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 IN EASY VERSE. 
 
 ST SIISS M. B. TVCKBT, 
 OF DUBLIN. 
 
 ' Vbit k tr.jr belovsd. and thii a my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem* 
 
 Song uj .W Tr < 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 
 
 1122 Chestnut St. 
 
Entered accot Jing to Act of Congress, in the year 1841, 
 by Herman Hope, Treasurer, in trust to t> - American Sun- 
 day-school fJnion, in the Clerk's Office of the Instrict Court 
 3f the Eastern Distric. of Pennsylvania. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 ^L 
 
 The beautiful little poem which you 
 lave in your hand came from Ireland. 
 The lady who wrote it knows very well 
 how to please children ; and in these verses 
 she has given us a very interesting history 
 of the life of Jesus Christ, while he was 
 in this world. 
 
 Some of the verses which we find in 
 children's books are very low and vulgar, 
 and not worth the time it takes to read 
 them; but this poem may be read with 
 pleasure and profit even by the oldest and 
 wisest, as well as by the young and igno- 
 rant. 
 
 -*» * 
 
 > The reader will remember that the kind 
 
 k 
 
* PREFACE. 
 
 author places Jesus beiore us as our Ex- 
 ample, or pattern. We should i: quire, 
 therefore, as we read one page after ano- 
 ther, whether our conduct and conversa- 
 tion are like his. 
 
 "le are my friends/' he once said, 
 6 if ye do whatsoever . I command you." 
 
 John xv. 14. 
 
9 
 
 His very foes were forced to tell, 
 That no man ever spoke so well ; 
 And wondering crowds with gladness hung 
 On the sweet accents of his tongue. 
 
 From every thing he heard or saw 
 Lessons of wisdom he would draw ; 
 The clouds ; the colours in the sky ; 
 The gentle breeze that whispers by ; 
 The fields, all white with waving corn ; 
 The lilies that the vale adorn ; 
 The reed that trembles in the wind: 
 The tree where none its fruit can find ; 
 The sliding sand ; the flinty rock, 
 That bears unmoved the tempest's shock « 
 The thorns that on the earth abound ; 
 The tender grass that clothes the ground; 
 The little birds that fly til air; 
 The sheep that need the shepherd's care, 
 
10 JESUS, 
 
 The pearls that deep in ocean lie ; 
 The gold that charms the miser's eye — 
 All from his lips some truth proclaim, 
 Or learn to tell their Maker's name. 
 
 Through "ife his daily work he found 
 In doing good to all around : 
 He filled the hungry poor with bread, 
 But cared not how himself was fed : 
 The meat and drink he ever loved 
 Was doing that which God approved. 
 Such mighty power was in his hand, 
 All nature bowed at his command ; 
 The stormy winds his will obeyed ; 
 The raging waves by him were stayed; 
 The dead arose to bless his name ; 
 The dumb went forth ti ) tell his fame ; 
 He bade the lame to walk — the ear, 
 That long was closed, his voice to hear; 
 
11 
 
 His word gave eye-sight to the blind ; 
 Ax.d healed the poor, bewildered mind. 
 The sick were brought from every place 
 To share the wonders of his grace ; 
 And as he did their health restore, 
 He bade them " go and sin no more." 
 Children within his arms he pressed, 
 And laid his hands on them — and blessed. 
 So tender and so kind was he, 
 He wept another's grief to see. 
 Sinners like wandering sheep he sought, 
 And to the fold in safety brought : 
 And holy sorrow fLled his eye, 
 That any in their sins should die. 
 
 Those were the sweetest hours he knew, 
 When nepr to heaven in prayer he drew : 
 And when with ceaseless toil opprest, 
 He sougnt some desert mountain's breast, 
 
12 JESUS, 
 
 (But not alrne — for God was there,) 
 To pour the voice of sacred prayer, 
 And often, long before 'twas day, 
 Leaving liis rest, he went to pray ; 
 And sometimes 'twas his great delight, 
 In prayer to speak with God all night. 
 
 But, Anna, time and words wou< i Till 
 His constant goodness to detail ; 
 'Twas like an ever-flowing stream, 
 A blessing wheresoe'er it came ; 
 Yet men were found with hearts r o hard. 
 They gave his kindness no regard ; 
 And when he did tneir sins ref/ove, 
 They paid him hatred for his iove ; 
 With craft and rage, from day to day 
 They sought to take his life away ; 
 Sometimes with friendly words they came, 
 Sometimes with slanders on iiis name ; 
 
They said his gracious works were done 
 
 By Satan's power and not his own : 
 
 rhey watched him in his daily walk, 
 
 And tried to catch him in his talk ; 
 
 But all his words were found so good, 
 
 That silent and ashamed they stood. 
 
 The great deceiver of mankind 
 
 In him no evil thing could find ; 
 
 Thought, word and deed, alike, were free 
 
 From folly and iniquity : 
 
 (By sore temptations pained and tried,) 
 
 The world and Satan he defied. 
 
 The thrones of earth to men seem fair, 
 
 But he could see no glory there ; 
 
 He owned a kingdom far above, 
 
 A kingdom time shall never move : 
 
 God's word his sword and sure defence, 
 
 He said to Satan, " Get thee hence ;" 
 2 
 
14 JESUS, 
 
 And in his lone and fainting hour 
 
 He triumphed o'er the tempter's power. 
 
 Sorrow and suffering well he knew ; 
 But holy patience marked him too : 
 Scoffed, hated, and reviled by men, 
 His tongue reviled not again. 
 And when it came — that fearful hour ' 
 That gave him to the sinner's power ; 
 And when it came — that fearful time ! 
 That filled a nation's cup of crime ; 
 When one who ate his bread, betray'd, 
 And wicked hands on him were laid , 
 Just like a lamb to slaughter led, 
 He went to let his blood be shed ; 
 Nor opened he his mouth to call 
 For lightning on his foes to fall, 
 Even at the moment when he heard 
 A murderer to himself preferred. 
 
the child's example. 15 
 
 They led him to i death of shame ; 
 They called him by a traitor's name ; 
 Those, whom his hand had healed ana 
 
 fed, 
 Shouted for vengeance on his head : 
 His flesh with nails was rudely torn, 
 His head was crowned with piercing 
 
 thorn; 
 His foes his sufferings did deride, 
 His dearest friends forsook his side : 
 One, who had vowed with him to die, 
 His very name did now deny. 
 Deep sorrows compassed him about, 
 Hope for a time seemed quite shut out, 
 When e'en his heavenly Father's face 
 Withdrew its wonted smile of grace. 
 The darkened sun refused to see 
 That hour of sharpest agony ; 
 
16 JEStJS, 
 
 «My God! my God!" he cried, "0 whv 
 
 Hast thou forsaken me ?" — the cry 
 
 Told all the grief his spirit bore ; 
 
 And men reviled and mocked the more. 
 
 Yet in that dreadful hour he felt 
 
 His heart with love and pity melt ; 
 
 He marked his mother's look of wo, 
 
 Her tears of bitter anguish flow, 
 
 And gave her to the tender care 
 
 Of one who watched in friendship there. 
 
 He listened to the humble cry 
 
 Of a repentant sinner nigh, 
 
 And spake sweet promises to cheer 
 
 His fainting soul, and calm his fear; 
 
 Fhe cruel men, that wrought his death, 
 
 'ie prayed for with his parting breath; 
 
 Vsked that their pin might be forgiven, 
 
 Ind i netted from the book of heaven. 
 
17 
 
 Then, as he bowed his dying head, 
 He raised his voice a.oud and said, 
 
 "'Tis finished." 
 His pangs were o'er — his soul of love 
 Passed to the Paradise above : 
 Creation trembled as he went : 
 The earth did quake — the rocks were rent; 
 And through the crowd the murmur ran, 
 u Truly this was a righteous man." 
 
 Many who saw his sufferings mourned. 
 And smote their breasts as home they 
 
 turned ; 
 
 Some, who had stood far off from fear, 
 
 Again took courage and drew near, 
 
 The tear of deepest grief to shed 
 
 O'er the loved Friend, who now was dead 
 
 Close to the spot there was a cave, 
 
 But newly fashioned for a grave ; 
 2* 
 
18 JESUS, 
 
 They laid him there, as one asleep, 
 And turned away to pray and weep. 
 
 Now tell me, Anna, if you can, 
 Who was this child, and who this man ? 
 I think I hear you say, " I know ; 
 'Twas Christ, the Lord, who came to show 
 How little children, such as I, 
 May rise to glory when they die ; 
 I know 'twas Christ, because his heart 
 Alone was pure in every part : 
 He was the Son of God, and he 
 From every spot of sin was free 
 
PART II. 
 
 Comb. \>na, let us go to-day, 
 And see the place where Jesus lay ; 
 A stone has kept the grave secure ; 
 The stone is sealed to make it sure ; 
 A guard of soldiers watching stand ; 
 They came at Pilate's own command : 
 In vain they watch — the mighty stone 
 Is rolled away : the Lord is gone ! 
 He came to die, but death is o'er ; 
 He lives ! He reigns for evermore ! 
 
 Anna, we cannot lift our eyes 
 To God's bright throne above the skies; 
 Even angels veil their faces there, 
 While they his holiness declare. 
 
20 JESUS, 
 
 By searching we can never fir.d 
 How great the wisdom of his mmd 
 He lives, he works in every place, 
 But man has never seen his face : 
 No mortal eye could bear to see 
 The brightness of His majesty ; 
 Yet from that brightness Jesus came, 
 To oear the world's contempt and shame 
 Eternity beheld him stand, 
 God's Fellow, high at his right hand, 
 And with the Equal Spirit share 
 Infinite power and glory there. 
 'Twas He the earth's foundations laid, 
 'Twas He, sun, moon and stars that made 
 No robber of his Father's throne, 
 He claimed its honours as his own : 
 While holy angels him confessed, 
 God over all, and ever blessed ! 
 
Why did he leave that world of bliss, 
 To take a servant's form hi this ? 
 Why did he leave his Father's side, 
 To be despised and crucified ? 
 Why, Anna, can you tell me why 
 The King of kings came down to die ? 
 You think a while, and then you say, 
 a I know that too — for every day 
 I read the Bible, where 'tis said, 
 That 'twas for sinners Jesus bled." 
 Yes, Anna ! when Jehovah saw 
 Ungrateful man forsake his law, 
 His justice gave the stern command — 
 "Destroy" — but mercy stayed his hand. 
 God loved the guilty world, and gave 
 His only Son our souls to save , 
 
 His only Son with joy agreed 
 
 To suffer in the rebels' stead, 
 
22 jesus, 
 
 Prophets foretold his coming day ; 
 A messenger prepared his way ; 
 And sent the joyful shout abroad — 
 " Zion ! Behold your King and God !" 
 He took our feeble flesh to be 
 The partner of his Deity : 
 Yet not in pride and pomp arrayed, 
 To rule the world his hands had made : 
 A stable was his place of birth, 
 Though he was Lord of heaven and eartk 
 Rich in eternal glory, He 
 Chose nothing here but poverty : 
 The birds have shelter and are fed ; 
 He had not where to lay his head. 
 The law man broke he did fulfil 
 He came to do his Father's will, 
 And in his perfect righteousness 
 Men's lost, polluted souls to dress. 
 
the child's example. 23 
 
 On Calvary's cross the Saviour died, 
 That sinners might be justified, 
 And, washed in his atoning blood, 
 Might stand before a holy God : 
 Pardon to guilty man is given 
 As freely as the light of heaven ; 
 No price from him does God demand, 
 He asks no labour from his hand ; 
 Rebels condemned can nothing give — 
 This is the word, " Believe and live." 
 For Christ's sake all their sins shall be 
 Cast to the bottom of the sea ; 
 Their souls exalted to his throne, 
 And counted holy like his own. 
 
 So, Anna, did the Saviour prove 
 The strength of his Almighty love ; 
 So did the Father's pardoning grace 
 Shine in the great Redeemer's lace. 
 
24 JESUS, 
 
 Behold him as he walks the earth, 
 A holy being from his birth . 
 Behold him, as he bleeds and dies, 
 The sinner's spotless sacrifice ! 
 Behold God's well -beloved Son 
 Bearing the sins that man had done f 
 Behold him, as on earth again 
 He shows himself alive to men ! 
 Behold him, as his friends draw near, 
 Their Master's latest charge to hear ; 
 Till, rising to the heaven of light, 
 A cloud receives him from their sight ! 
 Behold him now at God's right hand , 
 The world is given to his command • 
 And daily blessings still record 
 The love of our ascended Lord ! 
 For rebels still he intercedes, 
 For them his sacrifice he pleads. 
 
Still in his word we hear him say, 
 " I am the Life, the Truth, the Way." 
 Why, sinners ! will you close the ear, 
 When Christ himself invites to hear? 
 For you he came to earth and died ; 
 For you was pierced his bleeding side : 
 The heart, that bore your sorrows then, 
 Still feels for all the woes of men. 
 Come, weary with your sins, and rest 
 On Jesus' sympathizing breast ! 
 
 Anna ! are you a sinner ? Why 
 Does Anna turn away her eye ? 
 That downcast look, it answers — " Yes, ,J 
 Young as you are, you must confess 
 How many an evil thought can find 
 A hiding-place within y )ur mind ; 
 What foolish things you otten say ; 
 How idly you can spend your day. 
 
86 Jesus, 
 
 How pride ar..d passion often throw, 
 Upon your cheek, a crimson glow ; 
 What floods oi tears will often fall, 
 For things you do not want at all : 
 Whene'er you take a walk abroad, 
 How little do you think of God ; 
 To please yourself, how much inclined , 
 To others, thankless and unkind ; 
 How careful of your dress and food ; 
 How often careless to be good: 
 How oft, when kind mamma says, " Pray, 
 Anna, do this" — Anna says, " Nay ;" 
 And does her selfish will prefer 
 To dear papa's, who cares for her. 
 Novr, Anna, other children, too, 
 Are thoughtless sinners, just like you; 
 There's not a child in all the earth, 
 But is a sinner from his birth. 
 
21 
 
 His heart, his thoughts, his hands, nis 
 
 tongue, 
 Are not like Christ's, when he was youngs 
 And as he grows from child to mm, 
 He will go on as he began ; 
 Increase in folly every day, 
 And love each evil work and way; 
 Till God his Spirit shall impart, 
 Create anew the stony heart, 
 Melt it like wax, before the flame, 
 And stamp it with the Saviour's name- 
 But, Anna ! 'twill not shelter you, 
 That all besides are sinful too, 
 When Christ to judgment shall com* 
 
 down 
 And look on sinnerc with a frown. 
 Once on this guilty earth he trod, 
 The oatient, suffer ng Lamb of God; 
 
88 JESUS, 
 
 And once again in clouds of light, 
 While sinners tremble at the sight, 
 Ajs Sovereign Judge, shall Jesus come, 
 And speak their everlasting doom. 
 Then, on that great and solemn day, 
 When heaven and earth shall pass away, 
 All who within the graves have lain 
 Shall rise from dust, and live again, 
 With those who, long forgotten, sleep 
 In the dark caverns of the deep. 
 Behold ! the great white throne is set ; 
 All nations round that throne are met : 
 Safe gathered, at their Lord's right hand 
 His dear redeemed people stand; 
 But who are these, of hope bereft, 
 Weeping and wailing on the left ? 
 These are the unbelieving race, 
 Whose stubborn hearts despised his grace 
 
29 
 
 Too late their folly they deplore — 
 
 The voice of mercy speaks no more : 
 
 Driv'n from the face of God, they go 
 
 To darkness and eternal wo. 
 
 I want to teach my Anna this, 
 
 God with the wicked angry is : 
 
 Their sins he never will forgive, 
 
 Until in Jesus they believe ; 
 
 Until their sinfulness they own ; 
 
 And hope for heaven through him alone 
 
 Then will they walk as Jesus walked, 
 
 And talk as their loved Master talked ; 
 
 And think of God in all their ways, 
 
 And speak to him in prayer and praise 
 
 And see him in his works of love, 
 
 And see him on his throne above ; 
 
 No more to please themselves inclined, 
 
 lake tFesus, merciful and kind, 
 3* 
 
. *0 JESUS, 
 
 Their hearts, by daily grace renewed 
 Shall find delight in doing good ; 
 And men shall bless them when they see 
 Their works of faith and charity : 
 God shall look down with smiling face, 
 And lead them to his dwelling-place. 
 
 The years of man, dear Anna, pass 
 Just like the blade of tender grass ; 
 To-day, all green and fresh 'tis found — 
 To-morrow, withered on the ground : 
 The child is full of life to-day — 
 To-morrow, sleeping in the clay. 
 Vnd where shall sinful children fly, 
 To hide from God's all-searching eye, 
 When he shall bid the trumpet sound, 
 And raise their bodies from the ground? 
 On rocks and mountains they may call, 
 Upor. their trembling flesh to fail 5 
 
■THE CHILD'S EXAMPLE. 31 
 
 But they shall find no hiding-place 
 From an orlended Saviour's face. 
 Ho loved them once — his tender heart 
 In all their sorrows bore a part ; 
 With gentlest words he spoke to win 
 Their footsteps from the ways of sin ; 
 But sin was to their hearts so dear 
 The Saviour's voice they would not hear. 
 Dear Anna, since the Lord, from heaven, 
 Died, that your sins might be forgiven, 
 Since to the shameful cross he went, 
 And bore the sinner's punishment ; 
 Since in the grave his body lay, 
 Until his own appointed day; 
 Since he ascended to the sky, 
 To send down blessings from on high 5 
 Since He, in heaven's bright cc urts alone 
 Sits on the Mediator's throne, 
 
32 jesus, 
 
 Sharing with none that glorious name 
 
 He won through agony and shame ; 
 
 Since saints and angels join to raise 
 
 To him adoring songs of praise, 
 
 And own him worthy to receive 
 
 The noblest honours they can give i 
 
 Since from his high, exalted seat, 
 
 He welcomes sinners to his feet, 
 
 Invites the weary to his breast, 
 
 And promises to give them rest ; 
 
 Come, listen to his voice to-day, 
 
 Nor for another hour delay. 
 
 [f you believe the boundless love 
 
 That brought him from his throne above ; 
 
 And cry to think your heart should hide 
 
 The sins, for which he groaned and died ; 
 
 And long to walk from day to day, 
 
 Like him, in wisdom's pleasant way, 
 
Like him tc love the Father's will, 
 And youi appointed work fulfil ; 
 Like him, on heaven to fix your mind, 
 And cast this fading world behind ; 
 Mild, tender, meek to all around, 
 Like him, at all times to be found ; 
 Like him, with pitying eye to see 
 Men's want, and guilt, and misery, 
 And with constraining love to win 
 Their souls from Satan and from sin ; 
 Like him, to feel for others' grief, 
 And give the sufferer kind relief; 
 Like him, to spend your earthly days 
 In showing forth your Maker's praise ; 
 To mark each step the Saviour trod, 
 And walk, like Enoch, with your God ; 
 Until in heaven's eternal bliss 
 Your eyes shall see him as he is ; 
 
34 jesus 
 
 Behold f he ready stands to bless 
 Your soul with peace and holmes?, 
 To bid the love of sin depart. 
 And write his word upon your heart. 
 Then shall that word, like steady light, 
 Direct your youthful footsteps right ; 
 *Twill be as honey to your taste, 
 And cheering like a plenteous feast ; 
 More precious than the golden ore, 
 Or rubies from the merchant's store : 
 Then God will listen when you pray, 
 And stoop to hear his Anna say, 
 " Lord ! I am a sinful child, 
 So proud, so selfish, and so wild ; 
 I heed not what my parents say, 
 So much I love my foolish way 5 
 1 have a wicked heart within, 
 d all 1 do is full of sin; 
 
35 
 
 Bit Je&us shed his precious blood, 
 
 To save my soul and make me good : 
 
 I come to him, because I know 
 
 That blood can make me white as 
 
 snow : 
 He was a child, and so am 1, 
 And he can feel when children cry : 
 For his dear sako mv sins forgive, 
 And make me like him while I live ; 
 And lead me to tnat happy place, 
 Where holy children see his face." 
 
 ! seek Him now with all your mind, 
 For those who early seek, shall find ; 
 He watches o'er his flock for good, 
 And feeds his lambs with heavenly food; 
 Within his arms he gently bears, 
 \nd soothes their sorrows and their 
 
 cares: 
 
36 JESUS, THE CHILD'S EXAMPLE. 
 
 He will not turn from you his ear, 
 For children's prayers to him are dear, 
 But look with love and kindness down, 
 \n& cleanse your spirit with his own. 
 
 THE END. 
 
3 OH S MAU3IOB I N P B 1 S O . 
 
JOHN MAURICE; 
 
 THE EFFECTS OF A PASSIONATE TEMPER 
 
 N FOB THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION. AM* 
 BEVTSEE BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 
 
 1122 Chestnut St. 
 
Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1846, be 
 the American Sunday-school Union, in the clerk's office of thy 
 District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 
 
JOHN MAURICE. 
 
 "Will you go with me this 
 morning to the prison, to see poor 
 Maurice ?" said a friend to me one 
 clay. 
 
 "Certainly I will," I replied; 
 and we immediately were on our 
 way, and in a few moments the 
 walls of the dismal prison were 
 in sight. When we arrived at the 
 prison gate, we found a sentinel 
 walking in front. The walls were 
 
6 JOHN MAURICE. 
 
 of dark stone and very high, so as 
 to prevent any escape of the pri- 
 soners, and the lock of the door or 
 gate very large and strong. We 
 heard the heavy bar slide, and the 
 key turn in the lock, and were ad- 
 mitted inside the walls of the pri- 
 son, where those persons are con- 
 fined, who, by their crimes, have 
 made themselves unfit to live 
 among their fellow men. 
 
 " Mr. D and myself have 
 
 called to see Maurice this morn- 
 ing," said my friend to one of the 
 keepers. 
 
 " Walk this w r ay, gentlemen," he 
 replied ; and w r e followed him 
 through a passage-way, on both 
 sides of which were cells, and in 
 
JOHN MAURICE. 7 
 
 each of them was closely locked 
 some wicked person, who was suf- 
 fering the punishment due to his 
 crimes. After we had passed 
 many of these cells, the keeper 
 stopped at one, and unlocking it 
 invited us to enter. 
 
 A shudder passed over me as I 
 took a seat on the bench in the 
 same cell with one who had stained 
 his hands with the blood of his 
 fellow man. Poor fellow ! he 
 looked wretched enough, and when 
 my friend shook hands with him 
 and said with much feeling, " Oh, 
 John Maurice, has it come to this ? 
 who would have thought ?t that 
 knew you when you were a boy ?" 
 
 "Anybody might have thought 
 
8 JOHN MAU11ICF. 
 
 it who had known of my ungo- 
 verned temper," replied the pr' 
 soner harshly. 
 
 I strove to enter into conversa 
 tion with the guilty man, hut he 
 seemed very restless, and replied 
 to what I said with some impa- 
 tience. 
 
 Of course, I tried to lead him to 
 •see his guilt in the sight of God — 
 I spoke of the displeasure of God 
 against all sin ; hut I could see no 
 signs of penitence, and he only re- 
 plied that he had heard all that 
 before ! 
 
 Now, I will tell you what kind 
 of a child John Maurice was. 
 He was as lovely a babe as ever 
 smiled in a mother's arms. He 
 
JOHN MAURICE. *) 
 
 was dearly beloved by his parents, 
 tor he was their only son. His 
 father was a respectable merchant, 
 and his family lived, not only in 
 comfort, but in elegance. 
 
 This only son was always dressed 
 with neatness, his health w r as care- 
 fully attended to, and every thing 
 provided for him that could give 
 nim pleasure, so that, as far as pos- 
 sible, every wish was gratified. 
 
 While he was but a babe, he 
 began to show signs of a violent 
 temper. When his wishes were 
 not gratified, he used to scream and 
 strike with his little hands, and 
 was often seen to pout and scowl 
 before he could speak. 
 
 Before he was two years old, his 
 
10 JOHN MAURICE. 
 
 father died, and this was a great 
 loss to John, for, as he was a good 
 man. we may hope he would have 
 restrained the temper of his son, 
 and corrected him, as he should 
 have done, even w r hile he was an 
 infant. 
 
 His mother was of a. yielding 
 disposition, and her health heing 
 very feehle, she did not feel al 
 any time as if she could punish 
 her son for his outbreaks of tem- 
 per. Oh, what a dreadful mistake 
 it was in her to fail to correct him 
 "while- there was hope," for he 
 soon passed beyond all restraint : 
 and if his mother attempted it. 
 such a scream followed, that with 
 her feeble state of health, she was 
 
JOHN MAURICE. 1 I 
 
 obliged to give up the effort to sub 
 due him. 
 
 By the tim^ John was eight 
 years of age, no one in the family 
 dared to contradict him ; and this 
 state of things continued till he 
 was fourteen, when it was consi- 
 dered no longer safe to keep him at 
 home. His mother, having con- 
 sulted with some friends, deter- 
 mined to send him to sea. 
 
 John was very much pleased 
 with this plan, so that no persua- 
 sion was necessary to induce him 
 to consent to the proposal. He 
 thought he should he free from all 
 restraint, and at liberty to do just 
 as he pleased. It was thought best 
 to engage a place for him in a ship 
 
12 JOHN MAURICE. 
 
 that was about to sail on a whaling 
 voyage, as he would then be absent 
 three years or more. 
 
 Though John had caused his 
 mother so much grief and anxiety, 
 she still loved him tenderly. She 
 busied herself in providing many 
 little comforts for him, and in pre- 
 paring suitable clothes both for 
 warm and cold weather. He was 
 much pleased with his sailor's suit, 
 and had he only behaved as well 
 as he looked, he would have been a 
 very good boy, for he was a fine 
 looking lad. His mother entreated 
 him, with tears, to govern his tem- 
 per, and to try to win the favour 
 of the captain and crew, by his 
 
JOHN MAURICE. 13 
 
 good behaviour ; to which he re- 
 plied with much self-confidence, 
 
 "Oh, mother, never fear! No 
 danger but that I shall do w r ell 
 enough. When I am among men 
 I shall not be so tormented and 
 worried as I am when I am at« 
 home. I am sure I am not to 
 blame, if I do get a little angry 
 sometimes ; I like to have my own 
 way, you know, and not to be 
 teased." 
 
 His mother parted from him 
 with a heavy heart, but it was not 
 till after he was gone that she felt 
 what a constant source of anxiety 
 he had been to her. She felt now 
 as if he would be under restraint, 
 2 
 
14 JOHN MAURICE. 
 
 and in much less danger of com 
 mitting some dreadful outrage. 
 
 The vessel sailed, and John wa> 
 now on the broad ocean. He soon 
 perceived that he was not as free 
 from restraint as he had hoped to 
 be. For the first time in his life 
 he had to obey orders when he 
 had rather not ; and if he was 
 sulky, or if he muttered a word of 
 complaint, the mate would speak 
 sternly to him, and several times 
 he was struck with a rope's end. 
 On one occasion he show r ed so 
 much obstinacy and ill temper 
 that the captain ordered him to be 
 put in irons; that is, his hands 
 were chained together, and his feet 
 also. The captain told him, if he 
 
JOHN MAURICE. 15 
 
 saw any thing of the kind again, 
 he would have him most severely 
 punished. These were new times 
 for John. 
 
 In this way his temper was kept 
 somewhat in check during the 
 time the ship was absent. At the 
 end of three years he returned. 
 He was much growm, and his fond 
 mother hoped he was greatly im- 
 proved. He w r as more manly, and 
 had less frequent sallies of violent 
 temper. Still, several times within 
 a few months after his return, he 
 was almost furious with passion. 
 
 He had bought a dog soon after 
 his return, and was quite anxious 
 that he should learn a variety of 
 tricks. He wished him to carry 
 
16 JOHN MAURICE. 
 
 baskets and parcels, but the animal 
 was too playful to obey his master. 
 When John threw a stick the dog 
 would go after it, but would not 
 bring it again to him, and when 
 he went towards him, he would 
 run away as fast as possible. 
 When John could overtake him 
 he would whip him in a very cruel 
 manner. One day he was in a 
 perfect rage, because he could not 
 make the dog do as he desired. 
 As usual the dog ran away, fearing 
 a severe whipping, and seeing this, 
 John went into the house, and 
 seizing a gun, shot the creature 
 dead ! 
 
 Several years rolled away, and 
 John was without any regular em- 
 
JOHN MAURICE. 17 
 
 ployment. He then entered the 
 store of a merchant, who had been 
 a friend of his father. His em- 
 ployer really hoped he should 
 make a useful man of him. He 
 told him plainly, that if he ex- 
 pected to receive good treatment 
 he must conduct himself so as to 
 deserve it. "As you mingle with 
 men," said he, " you must contro] 
 your temper, or you w r ill be shun- 
 ned by all as a dangerous man." 
 
 There was another young man 
 in the same store with John, named 
 Sanders. He had been but a short 
 time in the village, and had but 
 little knowledge of his companion, 
 till he entered into the employ- 
 
18 JOHN MAURICE. 
 
 ment of the merchant, by whom 
 John was employed as a clerk. 
 
 One day John returned to the 
 store, after he had been home to 
 dinner, in very bad temper. San 
 ders finding him rather silent, 
 went up to him, and, slapping him 
 pleasantly on the shoulder, said, 
 " You seem rather grave this after- 
 noon. Has any thing happened to 
 you ?" 
 
 " Mind your own concerns, and 
 do not question me, if you please, 
 sir," replied John. 
 
 " That is rather a short answer," 
 said Sanders, "to a civil ques 
 tion." 
 
 " What business have you to 
 speak to me ?' replied he roughly 
 
JOHN MAURICE. 19 
 
 u Mind your own concerns, sir, 1 
 say." 
 
 " Why, you are not in earn 
 est, surely," said Sanders, with a 
 smile. 
 
 " Well then, see if I am not," 
 replied John, seizing a loaded gun. 
 which, unfortunately, was too near 
 at hand. His face w r as pale with 
 anger; and speaking through his 
 clenched teeth, he said, " Now, sir, 
 leave the store, or I will shoot 
 you." 
 
 "I am not afraid of that, my 
 good fellow, so I believe I will 
 stay," replied Sanders. 
 
 "Don't fire! don't fire! John." 
 exclaimed a lad, who was the only 
 other person in the store ; hut 
 
20 JOHN MAURICE. 
 
 John Maurice seemed not to hear 
 him ; and exclaiming, " There ! 
 take that, then !" he lodged the 
 contents of the gun in the side of 
 his companion. He fell with a 
 heavy weight on the floor, and was 
 instantly a corpse ! 
 
 " You have killed him !" cried 
 the hoy who had, the moment he- 
 fore, warned him. 
 
 The noise of the report brought 
 several men into the store, who 
 had been standing on the steps ; 
 others soon arrived, among whom 
 was an officer, who took John into 
 custody. 
 
 Then followed the trial — the 
 condemnation — the sentence. Oh. 
 how awful to enter into the pre- 
 
JOHN MAURICE. 21 
 
 sence of God with the guilt of 
 murder on the soul ! How awful 
 to appear before our final judge 
 when the blood of a fellow crea- 
 ture is crying unto him for ven- 
 geance upon us ! 
 
 Dear children, govern your tem- 
 pers ! Sometimes you are angry 
 with your schoolmates. You will 
 not play with them, nor speak to 
 them; and in your little hearts 
 you feel hatred towards them. 
 These are feelings which are pos- 
 sessed by the murderer. Remem- 
 ber, the Scriptures declare, He that 
 hateth his brother is a murderer. 
 
 Check the beginnings of strife 
 The wise man has said, The begin- 
 ning of strife is as when one letteth 
 
22 
 
 JOHN MADR1CE. 
 
 out water : therefore, leave off con- 
 tention before it be meddled with. 
 
 He that is slow to anger is better 
 than the mighty : and he that ruleth 
 his spirit than he that taketh a 
 city. 
 
 **3%&fete£&s--j& 
 
This BOOK may be kept out TWO WEEKS 
 ONLY, and is subject to a fine of FIVE 
 CENTS a day thereafter. It was taken out 
 on the day indicated below: 
 
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 i