termed barbarous, when contrasted with those communities of modern times, that enjoy the comforts of social life, act from the suggestions of good sense and moral principle, and are at all times animated by the desire of improvement. He would naturally be led to inquire what were the causes of this great progress in society; and I believe, that after a deliberate survey of the several agents that might be supposed to have produced this effect, he would come to the conclusion, that the spirit, the principles, and the institutions of Christianity had had by far the greatest share in the work. He would remember that, in ancient times, they had many things which they presumed would conduce to the wellbeing of man. They had an ingenious religion and a subtile philosophy. They had a literature and arts, which were the glory of their age, and have been the admiration of all succeeding times. They had wise men and great men innumerable. They had dominion, and territory, and fame. They had every thing but those peculiar blessings which have been conferred upon the world by Christianity and the Christian Sabbath. The Christian Sabbath! That is an institution so novel, so peculiar, so dissonant from all his former experience, that it attracts the particular notice of our Athenian visitor. For six successive days, he sees all around him activity and busy life; in the streets, the moving multitude; in the fields, the joyful occupations of the husbandman; industry in the workshop, enterprise on the public walks, and thrift at home. The morning of the seventh day arrives, and the scene is changed. The din of labor has ceased; the workshop is closed; the fields are vacant; the public places are deserted; the streets are a solitude. He listens, but his ear can catch no sound. He fears that some terrible judgment has fallen upon the devoted city, and that the inmates of its dwellings are lifeless. But soon this mysterious and melancholy silence is broken; a strange sound strikes upon his ear. It is the sound of the Sabbath bell. At the signal, he observes the inhabitants issuing from their homes. He goes forth himself, and is borne along by the swarming multitude. He remarks an entire change in the appearance of the population. The very countenances in which, but the day before, he had read the deep traces of anxiety and toil, are now tranquil and composed. The habiliments of industry, too, are laid aside, and a simple and decent habit distinguishes the day of rest from the day of labor. The mixed multitude enters what seems to him a place of public resort. He thinks, doubtless, it is the school of some eminent philosopher, who there proposes to teach men wisdom. He has a curiosity to hear the system which he teaches, that he may compare it with those prevalent in his own times; and he accordingly enters. He finds gathered there persons of all ages, ranks, and conditions, engaged with solemn demeanor in what he supposes to be a religious service. He listens to the address of the officiating priest, and he confesses that he has at last heard what he had long sought, yet sought in vain, among the discordant and bewildering systems of ancient theology. He hears the welcome declaration, that a Savior" hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light; that the hour is coming in which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice, and shall come forth." Christ crucified might, indeed, appear foolishness to his conceited countrymen assembled in the Areopagus. They might mock when Paul preached to them of the resurrection of the dead. But to the enlarged and enlightened mind of Socrates, it would present itself as a most reasonable and acceptable doctrine. To him, who had himself died a martyr in the cause of truth and virtue, a crucified and a risen Savior would appear "the power of God and the wisdom of God." When reflecting, at the close of the day, on all that he had seen and heard, he would testify that this stated season of rest and worship was a most useful and blessed institution. He would acknowledge that the sacrifices and ceremonies of his national religion were but as the shadows of that spiritual worship in which he sees the highest and the humblest, in this Christian land, unitedly engaged. He would admit that all the gorgeous processions and splendid festivals of which antiquity could boast were but poor pageants when contrasted with the simple repose and silence of the Christian Sabbath. LESSON XXIX. EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION. ng-king, spring, sung, young, length, strength;-being, nothing, writing, reading, hanging, bringing, singing. How still the morning of the hallowed day! O'ermounts the mist, is heard, at intervals, The voice of psalms, the simple song of praise. Less fearful on this day, the limping hare Stops, and looks back, and stops, and looks on man, And, as his stiff, unwieldy bulk he rolls, Both seat and board; screened from the winter's cold, With covered face and upward, earnest eye. Hail, SABBATH! thee I hail, the poor man's day. He hopes, yet fears presumption in the hope, r: – ray, pray, crape, grape, tray, dray, wrap, wry, fry, try, shrill, shrink, shrug, shroud, throw, throng, priory, briery, contrary, library. The Sabbath Bell. N. E. MAGAZINE. How sweetly through the lengthened dell, Done are the week's debasing cares, Like heaven, so bright, so calm and still! Now low, now louder, seems to float, "And now," it says, "where Heaven resorts, But leave your earth-born thoughts behind." |