V 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 
 H 
 
 i» 
 
 k 
 
 k« 
 
 k 
 
 ^ 
 
 A 
 
 A 
 
 
 jr 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 •i 
 
 A 
 
 V 
 
 \ 
 
 »( 
 
 y 
 
 ¥ 
 
 H 
 
 V 
 
 
 •s 
 
 «i 
 
 » 
 
 m 
 
 
 .r 
 
 V 
 
 >t 
 
 ♦v 
 
 ^ 
 
 >t 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 V 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 k 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 v 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 \ 
 
 V 
 
 * 
 
 k 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 k 
 
 i« 
 
 At 
 
 > 
 
 :a 
 
 -< 
 
 ^ 
 
 A 
 
 * 
 ( 
 
 r 
 
 if 
 
 V 
 
 >( 
 
 
 
 *; 
 
 )< 
 
 A 
 
 V 
 
 'jf 
 
 1« 
 
 k 
 
 M 
 
 ^ 
 
 j».. 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 A 
 
 ^ V V 
 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 SANTA BARBARA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 GEORGE COBB 
 
 \ \ ■\ ^ ■< 
 V k K t *, 
 
 A 4 -% 
 
 
 
 K v 
 
 V V >■ ^ 
 
 
 V r V 
 
 V 
 
 f 
 
 
 If 
 
 V- 
 
 
 ■> ^ 
 
 A A A X
 
 y^s^ i\M^ 
 
 K A A ^ ^ 'j*to« -11 aK, < ^ 
 
 \ " ^ H \ A 
 
 X^^-p'/^d?' y 
 
 X 
 
 
 Jk 
 
 V 
 
 ^» 
 
 • 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 X: 
 
 )> 
 
 V 
 
 j» 
 
 V 
 
 It 
 
 
 
 ■» 
 
 < 
 
 -K 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 
 1 
 
 t 
 
 ^ 
 
 if 
 
 
 
 f 
 
 "H 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 H' 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 « 
 
 4 
 
 <i> 
 
 <« 
 
 * 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 # 
 
 * 
 
 -»l 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 *. 
 
 «l 
 
 ■V 
 
 s 
 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 ■H 
 
 -i 
 
 '; 
 
 «1 
 
 < 
 
 ^ 
 
 J^ 
 
 << 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 A- 
 
 > 
 
 V 
 
 ^ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ 
 
 A 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 A 
 
 M 
 
 \ 
 
 -k 
 
 x 
 
 A 
 
 h 
 
 A, 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 k 
 
 '.. 
 
 V 
 
 » 
 
 >t 
 
 k 
 
 k 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 k 
 
 V 
 
 ft, 
 
 If 
 
 ■> 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 .> 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 t 
 
 A 
 
 ■? 
 
 ♦ 
 
 5 
 
 * 
 
 «v' 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 « 
 
 ^ 
 
 -V 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 A 
 
 ^ 
 
 '•« 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 A 
 
 it; 
 
 X 
 
 '^ 
 
 'T 
 
 % 
 
 ■^ 
 
 A 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 \ 
 
 V 
 
 •^ 
 
 « 
 
 -'^ 
 
 H 
 
 A 
 
 \ 
 
 Ir 
 
 r 
 
 '> 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 'V 
 
 ', 
 
 H 
 
 - 
 
 *-- 
 
 iV 
 
 A 
 
 k 
 
 4" 
 
 '^ 
 
 'V 
 
 ^ 
 
 K 
 
 t 
 
 Jt 
 
 A 
 
 ;« 
 
 
 
 >. 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 J^ 
 
 k 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 •^ 
 
 'V 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 *f 
 
 \ 
 
 
 < A 
 
 Jc A ^ -^ * k \ A A > 
 
 >. •. ^ < A \ \ \ ". 
 
 ■ x -j^ H ic -V 
 
 ^ ' \ \ ^ ^ -K: >( ^ ^ 
 
 « % (t ■* >V. ■» ^ < ♦ S *•■. 
 
 A i, V i» V V 3l i,. k- ., , 'v » i » -* .■ \ k ' ^ -H 
 
 ■^ -;- H t '« \ A A ■ ■• 
 
 ^ ' '^ ^: % ^ *^ A H ^ -^ ^ ^ ir > 
 
 ^ ^ H^:%' ^ *f ^- 'V K V A >^ -V X ^-% jR- ^ 
 
 I X -\ Je X' V V X -V 3t ,V % I :x X- it ; 
 
 -, -, « "■ ^ A \ "^ "^ ^ \ "' \ \ \ A ^" 'C '' *. •> "s 
 
 * -^ * s ^ <t It ^ , * * .. . V ^ 4t- ^ . 
 
 > ^ A :* ^ > i^ X -H Jf -V -H A it; ^ -^ "» V H A it > ^- 
 
 - • '^ ^ ^ i « V V <\ -■n \| Jif j«, * \ V -* V It * "■« V 
 
 •V ^ ^ A »; A N \ *; ^ A \ \ A A *v 
 
 * V- -V A ■ X \ \ ■. , V Af- *
 
 ibie t- Sallys !#• 
 
 \lf\[\} r (o\)\\drei) 
 
 The Scriptures Simplified for tlie Little Folks, 
 
 LESSONS DRAWN FROM 
 
 THE HCTUHL SAYINGS OF CHILDHOOD^ 
 
 By REV. J L. SOOY. A. M. 
 
 Illa^tpated * by * 178 * Fall-1^0ge * ©ngpaviDg§. 
 
 NEW YORK : 
 
 UNION PUBLISHING HQUSE.
 
 Copyiighted by 
 
 Rev. J. L. SOOY, A. M. 
 
 18S9
 
 !iJ>JIJl.SJiSJI.S-!L!iSlSJllLSASlSLS.SJi<lS!l!>!l!lSiS.!ISli <> 
 
 'rj)tPGd(a©tion. 
 
 TT3TTyTrj73iTriryryTir!ruTrff!r£rff5^T5Tffyir5iyTirir!ri! oooooooSooo'STr 
 
 This volume is written for the little folks. That the " Talks " contained in it might 
 be adapted to the capacity and comprehension of childhood, a studied simplicity of style 
 is adopted. An attempt is made to gather the little ones together and talk with them 
 and not to them. The lessons drawn from the actual sayings of childhood, which follow 
 most of the " Talks, " will be found to be a special feature of the work. In my work 
 with children I have found, that, in order to interest them, we must come down to their 
 simple thoughts and ways of expressing them. And just as children like children for 
 their play-companions, so do they like children's ideas and sayings for their thought- 
 companions. 
 
 Two great inspiring facts have been present with me in writing this book. First, 
 that lasting impressions are those of our earliest years. How necessary, then, that those 
 impressions should be for the pure and right. The community is inundated with 
 reading matter, journals, magazines, romances, histories, philosophies, etc., and the ten- 
 dency is to neglect the Holy Word of God, as though its mission were ended, and 
 the mighty themes, of which it speaks, were obsolete. Whatever can be done, should 
 be done to hold childhood to the sublime precepts and teachings that came fresh and 
 living from the pen of inspiration. 
 - Second, beyond all others^ this is The Children's Age. Never before was so much 
 J tention and time and study given to the little ones. We hear of children's picnics, 
 .ildren's socials, children's meetings, children's papers, children's day, and so on, 
 
 3
 
 4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 almost without end. And who dare say, that the increasing growth of the chuu-h 
 is not large!}- due to this ? Did not the Master sa}', " Whoso shall receive one such 
 little child in my name, receiveth me ? " 
 
 " ' Feed my lambs,' said Christ, our Shepherd ; 
 
 Place the food within their reach ; 
 And it may be that the children 
 
 You have led with trembling hand. 
 Will be found among His jewels 
 
 When you reach the better land. " 
 
 A mother has well said : " The door of millennial glory has a child's hand on the 
 latch. " 
 
 This volume was not written, therefore, to p/rasc merely, but for the spiritual good 
 of the children. If f/uy are made better by it, then I am well paid. God grant that it 
 may be so, is the prayer of one who loves little children. 
 
 J. L. S. 
 Camdex, N. J.. August 26, 1S89.
 
 wmmmwmw^m^^^^Fmwmm 
 
 Illu3tFatior|S. 
 
 1. The Creation of Light, 
 
 2. Adam and Eve Expelled from the Garden, 
 
 3. Cain and Abel Offering Sacrifice, 
 
 4. The Murder of Abel, 
 
 5. The Flood, .... 
 
 6. The Dove Leaving the Ark, . 
 
 7. The Tovt'er of Babel, 
 
 8. Abraham Going into the Land of Canaan, 
 
 9. Abraham Entertains Three Strangers, . 
 
 10. Lot Fleeing from Sodom, 
 
 11. The Expulsion of Hagar, 
 
 12. Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness, 
 
 13. Trial of Abraham's Faith, 
 
 14. The Burial of Sarah, 
 
 15. Elierer and Rebekah, 
 
 16. Isaac Welcomes Rebekah, 
 
 17. Isaac Blessing Jacob, 
 
 Page. 
 
 
 
 Page 
 
 2 
 
 iS. 
 
 Jacob's Dream 
 
 49 
 
 II 
 
 J9- 
 
 Jacob Tending the Flocks of Laban, . 
 
 51 
 
 13 
 
 20. 
 
 Jacob's Prayer, 
 
 53 
 
 15 
 
 21. 
 
 The Angel Wrestling with Jacob, 
 
 55 
 
 17 
 
 22. 
 
 The Reconciliation of Jacob and Esau, 
 
 57 
 
 19 
 
 23- 
 
 Joseph Sold into Egypt, .... 
 
 59 
 
 21 
 
 24. 
 
 Joseph Interpreting Pharaoh's Dreams, 
 
 61 
 
 23 
 
 25- 
 
 Joseph Maketh Himself Known to his 
 
 
 
 
 Brethren, 
 
 65 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 
 27 
 
 26. 
 
 Jacob Going down into Egypt, 
 
 69 
 
 31 
 
 27. 
 
 Moses in the Ark of Bulrushes, 
 
 71 
 
 28. 
 
 Finding of Moses 
 
 73 
 
 33 
 
 29. 
 
 Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, 
 
 75 
 
 35 
 
 30- 
 
 The Plague of Murrain, . . . . 
 
 77 
 
 39 
 
 31- 
 
 The Plague of Darkness 
 
 79 
 
 41 
 
 32- 
 
 Death of the First- Born in Egypt, 
 
 Si 
 
 43 
 
 33- 
 
 The Drowning of Pharaoh's Army in the Red 
 
 
 4.'i 
 
 
 Sea, 
 
 R3
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 34- 
 
 35- 
 36. 
 37- 
 3S. 
 39- 
 40. 
 
 41- 
 42. 
 
 43- 
 44- 
 45- 
 46. 
 
 47- 
 4S. 
 49- 
 
 50. 
 51- 
 
 52- 
 
 53- 
 54- 
 55- 
 56. 
 
 57- 
 58. 
 
 The Giving of the Law from Mount Sinai, 
 
 Moses Coming Down from the Mountain, 
 
 Korah, Dathan and Abiram Swallowed up, 
 
 Water from the Smitten Rock, 
 
 The Brazen Serpent, .... 
 
 Balaam Stopped by an Angel, 
 
 The Crossing of the Jordan by the Children 
 of Israel 
 
 The Angel Appears to Joshua, 
 
 The Walls of Jericho Fall Down, 
 
 Achan Stoned to Death, 
 
 Joshua Commands the Sun to Stand Still, 
 
 Sisera Slain b}- Jael, .... 
 
 Deborah's Song of Triumph, 
 
 Gideon Choosing his Soldiers, 
 
 Gideon Surprising the Midianites, 
 
 Jephthah's Daughter Coming out to Meet 
 her Father, ..... 
 
 Jephthah's Daughter and her Companions 
 
 Samson Slaying the Lion, 
 
 Samson Slaying the Philistines with the Jaw 
 bone of an Ass, .... 
 
 Samson Carrjdng off the Gates of Gaza, 
 
 Samson and Delilah, 
 
 The Death of Samson, . 
 
 Naomi and her Daughters-in-La\v, 
 
 Boaz and Ruth, .... 
 
 The Return of the Ark, 
 
 Page. 
 87 
 
 S9 
 91 
 93 
 95 
 97 
 
 loi 
 
 103 
 105 
 107 
 
 109 
 III 
 113 
 115 
 117 
 
 119 
 121 
 123 
 
 125 
 129 
 
 131 
 133 
 135 
 137 
 143 
 
 Page. 
 
 59. Saul and David, 145 
 
 60. Michal Letting David Down from the 
 
 Window, 147 
 
 61. David Sparing Saul 149 
 
 62. The Death of Saul 151' 
 
 63. The Death of .\bsalom, .... 153 
 
 64. David Mourning for .\bsalom, . . . 155 
 
 65. Solomon, . 157 
 
 66. The Judgment of Solomon, .... 159 
 
 67. The Cedars Destined for the Temple, . . 161 
 
 68. The Queen of Sheba's Visit to Solomon, . 165 
 
 69. The Prophet of Bethel, .... 167 
 
 70. Elijah Raises the Widow's Son, . . . 169 
 
 71. Elijah Confounds the Prophets of Baal, . 171 
 
 72. Elijah Nourished by an .\ngel, . . . 173 
 
 73. Elijah Causes Fire from Heaven to 
 
 Destroy the Soldiers of .Ahaziah, . . 177 
 
 74. Elijah's .\scent in a Chariot of Fire, . . 179 
 
 75. The Famine in Samaria, .... 181 
 
 76. The Angel Destroying the Army of 
 
 Sennacherib, 185 
 
 77. Cyrus Returning the Vessels for the Temple 
 
 at Jerusalem, ...... 187 
 
 78. Rebuilding the Temple 189 
 
 79. Artaxerxes .\ccords Liberty to the Israelites, 191 
 
 80. Ezra's Prayer, 195 
 
 Si. Nehemiah and His Companions View the 
 
 Ruins of Jerusalem, .... 195 
 
 S2. The Law Read by Ezra, 
 
 197
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 7 
 
 Page- 
 
 83- 
 
 84. 
 
 S5. 
 S6. 
 87. 
 96. 
 89. 
 
 90 
 
 91 
 92 
 
 93 
 94- 
 95- 
 96. 
 
 97- 
 
 9S. 
 
 99- 
 
 102. 
 103. 
 104. 
 
 105- 
 106. 
 
 Queen Vashti Refusing to Obey the Orders 
 
 of Ahasuerus, 
 
 Triumph of Mordecai, . 
 
 Esther Confounding Haman, 
 
 [ob Informed of His Ruin, . 
 
 fob Seated on the Ash-Heap, 
 
 Isaiah, ..... 
 
 Isaiah's Dream of the Destruction of 
 Babylon, 
 
 Isaiah's Vision of God's Judgment on 
 Leviathan, ...... 
 
 Jeremiah Dictating his Prophecies to Baruch, 
 
 Baruch, ........ 
 
 Ezekiel Prophesying, . ' . 
 
 Ezekiel's Vision of the Dry Bones, 
 
 Daniel, ........ 
 
 The Three Hebrew Children in the Fiery 
 Furnace, .... 
 
 Belshazzar's Feast, 
 
 Daniel in the Lion's Den, 
 
 Vision of the Prophet Daniel, 
 
 The Prophet Amos, 
 
 Jonah Cast up by the Whale, 
 
 Jonah Exhorts the Ninevites to Repentance, 
 
 Micah Exhorting Israel to Repentance, 
 
 Zechariah's Vision of the Four Chariots, . 
 
 The Annunciation, ..... 
 
 The Nativity 
 
 199 
 
 
 203 
 
 108. 
 
 205 
 
 109. 
 
 207 
 
 no. 
 
 209 
 
 III. 
 
 213 
 
 112. 
 
 
 113. 
 
 215 
 
 
 
 114. 
 
 217 
 
 115- 
 
 219 
 
 116. 
 
 223 
 
 118. 
 
 225 
 
 119. 
 
 227 
 
 120. 
 
 229 
 
 122. 
 
 231 
 
 123- 
 
 235 
 
 124. 
 
 237 
 
 125- 
 
 239 
 
 126. 
 
 241 
 
 127. 
 
 243 
 
 1 28. 
 
 245 
 
 129. 
 
 247 
 
 130. 
 
 249 
 
 131- 
 
 253 
 
 132. 
 
 The Wise Men Guided by the Mysterious 
 Star, .... 
 
 The Flight into Egypt, . 
 
 Massacre of the Innocents, . 
 
 Jesus Questioning the Doctors, 
 
 Preaching of John the Baptist, 
 
 Baptism of Jesus, . 
 
 Christ Tempted by the Devil, 
 
 Marriage in Cana of Galilee, 
 
 Jesus and the Woman of Samaria, 
 
 Jesus in the Synagogue, 
 
 Jesus Preaching by the Sea of Galilee, 
 
 The Miraculous Draught of Fishes, 
 
 Jesus Preaching to the Multitude, 
 
 Jesus Healing the Sick, . 
 
 Sermon on the Mount, . 
 
 Christ Stilling the Tempest, . 
 
 The Repentant Magdalene, . 
 
 Raising ot the Daughter of Jairus, 
 
 The Dumb Man Possessed, . 
 
 The Disciples Plucking Corn on the Sabbath 
 
 Jesus Walking on the Water, 
 
 The Multitude Fed, 
 
 The Transfiguration, 
 
 The Lunatic Healed, 
 
 The Good Samaritan, 
 
 Arrival of the Samaritan at the Inn
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 133. Jesus' visit to Mary and Martha, 
 
 134. Looking for the Return of the Prodigal Son, 
 
 135. The Father Embracing the Returning 
 
 Prodigal, 
 
 136. Lazarus and the Rich Man, . 
 
 137. The Pharisee and Publican, . 
 13S. Little Children Brought to Jesus, 
 19. Resurrection of Lazarus, 
 
 140. Christ's Entry into Jerusalem, 
 
 141. Christ Cleansing the Temple, 
 J 42. The Widow's Mite, 
 
 143. The Last Supper, . 
 
 144. Praver of Jesus in the Garden of Olives, 
 
 145. The Agony in the Garden, 
 
 146. The Betrayal, 
 
 147. Peter's Denial, 
 14S. The Flagellation, . 
 
 149. The Crown of Thorns, 
 
 150. Christ Insulted, 
 
 151. Christ Presented by Pilate to the Peopl 
 
 152. Christ Fainting Under the Cross, 
 
 153. Christ's Arrival at Mount Calvary, 
 
 154. The Crucifixion, .... 
 
 155. Lifting up the Cross, 
 
 Page. 
 3" 
 
 313 
 
 315 
 3'9 
 
 323 
 327 
 329 
 
 337 
 339 
 341 
 343 
 345 
 349 
 351 
 353 
 355 
 357 
 359 
 361 
 
 363 
 
 156. Death of Christ, 
 
 157. The Darkness which Followed the Dealh of 
 
 Our Lord, .... 
 
 15S. Christ Taken Down from the Cross, 
 
 159. The Burial of Jesus, 
 
 160. The Angel and the Women at the Sepulchre 
 
 161. Journey to Emmans, .... 
 
 162. The Ascension, ..... 
 
 163. Day of Pentecost, ..... 
 
 164. The Apostles Preaching the Gospel, 
 
 165. Peter and John Healing the Lame Man, 
 
 166. Martyrdom of St. Stephen, ... 
 
 167. Saul's Conversion on the Road to Damascus 
 
 168. St. Peter at the House of Cornelius, 
 
 169. Deliverance of St. Peter, 
 
 170. St. Paul in the Synagogue at Thessalonica 
 
 171. Paul at Ephesus, 
 
 172. Paul Menanced by the Jews, 
 
 173. Paul's Shipwreck, . 
 
 174. John on the Isle of Patuios, . 
 
 175. Death on the Pale Horse, 
 
 176. Babylon in Ruins, . 
 
 177. The Last Judgment, 
 17S. The New Jerusalem,
 
 THE CREATION OF LIGHT. 
 
 HE first verse of the first book of the Bible tells us that, " lu the 
 beginning God created the heaven and the earth." He orated them; 
 that means He made them out of nothing. In the frontispiece 
 the artist shows us the creation of light. God just said, " Let 
 there be light ; and there was light." When Lottie was a wee bit 
 of a girl she came running in to her mother one day with a handful 
 of roses, and asked, " Ma, how did God make the roses ?" But before 
 .her mother could reply, she said, " I know ; God said, ' Let there be 
 roses,' and there were roses." That is it. Nobody but God can create anything. We 
 make things ; but we must have something to make them out of But God had nothing ; 
 there was no shape, nor form, nor substance, nor anything ; but God was. God is 
 eternal ; that is, there was always a God. And God spoke and created all things by His 
 wonderful power. 
 
 The great work of creation took six days. The first day. He created light ; the 
 second day, the deep blue sky ; the third day, the seas and dry land, and all plants and 
 herbs, and trees to give vis their fruit or their wood ; the fourth day, the sun, and moon, 
 and stars ; the fifth da}-, the birds and fishes ; the sixth day, beasts, and insects, and 
 creeping things, and last of all, man. And when all was finished, He planted the garden 
 of Eden, and put in it the first man and woman, the best of all that He had made. God 
 gave to the animals beautiful and useful bodies ; but to man He gave a soul also, which 
 could never die. God created man, holy and happy. Adam and Eve loved one another 
 and they loved God. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : I once asked three little girls how we ought to feel toward 
 God, who created us and gave us such a beautiful world to live in ; the first said, " We 
 ought to think Him ver}' iiice^' — she meant ^cwrt'/ the second said, "We ought to be 
 very thankful ; " the third said, "We ought to do what He wants us to do." And just 
 think our God is everywhere. A little girl once said, ''He is everyivliere^ ivithoiit going 
 therer
 
 ADAM AND EVE EXPELLED FROM THE GARDEN. 
 
 OD gave Adam and Eve a beautiful home, because He loved them 
 so much. It was called the Garden of Eden. The Avord Eden 
 in Hebrew means pleasure ; so the Garden of Eden might be 
 called the garden of pleasure. It was a very beautiful place. 
 Here grew all kinds of delicious fruit-trees and beautiful flowers ; 
 the little birds sang sweetly, and the animals all played together on 
 the green grass. 
 
 In the midst of the garden grew two trees : one was the Tree of 
 Life, and the other the Tree of knowledge of good and evil. God told them they must not 
 eat of this Tree of knowledge ; He told them plainly that if they did eat of this tree, they 
 would die. And as Adam and Eve had everything that was needful for their use, there 
 was no reason why they should want this fruit. But there came a wicked spirit, called 
 Satan, who is the father of lies, and of all evil. He was envious, when he saw the man 
 and his wife so happy ; so he went into the garden, and appeared like a serpent, and 
 spoke to Eve, and tempted her to eat the fruit which God had forbidden. Eve listenec 
 to the tempter. She took the fruit and ate, and gave her husband some, and he ate also. 
 God saw all this, and He was very angry. Adam and Eve felt afraid. Why did they fear ? 
 Because they knew they had sinned. Sin made them afraid. 
 
 One very hot day — so hot that I could not stay in my stud}^ — I took my books and 
 found a cool, shady place beside a stream of water. I laid down on the soft grass ; soon 
 I noticed the bugs in the grass were all running away from me ; the birds jumped from 
 limb to limb and told each other " to look out for him ; " the little tadpoles swam to the 
 other side of the stream ; a red squirrel came from behind a rock, and, as soon as he saw 
 me, away he scampered. I said to myself, what does all this mean ? Surely my hands 
 and face are clean ; I cannot be so ugly that everything is afraid of me ; what is the 
 matter? Then I thought, S/n did it. 
 
 In the Garden of Eden, before man sinned, the animals did not fight nor hurt one 
 another ; thej^ were not afraid of man ; all was love and happiness. But sin came, that 
 
 lO
 
 12 
 
 ADAM AND EVE EXPELLED FROM THE GARDEN. 
 
 caused all the iinhappiness. Because our first parents were disobedient and took the 
 bad spirit for their master instead of the good God, God put them out of the garden, 
 and let them be weak and sickly, and die at last. 
 
 The picture shows an angel driving them out. It was a sad da}' for them and for us. 
 But God pitied Adam and Eve, and us too. He gave them the promise of a future 
 Redeemer who should come into the world, and subdue Satan, and set them and their 
 children free. If we have faith in Jesus, we shall be saved, and live forever. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — " Have you anything you did not receive from God ? " 
 asked a teacher of her scholars. "No," the}- all said but one. He replied, " Yes. " 
 " What is that ? " asked the teacher. " Sin, " said the boy. But if we repent of our 
 sins and pra}- for pardon, our Heavenly Father is willing to forgive and to receive us. 
 
 CAIN AND ABEL. 
 
 UR last talk told the sad story of how Adam and Eve were driven out 
 of the Garden of Eden. After that they had children. Cain, the 
 eldest son, was very wicked ; but Abel loved and prayed to God, 
 and believed in Him. 
 
 Our first picture shows Cain and Abel in the act of offering 
 sacrifices to God. Both these sons were brought up to work — and 
 ' this was right. It is a great sin to be idle. Cain was a tiller of 
 the ground, what we call a farmer ; Abel was a shepherd, and took care of sheep. 
 Now, God had commanded them to offer up a sacrifice to Him of the " first fruits ; " 
 that is, something of the very best the}' had. He wanted them to give it with a free 
 heart, and a willing, humble spirit. Abel offered a lamb. He sacrificed the lamb in 
 faith and true obedience. Cain offered a sacrifice too ; he brought of the first-fruits of the 
 ground. But he did not confess his sins, nor ask for forgiveness. So God accepted 
 Abel and his sacrifice ; but Cain and his sacrifice, God did not accept. He saw that 
 Cain's heart was envious and jealous of his good and gentle brother. Look at the 
 picture, and see how the smoke of Abel's lamb ascends steadily up to heaven, while that 
 of Cain is beaten down to the ground.
 
 14 CAIN AND ABEL. 
 
 When Cain found that the Lord had accepted Abel's offering, and not his own, he 
 became very angry. Satan was in his heart. One daj^, when Cain and Abel were in 
 the field together, Cain struck Abel and killed him. Our second picture is 
 
 "THE MURDER OF ABEL." 
 
 Cain thought nobody saw him kill his brother, but God saw him, and asked, " Where 
 is Abel thy brother ? " The cowardly, guilty man told a lie, and said, " I know not ; am 
 I my brother's keeper ? " — as though it were possible to deceive the Almighty. But 
 God had seen Abel die, and He punished Cain, and drove him away, far from his father, 
 and mother, and brothers, and sisters ; and he was a vagabond and a wanderer in the 
 earth. 
 
 And now, dear children, we have seen who the first murderer was, Cain. But do you 
 suppose he became a murderer all at once? No; he came to it by degrees ; just as the 
 acorn grows into the oak. There was a day when Cain had the first feeling of hatred, 
 or anger, towards his brother. That feeling was the beginning. Heart-murder is just 
 as bad, in the sight of God, as hand-murder. The Bible tells us, that " He who hateth 
 his brother is a murderer." 
 
 If we indulge angry and hateful feelings, in our hearts, towards a person, that 
 makes us murderers in God's sight. The reason is, that, if we let these feelings stay 
 there, and grow, they will soon make us real murderers. 
 
 Sayings of childhood. — A little boy seeing two nestling birds pecking at each 
 other, inquired of his elder brother what they were doing. " They are quarreling," was 
 the reply. " No," replied the child, " that cannot be ; they are brothers." Dear children, 
 learn to love one another. Learn to " hold in " your temper. The old rule for holding 
 in was, "Think twice before you speak once." Another is, " If you are tempted to be 
 angry, say the Lord's Prayer before you speak." But the best rule of all is to keep 
 close to Jesus. 
 
 S^^
 
 THE FLOOD. 
 
 S time went on, and men began to multiply, they greatly increased in sin. 
 ^N.. // M '^^^ world got so wicked, that God saw nothing but evil when He looked 
 -''-^- ' ^ - down on it. So the Lord determined that He would bring a flood 
 
 of waters upon the earth to destroy every living thing. How 
 terribly wicked these people must have been, when God saw that 
 nothing else would suffice. 
 ^ But in the midst of all this wickedness there was one hoi}' 
 man, named Noah. God promised to save him. He commanded 
 Noah to make an ark of gopher wood, and told him how long and how broad it was to be, 
 and how to build it. It was to be a great ship, and yet there have been larger ships built 
 since. You have all heard about that mammoth steamer, the Great Eastern. She is 
 larger than Noah's ark was. 
 
 Many years was the ark building ; and all that time people laughed at Noah, for his 
 folly, when he told them what God had said. But Noah did as God told him, and when 
 the ark was finished, he stored it with food. And God sent him a pair of all sorts of ani- 
 mals that were in the world, and he put them into the ark. Noah then entered the ark 
 with his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, his wife, and his sons' wives and 
 " the Lord shut him in. " 
 
 Then it began to rain. What a fearful storm that was ! For forty days and forty 
 nights it rained without stopping, so that even the highest hills were covered ; and all flesh 
 died, both man and beast. In the first picture the artist has drawn a high rock which 
 the waters have not yet full}^ covered. See how the mother lion is trying to save her 
 baby lion. See the people struggling to get on that rock But even these were all 
 destroyed. But what about Noah ? Was he safe ? Yes : the ark floated upon the 
 waters. It did not sink, because God kept it up. The storm could not upset it nor the 
 sea get into it, for God took care of it and all that was in it. 
 
 Now, dear children, why did God show Noah such grace ? I will tell you. It 
 
 was because God saw that Noah was righteous — that means that he tried to be good ; and 
 
 i6
 
 i8 THE FLOOD. 
 
 next, because he believed what God said to him. O, it does alwaj^s pay to obey our 
 Heavenly Father ! Can you tell me, who is our Ark of Salvation ? "JF.SI'S." Yes, that 
 is right. Outside of Him all is ruin and death. And to 3-ou who are 3-et outside is the 
 loving message given, '' Come thou into the Ark. " O, come to-day. 
 
 At length, when the rain was over, the ark rested upon a mountain called Ararat ; 
 and Noah opened the window. All the ground was covered with water. No green trees 
 or flowers, no living creature to be seen. Then Noah sent out of the ark a raven and a 
 dove. The raven flew about, and did not return to Noah. But the dove was not like 
 the raven ; it would not feed upon the dead bodies, and there was no resting-place for it, 
 so it flew back again, and Noah took it into the ark. After a week he sent her forth 
 again ; this time she returned with an olive-leaf in her mouth. Noah was very glad 
 to see this leaf, for by it he knew that soon all would be dry and pleasant again. 
 
 "THE DOVE LEAVING THE ARK." 
 
 After another week he sent out the dove again, but she returned no more. 
 
 Then God gave Noah the word to come forth from the ark. Noah's first act, after he 
 came out, was to build an altar unto the Lord, and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving upon 
 it. God was pleased with his offerings, and made a promise to Noah. The Lord spoke 
 unto Noah, saying, " Behold I establish my covenant with you. " Do you know what a 
 covenant means? It is an agreement between two persons. So God made an agree- 
 ment with Noah that he would never destroy the world by a flood again. And God set 
 the rainbow in the clouds as a sign of His promise. Do you know that the rainbow is 
 an emblem of faithfulness ? God said, " / zuill look upon it., and I will remember my 
 covenant. " 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — One little boy's idea of the rainbow was, that it is " the 
 reflection of God's smile." Whenever my little readers look upon the bow, remember 
 God is looking upon it too, and never fear to put your trust in Him. God is very good 
 and kind.
 
 THE TOWER OF BABEL. 
 
 gf^. 
 
 HEN Noali and his family came out of the ark, they went into dif- 
 ferent places and built cities and houses ; and thev had niauv child- 
 ren, and the earth was soon full of people again. These people all 
 spoke the same language. Many of them were very wicked, and 
 the longer time went on the worse they grew. By degrees they 
 i»vA forgot God's mercy to their forefathers in saving them from the 
 flood, and they became proud and self-willed. They sought to 
 make themselves great, not to please God ; and in their pride, they 
 said, " Let us build us a citj^, and a tower whose top may reach into heaven ; and let us 
 make us a name, lest Me be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." They 
 thought if they could build a tower whose top should reach to heaven, they could escape 
 if another flood came upon the earth. 
 
 The Lord let them go on for some time in their conceit. They worked hard, piling 
 story above story, until the tower was very high. Then the Lord came down to see the 
 city and the tower, which the children of men builded. God was angry with them, 
 because they forgot Him. So He confounded their speech — that is, made them to speak 
 different languages. They could no longer understand each other ; so they had to stop 
 building. This tower was called the Tower of Babel, or confusion, from the confusion of 
 tongues that prevented its being finished. The wicked people were scattered abroad 
 upon the face of the earth. 
 
 20
 
 ABRAHAM GOINO INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN. 
 
 E read a great deal about Abraham in the Bible. He was bom 
 
 about 300 years after the flood, and lived in a place called Ur, in 
 
 the country of the Chaldeans. The people there were very wicked. 
 
 I ^ , So God told him that if he would leave his home and go to a land 
 
 ^'-'^C^ that He would show him, that He would bless him, and make his 
 
 ■'^■^ name great, and that by-and-bj' the land should be given to his 
 
 children. 
 
 Abraham then had no children ; but still he believed God, and 
 did just as God told him. He took with him those that would go of his family — his 
 wife Sarah, and his nephew Lot. He took also all his cattle — great droves of cows, and 
 goats, and sheep, and camels, and asses. In the' picture we see the sen-ants driving the 
 flocks. Along the journey they camped out. They pitched their tents wherever the 
 land offered food for the cattle ; there they would stay till all the grass was eaten up ; 
 then take up their tents, and move to another place. Thus they journeyed till they 
 came into the promised land. 
 
 Then the Lord appeared unto Abraham again, and told him to look at the land, for 
 that was the place which his children should have for their own. But, children, don't 
 you think there was a good deal to make Abraham doubt ? The country was full of 
 wicked men ; Abraham did not own a bit of the land ; and he had no child either. 
 Then, as soon as Abraham entered Canaan, " there was a famine." But Abraham had 
 great faith ; he was sure that all God says is right and true, and that somehow, though 
 he did not know how, God would do as He had promised. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — What is faith ? A beautiful answer was given by a 
 little Scotch girl. When her class at school was examined, she replied, " JVai'f a nrr, 
 and dinna -d)cary ! '''' A child told me there are 3,600 promises in the Bible. Only 
 think of that, dear children. If j-ou belong to Jesus all these promises belong 
 to 3'ou. 
 
 22
 
 ABRAHAM ENTERTAINS THREE STRANGERS. 
 
 NE da}-, when Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent during 
 the heat of the day, he looked np, and saw three strangers standing 
 . near. They were angels sent to Abraham, and bore tidings to make 
 glad his heart. One of these three was the Lord Jesns. The 
 '^ ■ -) picture which represents the scene is a most beautiful one. 
 f^ In those early days people were very hospitable. Abraham's 
 ^'^s5>> kindness would allow no one to pass without offering him rest and 
 refreshment. So he ran to meet them, and bowed himself toward 
 the ground, as was the custom then, and said, " Aly Lord, if now I have found favor in 
 thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee from thy servant ; let a little water, I pray you, 
 be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree ; and I will fetch a 
 morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts ; after that ye shall pass on : for therefore 
 are ye come to your servant." So the men sat down, and Abraham ran into his tent to 
 Sarah his wife, and told her to make cakes quickly ; then he ran to the field, and took a 
 calf, and killed and dressed it ; and he brought the calf, and the cakes, and butter, and 
 milk, and sjave them to the men under the tree ; and thev did eat, and Abraham .stood 
 and waited upon them. When the meal was over, the angels asked of Abraham, where 
 was Sarah his wife. And Abraham said, " She is in the tent." Then the Lord, by the 
 mouth of the angels, told Abraham, He would soon give him and Sarah a son. When 
 Sarah, who was still in the tent, heard this, she laughed, and thought it could not be 
 true. The Lord chided Sarah for thus doubting His word, and reminded her that with 
 Him nothing was impossible. After this the angels departed, and Abraham went with 
 them towards Sodom, " to bring them on their wa}'." 
 
 24
 
 LOT FLEEING FROM SODOM. 
 
 saw in our last talk that Abraham went with the three angels 
 
 toward Sodom. He onl}' went a short distance to show them the 
 
 way, as was the custom then. Then two of the angels went on 
 
 ',t^_ui.# -ravirf/ -r^^ towards Sodom, but the Lord stayed with Abraham and told him 
 
 f^ "h^^Mwff^^^ that He was angrj- with those two wicked cities, Sodom and 
 
 Gomorrah, and was come to destroy them. Abraham thought of 
 
 Lot right awa}' ; his kind heart was touched with fear, lest Lot 
 
 might be destroyed with the wicked people among whom he dwelt ; 
 
 so he prayed God to save Sodom if fifty righteous people should be found therein. When 
 
 that prayer was answered, then Abraham begged Him for the sake of fort}- ; then for 
 
 thirty ; then for twentj' ; until at last God promised that he w'ould spare the cities if ther t 
 
 could be found only ten good men therein. Wasn't it good of Abraham thus to plead for 
 
 Lot ? \\'e should all remember our friends in prayer, and ask God to take care of them. 
 
 Just think, not even ten righteous men were found ! Don't vou think thev were 
 
 terribly wicked cities ? Lot was the only good man there. All the rest laughed at him 
 
 becaiise he tried to make them do better. One evening two strangers came into the city 
 
 where Lot lived. He was sitting at the gate of the city ; and when he saw the angels, 
 
 he arose and bowed respectfully, and brought them to his house, and set supper before 
 
 them. The wicked Sodomites wanted to harm them ; Lot was the only person who would 
 
 take them in, and shelter them from the wicked people in the street. 
 
 After Lot took the angels into his house, they told him to gather together all the 
 
 members of his family, and to take them all with him out of the city, for the Lord was 
 
 going to destro}- it. Lot had a wife and two daughters at home — he told them ; then he 
 
 went out and spoke to his married daughters, but their husbands would not believe Lot's 
 
 warning, and he was obliged to leave them behind. 
 
 26
 
 28 LOT FLEEING FROM SODOM. 
 
 In the morning, the angels took hold of Lot, and his wife, and daughters, and led 
 them almost b}- force, awaj' from their home, telling them, " Escape for thy life to the 
 mountain; stay not, look not behind thee." The}' were frightened, and begged not to 
 have to go so far as the wild mountains. ]\Iight the}- not go to the little city near at 
 hand ? Their wish was granted, and for Lot's sake, this city was spared. Its name was 
 Zoar. In the picture, the artist shows us the cit}- in flames. The walls are crumbling 
 in the terrible heat. Great clouds of smoke roll upward and fill the sky. See how 
 anxious Lot is ! His face is lifted to heaven in prayer, while with his arms he urges his 
 daughters on. In this dreadful judgment Lot's wife was disobedient to the commands of 
 the angels : "She looked back from behind her." She did not like to leave Sodom. 
 Perhaps she thought of her married daughters in the city, or wanted to save her goods, 
 or more likely did not quite believe that God was going to bum the place ; and so she 
 stood and looked, and the fiery rain fell upon her, " and she became a pillar of salt." 
 
 In the morning, Abraham rose very eai'ly, and went to look toward Sodom ; " and lo, 
 the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace." But God had remembered 
 Abraham's prayer for Lot, and kept him safely. 
 
 Here we see what an evil thing it is to sin against God. This was a terrible fire ; 
 but, dear children, " the earth and all the works that are in it " will by-and-b}- be 
 burned up, on account of the wickedness which is in the world God spares it for 
 awhile, but its end shall come. Pray, then, to God, that He would save you in that 
 hour, as He saved Lot from burning Sodom, "the Lord being merciful unto him." 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Sin will certainly be punished. A gentleman making 
 free with the Bible, said, in the presence of others : "I am seventy years of age, and 
 have never seen such a place as hell after all that has been said about it." His little 
 grandson, about seven years of age, who had been listening to the conversation, said: 
 ^'' Grandpa^ have you ever bcoi dead yet ?'" But, if we are righteous, as Lot was, we 
 need have no fear. Two little friends slept in bedrooms next to each other. One night 
 a storm came up. After repeating their prayers, and while being put to bed, they 
 expressed great fear of the lightning, which flashed very brightly. They were told not 
 to mind it, it would not hurt them if they were good. And now being left with the 
 doors open, one was heard to call to the other : " Nelly, do you suppose the lightning 
 will strike us if we say our prayers twice ? " You see, she thought it was the saying 
 of the prayers that moves God. But, let us remember it is the heart God looks at. A 
 child six years old said : " When we kneel down in the school-room to pray, it seems as
 
 LOT FLEEING FROM SODOM. 
 
 29 
 
 if my heart talked." That is what I want yon to learn —the heart cirmoit in prayer. 
 I think Abraham mnst have prayed with all his heart, when he asked God to save Lot. 
 Words are nothing, if the heart prays not. And, on the other hand, yon can pray and 
 not speak a word. " I said in my heart," and " My heart crieth out," is the language 
 of the Psalmist.
 
 THE EXPULSION OF HAGAR. 
 
 ESIDES Sarah, his first wife, Abraham had another wife, named 
 Hagar, who was an Egyptian woman. Several of the patriarchs, 
 or good men of that period of the world, had more wives than one ; 
 God permitted this in that dark age ; but it was not according to 
 His rule in the beginning of the world, and Christ, when he 
 came, forbade it. Now Hagar had a son named Ishmael, and 
 Sarah had a son named Isaac. Ishmael was now almost grown 
 up, and he behaved very unkindly to his little brother Isaac, mocking and teasing 
 him when they were playing together. Sarah, with all the tenderness of a mother, 
 could not bear that her boy should be treated in this way ; and so she begged 
 Abraham to send away Hagar and her son Ishmael. Now Abraham loved both his boys ; 
 and he was grieved that they should quarrel, and that Sarah should ask him to punish 
 Hagar and Ishmael so severely. But God commanded Abraham to do this. Remem- 
 ber, children, God saw Ishmael teasing his little brother Isaac. It displeased God. 
 " God, " says Matthew Henry, " takes notice what children do in their play, and will 
 reckon with them if they say or do amiss, though their parents do not." 
 
 And so Abraham rose, in the morning, and called Hagar, and gave her a bottle of 
 water, and bread, and her son Ishmael, and sent them both away. Dore the artist, has 
 made the picture look like early morning. It is twilight — or just before the sun fully 
 appears. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A little neighbor asks; " Does God always hear the 
 naughty words we speak in our play ? " Yes ; and He can read the thoughts that arise 
 in your hearts, when you feel naughty towards 3-our little companions. Are you not 
 sorry to grieve your Heavenly Father ? O, do go to Him and tell Him how sorry you 
 are, and ask Him not only to forgive, but to take it all away ; ask Him earnestly. 
 
 30
 
 HAGAR AND ISHMAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 Vl AGAR and Ishmael went into the wilderness of Beersheba. Thev 
 
 f wandered about in that wild country; the water in the bottle 
 
 was soon gone, and there being no prospect of getting more, she 
 
 expected nothing less than the death of her child. It was 
 
 very hot, and Ishmael fainted, and his mother cast him under 
 
 bush ; and she went a " good wa}- off," for she said, " Let me not 
 
 see the death of the child." And she lifted up her voice and wept. 
 
 Our picture shows the stricken mother in agonizing prayer ; 
 Ishmael lies on the ground, ready to die. And the poor boy cried aloud ; " and God 
 heard the voice of the lad, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said 
 unto her, what aileth thee, Hagar ? fear not ; for God hath heard the voice of the lad 
 where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand ; for I will make him a 
 great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water ; and she went, 
 and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink." And God was with Ishmael, 
 and made him well, and he grew up and Mved in the wilderness, and became aii archer, 
 or hunter. 
 
 Sayings of childhood. — A dear bo}- wants to know " if God opened a well for 
 Hagar and Ishmael just then, or was there one there all the time, and she did not 
 see it ? " Well, children, I think God created it then and there. But, no matter which 
 is true ; God can take care of us wherever we are. If even our friends forsake us, 
 let us never forget to trust in Him. A little fellow eight years old, who was without 
 a relative in the world, was asked by a lady, if he did not have any fears as to whether 
 he would get along in life. The child looked into her face and gravely replied : " Don't 
 you suppose God can take care of a little bo}^ just as well as He can of a man." Cer- 
 tainly, noble little fellow. God is as careful of the smallest child, as He is of the oldest 
 or the greatest man. Only trust Him, and obe}'^ Him ! 
 
 32
 
 TRIAL OF ABRAHAM'S FAITH. 
 
 FTER Hagar and Ishmael were gone away, God spake to Abraham, and 
 
 said, " Take now th}- son, thine only soil, Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get 
 
 thee into the land of IMoriah ; and offer him there, for a burnt-offering, upon 
 
 one of the mountains which I will tell thee of" Don't 3-011 think, 
 
 dear children, that was a strange command from God? But God 
 
 didn't want to make Abraham unhappy. No, He only wished to 
 
 try Abraham's faith, to see if Abraham would be obedient, and if 
 
 ^t'at^* he loved God more than his dear child. 
 
 Abraham knew that God would not order him to do anything 
 wrong, and so this good man obeyed Avithout a murmur. " Abraham rose up early in 
 the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac 
 his son, and clave the wood for the burnt-oflferiug, and rose iip and went imto the place 
 of which God had told him." The journe}- took three days. I sometimes wish that Moses 
 had given us some of the conversation between Abraham and Isaac during that never-to- 
 be-forgotten jouruev. And now the}- came near the spot and saw the mountain afar off, 
 where Isaac was to be offered. Leaving the ass and the two young men behind, the 
 father and his son went towards the mountain. In the picture you see the aged patriarch 
 toiling up the mountain, and before him Isaac, carrying the wood with which the 
 sacrifice is to be burnt. 
 
 Now Isaac had been taught by his good father to sacrifice to God, as was the custom 
 in those days ; and, on the way, he began to wonder where the sacrifice was, and verj- 
 innocently said : " My father behold the fire and the wood ; but where is the lamb for a 
 burnt-offering ? " For Isaac did not 3-et know that he was to be the lamb. Oh, how 
 this must have touched Abraham's heart ! Isaac had been a good boy, and it was no 
 wonder, then, if he dearly loved him. But he could not make up his mind to tell him, 
 
 34
 
 36 TRIAL OF ABRAHAM'S FAITH. 
 
 and he oiilj' said, — still, perhaps, hoping that God would spare him in the end, — " M5' 
 son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-oflfering ; so the}- went both of them 
 together." 
 
 But Isaac soon knew he was to be the lamb, for his father built an altar, and put the 
 wood upon it, and bouud Isaac, and laid him upon the altar, and took the knife to 
 slay his son. And Isaac did not complain or struggle. He was ready, like his father, 
 to do the will of God. He was about twenty j^ears old. It does not appear that he 
 tried one moment to resist his good old father, who was one hundred and twenty years 
 of age. Oh, how God loves such obedient hearts ! 
 
 But just as Abraham had the knife ready to slay his son, the angel of the Lord called 
 unto him out of heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham, lay not thine hand upon the 
 lad, neither do thou anything unto him ; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing 
 thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me." 
 
 The trial was over. God had proved Abraham, and his faith had not failed. Then 
 Abraham looked, and saw a ram caught in a bush by the horns, and he offered the ram 
 for a burnt-oifering, instead of Isaac. And the angel called again to Abraham, and said, 
 " Because thou hast done this thing, blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying, I will 
 multiply thee, and all the nations shall be blessed in thy seed." Dear children, I love 
 to read this beautiful story. Don't you ? It always reminds me of the love of God, in 
 giving His only Son for a sacrifice for us. The Lord Jesus Christ was the seed of 
 Abraham, who came to save sinners, and to be a blessing to all people. " God so loved 
 the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should 
 not perish, but have everla.sting life." 
 
 Saving.s of childhood : — I asked a little boy, was it not wrong for Abraham to 
 take a knife to slay Isaac? Would'nt it have been murder? His answer was, " No; 
 for God could'nt tell him to do what was not right." That is a good answer. God not 
 only would not, but could not, tell him to do wrong. All that God does is good and 
 right. When He sends us pain, or sickness, or sorrow. He does it wisely, for good, not 
 for evil ; we cannot know why, but God knows ; let us ask Him to make us obedient to 
 His will as Abraham and Isaac were. You know we are taught to pray that God's 
 " will may be done on earth, as it is in heaven." This means that lue should obey 
 God as the angels do in heaven. A Sunday-school teacher once asked his class, lioiv 
 the angels obey God. Different answers were given ; but the best was that of a little boy, 
 who said, " Thej- obey ivithout asking any questions^ That was a splendid answer..
 
 TRIAL OF ABRAHAM'S FAITH. 
 
 :si 
 
 One good way to learn to obey God, is to obey our parents. I have sometimes heard a 
 father call to his son, "John, here, I want you to go on an errand." John is making 
 some bobtails for his kite. Instead of minding, at once, what his father tells him, he 
 keeps on with what he is doing, and says, " Won't it do by-and-by, when I get through 
 with fixing my kite ?" Now that is not the way in which the angels obey. They do every- 
 thing that God tells them to do ; and they do it at once, without stopping to ask questions. 
 God has a right to expect this kind of obedience from us. He expects us to do every- 
 thing that He commands. He never does wrong Himself; and never commands 
 others to do wrong.
 
 THE BURIAL OF SARAH. 
 
 OU remember, my dear children, that Sarah was Abraham's wife. 
 They had lived together many years. But at last, when she was 
 127 years old, Sarah died in Hebron, and Abraham and Isaac 
 wept for her. Now in all that country Abraham did not own a 
 foot of land, for he was a stranger there. 
 
 So he went to the prince to whom Hebron belonged, and 
 begged to buy a field with trees in it, and a rock where there was a 
 deep cave that was called Machpelah. The prince offered to give it 
 to him ; but Abraham would not take it as a gift. He agreed for a price, and paid the 
 money for the bur\ring-place. It was not in money like ours now ; but in lumps of sil- 
 ver weighed out in balances, and each lump with a mark stamped on it — four hundred 
 of them. 
 
 Abraham laid the body of Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah. It was usual 
 in those times and in that country to bury people in caves, which were like little cham- 
 bers cut out of the side of some hill. Abraham was buried there afterwards himself, 
 and so was Isaac, and Isaac's son after him, in the cave of Machpelah. That cave has 
 been kept sacred ever since. There is a building over it now, and no stranger is allowed 
 to go into it ; but deep down there is a golden grating, and far within lie these holy men 
 and women of old. Abraham Avas ver\- much grieved to lose his dear wife, with whom 
 he had lived happily so many ^-ears. In the picture we see the good old man led ten- 
 derly away after the funeral is over, but still turning back with eager and sorrowful gaze 
 toward the sepulchre. 
 
 Dear children, it is Acr}- sad to see our dear friends die, and to see their bodies put into 
 the coffin, and laid in the grave ; but if they loved God, and we too love Him, as Abraham 
 and Sarah did, we shall meet them again in heaven. This thought comforted Abraham. 
 Sayings of childhood. — A father died, and as they bore him out of the house in 
 his coffin, a little girl asked her mother, " \\'hen will they bring papa back ? " The 
 mother explained that her papa had gone to heaven ; but, if good, they would go to live 
 with him. The child exclaimed : " Hadn't we better be packing up and getting ready ?" 
 Little ones, are von readv ? 
 
 38
 
 ELIEZER AND REBEKAH. 
 
 AHAM was now one hundred and fortj- 5'ears old. Like a kind father, 
 
 ; wanted to see his son happy and doing well in life, and so he wished 
 
 J to see Isaac married. It is true there were younsr women who 
 
 1'';^^ lived in Canaan who might have been found, but thej- did not 
 
 love and worship God ; and Abraham wished to get a pious wife 
 
 for his son,' and not an idolator. Now Abraham had a good and 
 
 '^ faithful sen-ant named Eliezer, who had lived with him, and 
 
 Sarah, and Isaac, many years. Abraham called Eliezer, and 
 
 said, " Go now to Mesopotamia, where I used to live, and find there a wife for mv son 
 
 Isaac, and bring her here." Eliezer gave his solemn word that he would go ; and he 
 
 took ten of his master's camels with provisions and presents, and journeyed manv days. 
 
 One evening, when he had come into the neighborhood where Abraham had told him 
 
 to go, he was tired and wear}-, and sat down beside a well. He did not know the people 
 
 who lived there, nor whom to choose for a wife for Isaac ; but he prayed to God to send 
 
 out to him the damsel whom He would appoint to be Isaac's wife. Scarcely had he 
 
 ended his prayer, when Rebekah, who was a relative of Abraham came out to draw 
 
 water. She was very sweet and pleasant-looking, and she was also kind-hearted, for she 
 
 not only gave water to the tired stranger, but also to the camels. The first picture 
 
 shows the first meeting between Eliezer and Rebekah. You must not wonder, children, 
 
 at Rebekah going to draw the water, for it was quite usual then, and in that countrj-, for 
 
 persons of the first rank to be so employed. Industry- is no disgrace to any rank, but 
 
 idleness always is. 
 
 Eliezer had asked God to show him, by this very sign, the wife whom he was to take 
 
 for Isaac, and now he felt quite sure that this was the right person ; so he made himself 
 
 known to Rebekah, and presented her with bracelets and ear-rings. Then Rebekah, 
 
 40
 
 ...^"^^ 
 
 ^^^^^^_^^lj^ **^ 
 
 mk^^
 
 42 ELIEZER AND REBEKAH. 
 
 having learned wlio he was, ran and told her mother. Soon her brother Laban learned 
 the news; and he ran out to the stranger, and took him to the honse of Bethnel, his 
 father, where he was welcomed and pro^■ided for. Then Eliezer told all about what he 
 had come for, and asked if Rebekah might go to Hebron, and marry Isaac : and they 
 were willing she should go, for they believed it was God's will. 
 
 Then Rebekah said good-bye to her father and mother, and brothers and sisters, and 
 went with her nurse and her maids, upon camels, with Eliezer, to Hebron. Now it 
 happened that Isaac was walking in the field on the evening of their arrival ; and seeing 
 them coming, he went towards them. And Rebekah asked Eliezer who he was ; and, 
 as is the custom of that country, she put a veil on her face as a token of modesty on 
 meeting Isaac ; for nothing in a woman or little girl is so lovel}- as modest}- of 
 behavior. In our second picture, 
 
 ISAAC WELCOMES REBEKAH. 
 
 He received her with great jo}-. And Isaac loved her, and she became his wife; 
 and God blessed them, and twentj^ years after He gave them two sons, who were 
 named Esau and Jacob. Isaac and Rebekah were ver}- proud of their boys, and loved 
 them dearly.
 
 ISAAC BLESSING JACOB. 
 
 ;:^> 
 
 OD gave two sons to Isaac and Rebekah. Their names were Esau 
 and Jacob. When thej- grew up, the}' were ver^- unlike : Esau 
 was wild, and high spirited, and fond of hunting in the field ; but 
 Jacob was quiet and gentle, and liked to look after the sheep and 
 goats. Now to the elder brother, among the Hebrews, belonged 
 man}- benefits, among the rest he had honor paid him next to his parents ; 
 he had a double portion of the inheritance ; and the Messiah, or Jesus 
 Christ was to be born, in time, of his familj^ — a blessing of the greatest 
 price. But Esau did not care enough about all these blessings ; he did not seem to get 
 anything by them, and he liked what he could get at once, better than what was a great 
 wa}'^ off. 
 
 One da}', when he had been hunting, he came home very hot, and tired, and hungry. 
 Jacob was cooking pottage, or soup, in his tent, and, as the children say, " Esau's mouth 
 watered" for some of the savory mess ; and he asked Jacob to give him this soup, for he 
 was very hungry. Jacob asked him to give him his birthright in exchange ; and Esau, 
 who was wild and hasty, agreed to do so, almost without a second thought. And so 
 Jacob seizing the opportunity, made his bargain, and tricked poor Esau. 
 
 Jacob was a better man than Esau. But it was not right of him to trick Esau, and 
 take away his birthright, when he was hungry, and asked for bread. This is a blot in 
 Jacob's character ; and it afterwards led to another, as one bad thing generally does. 
 Esau, however, deserved to lose his birthright, for he did not seem to set much value 
 upon it, when he sold it for a paltry meal of soup. It is very sad, and very wicked, to 
 care more for our bodies than our souls, as Esau did ; to think more about what we shall 
 eat and drink, than about what we must do to be saved. 
 
 44
 
 46 ISAAC BLESSING JACOB. 
 
 A time was to come when Esau would be sorry for what he had done. His 
 father was old and blind, and must now soon die ; he called Esan, and told him to get 
 him some venison, and to dress it, and to bring it to him, that he might bless Esan. 
 Esan obeyed, and went ont into the fields to hnnt. When Rebekah heard Isaac speak 
 to Esan, she was not pleased, because she wished Isaac to bless Jacob, for God had said 
 Jacob should be greater than Esan. So she called her favorite Jacob, and told him to 
 get her two kids, that she might make savory meat for Isaac, and send it by the 
 hand of Jacob, in order that he might get his father's blessing before Esan returned. 
 There was, however, one difficulty, which was, that Esau was rough, and his skin was 
 very hairy, but the skin of Jacob was smooth. In order, therefore, to deceive her husband, 
 Rebekah dressed Jacob in the clothing of Esau ; she covered his hands and neck with 
 the skin of the kids, so that if Isaac felt them, he might believe that it was really Esau 
 who knelt before him. 
 
 In this way they deceived Isaac, who was nearh^ blind. Jacob did succeed in getting 
 the blessing. The picture shows us the aged father, seated on one side of his couch, in 
 the act of blessing Jacob. Dear children, this was a very wicked deception on the part 
 of Jacob and his mother. We must obey God more than man, or woman, or father, or 
 mother. Jacob knew it was wicked to try to deceive his blind father, and he ought to 
 have told his mother so respectfull}- and meekly. He after\vards suffered for his wicked 
 act severely, and his descendants suffered for it too ; for the consequences of sin reach 
 far into the future. Rebekah was punished also, for her dear Jacob was obliged to go 
 awa}-, and I do not think she ever saw her fa^'orite child again. 
 
 Scarcel}' had Jacob received Isaac's blessing, when Esau came in with his venison. 
 And when he found what had been done, he cried bitterly and said, " Bless me, even me 
 also, O ui}' father ! hast thou not reserved a blessing for me ? " But his sorrow and 
 tears were unavailing. It was too late now, Isaac could not take back that which he 
 had already given ; but he tried to comfort Esau by the promise of wealth, and nian}^ 
 other good things ; but it was not the birthright that he had lost. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Some boys were asked if they recollected any instance in 
 Scripture of a bad bargain. To this, one little fellow replied : " Esau made a bad 
 bargain, when he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage." Children, he always makes 
 a bad bargain, who, to gain this world, loses his soul. " I think Jacob did a mean 
 thing," saj^s one bo3\ So do I. " Wh}- did 3'on not pocket some of those pears ?" said 
 one boy to another, "nobody was there to see yon." "' Ves there zuas ; I luas there to see
 
 ISAAC BLESSING JACOB. 47 
 
 myself, and f i/cTrr n'/s/i to sec myself do a mean tliiiigy Whenever you tell a lie, or 
 deceive, or do a mean thing, as Jacob did, 3'our conscience troubles you. Do you know 
 what 3^our coiise/eiiee is ? A Sunday-school teacher one da\- asked her scholars that 
 question. ScA-eral of the children answered, one sa^nng one thing, and another another, 
 until a little timid child spoke out : " It is Jesus whispering in our hearts." That is it ; 
 remember, whenever you are tempted to do wrong, that it is Jesus telling \-ou not to.
 
 JACOB'S DREAM. 
 
 SAU was very angry on account of the loss of his birthright. He 
 hated his brother so much, that he thought, " My father will die 
 soon, and then I will sla}- ray brother Jacob." When Rebekah knew 
 that Esau hated Jacob, and wanted to kill him, she was very anxious 
 about her favorite child. Wherefore she now told Jacob to go away 
 from home ; and she also persuaded his father to let him go and 
 visit her brother, Laban, whom she had not seen since the day of 
 her marriage ; and Isaac blessed Jacob, and bade him choose one 
 of Laban's daughters for a wife. 
 
 So Jacob set out on a long journey alone; he had no one to speak to, no place 
 wherein to rest at night. He went on till night came. Then he was in a dismal place. 
 But he said his prayers ; then put some stones into a heap for a pillow, and laid d- 
 and fell asleep. God gave him a beautiful dream that night. In the engraving we h<^ ^■ 
 a picture of his dream. He saw a ladder set on the earth, and its top reached to heaven, 
 and holy angels were going up and down upon it. At the top stood the Lord, and He 
 spoke to Jacob and told him that He was going to give his children all the land he saw — 
 North, South, East, and West ; and that He would take care of him, and, in time, bring- 
 him safe home again. When Jacob awoke, he felt very happy, and said, " Surely the 
 Lord is in this place, and I knew it not ;" and he was afraid also and said, " How dread- 
 ful is this place ! this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of 
 Heaven !" 
 
 And as we ought to remember the mercies of God at all times, he set up a stone there 
 as an altar, and poured oil upon it, and called the name of the place Bethel^ which means 
 " the house of God." Then he made a solemn vow, that if God would take care of him 
 on his way, and give him food and clothes, he would make a gift to God all his life of a 
 tithe, or tenth part of all he had — which meant, that if he had ten lambs he would offer 
 one of them in sacrifice. Children will you make Jacob's resolve ? Good people love to 
 
 do like Jacob, and give God their tenth. 
 
 48
 
 JACOB TENDING THE FLOCKS OF LABAN. 
 
 FTER his wonderful dream at Bethel, Jacob went on, and came to Padan- 
 aram. He came to a field, and a well. There he stopped ; and there were 
 flocks of sheep resting near it, waiting for water, attended b}- their 
 shepherds. Jacob very civilly asked the shepherds if they knew 
 Laban. Thev told him that they did — that he was well, and that 
 Rachel, his daughter, was then coming with her father's slieep to 
 /ff i^ get water for them. 
 
 When Jacob saw Rachel, he ran and rolled awa}- the great 
 stone which covered the well, and " watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother." 
 Jacob was ver}' glad to see Rachel — she was his coiisin ; he kissed her, and told her who 
 he was ; and she ran and told her father. Then Laban went out to meet him, and was 
 glad to see him, and asked him to stay in his house. 
 
 Jacob li\'ed many years with Laban, and kept his sheep. In the engraving, Jacob is 
 seen tending the flocks of Laban, which are gathered near a well, from which Rachel is 
 returning with her pitcher. After fourteen 3^ears, Jacob married Rachel, whom he loved 
 very much. And God blessed Jacob and gave him many children, and great possessions 
 of sheep, and oxen, and goats, and camels. 
 
 ;o
 
 JACOB'S PRAYER. 
 
 OD after a time commanded Jacob to go home to the laud of 
 
 ^^ Canaan. So, twenty years after he had fled from the face of his 
 
 angry brother, he gathered together his wives, and their children, 
 
 and their maids, and his cattle, and all his possessions, and started. 
 
 As he journeyed toward Canaan, he saw some angels coming to 
 
 meet him. They were sent by God to comfort Jacob, and to tell him 
 
 that God was there, to bless and keep him. 
 
 Now Jacob had great need of this encouragement, for he had to pass 
 by the way in which he might meet with his brother Esau. He was afraid because he 
 thought Esau might still be angry with him. Then Jacob sent his servants to tell his 
 brother that he had lived many years with Laban, and was now coming home, and that 
 he was very rich, and he ver}^ humbly begged Esau to be kind and friendly to him. But 
 when the servants returned they told Jacob that Esau was coming out to meet him, and 
 '' four hundred men with him." Then Jacob was very much afraid, for he thought, that 
 perhaps Esau was still angry with him, and was coming to kill him and all his family. 
 He, therefore, divided the people and flocks into two bands, so that if Esau fell upon 
 one the other might have time to escape. He put his wife and children in the hind- 
 most band, that their lives might be safe. He then thought that he would send 
 presents to his brother to gain his good will ; he ordered servants to go, one after 
 another, with droves of cattle of various kinds, five hundred and eighty animals in all, 
 which they were told to tell Esau were sent as presents to him. After this, Jacob sent 
 his wives and children over the river Jabbok, he himself remaining on its north bank, 
 where he spent the night in earnest prayer. 
 
 Our first picture gives this night scene — Jacob bowed on his knees by the river and 
 lifting up his hands in prayer. Jacob knew he had no power to help and save himself; 
 only God could save him, so he went and prayed to Hirn. These are the arguments he 
 
 52
 
 54 JACOB'S PRAYER. 
 
 used with God : i. God's promises to liim ; 2. God's great goodness to him ; 3. His own 
 obedience to God's directions. Dear children, do you use these pleas when you pray ? 
 The first and second will apply to you. \\'ill the third ? Are you ohrdiciil to God's 
 will? We have one strong argument in prayer, numely , Jor Jrsiis sake. 
 
 Like Jacob, when we are sorry and afraid, we should go to God, who alone can 
 protect and help us. You must not think that Jacob prayed for a great many 
 things that long night. He prayed only for what troubled him at that moment. He 
 was afraid of his brother ; and he asked God to take care of him. Let us learn to tell 
 God just what we need at the time. 
 
 How long do you think Jacob prayed ? Yes, all i/i'o/i/. Suppose Jacob had prayed 
 one hour, and then said: "There is no use praying longer, I don't get any answer?" 
 But Jacob held on. And after the midnight hour, there appeared to him one, who, 
 though in human form, yet possessed more than human power, and wrestled with him. 
 Jacob knew who He was — that He was the Angel of the Covenant — ^Jeho\ah — and he 
 asked for a blessing from Him. 
 
 The second engraving represents 
 
 "THE ANGEL WRESTLING WITH JACOB." 
 
 At length this divine wrestler put Jacob's thigh out of joint, and then said, " Let me go: 
 for the day breaketh," but Jacob still clung to him, demanding a blessing. And the Lord 
 blessed Jacob, and gave him the new name of Israel, which means a prince with God. 
 From that time the descendants of Jacob are called Israelites. Jacob called the place 
 Peniel, or the face of God ; because he had there seen God face to face. 
 
 Jacob felt now peaceful and happy, and, when he saw Esau coming, he had no fear. 
 He went to meet him, and, after the custom of the East, he bowed himself to the ground 
 seven times. And he now had no need to fear ; for, in answer to Jacob's prayer, God had 
 filled the heart of Esau with brotherly love and tenderness. When he saw Jacob bowing 
 down before him, Esau ran to meet him, and embraced, and fell on his neck, and kissed 
 him. The third engraving gives this scene — 
 
 "THE RECONCILIATION OF JACOB AND ESAU." 
 
 They both wept, for they thought of their past hatred and unkindness to one another ; 
 but now they wished to live in peace and brotherly love.
 
 56 JACOB'S PRxWER. 
 
 Next Jacob's family all came, and bowed themselves also ; and then Jacob oflfered his 
 presents to his brother. Esan refused to take them at first, but Jacob urged him, and s^ 
 he took them. And after the}' had talked together, and Esau had seen the wives, and 
 children, and possessions of his brother, they blessed each other and parted. Esau 
 returned to Mount Seir, where he dwelt, and Jacob went to Succoth. This was a happy 
 end to all their anger and disputings. 
 
 Sayings of childhood. — A little Irish boy, in school, was asked, " What is recon- 
 ciliation ?" He answered, " Second friendship. " Esau and Jacob were now reconciled — 
 the}' were friends again. Jacob's prayer did it ! Children don't forget to pray. A Bal- 
 timore policeman found a little boy wandering about one of the whan^es of the city at 
 ten o'clock at night, and took him to the station-house. The little fellow was fair-haired 
 and rosy-cheeked, and could speak German onl}-. He had lost his hat. A comfortable 
 bed was made for him on one of the settees. He laid down, but remembering himself, 
 he said, in his native tongue, " I have not prayed yet." Then while three reporters and 
 two policemen reverently bowed their heads, the little hands were clasped, and in childish 
 accent, the " Now I lay me down to sleep " was said. Dear little ones, if you should 
 sometimes forget to pray, do as the little girl did, who, after her doll was quietly in bed, 
 went to it and said : " You must get right up for you forgot to say your prayers.'' 
 
 ,w^W
 
 JOSEPH SOLD INTO EGYPT. 
 
 j OW appears a new character on the scene. Among the many beau- 
 tiful histories contained in the Bible, none has a more wonderful 
 
 charm than the history of Joseph. Tens of thousands of little 
 H^^ children have been made better and wiser by hearing the story of 
 
 "Joseph and his brethren." 
 
 Jacob had twelve sons. The best of all his sous was named 
 
 Joseph. Jacob loved him very much, and gave him a striped coat 
 
 of many colors. This roused the jealousy and ill will of Joseph's brothers, and they 
 
 hated Joseph, and were very unkind to him. Some of the brothers did wrong, and Joseph 
 
 told his father. This made them dislike him still more. Then one night, God sent a 
 
 wonderful dream to Joseph. He thought he was binding sheaves in the field, and the 
 
 sheaves of his brothers all bowed to his sheaf. Soon after, he dreamed again that the 
 
 sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed before him. These dreams, his brothers and father 
 
 explained as meaning that they were to bow to him, and his brothers only envied and 
 
 hated him still more, while his father blamed him for telling such dreams, but kept them 
 
 in his memorj^, to see what would come to pass. 
 
 Now Jacob's sons, though rich, were compelled to work. One day, when Joseph 
 
 was seventeen years old, ten of the brothers were out tending their father's flocks, and 
 
 remained so long that Jacob became uneasy, and sent Joseph to see what had become of 
 
 them. So off he started in his many-colored coat. When he came in sight of his 
 
 brothers, Satan entered into their hearts, and they began to plan to kill him. But 
 
 Reuben, a little braver and less cruel than the rest, said, " Let us not kill him, but cast 
 
 him into this pit." I think Reuben intended to take Joseph out when they went away, 
 
 and bring him home safely to his father. So when Joseph came to them, his cruel 
 
 brothers seized him, and tore off his coat of many colors, and threw him into the pit ; 
 
 but the pit was empt}-, there was no water in it. 
 
 58
 
 OO 
 
 JOSEPH SOLD INTO EGYPT. 
 
 Reuben, meantime, went away, thinking Joseph was safe; and the rest of the 
 brethren sat down together and ate bread. While these cruel brothers were eating, 
 they looked up, and saw a great man}- people coming towards them. The people were 
 Ishmaelites, and they had camels, which carried the spices they were going to take to 
 Eg5'pt to sell. When Judah, another brother, v.-ho did not w-ant to have him killed, sa-\v 
 the Ishmaelites, he proposed to his brothers to sell Joseph to them, for Judah loved 
 money. And his brethren agreed to this. So Joseph was taken out of the pit and sold 
 for twentv pieces of silver. In the picture 3-011 see the Ishmaelites taking Joseph awav 
 with them. 
 
 Then the brothers killed a kid, and dipped Joseph's beautiful coat in the blood, and 
 carried it home to their father, to make him suppose that a wild beast had torn his dear 
 bo)- to pieces and devoured him. Jacob believed this and wept, and rent his clothes, and 
 refused to be comforted. Dear children, don't j-ou think these sons must have been 
 ver)' hard-hearted to make their father suffer thus ? 
 
 JOSEPH INTERPRETING PHARAOH'S DREAMS. 
 
 OSEPH was sold b}- the Ishmaelites to Potiphar, who was a captain 
 of the guard to Pharaoh, king of that country. He was a good 
 youth and feared God ; he was not idle, nor deceitful, nor disrespect- 
 ful, nor dishonest ; he was very careful of his master's things ; and 
 God so blessed Joseph, that Potiphar took a great liking to him, 
 and made him hea'd sen-ant over all his house. 
 
 But Potiphar's wife was a \er\ wicked woman, and she tried 
 to tempt Joseph to sin ; and, when he refused to listen to her, 
 she was augr\-, as all bad people are when the}- cannot persuade 
 So she made up a story that Joseph had behaved ill. Potiphar 
 believed the story ; he never took the trouble to find out the truth, but cast him into 
 prison for what he had not done. Joseph went to prison ; but God was with him there. 
 He can keep His people wherever the}- are ; and He blessed Joseph, and made the keeper 
 of the prison love him, and soon Joseph was put in charge of all the other prisoners. 
 
 the good to join them
 
 62 JOSEPH INTERPRETING PHARAOH'S DREAM. 
 
 Dear children, try to deserve to be trusted, wherever you are. God is everywhere ; 
 and, as He was present with Joseph, alike in the pit, and in Potiphar's house, and in the 
 prison, He will be present with each of you if you truly seek after Him. If you always 
 recollect that God sees you, you will do the same when no one is with you as if all the 
 world were watching; and that is the wa\^ to be true and just in all your dealings. If 
 you are good only when you are looked at, you are not like Joseph, but are onl}' doing 
 sersdce outwardly. Do just the same when your parents are absent as you would when 
 they are present. 
 
 While Joseph was in charge of the prisoners, two grand people came in as prisoners. 
 One was Pharaoh's chief butler who supplied him with wine ; and the other was his chiei 
 baker, who supplied him with bread. And they were placed, by the captain of the 
 guard, under Joseph's care. One morning when Joseph came to see them, he found 
 them looking sad and unhappy, and he asked them, "Why look ye so sad to-day?" They 
 told him they had been dreaming, and were anxious to know what their dreams meant. 
 Now the Egyptians used to think a great deal of dreams ; most dreams, however, have 
 no meaning, but these had, and God put it into Joseph's heart to understand them. Then 
 Joseph asked to know their dreams. The chief butler said his was about a vine, and 
 that it had three bunches of grapes, and that he was squeezing the juice into the king's 
 cup as he used to do. Joseph told him that this meant that in three days he should 
 really hand Pharaoh the cup again ; and all the reward Joseph asked for his services 
 was that the butler, when free, would kindly tell the king about him, and get him set 
 free. Then the baker told his dream. He said he dreamed that he had three white 
 baskets on his head ; and that in the one at the top he had baked meats for the king, 
 but the birds came down and ate them up. Joseph told him that his dream meant that 
 in three days he would be hanged, and that the vultures and ravens would eat his flesh. 
 And the words of Joseph came to pass exactly as he had foretold. The butler was 
 restored his place, and the baker was hanged. But did the butler remember Joseph, 
 and ask the king to take him out of prison ? No ; when he was happy and safe himself, 
 he thought no more about Joseph. 
 
 Two years more passed away, and still poor Joseph was in prison. Then Pharaoh, 
 king of Egypt, had two wonderful dreams. He thought he stood by the river Nile, and 
 saw seven fat kine come out of it, and feed in a meadow. Soon after he saw seven 
 other kine come out, lean and starved ; and the\ ate up the seven fat ones. Then 
 Pharaoh awoke. He went to sleep again, and again he had a dream ; and then beheld.
 
 JOSEPH INTERPRETING PHARAOH'S DREAM. 63 
 
 iu a dream, seven very fine ears of corn growing upon one stalk; and soon after seven 
 thin, empty ears sprang up beside them, and the bad ears devoured the seven good ones ; 
 and the king awoke. 
 
 Now these two dreams troubled the mind of the king. He called all his wise men, 
 and asked them to interpret them. But they had no heavenl}- wisdom, and God did not 
 enable them to explain the dreams. But when the butler heard Pharaoh and the wise 
 men talking together about the dreams, he told Pharaoh about Joseph, who had inter- 
 preted a dream for him, and recommended him to try what the young man could do. 
 Pharaoh sent at once for Joseph ; and when Joseph had washed and shaved and 
 dressed himself neatly, he stood before the king. Then the king told his dreams, and 
 asked Joseph to interpret them. Our picture shows Joseph in the presence of Pharaoh. 
 Joseph knew that all the wisdom he had, God gave to him, so he said to Pharaoh, " It is 
 not in me, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." And God taught Jaseph rightly 
 to interpret the dreams. He said, " The seven fat kine, and the seven good ears of com, 
 are seven years of great fruitfulness ; and the seven thin kine, and the seven bad ears, 
 are seven years of famine. Seven years are coming of great plent}' in the land of Egypt, 
 and then seven years of famine will begin, when there will be no corn." Joseph then 
 told Pharaoh that he ought to find some wise man, who would lay up one-fifth part of 
 the corn in the plentiful years, and perhaps buy more, and keep in store, till the 3'ears 
 of want, so that the people might not starve. 
 
 Then the king believed what he said, and he thought that none could be found like 
 Joseph — so full of wisdom ; and he appointed him ruler, next to himself, over all the 
 land of Egj'pt ; and he clothed him finely, and put a ring on his finger, and a gold 
 chain round his neck ; and he made him to ride in a fine chariot, and the people bowed 
 to him in respect, as we do to great men, when we approach them. And Pharaoh gave 
 him a name of distinction, as our kings make dukes and lords ; and he found him a 
 wife to be his companion and comforter. And Joseph set to work to buy the corn that 
 was over and above what the people wanted to eat in the years of plenty, that he might 
 store it up against the years when the corn would not grow. 
 
 And God blessed Joseph in all that he did, and made him the father of two sons, 
 whom Joseph named Manasseh and Ephraim (which names mean forgetting and fruit- 
 ful) ; for Joseph said, "The Lord hath made me forget aW my toil, and hath made me 
 fruit fit/ in the land of my captivity."
 
 JOSEPH MAKETH HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BRETHREN. 
 
 HE years of famine at length began to come, as Joseph had said. 
 
 There was no corn to reap ; all was dr}- and dead ; and the poor 
 
 people cried for food. And Pharaoh said, " Go unto Joseph ; and 
 
 what he saith to you, do." And Joseph opened the store-houses, 
 
 te/ryt^^ HL and sold corn to the Egyptians. The famine was not only in 
 
 \«*'ji**S!^'Pv ffi Eg3'pt, but in all the countries round about ; it reached Canaan 
 
 • also ; and Jacob and his sons had no bread. So when Jacob heard 
 
 that there was corn in Egypt, he sent his ten eldest sons to buy 
 
 some ; but Benjamin stayed with his father, for after the loss of Joseph, Jacob could not 
 
 bear his youngest son to leave him ; and he would not send him on the long journey, 
 
 for he said, " Perhaps some mischief might befall him on the way." 
 
 The ten brothers went to Egj^pt, and came and stood before Joseph, and bowed to the 
 
 ground. Joseph knew them, for they still looked like shepherds : but they did not know 
 
 him, for he had grown from a youth to a man, and was dressed like an Egyptian lord. 
 
 x'Ylthough Joseph remembered his brothers at once, he behaved toward them like a 
 
 stranger, and spoke harshly to them. He acted as if he thought they were enemies, come 
 
 to see if Egypt could be conquered when it was so bare of food. They told him who they 
 
 were ; that they were all one man's sons, and one brother they had lost ; the other was left 
 
 with his father, who could not bear to part with him. Joseph acted as though he would 
 
 not believe this, and said he must keep one of them in prison, while he sent the rest 
 
 back to fetch their youngest brother, or else he could not believe them. 
 
 The brothers were much distressed to hear this. Now their consciences began to 
 
 trouble them, and they recollected how they had used Joseph ; and they talked to one 
 
 another, and said, " We are verilj' guilty concerning our brother." Joseph heard them, 
 
 and could hardly bear it ; he turned aside and wept ; but still he kept to his plan. " He 
 
 took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes." Then he commanded their 
 
 64
 
 66 JOSEPH MAKETH HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BRETHREN. 
 
 sacks to be filled with corn, and the mone)- they had paid for it to be put into the sacks 
 also ; and he let them go. When they found this out as they went home the}' were 
 much afraid ; aud when they came home and told their father what had happened, and 
 he saw the moiie}^, Jacob was more afraid still. He said, "M}'^ son shall not go with 
 you. Me have ye bereaved of my children : Joseph is not, and Simeon is not ; aud ye 
 will take Benjamin awa}^ ; all these things are against me." Reuben answered, " Give 
 him to me, I Avill bring him to thee again." But Jacob would not let him go. 
 
 In a short time they had eaten all the corn the}' had brought from Egypt. Jacob 
 desired them to go down and buy food again in Egypt, for they knew not where else it 
 could be obtaitied. But they answered, " We must not, we dare not go without Benja- 
 min ; for the man solemnly commanded us to bring him." Then, with great difficulty, 
 Judah got his father to intrust Benjamin to his care. Jacob sent presents to Joseph, anu 
 he sent back the money found in the sacks, for he knew it did not belong to him-^aud 
 good people are always honest ; and he prayed God to bless them. 
 
 They went, and again bowed themselves before Joseph. Only think of Joseph's 
 heart being so full when he saw Benjamin, that he could not stay with him for his tears, 
 and went away into his chamber to weep ! It was love and thankfulness that made him 
 weep. Then Joseph washed away his tears and went to them again. Then he ordered 
 a feast to be made, and Joseph sent messes to all his brothers ; but Benjamin's mess 
 was five times larger than any of the others ; and " they drank and were merry with 
 him." Still Joseph wished to make further trial of the good and evil that was in the 
 hearts of his brethren. He wanted to see if they still were envious of the one their 
 father loved best ; so he made his steward hide his cup in Benjamin's sack of corn, and 
 then go after them, and pretend to think they had stolen it. The servant obeyed, and 
 in the morning he sent them all away. Then the servant ran after them, and overtook 
 them, aud charged them with having stolen the cup. But they said they had stolen 
 nothing, and that he might search their sacks. The search was made ; and lo, the cup 
 was found in Benjamin's sack. They were all shocked ; and the steward said Benjamin 
 must go back and be punished. Then the brothers rent their clothes, and went back 
 again to Joseph, and fell down before him. Joseph made believe he was very angry. 
 Then Judah stood up and told him how much their old father loved his youngest son, 
 and he w^ould be sure to die if the lad did not come home safe. And Judah begged to 
 stay and be a slave in Egypt, instead of his brother Benjamin, for he said if mischief 
 befall the lad, his father would die, and that he could not bear to see.
 
 JOSEPH MAKETH HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BRETHREN. 67 
 
 Don't 3'ou think this was kind and good on the part of Judah ? Joseph was touched 
 to the heart ; he could no longer refrain from making himself known to his brethren. 
 So he sent away all his servants and oflScers, and allowed no one else to be present while 
 he made himself known, for he could not keep from weeping ; indeed, he sobbed 
 aloiid, so that the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard him. Our picture 
 gives the scene. Then Joseph said to his brothers, " I am Joseph, your brother, whom 
 ye sold into Egypt ; is my father yet alive ? " His brothers could not answer, they were 
 so frightened ; but he would not let them be afraid ; he spoke very gently to them again, 
 and told them not to grieve for what had gone before, for God had turned it all to 
 good, and made him be the means of saving all their lives, by storing up the corn in 
 Egypt. 
 
 Then he fell upon their necks, and kissed them, and wept upon ihem ; and they all 
 talked long and happily together. The Egyptians heard what had happened, and went 
 to tell Pharaoh, saying, "Joseph's brethren are come." And it pleased Pharaoh well, 
 and he sent a present to Jacob, and wagons to bring him and all his family to Egypt. 
 Then Joseph gave clothes, and money, and food, to his brothers, and sent them away, 
 to tell Jacob, their father, that Joseph was still alive, and was a great and powerful man ; 
 and they were to fetch old Jacob, their father, and their wives, and their children, and all 
 they had, and come to live with Joseph in Egypt, where he would take care of them. 
 Dear children, let us learn, like Joseph, to return good for evil. "If thine enemy hun- 
 ger, feed him." 
 
 ^""^
 
 JACOB GOING DOWN INTO EGYPT. 
 
 HEN Joseph's brothers arrived home, they said to their father, 
 
 "Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of 
 
 Egypt." Then Jacob's heart fainted within him, for he could 
 
 scarcelv believe the g-ood news. But when thev told him all the 
 
 :^,-i;^ words of Joseph, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had 
 
 Vv'\ sent to carry him into Egypt, Jacob's spirit revived again, and 
 
 ^ he said, " It is enough : Joseph, my son, is yet alive. I will go 
 
 and see him before I die." 
 
 Then Jacob and his sons began their journey to Egypt. The engraving shows the 
 
 old man riding on his favorite camel, with his children and grand-children following — 
 
 in all, seventy persons. On the way, at Beersheba, God spoke to Jacob in the night, 
 
 and promised to be with him in Egypt, and to bring his descendants out from thence, 
 
 and to make them a great nation. And when Jacob came near to Goshen, he sent 
 
 Judah forward, to tell Joseph of his arrival. 
 
 As soon as Joseph heard the good news, he had his chariot brought out, and he went 
 
 to meet his father ; and he fell upon his neck, and wept there for a good while. Oh ! the 
 
 joy of meeting again, after so many long years. They had much to tell one another; 
 
 all the w^onderful things God had done ; all their past sorrows and fears ; and all their 
 
 joy now. They had not forgotten the love of former years. The old man could onh^ 
 
 exclaim, " Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art still alive." 
 
 So Jacob lived all the rest of his life in Egypt, and was happy with his son Joseph. 
 
 Dear children, be good to your fathers and mothers. You see Joseph did not neglect 
 
 his good old father because he was " a plain man," while he himself was become a great 
 
 man in the land of Egypt. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A little girl had been taught to pray especially for her 
 
 father. He had been suddenly taken to heaven. Kneeling at her evening devotion, 
 
 her voice faltered, and as her eyes met her mother's, she sobbed, " O, mother I cannot 
 
 leave him all out. Let me say, thank God I had a dear father once, so I can keep him 
 
 in my prayers." Let us remember to thank God for dear fathers and mothers. I 
 
 know not what you may think of Joseph ; but of all the characters of sacred history, I 
 
 love Joseph best, because he is most like Jesus — so pure, and forgiving, and loving. 
 
 68
 
 MOSES IN THE ARK OF BULRUSHES. 
 
 ANY years had passed away. Joseph was dead, and all his brothers. 
 
 A new king was reigning who did not know Joseph ; he was very 
 
 cruel, and made the children of Israel work very hard to make 
 
 bricks and build towns for him. By so doing, he kept them very 
 
 I poor, for they had no time to labor for themselves, and he tried to 
 
 wear them out with slaver^y, that he might lessen their numbers. 
 
 " But the more he afflicted them, the more they multiplied and 
 
 grew." 
 
 So the wicked king thought upon another plan to destroy them. He ordered, that 
 
 whenever a little boy was born to the children of Israel, he should be thrown into the river 
 
 Nile and drowned. Pharaoh was afraid that, in time of war, the Israelites would fight 
 
 him, and become his masters, instead of his slaves. 
 
 There Avas a woman of the family of Levi, who loved God ; and her husband, too, 
 
 was a good man. The man's name was Amram, and the woman's name was Jochebed. 
 
 God gave them a beautiful little boy. For three months, the mother hid her child, that 
 
 he might not be drowned ; but when he grew older and larger, she could not hide him 
 
 any longer. What must be done ? The Holy Spirit taught Jochebed what to do. She 
 
 made for Moses, a little ark, or cradle, of strong rushes ; and she put pitch and clay on 
 
 the outside to keep the water from getting through. Then, early in the morning, while 
 
 the infant was still sleeping, she took him and laid him in his little cradle, among the 
 
 high grass and reeds, by the side of the river, leaving his sister Miriam to watch near 
 
 him. Jochebed knew that God could keep her little boy, if she could not, and she told 
 
 all her sorrow to Him. 
 
 In the first picture, the artist shows the angels hovering over the sleeping darling. 
 
 The merciful God heard that mother's prayer. Soon Miriam saw some people coming ; 
 
 who were they ? They were ladies ; one was the cruel king's daughter, and the others 
 
 were her maids ; and they walked along by the river, for the princess was going to bathe. 
 
 70
 
 72 MOSES IN THE ARK OF BULRUSHES. 
 
 They did not see Miriam ; she was a little way oflf, but she could see them, and heard all 
 they said. When Pharaoh's daughter saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid 
 to fetch it. 
 
 In the second picture, 
 
 "THE FINDING OF MOSES," 
 
 the moment selected by the artist is when the ark of bulrushes is being drawn to shore 
 by one of the attendants, while the princess stands under the downy plumes of her two 
 fan-bearers, giving directions in regard to the child. When the little cradle was opened, 
 the baby was crying. That made the princess pity him, for she was uot cruel, like her 
 father, and she said, " It is one of the Hebrew children." 
 
 When Miriam heard the kind lady speak, she went forward, and said to the princess, 
 " Shall I go and call a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for thee ? " x'Vnd Pharaoh's 
 daughter said " Go." How Miriam's little heart throbbed for joy as she ran to her 
 mother. O mother, O mother ! the princess has found our baby, and she has sent me to 
 call a nurse, and I have come for 3^ou. O mother, do come quickly ! And the mother went 
 and Pharaoh's daughter said to her, " Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I 
 will give thee th}- wages." Surely Jochebed felt that her faith in God was richly 
 rewarded. She brought him home, and nursed him, and he grew ; and when he was a 
 little older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter again. The princess loved the child 
 and she said, " He shall be my son, and I will name him Moses (or, drawn out), because 
 I drew him out of the water." 
 
 Sayings ok childhood: — A kind woman, one cold winter day, tried to open a 
 door in the third story of a wretched house, when she heard a feeble voice saj', 
 " Pull the string up high ! " She looked up and saw a string, which, on being pulled, 
 lifted a latch, and she opened the door upon two half-naked children all alone and 
 looking very cold and pitiful. " Do you take care of yourselves, little ones ? " asked the 
 woman. " God takes care of us," said the oldest. " And what do you eat ? " " Wheu 
 Granny comes home, she fetches us something. Granny says God has got enough. 
 Granny calls us ' God's sparrows,' and we say ' Our Father,' and ' Daily bread,' every 
 da}'. God is our Father." Tears came to the good woman's eyes as they ought to 
 in ours, and those two " little sparrows," perched in that cold upper chamber, may well 
 teach us some sweet lessons of faith and trust. Dear little ones, you are under the care 
 of the God of little Moses. You are not too small for God to see you. Then love and 
 trust Him.
 
 MOSES AND AARON BEFORE PHARAOH. 
 
 OW when Moses was grown up he did not live with the king's 
 daughter any longer. The king had grown angry with him because 
 he cared for his own people, the Israelites, and he had to flee 
 away and keep slieep in the wilderness. And there he saw a 
 great wonder. One day, as he sat beside the desert, keeping his 
 sheep, he was surprised to see a bush not far off sparkling with 
 light, as though it were on fire; but, although it appeared to be 
 in flames, the leaves did not fall off, nor was the bush consumed. 
 And God's voice spoke to him out of the bush, and told him that the troubles of the 
 children of Israel were to come to an end. God would save them from the cruel 
 Egyptians ; and Moses himself was to go and lead them out, and bring them to the 
 good land that God had promised that Abraham's children should have for their own. 
 Moses was to go and tell the king of Egypt that it was God's will that they should go. 
 Moses was afraid at first, but God promised to keep him. He said to Moses, " Aaron 
 thy brother may go with thee ; he can speak well ; and I will teach you both what 3'ou 
 shall do." So Moses and Aaron went together to Pharaoh, and told him that the great 
 God had commanded him to let the Israelites go, that they might serve Him. But the 
 haughty king answered that he did not know the Lord, neither would he let the people 
 go. God now gave ]\Ioses and Aaron power to do wonders, and to work miracles before 
 Pharaoh. They went into the presence of the king. In the engraving, the artist shows 
 Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh. You see the king surrounded by his wise men, his 
 guard and perhaps many others looking on ; there stand Moses and Aaron, eight}' 
 years old, asking that a great army of slaves may go away to worship their God. 
 
 Pharaoh wants a sign to convince him that these messengers come from God. Aaron 
 threw down his rod and it became a serpent. But Pharaoh called his wise men, and told 
 them to try to do the same ; and they did so with their enchantments. Had they power 
 to work miracles ? No ; perhaps God suffered their rods to become serpents that he 
 might work a greater miracle, or perhaps they might have learned to tame serpents, so 
 as to make them look like rods in their hands ; and then they might have thrown them 
 
 74
 
 76 MOSES AND AARON BEFORE PHARAOH. 
 
 down as Aaron did, and thus pretended to work a miracle. But God made Aaron's rod 
 swallow up their rods. What must have been their amazement when they saw that ! 
 They had been accustomed to worship serpents, but what need for them to worship 
 serpents any more, when this wonderful God of the Israelites could make out of a stick, 
 one capable of swallowing theirs ! Think, too, what a feeble, powerless bit of wood that 
 shepherd's rod was ; yet when God used it, what a power it became ! So, what a feeble 
 thing the hand of a little child is, but as soon as you put it on God's side, so He can use 
 it, what a power it ma^^ become ! 
 
 Still Pharaoh did not care for all this, nor did he obey the command to let Israel go ; 
 and then God said. He would punish Pharaoh. He determined to afflict Egj'pt with 
 great plagues. First, the Lord commanded Moses to stretch out his rod over the river 
 Nile ; Moses did so, and all the waters in the river turned into blood ; and when Moses 
 held out his rod again it turned back into pure water. But Pharaoh did not mind, and 
 would not let the people go. Then God told Moses again to stretch out his hand over the 
 river ; and there came up such numbers of frogs that they covered the land, and crawled 
 over the tables and into the beds, and even into the ovens of the Egyptians. Pharaoh 
 could not bear to have these frogs everywhere, and said, if they would but go away he 
 would let th'^ children of Israel go. Then Moses asked God to take the frogs away, and all 
 the frogs died ; but Pharaoh still continued disobedient and would not let the people 
 go, — and God sent a third plague. 
 
 He ordered Moses to turn all the dust in the land into lice ; and the lice covered the 
 people and the animals. But Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he refused to listen. 
 Then very dreadful swarms of stinging flies came and covered the land. Nothing was to 
 be seen for flies ; and Pharaoh, in his terror, made a half promise that he would let the 
 Israelites go a short distance, if the swarms of flies were taken awa}- ; but as soon as 
 the}^ were gone, Pharaoh hardened his heart, and would not let them go. 
 
 Then the Lord sent a fifth plague, and brought a dreadful disease, called murrain, 
 upon the cattle of Egypt, and the horses, and asses, the camels, and the sheep, and all 
 the animals that were useful to the Egyptians grew sick and died. In the next engrav- 
 ing the artist shows this 
 
 " PLAGUE OF MURRAIN," 
 
 the camels falling down dead, and their masters leaving them in despair. But still 
 Pharaoh remained unmoved. Then Moses took ashes out of the furnace, and threw 
 them up toward heaven, at God's command, and they became dust, and brought sore boils
 
 78 MOSES AND AARON BEFORE PHARAOH. 
 
 upon men and beasts. The wicked Egyptian magicians suffered so much pain from 
 these boils, that they were not able to stand, or to go to Pharaoh when he sent for them. 
 But still the king would not attend to God's command. 
 
 The next day, God sent a terrible storm, thunder and lightning, and rain and hail — 
 such big hailstones as killed the men and cattle that were out iu the fields, and light- 
 ning that struck them, and wind that broke every tree in the field. No wonder that 
 Pharaoh was frightened and begged that the storm might cease, and said that then he 
 would let the Israelites go. So Moses prayed to God, and it was all still again. But 
 when the rain was over, Pharaoh was again disobedient, and said, " I will not let the people 
 go." Then God said unto Moses — " Stretch forth thine hand over the land of Eg3'pt 
 for the locusts, that the}- may come upon the land of Egypt and eat everv herb of the 
 field that the hail hath left." And locusts came ; and they were so man}' that the land 
 was darkened by them, and they ate everything which the hail had not destroj-ed. The 
 king again sent for Moses and Aaron, and begged them to pray for him. And they did 
 pray, and God heard them ; but when the plague was taken away, wicked Pharaoh 
 again said, " I will not let the people go." 
 
 Then God sent a new and very dreadful plague over the land of Egypt ; this was a 
 thick darkness, that lasted for three days. There was no light from the sun nor moon 
 nor stars. And the people could not see to move from their places all the time. Our 
 next engraving is a picture of this 
 
 " PLAGUE OF DARKNESS. " 
 
 Pharaoh again called Moses, and said, " You ma}- go ; only let your cattle be" 
 stayed. " But Moses said, " No, we must take all our possessions with us ; we will go 
 with our wives, and our little children, our sons, and our daughters, our flocks, and all that 
 we have." Then Pharaoh was angry, and drove Moses away, and told him never to come 
 before him again. Moses said, " Thou hast spoken well ; I will see thy face again no 
 more ;" and he went aAvay from the king. 
 
 Dear Children, in the next talk we will see how God compelled Pharaoh to obey. 
 
 Sayings of childhood: — A little four-year old boy prayed: "O Lord bless George, 
 and make him a good boy ; and don't let him be naughty again, he sticks to it so." 
 How natural it is for us to stick to our naughty ways. That was the way with 
 wicked Pharaoh. He had a chance to obey, and keep ofiF these awful plagues if he would. 
 God sent him message after message ; He waited for him, urged him, warned him ; but 
 he would not obey. And it was just because he tuouldti't. Dear children, I want you
 
 8o MOSES AND AARON BEFORE PHARAOH. 
 
 shall learn from this the foil}' of daring God. Be sure that God and you are always on 
 the same side— that is, that He is for you, instead oi agauist you. In the midst of all 
 the plagues God's people were quite safe. None of the plagues came near their dwell-' 
 ings, or in the land of Goshen, where they dwelt. No harm can come to those who trust 
 in Him. 
 
 DEATH OF THE FIRST-BORN IN EGYPT. 
 
 FTER the nine sad plagues that had come upon the Egyptians there was 
 to be one plague more, the last and worst. This was called the death 
 of the first-bom, and was tenfold more terrible than any that had 
 preceded it. Moses told his countr\'men that the angel of the 
 Lord would pass at midnight over all the houses, and that he would 
 slay the first-bom in every Egyptian house. No one would be 
 )|^fjr^ spared: Pharaoh's oldest son, the young prince, and the verj^ 
 poorest person's son. They had killed the little Israelite babies, 
 and now their babies should be killed. 
 
 But did God kill the first-born of the Israelites too ? No ; He told them what they 
 must do, if they believed His words, and wished to escape. Thej^ were to take a lamb, 
 without spot or blemish, and kill it in the evening ; and they were to sprinkle the blood 
 of the lamb upon the lintel, and upon the two door-posts ; and afterward they were to 
 roast the lamb whole, and eat it. Where the mark of the blood was, the angel would 
 pass over and do no one any hurt ; but the people would be blest and set free, because 
 they believed God, and did as He bade them. 
 
 The Israelites listened to Moses, and did as he had told them. They ate their 
 lambs, and packed up their goods ready for a journey. And lo ! while they were 
 waiting, there came a terrible shout and crj- from the Egyptians, for the destroying 
 angel had killed the first-bom in every house. Even the first-born of their cattle died 
 too, because the Egyptians used to worship them. In the picture, the artist shows the 
 destroying angel passing through in the night ; in his hand is a drawn sword. 
 
 But were the believing, obedient Israelites safe ? Yes, wherever there was the blood, 
 the little ones were safe. Dear children, The Lord Jesus Christ is like the lamb of the
 
 82 
 
 DEATH OF THE FIRST-BORN IN EGYPT. 
 
 Israelites. He was slain as the paschal lamb was, and His blood was shed upon the 
 cross. Win- ? To save our souls. The blood of the lamb in Eg3'pt was sprinkled 
 upon the doors ; the blood of Jesus must be sprinkled upon our hearts. 
 
 S.WINGS OF childhood: — A little boy on his father's knee said, " Pa, is 3-our soul 
 insured ? " " Why do you ask that, my son ? " The boy replied : " I heard Uncle 
 George saj- that you had your house insured, and }-our life insured ; but he did not 
 believe yoiv had thought of your soul, and he was afraid you would lose it." Dear little 
 one, have ^-ou got 3'our soul iusmcd / Is the blood sprinkled upon it? Now suppose 
 that in one Israelitish house there had lived a little boy who did not want the blood 
 sprinkled on his door! " What is the use ? " he saj's ; " God knows where we live, and 
 He can take care of us just as well without that, and it will look so queer, all the 
 Eg3-ptians will be asking us what we do it for ! " How foolish that boy would have 
 been ! The destro3ang angel would have killed him too. We must not be ashamed of 
 the blood. Or, suppose in one house, there lived a little girl who wanted to have 
 her dolly dressed. Mamma explains to her about the lamb and the blood on the door, 
 and that it must be attended to at once, but the child insists that it will do just as well 
 to-morrow, the dolly must be dressed first. Don't you see, that to-morrow would have 
 been too late ? " Don't put off giving your hearts to Jesus now ! God sa3^s, " Now is 
 the da3' of salvation," and God requires exact obedience. It was not the blood on the 
 door that saved the babies of the Israelites, but it was obedience to God. 
 
 THE DROWNING OF PHARAOH AND HIS ARMY IN THE RED SEA. 
 
 HARAOH was at last convinced that it was in vain to fight 
 against God. When the destro3-ing angel came to his palace and 
 killed his eldest son, the king was so frightened that he called 
 for IMoses and Aaron in the night, and said, " Rise up, and get 
 3^ou forth from among mv people, both 3-e and the children of 
 Israel ; and go, sen-e the Lord as ye have said. Also take A-our 
 flocks and your herds as 3-011 have said, and be gone ; and 
 bless me also." And the Eg3'ptians were so auxious to send the 
 Israelites awav, that the3- helped them to pack up, and gave them rich presents to take with
 
 84 THE DROWNING OF PHARAOH AND HIS ARMY IN THE RED SEA. 
 
 them. And now the children of Israel set off to leave Eg3'pt. There were 6c)0,cxx) 
 men, and many women and children, and very much cattle. They were going through 
 a wild and dreary wilderness, and so God came in a pillar of cloud by day, and of fire 
 by night, to show them the way they should go. Thus thev journeyed safe and happj^ 
 under God's keeping, until they came to a very narrow pass on the borders of the Red 
 Sea ; and they encamped there. 
 
 But when Pharaoh heard the Israelites were gone, he was sorry he had let them go ; 
 and he got all his chariots and horsemen together, and went after the children of Israel 
 to bring them back again. When the Israelites saw him coming, they were sore afraid, 
 and began to blame Moses, and said, " Why hast thou brought us out here to die ? It 
 would have been better to stay in Egypt, and serve the Egyptians, than to die in the 
 wilderness." But God spoke to Moses, and told him not to fear. They had only to 
 stand still and see how God would save them And God Himself showed that He was 
 with them, for the pillar of cloud went behind them, instead of before, and made it dark 
 to the Egj'ptians, but it gave light by night to the Israelites, so that the Egj'ptians 
 could not get near them all night. 
 
 Then the Lord commanded the people to go on. But where could they go ? The 
 great sea was before them ; there is no bridge across it ; the}'^ have no boats. High 
 mountains shut them in, on either side. What are they to do ? God says go forward ! 
 what, right into the sea ? Yes right into the sea. God knew how to find a May for 
 them to escape. He told Moses to stretch his rod over the sea. And then there was a 
 great wonder. The waters of the sea parted, and piled up on each side of them like 
 great walls of glass, or ice ; and right in between there was a broad road open for them 
 through the midst of the sea. The Israelites walked through, all of them on dry 
 ground ; not one was drowned, for God held back the waters till the}- were all gone 
 over safely. 
 
 Pharaoh and his armj^ followed them, or tried to. They were probably about half 
 way through, when the Lord looked angrily at them through the pillar of cloud. Their 
 chariot wheels dragged so heavily that they said, " The Lord fighteth for them against 
 us." That was just what God said He would do! And then the Lord told Moses to 
 stretch his rod over the sea, and the waters came back again upon the Egyptians, and 
 every one of them was drowned. The artist gives us this picture. You can see the 
 children of Israel all safe on the distant hill ; while Pharaoh and his hosts are all beiutT 
 drowned in the sea.
 
 THE DROWNING OF PHARAOH AND HIS ARMY IN THE RED SEA. 85 
 
 111 the morning, the Israelites saw their enemies lying dead upon the shore ; the 
 Egj'ptians could hurt them no more now. The children of Israel thanked God, and 
 sang praises to Him ; and Miriam and the women danced for joj-. 
 
 Doings of childhood : — Dear children, when God is on our side, we need not fear ! 
 There were two little boys. One was crossing a stream of water on a board ; the little 
 fellow was afraid till he heard a voice that he knew, say : " Father sees you," then he 
 was afraid no more ; he was sure that father would take care of him. The other boy 
 had taken some fruit that he had been forbidden to touch ; he heard the same words, 
 knew the voice, but was greatly frightened. What made the difference ? It is very 
 plain ; the fathers voice is always a comfort to the child whose conscience is at rest, but a 
 terror to the child who is sinning. So the pillar of cloud was a comfort to the Israelites, 
 who loved and obeyed God, but was " darkness " to the Egyptians who did wrong. 
 Some naturalists desired to obtain the wild flowers that grew on the side of a dangerous 
 gorge in the Scotch Highlands. They offered a boy a liberal sum if he would descend 
 b}^ a rope and get them. He looked at the money, thought of the danger, and replied, 
 " / n'ill if my father will hold the rope.''^ With unshrinking nerves, he let his father put 
 the rope about him, lower him into the abyss, and suspend him there while he filled his 
 little basket with the coveted flowers. What a lesson of faith for us, dear children ! 
 We need not fear to go where we are held securely by our Heavenly Father's hand. 
 The waters of the Red Sea cannot drown us, and the fires of the furnace cannot burn 
 us if Jesus keep us there !
 
 THE GIVING OF THE LAW FROM MOUNT SINAI. 
 
 LL the children of Israel are now safely out of Eg3pt. The}- begin to travel 
 into the wilderness. The}- have made three da3-s' journey ; and, at last a 
 great mountain appears in sight. The}- move on till the}- come 
 to it. At the foot of the mountain the procession halts. The 
 people pitch their tents, and rest there. That is ]\Iount Sinai. 
 ^. ^ On the top of that mountain God told Closes that He would come 
 ^f i\^ down and meet him, and give him a law, to show the Israelites, 
 and all other people, what he wanted them to do. And God told 
 IVIoses to set bounds round the bottom of the mountain, so that uobod}- should come and 
 touch it ; and the people were to pray, and wait round it for the hoi}- and awful thing 
 that was to happen. And God told IMoses to come up to the top of the mountain, when 
 he should hear a trumpet giving a long, loud sound. 
 
 Then there came on the hill-top a dark, black cloud, and the mountain shook and 
 quaked, and there were lightnings, and thunder, and voices, so that all the people 
 trembled. The engraving gives us the scene. It was a fearful thing to see the moun- 
 tain smoking, and the fire and lightning coming out of the thick darkness. Win- was 
 it so fearful ? Because the holy, powerful God has come down upon the mountain ; God 
 who cannot look upon sin ; and who has power to punish all those who disobey Him. 
 
 Then the sound of tlie trumpet was heard. It was an angel's trumpet ; the same 
 that shall be heard at the last day, when the graves are opened, and the dead come 
 forth. Moses heard the trumpet. He goes up the mountain. The people all watch 
 him, as he travels up, higher and higher. Now he enters the cloud and they see him 
 no more. Moses is on the top of the mountain talking with God. There God gave him 
 His great law of the Ten Commandments. They were the very same Ten Command- 
 ments you read in the Bible. And God means us all to obey the Commandments, just 
 as much as He meant the Israelites to obey them. They are His words, and must be 
 kept. 
 
 Afterwards God gave these Ten Commandments to IMoses, written upon two tables, 
 or blocks of stone — written with God's own finger. In our second picture we see 
 
 "MOSES COMING DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN," 
 
 where he has been with God a second time. The people are looking at him ; his face is 
 
 S6
 
 88 THE GIVING OF THE LAW FROAI MOUNT SINAI. 
 
 bright and shining ; and they fear to come near him. \\'hat made Aloses' face shine ? 
 The bright glorj- of God which rested upon him while He talked to him in the moun- 
 tain. When Moses saw that it was painful for the people to look at him, he took a veil, 
 and covered his face, and then spoke to them. He told them all the commands of God, 
 and showed them the new tables. He told them God told him to make a chest to keep 
 the tables of stone in. It was to be made of wood, with gold all over it ; and two figures 
 of cherubims were to be one on each side. This chest was to be called the Ark of the Cov- 
 enant. And it was to be put into a square room, inside a tent, that was to be made with 
 curtains and carried about with the Israelites. It was to be called the Tabernacle. And 
 this was to be a ver}- holy place. And Moses asked them to bring their gold, and 
 silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and skins of animals, and beautiful 
 stones ; these things were to help to make the tabernacle, and all which was to be in it. 
 
 The people were glad to bring their riches for the ser\ace of God ; and many of them 
 were verj^ busy and industrious in the work of God. It is verj- pleasant, as well as right, 
 to work for God. All have talents ; all can do something. Little children, too, can do 
 something. I have no doubt the little Israelitish children helped their mothers to spin 
 the goats' hair, and to carry the wood and stones to help their fathers. Did you ever 
 hear of the little girl who said ; " If I can't take a bouquet of a hundred-leaf roses to the 
 teacher I won't take anything at all ? " How foolish in her ! Another little one brought 
 a spra}' of red clover, because she had no other flowers, and the teacher was so pleased 
 that she wore them in her belt all day. 
 
 S.A.YIXGS OF CHILDHOOD : — A vcrv bright little fellow says, " All the Ten Command- 
 ments have iiots in them, ^\'h^- don't God tell them what to do ? '' Well, God had to teach 
 the Israelites in somewhat the same wa^• vour parents teach you. Your mother and father 
 sa}^ to 3'ou, " Don't come to the table with dirty hands," " Don't come into the house 
 with mud on }-our shoes," " Don't speak saucy words." When they have told 3'ou these 
 things many times, and they sa_v, " Now hz good children ; " 3-ou know everj'thing they 
 mean ; do vou not? Now can you tell \m how to write the Ten Commandments in one 
 word? Lo\'E. Yes; love God and love our neighbors. If we love God, what will we 
 not do ? Xof Jun'c aiiv other gods ; nor ivorsJiip any other gods ; nor take God's name in 
 vain ; nor break the Sabbath day. If we love everj^bod}' what will we not want ±0 do ? 
 Xot disobey father or mother ; not kill ; not commit adultery; not steal ; not tell ivickea 
 stories about each other ; not covet. Then, to love is to do God's wa}-.
 
 KORAH, DATHAN, AND ABIRAM SWALLOWED UP. 
 
 ^^i^^-^^ 
 
 ij^^^OD, when he gave the Ten Commandments upon Mount Sinai, 
 chose that Aaron, and his sons, should be His priests. Now a 
 priest was one who offered up sacrifices to God, and burned incense 
 to Him ; and when the smoke of the incense went up it was just as 
 our pra^•ers rise up to God in heaven. Once there were some other 
 Levites, named Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who became jealous of the 
 --^ ^*~" power given by God to Moses and Aaron ; the}' said they had as much 
 right as Aaron had to be priests, and to offer sacrifices. They persuaded, also, 250 men 
 to come and get censers, and offer incense to the Lord as if the}- had been priests. Moses 
 fell on his face when he heard this, and asked God to help him ; and on the next day, 
 God told all the people to go awa}- from the tabernacle of Korah and his friends. 
 
 All the people moved away, and God allowed these three wicked men to put fire 
 into their censers, and to .stand at their tent doors, with their wives and children. And 
 Moses told the people that God would now show them which were the priests that He 
 had chosen. As Aloses spoke, the ground shook, the earth opened, and swallowed up 
 Korah, and Dathan, and Abiram, and all that thev had. All went down alive into the 
 great pit, and the ground closed again and shut them in. 
 
 In the engraving the artist gives us a picture of this dreadful scene. Not onl}- did 
 Korah, Dathan, and Abiram perish, but God sent out a dreadful fire, which burnt up the 
 250 wicked men that offered incense. But although the people were dreadfully fright- 
 ened at this awful sight, and fled away, still they were not humbled nor sorry for their 
 sins ; but they murmured against IVIoses and Aaron, and accused them of having killed 
 their friends and companions. 
 
 S.A.YIXGS OF CHILDHOOD : — I want you to remember, from this talk, that it is a 
 dreadful thing to offend God ! A little boy came to his father one da}-, and said, " O 
 papa, I have made up luitli God f' " Why, my son," said his father, " I hope you had 
 not fallen out -,citli (rod — had vou ! " " Yes, papa, I had. I was very bad and offended 
 Him, and He was angr\- witli me. But I felt real sorry, and asked Him to forgive me, 
 and He did ; and now I am so happv because I've made up ivitJi Hivi ! " O, children, 
 
 it is awful to offend the great God who is almighty to save or to destroy forever. 
 
 90
 
 WATER FROM THE SMITTEN ROCK. 
 
 SUPPOSE you know that the Israelites were now in a drear}^ wilder- 
 ness. All around were great rocks, all parched with the hot sun 
 shining on them. There was no water to drink, and the people 
 got ver}' hot and thirsty ; then they began to murmur. Thej^ forgot 
 their kind God who so often fed them from heaven, and did not pray 
 to Him. They grew angry, and said, " Is the Lord among us or 
 no?" That was the wa}^ they tempted God. 
 But God bore with them ; and He told Moses to take his rod and go to the bare 
 rock, and strike it. And when Moses struck the rock God made a beautiful, clear 
 spring of water come gushing out of it, so that all the people, and all their cattle, and 
 sheep, and camels, could drink and have plenty. The pictiire shows Moses smiting 
 the rock, and the water flowing down in a clear, fresh stream. How glad everybody 
 seems that there is plenty of water ! Don't you think that was good in God ? It was 
 God's power that did this miracle ; not Moses, nor the rod, but God alone, could bring 
 water out of the rock. 
 
 The apostle Paul says, " This rock was Christ." He does not mean Christ himself, 
 but that it resembles Christ — for from Him flows all true happiness, as refreshing to 
 the soul of man as the streams of water were, flowing from the rock, to the Israelites in 
 the wilderness. 
 
 Doings of childhood : — ■ Learn from this talk not to murmur. I read of a child 
 who murmured about water, just as the Israelites did ; not because she had not plenty 
 of it to drink, but she wished God had made it so it could not drown anybod}', then she 
 could go on the lake in a boat, and her mother would not be afraid of her drowning. 
 
 92
 
 THE BRAZEN SERPENT. 
 
 HE children of Israel seemed never to trust God but just at the 
 '/■^ moment when thcA- saw His miracles. That was very wicked J 
 'Vv for He had promised to take care of them, and the}- ought to 
 have believed His word. Their sin of murmuring was so great 
 (/^^^'^ilil ^^^^^ ^^^ read, " The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and 
 
 \»*^iS^^JWv <r, they bit them, so that man}- died ; " that is He sent serpents, whose 
 
 bite was like fire, making a similar Avound for pain with that which 
 burning coal would make. Where could they flee ? The serpents 
 were everywhere. Then the people repented and prayed. And the Lord told Closes, 
 '' Make thee a fier}- serpent, and set it upon a pole ; and it shall come to pass that e\erv- 
 one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it shall live." So I\Ioses made a serpent of 
 brass and set it upon a pole ; and it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man, 
 M-hen he looked upon the brazen serpent, he lii'cd. 
 
 Dear children, suppose we had been among that vast compauj- in the Avilderness ; we 
 might have been wandering around, when suddenly we felt the bite of the serpent. 
 Alas ! the poison is spreading through our bodies. As we fall, sick and faint, there 
 com^ one to us, and says, " Look on that serpent of brass on the pole \-onder-^look 
 and vou shall live ! " With great effort we turn our e}-es to the object pointed out to us. 
 Ojov! we are healed. That is what the artist has brought out in the picture — some 
 are looking and some are not. None lived but those who looked ; in other words, obej-ed 
 God's commands. If there were auA' in the camp who thoughi they would get well 
 without looking" at the serpent, thev were among those who died. 
 
 Now, ni}- little friends, we have all been bitten by sin, and that means death. But, 
 listen! " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of 
 man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, birt have everlast- 
 ing life." Blessed tidings ! If there are an}' little children who think they can go to 
 heaven without new hearts thev are mistaken ; God has made only one cure for sin, 
 and the bite of sin is deadly until we " look to Jesus." 
 
 94
 
 "'''C^^j^''. ■i(j!v~^?r?i5^^P^?^y7^v, >^._~r ' ,■
 
 BALAAM STOPPED BY AN ANGEL. 
 
 )ROM the time of Moses, through all the time of the judges and 
 kings of Israel, there were men called prophets. A prophet was a 
 man inspired b}' God's Spirit to foretell what would happen to 
 others at a time when there was no Bible. Among these prophets 
 there was one whose name was Balaam. This prophet one day- 
 saw some men come to his house. They brought him a message 
 that a king named Balak wanted him to come with them and curse the 
 Israelites ; and the servants had money with them to tempt Balaam to go. When 
 Balaam saw the money, he wanted to go with them. He knew that it would be very 
 wicked to curse God's people, and he ought to have sent the ser\-ants awaj- at once. 
 He should not have dallied with temptation. 
 
 Balaam begged the messengers to wait for a night and lodge with liim ; in the night 
 God came to Balaam, and asked '' Who are these men ? " Then the prophet told him 
 who they were and wh}- the}- came ; but God told liim that he must not go, for what 
 Balak wanted of him was to curse the children of Israel, and God would not have them 
 cursed. So Balaam told the men, in the morning, that God would not let him go ; and 
 the messengers went back to their master. But Balak was not to be put off in this way. 
 He fancied that, perhaps, he had not paid respect enough to Balaam. So he sent some 
 princes, higher in rank than the first, and they told Balaam that if he would curse 
 Israel, he should be promoted to great honor. By this time the wicked prophet had had 
 more time to think about it. He weakened under the power of these bribes. Instead 
 of sending them right back, as he should have done, on the strength of what God had 
 said to him before, he showed his strong wish to go by asking Balak's men to tarry over 
 for a night, that he might know what the Lord Avould say unto him more. This really 
 
 was an appeal to the Lord to take back his decision, and let him go. And it was in 
 
 96
 
 98 BALAAM STOPPED BY AN ANGEL. 
 
 answer to this petition that God gave him permission to go ; bnt told him that he should 
 not say anything abont the Lsraelites bnt what God pnt in his mouth. Balaam knew 
 that God was not pleased with him, but he wanted Balak's rewards ; and so, without 
 waiting to be called, he rose earl}- in the morning, and set ofif with the princes, riding 
 on an ass. 
 
 Do you think Balaam was happ}- ? No — he could not be happy ; nothing can make 
 us trul}- happ}^ without God's blessing. When we wish for anything, or wish to go 
 anywhere, we ought to ask ourselves, " Will God be pleased if I do this ? Because if 
 not, I cannot have His blessing, and then I cannot be happj'." The Bible tells 
 us " God's anger was kindled " because Balaam went. " The Angel of the Lord " came 
 to stand in the way before the disobedient prophet ; but Balaam was not thinking of 
 God, and he did not see the angel. But the ass did, and was frightened, and turned out 
 of the road into the field. Balaam was angry at this, and beat the ass to turn it back 
 again. Soon after the ass turned aside again in a very narrow road through some 
 vineyards, with a wall on both sides, and squeezed Balaam's foot against the wall. 
 Balaam beat her again. Presentl}' the road became very narrow ; the angel stood 
 before, and there was no room to turn, and the poor ass fell quite down for fear. Now 
 Balaam was ver}' angry, and beat her harder. But it was not the ass that was 
 disobedient ; no, it was the prophet who was so wicked and foolish, and the angel was 
 sent to him. 
 
 Now God did a wonderful thing. He made the dumb ass to speak. She said, " Am 
 not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden for man}- j^ears past ? What have I done ? 
 Wh}- hast thou smitten me ? " He told her he only wished he had a sword to kill her. 
 The ass asked him if she had ever been like this before. He said, "No." And then 
 God opened Balaam's ej^es, and he saw, full before him, God's hoi}- angel with a sword 
 in his hand. This is what the artist has drawn in the picture. Balaam fell down on 
 his face. And now, after the angel had reproved him, he was sorry that he had beaten 
 the ass, and offered to go back again, if the angel wished ; but the angel said he must 
 go on now, though he would only be able to speak the words which God put in his 
 month. 
 
 Then the angel went away, and Balaam went on to Moab. And when Balaam tried 
 to speak curses, God turned them all to blessings ; and, instead of saying the children 
 of Israel should come to a terrible end, as Balak wanted him to do, he could only sa}^ 
 how happy and well off they should be, with God to take care of them, and be their
 
 BALAAM STOPPED BY AN ANGEL. 99 
 
 King. Only think how angry Balak must have been, when Balaam could not curse, 
 but only blessed. But was Balaam sorry for his disobedience ? No, he was frightened, 
 but he was not humbled. His heart was not changed ; he was rebellious and covetous 
 still. He went on in his wickedness, and was miserably killed at last. 
 
 Doings of childhood : — Balaam had a " double-mind." Do you know what that 
 means ? Let me tell you. I read of a bo}^, who started to walk from one town to 
 another. He walked a short distance ; then suddenly turned and walked in the other 
 direction ; then he changed his mind and walked on again ; then turned again and 
 again, and so on. Now what was the trouble with that boy ?' This was it — he had two 
 minds, apparently wanting to go two ways at the same time. And don't you see ? So 
 long as he is constantly changing his mind, he actually gets nowhere. Now that is just 
 what a " double-minded " man is. One will never know where to find him, or be able to 
 judge toward which place he is walking. Such a boy does not know how to say " No " 
 when temptation conies. Dear children, Satan tempts us every day ; do we, like 
 Balaam, sway back and forth ? Have we a little desire to do right, but a great desire to 
 get the fun, or the gain, that is promised from doing wrong ? A little boy was asked, 
 " Why the Tempter seemed to trouble him so little ? " His answer was a good one, 
 " Becavise I treat him so coolly." It is always the better way, under all circumstances, 
 to treat Satan coolly.
 
 THE CROSSING OF THE JORDAN BY THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. 
 
 HE children of Israel were now quite close to the beautiful land 
 God had promised them. They had been wandering about for 
 forty years in the wilderness. Moses had died — the Lord buried 
 him, and no one knows where his grave is. Joshua was now 
 (^'i/rK''^^^ their captain instead of Moses. But before they could go into 
 
 y\'''Msi^^yML m the promised land they had to get across a river — " a deep river, 
 
 with rocks on each side, and a stony bottom to it, and the water 
 running very fast indeed." The name of the river was Jordan. 
 How could they go through ? God knew how. He had brought them through the 
 Red Sea, and he could bring them over the river Jordan. God told them what to do. 
 The priests were to take up the Ark, and to go before the people, and to walk right down 
 into the water, without being afraid. So the day following, the priests and the Levites 
 took the Ark and went before the people ; and just as soon as their feet dipped into the 
 water, the waters divided, and stood up like a wall ; and the priests, with the Ark, went 
 through first, and all the host of the children of Israel followed on dry ground. In the 
 engraving we see them passing over. 
 
 When they had all passed over, Joshua called twelve men, one of ever}' tribe, and 
 told them each to take a stone from Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet had 
 stood, and to carr}- these stones to Gilgal, where they were to leave them. These twelve 
 stones Joshua set up, for a monument in Gilgal, that when, in future time, the Israelites' 
 children should ask, " What are these stones ? " their parents might tell them the 
 wonderful story of how God brought His people through the river on dry ground. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — " Mary," said a preacher addressing a child convert, " is 
 not the love of God wonderful — is it not wonderful ? " She replied, " I do not think it 
 wonderful, because it is Jus/ like Hbn ! " 
 
 io«
 
 AN ANGEL APPEARS TO JOSHUA. 
 
 OW the children of Israel were in the land of Canaan. And no 
 sooner had they come into the land, than there was a strong walled 
 city before them, and its name was Jericho. The}- must take 
 this city before they could go any further. But how were they 
 going to conquer it ? While Joshua was, perhaps, thoughtfull}'- 
 looking around Jericho and contriving how to take it, it came to 
 pass that he lifted up his ej^es and looked, and behold, there stood 
 a man over against him, with a drawn sword in his hand. And 
 Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, " Art thou for us, or for our adversaries ? " 
 " And he said," Nay, but as a captain of the host of the Lord I am come." Do you 
 know who he was, children ? He was the Angel Avho appeared in the burning bush to 
 Moses. In our first picture you can see him. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, 
 and worshipped him. 
 
 God was showing Joshua that He fought with him. So He told him not to fight 
 with swords, and spears, and battering rams; but that, every day, for a whole week, the 
 priests should take the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders and walk around the 
 outside of the walls of the city. Seven of the priests were to carrj^ trumpets made of 
 ram's horns, and to blow with them as they passed on before the Ark. The last day, 
 they were to go round the cit}' seven times ; and the priests were to blow the trumpets, 
 and the people to shout. The people believed God, and did all He commanded. And 
 when, at last, on the seventh day, Joshua gave the word, " Shout, for the Lord hath 
 given you the city," behold, the walls fell down flat, and the Israelites marched in and 
 took the city. 
 
 In the second picture 
 
 "THE WALLS OF JERICHO FALL DOWN," 
 the artist has given us a very clear idea of this — the walls tumbling down, so that not 
 
 I02
 
 I04 THE WALLS OF JERICHO FALL DOWN. 
 
 one stone was left upon another. The cit}- was utterly destroyed, and ever3'body in it ; 
 only a woman, named Rahab, and her family, were saved, because she had before shown 
 kindness to some of the children of Israel. 
 
 Dear children, the God of Joshua is onr God. He promised to help the Israelites. 
 He told them that they would not need to fight at all. The battle was His; not theirs. 
 So is our battle with the world. He will not leave us to fight it out alone. Every boy 
 and girl has the Spirit of God to help them if the}- only want and ask for His aid. He 
 did help the children of Israel to take their Jericho ; He zai/l help us to take our Jericho. 
 I will name some Jerichoes we must take : Anger, Pride, Selfishness, Intemperance, World- 
 liness and lots of others. We can't take them in our own strength ; but, with Jesus for our 
 Leader, the walls of our Jerichoes will fall dowu flat. The Bible sa^-s " Fight the good 
 fight of faith." What is a good fight? Did you ever see or hear of one ? Well, there 
 is one, and that is a fight against all that is evil. When you tr}- to overcome the bad 
 feelings that you have, that is a " good fight. " When 3'ou resist temptation and come 
 oif the conqiieror, that is another good fight. The gospel tells us how to carry on fights 
 like these. We are Christ's little soldiers. It is the good fight of faith that He wants 
 us to fight in. What will He do for those who conquer? Read Rev. 2 : 10. Will all 
 of us conquer ? All that ask Christ to help them will. 
 
 "Oh, do not be discouraged, 
 
 For Jesus is your friend, 
 Oh, do not be discouraged. 
 
 For Jesus is your friend. 
 He will give you grace to conquer. 
 He will give you grace to conquer. 
 
 And keep you to the end." 
 
 N_J
 
 ACHAN STONED TO DEATH. 
 
 ,0D told the children of Israel that they must not take any of the 
 
 spoils of the cit}- of Jericho to themselves, but must set it apart for 
 
 His service. He commanded them solemnly to mind this order, 
 
 and told them that if they did not, it would bring a curse upon 
 
 them, and be a trouble to the whole nation. 
 
 But one wicked man named Achan, thinking no eye saw him, 
 
 disobeyed the command. There he is ! Look at him, children ! He 
 
 enters a fine looking house. He finds a wedge of gold, a bag of silver, and a beautiful 
 
 garment. How tempting the}^ look ! ' He cozr/s them. He says to himself — " How I 
 
 should like to have these. And why may I not ? There is no one here to see. They 
 
 won't be missed, amid all the spoils of this great city. I'll take them." So he carries 
 
 them quieth' away, and digs a hole in his tent, and buries them there. He thinks no 
 
 one has seen him. Poor, foolish man ! he forgets that " the eyes of the Lord are in every 
 
 place, beholding the evil and the good." God saw it all, and the Bible tells us how He 
 
 made it known. 
 
 Soon after the taking of Jericho, the Israelites went to take another city called Ai, 
 
 and, to the surprise of Joshua, their army was defeated, and a number of the soldiers 
 
 killed, for thej^ had sinned against the Lord. Then Joshua rent his clothes, and fell on 
 
 the ground, and prayed to God for help and instruction ; and God told him that one of 
 
 his people had sinned, and He commanded him to draw lots to find out the sinner. 
 
 Joshua obeyed directly. He called all the tribes, and all the families, and God helped 
 
 him to find the right man. And Achan was taken. God's ej^e saw among all the 
 
 thousands of Israel, and pointed him out to Joshua. Then Joshua took Achan, and all 
 
 his family, and stoned them to death, and burned the bodies and all the possessions of 
 
 Achan with fire. In the picture you see the body of Achan covered with the big stones. 
 
 After they had done this, the Lord suffered the Israelites to take Ai. 
 
 Sayings OF CHILDHOOD : — Nothing can be hid from the eye of God. A plate of 
 
 cakes was brought in and laid upon a table. Two children were playing upon the hearth 
 
 rug before the fire — " Oh, I want one of these cakes," said the little boy, as soon as his 
 
 mother had gone out. " No, no," said his sister, " you must not touch them." "Mother 
 
 won't know it," he replied, " she didn't count them." " If she didn't," said the sister, 
 
 ''''perhaps God counted.'''' 
 
 io6
 
 JOSHUA COMMANDS THE SUN TO STAND STILL. 
 
 OME of the heathen kings, who lived near, united together to 
 fight against Israel. They marched against a royal city called 
 Gibeon, with whose people Joshua had made a league. The Gib- 
 eonites were verj^ much frightened when the}' saw these kings, and 
 their armies, coming to fight them ; but the}- knew where to go for 
 help ; the}- sent to Joshua, and asked him to come and save them 
 from their enemies. So Joshua and his mighty men went up to 
 fight for them. He marched all night to Gibeon, with all his army, 
 and God told him to fear nothing. The kings were soon conquered, and fled from the 
 Israelites ; and God not only helped Joshua to kill them with the sword, but He sent 
 down upon them such a dreadful storm of hail, that more men were killed b}- the hail- 
 stones than those that fell in the war. 
 
 And in order to show His marvellous power to his people and to their enemies, God 
 did a wonderful thing that day. Joshua and the Israelites were man}' hours fighting, 
 and they feared darkness would come on, and then they would not know where to find 
 their enemies. But Joshua had great faith in God ; so he asked God to work a very 
 wonderful miracle, never seen before nor since. What was it? Joshua said, " Sun. stand 
 thou still in Gibeon ; and thou, moon, in the valley of Ajalon." And the sun stood still, 
 and the moon stayed, imtil all the enemies of Israel were conquered. It was God's 
 power, not Joshua's that made them stand still, and God gave the command in answer 
 to Joshua's prayer. 
 
 This wonderful miracle furnishes the picture which the artist gives us. The wide 
 field of battle is seen with the swarming multitudes of the foe ; in the foreground we 
 see the host of Israel hurrying on to swell the destruction from the Lord ; while a little 
 to the left, Joshua is seen on a little hill, with arm uplifted, commanding the sun to stand 
 still. 
 
 The wicked kings went and hid themselves in a cave at Makedah. When Joshua 
 was told that they were hidden there, he caused great stones to be rolled before the 
 mouth of the cave to keep the kings there until the battle was over ; then he had them 
 
 hanged upon five trees, as an example to others, and he destroyed their cities. 
 
 1 08
 
 SISERA SLAIN BY JAEL. 
 
 ND the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord." God, 
 
 therefore, punished them again. He sent cruel nations to conquer them, 
 
 to burn their houses, to steal their children, and drive away their 
 
 cattle. They were made slaves, and obliged to work to pay heavy 
 
 taxes to a foreign king, called Jabin, for twenty years. This king 
 
 was very cruel and very powerful. Sisera, his commander-in- 
 
 'l^ chief, " had nine hundred chariots of iron " to go to battle with. 
 
 The Israelites felt this, and they repented of their sins and cried 
 
 to the Lord to forgive and help them. God heard their prayer, and raised up a good 
 
 woman, named Deborah, and told her to send for a man named Barak, who should lead 
 
 the Israelites to fight against Sisera. 
 
 She sent for Barak, and told him what God had said. But Barak was afraid to go 
 
 alone, and said, " If thou w^ilt go with me, I will go; " so Deborah went with him, and 
 
 ten thousand men, to fight against Sisera. But Deborah told Barak that he should not 
 
 kill Sisera, but that the Lord would sell the wicked captain into the hand of a woman. 
 
 Then " the Lord defeated Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of 
 
 the sword, before Barak ; " so that, in order to get away faster, Sisera came down from 
 
 his chariot, and ran awaj' on his feet to escape from Barak. 
 
 There was a man named Heber who was at peace with Jabin ; and Sisera ran to 
 
 Heber's tent for safet}'. When Heber's wife, whose name was Jael, saw Sisera coming, 
 
 she went out to meet him, and said, " Come in, come in, fear not." So Sisera went in 
 
 and Jael covered him with a mantle ; and when he had fallen asleep, for he was very 
 
 weary with fighting and running so far, she took a large nail of the tent, and crept 
 
 softly up to his side, and with a hammer drove the nail through his temple into the 
 
 ground, and killed him. 
 
 no
 
 112 SISERA SLAIN BY JAEL. 
 
 Soon after, Barak came to the door of the tent, and Jael called him in, and showed 
 him his eneni}' h'ing dead npon the ground. In the picture we have the story most 
 vividh" portrayed. Inside the tent lies Sisera, with the nail in his head, dead. Jael 
 stands in the tent door, which she has drawn aside, so that Barak and his followers, who 
 are seen approaching, may look in upon the fallen chieftain. Thus j-ou see, God 
 delivered Sisera into the hand of a woman ; Barak lost all the honor, because he would 
 not do just as he was told, but was afraid without Deborah. He ought to have been 
 ashamed of himself — ^just as if God could not help him better than Deborah could. 
 
 And now the Israelites were resolved to rid the country of the tj^rant Jabin. " And 
 the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin, king of 
 Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin, king of Canaan." 
 
 Barak and Deborah felt that it was the Lord, not themselves, nor their soldiers, who 
 had gained the victor}- over Sisera. Then, according to the custom of the times, the}- 
 sang a beautiful song of praise to Him. In the next engraving, 
 
 "DEBORAH'S SONG OF TRIUMPH," 
 
 the regal figure of Deborah, her glowing countenance and intensity of action, show her 
 exalted mood ; and her power over the listening group is shown by their earnestness and 
 deep attention. You may read this song in the fifth chapter of Judges. 
 
 S.wixGS OF CHILDHOOD : — Dear little ones, I hope you do not forget to thank God 
 for His mercies to 3'ou. The way to show your thankfulness is to do some work, or 
 sing some song of praise, or present some gift as a token of how glad you are. Don't 
 promise, and then not keep it. I heard of a boy w-ho said, " If God will make me well 
 again, I will give my five dollar gold piece to the poor people where the famine is." 
 God made him well and on being reminded of his promise, he said fift}- cents was enough 
 for them ; he wanted the rest to buy a velocipede ! That wasn't a very thankful spirit, 
 was it ? I like the spirit of another little boy better, w-ho, when he had laid his head on 
 his soft, clean pillow to sleep all night, said, " Mamma, if Jesus were here I would give 
 him half of my pillow." Don't you think he loved Jesus, and was thankful ?
 
 aiiiwiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiis:;,'i'!iti:iiia 
 
 r^'^'iiiii^ 
 
 mm
 
 GIDEON CHOOSING HIS SOLDIERS. 
 
 HE Israelites had rest from war for forty years. They were 
 
 prosperous and happy. But siu crept in among them, and 
 
 brought suffering with it ; " and the Lord delivered them into 
 
 the hand of Midian seven years." And the Israelites were so 
 
 cruelly treated that thej' left their towns, and went and hid in caves 
 
 or hollow places in the rocks. For, when the}' had sown their land, 
 
 the Midianites wantonl}- destroyed the crop, and left no food for man 
 
 or beast. 
 
 Then the Israelites were sorr}^, and prayed to God to save them. And God had pity 
 
 on them, and sent His angel to a man named Gideon, to tell him that he was to fight for 
 
 the Israelites. And Gideon asked for some sign, that he might be sure he was right; 
 
 the angel told him to take some kid's flesh and unleavened cakes which he had made, 
 
 and to lay them upon a rock, and to pour out the broth ; and when he had done so, the 
 
 angel of the Lord touched them with the end of his staff, and there rose up fire out of 
 
 the rock and consumed them. By this miracle Gideon knew that he was indeed called 
 
 of God to great deeds. So, in the night-time, Gideon took ten men of his servants, and, 
 
 b}' the Lord's direction, he cut down the grove, and cast down the altar of Baal, the false 
 
 god. And when the people saw what Gideon had done by night, they would have put 
 
 him to death ; but Gideon blew a trumpet and called together a great man}- soldiers, and 
 
 made them ready to fight. 
 
 Before Gideon began to fight, he asked God to promise to save Israel from the 
 
 Midianites. He asked God for two signs : first, he would put a fleece of wool upon the 
 
 floor, and if the wool were all wet, and the floor dry, he should believe that God was with 
 
 him to help him ; and the fleece was so wet that he wning a bowlful of water out of it, 
 
 while the floor was dry. Still, Gideon did not know what to do, and he asked God for 
 
 another sign, and that was to be the reverse of this, for the fleece should be dry and the 
 
 floor wet ; " and God did so that night : for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there 
 
 was dew upon all the ground." Then the brave Gideon knew that he was indeed called 
 
 of God to deliver Israel. 
 
 Soon a large army was gathered together, ready to follow Gideon. But God wished 
 
 to teach the Israelites that these soldiers had no power to gain the victory, and that He 
 
 114
 
 ii6 GIDEON CHOOSING HIS SOLDIERS. 
 
 alone could save them ; also, that it was as easy for God to save them with few men as 
 with many. So He told Gideon to say to the soldiers, that if they were afraid, they 
 might return home, and not come to the battle ; and twenty-two thousand went away. 
 Still there were too many ; so God commanded Gideon, " bring them down unto the 
 water, and I will try them for thee there." So he brought down the ten thousand to 
 the water to drink. And the Lord said unto Gideon, " Every one that lappeth of the 
 water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every 
 one that boweth down upon his knees to drink." A few of them lapped, putting their 
 hands to their mouths ; you can see them in the first picture, in the act of drinking. 
 Gideon counted those who lapped ; they were three hundred. Then God said, " By the three 
 hundred men who lapped will I save you ; let all the others return home." 
 
 Now Gideon had a very, very small army. The Midianites were in great numbers ; 
 the Israelites only three hundred. Was he frightened ? No; he had no need to fear, 
 for God was with him. At night he took his three hundred men, and gave them each a 
 trumpet, and an earthen pitcher, with a lamp inside the pitcher, so that the light could 
 not be seen. He took a hundred with him, and sent the other two hundred another way, 
 creeping quietly along till they came to the place where the Midianites had set up their 
 tents, and were all lying asleep among the cattle they had stolen. There they lay, and 
 never heard Gideon and the men coming till they were close to the camp, the three 
 parties on three sides. Then, all of a sudden, every one of the Israelites broke his pitcher 
 and let his lamp shine, and blew his trumpet, and shouted, 
 
 " THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON ! " 
 In our second picture the artist has drawn this scene most vividl}'. You can see the 
 tents in the darkness, and, on the little hill, the soldiers of Gideon with their lamps. 
 The Midianites were awakened out of their sleep, and terribly frightened. They cried 
 aloud, and tried to flee. They drew their swords, and, unable in the darkness to tell 
 friend from foe, they killed and wounded each other; while those who managed to 
 escape out of the camp were pursued and put to death by the Israelites. 
 
 When Gideon had gained all these victories ,the Israelites came to him and thanked 
 him, and wanted to make him their king. They said, " Rule thou over us, and thy son, 
 and thy son's son likewise ; for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian." But 
 Gideon answered, '' I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. The 
 Lord shall rule over you." And for forty years there was peace in the land, until Gideon 
 died.
 
 JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER COMING OUT TO MEET HER FATHER. 
 
 EPHTHAH was the name of a man w lio lived in Gilead ; he was 
 
 very brave and warlike ; but his brotliers did not love him, and they 
 
 sent him away. He went to the land of Tob, lying eastward towards 
 
 the deserts, and there gathered about him a band of outlaws, 
 
 and " was a mighty man of valor " — so that his fame went back 
 
 to his native land. 
 
 Again Israel returned to false gods. Then God let the Phil- 
 istines afflict them, and they and the Ammonites troubled them 
 eighteen years. Finally, a large army of the Ammonites marched 
 against Israel, who were greatly frightened, and they cried to the Lord, .-^nd the Lord 
 still gracious, heard them yet again. Then they confessed tlieir sins, and trusting in 
 God they gathered an army to meet their enemies. But they had no geiieral. As Jeph- 
 thah was famed for his valor, the Gileadites now thought of him, and they sent for him 
 to be their leader. Jephthah told them how ill they had used him, but if they would 
 promise to obey his commands, he would come and aid them. 
 
 Now the Ammonites were a ver}- wicked people, and God commanded that thev 
 should be destroyed, and He promised to give their possessions to the Israelites. Jeph- 
 thah sent to the Ammonites, and told them this ; but they would not attend. Then 
 Jephthah made ready to fight against them. But before he went to the battle, he asked 
 God's help, and made this very rash vow : " If thou wilt give me the victor)', then the 
 first thing I meet at the door of ni}- house, when I return in peace, shall be the Lord's ; 
 and I will offer it up for a burnt offering." 
 
 He soon defeated the children of Amnion ; and when the battle was over Jephthah 
 went home again to Mizpeh. Now Jephthah had an only daughter ; she was also an 
 
 ouly child ; she was verv dear to him. It was often the custom for women to go out 
 
 iiS
 
 ji/ji' ll||''i| i|! 
 
 1 1 
 
 "■■'■■■ i'l'll'll''
 
 120 JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER COMING OUT TO MEET HER FATHER. 
 
 with music and dancing to meet the conqueror on his return. So she waited and looked 
 for him, and when she saw him coming, she ran out to meet him, dancing and singing 
 for joy. In the first picture we see the lovely maiden coming forth with her companions 
 to meet her proud father, little dreaming that b}- this touching act of filial love she is 
 to become the unhappy victim of her father's rash vow. 
 
 When Jephthah saw her he rent his clothes and exclaimed, "Alas, my daughter, thou 
 hast brought me verj- low, and thou art one of them that trouble me ; for I have opened 
 my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back." The poor maiden beha\ed nobly. 
 She said, with loving resignation, " My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the 
 Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth ; forasmuch 
 as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of 
 Ammon." Jephthah now thought of his foolish vow, and saw how hasty he had been. 
 He must give up his daughter, and never see her again ! He had been a might}' con- 
 queror; but he could never be a happv man again. 
 
 Jephthah's daughter made one request ; she asked that her sacrifice might be delayed. 
 She begged of her father to let her go upon the mountains, and have two months to 
 mourn there with her friends. Her father let her go. Our next engraving is 
 
 "JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER AND HER COMPANIONS," 
 
 a sweet and mournful picture of this scene on the mountains. Her companions are 
 seated round mourning with her. " At the end of the two months, she returned to her 
 father, who did with her according to his vow." What did he do ? I do not know ; the 
 Bible does not say. Perhaps he killed her in sacrifice ; perhaps he sent her far away, 
 alone, where she could spend all her time in the service of God.
 
 liittjiiiliiili iilM^^
 
 SAMSON SLAYING THE LION. 
 
 FTER Jephthali's death, other judges governed Israel ; but tlie people began 
 
 again to sin against the Lord, and He gave them up to their enemies 
 
 i the Philistines for forty years. This was a long time to be in 
 
 '^Py sorrow and trouble; but the Israelites deserved punishment. 
 
 Then the Lord raised them up a mighty deliverer, named 
 
 Samson, who was the strongest man that ever lived upon earth. 
 
 y^ His father's name was Manoah. He was a good man, and he and 
 
 his wife both served God. Samson's birth was foretold bv an 
 
 angel, and his parents were told by an angel, before his birth, of all that they should do 
 
 unto him. Among other things, the angel told them that they must bring hiui up as a 
 
 Nazarite : that is, set him apart for God's service, as he wanted to use him. You 
 
 remember the Nazarites were people who had made a vow to give themselves to God, 
 
 They did not drink wine, nor any strong drink ; and they never cut their hair nor 
 
 shaved their heads. 
 
 So Samson was born, and grew up. His parents were ver}' careful to attend to all 
 
 God's commands about him. Samson grew up wonderfully strong. God had given 
 
 him great strength, because He wanted him to deliver Israel. In one thing he 
 
 distressed his parents. He desired to marry a beautiful young Philistine, the daughter 
 
 of their enemies ; his parents would much rather have had him choose a wife from 
 
 among his own people ; but Samson was of a different mind, and said unto his father, 
 
 '■ Get her for me, for she pleaseth me well." Finding it of no use to argue with him, 
 
 Manoah and his wife yielded, and went to Timnath to settle the matter. 
 
 On the way down, a lion rushed out of the woods, and began to roar against him. 
 
 Was Samson afraid ? No ; he was a very bold man, and he ran to the lion, and tore it ■ 
 
 to pieces, as though it were only a kid, and he had nothing in his hand ; it was his great • 
 
 strength alone. But he told not his father and mother. 
 
 In the engraving the strength and beauty of the powerful young man are splendidly 
 
 shown. Samson was j-et quite young, and the artist has so pictured him. j 
 
 122 '
 
 SAMSON SLAYING THE PHILISTINES WITH THE JAWBONE OF AN ASS. 
 
 OME time after, Samson passed again along the place where he 
 had slain the lion ; and he turned aside to see the dead bod}^ of 
 the lion, and he found that a swarm of bees had made their nest in 
 the lion, and had begun to store their honey there. So Samson took 
 the honey, and did eat of it, and he carried some of it home to his 
 father and mother ; but he did not tell them where he had found it, 
 for he meant to make a riddle from it, and that would have given 
 them the clue. 
 Then Samson's father and mother went with him, and he made a feast on the 
 occasion of his marriage, and thirty young men were invited to be at it. Then they 
 passed their time in making riddles, and Samson gave one which he allowed the Philis- 
 tines seven days to find out ; and he would then give them thirty sheets or dresses, in 
 which the Easterns wrap themselves at night, and thirty changes of garments, to wear 
 by day, if they could tell its meaning ; but, if they could not, then they were to give 
 him the like. Then he told his riddle, " Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of 
 the strong came forth sweetness." The eater was the strong lion, and the meat was the 
 sweet honey Samson found in it ; but no one knew the story of the lion, and they could 
 not guess the riddle. So they puzzled in vain, for three days, to find out the riddle, and 
 when they could not, they went to Samson's wife and frightened her, and told her that 
 they would burn her, and set fire to her father's house, if she did not get Samson to tell 
 her the meaning of his riddle. 
 
 So Samson's wife " wept before him " till the seventh day came, and his heart was so 
 touched, that at last he told her the riddle, and she went at once and told the Philistines. 
 Then the Philistines came to Samson, and said, " What is sweeter than honey, and what 
 is stronger than a lion ? " But Samson said, " M}' wife told you, or you could not have 
 
 guessed ni}- riddle." 
 
 124
 
 126 SAMSON SLAYING THE PHILISTINES. 
 
 Now Samson was obliged to give what lie had promised to those who found out the 
 riddle. But how did he get the garments and tlie sheets ? He went out among the 
 Philistines, and slew thirty- men, and took their garments, and all that belonged to them, 
 and ga\e the changes of garments to the young men who had told the riddle. Soon 
 after, Samson's wife was taken away from liim and given to one of his companions, and 
 then Samson began to be verj- augr}' with the Philistines and determined to punish them. 
 He went and caught three hundred foxes, and tied them two together, tail to tail, with 
 firebrands between them, and he turned them into the corn-fields of the Philistines just 
 at the time of harx'est ; and all the corn, and vineyards, and olives were burnt The 
 people to whom the corn belonged were \ery angry, and when they found out that 
 Samson had done this unto them because his wife had been given to another man, they 
 burned her and her fiither with fire. Samson determined to be avenged on them for 
 their crueltv, and, though revenge is not proper, yet, in this case, God made his anger 
 to work Israel's deliverance. So Samson fell upon the Philistines, and slew them with 
 great slaughter. ' 
 
 After this, Samson went to live in a rock, which was, perhaps, a fortress, called 
 Etam. The Philistines now went to fight againt Judah, and they said they must have 
 Samson, and bind him, and take him prisoner. The people of Judah were frightened, 
 and three thousand of the men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to 
 Samson, " Knowest thou not that the Philistine are rulers o\er us ? " What' is this that 
 thou hast done unto us?" And he said unto them, " As they did unto me, so have I 
 done unto them." Then the}- told him, " We are come to bind thee, that we mav deliver 
 thee into the hand of the Philistines." Was not this base of them, because Samson 
 was one of their own countrvmen, and the Philistines were all the time oppres.sors of 
 Israel ? Well, the cowards did not like to fall upon him, lest he should smite them, as he 
 had smitten the Philistines, so they entreated him to deliver himself up, and he, not wish- 
 ing to hurt any of his countrN'men, agreed to do so, on condition that the}- would not kil! 
 him when he w-as in their hands. "And the\- bound him with two new cords and brought 
 him up from the rock." 
 
 So Samson suffered them to bring him bound to Lehi, where the Philistines received 
 their captive with great shouts of joy. Then all in a moment, God gave Samson 
 strength to break the ropes, and he burst them off his arms as though they had been 
 flax that was burnt with fire. Samson had no weapon, but he found the new jaw-bone 
 of an ass lying near him, and this he made his sword. " He put forth his hand and
 
 SAMSON SLAYING THE PHILISTINES. 
 
 127 
 
 took it," and, rushing upon his enemies, he slew a thousand men of the Philistines. 
 In our picture the artist shows Samson standing near the edge of the precipice, slaying 
 the Philistines, and casting them down. Then, as the conquerors of whom you have 
 before read, Samson made a song of triumph, and he sung, 
 
 "With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, 
 With the jawbone of an ass have I slain a thousand men." 
 
 Samson now threw away the jawbone, and, in remembrance of the event, he called 
 the place Ramath-Lehi, which means " the place of the jawbone." 
 
 After the slaughter, Samson was thirst}- and read}' to die, and he prayed to the Lord 
 to help him. It was right of him to go to God in his troubles. We ought always to 
 tell Him when we are in need, and ask Him to give us what is right. God heard 
 Samson's prayer. He made water to spring up like a well, and Samson drank and 
 became strong again. Then he called that spot after a particular name, that God's 
 goodness to him might not be forgotten ; the name he gave it was Enhakkore, which 
 signifies the i^'cll of him that crird^ that is, that cried to God. 
 
 Don't you see, dear children, all this strength which Samson had, came from God? 
 He gave him boldness and courage. " Samson was not so meek, and gentle, and kind, 
 as many people of whom we read in the Bible. He was not like Abraham, nor Moses ; 
 sometimes he was revengeful and passionate ; but we may hope, that Samson was a true 
 sen-ant of God, and that he trusted in Him for strength to fight against his enemies."
 
 SAMSON CARRYING OFF THE GATES OF GAZA. 
 
 0\V, soou afterward, Samson went to Gaza, a city of the Philistines, 
 
 and he remained there for the night. But the Philistines soon 
 
 learned that he was come among them, and so they resolved once 
 
 more to try and catch him. So they "compassed him in," by fasten- 
 
 ing all the gates of the city ; and they put guards to lie in wait for 
 
 ^Al* , ,?^\ \W^ ^"" ^^^ "i&ht, in the hope of putting him to death as soon as he 
 '^^/y \^v;;*g ijp tried to pass through their gates in the morning. 
 
 But Samson was made wise by the Spirit of God, as well as 
 strong ; and he lay quiet till midnight, and then arose, and, finding the gates all 
 fastened, he laid hold on the posts and pulled up posts and gates and all, just as a strong 
 man might a little garden gate, and away he carried them in triumph upon his 
 shoulders to the top of a hill near Hebron ; and there he left them standing upon the 
 top of the hill, so that all might see and know what he had done. In the engraving the 
 artist shows Samson just before he comes to the top of the hill. 
 
 Samson had now another wife ; her name was Delilah, and she was a Philistine. 
 The Philistines wanted very much to know what made Samson so strong ; so they went 
 to Delilah, and offered her a sum of mone}- equal to about thirty-five hundred dollars of 
 our money, if she would find out where his strength was, and so rob him of it ; most 
 likely they thought he had got some kind of charm to enable him to do such wonders 
 as he did. Delilah did not care much for Samson, and she was glad enough to accept 
 of this offer ; so she teased him constanth' to tell her where his strength lay, and how 
 he might be taken and bound. Samson did not want her to know, so he deceived her. 
 At first he told her if he were bound with seven green withes, or willow branches, that 
 had never been dried, he would be as weak as other men. Then Delilah told the Philis- 
 tines, and they brought the withes, and she bound him with them, while several of the 
 Philistines lay hidden close by. Then she- said, "The Philistines be upon thee, 
 Samson ! " But he sprang i:p and broke the withes, as though they were little strings. 
 Again Delilah asked him to tell her what made him so strong, and he told her, " If they 
 bind me fast with new ropes, that have never been used, I shall be weak as another 
 
 man." And Delilah tied Samson a second time, and cried, " The Philistines be upon 
 
 128
 
 I30 SAMSON CARRYING OFF THE GATES OF GAZA. 
 
 thee, Samson ! " and he broke the ropes, and escaped again. A third time he made a 
 false answer, and told her that if she would weave seven locks of his hair with a weaver's 
 beam, and fasten it with the pin of the beam, he would become powerless. And she did 
 so, while Samson was asleep ; but when she told him the Philistines were at hand, he 
 awoke and went awaj^ with the pin, and the beam, and the web. 
 
 Then Delilah told him that he mocked her, and that, if he loved her, he would not 
 sen-e her so. And she pressed him dailj- with her words, and urged him, " Tell me 
 now where th}- great strength lies ; " so that Samson was tired of his wife's asking him 
 so often, and at last he opened his heart to her, and told this wicked woman the secret — 
 that he was a Nazarite to God, and his head had never been shaved, but if she cut off his 
 hair he would be as weak as any other man. In the picture, 
 
 "SAMSON AND DELILAH," 
 
 we see him in the act of telling her. Delilah now knew that he had told her the truth. 
 Then she called the lords of the Philistines, and told them all that Samson had said ; 
 the Philistines were very glad to think that they should soon have their enem}' in their 
 power ; and they came directl}-, and brought monej^ with them to give her. Then 
 Delilah contrived to make Samson fall asleep on her knees, " and she called for a man, 
 and caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head," in which his hair was, 
 probably, plaited ; and when he had finished, Delilah cried, " The Philistines are upon 
 thee, Samson." Samson arose, but his strength was gone ; God had taken it all awa}-. 
 He could not defend himself now ; and so the Philistines sprang upon him, and took 
 him, and put out his eyes, and bound him in chains, and carried him to Gaza, and made 
 him grind in the prison-house there. So now he was obliged to work like a slave for 
 the enemies who had so feared him. No doubt he often repented for his wickedness, 
 and called upon God to help him in his trouble ; and so, as his hair grew again, God 
 imparted to him his former strength. 
 
 Sayings of childhood: — I want j'ou to remember that your health and .strength 
 all come from God. Little Edgar's grandmother, when he was about three years old, as 
 she was catechizing him, asked who made him ? To which he replied, " God made me 
 a little, and I growed the rest." Pretty good. And yet the philosophy of a child, or a 
 sage either, might ask, " How could you grow the rest ? " The Bible tells, " In Him 
 we live and move and have our being." It is God who gives us every thing, and we 
 must thank Him and serve Him with all we have.
 
 THE DEATH OF SAMSON. 
 
 HE Philistines rejoiced greatly at the capture of Samson. They 
 worshipped an ugh' idol like a fish, named Dagon, and they 
 believed that it was Dagon Avho had delivered their eneni}- into 
 their hands. So they made a great sacrifice to Dagon, and 
 i^1^T\!^^4SL praised him ; and A\lien they were very merry, plajang, and laugh- 
 
 ^ (Ti \r\g, and feasting, thev sent for Samson to make sport for them> 
 
 probably bj- ridiculing, and teasing and smiting him. Then the 
 poor blind prisoner was led in ; he could not see his cruel enemies, 
 but that he might be seen by all, thej- set him in a publi.c part of the building where 
 they were, between two pillars. The house was ver}- large, and full of people ; about 
 three thousand of them were upon the roof, looking and wondering at Samson. Samson 
 asked the boy who led him, to let him lean upon the pillars on which the house stood, 
 and he took hold of one with his right hand, and of the other with his left hand. 
 
 At this moment, Samson prayed to God to give him strength ; and he bowed himself 
 with all his might, and pulled down the whole house, and killed all the thousands of 
 Philistines that it contained. Samson was killed himself. lu the superb picture a'ou see 
 all this splendidly portrayed. There we can see the bent and straining figure of Sam- 
 son, and the terror of the flying idolaters, amid the horror of the falling columns. And 
 so it is said of him, " the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he 
 slew in his life." It was a sad death for Samson to die ; but, you see, when he forgot 
 the Lord, and the Lord's people, the Lord forsook Samson, or, rather, suffered him to 
 bring upon himself his own punishment. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — The Philistines, whom God punished so severely, were 
 idolaters. A mother was describing to her little son the idols which the heathen nations 
 worship as gods ; " I suppose. Mamma," said he, " that these heathens do not look upon 
 the same sun, and moon, and stars, which we do." And when he was told that they 
 were the same, he replied : " Well then, I wonder thai t/ier do not think that there must 
 be a better God than these idols.'''' The heathen, dear children, are without excuse for 
 their idolatry. 
 
 1^2
 
 NAOMI AND HER DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW. 
 
 ^> EAR children, I hope yon have all read the entire book of Ruth. 
 It contains a ver}^ beautiful and interesting story. In the days 
 of the judges, of whom we have been talking, there was a famine 
 in the land of Israel. There lived a certain man in Bethlehem, the 
 place where Christ was afterwards born, whose name was Elimelech. 
 He had a wife named Naomi, and two sons, named Mahlon and 
 Chilion. When the famine was very bad in Bethlehem, Elimelech 
 and his family' went to Moab to live there. They ought not to have done this, because 
 the IMoabites were wicked idolaters. God's people ought not to go to places where they 
 may learn to sin. 
 
 There Elimelecli died, and his two sons married two Moabitish women, " the name 
 of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth.'' In about ten vears 
 IMahlon and Chilion died also; so Xaomiwas in a strange country with neither husbarid 
 nor sons. She had none to comfort her ; all around her were those who did not serve 
 God, and she wished to be in her own country again, Avhere she might hear about God. 
 So, having learned that there was bread enough in her own land, she set out to see it 
 once more. Orpah and Ruth were both ver}^ loving towards Naomi, and they said the}' 
 would go with her ; but Naomi did not wish to take her daughters-in-law to a new 
 country, against their Avill ; so on the way, she advised them to go back to their own coun- 
 tr\' and friends, and she kissed them to bid them good-bye, and the}- both wept, and said, 
 " We will surel}' go with thee to Bethlehem." But Naomi said again, " Nay, my daugh- 
 ters, return to j-our homes ; why will 3'ou go with me ? '" Then thev wept again, and 
 " Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, and went ■awa3^ but Ruth clave unto her." In the 
 engraving we have the parting scene. Orpah had just said farewell and departed 
 weeping ; but Ruth, of a nobler, more faithful nature, clings to her mother-in-law, and 
 refuses to leave her. She threw her arms around Naomi ; then -Naomi said to Ruth, 
 " Behold thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods ; return thou 
 after thy sister-in-law." Then Ruth told her that she had fully made up her mind, and 
 it was of no use to tr}- and persuade her to turn back. Her words, as recorded in the 
 Bible, are beautiful words, and I wish 3-ou would learn them ; " And Ruth said, Intreat 
 rue not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee ; for whither thou goest, I 
 
 134
 
 '36 
 
 NAOMI AND HER DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW. 
 
 will go ; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge ; thy people shall be m}- people, aud ih}' 
 God m}^ God ; Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried ; the Lord do so 
 to nie, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. " Naomi was verj' glad to 
 hear Ruth say this, for Naomi loved God, and she wished Ruth to love Him too. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A young lady asked one of the little boys in her Sunday 
 School class how much he loved her. To which he replied : " I love you up to the .sX'i'." 
 And then to his mother, whose eye he had chanced to catch just then, he said: " I love 
 you way up to God. " Dear children, I think Ruth loved Naomi clear " up to God." 
 
 BOAZ AND RUTH. 
 
 UTH and Naomi went on together, till they reached Bethlehem, 
 which, you remember, had been Naomi's home. Man}- of her 
 old friends still lived there, and they all ran to see her. But 
 they did not know her ; she was so changed by time and sorrow, 
 that the}- said, " Is this Naomi ? " And she said unto them, "Call 
 me not Naomi, call me Mara ; for the Almighty hath dealt very 
 bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me 
 home again emptv." When she lived before at Bethlehem, she was happy with her 
 husband and her sons ; but God had taken them all awa}-, and now she was a poor 
 widow, and had come home to die in her own country. So she said, " Call me Mara," 
 which means bitterness., for she was now a woman of a sorrozvftil spirit. 
 
 Well, now the}' had arrived at home they must have bread. So Ruth proposed to go 
 and work in the field, and glean some corn with the poor; and Naomi answered, " Go, 
 my daughter." Now Ruth was a stranger to all the people, but God was with her, and 
 when .she went out to glean, He so ordered it that she went into a field which belonged 
 to Boaz, a near relation of Naomi's husband, and a very rich man. By-and-by Boaz 
 came to the field to see the reapers, and he said to them, " The Lord be with you." And 
 they answered, " The Lord bless thee." Boaz and his servants were true worshippers 
 of God, and that was their Christian greeting. As soon as Boaz saw Ruth gleaning, he 
 asked who she was. His servant said, " It is the damsel who came with Naomi from 
 Moab." Then Boaz went to her, and said, " Stay here with ni}- maidens, and follow
 
 138 BOAZ AND RUTH. 
 
 them, and glean after the reapers ; " and that she might be the better supplied, 
 he commanded the com even to be dropped, on purpose, by the way, for her to glean it. 
 Ruth wondered at the kindness of Boaz to her a perfect stranger, and she asked, " Why 
 hast thou shown so much kindness to me a stranger? " Then he told her that he had 
 heard about her, how good she was to her mother-in-law, and how sincerel}' she loved the 
 true God, so as even to forsake everything to serve Him ; and he said, " Ma}^ He bless 
 and reward thee." Don't you think Boaz was real good ? Ruth thanked him ; but, 
 above all, she felt thankful to God who gave her kind friends in a strange country. 
 
 In the engraving Ruth is seen in the foregrouud gathering the scattered wheat, while 
 Boaz standing near, is directing the young men respecting her. When it was evening, 
 she took up her load and went home. Then Naomi asked, " Where hast thou gleaned 
 to-day? " and Ruth told her all about the kindness of Boaz. Naomi was much pleased 
 to hear this ; and she told Ruth, that Boaz was her relation, and that she felt he would 
 be kind to them and help them. And so Ruth continued gleaning to the end of barley- 
 harvest. 
 
 At last, harvest time was over, and what would they now do for food ? But Naomi 
 and Ruth loved and trusted God, and He promises always to take care of His people. 
 Now Boaz was very fond of Ruth. He loved her ; because she loved God, and because 
 she was so industrious, and dutiful to Naomi. Elimelech had had a possession in 
 Canaan, and Boaz said, he would buy that possession, and marrj- Ruth according to a 
 custom among the Israelites. So Boaz and Ruth married, and were happy together, 
 because they both served God, and His blessing was upon them. 
 
 Dear children, the best part of this story is now to be told. Boaz and Ruth had a 
 little son named Obed; Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David, 
 and Jesus Christ was called the Son of David, according to the flesh. So Jesus can be 
 traced back in his history as springing from Ruth. And thus, by leaving her wicked 
 people and not going back with Orpah, and resolving on living with Naomi among the 
 'true children of God, Ruth had the honor of being one of the line from which should 
 spring that glorious Saviour, in whom all nations should be blessed. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Said a little child, " Mamma, I wish you had named me 
 Ruth." " Why, my dear ? " asked the mother. " Because I love Jesus, and His friends^'' 
 That child had gotten the right idea of the story about Ruth. But, dear little ones, you 
 all may be like Ruth, though your names be different. You can all love Jesus, and do 
 as He says.
 
 LITTLE SAMUEL. 
 
 AM sure you will be glad to have me talk about little Samuel. He was 
 
 indeed a good and happy child. The meaning of his name is, "Asked 
 
 r_ g^ ""^^ ^g^ of God." His mother, whose name was Hannah, had no children, 
 
 and she prayed very earnestly to God for a sou ; and she promised 
 that if she had one, she would lend him to the Lord all the days of 
 his life. At last God granted her prayer, and gave her a little son, and 
 she named him Samuel. Hannah sang a psalm to God in her joy ; 
 she was so thankful to her Heavenly father for her dear little boy. 
 
 And now Hannah remembered her promise to lend him to the Lord all his life ; and 
 she kept her promise. When he was only four years old, she brought Samuel to Eli, 
 the high priest, at Shiloh, and gave him to wait upon the Lord. What ! was she tired of 
 him ? No, indeed ; but she wants him brought up to learn the service of God's house. 
 He ought- to begin while he was little ; so she will leave him now, that this good man may 
 teach him how to serve the Lord Jehovah. So Hannah bade good-bye to her little boy 
 and returned home ; but every year she came up to see him, for she lived a long way off 
 from Shiloh ; and she used to bring him a present of a little dress, made of linen, for, 
 just like you, he would outgrow his clothes. This dress was similar to those worn by 
 the priests. It had long sleeves, and came down to his feet, and was called an '' ephod." 
 
 And so Samuel dwelt with Eli ; he grew in favor with God and man — God loved him, 
 and all his friends loved him too. Though very young, we are told, he " ministered before 
 the Lord." I suppose he did some little services about the altar. He could light a candle, 
 or hold a dish, or run on an errand, or shut a door ; and, because he did this with a pious 
 disposition of mind, it is called, ministering to the Lord^ and great notice is taken of it. 
 
 Eli had two sons ; they were not little boys, like Samuel, but grown up ; and they were 
 priests in the house of the Lord at Shiloh. God's priests ought to be very good and holy 
 men ; but Hophni and Phinehas, Eli's sons, behaved very badly ; they did not love nor obey 
 God. Eli loved his God, and in many ways served him truly ; but he over indulged his 
 own children. When they did evil in their childhood, their father was too fond of them 
 to correct or punish them as he ought to have done ; and as they grew older, they grew 
 more and more wicked, and disobeyed the commands of God and their kind parent — 
 they cared for nothing but good eating and drinking, and their own pleasures and 
 amusements ; and thus they went on from bad to worse, and their father talked with 
 
 139
 
 I40 LITTLE SAMUEL. 
 
 them, and tried to persuade them to turn from their wicked wa3's, but they did not give 
 heed to his reproofs. Eli was ver}- unhapp}- when he saw his sons so self-willed and 
 disobedient. But was he right to let them stay and be priests at Shiloh ? No, Eli did 
 ver}- wrong ; he ought to have punished them, and not let them be priests ; but Eli fool- 
 ishly indulged his children, and did not like to punish them. 
 
 Then God told Samuel what He would do to Eli's wicked famil}-. Eli slept in his 
 room near the tabernacle. Near at hand the bo}^ Samviel had his mat spread that he 
 might be within hearing. Eli is now very old and nearly blind, and even in the night 
 he sometimes needs to be waited on. Samuel had been chosen to this place of trust 
 because he could be trusted. One night, when everyone was gone to bed, Samuel heard 
 a voice calling, " Samuel, Samuel." It was God who called ; but Samuel did not know 
 this, because God had never called him before. He thought Eli must need something ; 
 he does not make believe he does not hear, and turn over and go to sleep again, but he 
 answered quickly, " Here am I," and he jumped up and ran to Eli to know what he 
 wanted. But Eli told him he did not call him, and to go back, and go to sleep again. 
 And the kind little bo}- obeyed Eli, and went and la\' down ; but soon the voice called 
 the second time, " Samuel." He ran to Eli, and said, " Here am I, for thou didst call 
 me." And Eli answered, " I called not, ni}- son ; lie down again." Samuel obeyed ; he 
 did not ask questions, although he wondered who had called him ; he went back to his 
 bed again, and there, the third time, he heard the call, " Samuel." Was not Samuel 
 tired of running to Eli ? No, he went again to him at once ; and when Eli saw him 
 coming to him again, he began to think it was God Himself who had called Samuel, and 
 that He had something to say to the child. So Eli told him when he heard it again, to 
 answer, " Speak, Lord, for Th}- servant heareth." So Samuel went back, and lay down ; 
 again the fourth time the voice called, " Samuel." Then the boy arose, and looked up 
 humbl}- to Heaven, and said, " Speak, for Thy servant heareth ; " and the Lord told him 
 He was going to punish Eli for the wrong-doing of his two sons. Samuel did not like 
 to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him. In the morning, he did not go near the old 
 man, but went about his business, and began to open the doors rouud about the taber- 
 nacle. This was a part of his duty. But the old priest saw Samuel looking very sad ; 
 and he called him, and said, " My son, what did God tell thee last night ? Do not fear 
 to speak ; I wish to know the truth ; tell nie all." Then Samuel remembered that it was 
 ver}' wrong to say what is untrue ; so he told Eli all that God had said. Eli was too 
 good a man to be angry with him, and only said, "It is the Lord ; let Him do what 
 seemeth Him good."
 
 LITTLE SAMUEL. 141 
 
 Dear little ones, how would you like to have been in Samuel's place that wonderful 
 night ? Would 3'ou like to have God call 3?ou ? Well He does ; He knows your name, 
 and where you live, and calls you. He does not call by His voice as He did in those 
 days ; and yet the Lord speaks ofteiaer and plainer now than then. You need not think 
 it must be something strange and startling, like a voice out of the sky. He speaks, 
 perhaps, in the twilight when mamma is telling you some dear old Bible story ; or in the 
 late evening when you wake and find she is praying by your bed ; or in church when 
 the pastor says some tender, loving words about Jesus ; or in the Sunday-school when 
 the lesson just seems to fit into what you need. He calls by the little voice which 
 whispers in your heart, and tells you that you are naughty. Do you want to be like 
 Samuel ? Then you must take great care to attend to that voice ; or it will leave off, 
 and then you shall get worse and worse, like those bad sons of poor old Eli. 
 Here is the story of Samuel's call in verse : 
 
 " Hushed was the evening hymn, 
 The temple courts were dark. 
 The lamp was burning dim 
 
 Before the sacred ark, 
 When suddenly the voice divine 
 Rang through the silence of the shrine. 
 
 "The old man, meek and mild, 
 
 The priest of Israel, slept ; 
 His watch the temple child. 
 
 The little Levite, kept ; 
 And what from Eli's sense was sealed 
 The Lord to Hannah's soh rerealed. 
 
 " Oh, give me Samuel's ear, 
 
 The open ear, O Lord ; 
 Alive and quick to hear 
 
 Each whisper of Thy word : 
 Like him, to answer at Thy call, 
 And to obey Thee first of all. 
 
 "Oh, give me Samuel's heart 1 
 
 A lowly heart that waits 
 Where in Thy house thou art, 
 
 Or watches at Thy gates ! 
 By da)- and night, a heart that still 
 Moves at the breathing of Thy will. 
 
 "Oh, give me Samuel's mind ! 
 
 A sweet unmurmuring faith. 
 Obedient and resigned 
 
 To Thee in life and death. 
 That I may read with childlike eyes 
 Truths that are hidden from the wise."
 
 142 LITTLE SAMUEL. 
 
 Yoii remember dear children, that God gave Samuel a message to Eli, warning him 
 about his sons. It was twent}- 3'ears after the message was given to Samuel before the 
 punishment of both father and sons came to pass. In that time the sons might have 
 repented, and still have been saved ; but instead of that they grew more and more 
 wicked. God permitted the Philistines to make war against the Israelites. Then 
 the Israelites fancied that if they took the ark of the covenant out into the battle 
 with them they would get the victor}', as they had done when Joshua conquered the 
 land. God had said that the ark of the Lord, which was kept in the tabernacle, 
 must never be removed. But Hophni and Phinehas, Eli's wicked sons, did not obey 
 God ; they brought it into battle, and all the people shouted for jo}' when they saw it. 
 When the Philistines heard the shout, they said that the gods of Israel were come, 
 and that they must fight all the more bravely. And they did. God would not help His 
 people because of their self-will, so He let them be beaten, and Hophni and Phinehas 
 were killed and the holy ark was taken by these heathens. And when poor old Eli heard 
 the sad news, he was so much shocked, that he fell down backwards and broke his neck 
 and died. 
 
 But the ark of God brought great troubles to the Philistines. When they put it 
 into the temple of one of their false gods the idol fell down and was broken, and 
 wherever it was taken the people fell sick, till at last they said they would send the 
 ark home, for the}- saw that the God of Israel was stronger than they, and they could 
 not resist His power. So they made a new cart, and put the ark into it ; two kine to 
 draw the cart. The}' took the right road to go to the land of Israel ; they did not stand 
 still, but went straight on, without turning to the right or left. 
 
 It is this 
 
 " RETURN OF THE ARK, " 
 
 that the artist has illustrated in the picture. The people of Bethshemesh were 
 bus}' reaping their wheat in the valley, for it was harvest time. The}' heard something 
 coming, and looked up, to see what it was. And when they saw the ark of God, which 
 they had lost so long, they rejoiced very much. The cart came close to them, and the 
 kine stood still ; and the Levites took out the ark, and put it upon a large stone. Then 
 they cut up the cart for wood, and offered the kine in joyful sacrifice to the God who 
 had sent them His holy ark again. The lords of the Philistines, who had followed the 
 cart, saw all this and wondered, and returned to their own country.
 
 i«^ fkimfwm
 
 SAUL AND DAVID. 
 
 AUL was the first king of Israel. He began his reign well, but 
 
 soon he became tired of doing right. His heart had not been 
 
 made new b}- the Holy Spirit ; so he did not pray for help to 
 
 rule his people righth". He was proud, and rebellious, and 
 
 disobedient. He had forsaken God, and God had forsaken him. 
 
 How sad it is to begin righth' like Saul, and soon to grow wear}^ of 
 
 well doing, and forget God, and love the world, and Satan, and sin, 
 
 better than holy things ! When God went away from Saul, Satan 
 
 came to him ; he made him every day more and more rebellious, and passionate, and 
 
 cruel. He was often like a madman, so wild and angry. Saul's servants were sorry 
 
 to see their master unhappy ; and so the}- counselled Saul to seek some one who played 
 
 well upon the harp, that, when the evil spirit troubled him, the music of it might solace 
 
 him and give rest to his soul. 
 
 None could l^e found who played so well upon this instrument as David, who also 
 
 possessed such an agreeable person, that Saul loved him greatly, and made him his 
 
 armor-bearer. Every time that the evil spirit was upon Saiil, David chased it away 
 
 with his harp. But David's music could not change Saul's heart. God alone has 
 
 power to do that. 
 
 One dav, when the Israelites and Philistines were at war, the commander of the 
 
 Philistines, named Goliath, came out and challenged any one of the Israelites to fight 
 
 with him. This giant was nine feet nine inches high, or half as high again as any one 
 
 you know ; his spear was eighteen feet long — so that if three of the tallest men a-ou 
 
 know stood one above another, they would only be as high as this great, bad fighter's 
 
 spear was long ; and he had a helmet on his head, and armor on his breast, and a man 
 
 carried a shield before him. Now God put it into the heart of the young shepherd bo}', 
 
 David, to go forth and meet this strong giant. David, however, took only a sling, and 
 
 a few stones in his hand ; and, while the huge giant was threatening to kill David, and 
 
 give his flesh to the fowls of the air, David put a stone into his sling, and let it fl}- ; and the 
 
 stone hit the giant on the forehead, and sank into his head, so that Goliath fell dead upon 
 
 the ground. Then David cut off" the head of the giant, and the terrified Philistines fled. 
 
 Now it came to pass, after the battle and the victory, when Saul and all his people 
 
 were going home, the women came out to meet them ; and the}^ sang, and played, and 
 
 144
 
 146 SAUL AND DAVID. 
 
 danced, aud shouted for joy. They sang, " Saul has slain his thousands, but David his 
 ten thousands." This made king Saul veiy angry. He thought the}- gave more honor 
 to David than to him. Saul became very jealous of David. The next day, the evil 
 spirit came into Saul again ; and David took his harp and began to play, and tried to 
 quiet him. But David's harp did not take away Saul's passion now. Saul had a javelin 
 in his hand, and he cast the javelin at David, " for he said, I will smite David even to 
 the wall with it." In the picture 3'ou see the beautiful figure of David, who, with harp 
 in hand, is shrinking to the wall to avoid the king's javelin. See what terror there is 
 on his youthful countenance, and what passionate rage in the king's. But God 
 preserved David's life. 
 
 David married Michal, Saul's daughter, and she loved him; but Saul hated him more 
 and more, and tried again to kill him, and commanded Jonathan, his son, and all his 
 servants to put David to death. Then Jonathan proved a dear, good friend to David. 
 He went to his father and persuaded him not to hurt David. So David was permitted 
 to go into Saul's presence as before. Soon after this, however, there was war again, and 
 David triumphed gloriousty, and Saul was again jealous of him; his evil spirit returned, 
 and David, as before, pla3'ed his harp to amuse him ; and again Saul flung his javelin 
 furiousl}' at him, so that it stuck in the wall, but God preserved David, and he slipped 
 awa}- without receiving any harm. 
 
 Saul now resolved that David should escape no more, and so he sent messengers to 
 lie in wait for him at his own house. Michal, his wife, saw w"hat was going on, and she 
 advised David to escape, and as they guarded the doors, she " let David down through a 
 window ; and he went and fled and escaped " Our next picture shows 
 
 " MICHAL LETTING DAVID DOWN FROM THE WINDOW." 
 Sayings of childhood: — Willie Jones was often called ^^ Wilful Will,'''' because he 
 wanted his own wa}- so much. He was always saying, " Give me this," " I will have 
 that," and, " I don't see why," and even " I ought to know best what I need." At last 
 his mother said she would let him have his own way for a week. He thought he was 
 going to be perfectly happ}-. But I cannot tell you now of all the troubles that having 
 his own way led to ; and how his mother would neither advise nor help him, telliug him 
 that it was his own way, and not hers, he wanted, and so he must have it. But long 
 before the week was over he saw how foolish, as well as wicked, he was, and was glad to 
 take his mother's wiser waj-. So, I think, dear children, Saul might be called " Wilful 
 Saul ; " but he never repented.
 
 DAVID SPARING SAUL. 
 
 ^' AVID, after lie had made his escape from Saul, wandered about 
 from place to place. But while he was roaming about in fear of 
 Saul, he was not alone. Many men came to him to help him ; 
 
 and he was their captain, and they obeyed him. It was a sad life, 
 
 however ; but David trusted in God, and was peaceful and happ}-. 
 
 He wrote many beautiful psalms when he was wandering and hiding 
 
 in those wild places. 
 
 "Where was Jonathan ? Did he ever see his friend David again ? Yes, Jonathan had 
 
 not forgotten him ; and when he heard where David was, he went to see him secretly in 
 
 the wood. David and Jonathan were very glad to meet again, and the}' had much to say 
 
 to one another. Jonathan comforted Djtvid in the right way ; he told him to trust in 
 
 God. 
 
 But Saul and his soldiers went into the wilderness and wandered all about among the 
 
 rocks, trying to find David. But God still kept David in safety. At last Saul came to a 
 
 cave, and went into it to rest ; for he was tired. This cave was a ver}- large one, for 
 
 there are caves in that part which, though verj' dark, are yet roomy enough to hold many 
 
 thousand men. And here Saul laid down to rest, and was soon asleep. But who should 
 
 be in this cave but David and his men, who, while they were concealed in the farthest 
 
 part, could see Saul come in at the mouth, it being light there, while they at the farthest 
 
 end were all in the dark. David's men were rejoiced, and advised their master at once to 
 
 kill Saul ; but David refused to lay his hand on " the anointed of the Lord." And so he 
 
 onl}^ went quietly up to where he was stretched upon the ground ; Saul had no power to 
 
 kill David, but David could kill him if he liked. But did he kill Saul ? No ; David had 
 
 no angry feelings in his heart ; but he quietly cut off a piece of Saul's robe. 
 
 When Saul awoke, he arose to go away. He did not know what David had done ; 
 
 but David now boldly followed him and cried out, and said to him, " My lord, the king ! " 
 
 Saul turned round ; and David bowed respectfully to him, and, holding up the fragment 
 
 of the king's garment, he said to him : " My father, see, yea, see the skirt of th}' robe 
 
 in my hand ; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe and killed thee not, know thou 
 
 and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned 
 
 against thee ; 3'et thou huntest mv soul to take it." In the picture you see Saul high 
 
 14S
 
 I50 
 
 DAVID SPARING SAUL. 
 
 lip on the cliff, while David stands in the open valley below, in full view of the army of 
 Saul, holding up the skirt of the king's garment. Then Saul began to weep, and said, 
 " Is it thy voice, my son David ? " Why did Saul weep ? Because he felt how unkind 
 he had been to David, and how gentle and merciful David had been to him. Saul said, 
 " Thou hast been more righteous than I. Thou hast rewarded me good, though I 
 rewarded thee evil." Then Saul asked David to spare his family after his death ; for 
 Saul knew that God would give David the kingdom. David promised this, and Saul 
 went home ; and David's kindness made Saul kind for a little time. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A little girl one day went to her mother to show some 
 fruit that had been given her. " Your friend," said the mother, " has been very kind." 
 " Yes," said the child, " She gave me more than these ; but I have given some away.'" 
 The mother asked to Avhoni she had given them ; when she answered, " I gave them to 
 a girl who pushes me off the path, and makes faces at me." On being asked why she 
 gave them to her, she replied, " Because I thought it would make her know that I wish 
 to be kind to her, and she will not, perhaps, be rude and unkind to me again." The 
 Bible says, " Love j'our enemies." When people are unkind to us, like David, we must 
 try to be kind and forgiving to them. 
 
 THE DEATH OF SAUL. 
 
 HE end of Saul was verj'- sad. You remember that he wanted 
 his own way, and would not do as God told him. Then God 
 forsook him, and left him to grow worse and worse. Then his 
 enemies, the Philistines, came up against him. The Philistines 
 conquered in battle. They followed close after Saul and his sons. 
 They killed three of Saul's sons ; one of them was Jonathan, 
 David's friend. Saul was hit by an arrow and wounded. He saw 
 that he could not get awa}-, and he feared that if the enemy took 
 him they would abuse him ; and so he did the saddest thing of all — he threw himself on 
 his Own sword, that the}- might not take him alive. In the picture you see Saul fallen 
 from his horse, and his sword piercing his body. He did not quite kill himself; and 
 when a young robber came b}^, trying to get garments and weapons from the dead 
 bodies, the unhappy king begged for a death-blow as he la}-. The robber gave him the 
 last stroke, and then took the crown from his helmet, and his bracelets, and brought
 
 152 THE DEATH OF SAUL. 
 
 them to David to show that he was dead. The robber thought that he should have a 
 reward, but David put hiui to death for haviug dared to strike the king. 
 
 Was David pleased when he heard his eneni}' was dead ? No ; he wept for Saul, and 
 for his dear friend Jonathan. David mourned very much for Jonathan, and wrote a beauti- 
 ful song of lamentation for him, for he could not forget Jonathan's love and kindness. 
 
 Then, when Saul was killed, David was anointed to be king ; and he was a very- 
 good man, and served God with all his heart. So God blessed him, and made him great 
 and powerful. 
 
 Sayings op childhood : —A little friend asks me, " Was Saul saved ? Did his soul 
 go to heaven ? " Dear children, I am sorry I must saj- no. He murdered himself. 
 He died in his sin ; and there was, therefore, no hope that his soul could be saved ; self- 
 murderers have no time to ask for pardon. 
 
 THE DEATH OF ABSALOM. 
 
 ^ A\TD had man}' sons ; and some of them were very wicked. 
 "y^t: One '\\'as named Absalom. He was greatl}' admired among the 
 Israelites for his beaut}'. '' From the sole of his foot to the 
 crown of his head, there was no blemish in him." Especially was 
 he distinguished for his beautiful hair, which grew so luxuriantl}^ 
 that when at the end of the year he was shorn, its weight was equal 
 to two hundred shekels of silver. But he was fierce and proud, and 
 wanted to be king. Absalom was a bad man. God did not look at his beaut}' ; God 
 looks at people's hearts, not at their persons. He does not -care for beauty ; He wants 
 holiness, and love, and gentleness, and humility ; and Absalom had none of these. 
 
 And when David was old, Absalom's ambition led him to plot against the king his 
 father and to conspire with his enemies for his overthrow. He set himself diligently to 
 work in various ways to win over the people to himself, affectionately embracing all who 
 came to salute him, and saying to those who came to the king for judgment, " O that I 
 were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come 
 to me, and I would do him justice " Thereby he won their hearts away from David to 
 himself. When he had thus gathered around him a sufficient number, he proceeded to 
 Hebron — first obtaining his father's permission, under the pretense that he wished to 
 pay a vow unto the Lord — and was there proclaimed king.
 
 154 THE DEATH OF ABSALOM. 
 
 When the news was brought to David by a messenger that tlie hearts of the men of 
 Israel were with Absalom, he fled in haste from Jerusalem ; weeping and barefoot, down 
 the steep rocky pass he fled for fear of his wicked son ; and cruel meu called him names, 
 and threw stones at him as he went, while Absalom was made to reign in his father's 
 palace, and did all he pleased there. Afterwards he set out with a large army in pursuit 
 of his father, following him across the Jordan. David gathered together his devoted 
 people, and wished to lead them to battle himself; but they would not let him. So 
 David sent forth his army under three trusted leaders, after charging them to deal gently 
 with Absalom, whom he greatly loved. There was a great battle in the wood of Ephraim ; 
 Absalom was beaten, and fled away on a mule. But as he went through the wood, his 
 long hair caught in the branches of an oak, and he could not get it loose ; and his mule 
 went away, and left him hanging in the tree. One of David's soldiers saw Absalom 
 hanging, but the man did not hurt him, because he remembered David's command ; but 
 he told Joab, and Joab took three darts, and went to the tree where Absalom hung, and 
 smote him, and killed him. So the battle was ended, and David's soldiers had the victory. 
 
 In the engraving the fate of Absalom is strikingl}' portrayed. From one of the 
 branches of the wide-spreading oak we behold the wretched victim hanging ; Joab and 
 his followers, mounted on swift horses, are seen galloping towards him. 
 
 But what of David ? When he heard the sad news of Absalom's death he was 
 grieved to the heart. No words can say how sad he was to think that his son had died 
 in his sins, and never asked his pardon. He arose directly and went to his own room, 
 for he wished to be alone ; and as he went up, he cried ver}-, ver}- sorrowfully-, " O my 
 son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom ! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my 
 son, my son ! " His mourning is most strikingl}- pictured in the next illustration, 
 
 " DAVID MOURNING FOR ABSALOM." 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A boy was coaxed by some others to pick some cherries 
 from a tree which his father had forbidden him to touch. " You need not be afraid," 
 said they ; " for even if your father finds out you have taken them, he is so kind he will 
 not hurt you." " That is the very reason why I should not touch them," replied the 
 boy. " My disobedience would hurt my father, and tha't would be worse to me than 
 anything else.'' O what a delight such a boy is to a father's heart ! Absalom knew 
 what was right. His father had taught him what he ought to do. But Absalom had 
 not attended. God is angrj- with those children who will not attend to their parents' 
 holy lessons.
 
 SOLOMON. 
 
 AVID died -wheu lie was about sevent}- years of age, and left liis 
 ^: kingdom, and much good advice, to liis son Solomon, who was 
 the \Visest among all the kings who reigned over Israel. Our 
 first engraving is a picture of this patriarchal man, now in his old age. 
 God was pleased with Solomon, because he cared for wisdom most 
 and asked not for riches, or long life, or to put down his enemies ; 
 therefore, besides wisdom, God gave him all the rest — riches, and 
 honor, and length of life ; He promised him that he should be wiser, and greater, and 
 richer, than an}' king ever was before him, or should be after him. 
 
 All this was because he had cared so much to have a wise and understanding heart 
 to know good and evil. That was first with him, and so God gave him all the rest. 
 So it will be with all who seek first of all to be good. Do you ask. Will God give us 
 hoi}' wisdom, as he did Solomon? Yes, St. James sa3's, "If any of 3'ou lack wisdom, 
 let him ask of God, and it shall be given him." The best wisdom is the knowledge of 
 God and of Jesus Christ, and of the way to heaven. " The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, 
 and to depart from evil is understanding." This is better than all the riches of the 
 world. It will make us happy now, and forever. 
 
 One of the wise judgments of Solomon has been recorded for our instruction. One 
 
 da}' when he sat on his throne two women came to him : one with a live baby, the other 
 
 with a dead one, both boys, and just of the same age. The women were angry, and 
 
 quarreling with each other. One of them said, " O king, this woman and I dwelt in 
 
 the same house, and each of us had a babe three days old. In the night, her child died ; 
 
 and she rose at midnight, while I was asleep, and took away my living child, and laid 
 
 her dead child in my arms." And the other woman cried angrily, " The living child is 
 
 I.S6
 
 158 SOLOMON. 
 
 miue." So the}- spoke before the king. It was sad to see them so angry and passionate, 
 but what could Solomon do ? How was it to be known which was right ? — for nobod}- out 
 of the house knew the two little ones apart, and each of the women declared that she 
 was the mother of the live child, not of the dead. 
 
 But Solomon's wonderful wisdom helped him to judge rightly; he knew that the 
 real mother of the living child would not allow au}- harm to come to her child ; so he 
 said, " Bring me a sword," and they brought a sword. Then Solomon said, " Divide the 
 living child in two, and give half to one woman, and half to the other." Was Solomon 
 cruel ? No ; he wanted to know who was the right mother, and he knew she would cry to 
 have it saved. And he thought rightly. For the woman to whom the child belonged cried 
 out in grief and dread, " O my lord, give her the living child, and in nowise slay it ! " 
 But the other woman, said, " Yes, let it be divided ;" for she did not care much for the 
 baby because it was not her own child. Then Solomon saw in a moment which woman 
 was full of mother's love, and which was full of hatred and jealous}- ; so he said, " Give 
 her the living child, and in nowise slay it, she is the mother thereof." And so the true 
 loving mother had her child safe and well ; and all the people wondered at Solomon's 
 wisdom. In our next picture, 
 
 " THE JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON," 
 
 you see the scene portrayed. There stands Solomon on his throne, and the cruel execu- 
 tioner with the living child in one hand, and his drawn sword in the other. The appeal- 
 ing agony of the true mother is seen as she flings herself at the executioner's feet and 
 begs him not to kill the child ; the indifference of the other woman is seen as she stands 
 close by. 
 
 Sayings of childhood: — I want that you shall get the tc/^Vrf'c;;/ that cometh from 
 heaven. A noble youth once rose in a large meeting where a revival of religion was in 
 progress, and said, " I think the best thing I can do is to become a Christian.''^ Take it in 
 its largest and fullest sense, and that youth expressed what is the best thing for us all — 
 how we may make the best of ourselves. Have you, dear children, this wisdom i*
 
 THE CEDARS DESTINED FOR THE TEMPLE. 
 
 HE last thing David did before he died was to charge his son, 
 
 Solomon, to build the temple for the Lord God. Solomon now 
 
 began to think of David's command, and prepared to build the 
 
 temple. 
 
 As soon as he was fixed upon his throne, Hiram, king of 
 
 Tyre, sent ambassadors to him, to congratulate him on 
 
 his peace and prosperity. Solomon took the opportunit}' of 
 
 sending a letter back by the ambassadors, to inform him that he 
 
 intended to biiild a temple for the worship' of God. There were very fine cedar trees, a 
 
 most desirable wood for building, which grew on that part of Lebanon belonging to 
 
 Hiram, and Solomon asked that he would have such a quantity as he needed, felled for 
 
 him ; and that he would furnish Sidonian workmen, who were skilled in hewing timber. 
 
 to help Solomon's servants, at such wages as Hiram should appoint. 
 
 Then Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, " I will do all thy wish, and give thee cedar 
 
 trees and fir trees from the forest in Lebanon. My servants shall cut them down, and 
 
 bring them to the sea ; and I will send them b}- sea to the place thou shalt choose." 
 
 This was a very important point gained tOAvards building the temple, for the Israelites 
 
 were mostly emploj-ed in agriculture, and knew little about the art of fine building, or 
 
 even of hewing down trees. Then Solomon began the work at once. He sent manj' 
 
 of his serv^ants to Lebanon, to help Hiram's servants to cut down the trees. Then all 
 
 the wood was carried to the sea, and floated down to Joppa. In the picture before us, 
 
 you see the groups of busj^ workmen engaged in the work of felling and removing 
 
 these magnificent trees to their floats b}- the sea shore. Two immense cedars, on heavy, 
 
 cumbrous wheels, are being conve3-ed down the mountain side, and the straining labor 
 
 160
 
 i62 THE CEDARS DESTINED FOR THE TEMPLE. 
 
 and bustle and anxiet}- incident to tlieir starting are full}- brought out in the engraving. 
 At Joppa, Solomon sent his people to take the wood, and bring it safely to Jerusalem. 
 Hiram and Solomon were great friends, and the}^ helped one another to work for God's 
 service and glor)\ 
 
 Solomon paid Hiram for his trees and workmen's wages, by giving him what was 
 n^ided in his country, where, though the people were skilled in growing and working 
 timber, they did not so well understand how to grow the fruits of the earth. "And Solomon 
 gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty 
 measures of pure oil ; thus Solomon gave Hiram year by year." These measures are 
 not of the same sort as ours, but have been carefully reckoned, and amount to twelve 
 millions nine hundred and sixt}' thousand pounds of Avheat, and twenty-one thousand 
 six hundred pounds of oil ; so that Hiram was very well paid, and this pay was given 
 every year, as long as the temple was in building, and some think afterwards continued 
 as long as Hiram lived. 
 
 Besides the help of Hiram's men, Solomon emploj'ed thirty thousand Israelites, ten 
 thousand of whom worked every month in turns ; so that each one was one month in a 
 quarter of a year laboring for Solomon, and two months at home looking after his own 
 grounds and family. Also Solomon had " threescore and ten," that is, seventy thousand 
 men, that " bore burdens," or carried stones from the mountains out of which they were 
 dug ; and " eighty thousand hewers in the mountains," that cut the stones out of the 
 quarries, and made them into proper shapes ; and he employed three thousand three hun- 
 dred officers, to overlook them, and see that none were careless or idle. 
 
 The temple which Solomon built was a very grand and beautiful building. There 
 was one very remarkable thing in the building of it. " The house, when it was in build- 
 ing, was built of stone made read}' before it was brought thither ; so that there was 
 neither hammer nor axe, nor au}- tool of iron heard in the house while it was in build- 
 ing." The joints were all made by the clever workmen, God blessing them particularly 
 in this work with more than usual skill, so that each joint fitted exactly into the one for 
 which it was made, and required nothing more than a wooden mallet, at most, to fit it 
 in its place. This temple is mentioned in Scripture, as a type or likeness of heaven — 
 that is, it was a place for serving God, and where God particularly blessed His people, 
 and so is heaven ; and this curious fact, about the stones all fitting without au}^ more 
 noise and labor, had its meaning, and may remind us that all those who are to be pillars 
 in the temple of God above, must be first made fit for it.
 
 THE CEDARS DESTINED FOR THE TEMPLE. 
 
 163 
 
 Solomon's servants were ver}^ indnstrious, and did the work ver}' quickh- ; but seven 
 years passed before the temple was finished. When the temple was finished, it 
 exceeded in beauty all the buildings of the earth ; and, on the da}' of dedication, when 
 the ark was placed therein by the priests, the glory of the Lord filled the house. 
 Solomon offered a very devout prayer to God, begging Him to hear the prayers that 
 should be offered in the temple, and to keep off all evil, and to forgive all the faults of 
 His people, and their shortcomings, when they cried to Him for pardon. Then God 
 appeared to Solomon and told him that He had heard his prayer. He said, "I have 
 blessed My house, and I will hear the prayers which My people make to Me there. And 
 if thou wilt obej' and serve Me, as David thj- father did, then will I bless thee and keep 
 thee forever. But if thou and th}' people forget Me, and serve and worship idol gods, 
 then I will forsake you. I will not then attend to your prayers. I will turn awa}' from 
 j^ou and bless 3'ou no more." How happ}- Solomon and his people were, to have the 
 promise of God's blessing when they were faithful to Him ! 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Said a boy, four years old, " Papa, why don't they keep our 
 church cleaner ? It is God's house, and it isn't as clean as our house is." I hope dear little 
 ones, that bo}' will never lose his idea of the holiness of God's house. It is a holy place ; 
 God is there. We cannot see His bright glory, and the cloud which Israel saw in the 
 temple ; but we know that His Spirit is there, to bless and teach His people. And 
 when we are in God's house, we should remember what a holy place it is.
 
 THE QUEEN OF SHEBA'S VISIT TO SOLOMON. 
 
 lING SOLOMON was the greatest king in wisdom and riches who 
 ever lived. After he had finished the temple, he built a beautiful 
 house for himself — it was lined with cedar-wood. His ships used to 
 go every year to distant countries, and bring back gold, and silver,, 
 and i\ory, and apes, and peacocks ; and it was said that gold was as 
 common as silver generally is, and silver as common as stones ! And 
 y/^~**S the fame of Solomon's temple, and of his house, his riches, and 
 
 his wisdom, went over all the earth. People came from the most distant lands to 
 Jerusalem to see the king, and to hear his wisdom. The queen of Sheba traveled 
 from her far-off country to see him, because of the fame of his greatness. And, accord- 
 ing to a very common custom of the East, she prepared a number of difl&cult questions 
 and riddles to put to Solomon, that she might find out whether he was so wise as report 
 stated him to be. 
 
 When she was come to Solomon, he gave her a royal welcome. In the engraving 
 we see the queen coming into the presence of the king; just behind her are servants, 
 carrying the presents she has for the king. Then the queen asked him many questions, 
 and he answered them all. And when she saw " all Solomon's wisdom " " and the house 
 that he had built," she was so astonished and overcome that, for a time, she was utterly 
 unable to speak ; finally she said to the king, that all she had heard was not half so 
 grand and glorious as what she saw. Very happy, said she, were the people who stood 
 round him and heard the words of his wisdom. Then the queen blessed and praised 
 Solomon's God, and Solomon gave her everything she wished, and she and her servants 
 returned to their own countr)\ 
 
 It gives me pain, dear children, in closing this talk, to tell yju that as Solomon 
 grew old he left off being good. He turned away from the true God, and began to 
 worship the idols which his wicked wives worshipped. You wonder how so wise a man 
 could do this ! It was because he was, like ourselves, weak and sinful. All his strength 
 and goodness came from God ; and when Solomon forgot God, then God's Holy Spirit 
 left him. Was he happy now ? No ; he went about from place to place, crying, 
 " Vanity! vanity ! all is vanity and vexation of spirit." And why was this? Because 
 he had not God's smile to make him happy now. And Solomon died, after he had 
 reigned forty 3'ears over Israel. 
 
 164
 
 [^f\Vl^v•=^m^l p 
 
 
 llIlP II '' 
 
 
 ^V;^^^ 1 
 
 
 Jt.r. ^y^ 
 
 

 
 THE PROPHET OF BETHEL. 
 
 NE prophet there is whose name we do not know. He is mentioned 
 in the Bible onl}' as " the disobedient prophet ; " and the history of 
 his fate is the subject of this talk. God had given him the gift 
 of prophec}- ; but alas !■ he did that which was sinlul, and God 
 punished him for his sins. 
 
 Once God called this prophet, and told him to go to a place 
 
 named Bethel, where the wicked king of Israel, Jeroboam, had 
 
 set up a golden calf, and was teaching the people to pra}^ to it. 
 
 He was to tell the king of his sin, and how his idol should be overthrown and destroyed ; 
 
 and when he had done this, he was to come home at once, bj- a different way, and neither 
 
 eat bread nor drink water, but come quickly back. 
 
 The prophet went to Bethel and he spoke God's word to the king boldh- ; then Jeroboam, 
 in great anger, put out his hand to seize hold of the prophet, but behold, the hand of the 
 king was withered up in an instant. God smote Jeroboam, to punish him for his wicked- 
 ness in trying to hurt His servant. Jeroboam was greatly alarmed, and ver}- penitent 
 for his sin ; and he humbl}- said to the prophet, " Ask God to forgive me, and to make 
 nn- hand well again." So the prophet pra3fed and the hand of the king was restored 
 to him again. 
 
 Then Jeroboam wanted the prophet to come to his palace with him. But the prophet 
 said no ; for God had charged him to go home at once, without eating or drinking in that 
 wicked place. So he returned home by a different road, and thus far all was well. But before 
 he had gone all the way he grew tired, and sat down under an oak. There met him by 
 the way an old man who lived at Bethel, who was a prophet too, but he was not a good 
 man. This old man told the prophet that God had told him to bring the man of God 
 back to his house, and there to provide him with bread and water. Atid I am sorr}- to 
 say the prophet listened, and turned back. 
 
 While he sat at the table with this stranger, there came a message from God, sa^'ing 
 that the man who had disobeyed the Lord should not be buried in the sepulchre of his 
 lathers. And when he went back in the evening, a lion came out of the wood and killed 
 him. The lion did not kill the ass he rode upon, nor tear the bod}', but in the picture 
 you ses the lion and ass both standing by the dead prophet till the bad prophet found 
 
 his body. This was the punishment of disobedience. 
 
 i66 
 
 \
 
 ELIJAH RAISES THE WIDOW'S SON. 
 
 HE Bible tells us many wonaerful and beautiful stories about 
 
 the prophet Elijah. He was a ver}- liolj- man, one of the 
 
 greatest and wisest among all the prophets of Israel. He lived in 
 
 the da3-s of Ahab, a very wicked king, who worshipped idols, and 
 
 one idol in particular, called Baal ; and on account of this idolatry, 
 
 God sent many troubles upon Ahab and his people. One of these 
 
 trials was a sore famine. 
 
 But, in the midst of this famine, God took care of Elijah. He 
 sent him to a lonelj' place, b}' the side of a little mountain stream, where there still was 
 water to drink. But who gave him his dail}- food ? God sent it to him in a very won- 
 derful wa}-. Every morning and evening two ravens came to Elijah. One carried flesh 
 in its beak ; another carried bread. The ravens did not eat the food themselves. They 
 brought it to Elijah ; that was a wonderful miracle which God worked to feed His prophet. 
 After a while, the little brook dried up, and Elijah had no more water to drink. 
 Then God told him to go to a town called Zarephath. Was there any kind friend there? 
 Yes; God said, ''Behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee." 
 So Elijah obe^'ed the voice of the Lord. And when he came to the gate of Zarephath, 
 he saw a poor woman gathering sticks. She was pale and feeble, for she had suffered 
 much in the famine, and she looked as if she must soon die. The good prophet knew 
 she was the right person, and he called to her, and said, " Fetch me I pray thee, a 
 little water in a vessel, that I may drink ; " and as she was going to fetch it, he called 
 to her and said, '' Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand." And she 
 said, " As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but only a handful of meal in a 
 barrel, and a little oil in a cruse ; and she went on to say that she was gathering sticks 
 to bake a cake of this for herself and her sou, and when that was done they must 
 die of hunger. But Elijah told her not to fear, but to make him a little cake first, and 
 he said, " Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, the barrel of meal shall not wa.ste, 
 neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the 
 earth." And the woman believed him and gave him a bit of her last cake. And it was 
 as Elijah had said. There was always meal and oil enough to feed them da}' bj- day 
 — for God fed them. 
 
 After a time, however, God sent a new sorrow into the poor woman's little family. 
 
 The widow's little bov fell sick and died. She thought God had done this to pvmish her 
 
 i6S
 
 lyo ELIJAH RAISES THE WIDOW'S SON. 
 
 for lier sins, aud she ran to tell the prophet of her woe. Then Elijah took the dead boy 
 out of his mother's arms, and carried him into his own room, and there prayed earnestly 
 to God that the child might live again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and 
 the little child's soul came back and he was alive again. Then Elijah gave him to his 
 mother, and said, " See, thy son liveth." The widow was happy now. In our picture 
 ^^ou can see how happy she is as she receives her boy into her arms again. And the 
 •voman said to Elijah, " Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the 
 ivord of the Lord in thy mouth is truth." 
 
 S.\YiXGS OK childhood: — Dear children, all this shows us how great is the power 
 of praj-er, aud how infinitely greater is the power of Him who listens to it. I once knew 
 of a homeless little girl whom a lady had taken and provided for. Hard times came, 
 and the lady thought she must give her up " No," said she, " God will give you some- 
 thing so you can keep me — I know H; will." In a little while she was heard up stairs 
 praying: " O ! God, do send mother something, so she can keep me, I don't want to go 
 away. O! good Lord, send mother something soon." She came down saying, "God 
 will send you something ; I know He will." In the evening a sack of flour was left at 
 the door. " There," said she, " I asked Him to send something, and I knew He would." 
 ]\Iy dear children, I hope 3'ou have such faith as that ! The God who sent the ravens to 
 feed Elijah is 3'our God ! 
 
 ELIJAH CONFOUNDS THE PROPHETS OF BAAL. 
 
 Elijah had hid himself from Ahab for three 3'ears, God ordered him 
 go to him again. Ahab, with Obadiah, the governor of his house, 
 was searching through the land for water and grass for their 
 horses, when they met Elijah. Obadiah was a good man, and 
 he was glad when he saw Elijah ; but Ahab hated Elijah, and 
 demanded of him with much bitterness, " Art thou he that 
 troubleth Israel?" Elijah told Ahab that the cause of the 
 troubles was because Ahab and his people were worshippers of 
 Baal; then Elijah told the king to call all the priests of Baal to Mount Carmel, and said 
 he, " Let us see who is the true God." So Ahab and aljl his wicked prophets came to 
 Carmel — four hundred and fifty of them ; Elijah was there too, aud very many of the 
 people of Israel. 
 
 Then Elijah spoke to the people, and said, " Choose now this day whom ye will
 
 172 
 
 ELIJAH CONFOUNDS THE PROPHETS OF BAAL. 
 
 serve. If Baal be the true God, serve Baal ; but if God be the Lord, then follow him." 
 The people made no answer. Then Elijah said, " We will try now, and see who is the 
 true God." He said he would build one altar, and that the four hundred prophets should 
 build another ; they should each offer a sacrifice, and each should pray to his God, and 
 the God that sent fire to burn the sacrifice would be the true God. This was agreed to 
 The prophets of Baal tried first. They built their altar, and put wood on it, and killed 
 a bullock and cut it up, and they prayed to their god Baal to send fire down. But 
 though they cried aloud, and leaped about, and cut themselves with knives, till they 
 were all covered with blood, no answer came. Baal was no good — he could do nothing — 
 there was no fire, no answer, no voice. 
 
 When it was evening, and they were all tired waiting, Elijah made his sacrifice 
 x\nd he did a very strange thing ; after he had prepared an altar of stones, and placed 
 upon it the wood and the bullock which he had cut up, he poured water all over it ; he 
 even made a trench round, and filled that with water too. Then he prayed to his God, 
 the Lord God of Israel. And did Elijah's God hear? Yes, the fire came from heaven 
 and burnt up the sacrifice and the wood ; it was not stopped by the water ! No, it dried 
 that up in a moment ; and all the people saw it and cried aloud, " The Lord, He is the 
 God ; the Lord, He is the God ! " 
 
 Then Elijah commanded that all the wicked prophets should be taken ; and he 
 brought them to the brook Kishou, and he killed them there. In the engraving you 
 see the prophets of Baal being slain. It was sad to put all these wicked men to death ; 
 but it was God's command.
 
 ELIJAH NOURISHED BY AN ANGEL. 
 
 ^ OW the famine was over. Although all the people were thankful 
 Jezebel, the wicked wife of Ahab, sought to kill Elijah. She was a 
 heathen woman, and she would still worship Baal, and did not 
 choose to believe in the true God ; and she said, " I will kill 
 Elijah : to-morrow he shall be dead, as my prophets of Baal are." 
 When Elijah heard this, he arose, and escaped to Beersheba, and 
 went alone into the wilderness, and sat down under a juniper tree ; 
 and there he was so sad, to think that all he had done was of no 
 use, that he requested for himself that he might die, for he could do no more good with 
 these wicked people. 
 
 Was this right ? No; Elijah forgot that God could comfort him, and take care of 
 him still. There was much for Elijah to do; it was not God's will that he should die 
 yet ; and, therefore, he was to wait patiently. Then Elijah fell asleep, for he was so 
 tired and sorrowful ; and as he slept, an angel came to him and touched him, and said, 
 " Arise, and eat." And Elijah looked, and behold there was a cake baken on the coals, 
 or hot stones, after the custom of the East, and a cruse of water at his head. Who had 
 brought them ? God, who before had sent the ravens to feed him. How kind was God 
 to His prophet ! And Elijah did eat and drink, and laid himself down again. Soon the 
 angel touched him the second time, and said, " Arise, and eat," for the journey was too 
 great for him. It was a great journey, for he was to go all the way to the mount of God, 
 where God had spoken to IVIoses. 
 
 Elijah obeyed ; and now he felt strong and ready for his journey. He went to 
 Horeb, and was there forty days and forty nights. He ate nothing all that time, but he 
 did not want food, for God kept him without it. When Moses was in the mountains, he 
 
 1/3
 
 174 
 
 ELIJAH NOURISHED BY AN ANGEL. 
 
 lived fort}^ days without food too. And there Elijah hid himself in a cav^e ; and a voice 
 came, and asked, " What doest thou here, Elijah? Then he told how the Israelites had 
 fonsaken their God, and killed the prophets, and " I, even I ovAy, am left," he said ; 
 " And the}^ seek nu- life to take it away." Then God showed him wonders. First there 
 was a great wind. The wind tore the mountains and broke the rocks to pieces ; but God 
 was not in the wind. Then there was an earthquake that shook the mountain; but God 
 was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire. It burnt up all the trees and 
 grass ; biit God was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice ; it was the voice 
 of God. Then Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle, and stood in the mouth of the 
 cave, to hear what God would sa}^ to him. And God told him he was not alone; that he 
 must not think he was alone, because he could not see the friends that were his ; and 
 God sent him backto return to his work among the people of Israel. 
 
 \T .■"sTf v'-"' ;'*■"* 
 
 "WW
 
 ELIJAH CAUSES FIRE FROM HEAVEN TO DESTROY THE SOLDIERS 
 
 OF AHAZIAH. 
 
 HAZIAH succeeded his father Ahab, as king over Israel, and, like his 
 
 father, he was a very wicked man. He was not taught to love God when 
 
 he was young. ' 
 
 Ahaziah did not reign many years, and the end of his life was very 
 
 sad. He " fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber, that 
 
 was in Samaria, and was sick." Now we may see what kind of a 
 
 man he was, for, instead of asking God to cure him, or to bless the 
 
 means used for his cure, " he sent messengers, and said unto them, 
 
 go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the God of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this disease." 
 
 While the king's messengers were going to Ekron, God sent an angel to Elijah, the 
 
 prophet, to tell him to go and meet them ; and to say to them, " Go, and tell Ahaziah 
 
 that he shall not recover from his illness, but shall surely die." The messengers 
 
 quickly returned and told their master. Then the king said, " Who is the man who 
 
 sends me this message ? " The servants said, " We do not know his name ; he is a hairy 
 
 man, and he wears a leathern girdle." Then the king said, " It is Elijah the Tishbite." 
 
 Now Ahaziah was very angry, for he hated Elijah as much as his father Ahab had 
 
 done ; so the king sent a captain with fifty soldiers to go and take Elijah prisoner. 
 
 When they came within call of him, Elijah was sitting on the top of a hill, and thev 
 
 spoke in a ridiculing way to him, and sneered at him as a man of God, and said, " Thou 
 
 man of God, the king hath said, come down." This was not the way to speak to one of 
 
 God's messengers, especiall}- to a prophet like Elijah. So God sent fire down from 
 
 heaven, and it burnt the captain and his fifty soldiers. All died ; not one escaped 
 
 to tell the king. This was done, not in anger, because they had insulted him; but 
 
 because tlie}^ insulted God. 
 
 Then Ahaziah sent another captain, and fifty soldiers more. And Elijah called 
 
 down fire again, and they were all destroyed. The Avicked king was still determined to 
 
 take Elijah; so he sent a third captain and fifty more soldiers. But the third captain, 
 
 when he saw his comrades all lying dead around, did not dare to mock, but he fell on 
 
 his knees before Elijah, and entreated for_ mercy. Elijah spared him, and, being ordered 
 
 by an angel, went down to the king, and, as soon as he saw him, he repeated to him the 
 
 word of God which he had sent before by the messengers. " So Ahaziah died according 
 
 to the word of the Eord which Elijah had spoken." 
 
 176
 
 ELIJAH'S ASCENT IN A CHARIOT OF FIRE. 
 
 LIJAH'S time has now come to be taken to heaven. X'er}- peace- 
 ful and glorious was his departure. Elijah hadsen-ed God many 
 long 3'ears ; he had suflfered much and done much for the honor 
 of God, and God has said, " Them that honor Me, I will honor." 
 But Elijah did not die as other good people do; God promised 
 that he should go to heaven without dying. 
 
 But before he was to leave this world, Elijah went out and 
 visited all the schools where young men and boys were being 
 trained to sing God's praise ; and Elisha, who was his scholar and friend, went with him. 
 Elijah was going to see some of his dear friends for the last time, and to bid them fare- 
 well. As the}' walked along Elijah and Elisha talked together. Elijah told his faithful 
 servant, that he was going away from him soon — he was going to heaven ; and that 
 after he was gone Elisha would have to do God's messages in his place. And all the 
 prophets, at the different schools, knew that God was going to take Elijah from the earth ; 
 but Elisha could not bear to speak or to hear about losing his dear master, still he 
 watched and listened to all Elijah said and did. 
 
 After visiting the schools at Bethel and Jericho, they came to the river Jordan. 
 'When the}' came to the banks of the river, Elijah took off his mantle, and struck the 
 water with it, and the water divided, and left a way for Elijah and Elisha to go over on 
 dry ground. Then Elijah said, " Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be takeu from 
 thee." And Elisha said, " I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me." 
 But Elijah could not give the Holy Spirit to his servant. No ; for that is the gift of 
 God alone. He coi:ld only pray to God to bestow His grace upon him. And while he 
 was talking to him, and giving Elisha good advice, there appeared beside them hor.ses 
 of fire, and a chariot of fire, and Elijah was taken away from his friend, and carried up 
 into heaven upon a whirlwind. In the engraving you have the picture of the ascent. 
 Elisha looked up, and he saw his dear master going to heaven in joy and triumph, and 
 he cried, " My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and horsemen thereof " And 
 Elijah, as he went up, threw down his mantle ; and Elisha took it up and went his way. 
 Sayings of childhood : — Two boys were talking about Elijah's ascent in the 
 chariot of fire. Said one, " Would'nt you be afraid to ride in such a chariot? " " No! 
 
 was the reply — " not if God drove!''' 
 
 178
 
 ELISHA AND THE FAMINE IN SAMARIA. 
 
 Elisha was the prophet for Israel instead of Elijah. God gave 
 
 lini all the wonderful power which He had before given to Elijah. 
 
 And Elisha was enabled, by God's Spirit, to work many miracles 
 
 for the sons of the prophets. In this talk I want to tell you about 
 
 some of them. 
 
 While he was at Jericho, the people were grieving because 
 
 their land was barren, and the waters were bitter ; so, when Elisha 
 
 heard their complaints, he said, " Bring me a cruse of salt ; " and 
 
 he went to the spring of the waters and threw in the salt, and said, " Thus saith the 
 
 Lord, I have healed these waters ; there shall be no more dry and barren land." And 
 
 this was found to be true ; the people now had fertile land and good, pure water. But 
 
 it was not the salt that healed them ; it was not Elisha's power ; it was God who did the 
 
 miracle. 
 
 As God gave Elijah power to help the needy, so he had also the means of punishing 
 
 the wicked. Some wicked children followed him, laughing and mocking at him, and 
 
 crying, " Go up, thou bald-head ! " Elisha turned and looked upon them gravely, to 
 
 warn them of their sin. What was their sin ? Despising God's servant. It is very 
 
 wicked to laugh at and make fun of holy people, and holy things. Then Elisha cursed 
 
 them in the name of the Lord. He was not angry because they were disrespectful to 
 
 him, but because they tried to dishonor God. And God sent two she-bears out of the 
 
 woods, and tore forty-two of them to pieces. 
 
 A poor widow of one of the prophets came to Elisha in great distress, because her 
 
 husband had died in debt. The person to whom the money was due, finding that she 
 
 had nothing wherewith to pay him, had threatened to take both her sons for slaves. 
 
 Elisha pitied this poor woman ; he said, " What hast thou in the house? " She replied 
 
 that she had only a pot of oil. Elisha then told her to borrow of her neighbors a great 
 
 many empty vessels ; and when she had done so, he told her to go home, and shut the 
 
 door, and to fill as many of these vessels as she could from the pot of oil ; and when she 
 
 had filled them, there was still as much oil left in the pot as before. God multiplied 
 
 it. And when all the vessels were filled, Elisha told her to sell the oil, and first to pay 
 
 her debts, and then there would be still money to supply the wants of the family. The 
 
 widow did as she was told ; and now she was happy. She owed nothing, and had no. 
 
 more fear that her sons would be taken away from her. 
 
 i8o
 
 i82 ELISHA. 
 
 Elislia was always very grateful to those who were kind to him. A good woman at 
 Shunem always kept a room ready for him, so that he could stop and rest there when- 
 ever he pleased. She had no child, and Elisha, wishing to show his gratitude to her, 
 asked God to give her a son. She was very happy, and thanked God for this dear 
 child. One day the child went out into the field with his father, and he was ill, and 
 cried to his father, " M}^ head, my head ! " and his father said, " Carry him to his 
 mother." But she could do him no good: he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 
 "When the poor mother saw that her little boy was dead, she carried him into Elisha's 
 room, and laid him upon the bed ; and then she went to find the prophet and tell him 
 her grief. As soon as the good man knew what had happened, he sent his servant, 
 Gehazi, to go before and lay his staff upon the child's face ; but the child was stiff and 
 cold. Elisha followed with the poor mother, and he went in, and prayed to God to 
 restore the child to life. Elisha himself had no power to raise the child to life again ; 
 Elisha knew this ; but God heard his prayers, and the breath came back into the body 
 of the dead child ; and he called to the woman, and said, " Take up th}' son." The 
 mother bowed herself to the ground, and gave thanks to God and His prophet. 
 
 At another time Elisha found the sons of the prophets almost starving to death, for 
 there was a famine in the land. He told them to make some pottage, or vegetable soup, 
 into which, by accident, one of the men put some poisonous herb, and when they came 
 to eat it, they cried out, " There is death in the pot ! " Hungry as they were, they 
 knew that the poison would kill them. But Elisha cast some meal into it, which made 
 it good and wholesome, and the prophets ate it without fear. It was not Elisha, nor the 
 meal alone, that made the soup wholesome. It was God who took away the poison. 
 Elisha had a kind friend who sent him food during the famine — twenty loaves, and 
 some corn to make bread. But Elisha would not keep all for himself, and he fed an 
 hundred men with a few loaves, and when they had all satisfied their hunger, some was 
 left for another day. 
 
 One of his greatest deeds was when he cured the leprosy of Naaman, a rich captain 
 from the land of Syria; but he would take no reward for this, and because Gehazi, his 
 servant, told a lie to induce Naaman to give him money and garments, he was made the 
 instrument of punishing this Gehazi, who was covetous, false, and deceitful. Although 
 Elisha knew God would punish Gehazi in another world if he did not repent, yet he 
 brought a dreadful punishment upon him : Gehazi was smitten with leprosy, that he 
 might prove an example to others.
 
 ELISHA. 183 
 
 One day, the sons of the prophets came and asked Elisha to let them build a dwell- 
 ing-house on the banks of the Jordan ; he answered, " Yes, go." And, while they were 
 cutting down wood, the axe, which was made of iron, slipped, and fell into the water. 
 The man was very sorry, and ran to Elisha, saying, "Alas, master!" for it was 
 borrowed, and he was too poor to buy another. Elisha was always ready to help the 
 poor and unfortunate. He had no money to give him, but he cut down a stick, and 
 threw it into the water just where the heavy iron had sunk doAvn, and the axe head rose 
 to the top, and swam on the water like wood. Then Elisha said, " Take it up ; " and 
 the axe was soon mended. Then the poor man went thankfully to his work again. 
 But what made the heavy iron swim ? Was it the stick ? No ; it was God's power that 
 did the miracle. 
 
 Soon after this, the king of Syria, having discovered that Elisha w^as able to reveal 
 all his doings and his movements to Joram, the king of Israel, whom he was trymg to 
 conquer, sent, therefore, his soldiers by night to take Elisha prisoner. When Elisha's 
 servant saw the city surrounded with soldiers and chariots, he was frightened ; but 
 Elisha said to him, " Fear not ; for they that be with us are more than they that be with 
 them." And he prayed that the young man's eyes might be opened that he might see ; 
 and so they were. And he beheld the mountain round about full of chariots of fire and 
 horses of fire which God had placed there to protect them ; and God afterwards struck 
 the whole army of the Syrians with blindness, and in this state led them into the heart 
 of the city, and put them before king Joram as his prisoners. You may be sure the 
 Syrians were much alarmed when they found themselves surrounded by their enemies ; 
 but, instead of having them put to death, as Joram desired, Elisha advised the king to 
 give them meat and drink, and let them go home to tell the wonderful story. 
 
 But when the famine grew sore in the land, the foolish king of Israel began to fancy 
 that Elisha was the cause of the famine, for the enemies were all round the city, headed 
 by their king. In the picture you see the terrible results of the famine — the people dying 
 on every hand. So the king came and threatened to put Elisha to death, but Elisha had 
 no fear ; he only told the king and his followers that food should be plentiftil " by this 
 time to-morrow." One of the king's lords laughed, and said, " If the Lord should make 
 windows in heaven, might such a thing be ? " " Thou shalt see it with thine eyes," 
 said Elisha, " but shall not eat thereof" And the next day food was plent}' ; and when 
 everybody was rushing out to get food, the lord who had laughed at Elisha was knocked 
 down .nd trampled to death. So Elisha's word came true.
 
 THE ANGEL DESTROYING THE ARMY OF SENNACHERIB. 
 
 HAVE been talking to you about many very bad kings. Now I am 
 
 A going to tell you about a good king. Hezekiah was his name. He 
 
 ' was a holy man ; and God was pleased with him, for " he did that 
 
 ^"-^^ which was right in the sight of the Lord." " And the Lord was 
 
 with him, and he prospered whithersoever he went forth." 
 
 But there came a great danger. There was a very wicked king 
 of Assj-ria, named Sennacherib, and he was very ambitious, and did 
 not like Hezekiah to enjoy his kingdom in peace. Sennacherib brought 
 an army into his land, and ruined all his towns and villages except Jerusalem, and shut 
 up Hezekiah in his town, so that his people did not dare to go out. And Sennacherib 
 wrote a letter to tell Hezekiah that it was no use to hope to escape, he was coming to 
 take away the Jews and ruin Jerusalem. And this wicked man even said that Hezekiah 
 need not think that God would save him, for no nation had ever yet been saved by its 
 gods, so the God of Hezekiah could not help him. 
 
 Hezekiah's people were terribly frightened. Some wanted him to get help from the 
 king of Egypt ; but no, Hezekiah knew where to go for help. Where did he go ? He 
 went into the house of the Lord, and told all his troubles to God. He took the insult- 
 ing letter from Sennacherib and spread its contents before the Lord. God knew what 
 it contained, but this was a sign that he wished to have God's direction. God heard the 
 good king's prayer, and sent him a promise that his enemy should not even come before 
 Jerusalem, nor shoot one arrow at it. And Hezekiah believed in God, and trusted all to 
 Him. And was the army of Assyria destroyed ? Yes ; but not by Hezekiah, nor by his 
 soldiers, nor his people. They all waited quietly that night for God to deliver them. And, 
 in the night, God sent His angel to destroy the army of the Ass5^rians. The fierce sol- 
 diers of Sennacherib were all asleep in their camp ; they did not care for God ; they 
 laughed at His power, and at His people. But while they slept, the destroying angel came 
 down from heaven, and went from tent to tent, and smote all the soldiers of that large 
 arni}^ ; one hundred and eighty-five thousand were slain, without time to repent and ask for 
 pardon ! The engraving gives a picture of the destroying angel descending into the 
 camp, and the soldiers dying on everj' hand. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — " Well, the Lord knows just how to do eveiything, don't 
 He ? " said a little fellow, after he had heard this talk. Yes, dear children, He does ! 
 Try to do like Hezekiah. If 3^ou are vexed, or if you are afraid, tell God all ; tout it, 
 and ask Him to help you. 184
 
 CYRUS RETURNING THE VESSELS. 
 
 j EAR children, you have heard how kind God had been to the 
 L^^i Israelites, and how much He had done for them ; how He gave 
 
 them their beautiful land, and their citv of Jerusalem, and 
 
 blessed them whenever they were good. But when people are 
 
 wicked, sadness must always follow. The Israelites would not keep 
 
 to what God told them ; they would worship idols and grow worse 
 
 and worse, till at last God sent a great army under the king of 
 
 Babylon, and Jerusalem was given up to them. The fierce soldiers came in, and burnt 
 
 the houses and robbed the temple ; and the people were put to live far awa^' in a strange 
 
 land at Babylon. The}' spent seventy j^ears there in captivity. 
 
 Then God moved Cyrus, king of Persia and Media, to set them all at liberty. Cyru^ 
 
 made a proclamation, that all the captive Jews in his kingdom should return to 
 
 Jerusalem, and build a temple there to the Lord their God. It was God himself who 
 
 put this good thought into the heart of Cyrus, and taught him to show kindness to the 
 
 people of Judah. Manv years before it had been prophesied, that after seventy years' 
 
 captivity, Judah should return to their own land ; and now, that the right time was 
 
 come, God found a \^ay to fulfill His promise. What God says, He always does. 
 
 How rejoiced the poor captives were to hear this proclamation ! Cyrus sent back the 
 
 holy vessels which had been taken from Jerusalem. There were 5400 of them, all of 
 
 gold and silver ; and these were given to the Jews, to carry again to Judea, for the 
 
 temple they were going to build there. In the first engraving, we see Cyrus returning 
 
 the vessels. 
 
 Having been restored to their land, the Jews did not long delay the rebuilding of the 
 
 temple ; but as the length of time it would take to rear such a building was too long to 
 
 186
 
 mfm
 
 1 88 CYRUS RETURNING THE VESSELS. 
 
 wait for publicly worshipping God, they immediately set to work and prepared the altar, 
 and the priests oflEered sacrifices upon it every morning and evening. And they kept all 
 the feasts which God had commanded them to keep, and tried in everything to obey 
 His laws. 
 
 In about a year, all was readj' to begin the temple. They had cedar trees from 
 Lebanon, and mone}- enough to pay the carpenters and masons; all helped in the 
 building, and the Levites were appointed to direct the work, and to see that everything 
 was done rightl}'. Then the people assembled to see the foundation laid. It was 
 a joyful and glorious day at Jerusalem. The priests were there in their robes, and the 
 Levites, with instruments of music, to praise the Lord. Then " they sang together, 
 praising and giving thanks unto the Lord, because He is good, and His mercy endureth 
 forever to Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the 
 Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid." In the next 
 engraving we see the work of 
 
 " REBUILDING THE TEMPLE. " 
 
 But, when the foundation of the new temple was laid, there were some people in the 
 midst of all the joy who " wept with a loud voice." Why ? Were they not glad too ? 
 Yes, they were glad ; but they were the old men who had returned to Jerusalem. They 
 were so old, that they remembered the first temple which had stood there seventy years 
 before. They had worshipped in it, and seen its beauty ; now they saw it in ruins ; they 
 could never worship in it again. The}- might have a new temple ; but not one so 
 beautiful, nor large, nor glorious, as the temple of Solomon was ; that was gone forever. 
 These thoughts made the old men weep ; but they wept in thankfulness, as well as in 
 sorrow. But there were young men, who had been bom in Babylon, and had never seen 
 the first temple, and thej' were so glad to have a temple at all. that they shouted for joy ; 
 so there was a mixed sound of weeping for sorrow and of crying out with joy. Then 
 God sent His prophet Haggai to tell the old nien not to be afraid, for the glory of this 
 latter house should be greater than that of the former. He meant, the Lord was to 
 come to this temple, and fill it with His glorj' ; the Lord did come — first as a little babe, 
 and afterwards as a grown man. And when He was there, the honor and glory of the 
 temple were greater than even it was before. Now there is no one temple : but God's 
 houses are churches, and we have them everywhere to pray to Him in, and meet Him 
 there though we cannot see Him.
 
 ARTAXERXES ACCORDS LIBERTY TO THE ISRAELITES. 
 
 HERE was oue, among the many captives who went from Baby- 
 lon to their own home in Canaan, named Ezra. He was a 
 priest, and a scribe, or writer of God's law. Ezra was a very ' 
 learned man ; and what is better, he was a very good man, too ; 
 he loved and served God. 
 
 After a time, Ezra went back to Babylon, to see the king, and 
 obtain royal assistance in carrying into complete effect all the 
 decrees of Cyrus in favor of the Jews. To show how God 
 approved of Ezra, He gave him the greatest success at the court of Babylon. Artaxerxes 
 was now king ; and the king wrote a letter granting him a number of favors for his 
 people, and giving him ver}^ great power. In this letter, the king granted permission 
 to all the Jews which yet remained at Babylon to go to Jerusalem. He also gave them 
 rich presents, and granted them leave to collect gifts of gold and silver, and to take them 
 to Jerusalem in aid of the temple ; particularly to buy beasts for the purpose of oflfering 
 them up' to God according to the law. In the picture you see Artaxerxes granting per- 
 mission to the Jews to go. 
 
 God took care of Ezra and his friends, and brought them all safely to Jerusalem. 
 They had many enemies ; but these good men knew who their best friend was, who 
 could protect them from every danger, and they sought Hiir., on their journey, and He 
 heard their prayer, and took care of them. When we go on a journey, we may meet 
 with many dangers ; and therefore we should never set off without first asking God's 
 blessing and protection. We should say, as Moses did, " If Thy presence go not with 
 us, carry us not up hence." 
 
 Sayings of Childhood : — I fear, dear children, we sometimes forget God when we 
 go away from home. I read of a little girl who said to her father, with whom she was 
 on a visit in the State of New Jersey : '' Now, Pa, I won't have to say my prayers to- 
 night, will I ? " " Why so, my child ? " asked the father. " Why, because I am 'way 
 down here in Jersey, aint I ? " Another, as she was closing her prayers the evening 
 before she left for Boston, said : " Now good bye, Mr. God, I'm going to Boston in the 
 morning, to be gone two weeks." Little ones, don't forget to take God with yoyx in all 
 your travels. 
 
 190
 
 EZRA'S PRAYER. 
 
 HEN Ezra came to Jerusalem, he heard much that made him very 
 
 sad. Some of the pious princes went to him in great grief, and 
 
 lamented that the people had acted in a very ungrateful manner 
 
 towards God, and instead of serving Him more faithfully, had 
 
 mingled with the idolatrous people of Canaan. Widowers had even 
 
 married Canaanitish and other heathen wives, and sanctioned the 
 
 same marriages among their sons ; not only so, but some of the 
 
 princes and rulers, who, from their higher rank, ought to have set 
 
 a better example had been guilty of like offence against God's laws. 
 
 All this was very wrong. God's people were to be a holy people ; they were to 
 
 keep away from the heathen nations around, and to have nothing to do with them. 
 
 When Ezra first heard what the people had done, he rent his clothes, tore off the hair of 
 
 his head and beard, and sat down silent on the ground. These were all customs among 
 
 the Jews expressive of the greatest grief. Then some of the people who truly served 
 
 God, came to him, and sat down, and wept too. Dear children, it makes good people 
 
 feel sad when they see others doing bad. But, though we cannot stop them, there is 
 
 one thing we can do. We can pray God to pity and forgive them. And this was what 
 
 Ezra did. 
 
 At the time of the evening sacrifice, Ezra rose up, fell upon his knees, and spread 
 
 out his hands unto God, and prayed. The engraving shows Ezra in the act of prayer. 
 
 He confessed to God how great had been the people's sin. Seeing his great grief, 
 
 great numbers had now gathered around him, and while he wept they also wept — men, 
 
 women, and children. As the result of Ezra's prayer, the people repented of their sins. 
 
 They separated from their idolatrous friends and companions, and made a covenant with 
 
 God and promised to serve Him faithfully with all their hearts. This was the right way 
 
 of showing that they were truly penitent. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A naughty boy being told by his mother that God would 
 
 not forgive him if he did something, answered : " Yes, He would too — ^God likes to forgive 
 
 little boys ; that's what He's for." Yes, children, God likes to forgive ; but He will not 
 
 forgive those who ask Him to forgive them, and yet mean to go on sinning. Said a little 
 
 child : " It would be real mean to ask God to forgive you when you meant to do wrong 
 
 again, and knew it was wrong." 
 
 192
 
 NEHEMIAH AND HIS COMPANIONS VIEW THE RUINED WALLS 
 
 OF JERUSALEM. 
 
 EHEMIAH was a good Jew whom Artaxerxes, king of Persia, had 
 made his cup-bearer. Nehemiah was in Babylon, far away from his 
 own country, but he still loved it much. One day one of the 
 Jews came from Jerusalem, and told him that the people there 
 _ were " in great affliction and reproach," and the wall of the city 
 
 Jj«| ' "^ W^ ^'^^ ^'^^^ " broken down," and the gates were " burned with fire," 
 '''^^-|^;4, . . , - - as the Babylonians had left them. This was sad news for Nehe- 
 
 miah. 
 
 At length, when he went in to wait on the king, he looked so sad, that the king 
 asked him what was the matter. Then Nehemiah told the king that he had just heard 
 that his dear home, where his father's tombs were, was lying waste, and that the cruel 
 enemies were always doing harm ; and he said, "If it please the king, let me be sent 
 unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers, that I may build it." Artaxerxes asked Nehe- 
 miah how long the journey would be, and when he would return to Persia ; so Nehemiah 
 told him ; and then the king gave him leave to go. 
 
 Nehemiah now set off, accompanied with a guard of honor from the king, to protect 
 him all the way till he reached Jerusalem. When he arrived there, he found it quite as 
 bad as he had heard. One night, Nehemiah arose, and taking a few friends with him, 
 went out secretly to see the city. As lie rode along, he saw the walls of Jerusalem 
 lying in I'uins ; the gates broken down, and burnt with fire. The temple had been 
 built ; but the poor Jews had so many enemies, that they could not worship God a* 
 they wished. 
 
 In the engraving we have a picture of Nehemiah and his friends viewing the mined 
 city. When he had gone round the walls, he returned ; but he did not sit down to 
 weep, and do nothing for his city and people. He stirred up the Jews, and they set to 
 work to build the walls again Then their enemies laughed at them, and said a fox 
 could break down all they built ; and when they went on, people used to come and 
 attack them, so that they had to work with swords ready to fight, and always on the 
 watch to come to help if they heard a trumpet blown. But they kept on, and the wall 
 was built, and the gates set up ; and they were safe once more from enemies coming in 
 among them. God was with His people, who trusted in Him, and He would not sufier 
 
 their enemies to destroy what He had commanded to be done. 
 
 194
 
 THE LAW READ BY EZRA. 
 
 
 HE wall of the city was now built ; it was almost time for 
 
 Nehemiali to retui^n to Persia ; but before he went, he counted 
 
 the people, and found the number to be 42,360, besides a great 
 
 many servants. So they came to dwell in their cities. 
 
 I^jiypi^^ I And now I am going to tell 3-ou about the first Sunda3--school 
 
 >^^i^^3^L (Ti — a Sunday-school that w^as held over two thousand 3'ears ago. 
 
 It was not held in a church, but out in the open air. in a square 
 
 in the city of Jerusalem. The superintendent's name was 
 
 Nehemiah, the pastor's name was Ezra, and they had thirteen teachers. But they had 
 
 a very large school. There were thousands of people, and thousands of children there 
 
 — not less, probably', than 20,000 in all. The people asked Ezra to bring out the Bible, 
 
 and teach them God's word. In the picture, Ezra stands reading the law. So he 
 
 brought the Bible out, and read to them out of it, from earl}- morn till noon. Would 
 
 3'ou like to be in a Sunda^^-school as long as that ? Well, ilicy liked it, and everybody 
 
 paid the very best of attention to what was read, and to what was said. As soon as 
 
 Ezra opened the Bible, they all stood up. That was to show their respect for the word 
 
 which God had sent them. Then Ezra thanked God for all the good which He had 
 
 done to them. When he did this, all the people lifted np their hands to heaven, and 
 
 said, " Amen ! Amen ! " And they bowed down their faces towards the ground and 
 
 worshipped God. Then Ezra read the law, and the Levites, the thirteen teachers 
 
 explained it, and made the people understand it. The people all wept when they heard 
 
 the law. The\' trembled and were afraid, because they remembered how often the^^ had 
 
 disobeyed God, and how much the}' had displeased Him. But Nehemiah and Ezra told 
 
 them not to weep, for it was a holy day unto the Lord, and a daj- of thankfulness and 
 
 praise. They told them to go home, and eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send food 
 
 to those who had none. 
 
 Doings of childhood : — Dear children, " Search the scriptures." You have heard 
 
 the story of the blind girl, who, when her fingers became callous, and she could not 
 
 read her bible save with difficulty, cut her finger tips to make them more sensitive. 
 
 This made them so callous she could no longer read at all. At last, after bitter weeping, 
 
 she kissed her bible a farewell. To her intense joy that kiss revealed to her the fact 
 
 that she could read the raised words b}^ the touch of her lips. Ever after she kissed 
 
 into her soul that precious truth of God's word. 
 
 196
 
 QUEEN VASHTI REFUSING TO OBEY THE ORDERS OF AHASUERUS. 
 
 HERE were some Jews still living in Persia, while their brethren 
 were building the temple at Jerusalem . The king who was 
 then reigning in Persia, is called in the bible Ahasnerus — the 
 same king who is elsewhere called Artaxerxes. In the third 
 year of his reign he made a grand feast for all his nobles and 
 princes. This feast lasted a hnndred and eighty da3-s ; and, after 
 it was over, he gave another to all the attendants in his palace, 
 which lasted seven days. This feast was in the conrt of the 
 garden of the king's palace. The place where the company met was very beautiful and 
 splendid. The curtains were white, and green, and blue ; and the pillars to which they 
 were fastened were of fine marble. The sofas were of gold and silver; and the floor was 
 a pavement of blue, and red, and black, and white marble. The king gave his friends 
 everything they could wish to eat and drink ; and the wine which they drank was 
 poured into beautiful vessels of gold. 
 
 In the Eastern countries the women never mingle with the men, as they do with us ; 
 hence the queen, Vashti — or beautiful^ which Vashti means — and the ladies, had a grand 
 feast by themselves, at the same time also, in the royal house. After the feast had 
 lasted seven days, Ahasnerus was talking with his nobles about the beauty of his queen ; 
 and that he might convince them how handsome she was, he sent some of his officers to 
 fetch Vashti and show her to the company. The engraving shows the officers come to 
 take Vashti. But she refused to obey the king's command ; so the messengers returned 
 to the king without her. 
 
 On being told that the queen would not come, the king was in a great rage, and 
 determined to punish her ; but first he asked advice of the princes and wise men, that 
 knew the laws, and asked what he should do with Vashti. Then one of the princes 
 said, " Vashti ought to be punished ; that she had not onl}' insulted the king, but had 
 set a bad example to the ladies of the whole kingdom, who, if Vashti were not punished, 
 would never mind what their husbands wished them to do ; let the king send Vashti 
 away, and choose another and a better queen." The king was pleased with this advice, 
 and did as the princes wished. The law was made, and \'^ashti was sent away in dis- 
 grace. 
 
 198
 
 '■rii iiiii ; 
 
 mi\ m in>iiJ|^i»^-« 11 lip-lr'^~^-«' II i 'fl-'iiiffiiiKiiiBitiEiiiniiiiiiBi
 
 200 
 
 QUEEN VASHTI REFUSING TO OBEY AHASUERUS. 
 
 Dear children, I admire Vashti's courage. The king would never have sent for her, 
 had he not been drunk with wine ; had not his wits been unseated with liquor, he never 
 would have proposed an exhibition so disgraceful to himself and so shocking to the 
 queen. It was against law and usage, as well as contrar}^ to her own womanl}' instincts. 
 In refusing to come before a half-drunken crowd for exhibition, Vashti did herself honor. 
 To disobe}' was the best obedience to the king she could render. 
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF MORDECAI. 
 
 '^" EAR little folks, I know j-ou will want to talk about queen 
 V^§\ Esther. After Vashti went awa}-, king Ahasuerus felt verj' 
 
 ^- ■ sorrv' for what he had done. He did not call her back again, but 
 he determined to have a new queen ; so he commanded all the 
 beautiful maidens in his land to be brought together, that he might 
 choose the most beautiful of them all for his queen, and the others 
 would be kept for slaves. A great manj' other maidens dressed 
 themselves up, and painted themselves to try to look beautiful, and came to the palace : 
 but the bible tells us about only one of them. Her name was Esther. She was a Jewish 
 girl who had been left an orphan ver}- j-oung, and was brought up b}- her kind relation 
 Mordecai, who was one of the Jews who had not gone back to Jerusalem, but still lived 
 in Persia. \\'hen the young women were brought before the king, he liked Esther 
 better than any of them, and married her and put the crown upon her head and made 
 her his queen. 
 
 But Esther was not \ery happy, though she was queen. How could she be ? She 
 was alwa3-s shut up, and could not see her kind friend Mordecai, and she could not even 
 go to her husband without his leave, or she would have been put to death. Mordecai 
 used to sit by the king's gate ever}' da}-, to hear news of her. While sitting there, he 
 made himself ver}' useful to the king. Two of the servants made a conspiracy to kill
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF MORDECAI. 201 
 
 Ahasuerus. Mordecai found it out, and went directly and told Esther ; and she told the 
 king what Mordecai had said. It was found to be true, and the two wicked men were 
 taken and hanged upon a tree. Mordecai did right to tell the king about this conspiracy, 
 and the account of it was written down in a book, and put away into a safe place. 
 
 Now, there was a very bad man named Haman, who used to pass by ever}' day ; 
 and Mordecai never would bow to him, because he was one of the people whom God had 
 forbidden the Jews to have any concern with. This made Haman so angry, that he 
 determined not only to kill Mordecai, but all the Jews in the kingdom ; for Haman 
 hated the Jews. So he went to the king and told him a false story about the Jews, and 
 Ahasuerus believed this and ordered that all the Jews were to be killed on one day. 
 
 When Mordecai heard of this cruel decree, he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth 
 and ashes, as signs of grief ; and he sent secret word to Esther that she must try to 
 save her people by telling the king that he had been deceived by Haman. Now there 
 was a law in Persia, which made it death for any person to go in to the king without 
 being sent for ; this was to keep up his dignity, and to prevent any person from taking 
 away his life. Esther, therefore, although queen of Persia, must run a great risk to 
 venture into the king's presence without being sent for ; still she thought it was better 
 for her to run the risk, than to let all the Jews perish. 
 
 But, dear children, before Esther went, she took the matter to God in prayer. The 
 Jews, and Mordecai, and Esther, all fasted and wept, and prayed before God. It was a 
 solemn time. The queen and her maidens were fasting, and weeping, and praying in 
 the palace, and Mordecai and the Jews in the city ; none of them ate or drank for three 
 days. But what a comfort it was for these poor people to have God for their friend 
 now ! 
 
 The three days passed, Esther dressed herself beautifully, as the king liked best to 
 see her ; and she went to his court almost fainting ^vith fear. When Ahasuerus looked 
 up and saw Esther standing in the court, he pitied and loved her, and held out his 
 sceptre and called her to him. Then she knew he would not put her to death. And 
 when he asked why she had come, and what she wanted, she said, " If it please the 
 king, let the king and Haman come to-day to the feast I have made ready for them." 
 So they both came to the banquet. And while Ahasuerus was drinking wine, he desired 
 her to let him know what she wished him to do. Esther was perhaps yet timid, and 
 she begged the king and Haman to favor her once more with their presence at another 
 feast the next day.
 
 202 THE TRIUMPH OF MORDECAI. 
 
 Haniau felt proud of his honor in being invited twice, with the king, to Esther's 
 feast ; and he went home, that day, thinking very much of himself As he passed the 
 king's gate, he saw Mordecai sitting there ; and Mordecai did not bow to him. That 
 made Hanian ver}- angry, and, when he got home, he told his wife. " Then Zeresh, 
 Haman's wife, answered, ' Do not be vexed about this. Let us make a very high 
 gallows, and to-morrow speak thou to the king, that Mordecai may be hanged upon the 
 gallows; and then go thou in merrily to the feast.'" Then Haman was pleased, and 
 commanded that the gallows should be made at once. 
 
 Now, on the night before the banquet, king Ahasuerus was very restless, and could 
 not sleep. It was God who made him so wakeful all night, and we shall soon know 
 why. So, being unable to sleep, he arose and ordered his servants to bring the chronicles 
 or notes of what had happened in his kingdom, and to read them to him for his amuse- 
 ment. In those chronicles, you remember, was recorded the conspiracy which Mordecai 
 discovered ; but Ahasuerus had forgotten this long ago. Now it happened that the 
 servant came to this story and read it ; and when the king heard it, he remembered the 
 faithfulness of Mordecai, and he asked if any reward had ever been bestowed .upon 
 Mordecai for his noble conduct in saving his life. The servants answered, " Nothing 
 had been done for him." Then the king said, " Mordecai must be rewarded now for his 
 services. Go into the court and see who is there ; I will consult with my friends how I 
 may best honor this good man." So the servants went into the court, and there they 
 found Haman, who had come as soon as he could, with a secret intention to obtain the 
 king's leave to hang Mordecai. So the king desired him to enter. As soon as he had 
 entered, the king said to him, " What shall be done unto the man whom the king 
 delighteth to honor ? " Now Haman thought in his heart, to whom would the king 
 delight to do honor more than to myself? he being the king's greatest favorite. So he 
 very readily suggested honors which he thought he should enjoy. " And he said, let 
 the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king 
 rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head. And let this apparel aud 
 horse be delivered to the hands of oue of the king's most noble princes, that they may 
 array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honor, and bring him on horseback 
 through the street of the city, and proclaim before him. Thus shall it be done unto the 
 man whom the king delighteth to honor." 
 
 The king liked the proposal, aud told Haman directly to do as he had proposed — to 
 whom ? Why to Mordecai, the Jew ; to the very man whom he had come to get hanged !
 
 204 THE TRIUMPH OF MORDECAI. 
 
 Do 30U think, children, all this was chance ? No ; God ordered it all for the good of His 
 favored people, the Jews. Then Haman went ont and called Mordecai, and clothed him 
 in the ro}-al garments, and pnt him upon the king's horse, and led him through the 
 cit}', proclaiming before him what Ahasuerus had commanded. In our first picture we 
 see Mordecai on the king's horse, and Haman leading him before the people. Thus 
 Mordecai was honored. So he lost nothing by serving God ; neither will you. " Veril}', 
 there is a reward for the righteous." 
 
 The next day, the king came to the feast as he promised, and brought Haman with 
 him. While they were feasting the king again asked Esther, " What is thy petition, 
 queen Esther? It shall be granted thee." Esther now felt that the right time was 
 come for making her petition ; so she said at once, " If it please the king, let my life be 
 given at my petition, and my people at my request ; for it is commanded, that I 
 and my people should all be destroyed and slain. The king was startled at the news, 
 and asked in a rage, " Who is he, and where is he that durst presume in his heart to do 
 so ? " Then Esther turned to Haman, and said, " The adversary- and eneni}- is this 
 wicked Haman." In the next picture, we see 
 
 " ESTHER CONFRONTING HAMAN." 
 
 There stands Esther witli queenly dignit}- ; the king has a piercing look on his face, 
 as he turns upon Haman ; and Haman is so terrified that he cannot speak. 
 
 There was no hope for Haman now. By the king's command he was hanged upon 
 the ver}- gallow s he had meant for Mordecai. And so the Jews were saved by the good 
 queen, who was not afraid to risk her life for her people.
 
 JOB INFORMED OF HIS RUIN. 
 
 KNOW you will all remember Job. He lived in the laud of Uz, 
 
 supposed to have been part of an Eastern country called Arabia. Job 
 
 y was a holy man ; the bible says he " feared God and eschewed 
 
 j^ ~ " evil " — that means he avoided evil. This good man was very rich 
 
 J he had great possessions, of sheep, and camels, and oxen, and asses 
 
 i^ he was the greatest man in the East at that time. He had seven sons 
 
 and three daughters ; his children were very happy among themselves, 
 
 and seemed to have loved each other, as good brothers and sisters 
 
 ought with a sincere affection. At particular times of the year they had feasts, as we 
 
 usually have at Christmas ; and then they all met together, as many families do at least 
 
 once a year with us, and the sisters were invited to meet with the brothers. And when 
 
 these feasts were over, good Job, who loved their souls as well as their bodies, lost no 
 
 time in offering up sacrifices for them, according to the command of God ; " for Job said, 
 
 it may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job 
 
 continually." 
 
 Now Satan could not behold Job's piety without desiring to tempt him. He even 
 
 dared to accuse Job before God and to say, that all his goodness was false and 
 
 hypocritical. But God knew all the truth about Job ; and so, in order to show that the 
 
 religion of Job was genuine, it pleased God to allow Satan to try Job, and to ve.x and 
 
 afflict him. God did this for Job's own good — to make him more humble, more patient, 
 
 and more believing. When Satan had leave to tempt Job, he tried him with all kinds 
 
 of pains, and losses, and bereavements ; but nothing could shake his faith in God. God 
 
 sent thunderbolts, and slew his servants. He caused the housetop to fall in and bury all 
 
 his children, his oxen and servants were carried away by the Sabeans, his sheep were 
 
 206
 
 2o8 JOB INFORMED OF HIS RUIN. 
 
 destroyed b}' fire ; but Job still worshipped God ; aud when a servant came running to 
 tell him of all these disasters, he did not repine, or rebel against God ; but he bowed his 
 head, and said meekly: "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away : blessed be the 
 name of the Lord! " How beautiful does the piety of Job here appear! In our first 
 picture, we see Job just receiving the news of his great loss. Dear children, what would 
 you have done ? Some men, who had no God to whom they could go for relief, would 
 have gone mad ; and some would have raged furiously against God for suffering all this 
 affliction to come upon them. But Job sinned not ! 
 
 Satan, thus failing in his attempts, appeared again before God, and obtained further 
 leave to try Job. God then suffered sore boils to smite Job, and to cover him all over 
 from head to foot. And they were so bad that he took a piece of a broken pot to scrape 
 himself, and he sat down in a heap of ashes. In the next picture, you see 
 
 "JOB SEATED ON THE ASH HEAP," 
 
 and the broken pot in his hand with which to scrape himself. To add to his miser}' 
 yet further, his wife, who ought to have encouraged him to trust in God, provokingly 
 asked him if he would now be religious any longer, as he had proof enough that his 
 religion did not save him from trouble ; she told him to curse God rather than bless 
 Him, and then die in despair. This wicked woman, however, failed in shaking the piety 
 of Job. For he said unto her, " Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. 
 What ? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil ? " " In 
 all this did not Job sin with his lips." This was the right way to speak, and thus we 
 should bear trouble when it pleases God to afflict us. 
 
 In the midst of his trouble three of Job's particular friends came to visit him. When 
 they saw him in his sad condition, they were so sorrowful, that " they lifted up their 
 voices and wept." Then they sat down with him upon the ground ; aud for seven days 
 and seven nights they did not speak a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very 
 great. Job at last broke the silence, and opened his mouth with cursing the day in 
 which he was born. He did not indeed curse and swear — he was too good a man to do 
 so — but he gave way to strong expressions of complaint, which is what is meant here by 
 cursing. He was tempted to vpish that he had never been born ; and to murmur, and be 
 impatient, and to find fault with God, who had so afflicted him. 
 
 His friends then spoke to him one after another. But instead of giving him any 
 comfort, they only irritated his mind. They foolishly supposed that Job never could
 
 2IO JOB INFORMED OF HIS RUIN. 
 
 have been afflicted, if he had uot done something that was ver}- wicked. Thej-, there- 
 fore, told him that he must have been guilty of being a hypocrite, and that all his 
 religion was in mere show, and not in the heart. Job could not bear this, for he knew it 
 was not true ; he felt that he had been sincere, and so when they accused him, he 
 answered, " M)' righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go ; my heart shall not 
 reproach me as long as I live." 
 
 Now Job and his friends were quite right in some things that the}' said, but in others 
 the}' were very much mistaken. Job's friends were right in advising him to humble 
 himself before God, and ask for pardon ; for afflictions are sent by God to lead His peo- 
 ple to do this. But they were quite wrong in accusing Job of being a wicked man, and 
 a hypocrite, because he was afflicted ; for God often afflicts most those who love and 
 serve Him best, — in love, not in anger ; " Whom the Lord loveth He correcteth." And 
 though Job was right in saying, that he had not brought his suffering on himself, by his 
 own wickedness, yet he spoke what was wrong, too ; for he almost accused God of unkind- 
 ness, and injustice, in afflicting him after he had so sincerely tried to serve God. 
 
 At length Job's friends, thinking it was of no use to talk to him au}- longer, drop- 
 ped the conversation. All this time a young man had been sitting by, and listening to 
 the conversation. This 3'oung man's name M^as Elihu. He had waited till the others 
 were through, " because they were older than he ; " and the young should always give 
 place to the old, because the old ought first to be heard, and are expected, from having 
 more years, to have also more wisdom. But Elihu had much to say, for God had given 
 him great wisdom. Elihu was angry with what had been said. He was displeased with 
 Job, because he justified himself more than God ; and he was displeased with his three 
 friends, " because they had found no answer, and )-et had condemned Job." After 
 reproving all of them, he at length closed by vindicating the conduct of God in all His 
 dealings in Providence with sinful men, and showing how impossible it is for us. His 
 humble creatures, to search His wa3's even in common things. He pointed out the 
 wonders of the thunder and lightning ; the snoAv and the rain ; the wind and the clouds ; 
 and then assured them that such a great God would not afflict without a just cause. God 
 is perfectly holy, and perfectly wise ; and therefore He will not. He cannot, do anything 
 wrong or unjust; God can never err, never be mistaken. 
 
 Elihu having done speaking, God Himself answered Job, and spoke to him out of a 
 whirlwind that sprung up at the time ; and bade him repl}- to Him, if he could. Then 
 the Lord asked Job, if he could tell how the earth was made, and if he understood the
 
 JOB INFORMED OF HIS RUIN. 211 
 
 niotiou of the stars, or was able to rule the sea, and the light, and the darkness. Aud 
 God spoke to him of some of the wonderful auimals He had created ; but Job could uot 
 make one of these things, uor even understand how they were made. And if Job could 
 not understand the works of God, how could he understand God Himself? and then how 
 could he dare to contend with Him, or to murmur at anything He did ? Job felt all this. 
 He felt humbled and ashamed ; and therefore, instead of again trying to justify himself, 
 he said, " Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer Thee ? I will lay my hand upon my 
 mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea, twice, but I will proceed no 
 further." 
 
 And did God forgive Job ? Yes ; as soon as Job was humble and penitent, God 
 pardoned, and accepted, and blessed him. But God was angry with Job's three friends 
 because the}- had made Him out to be an unjust God. And God commanded them to 
 offer sacrifice for their sin, and to ask Job to pray for them ; and they did so, and the 
 Lord accepted them, and received them into His favor. But did Job still remain in his 
 affliction ? No ; " the Lord turned his captivity." He took away his painful disease, 
 and made him well and strong again. The scripture tells us that the brothers and 
 sisters of Job, and all they that had been of his acquaintance, now came and comforted 
 him ; and that " every man gave him a piece of mone}^, and everyone an ear-ring of 
 gold." And the " Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before " — sheep, and oxen, 
 and camels, and asses ; and he had also seven sons, and three daughters — just the same 
 number that he had before. Why did He not double them also ? Because, though the 
 others had died, he had not really lost thcvi — they were in heaven waiting for him. Job 
 lived in comfort and prosperity for mau}^ years after, having the blessing of God to make 
 him happy ; and at last he died, " old and full of days." 
 
 Savings of childhood :^Dear little folks, try to be patient. No matter if things 
 don't always go as you wish. A little boy went to his mother, one morning, with a 
 broken arrow, and begged her to mend it for him. It was a very handsome arrow, and 
 was the pride of his heart just then ; so she did not wonder to see his lip quivering, and 
 the tears come to his eyes. " I'll try to fix it, darling," she said ; " but I'm afraid I can't 
 do it." He watched her anxiously for a few moments, aud then said, cheerfully, " Never 
 mind, mamma ; if you can't fix it, /'// In- just as happy ivithout it.'' That was a happy 
 boy ! Learn how to endure trouble, boys, and don't cry at everything. If a boy is not 
 trained to endure, and to bear trouble, he wall grow up a girl ; and a boy that is a girl 
 has all a girl's weakness without any of her regal qualities.
 
 ISAIAH. 
 
 SAIAH has justly been called "The prince of prophets." In the first 
 
 pictiire the artist portrays him kneeling on the mountain cliff, 
 
 bent in rapt and awe-struck communion with God. Of all the 
 
 "'^^ prophets, Isaiah speaks so clearly of Jesus Christ and His church, 
 
 that he has been termed the Evangelical Prophet. 
 
 Isaiah had many wonderful visions. I want to talk with you 
 about a few of them. One of the most remarkable was the following: 
 While he was yet a young man, God appeared unto him in His 
 majesty ; Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train 
 filling the temple ; the Lord was surrounded by seraphim, who cried, " Holy, holy, 
 holy, is the Lord of hosts ; the whole earth is full of His glory." Filled with a sense 
 of his own unworthiness and of the divine majesty, Isaiah exclaimed, " Woe is me ! 
 for I am undone ; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people 
 of unclean lips ; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." But God was 
 thtis graciously preparing him for that complete consecration for His work Avhich made 
 him thenceforth the greatest of the prophets of the old dispensation. " Then flew one 
 of the seraphim imto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken 
 with the tongs from off" the altar; and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, 
 this hath touched thy lips ; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." 
 Then he responded to the divine demand. " Whom shall I send, and who will go for 
 us ? " " Here am I ; send me." And in the more than sixty years that followed, 
 Isaiah was always ready to declare the whole counsel of God. 
 
 Dear children, if we would serve God acceptably we must be humble. Before we 
 can become useful in declaring God's will to others, we must feel our own unworthi- 
 ness and earnestly desire that our sin may be taken away. Those who are burdened 
 
 212
 
 214 ISAIAH. 
 
 with the seuse of their sin, and pray for its removal, shall have their prayer granted 
 if they sincerely repent, and put their trust in Christ. He, like the live coal that 
 touched the prophet's lips, will remove the stain of our sins. 
 Another of his most wonderful visions was 
 
 " ISAIAH'S DREAM OF THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON," 
 
 which the artist portrays in the next picture. This vision took place two hundred years 
 before its accomplishment. But that is what is meant by a prophecy : it tells us of things 
 that are to come to pass a great while before they take place ; and prophets are the men who 
 tell us. After seeing in his vision the great God gathering together the armies of his 
 wrath for the destruction of the city, he then describes the desolation of Babjdon, in 
 these words : " And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' 
 excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be 
 inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation : neither shall the 
 Arabian pitch his tent there ; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. But 
 wild beasts of the desert shall lie there ; and their houses shall be full of doleful crea- 
 tures ; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. And the wild beasts 
 of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces ; 
 and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged." 
 
 All this took place j ust as Isaiah prophesied. After it was taken by Cyrus it began 
 to decline, and soon ceased to be the seat of empire ; then its population decreased ; at 
 length it was utterly deserted ; and the desolate buildings were long the resort of every 
 species of wild beasts and venomous reptiles, so that it was dangerous for travelers to 
 approach them ; at length, it was so utterly wasted, that no remains of it could be found ; 
 and, strange to tell, it cannot at present be exactly ascertained where this once mighty 
 city stood ! When God is pleased to destroy, nothing can withstand His power ! Dear 
 children, the fate of this proud city is a proof of the truth of the bible. It is also a 
 warning to sinners to flee from the wrath to come, and an encouragement to believers to 
 expect victory over every enemy of their souls, and the church of God. 
 I shall mention only one more of Isaiah's visions. It is his vision of 
 
 " GOD'S JUDGMENT ON LEVIATHAN," 
 
 wnich the artist portrays in the next engraving. " In that day the Lord with His sore 
 and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan 
 that crooked serpent ; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea." Isaiah here
 
 2l6 
 
 ISAIAH. 
 
 prophesies of the destruction of Satan and his kingdom, under the name of leviathan. 
 The leviathan is the most destructive of " sea monsters ; " so Satan is the great enemy 
 of God and His church. But God will make the sword of His almightj'- vengeance, 
 which is exceedingly sharp, and great, and strong, to reach unto him. Then the old ser- 
 pent will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit, his power will cease, all his obstinate 
 servants will be cut off, and the earth be overspread with truth and righteousness. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — You remember, children, in one of the wonderful visions 
 of Isaiah, the seraphim came to Isaiah. Do you know who the seraphim are ? The 
 cherubim are angels who excel in knowledge ; the seraphim are angels who excel in 
 loving God. When a little boy heard this, he said : " I hope, then, when I die I shall 
 be a seraph, for I would rather love God, than know all things." In another vision we 
 saw where God would destroy the great leviathan, Satan. A little boy said to his mother : 
 " Ma, Satan must be an awful sight of trouble to God, must'nt he ? I don't see how he 
 turned out so bad, when he had no devil to put him up to it." A minister asked a little 
 converted boy, " Does not the devil tell you that you are not a christian ? " " Yes, some- 
 times." " Well, what do you say ? " " I. tell him," replied the boy, " whether I am a 
 christian or not is none of his business." Won't you be glad, little folks, when Satan is 
 l)ound ? Well, if you are good and get to heaven, you will see it.
 
 JEREMIAH DICTATING HIS PROPHECIES TO BARUCH. 
 
 EREIMIAH is called the " Sad Prophet ; " sad, because of the judg- 
 mcuts which came thick and fast upon his beloved country and 
 nation, and because of the sorrows, trials and persecutions which his 
 fidelity to his convictions and to the voice of God brought upon 
 him. God called Jeremiah to be his prophet when he was only 
 a 3'oung boy twelve years old. Like Isaiah he received a special 
 consecration for his work from the hand of Jehovah. 
 
 In this talk I want to tell 3'ou about one of his prophecies. 
 It was in the time of the bad, cruel king Jehoiakim. God told Jeremiah to warn the 
 people of their sins, and of the punishments that were soon coming upon them. Jeremiah 
 was now to write the warning in the roll of a book. So he called one of his friends, 
 a good man named Baruch, and asked him to write upon a roll all the words vrhich God 
 commanded. Jeremiah spoke the words, and Baruch wrote them down in the roll. In 
 the first picture the artist represents Jeremiah telling Baruch what to write, and Baruch 
 is taking it down. The light coming down from above into the prophet's face shows 
 that he received his prophecy from heaven. 
 
 When the book was finished, Jeremiah told Baruch that he could not go, but for 
 Baruch to go and read the roll to all the people in the Lord's house. Baruch did as the 
 prophet commanded. He went to the gate of the Lord's house, and there he read the 
 roll to all the people. One of the men who heard the roll read was very attentive to the 
 warning which God sent ; and he went directly to the king's house, and told the princes 
 all he had heard. Then the princes wanted to hear the roll too ; so they sent for Baruch 
 to come and read the book to them. The princes asked him, " How didst thou write all 
 these words? " Then Baruch answered, "Jeremiah pronounced the words, and I wrote 
 them as he commanded, with ink in the book." Then the princes said, " Go and hide, 
 both thou and Jeremiah, and we will tell the king about the roll which we have heard. 
 He ought to know^ the warning which God has sent to us." 
 
 So the princes took the roll and put it in a safe place ; and Baruch returned to Jere- 
 miah, and told him to hide himself; and then the princes went to the king Jehoiakim, 
 and spoke to him of the fearful things they had heard. Now the king was curious to 
 see the roll, and to know what Jeremiah had written ; so he sent a messenger to bring 
 it. The king was sitting by the fire warming himself, for it was in the winter. He 
 
 listened to the reading of the roll for a little while ; but when he found that it was 
 
 2lS
 
 220 JEREMIAH DICTATING HIS PROPHECIES TO BARUCH. 
 
 about his sins, and God's anger, he took out a knife and cut the whole into bits, and 
 threw it into the fire. Some of the princes begged the king not to burn the roll ; but he 
 would not listen to them. Was he so foolish as to think that burning the prophecj^ 
 would prevent it from coming to pass ? If so, he made a -great mistake. Then the king 
 sent some servants to take Jeremiah and Baruch ; but God Himself hid those good men, 
 and their enemies could not find them. 
 
 Jehoiakim had burnt the roll, but he could not destroy the truth of God's word. 
 God told Jeremiah to take a new roll, and to write on it all the words of the first roll 
 which the king had burnt. And God sent Jeremiah with a dreadful message to 
 Jehoiakim. This was the message : " Thus saith the Lord, of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, 
 I will punish him and his serv'ants for their iniquity, and I will bring upon them, and 
 upon Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them." Then Jeremiah took a 
 new roll and gave it to Baruch ; and Baruch wrote in it all the words of the first roll as 
 Jeremiah had told him. And many new words were added in this new roll. And thej' 
 were dreadful words ; words of anger and threatening against the wicked king, and his 
 wicked people. 
 
 Baruch was afterwards imprisoned with Jeremiah, and was also carried with him to 
 Egypt, where according to one tradition, he died. Another asserts that his days were 
 ended at Babylon. In our next engraving we have a picture of 
 
 " BARUCH." 
 
 The artist has represented him reclining upon the hard prison floor, with his rolls of 
 manuscript about him, in rapt meditation. He has an intense, but patient and sorrowful 
 look on his face — one that would seem to convey the impression that his mind is entirel)^ 
 taken up in the great work to which he was called. 
 
 Dear children, how fearful it is to despise the words and warnings of God ! If He 
 says He will punish His enemies. He will surel\- do it. The}- mav try to fight against 
 Him ; they ma}' try to destroy His word and His people, but they cannot prevail. God 
 is stronger than the}- ; He must conquer at last, and then where will His enemies be ? 
 The bible tells us what words God Himself has pronounced against them. " Because I 
 called and ye refused ; and set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 
 I also will laugh at your calamity : I will mock when your fear cometh. Then shall 
 they call upon me, but I will not answer ; they shall seek me, biit they shall not find 
 me ; because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord."
 
 EZEKIEL PROPHESYING. 
 
 ZEKIEL was one of the greater prophets. His name means God 
 zi'ill make strong, and points to the source of his power, and 
 accounts for his influence with his countrymen. In the first 
 engraving we have a picture of Ezekiel prophesying. Ezekiel 
 gives us an account of his commission in these words : "And He 
 said unto me, son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak 
 vinto thee. And the Spirit entered into me, when He spake unto 
 me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that spake unto 
 me. And He said unto me, son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebel- 
 lious nation that hath rebelled against Ale. They and their fathers have transgressed 
 against Me, even unto this very da}'. For the}- are impudent children and stiff-hearted. 
 I do send thee unto them, and thou shalt say unto them. Thus saith the Lord God. And 
 they, whether the}' will hear or whether the}- will forbear (for they are a rebellious 
 house), yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of 
 man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns be 
 with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions : be not afraid of their words, nor be 
 dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my 
 words unto them, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, for they are most 
 rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee. Be not thou rebellious 
 like that rebellious house : open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee." The prophet, as 
 represented in the picture, is of commanding presence. At his feet are gathered a few 
 who are listening to him with thoughtful interest, while those beyond seem yet too timid 
 to approach any nearer. 
 
 Among the many wonderful visions which Ezekiel had was one I will tell you about. 
 The Lord made him have a sort of a dream, in which he was carried, under the influence 
 of the Spirit, out into a valley that was like a vast graveyard. Over it reigned the 
 silence of death. In the valley, on the surface of the ground, lay rank upon rank of 
 skeletons. The valley was " full of bones " — " behold there were very many of them." 
 Around these bones the Lord caused the prophet to pass in order that he might see how 
 hopeless was their condition. They were "very dry" — ^just as bones exposed to the 
 heat of that climate were sure soon to become. Then the Lord said to Ezekiel, " Son of 
 man, can these bones live ? " The natural answer to tliat question was, No. But 
 Ezekiel knew it was not a man speaking to him ; but the omnipotent One, who can do
 
 224 EZEKIEL PROPHESYING. 
 
 all things ; and so, very wisel}-, he answers, " O Lord God, Thou knowest." It is a 
 reply that shows both modesty and faith. It implies that he believes that God can work 
 the marvelous miracle, if He shall so choose. Again the Lord spoke unto Ezekiel and 
 said, '' Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them : O ye dry bones, hear the word 
 of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones. Behold, I will cause breath 
 to enter into 3'ou, and ye shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up 
 flesh upon j'ou, and cover j^ou with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live, and 
 ye shall know that I am the Lord." Then Ezekiel did as he was commanded; and as 
 he spake there was a noise, and a shaking, and the bones came together again and 
 joined in their right places ; and as he spake on, the flesh came back on them ; and then 
 the Lord bade him call to the winds of heaven, and they came and filled them with 
 breath again, and they rose up and lived. In the next picture, the artist has shown us 
 
 "EZEKIEL'S VISION OF THE DRY BONES." 
 
 The bones are seen rising up and coming together ; some are already standing on their 
 feet ; and in the distance near where Ezekiel stands, some are clothed in flesh once 
 more. 
 
 Just so God said the kingdom of Judah was dead and scattered, but He would breathe 
 on it, and wake it, and join it together again, like the dead bones rising to life. And, 
 dear children, there is a lesson in this for us, too. All those who do not love God are 
 like dry bones. A dry bone has nothing good in it ; it has no power — it is worthless. 
 You speak to it, and it cannot hear. It cannot see the beautiful things that God has 
 made. Just so is it with one who does not listen to the Word of God. After awhile he 
 gets so that he cannot hear. He becomes dead in sin. All the good that there was in 
 him wastes away. Then he has no power to do right. He cannot hear his conscience 
 speak, and he cannot see the beautiful things which God has scattered everj^where. He 
 is worthless to himself, and to everbody else. He is like a dry bone. Satan sees that 
 there is nothing good left upon him. Do you want to be like that ? Neither did the 
 Israelites, but they would not listen to the voice of God, and that became their condition. 
 
 " Can these bones live ? " Who can make them live ? God. How did He do it ? 
 By breathing upon them with His Spirit. Can He make those who are dead in sin alive 
 again ? Yes. How can He do that ? In the same way. Don't you want God's Spirit 
 to come into your heart, so that you may live, and be able to keep His law, and always 
 do just right ?
 
 DANIEL. 
 
 them to wait on him. 
 
 j,Y dear children, I know yon will be pleased to talk about Daniel, the 
 
 boy hero. Among the Jewish captives who were carried away to 
 
 Bab^'lon there were some little boys, young princes and nobles, 
 
 who had been brought up in the palace of the house of David. 
 
 The}' were probably about twelve years old when they were thus 
 
 taken from their homes. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, 
 
 was pleased with the boys, and thought he should like to have 
 
 So he desired the steward of his palace to have them taken into 
 
 his care, to be taught both to wait on the king, and to know all the learning of Babylon. 
 
 The bible tells us a great deal about four of these young princes. Their names were 
 
 Daniel, Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. One of Nebuchadnezzar's servants had the 
 
 care of them, whose name was Melzar. Every day he brought them meat and wine 
 
 from the king's table ; that grieved these boys, because they knew that all the meat 
 
 there came from creatures that had been offered up to idols. Now Daniel knew that it 
 
 was very wrong to eat meats that had been offered to idols. Some of the boys said they 
 
 did not care, and some said thej' were very sorry, but they could not help it. Yes, 
 
 Daniel said, the}' could help it if they would leave off eating meat and drinking wine, 
 
 and only have beans and water. Then three more of the boys said they would stand by 
 
 Daniel, and have only the beans and water, rather than break God's holy law. 
 
 So, one day, when Melzar came to see them, Daniel asked to have no more meat 
 
 brought them from the king's table ; but let them feed on water and pulse — that is, beans. 
 
 But Melzar said he was afraid they would grow thin and pale and sickly ; and then 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar would be displeased with him. But Daniel said, " Only try us for just 
 
 tea days." So Melzar promised to try them for ten days. They ate the pulse and 
 
 drank the water given them with thankfulness, because they felt that they had God's 
 
 blessing. And God so blessed the food, that at the end of ten days, Melzar examined 
 
 them, and found them fairer and fatter than those who were fed from the king's table. 
 
 God had kept them in health and strength, because they trusted in Him. Daniel's 
 
 fidelity secured a friend in the king, and he arose, like Joseph of old, to be the second 
 
 man in the kingdom. In the engraving, the artist has given us a picture of Daniel as 
 
 the great prophet, with scroll in hand. 
 
 226
 
 228 
 
 DANIEL. 
 
 Savings of childhood : — Daniel would not touch the king's wines. One newsboy 
 tried to get another to just sip a little beer. " No," said the other, " I have taken a 
 pledge not to drink strong drink." " Would 3'ou not do it for a dollar? " asked the first 
 boy. " No, sir." " For a thousand dollars ? " " No, sir." " Why not ? " ''Because 
 when the thousand dollars are all gone, and all the things I got with them are gone too, 
 my cojiscience is there all the same,'''' answered the boy. That was a noble answer 
 Children, dare to be like Daniel ; dare to be true to God and 3'our conscience in this 
 Babylon of worldliness. The wine-cup is our foe. It comes pretending to make us 
 merry and happy, but all the while it is preparing us for defeat. It will make us sorry 
 enough bv-and-by, if we drink its contents. It takes awa}' our homes, our clothes, our 
 food, our good characters — everything that is valuable, and leaves us nothing but rags, 
 and poverty, and sickness, and defeat, and death. 
 
 THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN IN THE FIERY FURNACE. 
 
 ING NEBUCHADNEZZAR, of Babylon worshipped idols. He 
 
 made a great image of gold; it was set up in a plain in Babylon; 
 
 and at the time of dedication he issued a proclamation, that at the 
 
 sound of the various musical instruments, cz'ery one should fall 
 
 down and worship it ; and that if any should refuse, he should be cast 
 
 into a burning fiery furnace. Many people, as soon as the}- heard the 
 
 music, made haste to bow down before the golden image. 
 
 Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego, heard the command given ; 
 and they heard, too, the dreadful punishment which was threatened to those who 
 disobeyed ; but these good men felt that they could not obej-, for God had said, " Thou 
 shalt have none other gods but Me; " and " thou shalt not make any graven images ; thou 
 shalt not bow to them, nor worship them ; " so they would not bow down before the 
 great image. 
 
 Then their enemies, who had watched to see if they would worship the golden image, 
 or not, ran directly and told the king. Then king Nebuchadnezzar was angry, and 
 commanded the three Jews to be brought before him. When they came, the king asked
 
 230 THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN IN THE FIERY FURNACE. 
 
 them how it was ; and told them fiercely, that if they would not worship his golden 
 image, they must be thrown into the fire. But they stood up boldly and answered, 
 " Our God whom we ser\-e is able to deliver us from the burning fier}'- furnace, and He 
 will deliver us out of thine hand, O, king ! But if not, be it known unto thee O, king, 
 that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." 
 When the king heard this brave answer, he became very angry, and ordered the 
 furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. Then some strong men took 
 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and bound them hand and foot, and cast them into 
 the burning fiery furnace ; and the flame was so hot, that it burnt to death the men 
 that threw them in. But O, wonderful ! When Nebuchadnezzar came to look into the 
 furnace, he said to his governors, " Did we not cast three men into the fire ? " " True, 
 O, king," they said. But said Nebuchadnezzar, " Lo, I s&&four men loose, walking in 
 the midst of the fire, and they have no harm, and the form of the fourth is like unto 
 the Son of God." Then the king called them, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 
 came out of the fire. Their clothes were not burnt ; their hair was not singed ; there 
 was no smell of fire upon them. Then was the king compelled to own the truth, 
 " There is no God who can deliver after this sort." And he sent forth a command, 
 that no one should ever speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and 
 Abednego, who had saved them in the burning fier)' furnace. 
 
 BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST. 
 
 ELSHAZZAR was now king of Babylon. He was a foolish, 
 proud and rebellious young man ; he did not care for anything 
 but his own amusement. One night Belshazzar made a great 
 feast to the principal lords of his kingdom. The}- all ate and 
 drank and made merry. During this feast, the king had all the 
 holv vessels, which had been brought from God's temple in 
 Jerusalem, brought out ; and they poured wine into them, and 
 praised their gods of gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and wood, and stone. 
 
 God was augr}' at the use thus made of the sacred vessels ; He heard them
 
 232 BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST. 
 
 blaspheming His holy name. All on a sudden they were terribly frightened ; for just 
 over the candlestick there were seen the fingers of a man's hand writing upon the wall. 
 Belshazzar could not tell who was writing ; he could not understand the words. Then 
 he called all his wise men, but none of them could guess what the meaning could be. 
 At last, the queen, the king's mother, came into the room, and told the king about 
 Daniel. So Daniel was sent for, and he at once read the writing. There were very few 
 words ; but the}- were dreadful words in their meaning. What were they ? " Mene, 
 ]\Iene, Tekel, Peres, Upharsin." Then Daniel said, " This is the interpretation : Mene, 
 God has numbered th}- kingdom, and finished it ; Tekel, thou art weighed in the 
 balances, and found wanting ; Peres, Upharsin, th}- kingdom is divided, and given to the 
 ^ledes and Persians." 
 
 In the engraving the artist has portrayed this scene. There stands Daniel, pointing 
 towards the fearful handwriting on the wall. Was Belshazzar frightened ? No ; he went on 
 with the feast, and the company ate, and drank, and talked, and laughed, and sang, as 
 the}- had done before. They thought all these dreadful things would not come to pass 
 yet. But that ver}- night the king was slain. " And Darius the Median took the 
 kingdom."
 
 DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN. 
 
 ABYLON had another king, whose name was Darins. King 
 
 Darius greatly honored Daniel, and raised him to the highest 
 
 office in the State. But Daniel had enemies in Babylon. The 
 
 officers of the government were jealous of his promotion ; they 
 
 hated him, and tried hard to find some occasion for fault-finding ; 
 
 but Daniel was so good and holy a man, that even his enemies 
 
 had to confess that they could not do it unless they found it 
 
 " against him concerning the law of God." There was one thing of which they knew 
 
 they could accuse him. That was his praying to God. 
 
 So, one day these princes went to king Darius, and begged him to make a law that 
 
 for thirty days nobody should say their prayers to any god, or ask anything of any man 
 
 except of Darius the king ; or if they did, they should be thrown into a den of lions. 
 
 Now these wicked men thought they should soon be able to accuse Daniel ; for of course, 
 
 they thought, Daniel would not dare keep on praying after this. But he did, and was 
 
 not afraid to have it known. He disliked to disobey Darius ; but he knew that he must 
 
 obey God more than man. Then he did not try to hide and pray in some secret place 
 
 where his enemies could not see him ; for we read that " when Daniel knew that the 
 
 writing had been signed, he went into his chamber (his windows being opened), and 
 
 kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God 
 
 as aforetime." Why did Daniel do this ? Not to make a boast of his goodness, but to 
 
 show his enemies that he was not afraid nor ashamed of praying to God. Never be 
 
 afraid of doing right. 
 
 Daniel's enemies were glad, because they thought they had a sure case against him ; 
 
 and they ran at once to tell the king that Daniel regarded neither the decree nor himself, 
 
 233
 
 234 
 
 DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN. 
 
 but went ou prayiug three times a day. Then Darius was sorry, for he loved and 
 honored Daniel, and he tried hard to save him ; but it was useless ; the law that had 
 once been made could not be broken. So they brought Daniel to the den of lions, and 
 cast him in. But as the men were hurrying hina away, the king said, " O Daniel, th}- 
 God whom thou servest continuall}', He will deliver thee." 
 
 All that night Darius fasted and mourned for Daniel. He would have no music, nor 
 singing, nor rejoicing in his palace ; he could enjoy nothing ; and when he lay down 
 on his bed he could not sleep. And very early in the morning he arose and went to 
 the den, and cried out, " O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou 
 servest continually able to deliver thee from the lions ?" Let us listen to Daniel's reply : 
 " My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt 
 me." Then Darius was glad, and he commanded that Daniel should be taken out of the 
 den, and that the spiteful men should be put in instead : and the lions were so hungr}- 
 that they broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of 
 the den. 
 
 Dear little ones, let us learn from this true story how ready our God is to deliver 
 those who really trust Him — and just as easily too. Let us never be ashamed to confess 
 Him wherever we are, even though it comes to kneeling in praj^er before those who do 
 not believe in Him. 
 
 Sayings ok childhood : — A poor widow was weeping in the room where lay the 
 body of her husband. Their only child came in, and said, " Wh}' do you weep so, 
 mother ? " The mother told him of their loss, and especially referred to their poverty. 
 Looking into her face, the little fellow said, " Is God dead, mother .^^' No, dear children, 
 God is not dead ; He still lives ; and Daniel's powerful God is your God — still able to 
 deliver His children and to punish His enemies.
 
 A VISION OF THE PROPHET DANIEL. 
 
 EFORE we leave Daniel, dear children, I want to talk a few 
 moments about his wonderfnl vision of the four beasts which 
 arose out of a ver}- storm}' sea. The first beast was like a lion, 
 and had eagle's wings ; the second like a bear, with three ribs in 
 its mouth ; the third like a leopard, with four wings and four 
 heads ; and the fourth a beast with ten horns. The engraving 
 -4* gives us a picture of this part of Daniel's vision. I suppose you 
 know that all these were embiems or symbols. What are they s3'nibols of? Daniel 
 did not know at first ; but God sent an angel to teach him. The angel told him that 
 the four beasts mean four great empires, which should, one after another, have great 
 power and dominion in the world. 
 
 But Daniel saw more in his vision; he says, " I beheld till the thrones were cast 
 down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair 
 of His head like the pure wool : His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as 
 burning fire. A fier}^ stream issued and came forth from before Him ; thousand thousands 
 ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him ; the judg- 
 ment was set, and the books were opened." Then Daniel saw the Ancient of days 
 destroy all the beasts ; and further he says, " I saw in the night visions, and, behold, 
 one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of 
 days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and 
 glorj^ and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him ; His 
 dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that 
 which shall not be destroj^ed." 
 
 What was this vision for ? It was to disclose the fact that all the other kingdoms, 
 great and powerful as they were, were to perish, and to be superseded b}- a divine king- 
 dom that should never be destroyed. The "Ancient of days " is the eternal God ; the 
 Son of man is Jesus. God has given to Jesus a kingdom that is to fill the whole earth. 
 It will destroy all the other kingdoms. It will fill the earth with the song of peace on 
 earth and good will toward men. Children, will you not belong to it now ? Do you 
 
 pray, "Th}' kingdom come ? " 
 
 236
 
 THE PROPHET AMOS. 
 
 MOS was one of the twelve minor prophets. Before he became a prophet, 
 
 he was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore trees. He foretold many of 
 
 j^ the misfortunes which should befall the kingdom of Israel ; and he 
 
 \j speaks sharply against the sins of Israel, and reproves the people 
 
 for going to Bethel, Dan, Gilgal, and Beersheba, and for swearing 
 
 - by the gods of these places. In the engraving the artist has given 
 
 i^ us a picture of Amos, leaning upon his staff, and lost in the utter 
 
 loneliness of his own thoughts. 
 
 Children, I wonder if you have noticed one thing that I have, in all the prophecies ? 
 
 I mean how God punishes those nations that rejoice over the afflictions of His own 
 
 people. Did you ever see anybody laugh when some one else got hurt ? Did j-ou ever 
 
 do it yourself ? Is it right to do that way? Well, now, in the first two chapters of 
 
 Amos, we read about many nations that God punished. One of them He punished for 
 
 being glad because Jerusalem was destroyed. You remember a great king came up 
 
 against Jerusalem, and captured it, and took many of its people awa}' into captivity. 
 
 They never saw their homes again. Was that a thing to be glad about ? And yet there 
 
 was a city by the name of Tyre, that was very glad that Jerusalem was overthrown. 
 
 She was glad because, she said, now that Jerusalem is out of the way, we will get all 
 
 the trade that has been in the habit of going to her. Wasn't that a very bad spirit to 
 
 show ? Do you think that God liked that ? He did not like it at all, and He told that 
 
 city that He would destroy it. He did destroy it. 
 
 Do you think that God likes to have you make fun of people who are unfortunate ? 
 
 Is it right to laugh at, or make fun of, the lame, the hunchback, the poor ? What do 
 
 you think God will do to you if you act in that way ? He will surely punish you for it 
 
 Instead of rejoicing when others suffer, let us take this for our motto : We will LOVE 
 
 OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES. 
 
 238
 
 JONAH CAST UP BY THE WHALE. 
 
 OU all know, I suppose, the storj- of Jonah. He was a prophet 
 
 in Israel, and he tells us that God commanded him to go to 
 
 Nineveh and preach to the people of that city. Nineveh was a 
 
 very rich and wicked city. The king and people worshipped 
 
 idols, and not God. And God wanted Jonah to go and tell them 
 
 how angry He was with them, and what punishment He wovild 
 
 bring upon them if they continued in sin. 
 
 I jf But Jonah did not want to go. Why not ? He liked his own 
 
 ease better than being useful. Perhaps he thought the journey would be 
 
 very long and tiresome ; or he was afraid the people there might be angry with his 
 
 message, and try to kill him. So, instead of going to Nineveh, he arose directly and 
 
 went to Joppa ; and there he found a ship just going to a place- called Tarshish. He 
 
 paid his fare to the captain, got into the ship, and tried to sail away. He was trj-ing to 
 
 run away from God ; but this was a sad piece of folly, for he forgot that God is 
 
 everywhere. His eye can see us wherever we are ; we can not hide from God. 
 
 On the way to Tarshish, God sent a frightful storm ; the ship was blown about, and 
 
 tossed upon the waves ; all the sailors were terribly frightened. They threw everything 
 
 overboard, to lighten the ship ; still the ship was in danger ; then the poor sailors began 
 
 to pray to their idol gods for deliverance. But where was Jonah all this time ? He was 
 
 fast asleep. Then the ship-master came to Jonah, and awoke him, and said, " Wh}- 
 
 sleepest thou ? Arise, and call upon thy God ; and pray to Him to save us, that we perish 
 
 not." Jonah arose at once, and when he saw the danger, he was frightened. He knew 
 
 why the storm came, but the sailors did not ; and so they said, " Let us cast lots that we 
 
 may know why this storm is come upon iis. Perhaps one of us has done something 
 
 wrong, and this danger is sent to punish him. We will cast lots, and find who the 
 
 wicked man is." This thought was doubtless suggested by God Himself, that Jonah 
 
 might be detected and punished. The lot fell upou Jonah. God made it fall upon him, 
 
 that Jonah might feel his sin and confess it. 
 
 Jonah then told who he was, and confessed what he had done ; that he had run away 
 
 from delivering God's message. The sailors were shocked, and they asked what they 
 
 should do to him. He felt humble for his sin ; and not wishing that they should perish 
 
 with him, he desired them to cast him into the sea, and the sea would then be calm. 
 
 But the sailors did not want to do this, and for a long while would not do it. They 
 
 240
 
 242 JONAH CAST UP BY THE WHALE. 
 
 rowed very hard, and tried to bring the ship to the land ; but they could not. God had 
 determined to punish Jonah, and He would not calm the storm while he was in the ship. 
 Jonah told the sailors this, and asked them again to throw him into the sea. These 
 men seeing that the God of Israel was the true God, then prayed God to forgive them 
 for throwing Jonah overboard, for it was not their wish to commit murder. Then the}- 
 cast Jonah into the sea, and it ceased raging ; and thus God showed the ignorant sailors 
 how great His power is, and thej'-, with becoming gratitude, offered up sacrifices to God. 
 
 But what became of Jonah ? Was he drowned ? No ; God punished him for his sin, 
 but He did not wish him to perish. We are told that " the Lord had prepared a great 
 fish to swallow " him up ; it opened its mouth to receive him, and he went down alive 
 into the body of the fish, and was there three days and three nights. God would not let 
 the fish hurt Jonah. God kept him alive. 
 
 While Jonah was in the fish, he confessed his sins, and asked for pardon ; he prayed 
 for deliverance. And God ordered the fish to cast Jonah up on the dry land again. 
 The first engraving represents Jonah just after he has been cast upon the land. How 
 thankful he was now ! He was also humbled. But God still remembered Nineveh and 
 He called Jonah again, and said, " Arise, go to the great city of Nineveh, and preach the 
 preaching that I shall tell thee." So Jonah went, and he cried, as he passed along in 
 the city, " Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown ! " They believed him and 
 did repent. A fast was proclaimed, and even the king put on sackcloth and sat in 
 ashes. They turned from their wicked ways and God spared them. 
 
 "JONAH EXHORTING THE NINEVITES TO REPENTANCE." 
 
 In our next engraving, the effect of Jonah's appeal is shown. Some of his hearers 
 appear awed by the majest}- of his presence, and others overcome by the commanding 
 force of his words ; some gaze upou him curiousl}-, while others have bowed their heads 
 or fallen in humble penitence before him. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Several boys were pla3'ing marbles. In the midst of 
 their sport, the rain began to fall. Freddie stopped, and said, " Boys, I must go home : 
 mother said I must not go out 'in the rain." — " Your mother, — fudge ! The rain won't 
 hurt j-ou any more than it will us," said too or three voices at once. Freddie turned 
 upon them with a look of pity, and the courage of a hero, and replied, " /'// uo^ disobey 
 my mother for any of you ! " That boy will not disobe}' God, either ; for a boy who obeys 
 his mother will most likel}' obe}- God.
 
 |ii iiiiii*i*fF^='"^^i! 11 wi|||ii=
 
 MICAH EXHORTING ISRAEL TO REPENTANCE. 
 
 ICAH is another of the minor prophets His full name means 
 Ulio is like Jehovali. His prophecies are directed both against 
 Israel and Judah. He predicts the capture of both ; the captivity 
 and restoration of the Jews, and the coming and reign of the 
 Messiah. He rebukes in severest terms the evils of idolatry 
 which had snch license in the time of Ahaz, king of Judah. The 
 bible tells ns Judah suffered much, because Ahaz " transgressed 
 against the Lord." The idol gods of Damascus were the ruin of 
 him and of all Israel. Sin must ruin people at last, if they do not repent, and turn 
 away from it. But Ahaz did not repent. He grew worse and worse. He took out the 
 holy vessels from God's house, and cut them in pieces ; then he made new altars, like the 
 idol altars of Damascus, and offered offerings upon them, and burnt incense to the gods 
 of Assyria, and shut up the holy temple of God in Jerusalem. 
 
 Had the people no good prophets to teach them better ? Yes, there were many holy 
 men in Judah then. Hosea, and Micah, and Isaiah were living at this time. These 
 good men tried to keep the people from wickedness, but ver}- few would attend to them. 
 In the engraving the artist has represented Micah exhorting the people to repent, and 
 turn from their wicked ways. 
 
 How grieved the prophet must have felt when he looked around and saw how very 
 wicked his country was ! But God comforted him. He taught him by His Spirit that 
 happier times were coming. He taught him to prophesy of the Lord Jesus Christ,who 
 would come into the world to save sinners ; and of that future time when His gospel 
 should be made known to all the world. 
 
 Dear children, when we look around, and see so much wickedness, perhaps we may 
 often feel very unhappy ; but the word of God comforts us. For we read of a happy time 
 still coming. This world will not be then as it is now. There will be no idols wor- 
 shipped then ; all will love, and honor, and serve the only and true God. 
 
 244
 
 ZECHARIAH'S VISION OF THE FOUR CHARIOTS. 
 
 HE prophet Zechariali had uiue different visions which were 
 revealed to him by God. In one of these wonderful visions, he 
 tells us he saw four chariots come out from between two moun- 
 tains ; " and the mountains were mountains of brass." " In the 
 first chariot were red horses ; and in the second chariot black 
 horses ; and in the third chariot white horses ; and in the fourth 
 chariot grisled and bay horses. 
 
 This vision, seen by Zechariah, seems to represent the ways of 
 Divine providence in disposing of events in the world. The horses of different colors 
 signify as follows : the first, red^ war and bloodshed ; the second, black., the terrible 
 results of war, such as famine, pestilence, and desolation ; the third, white., a return of 
 comfort, peace and prosperity ; and the fourth, grislcd and ba)\ days of prosperity and 
 days of adversity. The motion of God's providence is swift and strong, like that of 
 chariots ; and His will is as immovable as mountains of brass. Histor}^ records events 
 which happened near the time when this vision was sent to Zechariah, and to which it 
 seems to refer. Our engraving is one of the most beautiful in the whole book. 
 
 Dear children, the designs of God's providence are always right. Whether He sends 
 war or peace, famine or prosperity. He makes all to work together for good. They 
 proceed from the source of perfect wisdom, justice, and truth ; from One who cannot err, 
 and whose ways are always full of mercy. Rutherford says, " The chariot of God's 
 providence runneth not upon broken wheels." I wish the little people would all commit 
 to memory the following beautiful stanzas from Faber. 
 
 "O God ! who art my childhood's love, 
 
 My bo)hood's pure delight, 
 A presence felt the livelong day, 
 
 A welcome fear at night. 
 
 O let me speak to Thee, dear God ! 
 
 Of those old mercies past, 
 O'er which new mercies day by day 
 
 Such lengthening shadows cast." 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A little boy being asked, " How many gods are there ? " 
 
 replied, " One." " How do you know that ? " " Because " said the boy, " there is only 
 
 room for one; for He fills heaven and earth." And dear children, we need not fear; 
 
 this mighty God will never leave nor forsake us, if we onl}^ trust Him. 
 
 246
 
 THE ANNUNCIATION. 
 
 AM sure, little folks, that you will want to talk about the infaut Jesus. 
 
 But first I must tell you something about His mother. Her name 
 
 ^^^ was IMary ; she was quite a poor woman, but most good and hoi}-. 
 
 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to visit Mary in the little town 
 
 of Nazareth. His coming was evidently a day visit and not a vision. 
 
 It was joyful and wonderful news which the angel brought to Mary. 
 
 He said to her, " Hail, thou that art highl}- favored, the Lord is with 
 
 thee : blessed art thou among women." This salutation greatly troubled her. So far 
 
 was this above her station and sense of desert, that " she cast about in her mind what 
 
 manner of salutation this should be." But the angel soon comforted her, and told her 
 
 in what a wonderful way she was going to be honored by God. Gabriel said, " Thou 
 
 shalt have a son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called 
 
 the Son of the Highest ; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father 
 
 David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His. kingdom 
 
 there shall be no end." Marj' wondered verv much when she heard this, and she 
 
 humbly said, " Behold the handmaid of the Lord ; be it unto me according to thj- 
 
 word ; " and the angel left her. 
 
 The engraving is a beautiful picture of " The Annunciation," that is, of the 
 
 angel telling Mar}" the good news. Mary was so thankful, that, a little time after, 
 
 she sang a hymn of praise. The song was this : " M}- soul doth magnif}' the 
 
 Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low 
 
 estate of His handmaiden : for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me 
 
 24S
 
 250 
 
 THE ANNUNCIATION. 
 
 blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things ; and holy is His name. 
 And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. He hath 
 showed strength with His arm ; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their 
 hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 
 He hath filled the hungry with good things ; and the rich He hath sent empty away. 
 He hath holpen His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy; as He spake to our 
 Fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever." 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Of course, children, you know why Gabriel told Mary to 
 lall her son "Jesus." Because " He shall save." That is what the name means. A 
 little boy in Sienna, during a long illness, spoke of going to Jesus. He conceived the 
 odd idea of giving away among his friends the several parts of his body. All seemed to 
 be bequeathed, when the mother said that he had omitted " the dear little heart." The 
 little sick boy replied, that " the little heart vmst be kept for Jesus.''' 
 
 THE NATIVITY. 
 
 ^ARY, the mother of Jesus, was living at Nazareth, but it was God's 
 will that the holy Son of God should be born at Bethlehem. The 
 Jews were under the Roman government, and just at this time, 
 Augustus, the Roman emperor, made a law that all his subjects 
 should be taxed ; so IVIary had to go with a good man, named 
 Joseph, a carpenter, who was to be her husband, to Bethlehem, to 
 have their names taken down before the taxing began. The 
 journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was a long one ; and when they came to Bethlehem 
 in the evening, they were very weary. The}- had no house in Bethlehem, so they went
 
 THE NATIVITY. 251 
 
 to the iun, but were told there was no room for them. The various iiius and public 
 houses of the city were crowded, owing to the taxation ; so Joseph and Mary, being 
 strangers, wandered about from house to house till quite late, then had to go to a stable 
 where the oxen were kept. 
 
 There God gave IVIary the promised infant ; the child Jesus was born. His mother, 
 having no friend or nurse near, " wrapped Him in swaddling-clothes ; " and, having no 
 other bed for her sweet baby, she laid Him in the manger among the hay and straw. O 
 how humble and lowly Jesus was ! There isn't one of you that was born in such an 
 humble place as that. It was " for your sakes " that He became poor. He came 
 that way so that He might know just how poor people feel, so that no 
 one might feel afraid to come i:nto Him. How we ought to love Him for that ! 
 Yes, children, Jesus was born. The great King that was so long looked for by the 
 Israelites, the One who was to be called " Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The 
 Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," came as — a babe! He came as a child, that 
 every little child might become a child of God. 
 
 There were some persons who were expecting the Messiah to come soon. Among 
 these were some shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem, keeping watch over their flocks ; 
 and, perhaps, they were talking about it that very night, when, all at once, an angel 
 stood beside them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. How do j-ou 
 think they felt ? How would you have felt ? Yes, they felt afraid. But the angel told 
 them that they need not fear — that he had brought good tidings unto them : " For unto 
 you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this 
 shall be a sign iinto you ; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in 
 a manger." And while the shepherds were listening to this wonderful message, 
 suddenly they saw, with the angel, a great multitude of other angels ; and they all 
 began to sing a song of praise to God ; and the shepherds heard them. What was this 
 song? " Glorj^ to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Then 
 the angels went away into heaven, and the shepherds saw them no more. 
 
 Do you know why the angels sang this song ? Because Jesus was come. He is 
 called the " Prince of peace," because He came to bring peace upon the earth. The 
 religion of Jesus is a religion of peace. It does not let us fight. When you are struck, 
 it tells you not to strike back again. When your neighbor hates you, and treats you 
 meanly, it tells 3-011 j-ou must love him, and not quarrel with him. Then the religion 
 that teaches all that must be a religion of peace, becaiise it is a religion of love. Would
 
 252 
 
 THE NATIVITY. 
 
 you not like to see this religion everj^where ? Then become a helper with Jesus, trying 
 to bring " Peace on earth." There are two waj's : First, give fourse// to Him, and then 
 you will be able to sing the angel-song from your heart. Second, work for Him, that is, 
 ^e// the story to others. 
 
 As soon as the angels went awa}-, the shepherds were so anxious to see Jesus, that 
 they said directl}-, " Let us go now to Bethlehem, and see this thing which the Lord 
 hath made known to us." So the}-^ made haste, and went to Bethlehem ; and there they 
 soon found Joseph and Mary and the babe lying in the manger, as the angel said. It is 
 this visit of the shepherds that the artist has given us in the picture. The infant Saviour 
 is represented 13'ing on His mother's knees. The shepherds are bent round, adoring and 
 worshipping their future Lord and Redeemer. The ver}' ox and the little lambs seem 
 drawn towards Him. When the shepherds had seen Jesus, they went and told their 
 friends and neighbors what they had heard and seen ; and afterwards returned to their 
 flocks full of hoi}- joy. Just what we should do. We should be, like these shepherds, 
 anxious to see and know Jesus ; and then anxious to tell our friends and neighbors the 
 good news.
 
 THE WISE MEN GUIDED BY THE MYSTERIOUS STAR. 
 
 ''•-^ 
 
 HERE were other people, besides the shepherds, who came to see 
 the blessed Jesus wheu He was a little babe. A long way off, in 
 the East, in Arabia, perhaps, or some other distant countrj^ there 
 lived some " ^wse men." They were ver}- learned and under- 
 stood many things. These wise and good men had heard, in 
 their distant countr}', of the promised Saviour, and thej- were 
 expecting His coming. One evening, when the}' were gazing up 
 into the heavens, they saw a very bright and peculiar star. . Not a 
 common star, such as they saw every night ; but one quite new to them. God 
 put it into their hearts that this star was the sign that the great King was 
 born, and that the star would lead them to Him, so they immediately went in the 
 direction in which it appeared. The engraving shows the grand procession of the wise 
 men, following the mysterious star. The star went before them until it brought them 
 near to Jerusalem, where Herod the king was living, and as they knew by inspiration 
 that Christ was a king, they went to the palace to inquire, saying, " Where is He that is 
 born King of the Jews ? for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship 
 Him." This made Herod afraid, for he thought this must be a king who would take his 
 kingdom from him. So Herod called the priests, and the scribes, or writers of the law, 
 and asked them where Christ must be bom. How could they know ? Because they had 
 read the prophets ; and there they learned that Jesus would be bom in Bethlehem. So 
 they told this to Herod. Then Herod secretly called the wise men and asked them a 
 great many questions about the star, and the time they first saw it. They answered his 
 questions ; and then he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, " Go and search diligently for 
 the j^oung child ; and when ye have found Him, bring me word again, that I may come 
 and worship Him also." But Herod did not really mean to worship Him, but to kill 
 Him. 
 
 But God Himself showed these wise men where to find our blessed Lord. When the 
 wise men went away from Herod, the star still moved before them until it brought them 
 to Bethlehem, and, at last, " stood over where the young child was." Then they rejoiced 
 with very great joy ; and went into the house, and " saw the young child with Mary His 
 mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him." Though they saw a little baby, and a 
 poor mother holding Him in her arms, they knew He was Lord and King. Thej^ offered 
 Him the gifts they had brought — " gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." I know not 
 
 251-
 
 256 THE WISE MEN GUIDED BY THE MYSTERIOUS STAR. 
 
 how long they remained worshipping Him, but before they returned home God warned 
 them in a dream not to return to Herod ; so the}- went home another wa^-. 
 
 Ah, my children, we need not, like the wise men, travel a long way to seek the 
 Saviour. He is always near — He can hear our softest pra^-er. We do not need a star to 
 lead us to Jesus. His word and His Spirit will lead us to Him, if we ask to be led. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — I once heard of a dear little girl who was assisting some 
 friends to decorate a Christmas-tree ; and being told the toys and ornaments were 
 intended as presents for the different members of the famih-, she anxiously inquired, 
 " What present the}' could make to the Lord iipon His birthda}- ? " Some of vou may 
 think that a funu}- question to ask ; but you can give something to Jesus. \\'hat is it ? 
 Your Jicarts. I wish you would learn this beautiful verse : — 
 
 " Jesus, take this heart of mine, 
 Make it pure and wholly Thine ; 
 Thou hast bled and died for me, 
 I will henceforth live for Thee. ' ' 
 
 Jesus would rather have that present, than all the gold, and frankincense, and m3'rrli 
 whicli the wise men brought. 
 
 THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 
 
 OU remember in our last talk we found the wicked Herod was 
 frightened, because he feared the little babe at Bethlehem would 
 live to take his throne awa}- from him ; so he determined to kill 
 Jesus, if he could. God knew that Herod meant to kill Jesus, 
 and by a dream He sent the wise men home another way, so that 
 Herod could not see them. When Herod heard that the wise men 
 had gone away, without telling him what he desired, he became very 
 ^--'^ augr\-. He was determined to kill Jesus ; and as he did not know the 
 house in which the Saviour lay, he said he would destroy all the little children in Beth- 
 lehem, hoping that Jesus would be killed among them. 
 
 But God would not let Herod do Avhat he so wickedly wished. In another dream, 
 the Lord appeared to Joseph, and told him to get right up that very night, and take the 
 young child and his mother, and go to Egypt, and stay there till they should be told to 
 come back, for Herod ^\"as seeking the child to destro}' Him. You see how foolish it was
 
 258 
 
 THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 
 
 for Herod to think that he could outwit God. Before daylight, they were far on their jour- 
 ney, and Herod never knew anything about their going. 
 
 In the engraving the artist presents a very sweet and tender scene. The little 
 group — Joseph, IMary, and Jesus — are seen journeying along. They have just come to 
 the top of a little rising ground, from which Joseph looks back, to see if they are 
 being followed ; IVIary's face is turned upward — she is looking to heaven for that protec- 
 tion she so divinely seeks ; while the little Jesus sleeps, all unconscious in His mother's 
 arms. 
 
 THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS. 
 
 HEN Jesus was about two years of age, Herod's cruel command was 
 given to put to death all the babies in Bethlehem, of two 3'ears old 
 and uuder ; he thought that by killing the children of that age he 
 should be sure to kill the new king. Herod's hard-hearted mes- 
 sengers went from house to house, through the streets of 
 Bethlehem, and slew the little innocents. The artist has presen- 
 ted this terrible scene in the engraving. From the cruel soldiers 
 of Herod there is no escape. The poor mothers weep bitterly, 
 and beg the soldiers to spare their children ; and the little children cry, and cling 
 to their mothers for safety ; but nothing can save them. By the stairway, in the picture, 
 is a mothei with her three babes, awaiting, with the calmness of despair, the destruction 
 to which they are surely doomed. Surrounded, already overtaken, she can go no 
 farther, and, lying iipon the ground, as a pitiful effort against fate, she covers them 
 with her body as her only shield. 
 
 It is painful to dwell upon a scene of such awful horror. And yet history tells us 
 that the wicked king Herod was so cruel that he even slew three of his own sons ; no 
 wonder he had a heart so hard as to kill the little infants in Bethlehem. But all his 
 cruelt}^ was vain ; all this time, Jesus was safe in Egypt. Children, do you know why 
 the little children, whom Herod killed, were called the Holy Innocents ? Because they 
 were the first who died for Jesus Christ's sake. Jesus felt for them ; tliej^ were very 
 dear to Him ; and when they died they went to heaven. They have be<in happy ever 
 since in heaven, and always will be.
 
 JESUS BEFORE THE DOCTORS. 
 
 OSEPH remained in EgA'pt abont two ^-ears. Jesns was then four 
 
 years old. At this time an angel appeared in a dream to Joseph in 
 
 Egypt, and told him that Herod was dead ; and the angel said, 
 
 " Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and go into the 
 
 land of Israel." So he went, and took up his abode in 
 
 Nazareth. " And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, 
 
 filled Avith wisdom ; and the grace of God was upon Him." 
 
 Jesus grew strong in body. God likes to see children grow 
 
 that way. He wants them to-be hearty, healthy, and happy, 
 
 " The grace of God was upon " Jesus, and that will make anj' child sweet and lovable. 
 
 The little boy Jesus obeyed His father and mother. He did it cheerfully — never fretted 
 
 because He was asked to do anything. There is hardly anj-thing that your parents 
 
 want you to do but what Jesus did when He was a child. He drew water, carried in 
 
 wood, picked up chips, and run errands. If you will follow His example, you will do as- 
 
 He did — grow in wisdom and in favor with God and man. 
 
 When Jesus was twelve years old, He came up with His parents to Jerusalem to 
 
 keep the feast of the Passover ; but when Joseph and Mary started to return home, 
 
 Jesus stayed behind. But when they stopped to rest at night He was nowhere to be 
 
 found ; so they immediately turned back to Jerusalem to find Him. They looked for 
 
 him three da3-s all around the city, and found Him at last in the temple, among the 
 
 boys who came to be taught by the learned doctors there. They saw Jesus sitting" 
 
 among the doctors, talking to them, and hearing, and asking questions. The picture 
 
 shows this scene — the learned doctors of the law are gathered around the child Jesus. 
 
 Everybody is astonished at His understanding and His answers. But when His mother 
 
 Mary came to call him, He went home with her directl}' ; and He obeyed her and 
 
 Joseph in all things. He helped and worked for them, though He was really their 
 
 God and King. 
 
 Sayings of Childhood: — "Children, obe}^ j^our parents /;/ the Lord.'''' Do you 
 
 know what those last words mean ? I will illustrate it. " Say I am not at home," said 
 
 a mother sending her little girl to answer the bell. " O mamma ! " exclaimed the child, 
 
 " won't that be a story! You don't want your little Fanny to tell a story! " Then the 
 
 mother told her to say she was " engaged," which was true. Always obey your parents,. 
 
 w^hen they tell you to do what is riglit. 
 
 260
 
 PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 OW Jesus could not always remain a boy. Since the last talk, we 
 must think of Him as about eighteen years older. Just before it 
 was time for Him to make Himself known as the Saviour, there 
 was a man who commenced preaching to the people. His name 
 was John and he was a singular looking man. He wore clothing 
 made out of camel's hair, fastened round his loins with a leathern 
 girdle ; and his food was locusts and wild honey. In the engrav- 
 ing the artist has represented John standing on a high rock, 
 preaching to the multitudes that gathered around him. 
 
 What did John say? He said, " Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"' 
 John told the people, that Jesus Himself was coming to show them the way to heaven 
 a[nd to set up His kingdom in the hearts of those who believed. But if people do not 
 feel their sinfulness, they will not care for a Saviour ; so when John was preparing the 
 way for Christ, he said first, " Repent ye." Great numbers came out to hear him — from 
 Jerusalem, and Judea, and round about Jordan. Some of them were really penitent ; but 
 some who came were not truly penitent. They were the Pharisees and Sadducees. They 
 prided themselves on being "Abraham's children," because they were descended from 
 him. But they were not a bit like that good man. John called them a " generation of 
 vipers," they were so wicked. He told them they must " bring forth fruits meet for 
 repentence." Do you know what that means ? Suppose a little girl tells her teacher 
 that she loves Jesus, and yet continues to bear such fruit as " Cross words," " Pride,"^ 
 "Selfishness?" Will her say-so make the fruit good? Well, that was what John 
 meant ; they must show their repentence by their fruit. A boy who has shown a great 
 deal of bad fruit, must not only say he is " sorry." He must shoiv he is sorry by his 
 actions ; that is, if he is truly sorry for disobeying mamma to-day, he will not be very 
 likely to disobey her to-morrow, but will begin at once to show the fruit of obedience. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A class of scholars in a school for the deaf and dumb 
 were asked, " What is the most precious thing in the world?" One wrote, " Going 
 home ; " another, "A mother's love." The last and youngest came to the board and 
 wrote with trembling fingers and bowed head, ' The tear of penitence." And she was 
 right. If we have sinned, there is no gift we can bring the Lord half so precious as 
 
 repentence. 
 
 262
 
 BAPTISM OF JESUS. 
 
 NE day, as John was baptizing, Jesus came to him and desired to be 
 baptized. All the others, who had come, were sinners needing 
 pardon ; but John knew that Jesus had never done a wrong thing 
 in all His life, and had nothing to repent of. So, at first, John 
 did not want to baptize Jesus, and he said, " I have need to be 
 baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me ? " But Jesus answered, 
 " Let it be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteous- 
 ness." Then John baptized Him. Jesus was baptized to show us 
 that baptism is right ; one of God's commands which He came to obey. In the picture the 
 artist has represented Jesus standing in the edge of the water, and John baptizing Him. 
 After Jesus had been baptized, as He came up out of the water, the heavens were 
 opened, and the Holy Spirit came down from heaven, in the shape of a dove, and rested 
 upon the head of Jesus, and the voice of God the, Father was heard from heaven, sajdng, 
 "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Dear. children, do _;'c« want 
 that dove in 3'our hearts ? A man once asked a lady which of God's animals she 
 would like to be. The lady thought that was a verj- funny question, but still she made a 
 choice. Then the man said he would rather be a pure white dove than an3'thing else, 
 because it is the sign of the Holy Ghost. A dove is the gentlest, kindest creature God 
 has made ; but we may become more gentle and loving than a dove if we have God's Holy 
 Spirit in our hearts; that will give our eyes a gentle look, Avill make our hands work to 
 do good for others, will make our feet run to help others. Would you not like to have 
 the Holy Spirit come into your hearts ? It will be like inviting a dove to come in there. 
 You would not be afraid of a dove — would you ? I hope 3'ou know this beautiful hymn : 
 
 " Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly dove, 
 
 With all Thy quickening powers. 
 Kindle a flame of sacred love 
 
 In these youn^ hearts of ours. 
 264
 
 JESUS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL. 
 
 HORTLY after He had been baptized, Jesus was led by the Spirit 
 into the wilderness. He was there forty days and forty nights, 
 all alone ; He spent the time in fasting and prayer, and communion 
 with God. Then Satan came to tempt Him. We can't get rid of 
 Satan anywhere. The tempter came when Jesus was the weakest — 
 after he had fasted forty daj's and nights. How many times he has 
 tempted some hungry little boy or girl to steal. He never comes 
 that way when you have had a good dinner. 
 
 How did Satan tempt the Saviour? First, he brought stones to Jesus, and said to 
 Him, " If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." He 
 knew that Jesus was hungry, and he didn't ask anything at first that seemed to be very 
 wrong. Why should'nt Christ have turned the stones into bread ? Because that would 
 be distrusting His heavenly Father ; and so Jesus told the tempter, that the Scriptures 
 said that we do not live by bread alone, but that God takes care of us. 
 
 Then Satan tried a new temptaticm. He led Jesus to the top of the temple, and 
 placed Him on the highest part of the building, and tempted Him to cast Himself down, 
 right there where the people could see Him fall. The devil told Him that the Scrip- 
 tures said that the angels would bear Him up in their hands, so that He should not be 
 hurt one bit. If He did that, Satan said, then the people would believe immediately 
 that He was the Saviour. But Jesus would not cast Himself down from the temple, 
 because it was not God's will ; so He said to Satan, " It is written, thou shalt not tempt 
 the Lord thy God." 
 
 Then Satan took Jesus up into a very high mountain, and showed Him all the 
 kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and said. " All these things will I give 
 Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me." The picture presents this scene. But 
 Jesus told Satan that it was written in God's word, " Thou shalt worship the Lord 
 thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." So Jesus conquered again. 
 
 Then Satan left Jesus for a time, and the angels came and waited on Him. 
 Sayings of childhood : — A little girl gave in her testimou}- in a meeting not long 
 ago, when I was present. She said : " Satan has been trying to tempt me ; but I tell 
 him he needn't waste his time, for I am on the Rock Christ Jesus." That is a good 
 
 place to stand, children ; Satan can't harm you there. 
 
 266
 
 THE MARRIAGE IN CANA OF GALILEE. 
 
 HERE was to be a wedding at Cana, a village in the hills of 
 Galilee, and Jesus, together with his disciples, were all invited. 
 Marjf, the Lord's mother, was there too. There Jesus is supposed 
 to have wrought His first miracle. A great many people were 
 at the feast ; the wine was soon all drank, and they wanted more. 
 The bridegroom was probably a poor man, and unable to buy 
 wine to set before his guests, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, 
 said unto Him, " They have no wine." Then Jesus told Mary 
 not to trouble herself about this, but to wait patiently, and leave all to Him. 
 
 The servants were in the room, waiting upon the company, and Mary spoke to them, 
 and said, " Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." Now there were six great jars 
 standing by, and Jesus told the servants to fill them with water. So they filled them 
 up to the brim ; and then he told them to draw out some of what they had poured 
 in, and carry it to the governor of the feast. The servants did as Jesus commanded. 
 In the engraving' the artist has represented them carrying the jars filled with the wine. 
 The governor of the feast, having tasted the wine, was astonished ; the wonderful 
 power of Jesus had, in a moment, turned the water into wine ; and the governor was so 
 pleased with it, because it was so good, that he said to the bridegroom that most people 
 began their feasts with their best wine, but that here the best had been kept for the last. 
 And the}^ all wondered at the great power of Jesus, and " His disciples believed on 
 Him." 
 
 Sayings of Childhood. — A boy was asked, " What is a miracle ? " His answer 
 was, " Something that nobody can do or see through but God." That was very good. 
 Nobody but God can do a miracle. We often read of miracles in the old Testament. 
 Moses, Elijah, and Elisha all worked miracles. But the way in which they worked 
 them was not like the way in which Christ worked them. They wrought wonders by 
 the command of God ; Christ wrought them by His own power. He had the power 
 Himself, because He was God. 
 
 268
 
 JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 
 
 NE day Jesus left Judea and went into Galilee ; on the wa}- He had to 
 pass through Samaria ; the weather was very warm, and Jesus 
 sat down beside the well of Sychar, while his disciples were gone 
 into the cit}' to bu}- food. This well was called Jacob's well, 
 because many years before, it had belonged to Jacob. Jesus was 
 wear}-, hungry and thirst}- ; and as He sat there a woman came 
 out of the cit}- to draw water from the well. And Jesus said unto 
 her, " Give me to drink." The woman was surprised that a Jew 
 should ask water of a Samaritan woman, because the Jews despised the people of Sama- 
 ria, on account of their having built a temple for themselves, after the Jewish captivity, 
 when they had tried to prevent the Jews from re-building one at Jerusalem. 
 
 Jesus, however, was kind and good to the greatest sinners, and He said to the 
 woman, " If thou knewest who it is that saith, give me to drink, thou would'st have 
 asked of Him, and He would have given thee li\'ing water, of which whosoever drinketh 
 thirsteth no more." By this He meant the Holy Spirit's influences, which, because they 
 are refreshing to the thirsty soul of man, in search of peace and happiness, are often 
 compared to water. 
 
 The woman could not understand what Jesus meant ; but she thought it must be very 
 pleasant never to thirst again, so she said to Him, " Sir, give me this water, that I thirst 
 not, neither come hither to draw." But did Jesus give her the living water at once ? No ; 
 He first told her more about it, and about Himself, for she did not yet know Him to be 
 the Saviour. The woman wondered more and more at all Jesus said to her, and she 
 began to think, He must be a prophet ; so she asked Him some questions about the place 
 in which God ought to be worshipped. She wished to know whether it should be Jeru- 
 salem, as the Jews said, or ]\Iount Gerizim, as the Samaritans said. Jesus told her that 
 God did not so much care about the placc^ as about the spirit in which the people wor- 
 shipped Him. He said, "God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him, must worship Him 
 in spirit and in truth ; and He will accept such, in whatever place they may pray." Then 
 the good Jesus told her that He was the Messiah, and that she must worship God in spirit 
 and in truth. The woman was so glad to hear this that she ran at once into the city, to 
 tell the good news to her friends, and to bring them to Jesus. She said, " Come, see a man 
 
 •ivho told me all that ever I did. Is not this the Christ ? " Then the people ran out of the 
 
 270
 
 272 
 
 JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 
 
 city and came to Jesus. While this was taking place the disciples returned, bringing food 
 for their Master to eat ; but Jesus said, " I have meat to eat that ye know not of My 
 meat is to do the will of Him that sent Ale, and to finish His work." Jesus was so 
 happy, giving the water of life to the poor Samaritans, that He thought nothing of His 
 own bodil}^ wants. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — " Sam do you find a spot for secret prayer ? " asked a 
 minister of a stable-boy. "Oh, yes, sir! that old coach is my closet." Children, we 
 can find a place of worship anywhere ; for we can worship wherever God is and that is 
 everywhere. Be sure your worship is sincere; that is the only kind God accepts. But, is 
 it sincere worship if we trifle, or play, when those about us are singing God's praise, or 
 praying to him ? No, this is mocking God, and that is a dreadful thing to do. 
 
 JESUS IN THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 , HILE Jesus was in Galilee, He went to Nazareth, the place where 
 He had lived when He was a boy. Would you not think that the 
 people there would have been glad to see Him ? On the Sabbath- 
 day He went into the synagogue there, just as He was in the 
 habit of doing elsewhere, to teach the people. The Jews had 
 certain parts of God's word appointed to be read every day ; and 
 the part for this daj^ was from the prophet Isaiah. They gave 
 Jesus the book to read, and the portion of Scripture was all about 
 Himself, though it was written ever so many years before He was born. In the 
 engraving the artist has represented Jesus in the act of preaching to the people. 
 
 But the people wanted something more than this. They wanted to see some 
 wonderful thing, such as His curing the sick or raising the dead to life. And these 
 things He could not do, because of their unbelief He told them that God did such 
 things only for those who believed in Him. And when He reproved them for their 
 unbelief, they became so angrj' that they did not mind the fact that they were in the 
 Lord's house, and that it was the Sabbath-day, but they rose up, and drove Him out of the 
 city, to the top of a hill, and would have cast Him down, but He just passed through the 
 midst of them and went on His way. That is the way He was treated by those among 
 whom He lived when He was a little boy. How do you treat Him ?
 
 ||l|nmiiiiNn|mpiliii| ill lllll|l!l|ll|lll|imilill!iFJI!i;f;ipill
 
 JESUS PREACHING BY THE SEA OF GALILEE. 
 
 ^REAT crowds followed Jesus wherever he went ; one day the crowd 
 was so great that they " pressed upon Him to hear the word of 
 God, as He stood by the lake of Gennesareth," or the sea of Gali- 
 lee. Jesus saw two boats which were empty, standing at the 
 water's edge ; one of these boats belonged to Simon Peter, and 
 Jesus got into that, and asked Simon to push it away a little from the 
 land. He did this so that the multitude could not crowd Him any more. 
 And then Jesus sat down and taught the people out of the boat. In the 
 first engraving, the artist presents this beautiful scene ; the Saviour sitting in the boat 
 on the quiet peaceful lake, preaching the Gospel ; and all the people standing on the 
 shore, anxiously attending to ever)' word He spoke. 
 
 After Jesus had finished speaking. He told Simon to let down his net, and try to 
 catch some fish ; but Simon answered, " Master, we have toiled all night and taken 
 nothing ; nevertheless, at Thy word I will let down the net." Don't you see Jesus wanted 
 to pay Simon for being so kind as to let Him have the use of his boat. Peter had been 
 fishing all night, and had caught iiothing ; and yet, because Jesus wanted him to, he let 
 down the net again. Do 3'ou ever do anything just because Jesus wants you to do so ? 
 
 Simon threw the net into the sea at once ; and he caught so many fish that the net 
 was broken by the great weight ; and Simon had to call his friends in the other boat to 
 come and help him. In the next picture we have the 
 
 "MIRACULOUS DRAUGHT OF FISHES." 
 The}' filled both the boats so full of fish that they began to sink. Christ always 
 rewards those who do just as .He tells them. 
 
 When Simon Peter saw the miracle which Jesi^s had done, he was so astonished that 
 he threw himself at the feet of the Saviour and cried, " Depart from me, for I am a sinful 
 man, O Lord!" — meaning that he was not worthy of the high honor of having Jesus on 
 board his boat, and of continuing in His holy presence. Jesus knew what was in Peter's 
 heart ; so He encouraged the timid man, and said, " Fear not : from henceforth thou 
 shalt catch men." What did Jesus mean by this ? Peter had been a fisherman all his 
 life ; but now he was to be a preacher of the Gospel ; to labor for the souls of men, and 
 try to bring them to Jesus, that they might believe and be saved. This is what is meant 
 by " catching men." 
 
 274
 
 2 76 JESUS PREACHING BY THE SEA OF GALILEE. 
 
 The two disciples, Simon and Andrew, brought their boats to land ; and then they 
 left all, and followed Jesus. The}' thought more of their Saviour than they did of their 
 boats and fish. They left their friends as well. So Jesus and the two disciples walked along 
 by the sea-side, and soon the}' saw two other fishermen, James and John, sitting in a boat 
 with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. James and John loved the Lord Jesus, 
 and Jesus knew what was in their hearts ; and, as He passed, He called them to come 
 after Him. James and John obeyed the call at once. They left everything because He 
 wanted to make them " fishers of men." Jesus hasn't got through wanting persons to 
 become fishers of men. Small as you are, He wants you for that purpose. He wants 
 you to try and save others. What are you trying to do for the children that you are 
 acquainted with ? " Fishers of men " — will you be one ? Do not think you are small, 
 and not of much account. 
 
 A story is told of a king who went into his garden one morning, and found every- 
 thing withered and dying. He asked an oak that stood near the gate what the trouble 
 was. He found it was sick of life and determined to die, because it was not tall and 
 beautiful like the pine. The pine was all out of heart, because it could not bear grapes, 
 like the vine. The vine was going to throw its life away, because it could not stand 
 erect and have as fine fruit as the peach tree. The geranium was fretting because it was 
 not tall and fragrant like the lilac, and so on all through the garden. Coming to a 
 heart's-ease, he found its bright face lifted, as cheery as ever. " Well, heart's-ease, I'm 
 glad to find one brave little flower in this general discouragement and dying. You don't 
 seem a bit disheartened ? " " No, I am not of much account, but I thought if you had 
 wanted an oak, or a pine, or a peach tree, or a lilac, you would have planted one ; but as 
 I knew you wanted a heart's-ease, I am determined to be the best little heart's-ease that 
 I can." Boys and girls, if you cannot be a Paul or a Silas, if you cannot be an oak or 
 a pine, if you cannot do. great things yet for God, will you not try by doing all the good 
 you can, by being loving and patient and gentle and obedient, to be the very best little 
 heart's-ease that you can ? 
 
 " What though thy power, compared to some, 
 
 Be weak to aid and bless ; 
 Because the rose is queen of flowers 
 
 Do we love the heart's-ease less ? 
 Others may do a greater work, 
 
 But you have your part to do ; 
 .\nd no one in all God's heritage 
 
 Can do it so well as you."
 
 278 
 
 JESUS PREACHING BY THE SEA OF GALILEE. 
 
 Sayings of Childhood : — A little child went every da}- to see a little cripple ; she 
 read to her, lent her dolly, her t03'S, her books, carried flowers and fruits to her, and 
 when asked once, if it was because she loved the crippled child so much, she answered : 
 '* I love her now, but I began to go, because I loved Jesus so much I wanted to do some- 
 thing that He would like, and you know He said : " Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of 
 the least of these — ye did it unto Me." 
 
 JESUS PREACHING TO THE MULTITUDE. 
 
 ESUS was now very popular. In ever\' town or village that He 
 came to. He iised to go and teach in the synagogue. A synagogue 
 was a place where the Jews who lived too far from Jerusalem to go 
 to the temple every Sabbath-day used to meet, and hear the Old 
 Testament read and explained to them, and pray together. 
 Sometimes He would withdraw Himself to a desert place ; but 
 " the people sought Him and came unto Him, and staj^ed Him, 
 that He should not depart from them." In the first picture the 
 artist has represented Jesus preaching to the multitudes who 
 have followed Him into the wilderness. 
 
 In this talk I want to tell 3-011 about some of the wonderful cures which Jesus per- 
 formed. One da}' Jesus was coming down the street with a multitude of people, and a 
 poor leper, seeing Him, came and bowed before Him ; he offered a very short prayer, 
 only nine words : " Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean." This poor leper 
 knew that Jesus was able to cure him ; but he did not feel quite sure that Jesus was 
 willing to cure him. But, as soon as the poor man prayed, Jesus put out His hand and 
 touched him, and said, " I will, be thou clean ; " and the leper was cleansed at once. 
 
 There was at Jerusalem a pool called the pool of Bethesda. One day Jesus saw a sick 
 man lying beside this pool. God used to send an angel to disturb the waters at certain 
 times, and the first person who afterwards got into the pool was healed of his disease. This 
 poor man had been sick a very long time, and he could find no one to cure his disease. He 
 knew the waters would cure him, and he had laid there a good while ; but, being too ill 
 and weak to get into the water, some other sufferer, who had friends to help him, would 
 get in first, and the virtue of the water was gone. Jesus knew all this ; He therefore 
 came and asked the man, saying, " Wilt thou be made whole ? " He said he would, and
 
 28o JESUS PREACHING TO THE MULTITUDE. 
 
 then Jesus, who knew his heart, said, " Rise, take up thy bed and walk." And the man 
 was made whole immediatel}', and took up his bed and walked. And as he went off 
 with his bed, the loving Saviour warned him to leave off sinning, lest God should bring 
 a worse punishment upon him. 
 
 Again there was a poor woman who had heard of the wonderful power of Jesus. She 
 was sick, and nothing could help her. She found out where Jesus was, and followed the 
 crowd that was aroiind Him. She said within herself, " If I may but touch the hem of 
 His garment I shall be whole." She did not say it aloud, but Jesus knew her heart's 
 desire. She touched His garment, and, lo ! she felt in her bod}- that she was healed. 
 Her faith ioitched Jesus ^ and according to her faith it was done. Jesus knew that virtue 
 had gone out of Him, and He said, " Who touched me ? " The woman who had proved 
 the healing power came and told Him, before all the people, for what cause she had 
 touched Him, and how she was healed. Then Jesus spoke so lovingly to her, "Daughter, 
 thy faith hath made thee whole — go in peace and be whole of thy plague." Dear 
 children, suppose she had refused to declare it before others, how ungrateful she would 
 have been ! Let us never be ashamed to bear testimony of His power to save. 
 
 I could tell 3'ou about manj'^ more wonderful cures which Jesus wrought. Most of 
 them were cures to the blind, or the lame, or the sick. He made them well directly by 
 His power and love. In the next picture you see 
 
 "JESUS HEALING THE SICK." 
 He is surrounded b}' those afflicted with terrible diseases ; He is healing them. There 
 3^ou can see the mother, with her emaciated child in her arms ; another bearing one who 
 has the hopeless look of idiocy ; a sick man prostrate on the ground; a wretched cripple 
 trying to touch the hem of His garment ; and still another, seemingly half-dead, 
 supported b}' some pitying friend. The Saviour in the midst of all is seen pressing the 
 forehead of the child, while the rest await the power of His miraculous touch. 
 
 Dear little folks, the power of Jesus is present to-daj^ to heal. He doesn't alivays 
 cure sick people, vx'heu asked to do so. There is an "if" that comes into all true 
 prayer. We must sa}^, "If it is best." Would we want what God, who knows all 
 things, thought not best ? But Jesus is ahvays ready to cure the sin-sick soul. It takes 
 no longer for Him to do that, than it did for Him to cure the body ; He is no farther 
 away, indeed, not so far ; then some had to travel miles to meet Him, now we have oul}^ 
 to whisper, and He hears. Oh ! have you been to the Great Physician and been healed 
 of your sin ?
 
 282 
 
 JESUS PREACHING TO THE MULTITUDE. 
 
 Sayixgs of childhood : — A Scotch girl was converted under the preaching of 
 Whitefield. She was asked if her heart was changed, and gave this beautiful reply : 
 " Something, I know, is changed ; it may be the world, it may be my heart. There is 
 a great change .somewhere, I'm sure ; for everything is different from what it ouce was." 
 Sinners may come to this Jesus, every da}% and be cured ; none need perish, and none 
 need wait. 
 
 SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 
 
 NE day, Jesus sat down upon the side of a mountain, and began to 
 preach to the people. His talk that da}- is called our Lord's 
 Sermon on the Mount. In the picture we see the Saviour seated 
 on the mountain side, beneath the large trees, expounding to His 
 followers the solemn and sublime truths of the new dispen- 
 sation. 
 
 He began His sermon b}- telling them who are truly blessed, 
 who are really happy people in this world. He said, Blessed are 
 the meek, and the humble, and the gentle ; blessed are those who are sorrv for sin, and 
 that ask for pardon ; blessed are those who have new hearts, and those who are willing 
 to give up all for righteousness' sake. These are the happ}- people; the}- are happy because 
 they are good and holy. Then Jesus told them that His disciples were not only blessed 
 of Him, but that they bless others also. The}- show mercy. They help those in distress. 
 They are peacemakers. The\- bring peace wherever they go. They stop all quarrelling 
 whenever they have a chance, and, best of all, they teach people to be at peace with 
 God. They are the salt of the earth. The}' keep it from going to corruption. They 
 are the light of the world. They are like a light-house that throws its beams far out 
 upon the waves. It is onlv one light, but it keeps manv people from being dashed to 
 death upon the rocks. In the same way, how much good one Christian can do ! You 
 can be a light in the home — .so that you can give light imto all that are in the house. 
 And it takes only a little light to do that ! 
 
 Then Jesus gave His disciples some beautiful lessons about love to their fellow- 
 creatures. He told them they must not get angry with one another. God says that 
 whosoever liatrtli anv one is a murderer. Wliat is it that makes one man want to kill 
 another? Isn't it just because he gets very angry ? If you allow yourselves to become
 
 2S4 SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 
 
 very angry, some time 3'ou actually maj^ kill some one. If anger is in the heart, how 
 will it be shown ? Sometimes in blows, bnt oftener in unkind speech. How many 
 times have j^ou heard little boys call each other " fool," and names even worse than 
 that ? perhaps you have done it yourself Is it right ? Just hear what Christ saj^s about 
 it : " But I say unto you that whosoever shall sa)- to his brother, thou fool, shall be 
 in danger of hell-fire." Do you see in what danger you are when you speak in that way ? 
 
 Jesus told them that the}- ought not to swear at all. Dear children, I hope you never 
 do that ; and never will do it. Remember this, that 3-our conversation should ne\er have 
 an oath in it, but that your Yes should be a simple jrjf, and ^-our No a simple ?io. People 
 -nill believe you a great deal quicker. 
 
 He also told them that the}- ought to love not only their friends, but also their enemies. 
 Never strike back ; never say hard words when hard words have been said to you. In this 
 way you can make friends out of your enemies, and that is a great deal better tham whip- 
 ping them. There is no way of winning an enemj- like loving him. How shall we love 
 him? By blessing him when he curses us — by doing good to him when he is hating us — b}- 
 praying for him when he is using us very spitefully. In that waj- we can both over- 
 come him and make him better. 
 
 Then Jesus spoke to His disciples about praj^er. He told them not to pray like the 
 Pharisees, in the streets, to be seen of men ; but to pray in secret, in their own rooms, 
 where only God could see them. And then he taught them how they ought to pray ; 
 He gave them that beautiful prayer which we call " The Lord's Praj-er." Dear children, 
 does it do any good to ask God for the things we want? What did Jesus sa}- ? " Ask, 
 and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto 
 von." Did you ever ask your papa or your mamma for bread ? When you asked for 
 bread, did the}' ever give you a stone f When you asked them for fish, did the}- ever give 
 you a serpent ? Why not ? Because they love yon. Who do you think is the best — your 
 parents here, or your Father which is in heaven ? Jesus said. If our parents, " being 
 evil, know how to give good gifts unto their children, how much more shall your Father 
 which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him ? " 
 
 If God is so good to us, then how should we act towards each other ? Jesus says, in this 
 sermon, that we ought not to jndge one another. Do you think we ought to be saying 
 and believing hard things of each other ? Why not ? Because, first, you \\\\\ be treated 
 the same w-ay yourself. If you think hard things of the little boys and girls with whom 
 you play, the}- will always be thinking hard things of you. Second, as }-ou judge them.
 
 SER^ION ON THE MOUNT. 285 
 
 God will judge 3'ou. If a-ou forgive them. He will forgive you ; and if 3'ou are hard to tlieni, 
 He will be hard to you. Let me give you the rule Jesus laid down : " Therefore all 
 things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them : for this 
 is the law and the prophets." 
 
 If you act according to this verse, you will not only be little Christians, but little 
 ladies and gentlemen. 
 
 Jesus said also, that all the people in the world are taking a long journey ; but they 
 are not all traveling on the same road, and they are not all going to the same country. 
 There are two roads, and every person is walking in one or other of them. At the begin- 
 ning of each road is a gate. One of these gates is very wide ; it always stands open ; 
 and the path into which it leads is broad ; it looks bright and pleasant ; and many peo- 
 ple are walking there. The other gate is straight and narrow. It is shut ; but when 
 any one knocks, it is always opened at once ; and over it is written, " Knock, and it 
 shall be opened unto you." The path to which this gate leads is very narrow ; very few 
 are seen in the narrow road, but those who are there like it ver}' much, and wish others 
 tc walk with them. They say, " The way is a way of pleasantness, and the path is a 
 path of peace." Jesus told His disciples of all this. Do you know what is meant b}^ it ? 
 The broad way is the way of sin, and it leads to death. The narrow wa}^ is the way of 
 holiness, and it leads to heaven. In which of these two roads are jyw walking? 
 
 There is one other thing Jesus said, in the sermon on the Mount, I want to talk 
 about. Two men determined each to build himself a house. One of these men was 
 wise, the other foolish. The wise man built his house upon a rock ; when the storm 
 came, "it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock." The foolish man built his house 
 upon the sand ; and when the storm came, " it fell, and great was the fall of it." Dear 
 little folks, did you ever build a house ? What ! do you say }io f Why you are build- 
 ing one every day. You are building up a cliaractcf that is to last 3-ou for eternit}'. 
 Into that house 3-011 are putting something ever3^ minute. Be careful how you listen to 
 those people Avho advise you to put into that house anything that is wrong. Didn't an3' 
 one ever tell you that it wouldn't do an3' harm, just to tell mother a little lie? 
 Remember a lie is like a crooked brick. Didn't any one ever tell 3^ou that it was no 
 harm to break the Sabbath ? To fight ? To drink a glass of beer ? There are a good 
 many that would like to have you build upon the sand. But don't do it ; build 3^our 
 house upon the " Rock of Ages." Those who trust in Him are safe, and will be safe 
 forever.
 
 CHRIST STILLING THE TEMPEST. 
 
 LIv day Jesus had been working hard ; and, in the evening, He went with 
 
 His disciples into a ship, to cross over the sea of Galilee. Jesus was 
 
 ^^ tired with preaching and walking so far, and He lay down upon 
 
 ^T^i/- a pillow to sleep — not such a pillow as you and I have, but more 
 
 like a little stool. When the}' had gone a little way, a very 
 
 ^^ heavy storm came on. God blew His breath on the sea, and 
 
 'j^ that made wind and waves, such great waves that the ship was 
 
 nearly filled with water ; still Jesus slept. But the disciples, 
 
 forgetting that Jesus was with them, and that they must be safe in His keeping, 
 
 became so frightened that they went to Jesus, asleep on his pillow, and woke Him up, 
 
 saying, " Lord, save us : we perish." And He said unto them, " Why are ye fearful, O 
 
 ye of little faith ? " Then He arose, and spoke to the winds and sea, and said, " Peace, 
 
 be still ; " and there was a great calm. When the storm had gone, the disciples looked 
 
 at each other with fear in their faces, and said one to another, " What manner of man is 
 
 this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him ? " The scene, represented in the 
 
 engraving, is where the disciples come to Christ and awaken Him. 
 
 Why did the winds and the sea obey Jesus ? Because He is God, the God who 
 
 made them. And Jesus can do something still more wonderful. He can calm and 
 
 quiet our angry passions, and say to them, " Peace, be still." Once there was a storm, 
 
 and all on the ship were very much frightened except one sailor ; he did not seem 
 
 troubled at all. When some one asked him what made him so calm, why he was not 
 
 frightened, he said, " If I should drown, I would only be sinking into the hollow of my 
 
 Father's hand." What a beautiful thought that is, children ; //lai God holds the sea in 
 
 the holloiv of His hand ; and drowning is only sinking into God's hand. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A ship was on her voyage for a southern port, when a 
 
 fearful storm burst upon her, filling all hearts with fear. A sailor had his little boy on 
 
 board with him. Seeing the boy's confidence, a passenger asked him, " Don't 3'ou think 
 
 the boat will be lost, and all be drowned? " " Oh, no ! " he answered; "I have just 
 
 been out on deck ; and I know we are all safe, ior fathcr''s at the wheel.'" Dear children, 
 
 we need have no fear, when Jesus is with us ! 
 
 286
 
 THE PENITENT WOMAN. 
 
 OW there was a Pharisee, named Simon, who, one day, asked Jesus 
 
 dine with him ; the Saviour accepted the invitation, went home 
 
 with the Pharisee, and sat down to meat. When reclining at the 
 
 table, as was the fashion of those times, there came in with the 
 
 crowd of on-lookers " a woman, in the city which was a sinner." 
 
 It may have been that she had heard that gracious invitation, 
 
 ■wliich Jesus gave a short time before this entertainment at the 
 
 house of Simon, " Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy 
 
 laden, and I will give you rest." Perhaps it was the memory of those tender words 
 
 which had made her penitent ; and when she saw Jesus go into the house, she followed 
 
 Him, and came and stood behind Him, and began to weep bitterly. Some of her tears 
 
 fell upon the bare feet of the Saviour, and she, noticing that, wiped them away with the 
 
 hairs of her head. But that made them flow all the faster, until she literally bathed the 
 
 feet of the Saviour with her tears. Then she took out a box of ointment, and poured 
 
 the ointment on Jesus' feet, and anointed them, and wiped them with her hair. 
 
 The proud Pharisee was surprised that a holy prophet, as Jesus professed to be, 
 
 should allows a woman of such a class to approach Him ; and though he did not speak, 
 
 Jesus knew what he thought. And he told him there were two debtors ; and the one 
 
 owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. As they were unable to pay, their creditor 
 
 kindly forgave them. Now, said Jesus to the Pharisee, which of these was likely to 
 
 love the kind creditor most ? " Why," said the Pharisee, " the one who had most forgiven 
 
 him." " Rightly said," answered Jesus ; " now thou hast not had the sense of pardon as 
 
 this woman. M}- words touched her heart ; she has sincerely repented ; her man}^ sins 
 
 are forgiven her, and she therefore loves me much." And Jesus turned to the woman 
 
 and said, " Thy sins are forgiven ; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." 
 
 In the engraving the artist has presented a picture of penitence. The humble and 
 
 penitent, who come to Jesus in faith and prayer, will sureh' be forgiven. Dear children, 
 
 out of what kind of a box must we take our prayers to Jesus ? Our hearts. The bible 
 
 tells us God is best pleased with a broken heart. A heart sorry for sin is a broken 
 
 heart. Jesus is always ready to forgive. A little girl wakened in the night, and cried 
 
 bitterly, because she had done wrong the day before, and had not asked mamma to 
 
 forgive her ; and now mamma was far awa}', and she could not tell her. But Jesus is 
 
 never far away, and can look right down into the thoughts of our hearts, and forgive them. 
 
 288
 
 RAISING OF THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS. 
 
 JMCE, when Jesus was followed by a great multitude, a mau by the name 
 of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at His feet, say- 
 ing, " My little daughter lieth at the point of death ; come and 
 lay Thy hands upon her, that she may be healed, and she shall 
 live." Jesus started home with him immediately, followed by the 
 crowd. 
 
 On the way He stopped to heal and talk with a poor woman, 
 vho had been diseased many years. While they were there, a messenger came and said 
 to Jairus, " Thy daughter is dead ; why troublest thou the Master any farther ? " Jesus, 
 hearing the remark, turned his loving face on the father, and, in tender accents, said, 
 " Be not afraid, only believe." So they all went on, and came to the ruler's house. 
 Then Jesus went into the room where the little girl lay. She was lying on the bed, her 
 eyes closed in death, her hands clasped over her breast, while her parents and friends ^ 
 were weeping and wailing greatly. But Jesus said to them, " Weep not ; the damsel is 
 not dead, but sleepeth." And they began to laugh at Him and mock Him. Then Jesus 
 sent them all away ; only He let the father and mother stay, and Peter, and James, and 
 John ; and He went to the child, and took her by the hand, and said, " Maid, arise." 
 And she arose and walked ; she was well and strong again ; and Jesus, turning to her 
 mother, commanded her to give the child something to eat. 
 
 In the lovely picture, which the artist gives, the Master is seen standing by the side 
 of the maiden just fallen into the sleep of death. In the background appear Peter, 
 James and John ; while the bereaved mother has thrown herself, in her anguish, at the 
 foot of the bed whereon her daughter lies. Jesus, with hand extended, is just ready to 
 speak the words, " Maid, arise." Oh ! what wonderful power Jesus has. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Many little children die every day ; but we don't hear 
 that any are ever raised to life again. But, if they loved Jesus, He will come for them 
 some day. A little boy, named Tommy, said to his pastor just before he died : " When 
 I am buried, I want to have my little Testament put in the cofi&n beside me. There 
 are a great many large people ; I am only a little boy, and I am afraid when Jesus 
 comes. He will forget me ; but I will reach up my Testament, and He will know that, 
 
 and will receive me." Little Tommy need not have feared ; Jesus will not forget him. 
 
 290
 
 THE DUMB MAN POSSESSED. 
 
 E are filled with wonder at the miracles which Jesus performed. And 
 
 yet, dear children, we must not think of them as mere exhibitions 
 
 of power. Jesus did not work miracles simply to show off- — that is 
 
 /^^^k/! ^'^IIM^^^ ^° please His vanity, for He had none. He worked them because 
 
 y ¥vvL \Vart^\ He was " moved with compassion." He healed men because of 
 
 His love for them, and because their sufferings touched His heart. 
 Such a Saviour is worthy of our deepest homage. For in Him 
 we see, not a mere wonder-exhibitor, but one who used His divine 
 power to benefit the distressed, and to prove that He has tl:;^ authority to forgive sins. 
 
 Once the people brought to Him " a dumb man, possessed with a devil." It is 
 thought that the wicked spirit had taken away his power of speech. "And when the 
 devil was cast out the dumb spake ; and the multitudes marvelled, saying. It was never 
 so seen in Israel." Moses, Elijah, and Elisha were great prophets, and did wonderful 
 things — but so many such things, and done in so wonderful a way, were never before 
 known in Israel. 
 
 And yet the proud Pharisees would not believe Him to be the Son of God. They 
 even said, that He cast out devils by the power of Beelzebub, or Satan, the prince of the 
 devils, and not by His own power. This was very wicked ; and more than once Jesus 
 solemnly warned them of their great sin in rejecting Him. 
 
 In the engraving, the artist has represented the miraculous deliverance of the unhappy 
 demoniac. His blighted soul, through the Master's divine influence, is set free to rejoice 
 and praise ; and his lips speak forth the gratitude he feels. Dear children, we are all, 
 like this poor dumb man, under Satan's power, till Jesus Himself makes us free. We 
 should pray God, then, to change our hearts ; to give us a right mind, and a new spirit ; 
 and when we know Him ourselves, we must try to teach others to know Him also. 
 
 When an explosion had taken place in one of our cities, many lives were lost. A 
 
 mother came wildly running up to find her son, and among the mangled remains she at 
 
 last recognized her boy. After the first agony of grief was spent she suddenly paused, 
 
 exclaiming, with great joy : " My boy was at the altar last night, and was converted." 
 
 O how that helped that mother to bear her grief. He had had Satan cast out ; and then 
 
 Jesus came into his heart. 
 
 292
 
 THE DISCIPLES PLUCKING CORN ON THE SABBATH. 
 
 ESUS \vas going through a corn-field, one Sabbath-da}-, on his wajj- 
 to the sj-uagogue. His disciples were with Him, and being hungry, 
 they plucked some of the ears of corn, as they walked along, and 
 began to eat. There was nothing wrong in this; but there were 
 some people there who said that it was wrong. These people 
 were the Pharisees ; and though they were wicked in their 
 hearts, they were very particular about some outward things, 
 wishing people to think them the most pious men in the wo. Id. 
 So they found fault with Jesus for letting His disciples pluck 
 the corn on the Sabbath ; they said, " Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the 
 Sabbath day ? " 
 
 Jesus, who was always full of wisdom, gave them a prompt reply, to which they 
 could make no answer, for He reminded them how David ate the shew-bread when he 
 was hungry, and that bread God had commanded to be given to the priests only, yet the 
 priest gave it to David and his men. He also told them to recollect that the priests did 
 work on the Sabbath-day, and that within the temple too, for they could not kill and 
 sacrifice the beasts without doing work, and yet they were not doing wrong. In the 
 picture Christ is represented as the central figure ; on one side are the disciples 
 plucking the corn ; on the other the Pharisees openly rebuking Christ for breaking the 
 laws and customs of their fathers. Christ is in the act of silencing them. 
 
 Some time after this, Jesu§ went into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day. There was 
 a man there with a withered hand ; it was so weak that he could not move it. The 
 Pharisees asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath-day. This they did" that 
 they might accuse Him," for they even taught that no medicine was to be given on the 
 Sabbath. Our Lord asked them whether it was not lawful to save a sheep on the Sab- 
 bath-day, when it had fallen into a pit ; and if a sheep, why not a man, who was of so 
 much more value than a beast ? " Wherefore," said He, " it is lawful to do well on the 
 Sabbath-day." We may not only worship God on that day, but we may relieve the 
 poor, visit the sick, and do other works of kindness and charity. This Christ has 
 taught us by healing the sick, for He said to the man, " Stretch forth thine hand ; and 
 
 he stretched it forth ; and it was restored whole like as the other." 
 
 294
 
 296 
 
 THE DISCIPLES PLUCKING CORN ON THE SABBATH. 
 
 Savings of childhood : — Henry, when six years of age, was, one Sunday, reading 
 a little book, the leaves of which all became loose. " O, dear ! " said he, " What shall 
 I do ? my book is come to pieces." " Would it be right," said his mother, " for me to 
 get a needle and thread and stitch it again to day ? " " O, no," said Henrj'. " Might not 
 you pin it together till to-morrow ? " said the father. The little boy looked as if he 
 hardly thought it was quite right even to pin his book on Sunda}-. " Why," continued 
 hii father, " 3'our mother pins her dress on Sxinday — where then is the harm in pinning 
 your book ? " " But ycnt knoiv'' said Henry, " she could not do ivithout her dress on 
 Sunday^ but I could do zoithout pi)i)iiug my hook till Mondav'' Dear children, there are 
 certain necessar}^ things we may do on Sunday ; but we must be careful and not do what 
 is unnecessary. The fourth commandment saj's, " Remember the Sabbath day to keep 
 it holy." There was once a little girl who used to take Sabbath morning to clear up her 
 doll's pla3--room. She was " too tired," she said, on Saturday, and it was necessary to 
 have the room look nice for Sunday ! " It only takes a few minutes," she used to say. 
 Did she remember the commandment ? A boy remembered it as a day in which he did 
 not have to go to school and stud3\ and was glad ; but he went to walk in the fields, 
 took off his shoes and stockings and waded in the brook, hunted a bird's nest, and built 
 a little dam across the stream. Did he keep the command ? The bible says we must 
 keep it " holy." That means set apart to special use ; and the Sabbath is set apart to 
 serve God. 
 
 JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA. 
 
 HE disciples one dark and stormy night were trying to cross the 
 sea of Galilee in a little ship. It was a rough night. The 
 wind came down from the hills, and tossed the sea up in great 
 waves ; and the disciples rowed with all their might, but they 
 made little way. They were in the greatest danger of going to 
 the bottom ; and Jesus was not there to comfort and take care of 
 them. He had gone up into a mountain alone to pray. But He 
 had not forgotten His disciples ; He had seen them all the time. 
 " And in the fourth watch of the night," which was between three and six in the 
 morning, Jesus went to the disciples, " walking on the sea." In the engraving the artist
 
 If '-'if, : '- I.L I 
 
 * f* • M t I .1 1,1 
 
 Ik'''-' ' 1 , 1 1 1 
 I'ji II 
 
 I I, I I I llg I 
 
 1 f I' ,; I 'I'li'i'ii
 
 298 
 
 JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA. 
 
 has represented this scene — the dim ship in the distance, and the wind-swept figure of 
 Jesus walking on the boisterous sea. 
 
 When the disciples saw a figure coming toward them, walking on the waves, they did 
 not know it was Jesus ; they thought an evil spirit was coming to hurt them and cried 
 out for fear. Then Jesus said, " It is I ; be not afraid ; " and they knew it was their 
 Master, and were glad. Then Peter cried, " Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee 
 on the water." Jesus said, " Come ; " so Peter came out of the boat, and as long as he 
 trusted in his Master, he could walk ; but the wind was ver^' high, and the waves were 
 very rough ; and when Peter saw this, he was afraid, and began to sink, and he could 
 only cry out, " Lord, save me." But Jesus did not let Peter sink ; He caught him by 
 the hand, and said, " O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? " And as soon 
 as Jesus had come into the ship the storm ceased, and they were close to the land ; and 
 the disciples worshipped Jesus, and said, " Trul}^ Thou art the Son of God." 
 
 S.wiNGS OF CHILDHOOD : — A mother, with her three children, was clinging to the 
 wreck of the steamer " Bohemian," when the mother said she must let go and be 
 drowned. Her little girl said, "Hold on a little longer, mother; don't let go now. 
 Jesus walked on the water and saved Peter, and perhaps He will save us." The little 
 girl's words so strengthened the mother, that she held on a few moments more, when a 
 boat was sent to them, which took them safely to shore. 
 
 sorts of diseases. 
 
 THE MULTITUDE FED. 
 
 EMEMBER, children, that on two occasions Jesus fed the multi- 
 tude miraculously. The first was just before He walked on the 
 sea, when He fed the five thousand ; the second was afterwards, 
 when He fed four thousand. I want to talk with you now about 
 the second time. 
 
 Jesus was upon a mountain, near the Sea of Galilee ; He was 
 visited by " great multitudes," and He cured great numbers of all 
 There were at this time four thousand men with Him, " besides 
 
 women and children." After being on the mountain for three days, and using the
 
 300 
 
 THE MULTITUDE FED. 
 
 little provision they had with them, they needed food. So Jesus called His disciples to 
 Him, and said, '' I have compassion on the mulitude ; I will not send them away fasting, 
 for they might faint by the way. Give them food here to eat." The disciples answered, 
 " We have not food enough for so many. We have only seven loaves and a few fishes." 
 But Jesus commanded the people to sit down on the ground. Then " He took the 
 seven loaves and the fishes," and lifted up His eyes to Heaven, and thanked God who 
 had given them this food ; and broke the bread in pieces, and divided the fishes, and 
 gave to His disciples, and told them to feed the multitude who were sitting round. 
 
 But was not the food soon all gone ? No ; Jesus made the loaves and fishes more 
 than enough for the multitude ; they all ate, and were filled. And when thej' had 
 finished, they gathered up the fragments that were left, and there were seven baskets 
 full. This may teach us not to waste the food which God has given us. Many poor 
 hungry people would be very thankful for the little pieces of bread and meat which we 
 dp not want, and sometimes carelessl}^ throw away. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A little boy inquired one da}- of his mother : " Why 
 doesn't pa do as grandpa does ? " " How does grandpa do ? " asked the mother. " Why, 
 ma, he says grace at table." He made the same inquir}- of his father, and seemed much 
 concerned because pa did not do as grandpa did. One day, when he came to the table, 
 he was very demure, looking at the food, but eating nothing. The}- said, " Why don't 
 you eat?" Again they asked him, and at length he said: "lam waiting to ask a 
 blessing; for I don't see that anybody will, if I don't." Children, in that home, pa does 
 now as grandpa, and the blessing is asked at the table 
 
 «»#
 
 THE TRANSFIGURATION. 
 
 NE night, Jesus took Peter and James and John, and went up to the top 
 
 of a high mountain, to pray. You remember He took the same 
 
 disciples with Him when He raised the little daughter of Jairus 
 
 from the dead, and when He suffered so in the garden of 
 
 Gethsemane. They must have been very dear to Him. 
 
 When they reached the top of the mountain, Jesus withdrew a 
 
 little from them, to engage, as usual, in prayer. The three 
 
 disciples, meanwhile, wearied with their climbing, laid down and were soon asleep. 
 
 After awhile they are awakened by an intense light, which penetrates even through 
 
 their closed eyelids ; it is not the light of the moon, though that is shining high in the 
 
 bright sky ; it is the face of their glorified Lord, shining more brightly than the sun, 
 
 and illumining the whole atmosphere about Him. His very garments shone, so that 
 
 they glittered like the sun upon the snow. It was the God-light shining through His 
 
 body and His clothes. 
 
 And while the disciples were looking, two men also shining with glory, came and 
 
 stood beside the Saviour, talking with Him. They were Moses and Elijah. What do 
 
 you think they talked about ? Thej' talked about the death which Jesus would soon die 
 
 at Jerusalem. They conversed with Him about dying for you and me. Peter thought 
 
 it was a wonderful thing for Moses and Elijah to be there ; and he asked if they should 
 
 not build three tabernacles, or tents, so that they could stay there. But do you think 
 
 that they came to s/aj/ f If you had been to heaven, would you like to come back here 
 
 to live ? No ; they came back, just to talk with Jesus about His dying, and to strengthen. 
 
 Him for the cross ; and after that they went back. 
 
 But before Peter was through speaking, a bright cloud came and hid the wonderful 
 
 sight from them ; and a voice from out of the cloud said : '' This is my beloved Son, in 
 
 301
 
 302 
 
 THE TRANSFIGURATION. 
 
 whom I am well pleased ; hear ye Him." It was the Father's voice ; and He said this 
 to teach the disciples how great Jesus was ; much, much greater eveu than Moses and 
 Elijah. When the disciples heard the voice, they fell upon their faces with fear ; but 
 Jesus came and touched them, and said, " Arise, and be not afraid." Then the disciples 
 arose, and looked up ; and they found no one with them but Jesus alone, looking as 
 usual. Jesus bade them tell no one about what they had seen, until the Son of man 
 should be risen again from the dead. 
 
 Dear children did you ever see Raphael's picture of the Transfiguration of Jesus ? 
 If not, I hope you will some day. Raphael always loved to paint scenes from the 
 Saviour's life : and his last work, on which he spent years of study, was upon the story 
 of this talk. It was scarcely finished when he died. While he was sick, he had the 
 picture hung in his sight, that his constant thoughts might be upou his glorified 
 Saviour. When he was dead, the picture was hung above his lifeless body, where for 
 days crowds came to honor his wonderful genius, as they looked with reverence at the 
 dead artist and his wonderful picture of the Transfiguration.
 
 THE LUNATIC HEALED. 
 
 fesus and His three disciples came down from the mountain in the 
 morning, they saw the nine disciples viho had been left behind, and a 
 great many people standing around them, talking to them. As 
 soon as the people saw Jesus, the}- all ran to Him ; and one of 
 them said, " Lord, I have brought my son to Thee to be cured ; for 
 he is a lunatic, and sore vexed ; ofttimes he falleth into the fire, 
 and oft into the water. And I brought him to Th}?^ disciples, and 
 the}- could not cure him." Then Jesus said, " Bring the child to 
 Me." So they brought him. But as the poor boy was coming to Jesus, the evil spirit 
 tore him ; " and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming." Theu Jesus asked the 
 father, " How long has he been troubled in this wa}- ? " The father answered, " From 
 a little child ; if Thou canst do an3-thing, have compassion on us, and help us." Jesus 
 said unto him, " If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." 
 Then the father's heart was so full of feeling for his poor child, that straightway he 
 cried out, and said with tears, " Lord, I believe ; help Thou mine unbelief." Jesus was 
 willing to heal the child ; He only wanted the father to believe ; and now He spoke to 
 the evil spirit, and said, " Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, 
 and enter no more into him." And the spirit obeyed the command, and came out ; but 
 the child was left so weak, and ill, that many said, " He is dead." But Jesus took him 
 by the hand, and lifted him up, and he arose. 
 
 All children have, by nature, an evil spirit within them. Satan fills them with angr\' 
 passions and sinful tempers, and tries to destro}- their souls, as this deaf and dumb spirit 
 tried to destro}- the bodj- of the poor boy. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Little Kitty said one day to her mother : " Papa calls me 
 good. Aunty calls me good, and everybodj- calls me good. But I am not good." " I am 
 very sorry," said the mother. " And so am 1, but I have got a naught)^ think." 
 " What ? A naughty what ? " " My //link is naught)^ inside of me." Her mother 
 asked what she meant. " Whj'," said she, " when I could not ride yesterday, I did not 
 cry nor anything, but when 3'ou was gone, I wished the carriage would turn over and 
 the horses would run away — and everything bad. I thought all kinds of naughty 
 things. Nobod}^ knew it ; but God knew it, and He cannot call me good. Tell me, 
 mamma, how can I be good inside of me ? " Dear children, Kitt\- had an evil spirit 
 within, like the poor lunatic. Only Jesus can cast out .that evil spirit. 
 
 304
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 
 
 ■'-s THINK the parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the most beantifnl 
 Jesns ever told. You must remember, children, that the Jews did not 
 like the Samaritans ; they considered themselves much better and 
 holier ; but Jesus wished to show them that their doings did 
 (^' W4'*'\ ^^^^ always agree with their profession. So one day, when the Jews 
 >/^S^ were troubling Jesus with questions, hoping to miks Him say some- 
 thing contrary to their law, a law^-er asked Him, saj'ing, " Master, 
 what shall I do to inherit eternal life ? " Jesus asked him what was 
 written in the law ; and the lawj-er said, that he found there, that he was to love God 
 with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself. Jesus answered, " Thou hast said 
 right; do this, and thou shalt live." " Who is ni}- neighbor?" questioned the wily 
 lawyer. Then Jesus told him this parable of the Good Samaritan. 
 
 A certain man went from Jerusalem to Jericho ; he fell among thieves and was 
 stripped, robbed, wounded, and left half dead. I must tell 3'ou that the road from Jeru- 
 salem to Jericho, was, and still is, very dreary, and always has been a hiding-place 
 for robbers, so that it was called the " bloody way." As the poor wounded man lay 
 in the road, covered with blood, a priest came along ; but instead of showing kindness 
 to the poor man, he passed by on the other side. Soon after, a Levite came to the place ; 
 lie looked at the wounded man, but did not stay to help him ; he, also, passed bj- on the 
 other side. 
 
 Then a Samaritan came near where he was 13'iiig. The Samaritan did not know 
 him ; the Jews and Samaritans hated each other greatl}' ; but this Samaritan was so kind, 
 that, when he saw the poor man lying half dead, he ran to him at once. He " had com- 
 passion on him." The fact that he was of the hated race of Jews made no difference. 
 He ministered to him. He did it in such a way that he showed he knew just what to 
 do. He made no bungling work. He cleansed the wounds with wine ; and poured oil 
 into them to keep down inflammation. Then he bound them up — tearing the strips, 
 probably, from his own garments. Next he lifted him on his own beast — going on foot 
 himself, and tenderly supporting the sufferer. 
 
 In the first picture the artist has portrayed this scene — the Samaritan walking 
 beside and guiding the steed, and keeping poised in the saddle the wounded and nearly 
 exhausted man. See wdiat suffering is depicted on the face of the poor man ; and what 
 
 pity and tenderness are seen in the expression of the Samaritan, who was indeed a 
 
 306
 
 3o8 THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 
 
 "neighbor" in time of trouble. In this waj- he brought him to an inn; and in the 
 next picture we have the 
 
 "ARRIVAL OF THE SAMARITAN AT THE INN." 
 The poor man is now so prostrated that he cannot help himself at all ; but the good 
 Samaritan helps him off his beast at the inn door, while the landlord and the mistress, 
 perhaps, of the house, receive him with a sympathizing welcome. Instead of leaving 
 him then to the attention of the serv^ants, as he might have done, he " took care of him " 
 himself until the morning. He helped him through the worst, and did not leave him 
 till he was out of danger. Ncr did he stop there ; but before he went away, the 
 Samaritan called the innkeeper, and gave him two pence — worth about seventeen cents 
 each — and said, " Take care of this poor man ; and whatsoever thou spendest more, 
 when I come again I will repa}- thee." Had he been a brother instead of a despised 
 Samaritan, he could not have done more. 
 
 Wheu Jesus had finished this parable, He turned to the lawj'er, and said, " Which 
 of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor to the man who fell aimong thieves ?" The 
 lawyer answered, " He who showed mercj^ on him." Then said Jesus, " Go, and do 
 thou likewise." Dear children, this parable should teach us a lesson, as well as the 
 lawyer. It should teach us to be kind to all ; not onl}^ our friends and relatives, but 
 a//, even our enemies. It is not what others are, but what we do for them, which makes 
 them our neighbors. If we want to find who is our neighbor, we must look within our 
 own heait. If that is full of love, we shall find them in plenty. " Better is a neighbor 
 that is near than a brother far off." 
 
 S.A.YINGS OF CHILDHOOD : — A mother who was in the habit of calling her children 
 around her at the close of the da}- to find what they had been doing for Jesus, was told 
 
 by her little daughter, "As I went to school to-da}- I met little Mary . She had 
 
 not been to school for two or three days, and I asked her wh}- she had been absent. She 
 told me her little brother had died, and she cried about it. We went into school 
 together and she laid her face down on her book and cried as if her heart would break 
 I was sorn,' to see Mary cry, and I laid my face down on the other page of the book and 
 cried too. Then Mar}- put her arm around nie and kissed me and told me I had done 
 her good. But, mamma, I don't know how I did her good." You see, dear little folks,, 
 it was by her sympathy that this child did Mary good.
 
 CHRIST'S VISIT TO MARY AND MARTHA. 
 
 ({ KSUS paid a visit to Martha and Mary, two good sisters who lived in 
 a little village called Bethany, abont two miles from Jerusalem, and 
 in this talk I want to tell j-ou about it. Martha was a good woman 
 and loved Jesus ; aud she was very much pleased when He came 
 to see her. She made a great feast, and waited herself upon the 
 company. ]\Iartha had a sister named Mary. Mary loved 
 Jesus, too, and she showed her love b}- sitting at His feet, and 
 listening attentively to every word He said. When Martha saw 
 that Mar}- did not come to help her in providing for the entertain- 
 ment of Christ and His followers, she came to Jesus and said, " Lord, dost Thou not care 
 that my sister hath left me to serve alone ? bid her, therefore, that she help me." Then 
 Jesus turned and said, " IVIartha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many 
 things ; but one thing is needful ; and Alar}- hath chosen that good part which shall not 
 be taken away from her." 
 
 Why did Jesus say this ? Was not IVIartha right to be kind and hospitable to her 
 friends ? Yes ; but Jesus wanted to teach her that an over-anxiety about the things of 
 this life is dangerous, and has a tendency to lead to the neglect of the more important 
 things of the future. Martha, though a triie believer and a good woman, was on this 
 occasion blamable, for she was too much troubled about making a display, and the 
 Saviour gently chided her for the fault. She was so busy about worldly things that she 
 had no time to sit down and listen to the holy words which Jesus was saying ; this was 
 wrong. 
 
 What was the " good part " which Mary chose ? To sit at Jesus' feet and hear the 
 words of salvation. This is the good part that shall not be taken away from us, and 
 that at death will bring us to heaven. All that we get on earth, all the worldl}' riches 
 honor and fame, that some people prize so dearly, must in the end be parted from ; they 
 will serve for nothing in the life to come. Let us all, then, choose Mary's good part 
 and, like her, by faith, sit 'at Jesus' feet and learn of Him ! 
 
 " Sitting at the feet of Jesus, 
 
 what words I hear Him say! 
 Happy place! so near, so precious! 
 
 May it find me there each day: 
 Sitting at the feet of Jesus, 
 
 1 would look upon the past ; 
 For His love has been so gracious. 
 
 It has won mv heart at last. " 
 310
 
 LOOKING FOR THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON. 
 
 HE parable of the prodigal son is called " the pearl and crown of 
 all parables." It is the most precious of them all because it 
 leveals God as a tender Father. 
 
 A certain mau had two sous ; and the j-ounger said to his 
 Vi^^^^^fii father, " Father, give me m}- portion of thy possessions." I want 
 
 you to notice, dear children, that it was the "younger" son that 
 made this demand. As a rule one becomes a prodigal while he is 
 j-oung. In almost ever}- boy's life there is a period of danger. 
 It is when he begins to think he knows more than father or mother. He wants to 
 '■ see the world." He is impatient of home restraints, and thinks that his parents are 
 unnecessarily strict, and old fogyish. He is in a hurry to be his own master. So felt 
 the younger son in this parable. 
 
 So the father divided all he had between the two sons. A few days after, the j-ouuger 
 son gathered all his money together, and went away from father and home, and took a 
 journey into a far country'. He wanted to get far away from the restraint of his father's 
 presence. When he thought that he was beyond his oversight, then he began to have 
 what he thought was a " good time." He lavishly scattered his fortune. He delighted 
 in making a display. He liked to be known as " open-handed." And so he made him- 
 self the easy prey of those who are on the watch for just sach victims; and there he 
 wasted his all in folh- and wickedness. 
 
 When he had spent all, there arose a great famine in that land, and he began to be in 
 want. \\'hen he " began to be in want," he should have gone right home. But, no, he 
 was not quite ready yet. Pride barred the way. He felt that it would be humiliating- to 
 
 go back. So he went and joined himself to a citizen in that country; that "citizen" 
 
 312
 
 314 LOOKING FOR THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON. 
 
 proved to be a poor prop. He sent the boy, who once never had a want that was not 
 satisfied, into the field to feed his swine. There he was so hungry that he was glad to 
 eat the food that was given to the pigs. He did try to, but could not ; the prodigal said, 
 " I perish with hunger." And yet he only has himself to blame for it. He who will 
 net be a son must become a servant ; he who will not feed upon the bread of life must 
 feed upon husks. 
 
 At length he determined to go back to his kind father. He " came to him.self ; " 
 hitherto he had been " beside himself" He said, " I will arise, and go to my father." 
 But how? What shall he say to him ? His spirit of pride is all gone now. He does 
 not think of detnanding to be taken back. Instead, he thinks over a little speech in 
 which he acknowledges that he has no further right as a son to any favor from his father, 
 and entreats him to make him as one of his hired servants. He resolves to confess his 
 sinfulness, and take an}' place that his father may offer him, however low it may be. 
 The fact that he was willing to confess that he was no more worthy to be called a son 
 shows that he did not return merely for bread alone, but that he was more hungry for 
 his father's forgiveness than for the food upon his table. So he arose, and went to his 
 father. 
 
 But what about the father all this time ? Was he willing to receive him ? Yes, that 
 kind father had been waiting and longing for his return. The first picture shows the 
 family all in sorrow, anxiously troubled about the boy. And when the prodigal returned, 
 and " was yet a great way off," " his father saw him, and had compassion." That his 
 father saw him, while he was so far distant, not only shows that since he went away, he 
 had been in the habit of daily looking for his return down the road ; but, also, that he 
 expected him to come back in a wo,eful plight — or he never would have recognized him 
 in the ragged looking tramp that was coming along the highway ! When the father 
 saw him, the love which all the while he had felt for him gushed forth, and he ran to 
 meet him ; and, all unmindful of his filth and rags, he threw his arms about him, and 
 kissed him. Our next picture presents 
 
 "THE FATHER EMBRACING THE RETURNING PRODIGAL." 
 
 The father raises his face to heaven with an earnest, almost painful look of thanks- 
 giving. The servants, and even the dogs, are hurrying forward to welcome the returning 
 son. Then the prodigal began to confess his sin. His heart is broken now; such 
 treatment as he had received from his father could not but melt the heart of 'any son.
 
 3i6 
 
 LOOKING FOR THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON. 
 
 He went through his confession brokenlj'^, I imagine ; nevertheless, he went through it 
 — all except that about taking the place of a hired servant. With his father's arms 
 about his neck, and his kiss warm upon his cheek, he could not talk of being given a 
 servant's place in his household. He had no need to ask to be received as a servant ; for 
 already he was received as a; son. But the father hardly waited to hear his son's con- 
 fession ; he forgave all, and called the servants, and said, " Bring here the best robe, and 
 put it on him ; and put a ring on his hand ; and shoes on his feet ; and bring the fatted 
 calf, and kill it, and let us eat and be merry ; for this my son was dead, and is alive 
 again ; he was lost, and is found." So they began to be merry. 
 
 And, when the elder brother murmured at the joyous welcome that was given to 
 the wanderer, and turned away because he was too jealous to join in the merriment, his 
 kind father came and begged him to go in, saying, " Thou art always with me, and all 
 that I have is thine ; but we must now make merry and rejoice over this thy brother, 
 who was lost, and is found." How glad should we be when any poor sinner is brought 
 back to the fold of God, for we know that the angels rejoice in heaven over penitent 
 sinners ! 
 
 Dear children, what does this parable mean ? The father is God ; the 3'ounger son 
 stands for all who have done wrong. The name of the far country into which they have 
 wandered is sin. I wonder how many of my little people are in that far country ? Jesus 
 knows. The Heavenl}' Father is waiting for you to come back. He sees that little boy 
 who thinks he can take care of himself, and that little girl who don't want to obey. He 
 is looking for them, He wishes they would come to Him. How you could make the 
 golden harps in heaven ring to-day ! Who will do it ?
 
 LAZARUS AND THE RICH MAN. 
 
 ESUS told the people another parable. There was a certain rich 
 man who lived in a fine house, he was clothed in purple and fine 
 linen, both materials being very rich and costly ; the linen was 
 brought from Egypt, and, it is said, was often worth twice its 
 weight in gold. He " fared sumptuously every day." He set 
 a fine table, and had upon it all the dainties of the season, 
 and all this, not on rare and festive occasions alone, but every 
 day. At the gate of this rich man's house lay a beggar, named 
 Lazarus. His friends laid him there. This poor man had no 
 home to live in, no bed to lie on ; all the food he had to eat was the broken pieces which 
 the servants did not care to eat, for he was too sick to work or help himself. It was the 
 custom for the rich to eat only the crusts of the loaves, and to use the soft part 
 within as a napkin upon which to wipe the fingers. The portions thus used, and 
 thrown awa}', were the " crumbs " the beggar hoped for. Lazarus was sick, as well as 
 poor. He was covered with sores and no one tried to heal him, and make him well ; 
 onh' the dogs took pity upon him — they came and licked his sores, and tried to comfort 
 him. But in all his pain he was happier than the rich man, for he loved God ; and, 
 as he lay at the rich man's gate, in hunger and pain, he used to think of his home 
 in heaven, and of those good things which God has promised to those who love Him. 
 
 In the picture we have the rich man's banqueting hall finely portrayed ; on the 
 bottom steps sits Lazarus, looking up with pleading, pitiful face ; close by are the dogs 
 — the beggar's only friends ; and just above, the servant, warning him away. 
 
 At last, the beggar died ; and doubtless the servants of the rich man saw that his 
 body did not long stay within his portal, and hustled it off to some hastily made and 
 shallow grave. But what of that beyond ? Suddenly the scene changes. A flood of 
 
 317
 
 3i8 LAZARUS AND THE RICH MAN 
 
 heavenly light breaks in npon it, and the once despised beggar is borne aloft, with 
 songs of angelic joy and triumph, b}' the holy angels sent to carr^- his happ}' soul to 
 heaven. 
 
 Soon after, the rich man died also. He could onl}' enjoy his riches and his good 
 things as long as God gave him breath. He had a grand funeral ; his body was 
 wrapped in costly burial clothes, embalmed with spices ; there Avas a long train of 
 mourners, a magnificent tomb — and that was all there was of that. But where was his 
 soul ? No angels were sent to carry it to heaven ; but " in hell he lifted up his eyes, 
 being in torments." Then he looked toward heaven, and there he saw Lazarus, 
 peaceful and happy, in Abraham's bosom. In vain the rich man cried to Abraham 
 for a drop of water to cool his burning tongue ; he had carried no water to Lazarus in 
 his suffering; he had only cared for himself; and now Abraham tells him that Lazarus, 
 having suffered evils in his life with patience and submission, is rewarded ; but that he, 
 who had only cared for the riches, pleasures and honors of the world, must now suffer 
 for the bad use he had made of them. 
 
 Then the rich man wanted Abraham to let Lazarus go and warn his five brethren 
 not to come to that place of torment. But Abraham told him no ; they have their 
 warning. "If they will not hear Moses and the prophets, they will not repent even if 
 one went to them from the dead." 
 
 The parable ends here. The rich man's prayers could not be heard either for 
 himself or his brethren. Prayer is not heard in hell. Dear children, let us learn from 
 this parable not to look for all our good things iipon this earth, or we will miss them in 
 heaven. Better be poor here than poor there. " Lay up for yourselves treasures in 
 heaven."
 
 <;mmi,i,iinnr,rWT^S^'^<^;""mf ' •7P»;:!iiSEK^lj;ivGir.T8E'ffl»!BI«Kr,-T^m*jaiW;*3m
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 of boastfulness. 
 lie was the saint 
 required of him. 
 
 WANT to talk with you about one of Jesus' parables, in which He 
 taught the people how they must pray. He often spoke to them on 
 the duty of prayer. He said, Two men went up into the temple 
 to pray. One was a Pharisee ; the other was a publican. The 
 Pharisee stood and prayed thus : " God, I thank Thee that I am not as 
 other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publi- 
 can. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." 
 The Pharisee felt much pleased with himself. His prayer was full 
 He told God how good and how perfect he was. In his own estimation 
 He took pride in stating to the Lord that he did more than the law 
 He actually made out God to be his debtor. 
 And how did the publican feel, and how did he pray ? He stood afar off; he -lid not 
 dare to lift up his eyes to heaven ; he was sorry for his sin ; he smote upon his breast, 
 and said, " God be merciful to me a sinner." That was all he said. It was a very short 
 prayer ; not so long as the Pharisee's. But which prayer did God like best ? I hear 
 3^ou sav the publican'' s. And why ? Because the Pharisee was proud and self-righteous ; 
 but the publican was humble and penitent. In the picture the artist has shown the 
 humilit}- of the one in contrast with the pride of the other. 
 
 May God keep us all from offering the prayer of the Pharisee, and help us to pray 
 with the spirit of the publican. God always hears prayer, but He doesn't always answer 
 as we ask. Charlie, when three years old, wanted a knife, coaxed for it ; mamma knew 
 he would only cut himself, but she treasured the " prayer," and just as soon as in her 
 wisdom the little iingeis were ready to get comfort and not pain out of the gift, she 
 answered the prayer. God often does thus with His children ; He is wise. He makes no 
 
 mistakes. 
 
 320
 
 LITTLE CHILDREN BROUGHT TO JESUS. 
 
 "^ EAR children, what is the sweetest verse in all the bible? 
 \y^ This is the one that I should think would be iust the very best ; 
 
 " Suflfer little children to come unto }kle, and forbid them not 
 
 for of such is the kingdom of heaven." 
 
 Jesus had been in Galilee, and was on His wav to Jerusalem to 
 
 be crucified. Great multitudes followed Him as He went, preaching, 
 
 healing the sick, performing miracles, and patiently answering 
 
 the impertinent questions of His enemies. At the time this beautiful little incident 
 
 occurred, He was in Judea, near the river Jordan ; the mothers came crowding around 
 
 Him, forcing their way through the crowd, with their babies in their arms, some leading 
 
 theirs, some handing others over the heads of the people to friends, in order to get near 
 
 Him. This is what the artist has portrayed in the picture. The mothers are crowding 
 
 forward with their little ones. Christ has His hand on the shoulders of one little boy, 
 
 and is reaching out the other hand to receive the little tot just before Him. Several 
 
 little ones are clinging around His feet ; and others are trying to get to Him, especially 
 
 one little boy, just by the steps at the right of the picture. 
 
 Don't you think these mothers must have loved Jesus ? Yes, thev did ; and thc}^ 
 
 wished the children to learn to love Him too. They knew that the blessing of Jesus 
 
 would make their little ones happier than anything the world can give. But the 
 
 disciples were angry ; they thought the children would be troublesome to Jesus ; so they 
 
 reproved those who brought them, and wished to send them awav. Thev had an idea 
 
 that nobod}' but grown people should come to Jesus. He Avas talking to the grown 
 
 folks, and thev thought He ought not to be interrupted just for the sake of little 
 
 children. But, do you think Jesus liked it, when the disciples would not let the little 
 
 ones come to Him ? No ; He was " much displeased." He stopped talking with the big 
 
 people, and then he said : " Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not." 
 
 The parents wanted Him to put His hands upon them. But what did He do ? Why He 
 
 took them right up in His arms, and put His hands on them, and blessed them. I can 
 
 imagine I see the little ones leaping with a crow of delight into the arms of Jesus. 
 
 Some put up_ their little mouths, read\- for a kiss ; some run their fingers through His 
 
 hair and beard ; others cling lovingly to His neck, and cry only when taken away. 
 
 322
 
 3 -'4 LITTLE CHILDREN BROUGHT TO JESUS. 
 
 My little friends, would'nt 3'ou like to liave been there too ? Don't you think that 
 3'our mothers would like to have Christ bless 3'ou to-day ? Well He can do it. What, 
 right now? Most certainly, He can do it, right here and now. In 3-our hearts just 
 ask Him to do it, and He will. If 3-ou love and serve Him, His arms are about you 
 all the time, and His hands are still laid in felt blessings on 3"our heads, even though 
 you are not able to see them. 
 
 I have seen a great man}' children, some very young, who have learned to know 
 Jesus as their Saviour, and their happy faces told the jo}^ that was in their hearts. 
 Bishop Wm. Taylor tells of a little girl nine 3-ears old, who at a meeting, longed to 
 find Jesus. The Good Spirit had spoken to her heart ; and as the big tears were 
 streaming down her face, she put her little hands together, and said, " O Lord, for 
 Christ's sake, have mercy on me a sinner. For Christ's sake, give me a new heart " 
 She pra3'ed ver}' eamestl}' for some time, and then as she saw that Jesus had died for 
 her, her face brightened up, and she said. " Oh, praise the Lord ! I've found Jesus. He 
 is my Saviour." She was so glad, that she kept on praising the Lord aloud, when a 
 minister said to her, " Little girl, what are 3'ou praising the Lord for?" " Because I love 
 Him." said she. " Wh3' do you love Him ? " " Because He first loved me, and He has 
 pardoned m3- sins." The next day her brother said to her, rather tauntingl}-, " Ah, 
 Virginia, I think 3-our goodness will not last long ! " " Well, James," said she nieekl3% 
 " your think will not remove it." Virginia grew up in the fear of the Lord, and is now 
 a christian mother in California. 
 
 I wish you would be like the little child in the livmn I am going to repeat to 3^ou now. 
 
 " Dear Jesus ! ever at my side ; 
 How loving Thou must be 
 To leave Thy home in heaven, to save 
 A little child like me. 
 
 • 
 
 "Thy beautiful and shining face 
 
 I see not, though so near ; 
 
 The sweetness of Thy soft, low voice 
 
 I am too deaf to hear. 
 
 " But I have felt Thee in mj' thoughts, 
 Fighting with sin for me ; 
 And when my heart loves God, I know 
 The sweetness is from Thee. 
 
 " Yes ; when I pray Thou pray est too ; 
 Thy prayer is all for me ; 
 But when I sleep Thou sleepest not. 
 But watchest patiently."
 
 LITTLE CHILDREN BROUGHT TO JESUS. 
 
 325 
 
 Sayings of childhood: — A christian mother was once showing her little girl, about 
 five years old, the picture representing Jesus receiving children, while the mothers were 
 pushing their little ones towards Him. " There Carrie," said her mother, " That's 
 what I would have done with you if I had been there." " I would'nt wait to be pushed 
 to Jesus," said little Carrie, with beautiful and touching earnestness, " /V ^c; to Him 
 without pushing.''^ That was right. That is the wa^^ we ought to go to Jesus. How 
 kind He is ! How tender! How ready to help and bless us ! IM}- dear children, won't 
 you go to Jesus at once ? Oh ! go " without pushing." Will you not do so, even while 
 I am talking with 3-ou ?
 
 RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS. 
 
 T Bethany, there lived a famil}- whom Jesus tenderl}^ loved ; the family 
 
 consisted of two sisters, Mary and Martha, and their brother Lazarus. 
 
 Lazarus seems to have been a very good man, for Jesus loved him ; 
 
 and he and his two sisters loved and served God together. 
 
 But one daj^ sorrow came into this peaceful family ; for sorrow 
 
 must come sometime into every famil}' in the world. Lazarus was 
 
 taken very ill ; and his sisters sent to tell Jesus, saying, " Lord, he 
 
 whom Thou lovest is sick." But Jesus delayed going to see him 
 
 till he was dead. This He did that He might try the faith of the sisters, and show them 
 
 His great power. When Jesus arrived at Bethany, Lazarus had lain in the grave four 
 
 days ; and there were many Jews at the house of his friends, comforting the bereaved 
 
 sisters. As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she ran out to meet Him, and 
 
 said, " Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died." Jesus answered, 
 
 " Thy brother shall rise again." Martha said, " Yes, I know he will rise again at the 
 
 last day. All will rise then." But Jesus meant to call Lazarus out of his grave very 
 
 soon, without waiting till the last day ; Martha did not imderstand this at first, but she 
 
 trusted in Jesus, and said, " Lord, I believe that Thou art. the Christ, the Son of God ; " 
 
 and then she went to Alary, and told her to come to Jesus. 
 
 As soon as Alary came to Jesus, she fell down at His feet, and said, as Martha had, 
 
 " Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died." And then she began 
 
 to weep verj^ bitterly. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping, which 
 
 came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, " Where have you 
 
 laid him ? " They said unto Him, " Lord, come and see." So they led Jesus to the 
 
 grave. Then the blessed Jesus, who had all the feelings of our nature, was tenderly 
 
 touched, and going to the tomb, "Jesus wept." Oh, the kindness of His heart! Dear 
 
 children, who could but love Him ? The people were astonished to see Jesus weeping 
 
 for Lazarus, and said, " Behold, how He loved him ! " 
 
 At last they came to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus 
 
 ordered them to take away the stone from the mouth of the cave ; and, after pra^ang to 
 
 His Heavenl}' Father, He cried with a loud voice, " Lazarus, come forth ! " And he that 
 
 was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes. Jesus then said to the 
 
 persons at the grave, " Loose him, and let him go." In the picture the artist has drawn 
 
 the figure of Christ, standing in the mouth of the cave • by His almighty power over 
 
 326
 
 ;28 
 
 RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS. 
 
 life and death, the shrouded form of Lazarus has come forth from the portals of the 
 tomb. How happy were the two sisters to see their dear brother agaiu ; aud how they 
 must have loved and praised the gracious Sa\aour, who, they now felt, had done all 
 things well. 
 
 Little friends, did you ever hear the legend of tlic first grave f I will tell it to you. 
 Abel, you remember, was the first to die. Adam and Eve sat beside his dead body, aud 
 wept, not knowing what to do. But a raven, whose bird-friend had died, .said, " I will go 
 and teach Adam what he must do with his son." The raven dug a grave, and laid the 
 dead raven in it. When Adam saw this, he said to Eve, " Let us do the same with our 
 child ! " The Lord rewarded the raven ; and no one is therefore allowed to harm their 
 young. The}' have food in abundance, and their cr}^ for rain is always heard. 
 
 Now, that is only a legend. But, whatever way the first grave was made, we all bury 
 our dead now in the ground. But they will not always stay there. The same power 
 that raised Lazarus will say, " Come forth ; " and the " dead shall hear the voice of the 
 Son of God, and they that hear shall live again." 
 
 CHRIST'S ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. 
 
 OW the time grew near when Jesus was to die, to be offered up as a 
 sinless sacrifice for the sins of mankind, so He began His journey 
 towards Jerusalem where He was to suffer. When He came to 
 the mount of Olives, He called two of his disciples and told them 
 to go into the village, and the}- would find an ass tied and a colt 
 by her, and that they should loose them and bring them to Him. 
 And He told them " If any one say to j-ou, ' Wh}" do you take 
 them away ?' you must answer, ' Because the Lord hath need of 
 them ; ' and then the men will send them willingly." So the disciples went to the 
 village, and found the ass and colt, as Jesus said ; and as the}^ were untying them their 
 owner asked why they did so, aud the disciples said, " The Lord hath need of them ; " 
 and the man let them go. 
 
 So they brought the ass to Jesus, and they spread their garments over it, and then 
 set Jesus upon it, to ride into Jerusalem. And when the people saw Him coming thej' 
 spread branches of trees, and possibly flowers, before Him ; and those who had fine
 
 ^^1/ :■' 
 
 
 n-. 
 
 % 

 
 330 
 
 CHRIST'S ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. 
 
 garments spread tlieiii in the way, for the ass to walk over ; and they all cried and 
 shouted for joy, saying, " Hosanna in the highest : Blessed is He that conieth in the 
 name of the Lord ! " In the picture the artist has portrayed this scene — the rejoicing 
 thousands, w4th branches of palm and acclamations of joy and praise, honoring Christ 
 as He enters the city. 
 
 And when He came into Jerusalem, and went into the temple, there were many little 
 children who joined in the cry, " Hosanna in the highest ; " and Jesus was pleased to 
 hear the little ones sing His praises. But the chief priests and scribes were displeased, 
 and they said unto him, " Hearest Thou what these say ? " And Jesus said unto them, 
 " Yea ; have ye never read. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast 
 perfected praise ? " 
 
 Dear little folks, Jesus is pleased with the sincere worship of little children. I hope 
 you love to sing His praises. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Two children were very ill in the same room : the older 
 of the two was heard trying to teach the younger one to pronounce the word 
 " Hallelujah ! " but without success. The little one died before he could repeat it. 
 When his brother was told of his death, he was silent for a moment, and then, looking 
 up at his mother, said, "Johnny can say 'Hallelujah ' now, mother ! " Not long after 
 the two brothers were united in Heaven, singing " Hallelujah " together. Dear children, 
 many of your brothers and sisters died before they were old enough to sing the praises 
 of their Redeemer here on earth ; but they have been taught the music of the uppei 
 temple now, and they sing among the heavenly choristers. 
 
 CHRIST CLEANSING THE TEMPLE. 
 
 ESUS went into the temple ; He found the outer court of it, or the 
 court of the Gentiles, turned into a market for animals and things 
 that the Jews used in their sacrifices ; it was also partly occupied 
 , by the money-changers. Noise, confusion, wrangling, bitter 
 K words, reckless oaths, and dishonest practices filled the sacred 
 'f> courts where the Gentiles should have been taught the holy 
 worship, and the commandments of God. When Jesus saw it. 
 He was much displeased. He had driven them out before ; and 
 now lie sent them away again ; He cast out the buyers and sellers, and overthrew the
 
 
 fl'i|ifi|i|j|]i['»«"fi'ff" i'|i]|(ip 11 ' ' I *~Tififip 
 
 ^"i IN
 
 33^ 
 
 CHRIST CLEANSING THE TEMPLE. 
 
 tables of the money chaugers, and the seats of those who sold doves ; and He said to 
 them, " It is written, M}- house shall be a house of prayer ; but ye have made it a den 
 of thieves." 
 
 Dear children, Jesus will not suffer the temple of His Father to be dishonored. It is 
 an awfirlly wicked thing to profane God's temple by wicked thoughts or acts, by trifling 
 behavior, b}' disorderly conduct, by inattention. The heart is the temple of God ; the 
 heart-temple should be cleansed from all sin. Jesus drove out the men who were sell- 
 ing oxen, sheep, doves, and the mone3''-changers. What would he have 3-ou drive out 
 of your heart-temple ? Sc/Jishness^ coz'etoiisiirss^ pn'dc, blasphemy^ boasting^ lyi^^g^ hti^rati- 
 iude, envy ; " Take these things hence," says Jesus. 
 
 A wounded soldier-boy was d3ang in a hospital. The lad}- who watched b}- his bed- 
 side said to him, " M}^ dear boy, if this should be death that is couiing upon j'on, are ^-ou 
 ready to meet 3'our God ? " He answered, " I am read}' dear lad}-; for this has long 
 been his temple ; " and as he spoke he placed his hand upon his heart. " Do 3^011 mean," 
 questioned the lady gentl3-, " that God rules and reigns in 3-our heart?" "Yes," he 
 answered ; but his voice sounded far off, sweet and low, as if it came from a soul alread}' 
 well on its wav through the "dark valle3- and shadow of death." 
 
 THE WIDOW'S MITE 
 
 EAR the door of the temple, Jesus sat down one da3' to look at the 
 people as they stopped to put their mone3' into the treasur3^ 
 A great man3- people passed ; and, as tlie3' passed, the3^ cast 
 mone3' into 'the treasur3' ; this mone3- was to pa}' for the things 
 wanted in the ser\'ice of the temple. Some persons put in ver3- 
 ^1* "% if much mone3' — gold and silver; thev were very rich. But as 
 
 /^JW,^ ^ ^ _v^r Jesus sat watching, a poor widow came and dropped in two mites, 
 
 which make a farthing. It was a ver3' little mone3-, but it was 
 
 all she had ; and she felt that she must give something to show her love and gratitude. 
 
 Jesus was watching the poor widow. Do you believe He thought M'hat a mean woman 
 
 she was, not to put in more, when so man3- were putting in piles of gold and silver?
 
 334 THE WIDOW'S MITE. 
 
 No, He did not ; He looked into the widow's heart, and read there that the two mites 
 were all the money she had. No rich man gave all he had. The two mites were more 
 than the gold when Jesns counted them ; they counted more in what ? They counted 
 Diore ill love. Jesus turned to His disciples and said, " Veril)% I say unto you, that this 
 poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury. For all 
 they did cast in of their abundance : but she of her want, did cast in all that she had, 
 even all her living." 
 
 In the picture the artist has portrayed this incident. The figure of the humble, 
 shrinking and self-sacrificing woman is seen standing b}- the treasur}- casting in her 
 two mites ; back of her stand the ostentatious and proud Pharisees ; and still beyond, the 
 blessed Christ teaching His disciples. 
 
 We should all Xxy to be like this poor widow. There are treasuries now, where money 
 is cast for God's serAice. There are Missionary societies, Bible societies, Sunday-School 
 societies, and many more. All the money collected for these purposes is given to God. 
 We ought all to give what we can. The rich ought to give much ; the poor ought to 
 give something. Two pennies are somewhat like two mites, because they do not make 
 much if we. count them so: <?;/r, tiuo. That is the wa}- we count; but will Jesus count 
 them as we do if they are given with love ? No ; He will count them so that they will 
 make a great deal, if we give as the poor widow did. He looks at the heart more than 
 at the money. I will tell you of two mites you can give to God : 
 
 " Two small mites have I to give, 
 My small body in which I live ; 
 And my soul that ought to praj-, 
 And live for Jesus every day." 
 
 That is the gift that will please Him best : then all j-ou have will be His. 
 
 S.wixGS OF CHILDHOOD : — A little girl six years old, who was very desirous of 
 putting her pennies into the missionary-box with others, when saying her evening 
 prayers at her father's knee, hesitated a moment, and then added, " Lord bless m}^ two 
 pennies, for Jesus' sake, Amen ! " She praj'^ed thus ever}' night after giving her pen- 
 nies for the missionarj'-box. Dear children, don't forget to ask God to bless what you 
 give ; God's blessing is better than all the riches of the world.
 
 THE LAST SUPPER. 
 
 HEN our blessed Lord came into the world to save sinners, He knew 
 what He had to suffer. He was to die that we might live. And 
 now the time of His death began rapidh' to approach. One of His 
 disciples, Judas, the wretched man ! went to the chief priests and 
 agreed to deliver up Christ to them for thirt}' pieces of silver — 
 the paltry price paid for a purchased servant — about eighteen 
 dollars and fiftj- cents ? They dare not take Christ publicly for 
 fear of the people, but Judas offered to take them to one of His private retreats, and 
 there to deliver Him up ; and with the greatest care, he watched for the most favorable 
 opportunity. 
 
 The passover was kept at this time. That feast was typical of the death of Christ, 
 the Lamb of God ; and Jesus wanted to eat of it with His disciples once more, before He 
 died. So he called two of His disciples, and told them, to go into the cit}', where they 
 would find a man bearing a pitcher of water, whom the}' should follow, and, entering 
 into the same house, inquire of the good-man of the house, saying, " The master saith^ 
 where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples ? " and he 
 would show them a room in which to prepare the feast. And the disciples went and 
 found everj'thing as Jesus had said, and when the passover was ready, Jesus came in the 
 evening with His disciples to eat it. 
 
 And while the}- were eating the passover, Jesus was very sorrowful, for He knew all 
 that was going to happen to Him ; and He said to His disciples, " Verily, I saj- unto 
 you, that one of 3-ou shall betray- Me." Most of the disciples wondered what the Master 
 meant, and questioned, saying, " Lord, is it I ? " The Saviour answered that one who 
 dipped his hand in the same dish with Him should betraj- Him. Judas alone understood 
 
 335
 
 336 
 
 THE LAST SUPPER. 
 
 the Saviour's meaning, but he also pretended to wonder, sajnng, " Master, is it I ? " 
 Jesus answered, " Tliou hast said." 
 
 Then Satan came into the heart of Judas, and tempted him to do now the wicked 
 thing he had been thinking of so long. Jesus knew what was in the heart of Judas, 
 and He looked at him, and said, " What thou doest, do quickly." Then Judas arose, 
 and went out. \\'here did he go ? To the priests and captains, to lead them to Jesus 
 that very night. But the other disciples thought that Jesus had sent him upon some 
 business. 
 
 While Jesiis was sitting at the table with His disciples He took bread and blessed it, 
 and brake it, and gave a piece to each of them, and said, " Take, eat ; this is My body, 
 which is given for you : this do in remembrance of Me." Afterwards, He took the cup, 
 in which was the juice of the grape, and gave it to them, saying, " Drink ye all of it; 
 for this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of 
 sins : this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me." That was the beginning of 
 what we call the holy sacrament of the Lord's supper. The artist has finely portrayed 
 this scriie in the picture. 
 
 " This is the feast of heavenly wine, 
 And God invites to sup , 
 The juices of the living vine 
 Were pressed to fill the cup. 
 
 O bless the Saviour, ye that eat, 
 
 With royal dainties fed ; 
 Not heaven affords a costlier feast, 
 
 For Jesus is the bread."
 
 CHRIST'S PRAYER IN THE GARDEN OF OLIVES. 
 
 £^ UPPER being over, Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn together. 
 Then they left the upper chamber, passed through the narrow- 
 streets of Jerusalem, to the eastern gate which led to the Alonnt of 
 Olives. On the wa}', Jesus told them again that thej- would soon all 
 be afraid, and leave Him ; but Peter could not think so, and said 
 boldl}- that if everybod}- fell from Him, he never would. But Jesus 
 answered, "Verily, verily, I sa^- unto thee, that this night, before the 
 cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice." But Peter again answered, " Though I should 
 die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee." And so said all the disciples. 
 
 And now Jesus and his disciples had come to the brook Cedron. They crossed the 
 brook and came into a garden called Gethsemane. Then He said to His disciples, " Sit 
 ye here, while I go and pra}- j-onder ; " but He called Peter, and James, and John, to 
 come with Him a little farther. Turning to them with ever}- feature indicating His 
 agon}' of spirit, He said, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death ; tarrj- ye 
 here, and watch with ]\Ie." So He left the three disciples there, and " went a little 
 farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this 
 cup pass from Me ; nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt." After this earnest 
 prayer. He rose and came to the three disciples and found them sleeping, and said unto 
 Peter, " Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst not thou "watch with Me one hour? Watch and 
 pray, that ye enter not into temptation ; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is 
 weak." In the first picture we see Jesus in the act of prayer, and the three disciples 
 asleep. " He went awa}- again the second time, and prayed, sajdng, O My Father, if 
 this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Th}- will be done." It was 
 needful for Jesus to suffer all this. The cup of sorrow could not be taken awa}- ; but 
 
 33S"
 
 340 CHRIST'S PRAYER IN THE GARDEN OF OLIVES. 
 
 His Heavenly Father sent an angel from lieaveu, to strengthen and comfort Hira. "And 
 being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly ; and His sweat was as it were great drops 
 of blood, falling down to the gronnd." 
 
 Amid all this agony. He came again to His disciples, and again found them asleep ; 
 and when they were roused, they were still so dazed and heavy with sleep, that they did 
 not know what to answer Him. A third time He went to His chosen place of prayer, 
 perhaps under the shadow of one of the old and spreading olive trees, and asked that 
 God's will might be done, at whatever cost of suffering to Him. After this, He came 
 once more to His sleeping disciples, and said, " Sleep on now, and take your rest ; 
 behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 
 Rise, let us be going ; behold, he is at hand that doth betray Me." There was no time 
 to watch and pray now ; for Judas was coming, and a multitude with him. The disciples 
 had wasted their time in sleep, while their Master was praying ; and now the hour of 
 temptation was come, and they had not sought strength to resist it. 
 
 In the second picture the artist has portrayed 
 
 " THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN," 
 
 just at that point, when it was greatest, and when an angel cara^ to strengthen Jesus 
 It is with tender awe that we behold this agonizing scene in our Saviour's life. 
 
 What made this fearful anguish ? I think, dear children, it was because He was 
 thinking of all He must sufiFer if He wduld save sinners like you and me, that caused 
 that bloody sweat to stand upon His brow in the garden of Gethsemane. He saw how a 
 world of sinners — little children as well — had wandered off into the b}^ and forbidden 
 paths of sin, and how they had followed on from one temptation to another, till all were 
 lost ; so that, unless One " Mighty to Save " should stretch forth His strong arm, they 
 must forever perish. The Sinless One, to whom all sin was so loathsome and hateful, 
 was to take upon Himself the burden of the sins of the whole world ; He, the guiltless 
 and Hoty One, was to bear the guilt and impurity of the sinners of all ages. All that 
 He suflFered for yo7i. Will you give Him your heart for what He has thus done ? 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — There was a great philosopher who had a child that was 
 dying. The weeping father took the child by the hand, and asked, " Do you love mc, 
 darling?" "Yes," replied the child; ^'^hwtl love Jesus more y Dear little ones, how 
 can we ever love Him enough for all He suffered for us !
 
 THE BETRAYAL. 
 
 CARCELY had Jesus wakened his three disciples for the last time, 
 and finished speaking, when there came a tread of soldiers, and 
 lanterns gleaming through the olive trees. Jesus looked up, and 
 saw Judas coming with a band of men, with swords and staves, to 
 take Him. Judas Iscariot, the traitor, knew that the Master was 
 apt to go to the olive garden to pray at night ; and before he brought 
 the priests and soldiers into the garden to take Jesus, he said to them, 
 "I will give you a sign, that 3-011 ma}- know whom you must seize. 
 Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he : hold him fast." 
 
 Now, when Jesus saw His enemies coming towards Him, He did not try to hide or 
 escape from them. He went to meet them, and asked, " Whom seek ye ? " They 
 answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said, " I am He." And when He .said this, His 
 enemies went back, and fell on the ground. Why ? Because the}- saw in Jesus some- 
 thing very different from other men ; they felt the power of Jesus as God, and they were 
 afraid, and overcome by it. Then Judas went up first to Jesus, and said, " Hail, IMaster," 
 and kissed Him. All our Lord said was, "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a 
 kiss ? " Jesus knew the deceit of Judas ! He knew Avhy he kissed Him. The picture 
 presents most \-ividly this scene. In the background, you see the clamorous crowd, with 
 lighted torches, led on by the cruel soldiery ; in the foreground are the chief figures, 
 Christ and Judas. What more striking than the contrast between the serene and sacred 
 beaut}- of the countenance of Jesus and the wicked and leering face of His betrayer! 
 
 Then the multitude laid hands on Jesus, to take Him away. When the disciples 
 saw that their Master v.-as so cruelly seized by His enemies, the}- rushed forward to 
 defend Him. Peter drew a sword, and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant. The 
 servant's name was Malchus. The kind and gentle Saviour reproved Peter for his rash- 
 ness, and bade him put the sword back into the sheath; and then, in His great love, 
 our blessed Lord touched the ear, and cured it in an instant ; and begged that all the 
 disciples might be allowed to go their waA' But the disciples were so alarmed at the 
 savage multitude that thev all ran awav and left Jesus, except John and Peter, who 
 both followed to see what would be done with Him. 
 
 S.A.YIXGS OF CHILDHOOD : — Said a little boy, " Mamma, didn't the devil get Judas ? 
 I don't see how he could ever stand it to live with Jesus in heaven." I don't, either, 
 
 342
 
 344 
 
 THE BETRAYAL. 
 
 children ! I suppose you have all read Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Do you recollect 
 they came to a place, iu a bottom, where there was a door in the side of a hill ? They 
 opened the door, and they heard a rumbling noise as of fire, and a cry of some tormented. 
 Christian asked, " What means this ? " Then the shepherd told them, " This is a by- 
 way to hell, a way that hypocrites go in at ;" and among the hypocrites he named Judas, 
 and such as sell their Master as he did. Let us be careful that we never betray our 
 blessed Lord 
 
 PETER'S DENIAL. 
 
 VK blessed Lord was dragged by the soldiers to the house of Caiaphas, 
 the high priest, where His enemies tried to make out some charge 
 to bring against Him ; but as He was good and holy, and had no 
 sin at all, they could accuse Him of nothing. 
 
 All this time, Peter was in the high priest's palace, warming 
 himself by the fire. Both John and Peter, anxious to see what 
 would be done with their Master, had followed on at a safe dis- 
 tance, and John first, and Peter later, had entered the palace- 
 hall. Peter tried to hide himself in the crowd ; he told no one that he was a disciple of 
 Jesus, for he was afraid of being known among so many enemies. 
 
 But as he warmed himself, one of the maids there looked at him, and asked if he did 
 not belong to Jesus of Nazareth. Peter was afraid, and said, " I know not what thou 
 sayest." Then he went out into the porch ; and the cock crew. The cock crowing 
 ought to have reminded Peter of the warning Jesus had given him. Then another 
 maid saw Peter, and said, " This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth." Peter grew 
 more afraid, and went on declaring, he did not know such a person. Not long after, 
 some more of the people came to him, and said, " Surely thou art one of the friends of 
 Jesus ; for thou art a Galilean, and speakest as they do." Then Peter began to curse and 
 swear, and said, " I know not this man of whom you speak." Just then the cock crew 
 again. Jesus was not far off. He could see and hear Peter. When the cock crew, Jesus
 
 'mM 
 
 tIi7i|MI I 
 
 If I" ' 
 
 ii'i / ' ill 1 1 I'll liiii 
 
 ; ■ ,i#i'i^«i 
 
 'J 'ii'i'i , I- 1 
 
 1,1 i| '' I i,i,|i|iii'' '111' IHi, ''/' ' 
 
 i ii; 
 
 ir, i|i;ii,vyi ',■ 
 i,l", ,,, 'ii'i 'i' 
 
 iii ii I" ', ii,i 'i I, 
 
 r Jill II 'Hi II 
 
 Hl'l ,' ii'i'i 
 WV.1,1" I
 
 >46 
 
 PETER'S DENIAL. 
 
 turned round and looked upon Peter. He did not speak a word, but Peter understood the 
 look. It went to his heart. It made him think of the warning which Jesus had given 
 him when Peter said, " I will never deu}- Thee." Peter thought how he had forgotten 
 that warning, and denied his kind Master. He could not bear the sad thought ; " he 
 went out and wept bitterly." 
 
 Dear children this is a very sad histor3\ Peter told lies, he denied his Master, he 
 cursed and swore, and took God's holy name in vain. And wdi}- was this ? Because he 
 trusted in himself. We should learn from this, not to trust in ourselves, but to pra\- for 
 grace to enable us to resist temptation. Jesus afterwards forgave Peter. Peter repented 
 and prayed for pardon ; and Jesus saw his tears, and heard his prayers, and forgave 
 him. 
 
 Sayixcs of childhood :— One of my little friends saj-s, "I think it was just too 
 good in Jesus to forgive Peter. I'm afraid I couldn't forgive anybod}- that would do so 
 to me." Yes, children, it was good in Jesus. He tells us, that, when we have done 
 wrong, if we will come to Him, He will forgive. Jesus is willing to pardon even when 
 we sin like Peter, if -we will truly repent and turn to Him. 
 
 )
 
 JESUS SCOURGED 
 
 OU retuember, dear children, that the cniel soldiers had taken 
 Jesus to the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest. The priests and 
 enemies of Jesus now tried to accuse Him of some wickedness, 
 that they might condemn Him to death. But no one could prove 
 that He had broken the law ; and whenever a story was brought 
 against Him, it turned out not to be true. All this time Jesus 
 A held His peace, and said not a word. At last the high priest stood up 
 ** and conimanded Him to say whether He were the Christ or not. Then 
 Jesus answered, " I am ; and hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right 
 hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." But the high priest would not 
 believe Him ; he cried out, " This is blasphemy. You have heard it. What think ye? " 
 They all answered, " He is guilty of death." And then they began to spit in His face, 
 and to smite Him, and mock Him. And all the time He stood gentle and patient, and 
 said not one v/ord of complaint or anger. 
 
 Then the people brought Jesus to Pontius Pilate the governor, and began to accuse 
 Him. But Pilate could find no fault in Him, and wished to set Him free ; but he was 
 afraid of offending the rich Jews, so he sent Him to Herod, who was staying at Jerusalem 
 at that time. Herod and his soldiers cruelly mocked and railed at Jesus, and sent Him 
 back to Pilate. 
 
 Pilate felt in his heart that Jesus was innocent ; so he thought he had found a way of 
 saving Him without offending the Romans. It was the custom that at the feasts of the 
 passover lie should set some prisoner free, whomsoever the Jews asked for. He thought 
 they would certainly ask for Jesus. But when Pilate proposed to let Jesus go, the 
 people cried, " No, no ; we do not wish Him to be set free. Let Him be crucified, and 
 
 347
 
 34^ 
 
 JESUS SCOURGED. 
 
 release unto us Barabbas." Barabbas was a wicked murderer, who was a prisoner at this 
 time. Pilate said again, " Wh}-, what eviljias He done? " But the people cried again, 
 " Crucify Him, crucify Him." Then Pilate let them have their wa3- ; he knew what was 
 just, but he was afraid, and cared for himself more than for his duty. But first he took 
 water, and washed his hands before the people, and said, " I am innocent of the blood of 
 this just man : see ye to it." The people cried, " His blood be upon us, and upon our 
 children." Then Pilate, who feared man more than he feared God, gave the innocent 
 Jesiis into the hands of His enemies, and released Barabbas. But God did not free Pilate 
 from blame, for we hear and read ever}^ day that Jesus was crucified, and sufifered under 
 Pontius Pilate. And the Jews have suffered many sorrows for their sins. 
 
 Then the soldiers took Jesus to scourge Him. This is the scene which the artist has 
 portrayed in the picture. They tore off His clothes ; they scourged Him. The scourge 
 was a whip composed of ox nerves, extremely sharp, interwoven with sheep bones, so as 
 to cut the flesh. With this they whipped Jesus. He who had never lifted up His hand 
 but to do good, was made to suffer this most degrading punishment. Not only were the 
 hands of men raised to inflict torture upon the Saviour, but their tongues also were 
 actively employed in reviling Him ; thus adding insult to injury. And when they had 
 beaten 'the blessed Jesus till He was bleeding all over, they took one of their old red 
 soldiers' cloaks and threw it over Him. 
 
 And why was all this ? Why was the scourge made to descend on the innocent ? 
 Why was Jesus thus to suffer ? It was to save us from our sins ; it was that the whole 
 world might be reconciled to God.
 
 '"rTiiirT'n'^fr'"?™''''™!"'
 
 THE CROWN OF THORNS. 
 
 HAT many might see the insults that Jesus suffered, the soldiers, 
 after the}- had scourged Him, led Jesus into the governor's hall, 
 and called together the whole band of soldiers. There were 
 about six hundred men in this band ; and the}- are now called 
 in to witness the degradation of the victim. Then the soldiers put 
 on Him a purple robe ; this was done in derision — for that was the 
 color proper to the robes of kings. And to make the mockery more 
 complete, the}- plaited a crown of thorns, and put it about His 
 head. The next picture shows the cruel soldiers forcing it iipon His head. When 
 they pressed the crown down, the thorns pierced into His head, and the blood trickled 
 down His brow. Oh ! what pain Jesus suffered then ! 
 
 My dear children, I cannot tell you my feelings, as I talk with you about this cruel 
 treatment of our Saviour. A lady, while on a visit to the Exposition at Paris, died. 
 During her last moments, speech had left her ; but she managed to speak the word 
 *' Bring." Her friends in ignorance of her meaning offered her food ; but she shook her 
 head, and again repeated the word " Bring." They then offered her grapes, Avhich she 
 also declined, and for a third time uttered the word " Bring." Thinking she desired to 
 to see some absent friends, they brought them to her : but again she shook her head ; 
 and then, by a great effort, she succeeded in finishing the sentence, — 
 
 " Bring forth the royal diadem, 
 And crown Him Lord of all ;" 
 
 and then passed away to be with Jesus. 
 
 SayinGvS of childhood : — A teacher described to her Sunday-school class the 
 crown of thorns that was put on the brow of Jesus. Shortly after, one of the class was 
 discovered twining a wreath of rare flowers. Being asked what he was doing, he replied, 
 " Long ago, Jesus wore a crown of thorns, and even died for me ; and now I am mak- 
 ing Him a wreath, to show how much I love Him." 
 
 350
 
 CHRIST INSULTED. 
 
 FTER the soldiers had dressed Jesus in mockery iu a purple robe, like a 
 pretended king, and had put the crown of thorns upon His head, then they 
 gave him a reed, to hold in His right hand as a sham sceptre. 
 All this the Saviour submitted to with the greatest meekness. 
 Then, to finish their mockery, the Jews bowed their knees to Him, 
 pretending to honor Him as a king ; and said, " Hail, king of 
 the Jews ! " This is what the artist has represented in the next 
 picture. They are bowing down pretending to do Him honor. 
 Then they spit on Him, and smote Him on the head with the reed. And after they had 
 mocked Him, they took off the purple robe, and put His own raiment on Him. 
 
 O, think of it, my dear children, think of the cruel insult Jesus suffered, and all to 
 save us. If He had been only a man, though He might have been a very good man, 
 His sufferings would not have done us any good. But He was God as well as man ; He 
 is the One " mighty to save." Yes my little friends. He is able to save every one of you. 
 But though it is such an easy thing to come to Christ and be saved, it was not an easy 
 thing for Jesus to suffer in our stead. I can never, never tell you how much He suffered 
 for us. And yet He loved us so much that He did not shrink from the suffering which 
 He must endure. When the heavy lashes were being laid upon His bleeding back in 
 Pilate's hall, when He was crowned with thorns and spit upon, when He was insulted by 
 the crowd that pretended to do Him honor. He might in a moment have destroyed His 
 cruel tormentors, and gone away to heaven. But if He had done that He could never 
 take us to heaven with Him when He comes again to receive His own. He knew what 
 He would have to endure for us, yet He gave himself up willingly to be " led as a lamb 
 to the slaughter and, as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His 
 
 mouth." 
 
 352
 
 ilitililll^
 
 CHRIST PRESENTED BY PILATE TO THE PEOPLE. 
 
 UR Jesus never spoke one word of anger all this time ; and when Pilate 
 saw His meek, brave, patient face, pale and faint with pain, and 
 streaming with blood, he thought the people would pity Him ; so 
 Pilate went forth once more, and said unto the people, " Behold, 
 I bring Him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault 
 in Him." Then Jesus came forth to the top of the steps of the 
 judgment-hall, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. 
 And Pilate said unto them, " Behold the Man ! " This is the 
 Scene portrayed in the engraving. 
 
 But the people were too mad to have any pit}^ or feeling, and the}' only cried louder 
 and louder still, " Crucifj^ Him ! Crucify Him ! " Pilate was not brave enough to go 
 against them all, even to save an innocent man ; so he said, " Take ye Him, and crucify 
 Him ; for I find no fault in Him." The Jews answered him, " We have a law, and by 
 our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God." As much as to 
 say. If you, as a Roman, do not feel it lawful and just, we have plenty of law. 
 
 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid ; and went again 
 into the judgment-hall, and said unto Jesus, " Whence art Thou ? " But Jesus gave 
 him no answer. Then said Pilate unto Him, " SjTeakest Thou not unto me ? Knowest 
 Thou not, that I have power to cnicif}^ Thee, and have power to release Thee ? " Jesus 
 answered, " Thou could'st have no power at all against Ale, except it be given thee from 
 above ; therefore he that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin." After that Pilate 
 tried to release Him ; but the Jews cried out, " If thou let this man go, thou art not 
 Csesar's friend. Whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar." When 
 Pilate heard that, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment-seat. ''And it 
 was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour : and he said unto the 
 Jews, Behold your King ! " But they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him, 
 crucify Him." Pilate said unto them, " Shall I crucify j^our King ? " The chief priests 
 answered, " We have no king but Cassar." Then Pilate delivered Jesus up to be 
 crucified. 
 
 S.wiNGS OF CHILDHOOD : — My little neighbor friend says, " I think Pilate was a 
 great big coward. I would die before letting Jesus go ! " Yes, children, he was a coward ; 
 he knew in his heart that Jesus did not deserve to die, and yet he let Him be crucified. 
 
 354
 
 CHRIST FAINTING UNDER THE CROSS. 
 
 ILATE gave up our Lord to the four soldiers who were to crucify 
 Him. His cross, a heavy beam of wood, with another fastened 
 across it, was laid on His shoulders ; and He was told to take 
 up the heavy cross and carry it to Mount Calvary — the place 
 where He was to suffer outside the walls of Jerusalem. He was 
 so weak and worn out after the long night, and the bleeding from 
 the cuts where the}^ had beaten Him with leather whips, that He 
 could hardly walk under the cross ; He sometimes almost fainted by the way. It was 
 very hard for Jesus to carry the cross, but He knew what it meant ; and that made Him 
 willing to bear it and suffer. After a while they met a man named Simon, and the 
 soldiers made him carrj' it after Jesus. The artist has given us this scene in the picture ; 
 Christ is crushed to the earth — too weak to carry the cross farther ; and the sturdy 
 Simon, " a Cyrenian," is seen bearing the cruel weight of the cross. 
 
 As Jesus passed along, many of His friends came out, and followed Him, weeping 
 ver}^ bitterl}^ Some of them were the women, and other people, to whom the Saviour 
 had shown kindness ; and Jesus turned to them, and said, " Daughters of Jerusalem, weep 
 not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. Weep for 3'our country, 
 and for all the sorrow which is coming upon it." Jesus could feel for His friends and 
 His country in all His sufferings. He cared more for their sorrow than for His own. 
 
 Dear children, Jesus bore the cross for us ; and He says, " he that taketh not his cross, 
 and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me. If we would belong to Jesus, we must 
 not be ashamed to bear the cross for Him. We are bid to take, not to make, our cross. 
 God provides it. We are bid to take it up. Some writer has said, " The cross is easier 
 to him who takes it up, than to him who drags it." 
 
 f
 
 CHRIST'S ARRIVAL AT MOUNT CALVARY. 
 
 T last, they came to a spot outside the gate of Jerusalem, called Golgotha or 
 Calvary. The word means " a skiill." Why it was so called is not known. 
 It may possibly have been so called from a supposed resemblance 
 of the ground to a human skull. Nothing is known, at the 
 present time, respecting its site. All that we know of Golgotha, 
 perhaps all that God willed to be known, is that it was without 
 the city gate. 
 
 In the first picture the artist has portrayed the arrival at the 
 hill Calvary. So utterly broken down is Christ's physical strength that He sinks to the 
 ground. It was usual to give to the condemned, immediately before crucifixion, some 
 wine mixed with some powerful opiate, to quiet their pain, and help them to bear it. It 
 had been the custom of wealthy ladies in Jerusalem to provide this spiced wine at their 
 own expense, and they did so quite irrespectively of their sympath}' for au}^ individual 
 criminal. In this case it was probably offered to Jesus by the pitiful women who 
 followed Him to the place of crucifixion, weeping as they went, and to whom He spoke 
 the tender words by the way. When Jesus had tasted the wine mingled with bitter gall, 
 He would not drink. Jesus did not wish His pain to be lessened. He was willing to 
 endure the pangs which He had left heaven to bear for the sake of a sinful world. And 
 thus an old prophecy of the Messiah was literally fulfilled : " They gave Me also gall 
 for My meat ; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink." 
 
 And all this Jesus suffered without the least impatience or anger. Dear children, let 
 us especially consider this conduct of our Saviour as our pattern. Let us remember, 
 that we are called to do good, and suffer evil, in this present world ; let us keep a guard 
 over our spirits and at the door of our lips, when we are injured, insulted, and afflicted; 
 and let us consider how " light our afflictions " are, and how mixed with consolations, 
 when compared with those of our divine Saviour. 
 
 The soldiers next proceeded to crucif}- Jesus. This was done in the following manner : 
 He was stripped almost naked of His clothes ; then the soldiers made Him lie down 
 on the beam of wood, and they stretched His arms out on the cross-beam, and drove a 
 large nail through each of the palms of His hands into the wood ; and the feet, possibly 
 placed one over the other, were fastened to the upright part of the cross, by another 
 huge nail. In the next picture, 
 
 " THE CRUCIFIXION," 
 35S
 
 36o THE CRUCIFIXION. 
 
 they have laid hold of Him, thrust Him down upon the cross, and with blow after blow 
 they drive the cruel nails through His hands and His feet. O think of it, my dear 
 children, think of having nails driven right through your hands and feet. Do you 
 suppose, if you could save the life of some little friend of yours, that you would be 
 willing to have nails driven through your hands and feet, and to be fastened to a cross, 
 and left there to die ? Suppose some one had suffered such a death as that for you, that 
 he might save you from temporal death, do you not think you would love the very name 
 of that friend? I am sure you would. It seems to me you could not help it. Well, that 
 is just what Jesus did — only He died to save you from eternal death. Ah, how can you 
 help loving this dear Jesus ? I should think you would hate all the sins that you have 
 ever committed, when you remember that it was your sin that helped to nail the loving 
 Jesus to the cross. 
 
 A little girl in a mission-school sat on the front seat ; and, when the superintendent 
 was telling about how they nailed Jesus on the cross, the tears came to her eyes, and 
 she had to get up and go out. In the afternoon, she came back, smiling, and the super- 
 intendent asked her, " Mary, where did 3-ou go this morning ? " And she said, "O, 
 teacher ! I could not stand it when you spoke to us about Jesus being nailed on the 
 cross; for I felt just as if I helped to pound the nails in; and I went off a little 
 piece from the school, and got down on my knees, and told Jesus that niy sins helped 
 to hang Him on the cross ; and I asked Him to please forgive me for helping to kill 
 Him ; that I was so sorry ! but now I feel so happ}^ ! " 
 
 The bible says : " Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, 
 but with the precious blood of Christ." You know that when the great nails were 
 driven through His hands and feet, the blood oozed out, and trickled down upon the 
 ground. So that when the bible ^vs, " Ye are redeemed with the precious blood of 
 Christ," it means, that when we had broken God's good laws, and deserved to be 
 punished, Christ gave Himself up to suffer in our place. He gave Himself a ransom 
 for us. What a great heart of love He must have had to be willing to die ! Have you 
 ever thanked Him for this wonderful love ? Do you love Him for it ? 
 
 When the soldiers had finished nailing Jesus to the cross, then the cross was slowly 
 lifted up by strong men, and the foot of it sunk into a hole, with a violent jerk, produc- 
 ing the most agonizing torture. The third picture portrays 
 
 "THE LIFTING UP OF THE CROSS." 
 The shame of the cross was made greater bv our Saviour being crucified between two
 
 362 THE LIFTING UP OF THE CROSS. 
 
 robbers — as tliougb He were the worst of the three. Rut all this was a fulfillment of 
 those words of Isaiah : " And He was numbered with the transgressors." The spite of 
 men had all been foreseen and foretold. The soldiers took the garments of Jesus and 
 divided them among them, except the inner garment or tunic, which St. John tells us 
 was without seam, and for this they gambled or cast lots, fulfilling the prophecy of 
 David, saying, " They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture." 
 Then they sat down and watched Him, while many wicked men jeered Him, saying, 
 " He saved others. Himself He cannot save." But all this time the gentle Saviour only 
 pitied them, and said, " Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." That 
 was the patient way He bore the pain to save us. 
 
 Over the head of the blessed Lord on the cross was a tablet, with the words, " Jesus 
 OF Naz.\reth the king of the Jews." Pilate wrote it in mockery ; and those who 
 read it only laughed, and reviled Jesus the more. Yet the writing was true. Jesus luas 
 king of the Jews. The Jews indeed would not receive Him as their king ; but a time is 
 coming when they will receive Him. There Jesus hung patientl}', while the chief 
 priests and Pharisees passed bv, mocking and laughing at His pain. Even the robbers 
 at first joined in the cry ; but by-and-b}- one of them began to feel that He who was so 
 patient and so great in all that agony must truly be the Son of God, and so he rebuked 
 his fellow, and said to Jesus, " Lord remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom !" 
 And the Lord answered, " To-d ly shalt thou be with Me in paradise ! " 
 
 The mother of Jesus had come to stand by the foot of His cross, and with her, her 
 sister and some other women, and His beloved disciple John. When Jesus saw His 
 mother and John standing near Him, He spoke to them, and comforted them. His own 
 pain did not make Him forgetful of those He loved. He spoke first to His mother and 
 said, " Woman behold thy son ! " and He looked at John, and said, " Behold thy mother !" 
 He meant that John should take care of her, and be like a son to her, when her own Son. 
 was gone. And John understood what his dear Master meant, and took Mary home with, 
 him, and was always like a son to her afterwards. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — What a lesson of forgiveness, little people, there is in all 
 this for us. In a school in Ireland, one boy struck another ; and, when he was about to 
 be punished, the injured boy begged for his pardon. The master asked, " Why do you 
 wish to keep him from being flogged ? " The boy replied, " I have read in the New 
 Testament that our Lord Jesus Christ forgave His enemies when He hung upon the cross ; 
 and therefore I forgive him, and beg he ma}^ not be punished for my sake."
 
 THE DEATH OF CHRIST. 
 
 T was noou. And now a dreadful darkness came over all the land. It 
 lasted from noon until three o'clock. The mockery of the Jews was 
 interrupted by three hours of gloom and consternation. It would 
 seem as if nature was unable to behold the agony of her Creator, and 
 also sought to hide it from the gaze of men. Jesus was still alive ; 
 but He did not speak all that time. He was suffering more than we 
 can understand ; more than any mere man could ever suffer. His body 
 was in great pain. The wounds caused by the scourge, and by the 
 nails, festered and became inflamed, and were attacked by great swarms of flies ; the 
 "head throbbed; burning fever set in ; the joints ached, and every movement for their 
 relief only increased the pain ; there was dizziness, intense thirst, and heaviness of the 
 "heart. 
 
 But, great as were His bodily sufferings, these were nothing compared with those of 
 His soul. Jesus was dying ; dying for sinners. He had promised His Father to do 
 this ; and His Father was now putting upon Him the punishment due to the sins of the 
 world. And at " the ninth hour," or three o'clock in the afternoon, Jesus cried with a 
 loud voice, saying, " My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Ale ? " Why should 
 Jesus make that cry ? Because He .was on the cross in the sinner's place. God hates 
 sin. And for a time He felt as sinners feel when God withdraws His presence from them 
 forever. He took the sinner's place, and experienced his despair in order that the sinner 
 might experience the joy of the beloved Sou. God had not forgotten His beloved Son ; 
 He had not ceased to love Him ; but He did not smile upon Him, nor comfort Him now ; 
 this was His worst sufi"ering. For God to forsake Him at that moment, how awful ! 
 Well may we adore the blessed Jesus for such a display of love. But, if He cried out 
 beneath the weight of man's guilt, what must those sinners endure, who will not believe 
 in Him and be saved, and so doom themselves to bear the weight of their own guilt 
 forever. 
 
 Some of them that stood there, when they heard Jesus cr}- out with anguish, said, 
 " This man calleth for Elias." Then one of the soldiers ran and filled a sponge with 
 vinegar, and lifted it up to the Saviour's lips. This was done in response to His cry : 
 " I thirst." No doubt that it was given by some one who was touched b}^ that appeal. 
 But his more brutal companions said, " Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to 
 
 364
 
 366 THE DEATH OF CHRIST. 
 
 save Him." When Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, " It is finished ; " and then 
 He cried with a loud voice, " Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit ; " and He 
 bowed His head, and gave up the ghost. 
 
 Jesus was dead. This is what the artist has portrayed in the first picture. " It is 
 finished." The work of grace was done. The work which His Father had given Him 
 to do was now perfiarmed. The Father's will was done. Jesus would have hung on the 
 cross for two or three days before dying, but when He thought of all the wicked people 
 in the world, He thought of you and me ; then His heart broke, and He died after He 
 had been on the cross only six hours. He died of a broken heart ! 
 
 Then the veil, which hung before the Holy of Holies in the temple, was torn in two ; 
 and the earth shook with a great earthquake ; and the rocks rent ; and the graves 
 opened, and the bodies of many of the saints which slept arose. The artist, in the next 
 picture, 
 
 " THE DARKNESS WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE DEATH OF OUR LORD," 
 tries to give us some idea of this thrilling event in nature. And why was all this ? 
 Why did nature thus feel this great event ? Because Jesus was God. Everything felt 
 His power ; and ever3-thing trembled with fear and horror, when wicked men put to 
 death the Lord of life and glory. The soldiers who watched Jesus, and the centurion 
 who commanded them, felt this, and cried, " T^ruly this was the Son of God." He acted 
 j ust as the Son of God would act. 
 
 Now, my dear little friends, does not this wonderful stor}' of the death of Jesus make 
 3^ou feel that you ought to be Christians ? Try and offer this little prayer from the heart : 
 " O God, show me that Jesus, the Saviour, is very near me now, and that He is willing to 
 love me ; and teach me how He suffered that I might be forgiven my many sins, and be 
 found at last in His fold. Holy Spirit, help me to see Jesus as »iy Saviour ; and O, dear 
 Jesus, forgive me that I have not loved Thee ; give me a new heart, that I may love 
 Thee now ; take me as I am, and make nie Thine forever, for Thine own sake. Amen." 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A minister was once speaking about sin finding us out. 
 He said, " If you do not find out your sin, and bring it to Calvary, to get it pardoned, 
 and washed away through the blood of Jesus, your sin will find you out, and bring you 
 to judgment to be condemned, and sent away by Jesus Christ to everlasting punish- 
 ment." Oh ! " thought a little girl who had told, her mother a lie — " Oh, that lie ! I 
 must either find it, and bring it to Calvary, or it will cause me to be punished forever." 
 She rested not till she knew what it was to have sin forgiven.
 
 CHRIST TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS. 
 
 UR Saviour was crucified on Friday. The next day was the Jewish 
 Sabbath. And the Sabbath after the crucifixion happened to be a 
 great day among the Jews — because it was the feast of the pass- 
 over. So some of them went to Pilate, and asked him to let them 
 take the bodies down from the crosses, that the Sabbath might not 
 be dishonored, and that the law of Moses might not be broken. 
 i^i^ Then Pilate sent the soldiers to see if those who were crucified 
 were yet dead, and to kill them if they were not. This was done 
 by striking the legs of the sufferers with a heavy mallet, which generally caused instant 
 death. 
 
 The soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves first ; and then, coming to Jesus, they 
 saw that He was dead already, and so did not break His legs. But one of them with a 
 spear pierced His side, and there came out blood and water. These things, too, had been 
 foretold by the prophets. 
 
 And now two of Christ's secret friends and lovers come to the light. Nicodemus, who, 
 at first, came to Him by night, was one ; and Joseph of Arimathea, who had been some 
 time a disciple of Jesiis, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, was the other. Joseph went 
 boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus that he might give it burial. Nicodemus 
 brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight, for the purpose 
 of embalming it. In the depth and sincerity of their love they did this ; and now, when 
 Jesus and His disciples had so many enemies, Joseph and Nicodemus, instead of being 
 afraid, felt strong and courageous. 
 
 Pilate was astonished when Joseph told him that Jesus was dead. A death so soon 
 after crucifixion was a thing so unusual that he called to him the centurion, in order to 
 
 make sure of the fact. When he was certain, he gave the body to Joseph. Joseph went 
 
 368
 
 i70 CHRIST TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS. 
 
 to the cross, and took down the bod}- of Jesus. In the picture the artist has shown us 
 these good men carefullj- lifting Jesus from the cross. 
 
 When the body was taken down, Joseph and Nicodemus carried it to Joseph's garden 
 near the place of crucifixion, where there was a cave in which Joseph meant to be buried, 
 but where no one had yet been laid. They carried our Lord's body there ; and the good 
 M'omen who followed. Mar}- Magdalene and the rest, wrapped it up in clean linen and 
 sweet spices. They w^anted to do more for it ; but it was getting late on Friday evening, 
 and the Sabbath or seventh day was counted from sunset, and then they could do no 
 manner of work. So they had to wait til] the Sabbath should be over. 
 
 In our next picture 
 
 "THE BURIAL OF JESUS," 
 we see Joseph and Nicodemus bearing to the tomb the silent form of Him who only 
 lived for others, and who died to win them eternal life. As became royalty, the body was 
 placed in a new tomb, hewn out of the rock, " wherein never man before was laid." And 
 thus was fulfilled that scripture, which in the same breath implied both shame and honor 
 " He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death." 
 
 When they had laid the body in the tomb, Joseph rolled a great stone close up to the 
 rock ; and they went away in their grief The day following, the chief priests and 
 Pharisees went to Pilate, and told him that they were afraid that Christ's disciples would 
 go to the tomb secretly, by night, and steal the body away ; and then they will pretend that 
 He is risen from the dead, and persuade the people to believe in Him ; so they begged 
 Pilate that they might have the tomb guarded. Pilate said, " Go your way ; set a watch 
 at the sepulchre, and make it -as sure as you can." So they went away, and made all as 
 sure as they could, and sealed the stone that nobody might remove it, and set a watch or 
 guard of soldiers to prevent any one approaching. These foolish men thought that they 
 could thus keep the body of Jesus in the tomb. We shall soon see how vain all their 
 hopes were.
 
 THE ANGEL AND THE WOMEN AT THE SEPULCHRE. 
 
 fOW sad a Sabbath was the day after the burial ! The disciples 
 
 were all despondent. They felt that all hope was gone. Although 
 
 Christ had told them that He should rise again, 3-et they were 
 
 T not looking for His resurrection, for who ever had come back 
 
 again from the dead ? 
 
 As soon as the Sabbath was past, Alary Magdalene and the other 
 women, who loved Jesus so much, came, with the sweet spices they had 
 prepared, to the tomb to anoint His body. It was very early in the 
 morning when they set off ;^just beginning to be light. So little were they thinking 
 of a resurrection, that as they went along they were troubled with the thought, " who 
 shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre ? " for it was \^xy heav5\ 
 But when they came nearer, they saw that it was taken away ; and the door was 
 open. ■ 
 
 How was this ? Who had rolled away the stone ? The angel of the Lord sent down 
 from heaven. The stone, and the seal, and the soldiers who watched by the tomb, had 
 no power to keep Jesus within the tomb. " And, behold, there was a great earthquake : 
 for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from 
 the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white 
 as snow : and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men." These 
 keepers were Roman soldiers, the most courageous men in the world ; but they were 
 frightened at the scene. Jesus had risen, as He said ; the grave had given up its dead, 
 and Christ was alive again. 
 
 Mary Magdalene was so astonished at what she saw, that she ran back, and told the 
 disciples. But Salome and the other Mary stayed and went into the sepulchre ; and 
 there they saw a young man clothed in a long white garment : and they were afraid ; But 
 he said to them. " Be not afraid ; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified ; He has 
 risen ; He is not here : behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell 
 His disciples and Peter, that He goeth before you into Galilee : there shall ye see Him, 
 as He said unto you." In the picture we have this striking scene portrayed. Then the 
 women went away quickly from the sepulchre ; but they were so much frightened at all 
 they had seen, that they could not speak to any one they met on the road. 
 
 Mary Magdalene had gone to tell Peter and John. As soon as she saw them, she 
 
 372
 
 I
 
 374 THE ANGEL AND THE WOMEN AT THE SEPULCHRE. 
 
 said, " They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, aud we know not where 
 they have laid Him." You see Peter's sin had been forgiven, because he had repented ; 
 and when he heard from Mary Magdalene that Jesus was not in the tomb, both he and 
 John ran to the sepulchre ; John ran faster than Peter, and came there first, and saw the 
 linen clothes lying ; but he did not go in. Soon after, Peter came, and went in, and he 
 too saw the linen clothes l3'ing ; and the napkin that had been about Jesus' head, folded 
 together in a place by itself. By-and-by John also went into the sepulchre ; and then 
 they believed that Jesus had risen, so they went away. 
 
 But Mary Magdalene still stayed outside the sepulchre, weeping. At last she 
 stooped down aud looked in ; and she saw two angels clothed in white sitting there, and 
 they said to Mary, " Why weepest thou ? " She answered, " Because they have taken 
 away my Lord, aud I know not where they have laid Him." As she said this, she turned 
 round and saw some one standing near her. He asked her the same question, " Why 
 weepest thou ? " Mary did not know that it was Jesus when she saw Him ; she thought 
 it was the gardener who spoke to her ; so she said, " Sir, if thou hast borne Him hence, 
 tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Hitn away." Jesus said unto her, 
 " Mary! " She who so loved her Saviour knew His voice at once, and in tones of joy she 
 answered, " Master." Mary was so glad, she would have embraced His feet, but Jesus 
 forbade her, and desired her to go and tell His brethren, saying, " I ascend to My 
 Father, and to your Father ; to My God, and to your God." 
 
 Then Mary went to tell the disciples. As she was going, she met Salome and the 
 other Mary ; and while they were all together, Jesus Himself came to them, and said, 
 " All hail ! " Then they fell down and worshipped Him. Jesus said to them. " Be not 
 afraid ; go and tell My brethren to go into Galilee, and there they shall see Me." So 
 they went, and did as Jesus said. 
 
 But what did the Roman soldiers do ? They were set to guard the bod}^ of Jesus, and 
 yet He had escaped. How could they escape punishment for this ? They went into the 
 city and told the simple story how it happened, aud how terrified they were. " They 
 showed unto the priests all the things that were done." The priests were ver}' much 
 surprised to hear this. But they would not believe in Jesus even now ; and the}- deter- 
 mined to prevent the people too from believing on Him, if they could. So it was settled 
 that a story should be made up ; they called the soldierSj aud gave them a large sum of 
 money, and said, " Saj- ye. His disciples came by night, and stole Him away while we 
 slept ; " and they told the soldiers, they need not be afraid, for they would speak to the
 
 
 THE ANGEL AND THE WOMEN AT THE vSEPULCHRE. 
 
 375 
 
 governor, and take care that they were not punished. So the soldiers took the money, 
 and promised to do as the}^ were told ; and then they went away and told this wicked 
 falsehood to all the people. 
 
 Dear children, a very little thought will show the weakness of this story. In the 
 first place, if the soldiers had been asleep, they could not have known what had passed 
 during that time. Secondly, if anj^ of them had been awake, they would naturally ha\-e 
 awakened their comrades, and have prevented the act the}' were to assert as having taken 
 place. And, thirdly, if they had been asleep, they would not have dared to own it ; 
 the priests and elders would themselves have demanded their punishment. 
 
 Yes ; it is a blessed truth — -Jesus rose from the dead ! And if we sleep in Jesus, God 
 will bring us with Him ; because He lives, we shall live also. As surely as the 
 sepulchre of Christ became an empty sepulchre, so surely the sepulchres of His people 
 shall become empt}" also ; as surely as He got up, and sung a jubilee of life and 
 immortality, so surely shall His people come out of the grave and sing forever. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Little W'Axy said. " They took little brother and laid him 
 in the ground where the trees grow." " The cold ground," said Kate, shuddering " No, 
 the zvanii ground," replied Mary, where ugl}^ seeds are turned into beautiful flowers, and 
 where good people turn into angels, and fly away to heaven." Yes, dear little ones, the 
 ground has been " zfa^'w," since our Saviour laid in it.
 
 THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 
 
 HE same day that Christ rose from the dead, two of his disciples 
 
 were walking to Emmaus, a little village near Jerusalem. They 
 
 were talking " of all the things which had happened." The 
 
 question which the}- were talking o^•er evidently was, " Was 
 
 Jesus the Messiah ? " The particular thing which troubled them 
 
 was, " Could he be the Christ and suffer the shameful death that 
 
 He did ? " " Was it possible for His enemies so to triumph over 
 
 the true Messiah ? " 
 
 As the}' talked in this way, Jesus came up behind them, and joined them as though 
 He were a common traveler going their way. He made the promise, " For where two 
 or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them," and was 
 alread}' fulfilling it. That promise He still fulfills. If we were to look for the reason 
 Avh)' he appeared unto Mar}- Magdalene and to these two disciples first, before He 
 appeared unto any of His apostles, perhaps we should find it in this — that they were in 
 the most need of comfort. Mary was weeping at the sepulchre, and these two men were 
 walking along talking about their Lord, lonely and sad. The Lord dried Mary's tears, 
 and changed their sadness into jo}-. He had a design in comforting them. And how 
 soon they carried it out by tr}-ing to comfort others ! Are we as zealous as were they ? 
 When Jesus came near them, He asked, " What are you talking about ? " They 
 replied, " Have j-ou not heard what has happened 3-onder in Jerusalem ? " " What 
 things," said He. Then they told Him it was of Jesus of Nazareth, who had been a 
 great prophet, and they had hoped would have redeemed Israel ; but now He had been put 
 to death the da}- before yesterday, yet that some of the women said that they had seen 
 a vision of angels which said that He was alive. 
 
 And then this wonderful Stranger began to explain to them, in all the scriptures, 
 the things which were written of Christ. As He talked to them, they felt that they 
 had never before understood the scripture so clearly ; and they began to be quite sure 
 that Jesus was indeed the true Messiah. It is this meeting that the artist has so touch- 
 ingly portra}'ed in the picture. At last they came to Emmaus, and went into a house ; 
 and the Stranger made as if He would have gone farther, but they pressed Him to come 
 in. He sat down with them, and took bread and blessed and brake it ; then their eyes 
 were opened — /'/ zt>as Jesus ! and they knew Him. And as soon as they knew Him, He 
 vanished out of their sight. Then they said, " Did not our hearts burn within us as 
 
 376
 
 378 THE WALK TO EM MANS. 
 
 He talked with us by the waj- ? " They returned to Jerusalem that same hour, and 
 found the other disciples, and said to them, " The Lord is risen indeed ; " and while 
 they were telling them the things that had just happened, though the door was not 
 opened, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said, " Peace be unto you." 
 They were afraid at first ; but again He said, " Why are ye troubled ? and why do 
 thoughts arise in 3-our hearts ? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I, Myself, 
 handle Me, and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have." Then 
 He showed them that there were the marks of the nails in His hands and feet, and the 
 spear-wound in His side ; so that it was His own real body that had come again from 
 the dead. 
 
 The disciples could hardly believe for joy ; but Jesus asked them, "Have ye here 
 any meat ? " And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and a honev-comb ; and He 
 took it, and ate with them, to make them quite sure that it was Himself • Then He 
 said, " These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all 
 things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, 
 and in the psalms, concerning me." Then He explained all to them, and showed them 
 how He really is the Christ the Son of God ; and He said, " Now go, arid teach all 
 nations what I have done to save sinners. Begin at Jerusalem; for the Jews must 
 first have the gospel preached to them ; and then go to the Gentiles. Tell them to 
 repent of their sins, and believe in Me, that they may be saved. Baptize them in the 
 name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Thomas was not with 
 the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them ; but when the\- next saw him, thev told 
 him the good news. They said, "We have seen, the Lord." But Thomas said he 
 should never believe that it was the Lord Himself, unless he could put his finger into 
 the print of the nails, and his hand into the wound in His side. 
 
 The next Sunday evening, Thomas and the other ten were all in the upper room 
 together, when Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said, " Peace be unto you." 
 There was no need for Jesus to open the door, to come into the room. He had power 
 to come and go as He pleased, in a wonderful way w'hich we cannot understand ; and He 
 came now, that Thomas might see for himself, and be quite sure that Jesus was risen 
 from the dead. So Jesus called Thomas, and said, " Reach hither thv finger, and 
 behold My hands ; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side ; and be not 
 faithless, but believing." Then Thomas knew that it was realh' Jesus, and he cried out 
 in faith and joy, " My Lord and my God ! " And Jesus answered, " Thomas, because thou
 
 THE WALK TO EMMANS. 379 
 
 hast seen Me, thou hast believed ; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have 
 believed." And this is the blessing for all who have lived since our blessed Lord was 
 on earth. We do not see Him, as Thomas did ; but we may look upon Him by faith, 
 and believe in Him in our hearts ; and all will be truly " blessed," really happy, who 
 thus believe in Jesus. 
 
 Our Lord told His apostles to go into Galilee ; and there, one night, seven of them 
 went out fishing on the lake, as they used to do ; but they fished all night, and caught 
 nothing. In the morning, Jesus came and stood upon the shore ; but the disciples did not 
 know that it was Jesus. So he called to them, and said, " Children, have you any meat ?" 
 They said, " No." Then He said, " Cast the net on the right side of the ship." And 
 directly the net was full of fishes, all large and good, and it did not break ! When John 
 saw this, he turned to Peter, and said, " It is the Lord." And Peter was so glad, that 
 he sprang right out of the boat, and came hurrying through the water to his Master's 
 feet. And the other disciples came in the ship, dragging the net full of fishes ; as soon 
 as they were all come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and 
 bread. The disciples did not know how and whence all this food came ; it was the kind 
 care of Jesus that prepared it for them. And Jesus said, " Come and dine." So they 
 sat down to meat. 
 
 When they had eaten, Jesus called Peter, and said to him, " Simon, son of Jonas, 
 lovest thou Me more than these ? " Peter answered, " Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love 
 Thee." " Feed My sheep," Jesus said. Soon after, Jesus asked again, " Simon, son of 
 Jonas, lovest thou Me?" "Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee," said Peter. 
 '' Feed My lambs," Jesus said. Jesus asked the third time, " Simon, son of Jonas, lovest 
 thou Me ? " Peter now began to feel grieved; and he said, " Lord, Thou knowest all 
 things ; Thou knowest that I love Thee." And once more Jesus said, " Feed My sheep." 
 
 What did this mean ? Christ is the Good Shepherd, and He calls His people His 
 sheep. Peter was to give spiritual food to those sheep. He was to go and preach the 
 gospel to them. 
 
 Savings of childhood : — In a certain christian family, a little boy, on asking his 
 father to allow him to be baptized, was told that he was too young — that he might fall 
 back if he made a profession when he was only a little boy. To this he made reply : 
 ''Jesus has promised to carry the Iambs in His ar?>is. I am only a little boy — /'/ n'ill be 
 ,asier for Jesus to carry me.'''' This logic was too much for the father. He took him 
 with mm, and the child was ere long baptized.
 
 THE ASCENSION. 
 
 ^OR forty days our Lord came in wa3^s like what I have told 3'ou, to 
 see and teach His disciples. At last, the time came for Jesus to be 
 taken from them, and to go up to heaven. So He led them out once 
 more to the village of Bethany. Then Jesus lifted up His hands and 
 ■blessed His disciples ; and it came to pass, that while He was 
 blessing them, and talking with them, He was parted from them, 
 ^ and ascended up into heaven, going higher and higher, till " a cloud 
 received Him out of their sight." 
 
 This is the scene portra3'ed so beautifully in the engraving ; the ascending figure of 
 our Saviour, rising above the group of His joj^ful yet sorrowing worshippers, is power- 
 fullj' expressed b^' the artist. The disciples kept looking towards heaven, as he went 
 up ; they watched the bright cloud which hid Him finallj- from their e3'es. At last 
 Jesus was gone. He had gone into heaven, to set down on the right hand of His 
 Father's throne. 
 
 While the3^ still looked after Him, two angels appeared and said, " Ye men of Galilee, 
 wh3^ stand 3'e gazing up into heaven ? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into 
 heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Then the 
 disciples were comforted ; and they returned to Jerusalem with great jo3', there to wait 
 for the promise of the Holy Ghost, as Jesus commanded them. 
 
 Dear children, Where is Jesus now ? In the heavens. Though He has gone up 
 from the earth and ascended into His glory, He will not forget His children for a 
 moment that are left behind Him. Do you know what He is doing there ? He is 
 watching over us, and la3'ing our prayers before His Father, and getting read3' our 
 home there. Another thing He is doing : He is interceding for us. Do 3'ou know what 
 that big word means ? It means that He is pleading for you and me, that our sins may be 
 forgiven and that we may not do wrong any more. Won't you tr3' to do all that 3'ou can 
 to keep from doing wrong. 
 
 S.wiNGS OF CHILDHOOD : — The question was asked in a Sunda3^ school, " What is 
 meant by intercession ? " One little fellow replied, " Speaking a word to God for us, 
 sir." Wasn't that a good answer? Jesus ever lives to intercede — that is, " speak a word 
 to God f)r us." 
 
 380

 
 DAY OF PENTECOST. 
 
 , HRIST had told His apostles, that though He was going to heaven 
 
 He would send them another comforter, who would be with them 
 
 forever. The time was now come when that promise must be 
 
 fulfilled. Ten days after the ascension, was the feast of pentecost — 
 
 one of the great feasts of the Jews. On that day the disciples of 
 
 Jesus were all met together " in one place " at Jerusalem ; and while 
 
 the}' were so met, suddenl}- a singular sound filled the house, as though a wind were 
 
 nishing through it, and flames, like fire, appeared on each of them, having the shape of 
 
 tongues, cloven, or divided; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and wonderful 
 
 knowledge came to all of them — so that they could speak all sorts of different languages, 
 
 without ever having learned them. 
 
 Now, you know, it takes some time and labor to learn different languages, but these 
 
 disciples spoke several languages at once ; and the reason of this was, that they might 
 
 at once tell the people of different countries who came to Jerusalem, about all the great 
 
 things that Jesus had done, and what had happened to Him ; that sinners of mankind, 
 
 in every countr}-, might be saved. These wonders were to show them that God the 
 
 Hoh' Ghost had come down from heaven. 
 
 In the first picture we have portrayed the wonderful descent of the fire upon their 
 
 heads. All the Jews who had visited Jerusalem, when they heard of the wonderful 
 
 event which had taken place, ran to the house where the disciples were, and there was 
 
 great astonishment when the}- found that these disciples could speak the languages of 
 
 all the countries whence they had come. They said, " How is this ? Are not these men 
 
 Galileans ? How is it the)^ can speak to us in our own tongues ? " But some of the 
 
 people of Jerusalem, who hated Christ and His disciples, mocked, and said, " These men 
 
 382
 
 384 DAY OF PENTECOST. 
 
 are full of new wine; " that is, they charged them with being drunk. But, children, I 
 think the}- were more like drunken men themselves, who could suppose that men could 
 speak other languages merely because they were tipsy ; and, if they had not been full of 
 prejudice and hatred against Christ and His disciples, they would never have suggested 
 such a reason for this miraculous gift. 
 
 Then Peter thought it best to preach to the multitude. In the next picture we have 
 
 " THE APOSTLES PREACHING THE GOSPEL." 
 
 Peter, being the oldest, and perhaps the most thoroughl}' instructed in His Master's will 
 and purposes, took the lead of the apostolic band. He stood up. in the midst, and said, 
 '' Ye men of Judea, and all y-e that dwell at Jerusalem, these wonderful things, which 
 you now hear and see, are only the fulfillment of what God's prophet Joel foretold many 
 years ago. He said that God would, in the last days, pour out His Spirit upon His 
 servants, and teach them to prophes3^ And so it is. And now hear these words. Jesus 
 of Nazareth came among you, and worked miracles, as you know. He was taken by 
 wicked men, and crucified, and slain. But God raised Him up ; and we are witnesses of 
 His resurrection, and say to you, that He is the Son of God, the true Messiah. And 
 now He is ascended up to heaven ; and it is He who has sent the Holy Ghost upon us, 
 and given us this wonderful power of speaking which you have heard to-day." 
 
 When the people heard this, " they were pricked in their heart ; " that is they felt as 
 you have perhaps felt when you have been detected in doing something you ought not to 
 have done, and something perhaps verj- bad indeed ; for shame and guilt pierce and 
 wound the soul, as a sword cuts and pains the body. And they said unto Peter and to 
 the rest of the apostles, " Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter told them, 
 " Repent, and be baptized, everyone of j-ou, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remis. 
 sion of sins ; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." They must " repent " — 
 that is seek forgiveness from Christ for the wickedness they had done ; and they must be 
 " baptized " — that is, as a proof that they had embraced the religion of Jesus ; and then 
 the Holy Ghost would work in their hearts, and make them both holy and happy. 
 
 During that one day, children, about " three thousand " repented and believed, 
 through the preaching of Peter, and were baptized.
 
 PETER AND JOHN HEALING THE LAME MAN. 
 
 E have talked, dear children, about many wonderful miracles which 
 
 Jesus did. But I am going to tell you now about a miracle wrought 
 
 bv the apostles Peter and John. We are told that thej^ went up one 
 
 tJ^>^ day into the temple to pray. At the entrance-gate, which was 
 
 , ^ called " Beautiful " on account of its being more handsome than 
 
 "^-If* the other gates, they saw a poor man who was born lame. Every 
 
 day he was carried- to the gate, and there he lay, asking money 
 
 from those who went into the temple. As Peter and John entered, he asked them also 
 
 to give him something. These disciples were themselves poor, but they had something 
 
 better than money to give. So Peter said to the poor cripple, " Look on us ;" the poor 
 
 man did so at once, hoping to receive some nione)' from them. But Peter said, " Silver 
 
 and gold have I none ; but such as I have give I thee : in the name of J esus Christ of 
 
 Nazareth, rise up and walk." And Peter took him by the hand, and lifted him up ; and 
 
 instantl}' his feet became strong ; he stood up, and walked, and entered the temple, 
 
 leaping, and walking, and praising God. 
 
 In the engraving the artist has represented the scene just as Peter lifts the lame man 
 
 to his feet. His crutches drop ; and his hands are lifted in praise. The cure of this 
 
 man drew together a great man}- people, all wondering at what they saw. Peter said to 
 
 them, " Wh}' do 3-ou wonder? " Then he explained to them that not by their own power 
 
 or holiness had the}- given the lame man ability to walk, but that God had done this 
 
 miracle by His own power and mere}- ; and he preached to them of Christ crucified, and 
 
 touched their hearts ; so that about five thousand more were added to the church. 
 
 The Sadducees, and the high priest and others, being grieved because the apostles 
 
 taught the people, had Peter and John brought before them. They asked them by what 
 
 power the}- had cured, the man, whether by the help of the devil, as they thought, or b}^ 
 
 the help of God. At this moment the Holy Ghost filled Peter's heart with the greatest 
 
 courage, and he again preached, having the rulers and priests to hear him. These were not 
 
 converted, but nevertheless the}' were struck with wonder at the boldness of Peter and John. 
 
 From this, let us learn the duty of hol}^ boldness for the sake of Christ. One of the 
 
 reformers being told, " All the world are against you," replied, " Then I am against all 
 
 the world." The record on the tomb of John Knox is, " Here lies the man who never 
 
 feared the face of clay." 
 
 3S6
 
 lUj!] 'I' ffi|i«| Mil >!' Will III, IT I Ml i;i Jiiiii
 
 MARTYRDOM OF ST. STEPHEN. 
 
 alms to the needy. 
 
 EAR children, how many of 3^ou can tell me what the word 
 martyr means ? It means a person who dies in defence of his 
 ^ religion ; and man}' of the first followers of the Lord were 
 martyred, or put to death, for loving Jesus, and teaching in His 
 name. In those days the disciples had chosen, from among the 
 many newly converted Christians, seven holy and wise men, who 
 were called deacons, to assist them in visiting the sick, and giving 
 Among those thus chosen was a man named Stephen. He was a 
 man very " full of faith," and he " did great wonders and miracles among the people." 
 But the powerful enemies of Christ rose up against Stephen, and dragged him before 
 the council, and as there was no crime committed by him to condemn him, false wit- 
 nesses, for the sake of a reward, made up a story against him, and accused him of preach- 
 ing things contrar}' to their law. 
 . All this time Stephen stood calmly before his enemies. He looked so holy and 
 gentle, that " all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face, as 
 it had been the face of an angel." At last the high priest spoke to Stephen, and asked, 
 " Are these things so?" Then the good man made a noble defence, and boldly told 
 them of their wickedness, and of that of their fathers before them. He charged them 
 with being " the betrayers and murderers " of Christ, and cut them so to the heart with 
 what he said, that in their rage they, like a pack of dogs, " gnashed on him with their 
 teeth." But Stephen was still calm and gentle ; and being full of the Holy Ghost, he 
 looked up into heaven, and saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Then Stephen 
 said, " I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." 
 
 But his enemies would not attend to what he said. They cried out with a loud voice^ 
 
 388
 
 390 
 
 MARTYRDOM OF ST. STEPHEN. 
 
 and stopped their ears, and ran upon him, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him. 
 
 In the engraving, 'Stephen lies against the wall, with lifted face, bearing the pitiless 
 storm of stones hurled by his foes, who surround him on every hand. Then Stephen 
 called upon God, and said, " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And even in his sufferings, 
 he prayed for his murderers, following the example of our blessed Saviour ; he kneeled 
 down and cried with a loud voice, " Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And when 
 he had said this, " he fell asleep." 
 
 So Stephen died ; but the Bible does not say he " died ;" it only says he " fell asleep." 
 Just think of it, children, Stephen was in the midst of a shower of stones, and yet he 
 fell asleep! How peaceful his death was ! So peaceful and happy, that it was not like 
 death ; it was like calm and quiet sleep. What do you suppose made Stephen so forget 
 all his pain ? It was the bright and glorious sight of his Saviour standing at God's 
 right hand, to take him up to heaven. 
 
 All God's saints, when they die, fall asleep. When we sleep we rest ; and death to 
 them is no punishment, but only a rest. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A little boy in an infant class, one day said to his teacher, 
 " Our little baby's dead ! " After speaking about it for a few minutes, the teacher asked 
 the scholar, " Would you like to die ? " He replied, " Not yet." The child, when asked 
 what he meant by saying, " Not yet," said, " Not till I get a new heart." Dear children, 
 Stephen had a new heart ; and if you want to be peaceful and calm when you come to 
 die, like him, you must have a new heart.
 
 SAUL'S CONVERSION ON THE WAY TO DAMASCUS. 
 
 OW in this talk I want to tell you the history of the most wonderful 
 man among all the apostles. There was a rich 3-ouug man, whose 
 name was Saul ; he was born at Tarsus, and studied law at Jeru- 
 salem, under Gamaliel ; he became very learned, and was very 
 strict in keeping the laws of Moses, and thought himself very 
 righteous. Saul thought himself too good to need a Saviour, for 
 he did not know the sinfulness of his own heart then. 
 
 So when Saul first heard of Jesus and His followers, he 
 despised, and rejected, and hated Him ; and he persecuted every one who loved and 
 believed in the Saviour. He even thought it was his duty to do this, and to try to pre- 
 vent them from believing in the Lord Jesus. He made havoc of the cjiurch in Jeru- 
 salem, falling on them like a wild beast on its prey, " entering into ever}^ house," and 
 dragging out men and women, and putting them in prison. After doing all he could 
 to persecute the Christians in Jerusalem, Saul went to the high-priest, and begged him to 
 give him authority to go to Damascus, that he might there search out for the Christians, 
 and bring all that he could find bound to Jerusalem. 
 
 Then the high-priest gave him permission, and Saul set off to Damascus. But God 
 in His mercy had other work for Saul ; so God met him on his journey. As he came 
 near to Damascus, suddenly a great light from heaven shone round about him and he 
 fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou 
 Me ? " In the picture the artist has portrayed this moment in the conversion of Saul — 
 when the vivid light from heaven and the mysterious voice strike the fiery persecutor to 
 the earth, and scatter dismay and terror among his trembling attendants. 
 
 Then Saul cried, " Who art thou Lord ? " And the voice again said, " I am Jesus, 
 whom thou persecutest." Saul's spirit was at once subdued ; he was humbled and 
 
 391
 
 392 
 
 SAUL'S CONVERSION ON THE WAY TO DAMASCUS. 
 
 astonished ; and he who had made others tremble now trembled himself, and said, " Lord, 
 what wilt Thou have me to do ? " And the Lord said unto him, " Arise and go into the 
 city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Then Saul arose ; but he was not 
 able to see ; the great light which had flashed upon him had blinded his eyes, so that 
 those who were with him had to lead him b}' tlie hand ; and they brought him to 
 Damascus. 
 
 Saul was three days at Damascus, without eating or drinking ; and he was blind too, 
 all that time. Yet all was sent in mercy to Saul, to bring him to repentance. As he 
 sat alone, blind and unhappy, he thought of his past life ; and he felt, for the first time, 
 that he was a sinner before God ; and then he began to pray for pardon. And did God 
 hear his prayer ? Yes ; God had been looking upon Saul all this time ; and as soon as 
 Saul began reall_v to pra_v, God heard and answered him. 
 
 Then a certain good man, named Ananias, to whom the Lord appeared in a vision, 
 and told him what to do, came in search of Saul. Ananias went into the room where 
 Saul was, and, putting his hands upon him, said, " Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, 
 that appeared to thee in the wa}^ as thou earnest, hath sent me that thou mightest receive 
 thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." And Saul received his sight instantly, 
 and arose, and was baptized. Then he ate some food ; and he stayed some daj-s with the 
 disciples at Damascus, where he boldly preached Christ in their s^magogues.
 
 ST. PETER AT THE HOUSE OF CORNELIUS. 
 
 EFORE I tell 3'ou anything more about Saul, afterwards called 
 Paul, I will tell you something about Peter. There was a man 
 living, at this time, in Cesarea, whose name was Cornelius, and he 
 was a centurion, that is, an officer commanding a hundred men. 
 Cornelius was ver^' pious and charitable, and particularly fond of 
 prajang to God. He did not yet know very much of holy things ; 
 but he wished to know more, and prayed dail}^ to be taught. One 
 day, while he was devoutly engaged in prayer, an angel of God spoke to him in a vision ; 
 that is, he saw the angel, not in a dream by night, but in broad day ; and the angel 
 called him, and said, " Cornelius." Cornelius looked upon the angel, and asked, " What 
 is it. Lord ? " And the angel said to him, " Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for 
 a memorial before God ; " meaning, that the prayers which he had put up in faith, for 
 himself and family, and the charitable deeds he had done from a feeling of love, were 
 like sacrifices upon the altar, which ascended to God with acceptance. Theu the angel 
 told Cornelius, "Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter; 
 he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea-side ; he shall tell thee 
 what thou oughtest to do." So Cornelius sent two of his servants, and a pious soldier, to 
 Joppa to fetch Peter. 
 
 Now, it so happened, that the very day that the messengers set off on their journey, 
 Peter, who was now at Joppa, went on the house-top to pray ; and while he was praying 
 he fell into a trance — a kind of vision or dream. That is, he lost all sense of what was 
 doing here, and felt as if he were a happy spirit, departed from the body ; and he saw 
 heaven opened, and a large sheet let down to earth and spread out before him as a table 
 cloth, in which were wild beasts and creeping things, as well as tame beasts and fowls; 
 
 394
 
 ST. PETER AT THE HOUSE OF CORNELIUS. 395 
 
 and a voice said, "Arise, Peter, kill and eat." But Peter answered, " Not so. Lord ; for I 
 have never eaten anything common or unclean." The voice then said, " What God hath 
 cleansed, that call thou not common." This was done three times, to impress his mind 
 the more strongly ; and then the sheet was taken up again into heaven ; and Peter 
 awoke. 
 
 Peter, on coming to himself, could not think what all this could mean ; but while he 
 was thinking upon it, the messengers from Cornelius arrived at his door; and just at 
 that moment the Spirit said to Peter, " These men are seeking thee ; go with them, and 
 fear not ; for I have sent them." So Peter went down, and met them at the gate, and 
 said, " I am the man you seek. Tell me, why are you come? " They answered, " We 
 are come from Corneliiis, the centurion. He is a just man, and fears God; and he has 
 been warned by an angel to send for thee." Then Peter called the messengers into the 
 house, and lodged them that night ; and the next day he went with them to Cesarea. 
 
 Cornelius was very anxiously waiting to see Peter. He called together his relatives 
 and friends, and told them all to come and hear the words which Peter would have to say 
 to then:. On seeing Peter, Cornelius ran out to meet him, and fell at his feet " and 
 worshipped him," or paid him reverence. He was not a foolish heathen, who paid him 
 worship as if he had been a god, but he paid him very high respect as a servant of God, 
 sent to instruct him. Peter, however, thought that he paid him more reverence than he 
 ought, and fearing that he might rob Christ of the honor which was really due to Him, 
 and none other, Peter said, " Stand up ; I myself also am a man." Then Cornelius 
 brought Peter into the house where all his friends were gathered together, waiting. 
 
 Now Peter saw the plain meaning of the sheet, with the unclean creatures of which 
 he was to eat. Cornelius and his friends were all Gentiles ; and Peter, as a Jew, might 
 think it unlawful to keep company with those of other nations ; but this vision was a 
 sign to teach him, that though he was a Jew, yet he was now to unite with those who 
 would belong to Christ of all nations ; and he said to the company, " Ye know how that 
 it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew, to keep company, or come unto one of 
 another nation ; but God hath shown me that I should not call any man common or 
 unclean." Then he asked Cornelius, " Why have you sent for me ? " Cornelius now 
 told Peter for what reason he had sent for him, and that his little company were met 
 together to hear from him any words which God might speak through his lips. 
 
 Then Peter preached to this Gentile company the same truths which he had preached 
 to the Jews. In the engraving you see him preaching the gospel. He encouraged them
 
 396 
 
 ST. PETER AT THE HOUSE OF CORNELIUS. 
 
 to believe in Jesus as a Saviour, assuring them, that " in every nation he that feareth " 
 God, '' and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him ; " and that whosoever believeth 
 in Jesus shall receive the pardon of their sins, so that the}- shall not be brought against 
 them in the da}- of judgment. While Peter was preaching, the Holy Ghost also came 
 upon these Gentiles, as on the Jews assembled On the da}- of pentecost. They also were 
 now filled with zeal for the honor of Christ, and could speak in tongues thej^ had never 
 learned, so as to explain to all the}" might meet, of any country, the great things about 
 their salvation. Then Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, 
 to show that the}- were the disciples of Christ. And after this, he stayed with them 
 many davs. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A little black girl eight years old was setting the tea- 
 table, when a boy who was lying on the lounge said to her : " Alollie, do you ever pray ? " 
 '''Vcs, sir, every iiig/ity "Do you think God hears you?" ^''Yes, I kiiozu He does?'' 
 " But do you think," said he, " that He hears j'our prayers as quickly as He does those 
 of white children?" "J/r. George^'' said she, ^'- 1 pray into God's ear, and not to His 
 eyes. I reckon my voice is Just like any other little girPs, and if 1 say ivliat I ought, God 
 doesn''t stop to think about my skin^ Dear children, God is no respecter of persons, 
 however men ma-\- be.
 
 PETER DELIVERED FROM PRISON. 
 
 LIv the Herods were bad meu. Herod the great slew the infants at 
 Bethlehem ; Herod Antipas beheaded John the Baptist ; and Herod 
 .c^^ Agrippa " killed James, the brother of John, with the sword." 
 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he determined to take 
 Peter also. As soon as Herod heard that Peter was come to 
 Jerusalem, he sent, and took him, and put him into prison, and 
 commanded a number of soldiers to guard him safely. It was 
 impossible that he could escape but by some miracle, for his hands 
 were chained, and when he slept at night, he had two soldiers lying by him, one on each 
 side, and the chain on each hand was fastened to a hand of each soldier. 
 
 But nothing is too great for God ; and when the Christians met together to pra^- for 
 Peter's deliverance, God heard their prayers, and sent an angel to set him free. The 
 very night that this happened was to have been Peter's last night in prison. He lay 
 sleeping in the prison, bound with two strong chains. How could Peter sleep ? Was he 
 not too anxious, too unhappy, to rest quietl}' ? No ; Peter could sleep calmly though he 
 expected to be brought before his enemies the next morning, and perhaps put to a cruel 
 death. And why was he so calm and happy ? Because he was at peace with God ; Peter 
 was rflbdy to die, and therefore he had no cause for fear. 
 
 While Peter was sleeping, suddenly a light shone in the prison, and the angel touched 
 his side, and said, " Arise up quickly. Gird thyself, and follow me." Immediately 
 Peter's chains fell off from his hands ; and he rose up, and put on his garments, and 
 followed the angel. They passed through the prison, but the soldiers did not awake ; 
 then they came to the door, but the keepers were still sleeping ; so they went out, iintil 
 they came to the iron gate that led into the citv ; and the gate opened of its own accord, 
 •and Peter and the angel passed through, and down one street, and then, in a moment, 
 
 398
 
 400 PETER DELIVERED FROM PRISON. 
 
 the angel was gone.' In representing this incident the artist has given ns, in the 
 engraving, a wild night scene, with the angel leading the Apostle down the rough stone 
 steps, amid the sleeping guard. 
 
 All this was so sudden and surprising, that Peter scarcely believed it was real, and 
 thought he must be dreaming. But as soon as he came to himself, after the angel left 
 him, he said, ''Now I know of a suret}- that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath 
 delivered me out of the hand of Herod." Then, without loss of time, he hastened to 
 his fellow-Christians, who were just then met together for prayer at the house of " Marj^, 
 the mother of John, whose surname was Mark." Having knocked for admission, a 
 j'oung woman named Rhoda, went out to the gate to ask who was there ; and when she 
 heard Peter's voice answering, she was so glad, that, instead of stopping to let him in, 
 she ran in and told those in the house that Peter was come. Though the}- were praying, 
 and no doubt praying for his release, yet they could hardl}^ believe that it had happened 
 so soon, and they said to the j-oung woman, "Thou art mad." But Rhoda told them 
 she was quite sure that it was really Peter; then they said, "It is his angel." They 
 thought it was some heavenly messenger that had assumed his form to bring them some 
 news about him. All this time Peter stood knocking at the gate ; so at last they went 
 and opened it, and, to their great joy, they saw Peter himself, and he then told them 
 how he had escaped. Then he bade them, " Go and tell the good news unto the 
 brethren ;" and he departed to another place, where he would be safe from his enemies. 
 
 When daylight came, Peter being missed from the prison, the soldiers were all in 
 alarm ; no one knew how he had escaped, nor where he was. Herod, on being told what 
 had happened, was so enraged, that he cruelly put the keepers of the prison to death ; 
 but God punished Herod for his wickedness. One da}' he sat on the throne, dressed in 
 his robes, and made a line speech ; but God struck him with a fearful illness, and he 
 soon after died a very miserable death.
 
 PAUL IN THE SYNAGOGUE AT THESSALONICA. 
 
 OW, dear children, we will come back to Paul again. During his many 
 
 travels, preaching the Gospel here and there, Paul came one day ta 
 
 Thessalonica, a city of Macedonia. Here there was a Jewisk 
 
 synagogue ; and, during three successive Sabbaths, Paul went in 
 
 JjK'sl^^'' 1^^ ^^^ reasoned with the people about what the Scriptures said of 
 
 /^^'^iis «i ''ikr ^^^ Messiah, and proved that Jesus was He. Some of the Jewsr 
 
 believed, and so did many of the Greeks. But the Jews who did 
 
 not believe were greatly enraged ; they called together some wicked men, and went to 
 
 the house where the apostles lodged, to seek for them. The house belonged to a good 
 
 man named Jason. The wicked men could not find the apostles ; so they laid hold of 
 
 Jason and the other brethren, and dragged them out to the rulers of the city, and 
 
 charged them with turning the world upside down, or throwing every place which they 
 
 visited into confusion by their doctrines. 
 
 This troubled the rulers very much ; but they did no hurt at that time to Jason and 
 
 the others, but let them go. As these Christians were accused of being troublers, they 
 
 only required pledges of them that they would not in future disturb the peace of the 
 
 city. Then the brethren sent away Paul and Silas by night ; and they came to Berea. 
 
 God blessed Paul's preaching to many people at Thessalonica, and a Christian church 
 
 was formed there, to which Paul afterwards wrote the two epistles to the Thessalonians. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — Dear little ones, you cannot all be great preachers, like 
 
 Paul ; yet you can do something for Jesus. A little boy stood among a crowd of ladies 
 
 and gentlemen who were watching the laying of the railroad track over which President 
 
 Garfield, when wounded, was to be carried to his sea-side cottage at Long Branch. His 
 
 little heart ached for the sick President. He longed to do something to help. Suddenl}; 
 
 he left the crowd, and going toward a pleasant-looking man who was driving the spikes 
 
 401
 
 402 
 
 PAUL IN THE SYNAGOGUE AT THESSALONICA. 
 
 through the rails into the ties, he said : " Won't 3^011 please let me drive one of those , 
 in ? " The man glanced up. He was such a little fellow who wanted to drive the spike. 
 " I'm afraid you can't, my man," he said. " Won't' you let me try ? " The man saw the 
 purpose in the boy's eyes, and putting the hammer into his hand, said : " It's a heavy 
 job, but go ahead and try." Try he did, and worked with all his might, and the work- 
 man struck an occasional blow for him, and at last the spike was driven home, and the 
 happ3' little boy went back to his father. " I did something for the President, didn't I, 
 papa ? " Yes, he had done something, and all children can do something for Christ and 
 His cause, if they will only be contented to do a child's work, and not fret because it's 
 little. 
 
 PAUL AT EPHESUS. 
 
 OU remember, children, that Paul traveled a great deal, preaching, 
 and working miracles in the name of Jesus. After visiting 
 man}' different countries, he came a second time to Ephesus. 
 There were man}' disciples at Ephesus ; but they had not yet 
 received the Holy Ghost in that wonderful way in which He had 
 been given to many others. Their hearts had been changed and 
 made new by the Spirit ; but they had not yet been taught by 
 Mj Him to speak with tongues, and to prophes}'. So Paul, after he had 
 baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus, laid his hands on them, and prayed ; 
 and then the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spoke with tongues, and 
 prophesied. 
 
 And God did special miracles by the hands of Paul, " so that from his body were 
 brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them 
 and the evil spirits went out of them." At last, some " vagabond Jews," who went from 
 place to place, gaining a livelihood by their tricks, pretended that they could do these 
 wonders too ; so they called over a man who had an evil spirit, the name of Jesus, say-
 
 404 PAUL AT EPHESUS. 
 
 ing, " We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." But the evil spirit answered, 
 "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye ? " The man who had the evil spirit 
 knew that they were not holy men and followers of Christ, so he rushed upon them and 
 wounded them, so that they were glad to escape with their lives. 
 
 This affair was soon spread over the city of Ephesus, and produced a great change 
 in many persons, both among the Jews and Greeks. It showed them that Paul was not a 
 mere pretender, but that he worked miracles by the power of God. And many of those who 
 had been magicians, or sorcerers, when they believed the gospel, and found how foolish 
 and sinful their arts were, brought their books, and burnt them before all men. Those 
 books were full of what was wicked, and could do no good ; so the Ephesians did right 
 to burn them. This is the scene represented in the picture. The zealous people are 
 bringing their books to cast them into the flames ; St. Paul stands exhorting and 
 encouraging them from the steps of the temple. 
 
 But in a short time so many of the people became Christians, that the silversmiths 
 who made little images of Diana, whom they called their goddess, had no sale for their 
 images, because the people worshipped Jesus instead of Diana. Wherefore one of these 
 smiths, named Demetrius, made a great uproar in the city against Paul, and a great 
 crowd of people ran about, crying, " Great is Diana of the Ephesians ! " And they tried 
 to get hold of Paul, until the town clerk came out and addressed the people, advising 
 them to be quiet, and to let Demetrius carry the matter to the law. At length the 
 people dispersed, and Paul took leave of his friends, and once more went forth on his 
 mission.
 
 PAUL MENACED BY THE JEWS. 
 
 HE great feast of pentecost was near at hand. Paul wanted to be 
 at Jerusalem, that he might have an opportunity of preaching the 
 gospel to a great number of Jews, out of all countries, whom he 
 knew -would come to that feast. 
 v^^O^^^mi While Paul was stopping with Philip, at Cesarea, a prophet 
 
 >» ji<^*?£l*\. <i^ came from Judea, named Agabus. This prophet had been taught, 
 
 by the Holy Spirit, the things which should happen to Paul at 
 Jerusalem. So he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands 
 and feet, and said, " Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the 
 man who owneth this girdle, and shall give him up to the Gentiles." 
 
 This made Paul's companions weep and beg him not to go to Jerusalem ; but the 
 holy servant of God was not frightened ; he turned to his weeping friends, and said, 
 " What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart ! for I am ready not to be bound only, 
 but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." And when his friends 
 saw how determined he was, they did not try to persuade him any more ; but only said, 
 " The will of the Lord be done." 
 
 So Paul came to Jerusalem. The Christians there received him with great joy ; but 
 very soon, the unbelieving Jews began to persecute him, as Agabus had prophesied. 
 The}' accused him of speaking against the law, not understanding what it was that he 
 reall}' preached ; and then they laid hold of him in the temple, and drew him out, and 
 treated him so cruell}-, that they would have killed him had not the Roman captain rushed 
 in among them with some soldiers and rescued him. The captain took him, and bound 
 him with two chains ; and then he asked the people who Paul was, and what he had 
 done. Some cried one thing and some another ; and the chief captain could not 
 
 understand what they meant ; but he commanded Paul to be taken to the castle. As 
 
 406
 
 4o8 
 
 PAUL MENANCED BY THE JEWS. 
 
 he was carried along by the soldiers, the multitude followed, crying " Away with 
 him ; " just as many had cried when Christ Himself was taken to be put to death. 
 The engraving shows Paul on the castle stairs, borne along bj^ the soldiers ; the mob 
 is seen in the confused mass of struggling figures below. 
 
 At length the chief captain got him safely to the castle. Then Paul asked 
 permission to speak to the people ; permission was granted, and Paul told them all his 
 histor}', and of the command which God gave him, to go and preach to the Gentiles. 
 The people heard Paul patiently till he came to this, and then they grew very angry 
 indeed. They were jealous of the Gentiles, and could not bear that God should show 
 them any love or favor ; so they cried out, " Away with this man ; it is not right that he 
 should live." 
 
 Then the chief captain brought Paul into the castle, and commanded that he should 
 be beaten. But when they found that he was a Roman, they began to be frightened ; 
 for it was unlawful to treat a free citizen of Rome as Paul had been treated. So the 
 next day, the chief captain called together the chief priests and their council ; and Paul 
 being loosed from his bonds, was ordered to appear before the council, where he nobly 
 defended himself. 
 
 PAUL'S SHIPWRECK. 
 
 AUL had now been a prisoner for more than two years. At last he 
 appealed to Caesar. So Paul was now given up to the care of a 
 centurion to sail for Rome. When they had got part of the way 
 — to a place called the Fair Haven — Paul, finding it very stormy, 
 tried to persuade the captain to stay there for the winter ; but no 
 one would listen to Paul, and in a few days, a stormy wind arose, 
 and the ship was tossed about upon the waves, and the sky became 
 
 black with clouds, and they saw neither sun nor stars for many days. 
 
 Then they wished they had taken Paul's advice. Rash people have often to repent 
 
 of not taking kind and wise advice, when it is too late. So they cast everything heavy
 
 410 
 
 PAUL'S SHIPWRECK. 
 
 overboard to lighten the ship ; but soon all hope was taken away ; everj'one was in 
 terror, expecting that the ship would sink, and that they would be drowned. But while 
 they were all in a state of despair, God showed Paul in a vision that he should not perish 
 . by the storm, but should 3"et bear witness to His truth before Caesar at Rome. So 
 standing in the midst of them, Paul said, " Fear not ; there shall be no loss of any 
 man's life, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night, the angel of God, 
 whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, 'Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before 
 Caesar ; and God has given thee all them that sail in the ship with thee.' Be of good 
 comfort, then ; for I believe God, that it shall be as it was told me. But we must be 
 cast on a certain island." 
 
 All that Paul said came true ; the ship was driven on the rocks at IMelita, and all 
 broken to pieces ; but some of them managed to swim ashore, others on boards or broken 
 pieces of the ship got to land. And so it came to pass, that they all got safely to land. 
 In the engraving the figure of Paul stands out in great prominence ; all around are the 
 inmates of the ship struggling in various ways to the shore. 
 
 The island of Melita, now called Malta, was inhabited by heathens ; but although 
 ignorant, they were very kind to Paul and his shipwrecked companions, and they lighted 
 a fire of sticks to warm them, for it was very cold, rainy weather. Paul gathered some 
 sticks together and threw on the fire, and a viper, which had been concealed among them, 
 sprang up, and fastened on his hand. The people knew that the bite of the viper was 
 poisonous, and expected to see Paul fall down dead, but God did not permit him to be 
 hurt ; he shook the viper off into the fire, and felt no harm. The people thought he 
 must be a god, when they saw this miracle ; but Paul soon taught them about Jesus. 
 Three months after this Paul left Melita, and sailed in another ship to Rome, where he 
 was kindly received, and allowed to live in a house by himself, where many Jews were 
 converted. Here he wrote the most of his epistles, and a few years after he was put to 
 death for the love of his Saviour, with whom he now lives in heaven.
 
 JOHN ON THE ISLE OF PATMOS. 
 
 GST of the disciples suffered in the service of their Divine Master. 
 
 The apostle who lived the longest was John, " the disciple whom 
 
 Jesus loved," and to whose care He had given His mother, when 
 
 dying on the cross. 
 
 John was not put to death, as the others were ; but after being 
 
 cruell}^ persecuted, he was banished, to a solitary and rocky island 
 
 in the sea, called Patmos, where he lived in a cave or grotto. 
 
 The good man is never alone, for God is with him everywhere. 
 
 Here God favored John with wonderful visions of what should hereafter happen to the 
 
 Church and the world. 
 
 One Lord's day, the first day of the week, John was sitting alone, thinking on 
 
 heavenl}^ things. Suddenly he heard behind him a great voice, like the sound of 
 
 waters ; and turning round, he saw standing by him " one like unto the Son of man." 
 
 It was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who had come to comfort His servant John ; but 
 
 how changed from what John had ever seen Him before ! He appeared now in glory. 
 
 " His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow ; and His eyes were as 
 
 a flame of fire ; and His feet like unto fine brass ; and His voice as the sound of many 
 
 trumpets ; and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." The sight 
 
 was too glorious for John to bear, and he fell at His feet as dead. But Jesus laid His 
 
 hand on John, and said, " Fear not ; I am the first and the last : I am He that liveth 
 
 and was dead ; and behold I am alive for evermore. Amen ; and have the keys of hell 
 
 and of death." Then John was comforted. 
 
 In the engraving, the artist has portrayed John seated on a rock ; in his right hand 
 
 he holds a pen, and in his left a tablet ; he is in the act of waiting to be told what to 
 
 411
 
 412 
 
 JOHN ON THE ISLE OF PATMOS. 
 
 write. Then the Lord Jesus told him to write down the messages to the Seven Churches, 
 Most of these churches have now passed awav. The}- forsook God after a time ; and 
 then, at last, His blessing Avas taken from them, and some were destroyed altogether, 
 and others are left in ignorance and error. 
 
 After John had heard the messages to the churches, he saw, in vision, many wonder- 
 ful and glorious things. He saw heaven opened, and God Himself sitting on His throne, 
 with a rainbow round His head ; and round about the throne were the happy companj' 
 of Christ's redeemed people, clothed in white raiment, with crowns of gold upon their 
 heads. And they fell down before Him that sat on the throne, and cast their crowns 
 before Him, saying, " Thou art worth}-, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power; 
 for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are, and were created." 
 
 After this, John saw, in the midst of the throne "a Lamb as it had been slain" — 
 the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. And then John saw the 
 happy company of heaven fall down before the Lamb ; and they sang a new song, saying, 
 " Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood, out of every kindred 
 and tongue, and people, and nation." And then he heard the voice of many angels 
 round about the throne, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, 
 and thousands of thousands ; saying with a loud voice, " Worthy is the Lamb that was 
 slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, 
 and blessing." 
 
 Dear children, how shall we take part in the new song there? By learning to sing 
 it here. If you love Jesus, so that your heart sings to Him, you will be sure to sing in 
 that great chorus up there. Those who praise Him lierc shall praise Him there.
 
 DEATH ON THE PALE HORSE. 
 
 OHN had many wonderful visions while he was in Patmos. I 
 will try and tell you about some of them, though I will not 
 undertake to explain them. The book of the Revelation is at 
 present a great myster3^ 
 
 John saw four horses. The first was a white horse ; " and he 
 that sat on him had a bow ; and a crown was given unto him ; 
 and he went forth conquering and to conquer." The second 
 was a red horse ; " and power was given to him that sat thereon 
 to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one 
 another ; and there was given unto him a great sword." The third was a black horse ; 
 " and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand." The fourth was a pale 
 horse; " and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And^ 
 power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and 
 with hunger, and with death, and ^^^th the beasts of the earth." 
 
 This picture of Death on the Pale Horse is what our artist has portrayed in the 
 engraving. The horse is seen galloping, with fiery nostrils and flowing mane, headlong 
 down the fearful blackness through which it makes its resistless way ; the frightful 
 figure seated on the steed, and the long train of fiends following after — all tell of the 
 terrible mission of Death. 
 
 414
 
 BABYLON IN RUINS. 
 
 N another vision, John saw an angel come down from heaven, having 
 great power ; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And the angel 
 cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, " Babylon the great is 
 fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of 
 ever}' foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Baby- 
 lon had fallen totally apd finall}^ It was become not only desolate 
 but a kind of'hell upon earth. 
 
 Then John heard another voice from heaven, saying, " Come out 
 of her, my people, that 3'e be not partakers of her sins, and that 3'e receive not of her 
 plagues : for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniqui- 
 ties." As Lot was called forth out of Sodom, before it was destroyed by fire and brim- 
 stone, so the people of God are directed by a voice from heaven, to come out of Babylon 
 before her fall. How terrible was her wickedness ! Her crimes, her daring and pre- 
 sumptuous sins, resembled mountains " reaching to heaven." But God had remembered 
 her iniquities. The persons, therefore, or nations, who had been persecuted by her, were 
 called on to retaliate upon her ; and to give her a double measure of the wine of God's 
 wrath, from the cup of His indignation. Because she was proud and presumptuous^ 
 declaring that " she sat as a queen, was no widow, and should see no sorrow, " whatever 
 the word of God had threatened, therefore all the plagues which had been denounced 
 against her would surely " come on her in one day," suddenly and unexpectedh' ; death in 
 every dreadful form would fill the city with mourning, and dire famine would attend the 
 other desolations ; till she should utterly be burned with fire ; and then she would know 
 that the Lord, who had judged and condemned her, was strong, and fully able to execute 
 the awful sentence. 
 
 The engraving is a picture of the fearful ruins of Babylon — the habitation of wild 
 
 beasts, and the " cage of every unclean and hateful bird." 
 
 416
 
 THE LAST JUDGMENT. 
 
 OULD you be afraid, dear children, to go before the court, where the 
 
 judge sits, and be tried for 3-our life ? Would j'ou, if 3'ou had done 
 
 nothing wrong ? Would you if your own brother was the judge ? Well 
 
 '^^'^>^ we all will have to stand before a greater Judge than an}' here 
 
 upon the earth. We have got to come before the judgment-seat 
 
 of Christ — and He is our Elder Brother ! 
 
 The Bible tells us He shall come " in His glory, and all the 
 
 holy angels with Him ; " He will not come as He did at first in the lowliness of the 
 
 manger-cradle ; but with the glory that He had with the Father before the world was. 
 
 And yet, in the midst of all His glory, how kind and loving His face will be toward 
 
 all of those who love Him ! The Son of man will not be lost in the Son of God — the 
 
 Saviour will not be unrecognizable in the King and the Judge. 
 
 Before Him shall be gathered all nations. Every one among them come to receive 
 
 according to the deeds done in the body. While in Patmos, John had a vision of this 
 
 great and terrible day. He says, " And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat 
 
 on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled awa}' ; and there was found no place 
 
 for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God : and the books were 
 
 open ; and another book was opened, which is the book of life : and the dead were 
 
 judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 
 
 Aud the sea gave up the dead which w^ere in it ; and death and hell delivered up the 
 
 dead which were in them ; and thej^ were judged ever}- man according to their works." 
 
 Then He will separate them just as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats. 
 
 Does a shepherd have any trouble in telling the sheep from the goats ? Neither will He 
 
 have any trouble in telling the good from the bad. He will set the sheep on His right 
 
 418
 
 420 THE LAST JUDGMENT. 
 
 hand, but the goats on the left ; that is the good on the right, and the bad on the left. 
 This separation is what the artist has represented as taking place in the engraving. 
 To those on His right hand He will say, " Come, 3'e blessed of M}- Father, inherit the 
 kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." It is a blessed thin::;, you 
 see, to belong to God — blessed even now, and much more then. There is a place in 
 heaven prepared for j-ou, if you are prepared for it. Jesus has gone before to make 3'our 
 place ready for you. 
 
 But what an awful thing it will be to be unprepared to meet Christ on that great 
 day ! The guilty one always fears to meet the judge, no matter how kind of heart that 
 judge ma}' be. What will the King say to the wicked? Then shall He sa}- unto them 
 on His left hand, " Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the 
 devil and his angels ; " and these shall go aw.iy into everlasting punishment. And 
 dear children, how terrible is that punishment ! In hell, there is no hope. Thej' have 
 not even the hope of d\-ing. The}- are forever, forever^ FOREVER lost ! 
 
 I hope you will all begin at once to prepare for that awful day ! You can't begin 
 too 3-oung. 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A young prince, whose mind had learned in some degree 
 to value religious truth, asked his tutor to give him suitable instruction, that he might 
 be prepared for death. " Plenty of time for that when you are older," was the reply. 
 " No ! " said the prince, " I have been to the church-yard and measured the graves ; and 
 there are many shorter than I am."
 
 THE HEAVENLY CITY. 
 
 last talk will be about the heavenly home. I think the last two 
 chapters of Revelation are the best of all. Reading them, how 
 many have been comforted, and how man}' have been homesick 
 for the rest, the peace, the joy, and the communion of that holy 
 city ! 
 
 John tells us that an angel came to him, and talked with him, 
 saying, " Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 
 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high moun- 
 tain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from 
 God, having the glory of God ; and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even 
 like a jasper stone, clear as crystal ; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve 
 gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names 
 of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. On the east three gates ; on the north 
 three gates ; on the south three gates ; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the 
 city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." 
 In the engraving, you can see John and the angel standing on the high mountain, 
 overlooking the holy Jerusalem. But no vision is equal to the reality. The " half hath 
 never been told." I want to tell you some things about it : 
 
 I. // is a place of wonderful beauty. Its wall is of jasper — of the most crystalline 
 clearness and flashing brilliancy. Each gate is composed of one great pearl. The city 
 itself, its streets and its mansions, are of " pure gold, like unto clear glass " — transparent 
 and more beautiful than any gold ever here seen. Heaven is indeed a beautiful place. 
 We may think our very best about it, and when we have pictured to ourselves the love- 
 liest place we can possibly dream of, it won't be half as beautiful as heaven really is. 
 
 421
 
 422 THE HEAVENLY CITY. 
 
 And if eveu the streets are represented as laid with pure gold, and the gates as made of 
 pearls, what must be the interior of the mansions that Christ has prepared for them that 
 love Him ! 
 
 2. // is a great place. It is meant for a great multitude. Here the church now 
 seems small, but it is nothing compared with what it shall be. God has made great 
 preparations ; and the host of the redeemed will be a great company, which no man can 
 number. " They shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and 
 from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God." There will be plenty of 
 room in heaven for all who mav wish to enter. 
 
 3. // is a place of joy. " God shall wipe awa\^ all tears from their eyes." There 
 shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor pain ; for sin, the cause of all affliction, shall 
 have passed away. Its inhabitants walk in the light of God and of the Lamb. They 
 drink of the river of the water of life. The}^ eat of the trees of life that bear twelve 
 manner of fruits. " And there shall be no more curse." How restful that sounds ! For 
 ages the world has been troubled b}- the curse of sin. But sin will trouble no more. 
 The people there serve God ; and they shall see His face. Nothing there shall intervene 
 to hide the face of the Father from any of His children. And beholding that, their 
 souls forever shall be satisfied. " His name shall be in their foreheads." Thev there 
 shall bear the impress of His approval instead of His curse. It will be evident that 
 they are His accepted ones. 
 
 "And there shall be no night there." "No night!" — no chill, no gropings, no 
 stumblings in the dark, no weariness, no restless tossings, no watchings, no longings 
 for the morning ! No candles — no lamps — no sun — no moon — God is the light. His 
 servants reign forever and ever. 
 
 4. // is a place of supreme purity. Not all can enter there. Only those can walk in 
 its light who are the children of light. Some are excluded, not by force, but by their 
 very natures. " There shall in nowise enter into it anything that defileth, neither 
 whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie." No characters that blacken those 
 whom they touch can pass through those open portals. Men of unclean habits of 
 thought would never try to go in. No foul-thoughted man, with filthy soul, would care 
 to enter where there is such stainless virtue, any more than a drunkard who has just 
 crawled out of the gutter would care to enter a parlor under the blaze of gas jets to face 
 a refined company of ladies and gentlemen. The spotless, glittering robes of the 
 redeemed alone would keep out those who are covered only with filthy rags.
 
 424 ■ THE HEAVENLY CITY. 
 
 But who shall enter there? " They which are written in the Lamb's book of life." 
 Oh ! how much depends upon our decision now, while the opportunity remains ! I trust, 
 my dear little friends, that you will see to it now that your names are " written in the 
 Lamb's book of life," that at the last you may be found among the happy number, 
 adoring Jesus, " the Lamb of God," and singing forever, " Salvation to our God, which 
 sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb ! " 
 
 Sayings of childhood : — A little girl, while gazing up into the sky, was asked 
 by her father, of what was she thinking. '''' I was thinkhig father^'' s^xdi zV^'''' if the 
 outside of heaven is so beautiful zvhat must the inside be ! " Another little child's idea of 
 heaven was very beautiful. One day Essie said to her nurse : " In heaven, where my 
 mother lives, every one is kind. No one ever gets angry and speaks loud there. Every- 
 body loves everybody. Must'nt that be beautiful ? Oh ! how I should love to be there, 
 and never be afraid any more." And do you want to know the way to that beautiful 
 home ? Let a little child tell you : " I know the way to heaven," said little Minnie to 
 little Johnny, who stood by her side, looking on a picture-book that Minnie had in her 
 hand. " You do ? " said little John. " Well, won't you tell me how to get there ? '' 
 " Oh, 3'es ! I'll tell you. Just commence going up, and keep on going up all the time, and 
 
 you'll get there. But Johnny, ^<7?/ »««<.?/' not turn back?'' Dear children. Are you 
 
 on your zvay to heaven f Not are you going to start by-and-by, but are you really on 
 your way now ? Do you see the little line I have left in the question ? I left it so that 
 you might put in there, each one of you, your own name. I don't know your names, but 
 Jesus does, and you know it is really Jesus who asks you the question. Are you on the 
 way to heaven ? 
 
 But I must saj', farewell. We have had man}' pleasant talks together ; and nowj 
 in conclusion, this is my earnest prayer : "The Lord bless thee, and keep thee : the 
 Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee ; the Lord lift up His 
 countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." If I should never talk with you again 
 oil earth, I hope I shall meet you in heaven. 
 
 "That unchangable home is for you and for me, 
 
 Where Jesus of Nazareth stands ; 
 The King of all kingdoms forever is He, 
 
 And He holdeth our crowns in His hands. 
 
 " Oh, how sweet it will be in that beautiful land, 
 
 So free from all sorrow and pain ; 
 With songs on our lips and with harps in our hands 
 
 To meet one another again."
 
 
 ^ Y V 
 
 » k 
 
 , ,)<-<e/^<^/ 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 V V >r \ V, H \ 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 *». 
 
 
 
 
 Ir 
 
 V y V 
 
 * 't 
 
 ^ A ^ 
 
 V 
 
 V V ^ 
 
 H, ^ 
 
 V ^ V ^ 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 k 
 
 k \ «■ 
 
 V 
 
 
 ik 
 
 V V -v 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 K 
 
 > 
 
 V 
 
 ^ St \ 
 
 V V ■' 
 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 p 
 V 
 K 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 V- 
 
 V V 
 
 V If 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 
 V k 
 
 -\ it 
 
 V ^ 
 
 
 
 V- 
 V 
 
 
 f 
 
 \ i? Y * 
 
 V V V V 
 
 V V v ♦ \ 
 
 ' * w ^ \ V 
 
 ' V >: 
 
 >r \ * f \ T 
 
 «v J» if K * V 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 
 ^^ \^
 
 D 000 288 810 5 
 
 
 
 A. 
 
 i^ 
 
 X' G156 
 
 Serial 
 Added copy 
 Added vol. 
 
 O" 
 
 pe slips 
 
 KLB m 6 '87 
 
 BIBLIOGEAPHIC CHECKING RECCED 
 ecker/s £^_ ^^^ LC card no. 
 
 try -^Q O >^ >J^ .-rr ^ A/ o -T IfTAAJ^ZlT^ 
 
 Main Stack Branch Spec. Printers Wyles 
 
 
 1^2 
 
 i^7 
 
 52 
 
 55 
 
 57 
 
 62 
 
 63 
 
 64 
 
 65 
 
 66 
 
 67 
 
 68 
 
 -I 
 
 A 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 JC 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ja 
 
 F 
 
 Mr 
 
 Ap 
 
 ly 
 
 Je 
 
 Jl 
 
 Ag 
 
 S 
 
 
 
 N 
 
 D 
 
 :b 
 
 
 BM 
 
 
 BNB 
 
 
 BN 
 
 
 Eroof 
 
 :la 
 
 6) 
 
 BMS 
 
 
 BIB 
 
 
 BNS 
 
 
 
 riant s: 
 
 * ^ f r •r f 
 
 » "N ♦ * 
 
 V ^ V b k 1 
 
 
 r 
 
 v- V 
 
 T 
 
 ^ 
 
 V A 
 
 4 
 
 
 ^nl^ ^ 
 
 
 A 
 
 k 
 A 
 
 V 
 
 J* 
 
 A 
 A 
 \ 
 Ar 
 
 V 
 
 \ 
 
 V 
 
 A 
 A 
 \ 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 >t X > 
 
 
 A 
 
 A 
 
 A
 
 1 ^t 
 
 vs. ^* ' W 
 
 
 v*» 
 
 ^ -J^^u 
 
 .xX 
 
 \ M 
 
 « ^ 
 
 
 a\ 
 
 "^ \ 
 
 ^4. ^ > 
 
 V !s 
 
 i -#♦ N. 
 
 \>^l 
 
 ^ \ 
 
 . AifaSmtrtMk^