And wisdom's privilege to know
A wider range of crime and woe.
O heir of a more glorious sphere,
Look farther still-it is not here.

Where is thy home?-not where thy heart
Hears earth's impatient cry," depart,"
And all her shapes each moment say,
"Thou art a stranger; hence, away!"
O heir of a more glorious sphere,
Look farther still-it is not here.

Where is thy home?-where tear and groan,
And change and crimes are names unknown,
Where wisdom, pureness, bliss, are one,
And thou, no longer guest, art son.
O heir of an undying sphere,

No farther look-thy home is here.

The Widow is a story of some length, and v
Every reader, we doubt not, will be struck wi
plicity and pathos. The touching nature o
purity of the sentiments, and the sweetness o
it indeed one of the chief ornaments of the
from it two extracts below. The first com
ow's tale as given below.

I bore it patiently, methought, she cried,
My first affliction, when my husband die
Of half my sublunary store bereft-
This would but render dearer what was
And after many a night of sorrow sore,
And many a page of holy writ turned o
Prevail'd upon myself to term the woe
A mercy-but I could not feel it so-
Ordained to make me know the real wo
Of the all transitory bliss on earth;
To yield without complaint our Make
And bless the Giver and the Taker to
But when that too, my last, my only
That bliss unspeakable, my poor dea
That solace of each week, and day,
That robb'd this world of care of hal
When that too went-forgive me m
I could not bow, I could not kiss the
I term'd the visitation (weak and r
No sire's correction, but the tyrant
And, reckless of what further stor
Call'd day and night on him to do
All that before upheld me flung av
And op'd that sacred volume-not
But smile in bitter scorn upon the
And mock the page that promis'd
And when months their tedious
And woe diminish'd with each ad
Rebellion was unquell'd, maintain
In a perverted head and callous h
"Twas then that rood old man, so
(He lies betw husband an

others, were

of househoids, in

the design of God

of God The dost art, to e employn of nature : and if the any good decontriver, then ast of the mane very structure tual wants, weakof every family, obeying his rule, force of depravity. t inducement for bey instance, holy famiunquestionably due to nd goodness, which he hich we speak, and the asion we shall find for the

riably manifests itself, in A child of God who has the contented without habitually stian, holy home. A flagrant ly opposes conscience-so efts for eternity, and so constantly

'Thas, for three months-but oh! excuse the rest,
For crowding memory suffocates my breast.
The look, the voice, to life's extremest goal,
Beaming and preaching comfort to my soul-
Preach comfort to these rocks!-Almighty God,
Where do I run?-forgive-I kiss the rod.
And tho' it long have crush'd me to the dust,
"Tis but in joy to raise me:-thou art just.
And thou, his minister, whom he hath led
In charity, to cheer the Widow's shed;
(Still, his chief mercies on the Widow rest,
As when his Son the weeping Nainite blest ;)
Tho' the recall of things and times endear'd,
Have wak'd old woes, yet, doubt not, I am cheer'd;
In all my woes surpassing bliss I find,

A bosom humbled, and a heart resign'd.

Pp. 231, 233.

We should hardly do justice to the delightful theme, which has elicited the remarks already made, were we not to turn it to a more practical account than the entertainment of our readers, as a matter of criticism. We shall, therefore, offer to their considereration, consistently with the brevity we had imposed on ourselves, some thoughts on the general topic which the perusal of the book has suggested to our minds.

1. The subject of a christian home, has not at large received that attention to which its importance entitles it. A religious family, as before intimated, is here the brightest symbol of heaven, and the best place of preparation for its felicities. It is a little church of God on earth: and it has constituted a great charm of the volume under review, that this idea has been carried all along through its contents. But a christian home, however appreciated by a few who have enjoyed it, is unknown to the great body of men, even in protestant countries. How little of the spirit of Abraham and Joshua pervades, at this moment, the ranks of religious profession! Our pilgrim fathers entertained some just ideas on this subject, and put those ideas into practical operation. They found in their pious homes, though those homes were in a wilderness, an ample compensation for all their toils, dangers, and self-denial. To them, their families afforded a delightful resting-place, a holy calm, the pleasure of social worship, and the blessed employment of leading souls who were so dear to them, in the paths of truth and salvation. Their austerity, the fault of the age, is not proposed for our imitation; but their conscien tiousness and fidelity to their charge, are worthy of all praise. Those families also, in which such men as Matthew Henry, Doddridge, Davies, Buchanan, Dwight, and others, were reared, doubtless felt the duty, and appreciated the privilege, connected with their station. And a goodly number of households, in every age of the church, have understood the design of God in the

domestic appointment, and acted accordingly. But the great body of nominal christian families, have given to this momentous interest, little thought, and less practical attention. Religion, however, can never signally flourish, nor the church of God realize its destined enlargement, until the subject of christian homes shall awaken a livelier concern, than now prevails throughout protestant christendom.

2. The wisdom and goodness of God are admirably displayed, in the formation of the domestic life. It would occupy a much larger space than is allotted us, even to present summarily the points, in which this arrangement manifests the divine attributes now named. We may say generally, that it constitutes a most striking indication of the wisdom and goodness of its author, considered whether as the source of human existence-as the nucleus of more extended society-as the conservator of the union of larger bodies as the pervading, animating principle of all the forms of social life, from the highest to the lowest-as the nursery of virtue, intelligence, and refinement-as the chief seat of earthly happiness-as the place of recruit for the church of God -as the scene of preparation for the heavenly world. The domestic constitution is adapted, so to speak, with the nicest art, to answer its desired ends, in the training up of man for the employments of his entire being, and in bringing all that portion of nature with which he is associated, into subserviency to him: and if the happiest results, when the divine rule is observed in any good degree, can prove the wise and kind intentions of the contriver, then this proof is abundantly afforded. Nor is it the least of the manifestations of the divine skill and mercy, that in the very structure and tendencies of the household state-in the mutual wants, weaknesses, joys, sorrows, and duties of the inmates of every family, God has supplied the most urgent motives for obeying his rule, however frequently they violate it through the force of depravity. In their very situation, they have the greatest inducement for becoming, what they ought to become, in every instance, holy fami lies. Our admiration and gratitude are unquestionably due to God, in view of that seal of his wisdom and goodness, which he has put upon the social organization of which we speak, and the more we contemplate it, the greater occasion we shall find for the exercise of those affections.

3. The spirit of true religion invariably manifests itself, in efforts to promote household piety. A child of God who has the charge of a family, will scarcely be contented without habitually attempting to make his home a christian, holy home. A flagrant neglect on this subject so necessarily opposes conscience-so effectually darkens the soul's prospects for eternity, and so constantly

resists the pleadings of natural affection, that a christian master of a family, can hardly be guilty of such a dereliction of duty for a long time together. He cannot be guilty of it with any degree of quiet. There is doubtless much deficiency in this department of christian obligation, and much sinful reluctance is felt in reference to an exemplary discharge of it, on the part of many who should feel otherwise; but so far as vital religion is in exercise, this will be one of the chosen forms of its manifestation. One of the first endeavors of consistent piety, in this case, will be to set up the order, the proprieties, the sacred and blessed rites of family worship and discipline. And he who makes no movement towards such an expression of his indebtedness to Christ, has reason to suspect the reality of his personal possession of grace. i The strong feeling infused into the breast of every christian, for the immortal welfare of those whose character may be formed by his influence, especially of those directly committed to his care, must operate, more or less, in the production of efforts to discharge faithfully the duties of priest to his family, and to lead them in the way to heaven. There is, therefore, ample ground on which to expect, that every christian master of a household will attempt his appropriate duties, and on which he may be urged to the diligent performance of them.

4. The christian home is a beautiful comment on the genius of the Gospel. Christianity sanctifies and blesses man, not in his individual capacity alone, but as a social being. It has shed a holiness and beauty over all his social relations. In the domestic state, it has worked its loveliest transformation. The peace, contentment, intelligence, and purity of a christian home, are both an effect and image of the gospel of our salvation. That Gospel has saved myriads of families from becoming the victims of crime, ignorance, brutality, and wretchedness. It is destined yet to bless all the families of the earth-to redeem them all. If this religion be compared with other religions, in reference to its effects on the domestic constitution, it alone deserves our regards. It has made that constitution what it is. It originated it. Hallowing marriage,

"Perpetual fountain of domestic sweets,"

it has laid the foundation of that intellectual and moral worth, which attaches to christian households above all others. Under paganism and other false religions, woman, the ornament and soul of the domestic state, is shorn of her luster-an irremediable defect an indelible disgrace, in the institutions of antiquity. We owe to the gospel that which gives to her and to home, a soothing, humanizing, transforming influence, like its own. The