Never did a poor fellow caught in the fact of robbing a hen-roost, slink away in a more humble, chopfallen spirit than poor Tom Fletcher did. Whether he will ever bring me another batch of his Socialism books or not, I can’t tell; but if he does, the first question that I shall ask him will be this, What have you got to offer me in exchange for the consolations of my Bible, the comfort of prayer, the peace of the sabbath, the goodness of God, the mercy of the Redeemer, and the never-ending joys of heaven? And never till he gives me something like a reasonable answer will I ever open another of his books on Socialism.
GOD, in the gospel of his Son, Makes his eternal counsels known; ’Tis here his richest mercy shines, And truth is drawn in fairest lines.
Here sinners of an humble frame, May taste his grace and learn his name; ’Tis writ in characters of blood, Severely just, immensely good.
Wisdom its dictates here imparts, To form our minds, to cheer our hearts; Its influence makes the sinner live, It bids the drooping saint revive.
Our raging passions it controls, And comfort yields to contrite souls; It brings a better world in view, And guides us all our journey through.
May this bless’d volume ever lie Close to my heart, and near my eye, Till life’s last hour my soul engage, And be my chosen heritage!
_London_: _Printed by_ W. CLOWES _and_ SONS, _Duke street_, _Lambeth_, _for_ THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY; _and told at the Depository_, 56, _Paternoster row_, _and_ 65, _St. Paul’s Churchyard_; _by_ J. NISBET _and_ Co., 21, _Berners street_, _Oxford street_;_ and by other Booksellers_. [_Price_ 2_s._ 4_d._ _per_ 100] _Considerable Allowance to Subscribers and Booksellers_.
***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALK ABOUT SOCIALISM WITH AN OLD SHOPMATE
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