And when we're brave to conquer sin

Our direst, deadliest foe

The Bible teaches us this word

Is a noble one to know.

But I've heard some grave old people say
That many a one will stand
Right bravely on the battle-field,
And other sites as grand;

Where worldly pomps and glories shine,
(I think them falsely named;
But that's a little thought of mine
For which I may be blamed,)

Who dare not, like brave honest men,
Set up their stern strong will,
To oppose some dangerous custom
E'en though it worketh ill;

And this is what they lack, good friends, ('Twas whispered unto me,)

Just moral courage-that's the word:
Can they be brave?—Ah me!

Now, just to give one little hint

From what I've often heard,
There are who say-We dare not break
Through rules, howe'er absurd,
Which custom long has sanctioned,-
For why ?-we dare not meet
The scorn, contempt, and ridicule
Which would such conduct greet.

And so forsooth, poor coward souls!
Whether for right or wrong,

For bliss or bane, they all through life
Old usages prolong.

Thank God for those of stouter heart,

Who risk their all to save

Some erring soul-some grand old truth;
Such are the truly brave.

And 'tis to this right noble band
We youngsters would adhere,
And so we modestly stand forth
Unmoved by shame or fear;

And that one noble principle

For which our word is pledged,
Oh! how we wish deep in your hearts
Its golden rivet wedged.

Pray listen; there's a custom, friends,
Which we've been taught to shun,
Because it yieldeth prickly thorns,

With roses never a one:
And you will readily discern
The rueful thing I mean,
For many who are older, perhaps,
Its bitters fruits have seen.

And so we've come to the grand truth

With which I first began;

Then take advice and dare to act

Like a courageous man :

And when the strong drink passes round

That cause of so much woe

Have moral courage just to say,
Boldly and firmly-No!

And should folks laugh, or even jeer,

At such outlandish ways,

Bear meekly or commend by smiles
The safer course we praise.
So now, good friends, I thank ye all
For hearkening to my speech;

We do what many cannot say―
Just practice what we preach.

THE WINE PRESCRIBED TO TIMOTHY.

By the Rev. ALBERT BARNES.

"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities."-1 Tim. v. 23.

There has been much difficulty felt in regard to the connection which this advice has, with what precedes and what follows. Many have considered the difficulty to be so great, that they have supposed that this verse has been displaced, and that it should be introduced in some other connection. The true connection and reason for the introduction and counsel here seems to me to be this. Paul appears to have been suddenly impressed with the thought—a thought which is very likely to come over a man who is writing on the duties of the ministry-of the arduous nature of the ministerial office. He was giving counsels

in regard to an office which required a great amount of labour, care, and anxiety. The labours enjoined were such as to demand all the time; the care and anxiety, incident to such a charge, would be very likely to prostrate the frame and injure the health. Then he remembered that Timothy was yet but a youth; he recalled his feebleness of constitution and his frequent attacks of illness; he recollected the very abstemious habits which he had prescribed for himself; and in this connection he urges him to a careful regard for his health, and prescribes the use of a small quantity of wine, mingled with water, as a suitable medicine in his case. Thus considered, this direction is as worthy to be given by an inspired teacher, as it is to counsel a man to pay a proper regard to his health, and not needlessly to throw away his life (compare Matt. x. 23). The phrase, “Drink no longer water," is equivalent to, Drink not water only. The Greek word here used does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. "But use a little wine," mingled with water→→ the common method of drinking wine in the East" for thy stomach's sake." It was not for the pleasure to be derived from the use of wine, or because it would produce hilarity or excitement, but solely because it was regarded, as necessary for the promotion of health, that is, as a medicine. "And thine often infirmities "-weakness or sicknesses. The word would include all infirmities of the body, but seems to refer here to some attacks of sickness to which Timothy was liable, or some feebleness of constitution; but beyond this we have no information with regard to the nature of his maladies. In view of this passage, and as a further explanation of it, we may make the following remarks:-1. The use of wine and of all intoxicating drinks was solemnly forbidden to the priests under the Mosaic law, when engaged in the performance of their sacred duties. (Lev. x. 9, 10.) The same was the case among the Egyptian priests. It is not improbable that the same thing would be regarded, as proper among those who ministered in holy things, under the Christian dispensation: the natural feeling would be, and not improperly, that a Christian minister should not be less holy than a Jewish priest, and especially when it was remembered that the reason of the Jewish law remained the same-"That ye may put difference between holy and unholy, clean and unclean." 2. It is evident from this passage that Timothy usually drank water only, or that in modern language, he was a teetotaller. He was evidently not in the habit of drinking wine, or he could not have been exhorted to do it. 3. He must have

been a remarably temperate youth to have required the authority of an apostle to induce him to drink even "a little wine." There are few young men so temperate as to require such an authority to induce them to do it. 4. The exhortation extended only to a very moderate use of wine. It was not to drink it freely; it was not to drink it at the tables of the rich and great, or in the social circle; it was not even to drink it by itself, it was to use 66 a little," mingled with water-for this was the usual method. 5. It was not as a common drink; but the exhortation or command extends only to its use as a medicine. All the use which can be legitimately made of this injunction-whatever conclusion may be drawn from other precepts-is, that it is proper to use a small quantity of wine for medicinal purposes. 6. There are many ministers of the gospel now, alas! to whom, under no circumstances whatever, could an apostle apply this exhortation

"Drink no longer water only." They would ask with surprise what he meant? whether he intended it for irony or banter?-for they need no apostolic command to drink wine. Or, if he should address to them the exhortation, "Use a little wine," they could regard it only as a reproof for their usual habit of drinking much. To many the exhortation would be appropriate, if they ought to use wine at all, only because they are in the habit of using so much, that it would be proper to restrict them to a much smaller quantity. 7. This whole passage is one of great value to the cause of temperance. Timothy was undoubtedly in the habit of abstaining wholly from the use of wine. Paul knew this, and did not reprove him for it; he manifestly favoured the general habit, and only asked him to depart, in some small degree, from it, in order that he might restore and preserve his health.

A little girl, whose mother taught her,
Because she loved her little daughter,
To sew, and read,

And write, and knit:

And well indeed

Did she do it,

I mean the daughter, for she could
Do all as an apt pupil would:
Once on a time, it came to pass,
That Annie Green, that clever lass,
Of work grew tired;

She much desired,

Just for one day, from morn to night,
From day-break until candle-light,
To pass the time in idleness,

And fully bent

On this intent,

Did thus her thought and wish express :

"Kind mother dear, I wish that you

Would let me have to-morrow,

to

Amuse myself the whole day long;

Instead of working through the day,
Let me devote it all to play,

To dancing, skipping, fun, and song.

I should be happy as a bird."
Her mother knew it was absurd,
To think that idleness could give
Pleasure, to those who wish to live
A life of usefulness. True pleasure
The busy find; who scarce get leisure
To sit, with folded arms, and rest.
Such all declare that "work is best."
Her mother smiled

At the request;

Instead of saying, "Nay,"

See judged it best.

To please her child;
And, that she might
Know wrong from right,
Let Annie have her way.
Up the next morn at peep of day,
"Over the hills and far away,"

You might hear Annie singing;