Readings for the Old

No. I

Yes, my friends and fellow-travellers, we want some admonitory readings now and then, as well as the young; we occasion<<186>>ally require to have our memories jogged, and to take a review of our by-ways through life; scanning the rugged paths over which we have trodden; viewing our many hair-breadth escapes from dangerous precipices and yawning gulfs; as well as recalling to our mind’s eye the several backslidings which our weak and irresolute hearts have caused us to be guilty of, when, guided by our passions and evil inclinations, we have suffered ourselves to be led from the highroad of love and duty into the labyrinth of disobedience and sin. This, my dear friends, is as essential for our own happiness here and salvation hereafter, as it is desirable to enable us to teach the young; for by pointing out the slippery paths of sin, we can the more effectually put them on their guard, and show them how to avoid those ways, so destructive to their peaceful and prosperous journey through life, sad salvation hereafter. Let us therefore prepare ourselves for our next journey (from this life of probation to one of eternity, the commencement of which we should be constantly expecting, and ready at a moment’s call to set out upon), by a retrospect of the past, with a view of occupying the remainder of our days on earth (however few or many they may be) in avoiding the path of error, and “walking in the way of the Lord,” and by our example holding open a book to the eyes of the young, which all can read and understand, teaching them by actions, and not by words only, their line of duty, and preparing for ourselves eternal bliss hereafter.

Such readings as these I feel assured would prove very beneficial, and I shall, therefore, in a future paper, open a leaf of the past, that by its light our vision may be conducted to a clearer view of the future.

Sexagenarian

Philadelphia, June 11th, 1851.

Note.—We welcome with pleasure our unknown correspondent; we will gladly give him several pages every month to lay his reflections before “children of a larger growth,” than those for whom our friend S. S. has been writing for several months past; but he will oblige us by giving us a knowledge of his name and residence, not that the world at large may be informed, as he probably prefers doing good without public scrutiny, but that we may know our fellow-labourer. It is our rule to be acquainted with our correspondents.