As

he can, and now must leave it; and he begins to feel, for the first time, that he needs some other treasure. With these feelings, he calls for a pen and paper, and bequeaths to some benevolent object a part of his property, hoping thus to appease the anger of God, and purchase a treasure in heaven. Ah, vain, delusive hope! though God could be bribed by the miser's gold! As though God would accept his money, when he could no longer hold it himself, and was obliged to part with it! O, how will he feel, when he hears the awful sentence, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not."

I do

But I must not be misunderstood. not mean to say that all men, nor even that a large part of men, who leave money on their death-beds for benevolent objects, are counterfeiting benevolence. Far from

this. But I mean to say, that this is sometimes done. We ought to learn, from this, to practise benevolence before we are laid upon a bed of death.

And now, young reader, let me urge you once more to exercise this beautiful trait of character; for by so doing, you will please God, benefit others, and make yourself happy. Be sure, also, that you do it from a right motive, for motive is every thing with God. Our Saviour has left us an excellent rule in regard to this matter: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."

I will now dismiss this subject, after relating one more anecdote, beautifully illustrating the "golden rule" just quoted, as well as showing the nature of true benevolence. A fire having broke out in a village of Denmark, a poor man was very active in rendering aid. At length he was told that his own house was in danger, and that not a moment was to be lost, if he wished to save his furniture. "There is something more precious," replied he, "that I must first save. My poor sick neighbor

is not able to save himself; he will be lost if I do not assist him; I am sure he relies on me." He hastened to his neighbor's house, rushed through the flames, at the hazard of his life, and conveyed the sick man in his arms to a place of safety. But he did not go without his reward for this heroic and benevolent action. A society in Copenhagen presented him with a silver cup, filled with Danish crowns.

CHAPTER IX.

HUMANITY.

"The cruel heart no pleasure knows,
While coldly steeled to others' woes."

THE term humanity is very similar in meaning to that of benevolence; but I intend here to use it in relation to the animal

creation, and not to man. In other words, I wish to show my young readers the wickedness of treating animals with cruelty, and to persuade them, if possible, to avoid the crime. This subject, though it relates neither to our conduct to God nor to man, is yet worthy of the attention of all who intend to walk in the "pleasant way;" for those who wilfully torment and murder God's creatures, are not fit to walk in God's path.

Cruelty to animals is very common. Many who would not wish to give pain to a fellow-being, seem to think that animals have no feeling. Neither is this practice confined to any age. Both the little child and the gray-headed man often inflict unnecessary suffering on the brute creation, and thus violate that rule which requires us to "do as we would be done by." Hark! there goes a stone. It came from a wanton boy, and has had its desired effect. A little dog, who a moment before was quietly going along, is now howling and limping with pain. Perhaps a bone is broken, and he must suffer for days before he is relieved. And what was this for? O, it was only in sport. There is another group of boys, tormenting and worrying a cat; this, too, is in sport. There is another, with a gun, waging a war of extermination against the peaceful and innocent birds; this is all in sport. Others are pelting the frogs with stones, and causing great consternation among the inhabitants of the pond and river; this, too, is for sport. Others are chasing butterflies and grass