but only a few days are required, if left in the open air, for the formation of living things within it; it begins to move, to live; but whence do they come? what produces these little animalcules? Has the air conveyed to the water the matter necessary for their formation? It is possible. How all this is accomplished man will probably never discover; but the lesson conveyed in the foregoing fa, rightly appreciated, opens a vast field of speculation, in exhibiting the infinity of the Creator's power; and yet, strange to say, the pride of many of those who occupy themselves in tracing the laws of nature leads them to overlook the Creator in creation, and the great design is lost sight of in the contemplation of minute laws and detailed process. THE POPPY-A CONVERSATION AMONG THE TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN OF PUSLIDZ. WE E are sadly mistaken in our belief that flowers can do nothing but bud, bloom, emit sweet odors, and then wither. Rest assured, that however widely spread this view of the case may be, yet it has been forced upon us only by our own egotism, which would gladly make us believe that every thing in nature exists for us alone, and that as we can not discern a soul in flowers, they can therefore have none. But as we have already said, this is far from being the case. As each flower has its own character, the one being modest, another proud and vain, this one gay and cheerful, that one dull and melancholy, or in whatever other ways they may express themselves by their colors and habit, so has each one its own wishes, endeavors, joy, sorrow, and love. They all have a remarkable patriotism, an affection not only for the land, but even for the spot on which they grow, so that they can not exist any where else; a feeling which many have declared to be wanting in man in these modern times. ily believe-when all at once he heard a thousand fairy voices rising from the flowers. Most probably some friendly elf, to whom he had once unawares rendered a service, had lent him its delicate ear for a night. The melancholy Reed was whispering a long lyric poem to its next neighbor, who was listening most attentively. The Scarlet Poppy was chattering incessantly-it is the chronique scandaleuse of the flowers, and supplies the place of our gossiping literature. Not far distant some red Moss flowers were giggling together; they must have been saying something very witty! The Harebell was quite silent, but she almost constantly confirmed what her neighbors said, by inclining her head to the right and left. The trembling Grass, on the contrary, was continually shaking her head, and would believe nothing that she heard. Perhaps they had discovered the listener, and would punish him according to the old proverb, or perhaps it is a favorite topic among the flowers; in short, however this may be, their conver sation turned principally upon the injustice of man, and the carelessness with which they were treated by him. "O dear!" exclaimed a cluster of Thyme flowers, a man's heavy foot has again crushed some of our most lovely sisters." "Yes, they have no respect for us," said a wild Pink, who so much liked to be noticed, and therefore raised herself as high as she could on her slender stalk, "although we do our best to make ourselves agreeable to them. Were they even to destroy us as they do the Hemlock, because we were hurtful to them, it would be more endurable; but nothing is harder to bear than the way in which they slight us; they do not even think it worth while to turn their foot aside from treading on us." "O no!" interrupted a Forget-me-not, in a low, appeasing voice; "to hear you, one would think that man was quite unjust toward us! But I can refute your charges! Are we not their chosen ornaments on all festal occasions? and are we not the messengers of their holiest feeling, of their love?" But the flowers have also an organ of communication; and were there any one who understood their language, they would whisper many a poem, many a tale in his ear; he would spend "Those times are long passed," pettishly remany a night-for that is especially the time for plied the Sorrel. "Does not man in his inflated their communications, as we shall soon see-in pride consider himself entitled to meddle in the listening on the flowery plain, and the variegated Creator's business, and even to improve upon his pictures there presented to his view, would almost works, for he imitates and pretends to improve seem like a beautiful poetic dream. The nar- upon us in miserable, painted, paper things? rator of this tale lay one night in the dewy And with what do they ornament themselves moonshine on the wood's flowery carpet, and lis-now-with us, or with those despicable copies? tened—or dreamed, which many will more read- They only make use of us as the messengers of Ta their love, when they have nothing better. This earliest who appear; but then you must not interlanguage of flowers is long out of fashion-isrupt me any more afterward.” called sentimental, and made ridiculous.” "All that would not vex me," said the Lily; "for how is it possible that man should respect our feelings since he does not know them? But he should not deny them where they are plainly evident. For instance, when the night is over, and we look once more around us in the morning light, we always miss one or other of our playfellows, who was already drooping when the twilight came and bent her head, or whose leaves were scattered by a violent night wind. We mourn for her, tears stand in our eyes. Man sees this; but without troubling himself to understand it, he denies that these drops are a sign of our feeling and of our pain, and says, that it is dew with which the mists of the morning have besprinkled us." This proof of man's injustice must have been so convincing, that for the present no one had any thing further to remark upon the subject. Not far from me I observed a group gathered round a splendid tall White Poppy. I had for some time noticed that those around her had been whispering together, and had taken no part in the conversation which had been so little flattering to us. When this pause occurred, the Cowslip rang her bells loudly, and cried: "Hush! hush! sisters, the Poppy will tell us a tale." "The White Poppy is going to tell a tale, hush! hush!" they all exclaimed, and all listened attentively, for the Reed had just finished reciting his long poem. The Poppy drew herself up on her slender stalk, looked around, and made a few graceful inclinations. I had expected that she would want very much pressing, complain of hoarseness, or at least make a host of excuses; but that can not yet be the custom among flowers, for the Poppy immediately began her narration. "You will give me your attention? Well, then, I will tell you how, according to old legends that have been carried down in my family from one generation to another, we poppies owe our existence to a remarkable occurrence; for you must not think, that at the creation of the world all we flowers were scattered over the earth at one time. O, no, we appeared one after the other, much in the same way as now happens in spring." "What do you mean about spring?" interrupted her chattering cousin, the Scarlet Poppy. "The Daisy shall tell you that before I begin," answered the Poppy; "for it is always among the VOL. XVI.-20 The Daisy, who generally received very little attention, and whom many even think is a little foolish, while its cousin, in the garden, is something more esteemed, in consequence of its education, was equally pleased and embarrassed, now that it had to address the company, and a blush tinged its white leaves, such as you have often seen on this modest little flower. It glanced thankfully at its lofty patroness, and then began its simple tale, without waiting to be asked again. "I can not tell you what we poor flowers have done to the winter, that he should be so cruel to us, and opinions are very different on this point. It is, however, certain that he has an aversion to us, and can not rest till he has driven us from the face of the earth. But his rule does not last forever, and when he is gone, spring, our best friend, comes. He looks around him with a troubled countenance, though, for of all the beautiful children that on going away he so warmly commended to the care of summer, there is not one to be seen, and he must cover his head with a long, gray vail, because he has neither flower nor leaf with which to bind a wreath. He caresses the earth with his warm and loving hand, and beckons and calls upon his favorites, for not one of them ventures to raise its head; they are still too timid, so frightened have they been by the harsh winter. This is no groundless fear either, for there are instances of winter having suddenly returned after he had been long gone, and of his having then hit the poor flowers who had ventured out on the head. Some of the flowers, who are particularly amiable, do not keep the spring long waiting, but show themselves very quickly. Such a one is the gentle Violet. But when it looks around and sees how bare the earth still is, and how few of its sisters are awake, it is frightened, and timidly draws in its head under its pale green leaves again. Man calls this modesty, but it is rather fear. And then a great longing for companions, which she expresses in sweet odors, arises in the Violet. Poor Violet! its desire remains ungratified, for when the other flowers appear its time is long But because it still continues to yearn for them, it sometimes appears again for a few days in autumn, when its longing is gratified. But that is the reason, too, that it no longer smells so sweetly as when it first flowers." over. "Now you know what happens in spring," said the Poppy, as she continued, "and much in the same way it was at the creation. One flower followed the other. At the time, though, of which beings soon followed in her train, the children of Night and Sleep-the Dreams. They wandered over the earth with their parents, and were soon friends with men, who were themselves still children at heart. But, alas! there was soon a change. Passions awoke in the hearts of men, and their minds became less and less pure. Children are easily influenced by bad example, and so it happened that some of the Dreams, through their intercourse with men, became fickle, deceitful, and unkind. Sleep noticed this change in his children, and would have driven the degenerate ones away, had not their brothers and sisters entreated for them, and said: 'Let our brothers stay with us, they are not so bad as they seem, and we promise you to do our best to make reparation, wherever they do harm.' The father granted his children's prayer, and so the bad Dreams have remained in his company; but, strange to say, they always feel themselves most attracted by bad men. my legend tells, the greater part were already very different period began. Not only was she assembled, and the earth was indeed lovely, for no longer alone, but all hearts inclined to her, unity and joy reigned over it. Men and animals now that she brought Sleep, the favorite of all lived peaceably together, and there was nothing living creatures, with her, when she chased the but pleasure the livelong day. One being alone-Day from the face of the earth. Other friendly the only one in the wide, wide world-did not share this universal happiness, and wandered sadly over the earth: it was the Night. Why was she sad? you will ask. Because she was alone in this world, in which every other being had a companion; and is there happiness when we can not share it? In addition to this, the Night felt more and more, what she would gladly have hidden from herself, that she was the only being whom the others did not seem inclined lovingly to approach. For, although she voluntarily hung out a lamp, she was still forced to hide the beautiful earth from men and animals, and that estranged all hearts from her. You must not think that they found fault with her to her face; but in the joy with which they greeted the light of the morning, it was sufficiently evident how little affection they had for the Night. You may be sure how this grieved her, for she was of a kind and loving disposition. She wrapped her head in a thick vail to hide her bitter tears. This moved us compassionate flowers deeply, and as every creature held aloof from her, we endeavored to give her as much pleasure as we were able, although we could do but little to lessen her sorrow. We had nothing to offer but our colors and odors, and the Night had never had any great partiality for colors. So we spared our most delicious scents for her; some of us, indeed, the night-scenting Violet for example, no longer emitted her sweet odors by day, in order that she might present them to the Night, and this habit she has adhered to, as you know. But all this could not comfort the mourner, and she threw herself, in her sorrow, before the Creator's throne. "Almighty Father,' she began, 'thou seest how happy every part of thy creation is; I alone wander about the carth, sad, lonely, and unloved, and have no creature to whom I can confide my grief. The Day flies before me, though I follow him eagerly; and as he, so do all other creatures turn away from me. Therefore, almighty Father, have pity upon me, and give me a companion!' "The Creator smiled graciously, and answered the prayer of the Night by creating Sleep, and giving him to her as a companion. Is it not evident that the Creator smiled as he created him, for is he not loved by all, and does he not distribute blessing, happiness, and comfort? The Night took her friend to her bosom; and now a "But man became worse and worse. One lovely night a man lay on the scented turf, when Sleep and the Dreams came up to him, but Sin prevented them from acquiring any influence over him. A fearful thought arose in his mind, the thought of murder-the murder of his brother. In vain did Sleep sprinkle soothing drops from his magic wand over him; in vain did the Dreams hover round him with their va riegated pictures-he continually broke loose from their gentle bonds. Then Sleep called his children around him. 'Let us flee,' he said, 'this mortal is not worthy of our gifts!' and they fled. They were already distant when Sleep took his magic wand, and planted it in the earth, half angry that it had shown so little power. The Dreams hung upon it the light and airy variegated pictures which they had wished to present to the bad man. The Night saw this, and breathed life into the wand, so that it struck out roots in the earth. It put forth green leaves, but still continued to conceal the drops which summon sleep. And the gifts of the Dreams became fluttering leaves, delicate and gay. And so we Poppies had our origin." The tale was ended, and from all sides the flowers bowed their heads in thanks to the narrator. It was by this time dawn. When it was fully light, the leaves of a Centifolia came fluttering through the wood, staying a while by each flower as they passed it, and sighing to each adieu. EDITOR'S REPOSITORY. Scripture Cabinet. WATCH..-"What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch." | then, against the world; guard with all your care against Mark xiii, 37. the approaches and caresses of its customs, its fashions, its pleasures. Be scrupulous, and shun even the appearance of evil. This is a solemn and impressive command. It comes from One who well understood the deep need of the duty he enjoins, and who, in his own unexampled history, was ever vigilant. It is from him, too, whom we acknowledge as our Master and Lord; who has a right, not only to exhort, but also to command us. Every enunciation of duty from his lips demands our earnest and prayerful attention. And what is this watchfulness? The word literally means wakefulness, like that of the shepherd who keeps watch over his flock by night, or of the sentinel who stands upon the wall of a city surrounded by the enemy. It thus indicates a state of wakefulness, in opposition to one of drowsiness or sleep. We are to be vigilant, constantly on the look-out, lest some foe suddenly or stealthily rush in upon us, and carry off all that which we most highly prize. The New Testament use of the expression suggests VIGILANCE to guard against our enemies, and EXPECTED PREPARATION for the coming of our Lord. VIGILANCE against our spiritual adversaries, which are numerous, subtile, and powerful. Our great enemy, the devil, is a stealthy, ever-wakeful foc. His schemes for our overthrow are deeply laid, and most artfully executed. Artifice and cunning mark all his plans. He often transforms himself into an angel of light; putting on the appearance of truth, when he is in reality the father of lies. As the serpent creeps along the ground, or lies hidden in the grass, till he can give the poisoned bite; or as the lion watches for its prey; so he conceals himself till the favorable moment comes to spring upon his unsuspecting victim. With such an adversary constantly lurking in your path, now before, now behind, and now on either hand-an adversary so crafty, so daring, and so unwearied-ought you to be drowsy and indifferent? Is not the watch-tower your place? the sentinel's beat your daily walk? "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith." 1 Pet. v, 8, 9. Then there is the world, against which we must exercise equal vigilance. In how many ways does it seek to gain our attention, and insnare our affections! Sometimes it insinuates that we do not make such an appearance in society as our circumstances warrant, nor equal to the circle in which we move. The putting on of gold and costly apparel, with lavish expenditure in our establishments, passes for becoming respectability. Covetousness insinuates itself in the garb of prudence, or economy, providing for those of our household; while all sorts of pleasures and dissipations demand compliance, under the name of innocent amusements or lawful recreations. The polite ones of the age have so dressed up the wolf in sheep's clothing, that the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life steal upon us unconsciously, and win our compliance by their false attire. Watch, Our own heart requires quite as much watchful suspicion as either the world or the devil. It is a deceitful heart; and, even when partially brought under the influence of Divine grace, is often lured astray. Our desires wander from God, our affections linger on forbidden ground, our thoughts are absorbed in earthly things, unless we exercise a watchful oversight. Keep thy heart, then, with all diligence; suppress the first risings of evil; and defend it with prayer against all the temptations of Satan and the world. These thoughts earnestly second the Lord's command to watchfulness. They suggest the idea of "a place where a man can hardly go to sleep, lest the plunderer or assassin be watching, or hovering near unseen; or a place where people can walk out no whither, without suspicion of some lurking danger or enemy not far off, and are to be constantly looking vigilantly and fearfully round; a place where they can not ascend an eminence, nor wander through a sequestered valley, nor enter a blooming grove, nor even a garden of flowers, without having the image of the serpent, the wild beast, or a more deadly mischief in human shape, as vividly present to the imagination as the visible enemy is to the eye. It may be said, Who could endure to live in such a place? Then, my friend, who can endure to live in this world? for these are but emblems of the condition of danger in which the soul sojourns on earth." What need, then, of vigilance to prevent surprise; of preparedness for attack; of readiness to repel assault! "I SAY UNTO ALL, WATCH." "Jesus, inspire the watchful power, There must also be a watchfulness of EXPECTANT PREPARATION for the Lord's coming. How earnestly impressive are the passages which precede the exhortation which we have quoted, as if to repeat and enforce the Master's word on every one! "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping." Servant of the Lord, art thou ready? Porter at the Master's gate, art thou asleep or awake? Penitent, behold the Judge standeth before the door: art thou prepared to receive the Lord Jesus as John Foster. thy Savior? O, arise, and shake thyself from the dust, and put on thy beautiful garments, that thou mayest enter in with him to the marriage. "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord." Luke xii, 35, 36. "Full of earnest expectation, Look we for our heavenly Lord; We shall share our Master's joy." A BIBLE ILLUSTRATION." I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air." 1 Cor inthians ix, 26. In order to attain the greater agility and dexterity, it was usual for those who intended to box in the games, to exercise their arms with the gauntlet on, when they had no antagonist near them, and this was called oxsaxa, in which a man would of course beat the air. In the foot-race, the runners, of whatever number they were, ranged themselves in a line, after having drawn lots for their places. While they waited the signal to start, they practiced, by way of prelude, various motions to awaken their activity, and to keep their limbs pliable, and in a right temper. They kept themselves breathing by small leaps, and making little excursions, which were a kind of trial of their speed and agility; in such exercises, they might be said with great propriety to run uncertainly, toward no particular point, and with no direct or immediate view to the prize. But these allusions occur in the declaration of the apostle: "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air." He did not engage, in his Christian course, as one doubt ful in himself whether, in pursuing the path of duty, he should have the honor of being crowned at last or not; as they are, who know that one only receives the prize; nor did he exercise himself unto godliness, like boxers er wrestlers, who sometimes fight in jest, or merely to prepare for the combat, or to display their strength and agility, while they had no resistance to encounter, no enemy to subdue, no reward to merit; but he pressed on, fully persuaded that, by the grace of God, he should ob tain an incorruptible crown from the hands of his Redeemer.-Paxton. PASSING THROUGH THE WATERS." When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." Isa. xliii, 2. "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me." Psalm lxix, 1, 2. The roads in the east are often through marshes and swamps, which during the rainy season are generally overflown with water. Passing through these the trayeler has often cause to say, "I sink in deep mire where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters." They are intersected also with streams, over which there are no bridges, through which it is always difficult and often dangerous to pass. On the banks of these waters, persons station themselves to conduct travelers through them. If mounted, they conduct them by taking hold of the horses' bridle, if on foot, they carry them across on their shoulders. I have been often carried "through the waters" in both of these ways. What the guide does for the traveler in passing through these waters, God prom ises to do for the traveler heavenward, when passing through the waters of affliction, and the River of Death. FULL MEASURE.-" Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again." Luke vi, 88. Instead of the fibula that was used by the Romans, the Arabs join together with thread, or with a wooden bodkin, the two upper corners of this garment; and after having placed them first over one of their shoulders, they then fold the rest of it about their bodies. The outer fold serves them frequently instead of an apron, in which they carry herbs, loaves, corn, and other articles, and may illustrate several allusions made to it in Scripture: thus, "One of the sons of the prophets went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds, his lap full." And the Psalmist offers up his prayer, that Jehovah would "render unto his neighbors sevenfold into their bosom, their reproach.” The same allusion occurs in our Lord's directions to his disciples: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom." It was also the fold of this robe which Nehemiah shook before his people, as a significant emblem of the manner in which God should deal with the man who ventured to violate his oath and promise, to restore the possessions of their impoverished brethren: "Also, I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performeth not his promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied.”—Paxton. SOWING TARES.-"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way." Matt. xiii, 25. Strange as it may appear, this is still literally done in the east. See that lurking villain, watching for the time when his neighbor shall plow his field; he carefully marks the period when the work has been finished, and goes in the night following, and casts in what the natives call the pandinellu; that is, pig paddy: this being of rapid growth, springs up before the good seed, and scatters itself before the other can be reaped, so that the poor owner of the field will be for years before he can get rid of the troublesome weed. But there is another noisome plant which these wretches cast into the ground of those they hate, called perum-pirandi, which is more destructive to vegetation than any other plant. Has a man purchased a field out of the hands of another, the offended person says, "I will plant the perum-pirandi in his grounds."-Roberts. EARLY PRAYER.“ And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." Mark i, 25. Colonel Gardiner used constantly to rise at four in the morning, and to spend his time till six in the secret exercises of the closet, reading, meditation, and prayer. This certainly very much contributed to strengthen that firm faith in God for which he was so eminently remarkable, and which carried him through the trials and services of life with such steadiness, and with such activity; for he indeed endured and acted as if always seeing Him who is invisible. If at any time he was obliged to go out before six in the morning, he rose proportionally sooner; so that when a journey or a march has required him to be on horseback by four, he would be at his devotions by two. |