Now there are many babies, and also little children, who can just run about, that die and go to heaven. But when children grow older, unless they ask God, for Christ's sake, to make them good, they will fall into sin, and they will not be fit to go to heaven if they should die. Now, Tetty, I think that little girls who loved God would try very hard to learn to read, that they might know more about Him; and I think they would try to learn other useful things, too, that they might help their mothers." Many simple, homely, earnest conversations on religious subjects were held between Martha and her younger brothers and sisters. She, with her youthful zeal and girlish tact, made the subject pleasant to them; and they, on their part, were generally ready to listen. But as the months followed on rapidly, and brought the dark cloud nearer and nearer, Martha had other occupations; and the children were necessarily left more to themselves. It was now evident to all that the wife and mother-the stay of the house-must soon leave them. Great was the husband's sorrow when he felt that he would soon be parted from his patient and pious wife. And deep was his grief for the loss his children would sustain; for he knew quite well that the duties of a parent had rested solely upon his faithful wife; probably because he was a man of great taciturnity, and never seemed to think that to train or teach his children could be one of his duties; or perhaps he considered himself incapable of training them properly, and so passed it by altogether, with the exception of giving, at rare intervals, a severe beating to the boys. This subject was a source of anxiety to Martha; and she pondered much on the difference between her father and mother; for with so great a sorrow as the loss of her mother so near at hand, Martha, in thoughtfulness, became a woman. Sometimes she went alone, and almost in agony prayed that her mother might be spared to them a little longer. But this prayer was not answered; and day by day Martha's strength was more and more taxed in waiting upon her dying mother. How the weak, pale girl sat up at nights watching by the still paler mother; how she wandered up and down the stairs during the day; how she raised her mother up, to give her food and medicine with one hand, while she put the pillows under her with the other; and how added strength seemed granted to her until there was no longer a mother to nurse, was a mystery to many; but Martha said, with grateful tears, "The Lord is merciful and kind, for He gives me strength to nurse and comfort my mother." At length the death-summons came suddenly; and a hushed sobbing group stood around the bed; but the glassy eyes saw not the grief, for they were fixed in a long, intense, upward gaze. Ever and anon a child's sob broke the stillness; but the mother's ear was already deaf to earthly sounds. A heavenly radiance overspread her countenance; and ah! what rapturous music doubtless greeted her, as she passed death's dark portal to the ineffable glory of the heavenly temple, to be for ever with the Lord, to worship Him day and night before His throne, and to swell the great anthem of the redeemed. And ah! what sorrow and affliction and tears were still to be the portion of those who were left behind. 66 LITTLE CHILDREN. ESUS called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily, I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." The Lord still gives lessons to His disciples by setting little children in the midst of them. There are not many houses into which some of these small monitors do not at one time or another find their way, needing to be taught everything that concerns the world's wisdom, and giving out in return-to eyes open to perceive it—all unconsciously to themselves, many lessons of heavenly wisdom, such as this which Jesus taught by means of a little child. Their position towards their parents is a continual parable before our eyes, reminding us of our own towards our Father in heaven. The love and confidence, obedience and humility, simplicity and guilelessness of a child, is the character our Lord places before us for our example, with the strong warning, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” If we are ever to reach His kingdom, it must be by His own way; how important for us, therefore, is it to study and endeavour to copy the character He sets forth by this example. Some children are indeed very deficient in the virtues suited to their age; when they are so, we complain they are not childlike; they do not show the child-nature which we have a right to expect from them, and they are not like the dear little one whom our Lord honoured by His notice on this occasion, for He expressly said, "Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Lord, if Thou Thy grace impart, Pleased with all the Lord provides, Weaned from all the world besides. OUR CHILD'S WEDDING. THE wedding guests have left us now, We miss our darling's voice, I seek her room-last time I went Hath left our home and hearth, I sit and muse upon the past; And now my darling leans her head In other ears her inmost thoughts Her spouse hath won the nobler right To him who loves her well; O Lord, we pray, protect and guide To keep their marriage troth. may dwell SAMMY HICK AND HIS PIPE. It is said of that good man, Sammy Hick, the Micklefield blacksmith, that " as he understood the words of the Lord Jesus, it was quite enough for him to see the path of duty steadfastly to travel in it." An instance of this feature of his character was exhibited in his sudden abandonment of tobacco. One day he gave sixpence to a poor widow. She blessed him, and could hardly find words enough with which to express her thanks. He said to himself, "Well, if sixpence makes that poor creature so happy, oh how many sixpences have I spent in filling my mouth with tobacco! He made a vow instantly never to let a pipe enter his lips again." Soon afterwards, he was taken very ill, and a doctor said to him, "Mr. Hick, you must resume your pipe." "I will not," he replied. 'Then," said the doctor, "if you do not you will not live." "Bless the Lord, then," said Sammy, "I shall go to heaven. I have made a vow to the Lord that the pipe shall never enter my mouth again, and it never shall." Sammy Hick kept his vow, and lived to be an old man. GLEANINGS. CHILDREN LARGELY EDUCATE THEMSELVES.-Their attention and observation are ever alive to the circumstances which pass around them; and from the events thus observed they are continually drawing their own conclusions. These observations and conclusions have a powerful influence in forming the character of youth. "What is imparted in the way of direct instruction," writes Bishop Jebb, "young people are apt to consider as official ; they receive it often with downright suspicion; generally, perhaps, with a sort of undefined qualification and reserve. It is otherwise with what children discover for themselves. As matter of selfacquisition, this is treasured up and reasoned upon; it penetrates the mind and influences the conduct beyond all the formal lectures that ever were delivered. Whether it be for good or whether it be for evil, the education of the child is principally derived from its own observation of the actions, the words, the voice, the looks of those with whom it lives. The fact is unquestionably so; and being so, it is impossible, surely, that the friends of youth can be too circumspect in the youthful presence, to avoid every-even the least, appearance of evil." JOHN CROSSLEY.-A few years ago it fell to the lot of Mr. John Crossley to entertain the heir apparent to the throne at his princely mansion of Manor Heath. One evening, after his guests had been shown over the magnificent house and grounds, some of them sat conversing with him respecting his early days. And concerning his mother, he answered thus:-"Oh, my mother was a remarkable woman; she was once a farm servant; she lived fourteen years in the same family; she had to milk the cows, and churn the butter, and carry it to market. She had for a long time only £6 a year wages, and yet she managed to save a nice sum; and her leisure hours were filled up with spinning wool, her mistress allowing her a fourth of the profits for herself." "Ah," said a friend who was present, "perhaps you are indebted to your mother for some of your success in spinning wool?" "Oh, yes," he replied, "under God's blessing, I owe everything to my mother.” GOD'S PROVIDENCE.-Take all things that befall you as coming from God's providence, for your particular profit. And though they are evil in themselves, yet as He permits, or does not think fit to hinder them, they may be referred to Him. God no sooner discovers in your heart an ardent desire of well-doing, and of submitting to His will, but He prepares for you occasions of trying your virtue; and, therefore, confident of His love, receive cheerfully a medicine prepared by a physician that cannot be mistaken, and cannot give you anything but what will be for your good. THE LITTLE BLUE SHOES. O THOSE little, those little blue shoes, That those shoes would buy, For they hold the small shape of feet That no more their mother's eyes meet; That, by God's good will, Years since grew still, And ceased from their totter so sweet. And oh since that baby slept, That little dear treasure, And over them thought and wept! For they mind her for evermore And blue eyes she sees Look up from her knees With the look that in life they wore. |