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shudder; and instead of resorting to such ungodly crowds-the devil's mass-meetings-you would be employing yourself for the change and the scene in the presence of the searcher of hearts and the rewarder of deeds done in the body. The scriptures. command you to "watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." "Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." It commands us nowhere to throw ourselves into temptation, and become one of the would-be motley crowd. Where is the Christian who would dare to approach the throne of grace, and ask the blessing of God to go with him, previous to his starting to the Theater, Circus, Ball-room, or any such place, with the intention of sanctioning by his presence and conduct all the obscenities. It would be an act of the greatest wickedness and mockery, and one deserving the immediate judgment of heaven. "Lead us not into temptation," is a petition left upon record for every christian to utter in substance in every prayer and in sincerity, that he may have upon him the "breast plate of faith," that the fiery darts of the wicked, aimed at him, may not be able to gain the victory over him and he is in duty bound to observe it, not only in theory, but also in practice.

Christian reader, "as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." Resist the devil in every temptation which presents itself to you, whether in the favor of an angel of light or as the arch-enemy of your soul, and great will be the joy and comfort derived from such firmness. "Walk worthy of the vocation, wherewith ye are called," and "see that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise," and by so doing you will honor your Lord, whom you profess to love, and will save souls from hell. J. H.

BOOK TABLE.

THE RUM PLAGUE: A Narrative for the Admonition and Instruction of old and young, and rich and poor. New York: John S. Taylor. pp. 124.

This little volume has been translated from the German of Zschokke, written some twenty years ago. In its brief compass, every injury arising from rum-drinking is succinctly detailed. The effects of alcohol on the system; that it is a poison; the amount of it contained in what are called harmless drinks, such as beer and wine, and though in these the 'plague' is slower, it is not less sure. It shows too that not only the retailers of liquors are the source of this plague, but he who out of friendship proffers the social glass-the farmer who gives it to his men to support them beneath the hot rays of the sun-the physician who does not warn his patient-the minister who does not denounce it as vile and immoral-and the legislator who does not bring to bear upon it the iron arm of the law. And this too in a heart-affecting little story, pointing parents to the sad effects they may entail upon those to whom they give life. The translator, whom we recognize to be the Rev. Dr. Fisher of Chambersburg, may be well assured of much good through his instrumentality: and the friends of temperance would do well to see that many read it. The translation is good-it flows with ease and grace, giving thus the beautiful spirit of the original,

VOL. IV.

AUGUST, 1853.

Our life is but the twinkle of a star

In God's eternal day. Obscure and dim

With mortal clouds, it yet may beam for Him,
And darkness here, shine fair to spheres afar.

No. 8.

BAYARD TAYLOR.

ANY THING THAT IS FASHIONABLE.

"I get any thing I want that's fashionable." So said a halfgrown girl to several companions, as they were walking on the pavement of some rather fashionable inland city. Now, according to the proverb, "Children and fools speak the truth;" and as observation abundantly corroborates, this little girl uttered a sentiment, the correctness of which is, in a thousand cases, undoubted. The power of fashion-who can fully delineate it? The case of this little girl is not an isolated one; she don't alone get all that's fashionable. Any thing fashionable must be something prevailingly used. Articles of dress or furniture, &c., not in vogue, unless the fashion is so new, that but a few, as yet, could imitate it, are not in demand. However good the material and make, and however comfortable and convenient to wear, old-fashioned goods-and how soon new fashions become old in our times ?-are of very little value. But as people have money and time to spend as they choose, this is one of the ways to pass away life dreamingly and arrive at the end of probationday without care for the soul-care for the body engaging their thoughts from beginning to the end of the year, and in such cases mostly, to the end of life.

The remark of this fashion-girl is calculated to awaken thought and reflection. True, it contains nothing peculiar or new; but just such common incidents frequently furnish occasion for lessons of wisdom. Many important things are overlooked, only because they are common or usual to the unobservant. In the writer's mind, who heard the remark, serious reflections and questions were awakened. Some are here given, with the hope and prayer that those readers to whom they may be applicable, may ponder them earnestly and be benefited.

The power of fashion, revealing itself in the expression of this little girl, rules her parents supremely. Only let any thing become fashionable and the "darling" must have it. She

must perhaps ask for it, and perhaps not; but it must be procured for her. The parents of such sentiments think and feel, as they often say: "Better out of the world, than out of fashion." Now, as the fashion is but the manner, shape, mode, form or sort of a thing, is it not debasing to be under its control to such an extent? The understanding and will of an immortal being swayed by fashion, a thing ever changing and suddenly passing away!

But it is also correct to say, that this little girl ruled her parents. Perhaps the parents were not themselves very fashionable. There may be cases where they are not, and yet they would not leave their children unfashionable, if even all the hard-earned money, not required for necessaries of life, would have to be expended as it comes in. Such instances might be given by name. Instead of parents exercising a wholesome control over their children, and by the superior wisdom they should possess, to direct them to more important matters, they foolishly and wickedly submit to the futile and perverse wishes of their offspring, before these are capable of judging correctly in anything. Will these children, if they ever become wise, thank their parents for such neglect of duty? Will they thank them, if they die in such ways of folly, and never having been taught to care for their souls, are finally lost-forever lost!

This girl was brought up floating in the hollowness of vanity. Is not fashion, in the prevailing sense of the term, the most empty of things? It is ever changing, unsubstantial, uncertain, never satisfying. Every season, yea, in many cases, every part of the day, requires its own fashion. Thus there is no more time left to try the value of material or the fashion. But if young persons are nurtured in this vanity of vanities, how shall they form proper ideas concerning it. If they get every thing fashionable, must they not be led to think that such a course is necessary, always, to be respectable? How parents can be content to instil these empty notions into the empty minds of their children, is, to the serious, inexplicable. What is it but rearing plants, which will produce in due time, the odious fruits of overweening conceit, ostentation and arrogance. Fashions will be the subject, engaging such persons' thoughts; of fashions they will dream; about fashions they will talk, and for new fashions they will long. If any other subject sometimes occupies their consideration, these quick successions of "new fashions" will still hold the first place in the thoughts. If children are raised with such notions, how shall it be otherwise?

Such pampering to vain imaginations, granting to ignorant youth all they desire, or all that is fashionable, must tend to produce within them feelings of pride and haughtiness. Who has not seen many examples to prove this? Not all children get "every thing that's fashionable." These are objects of scorn and derision; and spoken of, and sometimes spoken to, disdainfully. This is no more than must be expected, where the idea prevails, that we were better dead, than live unfashionably. And yet, what is this pride in fashionable dress, furniture, or hollow manners? Is there anything in it of real merit or value? Who is ever benefited by fops and flirts? And yet these are the very embodiment of these extreme views on fashions. They are this kind of fashion in a living, moving way. Fine patterns, after which to form your children, ye fashionable parents!

This girl, as all raised in like manner, will be an expensive wife. Accustomed from days of youth to get all that is fashionable, it must not be expected that the young woman, or wife, can be satisfied and happy without this. If it then happens, that such characters are married to those of little fortune, wedded life must become burthensome. The husband must either spend all his sweat-earned income to satisfy the fashionable taste of his wife, or endure from her reproaches of indifference and disaffection to him. Many have failed in business, numerous are the insolvents, because of the wastefulness and prodigality of fashionable life.

One question that arose in the writer's mind, through the above remark, was this: Does this girl belong to a Christian family? that is, to a family in connection with the Christian Church. Not knowing the name of the "darling," the question must remain unanswered. That this spirit of fashion rules, however, in many professedly Christian families, is only too true. A mistake in the rules of fashionable politeness produces in the hearts of such Christians deeper sorrow, than transgressions of the Law of God, or the precepts of the Gospel. Unfashionable dress and furniture, is to them more odious than sin and vice-a stain at the skin or garments, more loathsome than a heart soiled with wickedness. Gay, thoughtless, vain, but fashionable, company is preferred to the humble, pious followers of the lowly Jesus. Such a state of things must follow, where children get all that is fashionable-such a spirit nourished, till grown up, will produce its legitimate fruits.

Do the parents of this girl spend one-fourth the amount

of money for the suffering poor that is so lavishly given for gaudy, useless articles of dress? Do such parents ever think that by such costly adornings of the corruptible bodies of their offspring, they not only peril the eternal happiness of their souls; but also neglect, by cheerful gifts to the poor, to alleviate their sufferings and make glad their hearts. Behold such Christians upon their death-bed-stewards as they only were, over all they possessed, they must now give an account. And what have they done? Ruined their children, by worship ping with them at the unholy shrine of fashion, and neglecting to do those works of love, which shall follow the godly into the rest from their labor. Can there be peace in the conscience, or joy in the heart of such unfaithful professors, in that hour when the last of carth" is at hand!

And what proportion of the funds of fashionable Christians is spent for useful books? for the Church? for benevolence in general? for sending the Gospel to the destitute, the neglected, the heathen? Are not thousands expended for bodily ornaments, for superb furniture and costly equipage, where scarcely hundreds can be obtained by most earnest begging, for objects of benevolence or for religious institutions? Fashion, Fashion! Thou darling of the carnal-but thou fiend of the soul-begone with thy harlot-mother, Pride, to her own proper home-the infernal shades!

Fashionable people are ever on the look-out, so as to swim along with this flexuous current. They would not be found behind any, if avoidable, in finery of every kind and in bodily decorations of all sorts. The corruptible part of their being is beautified most lavishly-all is made of it that is possible; but what, in such cases, is done to adorn the immortal part, the never-dying soul? Fashionable people, in the popular sense of the term, are never devout, humble, zealous followers of Christ-ye cannot serve two Masters-ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Matt. 6: 24.

THE WANDERER'S NIGHT-SONG.

Hushed on the hill

Is the breeze;

Scarce by the zephyr

The trees

Softly are pressed;

The wood bird's asleep on the bough.

Wait, then, and thou

Soon wilt find rest.

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