Henceforth I'll roll on him my every care, But after all those duties I have done, And trust for heaven through Jesu's blood alone! Echo, enough! thy counsels to mine ear, PRACTISE them. Farewell, Farewell. TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF MAXIMILIAN, A YOUNG CHRISTIAN.—A.D. 260.—The early Christians refused to fight; and it is related of Maximilian, when brought before Dion the pro-consul, and asked his name, Maximilian, turning to him, replied, "Why wouldest thou know my name; I am a Christian and cannot fight.” Maximilian was registered “five feet ten inches high,” and Dion bade the officer mark him. But Maximilian refused to be marked, still asserting that he was a Christian, upon which Dion instantly replied, "Bear arms, or thou shalt die." To this Maximilian answered, "I cannot fight if I die, I am not a soldier of this world but a soldier of God." Dion then said, "Who has persuaded thee to behave thus?" Maximilian answered, "My own mind, and He that called me." Dion then spoke to his father, and bade him persuade his son. But his father observed, that his son knew his own mind, and what was best for him to do. After this had passed, Dion addressed Maximilian again, in these words, "Take thy arms and receive the mark." “I can receive,” says Maximilian, no such mark-I have already the mark of Christ." Upon which Dion said, "I will send thee quickly to thy Christ." "Thou mayst do so," says Maximilian, "but the glory will be mine." 66 Maximilian still refusing the mark, spoke thus, "I cannot receive the mark of this world, and if thou shouldest give me the mark, I will destroy it. It will avail nothing. I am a Christian, and it is not lawful for me to wear such a mark about my neck, when I have received the saving mark of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, whom thou knowest not, who died to give us life, and whom God gave for our sins. Him all we Christians obey-Him we follow as the Restorer of our life, and the Author of our salvation." Dion instantly replied to this, "Take thy arms, and receive the mark, or thou shalt suffer a miserable death." "But I shall not perish," says Maximilian, "my name is already enrolled with Christ-I cannot fight." Dion said, "Consider then thy youth and bear arms; the profession of arms becomes a young_man." Maximilian replied," My arms are with the Lord. I cannot fight for any earthly consideration. I am now a Christian.” Dion, the Pro-consul, said, "Among the life-guards of our masters, the Emperors, there are Christian soldiers, and they fight." Maximilian answered, "they know what is expedient for them, but I am a Christian, and it is unlawful to do evil." Dion said, "Take thy arms, despise not the profession of a soldier, lest thou perish miserably." "But I shall not perish," says Maximilian, "and if I should leave this world, my soul will live with Christ the Lord." Dion then ordered his name to be struck from the roll; and when this was done, he proceeded, “Because out of thy rebellious spirit, thou hast refused to bear arms, thou shalt be punished according to thy deserts for an example to others," and then he delivered the following sentence, "Maximilian! because thou hast with a rebellious spirit, refused to bear arms, thou art to die by the sword." Maximilian replied, "Thanks be to God." He was twenty years, three months, and seventeen days old, and when he was led to the place of execution, he spoke thus: "My dear brethren, endeavour with all your might that it may be your portion to see the Lord, and that he may give you such a crown," and then with a pleasant countenance, he said to his father, "Give the executioner the soldier's coat thou hast gotten for me, and when I shall receive thee in the company of the blessed martyrs, we may rejoice together with the Lord." After this he suffered. His mother Pompeiana, obtained his body from the judge, and conveyed it to Carthage, and buried it near the place where the body of CYPRIAN the martyr lay. And thirteen days after this, C his mother died, and was buried in the same place. And Victor, his father, returned to his habitation, rejoicing and praising God, that he had sent before such a gift to the Lord, himself expecting to follow after. COMPASSION, PITY, &c. PITY; commiseration; sorrow for the sufferings of others; painful sympathy. JOHNSON. COMPASSION is derived from the Latin verb Patior, I suffer; with the prefix con, or com, meaning together; thus it literally means to suffer with or for another From the same root come also PATIENT; PATIENCE; PASSIVE; (which words are likewise used with the prefix Iм;) PasSION; PASSIONATE; DISPASSIONATE, &c., &c. The etymology of PITY is somewhat obscure; in Latin it is Miseratio; and from Miser, which signifies wretched; pitiful; come MISERY; MISERABLE; COMMISERATE, to pity; and CoмMISERATION. We now apply the term MISER to a person who hoards up money, because he is one wretched and truly pitiable, as all those must be who have no sympathy with, or for their fellow-creatures. SYMPATHY differs from COMPASSION in this, the latter always implies pity for suffering; the former, fellow-feeling with another, whether in joy or sorrow. SYMPATHY is derived from the Greek noun Pathos, feeling; from whence also come all words ending in PATHY, as APATHY, &c. Beye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. 1 PETER III. 8. : Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of gine evil against his brother in your heart. you ima ZECH. VII. 9, 10. To him that is afflicted, pity should be showed. JOB VI. 14. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given, will he pay him again. PROVERES XIX. 17. He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. PROVERBS XXVIII. 8. poor Ye have seen that the Lord is very pitiful. JAMES v. 11. Feeble are all pleasures in which the heart has no share. The selfish gratifications of the bad, are both narrow in their circle, and short in their duration. But prosperity is redoubled to a good man, by his generous use of it. It is reflected back upon him by every one whom he makes happy; in the intercourse of domestic affection, in the attachment of friends, the gratitude of dependents, the esteem and goodwill of all who know him. He sees blessings multiplied around him on every side. "When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me it gave witness to me; because I delivered the that cried, the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing with joy. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame; I was father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not, I searched out." Thus while the righteous man flourishes like a tree planted by the rivers of water, he brings forth also his fruit in its season; and that fruit he brings forth not for himself. He flourishes, not like a tree in some solitary desert, which scatters its blossoms to the wind, and communicates neither fruit nor shade to any living thing; but like a tree in the midst of an inhabited country, which to some affords friendly shelter, to others fruit; which is not only admired by all for its beauty, but blessed by the traveller for the shade, and by the hungry for the sustenance it hath given. Compassion is an emotion of which we ought never to be ashamed. Graceful, particularly in youth, is the tear of sympathy, and the heart that melts at the tale of woe; we should not permit ease and indulgence to contract our affections, and wrap us up in a selfish enjoyment. But we should accustom ourselves to think of the distresses of human life, of the solitary cottage, the dying parent, and the weeping orphan. Nor ought we ever to sport with pain and distress in any of our amusements, or treat even the meanest insect with wanton cruelty. BLAIR. Pity the distressed, and hold out a hand of help to them; it may be your case, and as you mete to others, God will mete to you again. WILLIAM PENN's Advice to his Children. ELEGY TO PITY. Hail, lovely pow'r! whose bosom heaves the sigh, Not all the sweets Arabia's gales convey From flow'ry meads, can with that sigh compare ; Devoid of fear the fawns around thee play,- Come, lovely nymph, and range the mead with me, And be the sure resource of drooping age. MURRAY'S ENGLISH READER. |