it, except the few who had friends on it, and they are almost all gone. The Tyro was a small boat, and the passengers were few and poor, so that it has passed from the public mind. All the day the bright sun had shone down on the peaceful lake, and everything seemed safe and secure. The passengers had no thought of danger as the night came on.

A little boy kneeled down to say his evening prayers, and as he looked out and saw the western sky all aglow with the glory of the spring day, he asked, "Mamma, isn't that the door of heaven, with bright curtains all around it?"

"Yes, my boy," said the mother; heaven's doors are all around

[ocr errors]

"Well, that is the one I want to go in at, because it is the prettiest; and the child prayed his prayer, and went to sleep.

[ocr errors]

It was never known how, whether the pilot fell asleep at his post, or the lights went out; but when midnight came, there was a crash, a shiver, and cries of terror. The steamer had come into collision with a schooner, and was sinking.

The little boy awoke. He cried, "Mamma, where are you?" and his mother's arms held him fast, even while they sank together in the dark waters.

They came to the surface, and the mother caught something floating, and held fast to it.

"Jamie! Jamie!" she said, " hold me very tight"

"Mamma, are we going to heaven? I don't like this way-I'm afraid."

"Never fear, child, God will meet you." And with all her strength the mother lifted her child upon the floating bale, then dropped it, and went home through the flood-gates below.

"Mamma! Mamma! where are you?" cried Jamie; but there came no answer. No one noticed the child afloat, for every one sought to save his own life; and the day was born, ran its course, and was dying again, when Jamie floated on shore. The little fellow was

hungry, very hungry, but there again was the glorious golden gate of heaven, and Jamie thought it was wider open than the night before; and as soon as he could crawl off from the bale to the land, he began to run as fast as he could, straight towards the west.

Jamie's feet tottered. He found he was too weak, to run, so he walks straight on, a long, long way, until the west began to grow dim in his sight.

The

Jamie saw a man coming towards him, but he did not stop. man noticed that the child's clothes were wet, that he had been in the water, and tried to stay him.

"Little boy, where are you going?

66

[ocr errors]

I can't stop now," said Jamie; "I'm afraid I shall be too late." "Too late! where are you going that way? There is no house there," the man cried after him, for Jamie did not stop an instant.

[ocr errors]

Yes, there is," said Jamie, "and I'm afraid the door will be shut." "Whose house, boy?'

[ocr errors]

Why, God's beautiful house to be sure. Don't you know it? See it grows dark;" and Jamie made one more effort, and fell to the ground, fainting with hunger.

The man lifted him up in his arms, and Jamie lisped, "Mamma said God would come to meet me;" and then he fell asleep. When he awoke he found himself in a strange place, with strangers about him.

"Come my darling, you must eat some of this," said a soft voice, and the light of the candle was carefully shaded from Jamie's eyes.

Jamie's last thought was of heaven, and his first question was, "Did I get there? Did He meet me?"

And a little girl standing by the bed answered, "Yes little boy, father met you and brought you home."

"God's your father too, is he?" asked Jamie, not yet fully conscious of his present state; "then we will both go home together."

Jamie recovered and grew to manhood-grew to a good and glorious manhood; and to the time when his Redeemer called him home, Jamie never forgot the western door for which he had striven. He never looked upon the gorgeous, purple and golden, crimson glory of the sunset, without hearing again in his mind, the words of his mother, "Yes my boy, heaven's doors are all about us." And Jamie's wish was granted him. One night the shining light came through the parted curtains, and Jamie went home with the day; and Jesus met him, for he loved him-Jesus, who long years before had gone down to the dark flood-gates below to meet Jamie's mother-Jesus, who always watches and waits to hear the coming feet of those who seek the gates of heaven.

Sent by J. S.

SMOKING.

BUT the evils of drinking are so generally admitted that we need not insist on the importance of Temperance, or attempt to describe the benefits that come, with autumn ripeness and bountifulness, on all persons who embrace and advocate its principles. But the case is different with the growing evil of smoking, and "Billy's" views thereon we cannot lightly pass over without being unfaithful to his memory. He

says:

[ocr errors]

"I had been a smoker as well as a drunkard, and I used to love my tobacco as much as I loved my meat, and I would rather go down into the mine without my dinner than without my pipe. In the days of old the Lo-a-rd spoke by the mouth of his servants the prophets; now he speaks to us by the Spirit of his Son. I had not only the feeling part of religion, but I could hear the small still voice within speaking to me. When I took the pipe to smoke, it would be applied within, It is an idol, a lust, worship the Lo-a-rd with clean lips. So I felt it was not right to smoke. The Lo-a-rd, also, sent a woman to convince me. I was one day in a house, and I took out my pipe to light it at the fire, and Mary Hawke, for that was the woman's name, said, 'Do you not feel it is wrong to smoke?' I said, I felt something inside telling me, it is an idol, a lust; and she said that was the Lo-a-rd. Then I said, 'Now I must give it up, for the Lo-a-rd is telling me of it inside, and the woman outside; so the tobacco must go, love it as I may.' There and then I took the tobacco out of my pocket and threw it in the fire, and put the pipe under my foot, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.' And I have not smoked since. I found it hard to break off old habits; but I cried to the Lo-a-rd for help, and he gave me strength, for he has said, Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee.' The day after I gave up smoking I had the toothache so bad that I did not know what to do. I thought this was owing to giving up my pipe, but I said I would never smoke again if I lost every tooth in my head. I said, 'Lo-a-rd thou hast told us," My yoke is easy, and my burden is light," and when I said that all the pain left me. Sometimes the thought of the pipe would come back to me very strong; but the Lo-a-rd strengthened me against the habit; and bless his name I have not smoked since."

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Smoking is an expensive and wasteful habit, and this view of the matter is worthy of consideration by working-men who find it difficult to live honestly in the world, and Christian working-men who find it. still more difficult to render any but the most trifling pecuniary aid to the cause which they have espoused. More than twenty years after "Billy" had abandoned smoking he said, "God has just given me

enough money to pay my way through life, and nothing for the pipe. If I had spent only sixpence a week on the pipe I should have been at this time about thirty pounds in debt." Surely that thought is worthy of the attention of those who indulge in any useless habit at the expense of others, and to their own dishonour.

It was especially a gratification to "Billy" if he could persuade young men to imitate his example. He would tell them that the pipe" was no help to them in the way to heaven, but an enemy to body, and mind, and pocket. When the good Spirit suggests to the mind of a good man to read a chapter in the Bible, the evil spirit which is after the flesh will say, 'I would have a pull at the pipe first ;' and by the time he has lit his pipe and smoked, something comes along for him to do, and he does not read at all for that time. When it comes into his mind to pray, it is said, 'I would have a pipe first,' and by the time the pipe is done, something comes in his way that calls him off; and there is no praying for that time. The pipe has robbed the Christian of hundreds of chapters and prayers, besides proving injurious in point of health and wealth."

[ocr errors]

999

66

66

But persons say, "It is their right, and they will not give it up." But "Billy "would say they must give up every idol for the Lord's sake, who gave his last drop of blood for them. Once while he was speaking warmly on this subject, a gentleman said he was speaking what was not right. "Billy" said, "Drink and smoke is that right? It must be 'drink and smoke,' or not drink and smoke. The gentleman said no more, and an old man said "Billy' Bray is right, for I smoked forty years, and it did me no good, and I have given it up now." But "Billy" had to confess afterwards that the same man says Billy" is wrong; for he had "turned to his old idol again, and was a worse smoker than ever." Some who relinquished the habit, soon took it up again, and exposed themselves to "Billy's sarcasm, that a little pipe could beat them." He told a person, who said that he was tempted, to “go and tell the Lord about it." The man said, "I do not know whether it is the devil who is tempting me or not, for it is continually coming into my mind to give up the pipe." "Billy" answered, "I do not think that that is the devil. I told him to stop, and not throw away his pipe till we had prayed, and cast lots, and if it came to his lot to throw the pipe away he should. We knelt down, and asked the Lo-a-rd to show us by the lot what we ought to do. The lot came for him to give up his pipe; so he threw it away for the time. After a day or two, he said to me, he thought there was some good in the pipe after all. Then I said to him, Thee hast cut the head of the beer-quart off, but only chopped the tail of the tobacco-pipe off; thee wilt have it again soon.' did, but after a while he gave it up finally."

[ocr errors]

"Billy was particularly hard upon preachers through whose example many he believed of the Lord's people were induced to depart from the right way. He considered no favour should be extended to them, he was hardly at liberty to be charitable in the matter, for it was the Lord's work, and soon all would have to answer for their conduct in the judgment, some for continuing to smoke, and others for giving it up, and he felt confident what the decision of the Great Judge would be. "If the preachers smoke, I may smoke too," was the argument he felt he could not answer, except by bringing a charge against the preachers, which he was most unwilling to do. "Defile not yourself with idols," and Mortify the deeds of the body," were, in "Billy's" view, such definite commands, that for Christians to smoke seemed to him to be the most glaring inconsistency.

He and a preacher of something of the same type of character as himself were holding a missionary meeting at F-—. "Billy" opened the meeting with prayer, and the preacher and others fervently responded to many of his petitions. Observing this he began to be more minute and pointed in his requests. "O Lo-a-rd, help the people to give up their idols." The preacher said, "Amen." "May the children be saved from the love of the world's fashions." "Amen," again said the preacher. "Help Thy people to give up their ribbons and feathers." Amen," was still the response of the preacher, and again "Amen " when he added, "And their cups and drinks." And their pipes and tobacco," but to this there was no " Amen " from the preacher. Billy" at once said, "Where's your Amen, Br. B——? Why don't you say Amen to the pipes as well as the cups? Ah! you won't say 'Amen' to the pipes!" He then proceeded with his prayer. And what would be irreverent in most persons, did not appear so in him. But the preacher afterwards remonstrated with Billy" on his impropriety in administering this personal rebuke in public. He justified himself by saying, "You were hearty and loud enough with your 'Amens' for others to give up their idols; but you are not willing to part with your own. Bless the Lo-a-rd! I have given up all for my

Saviour."

[ocr errors]

66

Persons sometimes are laughed out of idle habits, when serious remonstrance and Scriptural appeals are in vain. I am not sure that "Billy" was the Author of the "profound" remark, but he made it so frequently, that most persons give him the credit of it, that if God intended man or woman to take snuff the nose would have been turned upside down, or to smoke that he would have provided a little chimney at the back of the head to let off the smoke; but I think I can vouch for the following observations as being original, viz., that unless God

« ZurückWeiter »