IF boys and girls enjoy a romp on the sands, so do our four-footed friends! Mary and her little sister Nellie, who live some way from the sea, have come over to spend a long day on the shore; the rest of the family are coming soon, bringing the sandwiches for lunch and the tea-basket. Of course they have brought "Gip" with them, as you see. What a hurry he is in to be let loose! If only he could talk we could almost hear him say, "Hurry up, Nellie!”
Very soon they are all scampering on the sands, and Gip is enjoying the fun as much as any of them. What intelligent creatures dogs are! By their faithfulness and obedience they often teach us lessons, and even put us to shame.
Now I am going to tell you a true story about a man who learned the greatest lesson of his life through his dog. An earnest Christian lady, who was much used in bringing souls to the Savior, was waiting one day on a station platform in Norfolk. A friend who was seeing her off, drew her attention to a man who was standing a little way from them, accompanied by a retriever dog, and remarked, "That man is very hard to reach with the truth," meaning that he would not listen to the gospel, nor hear a word about God. The lady' left her friend, went up to him, and stroking the dog, said cordially, "What a beautiful dog you have here!" "Yes," said the man, rather gruffly; "but take care he doesn't bite you. He is not fond of strangers." "Oh, he won't bite me. Dogs know who are fond of them; no doubt you are very fond of him?" "That I am!" "Do you feed your dog?" "Yes, ma'am." "House him?" "Yes, of course!" "Does your dog obey you?" "Yes, indeed.”
“And would you not be disappointed if he did not love and obey you?" "That I should," he replied; then looking proudly at his dog, "hut Rover does love his master," and he patted the dog's head as it looked up trustfully in his face. "Would you be grieved if he followed a stranger?" she asked. "Yes," he replied, rather impatient at so many questions. "Ah," said she, in a sad, tender, reproachful tone, “You ungrateful Sinner, what a lesson does that dog teach you! God has fed you, housed you, cared for you, loved you, these many years; but you do not love or obey Him; you do not follow Him! He so loved you that He gave His only begotten Son to die on the cross for your sins, and yet you never loved Him in return! You follow a stranger. Satan is your chosen master. The dog knows its owner-you do not know yours!
She looked sadly, yet kindly, at him as she earnestly uttered these words. His eyes filled with tears; he fixed them on his dog, and in a choking voice said, after a few moments, "Ah, Rover! thee hast taught thy master a lesson this day. I have been an ungrateful sinner, but by God's help I'll be so no longer.”
The train was just arriving, so quoting a few of the precious promises of God's word, she bade him good-bye with a shake of the hand.
That evening the gamekeeper was found for the first time in the prayer-meeting, crying, "God be merciful to me a sinner"; and soon he was rejoicing in a sense of pardon through the precious blood of Christ.