flicted for a fault. On the other hand, he led them to expect, as a reward of their doing well, that their father would teach them something that was curious and entertaining.

Above all other instructions, he labored most earnestly and diligently to acquaint his children with the sacred truths of religion, and deeply to impress a sense of it upon their minds. He often called them to remember their Creator, telling them that the eye of the great God was always upon them. He endeavored to recommend Christ to their love, and his example to their imitation, as a proper expression of their love to the blessed Jesus. He would particularly recommend to them the pattern of Christ's obedience to his father's will in all things, that which they should follow, in doing whatever their parents required of them. He often told them of the world to come, of judgment, heaven and hell, and the consequences of their good or bad behavior here. And when his children became capable of superior methods of instruction, he took them alone, one by one, and, after many affectionate and solemn charges to fear God, to love Christ, and to hate sin, he would pray with them in his study, and make them witnesses of his strong cries and earnest wrestling with God on their behalf.

A SUBDUED TEMPER-EXAMPLE OF ROGER SHERMAN.

ROGER SHERMAN was naturally possessed of strong passions; but over those he at length obtained an extraordinary control. He became habitually calm, sedate, and self-possessed. He was one of those men who are not ashamed to maintain the forms of religion in his family. One morning, he called them together, as usual, to lead them in prayer to God; the "old family Bible" was brought out and laid on the table. Mr. Sherinan took his seat, and beside him placed one of his children, a small child-a child of his old age; the rest of the family were seated round the room; several of these were now grown

up. Besides these, some of the tutors of the college were boarders in the family, and were present at the time alluded to. His aged and now superannuated mother occupied a corner of the room, opposite the place where the distinguished judge of Connecticut sat. At length, he opened the Bible and began to read. The child, which was seated beside him, made some little disturbance, upon which Mr. Sherman paused, and told it to be still. Again he proceeded; but again he paused, to reprimand the little offender, whose playful disposition would scarcely permit it to be still. At this time, he gently tapped its ear. The blow, if it might be called a blow, caught the attention of his aged mother, who now, with some effort, rose from her seat, and tottered across the room. At length, she reached the chair of Mr. Sherman, and, in a moment most unexpected to him, she gave him a blow on the ear, with all the power she could summon. "THERE," said she, "You STRIKE YOUR CHILD, AND I WILL STRIKE MINE!"

"For a moment, the blood was seen rushing to the face of Mr. Sherman; but it was ONLY for a moment, when all was calm and mild as usual. He paused he raised his spectacles he cast his eye upon his mother-again it fell upon the book, from which he had been reading. Not a word escaped him; but again he calmly pursued the service, and soon after sought, in prayer, an ability to set an example before his household, which should be worthy of their imitation. Such a victory was worth more than the proudest victory ever achieved in the field of battle."

Sir Isaac Newton's temper, it is said, was so equable and mild, that no accident could disturb it; a remarkable instance of which is related as follows: Sir Isaac had a favorite little dog, which he called Diamond. Being one evening called out of his study into the next room, Diamond was left behind. When Sir Isaac returned, having been absent but a few minutes, he had the mortification to find that Diamond had overset a lighted candle among some papers, the nearly finished labor of twenty years, which soon were in flames, and almost

consumed to ashes. This loss, as Sir Isaac was then very far advanced in years, was IRRETRIEVABLE; yet, without once striking the dog, he only rebuked him with this exclamation: "Oh, Diamond! Diamond! you little know the mischief you have done!"

Original.

THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ORNAN.

BY E. W. CHESTER, ESQ., NEW-YORK.

THE angel of the Lord stood over Jerusalem. In his hand gleamed a sword drawn in wrath and prepared to smite.

Throughout the land of Israel there had been wailing and consternation. Young men in their strength, and old men in their decrepitude-maidens in their beauty-mothers with the strong pulsations of affection-aged matrons who had watched the gambols of their children's children, and tender infants beaming in their young laughter, had fallen and were yet falling. Pestilence stalked in terror-fear was in every dwelling-paleness sat on the stern cheek of manhood. The mighty armies of Israel accustomed to victory, and inured to slaughter, quaked under the outpourings of the anger of Israel's God. Vain was the sword and the martial phalanx against such an enemy. The physician's skill was but the mockery of idiocy. Hushed in sadness was the voice of mirth-the votaries of pleasure stood aghast-the haunts of revelry were forsaken-terror, consternation, and deep dismay dried up the fountains of life-stout hearts quailed, and the timid sat in hopeless silence.

Jerusalem was yet untouched. Mount Zion had hitherto been a looker-on in the sad drama. But now the pestilence is at her gates. The angel, palpable to vision, stands with his sword over the devoted city. Who shall stay that arm? who bid back the plague? who command that sword, dripping with blood, to return to his scabbard? Here was the throne

from which had gone forth the command to number Israel. On it sat the monarch-a few years before but a simple shepherd youth-taken by Divine favor to be the ruler over a nation of millions, and made to sit pre-eminent among the kings of the earth. Led on and shielded by the Most High, he had made victory his handmaid, and the princes of the East paid homage at his footstool. Peace and a rich prosperity had succeeded the turmoils of war and anarchy, and were shedding their kindliest influences on the land of Palestine. In this palmy period, when the glad song of humble and grateful adoration should have gone up from the prince and his subjects -when the Hand that had guided, and the Arm which had sustained them should have been recognised-when the glory should have been ascribed to the Author of mercies so great and of blessings so abundant-then it was that a fatal ambition invaded the breast of David. And perhaps thus the Tempter led on his thoughts.

"True, I was a shepherd's boy. How little then did I think of what the future would bring! While I sat on the banks of gliding streams, and answered their murmurs from a shepherd's lute-while I made my first rude attempts at harmonic numbers, and listened to the echo of my music from overhanging cliffs did I then, even in dreamy reveries, fancy that bands of chosen singers, with instruments bedecked with gold and gems, would attend my pleasure?-that a thousand trained musicians would tax their skill to minister to my gratification? Yet a wave of my hand brings these around me, awakens to life every string, and makes the air vocal with harmony; and but a nod again hushes all these to stillness. I watched my roving flocks, and in the loss of a single lamb I felt a pain for their diminished number. The grass was my bed, a rock my pillow, the heavens my canopy, or at most a rude tent or cave my kindest protection, when cold or storm drove me to shelter. Now flocks and herds, gold and precious stones, are mine, and the wealth of a nation is at my bidding. Who now can count my treasure? Who now is my compeer in palaces, and chariots, and regal splendor? In war what army has stood

before me? What captain baffled my skill? Where is the power that has withstood the onset of my warriors? Where the prince that has matched me in wisdom of plans and success of execution? And to all this have I attained without the aid of birth, of wealth, or of the powerful. I found Israel the scorn, and have made her the terror of her enemies -down-trodden, and have lifted her up-in anarchy, and have given her law and order. Under my government she is filling up all her borders, making good the prophecy, that in numbers she should be as the sands of the sea. And all these are my subjects. Would that I could estimate them, and tell their thousands, and could say to envious kings, what power of armed warriors are at my bidding! It shall be--I must know my greatness-Israel must be numbered."

Unhappy king! The Tempter has triumphed. The command has gone forth to Joab; but from a higher throne a command has also gone forth. The Angel of Death has been commissioned to follow the numberer of Israel, and to thin these ranks of which royalty hoped to boast. Dreadful have been his footsteps. And now he has come to the sacred city. Hasten, erring king; if thus for thy sin the blow has fallen on thy distant provinces, who shall stand before the avenging sword in Jerusalem, where thy throne has reared itself in proud ambition? What avail now thy lofty walls and armed defenders? Hasten, hasten, king, for great is the sin that has entered thy boastful heart. It may be there will yet be mercy; if not, thine is the sin; present thine own breast to the shaft. Canst thou abide the deep curses of the widow, of the orphan, and the childless bereft for thy sin."

That proud heart has melted. The meekness of the shepherd youth has again possessed that breast. Fast fall the tears of repentance. Deep, deep are the harrowings of remorse, and deeper yet the anguish for a sin bringing calamities so fearful on those, whom, in his humbled pride, he again feels to be his fellows. Prostrate in body and in spirit, he casts himself on ONE who, dreadful in wrath, is yet tender in mercy. Forgive-pardon, O pardon my sin; or if past for