remnant of life may be spent with her old friends, who will care for her body and soul."

"Oh, well, if you really think she is going to make a die of it, I am willing to give you something for her."

Finley took out his pocket book, and after, as Aikin could not but suspect, looking for a smaller sum, he gave him a fivedollar note, with the air of one who is conferring an astounding obligation. Aikin expressed neither surprise nor gratitude; but, quietly putting up the note, he said, "You know, Finley, money is not the most important thing I had to ask. I want you to go to the police-office with me. You are a great merchant, and your name is well known in the city; I am nobody, and it may be necessary for me to get my statement endorsed. Come, it is not five minutes' walk for you."

"Why, bless you, man, don't you see I am going out! there's my wife coming down stairs now."

"Let her go in the carriage-you can follow her."

"Oh! that's impossible-she would not go alone into a party for the world."

"Can she not wait till your return ?"

"No; it is not reasonable to ask it-it's late now-and-and —and—”

Good-night; I have wasted my time here," said Aikin, eutting short Finley's excuses, and leaving him trying to silence his conscience by dwelling on the five dollars he had given— by fretting at the deuced folly of going out when people were tired and wanted to go to bed-and by joining in his wife's vituperation against Nancy and all her tribe.-Miss Sedgwick.

An Evening Prayer for a Young Child.

I go to my bed as to my grave,
And pray to God my life to save;
But if I die before I wake,
I pray to God my soul to take.
Sweet Jesus, now to thee I cry
To grant me mercy before I die;
To grant me mercy and send me grace,
That heaven may be my dwelling place.

48

PARTING OF A MOTHER AND HER SON.

For the Mother's Magazine.

THE PARTING OF A MOTHER AND HER SON.

The dreaded hour had come!

The scene was such as words can ill portray;
'Twould better suit the pencil of an artist
Who would paint a mother's soul-enliven'd
Countenance, where the full glow of tenderness
Maternal, and deep-traced lines of sorrow,
And solicitude, were striving for the
Mastery. Beside her stood a youth of
Noble mien, and of unrivalled beauty-
The child of many a prayer and tear-
A flower that in the bud was, at the
Font baptismal, yielded an off'ring from
The parent stalk, to Him who gave it life.
Till now, he had been nurtured in the lap
Of fondness, chasten'd by that religion
Which forbids the idol incense oft bestow'd
Upon the offspring lent to us by Heaven.
Nature had placed her fairest promise on
His brow; the stamp of talent, and of genius
Bright, was there: but ah! that mother traced
Something beside, that pain'd and chill'd her heart;
'Twas vain ambition, and the fire of pride!
He now must leave her, for a distant home,
To seek his fortune in the far-off west :
The oft-repeated counsel whisper'd in
His ears-the faithful admonition soon
Must cease.-.

Well did she know the dangers of that sea
On which her son was now about to launch,
And faith a moment trembled at the view.
A gush of wild emotion from its fount
Burst forth!-

Adieu, dear mother!" and "God bless my son !"
Were thrice repeated-and the youth was gone.
One blest resort was left, "the mercy-seat!'
There did Faith renew her strength, and there the
Soul laid hold afresh upon the anchor Hope!
And when I saw that Mother pour her tears
And prayers to God, craving the watchful
Shepherd's eye to guard her wandering son;
Faith lighted up the path of future years,
And spread her halo round that roving youth!
1 saw him bow at meek Religion's shrine;
And more, I heard him from the altar speak,
Sounding the truth of God to dying men.-
Nor was such faith unsanctioned from above!
For who can count the blessings which, through
Ages past, have been call'd down by mothers-
Who have wrestled and prevail'd with God?
Or who may tell what God hath yet in store,
To bless the mothers of this favor'd land?
Mother, wouldst thou reclaim thy prodigal-
Or send a son to break "the bread of life"
To famish'd heathen souls ?-cling to the
"Mercy-seat!" nor loose thy hold, till by the
Test of sweet experience thou hast tried
The worth of mother's prayer.

Prinfield, N. J. Jan. 1837.

CLEMENTINA.

THE title which you have given to the series of papers commenced in your last number, on domestic education, points out the responsibility which you considered to be attached to a Christian mother in that important work. It appears to me that their responsibility is indeed great; and it demands, I think, devout thankfulness, that so many mothers are becoming daily more impressed with a conviction of their responsibility, and desirous of obtaining such information on this subject, as may enable them to discharge their duties in a more efficient manner. But while I acknowledge their responsibility, allow me to remark, that little comparatively can be effected by the mother, in carrying forward any system of education, without the cordial co-operation of the father. It is true, that to her must be committed, in early years, the details of the plan agreed upon by the parents; but without harmony of sentiment on this subject betwixt the heads of the family, the wisest plans must fail of producing any beneficial effect. Besides, it is desirable and proper that children should be taught to consider their father as the superior in wisdom as well as in authority; and if they find that he thwarts or controverts the plans or suggestions of the mother, it will be impossible for them to consider those plans as wise, or to receive and obey them with a becoming spirit of prompt obedience. Let this, then, be one of the first rules laid down by Christian parents for their own conduct, on their entrance upon 5

VOL. V.NO. III.

parental duties, that whatever differences of opinion they may have on other subjects, on this they will resolve to act in unison. A spirit of mutual concession cannot be too early adopted by them, and were they to fix upon their plan of education, and resolve to assist each other.in carrying it vigorously into exercise, before their children were old enough to know that there ever had existed a difference of opinion between their parents on this subject, we should expect to see their children educated in a more decidedly Christian manner. How exceedingly painful is it to witness one parent taking part with a child, when punished by the other, or praising it for showing spirit, when resisting lawful commands! yet such things have been witnessed, and we wish we were able to say that such things are not now. We can, however, scarcely look around us without beholding some indications of a similar spirit. Should this paper meet the eye of any parents whose consciences bear witness that such has been their conduct, let me entreat them to pause, and seriously examine the religious condition of their family, and then resolve, in the strength of God, that such shall be their case no longer. Let them, unknown to their children, agree together as parents, in adopting for the future a plan on which they shall unitedly act, and let them discipline their own minds so as to bring themselves into such habits as will enable them to carry it into effect. If in any instance, however trifling, their views should happen to differ, the will of the mother ought always to yield to the authority of the father; and afterwards, in the absence of the children, let her seek union of sentiment on the point in question. In this way they may yet retrieve the injury which their children must have already suffered. choosing a system of education, let Christian parents resolve that its principles shall spring from the word of God; that reason and conscience shall often be appealed to for the purpose of enforcing its commands; and that these principles shall be conveyed by example as well as by precept. From the word of God, they will learn that their children are possessed of a fallen nature; that however lovely and engaging they may appear, they have within them those dispositions which lead them to prefer evil to good, when both are presented; and that the

In

whole course of education must be formed on the plan of subduing these evil dispositions, and bringing the whole mind into obedience to the will of God. Christian parents must be also prepared to reject as utterly untenable, many of the commonly received opinions on the subject of education; such, for example, as that children are incapable of learning any thing useful before they are five or six years of age; that sacred things are in danger of losing their importance by being frequently brought before children; that knowledge and religion are only to be communicated by formal lessons; that children are to be blamed when they do not speak or feel as would become older people; and that the minds of children will never spontaneously seek for improvement. However generally these maxims have been entertained, they are fallacious.

In order more effectually to impress the minds of parents with the great responsibility of their charge, I would entreat of them to consider seriously the following questions, extracted from a useful little work, entitled, "The Father's Book," by Theodore Dwight, Jun.

"For what object was this child given to me?

"What is it capable of becoming?

"Why have many children been less good, and wise, and happy, than they might have been?

"Might I have been wiser or better if I had been differently educated?

"What should be the character and conduct of a father, if he would have his child well educated, (in wisdom, temper, language, habits, religion,) towards his children, his wife, friends, neighbors, strangers, the institutions of society, and his Crea

tor ?

"In what am I most deficient?

"What must be the influence of such defect on my child's future welfare?

"How may these defects be corrected?

"Why do I not better understand my duties to my family? "How can I best learn them?

"Are the interests of my children of sufficient consequence to justify or to demand great sacrifice on my part?