withered. Pride not yourself on bodily health or strength, but let reason thus dictate," Age will imperceptibly steal on, relax the strongest nerves, and cause declining nature to sink into feebleness and decay proclaiming to the contemplative mind, the vanity and instability of all human enjoyments. — Imagination and genius, wit and fancy, the most retentive memory,. and the most profound knowledge, alike yield to time; for the God of nature has affixed a limited period to all the powers, pleasures, and glories of this mortal state. Let us then make no boast of our attain ments, but turn our thoughts to those higher objects which lead beyond the grave; let us be ready to resign the fallacious grandeur of the world and all its allurements, in the joyful hope of rising into immortality with new powers and glories, and with more elevated talents than those we have resigned: "Time hastes away, Nor is it in our power to bribe its stay." The rolling years with constant motion run, } Grey hairs, approaching age, and thy avoidless end." OLDHAM, ON ON FALSEHOOD AND LIARS, THE vice of lying is fre quently palliated in the polite world by the name of fibbing-telling stories-and many other softened appellations, merely to avoid the harsh term of lying-and liar. The crime appears so odious, that, in the opinion of the writer, language has but few words gross enough to express its culpability. In comparative degrees of offences, lying has been held less atrocious than murder; but may not falsehood even lead to that last and most fatal instance of all human depravity?-Locks and bolts may secure secure us from thieves, but what security can we find against a false and lying tongue? Truly doth the psalmist express, "that the poison of adders is under their tongues,' a poison not only destructive to their own souls, but frequently fatal to the welfare and happiness of others; for the evils of falsehood are often extended and multiplied even much farther than the first fabricators expected or intended. In such cases, where falsehoods involve persons in quarrels, confusion, perhaps ruin or death, on whom will the sin fall?-Surely the justice of God will visit the sin on the instigator! Lies can never be a jest, for conscience ever revolts against them, even be they what weak ininds term harmless or innocent lies; for what is expressly against the command of God, can neither be harmless nor innocent. Remember Remember the words of Solomon,"He that speaketh falsely shall perish.Getting treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. In no wise speak against the truth;-be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but strive for the truth until death, and the Lord shall fight for thee." With such a promise as this last, none, surely, but fools would lie; for as they cannot conceal the truth from God, the punishment due to falsehood hangs over them. If you have committed an error then, seek not to palliate it by an untruth, but rather with candid contrition acknowledge your fault, and steadfastly, with the aid of your Heavenly Father, resolve not to be guilty of a similar offence, lest you provoke the Divine vengeance to your utter |