BOOK TABLE. HOME IS HOME. A Domestic Tale. New-York: (HISTORY OF JOSEPHINE. By John S. C. Abbot A work of fiction, with a high moral aim. The story is told with a graceful ease and simplicity which are truly charming. Resignation and contentment in adversity, and a courageous effort to meet the exigencies of a sudden change from aifluence to poverty, are well depicted. That refined sensibility which is the) invariable accompaniment of good breeding, and which is ever careful of the feelings of others, is ad-) mirably contrasted in Lord and Lady Beauchamp, with the cold and heartless pride exhibited by the Miss Waldegraves, which sees in humble and straitened circumstances, though adorned by worth and virtue, only an object of contempt and scorn. We can cordially commend this volume. MEMOIR OF THE REV. EDWARD BICKERSTETH, late Rector of Watton, Herts. By the Rev. T. R. Birks, M. A. With an introduction by Stephen H. Tyug, D. D. New-York: Harper & Brothers. 2 vols. 8vo. Mr. Bickersteth is well known as having been one of the leading members of the Low Church party in the Church of England. His life, as exhibited by this memoir, was a somewhat eventful one In early years he held a subordinate position in the Post Office department, which he filled with exemplary fidelity. This he abandoned to engage in the study of the law, which profession he also lett, soon after he had entered upon its practice, for the ministry. He was a sincere and honest believer, with a heart alive to the impor tance of his calling, and devoted to the work in which he had engaged. His temperament, which was ardent and excitable, led him into extreme views, and gave to his feelings and impulses a tinge of fanaticism, The book will be largely read, and greatly admired by those of his school in the Church, as well as by mem bers of the different denominations, both in this country and in England; and so far as it may lead men to emulate his zeal and fidelity, and to make sacrifices; of personal ease and comfort for the advancement of the gospel, it will not be without its good effect. THE PEOPLE'S PSALTER. Being the Psalms of David, arranged for chanting. With an appendix, containing Hymns from Holy Scripture, and a selection of Chants. New York: Stanford & Swords. 1851. In the preface to this volume, uniformity, both in chanting and reading, is justly urged, as adding greatly to the solemnity of public worship. The Pointed Psalter" is designed to effect this object, and appears well calculated to answer the end intended. The life of Josephine, which is in itself a perfect romance, is rendered particularly attractive by the manner in which it is here told. The incidents which thronged her pathway, from the cradle to the grave, the vicissitudes of her life, the noble traits of character by which she was adorned, the extraordinary Lan to whom she was allied, and the terrible period in which she lived, invest her history with an interest little short of fascination. Mr. Abbott has come to the work with a full appreciation of his subject, and has given us a most delightful volume. THE PRACTICAL ARITHMETIC, designed for such institutions as require a greater number of examples than are given in the Elementary Arithmetic. By George R. Perkins, A. M. Principal and Professor of Mathematics in New York State Normal School, &c., &c. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 1851. A very full and complete arithmetic, abounding with examples, and calculated to make the scholar thoroughly conversant with the science. Great care has been taken to have the examples as practical as possible. THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE GUIDE. By Eli Bowen, late of the General Post Office. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 1851. The above compilation shows an amount of labor be stowed in its preparation, which is immense. It gives the name of every post office in the United States, and also the time of the arrival and departure of the malls at these post offices, and the mail routes from ore place to another. It contains also the rates of internal postage, and of foreign postage. It has much useful information on the subject of the transportation of the mails, and the laws and regulations relating there o It is a work of great utility and importance, and while no postmaster should be without a copy, every one who either writes or receives letters, (and in dis country who is there that does not ?) will find it of great use as a work of reference. It is finished at the extraordinarily low price of $1. The book, watch is a royal octavo of nearly 400 closely printed pages, must have a large circulation to refund the pubu-hers the first cost. We acknowledge the receipt of the Journal of the Proceedings of the Twenty-fifth Annual Convention of the Diocese of Mississippi. We also acknowledge the receipt from the respective publishers of Dr. Evans's two volumes of Essays to prove the Validity of Anglican Ordinations, Second Series;" of Rev. Dr. Keith's "Harmony of Prophecy;" and of Rev. Dr. W. R. Williams's Lectures on the Lord's Prayer." We had hoped to notice these at this time; but are compelled by press of book-matter-much of it on hand for some time-to wait for the next number. We have received from HARPER & BROTHERS, their Magazine for August, which contains its usual amount of reading; among which is the commencement of a Life of Bonaparte, by Mr. ABBOTT. From the singular felicity of the author's style, these papers can hardly fail to prove highly interesting. This, and all the other Magazines, may be found at the store of Bunnell & Price, 121 Fulton-street. CALENDAR FOR SEPTEMBER. 7. Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. 14. Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. 17. Ember Day. 19. Ember Day. 20. Ember Day. 21. Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity.-St. Matthew the Apostle. 28. Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. 29. St. Michael and All Angels. ever memory is moved to take us with her into her strange haunts, or whenever indeed we attentively regard the condition of our fellows, as we now find it. AKEN in the connection in which we find it, this is an expression pregnant with the greatest variety of meaning, exciting in us How much might be told concerning sickevery species of imaginings which ness and want! How often they have joined may go backward into the history of hands, to enter the abode of domestic peace, our fellows; or forward into the fu- and as in the touching representation before ture; or about us, into the dwellings us, to prostrate the head of the house, filling of all the children of men. The day his body with weakness, and his mind with of trouble; a time that comes upon every fa- despair, by the pressure of circumstances, mily, and upon every individual, at some sea- and of the heavy iron hand of debt Of such, son or other of their earthly pilgrimage. many a book might be written-of such, the Remember, says Solomon, the days of dark-world is now full; and it is pleasant to know ness, for they are many; yes, numerous, varied, and hard to bear, coming upon some in early youth-upon others at middle life; yet often deferred until old age approaches, and existence has lost its charm and novelty. If the secret history of every one that has ever lived could be made known to us-if our minds and memory could be made capable of containing such a revelation, what an infinite number of modes and forms would we not find the day of trouble to have assumed! Little, however, as we know, or ever can know, with regard to facts so huge and incomprehensible, enough lies within our reach to excite a multitude of thoughts, when that with many such afflicted ones, there are faithful friends and companions, who will not leave them in sickness or in health; who minister unto them, and point them to the Source of Consolation, inviting and winning them to call upon God in their "Day of Trouble." Or it may be we have other memories, and other knowledge of sickness. We have seen decay and death make hearths desolate, and fair homes dark; leaving daughters to weep for a mother they were just learning to appreciate; or helpless little ones to call in vain for her they knew best in the world. The widow and the fatherless may have VOL. VIII.NO. X. passed before us, and we may have followed them home, rejoicing to find they failed not to call upon God in this their " Day of Trouble and bereavement." Another form of sorrow, of which the world is full, is mental sorrow; different states and conditions of different minds, in which prevail dark, painful, oppressed, or unbelieving thoughts, according to the temperament or circumstances of the person thus distressed. This class of sufferers is deserving of all our pity and kindness, and should be led by every inducement of sympathy and wisdom, to call upon God in their " Day of Trouble." Yet we know that He has provided and bestowed a remedy for it, and has called upon us to embrace it, that the day of our death may become to us, notwithstanding the power of the evil one, better than the day of our birth. And it is in this Day of Trouble espe cially that we are without fail to call upon God. Yea, now, more than any other time, when all that dazzled us so falsely, and led (us astray, has ceased to entice and to bewil der, and we are left alone, our sin finding us out, with our Lord and Judge. Here, whilst we meditate upon that well-proportioned law that we have broken a thousand and a thou But neither sickness, nor want, nor be- sand times, by thought, word and deed, against reavement, nor a sad condition of mind, may vinced that it is "perfect, just and good!” His Divine majesty, we find ourselves conhave formed for ourselves the day of our This day of adversity teaches us to consider trouble. It may have consisted in the disap- ‹ pointment of some cherished hope. So many peculiarly that good and its consequences of us are accustomed to hoping and wishing form the happiness of man; that sin is our a great deal with regard to the affairs of this worst enemy; the author of no joy—no peace of mind-no rest to the body-but only of world, that we are subjected to cruel disappointments at every step. If we "lean on misery in every complicated form. Now we enter somewhat into the wisdom of that deep earth," we shall as surely, as invariably, be saying, that it is better to go to the house of "pierced." Happy they who have been taught in early youth to bear the yoke of self- mourning than to the house of feasting; we feel that the rebukes, the chastisements, the restraint and self-denial; to wish for little; to expect sorrow; and to comprehend that scourging of the Father of all, are for the their immortal natures are destined for a dif- purging, the sanctifying of that family among which we should love to be numbered, and ferent sphere of being from "this present." thus viewing Him as full of love to us, we hold out the hand to be led of Him, and “call upon Him" earnestly, with something of the humility and faith that He requires, believing that He is, and that He is assuredly, the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. If thus, in the day of our trouble, in truth and sincerity, we lift up our hearts unto Him, we shall find His promise sure: "He will deliver us." In what this deliverance consists, let us delight to recall a few particulars. Scholars thus qualified, when disappointed in the character or in the treatment of earthly friends, are apt to remember the shadow of a great rock in a weary land; they cease to put their trust in princes, or in the son of man, in whom there is no help, and call upon God in their Day of Trouble. But innumerable as are the ills which may be classed under the heads of bereavement and disappointment, these are not alone the causes of adversity. Our offences, the offences of our forefathers, the sins of our youth, the short comings of mature age, these effects and causes bring upon us the day of trouble, and make it to descend hereafter upon the heads of those who are to be. Sin brought death into the world indeed, and all our other woe; terrific proof is death of what sin has done with the fair creation of the Beneficent and Ineffable One whom we adore. It is no light blessing to be a subject of the Divine enlightenment, after we have truly called upon Him, by a living and acceptable faith in the Son of His love. Out of the depths we have besought Him for pardon, relief, and guidance. It is then that He delivers us from the dominion and the power of the sins which have laid so heavily upon us, and from all lingering love for them, and also from such a despairing sorrow as is inconsist ent with a sense of pardon. He casteth out the servile fear of Him as of an offended Judge, animating us with new views of His great love and fatherly compassion towards us, and dispersing many painful imaginings by the uprising of the Sun of Righteousness, the principle of love and obedience which is now to make the way plain for us, so that he who runs may read. when we lie down and when we rise up; to yield up unto Him our secret thoughts, to breathe into His ear all the workings of our imperfect reason; to lean upon Him as the strongest, the truest, the most faithful friend; and as we are engaged in the avocations and duties of time, often to lift up our hearts unto Him in silence, and to solicit His constant indwelling. In our families, certainly, we shall glorify our Deliverer; with our households call upon His name, and declare His wondrous works; by the power of our example, in our lips and in our lives, show forth His praise, giving up ourselves hourly and daily unto His blessed service! Again He delivers us from the motives that once actuated our conduct, implanting those that are from above, pure and peaceable, so that the world ceases to tempt us to evil as of yore, when we understood it not; the flesh is no longer our master; we are delivered from the bondage of its unruly cravings, and sin reigns no longer within us; but what We shall glorify Him in the house of prayis far better, grace enters in its place, "beat-er, and before the world. His commandments ing down Satan under our feet." Well may are not grievous, and if we love Him we shall we pray, "Deliver us from evil," or the evil keep them all. We shall rejoice in his apone, since in the answer we shall receive to pointed way, to confess before the world the this comprehensive petition lies the history name of One who in very faithfulness has of our weal or woe, for time and for eter-brought us to the knowledge of Himself; and nity. since it is He that worketh in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure, we shall gloifrify Him before the world, with the good works that spring from the love of Him. Desirable season for every soul of man! Let us not dread the hand of discipline and affliction, since it is the proof that we are not forgotten by Him. Rather let us fear the times of ease, prosperity, and worldly re "I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." How can it be otherwise, indeed, our hearts have become flesh, our eyes have been opened, our desires, tastes, loves, all purified, and made to tend heavenward, and grace bestowed with which to overcome the remains of imperfection? How can we fail to pray to Him, to praise Him, to call upon Him, to honor His holy name, and His Word,joicing, when the secret things have not yet and to serve Him truly all the days of our been revealed unto us, nor our affections cut life? To glorify Him in our closet, where loose from this perishable and unsatisfying He alone can see, at all hours, at all seasons, life. S. HOARDING WEALTH FOR CHILDREN.-We relying, and happy, they must be taught to desay to parents, beware how you endanger the pend upon their own exertions. Give them future character and happiness of your chil-a good education: give them trades or prodren, by hoarding wealth for them to possess. fessions; but give them not the means of If you wish them to form idle and vicious ha-living without care and exertion. bits and companions-to grow up incapable of. manly exertion and true independence-or COMPLETENESS OF SCRIPTURE.-So comif you wish to spread a snare to entrap mereplete is the word of God as a rule of life, fortune-hunters for your daughters' husbands, that it may be questioned whether any situa doubtless the course is, to hoard all you can, and to let them understand from childhood that it is for them. But if you wish your children to be industrious, independent, self tion can be supposed, in which a man can be placed, in which it would not furnish him with principles for determining what ought to be his conduct.-Bp. Dehon. A SONG OF PRAISE. "He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak." PRAISE be to God! to Him be praise, Whose mercies o er His works extend:* As light sends forth its countless rays, From every heart should praise ascend. I will essay, in solemn song, His goodness unto me to tell; And many of the ransomed throng Perchance will join, the strain to swell, When through eternity's long space, With that dear theme-His saving grace- Judea was my boyhood's home, Her olive groves and massive towers; And 'neath her cedars' shade to roam, The solace of my lonely hours. That land-the glory of all lands The land where holy prophets trod, Where great Jehovah's temple standsThe birth-place of the Son of God. There, spread in beauty far around, Were smiling valleys, fair to see; And soothing came the murm'ring sound Of whispering waves of Galilee. The reaper's voice rang loud and clear, And joyous rose the wild bird's song; In me they met a deafened ear, And silent was my fettered tongue. To me they brought no gladd'ning pow'r, A heavy gloom o'er all was spreadA darkened mind, a thankless heart, Can little cheering influence shed O'er him of whom they form a part. Suspicion rested on my brow, And envy in my bosom dwelt; I knew not why I lived, nor how, And none surmised the pangs I felt. I saw the young, the fair, the gay, I saw them cast at my distress The look of pity, mix'd with scorn, And in my proud heart's bitterness, I cursed the hour when I was born. * Ps. cxlv. 9. St. Mark vii. 37. For what was life to me-to me, Deprived of half its loved delights? A dreariness-a mockery, A duil routine of days and nights. So passed my childhood's years away, And change, thank heav'n, for aye to last. I looked on One of wondrous pow'r, The blind went groping to His side, And light within their eyeballs shone; The palsied limb felt health's full tide Flow through its veins with strengthen'd tore. The lame man leaped, for joy of heart, To find his bonds were sundered then; The loathsome leper saw depart His foul disease, with all its pain. The plagues that torture man with fear, Resistless fled at His comminand; And little children, gathered near, He kindly blest with loving hand. Then hope awoke within my breast The storm-tost seaman hails the star Which tells the tempest's rage is o'er; The fainting trav'ler sees afar, Revived, the fountain's gushing store. He, joyous, greets the cottage light, Who roams benighted on the plain; So welcomed I hope's promise bright, Nor did I watch and wait in vain. Again that vision blest my sight, By gestures strong, with anxious care, He pass'd me by and heeded not. But troubles often gloomiest low'r When they prepare to take their flight; And so, 'tis said, night's darkest hour But ushers in the morning light. |