yet the training of the immortal mind is vastly more important; for it is this which exalts human beings to an affinity and companionship with angels, and qualifies them for that celestial intercourse which glorified spirits maintain with each other.

It is not precocity of talent, nor brilliancy of genius, nor the scintillations of wit and learning, that should distinguish immortal beings, who are destined to exist when this lower world shall be burnt up. Christian mothers surely should have in view a higher and holier purpose, in prosecuting the mental culture of their children; and the day is not far distant, I trust, when this soul-elevating object shall dawn upon their mind in all its native light and magnitude.

Immortal beings should be trained for immortality. Life is too short, and earth is too narrow for the expansion of that mighty intellect which will ever be enlarging and dilating its powers, in those boundless regions of thought which eternity continually unfolds.

In this little inch of space your children have but a few years to spend, and could you command all that talents, learning, and knowledge have to bestow; or could you see them shine in the various departments of science, with a brilliancy which no mortal man ever yet gloried in; still a period would arrive when all this would cease, and death would close the most brilliant career that talents ever earned.

But it is not so with those who are educated for eternity. There is no limit to their knowledge, no end to their acquirements. In this world the wise and the great confer dignities upon their fellows, and often from sordid motives; but the honor that cometh from God, is a distinction no human mind can ever comprehend.

Here the development of superior talents calls forth admiration; but in Heaven, "Angels who excel in strength" are also mighty in wisdom. Here the weakness of the human frame often unfits the most exalted mind for action, and the casket of earth lies broken and shattered, which contains this glittering gem, but that never decaying, never ending state of existence shows myriads and myriads of glorified beings, always active, and always bright. Do you then ask, how shall this process of mental culture be carried on so that this object shall be kept prominently in view? Teach your children the great object for which they were created,-viz.: To glorify God. Teach them "that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Teach them to look upon all knowledge as idle and useless, except that which tends to make them wiser and better. Teach them that this world is only a preparatory state, that their chief object should be to fit themselves for eternity. Keep this lofty aim continually in view. Do you next enquire who will become their educators? and where will books be found to aid in this high intellectual training!

Pious men and women, those who can set a just estimate upon the immortal mind; those who love God and his Son Jesus Christ; those who contemplate earth as his footstool, and heaven as his throne. And what books do you ask? The Bible-the blessed Bible, is alone able to make your children wise unto salvation. Let them study its precepts, investigate its

doctrines, explore its mysteries, understand its prophecies, admire its beauties, explain its wonders, and above all, adore and imitate its divine and glorious Author.

Let their young souls daily put forth their ardor in these high and noly pursuits, and O! what a race shall earth behold! Beings living up to the elevated standard of their great Creator, originally designed for them. Immortal beings, showing forth in holy lives the transcendent beauty and excellency of heavenly wisdom. Earth filled with creatures who bless her inhabitants and heal the miseries which sin has caused! Heaven stooping to behold the consecrated powers of men restored to their primitive excellence; the Savior bending from the skies, with looks of benignity upon his own work of redemption, and mothers, millions of holy blessed mothers, with a long train of holy blessed children, following them up to everlasting hills, with the song of triumph, and the shout of victory.

MARIA.

For the Mother's Magazine,

THE SELECTED PASSAGE;

OR,

LOUISA AND HER LITTLE VISITER.

My dear Mrs. W.-Children often wish that conversations and stories which they hear and read "were true." "Did this really happen mother?" is the constant enquiry.

I confess that I often wish so too, and therefore if I occasionally send you the simple details of the nursery, this may be in their favor, they are strictly true.

I read nothing with more interest than conversations which serve to develop the motives which often govern the conduct of children. For myself, I prefer the living example of judicious parents, to the most elaborate essay, however elevated and literary.

Extracts from a mother's journal, or sketches from real life, are so very useful, that I hope we shall frequently be favored with such communications from some of your numerous correspondents. It may be objected by some, that the simplicity of such details renders them unworthy of the public eye; but the experienced mother well knows that these little items constitute the greater part of education in the nursery, and often amid the perplexities attending her most trivial arrangements is she constrained to look upward and say, "Lord help."

Louisa, a little girl eight years old, came one morning with her Bible in her hand, as she often did, requesting her mother to select a passage for the day. "Take this, my child," said Mrs. N. " Study the things which make for peace." Do you know Louisa what this passage means? "I think I do mother; is it not the same as be kind to one another?" "I am glad that you understand it so well," said her mother, "I think you may have

special need of this text, Louisa, as you expect company this afternoon. "I shall try to remember it," said the little girl.

The morning as usual was devoted to lessons and work. Soon after the dinner table was removed, little Mary P. came tripping up the steps with a light and joyous heart. Louisa welcomed her little visiter to the nursery. The children were soon busily engaged in play, in a small adjoining room where was a variety of toys, books, and other articles of amusement. "But first," said Mary," we will have the door shut, for your mother is in the nursery, and we cannot play unless we are alone." "Mary, do not shut the door," said Louisa, in a supplicating voice; "we love to have our mother with us when we play, for she is always delighted to see us happy." "The door shall be shut, or I will not play," retorted Mary angrily, at the same time closing it.

Mrs N., surprised at this unexpected movement, for she had not overheard the conversation, rose, and on opening the door, said, “I shall be sorry, my little girls, to be deprived of your company, for it gives me great pleasure to see my children playful and happy, so long as they feel and act right.' "Mother," said Louisa earnestly, "you know that we always wish to have you with us; it was Mary that wished to be alone, though I begged her not to shut the door," (adding in a whisper,)" You remember my text mother."

It had ever been a favorite point with Mrs. N. in the management of her children, to accustom them to play in her presence; so important did she conceive this habit to be, that her children were seldom, if ever, sent away to pass an hour in a room by themselves. Even when they had company, she willingly subjected herself to the additional noise, rather than incur the risk to them of free and unrestrained intercourse. She felt that under no other circumstances were the hearts of her children so perfectly developed, as in the hours of recreation, and particularly so with their companions; and with her work in hand, she sat by, always ready to smile upon the successful struggle against sin, to check the rising evil, to expose and eradicate the selfish feeling, and it was certainly true that they could play, and run, and sing, as cheerfully when their mother sat by to approve, or if needful to extend a helping hand in their early conflicts with temptation, as at other times. Mary soon discovered that she need not be afraid of Louisa's mother, and the afternoon passed cheerfully away. At night, when Louisa retired to rest, she said, "I was very much assisted by my text to day." "Yes," replied Mrs. N. "I observed you was." "How could you know it, mother." "Because I remarked an unusual readiness on your part to yield even your rights to Mary. She wished to direct all the time; I thought it was a little hard, but you conquered yourself, and I was almost sure that God was helping you by his precious word. This is the only way, my child, to overcome

our easily besetting sins. Take some passage which you feel that you especially need, and often turn your eye to your Redeemer, who is ever by your side, and he will surely help you by his word and spirit, to drive away your worst enemy." "Oh! mother," said Louisa, her eyes glistening with pleasure," twenty times did I repeat that sweet text this afternoon, 'Study the things that make for peace.""

Mothers, will you examine your practice on this point; will you enquire whether it is safe to send your inexperienced children away from your side, to spend hour after hour by themselves; or what is even more hazardous, with their companions? Shall they be left to contend with the sins of a heart already inclined to evil, to meet alone the mighty destroyer, who goes about seeking on the play ground whom he may deceive? Enquire, I pray you, whether this practice may not engender evils over which you will long weep and pray? And can you expect that the God of grace will exert his mighty power at a future time to conquer and subdue those evils which you now permit to take root, deep root, in the hearts of your children? A pious minister once wrote on the top of every page of his sermon, "Lord help.” Let every mother continually say, "Lord help."

B.

For the Mother's Magazine.

LOVE OF ADMIRATION.

PERMIT me to call the attention of young mothers to a subject, which I deem of incalculable importance.

It is the vanity which is so easily fostered in little children. Few who have not closely observed the rapid development of the infant mind would believe that children of three or four years, would be as susceptible of this feeling as they are found to be. My attention was particularly arrested on this point, by hearing a little girl of scarcely four years say to herself, as she sat playing with her toys, "Well, I was a beautiful child." Thus giving utterance to her thoughts, while she supposed herself alone; she clearly showed the impression made upon her mind, by a well meant, but thoughtless remark, made in her presence by a morning visiter of her mother's.

Children discriminate at a very early age, between admiration of personal beauty, and approbation of correct deportment; and while the latter may serve as a stimulus to renewed obedience and docility, the former will as surely prove deleterious to the mind of the child.

Who has not marked the expression of self-complacency which often beams upon the face of a young child when prettily attired, and that complacency not a little heightened by observing a corresponding expression in the countenance of the fond mother; for a child from its early infancy watches with extreme interest, a mother's smile. It must be admitted that mothers too often themselves, foster this incipient vanity in their little ones, by expressions of admiration, while they are addressing or caressing them. I doubt not but the feeling, thus thoughtlessly nurtured, has been the procuring cause of the ruin of many a lovely young creature, who has subsequently sacrificed soul and body upon the altar of fashion.

Do we ask then what is to be done?

Let a child be early taught that a mother's smile, which it so highly estimates, will ever greet obedience and amiability-but a beautiful face, or graceful person unaccompanied by these virtues, never.

Mothers! let us weigh well this subject, and however fondly we may gaze upon the lovely little beings God has in kindness given us, let us ever remember, that it is not the casket, but the inestimable jewel within, which claims our constant care and our unceasing solicitude. It is true, our strength is inadequate to our immense responsibilities; but there is strength in Him P. who has said, "My grace shall be sufficient for thee.

66

For the Mother's Magazine.

THE TORN LEAF.

"No ma'am."

Mary pretended to When her mother's cut all around the

the leaf cut.

"It was not cut when I

LITTLE Mary's mother gave her a lesson to learn from the 1st chapter of James. The edge of a leaf was torn a very little. study, but was all the time looking at the torn leaf. eyes were turned from her, she took the little scissors and torn leaf, and in doing so she cut off some of the reading. After a while her mother called her to come to her and recite her lesson, and when she took "Mary," the book in her hand, she was surprised to see she asked, "did you cut this ?" it to you." Well, mother, I did not cut it." " My child, you certainly gave must have done it, for the Bible has not been out of your hand since I gave "I fear, Mary, you it to you." "I don't know how it came cut, mother." are telling me an untruth; the great God hears you; he sees you; his eye has been upon you ever since you sat down to study your lesson: he saw your hand take up the scissors and cut the leaf. He is now looking into your heart, and knows what you are thinking about, and just how you feel. Did you cut the leaf, Mary?" "Yes, mother, I did." "Well, my child, I must punish you for cutting the leaf, and for telling a lie. You have committed two faults. I have often told you that the commission of one sin prepares the way for another.". I expected to see Mary submit patiently to the punishment, but she pulled, and stamped, and cried, and would not listen to any thing her kind mother said to her; so her mother whipped her, and made her sit down in the corner. I wondered what Mary would say when she got over her passion, and I thought I would wait and listen. After she had set in the corner a little while, she got up and ran to her mother, "Do ma, forgive me and put her arms around her neck, and kissed her. I have been very naughty." "My child I freely forgive you, and pray that and kneel your heavenly Father may forgive you. Go to your own room, down by your crib and confess your sin to him, and try to feel very sorry while you are on your knees. Ask the blessed Savior to give you a new heart, and make you gentle and peaceable, like the little doves and the Go away now and lambs, and prepare you for his own beautiful heaven. stay till I call you." When Mary had left the room, her mother knelt down and prayed for her. torn leaf, and read

When she arose, she took the Bible, and turned to the the 23d and 26th verses, the very verses which she had