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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f6ea24 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #60138 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60138) diff --git a/old/60138-0.txt b/old/60138-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 474580a..0000000 --- a/old/60138-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2661 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Edith and her Ayah, and Other Stories, by A. -L. O. E. - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: Edith and her Ayah, and Other Stories - Edith and Her Ayah; The Butterfly; The Penitent; The Reproof; The Vase and the Dart; The Jewel; The Storm; The Sabbath-Tree; The White Robe; Crosses; The Two Countries; Do You Love God?; The Imperfect Copy; A Story of the Crimea; ? Have a Home, a Happy Home? - - -Author: A. L. O. E. - - - -Release Date: August 19, 2019 [eBook #60138] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EDITH AND HER AYAH, AND OTHER -STORIES*** - - -E-text prepared by Richard Hulse and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 60138-h.htm or 60138-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/60138/60138-h/60138-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/60138/60138-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/edithherayahothe00aloe - - - - - -EDITH AND HER AYAH, - -And Other Stories. - - -[Illustration] - - -[Illustration: A · L · O · E - -EDITH and her AYAH - -AND OTHER STORIES - -T. NELSON AND SONS. LONDON, EDINBURGH AND NEW YORK.] - - -[Illustration: WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP] - - -EDITH AND HER AYAH, -AND OTHER STORIES. - -by - -A. L. O. E. - -Author of “Exiles in Babylon,” “Triumph over Midian,” -“The Young Pilgrim,” etc. - - -[Illustration] - - - - - - -London: -T. Nelson and Sons, Paternoster Row; -Edinburgh; and New York. -1872. - - - - -Contents. - - - I. EDITH AND HER AYAH, 7 - - II. THE BUTTERFLY, 20 - - III. THE PENITENT, 29 - - IV. THE REPROOF, 37 - - V. THE VASE AND THE DART, 40 - - VI. THE JEWEL, 49 - - VII. THE STORM, 57 - - VIII. THE SABBATH-TREE, 65 - - IX. THE WHITE ROBE, 76 - - X. CROSSES, 84 - - XI. THE TWO COUNTRIES, 93 - - XII. DO YOU LOVE GOD? 102 - - XIII. THE IMPERFECT COPY, 106 - - XIV. A STORY OF THE CRIMEA, 112 - - XV. “I HAVE A HOME, A HAPPY HOME,” 119 - - - - -[Illustration: BLESSINGS ARE UPON THE HEAD OF THE JUST. PROV. 10:6] - - - - -I. - -EDITH AND HER AYAH. - - -“Mamma,” said little Edith, looking up from the toys with which she was -playing at the feet of her mother—“mamma, why does Motee Ayah never come -in to prayers?” - -Mrs. Tuller was seated at her desk in the large room of her bungalow -(house) in India. The day was hot; the blazing sun shone with fiery -glare; but the light came into the room so much softened by green blinds -and half-closed shutters, that the place was so dark that the lady could -scarcely see to write. The punkah, a kind of huge fan, moving gently -to and fro above her, made a refreshing air which would have sent her -papers fluttering in every direction had not weights been placed to keep -them down. - -Mrs. Tuller paused in her writing, but did not reply to the question -asked by her child regarding her ayah, or native nurse. - -“Mamma,” said little Edith again, “does not Motee Ayah love the Lord -Jesus?” - -“Alas, my child, she does not know him!” - -“But will you not teach her, mamma?” and the fair-haired girl looked up -in her mother’s face with such a pleading look in her soft gray eyes, -that, touched by her interest in the poor heathen, Mrs. Tuller bent down, -kissed fondly the brow of her child, and whispered, “My love, I will try.” - -Nor did Mrs. Tuller forget her promise. Again and again she spoke to -Motee of the Christian’s faith and the Christian’s God. It saddened -the heart of the lady to feel that to seek to teach Motee religion -was like trying to write upon water. The ayah joined her dark hands -together, listened, or seemed to listen, said, “Very good, very good,” to -everything that the beebee (lady) told her, but always returned to her -idol, a hideous little wooden image, and performed her poojah (worship) -to Vishnu, as if she had never heard of a purer religion. Mrs. Tuller -grew quite disheartened about her. Sometimes the lady blamed her own -imperfect knowledge of the language, and sometimes she felt almost angry -with the ayah for her blindness and hardness of heart. - -[Illustration: TEACHING THE AYAH.] - -Poor Motee had been brought up from infancy amongst idolaters; she had -never been taught truth when a child, and now error bound her like a -chain. Motee had actually been led to think it honourable to her family -that, many years before, there had been a suttee in it; that is to say, -a poor young widow had burnt herself with the dead body of her husband. -Happily, our Government has forbidden suttees—no widow can thus be burnt -now; but still the cruel heathen religion hurts the bodies as well as -the souls of the Queen’s dark subjects in India. Motee’s own father had -died on a pilgrimage to what he believed to be a holy shrine. Travelling -on foot for hundreds of miles under a burning sun, the poor idolater’s -strength had given way, and he had laid himself down by the roadside, -sick, faint, and alone, to die far away from his home. Poor Motee had -never reflected that the religion which had thus cost the lives of two -of her family could not be a religion of heavenly love. She worshipped -Vishnu, for she knew no better; and when her lady spoke to her of the -Lord, the ayah only said to herself, that the God of the English was not -the God of the Hindu, and that she herself must do what all her fathers -had done. - -Mrs. Tuller’s _words_ had little power, but her _example_ and that of her -husband were not without some effect upon the ignorant ayah. Motee knew -that the sahib (master) who prayed with his family, never used bad words, -nor was unkind to his wife, nor beat his servants, nor took bribes. Motee -knew that the beebee who read her Bible was gentle, generous, and kind. -The ayah could not but respect the religion whose fruits she saw in the -lives of her master and mistress. - -But it was not only the lady’s words and the lady’s example that were -used as means to draw the poor Hindu to God. Little Edith had never heard -the beautiful saying, that “the nearest road to any heart is through -heaven,” and she would not have known its meaning if she had heard it, -but the English child had been taught that the Saviour listens to prayer. -Every night and morning Edith, at her mother’s knee, repeated the few -simple words, “Lord Jesus, teach me to love thee!” and now, of her own -accord, she added another short prayer. Mrs. Tuller caught the soft -whispered words from the lips of her darling, “Lord Jesus, teach poor -Motee Ayah to love thee!” The mother took no outward notice, but from her -heart she added “Amen” to the prayer of her child. - -The hot season passed away; the time had come when Mr. Tuller and his -family could enjoy what is called “camp life,” and move from place to -place, living not in a house but a tent. The change was pleasant to the -party, most of all to little Edith. She delighted in running about and -playing with the goats, pulling the ropes, watching the black servants -taking down the tents, or in riding on her little white pony. Edith’s -cheeks, which during the hot weather had grown quite thin and pale, -became plump and rosy once more; and merry was the sound of her childish -voice as she gambolled in and out of the tent. - -One day, as Edith was playing outside, near the edge of a jungle or -thicket, her attention was attracted by a beautiful little fawn, that -seemed almost too young to run about, and which stood timidly gazing at -the child with its soft dark eyes. - -“Pretty creature, come here,” cried Edith, beckoning with her small white -hand; “have you lost your mother, little fawn? Come and share my milk and -bread,—come, and I will make you my pet, and love you so much, pretty -fawn!” - -As all her coaxing could not lure the timid creature to her side, Edith -advanced towards it. The fawn started back with a frightened look, and -fled into the jungle as fast as its weak, slender limbs could bear it. - -The merry child gave chase, following the fawn, and calling to it as she -ran, pushing her way as well as she could between the tall reeds and -grass, which were higher than her own curly head. - -Motee soon missed her charge, and quickly hurried after Edith. So eager, -however, was the child in pursuit of the fawn, that she was some distance -from the tents before the ayah overtook her. - -“O Missee Baba,” cried the panting nurse, “why you run away from your -Motee?” - -“I want to catch the pretty fawn; I want to take it to mamma; it is too -little to be by itself,—I’m afraid the jackals will get it!” - -“I am afraid that the jackals will get Missee Baba,” cried the ayah, -catching the little girl up in her arms. “Missee must come back to the -beebee directly.” - -Edith was a good little child, and made no resistance, though she looked -wistfully into the bushes after the fawn, and called out to it again and -again in hopes of luring it back. Motee attempted to return to the tents, -but did not feel sure of the way,—the vegetation around grew so high that -she could scarcely see two yards before her. She walked some steps with -Edith in her arms, then stopped and looked round with a frightened air. - -“Motee, why don’t you go on?” asked Edith. - -“O Missee Baba, we’re lost!” cried the poor Hindu; “lost here in the -dreadful jungle, full of wild beasts and snakes!” - -Edith stared at her ayah in alarm, yet at that moment the little child -remembered her mother’s lessons. “Don’t be so frightened, Motee,” said -the fair-haired English girl; “the Lord Jesus can save us, and show us -the way to mamma.” - -There was comfort in that thought, which the poor heathen could not -have drawn from calling on Vishnu and the thousand false gods which the -ignorant Hindus adore. The little child could feel, as the woman could -not, that even in that lonely jungle a great and a loving Friend was -beside her! - -Again Motee tried to find her way, again she paused in alarm. What was -that dreadful sound, like a growl, that startled the ayah, and made her -sink on her knees in terror, clasping all the closer the little girl in -her arms! Motee and Edith both turned to gaze in the direction from which -that dreadful sound had proceeded. What was their horror on beholding the -striped head of a Bengal tiger above the waving grass! Motee uttered a -terrified scream,—Edith a cry to the Lord to save her. It seemed like the -instant answer to that cry when the sharp report of a rifle rang through -the thicket, quickly succeeded by a second; and the wild beast, mortally -wounded, lay rolling and struggling on the earth! Edith saw nothing of -what followed; the shock had been too great for the child; senseless with -terror she lay in the arms of her trembling ayah! - -Edith’s father, for it was he whom Providence had sent to the rescue, -bore his little darling back to the tent, leaving his servants, who had -followed his steps, to bring in the spoils of the tiger. It was some time -before Edith recovered her senses, and then an attack of fever ensued. -Mrs. Tuller nursed her daughter with fondest care, and with scarcely less -tenderness and love the faithful Motee tended the child. The poor ayah -would have given her life to save that of her little charge. - -On the third night after that terrible adventure in the woods came the -crisis of the fever. Mrs. Tuller, worn out by two sleepless nights, had -been persuaded to go to rest, and let Motee take her turn of watching -beside the child. The tent was nearly dark,—but one light burned -within it,—Edith lay in shadow,—the ayah could not see her face,—a -terror came over the Hindu,—all was so still, she could not hear any -breathing,—could Missee Baba be dead! Motee during two anxious days had -prayed to all the false gods that she could think of to make Missee Edith -well; but the fever had not decreased. Now, in the silence of the night, -poor Motee Ayah bethought her of the English girl’s words in the jungle. -Little Edith had said that the Lord could save them,—and had he not saved -from the jaws of the savage tiger? Could he not help them now? The Hindu -knelt beside the charpoy (pallet) on which lay the fair-haired child, -put her brown palms together, bowed her head, and for the first time in -her life breathed a prayer to the Christian’s God: “Lord Jesus, save -Missee Baba!” - -[Illustration: THE AYAH PRAYING.] - -“O Motee! Motee!” cried little Edith, starting up from the pillow with -a cry of delight, and flinging her white arms round the neck of the -astonished Hindu, “the Lord has made you love him,—I knew he would,—for -I prayed so hard. And oh, how I love you, Motee—more than ever I did -before!” The curly head nestled on the bosom of the ayah, and her dark -skin was wet with the little child’s tears of joy. - -Edith, a few minutes before, had awoke refreshed from a long sleep, -during which her fever had passed away. And from that hour her recovery -was speedy; before many days were over the child was again sporting about -in innocent glee. And from that night the ayah never prayed to an idol -again. Willing she now was to listen to all that the beebee could tell -of a great and merciful Lord. Of the skin of the tiger that the sahib -had slain a rug was made, which Edith called her praying-carpet. Upon -this, morning and night, the white English girl and her ayah knelt side -by side, and offered up simple prayers to Him who had saved them from -death. Mrs. Tuller’s words had done less than her example in drawing a -poor wandering soul to God; but the prayer lisped by her little lamb had -had greater effect than either. - -Oh, if, in our dear land, all the little ones who have no money to give -to the missionary cause, who have never even seen an idolater, would lift -up their hands and hearts to the Lord, saying, “Teach the poor heathen to -love thee!” how rich a harvest of blessings would be drawn down by such a -prayer on those who know not the truth, and still sit in darkness and the -shadow of death! - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: BUY THE TRUTH AND SELL IT NOT. Prov. 23:23.] - - - - -II. - -THE BUTTERFLY. - - -A party of boys had been playing in the fields on a sunny afternoon in -the bright month of June. They had been chasing a gay butterfly, which, -in its uncertain flight, had led them over hedge and ditch, till at -last the beautiful prize was won, and the brilliant insect remained a -helpless prisoner in the hands of its pursuers. Alas, for the butterfly! -A few moments before so gay and so free, sometimes resting on a blossom, -then fluttering up towards the sky, its lovely wings were rudely torn -away, and it lay quivering in the agonies of death. At this moment Ella -Claremont, a young lady of the village, approached the party; she had -seen the chase and its close, and looked with regret on the poor mangled -butterfly. “Why did you not let it live?” said she; “it had never harmed -you, and it was so happy. You easily took away its little life,” she -added; “but could any of you, could any power on earth, give that life -back again?” - -[Illustration: A HELPLESS PRISONER.] - -The boys looked one upon another, and were silent, till the eldest of -them, Giles, replied, “I am sorry that I killed it, but I did not know -that there was any harm.” - -“Surely,” said Ella, in a very gentle voice, “in a world where there is -so much pain, one would be sorry to add, even in the least degree, to -the amount of it. There is another feeling,” continued she, “that should -make us merciful to every creature; we should look upon it as one of the -wonderful works of God.” - -“Why,” said Anthony, “a butterfly is only a caterpillar after it has -wings.” - -“True; but what human skill could form a caterpillar! It has been -calculated that in a single caterpillar there are _sixty thousand -muscles_!” - -An exclamation of astonishment burst from the boys. - -“They must be finer than spiders’ threads,” cried Giles. - -“I daresay,” replied the lady, “that you are not aware that each separate -spider’s thread is said to be formed of about _three thousand_ joined -together.” - -“The world seems full of wonders,” exclaimed little Robert. - -“It is indeed; the more we search into God’s works, the more wisdom and -skill do we behold.” - -“I’ll not kill a butterfly again,” said Giles. - -“I never see one fluttering in the sun,” continued Ella, “without -thinking of those lines:— - - ‘Thou hast burst from thy prison, - Bright child of the air! - Like a spirit just risen - From its mansion of care!’” - -“That sounds very pretty,” said Giles; “but I don’t understand it.” - -“It is not very difficult to explain,” replied Ella. “The butterfly -teaches us a joyful lesson; it is what is called a _type_ of immortality! -You see the lowly caterpillar crawling over a leaf,—it cannot raise -itself towards the sky,—it cannot leave the earth; in this it is like -what _we are now_. Then, as you know, it seems to die; it is wrapped up -in its little covering, and there it lies without motion or feeling—that -is like what _we must be_.” - -“Ah! I see; when we are in our coffins, dead and buried,” cried Robert. -“But the bright butterfly soon bursts from the dark case, and we do not -rise from our graves.” - -“_We shall_,” replied Ella earnestly; “_we all shall rise again_. No -longer prisoners bound to earth, no longer creeping on amidst trials -and sorrows, but free, happy, glorious, shining in the beams of the Sun -of Righteousness. ‘For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be -raised’ (1 Cor. xv. 52). Why should we fear death—why should we dread -being laid in the cold tomb? When we think of the hope set before us, -well may we cry, ‘O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy -victory?’” (1 Cor. xv. 55). - -There was a deep silence for a few moments; nothing was heard but the -song of a lark high overhead, as it soared towards the sky. - -Then Giles spoke in a tone of awe, “Will _all_ rise again?” - -“Yes, all.” - -“Will all rise to be free, and happy, and glorious?” - -“Alas, no!” replied Ella. - -“How can we tell,” continued the boy, after a little hesitation, -“whether _we_ shall be among the happy ones?” - -“There will be but two classes then,” said Ella, “as there are but two -classes amongst those called Christians now. We may divide all who have -heard of a Saviour into _those who love God, and those who love sin_. -Those who love sin will awake to misery; those who love God will awake to -glory.” - -“But,” said the boy anxiously, “there may be some who love God and really -try to obey him, and yet sin sometimes.” - -“_All_ sin sometimes,” replied Ella. “There is not one human being free -from sin.” - -“Then,” said Giles, “I should be afraid that, when the trumpet sounded, -my sins would be like chains, and keep me down, so that I could not rise.” - -Every eye was turned towards Ella; every ear anxiously listened for her -reply; for every young heart was conscious of some sin, and felt the -difficulty which Giles had started. - -“It would have been so,” replied Ella, “had not the Saviour died for -sinners like us. His blood washes us _quite clean_ from all guilt—that -is, if we really believe on him and love him. Let us look upon our sins -as chains _now_, and struggle hard to burst them, and pray for grace to -help us: then, if we are Christ’s people, we shall rise joyfully in that -great day when ‘the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, -with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God’” (1 Thess. -iv. 16). - -“I think,” said Giles, after a pause, “that sins are like chains, and -very hard to break too. There is temper, now! I know that I’ve a bad -temper; I determine over and over again that I will get rid of it; but -the harder I struggle, the tighter the chain seems to grow.” - -“And mother is trying to cure me of saying bad words,” cried little -Robert; “but it’s no use—they will come; I say them when I’m not thinking -about it.” - -“Have you tried prayer?” inquired Ella. “Do you not know the precious -promises, ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to -all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him’ (James -i. 5). ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, -and it shall be opened unto you’ (Luke xi. 9). These words have often -been such a comfort to me, when I felt how heavy my chain was, and how -weak my efforts to get rid of it. And now, my young friends, I must leave -you; will you think over what I have said?” - -“Yes, miss, and thank you for it,” said Giles, touching his cap. - -Ella paused as she was turning to depart, and gazed upon the sky, all -bright with the evening sun, setting amidst clouds of crimson and gold. - -“How glorious!” she cried, “how beautiful that work of God! He, too, -speaks of the resurrection; he sinks to rise again! - - ‘Just so is the Christian; his course he begins, - Like the sun in a mist, when he mourns for his sins, - Then all in a moment he breaks out and shines, - And travels his heavenly way. - - ‘And when he comes nearer to finish his race, - Like a fine setting sun, he grows richer in grace, - And gives a sure hope, at the end of his days, - Of rising in brighter array!’ - -“Farewell, my children. Whether we shall see each other again on this -earth, who shall dare to say? But we shall meet again when the last -trumpet sounds, and the dead hear the Saviour’s voice, and the saints -awake in his likeness. Let us live now as those who are waiting for the -Lord, and who long for the hour of his appearing.” - - “Oh! when through earth, and sea, and skies, - Th’ archangel’s final summons flies, - May we, through Christ, immortal rise - Towards a heavenly home! - - “They who together life have trod, - May they together burst the sod, - And glorious rise to meet their God! - Come, Jesus, Saviour, come!” - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: THE HAND OF THE DILIGENT MAKETH RICH] - - - - -III. - -THE PENITENT. - - -“What is the matter with you, Charley?” said George Mayne, as he returned -home from the factory, and found his little brother crying violently on -the door-step. “What has vexed you, Charley, my boy?” - -“Oh, my father will never forgive me,” sobbed the child. - -“I cannot think that, he is so good and so kind. Come, dry up your tears, -and tell me what has happened; perhaps I may be able to help you out of -your trouble.” - -[Illustration: CHARLEY’S GRIEF.] - -It was some time before, soothed by the kindness of his brother, the -boy became calm enough to explain the cause of his grief. With a voice -half choked with tears he began: “Father had sent me to pay the baker—he -had given me a half-crown to do it—he had _trusted me_; and now it is -all—all gone! Oh, father will never forgive me!” and he burst into a -fresh agony of sorrow. - -“You lost the money, did you? Well, father can ill afford it, but he will -forgive you for an accident, I am sure.” - -“But it was _not_ an accident, that is the worst of it! You see, I met -Jack and Ben; they were playing at pitch-farthing, and they called to me -to join them.” - -“But father has forbidden us to keep company with those idle boys.” - -“I know it—but I disobeyed him—I was very wrong—and I am very miserable.” - -“I hope that you did not join the game?” - -“Not at first—I told them that I had given father my solemn promise -never to gamble; but they jeered me, and laughed at me—and I played with -them—and they got all my money from me—the half-crown that was not mine, -with which I had been _trusted_. Oh, father will never forgive me!” - -“Now, Charley, do you know what I advise you to do?” said George. “Go to -father at once, confess your fault to him, let not one sin lead you to -another.” - -“Confess to him!—I dare not.” - -“I will go with you, Charley; I will plead for you.” - -“But father is so poor; he will be in debt, and he cannot bear that! He -will be so angry. Oh, cannot I say that some one snatched the half-crown -out of my hand?” - -“Charley, Charley!” cried his brother, almost sternly, “the Evil One is -tempting you. He has gained one victory over you; would you be his slave -entirely? Pray to God for strength to struggle against this temptation: -remember that liars have no place in heaven. I will plead for you, I say; -and as for the money, I have been saving up pence for the last six months -to buy a particular book which I have much wished to have—I have just -enough of money, and I will pay the debt.” - -“O George, how good you are! But if the debt is paid, need I confess?” - -“Yes; you have not only lost the money, but broken father’s command, and -broken your own promise. Hide nothing. Take my hand, Charley, and come -with me at once; every moment that we delay doing what is right, we add -to the difficulty of doing it.” - -So hand in hand the two brothers appeared before their father, who was -resting himself after a hard day’s work. George encouraged poor Charley -to confess his fault; he entreated forgiveness for the offender; he -placed in the hand of his father his own hard-earned savings. The parent -opened his arms, and pressed both his sons to his heart! Then making -Charley sit down beside him, the good man thus addressed his repentant -child:— - -“I forgive you, my boy, for the sake of your brother; but there is -another Friend whom you have offended, whose commandment you have broken, -whose forgiveness you must seek.” - -“I know that I have sinned against God,” said Charley sadly. - -“And for whose sake do you hope to be forgiven?” - -Charley looked up in the face of his father, and replied, “I hope for -forgiveness for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ.” - -“And if you are grateful to an earthly brother for pitying you, and -pleading for you, and paying your debt, how can you be thankful enough -to that heavenly Saviour who shed his own _blood_ to win for you a free -pardon, and who now is pleading for you at the right hand of God?” - -Charley was silent, but his eyes filled with tears. - -“And now, George, my boy, bring me the Bible,” said his father; “it is -time for our evening reading.” - -“What part shall I read?” inquired George, reverently opening the sacred -book. - -“Oh, let him read of some one who had sinned and was forgiven!” said poor -Charley. - -At his father’s look of assent, George turned to the touching story of -the woman who, weeping and penitent, sought for mercy from the Saviour, -and found it. - -“Behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that -Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster-box of -ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his -feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed -his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee -which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, -if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this -is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering, said unto -him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say -on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors; the one owed five -hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he -frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love -him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave -most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to -the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into -thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my -feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest -me no kiss: but this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to -kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman -hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, -which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is -forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are -forgiven” (Luke vii. 37-48). - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: ENTER NOT INTO THE PATH OF THE WICKED. Prov.] - - - - -IV. - -THE REPROOF. - - -A lady and her young daughter were travelling by train. Two gentlemen -occupied seats in the same carriage, and presently entered into -conversation with each other. Their language was such as pained their -fellow-traveller to hear. The sacred name of the Deity lightly uttered, -the profane oath on their lips, showed how little they regarded that -solemn warning, “_For every idle word men shall speak, they shall give an -account the day of judgment._” Fearful of uttering her thoughts to the -strangers, the lady turned to her daughter, who, after having shown the -fidgety restlessness common to children upon a journey, now sat still -with open eyes and ears, a wondering listener to the conversation. - -[Illustration: IN THE TRAIN.] - -Anxious to divert the attention of Adine, the lady pointed out to her -various objects on the road, and then proceeded to repeat anecdote after -anecdote from the funds of a well-stocked memory. Adine was soon all -attention; and at last even the gentlemen, having worn out their own -subject of conversation, paused to listen to the mother entertaining her -child. - -“Did I ever tell you the story of a great king,” said the lady, “who once -overheard two of his courtiers speaking in a way greatly to displease -him? He gently drew back the curtains of his tent, and uttered this quiet -reproof: ‘_Remove a little further, gentlemen, for your king hears you!_’ - -“Adine,” continued the mother, with a flushed cheek and beating heart, -for she wished, yet feared, to make her lesson plain to the older -listeners, “may not some people yet need such a reproof?” - -“It would be of no use, mamma,” replied the child simply; “for, let us -remove as far as we can, _our heavenly King always hears us_!” - -There was not another oath uttered during the remainder of that journey; -the lesson had not been given in vain. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -V. - -THE VASE AND THE DART. - - -“Not at school again, Harry?” said the teacher, Willy Thorn, as he seated -himself in the little parlour of Widow Brown, and regarded with a kind -but almost sad countenance the flushed face of her grandson. “You have -not been with us for a month, Harry, and I fear that you never go to -church. I had hoped better things of you, my boy.” - -“It’s all from the bad company that he gets into,” said the widow, taking -off her spectacles and wiping the glasses. “He is a good lad at heart, -sir; but you see as how he has no firmness—he can’t say _No_. Harry -intends to do well one hour, and forgets all about it the next; but I’ll -be bound you’ll see him at school and at church too, some day or other.” - -“He knows not how long he may have the _opportunity_ of doing either. -Remember, Harry, the fate of your young companion, Sam Porter, hurried in -one instant into eternity—not one moment given him to repent, to call on -his Saviour!—all his _opportunities_ past for ever!” - -Harry sighed and looked down. - -“Well, my boy,” said Thorn, more cheerfully, “if you have made good -resolutions and broken them a hundred times, _try again_; try with -_faith_ and _prayer_, and God may give you the victory yet! I heard a -little allegory to-day. I thought that it might interest, and perhaps -benefit you; so, as it is too dark at present for reading, I will repeat -it to you, if Mrs. Brown would like to hear it.” - -“I am quite agreeable,” said the old woman, leaning back in her arm-chair. - -“What is an allegory?” inquired Harry. - -“Real truths shown in fiction. You will understand better what an -allegory is when you have listened to this. It is called the story of - - “THE VASE AND THE DART. - -“A young boy entered a beautiful garden, which extended as far as the eye -could reach. Through the whole length of it stretched a narrow avenue, -bordered with overhanging trees. Slowly the boy pursued his way along it, -listening to the songs of the birds, and admiring the green foliage above -him, through which, here and there, streamed the rays of the glorious -sun. He quickly perceived that he was not alone; on either side, all down -the long avenue, stood a line of maidens, beautiful to behold. They were -all robed in white, with wreaths of fresh flowers on their heads, and -greeted the boy with a bright smile of welcome. Each held in her right -hand a vase of gold, in her left a sharp iron dart.” - -“I do not understand this allegory at all,” said Harry. “Did any one ever -see such maidens as these?” - -“These maidens,” replied Thorn, “are well known to _all_—they are called -_Opportunities_. Who has not met with opportunities of doing good, -opportunities of receiving good?” - -[Illustration: THE ROWS OF MAIDENS.] - -“I see, sir. Pray go on.” - -“As the boy approached the first maiden, she held out her vase to him, -and invited him to take the contents. On the golden vase appeared the -word PRAYER, and the sweetest, fairest fruits were heaped up within it; -but the boy scarcely glanced at the proffered gift. ‘It is wearisome!’ he -cried; so pushed it aside and passed on.” - -“Opportunity for prayer!” cried old Mrs. Brown. “Ah, sir, who can count -how many times we have pushed that away from us! God forgive us!” - -“The boy sauntered on,” resumed Willy Thorn, “and soon another fair -maiden stood before him: she also held forth a vase of bright gold, full -of pieces of glittering silver. On it was inscribed the word KNOWLEDGE.” - -“Here is the opportunity of gaining learning at school,” said Mrs. Brown, -who was an intelligent old woman, and had read a good deal in her youth. - -“But the boy scarcely glanced at the proffered gift. ‘It is troublesome!’ -he cried; so pushed it aside and passed on. - -“A short space further on another maiden stopped him, with a bright and -joyous countenance. Her gold vase contained the loveliest flowers, and -on it appeared written, ACTS OF KINDNESS TO OTHERS. The boy looked at it -wistfully for a moment, tempted by the sweet perfume of the beautiful -blossoms. Opportunity smiled, but _selfishness_ stayed the hand of the -boy, half stretched out to empty the vase: he pushed it aside and passed -on. - -“The next maiden who greeted him was calm and fair, with a grave and -earnest look. Her vase was full of refined gold, and this was the motto -which it bore: ATTENDANCE AT THE HOUSE OF GOD. A sound of church-bells -came on the breeze, and the sweet music of a distant hymn; but in vain -they fell on the boy’s listening ear. ‘It is dull!’ he cried; pushed the -rich vase aside, and passed on.” - -“But you said, sir,” observed Harry, “that the maidens held darts in -their left hands, as well as vases in their right. What do you mean by -them?” - -“You shall hear before I end my story. So the boy reached another maiden, -who looked like an angel from heaven. Her eyes shone like stars in the -calm blue sky, and the tones of her voice thrilled deep into the heart. -Her vase was overflowing with sparkling jewels, brighter than those which -monarchs wear. On it shone in glittering letters, THE WORD OF GOD.” - -“Oh, I hope that he put out his hand and took _that_!” cried the aged -woman, resting hers on her Bible. - -“Opportunity cried, ‘Oh, pass me not by! _Search the Scriptures_, that -can make you _wise unto salvation_.’ She held forth her vase with -imploring look, but the boy was intent on pursuing his way. ‘I care not -for it!’ he cried; so pushed it aside and passed on.” - -“Well, he might have the same opportunity of reading the Bible again and -again,” said Harry. - -“Not the _same_,” replied Willy Thorn; “the boy could not retrace -one step of his way. No moment of time can ever be recalled. Every -opportunity of doing good once past, whatever others may arise, _that_ -opportunity is past for ever! - -“‘I shall meet with more maidens,’ said the boy. ‘I see an endless number -before me; doubtless they carry vases as precious as those which I have -rejected.’ But even as he spoke the words, he came suddenly on a black -iron gate, and he could pass on no further. Shuddering, he read on the -gate the solemn word, DEATH! - -“Then would he gladly have turned round: then would he have earnestly -asked for one more _opportunity_ for prayer—one more _opportunity_ of -doing what is right; but _the last had been passed_—he had slighted the -treasure of the _last_! Nor can we despise opportunities, and not suffer -for doing so; if they offer the vase, they also carry the punishment -meet for those who neglect its contents. As the boy stood trembling at -the gate of Death, a dart came hissing through the air, and inflicted on -him a burning wound: then came another and another; every opportunity -despised sent its messenger of vengeance, and the wretched boy, writhing -with the arrows of conscience in his soul, sank down at the gate, _and -perished_!” - -“Alas!” cried Harry, “where can I then find safety, for _I_ have -neglected more opportunities than I can number of _doing good_ and -_receiving good_?” - -“Ask the Lord for pardon through the blood of the Saviour!” exclaimed -Thorn. “‘_Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation_;’ -neglect not _this_ opportunity—_it may be your last_! O my young friend! -no day leaves you as it found you; every day brings its _opportunities_ -of _prayer_, _praise_, _reading the Bible_, and _obeying God’s laws_; -every day you have chosen either the vase or the dart.” - -Dear reader, to you would I address a few words. If this little story -has raised the thought in your heart, “How have _I_ improved my -opportunities?” oh, push it not aside and pass on! Let not the day close -without prayer; seize the golden prize while yet it is offered to you, or -hope not to escape the dart! - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -VI. - -THE JEWEL. - - -As a lady was walking across Hyde Park, rather early in the day, she -happened to take her handkerchief out of her pocket, and drew out with -it, by accident, a little red case. It fell on the path, and rolled -almost to the feet of a poor girl who was standing near. The child was -clad in rags, her hair was rough, her face and hands dirty; she was one -who had no one to care for her, no one to teach her what was right. Half -eager, half afraid, she stretched out her hand to seize the prize, but -first turned round to see that she was not observed, and met the eye of -the lady. - -“Stop!” said Mrs. Claremont, who had heard the case drop on the ground; -“stop, little girl, _you are in danger of losing something_!” and while -the astonished Ann knew not what could possibly be meant by such strange -words, the lady quietly stooped down and picked up the case herself. - -She then again addressed the child; her manner was not angry, but calm -and kind, and Ann, notwithstanding her fear and shame, felt a pleasure in -listening to so gentle a voice. - -“Come beside me while I rest on this bench,” said Mrs. Claremont, “and -tell me what I meant, when I said that you were in danger of losing -something.” - -Ann only stared at her, and made no answer. - -“Do you know that you have a soul?” - -“I know nothing about it,” muttered the girl. - -“Then,” said Mrs. Claremont, “I will show you what you were going to -take, and explain to you what you were in danger of losing.” - -“I’ve got nothing to lose,” thought Ann, but she watched the lady with -some curiosity. - -[Illustration: THE LADY AND THE LITTLE GIRL.] - -“You see,” continued Mrs. Claremont, “this little red case. It has -nothing fine about it,—it looks old and worn. Did you think it worth -stealing?” - -“I thought there was something in it.” - -“You thought right; the most precious part is _within_. So it is with -you, and all people, my child. Your body, which can be seen and felt, is -like the _case_ of the jewel; your soul is the jewel itself.” - -“What is a soul?” said Ann. - -“When I speak to you, you _think_ of what I say—the part of you that -_thinks_ is the soul; if any were kind to you, you would _love_ them—the -part that _loves_ is the soul. You can see that tree; it lives, but it -has no soul in it, it cannot _love_ or _think_. Do you understand me now?” - -“Yes,” answered the girl. - -“You cannot see this jewel, because the case is shut; I am going to open -the case, and show it to you.” - -Mrs. Claremont unclosed the little case, and Ann beheld a very beautiful -jewel, which sparkled like a star in the rays of the sun. - -“This jewel was given to my great-grandmother on her marriage,” said Mrs. -Claremont. - -“Oh, how bright and fine it is!” cried Ann; “it does not look at all old!” - -“It will never look old. When I and my children’s children are in their -graves, it will look beautiful and fresh as ever! And so it is with the -soul. Our bodies must be laid in the tomb, but our souls—those jewels -within—will never, never die!” - -“Where will they be when our bodies are dead?” asked Ann. - -“Either in happiness or in misery, according as we have been God’s -faithful people here or not,” replied Mrs. Claremont. “Now tell me, my -poor child, for which should we care most,—the _case_ or the _jewel_, the -_body_ or the _soul_?” - -“The soul,” answered Ann. - -“And it was your soul which you were putting in danger even now; for -_sin_ is the ruin of the soul. It is written in God’s Word, ‘What shall -it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul, or -what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?’ To procure a few more -comforts for your weak perishing body, would you throw away the precious -jewel within?” - -Ann looked at the lady very sadly, and then replied, “No one ever spoke -to me in this way before; no one cares for _my_ soul!” - -“O my child, there is One who cares for it, One to whom it is very -precious! The Lord Jesus Christ left the glory of heaven to come and -save poor souls. He bought yours with his life’s blood. He died on the -cross, that it might shine for ever in glory!” - -“Does the Lord really care for me?” inquired Ann anxiously. “Why, then, -am I so wretched and so poor?” - -“He does care for you; he does love you; you are precious to him. And as -for being poor and wretched—look again at this beautiful jewel, and tell -me where you think that it came from first.” - -“I cannot tell.” - -“It came from the dust,—it was dug from the dark earth. It had no great -beauty then; those who did not know its real value would have despised -and thrown it away; but there were those who knew that it was precious. -So we too belong to the dust, fallen sinful creatures; and we would have -lain there for ever, had not the Lord had pity upon us and raised us, and -brought us into the sunlight of his gospel.” - -“If the jewel was not bright at first, what makes it so bright now?” -inquired Ann. - -“It has been _cut_ and _polished_, and so it is with our souls. God -sends them poverty or trials here, to prepare them to shine in his palace -above! If the jewel had been a living thing it would not have liked to -have been cut, but it would never have been bright without it.” - -“I should like to know more about the Lord who cares for my soul, and -bought it with his blood,” sighed Ann. - -“Have you a Bible or Testament, my child?” - -“No, ma’am.” - -“Can you read?” - -“No,” said Ann sadly. - -“There is a Ragged School near, to which you might go and be taught, and -hear about the Lord Jesus, and what he has done for your soul.” - -“I know where the school is,” said Ann. - -“Go, then, and you will be made welcome, my poor little friend. I do not -remain in London myself, but I will leave with the teacher some clothes, -and a beautiful Bible, which shall be yours as soon as you can read it.” - -“Thank you, ma’am,” said the girl. - -“And one little word before we part, perhaps never to meet again in this -world,” continued Mrs. Claremont. “If you cannot read you can _pray_—have -you ever prayed to God?” - -“Never,” replied Ann. - -“Your soul can never be safe until you do. Kneel down, morning and -evening, and at least repeat these few words: ‘_O Lord, forgive my sins, -and make my heart clean by thy Spirit, for Jesus Christ’s sake._’ So -short a prayer you can remember, can you not, if I repeat it over to you -two or three times?” - -“I think so,” said Ann. - -“Pray with your whole heart, my child, and God, for the sake of the -Saviour, will hear and bless you. Love him who first loved you, believe -in his mercy, and obey his holy commandments. Then what matter if for a -few years, or months, or days, you be called upon to wait or suffer here? -Death will soon unclose the worn-out case, and remove the precious jewel -to that glorious place where tears shall be wiped from every eye, and -sorrow and sighing shall flee for ever away!” - - - - -[Illustration: THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. Prov. -ix. 10] - - - - -VII. - -THE STORM. - - -A little vessel was floating over the Sea of Tiberias; the Lord Jesus and -his disciples were within it. “And there arose a great storm of wind, -and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And Jesus was -in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awake him, -and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, -and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still! And the -wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark iv. 37-39). The tossing -waves sank down at his word, and the obedient waters lay like a sheet of -glass, reflecting the blue sky above! “And he said unto his disciples, -Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared -exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of Man is this, that -even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark iv.) - -Dear little reader, are _you_ in trouble or temptation? Then are you like -the disciples on the stormy Sea of Tiberias. Perhaps your relations are -harsh and unkind, or perhaps you are a poor orphan without a friend in -the world, and are ready to say, “No man careth for my soul!” But you -have one Friend, a powerful Friend, a loving Friend, who has led you on -your voyage through life until now, and will lead you to the end! The -Lord Jesus is beside you, though you see him not. Hear what he says to -those who love him: _Can a woman forget her sucking child! yea, they may -forget, yet will I not forget thee_ (Isa. xlix. 15). - -Or are you in great poverty, hungry and weary? You can scarcely earn your -daily bread, you have no comfort, no rest, no home! In the bitterness -of your heart, you cry, “Lord, carest thou not that we perish?” O my -child, the Saviour is _not_ asleep! He knows your trials, he has felt -them all—the Lord of heaven and earth once “_had not where to lay his -head!” Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them -that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep -them alive in famine_ (Ps. xxxiii. 18, 19). _Many are the afflictions of -the righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all_ (Ps. xxxiv. -19). Ask the Lord to help you, to feed you, to comfort you, above all, -to give you his Holy Spirit; for if we love and trust in him, then _our -light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more -exceeding and eternal weight of glory_. Then the rough wind of trouble -will but bring you on more quickly towards heaven, and even here below -Jesus may bid the waves of affliction _be still_, and there shall be a -_great calm_! - -Or are you in the storm of temptation? You wish to please God, you wish -to go to heaven, but you feel as though the way were too hard for you. -You think, “I cannot resist that temptation; I can give up all but that -one sin. If I do not join my companions in what is wrong, I shall be -despised; if I do not tell such a falsehood, I shall be beaten; if I -do not work or sell on Sundays, I shall be starved!” In such a storm -of temptation turn to the Saviour still; _for in that he himself hath -suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted_ -(Heb. ii. 18). Cry, “Lord, save me or I perish! Give me thy Holy Spirit, -that I may be ready to follow thee through trouble and temptation. -Whatever I may suffer here, oh, keep me faithful to thee!” - -Think on this one great truth, dear reader. The _comfort of the voyage_ -matters _little_ in comparison to the _place_ where we are going. The -voyage of life cannot last very long; the fiercest storm must soon pass -away! Look at these two different passengers, and think which of them you -would pity. - -See one vessel bounding gaily over the bright water, the wind in her -favour, the sun shining upon her; and look at that man on her deck! He is -a _slave_; he is going to suffering and misery, he dreads to arrive at -the port. _Do you not pity him?_ Yet his case is happy compared with that -of those who forget God—who, caring but for pleasure, living only for -this world, are yet hurrying on to death—_and after death the judgment_! -Poor slaves of sin! do they not know that— - - “The greatest evil we can fear, - Is to possess our portion here!” - -[Illustration: THE MAN AT THE WHEEL.] - -Now look at this other man in a storm-tossed vessel! He is going _home_. -He is going to riches, and honour, and happiness, and _home_! Though the -waves rise high, they will not overwhelm him; though the clouds are so -dark, there is a sunshine in his _heart_! On the shore he knows that all -will be peace, and he can smile in the midst of the storm! _Do you pity -him?_ But far happier is the Christian, however afflicted here; for his -heart, and his hopes, and his home, are in heaven, and he is on his way -to God! His sins forgiven through the blood of his Saviour, his courage -supported by the power of God’s grace! _Blessed is the man that endureth -temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, -which the Lord hath promised to them that love him!_ (James i. 12). - -Think of those who have already landed on the happy shore, but not till -they had passed through the storm. There are saints who have suffered, -and martyrs who have died for the Lord! They do not wish _now_ that their -trials had been less;—sweet is to them the remembrance of the storm! When -holy St. John, banished to Patmos for the sake of the gospel, saw heaven -opened, and its glory appearing, what did he behold there? These are his -words:— - -“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could -number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood -before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and -palms in their hands. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, -What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? -And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they -which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and -made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the -throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that -sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, -neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any -heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, -and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe -away all tears from their eyes” (Rev. vii. 9, 13-17). - - “_Lord, carest thou not that we perish!_” - How oft is the cry of despair, - When affliction’s waves roll, - And the agonized soul - Scarce can utter its anguish in prayer! - - Yet the Saviour is watching beside us, - His eye cannot slumber nor sleep; - The bark which he guides, - Where his presence abides, - Can never be wrecked on the deep! - - Oh! how soon would our inward fears vanish, - Our souls smile at perils without, - Could we hear his mild love - Thus our terrors reprove,— - “_Ye of little faith, why did you doubt!_” - - Lord, make us trust ever in thee, - Though our frail bark by tempests be driven; - Till thy sovereign will - Bid the rude waves “_be still!_” - And we rest in the haven of heaven! - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: HE THAT LOVETH PLEASURE SHALL BE A POOR MAN. Prov. 21] - - - - -VIII. - -THE SABBATH-TREE. - - -It was on a bright Sunday afternoon that the teacher, Willy Thorn, on -returning from church, met three of his scholars sauntering towards one -of the London parks. They perceived his approach at some little distance, -and instantly began to conceal in their pockets something that they had -been carrying in their hands. Their nearness to a very tempting stall, -upon which fruit and sweetmeats were sold, made Willy guess too truly the -cause of the hasty movement. He thought it better, however, at first to -take no apparent notice of the fact that the boys had been breaking the -Fourth Commandment by buying upon God’s holy day. - -“Well, my lads,” said Thorn, when he came up to them, “you are going, I -see towards the park. I will go with you; we will enjoy the fresh air and -bright sunshine together, and perhaps have a little discourse, which may -be profitable as well as pleasant.” - -The boys were usually very fond of the society of Willy Thorn; but just -now, with their pockets full of cakes and nuts, they would have preferred -being without it. However, no objection was made; they reached the park, -and seated themselves under the shade of a large tree, for the sun was -hot, and the shelter of the foliage was pleasant on that sultry afternoon. - -Willy Thorn looked upwards at the leafy boughs which hung above him, -through whose screen a long bright ray, here and there, pierced like a -diamond lance. “This tree has put an allegory into my mind,” said he. -“Boys, are you in the mood for a story?” - -A story was always welcome, and in the expectation of being amused, the -scholars half forgot that their teacher’s presence was delaying their -intended feast. - -“Methought,” began Thorn, “that I had a dream; and in my dream I beheld -a large and venerable tree. It was several thousand years old—so you -may imagine its size; but it showed no signs of age; its leaves were as -fresh, its fruit as abundant, as when the Israelites of old encamped -under its refreshing shade. This tree was called the SABBATH-TREE. It was -given by its Lord as one of the richest blessings which was ever bestowed -upon man. Freely might all partake of its fruit; but all were forbidden -by a voice Divine to break even the smallest bough from the sacred tree. - -“I saw in my dream that many thronged to the spot where the Sabbath-tree -rose, like a beautiful green temple, in the midst of the plain; and I -stood aside to mark the effect of its fruit on those who came to gather -it. It strewed the ground in some places so thickly, that it shone like a -carpet of gold.” - -“I suppose,” said Bat Nayland, one of the boys, “that the fruits of the -Sabbath-tree are,—going to church, praying, praising, and reading the -Bible?” - -Thorn smiled in assent, and continued: “I saw one haggard man come, faint -with hunger, to the spot. He threw himself down on the soft grass, and -fed eagerly on the nourishment freely provided. And I marked joy on his -pale face as he ate of the fruit of the Sabbath-tree, and I remembered -the holy words, _Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after -righteousness, for they shall be filled_. - -“I saw an aged woman reach the tree. She was so feeble that she had -hardly power to stoop to gather the fruit; but as she tasted it, her -strength returned, her bent form became more erect, she walked with a -firmer step, and I remembered that it is written, _They that wait upon -the Lord shall renew their strength_. - -“Next, a miserable sufferer approached; on his countenance was an -expression of pain. He was sick—grievously sick of the malady of sin, -fatal to all who cannot find a cure. But he knew the healing powers of -the tree. He fed, and even as he fed health returned to his faded cheek, -the anguish of his soul passed away, and the sufferer found himself -whole.” - -“I thought,” said the eldest of the boys, “that there was but _one cure_ -for sin!” - -“True, most true,” replied Thorn, with an approving look; “but in due -observance of Sabbath duties, we learn how to seek and where to find that -cure. - -“I had watched in my dream, with a rejoicing heart, thousands gathering -the precious fruit, and receiving nourishment, strength, and healing; -but now, alas! my attention was attracted by yet greater multitudes, who -thronged to the spot only, as I became painfully aware, to break and -injure the beautiful tree. Some enemy had hung up a hatchet on its trunk, -with _Disobedience_ marked on the handle, and of this numbers made very -free use to cut down large boughs from the tree. - -“‘I am going on a jovial merry-making in the country,’ cried one; ‘I and -my family shall have a treat. I want some wood to mend up my broken car.’ - -“‘Hold!’ exclaimed the youth who had been healed, attempting to stay -the hand of the Sabbath-breaker; ‘are there not _six_ groves nigh at -hand?—had you not better cut what you want from them?’ - -“‘No!’ cried the man impatiently, swinging the hatchet aloft; ‘there is -no tree so convenient as this!’ and for the sake of a little pleasure in -the country with merry companions, he cut a branch from the Sabbath-tree! - -“Then came a woman with a face full of care. She had not faith to trust -in him who clotheth the lilies, and provideth for the ravens. ‘I want -wood for a stall,’ said she, ‘whereon to sell my sweetmeats. I must earn -some more pence for my living; necessity owns no law;’ and taking the -hatchet of Disobedience, she also brought down a leafy bough, treading -under foot as she did so a quantity of the ripe, precious fruit. Not -content with thus breaking the Sabbath herself, she demanded that those -who bought at her stall should each bring, in addition to their money, a -fagot stolen from the holy tree!” - -When Thorn came to this part of his story, his scholars glanced -consciously at each other. They all now felt convinced that their teacher -was aware that they had been buying from a stall on Sunday. - -“It was grievous,” continued Thorn, “to see what multitudes trampled on -the Sabbath fruit, broke away twigs, snapped branches, to help on their -business or aid their amusements. Some wanted wickets for cricket, one -man required a handle for his spade; and though a very little delay would -have enabled them to procure wood from a lawful quarter, they were too -thoughtless, too covetous, or too impatient to reverence the Sabbath-tree. - -“But soon I beheld in my dream, that while none could faithfully -partake of the fruit without benefit, none without injury could break -off a single branch. As I watched, much did I marvel to see how -disobedience brought down punishment! The man who had repaired his car by -Sabbath-breaking, had little pleasure from his intended treat. As he was -driving from a public-house, suddenly a wheel of the vehicle came off, -he and his party were flung out on the road, and sorely bruised by the -fall. In some cases, the wood so unlawfully taken appeared to turn at -once into dust! The man digging with his Sabbath spade, found it suddenly -snap asunder, and the splinter ran into his hand, inflicting a terrible -wound.” - -“Oh, but how could that be?” exclaimed one of the boys. “Many a fellow -goes larking on Sunday, and the wheel of his car never comes off! I don’t -know what this part of your story can mean.” - -“It means,” replied Willy gravely, “that disobedience to God, the -wilful breaking of his holy commandment, unless the sin be repented of -and _renounced_, is certain to bring punishment in another world, and -_very frequently also in this_. There are multitudes of lost, miserable -sinners, who may trace their first steps on the path of ruin to _breaking -the Sabbath of God_. No one ever yet, on his death-bed, could say that he -_really profited_ by money so gained, or that he had no reason to regret -a pleasure gained by disobeying his Maker’s command. - -“The poor woman who sold sweetmeats, I found in my dream, was not long in -suffering the penalty of disobedience. In one of the fagots so sinfully -laid upon her stall, the serpent Remorse had lain coiled, unnoticed, -unseen! As she was counting her unholy gains, made by not only sinning -herself, but causing others to sin, the fierce reptile darted at her -breast!—with difficulty was the serpent torn from its hold, and the poor -sufferer sank on the ground, bleeding, fainting, trembling at her danger, -and weeping for her sin! It was some time before she was able feebly to -creep to the spot where comfort and healing might yet be procured by a -proper use of the fruits of the Sabbath-tree. - -“While the poor woman was in sorrowful penitence, doing all that lay in -her power to show her regret for the past, the boys who had purchased at -her stall—who had wilfully broken the Sabbath, not to supply real wants, -but to indulge their own greedy inclinations—” - -“I’ll tell you what _one_ of them did, sir!” exclaimed Bat Nayland, -springing up from the ground: “he just emptied his pockets of what he had -bought, said that he was heartily ashamed, and seeing an old lame beggar -near, he gave every crumb of his purchases to him!” - -[Illustration: THE LAME BEGGAR.] - -And suiting his action to his words, off darted the boy, and astonished -a ragged old man on crutches, by bestowing upon him at once all his cakes -and his nuts! - -Dear young readers! if any of you have been tempted to disobey your -Master’s commandment, by buying on the day which the Lord hath set apart -for himself, oh, consider it not as a trifling transgression. - -Resolve with prayer henceforth never to break the smallest twig from the -Sabbath-tree, but to feed on its sacred fruits with faith, and hope, and -love. Be assured, then, dear children, that they will become sweeter and -sweeter to your taste, and prepare you for the enjoyment of that _Tree of -Life which is in the midst of the paradise of God_. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: HE THAT WALKETH UPRIGHTLY WALKETH SURELY. Prov. 10:9] - - - - -IX. - -THE WHITE ROBE. - - -“What was that noise in the street?” exclaimed Mrs. Claremont, laying -down the pen suddenly. Ella sprang to the window. - -“O mother, something must have happened! some accident! there is a crowd -collecting round a poor little girl!” - -“We may be of some use!” cried Mrs. Claremont, and she and her daughter -were at the street door in a few seconds. - -“What is the matter? is any one hurt?” inquired the lady of a milk-woman -who was standing looking on. - -“A child knocked down by a horse, I believe, ma’am. They should take the -poor thing to the hospital.” - -Mrs. Claremont waited to hear no more; the crowd made way for her, and -she was soon at the side of a young girl who was crying violently, and -the state of whose crushed bonnet and soiled dress showed that she had -been down on the road. - -“I don’t think there’s any bones broken, only she’s frightened,” observed -a baker among the spectators; “I saw the horse knock her down as she was -crossing the road.” - -“Come this way, my poor child, out of the crowd,” said Mrs. Claremont, -leading the little girl towards the house; “we will soon see if the -injury is severe.” - -The weeping child soon stood in the hall; hartshorn and water was brought -to her by Ella, but on tasting it, the girl pushed it away in disgust, -in a peevish and irritable manner. In vain Mrs. Claremont sought for -any trace of injury; the road had been soft after much rain, and not a -scratch nor a bruise appeared; yet still the girl cried as if in agony of -pain or of passion. - -“Where are you hurt?” inquired Ella soothingly; the child only answered -by a fresh burst of tears. - -“I am thankful that no harm seems done,” said Mrs. Claremont. - -“There is harm!” sobbed the girl; “all spoiled, quite, quite spoiled!” - -“What is spoiled?” - -[Illustration: THE SPOILED DRESS.] - -“My dress, my beautiful new dress!” and the ladies now observed, for the -first time, the absurd and unsuitable manner in which the child had been -clothed. Now, indeed, her finery was half covered with mud; but the pink -bonnet, though crushed, the white dress, though stained and torn, the gay -blue necklace, and hair in curl-papers, showed too plainly the folly of -the wearer. - -“What is your name?” inquired Ella. - -“Sophy Trimmer.” - -“Where does your father live?” - -“He lives just round the corner.” - -“You should be very thankful that your life has been spared,” said Mrs. -Claremont. - -Sophy did not look at all thankful, she only glanced sadly down on her -torn dress, and whimpered, “Just new on to-day.” - -“You remind me,” said the lady, “of a story which I read in the papers -some years ago. A lady was going in a vessel to Scotland, and carried -with her a quantity of jewels to the value of a thousand pounds. She -thought so much of these jewels, that she was heard to say, that she -would almost as soon part with life itself as lose them. An accident -happened to the vessel on the way to Scotland; the water rushed into the -cabins, and the poor lady was taken out drowned.” - -“That is a shocking story,” said Sophy. - -“She could not carry her jewels with her to another world. But there is -one ornament which even death itself has no power to take away.” - -“What can that ornament be?” - -“An ornament more precious than the crown of the Queen, ‘the ornament of -a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of God, of great price’ -(1 Pet. iii. 4). The poorest may wear this—the rich are poor without it. -O my child, care not to appear fair in the eyes of your fellow-mortals, -but in the sight of God; your ‘adorning, let it not be that outward -adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on -of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is -not corruptible’” (1 Pet. iii. 3, 4). - -“What do you mean by ‘corruptible?’” said Sophy. - -“That which time can destroy. Nothing in this world lasts for ever: -flowers bloom and decay; the fruit which was delicious one week, the -next is only fit to be thrown away; the loveliest face grows wrinkled; -the finest form must soon turn to dust in the tomb.” - -“I don’t like to think of such things,” said Sophy; “they make me sad.” - -“They would make us sad, indeed, were this world _our all_. But we look -forward, in faith, to a place where there is no corruption, no change, no -death, because _no sin_; we hope to wear white robes in heaven which will -never be defiled with a stain. Do you know, Sophy, what makes them so -white?” - -Sophy shook her head. - -“We are all weak and sinful, less fit to appear before a holy God in our -own righteousness, than you are to enter the Queen’s palace in those -soiled garments. It is ‘_the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanseth from -all sin_;’ through his merits, and his mercy, you may appear spotless -before the judgment-seat of God, if you believe in him now, and ‘_keep -yourself from idols_.’” - -“I have nothing to do with idols,” said the girl peevishly. - -“More perhaps than you think. _Anything that you love better than the -Lord_ is an idol. The miser loves money best; that is his idol.” - -“Like old Levi, who half starves himself to scrape up pence,” interrupted -Sophy. - -“The ambitious man makes power his idol—some make their children their -idols.” - -“Like Mrs. Porter, who—” - -“Hush,” said Mrs. Claremont, “you have nothing to do with the idols of -your neighbours; try and find out what is your own.” - -“I do not think that I have any.” - -“Do you then love God with all your heart? Is it your chief business to -serve him; your greatest delight to do his will?” - -“No; of course, I like to amuse myself like other people.” - -“Have you ever given up _any one_ thing to show your love to him who made -you?” - -Sophy looked vexed, but made no reply. - -“Whom do you like best to please? Whom do you like best to serve? Have -you no idol which you decked out this very morning in all the finery -which you could collect?” - -“I suppose that you mean _myself_.” - -“Yes; _self_ is the idol of the vain, their hopes and joys are bound -up in self, therefore their hopes and joys are amongst the corruptible -things which must pass away. O my young friend, the foolish pleasures -which you felt this morning in these fanciful clothes, in one moment was -changed to pain; and but for the mercy of God, your own poor body might -now have been lying crushed and lifeless. Why rest your happiness upon -that _which cannot last_, and which may, any hour, be taken away from you -for ever?” - -“Gay, gaudy clothing always gives me a feeling of pain when I look upon -it,” observed Ella; “I believe that with so many it has been the first -step to misery here and hereafter.” - -“It is like the gay bait on the hook,” said her mother, “not in itself -deadly, but covering a fatal snare. Oh, ‘love not the world, neither the -things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the -Father is not in him. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: -but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever’” (1 John ii. 15, 17). - - - - -[Illustration: WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP] - - - - -X. - -CROSSES. - - -There was unusual silence in the little Sunday school when Ella -Claremont, its gentle teacher, entered it for the first time in deep -mourning. All had known of her sorrow; all had heard that her brave young -brother had died of wounds received in battle in a far distant land. They -thought of him whom they had seen some few months before so bright and -happy, with a smile and a kind word for all, now lying cold in his bloody -grave; and there was not a heart in the school-room which did not feel -sorrow and sympathy. - -Ella could not at first address her school; her words seemed choked; -the tears gathered slowly in her eyes; but she found strength in silent -prayer, and spoke at length to her pupils, but in a trembling voice. - -“Dear children, I have had much sorrow since we last met and talked of -the joys of heaven—a beloved brother has, I trust, through Christ’s -merits, joined the bright hosts rejoicing there. But should not I meekly -bear the cross which my heavenly Father sees good to send me? To every -one passing through this life is given a cross—a trial to bear. To some -it is so light that they scarcely feel it; with others so heavy that it -bows them to the dust. Each of you knows, or will know, its weight. But -let none be afraid nor cast down. The cross prepares for the crown. There -is something from God’s Word inscribed on every cross; and if we have -but faith to read it, it makes the heavy, light; and the bitter, sweet! -‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord’ (Rev. xiv. 13), is the -inscription on mine.” - -Every one passing through life has some cross to bear! Yes; amongst those -young girls assembled in the school-room there were some whose trials -were deep, who had much need to read the inscription to make them endure -the burden. - -Dear reader, are you in trial? Have you known what it was to weep when -you had none to comfort you—to wish that the weary day were over, or the -more weary night at an end—to wonder why God sent you such sorrows? For -you I now write down what were the crosses of some of the children in -Ella’s school; for you I write down what were the inscriptions upon them. -Perhaps you may find amongst them the same trial as your own, and feel -strengthened to bear your cross. - -Mary Edwards was very poor—hers was a heavy cross. One of seven children, -and her father blind; often and often had she come to school faint with -hunger and sick at heart. But for the kindness of friends, the family -would have been half-starved. Mary had never known what it was to have -a blanket to cover her; very seldom had she been able to eat till she -was satisfied; her clothes had been mended over and over again, to keep -them from falling to pieces; ill did they protect her when the cold wind -blew through the broken pane, or found its way through the crevices in -her miserable hut. Yet Mary had comfort in the midst of her poverty; she -remembered him “who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became -poor.” She had read the inscription on her cross: “Hath not God chosen -the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which -he hath promised to them that love him?” (James ii. 5). And Mary would -meekly repeat the hymn of good Bishop Heber:— - - “The cross our Master bore for us, - For him we fain would bear; - But mortal strength to weakness turns, - And courage to despair. - Then pity all our frailty, Lord, - Our failing strength renew; - And when thy sorrows visit us, - Oh, send thy patience too!” - -Amy Blackstone never spoke of her cross; she bore it in silence without -complaining. Her father was a drunkard—her mother never entered the house -of God. If she heard the name of the Holy One uttered in her home, it was -but in an oath or a profane jest. She never complained, as I have said; -for, while others would have been complaining, she was praying. Fervently -did she pray for her unhappy parents—fervently for herself, that evil -example might not draw her from God. Many a silent tear she shed over -her cross; and this was the inscription upon it: “I reckon that the -sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the -glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. viii. 18). - -All pitied Ellen Payne, for her cross was sharp. A lingering, painful -disease had taken the strength from her limbs, the colour from her cheek. -She never rejoiced in one waking hour free from pain, and often the night -passed without sleep. The doctors gave no hope, medicine no relief. -She had nothing to look forward to but pain, increasing pain, till she -should sink into an early grave. This was her cross; and this was the -inscription upon it: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a -crown of life” (Rev. ii. 10). - -Jane White had been a deserted child; she had never known a parent’s -care. She seemed one of the neglected, despised ones of earth, with none -to love her, and none to love. She felt lonely and desolate. This was -her cross; and this was the inscription upon it: “When my father and my -mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up” (Ps. xxvii. 10). - -[Illustration: ANN BROWN.] - -Ann Brown lived with her aunt. Few of the girls were better dressed, or -seemed more comfortably provided for, than she. Had she, then, no cross -to bear? Yes; for she dwelt with a worldly family, who laughed at her -for being “righteous overmuch.” When she would not join in profaning -the Sabbath—when she showed that she cared not for gay dressing or -ill-natured gossip—she became the object of ridicule and scoffs, more -painful to bear than blows. This was her cross; but sweet was the -inscription upon it: “If ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: -and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Pet. iii. 14). - -Mary Wade’s cross was in the depth of her own heart—the struggle to -conquer a passionate, violent temper. She desired to obey God, she wished -to live to his glory; but sin seemed too strong for her; she yielded -to temptation again and again, until she was almost in despair. Her -health had been bad when she was an infant; much of her peevishness and -impatience were owing to the effects of this. But no one seemed to make -allowance for natural infirmity; her companions did not like her; and, -worst of all, she felt that she was sinning, and bringing discredit on -the Christian name. Poor child! hers was an unpitied cross; but there -was hope in the inscription upon it: “There hath no temptation taken you -but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer -you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation -also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. x. 13). - -Elizabeth Brown was a sad little girl, but none knew the cause of her -sadness. She had once been the most thoughtless child in the school, full -of mischief, full of gaiety, never thinking of God. Her heart had been on -earth—her only wish had been to enjoy herself. Much trouble and sorrow -had she given to her gentle teacher, much grief to her pious parents; for -she had laughed at good advice, and cared little for punishment. But now -the gay child had grown thoughtful: a text heard at church had struck -her, and sunk deep into her heart: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: -for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth -to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth -to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Gal. vi. 7, -8). What had she been sowing for eternity? She thought of her neglected -Bible, her broken Sabbaths, words of untruth and of unkindness, her -mother disobeyed, her teacher disregarded! Could God forgive her after -all that she had done? Would he ever admit her to heaven? She feared -that her sins were too many to be pardoned. This fear was her cross. Oh! -praised be God for the precious inscription upon it: “The blood of Jesus -Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John i. 7). Jesus said, “Him -that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John vi. 37). - -Blessed are they who thus mourn for sin, _for they shall be comforted_. -Blessed is the sorrow that worketh repentance! Blessed are they who so -bear the cross that they shall inherit the crown! - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: BUY THE TRUTH AND SELL IT NOT. Prov. 23:23.] - - - - -XI. - -THE TWO COUNTRIES. - - -When walking through the streets of London, have you not sometimes met -a party of strangers, and felt sure that they belonged to another land, -because they spoke not the English tongue? Had you listened to them, you -would not have understood them; they conversed in the language of their -own country. - -My young friend, _what language do you speak_? If I knew but that, I -should soon guess to what country you belong. - -Perhaps you answer, “I am English. I know no language but my own.” True, -in one sense you are English, and you may thank God for it! You were -born in England, and here may spend all the years or days of your mortal -life. But your real country is in another world, where you will _live for -ever_! Thousands and millions of years may pass, but you will be still -remaining in the country which you have chosen. So, again I ask, What -language do you speak? To what country do you belong? - -[Illustration: FOREIGNERS.] - -The one is a bright and glorious place, where sorrow and pain are -unknown. Its citizens are angels and redeemed saints, who, with shining -crowns and harps of gold, rejoice before the throne of God. The language -which they speak is TRUTH. - -The other country is too terrible to describe. Happiness never enters -there, but pain, grief, and remorse abide for ever! Its inhabitants are -the tempter and his evil ones—hardened sinners who would not repent, who -chose the broad way that leadeth to destruction. And what is the language -which its citizens have learned? The language of Satan is FALSEHOOD. - -O my dear young reader, with anxious love would I once more repeat my -question—let your heart answer it—_What language do you speak—to what -country do you belong?_ - -Yet, mistake me not. There are some whose lips were never stained with -falsehood, who yet cannot be counted among the citizens of heaven. The -proud, the self-righteous, who trust to their own merits, who love not -the Saviour who suffered for all,—these may have learned the language -of truth, even as foreigners may learn the tongue of our land; but they -belong not to the country of holiness and joy. - -And others there are who have fallen into sin, whom the “father of lies” -has tempted and deceived; yet God’s mercy may prepare a heavenly home -even for them, if, believing and repenting, they turn to the truth. Thus, -St. Peter thrice uttered a terrible falsehood, but repented with bitter -tears, and, through the atoning blood of his Lord, was received into -heaven a glorious martyr. - -But oh, dread a falsehood as you would dread a serpent; it leaves a stain -and a sting behind. If you have ever been led into this deadly sin, -implore for pardon, like St. Peter. Like St. Peter, when _next_ placed in -temptation, speak the truth firmly, faithfully, fearlessly; for truth is -the language of heaven. - -There are four chief causes which lead to the guilt of lying—_folly_, -_covetousness_, _malice_, and _fear_. Examine your own life, and see if -any one of these has ever tempted you to utter a falsehood. - -It was _folly_ which made Richard tell a traveller the wrong road when -asked the way to the next village. He thought little of the _sin_ of his -lie—it seemed to him but an excellent jest; but the jest cost a neighbour -his life! The stranger was a doctor, travelling in haste to attend a -patient who had been taken with a fit. Richard’s falsehood made the -medical man lose half an hour, when every minute was precious. Oh, what -anxious hearts awaited his arrival! But he _came too late_; he found the -sufferer at the point of death, with his desolate family weeping around -him! - -It was _covetousness_ which made Sally declare that her fruit had -only been gathered that morning, when she knew it to be the refuse of -yesterday’s market. Did she forget that God’s eye was upon her—that her -words could not pass unnoticed by him—that she would have to answer for -them at the day of judgment? - -It is _covetousness_ that makes Nelly stand begging in the streets, -telling to passers-by her pitiful tale of a father in hospital and -a family starving. Will the money which she gains by falsehood and -hypocrisy bring with it a blessing or a curse? Oh, “What is a man -profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or -what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. xvi. 26). - -It is _malice_ that makes Eliza invent strange stories of her neighbours. -She delights to spread a slander, or to give an ill name. She mixes a -little truth with a great deal of falsehood, and cares not what misery -she inflicts. Whom does she resemble? _Not_ the citizens of Zion. What -language does she speak? _Not_ the language of Heaven. - -It was _cowardice_ which drew Peter into falsehood when asked who had -broken the china vase: he dreaded a blow; he _dared not_ speak the truth. -Do you not blush for him, little reader, who feared _man_ rather than -_God_? - -How different is Margaret Lacy! Neither covetousness nor cowardice could -ever make her pollute her lips with a lie. She serves a God of truth; she -is learning on earth the language of heaven. - -She was met one day returning, with a sorrowful step and tearful eye, -from a house to which she had gone to try for a place. “Well, Margaret,” -said Mrs. Porter, “why so sad? I fear that you have not succeeded.” - -“No, indeed,” sighed the poor girl. - -[Illustration: MARGARET AND MRS. PORTER.] - -“And how was that? I thought that you were pretty sure of being settled -there comfortably.” - -“Why,” replied Margaret, “the lady asked me why I had left my last place; -so I told her that both I and the cook had been sent away because a -bank-note had been lost in the house.” - -“You were not so mad as to tell her that?” - -“It was _the truth_,” calmly answered Margaret. “What else could I have -told?” - -“Well,” said Mrs. Porter, “at that rate you will never get a place.” - -“God help me!” said poor Margaret, meekly. “He will not let me starve for -obeying his word. I never touched the bank-note.” - -“I believe you,” answered her neighbour; “for I do not think that you -ever spoke an untruth in your life.” - -And Margaret _did_ get a place. Carter, the butcher, engaged her the next -day. “Say nothing against her to me,” he cried. “I know the girl; she -would sooner touch red-hot iron than money that was not hers. And as for -_truth_, I’d take her word against the oaths of a dozen!” - -Once, as Margaret was cleaning out the parlour, not perceiving her -master’s new watch, which lay on the table concealed by a newspaper, -she threw it by accident down to the ground. Startled and alarmed, she -raised it and put it to her ear, longing to hear the regular beat, which -might show that it was unhurt. Alas! all was quite still—what mischief -she had done! Margaret dreaded her master, who was a passionate man; she -dreaded, perhaps, losing her place. She might have replaced the watch on -the table, and said nothing; its stopping might be thought accidental. -But Margaret would not stoop to _hide the truth_ any more than to tell a -lie. With a beating heart and a trembling hand she carried the watch to -her master, and confessed the whole truth. Was she dismissed or struck, -as she had feared that she might be? No; Carter, vexed as he was, could -not but admire her honesty and candour. - -“Well, Margaret,” he cried, “were your life to depend on it, I don’t -believe you would buy life itself with a lie.” - -Can this be said of you, reader? If not, oh, pray for forgiveness of your -sin, and for grace from _this hour_ to forsake it. May God enable you to -speak the truth from your heart, and to learn upon earth the language of -heaven! - - - - -[Illustration: THE HAND OF THE DILIGENT MAKETH RICH] - - - - -XII. - -DO YOU LOVE GOD? - - -The following anecdote was given as _a fact_ by a clergyman at Hampstead, -in a sermon to children:— - -A gentleman, travelling on a railway, was much struck by the vivacity -of a lovely little girl about five years of age, who, with her mother, -happened to be travelling in the same carriage, and he took a great deal -of notice of the child. About ten minutes before the train reached the -station at which the lady and her daughter were to alight, the little one -went up to the gentleman, and putting her lips close to his ear, asked -softly, “Do you love God?” - -[Illustration: THE CHILD’S QUESTION.] - -The traveller, who apparently was not a devout man, was so startled by -the unexpected question, that he coloured to the roots of his hair; and -the child, seeing his confusion, and probably frightened at her own -boldness, retreated, and hid her face on her mother’s bosom until the -train stopped at the station. - -But her solemn question had sunk deep into the mind of the traveller. “Do -you love God?” he repeated to himself again and again. For a long period -the words haunted him, till at length he was able to give to them the -only reply which a true Christian can give. - -About two years afterwards, the gentleman happened to be in the -town at which he had left his little fellow-traveller on that -never-to-be-forgotten day. While passing along it, he fancied that he -saw at a window the face of the mother of the child. His desire to see -the little one to whom he owed so much was so great, that he could not -refrain from knocking at the door and introducing himself to the lady. -Upon seeing her, he inquired after her lovely child. The lady was dressed -in mourning. God had sent her heavy affliction; her sweet girl now slept -in the silent tomb. The mother took the stranger to a room, in which were -laid out various trifles which had belonged to her darling. - -“It may interest you to see these,” she said; “these are all that remain -of my child.” - -“Oh no!” exclaimed the traveller; “here am I!” and he related to the -wondering parent how the word spoken in season by those infant lips had -been the means of leading him to his God. - -Even that feeble child had done her work for her Master before he called -her to her rest; even that feeble child had been given a soul to be her -“joy and crown of rejoicing for ever.” - -O dear young reader! how would you now answer that whispered question, -“DO YOU LOVE GOD?” Could your heart give the reply, “_I love him because -he first loved us_”? - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: ENTER NOT INTO THE PATH OF THE WICKED. Prov.] - - - - -XIII. - -THE IMPERFECT COPY. - - -“Always busy at your drawing, Edwin?” said his elder brother Henry, as he -entered the school-room one morning. - -Edwin looked up for a moment with a smile, and then went on tracing with -evident pleasure the outline of a face. His brother came behind him, and -looked over his shoulder; Edwin listened for his remarks, though without -ceasing to draw. - -“You are taking pains, I see,” said Henry at last in a kindly tone; “but -I am afraid that you will have to use your india-rubber here, and here; -these lines, you may perceive, are not in good drawing.” - -“I don’t see much wrong in them,” replied Edwin, suspending his pencil, -with something of vexation in his tone, for he had expected nothing but -praise. - -“If you compare them with your study, you will perceive that all this -outline is incorrect. Where is the study?” asked Henry, looking in vain -for it on the table. - -“Oh, it’s somewhere up-stairs,” said Edwin. “I remember very well what it -is like, and can go on without looking at it every minute.” - -“Would you oblige me by bringing it?” said his brother. - -Edwin went up-stairs, rather unwillingly, and soon brought down a -beautiful study; a face most perfect in form and expression. - -Henry silently put the two pictures together. Edwin gazed with bitter -disappointment on his own copy, which but a few minutes before he had -thought so good. - -“I shall never get it right!” Edwin exclaimed, in a burst of vexation; -and snatching up the unfortunate drawing, he would have torn it asunder, -had he not been prevented by his brother. - -[Illustration: THE BROTHER’S CRITICISM.] - -“My dear Edwin, you have doubly erred; first in being too easily -satisfied, and then in being too easily discouraged.” - -“I shall never make it like that beautiful face!” cried the disheartened -boy. - -“You need patience, you need help, you need, above all, often to look at -your copy.” - -Edwin took up the pencil which he had flung down, and carefully and -attentively studied the picture. He found very much in his copy to alter, -very much to rub out; but at last he completed a very fair sketch, which -he presented, with a little hesitation, to his brother. - -“I shall have this framed, and hung up in my room,” said Henry. - -“Oh, it is not worth that!” exclaimed Edwin, colouring with pleasure and -surprise. - -“Not in itself, perhaps,” replied Henry; “but it will serve often to -remind us both of an important truth which was suggested to me when I saw -you labouring at your copy.” - -Edwin looked in surprise at his brother, who thus proceeded to explain -his words:— - -“We, dear Edwin, as Christians, have all one work set before us: to copy -into our lives the example set us by a heavenly Master. It is in the -Bible that we behold the features of a character perfect and pure. But -how many of us choose rather to imagine for ourselves what a Christian -should be like! We aim low; we are content with little progress; we -perhaps please ourselves with the thought of our own wisdom and goodness, -while every one but ourselves can see that our copy is wretched and -worthless.” - -“What are we to do?” asked Edwin. - -“We must closely examine the study set us in the Bible; we must compare -our lives with God’s law; and we shall then soon find enough of weakness -and sin to make us humble ourselves before God. When we read of the -meekness and gentleness of Christ, we shall be ashamed of our own passion -and pride; when we find how holy was our great Example, we shall be -grieved to think how unlike to him we are.” - -“We can never make a good copy,” sighed Edwin; “we may just give up the -attempt at once.” - -“You judge as you did when you wished to tear up your picture in despair, -as soon as you saw how imperfect it was. No, no, my dear boy; I say to -you now, as I said to you then, you need _patience_, you need _help_, -help from the good Spirit of God; and, above all, you need to look often -at your study, to keep the character and work of your Lord ever before -your eyes.” - -“But if I do my best, I shall still fall so short!” - -“I know it,” said Henry gravely; “but feeling that you never can reach -perfection here, should not prevent your aiming at it. God will complete -his work in the hearts of his servants, not on earth, but in heaven. -There the copy, feebly commenced below, shall be made a likeness indeed! -For what says the Word of God: _We know that when he shall appear we -shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is_!” - -“To see the Lord, and to be made like him; it seems too much to hope -for!” cried Edwin. - -“It is not more than God has promised,” replied Henry, “to those who come -to the Saviour by faith. Worthless as our copy is in itself, it will be -glorified, made beautiful, made perfect; and will be raised to a place of -honour in the mansions of our heavenly Father!” - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -XIV. - -A STORY OF THE CRIMEA. - - -I daresay that you have heard of the war in the Crimea. Perhaps you have -a father or a brother in the army, and have often listened to stories -of the brave and noble conduct of our soldiers on the terrible field of -battle. I am going to tell you of one of the bravest and noblest actions -that happened during the whole course of the war, though my hero never -drew a sword nor fired a musket at the Russians. - -After the fearful battle of Alma, when the victory had been won by the -English and the French, after the cannon had ceased to roar or the foe -to fight, a long painful task remained for the victors—to attend to the -wounded and to bury the dead. - -At last our poor sufferers were removed to the ships, and only mounds of -earth showed where hundreds of the killed lay in their bloody graves; and -the army was ready to move on to attack the enemy in another place. - -But more than seven hundred poor fellows were still stretched on the -ground—not, like the dead, beyond reach of earthly pain, but covered with -wounds and gore—some with their legs and arms shot away, some unable to -move, groaning in terrible agony, and wishing in vain for death to put an -end to their misery. - -And who, do you think, were these wounded men? They were Russians, and -our enemies! Their bayonets had been red with the blood of our brave -soldiers; they had fired the shots which made so many widows and orphans -in England. And now, what was to be done with all these miserable -sufferers? Our army could not carry them along with it; they must be left -behind. Poor helpless Russians! if none dressed their wounds, they must -perish; if none gave them food, they must starve. - -There was a British surgeon, of the name of Thomson, who resolved to -separate himself from all his friends, to stay behind to take care of his -wounded enemies. We may fancy that he had a long struggle in his mind -before he could decide upon this generous act. Selfishness might whisper -to him many reasons for leaving the poor Russians to their fate. - -“What!” we can imagine some friend saying to the surgeon, “would you -remain here alone in the midst of enemies, some of whom, it is said, have -even fired at Englishmen who were bringing them relief. If the Tartars -should attack you, who will defend you? You cannot depend upon these -wounded Russians. Then think of the labour which you are undertaking. No -one man can possibly dress the wounds of seven hundred; you can only help -a few, or die yourself of fatigue. No, be wise; leave these wretched men -to the chance of some of their own people coming to assist them; you know -that there is not one amongst them who would not have willingly killed -you, had it been in his power.” - -Dr. Thomson may have heard words such as these, but they did not change -his generous resolution. The British army marched away; he and his -soldier-servant remained behind, saw their friends and comrades all -disappear in the distance, and then turned to their noble but sickening -work,—binding up the ghastly wounds of their enemies. - -[Illustration: NOBLE WORK.] - -Do you not think that Dr. Thomson deserved a rich reward for all this? -I do not doubt that he has received a reward, but not from man, for -his labours of love shortened his life. In a few days the generous, -self-devoted surgeon followed to the grave the brave soldiers who died -fighting for their Queen. And shall not his name be honoured as well as -theirs? We trust that he died prepared for the great change, full of -faith and hope as well as charity; and we may also trust that some of -those whose lives he had been the means of saving lived to know their -Saviour, and to serve God upon earth, and that they will one day meet -their generous friend in heaven. - -But it is not of Dr. Thomson that I would speak to you now, but of One of -whose mercy and love all the noblest deeds of his servants are but as a -faint, dim shadow. - -And first let me ask you, dear child, Do you know what _sin_ is, that -from which all sorrow comes? It is sin that causes cruelty and strife -in the world. It is _sin_ that gives a worse wound than any sword or -cannon-ball; for they may destroy the body, but _sin destroys the soul_. - -And now let me ask you another question: Do you know that we are all by -nature wounded by sin; that we are all unable to help ourselves, even -like those poor Russians; that if left to ourselves we must all die—I -mean, _lose the everlasting life of heaven_? - -Yes; this was the state of the whole world. It was all lying in -wickedness, therefore lying in danger; and not one of us could have been -saved—_no, not one_—had not the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, taken -pity on our sad state, and left heaven and all its glory, its light, and -its joy, to come and labour to help miserable sinners. Not only did he -labour, but he _died_ to save us; he suffered himself to be nailed to -the cross, that he might heal the wounds which sin had made, and give us -health and life never-ending! - -But perhaps you will say: “I do not think that I am among the wounded. I -do not think that I need any one to save me.” - -Oh! my child, have you ever thought over your life, or recalled your -actions, words, and thoughts, during _one_ day? Have you never been -disobedient to a parent, or unkind to a companion? Has your mouth never -spoken words that were ill-natured or false? Have you never been proud, -discontented, or selfish? Does not your conscience tell you that you have -been wounded by sin? Now, let me tell you how you may find healing. - -And, first, you must _believe on the Lord Jesus Christ_; you must believe -that he _died for sinners_, and that he is willing to save all who ask -him for pardon and mercy. - -Then you must be sorry for and leave off your sins, praying to God to -help you to amend. A child who says that he repents, and then goes and -sins just as readily as before, is like a wounded man who, when the -surgeon has dressed the injured place, tears off the bandage and will not -let it heal. - -And oh! you must love the Saviour with your whole heart. Can you help -loving him who has loved you so much? Think of the glory which he left; -was it not left for you? Think of the blood which he shed; did it not -flow for you? Think of the death which he endured; was it not borne for -you? - - - - -[Illustration: THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. Prov. -ix. 10] - - - - -XV. - -“I HAVE A HOME, A HAPPY HOME!” - - - I have a home, a happy home, - And friends to love me there; - With daily bread - I still am fed, - Have still warm clothes to wear; - I’ve health and strength in every limb,— - How grateful should I be! - How shall I show my love to Him - Who shows such love to me! - - Many are blind, or deaf, or lame,— - I hear the sweet birds sing, - Can bound along - With joyful song, - Can watch the flowers of spring. - No wasting pain my eye to dim, - From want and sickness free; - How shall I show my love to Him - Who shows such love for me! - - And blessings greater still than these - A gracious God has given,— - The precious word - Of Christ our Lord, - To guide my feet to heaven. - Among the shining cherubim - I trust my home shall be; - How shall I show my love to him - Who shows such love to me! - - My God! I am a feeble child, - Oh, teach me to obey; - With humble fear - To serve thee here, - To watch, and praise, and pray! - My love is weak, my faith is dim, - But grace I ask from thee, - That I may prove my love to him - Who loved and died for me! - -[Illustration: FINIS] - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EDITH AND HER AYAH, AND OTHER -STORIES*** - - -******* This file should be named 60138-0.txt or 60138-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/6/0/1/3/60138 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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L. O. E.</title> -<link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> -<style type="text/css"> - -a { - text-decoration: none; -} - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - -h1,h2,h3,h4 { - text-align: center; - clear: both; -} - -hr { - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - clear: both; - width: 65%; - margin-left: 17.5%; - margin-right: 17.5%; -} - -p { - margin-top: 0.5em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: 0.5em; - text-indent: 1em; -} - -p.dropcap { - text-indent: 0em; -} - -p.dropcap:first-letter { - color: transparent; - visibility: hidden; - margin-left: -0.9em; -} - -img.dropcap { - float: left; - margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; -} - -table { - margin: 1em auto 1em auto; - max-width: 40em; - border-collapse: collapse; -} - -td { - padding-left: 2.25em; - padding-right: 0.25em; - vertical-align: top; - text-indent: -2em; -} - -.tdr { - text-align: right; -} - -.tdpg { - vertical-align: bottom; - text-align: right; -} - -.caption { - text-align: center; - margin-bottom: 1em; - font-size: 90%; - text-indent: 0em; -} - -.center { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; -} - -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -.larger { - font-size: 150%; -} - -.pagenum { - position: absolute; - right: 4%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; - font-style: normal; -} - -.poetry-container { - text-align: center; - margin: 1em; -} - -.poetry { - display: inline-block; - text-align: left; -} - -.poetry .stanza { - margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em; -} - -.poetry .verse { - text-indent: -3em; - padding-left: 3em; -} - -.poetry .indent1 { - text-indent: -2em; -} - -.poetry .indent2 { - text-indent: -1em; -} - -.poetry .dropcap { - float: left; - margin-top: -15px; - margin-left: -60px; -} - -.dcap .verse { - text-indent: -3em; - padding-left: 5em; -} - -.dcap .indent1 { - padding-left: 6em; -} - -.dcap .indent2 { - padding-left: 7em; -} - -.first-verse { - text-indent: -2.5em; - padding-left: 4em; - page-break-before: avoid; - page-break-after: avoid; -} - -.smaller { - font-size: 80%; -} - -.smcap { - font-variant: small-caps; - font-style: normal; -} - -.titlepage { - text-align: center; - margin-top: 3em; - text-indent: 0em; -} - -@media handheld { - -img { - max-width: 100%; - width: auto; - height: auto; -} - -.poetry { - display: block; - margin-left: 1.5em; -} - -p.dropcap:first-letter { - color: inherit; - visibility: visible; - margin-left: 0; -} -} - - hr.full { width: 100%; - margin-top: 3em; - margin-bottom: 0em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; - height: 4px; - border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ - border-style: solid; - border-color: #000000; - clear: both; } - </style> -</head> -<body> -<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, Edith and her Ayah, and Other Stories, by A. -L. O. E.</h1> -<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States -and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no -restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you are not -located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this ebook.</p> -<p>Title: Edith and her Ayah, and Other Stories</p> -<p> Edith and Her Ayah; The Butterfly; The Penitent; The Reproof; The Vase and the Dart; The Jewel; The Storm; The Sabbath-Tree; The White Robe; Crosses; The Two Countries; Do You Love God?; The Imperfect Copy; A Story of the Crimea; "I Have a Home, a Happy Home"</p> -<p>Author: A. L. O. E.</p> -<p>Release Date: August 19, 2019 [eBook #60138]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EDITH AND HER AYAH, AND OTHER STORIES***</p> -<p> </p> -<h4>E-text prepared by Richard Hulse<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> - from page images generously made available by<br /> - Internet Archive<br /> - (<a href="https://archive.org">https://archive.org</a>)</h4> -<p> </p> -<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto; max-width: 80%;" cellpadding="10"> - <tr> - <td valign="top"> - Note: - </td> - <td> - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - <a href="https://archive.org/details/edithherayahothe00aloe"> - https://archive.org/details/edithherayahothe00aloe</a> - </td> - </tr> -</table> -<p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h1>EDITH AND HER AYAH,<br /> -<span class="smaller">And Other Stories.</span></h1> - -<hr /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 430px;"> -<img src="images/illus1.jpg" width="430" height="650" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="500" height="750" alt="" /> - -<p class="center">A · L · O · E</p> - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Edith</span> and<br /> -her <span class="smcap">Ayah</span><br /> -AND OTHER STORIES</p> - -<p class="center">T. NELSON AND SONS. -LONDON, EDINBURGH AND NEW YORK.</p> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header10.jpg" width="500" height="250" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP</p> -</div> - -<p class="titlepage larger">EDITH AND HER AYAH,<br /> -<span class="smaller">AND OTHER STORIES.</span></p> - -<p class="titlepage"><span class="smaller">BY</span><br /> -A. L. O. E.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/aloe.jpg" width="200" height="30" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="center smaller">AUTHOR OF “EXILES IN BABYLON,” “TRIUMPH OVER MIDIAN,”<br /> -“THE YOUNG PILGRIM,” ETC.</p> - -<div class="figcenter titlepage" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer0.jpg" width="200" height="70" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="titlepage">LONDON:<br /> -<span class="smaller">T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;<br /> -EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.<br /> -1872.</span></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> - -<h2>Contents.</h2> - -<table summary="Contents"> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">I.</td> - <td>EDITH AND HER AYAH,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#I">7</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">II.</td> - <td>THE BUTTERFLY,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#II">20</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">III.</td> - <td>THE PENITENT,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#III">29</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IV.</td> - <td>THE REPROOF,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#IV">37</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">V.</td> - <td>THE VASE AND THE DART,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#V">40</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VI.</td> - <td>THE JEWEL,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#VI">49</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VII.</td> - <td>THE STORM,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#VII">57</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VIII.</td> - <td>THE SABBATH-TREE,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#VIII">65</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IX.</td> - <td>THE WHITE ROBE,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#IX">76</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">X.</td> - <td>CROSSES,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#X">84</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XI.</td> - <td>THE TWO COUNTRIES,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#XI">93</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XII.</td> - <td>DO YOU LOVE GOD?</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#XII">102</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XIII.</td> - <td>THE IMPERFECT COPY,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#XIII">106</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XIV.</td> - <td>A STORY OF THE CRIMEA,</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#XIV">112</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XV.</td> - <td>“I HAVE A HOME, A HAPPY HOME,”</td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#XV">119</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header1.jpg" width="500" height="170" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">BLESSINGS ARE UPON THE HEAD OF THE JUST. PROV. 10:6</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="I">I.<br /> -<span class="smaller">EDITH AND HER AYAH.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-m.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">“Mamma,” said little Edith, looking -up from the toys with which she -was playing at the feet of her -mother—“mamma, why does -Motee Ayah never come in to -prayers?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Tuller was seated at her desk in the -large room of her bungalow (house) in India. -The day was hot; the blazing sun shone -with fiery glare; but the light came into -the room so much softened by green blinds -and half-closed shutters, that the place was -so dark that the lady could scarcely see to -write. The punkah, a kind of huge fan, -moving gently to and fro above her, made a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> -refreshing air which would have sent her -papers fluttering in every direction had not -weights been placed to keep them down.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Tuller paused in her writing, but -did not reply to the question asked by her -child regarding her ayah, or native nurse.</p> - -<p>“Mamma,” said little Edith again, “does -not Motee Ayah love the Lord Jesus?”</p> - -<p>“Alas, my child, she does not know -him!”</p> - -<p>“But will you not teach her, mamma?” -and the fair-haired girl looked up in her -mother’s face with such a pleading look in -her soft gray eyes, that, touched by her -interest in the poor heathen, Mrs. Tuller -bent down, kissed fondly the brow of her -child, and whispered, “My love, I will try.”</p> - -<p>Nor did Mrs. Tuller forget her promise. -Again and again she spoke to Motee of the -Christian’s faith and the Christian’s God. -It saddened the heart of the lady to feel -that to seek to teach Motee religion was -like trying to write upon water. The ayah -joined her dark hands together, listened, or -seemed to listen, said, “Very good, very -good,” to everything that the beebee (lady)<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -told her, but always returned to her idol, a -hideous little wooden image, and performed -her poojah (worship) to Vishnu, as if she -had never heard of a purer religion. Mrs. -Tuller grew quite disheartened about her. -Sometimes the lady blamed her own imperfect -knowledge of the language, and sometimes -she felt almost angry with the ayah -for her blindness and hardness of heart.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus2.jpg" width="500" height="425" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">TEACHING THE AYAH.</p> -</div> - -<p>Poor Motee had been brought up from -infancy amongst idolaters; she had never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -been taught truth when a child, and now -error bound her like a chain. Motee had -actually been led to think it honourable to -her family that, many years before, there -had been a suttee in it; that is to say, a -poor young widow had burnt herself with -the dead body of her husband. Happily, -our Government has forbidden suttees—no -widow can thus be burnt now; but still the -cruel heathen religion hurts the bodies as -well as the souls of the Queen’s dark subjects -in India. Motee’s own father had -died on a pilgrimage to what he believed to -be a holy shrine. Travelling on foot for -hundreds of miles under a burning sun, the -poor idolater’s strength had given way, and -he had laid himself down by the roadside, -sick, faint, and alone, to die far away from -his home. Poor Motee had never reflected -that the religion which had thus cost the -lives of two of her family could not be a -religion of heavenly love. She worshipped -Vishnu, for she knew no better; and when -her lady spoke to her of the Lord, the ayah -only said to herself, that the God of the -English was not the God of the Hindu, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -that she herself must do what all her fathers -had done.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Tuller’s <em>words</em> had little power, but -her <em>example</em> and that of her husband were -not without some effect upon the ignorant -ayah. Motee knew that the sahib (master) -who prayed with his family, never used bad -words, nor was unkind to his wife, nor beat -his servants, nor took bribes. Motee knew -that the beebee who read her Bible was -gentle, generous, and kind. The ayah -could not but respect the religion whose -fruits she saw in the lives of her master -and mistress.</p> - -<p>But it was not only the lady’s words and -the lady’s example that were used as means -to draw the poor Hindu to God. Little -Edith had never heard the beautiful saying, -that “the nearest road to any heart is -through heaven,” and she would not have -known its meaning if she had heard it, but -the English child had been taught that the -Saviour listens to prayer. Every night and -morning Edith, at her mother’s knee, repeated -the few simple words, “Lord Jesus, -teach me to love thee!” and now, of her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -own accord, she added another short prayer. -Mrs. Tuller caught the soft whispered words -from the lips of her darling, “Lord Jesus, -teach poor Motee Ayah to love thee!” -The mother took no outward notice, but -from her heart she added “Amen” to the -prayer of her child.</p> - -<p>The hot season passed away; the time -had come when Mr. Tuller and his family -could enjoy what is called “camp life,” and -move from place to place, living not in a -house but a tent. The change was pleasant -to the party, most of all to little Edith. -She delighted in running about and playing -with the goats, pulling the ropes, watching -the black servants taking down the tents, -or in riding on her little white pony. -Edith’s cheeks, which during the hot weather -had grown quite thin and pale, became -plump and rosy once more; and merry was -the sound of her childish voice as she gambolled -in and out of the tent.</p> - -<p>One day, as Edith was playing outside, -near the edge of a jungle or thicket, her -attention was attracted by a beautiful little -fawn, that seemed almost too young to run<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -about, and which stood timidly gazing at -the child with its soft dark eyes.</p> - -<p>“Pretty creature, come here,” cried Edith, -beckoning with her small white hand; “have -you lost your mother, little fawn? Come -and share my milk and bread,—come, and I -will make you my pet, and love you so -much, pretty fawn!”</p> - -<p>As all her coaxing could not lure the -timid creature to her side, Edith advanced -towards it. The fawn started back with a -frightened look, and fled into the jungle as -fast as its weak, slender limbs could bear it.</p> - -<p>The merry child gave chase, following the -fawn, and calling to it as she ran, pushing -her way as well as she could between the -tall reeds and grass, which were higher than -her own curly head.</p> - -<p>Motee soon missed her charge, and quickly -hurried after Edith. So eager, however, was -the child in pursuit of the fawn, that she -was some distance from the tents before the -ayah overtook her.</p> - -<p>“O Missee Baba,” cried the panting -nurse, “why you run away from your -Motee?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I want to catch the pretty fawn; I want -to take it to mamma; it is too little to be -by itself,—I’m afraid the jackals will get it!”</p> - -<p>“I am afraid that the jackals will get -Missee Baba,” cried the ayah, catching the -little girl up in her arms. “Missee must -come back to the beebee directly.”</p> - -<p>Edith was a good little child, and made -no resistance, though she looked wistfully -into the bushes after the fawn, and called -out to it again and again in hopes of luring -it back. Motee attempted to return to the -tents, but did not feel sure of the way,—the -vegetation around grew so high that she -could scarcely see two yards before her. -She walked some steps with Edith in her -arms, then stopped and looked round with -a frightened air.</p> - -<p>“Motee, why don’t you go on?” asked -Edith.</p> - -<p>“O Missee Baba, we’re lost!” cried the -poor Hindu; “lost here in the dreadful -jungle, full of wild beasts and snakes!”</p> - -<p>Edith stared at her ayah in alarm, yet at -that moment the little child remembered -her mother’s lessons. “Don’t be so frightened,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -Motee,” said the fair-haired English -girl; “the Lord Jesus can save us, and -show us the way to mamma.”</p> - -<p>There was comfort in that thought, which -the poor heathen could not have drawn from -calling on Vishnu and the thousand false -gods which the ignorant Hindus adore. -The little child could feel, as the woman -could not, that even in that lonely jungle a -great and a loving Friend was beside her!</p> - -<p>Again Motee tried to find her way, again -she paused in alarm. What was that dreadful -sound, like a growl, that startled the -ayah, and made her sink on her knees in -terror, clasping all the closer the little girl -in her arms! Motee and Edith both turned -to gaze in the direction from which that -dreadful sound had proceeded. What was -their horror on beholding the striped head -of a Bengal tiger above the waving grass! -Motee uttered a terrified scream,—Edith a -cry to the Lord to save her. It seemed -like the instant answer to that cry when -the sharp report of a rifle rang through the -thicket, quickly succeeded by a second; and -the wild beast, mortally wounded, lay rolling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -and struggling on the earth! Edith saw -nothing of what followed; the shock had -been too great for the child; senseless with -terror she lay in the arms of her trembling -ayah!</p> - -<p>Edith’s father, for it was he whom Providence -had sent to the rescue, bore his little -darling back to the tent, leaving his servants, -who had followed his steps, to bring -in the spoils of the tiger. It was some -time before Edith recovered her senses, and -then an attack of fever ensued. Mrs. Tuller -nursed her daughter with fondest care, and -with scarcely less tenderness and love the -faithful Motee tended the child. The poor -ayah would have given her life to save that -of her little charge.</p> - -<p>On the third night after that terrible -adventure in the woods came the crisis of -the fever. Mrs. Tuller, worn out by two -sleepless nights, had been persuaded to go -to rest, and let Motee take her turn of -watching beside the child. The tent was -nearly dark,—but one light burned within -it,—Edith lay in shadow,—the ayah could -not see her face,—a terror came over the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -Hindu,—all was so still, she could not hear -any breathing,—could Missee Baba be dead! -Motee during two anxious days had prayed -to all the false gods that she could think of -to make Missee Edith well; but the fever -had not decreased. Now, in the silence of -the night, poor Motee Ayah bethought her -of the English girl’s words in the jungle. -Little Edith had said that the Lord could -save them,—and had he not saved from -the jaws of the savage tiger? Could he -not help them now? The Hindu knelt beside -the charpoy (pallet) on which lay the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -fair-haired child, put her brown palms together, -bowed her head, and for the first -time in her life breathed a prayer to the -Christian’s God: “Lord Jesus, save Missee -Baba!”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus3.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE AYAH PRAYING.</p> -</div> - -<p>“O Motee! Motee!” cried little Edith, -starting up from the pillow with a cry of -delight, and flinging her white arms round -the neck of the astonished Hindu, “the -Lord has made you love him,—I knew he -would,—for I prayed so hard. And oh, -how I love you, Motee—more than ever I -did before!” The curly head nestled on -the bosom of the ayah, and her dark skin -was wet with the little child’s tears of joy.</p> - -<p>Edith, a few minutes before, had awoke -refreshed from a long sleep, during which -her fever had passed away. And from that -hour her recovery was speedy; before many -days were over the child was again sporting -about in innocent glee. And from that -night the ayah never prayed to an idol -again. Willing she now was to listen to all -that the beebee could tell of a great and -merciful Lord. Of the skin of the tiger -that the sahib had slain a rug was made,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -which Edith called her praying-carpet. Upon -this, morning and night, the white English -girl and her ayah knelt side by side, and -offered up simple prayers to Him who had -saved them from death. Mrs. Tuller’s -words had done less than her example in -drawing a poor wandering soul to God; but -the prayer lisped by her little lamb had had -greater effect than either.</p> - -<p>Oh, if, in our dear land, all the little ones -who have no money to give to the missionary -cause, who have never even seen an -idolater, would lift up their hands and hearts -to the Lord, saying, “Teach the poor heathen -to love thee!” how rich a harvest of blessings -would be drawn down by such a prayer -on those who know not the truth, and still -sit in darkness and the shadow of death!</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer1.jpg" width="200" height="70" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header2.jpg" width="500" height="170" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">BUY THE TRUTH AND SELL IT NOT. Prov. 23:23.</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="II">II.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE BUTTERFLY.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-a.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">A party of boys had been playing -in the fields on a sunny afternoon -in the bright month of June. -They had been chasing a gay -butterfly, which, in its uncertain -flight, had led them over hedge -and ditch, till at last the beautiful prize was -won, and the brilliant insect remained a -helpless prisoner in the hands of its pursuers. -Alas, for the butterfly! A few moments -before so gay and so free, sometimes resting -on a blossom, then fluttering up towards -the sky, its lovely wings were rudely torn -away, and it lay quivering in the agonies of -death. At this moment Ella Claremont, a -young lady of the village, approached the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -party; she had seen the chase and its close, -and looked with regret on the poor mangled -butterfly. “Why did you not let it live?” -said she; “it had never harmed you, and it -was so happy. You easily took away its -little life,” she added; “but could any of -you, could any power on earth, give that -life back again?”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus4.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">A HELPLESS PRISONER.</p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> - -<p>The boys looked one upon another, and -were silent, till the eldest of them, Giles, -replied, “I am sorry that I killed it, but I -did not know that there was any harm.”</p> - -<p>“Surely,” said Ella, in a very gentle -voice, “in a world where there is so much -pain, one would be sorry to add, even in the -least degree, to the amount of it. There is -another feeling,” continued she, “that should -make us merciful to every creature; we -should look upon it as one of the wonderful -works of God.”</p> - -<p>“Why,” said Anthony, “a butterfly is -only a caterpillar after it has wings.”</p> - -<p>“True; but what human skill could form -a caterpillar! It has been calculated that -in a single caterpillar there are <em>sixty thousand -muscles</em>!”</p> - -<p>An exclamation of astonishment burst -from the boys.</p> - -<p>“They must be finer than spiders’ threads,” -cried Giles.</p> - -<p>“I daresay,” replied the lady, “that you -are not aware that each separate spider’s -thread is said to be formed of about <em>three -thousand</em> joined together.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> - -<p>“The world seems full of wonders,” exclaimed -little Robert.</p> - -<p>“It is indeed; the more we search into -God’s works, the more wisdom and skill do -we behold.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll not kill a butterfly again,” said Giles.</p> - -<p>“I never see one fluttering in the sun,” -continued Ella, “without thinking of those -lines:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">‘Thou hast burst from thy prison,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Bright child of the air!</div> -<div class="verse">Like a spirit just risen</div> -<div class="verse indent1">From its mansion of care!’”</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“That sounds very pretty,” said Giles; -“but I don’t understand it.”</p> - -<p>“It is not very difficult to explain,” replied -Ella. “The butterfly teaches us a -joyful lesson; it is what is called a <em>type</em> of -immortality! You see the lowly caterpillar -crawling over a leaf,—it cannot raise itself -towards the sky,—it cannot leave the earth; -in this it is like what <em>we are now</em>. Then, as -you know, it seems to die; it is wrapped up -in its little covering, and there it lies without -motion or feeling—that is like what <em>we -must be</em>.”</p> - -<p>“Ah! I see; when we are in our coffins,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -dead and buried,” cried Robert. “But the -bright butterfly soon bursts from the dark -case, and we do not rise from our graves.”</p> - -<p>“<em>We shall</em>,” replied Ella earnestly; “<em>we -all shall rise again</em>. No longer prisoners -bound to earth, no longer creeping on amidst -trials and sorrows, but free, happy, glorious, -shining in the beams of the Sun of Righteousness. -‘For the trumpet shall sound, and -the dead shall be raised’ (1 Cor. xv. 52). -Why should we fear death—why should we -dread being laid in the cold tomb? When -we think of the hope set before us, well may -we cry, ‘O death, where is thy sting? O -grave, where is thy victory?’” (1 Cor. xv. 55).</p> - -<p>There was a deep silence for a few moments; -nothing was heard but the song of a -lark high overhead, as it soared towards the -sky.</p> - -<p>Then Giles spoke in a tone of awe, “Will -<em>all</em> rise again?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, all.”</p> - -<p>“Will all rise to be free, and happy, and -glorious?”</p> - -<p>“Alas, no!” replied Ella.</p> - -<p>“How can we tell,” continued the boy,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -after a little hesitation, “whether <em>we</em> shall -be among the happy ones?”</p> - -<p>“There will be but two classes then,” said -Ella, “as there are but two classes amongst -those called Christians now. We may divide -all who have heard of a Saviour into <em>those -who love God, and those who love sin</em>. Those -who love sin will awake to misery; those -who love God will awake to glory.”</p> - -<p>“But,” said the boy anxiously, “there -may be some who love God and really try -to obey him, and yet sin sometimes.”</p> - -<p>“<em>All</em> sin sometimes,” replied Ella. “There -is not one human being free from sin.”</p> - -<p>“Then,” said Giles, “I should be afraid -that, when the trumpet sounded, my sins -would be like chains, and keep me down, so -that I could not rise.”</p> - -<p>Every eye was turned towards Ella; every -ear anxiously listened for her reply; for -every young heart was conscious of some -sin, and felt the difficulty which Giles had -started.</p> - -<p>“It would have been so,” replied Ella, -“had not the Saviour died for sinners like -us. His blood washes us <em>quite clean</em> from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -all guilt—that is, if we really believe on him -and love him. Let us look upon our sins as -chains <em>now</em>, and struggle hard to burst them, -and pray for grace to help us: then, if we -are Christ’s people, we shall rise joyfully in -that great day when ‘the Lord himself shall -descend from heaven with a shout, with the -voice of the archangel, and with the trump -of God’” (1 Thess. iv. 16).</p> - -<p>“I think,” said Giles, after a pause, “that -sins are like chains, and very hard to break -too. There is temper, now! I know that -I’ve a bad temper; I determine over and -over again that I will get rid of it; but the -harder I struggle, the tighter the chain -seems to grow.”</p> - -<p>“And mother is trying to cure me of saying -bad words,” cried little Robert; “but -it’s no use—they will come; I say them -when I’m not thinking about it.”</p> - -<p>“Have you tried prayer?” inquired Ella. -“Do you not know the precious promises, -‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of -God, that giveth to all men liberally, and -upbraideth not; and it shall be given him’ -(James i. 5). ‘Ask, and it shall be given<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it -shall be opened unto you’ (Luke xi. 9). -These words have often been such a comfort -to me, when I felt how heavy my chain -was, and how weak my efforts to get rid of -it. And now, my young friends, I must -leave you; will you think over what I have -said?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, miss, and thank you for it,” said -Giles, touching his cap.</p> - -<p>Ella paused as she was turning to depart, -and gazed upon the sky, all bright with the -evening sun, setting amidst clouds of crimson -and gold.</p> - -<p>“How glorious!” she cried, “how beautiful -that work of God! He, too, speaks of -the resurrection; he sinks to rise again!</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">‘Just so is the Christian; his course he begins,</div> -<div class="verse">Like the sun in a mist, when he mourns for his sins,</div> -<div class="verse">Then all in a moment he breaks out and shines,</div> -<div class="verse indent2">And travels his heavenly way.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">‘And when he comes nearer to finish his race,</div> -<div class="verse">Like a fine setting sun, he grows richer in grace,</div> -<div class="verse">And gives a sure hope, at the end of his days,</div> -<div class="verse indent2">Of rising in brighter array!’</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“Farewell, my children. Whether we -shall see each other again on this earth,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -who shall dare to say? But we shall meet -again when the last trumpet sounds, and -the dead hear the Saviour’s voice, and the -saints awake in his likeness. Let us live -now as those who are waiting for the Lord, -and who long for the hour of his appearing.”</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“Oh! when through earth, and sea, and skies,</div> -<div class="verse">Th’ archangel’s final summons flies,</div> -<div class="verse">May we, through Christ, immortal rise</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Towards a heavenly home!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“They who together life have trod,</div> -<div class="verse">May they together burst the sod,</div> -<div class="verse">And glorious rise to meet their God!</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Come, Jesus, Saviour, come!”</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer2.jpg" width="200" height="70" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header3.jpg" width="500" height="250" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE HAND OF THE DILIGENT MAKETH RICH</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="III">III.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE PENITENT.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-w.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">“What is the matter with you, -Charley?” said George Mayne, as -he returned home from the factory, -and found his little brother crying -violently on the door-step. -“What has vexed you, Charley, my boy?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, my father will never forgive me,” -sobbed the child.</p> - -<p>“I cannot think that, he is so good and -so kind. Come, dry up your tears, and tell -me what has happened; perhaps I may be -able to help you out of your trouble.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"> -<img src="images/illus5.jpg" width="350" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">CHARLEY’S GRIEF.</p> -</div> - -<p>It was some time before, soothed by the -kindness of his brother, the boy became -calm enough to explain the cause of his -grief. With a voice half choked with tears -he began: “Father had sent me to pay the -baker—he had given me a half-crown to do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -it—he had <em>trusted me</em>; and now it is all—all -gone! Oh, father will never forgive me!” -and he burst into a fresh agony of sorrow.</p> - -<p>“You lost the money, did you? Well, -father can ill afford it, but he will forgive -you for an accident, I am sure.”</p> - -<p>“But it was <em>not</em> an accident, that is the -worst of it! You see, I met Jack and Ben; -they were playing at pitch-farthing, and -they called to me to join them.”</p> - -<p>“But father has forbidden us to keep -company with those idle boys.”</p> - -<p>“I know it—but I disobeyed him—I was -very wrong—and I am very miserable.”</p> - -<p>“I hope that you did not join the game?”</p> - -<p>“Not at first—I told them that I had -given father my solemn promise never to -gamble; but they jeered me, and laughed at -me—and I played with them—and they got -all my money from me—the half-crown that -was not mine, with which I had been <em>trusted</em>. -Oh, father will never forgive me!”</p> - -<p>“Now, Charley, do you know what I -advise you to do?” said George. “Go to -father at once, confess your fault to him, let -not one sin lead you to another.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Confess to him!—I dare not.”</p> - -<p>“I will go with you, Charley; I will -plead for you.”</p> - -<p>“But father is so poor; he will be in -debt, and he cannot bear that! He will be -so angry. Oh, cannot I say that some one -snatched the half-crown out of my hand?”</p> - -<p>“Charley, Charley!” cried his brother, -almost sternly, “the Evil One is tempting -you. He has gained one victory over you; -would you be his slave entirely? Pray to -God for strength to struggle against this -temptation: remember that liars have no -place in heaven. I will plead for you, I say; -and as for the money, I have been saving up -pence for the last six months to buy a particular -book which I have much wished to -have—I have just enough of money, and I -will pay the debt.”</p> - -<p>“O George, how good you are! But if -the debt is paid, need I confess?”</p> - -<p>“Yes; you have not only lost the money, -but broken father’s command, and broken -your own promise. Hide nothing. Take -my hand, Charley, and come with me at -once; every moment that we delay doing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -what is right, we add to the difficulty of -doing it.”</p> - -<p>So hand in hand the two brothers appeared -before their father, who was resting -himself after a hard day’s work. George -encouraged poor Charley to confess his -fault; he entreated forgiveness for the -offender; he placed in the hand of his father -his own hard-earned savings. The parent -opened his arms, and pressed both his sons -to his heart! Then making Charley sit -down beside him, the good man thus -addressed his repentant child:—</p> - -<p>“I forgive you, my boy, for the sake of -your brother; but there is another Friend -whom you have offended, whose commandment -you have broken, whose forgiveness -you must seek.”</p> - -<p>“I know that I have sinned against -God,” said Charley sadly.</p> - -<p>“And for whose sake do you hope to be -forgiven?”</p> - -<p>Charley looked up in the face of his -father, and replied, “I hope for forgiveness -for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ.”</p> - -<p>“And if you are grateful to an earthly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -brother for pitying you, and pleading for -you, and paying your debt, how can you be -thankful enough to that heavenly Saviour -who shed his own <em>blood</em> to win for you a -free pardon, and who now is pleading for -you at the right hand of God?”</p> - -<p>Charley was silent, but his eyes filled -with tears.</p> - -<p>“And now, George, my boy, bring me -the Bible,” said his father; “it is time for -our evening reading.”</p> - -<p>“What part shall I read?” inquired -George, reverently opening the sacred book.</p> - -<p>“Oh, let him read of some one who had -sinned and was forgiven!” said poor Charley.</p> - -<p>At his father’s look of assent, George -turned to the touching story of the woman -who, weeping and penitent, sought for -mercy from the Saviour, and found it.</p> - -<p>“Behold, a woman in the city, which was -a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at -meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an -alabaster-box of ointment, and stood at his -feet behind him weeping, and began to wash -his feet with tears, and did wipe them with -the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -and anointed them with the ointment. -Now when the Pharisee which had bidden -him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, -This man, if he were a prophet, would have -known who and what manner of woman this -is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. -And Jesus answering, said unto him, Simon, -I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he -saith, Master, say on. There was a certain -creditor which had two debtors; the one -owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. -And when they had nothing to pay, he -frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, -which of them will love him most? -Simon answered and said, I suppose that he -to whom he forgave most. And he said -unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And -he turned to the woman, and said unto -Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered -into thine house, thou gavest me no water -for my feet: but she hath washed my feet -with tears, and wiped them with the hairs -of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but -this woman, since the time I came in, hath -not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with -oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -hath anointed my feet with ointment. -Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which -are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: -but to whom little is forgiven, the same -loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy -sins are forgiven” (Luke vii. 37-48).</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer3.jpg" width="200" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header4.jpg" width="500" height="190" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">ENTER NOT INTO THE PATH OF THE WICKED. Prov.</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="IV">IV.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE REPROOF.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-a.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">A lady and her young daughter -were travelling by train. Two -gentlemen occupied seats in the -same carriage, and presently entered -into conversation with each -other. Their language was such -as pained their fellow-traveller to hear. -The sacred name of the Deity lightly -uttered, the profane oath on their lips, -showed how little they regarded that solemn -warning, “<em>For every idle word men -shall speak, they shall give an account the -day of judgment.</em>” Fearful of uttering her -thoughts to the strangers, the lady turned -to her daughter, who, after having shown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -the fidgety restlessness common to children -upon a journey, now sat still with open eyes -and ears, a wondering listener to the conversation.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus6.jpg" width="500" height="525" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">IN THE TRAIN.</p> -</div> - -<p>Anxious to divert the attention of Adine, -the lady pointed out to her various objects -on the road, and then proceeded to repeat -anecdote after anecdote from the funds of a -well-stocked memory. Adine was soon all -attention; and at last even the gentlemen, -having worn out their own subject of conversation,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -paused to listen to the mother -entertaining her child.</p> - -<p>“Did I ever tell you the story of a great -king,” said the lady, “who once overheard -two of his courtiers speaking in a way -greatly to displease him? He gently drew -back the curtains of his tent, and uttered -this quiet reproof: ‘<em>Remove a little further, -gentlemen, for your king hears you!</em>’</p> - -<p>“Adine,” continued the mother, with a -flushed cheek and beating heart, for she -wished, yet feared, to make her lesson plain -to the older listeners, “may not some people -yet need such a reproof?”</p> - -<p>“It would be of no use, mamma,” replied -the child simply; “for, let us remove as far -as we can, <em>our heavenly King always hears -us</em>!”</p> - -<p>There was not another oath uttered during -the remainder of that journey; the lesson -had not been given in vain.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer4.jpg" width="200" height="80" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header5.jpg" width="500" height="210" alt="" /> -</div> - -<h2 id="V">V.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE VASE AND THE DART.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-n.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">“Not at school again, Harry?” said the -teacher, Willy Thorn, as he seated -himself in the little parlour of -Widow Brown, and regarded with -a kind but almost sad countenance -the flushed face of her grandson. “You -have not been with us for a month, Harry, -and I fear that you never go to church. I -had hoped better things of you, my boy.”</p> - -<p>“It’s all from the bad company that he -gets into,” said the widow, taking off her -spectacles and wiping the glasses. “He is -a good lad at heart, sir; but you see as how -he has no firmness—he can’t say <em>No</em>. Harry -intends to do well one hour, and forgets all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -about it the next; but I’ll be bound you’ll -see him at school and at church too, some -day or other.”</p> - -<p>“He knows not how long he may have -the <em>opportunity</em> of doing either. Remember, -Harry, the fate of your young companion, -Sam Porter, hurried in one instant into -eternity—not one moment given him to -repent, to call on his Saviour!—all his -<em>opportunities</em> past for ever!”</p> - -<p>Harry sighed and looked down.</p> - -<p>“Well, my boy,” said Thorn, more cheerfully, -“if you have made good resolutions -and broken them a hundred times, <em>try again</em>; -try with <em>faith</em> and <em>prayer</em>, and God may -give you the victory yet! I heard a little -allegory to-day. I thought that it might -interest, and perhaps benefit you; so, as it -is too dark at present for reading, I will -repeat it to you, if Mrs. Brown would like -to hear it.”</p> - -<p>“I am quite agreeable,” said the old -woman, leaning back in her arm-chair.</p> - -<p>“What is an allegory?” inquired Harry.</p> - -<p>“Real truths shown in fiction. You will -understand better what an allegory is when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -you have listened to this. It is called the -story of</p> - -<p class="center">“THE VASE AND THE DART.</p> - -<p>“A young boy entered a beautiful garden, -which extended as far as the eye could -reach. Through the whole length of it -stretched a narrow avenue, bordered with -overhanging trees. Slowly the boy pursued -his way along it, listening to the songs of -the birds, and admiring the green foliage -above him, through which, here and there, -streamed the rays of the glorious sun. He -quickly perceived that he was not alone; on -either side, all down the long avenue, stood -a line of maidens, beautiful to behold. They -were all robed in white, with wreaths of -fresh flowers on their heads, and greeted the -boy with a bright smile of welcome. Each -held in her right hand a vase of gold, in her -left a sharp iron dart.”</p> - -<p>“I do not understand this allegory at -all,” said Harry. “Did any one ever see -such maidens as these?”</p> - -<p>“These maidens,” replied Thorn, “are -well known to <em>all</em>—they are called <em>Opportunities</em>.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -Who has not met with opportunities -of doing good, opportunities of receiving -good?”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus7.jpg" width="500" height="575" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE ROWS OF MAIDENS.</p> -</div> - -<p>“I see, sir. Pray go on.”</p> - -<p>“As the boy approached the first maiden, -she held out her vase to him, and invited -him to take the contents. On the golden -vase appeared the word <em class="smcap">Prayer</em>, and the -sweetest, fairest fruits were heaped up within<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -it; but the boy scarcely glanced at the -proffered gift. ‘It is wearisome!’ he cried; -so pushed it aside and passed on.”</p> - -<p>“Opportunity for prayer!” cried old Mrs. -Brown. “Ah, sir, who can count how -many times we have pushed that away from -us! God forgive us!”</p> - -<p>“The boy sauntered on,” resumed Willy -Thorn, “and soon another fair maiden stood -before him: she also held forth a vase of -bright gold, full of pieces of glittering silver. -On it was inscribed the word <em class="smcap">Knowledge</em>.”</p> - -<p>“Here is the opportunity of gaining learning -at school,” said Mrs. Brown, who was -an intelligent old woman, and had read a -good deal in her youth.</p> - -<p>“But the boy scarcely glanced at the -proffered gift. ‘It is troublesome!’ he -cried; so pushed it aside and passed on.</p> - -<p>“A short space further on another maiden -stopped him, with a bright and joyous countenance. -Her gold vase contained the loveliest -flowers, and on it appeared written, <em class="smcap">Acts -of Kindness to others</em>. The boy looked at -it wistfully for a moment, tempted by the -sweet perfume of the beautiful blossoms.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -Opportunity smiled, but <em>selfishness</em> stayed the -hand of the boy, half stretched out to empty -the vase: he pushed it aside and passed on.</p> - -<p>“The next maiden who greeted him was -calm and fair, with a grave and earnest look. -Her vase was full of refined gold, and this -was the motto which it bore: <em class="smcap">Attendance -at the House of God</em>. A sound of church-bells -came on the breeze, and the sweet -music of a distant hymn; but in vain they -fell on the boy’s listening ear. ‘It is dull!’ -he cried; pushed the rich vase aside, and -passed on.”</p> - -<p>“But you said, sir,” observed Harry, -“that the maidens held darts in their left -hands, as well as vases in their right. What -do you mean by them?”</p> - -<p>“You shall hear before I end my story. -So the boy reached another maiden, who -looked like an angel from heaven. Her -eyes shone like stars in the calm blue sky, -and the tones of her voice thrilled deep into -the heart. Her vase was overflowing with -sparkling jewels, brighter than those which -monarchs wear. On it shone in glittering -letters, <em class="smcap">The Word of God</em>.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh, I hope that he put out his hand -and took <em>that</em>!” cried the aged woman, resting -hers on her Bible.</p> - -<p>“Opportunity cried, ‘Oh, pass me not by! -<em>Search the Scriptures</em>, that can make you <em>wise -unto salvation</em>.’ She held forth her vase -with imploring look, but the boy was intent -on pursuing his way. ‘I care not for it!’ -he cried; so pushed it aside and passed on.”</p> - -<p>“Well, he might have the same opportunity -of reading the Bible again and again,” -said Harry.</p> - -<p>“Not the <em>same</em>,” replied Willy Thorn; -“the boy could not retrace one step of his -way. No moment of time can ever be -recalled. Every opportunity of doing good -once past, whatever others may arise, <em>that</em> -opportunity is past for ever!</p> - -<p>“‘I shall meet with more maidens,’ said -the boy. ‘I see an endless number before -me; doubtless they carry vases as precious -as those which I have rejected.’ But even -as he spoke the words, he came suddenly on -a black iron gate, and he could pass on no -further. Shuddering, he read on the gate -the solemn word, <em class="smcap">Death</em>!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Then would he gladly have turned -round: then would he have earnestly asked -for one more <em>opportunity</em> for prayer—one -more <em>opportunity</em> of doing what is right; -but <em>the last had been passed</em>—he had slighted -the treasure of the <em>last</em>! Nor can we -despise opportunities, and not suffer for -doing so; if they offer the vase, they also -carry the punishment meet for those who -neglect its contents. As the boy stood -trembling at the gate of Death, a dart came -hissing through the air, and inflicted on him -a burning wound: then came another and -another; every opportunity despised sent -its messenger of vengeance, and the wretched -boy, writhing with the arrows of conscience -in his soul, sank down at the gate, <em>and -perished</em>!”</p> - -<p>“Alas!” cried Harry, “where can I then -find safety, for <em>I</em> have neglected more opportunities -than I can number of <em>doing good</em> -and <em>receiving good</em>?”</p> - -<p>“Ask the Lord for pardon through the -blood of the Saviour!” exclaimed Thorn. -“‘<em>Now is the accepted time, now is the day -of salvation</em>;’ neglect not <em>this</em><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -opportunity—<em>it may be your last</em>! O my young friend! -no day leaves you as it found you; every -day brings its <em>opportunities</em> of <em>prayer</em>, <em>praise</em>, -<em>reading the Bible</em>, and <em>obeying God’s laws</em>; -every day you have chosen either the vase -or the dart.”</p> - -<p>Dear reader, to you would I address a -few words. If this little story has raised -the thought in your heart, “How have <em>I</em> -improved my opportunities?” oh, push it -not aside and pass on! Let not the day -close without prayer; seize the golden prize -while yet it is offered to you, or hope not -to escape the dart!</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer5.jpg" width="200" height="80" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header6.jpg" width="500" height="250" alt="" /> -</div> - -<h2 id="VI">VI.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE JEWEL.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-a.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">As a lady was walking across Hyde -Park, rather early in the day, she -happened to take her handkerchief -out of her pocket, and drew out -with it, by accident, a little red case. -It fell on the path, and rolled almost -to the feet of a poor girl who was standing -near. The child was clad in rags, her hair -was rough, her face and hands dirty; she -was one who had no one to care for her, no -one to teach her what was right. Half -eager, half afraid, she stretched out her -hand to seize the prize, but first turned -round to see that she was not observed, and -met the eye of the lady.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Stop!” said Mrs. Claremont, who had -heard the case drop on the ground; “stop, -little girl, <em>you are in danger of losing something</em>!” -and while the astonished Ann knew -not what could possibly be meant by such -strange words, the lady quietly stooped down -and picked up the case herself.</p> - -<p>She then again addressed the child; her -manner was not angry, but calm and kind, -and Ann, notwithstanding her fear and -shame, felt a pleasure in listening to so gentle -a voice.</p> - -<p>“Come beside me while I rest on this -bench,” said Mrs. Claremont, “and tell me -what I meant, when I said that you were in -danger of losing something.”</p> - -<p>Ann only stared at her, and made no -answer.</p> - -<p>“Do you know that you have a soul?”</p> - -<p>“I know nothing about it,” muttered the -girl.</p> - -<p>“Then,” said Mrs. Claremont, “I will -show you what you were going to take, and -explain to you what you were in danger of -losing.”</p> - -<p>“I’ve got nothing to lose,” thought Ann,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -but she watched the lady with some curiosity.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus8.jpg" width="500" height="525" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE LADY AND THE LITTLE GIRL.</p> -</div> - -<p>“You see,” continued Mrs. Claremont, -“this little red case. It has nothing fine -about it,—it looks old and worn. Did you -think it worth stealing?”</p> - -<p>“I thought there was something in it.”</p> - -<p>“You thought right; the most precious -part is <em>within</em>. So it is with you, and all -people, my child. Your body, which can be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> -seen and felt, is like the <em>case</em> of the jewel; -your soul is the jewel itself.”</p> - -<p>“What is a soul?” said Ann.</p> - -<p>“When I speak to you, you <em>think</em> of what -I say—the part of you that <em>thinks</em> is the -soul; if any were kind to you, you would -<em>love</em> them—the part that <em>loves</em> is the soul. -You can see that tree; it lives, but it has no -soul in it, it cannot <em>love</em> or <em>think</em>. Do you -understand me now?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” answered the girl.</p> - -<p>“You cannot see this jewel, because the -case is shut; I am going to open the case, -and show it to you.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Claremont unclosed the little case, -and Ann beheld a very beautiful jewel, which -sparkled like a star in the rays of the sun.</p> - -<p>“This jewel was given to my great-grandmother -on her marriage,” said Mrs. Claremont.</p> - -<p>“Oh, how bright and fine it is!” cried -Ann; “it does not look at all old!”</p> - -<p>“It will never look old. When I and my -children’s children are in their graves, it will -look beautiful and fresh as ever! And so it -is with the soul. Our bodies must be laid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -in the tomb, but our souls—those jewels -within—will never, never die!”</p> - -<p>“Where will they be when our bodies are -dead?” asked Ann.</p> - -<p>“Either in happiness or in misery, according -as we have been God’s faithful -people here or not,” replied Mrs. Claremont. -“Now tell me, my poor child, for which -should we care most,—the <em>case</em> or the <em>jewel</em>, -the <em>body</em> or the <em>soul</em>?”</p> - -<p>“The soul,” answered Ann.</p> - -<p>“And it was your soul which you were -putting in danger even now; for <em>sin</em> is the -ruin of the soul. It is written in God’s -Word, ‘What shall it profit a man if he -gain the whole world and lose his own soul, -or what shall a man give in exchange for his -soul?’ To procure a few more comforts for -your weak perishing body, would you throw -away the precious jewel within?”</p> - -<p>Ann looked at the lady very sadly, and -then replied, “No one ever spoke to me in -this way before; no one cares for <em>my</em> soul!”</p> - -<p>“O my child, there is One who cares -for it, One to whom it is very precious! -The Lord Jesus Christ left the glory of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -heaven to come and save poor souls. He -bought yours with his life’s blood. He -died on the cross, that it might shine for -ever in glory!”</p> - -<p>“Does the Lord really care for me?” inquired -Ann anxiously. “Why, then, am I -so wretched and so poor?”</p> - -<p>“He does care for you; he does love -you; you are precious to him. And as for -being poor and wretched—look again at this -beautiful jewel, and tell me where you think -that it came from first.”</p> - -<p>“I cannot tell.”</p> - -<p>“It came from the dust,—it was dug from -the dark earth. It had no great beauty -then; those who did not know its real value -would have despised and thrown it away; -but there were those who knew that it was -precious. So we too belong to the dust, -fallen sinful creatures; and we would have -lain there for ever, had not the Lord had pity -upon us and raised us, and brought us into -the sunlight of his gospel.”</p> - -<p>“If the jewel was not bright at first, what -makes it so bright now?” inquired Ann.</p> - -<p>“It has been <em>cut</em> and <em>polished</em>, and so it is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -with our souls. God sends them poverty or -trials here, to prepare them to shine in his -palace above! If the jewel had been a living -thing it would not have liked to have been -cut, but it would never have been bright -without it.”</p> - -<p>“I should like to know more about the -Lord who cares for my soul, and bought it -with his blood,” sighed Ann.</p> - -<p>“Have you a Bible or Testament, my -child?”</p> - -<p>“No, ma’am.”</p> - -<p>“Can you read?”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Ann sadly.</p> - -<p>“There is a Ragged School near, to which -you might go and be taught, and hear about -the Lord Jesus, and what he has done for -your soul.”</p> - -<p>“I know where the school is,” said Ann.</p> - -<p>“Go, then, and you will be made welcome, -my poor little friend. I do not remain in -London myself, but I will leave with the -teacher some clothes, and a beautiful Bible, -which shall be yours as soon as you can -read it.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you, ma’am,” said the girl.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> - -<p>“And one little word before we part, -perhaps never to meet again in this world,” -continued Mrs. Claremont. “If you cannot -read you can <em>pray</em>—have you ever prayed to -God?”</p> - -<p>“Never,” replied Ann.</p> - -<p>“Your soul can never be safe until you do. -Kneel down, morning and evening, and at -least repeat these few words: ‘<em>O Lord, forgive -my sins, and make my heart clean by -thy Spirit, for Jesus Christ’s sake.</em>’ So short -a prayer you can remember, can you not, if I -repeat it over to you two or three times?”</p> - -<p>“I think so,” said Ann.</p> - -<p>“Pray with your whole heart, my child, -and God, for the sake of the Saviour, will -hear and bless you. Love him who first -loved you, believe in his mercy, and obey -his holy commandments. Then what matter -if for a few years, or months, or days, you -be called upon to wait or suffer here? Death -will soon unclose the worn-out case, and -remove the precious jewel to that glorious -place where tears shall be wiped from every -eye, and sorrow and sighing shall flee for ever -away!”</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header7.jpg" width="500" height="170" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. Prov. ix. 10</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="VII">VII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE STORM.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-a.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">A little vessel was floating over -the Sea of Tiberias; the Lord -Jesus and his disciples were within -it. “And there arose a great -storm of wind, and the waves beat -into the ship, so that it was now -full. And Jesus was in the hinder part of -the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awake -him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not -that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked -the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be -still! And the wind ceased, and there was -a great calm” (Mark iv. 37-39). The tossing -waves sank down at his word, and the -obedient waters lay like a sheet of glass,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -reflecting the blue sky above! “And he -said unto his disciples, Why are ye so fearful? -how is it that ye have no faith? And they -feared exceedingly, and said one to another, -What manner of Man is this, that even the -wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark iv.)</p> - -<p>Dear little reader, are <em>you</em> in trouble or -temptation? Then are you like the disciples -on the stormy Sea of Tiberias. Perhaps -your relations are harsh and unkind, or -perhaps you are a poor orphan without a -friend in the world, and are ready to say, -“No man careth for my soul!” But you -have one Friend, a powerful Friend, a loving -Friend, who has led you on your voyage -through life until now, and will lead you to -the end! The Lord Jesus is beside you, -though you see him not. Hear what he says -to those who love him: <em>Can a woman forget -her sucking child! yea, they may forget, yet -will I not forget thee</em> (Isa. xlix. 15).</p> - -<p>Or are you in great poverty, hungry and -weary? You can scarcely earn your daily -bread, you have no comfort, no rest, no home! -In the bitterness of your heart, you cry, -“Lord, carest thou not that we perish?” O<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -my child, the Saviour is <em>not</em> asleep! He -knows your trials, he has felt them all—the -Lord of heaven and earth once “<em>had not -where to lay his head!” Behold, the eye of -the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon -them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their -soul from death, and to keep them alive in -famine</em> (Ps. xxxiii. 18, 19). <em>Many are the -afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord -delivereth him out of them all</em> (Ps. xxxiv. 19). -Ask the Lord to help you, to feed you, to -comfort you, above all, to give you his Holy -Spirit; for if we love and trust in him, then -<em>our light affliction, which is but for a moment, -worketh for us a far more exceeding and -eternal weight of glory</em>. Then the rough -wind of trouble will but bring you on more -quickly towards heaven, and even here below -Jesus may bid the waves of affliction <em>be still</em>, -and there shall be a <em>great calm</em>!</p> - -<p>Or are you in the storm of temptation? -You wish to please God, you wish to go to -heaven, but you feel as though the way were -too hard for you. You think, “I cannot -resist that temptation; I can give up all but -that one sin. If I do not join my companions<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -in what is wrong, I shall be despised; -if I do not tell such a falsehood, I shall be -beaten; if I do not work or sell on Sundays, -I shall be starved!” In such a storm of -temptation turn to the Saviour still; <em>for in -that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he -is able to succour them that are tempted</em> (Heb. -ii. 18). Cry, “Lord, save me or I perish! -Give me thy Holy Spirit, that I may be -ready to follow thee through trouble and -temptation. Whatever I may suffer here, -oh, keep me faithful to thee!”</p> - -<p>Think on this one great truth, dear reader. -The <em>comfort of the voyage</em> matters <em>little</em> in -comparison to the <em>place</em> where we are going. -The voyage of life cannot last very long; -the fiercest storm must soon pass away! -Look at these two different passengers, and -think which of them you would pity.</p> - -<p>See one vessel bounding gaily over the -bright water, the wind in her favour, the sun -shining upon her; and look at that man on -her deck! He is a <em>slave</em>; he is going to -suffering and misery, he dreads to arrive at -the port. <em>Do you not pity him?</em> Yet his -case is happy compared with that of those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -who forget God—who, caring but for pleasure, -living only for this world, are yet hurrying -on to death—<em>and after death the judgment</em>! -Poor slaves of sin! do they not know that—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“The greatest evil we can fear,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Is to possess our portion here!”</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus9.jpg" width="500" height="425" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE MAN AT THE WHEEL.</p> -</div> - -<p>Now look at this other man in a storm-tossed -vessel! He is going <em>home</em>. He is -going to riches, and honour, and happiness, -and <em>home</em>! Though the waves rise high,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -they will not overwhelm him; though the -clouds are so dark, there is a sunshine in his -<em>heart</em>! On the shore he knows that all will -be peace, and he can smile in the midst of -the storm! <em>Do you pity him?</em> But far -happier is the Christian, however afflicted -here; for his heart, and his hopes, and his -home, are in heaven, and he is on his way to -God! His sins forgiven through the blood -of his Saviour, his courage supported by the -power of God’s grace! <em>Blessed is the man -that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, -he shall receive the crown of life, which the -Lord hath promised to them that love him!</em> -(James i. 12).</p> - -<p>Think of those who have already landed -on the happy shore, but not till they had -passed through the storm. There are saints -who have suffered, and martyrs who have -died for the Lord! They do not wish <em>now</em> -that their trials had been less;—sweet is to -them the remembrance of the storm! When -holy St. John, banished to Patmos for the -sake of the gospel, saw heaven opened, and -its glory appearing, what did he behold there? -These are his words:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p> - -<p>“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great -multitude, which no man could number, of -all nations, and kindreds, and people, and -tongues, stood before the throne, and before -the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and -palms in their hands. And one of the elders -answered, saying unto me, What are these -which are arrayed in white robes? and -whence came they? And I said unto him, -Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, -These are they which came out of great -tribulation, and have washed their robes, -and made them white in the blood of the -Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne -of God, and serve him day and night in his -temple: and he that sitteth on the throne -shall dwell among them. They shall hunger -no more, neither thirst any more; neither -shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. -For the Lamb which is in the midst of the -throne shall feed them, and shall lead them -unto living fountains of waters: and God -shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” -(Rev. vii. 9, 13-17).</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“<em>Lord, carest thou not that we perish!</em>”</div> -<div class="verse indent1">How oft is the cry of despair,</div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -<div class="verse">When affliction’s waves roll,</div> -<div class="verse">And the agonized soul</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Scarce can utter its anguish in prayer!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Yet the Saviour is watching beside us,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">His eye cannot slumber nor sleep;</div> -<div class="verse">The bark which he guides,</div> -<div class="verse">Where his presence abides,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Can never be wrecked on the deep!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Oh! how soon would our inward fears vanish,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Our souls smile at perils without,</div> -<div class="verse">Could we hear his mild love</div> -<div class="verse">Thus our terrors reprove,—</div> -<div class="verse indent1">“<em>Ye of little faith, why did you doubt!</em>”</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Lord, make us trust ever in thee,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Though our frail bark by tempests be driven;</div> -<div class="verse">Till thy sovereign will</div> -<div class="verse">Bid the rude waves “<em>be still!</em>”</div> -<div class="verse indent1">And we rest in the haven of heaven!</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer6.jpg" width="200" height="70" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header8.jpg" width="500" height="190" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">HE THAT LOVETH PLEASURE SHALL BE A POOR MAN. Prov. 21</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="VIII">VIII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE SABBATH-TREE.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-i.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">It was on a bright Sunday afternoon -that the teacher, Willy Thorn, on -returning from church, met three of -his scholars sauntering towards one -of the London parks. They perceived -his approach at some little distance, -and instantly began to conceal in their -pockets something that they had been carrying -in their hands. Their nearness to a very -tempting stall, upon which fruit and sweetmeats -were sold, made Willy guess too truly -the cause of the hasty movement. He -thought it better, however, at first to take -no apparent notice of the fact that the -boys had been breaking the Fourth Commandment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -by buying upon God’s holy -day.</p> - -<p>“Well, my lads,” said Thorn, when he -came up to them, “you are going, I see -towards the park. I will go with you; we -will enjoy the fresh air and bright sunshine -together, and perhaps have a little -discourse, which may be profitable as well -as pleasant.”</p> - -<p>The boys were usually very fond of the -society of Willy Thorn; but just now, with -their pockets full of cakes and nuts, they -would have preferred being without it. -However, no objection was made; they -reached the park, and seated themselves -under the shade of a large tree, for the sun -was hot, and the shelter of the foliage was -pleasant on that sultry afternoon.</p> - -<p>Willy Thorn looked upwards at the leafy -boughs which hung above him, through -whose screen a long bright ray, here and -there, pierced like a diamond lance. “This -tree has put an allegory into my mind,” said -he. “Boys, are you in the mood for a -story?”</p> - -<p>A story was always welcome, and in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -expectation of being amused, the scholars -half forgot that their teacher’s presence was -delaying their intended feast.</p> - -<p>“Methought,” began Thorn, “that I had -a dream; and in my dream I beheld a large -and venerable tree. It was several thousand -years old—so you may imagine its size; but -it showed no signs of age; its leaves were -as fresh, its fruit as abundant, as when the -Israelites of old encamped under its refreshing -shade. This tree was called the <em class="smcap">Sabbath-tree</em>. -It was given by its Lord as one -of the richest blessings which was ever bestowed -upon man. Freely might all partake -of its fruit; but all were forbidden by a -voice Divine to break even the smallest -bough from the sacred tree.</p> - -<p>“I saw in my dream that many thronged -to the spot where the Sabbath-tree rose, like -a beautiful green temple, in the midst of the -plain; and I stood aside to mark the effect -of its fruit on those who came to gather it. -It strewed the ground in some places so -thickly, that it shone like a carpet of gold.”</p> - -<p>“I suppose,” said Bat Nayland, one of -the boys, “that the fruits of the Sabbath-tree<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -are,—going to church, praying, praising, -and reading the Bible?”</p> - -<p>Thorn smiled in assent, and continued: -“I saw one haggard man come, faint with -hunger, to the spot. He threw himself -down on the soft grass, and fed eagerly on -the nourishment freely provided. And I -marked joy on his pale face as he ate of the -fruit of the Sabbath-tree, and I remembered -the holy words, <em>Blessed are they which do -hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they -shall be filled</em>.</p> - -<p>“I saw an aged woman reach the tree. -She was so feeble that she had hardly power -to stoop to gather the fruit; but as she -tasted it, her strength returned, her bent -form became more erect, she walked with a -firmer step, and I remembered that it is -written, <em>They that wait upon the Lord shall -renew their strength</em>.</p> - -<p>“Next, a miserable sufferer approached; -on his countenance was an expression of -pain. He was sick—grievously sick of the -malady of sin, fatal to all who cannot find a -cure. But he knew the healing powers of -the tree. He fed, and even as he fed health<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -returned to his faded cheek, the anguish of -his soul passed away, and the sufferer found -himself whole.”</p> - -<p>“I thought,” said the eldest of the boys, -“that there was but <em>one cure</em> for sin!”</p> - -<p>“True, most true,” replied Thorn, with an -approving look; “but in due observance of -Sabbath duties, we learn how to seek and -where to find that cure.</p> - -<p>“I had watched in my dream, with a -rejoicing heart, thousands gathering the -precious fruit, and receiving nourishment, -strength, and healing; but now, alas! my -attention was attracted by yet greater multitudes, -who thronged to the spot only, as I -became painfully aware, to break and injure -the beautiful tree. Some enemy had hung -up a hatchet on its trunk, with <em>Disobedience</em> -marked on the handle, and of this numbers -made very free use to cut down large boughs -from the tree.</p> - -<p>“‘I am going on a jovial merry-making -in the country,’ cried one; ‘I and my family -shall have a treat. I want some wood to -mend up my broken car.’</p> - -<p>“‘Hold!’ exclaimed the youth who had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -been healed, attempting to stay the hand of -the Sabbath-breaker; ‘are there not <em>six</em> -groves nigh at hand?—had you not better -cut what you want from them?’</p> - -<p>“‘No!’ cried the man impatiently, swinging -the hatchet aloft; ‘there is no tree so -convenient as this!’ and for the sake of a -little pleasure in the country with merry -companions, he cut a branch from the Sabbath-tree!</p> - -<p>“Then came a woman with a face full of -care. She had not faith to trust in him who -clotheth the lilies, and provideth for the -ravens. ‘I want wood for a stall,’ said she, -‘whereon to sell my sweetmeats. I must -earn some more pence for my living; necessity -owns no law;’ and taking the hatchet -of Disobedience, she also brought down a -leafy bough, treading under foot as she did -so a quantity of the ripe, precious fruit. -Not content with thus breaking the Sabbath -herself, she demanded that those who bought -at her stall should each bring, in addition to -their money, a fagot stolen from the holy -tree!”</p> - -<p>When Thorn came to this part of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -story, his scholars glanced consciously at -each other. They all now felt convinced -that their teacher was aware that they had -been buying from a stall on Sunday.</p> - -<p>“It was grievous,” continued Thorn, “to -see what multitudes trampled on the Sabbath -fruit, broke away twigs, snapped -branches, to help on their business or aid -their amusements. Some wanted wickets -for cricket, one man required a handle for -his spade; and though a very little delay -would have enabled them to procure wood -from a lawful quarter, they were too thoughtless, -too covetous, or too impatient to reverence -the Sabbath-tree.</p> - -<p>“But soon I beheld in my dream, that -while none could faithfully partake of the -fruit without benefit, none without injury -could break off a single branch. As I -watched, much did I marvel to see how disobedience -brought down punishment! The -man who had repaired his car by Sabbath-breaking, -had little pleasure from his intended -treat. As he was driving from a -public-house, suddenly a wheel of the vehicle -came off, he and his party were flung out on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -the road, and sorely bruised by the fall. In -some cases, the wood so unlawfully taken -appeared to turn at once into dust! The -man digging with his Sabbath spade, found -it suddenly snap asunder, and the splinter -ran into his hand, inflicting a terrible wound.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, but how could that be?” exclaimed -one of the boys. “Many a fellow goes -larking on Sunday, and the wheel of his car -never comes off! I don’t know what this -part of your story can mean.”</p> - -<p>“It means,” replied Willy gravely, “that -disobedience to God, the wilful breaking of -his holy commandment, unless the sin be -repented of and <em>renounced</em>, is certain to bring -punishment in another world, and <em>very frequently -also in this</em>. There are multitudes of -lost, miserable sinners, who may trace their -first steps on the path of ruin to <em>breaking -the Sabbath of God</em>. No one ever yet, on -his death-bed, could say that he <em>really profited</em> -by money so gained, or that he had no -reason to regret a pleasure gained by disobeying -his Maker’s command.</p> - -<p>“The poor woman who sold sweetmeats, I -found in my dream, was not long in suffering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -the penalty of disobedience. In one of the -fagots so sinfully laid upon her stall, the -serpent Remorse had lain coiled, unnoticed, -unseen! As she was counting her unholy -gains, made by not only sinning herself, but -causing others to sin, the fierce reptile darted -at her breast!—with difficulty was the serpent -torn from its hold, and the poor sufferer -sank on the ground, bleeding, fainting, trembling -at her danger, and weeping for her sin! -It was some time before she was able feebly -to creep to the spot where comfort and -healing might yet be procured by a proper -use of the fruits of the Sabbath-tree.</p> - -<p>“While the poor woman was in sorrowful -penitence, doing all that lay in her power to -show her regret for the past, the boys who -had purchased at her stall—who had wilfully -broken the Sabbath, not to supply real -wants, but to indulge their own greedy inclinations—”</p> - -<p>“I’ll tell you what <em>one</em> of them did, sir!” -exclaimed Bat Nayland, springing up from -the ground: “he just emptied his pockets -of what he had bought, said that he was -heartily ashamed, and seeing an old lame<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -beggar near, he gave every crumb of his -purchases to him!”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus10.jpg" width="500" height="650" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE LAME BEGGAR.</p> -</div> - -<p>And suiting his action to his words, off<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -darted the boy, and astonished a ragged old -man on crutches, by bestowing upon him at -once all his cakes and his nuts!</p> - -<p>Dear young readers! if any of you have -been tempted to disobey your Master’s commandment, -by buying on the day which the -Lord hath set apart for himself, oh, consider -it not as a trifling transgression.</p> - -<p>Resolve with prayer henceforth never to -break the smallest twig from the Sabbath-tree, -but to feed on its sacred fruits with -faith, and hope, and love. Be assured, then, -dear children, that they will become sweeter -and sweeter to your taste, and prepare you -for the enjoyment of that <em>Tree of Life which -is in the midst of the paradise of God</em>.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer7.jpg" width="200" height="70" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header9.jpg" width="500" height="170" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">HE THAT WALKETH UPRIGHTLY WALKETH SURELY. Prov. 10:9</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="IX">IX.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE WHITE ROBE.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-w.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">“What was that noise in the street?” -exclaimed Mrs. Claremont, laying -down the pen suddenly. Ella -sprang to the window.</p> - -<p>“O mother, something must -have happened! some accident! there is -a crowd collecting round a poor little -girl!”</p> - -<p>“We may be of some use!” cried Mrs. -Claremont, and she and her daughter were -at the street door in a few seconds.</p> - -<p>“What is the matter? is any one hurt?” -inquired the lady of a milk-woman who was -standing looking on.</p> - -<p>“A child knocked down by a horse, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -believe, ma’am. They should take the poor -thing to the hospital.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Claremont waited to hear no more; -the crowd made way for her, and she was -soon at the side of a young girl who was -crying violently, and the state of whose -crushed bonnet and soiled dress showed that -she had been down on the road.</p> - -<p>“I don’t think there’s any bones broken, -only she’s frightened,” observed a baker -among the spectators; “I saw the horse -knock her down as she was crossing the -road.”</p> - -<p>“Come this way, my poor child, out of -the crowd,” said Mrs. Claremont, leading -the little girl towards the house; “we will -soon see if the injury is severe.”</p> - -<p>The weeping child soon stood in the hall; -hartshorn and water was brought to her by -Ella, but on tasting it, the girl pushed it -away in disgust, in a peevish and irritable -manner. In vain Mrs. Claremont sought -for any trace of injury; the road had been -soft after much rain, and not a scratch nor a -bruise appeared; yet still the girl cried as if -in agony of pain or of passion.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Where are you hurt?” inquired Ella -soothingly; the child only answered by a -fresh burst of tears.</p> - -<p>“I am thankful that no harm seems done,” -said Mrs. Claremont.</p> - -<p>“There is harm!” sobbed the girl; “all -spoiled, quite, quite spoiled!”</p> - -<p>“What is spoiled?”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus11.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE SPOILED DRESS.</p> -</div> - -<p>“My dress, my beautiful new dress!” and -the ladies now observed, for the first time, -the absurd and unsuitable manner in which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -the child had been clothed. Now, indeed, -her finery was half covered with mud; but -the pink bonnet, though crushed, the white -dress, though stained and torn, the gay blue -necklace, and hair in curl-papers, showed -too plainly the folly of the wearer.</p> - -<p>“What is your name?” inquired Ella.</p> - -<p>“Sophy Trimmer.”</p> - -<p>“Where does your father live?”</p> - -<p>“He lives just round the corner.”</p> - -<p>“You should be very thankful that -your life has been spared,” said Mrs. Claremont.</p> - -<p>Sophy did not look at all thankful, she -only glanced sadly down on her torn dress, -and whimpered, “Just new on to-day.”</p> - -<p>“You remind me,” said the lady, “of a -story which I read in the papers some years -ago. A lady was going in a vessel to Scotland, -and carried with her a quantity of -jewels to the value of a thousand pounds. -She thought so much of these jewels, that -she was heard to say, that she would almost -as soon part with life itself as lose them. -An accident happened to the vessel on the -way to Scotland; the water rushed into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -the cabins, and the poor lady was taken out -drowned.”</p> - -<p>“That is a shocking story,” said Sophy.</p> - -<p>“She could not carry her jewels with her -to another world. But there is one ornament -which even death itself has no power -to take away.”</p> - -<p>“What can that ornament be?”</p> - -<p>“An ornament more precious than the -crown of the Queen, ‘the ornament of a -meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight -of God, of great price’ (1 Pet. iii. 4). The -poorest may wear this—the rich are poor -without it. O my child, care not to appear -fair in the eyes of your fellow-mortals, but -in the sight of God; your ‘adorning, let it -not be that outward adorning of plaiting the -hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting -on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man -of the heart, in that which is not corruptible’” -(1 Pet. iii. 3, 4).</p> - -<p>“What do you mean by ‘corruptible?’” -said Sophy.</p> - -<p>“That which time can destroy. Nothing -in this world lasts for ever: flowers bloom -and decay; the fruit which was delicious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -one week, the next is only fit to be thrown -away; the loveliest face grows wrinkled; -the finest form must soon turn to dust in -the tomb.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t like to think of such things,” -said Sophy; “they make me sad.”</p> - -<p>“They would make us sad, indeed, were -this world <em>our all</em>. But we look forward, in -faith, to a place where there is no corruption, -no change, no death, because <em>no sin</em>; we hope -to wear white robes in heaven which will -never be defiled with a stain. Do you know, -Sophy, what makes them so white?”</p> - -<p>Sophy shook her head.</p> - -<p>“We are all weak and sinful, less fit to -appear before a holy God in our own righteousness, -than you are to enter the Queen’s -palace in those soiled garments. It is ‘<em>the -blood of Jesus Christ which cleanseth from all -sin</em>;’ through his merits, and his mercy, you -may appear spotless before the judgment-seat -of God, if you believe in him now, and -‘<em>keep yourself from idols</em>.’”</p> - -<p>“I have nothing to do with idols,” said -the girl peevishly.</p> - -<p>“More perhaps than you think. <em>Anything<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -that you love better than the Lord</em> is an idol. -The miser loves money best; that is his idol.”</p> - -<p>“Like old Levi, who half starves himself -to scrape up pence,” interrupted Sophy.</p> - -<p>“The ambitious man makes power his -idol—some make their children their idols.”</p> - -<p>“Like Mrs. Porter, who—”</p> - -<p>“Hush,” said Mrs. Claremont, “you have -nothing to do with the idols of your neighbours; -try and find out what is your own.”</p> - -<p>“I do not think that I have any.”</p> - -<p>“Do you then love God with all your -heart? Is it your chief business to serve -him; your greatest delight to do his will?”</p> - -<p>“No; of course, I like to amuse myself -like other people.”</p> - -<p>“Have you ever given up <em>any one</em> thing -to show your love to him who made you?”</p> - -<p>Sophy looked vexed, but made no reply.</p> - -<p>“Whom do you like best to please? -Whom do you like best to serve? Have -you no idol which you decked out this very -morning in all the finery which you could -collect?”</p> - -<p>“I suppose that you mean <em>myself</em>.”</p> - -<p>“Yes; <em>self</em> is the idol of the vain, their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -hopes and joys are bound up in self, therefore -their hopes and joys are amongst the -corruptible things which must pass away. -O my young friend, the foolish pleasures -which you felt this morning in these fanciful -clothes, in one moment was changed to pain; -and but for the mercy of God, your own -poor body might now have been lying -crushed and lifeless. Why rest your happiness -upon that <em>which cannot last</em>, and which -may, any hour, be taken away from you for -ever?”</p> - -<p>“Gay, gaudy clothing always gives me a -feeling of pain when I look upon it,” observed -Ella; “I believe that with so many -it has been the first step to misery here and -hereafter.”</p> - -<p>“It is like the gay bait on the hook,” -said her mother, “not in itself deadly, but -covering a fatal snare. Oh, ‘love not the -world, neither the things that are in the -world. If any man love the world, the love -of the Father is not in him. And the world -passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he -that doeth the will of God abideth for ever’” -(1 John ii. 15, 17).</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header10.jpg" width="500" height="250" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="X">X.<br /> -<span class="smaller">CROSSES.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-t.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">There was unusual silence in the little -Sunday school when Ella Claremont, -its gentle teacher, entered it for the -first time in deep mourning. All -had known of her sorrow; all had -heard that her brave young brother had -died of wounds received in battle in a far -distant land. They thought of him whom -they had seen some few months before so -bright and happy, with a smile and a kind -word for all, now lying cold in his bloody -grave; and there was not a heart in the -school-room which did not feel sorrow and -sympathy.</p> - -<p>Ella could not at first address her school;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -her words seemed choked; the tears gathered -slowly in her eyes; but she found strength -in silent prayer, and spoke at length to her -pupils, but in a trembling voice.</p> - -<p>“Dear children, I have had much sorrow -since we last met and talked of the joys of -heaven—a beloved brother has, I trust, -through Christ’s merits, joined the bright -hosts rejoicing there. But should not I -meekly bear the cross which my heavenly -Father sees good to send me? To every -one passing through this life is given a cross—a -trial to bear. To some it is so light -that they scarcely feel it; with others so -heavy that it bows them to the dust. Each -of you knows, or will know, its weight. -But let none be afraid nor cast down. The -cross prepares for the crown. There is -something from God’s Word inscribed on -every cross; and if we have but faith to -read it, it makes the heavy, light; and the -bitter, sweet! ‘Blessed are the dead which -die in the Lord’ (Rev. xiv. 13), is the inscription -on mine.”</p> - -<p>Every one passing through life has some -cross to bear! Yes; amongst those young<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -girls assembled in the school-room there -were some whose trials were deep, who had -much need to read the inscription to make -them endure the burden.</p> - -<p>Dear reader, are you in trial? Have you -known what it was to weep when you had -none to comfort you—to wish that the -weary day were over, or the more weary -night at an end—to wonder why God sent -you such sorrows? For you I now write -down what were the crosses of some of the -children in Ella’s school; for you I write -down what were the inscriptions upon them. -Perhaps you may find amongst them the -same trial as your own, and feel strengthened -to bear your cross.</p> - -<p>Mary Edwards was very poor—hers was -a heavy cross. One of seven children, and -her father blind; often and often had she -come to school faint with hunger and sick -at heart. But for the kindness of friends, -the family would have been half-starved. -Mary had never known what it was to have -a blanket to cover her; very seldom had -she been able to eat till she was satisfied; -her clothes had been mended over and over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -again, to keep them from falling to pieces; -ill did they protect her when the cold wind -blew through the broken pane, or found its -way through the crevices in her miserable -hut. Yet Mary had comfort in the midst -of her poverty; she remembered him “who, -though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became -poor.” She had read the inscription -on her cross: “Hath not God chosen the -poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of -the kingdom which he hath promised to -them that love him?” (James ii. 5). And -Mary would meekly repeat the hymn of -good Bishop Heber:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">“The cross our Master bore for us,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">For him we fain would bear;</div> -<div class="verse">But mortal strength to weakness turns,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">And courage to despair.</div> -<div class="verse">Then pity all our frailty, Lord,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Our failing strength renew;</div> -<div class="verse">And when thy sorrows visit us,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Oh, send thy patience too!”</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Amy Blackstone never spoke of her cross; -she bore it in silence without complaining. -Her father was a drunkard—her mother -never entered the house of God. If she -heard the name of the Holy One uttered in -her home, it was but in an oath or a profane<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -jest. She never complained, as I have -said; for, while others would have been -complaining, she was praying. Fervently -did she pray for her unhappy parents—fervently -for herself, that evil example might -not draw her from God. Many a silent -tear she shed over her cross; and this was -the inscription upon it: “I reckon that the -sufferings of this present time are not worthy -to be compared with the glory which shall -be revealed in us” (Rom. viii. 18).</p> - -<p>All pitied Ellen Payne, for her cross was -sharp. A lingering, painful disease had -taken the strength from her limbs, the -colour from her cheek. She never rejoiced -in one waking hour free from pain, and -often the night passed without sleep. The -doctors gave no hope, medicine no relief. -She had nothing to look forward to but -pain, increasing pain, till she should sink -into an early grave. This was her cross; -and this was the inscription upon it: “Be -thou faithful unto death, and I will give -thee a crown of life” (Rev. ii. 10).</p> - -<p>Jane White had been a deserted child; -she had never known a parent’s care. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -seemed one of the neglected, despised ones -of earth, with none to love her, and none to -love. She felt lonely and desolate. This -was her cross; and this was the inscription -upon it: “When my father and my mother -forsake me, then the Lord will take me up” -(Ps. xxvii. 10).</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus12.jpg" width="500" height="600" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">ANN BROWN.</p> -</div> - -<p>Ann Brown lived with her aunt. Few -of the girls were better dressed, or seemed -more comfortably provided for, than she. -Had she, then, no cross to bear? Yes; for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -she dwelt with a worldly family, who laughed -at her for being “righteous overmuch.” -When she would not join in profaning the -Sabbath—when she showed that she cared -not for gay dressing or ill-natured gossip—she -became the object of ridicule and scoffs, -more painful to bear than blows. This was -her cross; but sweet was the inscription -upon it: “If ye suffer for righteousness’ -sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of -their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Pet. -iii. 14).</p> - -<p>Mary Wade’s cross was in the depth of -her own heart—the struggle to conquer a -passionate, violent temper. She desired to -obey God, she wished to live to his glory; -but sin seemed too strong for her; she -yielded to temptation again and again, until -she was almost in despair. Her health had -been bad when she was an infant; much of -her peevishness and impatience were owing -to the effects of this. But no one seemed -to make allowance for natural infirmity; her -companions did not like her; and, worst of -all, she felt that she was sinning, and bringing -discredit on the Christian name. Poor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -child! hers was an unpitied cross; but -there was hope in the inscription upon it: -“There hath no temptation taken you but -such as is common to man: but God is -faithful, who will not suffer you to be -tempted above that ye are able; but will -with the temptation also make a way to -escape, that ye may be able to bear it” -(1 Cor. x. 13).</p> - -<p>Elizabeth Brown was a sad little girl, but -none knew the cause of her sadness. She -had once been the most thoughtless child in -the school, full of mischief, full of gaiety, -never thinking of God. Her heart had -been on earth—her only wish had been to -enjoy herself. Much trouble and sorrow -had she given to her gentle teacher, much -grief to her pious parents; for she had -laughed at good advice, and cared little for -punishment. But now the gay child had -grown thoughtful: a text heard at church -had struck her, and sunk deep into her heart: -“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for -whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also -reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, shall -of the flesh reap corruption; but he that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap -life everlasting” (Gal. vi. 7, 8). What had -she been sowing for eternity? She thought -of her neglected Bible, her broken Sabbaths, -words of untruth and of unkindness, her -mother disobeyed, her teacher disregarded! -Could God forgive her after all that she had -done? Would he ever admit her to heaven? -She feared that her sins were too many to -be pardoned. This fear was her cross. -Oh! praised be God for the precious inscription -upon it: “The blood of Jesus -Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” -(1 John i. 7). Jesus said, “Him that -cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” -(John vi. 37).</p> - -<p>Blessed are they who thus mourn for sin, -<em>for they shall be comforted</em>. Blessed is the -sorrow that worketh repentance! Blessed -are they who so bear the cross that they -shall inherit the crown!</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer8.jpg" width="200" height="70" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header2.jpg" width="500" height="170" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">BUY THE TRUTH AND SELL IT NOT. Prov. 23:23.</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="XI">XI.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE TWO COUNTRIES.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-w.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">When walking through the streets -of London, have you not sometimes -met a party of strangers, -and felt sure that they belonged -to another land, because they -spoke not the English tongue? Had you -listened to them, you would not have understood -them; they conversed in the language -of their own country.</p> - -<p>My young friend, <em>what language do you -speak</em>? If I knew but that, I should soon -guess to what country you belong.</p> - -<p>Perhaps you answer, “I am English. I -know no language but my own.” True, in -one sense you are English, and you may<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -thank God for it! You were born in -England, and here may spend all the years -or days of your mortal life. But your real -country is in another world, where you will -<em>live for ever</em>! Thousands and millions of -years may pass, but you will be still remaining -in the country which you have chosen. -So, again I ask, What language do you -speak? To what country do you belong?</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus13.jpg" width="500" height="600" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">FOREIGNERS.</p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> - -<p>The one is a bright and glorious place, -where sorrow and pain are unknown. Its -citizens are angels and redeemed saints, who, -with shining crowns and harps of gold, -rejoice before the throne of God. The -language which they speak is <em class="smcap">truth</em>.</p> - -<p>The other country is too terrible to -describe. Happiness never enters there, -but pain, grief, and remorse abide for ever! -Its inhabitants are the tempter and his evil -ones—hardened sinners who would not -repent, who chose the broad way that -leadeth to destruction. And what is the -language which its citizens have learned? -The language of Satan is <em class="smcap">falsehood</em>.</p> - -<p>O my dear young reader, with anxious -love would I once more repeat my question—let -your heart answer it—<em>What language -do you speak—to what country do you -belong?</em></p> - -<p>Yet, mistake me not. There are some -whose lips were never stained with falsehood, -who yet cannot be counted among the -citizens of heaven. The proud, the self-righteous, -who trust to their own merits, -who love not the Saviour who suffered for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -all,—these may have learned the language -of truth, even as foreigners may learn the -tongue of our land; but they belong not to -the country of holiness and joy.</p> - -<p>And others there are who have fallen -into sin, whom the “father of lies” has -tempted and deceived; yet God’s mercy -may prepare a heavenly home even for -them, if, believing and repenting, they turn -to the truth. Thus, St. Peter thrice uttered -a terrible falsehood, but repented with -bitter tears, and, through the atoning blood -of his Lord, was received into heaven a -glorious martyr.</p> - -<p>But oh, dread a falsehood as you would -dread a serpent; it leaves a stain and a sting -behind. If you have ever been led into this -deadly sin, implore for pardon, like St. Peter. -Like St. Peter, when <em>next</em> placed in temptation, -speak the truth firmly, faithfully, fearlessly; -for truth is the language of heaven.</p> - -<p>There are four chief causes which lead to -the guilt of lying—<em>folly</em>, <em>covetousness</em>, <em>malice</em>, -and <em>fear</em>. Examine your own life, and see -if any one of these has ever tempted you to -utter a falsehood.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> - -<p>It was <em>folly</em> which made Richard tell a -traveller the wrong road when asked the -way to the next village. He thought little -of the <em>sin</em> of his lie—it seemed to him but -an excellent jest; but the jest cost a neighbour -his life! The stranger was a doctor, -travelling in haste to attend a patient who -had been taken with a fit. Richard’s falsehood -made the medical man lose half an -hour, when every minute was precious. -Oh, what anxious hearts awaited his arrival! -But he <em>came too late</em>; he found the sufferer -at the point of death, with his desolate -family weeping around him!</p> - -<p>It was <em>covetousness</em> which made Sally -declare that her fruit had only been gathered -that morning, when she knew it to be the -refuse of yesterday’s market. Did she forget -that God’s eye was upon her—that her -words could not pass unnoticed by him—that -she would have to answer for them at -the day of judgment?</p> - -<p>It is <em>covetousness</em> that makes Nelly stand -begging in the streets, telling to passers-by -her pitiful tale of a father in hospital and a -family starving. Will the money which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -she gains by falsehood and hypocrisy bring -with it a blessing or a curse? Oh, “What -is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole -world, and lose his own soul? or what shall -a man give in exchange for his soul?” -(Matt. xvi. 26).</p> - -<p>It is <em>malice</em> that makes Eliza invent -strange stories of her neighbours. She -delights to spread a slander, or to give an -ill name. She mixes a little truth with -a great deal of falsehood, and cares not -what misery she inflicts. Whom does she -resemble? <em>Not</em> the citizens of Zion. What -language does she speak? <em>Not</em> the language -of Heaven.</p> - -<p>It was <em>cowardice</em> which drew Peter into -falsehood when asked who had broken the -china vase: he dreaded a blow; he <em>dared -not</em> speak the truth. Do you not blush for -him, little reader, who feared <em>man</em> rather -than <em>God</em>?</p> - -<p>How different is Margaret Lacy! Neither -covetousness nor cowardice could ever make -her pollute her lips with a lie. She serves -a God of truth; she is learning on earth the -language of heaven.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> - -<p>She was met one day returning, with a -sorrowful step and tearful eye, from a house -to which she had gone to try for a place. -“Well, Margaret,” said Mrs. Porter, “why -so sad? I fear that you have not succeeded.”</p> - -<p>“No, indeed,” sighed the poor girl.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus14.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">MARGARET AND MRS. PORTER.</p> -</div> - -<p>“And how was that? I thought that -you were pretty sure of being settled there -comfortably.”</p> - -<p>“Why,” replied Margaret, “the lady -asked me why I had left my last place; so -I told her that both I and the cook had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -been sent away because a bank-note had -been lost in the house.”</p> - -<p>“You were not so mad as to tell her that?”</p> - -<p>“It was <em>the truth</em>,” calmly answered Margaret. -“What else could I have told?”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Mrs. Porter, “at that rate -you will never get a place.”</p> - -<p>“God help me!” said poor Margaret, -meekly. “He will not let me starve for -obeying his word. I never touched the -bank-note.”</p> - -<p>“I believe you,” answered her neighbour; -“for I do not think that you ever spoke an -untruth in your life.”</p> - -<p>And Margaret <em>did</em> get a place. Carter, -the butcher, engaged her the next day. -“Say nothing against her to me,” he cried. -“I know the girl; she would sooner touch -red-hot iron than money that was not hers. -And as for <em>truth</em>, I’d take her word against -the oaths of a dozen!”</p> - -<p>Once, as Margaret was cleaning out the -parlour, not perceiving her master’s new -watch, which lay on the table concealed by -a newspaper, she threw it by accident down -to the ground. Startled and alarmed, she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -raised it and put it to her ear, longing to -hear the regular beat, which might show -that it was unhurt. Alas! all was quite -still—what mischief she had done! Margaret -dreaded her master, who was a passionate -man; she dreaded, perhaps, losing -her place. She might have replaced the -watch on the table, and said nothing; its -stopping might be thought accidental. But -Margaret would not stoop to <em>hide the truth</em> -any more than to tell a lie. With a beating -heart and a trembling hand she carried the -watch to her master, and confessed the -whole truth. Was she dismissed or struck, -as she had feared that she might be? No; -Carter, vexed as he was, could not but -admire her honesty and candour.</p> - -<p>“Well, Margaret,” he cried, “were your -life to depend on it, I don’t believe you -would buy life itself with a lie.”</p> - -<p>Can this be said of you, reader? If not, -oh, pray for forgiveness of your sin, and for -grace from <em>this hour</em> to forsake it. May -God enable you to speak the truth from -your heart, and to learn upon earth the -language of heaven!</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header3.jpg" width="500" height="250" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE HAND OF THE DILIGENT MAKETH RICH</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="XII">XII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">DO YOU LOVE GOD?</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-t.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">The following anecdote was given as -<em>a fact</em> by a clergyman at Hampstead, -in a sermon to children:—</p> - -<p>A gentleman, travelling on a -railway, was much struck by the -vivacity of a lovely little girl about five -years of age, who, with her mother, happened -to be travelling in the same carriage, -and he took a great deal of notice of the -child. About ten minutes before the train -reached the station at which the lady and -her daughter were to alight, the little one -went up to the gentleman, and putting her -lips close to his ear, asked softly, “Do you -love God?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus15.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE CHILD’S QUESTION.</p> -</div> - -<p>The traveller, who apparently was not a -devout man, was so startled by the unexpected -question, that he coloured to the -roots of his hair; and the child, seeing his -confusion, and probably frightened at her -own boldness, retreated, and hid her face on -her mother’s bosom until the train stopped -at the station.</p> - -<p>But her solemn question had sunk deep -into the mind of the traveller. “Do you -love God?” he repeated to himself again -and again. For a long period the words -haunted him, till at length he was able to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -give to them the only reply which a true -Christian can give.</p> - -<p>About two years afterwards, the gentleman -happened to be in the town at which he had -left his little fellow-traveller on that never-to-be-forgotten -day. While passing along -it, he fancied that he saw at a window the -face of the mother of the child. His desire -to see the little one to whom he owed so -much was so great, that he could not refrain -from knocking at the door and introducing -himself to the lady. Upon seeing her, he -inquired after her lovely child. The lady -was dressed in mourning. God had sent -her heavy affliction; her sweet girl now -slept in the silent tomb. The mother took -the stranger to a room, in which were laid -out various trifles which had belonged to -her darling.</p> - -<p>“It may interest you to see these,” she -said; “these are all that remain of my child.”</p> - -<p>“Oh no!” exclaimed the traveller; “here -am I!” and he related to the wondering -parent how the word spoken in season by -those infant lips had been the means of -leading him to his God.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span></p> - -<p>Even that feeble child had done her work -for her Master before he called her to her -rest; even that feeble child had been given -a soul to be her “joy and crown of rejoicing -for ever.”</p> - -<p>O dear young reader! how would you -now answer that whispered question, “<em class="smcap">Do -you love God?</em>” Could your heart give -the reply, “<em>I love him because he first loved -us</em>”?</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer9.jpg" width="200" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header4.jpg" width="500" height="190" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">ENTER NOT INTO THE PATH OF THE WICKED. Prov.</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="XIII">XIII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE IMPERFECT COPY.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-a.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">“Always busy at your drawing, -Edwin?” said his elder brother -Henry, as he entered the school-room -one morning.</p> - -<p>Edwin looked up for a moment -with a smile, and then went on -tracing with evident pleasure the outline of -a face. His brother came behind him, and -looked over his shoulder; Edwin listened for -his remarks, though without ceasing to draw.</p> - -<p>“You are taking pains, I see,” said Henry -at last in a kindly tone; “but I am afraid -that you will have to use your india-rubber -here, and here; these lines, you may perceive, -are not in good drawing.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I don’t see much wrong in them,” replied -Edwin, suspending his pencil, with -something of vexation in his tone, for he -had expected nothing but praise.</p> - -<p>“If you compare them with your study, -you will perceive that all this outline is incorrect. -Where is the study?” asked Henry, -looking in vain for it on the table.</p> - -<p>“Oh, it’s somewhere up-stairs,” said Edwin. -“I remember very well what it is -like, and can go on without looking at -it every minute.”</p> - -<p>“Would you oblige me by bringing it?” -said his brother.</p> - -<p>Edwin went up-stairs, rather unwillingly, -and soon brought down a beautiful study; a -face most perfect in form and expression.</p> - -<p>Henry silently put the two pictures together. -Edwin gazed with bitter disappointment -on his own copy, which but a few -minutes before he had thought so good.</p> - -<p>“I shall never get it right!” Edwin exclaimed, -in a burst of vexation; and snatching -up the unfortunate drawing, he would -have torn it asunder, had he not been prevented -by his brother.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus16.jpg" width="500" height="525" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE BROTHER’S CRITICISM.</p> -</div> - -<p>“My dear Edwin, you have doubly erred; -first in being too easily satisfied, and then in -being too easily discouraged.”</p> - -<p>“I shall never make it like that beautiful -face!” cried the disheartened boy.</p> - -<p>“You need patience, you need help, you -need, above all, often to look at your copy.”</p> - -<p>Edwin took up the pencil which he had -flung down, and carefully and attentively -studied the picture. He found very much -in his copy to alter, very much to rub out;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -but at last he completed a very fair sketch, -which he presented, with a little hesitation, -to his brother.</p> - -<p>“I shall have this framed, and hung up -in my room,” said Henry.</p> - -<p>“Oh, it is not worth that!” exclaimed -Edwin, colouring with pleasure and surprise.</p> - -<p>“Not in itself, perhaps,” replied Henry; -“but it will serve often to remind us both -of an important truth which was suggested -to me when I saw you labouring at your -copy.”</p> - -<p>Edwin looked in surprise at his brother, -who thus proceeded to explain his words:—</p> - -<p>“We, dear Edwin, as Christians, have all -one work set before us: to copy into our -lives the example set us by a heavenly -Master. It is in the Bible that we behold -the features of a character perfect and pure. -But how many of us choose rather to imagine -for ourselves what a Christian should be -like! We aim low; we are content with -little progress; we perhaps please ourselves -with the thought of our own wisdom and -goodness, while every one but ourselves can<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -see that our copy is wretched and worthless.”</p> - -<p>“What are we to do?” asked Edwin.</p> - -<p>“We must closely examine the study set -us in the Bible; we must compare our lives -with God’s law; and we shall then soon find -enough of weakness and sin to make us -humble ourselves before God. When we -read of the meekness and gentleness of -Christ, we shall be ashamed of our own -passion and pride; when we find how -holy was our great Example, we shall be -grieved to think how unlike to him we -are.”</p> - -<p>“We can never make a good copy,” -sighed Edwin; “we may just give up the -attempt at once.”</p> - -<p>“You judge as you did when you wished -to tear up your picture in despair, as soon as -you saw how imperfect it was. No, no, my -dear boy; I say to you now, as I said to you -then, you need <em>patience</em>, you need <em>help</em>, help -from the good Spirit of God; and, above -all, you need to look often at your study, to -keep the character and work of your Lord -ever before your eyes.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span></p> - -<p>“But if I do my best, I shall still fall so -short!”</p> - -<p>“I know it,” said Henry gravely; “but -feeling that you never can reach perfection -here, should not prevent your aiming at it. -God will complete his work in the hearts of -his servants, not on earth, but in heaven. -There the copy, feebly commenced below, -shall be made a likeness indeed! For what -says the Word of God: <em>We know that when -he shall appear we shall be like him, for we -shall see him as he is</em>!”</p> - -<p>“To see the Lord, and to be made like -him; it seems too much to hope for!” cried -Edwin.</p> - -<p>“It is not more than God has promised,” -replied Henry, “to those who come to the -Saviour by faith. Worthless as our copy is -in itself, it will be glorified, made beautiful, -made perfect; and will be raised to a place -of honour in the mansions of our heavenly -Father!”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/footer10.jpg" width="200" height="70" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header5.jpg" width="500" height="210" alt="" /> -</div> - -<h2 id="XIV">XIV.<br /> -<span class="smaller">A STORY OF THE CRIMEA.</span></h2> - -<div> -<img class="dropcap" src="images/dropcap-i.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap">I daresay that you have heard of -the war in the Crimea. Perhaps -you have a father or a brother in -the army, and have often listened -to stories of the brave and noble -conduct of our soldiers on the terrible field -of battle. I am going to tell you of one of -the bravest and noblest actions that happened -during the whole course of the war, though -my hero never drew a sword nor fired a -musket at the Russians.</p> - -<p>After the fearful battle of Alma, when -the victory had been won by the English -and the French, after the cannon had -ceased to roar or the foe to fight, a long<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -painful task remained for the victors—to -attend to the wounded and to bury the dead.</p> - -<p>At last our poor sufferers were removed -to the ships, and only mounds of earth -showed where hundreds of the killed lay in -their bloody graves; and the army was -ready to move on to attack the enemy in -another place.</p> - -<p>But more than seven hundred poor fellows -were still stretched on the ground—not, like -the dead, beyond reach of earthly pain, -but covered with wounds and gore—some -with their legs and arms shot away, some -unable to move, groaning in terrible agony, -and wishing in vain for death to put an end -to their misery.</p> - -<p>And who, do you think, were these wounded -men? They were Russians, and our enemies! -Their bayonets had been red with the blood -of our brave soldiers; they had fired the -shots which made so many widows and -orphans in England. And now, what was -to be done with all these miserable sufferers? -Our army could not carry them along with -it; they must be left behind. Poor helpless -Russians! if none dressed their wounds,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -they must perish; if none gave them food, -they must starve.</p> - -<p>There was a British surgeon, of the name -of Thomson, who resolved to separate himself -from all his friends, to stay behind to -take care of his wounded enemies. We may -fancy that he had a long struggle in his -mind before he could decide upon this -generous act. Selfishness might whisper to -him many reasons for leaving the poor -Russians to their fate.</p> - -<p>“What!” we can imagine some friend -saying to the surgeon, “would you remain -here alone in the midst of enemies, some of -whom, it is said, have even fired at Englishmen -who were bringing them relief. If the -Tartars should attack you, who will defend -you? You cannot depend upon these -wounded Russians. Then think of the -labour which you are undertaking. No one -man can possibly dress the wounds of seven -hundred; you can only help a few, or die -yourself of fatigue. No, be wise; leave -these wretched men to the chance of some -of their own people coming to assist them; -you know that there is not one amongst<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -them who would not have willingly killed -you, had it been in his power.”</p> - -<p>Dr. Thomson may have heard words such -as these, but they did not change his generous -resolution. The British army marched away; -he and his soldier-servant remained behind, -saw their friends and comrades all disappear -in the distance, and then turned to their -noble but sickening work,—binding up the -ghastly wounds of their enemies.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus17.jpg" width="500" height="350" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">NOBLE WORK.</p> -</div> - -<p>Do you not think that Dr. Thomson -deserved a rich reward for all this? I do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -not doubt that he has received a reward, -but not from man, for his labours of love -shortened his life. In a few days the -generous, self-devoted surgeon followed to -the grave the brave soldiers who died fighting -for their Queen. And shall not his -name be honoured as well as theirs? We -trust that he died prepared for the great -change, full of faith and hope as well as -charity; and we may also trust that some -of those whose lives he had been the means -of saving lived to know their Saviour, and -to serve God upon earth, and that they -will one day meet their generous friend in -heaven.</p> - -<p>But it is not of Dr. Thomson that I would -speak to you now, but of One of whose -mercy and love all the noblest deeds of his -servants are but as a faint, dim shadow.</p> - -<p>And first let me ask you, dear child, Do -you know what <em>sin</em> is, that from which all -sorrow comes? It is sin that causes cruelty -and strife in the world. It is <em>sin</em> that gives -a worse wound than any sword or cannon-ball; -for they may destroy the body, but <em>sin -destroys the soul</em>.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> - -<p>And now let me ask you another question: -Do you know that we are all by nature -wounded by sin; that we are all unable to -help ourselves, even like those poor Russians; -that if left to ourselves we must all die—I -mean, <em>lose the everlasting life of heaven</em>?</p> - -<p>Yes; this was the state of the whole -world. It was all lying in wickedness, -therefore lying in danger; and not one of -us could have been saved—<em>no, not one</em>—had -not the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, -taken pity on our sad state, and left heaven -and all its glory, its light, and its joy, to -come and labour to help miserable sinners. -Not only did he labour, but he <em>died</em> to save -us; he suffered himself to be nailed to the -cross, that he might heal the wounds which -sin had made, and give us health and life -never-ending!</p> - -<p>But perhaps you will say: “I do not -think that I am among the wounded. I do -not think that I need any one to save me.”</p> - -<p>Oh! my child, have you ever thought -over your life, or recalled your actions, -words, and thoughts, during <em>one</em> day? Have -you never been disobedient to a parent, or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -unkind to a companion? Has your mouth -never spoken words that were ill-natured or -false? Have you never been proud, discontented, -or selfish? Does not your conscience -tell you that you have been wounded by -sin? Now, let me tell you how you may -find healing.</p> - -<p>And, first, you must <em>believe on the Lord -Jesus Christ</em>; you must believe that he <em>died -for sinners</em>, and that he is willing to save all -who ask him for pardon and mercy.</p> - -<p>Then you must be sorry for and leave off -your sins, praying to God to help you to -amend. A child who says that he repents, -and then goes and sins just as readily as before, -is like a wounded man who, when the -surgeon has dressed the injured place, tears -off the bandage and will not let it heal.</p> - -<p>And oh! you must love the Saviour with -your whole heart. Can you help loving him -who has loved you so much? Think of the -glory which he left; was it not left for you? -Think of the blood which he shed; did it -not flow for you? Think of the death -which he endured; was it not borne for -you?</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/header7.jpg" width="500" height="170" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. Prov. ix. 10</p> -</div> - -<h2 id="XV">XV.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“I HAVE A HOME, A HAPPY HOME!”</span></h2> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza dcap"> -<div class="dropcap"><img src="images/dropcap-i.jpg" width="100" height="170" alt="I" /></div> -<div class="first-verse">have a home, a happy home,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">And friends to love me there;</div> -<div class="verse indent2">With daily bread</div> -<div class="verse indent2">I still am fed,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Have still warm clothes to wear;</div> -<div class="verse">I’ve health and strength in every limb,—</div> -<div class="verse indent1">How grateful should I be!</div> -<div class="verse">How shall I show my love to Him</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Who shows such love to me!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza dcap"> -<div class="verse">Many are blind, or deaf, or lame,—</div> -<div class="verse indent1">I hear the sweet birds sing,</div> -<div class="verse indent2">Can bound along</div> -<div class="verse indent2">With joyful song,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Can watch the flowers of spring.</div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -<div class="verse">No wasting pain my eye to dim,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">From want and sickness free;</div> -<div class="verse">How shall I show my love to Him</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Who shows such love for me!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza dcap"> -<div class="verse">And blessings greater still than these</div> -<div class="verse indent1">A gracious God has given,—</div> -<div class="verse indent2">The precious word</div> -<div class="verse indent2">Of Christ our Lord,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">To guide my feet to heaven.</div> -<div class="verse">Among the shining cherubim</div> -<div class="verse indent1">I trust my home shall be;</div> -<div class="verse">How shall I show my love to him</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Who shows such love to me!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza dcap"> -<div class="verse">My God! I am a feeble child,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Oh, teach me to obey;</div> -<div class="verse indent2">With humble fear</div> -<div class="verse indent2">To serve thee here,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">To watch, and praise, and pray!</div> -<div class="verse">My love is weak, my faith is dim,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">But grace I ask from thee,</div> -<div class="verse">That I may prove my love to him</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Who loved and died for me!</div> -</div> -</div> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> -<img src="images/footer11.jpg" width="300" height="70" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">FINIS</p> -</div> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EDITH AND HER AYAH, AND OTHER STORIES***</p> -<p>******* This file should be named 60138-h.htm or 60138-h.zip *******</p> -<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/6/0/1/3/60138">http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/1/3/60138</a></p> -<p> -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed.</p> - -<p>Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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