way-side missionary stood in silent beauty, and opened for his heart a way right up to heaven. He thought then of his heavenly Father.

5. Very likely his own dear mother had taught him, when a boy, the beautiful lily-sermon which Christ preached in Palestine so long ago; for the same thoughts came to his mind which Jesus then expressed to his disciples, that, if God so clothed and protected this tiny flower, much more would he care for him whose heart was now filled with prayer and thankfulness.

6. And then, without a cooling draught of water, without a morsel of bread, or even a refreshing breeze, he rose up full of hope, and went on his way, and soon arrived at a village, where the chief treated him very kindly.

Africa, a country across the missionary, one sent forth to Atlantic Ocean.

preach.

Scotland, a country north disciple, a learner: one who of England. follows Jesus.

HERE was once a farmer who had a son named

THER

John, a boy very apt to be thoughtless and careless as to doing what he was told to do. One day

his father said to him, "John, you are so careless and forgetful, that every time you do wrong I shall drive a nail into this post, to remind you how often you are naughty; and every time you do right, I will draw one out."

2. His father did as he said he would; and every day he had one, and sometimes a great many nails, to drive in, but very seldom one to draw out. At last, John resolved to be a better boy; and the next day he was so good and industrious that several nails came out. At length, only one nail remained.

3. His father then called him, and said, "Look, John, here is the very last nail; and now I am going to draw this: are you not glad?" John looked at the post; and then, instead of expressing his joy, as his father expected, he burst into tears. Why," said the father, "what's the matter? I should think you would be delighted; the nails are all gone." "Yes," sobbed John, "the nails are all gone; but the scars are there yet!"

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4. So it is with your faults and bad habits; you may overcome them, you may by degrees cure them; but the scars remain. Now take my advice, and whenever you find yourselves doing a wrong thing, or getting into a bad habit, stop at once; for every time you give up to it you drive another nail, and that will leave a scar upon your soul, even if the nail should be afterwards drawn out.

seldom, not often. industrious, ready to work. at length, after a while.

by degrees, slowly. several, more than one, remind, to make one think.

"THOU

"HOU shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man." This is God's command, and it means that we should show special kindness and respect to the aged. In some heathen countries, children will not let their parents live when they become old and feeble.

2. They throw them into the river to drown them, or carry them into the woods or swamps to die of hunger. How awfully wicked and displeasing to God such conduct is! The Bible tells us how terribly he punished some wicked children who mocked a good old man.

3. This aged servant of God was on his way to Bethel. A large number of naughty children came out of the city and insulted him, and called him "bald-head," when they knew that he was a prophet of the Lord.

4. God was so displeased with their wicked conduct that he sent bears out of the woods to destroy them. More than forty of these bad children were torn in pieces by those furious beasts of prey. What a solemn warning that should be against treating the aged with cruelty or insult!

5. The old have seen many sorrows, and borne many burdens; and all should treat them with kindness. Jennie Graham loved to do this. She was a pleasant contrast to those wicked children who mocked the aged prophet Elisha.

6. "Mamma," said Jennie, "I should like to spend the afternoon with old Mrs. Wilmot, if you are willing.""I have no objection, dear," replied her mother: "Mrs. Wilmot is a good old lady, and I am glad to have you with her. I suspect that she will enjoy the visit too."

7. "Yes, mamma, she always seems to; and that is why I like to go. It is so pleasant to make people happy!" So Jennie went to the cottage of the aged widow; and the dim eyes brightened, and the sad face looked pleased and cheerful, as her young feet crossed the threshold.

8. The child listened with sympathy to Mrs. Wilmot's trials, asked her to repeat the stories which she knew the old lady liked to tell of her childhood and

youth, and entertained her in turn by pleasant accounts of her own pursuits and enjoyments.

9. Jennie met a schoolmate in going home who expressed great surprise at the way in which she had spent her half-holiday. "I shouldn't think you'd waste your Saturday afternoon over an old woman,' she said rudely and thoughtlessly.

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10. The good child's reply was worth telling. "Why, Maria, I do not feel as if it was a waste of time to make somebody happy. I shall be an old woman myself, if I live long enough; and then shouldn't I want the children to come and see me? It's only doing as I would be done by, you know."

Repeat God's command of respect to the aged How do heathen children treat their parents? What did some naughty children do to a prophet? How were they punished for such conduct? Did Jennie Graham do differently? Repeat her reply to her schoolmate.

tie gift speech

LESSON XXII.

na-tion

char-ac-ter

spir-it af-fec-tion
kind-ly

im-mor-tal

u-ni-ver-sal broth-er-hood

un-for-tu-nate

ALL MANKIND OF ONE BLOOD

THE

HE Bible teaches us not only how God made mankind, but also what he made them. God has given to each of us a mortal body, and an immortal spirit; and we hold these gifts in common with the whole human family.