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but of holy activity in the worship and service of God. It should be a season of thanksgiving and praise, and of deep religious joy. In the expressive language of inspiration, I should esteem it a "delight." During all its hallowed hours, I ought to be as free as possible from every thing like distraction or dissipation of thought and feeling. The whole current of my affections ought to flow in a religious channel, setting strongly and unceasingly heavenward.

I know that in my present state and with my present dispositions and habits, the proper observance of the Sabbath is no easy matter. It requires much attention and effort and prayer. Strange as it may seem, it demands no small degree of self-denial to do that which I know will greatly contribute to my highest temporal and spiritual interests. Am I willing to be a paradox in this respect any longer? I am under immoveable, unchanging obligations to make all my privileges subserve the end for which they have been kindly given to me. The Sabbath is exactly adapted to my wants it is a boon which I would not exchange for all the treasures emboweled in the earth it was given me in order that, by a proper improvement of its privileges, I might be prepared for the hidden joys and glory of an endless Sabbath in heaven. In future, I hope to make more of the Sabbath, and keep it as I shall wish I had done, when I exchange its privileges and employments for those of an unchanging state in the coming world.

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FANCY FAIRS.

For the Religious Magazine.

THE character and influence of fancy fairs have always seemed to me doubtful. The bustle of industry which they produce among the indolent and the fashionable, may perhaps be useful, and the kind and cheerful spirit which seems to animate the assembly, has been to me one of the luxuries of life. But I have always reflected with pain upon the spirit of extortion which seemed also to be cherished, and upon the selfdeception which so often baptized the displays of vanity and the struggles of rivalry, and the mimicry of fashion, with the sacred name of benevolence! How unlike the spirit of a Howard, or a Graham, or of "HIM who went about doing good," is that of a large number of the manufacturers and merchants

of our fairs! How little can these market days of charity do to cherish that spirit of toiling in obscurity, and performing those humble offices of the family, and of the sick chamber, and of the abode of poverty for which benevolence is most needed.

My views, however, have been rather limited to the moral evils of fairs, and my opinion scarcely settled until I met with an address of a meeting in Philadelphia, recently published in Poulson's Daily Advertiser. It appears that this meeting was large and respectable, and composed of individuals of every rank and of all religious persuasions, and the address evinces, the ability and the knowledge of facts possessed by those who prepared it. Allow me, therefore, to present their views in place of giving my own in detail.

They commence with expressing their views of the moral influence of fairs.

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"To them, viewing it as a question of mere propriety, and abstracting it from all considerations of an economical character, the salutary influence of these benevolent markets seems very equivocal; nor can they approve of that scheme of moral judgment, which would ennoble, with the appellation of pure and unbought charity, the doubtful virtue, which gives alms only when tempted, and withholds its bounty till it is brought to the counter. If a man will not voluntarily, and from a sense of duty, give his dollar to the poor, is that process laudable or even justifiable which leads him unwittingly to the poor box, and induces him to barter his alms for something what which is pretended to be an equivalent? It is not supposed that any deception is intended or wilfully practised - far from it; but there seems to be but one other alternative, that as no one can believe that he gets an equivalent for what he gives, the whole process is a device unsuited to mature intelligence; or by some kind of excitement, not the less unworthy because innocently designed, an artificial generosity is produced, and he gives at a fair what in moments of calm and sordid reflection he would not dream of bestowing. This meeting is loth to believe that the springs of generosity and benevolence are so closely sealed as to render this frivolous machinery necessary, or that the key of human sympathy, the eloquence which has been so often heard in the cause of religion and charity, has lost its power, and been thrown aside for less direct and less worthy instruments."

On this point they add:

"We are not disposed to find fault with the spirit of traffic and

competition in the crowded business of life; but even there, all will admit that each man had better be content with selling as much as he can himself, without caring how much his neighbor sells, and that the petty rivalry which sometimes exists, and too often is encouraged, is consistent neither with sound morality, nor productive of substantial benefit. Is not the objection stronger and the doubt more reasonable, when the scene of action is changed, and the mimic representation of commercial life, the buying and selling of every day business is exhibited in places where nothing approaching to a mercenary impulse is supposed to find refuge. It may reasonably be questioned whether the spirit of religion and charity is at all purified by an infusion of the spirit of huckstering."

But they consider the evil not confined to the merchants in these fairs.

"As to the purchasers, it may be sufficient to state a single fact within the knowledge of the meeting, to show how injurious may be the operation on them. On a recent occasion in this city, a young man who depended on daily industry for support, and whose wages were not the most liberal, was induced by some friends to accompany them to the fair, and there, thoughtlessly and influenced by examples which it required the strength of a maturer mind to resist, spent in a few minutes the earnings of a month's painful industry. Many similar cases might be mentioned, and it is no answer to the argument they afford, to say that they are cases of childish facility or instances of abuse. It is in no censorious or cynical spirit that the assertion is made, that it is a system peculiarly open to abuse, and that this atmospheric charity is the twin sister of that facility which first gives more than it ought, and then is blamed for giving at all."

The Committee go on to say that there is a more serious objection to fancy fairs that they rob the industrious part of the community of the fruits of their labors.

"It is well known that the articles that are generally exposed for sale at the fairs are fancy articles of an ornamental character, which require more dexterity than labor in preparation, and which can be most easily and most profitably disposed of. By arranging the times at which the fairs are held, so that they may coincide with certain festivals, particularly Christmas and Easter, when there is a demand for such commodities, a much greater amount, putting out of view the exorbitance of price, is sold than would at first be believed. Now, it as well known that there are in this and all other communities a class of

individuals who earn subsistence by vending articles of this description, and who hitherto have looked to the periods that have been mentioned as their season of harvest, when the small profits on their little investments were to be made. Whether the fabrics which they sell are imported or made at home, it is equally impossible for them to compete with the zealous industry that is now exercised, and which is stimulated by a bounty that rarely smiles on the laborious efforts of ordinary labor."

Nor do they found their opinion on speculation merely.

"As to the fact, it is within the knowledge of this meeting, and is susceptible of the strictest proof, that the sale of fancy articles, at Christmas and Easter alone, within a few years. past, and since the passion for fairs has come to maturity, has diminished more than seventy-five per cent., and that the business, under existing discouragements, must be abandoned."

In order to fix the attention of their readers on one sufferer among hundreds, the Committee mention an individual instance.

"One case may be mentioned, in which a woman who kept a small retail store was obliged to take her children from school, because her means were thus suddenly withdrawn. In this instance, there was no necessity of speculating as to the source of the injury; for, on application being made by the sufferer to one of her regular customers, as to the cause of her withdrawing her usual assistance, the ready and reasonable reply was given that having spent so much money at a recent fair, there was nothing left for ordinary purchases. How small a portion of that generous stream of bounty, which was flowing onward to support some distant charity, need have been withheld to have sustained and cheered the widow and the orphans!"

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It seems to me, that all who fairly consider these facts, and these arguments, will unite with the Committee in their closing

sentence.

"When hereafter the spirit of piety to God, or good will to men, may prompt a scheme of religious or charitable benefaction, all that we ask is, that the rights of honest industry may not be invaded, and the hard earnings of humble labor be withheld."

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SCOLDING.

For the Religious Magazine.

I wish to notice one defect in the management of children, which I believe to be a very general, and a very pernicious one. It is that of talking to them, or as the children style it, scolding at them incessantly, without adopting any effectual measures to secure obedience. This habit results, in some individuals, from a constitutional propensity, which leads them to make use of more words than other people, on whatever subject they may be conversing. Of course, in governing their children, such persons will employ twice as many words as others, to express only the same resentment or concern. other cases, it results from an opinion that, in regard to those minor faults, of constant recurrence, which do not call for severe measures, the only way is to talk, and keep talking, till some effect is produced.

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Now there are two great objections to such a method. The first is, that it never attains the desired object; and the second, that it weakens, or entirely destroys the affection of the child for the parent. Let me illustrate my meaning.

A mother sees that her little daughter is careless and untidy, in regard to her clothes and books. One day, after Mary has returned from school, her mother finds her bonnet thrown on the table in the entry, one glove in it perhaps, and the other fallen down, while her books are scattered on the table or window-seats.

"Mary, how often must I tell you, that I will not have your things thrown about so. Just look bonnet, gloves and books, all in disorder. It is of no sort of use to try and keep the house in order, if this is the way you are going to act. I have spoken to you a great many times about it, and you pay no manner of attention to me."

The mother goes on in a similar strain for fifteen minutes, delivering a lecture upon the necessity of neatness, all of which is set down by Mary, to the account of excited temper: it is called scolding, and produces no other effect than to exasperate. In the mean time, the mother puts away the things, or perhaps tells the child to do it. Soon, she has occasion to go to one of Mary's drawers.

"Well! I declare - was there ever such a sight! I do believe our Mary is the most careless girl in the world. Mary, come here, and just look at your drawer."

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