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AN ENGLISH HIGHWAYMAN.

sented that it was an unpleasant and commonly a fatal necessity, as it was not only a trespass upon the rights of society and the authority of God, but would subject him to a dreadful penalty in the life that now is, as well as in that which is to come. Here he entreated him to desist from these pernicious habits-urged him to repentance, assuring him that there was forgiveness, through Jesus Christ, for the most atrocious offenders; and that he did not doubt, if he implored direction from above, but Providence would so direct his way as to enable him to 'provide things honest in the sight of all men.'

This conversation appeared to make a deep impression; the immediate effect of which was, the robber took the watch, and returned it to him, saying, 'he conducted himself so like a gentleman, that he could not think of retaining it.' The doctor replied that he greatly valued the watch, and received it with pleasure; but acknowledged that he had a higher object in view than the restoration of his property.

As they continued their discourse, he took the money out of his pocket, and tendered that also to the doctor, saying that his conscience would not permit him to keep it. But the doctor absolutely refused receiving it, begging him not to consider it as forced from him, but as a gift of benevolence to a necessitous man. instance of generosity he appeared additionally affected.

At this

Coming nearer to Cambridge, the robber told him that he was under the necessity of leaving him, and on parting said he hoped he should attend to his advice. He then took a cross-road to reach the town; but having previously committed other robberies in the neighbourhood, the constables were on the look-out for him, and he was soon identified and seized. The doctor leisurely continued his ride, and on his arrival at Cambridge was greatly surprised to meet him in the street, in the custody of those who apprehended him. On his commitment to prison, he sent for his spiritual monitor, who found him in very great distress. During his confinement, both before and after trial, he made him repeated visits, which were rendered eminently useful; and at his execution Dr. C. had every reason to believe he died penitent."

Repentance for sin, in immediate prospect of certain death, is always of a doubtful character. But we must not judge any man. God only knoweth the heart; but the example of the crucified malefactor affords hope that such repentance may be sincere, and find forgiveness and salvation. Let no man, then, ever despair of the mercy of God; and let no man presume, for that would be at a dreadful risk of his own soul.

POETRY.

Poetry.

TO THE DEPARTING YEAR.

A FEW short hours, and thou, O year! shalt be
Where years have found a grave;

A sparkling drop in Time's fast filling sea-
A gem upon its wave-

One setting star among a countless host,
A glancing meteor, seen but to be lost!

Like mortals, once this dying year was young,
And Winter saw its birth;

Upon its youth Spring sweetest flowers flung,
And Summer lent it mirth;

For its decline we heard sad Autumn sigh;
Winter, who saw it born, will see it die.

Thy many hours have fled, O bygone year!
And with the past thou art,

And voices which I loved, no more are here
To glad my lonely heart;

But memory lends to thee a cheering ray,
And hope gives promise of a brighter day.

Old year! we know full well what thou hast been,

And now for thee we grieve;

The stranger year as yet we have not seen,

But may we not believe

That Heaven upon its dawning hours shall cast

A halo brighter even than the last?

Farewell! farewell! though with departed years
Thou soon forgot must be,

And passing time shall bring new hopes and fears
To wile our thoughts from thee,

Thy joys, like angel voices, oft shall come

To chase our sadness and dispel our gloom.

We may not bid the coming year farewell,

Earth may have claimed her kindred dust e'erwhile; And friends who wept the blossom when it fell

Have dried their tears, and e'en begin to smile; Then, Heavenly Father! may we gain the prize Of faith in Christ made perfect in the skies!

M. S. H.

ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS.

Anecdotes and Selections.

JOHN HUSS, when the chain was put about him at the stake, said, with a smiling countenance, "My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with a harder chain than this for my sake; and why should I be afraid of this old rusty one?" When the faggots were piled up to his very neck, the Duke of Bavaria was officious enough to desire him to abjure. "No," said Huss, "I never preached any doctrine of an evil tendency and what I taught with my lips I now seal with my blood." He said to the executioner, "Are you going to burn a goose? In one century you will have a swan you can neither roast nor boil." If he were prophetic, he must have meant Luther, who had a swan for his arms. The flames were then applied to the faggots, when the martyr sung a hymn with so loud and cheerful a voice, that he was heard through all the cracklings of the combustibles and the noise of the multitude. At last, his voice was short after he had uttered, "Jesus Christ, thou Son of the living God, have mercy upon me!" and he was consumed in a most miserable manner.

RIGHT TO READ THE BIBLE.-By a law in the 34th of Henry VIII., it was enacted that no woman, except noblewomen and gentlewomen, might read to themselves alone, or to others, any texts of the Bible; nor artificers, apprentices, journeymen, husbandmen, nor labourers, were to read the Bible or New Testament in English to themselves, or to any other person, privately or openly. With what pleasure ought we to reflect on our deliverance from those times of darkness, and that now we live in a land of bibles, and in a time when they are circulating in almost every part of the world. But in Spain until this day the bible is a forbidden book, under penalty of long imprisonment.

SPIRITUAL TYRANNY.-Few men were more bigoted or cruel than Archbishop Laud. He sharpened the spiritual sword, and drew it against all sorts of offenders, intending that the discipline of the church should be felt as well as spoken of. There had not been such a crowd of business in the High Commission Court since the Reforination, nor so many large fines imposed, as under this prelate's administration. The fines, we are told, were assigned to the repair of St. Paul's, which gave rise to an unlucky proverb-" that the church was repaired with the sins of the people." And the Mansion House of the Lord Mayor was built chiefly by fines on nonconforming citizens.

THE FOX'S TAIL.-A lady once asked a minister whether a person might not pay some attention to dress and the fashions without being proud. "Madam," replied the minister, "whenever you see the tail of the fox out of the hole, you may be sure the fox is there."

THE FIRESIDE.

sufficient censure of some Their chief effect is to dis

FOOLISH FASHIONS.-"It may be a fashions to say that they are ridiculous. figure the female form. And perhaps the inventors of them had no worse design than to make a trial how far they could lead the passive unthinking many in the path of absurdity. Some fashions, which seem to have been at first designed to hide a personal deformity, have obtained a general prevalence with those who had no such deformity to hide." The above was written eighty years ago, when hoops were going out. Who could think that women in our day would have been so foolish as to let them come in again?

HE COULD NEVER FRET.-Some people are always fretting; and they cannot give over. Mr. Samuel Medley, of Liverpool, was particularly noted for his cheerfulness, and was a pleasing example of remarkable confidence in God, as it respected his providential dispensations; frequently saying he could never fret five minutes in his life, let things look ever so dark.

The Fireside.

CONTRAST OF THE IDLE AND THRIFTY WIFE.

From a rare Old Poem by Thomas Tusser, 1580.

THE idle wife lieth till nine of the clock,
The thrifty wife trieth to rise with the cock.

The idle wife trusteth to him, and to her,
The busy wife hasteth herself for to stir.
The idle wife one thing or other must crave,
The thrifty wife nothing but needful, will have.
The idle wife moveth with gossips to spend,
The busy wife loveth the household to tend.
The idle wife bringeth a shilling to naught,
The thrifty wife singeth, her cupboard full fraught.
The idle wife rendeth and casteth aside,
The thrifty wife mendeth before it goes wide.

The idle wife craveth in secret to borrow,
The thrifty wife saveth to-day, for to-morrow.

The idle wife pineth not having to eat,
The careful wife dineth with plenty of meat.

The idle wife letteth to satan the store,

The busy wife getteth, and of little makes more.

FACTS HINTS, GEMS, AND POETRY.

The Penny Post Box.

ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN PIONEER.'

I HAVE been a reader of your Pioneer for a considerable length of time, and find it very instructive and useful. Myself and a friend of mine are called upon in the good providence of God to labour in a sabbath school, where we have several young friends committed to our charge. We meet every sabbath to read God's holy word, and to speak with them of the Saviour's love, who came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; to seek the wanderers in the dangerous deserts of sin, and bring them home to his father's house. We give each of our scholars one of your Pioneers every month, and they are much pleased with the gift. Their attendance is good, and we think that if more of our teachers would adopt the same course, they would find a better attendance and more attention. As I am a lover of the Pioneer,

I wish it may find its way into the dwellings of the poor, where I believe it would do much good both to parents and children.

I may also add that I have been a reader of all your magazines from my youth up. Only once have I seen you, and I may not see you again; but let this be as it may, I hope it will be our blessed privilege to meet in heaven, and then we shall enjoy the smile of God for ever! Yorkshire.

Facts, Hints, Gems, and Poetry.

Facts.

OF THE PRINCE OF WALES.

ALBERT EDWARD was born Nov. 9, 1821, and therefore attained his majority on Nov. 9, 1862.

The Prince was then entitled to enter the House of Lords as the first Peer in the realm, and heir to the throne.

His Royal Highness is also Duke of Cornwall, with large revenues, and Earl of Dublin.

The eldest son of the sovereign only has the style and title of "Prince" legally; the other sons are called Princes by courtesy.

J. F.

are called Princesses, but the eldest is called "The Princess."

None of the royal family are allowed to marry a subject of the sovereign. This is done to prevent undue influence among the nobility.

All of them must also marry Protestants. Hence our Princess was married to the Prince of Prussia, and the Prince of Wales is engaged to a Princess of Denmark.

No public rejoicings took place when the Prince came of age, because of the lamented death of his honoured father not quite one year ago.

No Prince of Wales ever enjoyed such advantages of example, education, and travel, as Albert Edward. May he be a good man, and, when the time comes, a good king. It will be

When the younger sons of the royal family are of age they are made Dukes, and also enter the House of Lords. All the daughters of the sovereign | his own fault if he is not.

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