True Stories.
An Eastern Offering.—The three sons of an eastern lady were invited to furnish her with an expression of their love, before she went a long journey. One brought a marble tablet with the inscription of her name; another presented her with a rich garland of flowers; the third entered her presence, and thus accosted her: “Mother, I have neither marble tablet nor fragrant nosegay, but I have a heart; here your name is engraved, here your memory is precious, and this heart full of affection will follow you wherever you travel, and remain with you wherever you repose.”
GeorgeIII.—In the prayer book of his Majesty, King GeorgeIII., where the worshippers implore the Almighty to bless and preserve “thy servant George, our most gracious king and governor,” these words were struck out, and the following written with his own hand: “thy servant George, an unworthy sinner.”
Bishop Heber.—When bishop Heber was seven years old, a party of his young companions were amusing themselves with riddles and cross questions. Reginald was asked this question: “Where was Moses when his candle went out?” “On mount Nebo,” was his immediate reply; “for there he died, and it may well be said that his lamp of life went out.”
Talking too much.—The Rev. John Berridge was once visited by a very talkative young lady, who engrossed all the conversation in speaking of mere trifles. When she rose to retire, he said, “Young lady, I have one piece of advice to offer you; when you go into company again, after you have talked half an hour without intermission, stop awhile, and see if any one of the company has anything to say.”
The Emperor Adrian.—It is commonly said, that “revenge is sweet;” but it can only be so to weak minds that are incapable of bearing an injury. An elevated mind is superior to injuries, and pardons them. The Emperor Adrian, meeting a man who had insulted him before he came to the government, said to him, “Approach; you have nothing to fear; I am an emperor.” This is an example well worthy of being imitated by those who are called to return good for evil.
Peter the Great of Russia.—As Peter the Great, of Russia, was travelling through a village in France, he saw in a garden, belonging to a parsonage, a man in a priest’s garment, with a spade in his hand, digging hard at some beds of vegetables.
The Czar, much pleased at the sight, alighted, and asked him who he was. “Sir,” answered the man, “I am the clergyman of the village.” “I took you for a gardener. Why are you employed in this manner?”
“The revenues of my living being but very moderate, I do not choose to be an expense to my parishioners, but wish rather to have it in my power to assist them; they respect me the more, when they see, that, to procure myself some of the conveniences of life, I improve this garden; and in this humble occupation I spend as much of my time as the duties of my ministry will allow.”
“You are an honest man,” replied the Czar, “and I esteem you the more for thinking and acting in this manner; tell me your name.” He drew out his tablets, and wrote down the name of the worthyclergyman; and after telling him who he himself was, and giving him many proofs of kindness, he took leave of him and returned to his carriage.
When he went back to Moscow, he did not forget this scene, and endeavored to induce the priests in his empire to imitate so virtuous an example.
Alexander the Great.—Alexander the Great, on being asked how he had been able, at so early an age and in so short a period, to conquer such vast regions, and establish so great a name, replied, “I used my enemies so well, that I compelled them to be my friends; and I treated my friends with such constant regard, that they were unalterably attached to me.” He once degraded an officer of distinction, by removing him to an inferior situation. Some time after, he asked the officer how he liked his new office. “It is not the station,” said the officer, “which gives consequence to the man, but the man to the station. No situation can be so trifling, as not to require wisdom and virtue in the performance of its duties.”
The monarch was so pleased with this answer, that he restored him to his former rank.
An Armenian Prince.—The historian Xenophon relates, that when Cyrus had taken captive a young prince of Armenia, together with his young and blooming wife, of whom he was remarkably fond, they were brought before the tribunal of Cyrus to receive their sentence. The warrior inquired of the prince what he would give to be reinstated in his kingdom; and he replied, that he valued his crown and his liberty at a very low rate, but that if the noble conqueror would restore his beloved wife to her former dignity and possessions, he would willingly pay his life for the purchase.
The prisoners were dismissed, to enjoy their freedom and former honors; and each was lavish in praise of the conqueror. “And you,” said the prince, addressing his wife, “what think you of Cyrus?” “I did not observe him,” she replied. “Not observe him!” exclaimed her husband; “upon whom, then was your attention fixed?” “Upon that dear and generous man,” she replied, “who declared his readiness to purchase my liberty at the expense of his life.”
A Female Slave.—The late Rev. Richard Watson, in his defence of missions, states, that a master of slaves, who lived near the Methodist chapel, in Kingston, Jamaica, exercised his barbarities on a Sabbath morning, and interrupted the devotion of those who were assembled for worship. This man wanted money; and one of the female slaves having two female children, he sold one of them, and the child was torn from her maternal embrace. In the agony of her feelings she made a hideous howling, and for that crime, was flogged. Soon after, he sold her other child. This “turned her heart within her,” and drove her into a kind of madness. She howled night and day, in the yard; tore her hair; ran up and down the streets and the parade, rending the heavens with her cries, and literally watering the earth with her tears. Her constant cry was, “Da wicked massa Jew, he sell my children. Will no buckra massa pity neger? What me do? Me no have one child!” As she stood before the window of the missionary’s house, she said, lifting up her hands towards heaven, “My massa, do, my massa minister, do pity me! My heart do so,” shaking herself violently; “my heart do so, because me have no child. Me go to massa house, in massa yard, and in my hut, and me no see ’em.” And then her cry went up to God!