drinking five or six hours together, without instances of intoxication. One of the first parties I ever attended, two of the men smoked and drank and talked about politics till they began to quarrel, and then another joined one of the party in a kind of conversation which could scarcely come from any sober man. I once saw a person at one of those parties drink ten glasses of wine, and I have known others who have left such parties with unfixed eyes and faltering tongue and unsteady steps.

Besides the money spent in eating and drinking at those parties, great sums are spent in furniture and table services, in ornaments and dress. Your wife sees a richer carpet at your neighbour's, and she must have one like it. At another house she sees a heavier table, a larger looking-glass, a costlier set of china, a finer set of ornaments; and you must by all means allow her to be as good as her neighbours. Then follows eager emulation in dress, in rings, in brooches, in caps, and furs, and gloves. Then you must have a larger house, and a richer garden; and then a whole new set of furniture and ornaments are needed, to correspond with the size of the house. Some scores, then some hundreds, and at length some thousands are squandered in gratifying the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.

Another evil follows. Some are quite as proud as their acquaintance, but not quite so rich. They must make as rich a treat, and make as fine a show; and as they have not money sufficient to do it, they must run into debt. Some I have known wrap themselves in gorgeous dresses, and crowd their tables with luxuries, and within a day or two they have wanted to borrow money to settle with a traveller. Some plunge themselves into embarrassments which end in bankruptcy; and others that do not compound with their creditors, bring on themselves and on their families continual sorrows.

Those parties make people niggardly. Nothing is further from liberality than waste and prodigality. Those who spend so much on themselves, will seldom have much to spare for others. Hence those feasting professors have very little for the church, and nothing for the poor. They

cannot endure a beggar; they think it quite a nuisance to be teased with them. They can spend ten pounds in a treat for their rich friends, and when their poor brethren call on them, they have nothing to spare. And the church must not fare much better. I knew a man who gave seven pounds for a silk velvet cloak for his wife, without a word, though he had just before said, when asked about a subscription for a benevolent object, he had done as much as he could. I knew another who could not give more than twenty pounds for a chapel, who gave eighty pounds to refurnish a single room in his own house, that was too richly furnished already for a Christian man. In one place some thousands of pounds, I should think, were spent by the church in feasting and its attendant expenses, and yet they could never afford to build a decent Sunday-school and chapel. If all the money that has been spent in carnal and hurtful feasting had been devoted to the cause of God, we might have had missionaries in every nation on the earth, and our churches at home might have been ten times healthier and more numerous than they are.

I do not consider that the words of our Lord which led us into these remarks, forbid the social intercourse of Christians; no such thing. I think it very proper for us to meet at each other's houses, and to eat at each other's tables, provided the meeting be called for Christian objects, and conducted in a Christian way. But there should be no feasting. The object should be religious improvement. The eating and drinking should be plain and uncostly; and the society should be Christian-select in reference to character, but including persons of different ranks. Why might not the rich and the poor meet together? Would it not be better for us to comfort the poor, and lift up the lowly, than to indulge ourselves and comfort the wealthy?

But whether they invite persons of more than one class or not, let those who do form parties, form them for godly ends, and conduct them with religious prudence. Let us never give any one reason to suspect that we meet together to eat and drink. Let us meet free from the restraints of worldly

customs. If we are disposed to talk, let us talk for each other's edification; if we feel disposed to be silent, let us indulge in useful thoughts. Let us be at liberty either to read or work; let us be free either to stay or go julet each one act according to the suggestions of his own mind, in the fear of God. If some one has a project to lay before his friends, or some advice to ask, let him do it, and let the rest assist their brother. From such meetings, all intoxicating drugs and drinks should especially be kept away, The conversation should never be forced. When thoughts flow not freely, and when the coversation ceases to be useful, it is time to separate.

It is my persuasion that very few parties will be profitable beyond the first or second hour; and it is also my persuasion, that unless parties are called expressly for some religious purpose, the seldomer they are called the better. If the purpose be known beforehand, we go prepared to hear or speak; to counsel or to act; to be profited, or else to profit others. If no object be fixed, and if all that is known beforehand is, that we are going to a party, no wonder if the party prove a curse. If we begin by acting blindly, no wonder if we proceed with folly and conclude with sin.

I am glad that the old system of feasting is giving way amongst professors of religion. I hope it will soon be buried among the errors and afflictions of former days, to know no resurrection. Many religious people are setting aside the customs of the world, and forming better customs, in accordance with the Gospel. There are many professors of religion now, who dare let their friends see them eat plain food and drink cold water, and who can even ask their friends to share their homely fare. There are many who do not think it rational to treat a man as if he was all made up of appetite and flesh. They think it no compliment to treat a preacher or philosopher with sweetmeats and delusions. They can treat their friends as men and as Christians, and associate and converse with them for their mutual benefit. And I hope the day is coming near, when we shall all be sparing in accommodating ourselves, that we may have the more with

which to help the needy. I hope that soon we shall give our all to God, and use it for his glory. I hope that soon we shall have learned the plain and important lesson to "deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus Christ." That will be a happy day; and the redemption of the world will not be far behind.

THE ROSE.

THE rose had been washed, just washed in a shower,
Which Mary to Anna convey'd;

The plentiful moisture encumber'd the flower,
And weigh'd down its beautiful head.

The cup was all fill'd, and the leaves were all wet,

And it seem'd to a fanciful view,

To weep for the buds it had left with regret,
On the flourishing bush where it grew.

I hastily seized it, unfit as it was
For a nosegay, so dripping and drown'd,
And swinging it rudely, too rudely, alas!
I snapp'd it, it fell to the ground.

And such, I exclaim'd, is the pitiless part
Some act by a delicate mind,

Regardless of wringing and breaking a heart
Already to sorrow resign'd.

This elegant rose, had I shaken it less,

Might have bloom'd with its owner a while, And the tear, that is wiped with a little address, May be follow'd perhaps with a smile.

· Cowper.

Published by I. DAVIS, 22, Grosvenor-street, Stalybridge; Bancks and Co., Exchange-street; Heywood, Oldham-street, Manchester; R. Groombridge, 6, Panyer Alley, Paternoster Row, London; and may had of all Booksellers. [CAVE and SEVER, Printers, Manchester.]

b

Published every Saturday.-Price One Penny, or in Monthly

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No. 24.

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 1838.

VOL. I.

WHAT SHALL I DO WITH MY PROFITS?

WHEN I began this work I had no expectation that it would pay its way, much less that it would bring me any profits; and that was one reason why I never said any thing to my subscribers about the uses to which I intended the profits to be devoted. Its circulation has, however, so far exceeded my anticipations, that it is likely, after paying all my bills, that I shall have a trifle in hand. What shall I do with it?

As for myself I have every thing I want. I have food and raiment, a large house with every accommodation. that man should desire. I am in want of nothing, and I do not think I ever shall be. I would not, therefore, thank any one for money to spend on myself, and I cannot see what use it would be to have great sums of money in the bank. Money never can make those happy who love it, and as for those who do not love it, I cannot see how

it can make them happy. And whatever my friends may say, I am persuaded that money can give no security for the welfare of my family. My hope for them is in the providence of God. I shall not, therefore, lay up fortunes for my children. I will give them a good education, if the Lord spare me, and I will have them taught some useful business. I will especially endeavour to train them up in the religion of Christ, that they may know how to conduct themselves in every situation as the ser