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Harsh and unfeeling as this remedy appears, it shows that the impulse to self-murder, may be controlled by moral causes. Even the man of undoubted insanity, who had witnessed this, might be repelled from committing suicide, through the reluctance he would feel in exposing his remains to such disgrace.

Many of our readers may have heard of the case of the Milanese virgins. Some years ago, suicide raged as an epidemic among the young females of Milan. Every girl who felt dispirited or disappointed, applied to the rope or the pistol, the pond, or the phial for relief. It became quite a fashionable and matter-of-course way to escape from sorrow. The public mind was becoming familiar with it, as an every-day occurrence. Under these circumstances it became necessary to adopt vigorous measures to arrest the evil. The plan devised, objectionable as it certainly was, proved most effectual. It was resolved that the body of the first female who should com. mit suicide, should be dragged through the streets of the city, exposed to the view and the jeers of the populace. A young lady committed suicide. Her body was exposed, and such an impression produced upon the female mind, that no other ventured to incur the fearful penalty.

We hope we shall not be understood as recommending such measures as these. We introduce these examples, simply to show that an effect may be produced upon the public mind, which shall prevent such occurrences. But when the press scatters far and wide, through all the dwellings of the land, intelligence of every case of suicide, without note or comment, or if with comment more frequently with expressions of sympathy than of censure, it is not wonderful that many minds are incited to the deed.

If these cases must be noticed, (and we do not see why it is necessary to proclaim them abroad,) let it be done in such a manner, as to leave the impression on the reader's mind, that it is an awful crime to rush unbidden to the presence of God. Every individual in the community is interested in this subject. How appalling are the incidents of the last few months! What family is secure? What devotedness of piety, or soundness of judgment, seems now to be a safeguard. It is time for the press to produce a change in public sentiment, or the year to come will be still more disastrous, than the year which has past.

SUNDAY DISSIPATION.

The lying in bed on Sunday morning, later than usual, I abhor from my very soul, and always did. Nowhere else, perhaps on earth is it carried to a greater extent than in this vicinity. Nor

is it confined to any one class of the community. He who has toiled excessively, either physically or mentally, through the week, claims a right to this indulgence, as he regards it, but so does he who has done nothing. The worldling, who looks upon the Sabbath as a day of privation, hates its approach, and sleeps till the sun is three hours high, unless roused by the breakfast bell, and some straggling remains of shame, claims it as his right; but so does the Christian; he who professes to rejoice in it as the day

on which the Lord has risen.

But there is one class of men of whom, above all others, I wish these remarks could not justly be made. There is one class of citizens, who though residents here at present, ought to have their principal "citizenship in Ileaven," from whence they should look for the "glorious appearing" of the Lord Jesus Christ. These persons, above all others, should be "on the watch" on Sunday morning.

I have seen revivals. I have watched their progress. I have seen the morning prayer meeting instituted, and for six days in the week regularly and promptly attended. But I have also seen a want of promptness on the seventh. I have also seen individuals arrive, on Sabbath morning, when the meeting was more than half through. Who could make a wrong inference? What impenitent sinnner could avoid the conclusion that, how much soever these persons cared for his soul, they were completely enslaved to one form of animal indulgence?

Every

It were idle to say, "these things ought not so to be." one knows it. If the bulk of mankind are more fatigued on Saturday evening than on any other evening of the week, and probably they are do they not retire earlier? Do they not get an increased amount of sleep, without the necessity of lying later the following morning? But it remains to be proved, that when we are over fatigued an increased amount of sleep is salutary. Analogy is against it. Excessive thirst is not most effectually removed by a large draught, nor excessive hunger by unusual repletion. Nay, more; every one who has observed his own feelings, must have found that when over fatigued, he is in perpetual danger of sleeping too much; especially if his sleep, as it often happens, is unusually sound; and that he needs rather a smaller than a larger number of hours' rest on Saturday night.

It is not to be denied, that the original intention of the Sabbath, was as a day of rest. But I can never believe that this purpose of its Author is best answered when we become, during the whole day, in the most effectual manner, mere animals.

And yet how much better than this is usually done? By lying late in the morning, if we do not wholly exclude a season of prayer, we compress the duty into a narrow space, or are prepared in the most effectual manner to yawn over it. Then, without time

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for reading or self-examination, comes breakfast. When breakfast is over, then comes brushing, dressing, &c., and these important duties take up the time, till lo! the church-bell reminds us that we must be on the march. Fashions in dress, equipage, &c., occupy the mind, at least till we come to the door of the sanctuary; sometimes, it is to be feared, still longer. The forenoon exercises are followed by dinner, and a little conversation about the sermon, the preacher, and the music. At no very tedious distance follow the afternoon exercises of the church; but the energies of the system are too much concentrated on the digestive organs, -in order to effect the disposal of a full meal, to admit of much serious thought, or devout feeling. Tea, or supper, and a few more passing remarks about the sermon - especially its literary merits, and about the preacher, wind up the scene and the Sabbath.

Is not this picture just? Would to Heaven it were not. Would it were applicable to a few only, and not the great majority of even the professing Christian world. Would it were the exception and not the general rule.

And has it then, come to this? Is this day, for which in a subordinate degree, "all other days were made," to be regarded as merely a season of physical rest, and mental dissipation. Is every noble and generous emotion of the soul-every affection and feeling of the heart, to be suppressed or stifled by animal gratification? Are we to sleep and doze, and eat, and drink, and talk away the holy Sabbath; and is no progress to be made Zionward? Are our souls to be starved during six days of the week, and to be fed with husks, if not starved, on the seventh?

If the evil of which I complain, were likely to end with the individuals who belong to the present generation, it were far more tolerable. But when we see it propagated — when we see it falling in with the depravity of the rising generation, and increasing the mighty aggregate of evil surely it is enough to make one tremble. We talk of our children, and of Sabbath Schools; and well perhaps it may be that they are saved, for one short hour of one day in the week, from the current which is carrying them downward towards the gulf of perdition. But excellent and timely as these means of reformation are in themselves, how much soever they are an anchor of hope to the souls of many, are we to place any considerable reliance on them? Can one hour of the best religious instruction be made, by any human means, to alter materially the anti-christian tendency of a whole week? Surely not, you may perhaps say, without divine assistance. But is divine aid likely to be afforded - has it ever been vouchsafeduntil parents first "put their own shoulders to the wheel?" Can money and pleasure and power occupy our first thoughts, and take the first place in our conversation from morning to evening, and from evening to morning; and animal gratification and man

worship, fill up those vacancies of the Sabbath which ought to be better employed; and yet can we have much faith in the future, either as regards ourselves or others?

A.

SEWING FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES.

[We insert this article as a communication, without expressing any opinion upon the merits of the question which it brings up. The whole subject is one of difficulty, and we have no objection to its being discussed in our pages. Eds.]

Popular favor is proverbially fickle and capricious. It is as much so in its sanction of public enterprises, as in its estimation of individual character. One scheme after another rises, reigns, and falls into disrepute. Thus it has been with Infant schools in our country. They appeared among us, a striking and interesting novelty. They excited universal attention, attention soon mounted to approbation, approbation to enthusiasm. But the novelty wore off, the false colors faded, objections began to be started, and ridicule indulged. And though the friends of the system maintain that it has lost no solid, rational support, it cannot be denied, that it is rather "out of fashion," among those whose views are regulated by "what is thought now," and what "everybody says."

Fancy fairs are taking the same road, and with them the whole practice of manufacturing and selling for benevolent purposes. These things have had their time; their tide of praise and patronage has reached very high, and has carried them into every part of the land. At present, however, it shows symptoms of a rapid ebb.

But Christians must never allow themselves to be passively carried along; the apostolic precept, the inspired command is, "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good." If charitable earning, and if Fancy fairs are good, they ought to be held fast; if bad, they should be exposed at once, that Christian time, and enterprise, and liberality, may be no longer wasted.

The objection most frequently and strongly urged, bears upon the whole practice of engaging, for charitable ends, in such kinds of work, as might afford the means, may be, of support, to indigent and deserving portions of the community. As appears from the resolutions of a public meeting held in Philadelphia, many of the dry goods and fancy stores of that city, are kept by females. This is the resort and dependence of many ladies in embarrassed or reduced circumstances. Of late years, the numerous sewing societies have overstocked the market with similar merchandise, and the repeated fairs have drawn the purchasers in another di

rection. The consequences, as is stated, are much complaint, and some real distress.

So far as this evil does exist, it is certainly a serious one. But the practice which is assigned as its cause, is not without advantages. The direct object of the plan of female industry, now common in our churches, is either to relieve temporal suffering, or to procure funds for our great Christian enterprises, thus helping to banish sin, to save the souls of men, and to establish the kingdom of the Redeemer. This plan seems to present almost the only way in which the great mass of pious women can contribute towards effecting these objects; and in this way, they can and do accomplish a vast amount of good. The wealthy can easily cast in of their abundance; the talented have a ready means of procuring an offering; but wealth and talents are not common gifts; the great majority of Christian females have little at their disposal, except their time, their industry, their taste and ingenuity. Forbid them to use these, unless as a means of subsistence, and what are they to do? They must sit with empty, useless hands, while the wants of a world, and the claims of a Saviour, are urged upon them, and their hearts are melting and glowing within them. I do not say that they could do nothing for the cause of Christ; thanks be to God, by fervent prayer, by holy life and conversation, by a thousand nameless Christian offices, much, very much, may be effected. But I do say that if ladies may not earn what they can but slenderly afford, the quiet constant stream of female benevolence must lose at least two thirds of its present volume. How many tracts have been distributed, how many Bibles circulated, how many Sunday Schools assisted by sewing societies! How many ministers are now preaching in the destitute parts of our lands, how many missionaries are proclaiming glad tidings to heathen nations! How many young men are training up for the ministry of reconciliation, supported or aided by the industry of the Christian sisterhood? The records of almost all our benevolent societies, show that a very large proportion of the funds on which they rely, are ever flowing in from female associations, and nearly all these associations depend for their funds on the use of the needle. But this method of doing good exerts an indirect and unpremeditated influence, as beneficial as the attainment of its immediate objects. Whoever has spent much time and trouble for the purpose of aiding an Orphan Asylum, a Bible Society, a Home or Foreign Missionary, will always remember that institution, society, or laborer, and remember them, too, with a fellow feeling, as if their cause was her own cause; their benefit, the accomplishment of a personal aim. The plan is thus admirably fitted to take hold of a universal principle of human nature, and to bring it to bear on religious matters.

This is peculiarly true in regard to young persons, and children. A Juvenile Benevolent Society, relying upon the industry of its

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