deemed an awful mark of the deep degeneracy of the times. Thus the satirist : 'And had not men the hoary heads revered, Or boys paid reverence when a man appeared, The pious Matthew Henry says, " Age is honourable, and he that is the Ancient of days' requires that honour be paid to it. Those whom God has honoured with the blessing of long life, we ought to honour with the distinguishing expressions of civility; and those that in age are wise and good are 'worthy of double honour.' More respect is owing to such old men than merely to rise up before them; their credit and comfort must be carefully consulted, their experience and observations improved, and their counsels asked and hearkened to." We regret to say that young people frequently despise the aged, and treat them unkindly. This is very wrong. It is highly displeasing to the blessed God. The young should give proof, by their kindness to the aged, that they have sympathy and compassion. Graceful, particularly in youth, is the tear of sympathy, and the heart that melts at the tale of woe. How pleasing to see the young, tender and assiduous in attending to the aged; thoughtfully anticipating their wants, gently removing their difficulties, anxieties and fears, and sweetly enlivening their spirit; careful to comfort them when they cannot cure. Such conduct is highly honourable, and verily it shall have a reward. Old age has peculiar claims. The aged have a claim to respect. Augustus Cæsar, on one occasion, called the attention of his soldiers to what he was about to deliver, by exclaiming, "Young men, hearken to me, an old man, to whom old men hearkened when I was young." When the apostle Paul wrote to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus, he reminded him that his supplicant was "such an one as Paul the aged." Solomon says, "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." (Prov. xvi. 31.) We should show kindness to the aged because of our obli gations to them. The young are greatly indebted to the aged. The toils of the aged have devised and brought into use many improvements of which we reap the advantage. This consideration should incite us to be grateful and kind, and thus to return some of the debt of affection and duty which we owe them. The aged should be treated kindly because of their numerous infirmities. Youth is a time of vigour and delight; Old age is a season of decay and suffering. David said, "Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth." (Psa. Ixxii. 9.) There are infirmities incident to age which are almost unknown to the joyous elasticity of youth. The senses of the aged have felt the paralyzing touch of time; their pulse lingers in its course; their spirit droops, and needs the cheering and consoling endearments of affection and friendship, to inspire it with such happiness as they have often imparted to others. Many aged persons are also very poor. These are truly objects of pity. Sad, indeed, to see old age, which should have nothing but its own infirmities to struggle with, sinking under the pressure of penury and want. The aged poor surely need our kind assistance. Who can turn a deaf ear to the appeal "Pity the sorrows of a poor old man." We should show kindness to the aged from the consideration, that they have lost many of their kind friends by death. Most or all of the friends of their youth are gone. They have followed to the grave many of their best friends and dearest kindred. They miss the joy of many a heart, and the light of many a brow. We cannot fill the vacuum which they thus experience; but if they are treated kindly they will feel it less, and endure with greater patience and fortitude. We should the more readily attend to this duty, because, if we live to be old, we shall wish to be treated kindly ourselves. Among the American Indians, one of the first lessons they inculcate on their children is, duty to their parents and respect for old age. If the father sees an old decrepid man or woman pass by, led along by a child, he will draw the attention of his own children to the object by saying, "What a good child that must be which pays such attention to the aged. That child, indeed, looks forward to the time when it will likewise be old," or he will say, "May the great Spirit who looks upon him grant this good child a long life." How pleasing it is to see the rich, and those who fill exalted stations, condescending kindly to notice the aged poor. Some time since I was delighted to read in a public journal the following anecdote of our beloved Queen. It having reached the ear of royalty, that an aged woman residing at Cowes would, in a few days, complete her hundredth year, and that she had lost none of her faculties, her Majesty caused her carriage to be sent to convey the old lady to the Queen's Palace, at Osborne. The old woman went wondering, but rejoicing. After an interview with the Queen, Prince Albert, the Duchess of Kent, and the royal children, she was sent home loaded with gifts; and with an assurance. that her few remaining days would be cheered with plenty. The deed may be thought trifling, but it speaks volumes in favour of her Majesty's kind feelings." "Deal gently with the aged one, Grieve not the care-worn heart, The sands of life are nearly run, Stockport. CHARLES R. HOPPER. GOLD AND GOD.-There is something forcible in the anecdote told of a distinguished preacher, who not being able to make any impression upon a man's understanding, wrote the word God on a piece of paper. "Do you see that?" said he to the individual. "Yes." He then covered the word with a piece of gold. "Do yon see it now?" The effect was startling. The man saw at once what had shut his eyes to all that was true and beautiful in the world, and most worthy of his devotion. MEMOIR OF CHARLOTTE SUTLIFF. CHARLOTTE SUTLIFF was born in Leicester, September 30th, 1833. She entered our Sunday-school June 27th, 1847, being then in the fourteenth year of her age. Her conduct as a scholar was such as to secure the esteem and confidence of her teachers. Their prayers, instructions, and example, had a most salutary and impressive influence on her mind. Her mind was so enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and religion appeared to her so amiable, the people of God so happy and united, that she firmly resolved to give her heart to God, and cast in her lot among them. She never repented of this resolution-it was ever afterwards to her a source of unmingled pleasure. She became a member of the church rather more than two years before her death. We hoped that she would have lived long to enjoy the consolations of religion, and recommend it to others, by a holy, consistent life; but her heavenly Father thought proper to number her with those happy spirits, that are taken away from the evil to come. Though her race as a Christian was a very short one, she ran a consistent course. She continued to go forward till called to her eternal reward. She was so strongly attached to God's house and people, that she was disposed to make any sacrifice to meet them at the throne of grace. In stating her religious experience, she would often mention with grateful feeling, the Sunday-school as having been the means of bringing her into the way of peace. A few months ago our fond hopes, that she would be long preserved to our church and school, were checked by the unusual flash of her eye, and the hectic flush on her cheeks; these caused us to fear she would soon be taken away. Most young persons when attacked by consumption manifest a clinging to life, and can hardly be persuaded., that there is any danger at hand. This was not the case with our dear sister; she was patient under her sufferings, and perfectly resigned to the will of God. When asked the state of her mind, she said "I am happy in God, and willing to go, and be with Christ, which is far better." Though confined by affliction to the house, she was very anxious about the girls in the school, and would request her teachers to tell them not to put off religion till a death-bed. About a month before she died, being visited by her superintendent, when he was about to kneel down to pray, he said, "Charlotte, what shall I pray for? Is there any thing you particularly need? Forgetting her own case, she requested him to pray for her father, who regularly attended the chapel, but was not a member of the society. Upon saying to her, "You are in much pain!" She replied, “Yes, but the Lord enables me to bear it; I find him all sufficient.” On one occasion her class-leader called to see her, when her friends thought her to be dying. She had then the bright prospect of eternal life. She had the family round her, and charged them all, one by one, to meet her in heaven, and said, "My soul is full of glory, which inspires my tongue! Could I meet with the angels I would sing them a song: "I would sing of my Jesus, and tell of his charms,' And beg them to bear me to his loving arms." She said to her leader, "My father and mother, and all my sisters, have promised to meet me in heaven," and then said, "No chilling winds or poisonous breath, Can reach that healthful shore, Are felt and feared no more." Brother Kinzett coming into the room at the time, she |