WHEN I was a boy at school, there arose a quarrel one day between two boys in my class. When we got out to play, the elder of the boys gave the little one a blow which knocked him to the ground. The master saw him from the school-room window, and when we returned he was called up to the desk to receive punishment. The little fellow who had received the blow rose from his seat, and, with a tear in his eye, requested that he might be spared. "O no," said the master, “I could never allow such a thing to happen without punishing the offender, else we would have more of it, and our school would lose its character."
"Please sir, allow me to bear Bill's punishment instead of him, then? said the little boy.” The whole school looked on with a feeling of sadness as the little fellow got the rod, and immediately it was over, they raised a cheer for the noble substitute of the evil doer. But where was he? Standing in a corner with his head hung upon his breast, ashamed to look up. That act of noble love from one whom he had wronged and ill-treated, was harder for his proud spirit to bear than the rod. But it wrought repentance. He was ever after the warmest friend of the boy who bore his punishment, and would do anything for him. There was another Substitute, who died the death due to His enemies and bore their punishment His name is Jesus. Reader, has His love won you from enmity to friendship, or do you still spurn it?