influences that work these opposite results is the difference in their treatment of the Sabbath. The due observance of it is a savor of life unto life; the desecration of it, of death unto death.

26. VESSELS IN THE MISSISSIPPI. With adverse winds, against a strong current, and with many difficulties, a number of vessels were trying to ascend the Mississippi. The Sabbath came, and the men on board one of these vessels ceased their efforts, and lay by through the day. The others continued their efforts. All hands were employed, hoping thereby the sooner to reach New Orleans. On Monday, the vessel that lay by started again, with all hands refreshed and invigorated by their day of rest. Before their arrival, she passed the others, was the first to reach the city, with her men in high spirits; while the others were lagging behind, with their men jaded and worn out, for want of rest. He who has the winds in his fists, and the waters in the hollow of his hand, has not commanded men to rest from their worldly employments on the Sabbath for the purpose of hindering them, or in any way doing them hurt; but for the purpose of aiding them, and promoting their success in all their lawful and proper concerns. Those who rebel against wise and good arrangements despise their own mercies.

27. MAKING HASTE TO BE RICH. A young man in New England, of industrious habits, and a strong desire to be rich, let himself to work by the month, to a farmer in the neighborhood. Six days in a week he labored for his employer, and on the seventh he labored for himself, on a piece of land which he owned in the vicinity. He hoped in this way to gain property faster than he could by resting on the Sabbath. He sowed his field with grain. It grew finely, and he expected an abundant crop. In harvest time, he procured assistance, and went out on a certain Sab

bath to reap it, and put it into a stack in the field. They brought it together, and there was the appearance of a storm. It began to thunder and lighten. They made haste; but before they could so stack as to secure it, the rain came. They ran for home. But they had not gotten out of the field when the lightning struck the stack, and the grain was consumed. "He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent." (Prov. 28: 20.)

28. HE WAS AFRAID. A gentleman in Boston wished to go to London to attend a great sale of goods which was advertised to take place on a certain specified day. The steamer in which he wished to go was to leave on the Sabbath. That he knew was wrong, and he did not like to go in her. But he was afraid, that, should he wait for another opportunity, or take a packet, he would not arrive in season to attend the sale; so, notwithstanding his reluctance, he took the steamer, and left Boston on the Sabbath. Soon they were enveloped in fog, and exposed to great danger. The boat broke her machinery, and they were detained a number of days. The voyage was long and tedious, and he did not arrive in London till the sale was past, nor as soon by a number of days as he might have done, had he waited and taken the packet, which sailed on a week day, When men do what they know to be wrong for the sake of making money, they are often disappointed, and find it to be bitterness in the end. "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished." (Prov. 22.)

29. TWENTY-FIVE PER CENT. LOST. - A gentleman, living in a large city, dealt extensively in the article of pressed hay. At one time, there was a very great scarcity, and of course the article was very high. A vessel loaded with hay arrived at the wharf on

Sabbath morning. Had it been on any other day, this man would have been there, among the first, anxious to buy. But as it was the Sabbath, he did not appear, but staid at home, kept the Sabbath, and attended church as usual. A number of his neighbors rallied around the vessel, and bought the hay, though at a very high price. Soon after, knowing the high price of hay, a number of other vessels arrived, with hay equally good. The market being partially supplied, it was sold at a much lower price, and those who bought their hay on the Sabbath lost upon it about twenty-five per cent. It is often best to make haste slowly.

30. UNREASONABLE IRRITATION. A man of great wealth and influence became exceedingly angry with certain of his neighbors, on account of their efforts to promote a better observance of the Lord's day. He violently opposed them, and such was his great influence, that he was successful. Their efforts were counteracted, and failed to accomplish much of the good which they had hoped. Not long after, this man became exceedingly unhappy. Without any apparent cause, he was distressed. His appetite failed; his sleep departed; he could get scarcely any rest, day or night. He became emaciated, and finally apparently insane. The account which he gave of himself was, that the hand of the Lord had smitten him, because of his profanation of the Sabbath, and of his opposition to those who were making efforts to promote its observance.

Sabbath desecration, for a time, in health can be borne, and sometimes is a source of present pleasure; but at the last, like known sin of every sort, it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Multitudes have closed life lamenting, with exceedingly bitter lamentation, their desecration of this holy day, while none are known to experience joy from it in death.

31. CARD PLAYING AND SMOKING. A number of young men went out, on the Sabbath, to a barn belonging to a large stage tavern, for the purpose of playing at cards. After playing for a considerable time, smoking cigars, and carousing, the barn was discovered to be on fire. Great efforts were made to save it, but all to no purpose. The fire raged with great fury, and the barns, out-houses, tavern, stagecoaches, horses, and numerous other things, were destroyed. They had a sort of momentary pleasure in their Sabbath day sports, but it was bitterness in the end; and one of the condemning traits of Sabbath-breaking is its wofully dismal end.

32. THE GOVERNOR'S REPLY.-The governor of one of the United States, the Saturday after he came into office, was asked, by his cook, how many plates he should put upon the table, for guests, on the Sabbath. The governor replied, "I do not have guests on the Sabbath." The cook then inquired, "What will your excellency have for dinner to-morrow?" The governor replied, "We will have cold what is cooked to-day. I attend public worship on the Sabbath, and I wish to have you attend too."

33. DISCUSSION OF THE BISHOPS. A number of bishops and elders of the churches were on their way together to attend an ecclesiastical meeting. On Saturday, they discussed the question whether it would be right for them to continue their journey on the Sabbath. It appeared to them to be exceedingly important that they should be present at the opening of the meeting, but they thought that they could not, unless they should travel on the Sabbath. A part of them stopped and kept the day holy. The other part concluded that, as they were on the Lord's business, they might continue their journey on the Lord's day. They did so. But they did not arrive at the place of meeting so soon as the others by

about fifteen hours. There was no miracle in this; but there were laws which God has established; and there was providence over which he presides, and which he controls. And there were events which they could neither foresee, withstand, nor evade, which hindered them and carried the others forward before them to their place of destination.

34. BOAT OR NO BOAT. -Two gentlemen were at a distance from home, and both were anxious to return as soon as practicable. A steamboat, on which they might go, was to start on Sabbath morning. One of the men was determined to go in her, and he strongly urged his companion to accompany him; but he refused, because it was the Sabbath day. The other repeated his solicitations; but he still refused, saying that it was contrary to his principles to travel on the Sabbath. "But what is the use," said his companion, "of being so particular, and losing a good opportunity? No one knows when another boat will go, and you may have to stay here, nobody knows how long." "Well," said the man, "boat or no boat, I will not go on the Sabbath." So they parted. One went on board the boat, and soon after she left the wharf, the boiler burst, and he was killed. Nothing was gained by him in leaving on the Sabbath, and nothing lost by his companion in consequence of his inflexible determination, boat or no boat, to refrain from its violation.

35. FOUR YOUNG MEN. One of them determined to go to a stream of water, at a distance, on the Sabbath, and bathe. His friends dissuaded him, and induced him to accompany them to public worship. After service, however, without the knowledge of his friends, he went to the river, and was afterwards found in the water, dead.

Another went on Sabbath afternoon to bring home No. 5.

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