paying wages on Friday is strongly enforced, and its advantages shown; The Social Claims and Aspect of Science, in which there is an excellent résumé of recent scientific discoveries, and their bearing on our social condition; The Genius and Prospects of Negroes, a paper of great usefulness and significancy with respect to the future of Africa and the Negro race; The History of the Struggle in Maine, with facts and figures of the highest interest; and a story about "Caste," bearing on our English class-prejudices with meritorious pungency and force. The experiment of a shilling quarterly seems likely to be thoroughly successful, and we wish it all prosperity. Mary Gray; or, Death-Bed Repentance. Founded on Fact. London: Wertheim and Macintosh. A SORROWFUL Story, intended to show the danger and folly of putting off the work of repentance to a dying bed. Incidentally it contains a testimony to the usefulness and awakening character of Methodist ministrations. Notes of the Month. ASTRONOMY. NOVEMBER. "Day unto day uttereth speech."-Psalm xix. 2. THE regular succession of day and night, and of summer and winter, though it escapes our notice by the frequency of its occurrence, is continually proclaiming to us the wisdom and power of God. And that which prodigiously enlarges the sphere of wonders is, that motion and rest, darkness and light, the change of seasons, the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, which give variety to the decorations of the world, are successive in appearance only, and permanent in reality. The scene that fades upon our view, is painted in brilliant colours for another people. It is not the spectacle that is changed, but the spectator. Thus God has combined in his work, both absolute and progressive duration : the first is placed in time, the second in space. By means of the former the beauties of the universe are one, infinite and invariable: by reason of the latter they are multiplied, finite, and perpetually renewed. Without the one, there would be no grandeur in the creation: without the other, it would exhibit nothing but dull uniformity. Could we combine in imagination at the same moment the most beautiful incidents of nature; could we represent to ourselves at once all the hours of the day, and all the seasons of the year: a spring morning, and an autumnal evening; a night studded with stars, and a day overcast with clouds; meadows ena melled with flowers, forests stripped by the frosts, fields glowing with golden harvests-we should then have an idea of the spectacle of the universe, for such in reality is the fact. While we are admiring the sun plunging beneath the western waves, others perceive him rising from the regions of Aurora: and while we are enveloped in midnight darkness, they are surrounded with the meridian blaze. Could we imagine the absence of that infinite presiding Power, or the suspension of those laws which infinite Wisdom has ordained, what confusion and disorder would overspread the face of nature! The moon either too near or too distant would cease to rule the night: would alternately be invisible, or fill the celestial concave with her disproportionate orb. Seized as it were with madness, she would proceed along an uninterrupted line of eclipses; or rolling from side to side would expose the other face which the earth has never seen. The stars would appear to be under the same capricious influence, and nothing would be seen but a succession of tremendous conjunctions. Here they would dart along with the rapidity of lightning, there they would be suspended motionless; sometimes crowding together in groups, they would form a new galaxy; at others disappearing all at once, and rending the curtains of the world, they would expose to view the abysses of eternity. "Oh Lord, how wonderful are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all." "Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; Thou hast made summer and winter!"—R. C. The Sun rises on the 1st at London and Greenwich at five minutes before seven, on the 15th at twenty minutes after seven, and on the 30th at sixteen minutes before eight; and sets on the same days respectively at twenty-eight minutes before five, nine minutes after four, and seven minutes before four. The day will decrease in length during the month just one hour and a half. On the 22nd the sun enters the sign Sagittarius or the Archer. The Moon is new on the 5th at twelve minutes before five in the afternoon, and full on the 21st at twentyfive minutes after two in the morning. It sets on the first Sunday before five in the afternoon. Those of our local brethren who have to return on that evening from distant appointments will have a dark November night in which to plod their weary way homeward. We trust our readers will remember them before the God of Providence and grace, especially if the day should be wet and stormy, as is frequently the case at this season. Should it be fine, however, and the sky clear, the splendid appearance of Jupiter in the constellation of the Bull a considerable height in the south-eastern sky between eight and ten o'clock will almost compensate for the absence of the young moon. On the second Sunday the moon will shine until nearly midnight; on the third Sunday, the whole of the night, being full, and nearly seventeen hours above the horizon; and on the fourth Sunday it rises about midnight. Mercury is near the sun and invisible. Venus is very brilliant, but sets too soon after the sun to be observed. It is near the moon on the 8th and 9th. Mars also is nearly beyond observation, but may be noticed near to the Moon on the 11th. Jupiter's position is very beautiful, observed angularly from Aldebaran and the Pleiades in Taurus and from Capella in Auriga. It shines brilliantly the whole of the night. Saturn rises between ten and eleven at the beginning, and before nine at the end of the month. It will this month therefore begin to form a part of our evening panorama. It is now in Cancer. The principal constellations visible at this season are:-Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pisces, Cetus, Capricornus, Piscis Australis, Aquarius, Pegasus, Aquila, Vulpecula, Delphinus, Hercules, Lyra, Cygnus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Taurus, Orion, Aries, Cetus, Perseus, Auriga, Gemini, Camelopardalus, Lynx. NATURAL HISTORY. NOVEMBEK. CHANGE passes stealthily, but surely, over all things month by month through the whole year-more and more rapidly as we approach winter, its march being more decided and marked every day. The insects are gone, the birds are gone, the flowers are gone all that made spring delightful and summer charming; and as we advance to greet the King of Frost, we are surrounded by the dying and the dead, and look forward to still greater desolations. Yet how wisely and kindly every change is made to subserve a beneficial purpose. The foliage of the forest, by the rough blast of outgoing autumn is swept from the branches, and settles in thick layers or matted hillocks over the breadth of the whole forestland, covering the tender shoots and shielding from too much cold the herbs and plants that thrive in the shade of tall trees and bushy plantations; and forming thus a natural defence against the severity of winter. Having performed this kind office, on the approach of spring, the united effects of moisture and warmth resolves these into a light mould every way fitted to supply nutriment for the ensuing summer's growth. So admirable are the arrangements of the Great Maker. The strawberry tree blows in November, and is one of our prettiest ornamental evergreens. Sometimes it is found growing wild in the south of Ireland, and thrives luxuriantly. It has the rare peculiarity in this country of having both flowers and fruit at the same time; for the blossoms of No. vember are in due time succeeded by small green berries which hang on the trees nearly twelve months without increasing much in size or ripening to maturity, the heat of a whole summer apparently exerting little or no influence upon them; but when November comes again they ripen rapidly, and new flowers bloom side by side with the ripe fruit. The berries now resemble small strawberries in shape and colour, but are dry and insipid to the taste, and only when fully ripe possess mellowness sufficient to render them palatable. They will not come to maturity in the neighbourhood of London without care. As there is little to attract attention in the open garden, a lover of plants may find interesting employment indoors. The following pretty experiment may be attempted in town or country:-Fill a common hyacinthglass about a third or half full of water, and fit to its opening exactly, so as to exclude the air perfectly, a piece of cord or cork. Fasten a strong piece of thread or piece of brass (not iron) wire round an acorn, and suspend it from the card or cork, or from a small bar of wood or metal beneath it, so as to sustain the acorn just above the surface of the water. In a few weeks the germ of the acorn will burst the shell, and in about a fortnight the radicle or little root will appear, stretch downwards to the water, enlarging by degrees, and throwing out external fibres, until, after a few days more, the other member of the germ will rise upwards till it comes near the card (or cork) that covers the vessel, through which a hole must then be cut to allow of its free passage. This is the stem of the tree, which will shortly be seen to throw out seed leaves at its extremity, and shortly again other leaves, till in the course of a few weeks the tree will have grown to the height of several inches, and be ornamented at the top with leaves two or three inches long and wide in proportion, besides smaller ones at the sides, the root growing during the same time to a length exceeding that of the stem. The acorn selected for this experiment should be fresh gathered. The The song of the robin, the shrill pipe of the wren, the chirp of the sparrows the chatter of the magpie, and the caw of the raven are familiar sounds in November. Larks, seen only in pairs at other seasons, now congregate in immense numbers, as also do the yellow hammer and chaffinch. snow bunting arrives from the north: female woodcocks come in successive flights, stay a few days, and proceed southwards; the males follow soon afterwards and remain with us during the winter. Many species of wild geese migrate, and others put on their winter plumage. That of the ptarmigan undergoes a marvellous change, the leg and foot which in summer is nearly as bare as those of any barndoor fowl, becoming so thickly clothed with feathers as to appear more like the paw of the hare than the pedal appendage of a bird. Mutual-Aid Association Reporter. THE COLLECTING CARDS. THE interest in this movement we believe is spreading. Certainly, it scarcely seems possible to devise a method by which the object in view can be so easily accomplished, at so small an expenditure of individual labour and time. We trust, therefore, the members and friends of the Association will feel it a pleasant and agreeable task that the President has asked them to perform, and also that, in response to his generous donation of the whole cost of the cards, they will deem themselves in honour bound to try the experiment to the utmost. Collecting Cards are not altogether a new thing in the Association, as the secretaries well know. They were adopted soon after the establishment of the Institution, but without organised plan or arrangement, being issued to members and friends when required or asked for, in an exceedingly desultory manner. The idea of issuing them at a specific time to the whole country, with instructions to return the whole by a given date, is an advance in the wise use of means to an end that deserves special record, and we believe will be the harbinger of much improvement and success in the operations of the Association. What is wanted is the hearty co operation of one and all to apply the scheme with vigour and effect in every branch. There are still two months in which to work it, and in each branch the active and attentive management of one individual, with ordinary aid from the officers, would be more than sufficient to ensure signal success in less than that time. We hope each of the branches will be blessed with the labours of at least one such willing and diligent manager. We should like the brethren not to forget the simple calculation made two months ago of what the cards may be made to produce. By way of reminder we repeat it here. It is anticipated that about TEN THOUSAND cards will be issued. The brethren can easily calculate what sum on each card would produce fifty, five hundred, or five thousand pounds, as follows: £ S. d. 10,000 Cards containing 1d. each. 41 13 4 6d. 250 0 10,000 10,000 0 0 500 0 5s. 2,500 0 0 5,000 0 10s. There is not a single friend of the Association so moderate in his expectations as to confine them to one penny each card, and probably none so sanguine as to anticipate ten shillings. But perhaps we may not be set down as very extravagant in hoping that a fair average of the above five classes of contribution might be obtained, that is, an average of about 3s. 4d. on each card, which moderate sum would realise the handsome result of nearly £1,700. As to the number of cards which may be required by the brethren, and used with effect, it may be observed that if each of our 2,500 honorary and benefit members promote the circulation of only four, the number of 10,000 is at once provided for. We will say no more this monthsave to suggest that while this active canvass is proceeding, our friends will seize every opportunity of speaking a good word for the MAGAZINE, that we may commence the new year with a further large augmentation of readers and purchasers. The following sensible letter is very seasonable. It is an explanation, a defence, and a stimulus, all in one, and OUR PROSPECTS, A FEW WORDS TO INQUIRERS. DEAR SIR,-Several communications have reached me, concerning the affairs of our Association; some of these are kind and genial, some critical and carping, and others full of lamentations, on account of the apparent apathy of the Methodist churches to the urgent claims of our necessitous poor. As many of your readers are no doubt inclined to agree with one or the other of my correspondents, I wish to address them through your pages. 1st. To those friends whose Christianity prompts them to assist in every good work, and who "especially" care for "the household of faith," I would say, "Be not weary in well doing." His eye beholds your deeds, and His ear listens to your prayers in our behalf, who will say in the great day of reckoning, "Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me." Should there be among you any who wish also to see and hear something like a reward upon earth,—take it, brethren, to your heart's fill; it comes to you in faltering words of thankfulness from a hundred old fathers in Methodism, who take from you rather less than sixpence a day, and for every penny a heart-prayer rises heavenward in your behalf. Take it; it comes to you in tears of mingled sorrow and comfort from the eyes of the widows and fatherless, as partly with your money they bury their husbands and fathers. Be satisfied, brethren; be happy: ye have not lived in vain. Your work in this Association will be more durable than that of those who built the pyramids of Egypt. Earth will not forget it, and in hea ven it is written for ever. 2nd. A word to the critical.-You mistake, brethren, in supposing that this is a self-supporting society. It is partly so, but not wholly,-just enough so to prevent the blush of honest shame from covering the face of any brother who belongs to it, when he applies for the stipulated sum in sickness; to this he is entitled by equity from his own payments, according to the best authorities in statistics; some small amount would also remain after this towards the expenses of his funeral. All out-goings besides these must be obtained from other sources. It is easy to find fault with some of the proceedings of the Association, and with the Methodistic status of its leading friends; but if you calmly consider what troubled times the Association was born in, has lived through, and survived, you ought surely rather to wonder that there is so little to find fault with. Talk of the Atlantic Telegraph binding continents together! why this Association, slender as it may appear to you, binds together, and has bound together, the warring tribes of Methodism every heart has felt the electric current of brotherly kindness, and responded to its silent voice. Personal feelings, and here and there the indulgence of a member's idiosyncrasies may have disturbed the harmony of the Association for a day; but with the morrow "cool reflection" has come and, setting religion apart, it is marvellous that "a harp of thousand strings should keep in tune so long." Only enter our ranks, brethren, and set yourselves heartily to work in "caring for the poor," and all the difficulties that affright you will vanish away. 3rd. As for you, brethren, who lament over the apparent apathy of the Methodist churches towards us,-wait a little longer; there is doubtless a good time coming. Ours is really a new thing in Methodism, and as yet it has not the sanction of the Conference; it must therefore stand upon its own merits. Be it yours to make those merits known. It is a rough diamond; be it yours to polish it, and to hold it up to the admiring gaze of the followers of Jesus. John Wesley would soon have polished it into shape and brilliancy. Show the world that his followers are not all degenerate; that although they build stone chapels, they are not all stony of heart. There is no benevolent institution in the land that can compare with ours as to its claims upon the churches,no, not one. Therefore, be of good courage; abate not one jot of effort; quit you like men; be determined to uphold the weak, to comfort the distressed, and to do battle with all that is ignorant, proud, cold and covetous, that opposes itself to the interests of our noble institution. AN EX-PRESIDENT. GENERAL COMMITTEE. THE General Committee met at Br. Bowron's, Churton Street, Pimlico, on Wednesday Evening, Oct. 13, 1858. Present, Bros. Dudley, Chamberlain, Wade, Mortimer, and Creswell. Prayer was offered by Bro. Mortimer. The minutes of the last meeting being read and confirmed, the Secretary reported as follows:-Deaths during the month, 5, for two of which no claim has been made on the funds. Number of sick, 16; do. under the New Rule, 28; Superannuated, 100. Total receiving relief, 144.-Receipts from various sources since the aggregate meeting, £612. 6s. 3d; Expenditure during the same period, £595. 17s. 2d.; Balance in hand, £16. 9s. 1d. The case of two brethren, late of the M. T. Branch, having been considered, It was resolved, that they be instructed to join the nearest branch. A donation of £10. was thankfully received from G. B. Brown, Esq. of Halifax. Letters were read from several of the branches stating that arrangements were being made for holding meetings, &c., on behalf of the Association. Prayer was offered by Bro. Chamberlain, and the meeting closed at nine o'clock. The next meeting will be held at Bro. Creswell's, 5, Albert Terrace, Knightsbridge, on Monday Evening, Nov. 8th, 1858. JOHN WADE, Hon. Sec. SUBSCRIPTIONS, DONATIONS, &c., RECEIVED BY THE TREASURER, TO OCTOBER 18, 1858. hm. Hon. Member; hc. Hon. Contributor. Hind Street.-Amount of Chapel collection, £7 18s. 6d. Southampton. Miss S. Baverstock, hc.., 10s. 6d. Sunderland.--Mr. R. Wrighton, hm., £1 1s.; Mr. J. Aslin, hm.,£1-£2 1s. Halifax.-George Buckston Browne, Esq., don., £10. Melton Mowbray.-Mr. John Orson, hm., £1. |