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EXERCISES FOR MATERNAL ASSOCIATIONS.

stances of the mass of Europeans, compel them, in many instances, to adopt modes of living conducive to health, which are unknown where prosperity and plenty are more equally diffused.

Where comforts exist, comforts are soon added to necessaries, and then luxuries to comforts, until a sickly effeminacy takes the place of habits salutary in proportion to their simplicity. This, although especially applicable to the inhabitants of cities, may be extended, with modifications, even to the comparatively robust and hardy farmer. Wherever poverty creates no barrier, the minions of debility will insinuate themselves, crushed, although they often are by labor, the best ally, of civilized man. To enable mothers to remove their children from habits and influences that may tend to sap the foundations of that edifice, which, having for its inhabitant a continually developing and immortal spirit, should grow with its growth, and strengthen with its strength, might be an object worthy the learned physiologist, and the accurate observer of the progress, strength, and decay, of the material being, and the developement of the immaterial essence. It would, however, appear that mothers might acquire all the information that is desirable, by examining and comparing the different modes of life, prevalent among different nations, and the different habits thereby formed, investigating the effects of various kinds of diet, exercise, artificial warmth, with the results of mental efforts, made at an early, or more advanced age. D. C.

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EXERCISES FOR MATERNAL ASSOCIATIONS,

To the inquiry of several maternal associations, "In what manner can we so blend instruction with amusement, as to secure the attention of our children, and render our quarterly meetings most useful?" we are happy to reply, that the Maternal Association of Utica, after repeated experiments, have, for the last year, most successfully adopted the plan of selecting some prominent Scripture character, upon which questions are made. These are previously given out, and studied by the children. At the time of meeting, the children are classed by the presiding members, each class assigned to one mother, for the purpose of examining them upon the lesson. After which, such remarks and explanations are made, as are adapted to set home divine truth upon the hearts and consciences of the children, and to bring them to immediate repen

tance.

We now commence publishing the questions prepared for our Association, andintend to pursue a regular series, and publish them once in three months. Gen. 1, 2, 3.

LESSON 1.--HISTORY OF ADAM AND EVE.

1. How many days was God in creating the world?

2. On which day was man created?

3. Of what did God make man?

4. In what respects did he differ from other animals?

5. In what respect did he resemble God?

6. What was his name, and what did it signify?

7. Where was he placed, and what was his employment?

ADEL.

8. What was he allowed to eat, and what forbidden?

9. What punishment was threatened in case of disobedience? 10. Who gave names to all the animals?

11. Who brought them to Adam to be named?

12. Did Adam find a helpmeet from among all these animals?

13. In what way was a companion provided?

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[parents?

14. What instruction may we receive from this intimate relation of our first 15. By what names did Adam call his wife, and what did they signify?

16. What institution was first established?

17. What other institution originated in Eden?

HYMN FOR THE CHILDREN.

We have met in peace together,
In this house of God again,
Constant friends have led us hither,
Here to chant the solemn strain;
Here to breathe our adoration,

While the balmy breeze of spring,
Like the Spirit of salvation,

Comes with gladness on its wings.

We have met, and time is flying;

We shall part; and still his wing, Sweeping o'er the dead and dying,

Will the changeful seasons bring;

Let us while our hearts are lightest,
In our fresh and early years,
Turn to Him whose smile is brightest,
And whose grace will calm our fears.

He will aid us, should existence

With its sorrows sting the breast;
Gleaming in the onward distance,

Faith will mark the land of rest;
Where mid-day beams 'round him playing,
We our Father's face shall see,
And shall hear him gently saying,
"Little children, come to me."

Mrs. W.-In presenting for your Magazine the following beautiful lines, justice to myself and their author, requires, perhaps, an apology. They are the production, if my authority be correct, of a countryman of ours, who has for many years resided abroad, and by a friend of his, were presented to a little daughter of mine, at a time when she was just capable of committing them to memory, and of catching something of the inspiration which they contain. I regret that I have not the author's permission to publish them, which doubtless I should have, were he present to give it. For I am sure that a heart, which could conceive so nobly, would not deny a request intimately connected, as I think it must be, with the pleasure and improvement of every little girl, who may chance to become acquainted, through your pages, with the truly poetical "Adel."

I will only add, that all the responsibility which may attach to the unauthorized publication of the lines, I will cheerfully assume; for, should the author chance to turn belligerant, at the liberty taken, he would no doubt find, rallying to my defence, a host of little Adels. Yours, &c. K......N.

ADEL.

I am a harmless little child,
My name is called Adel;

My mother loves me very much,
Who else, I cannot tell.

She sometimes points towards the sky,
When it is soft and blue,

And tells me that there lives in heaven
A Friend, who loves me too.

O! then I look, and strain my eyes,
And strive to see his face;

She says he smiles, and is so good,
It is a happy place.

My cheek is sometimes wet with tears,

My heart is sad and dim;

But in his smiles my tears shall dry,
When I ascend to him.

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ANECDOTES.-A MOTHER'S GIFT.

My heart, its sorrows turned to joy,
And wrapt in love, shall be
A morning sunbeam, dancing o'er
The misty, sparkling sea.

Who made those golden clouds that tower;
The sun that shines from far;
The moon that walks in silver day,
The bright and silver star?

'Twas he whose hand did not disdain
To frame this little form;
"Twas he who wafts those mighty orbs
That shine and make it warm.

And when my heart, now full of light,
Grows dark, and life is done;
To bear me to those blissful seats
Will come a shining one.

He'll lay me sleeping on his breast,
And spread his pinions wide,
And far, by still and trackless ways,
His steady flight will guide.

To meet us then, our Friend in heaven
Will come from off his throne,
He'll speak so sweet, and wake Adel,
And take her for his own.

ANECDOTES.

It is said that in the hand of one of the mummies found in a pyramid, was discovered a bulbous root, which being placed in the earth, grew and bloomed a beautiful, but unknown flower, after two hundred years. So may the good seed of the word of God spring up after many years. We have a case in point. Some years since, a venerable man, upwards of one hundred years old, was the subject of converting grace, in an eastern state. The mediate cause of his conversion was, hearing a text of Scripture which his pious mother had taught him in England one hundred years before!

"Though seed lie buried long in dust,

It sha'nt deceive our hope;

The precious grain shall ne'er be lost,
For grace insures the crop."

He was

A pious mother, about sixty years since, had a prodigal son. about to leave her and go to sea. As a last resource, she placed a Bible in his chest, with a prayer to God for his blessing upon it. Year after year passed away, and nothing was heard of the wanderer. But the eye of his mother's God was upon him. A long time after, a clergyman was called to visit a dying sailor. He found him penitent and prepared to die. He had in his possession a Bible, which, he said, was given him by a dying shipmate, who, expiring in the hope of the glory of God, gave it to him, with his parting blessing. On the blank leaf was found written the name of John Marshall, the pious mother's prodigal son. He was the brother of Isabella Graham.

A MOTHER'S GIFT.

Remember, love, who gave thee this,
When other days shall come:
When she who had the earliest kiss,
Sleeps in her narrow home.
Remember, 'twas a mother gave
The gift to one she'd die to save.
That mother sought a pledge of love,
The noblest for her son;

A BIBLE.

And from the gifts of God above
She chose a goodly one.
She chose, for her beloved boy
The source of light, and life, and joy.
And bade him keep the gift, that when
The parting hour should come,
They might have hope to meet again
In an eternal home.

She said his faith in that would be
Sweet incense to her memory.

And should the scoffer, in his pride,
Laugh that fond faith to scorn,
And bid him cast the pledge aside

That he from youth had borne:
She bid him pause, and ask his breast,
If he, or she, had lov'd him best.

A parent's blessing on her son
Goes with this holy thing:
The love that would retain the one
Must to the other cling.
Remember! 'tis no idle toy,
A mother's gift-remember, boy!

[Sailor's Magazine:]

THE

MOTHER'S MAGAZINE

FOR MARCH, MDCCCXXXIII.

FAMILY GOVERNMENT ESSENTIAL TO NATIONAL

PROSPERITY.

"By what means can the population of this great country, increasing, as it is, with fearful rapidity, be so enlightened and reformed, that our boasted liberty shall not degenerate into gross licentiousness? How shall the conscience of the people acquire such authority, that through its dictates, the good and wholesome laws of the land shall be as the voice of God? These inquiries, involve the well being, not only of the generation that now is, but of millions yet unborn?"-Home Missionary.

What mother can predict, under any circumstances, and in any given case, the blessings which may result to herself, her country, and to the church of Christ, by instilling into the minds of her little child, principles of oedience

from love to God.

While we have been looking with an eye of sympathy and revolting appre hension, upon the tottering empires and subjugated kingdoms in the old world, -events which are to prepare the way for the spread in the Gospel-have we not forgotten the injunction, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall?”

Mothers in Israel have, perhaps, exulted in the thought, that their children, or their children's children, were probably to become the immediate instruments of ushering in that long predicted day of millenial glory; as if they expected, that the powers of darkness would submit to the reign of the Prince of Peace without a struggle. They have even triumphed, as if the battle were already fought and the victory won; while they have forgotten, that "every battle of the warrior, is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood."

Our Saviour says, "Ye can discern the face of the sky; but how is it that ye cannot discern this time." Every succeeding period of the church previous to the millenium, will, doubtless, in some form, furnish enemies to face, dangers to shun, and victories to achieve. When we feel the most secure, we are often on the verge of impending ruin. It was, when the antedeluvian world were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, that the flood came and swept them all away.

To a reflecting mind it must be apparent, that every successive year presents more fearful signs of approaching conflict to the Christian church. It is supposed by many, that the last encounter with the prince of the power of the

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air, will not, as in former times, be for regal authority, or for territory, but for the truth as it is in Jesus.

It is said in the epistle of Peter, that in the last days shall come in scoffers, walking after their own deceitful lusts. Mention is also made of "cursed children, which have forsaken the right way." It is likewise said, "For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered unto them." It is again said, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished, but chiefly them that walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government, presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities."

Who can read the first and second chapters of this same epistle, without perceiving alarming indications, that the evils there predicted are soon to become the evils of our own times. In this enlightened and Christian community, there already exists an insidious evil, that is sapping the foundation of every thing lovely, every thing sacred, every thing dear to the heart of a Christian parent. Parents may be unwilling to acknowledge the existence of such an evil in their own family; yet they are not wholly ignorant of its subtle and malignant influence in community at large. It must be obvious to the most superficial observer, that family government, in our country generally, has become alarmingly defective, and thus the order of nature and of providence is lamentably subverted, at the present day.

A Being who could create all worlds, and all intelligences, must be possessed of adequate wisdom, to determine, in what manner his claims to universal obedience, could be most successfully asserted and perpetuated.

How apparent is the wisdom and economy of the great Legislator of the world, in laying the foundation of universal homage and obedience to himself, upon so broad a basis, as to link together his vast empire, and yet so minute and definite, as to bring his claims imperiously to bear, through the parent, upon every little child.

How simple, how unadulterated, this ancient form of delegated authority. As faith is one of the simplest acts of the mind, a mother should not doubt, whether her little child can be successfully taught its relation and duty to God, any more than, that it can be taught its obligation to obey her. Indeed, when her little child in arms, raises its puny hand against her, she receives the blow, but the shock is chiefly felt at the throne of the great Eternal. When we therefore, assert our claims as parents, we assert the claims of God.

The commandment "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee," was constituted the first commandment with promise, obviously, because, that a compliance with the requisitions of the other nine, is based upon an implicit obedience to the requisitions of this.

We are acquainted with a Christian mother, upon whose mind this truth was early and successfully impressed. While parlying with her little child, which was disposed to disobey her, a beloved brother, who soon after died in the triumphs of faith, in an imperative manner, said to her, Sister! be more dis

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