No More Learning

(Matt. xvi. 18. )
The Spider. In outward appearance this insect is unattractive, yet
it is exceeding wise and persevering. Again and again it will
throw its web until it has reached its point; and it aims to
have a home even in the palace of the king. So the Christian. He
is of the household of God; and never is content until he has reached
the dwelling-place of God.
The Bees. This persevering little family are not, in the way of
illustration, often alluded to in Scripture, but when they are the
figures are very striking; see especially Ps. cxviii. 12. The allusion is
evidently to the great power of the enemy surrounding the Lord Jesus,
and the signal character of his defeat. " They compassed me about,
yea, they compassed me about; but in the name of the Lord I will
destroy them. They compassed me about like bees: they are
quenched as the fire of thorns; for in the name of the Lord I will de-
stroy them. " (Ps. cxviii. 11, 12. ) This is the only true way of resisting
the enemy ; thus only the giant Goliath falls before the stripling David.
How striking the address of the son of Jesse to this man of Gath!
--" Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a
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THE CREATION.
shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God
of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the
Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take
thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the
Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of
the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword
and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our
hands. " (1 Sam. xvii. 45-- 47.
The Fly. " Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send
forth a stinking savour; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation
for wisdom and honour. " (Eccles. x. 1. ) It is the exceeding insigni-
ficance of a dead fly that gives force to this image; but thus it is,
that at times the most trifling thing, coming by surprise on a very
correct person, causes him to commit himself; and the precious
ointment which should be all fragrant, (that is, his profession of
the name of Christ, whose "name is as ointment poured forth,"
Cant. i. 3,) is defiled by this neglect of watchfulness and dependance
on God.
The Leech. When you see this little insect, most valuable in
its place, crying, "Give, give," I think the lesson to be learnt
is not imitation, but the reverse. A craving after gifts is
most undesirable, whether in grown up people or children.
(Prov. xxx. 15. )
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The Grasshopper. This light and fragile insect abounds in all its
varieties in the east, and is frequently alluded to in the Scriptures in
the way of illustration. When the spies were sent hy Moses to search
the land of promise, two only of the twelve were faithful, the others
were unbelieving; for forty days they searched "the pleasant land,"
and then returned to the camp and gave the most glowing account of
the country; that it was a land flowing with milk and honey; and two
of their number (in all probability the faithful Caleb and Joshua)
bore upon their shoulders, as the earnest of the land, a bunch of the
grapes of Eschol, and pomegranates, and figs,--but the ten, forgetful
of the deliverance from Pharaoh, and the passage of the Red Sea, had
all their thoughts on the fenced cities of Amalek, and the mighty
men thereof, and of their own weakness; and this was their language:
" We be not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger
than we. . . . The land through which we have gone to search it, is a
land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof, and all the people that we
saw in it are men of a great stature: and there we saw the giants, the
sons of Anak, which come of the giants; and we were in our own sight
as grasshoppers, and so were we in their sight. " But Caleb and Joshua,
the faithful ones, had their eye to God, and this was their reply: " The
land through which we passed is an exceeding good land. If the
Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it us,
a land which flows with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the
Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for
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THE CREATION.
us, their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us; fear
them not. " (Numb. xiii. and xiv. ) Yes, my beloved children, before
our enemies we may be indeed weak as the grasshopper--but let our
eye be to the Lord, and the whole power of the Prince of Darkness
shall be as nothing. The Lord is with us, is the watch-word of the
Calebs and Joshuas of God's camp: but read the whole narrative--
it is full of interest.
In the last chapter of Ecclesiastes, which is addressed more especially
to the young, there is also a most striking allusion to this little insect,
whose form is so light, that the most delicate blade of grass on which
it rests bends not beneath its weight. The scene is the bed of
death. " The silver cord "--" the golden bowl"--" the pitcher at the
fountain "--" the wheel at the cistern," are in an instant snapt and
broken--such is death: this moment, the soul a tenant in its earthly
tabernacle; the next moment, fled--gone to God who gave it. But ere
this change takes place, the whole frame is shaken. The right-hand
of strength, that but a little since would have swept all before it, is
now in trembling weakness. The legs, the pillars on which the body
stood with such manliness and power, bow themselves. The appetite
fails, and the grinders cease because they are few. The eyes, once
brilliant and sparkling, now are glazed and dim. The lips, that but a
few days past were opened with language the most touching, now are
closed; and the voice, so flexible and melodious, is now hushed into
silence. The nervous system, once the medium of all pleasing sensa-
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? LETTER XII.
381
tions, is now weakened and shaken, and the dying man starts at the
least sound; and finally, the grasshopper, whose weight could not
bend the most fragile flower, is now a burden to him, who once
triumphed in his power. Yes, my dear children, such is the end of
man: he is cut down like a flower. (Job xiv. 1,2. ) In both the
righteous and the wicked the whole nature is prostrated in utter
weakness: but oh, how different is the next scene! Angels carrying the
spirit of the just to the paradise of God,--for they depart and are with
Christ; and wicked spirits hurrying the lost soul to the outer dark-
ness ; who there learns, but learns too late to profit by the lesson, that
God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he
reap. (Gal. vi. 7. )
There is yet one more allusion that I will advert to: you will find
it in Isaiah xl. 22. The prophet is describing the exceeding majesty
of God, and the weakness of the creature: various are the emblems
used. " It is he," saith the prophet, " that sitteth on the circle of the
earth, and the inhabitants thereof are but as grasshoppers; that
stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out
as a tent to dwell in. " How awfully sublime is this language!
and yet, my beloved children, amid the innumerable multitude that
the eye of the Lord gazes on, let your soul flee to Him, resting
on Jesus, the son of his love, and you shall be as much the
Father Almighty's care, as if there was not another in the whole
earth.
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THE CREATION.
The Earth Worm. * This is the lowest insect in the scale of creation;
and yet, Job, in the deepest humility, thus speaks of himself,--" I have
said to corruption, Thou art my father; and to the worm, Thou art my
mother, and my sister. " (Job xvii. 15. ) But Job had hopes beyond
this relationship,--" Dust he was, and to dust he would return. " But
how glorious his hope! " I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that
he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my
skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom
I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another;
though my reins be consumed within me. " (Job xix. 25--27. ) Blessed,
indeed, was the hope of Job; and happy, and only happy that man
who has the same hope: he can look beyond the sorrows of the grave,
and rejoice in the thought, that even over the bodies of the saints
alive at the Lord's appearing, death shall have no power. How
beautiful the language of St. Paul,--" Behold I show you a mystery;
we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. " This will be the triumph of the Lord and His church ;
and then will death be swallowed up in victory:--" O death, where is
? Our blessed Lord, in Psalm xxii. says of himself, " I am a worm, and no man:"
this was in the deepest hour of his sorrow: but in the very same Psalm, in the
fulness of his anticipated joy, the word is, " My praise shall be of thee in the
great congregation," ver. 25.
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? LETTER XII.
383
thy sting ? O grave, where is thy victory ? The sting of death is sin;
the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. " (1 Cor. xv. 55, 57. )
And now, my beloved children, I must bring my long series to a
close. Very happy have I been in thus endeavouring to search out,
both through the fields of nature, and especially in God's blessed word,
instruction for you. Imperfectly I feel it is done; but still, I trust,
the Lord will own it. May you, and our dear arsent one, be
indeed found children of God, and adopted into his happy, holy
family; and know in your own souls the power of this word,--
" Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without
sin, unto salvation. " (Heb. ix. 28. ) How sweet the invocation of our
poet Cowper! --
" Come, then, and added to thy many crowns,
Receive yet one,-- the crown of all the earth,--
Thou who alone art worthy! It was thine
By ancient covenant, ere Nature's birth,
And thou hast made it thine by purchase since,
And overpaid its value with thy blood.
Thy saints proclaim thee King; and in their hearts,
Thy title is engraven, with a pen,
Dipp'd in the fountain of eternal love.
Come, then, and added to thy many crowns,
Receive yet one, as radiant as the rest,
Due to thy last and most effectual work,--
Thy word fulfilled--the conquest of a world! "
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THE CREATION.
Farewell, my beloved children; my first and last prayer shall be for
you,--that you may love the Lord; and, resting alone on the precious
blood and righteousness of Christ, may be faithful in every good
word and work--blessed of God--and a blessing to others.
Believe me,
Ever your affectionate Father.
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? APPENDIX.
Frontispiece. *--The arrangement of the names on the inner circle is to
meet the desire of those who have friends going abroad, or already settled
there. How often is the question asked, in every family where those dear to
them are far away, " I wonder what our brother, or sister, or friends, are doing
now V One glance at the dial, will, at least, in part, answer the question.
The line of the steam voyage to Bombay, Calcutta, China, is marked by Malta,
Alexandria, the entrance to the Red Sea, Bombay, Calcutta, Canton, Chusan ;
and the long sea voyage by the Cape of Good Hope, &c. The voyage to Aus-
tralia and Otaheite may be also traced. Those having friends in the United
States, and Canada, and the high northern latitudes, where the fur trade is
carried on, will see they are not forgotten. Nice, in the south of France, will
be interesting to those who have friends in that quarter. And lastly, with
the object of showing, that even places so near as Dublin have a sensible varia-
tion of time, that city is marked, though it is not quite 7| degrees west of us;
but it has been inserted, being so well known.
Light--Page 8. The opinions of learned men, as to light, are various ; but
all agree in certain principles, viz. , that it is compounded of seven different
colours, that is, violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red; these,
mixed in their due proportions, make that pure transparent light, so great a
blessing to man.
This separation of its parts may be produced by a glass
prism : or by painting on a card the seven primary colours; and making it
turn rapidly round, nothing is seen but one colour, and that white.
The glow-worm of our own country, the fire-fly of South America, and
those marine animalcule? , which are seen in the ocean, are striking
proofs of the existence of light apart from the sun. The former is known
* A few of the places will not be found quite opposite their proper degrees of longitude;
but sufficiently so to mark the time within a few minutes. Other names might have been
selected, but not so well known.
8
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APPENDIX.
to every one. And you doubtless remember how often you have come to
me with the happy tidings that you have seen one, like a bright star, glitter-
ing at your feet. Now, with one of these in your hand, you might tell the
time by your watch, and, indeed, some have said, that you can read small
print by this light. The fire-fly I do not remember myself to have seen in
South America, but travellers have given the most beautiful account of it:
they describe it thus :--" The fire-fly of South America is about an inch long,
and one-third of an inch broad; when on the wing it appears adorned with
four brilliant gems of the most beautiful golden-blue lustre ; in fact, the whole
body is said to be full of luminous matter, which shines forth between the
rings of the abdomen when stretched. The light, which proceeds from the
two spots on the thorax, placed immediately behind the head, is said to be
sufficient for a person to see to read the smallest print, by moving one of these
insects, when placed between the fingers with the light downwards, along the
line; and when several are put together in a glass, or any other transparent
tube, the light will be sufficiently great for writing by it. " The last-men-
tioned, i. e. the animalcules, I have witnessed, night after night, as our vessel
glided along the coast of Jamaica, in untold millions around us : indeed the
whole ocean seemed sparkling with innumerable gems of light. The plant
Rhizamorpha is also a striking example of light existing separate from the
sun : " In the coal mines near Dresden, it gives those places the air of an en-
chanted castle ; the roofs--walls--pillars are covered with them--their bright
and beautiful light almost dazzles the eye. "--Ed. Phil. Journal, xiv.
p. 178.
The Atmosphere--Page 20. It is a singular thing to say, that we can
weigh that which we cannot see ; and yet this is strictly true of the atmo-
sphere ; and we little think how it is pressing upon us on every side ; for it
is calculated, that on the body of a full grown man, its pressure is equal to
30,000 pounds ; but then, as it presses equally on every side, and as also we
have an equal resistance xviihin, we not only do not feel any inconvenience
from it, but positive blessing. But as a proof of the pressure of the atmo-
sphere, supposing you doubled or trebled the weight of the atmosphere, that
is, condensed two or three atmospheres into one, around a thin glass vessel,
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? APPENDIX.
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from which you had exhausted the air, the outward pressure would crush it
to pieces. But the principle of expansion of the atmosphere is much more won-
derful than that of its condensation ; for it is calculated, that at the height
of five hundred miles, a cubic inch of rarified air would fill a sphere equal
in diameter to the orbit of Saturn. The proof of the power of expansion is
very simple. Suppose you put into an air tight vessel a bladder, with its
mouth tied, out of which you have expelled as much air as possible, and
then exhaust the air from the vessel, the bladder would swell out quite
distended : reverse the experiment, and again let in the atmospheric air,
and it would shrink up as if there were nothing in it.
Aerostation--Page 23. What makes the balloon so struggle to get free?
simply, it is filled with a gas lighter than atmospheric air, i. e. with hydrogen,
and pants to have its string loosed, that it may ascend to regions where its
weight is in harmony with the rarified atmosphere ; and so it sails through the
firmament, not indeed in a given direction, but just as the fickle currents
of air direct it; and when its adventurous guide has satisfied his curiosity, he
lets some of the light hydrogen escape, and rapidly descends---if too rapidly,
he throws out sand, and thus balances himself. But the experiment is a
dangerous one; and since 1783, when Mr. Montgolfier first discovered the
principle of Aerostation, or air sailing, there has been no progress whatever
made in guiding the balloon, and men of science say there never will;--but
deaths and narrow escapes have frequently marked its brief history. Whether
the Aerial Steam Vessels, if they are ever launched, will lead to further
discoveries on this subject, time only will show.
The Nile--Page 24. The sources of this famous river appear to lie in the
Mountains of the Moon, about 7? north latitude.
Evaporation--Page 24. The following beautiful passage, in Ecclesiastes,
is very descriptive of the sources of rivers--their ebb into the ocean, and their
return to their original source,--" All the rivers run into the sea ; yet the sea
is not full: unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return
again," Eccles. i. 7. The principle of evaporation draws up the waters to the
clouds; and the clouds in their turn empty their contents, and so the supply
never fails. See also the prophet Amos ix. 6.
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APPENDIX.
The Wind--Page 28. It has been ascertained from observation that the
wind travels at the following rates per hour:--light air, 4^ miles ; fresh
breezes, 14 miles ; half gale of wind, 36 miles ; a gale, 62 miles ; a hurri-
cane, 88 miles; a hurricane, carrying all before it, 120 miles. Winds may
be divided into three classes:--first, trade winds,--these always blow one
way, and blow within the tropics, and a few degrees beyond it; second,
monsoons,--these blow half the year N. E. , and half N. W. ; third, variable
winds,--liable to daily change. The phenomena of the wind, or the atmo-
sphere in a state of movement or agitation, come to man fraught with
blessing ; for the storm and tempest have beneficial results.
The Voyage op the Duff -- Page 31. How graciously was prayer
answered as it regards that most interesting of all interesting voyages,
when the good ship Duff, with devout Capt. Wilson, and a crew, many
of whom loved the Lord, and thirty missionaries, left our native land for the
islands of the Pacific, thousands praying for her. We traced her voyage on
our map a few days since with the utmost interest. How beautiful were the
remarks of the good old Dr. Haweis, when, in his thanksgiving sermon, he
mentioned to the congregation the safe return of the ship Duff:--" To
traverse more than twice the circumference of the globe, especially amidst
the lurking shoals, hidden rocks, and low islands of the Southern Ocean,
must, it is well known, be full of danger. They felt it, and sometimes were
at their wit's end, going up to heaven, and sinking down into the depth,
shook by the pealing thunder, embayed without a passage, and once sus-
pended on a dreadful reef. I read and trembled; but ' he that dwelleth
under the defence of the Most High shall be safe under the shadow of the
Almighty. ' I was ashamed, humbled, comforted ; and I exulted, when, in the
midst of the most awful scenes, I heard one of the brethren say, ' We took the
wings of faith, and fled in prayer to the God of our mercies ; and when we
had sang an hymn, presently the storm abated, and we lay down comfortably
and fell asleep. ' Ah, 'so he giveth his beloved sleep. ' In the whole of this
long voyage, not a life was lost, not a limb was broke, not a mast sprung, not
a sail split, not an anchor lost, but goodness and mercy followed her the
whole voyage. " And how beautiful on the great sea was the course of this
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389
ship that published peace, and proclaimed salvation to the islands of the
South. I just add the course of the Duff, that those young friends who
have not the valuable book from which I gathered it (Rev. Mr. Griffin's Life
of Capt. Wilson) may have the same pleasure as we had :--" Sept. 23rd,
1796, left Portsmouth ; Oct. 6th, passed Madeira; Oct. 14th, anchored at
the Cape de Verds ; Nov. 12th, reached Rio Janeiro ; sailed down the Coast
of Spanish America to lat. 30 S. , long. 50 W. , then bore away across the
Atlantic towards the Cape of Good Hope ; Jan. 30th, 1797, passed New
Zealand; March 6th, anchored at Otaheite; May 26th, sailed to the Friendly
Islands; Jan. 5th, to the Marquesas; Aug. 4th, Huahine; Aug. 18th,
Tongataboo ; Sept. 9th, Feejees ; Nov. 7th, passed the Pelew Islands; and
reached Macao Nov. 21st; left China Dec. 23rd ; anchored at the Cape of
Good Hope March 17th, 1798; touched at St. Helena April 15th; put
into Cork June 24th; and arrived at London July 11th; so that in less
than two years, by three months, she had traversed more than twice the
circumference of the globe, having sailed near 50,000 miles ; and going out
and coming in, the Lord remarkably blessed her voyage ; and since then,
thousands have left those islands blessing God for the light of the gospel. --
See the lamented Rev. Mr. Williams's invaluable Missionary Work, ? fec. --
Snoiv, Paternoster Row.
Vapours. --Page 33. Rain is the vapour that ascends from the earth and
seas, condensed in the upper regions, and by electrical action formed into
drops which descend to the earth by their own weight.
Snow and Hail are the same drops frozen in their journey to the earth.
In the former case, the frost catches the revolving cloud ere its particles are
formed into drops ; in the latter, after they are so formed.
Hoar Frost is produced by the dew being frozen ; and thus in autumn
you will find the dew just on the transit, that is, just commencing to be the
hoar frost.
Deiv. --In a calm and serene night, part of the vapours, as they ascend from
the earth, are condensed by the coldness of the air into invisible particles,
somewhat heavier than the air, and which descend so gently as not to injure
the most fragile and delicate flowers. In some countries, (the Holy Land
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APPENDIX.
especially,) the dew is so heavy that the tent of the traveller requires to be
wrung out in the morning.
Reign of Terror--Page 36. The population of France, at that awful
period, was something under 20,000,000; now it is above 30,000,000.
The Great Britain Steam Vessel. --Page 50. The Great Britain is the
largest vessel in the world ; she is built solely of sheet iron rivetted together.
The enormous quantity of 7,000 tons of iron, that is, nearly 16,000,0001bs. ,
were used in building her. She was launched at Bristol, July 19th, 1843.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert named her. The dimensions of the
Great Britain are as follows :
FEET.
Length 320
Depth 31
Breadth 51
Draught of water 16
She has no paddles, but is worked by the Archimedean screw. The Great
Britain is a vessel of wonderful magnitude, but as the wise man must not
trust in his wisdom, nor the rich man in his riches, nor the mighty man in
his might, no more must the Great Britain in her strength ; let us never
forget this, but write it over even our most perfect works, "The horse is
prepared for the battle, but safety is of the Lord. " (Prov. xxi. 31. )
The Coffin of Cardinal Borromeo--Page 54. The superb coffin of the
Cardinal Borromeo, in the Cathedral of Milan, is composed of Crystal on
the top and sides, and quite transparent. The description has just been sent
to me by our valued friend, E. J. , who examined it:--" The coffin is very
large, and constructed of framework in squares, oblongs, triangles, <fec, and
very massive, of the most highly burnished silver, and the spaces are filled
in, not with glass, but with the most brilliant rock crystal, of wonderful
size. " By this means the body is visible. The crozier and mitre also are
studded with the most sparkling gems, the gift of the kings of Spain and
Portugal. I just mention this as the historic fact, but far better is it to lay
the dead with all solemnity in the hidden grave ; if they sleep in Jesus, they
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391
shall rise in the resurrection of the just, all glorious and resplendent in his
likeness. (1 Thess. iv. 14. )
Weights of Metals--Page 55. The relative weights of Metals are--
Gold, 19 times as heavy as its own bulk of water; Silver, 11 ; Copper, 8^ ;
Iron, 7? ; Lead, 11 ; Zinc, 7 ; Platinum, 22.
Primitive Rocks--Page 60. Porphyry and Serpentine, as well as Granite,
are considered primitive rocks. The former is found in many parts of
Europe, and also the latter, but abound in Silesia and Italy. They are both
very beautiful. Alabaster is found in Derbyshire and Cumberland, and
sometimes is so transparent as to be used for windows. Fluor Spar is
beautiful in Derbyshire, and is called by the name of that county. The
Peninsula of Portland supplies a valuable free-stone bearing that name.
Mill-stones, of which are made the circular stones for grinding flour, ? fec, are
found in Normandy in Prance. I have arranged these in a brief note, as
they are not in the same quantity or in the same demand as Granite,
Marble, &c.
Plymouth Breakwater--Page 61. The Breakwater at Plymouth is entirely
composed of Devonshire marble. Upwards of 3,000,000 tons have been depo-
sited there. The length of this vast and stupendous work is 4,800 feet; width
at the bottom, 400 feet; width above water (the walk), 45 feet; depth, 45 feet
from low-water mark. There is a beautiful Lighthouse on the west end.
Salt Springs--Page 66. Salt water is much heavier than fresh; this
makes bathing on the sea coast so much pleasanter than in inland rivers. I
have bathed eighty miles up the Tagus, also in the Thames off Greenwich,
and in the middle of the great Atlantic. In the last you could keep up with
the least possible exertion, it was so buoyant; but in the former you have to
work hard, and the swimmer does wisely not to venture far from the shore.
Another proof of salt water being heavier than fresh, is at once ascertained
by weighing equal quantities: also the following experiment, which our friend
at W.