Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

MORE ABOUT TYNDALE.

year about the time of our March or beginning of April.

Well, dear readers, we have all come to the beginning of a new year. Shall we be like the little ones that came out of Egypt with Moses, who, after forty years, when all the old people were dead except Joshua and Caleb, entered the promised land? Pharaoh tried hard to keep the children in Egypt, and so Satan may say to you, "Let the old people go and serve God. It will be time enough for you to think about religion when you are greyhaired." But don't listen to him, for he seeks to destroy you by blinding your eyes to the glory of the Gospel. Oh, that the Holy Spirit may lead you into the knowledge of Christ!

"The flower of youth," says one, "never looks so lovely as when it bends to the Sun of Righteousness." Joseph, Samuel, Obadiah, Josiah, and Timothy feared the Lord from their childhood or youth. How different would they have felt in riper years, had they spent the spring-time of their days in sin and folly !

Our year has a significant opening. January is derived from the Latin Januarius, which comes from Janus, a Roman deity with two faces, one looking towards the old year and the other towards the new.

Looking back upon the past, we have come through a dark year, for Popery and infidelity have beclouded our political horizon. May we, like the emancipated Israelites, be entering on a new era of time, and be looking onward for the period when Ritualism, Romanism, and Rationalism shall sink like lead in the mighty waters, and when it shall be said, "The Lord hath triumphed gloriously."

WRITE injuries in dust, but kindnesses in marble.

EVERY time the sheep bleats it loses a mouthful, and every time we complain we miss a blessing.

MORE ABOUT TYNDALE.

5

Y DEAR YOUNG READERS,In the October GLEANER, 1880, your Editor has favoured you with a short account of "The First English New Testament." Perhaps it might interest you to know a few more particulars of Tyndale's labours in connection therewith, and the Lord's goodness in causing it to be introduced into this country.

If you refer to the article I have mentioned, you will see Tyndale was compelled to leave England, and, after fleeing from one place to another on the Continent, he found a humble refuge at Cologne, a city in Germany, where, in his quiet chamber, he laboured hard in translating the New Testament into his native language. It must indeed have been a heavy task for one man to undertake, but his God was with him, and strengthened him, thereby enabling him to complete the work.

As soon as his manuscripts were finished, he applied to the publishers living in that city, who engaged to print five hundred copies; but it so happened, just as the printing was commenced, a man named Cochlens, who was Dean of Frankfort, visited Cologne, and having business with the same publishers, it came to pass one day, in conversation over the dinner table, one of them happened to say, "Whether the King of England wills it or not, England will soon become Lutheran." This remarked stirred Cochlens (who was a mad Papist), and he tried hard to make further discoveries; but, not succeeding, he so far forgot his position as a priest, that he invited a working printer to his house, and gave him wine until he was intoxicated, on purpose to find out what was going on. Cochlens then drew out the secret that the New Testament was being printed in English, but could not discover where Tyndale was lodging. However, he at once informed the city magistrates, and obtained from them an

order to seize the copies; but here the Lord interfered, and in His providence forewarned Tyndale, so that he had just time to secure and carry off his manuscripts and the printed sheets from the printers before the officers arrived to seize them.

He was again obliged to leave his house and seek another asylum. He took a boat, and travelled up the river Rhine until he reached Worms, the city where, a few years previously, Luther inade a noble confession before the Emperor of Germany and hundreds of nobles and prelates. Here Tyndale stealthily landed, and, carrying his precious MS. into the city, obtained a retired lodging in an obscure street, and at last succeeded in getting the Book printed.

The difficulty now was to get it into England, as Cochlens, having failed to seize the papers, employed a powerful friend to write letters to the English Government, warning them of the approach of this-to them-pernicious Book; and orders were given by the King, Henry VIII., and Cardinal Wolsey, at all the ports to examine every ship that arrived, and, if the books were found, to seize and destroy them ere they were landed.

But see how the Lord disappoints the designs of his crafty foes. Four good men, Dutch merchants, offered to convey the volumes, hidden among their bales of merchandise, and soon approached the English shores. They made their way up the river Thames to the port of London, watching for officers to examine their goods. They landed bale after bale, but no enemy appeared. The Lord so ordered it that Cardinal Wolsey, the Prime Minister of the King, was just then deeply engaged with foreign political matters; the Bishop of London was sent abroad on some important business, and a heavy sickness prevailing in London had caused the King to remove with his courtiers to the country. Thus, as the chronicler says, the angel of the Lord had removed the preventive guards, and

the merchants were able to land their cargo without notice. A good man, who lived in Honey Lane, Cheapside, curate of All Hallows Church, received the books and concealed them in his house, until in a short time he found means through friends (though with the greatest secrecy) to send copies to several towns, and thus they became dispersed through the kingdom; and, although orders were soon issued to burn all copies that could be found, yet so carefully did the lovers of the Word of God guard them, that many were left in safety and secretly read.

How thankful ought we to be that we can now read that blessed Word without fear of its being torn from us! Let the dear Lord have all the glory. E.

GOD'S WORD PRECIOUS. ABOUT three hundred years ago, when Bibles were not cheap, and when persons were not allowed to read them freely as they may now, one evening, a little peasant child came tripping down the mountain with her father's goats, and she saw a stranger, who spoke to her, and said, "I like the hymn you were singing just now, little child." Then he told her he had heard it many hundreds of miles away. Following her to the hut in which she lived, he went in, and was welcomed as a stranger; but, when he made known to the family that he was a pastor, their joy knew no bounds. It was quickly arranged that a meeting should be held that evening; and the father and son, and even little Lois, the peasant child, hastened from cottage to cottage, by the light of torches, to beg their neighbours to come. A crowd of old men, rough men, women, and children too, met in the cottage home; and, when the good pastor took out his clasped Bible to read, "The Book! the Book !" they murmured, and bowed their heads in reverence to hear the Word of life.-Kind Words.

BETTY'S DEceitful heart.

7

BETTY'S DECEITFUL HEART; OR, THE SIN OF
COVETOUSNESS.

OLD BETTY she lived with a gentleman

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

"No, Betty, yourself must settle the sum
Which full satisfaction will give,
And, if I think well, it soon shall be done;
Without labour I wish you to live."

"Oh, sir, you're so kind, but I am afraid—
Forty pounds, sir, enough sure would be
For me every year-my future is made-
No queen would be happy like me!"

Oh, yes, Betty, yes; you shall have that full sum;

I will order the deed to be drawn ;" She scarcely believed, so quickly 'twas done;

A curtsy, and Betty was gone.

But when on the stairs, "How easy!" said she;

"I'm sure he thought I should ask more. Ah! sixty! that would be much better for me;

So she tapped at the drawing-room door.

"Come in," said the master.

"Well,

Betty, what now?" "Enough, sir, the sum is not quite ; I should have said sixty, but did not know how;

Twenty more would make Betty all right."

[blocks in formation]

A VISIT TO A BOUT two miles and a half from Maidstone town there stands a large building known as Barming Heath Lunatic Asylum. It is a fine healthy place, surrounded by large fields, and, in fact, situated in the very heart of the country. There is a farm attached, which some of those patients who are able employ their time in cultivating. As I happened to know one of the inmates, I, with two friends, paid a visit to this establishment.

After a beautiful walk through the green lanes, we arrived at the porter's gate, which, in answer to our ring, was immediately opened. We proceeded up the gravel walk to the entrance of the asylum. Everything we saw appeared beautifully clean and in perfect order; and no wonder, for there are about a thousand lunatics taken care of here, and amongst these are men of various trades and professions, who, when able, paint the place, mend the boots and shoes, help cook the food, and perform various other duties. At times they have concerts and different amusements, which are looked forward to by those who are able to take part in them, and which all help to make them forget their malady.

But to return to my visit. Having had our names written down in a book, also the patient's name whom we desired to see, we were allowed to pass along the wide passages, which looked out into the large and pretty grounds. At last we arrived at what is called the visitors' room, which is large and light, the walls being decorated with pictures of the Royal Family and texts of Scripture. We were handed chairs, and, whilst waiting, had an opportunity to observe the different patients, who were engaged with their respective friends. But what a feeling of sorrow, mingled with thankfulness, rose up in my heart as I beheld the poor creatures, who were more or less bereft of that great and precious gift, the

LUNATIC ASYLUM.

right use of their senses! They were gathered together in little groups. Here was a mother with three little children come to see the father, who was evidently not so heavily afflicted as some of the others. He received and nursed his youngest child with delight. Over in the corner sat a young man who seemed to be a perfect idiot, and received silently the little dainties brought to him by his mother, while, much to ner grief, he regarded her with a vacant stare. I could describe others, but it is not pleasant to dwell upon these distressing scenes. May these things make us each to feel

"Not more than others I deserve,

Yet God has given me more.

[ocr errors]

Our friend having arrived, we conversed with him until the time came when all visitors must leave; so, once more passing along the wide passages, we went out at the porter's gate, and, with thankful hearts, thought the best place was outside.

Have our young readers ever truly thanked God for the right use of their senses? Perhaps you may think these are only small mercies; but none of God's mercies are small. They are all great and good; and our senses are an invaluable blessing, since they enable us to understand what takes place around us, and enjoy the society of those we love.

I once heard of a poor young man who, to all outward appearances, was an idiot, when asked by a Christian friend whether he knew anything about the Bible or Jesus Christ, repeated slowly these words

"What can silly Billy see?

Three in One, and One in Three:
One of these He died for me."

Here was one whom, it appears, though partly bereft of his senses, knew some

BE TRUE.

thing of Jesus Christ; and, after all, what will it profit you and me if in this life we grow up to attain to great things, and have great earthly gifts, if the Lord Jesus has not put His fear into our hearts, and made us like the man we read of in the Scripture who, when the unclean spirits had gone out of him, sat at the feet of the Lord of life and glory, "clothed, and in his right mind”?

Dear reader, are you anxious to feel, as we hope the poor idiot did, that Jesus died for you? Oh, that the Holy Spirit, whose it is to open the eyes of your understanding, and give you to see the depths of sin and wickedness into which you have fallen, may enable you earnestly to seek that salvation which is in Christ Jesus, who alone can shelter you in the day of God's wrath! But do not be mistaken. Heaven is not for those who go on all their life in sin and folly, thinking there is plenty of time for repentance, and that they have the power to perform it when they will, and who fancy that this world can give them true happiness, but, after all, die, deceived, in their sin. Heaven is reserved for those who are born again, and who are "kept by the power of God, through faith" in Jesus Christ, "unto salvation," which will be revealed at the last great day, when the secrets of every heart will be revealed, and the future of every one will be fixed, not for a mortal lifetime, not for a thou sand years merely, but for a never-ending eternity in heaven or hell, in happiness or misery. May your prayer be

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

BE TRUE.

9

THERE are persons whom you can always believe, because you know that they have the habit of telling the truth. They do not colour a story or enlarge a bit of news in order to make it sound fine or remarkable.

There are others whom you hardly know whether to believe or not, because they stretch things so. A trifling incident grows in size, but not in quality, by passing through their mouth. They take a small fact or slender bit of news and pad it with added words, and paint it with highcoloured adjectives, until it is largely unreal and gives a false impression; and one does not like to listen to folks when so much must be "allowed for shrinkage."

Cultivate the habit of telling the truth in little things as well as in great ones. Pick your words wisely, and use only such as rightly mean what you wish to say. Never "stretch" a story or a fact to make it seem bigger or funnier. Do this and people will learn to trust you and respect you. This will be better than having a name for telling wonderful stories, or making foolishly and falsely.

66

funny" remarks. There are enough true funny things happening in the world, and they are most entertaining when told just exactly as they came to pass.

Dear young friends, be true. Do the truth. Tell the truth. There are many false tongues. Let yours speak the things that are pure, lovely, and true.-Sunday School Advocate.

THE empty vessel makes the greatest sound.

A REPINING life is but a lingering death.

BIBLE SUBJECTS FOR EACH SUNDAY IN JANUARY. Jan. 2. Commit to memory Ps. ciii. 13. Jan. 9. Commit to memory Luke ii. 26. Jan. 16. Commit to memory Prov. iii. 16. Jan. 23. Commit to memory Luke iii. 22. Jan. 30. Commit to memory Ps. xviii. 30.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »