one day of spiritual rest and aspiration so refreshes
a man's whole nature, and oils the many wheels of existence, that
he who allows himself a weekly Sabbath does more work in the course
of his life for the omission of work on that day.

"A young student in a French college, where the examinations are
rigidly severe, found by experience that he succeeded best in his
examination by allowing one day of entire rest just before it. His
brain and nervous system refreshed in this way carried him through the
work better than if taxed to the last moment. There are men
transacting a large and complicated business who can testify to the
same influence from the repose of the Sabbath.

"I believe those Christian people who from conscience and principle
turn their thoughts most entirely out of the current of worldly cares
on Sunday fulfill unconsciously a great law of health; and that,
whether their moral nature be thereby advanced or not, their brain
will work more healthfully and actively for it, even in physical and
worldly matters. It is because the Sabbath thus harmonizes the
physical and moral laws of our being that the injunction concerning it
is placed among the ten great commandments, each of which represents
some one of the immutable needs of humanity."

"There is yet another point of family religion that ought to be
thought of," said my wife: "I mean the customs of mourning. If there
is anything that ought to distinguish Christian families from Pagans,
it should be their way of looking at and meeting those inevitable
events that must from time to time break the family chain. It seems to
be the peculiarity of Christianity to shed hope on such events. And
yet it seems to me as if it were the very intention of many of the
customs of society to add tenfold to their gloom and horror,--such
swathings of black crape, such funereal mufflings of every pleasant
object, such darkening of rooms, and such seclusion from society and
giving up to bitter thoughts and lamentation. How can little children
that look on such things believe that there is a particle of truth in
all they hear about the joyous and comforting doctrines which the
Bible holds forth for such times?"

"That subject is a difficult one," I rejoined. "Nature seems to
indicate a propriety in some outward expressions of grief when we lose
our friends. All nations agree in these demonstrations. In a certain
degree they are soothing to sorrow; they are the language of