Messages of God's Love: 1899

Our Dear Little Friends: If the Lord permit, we hope to have a paper like this one for you every week, telling you of God’s love to this world of sinners; so you see the title is “Messages of Love.” What could be more wonderful to tell you about, than the love of God, and that love being towards us when we had no love for Him. We like to think of our dear friends that love us and so too, you like to tell Papa and Mamma all your troubles and joys, knowing they are interested in you, for they love you.

Now when we remember that verse, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,” John 3:16 we can see that was love beyond all the love of any friend or Papa or Mamma.

God only had one Son and He was very dear to God, dwelling with Him in eternity, and God sent Him into this world to take the place of sinners.

So He came into this world a little child, pleased God every day in all things and proved that He was holy and when He was a man, went to the cross and died for sinners. You see then, dear children, Jesus was the only Holy one, the only one that was able to bear the wrath and judgment of a Righteous and Holy God and put away our sins forever.

What wondrous love of God to give His Son to die on the cross for us, that we might never have to bear the judgment that we deserved. Then Jesus rose from the grave and was seen by many going up into heaven and appears now in the presence of God for those who believe in Him.

Dear children, have you thanked Him for this and rejoiced that such love has been shown you? If so you may also go and tell Him all your cares and sorrows and every difficulty you have, for He loves you.

We shall be very glad to have letters from you asking questions about Scripture and shall endeavor to answer them through this paper or privately if preferred and will be pleased to hear if you have found the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour.

Address J. T. A.

4431 Garfield Ave. St. Louis, Mo.

Repeat the verse in large letters on this page every day this week and recite next Lord’s day.

ML 05/07/1899

Suddenly Called.

A few evenings ago a boy in the country who had been real well and enjoying himself, went to bed with bright hopes for the next day as usual, I presume. But alas! when his parents went to his bed in the morning, they found him dead. How they were shocked! So in a couple of days they took him to the grave-yard, and put him in the grave.

Dear, dear reader, if you should die to-night, where would your soul go to?

There are just two places, HEAVEN and HELL. One is the place of happiness; the other, the place of torment, and between the two, there is a “great gulf fixed” so no one can pass from one to the other. (Luke 16.) Death then, is not the end. “The judgment,” and “The Lake of Fire,” follow those who die in their sins, without a Saviour. But I have good news to tell you. “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many: and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Heb. 9:28.)

This means peace for you, if you see you are a sinner and own it before God, He will give you to see that Christ hath borne all of your sins on the cross and put them away there, and if you are looking for Him, when He comes, He will catch you up to be with Him, without dying at all, and He is coming soon! ARE YOU READY? F. E. H.

ML 05/07/1899

Three Little Things

I want to say a little to you today about some “little things” spoken of in the bible, for I know little children often like to hear about little things.

The first little thing I want to speak about is a little girl. Open your bible and read the 5th chapter of the 2nd book of Kings. It tells of a very rich and honorable man, who had many servants in his house, and one of them was a little girl who had been taken captive out of the land of Israel. One day this great man, whose name was Naaman, took sick. The disease he had was one that no doctor could cure, it was leprosy.

What was he to do? All the doctors in the world could do him no good, but one day this little girl said to Naaman’s wife that if he were in Samaria there was a Prophet of God there that could cure him of his leprosy. He perhaps never would have known-about this Prophet if this little girl had not spoken of him. So Naaman got his servants and his horses and his chariot ready, and took a lot of money with him and went to see the Prophet. He expected he would have to pay the Prophet if he made him well, but when he came to his house the Prophet sent out a servant who told him to go and wash himself seven times in the river Jordan and he would be made well. At first he was angry and did not want to go but his servant said to him “if the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing wouldst thou not have done it?” So at last he went and dipped himself seven times and he was made well. This little girl did a great deal of good for Naaman, and I don’t think he could ever forget it. God wants us to learn a lesson from this story.

Leprosy is a picture of sin. The bible tells us we are all born in sin and that we all have sinned. There is no one who can cure us of that awful disease of sin but Jesus. He is the Great Physician. If you believe on Jesus as your own Saviour then His precious blood that was shed on Calvary washes all your sins away and you are made whiter than snow and fit for the presence of God and by and by Jesus will take you to be with Himself forever.

The second little thing, you will find in the 3rd chapter of James. It is a little tongue, and with this little tongue a great deal of evil may be done. Little children sometimes use the tongue to tell lies, to speak angry, to say naughty things. God hears everything you say, and how it grieves Him to hear children speaking in such a way. The bible tells us in the 12Th chapter of Matthew “that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” But when children use the little tongue to speak the truth it is well pleasing to God. The little girl in Naaman’s house used her tongue to tell of what God could do through His Prophet, and see how much good it did. So if children who love the Lord Jesus would tell others about Him, a great deal of good might be done. And those who love the Lord Jesus love to speak of Him. Try, dear children, and never use the little tongue in a way that would be grieving to God.

You will find one more little thing in the 10th chapter of Hebrews and the 37th verse. It is “a little while.” In a little while the Lord Jesus will come again. He will raise out of the graves the bodies of all those who have died, believing in Him as their Saviour, and He will call all those who are alive, and believe, to meet Him on the cloud and then they will be forever with Him. But oh, what a solemn thing it will be for those who have rejected Christ and are left behind. There will be no chance for them ever to be saved.

If any children who read this paper will believe in Jesus as their Saviour NOW, if Jesus were to come today He would take them to be forever with Him.

My prayer for all the little ones that read this paper is that they will be among that number who will rise to meet the Lord when He comes, and spend their eternity with Him. E. B. H.

ML 05/07/1899

Lost Ruth.

As I was walking down the street one day I met a little girl who was crying and saying “I want my Mamma, I want my Mamma.” I stopped and asked her what her name was. She said “My name is Ruthie and I want my Mamma.”

I took her up in my arms and said— “come and I will find your Mamma for you.” She stopped crying and felt quite satisfied to leave it all with me, so I found her mamma for her. Little Ruth was lost.

She had wandered away from her Mamma who had taken her downtown with her to do some shopping. If you will open your bible and read the first part of the 15th chapter of Luke you will see there was a little sheep that was lost, just like little Ruth. The Shepherd went after the lost sheep and sought for it until He found it, and then He took it up in His arms just like I took up little Ruth and carried it home on His shoulders. The sheep could not find its way back and Ruth could not find her Mamma. Can you tell me, children, who the lost sheep represents? It is a picture of every little girl and boy who is yet unsaved. All of us are lost by nature and can do nothing to save ourselves, so Jesus came down to seek and to save that which was lost. Little Ruth felt she was lost and as soon as I told her I would take her to her Mamma she felt quite happy because she believed me. So if you dear children know and feel that you are lost, if you will just tell Jesus about it and believe on Him as your own Saviour He will save you and by and by He will take you to be with Him forever.

May every little girl and boy who reads this paper believe on Jesus now.

“Verily, Verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” John 6:47. E. B. H.

ML 05/07/1899

Jesus, the Saviour.

I expect that each reader of this little paper has many times heard of the Blessed Lord Jesus, and listened with delight to the sweet story of His lowly birth in a manger at Bethlehem. I wonder if you can tell what the word Jesus, means? Perhaps you do not know, so I will tell you. The word Jesus, means Saviour. Now open your bible, and turn to Matt. 1:21 and see if it does not say “thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.” Did you ever think quietly about this? What do you learn from this verse? Let me tell you what God wants you to learn. He wants you to learn that He sent Jesus for you, to save you from your sins. Have you ever felt your sins? If you have been unable to feel them, God knows them, they have wounded His heart, but in spite of it all, He loved you so much as to give His only Son to die for you, for Jesus must die in order to be a Saviour. So God has sent His Son, Jesus, to be a Saviour of sinners, and now let me ask you, —Is He your Saviour? For what good does it do you to know that Jesus is A Saviour, if you do not know He is your Saviour? May God cause you to feel your need of Him. F. E. H.

ML 05/07/1899

The Three Questions.

One time we were holding meetings in a sod school house in western Nebraska, and a boy named Johnny S.— was very regular and attentive. I wand very much to have a talk with him, to see what effect the Word was having on his soul. But Johnny was a busy farmer’s boy, and I knew that to talk much with him I must follow him to the field. So I went one day. Johnny was plowing corn. I took the plow handles, Johnny drove the team, and we had our talk. I said: “Johnny, there are three questions I want to ask you.” He said, “All right, sir.” I said “There is something that has come into this world, and ruined everybody! —What is it?” Johnny said, “It is Sin.” “Now Johnny, there is one thing, and only one, in the whole universe of God, that can wash away sin, —What is that?” Johnny said, “It is Blood.” Of course he meant the Blood of Jesus. Then I said, “Our sins are here on earth, and the Blood speaks in heaven.

Now, what can bring these two things together, and make the Blood do its work on my soul? In other words, What must we have in order to get the benefit of that Blood?” Johnny answered, “Faith.” Three little words, one syllable each. The first telling of our ruin and need, the second, God’s remedy for it all, and the third, the mighty link that binds the other two together, and gives us peace with God!

We walked along the rows of corn some time, in silence, and at last I ventured to ask another question, which I hope God will press upon the heart of every reader of these lines, “Johnny, have you that faith?” Johnny’s immediate and cheering answer was; “Yes, sir!”

I have never seen Johnny since that day. If living, he is a man now, but men and boys—all need to heed the mighty teaching of these three words. Sin—The Blood—Faith. W. D. C.

ML 05/14/1899

There Is No Difference.

“The righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:22-23

It might seem strange to some of the readers of this paper that there is no difference before God, between one sinner and another. It is not that one may not have committed more sins than another but the fact is they are all sinners and all come short of the glory of God.

But I think I hear some of you say, “Does it mean, just what it says, that we are all alike, am I not better than some bad boys and girls I know?” Ah let me ask you a question, where would you place yourself; among the good, or among the bad ones? Would you not have to say I am not always good? Surely you would. Let me give you an illustration. I have, no doubt you have all seen a crab-apple tree and on it were some good crab-apples and some bad ones, but there is this evident fact, they are alike, because they are all crab-apples, you do not expect to find any sweet ones. They all have the same nature. So it is with every one of you. All the hearts are the same, and God tells us, all evil comes from the heart. You may have been taught from your early days to fear God and not to tell lies nor say bad words, as you see others doing, without any fear of God and therefore your sins may not be seen so often; but have you not felt like doing wrong things, and then you thought, no, I must not? Ah there you see, it is in your heart and God looks down into your heart and knows even all your thoughts. So you have no righteousness to bring to God and therefore unfit for God’s presence, as well as those who have committed more sins.

One sin would shut you out from God and you know you have many more. You might ask “What then can we do and what is required for God’s presence.” Nothing but God’s righteousness will do. You can only do what He requires and that is to believe in Jesus and He will put His righteousness upon you and then you will be acceptable before Him.

He offers His righteousness to all but puts it upon all them that believe.

Are you one of those who believe in Jesus and know “There is no difference,” that you are a sinner just like the rest? If you do, have you thanked God that you now have His righteousness upon you?

If not may you do so now and rejoice that God has provided you with all you need for His presence.

ML 05/14/1899

"God so Loved."

Let me tell the readers of this paper how a boy once illustrated John 3. 16. He had just asked his little brother how he knew that God loved him, and he could not tell. “Well,” said the boy, “you are not in heaven, are you?” His brother answered “No.” “And you are not in hell, are you?” “Oh! no,” said his little brother, who appeared quite startled.

“Then you are in the world, aren’t you? And God so loved the world. So you see how you know that God loves YOU,” triumphantly explained the boy.

Dear earnest reader, it is true that God really loves you, and if you are anxious to know how much He loves you, just listen to what He tells you; “GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.” How could He love you more than to give His only Son to die for you? This question cannot be answered. But some of you wonder why God gave His Son to die that shameful death upon the cross. God has told us why, and He wants you to know it “THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM, SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.” I know you do not want to perish, and spend eternity with the wicked, apart from the Blessed Lord Jesus, then confess your sins, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ this very moment, and receive the gift from God, even eternal life.

ML 05/14/1899

"Thou God Seest Me."

One day a little boy of eight years came to our house on an errand and, while here, told me that he carried an evening paper and that one of his customers had dropped off, and he would like to have me subscribe.

I said to him, “We do not take any papers here, George.” “It will only cost you about six cents a week,” he said.

“It is not the cost that would hinder me to take it, George,” I said to him, “but it is because there is so much that is bad in the newspapers, that I do not wish to take them.” He quickly replied, “But the one I carry is good.” “Yes,” I said, “it is better than some of the others but there are many things in it which it is better for the Christian not to read.”

As he scanned my face earnestly, with his large, expressive eyes, I said to him, “I would like to help you in some other way if I could, but ask the Lord and He will help you.” I could tell George to ask the Lord for help, for he says he is the Lord’s. His answer was, “I have asked. Him, and He has given me all I’ve got.” “Ah! that is good,” I said, “the Lord is watching over all our steps, and He helps all who put their trust in Him.”

Gazing upward for a moment, the dear boy said, reverently, “The Lord is watching us now, He knows what we are talking about.” “Yes,” I said, “He looks down into our hearts, and He knows our very thoughts.”

Now, dear little readers, I world like to have you learn the verse I gave to George. It is short—has only four little words in it, and you can very quickly learn it. It is this, “THOU GOD SEEST ME.”

I hope you will learn it, not in your head only, but in your heart also, as I trust this dear boy has done. Wherever you go, whatever you do, God’s eye is upon you. You cannot hide from Him: He sees you in the dark as well as in the light. If you are tempted to do what is wrong, stop for a moment and think of your little verse— “Thou God seest me.”

Would you want to put out your hand to take what did not belong to you, if you knew that God’s eye were looking right at you?

Would you feel happy to say unkind and unclean words, if you knew that God’s ear were listening? Oh: don’t forget that God knows all about your words and ways, and when you meet Him you will have to speak to Him about these things. Keep this truth before you, “Thou God seest me,” and by the grace of God, you will be kept from many a wrong thing.

ML 05/14/1899

This Pig Went to Market.

Do the children know that they all went through this lesson? I suppose none of you remember it, but one of the first delights of your life, was to have the little feet bare, and then mamma to catch hold of the toes, one by one, with the old story of the pigs. I guess you all know it. What joyful times they were! As long as there are babies to listen to the story, and mammas to tell it, it will be told. Yes, and what patience the dear mother shows, in going over and over again, the same thing, happy in the child’s glee. It sums as if a mother’s love is without limit. How many of the dear boys and girls who read this paper think of that? If you really do, you Would never conceal anything, even your badness, from her. Love that is right-eons, can always be trusted.

It is a grand thing when a child so learns his father and mother, as to say, when he does wrong, “I am going to tell them all about it, to be forgiven.” That is counting on love that is just, and that can find the reason and occasion to bless.

There are plenty of other people in the world to resent an evil thing, to kick or cuff the child; but a mother’s heart can take up the case in tenderness, because she is a mother, and feels more deeply the wrong that her child does, than any body else can. Always trust your mother.

Now, it is this love that you may look for from God. He gave His Son to die, for our evil deeds and our evil natures, which shows that He could not endure them, and that He loved us beyond any measure that we could name.

Christ says: God so loved us to give Him. That tells how much it was. Do believe that, and take the salvation that God gives through that death. And then when you sin, remember that you may do a worse thing by covering it up.

Tell it all out to God, who forgives abundantly. It is not by doing something to atone for our sins, that we find peace; but by believing in His Son He delights to do all for us. The cross of Christ gives Him a reason and a place for doing all things for us.

Do you think those dear little feet, fondled so tenderly and lovingly by the mother, could ever spurn her? And yet that has been done, and many a poor broken-hearted mother has been kicked in anger by an ungrateful and wicked son. There is no telling what dreadful evil there is in our nature, and what a child may grow to do. There is none good but Jesus Christ; and only “In Him” can we be kept from unkindness and cruelty.

May your little feet not run to evil, but may you believe in Christ and use them to walk in His ways and carry His messages of love to all. God says “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation.” Isaiah 52:7.

ML 05/14/1899

Animals of the Bible.

1 The Ass.

Dear Children; It is laid on my heart to write a little to you about the animals of the Bible.

You know the Bible is God’s word, so that everything in it is worthy of our careful study. So I ask God, by His Holy Spirit, to guide and help us to learn some useful lesson from each anal considered, and also ask you to take your Bibles and find all you can that God has said about each one. It will ray you. We will now look at the ass.

First, there was the wild ass, which lived far away from the houses of men, in the desert and could run so fast that very few of the swiftest heroes could ever overtake it. Then there was the tame ass, the faithful servant of man.

The color usually a reddish brown, but sometimes white. Those who were held in honor among the people rode on white ones.

One fact we find very interesting about the ass, is, that it is a type man. We have God’s word plainly for this. “Vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.”

Job 11:12.

Now let us see from Scripture what are the characteristics of this wild ass, which make him a type of man-natural, unregerate man. In Job 39:5-7 we find two things true of him. His home is the desert; and he regardeth not the crying of the driver. Is not this like man who has no home save on earth—the wilderness——and who acknowledges no Master? That is, he does not own God’s authority over him.

Again in Job 24:5 we find those who know not God, compared to the wild asses in the desert.

But in contrast to this wild, fleet-footed, uncontrolled animal, we find in Scripture the tame ass, remarkable for its patience, gentleness, intelligence, meek submission and great power of endurance. May we not look upon it as a type of man, redeemed, brought to God and under His control? Now the ass was an unclean animal and must be redeemed by a clean one. “Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck.” Exod. 13:13.

If you had been a little Jewish boy or girl in the land of Carman many hundreds of years ago, one morning you might have been happy over a little ass having been born in the night. But what says your father? “My child it is unclean, I must either break its neck or one of our little lambs must die in its stead.” So you, dear child, are torn with a sinful, nature and there is nothing but destruction left for you unless you are redeemed. But your father need not kill a little lamb for you. No! The Lamb has died, the blood has been shed.

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18, 19.

Now later on, imagine yourself still a little Jewish child in Jerusalem, and one day you would have seen a great multitude coming, some cutting down branches of trees and strewing them in the way; and others spreading their garments for an ass to walk upon. And why? Because upon that ass rode a King, and in the midst of all the shouting, you might have heard some solemn voice saying in the words of Zechariah the prophet; —”Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee; He is just, and having salvation; lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Zech. 9:9.

Then you would have run to the temple and joined your little voice with that of other children, crying, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” But you were not there. Still, you can lift your voice in praise of that same Jesus, Who, riding on an ass, was even then on His way to the cross, to redeem you to save you from the Lake of Fire.

“Children’s praise He loves to hear,

Children’s songs delight His ear.”

ML 05/21/1899

S-I-N.

Dear children: do you know what a terrible thing sin is in the sight of God, and how He hates it? It is not a difficult word to spell, but it is hard for many to believe it is true of them. Hover, it is a fact that “All have sinned,” for God says so, and our own consciences tell us that we have sinned.

Spell the word, s-i-n, and what do you find? A little “i” in the middle, fenced in by s and n. And are you not saying right now, “Yes, that is me, I am in my sins?” Oh how sad it makes us feel to think we have sinned against God, who loves us so. We know too, that God cannot receive one into His holy presence with sins. But He wants us to be with His dear Son, and is now forgiving the sins of those who in real self-judgment believe in Him who died on the cross.

Do you not want your sins forgiven? Then confess them to God at once. Do not wait until you are older or better, for you will be growing worse. Come to Him just now, owning your sins and God will forgive you at once for Jesus’ sake. Then you can be a real happy boy or girl, with your sins all forgiven, and washed away in the Blood of Jesus.

Dear young reader, do confess your sins to God this moment, and claim Jesus as your Saviour. F. E. H.

ML 05/21/1899

Echoes from the Sunday School.

We had been studying about Noah and had reached Genesis 8 “And God remembered Noah,” &c. After talking a little about God’s remembrance, and what would have been the consequence if God had forgotten him, I said, “Children, is there anything God does not remember?” Most of the class answered in-chorus, “No! No!” but little Ethel, more thoughtful than the rest, said nothing but raised her hand. “What is it Ethel?” I asked. She, answered—”My little verse says”, “THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES WILL I REMEMBER, NO MORE” Hebrews 10:17.

How precious! The one thing God can forget, is our sins and iniquities. And why? Because His Blessed Son on the cross satisfied God forever as to the sins of His people.

COME.

Such is the fond entreaty of the Blessed God to all, through this day of grace. God is not merely a Saviour-God. He wants to save. He is just begging souls to come to Him. Dear young reader, nothing that you can do will gratify, or make glad the heart of God, but for you to come to Him. Oh, that you would come to Him this moment! I was told a few minutes ago about a man who came to God and went, about among his neighbors telling them of the wonderful love of God to all, thinking they would all come to Him at once, but many would not come. Still God calls to you and all, “Come.” He calls to you now, because sometime it will be “too late.” Can you refuse such a long invitation when it is for your own good? A number of invitations for you to come, will appear in this paper, if the Lord will. But do not wait for them, bore you come to God. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

“Come to Jesus, come to Jesus,

Come to Jesus, just now;

Just now, come to Jesus,

Come to Jesus, just now.”

F. E. H.

ML 05/21/1899

God Cares for You

A few weeks ago a little boy of six years of age went to his mamma one morning and said, “See, mamma, I need new shoes, can I get some?”

His mamma said, “I don’t know whether you can get them today or not.”

During the day the same question was asked but his mamma said, “Not today.”

At night as the little fellow was going to bed, he asked again about the shoes and wanted to know why he could not get them. His mamma had to tell him she did not have the money and he would have to ask the Lord for them. So he kneeled down and after thanking God for taking care of him during the day, asked Him to send him some new shoes, in the name of the Lord Jesus.

In the morning he went to his mamma’s bed and said,” Has the Lord sent the money yet?” His mamma said, “Not yet.”

As the shoes had not come by night, he seemed a little disappointed and his mamma said, “The Lord heard your prayer and He will be sure to send them.”

On going to bed he repeated John 14:14. “If ye ask anything in My Name I will do it,” and the next morning he went again to his mamma’s bed and said, “Mamma I prayed twice last night and three times this morning, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, for God to give me some new shoes.”

He had not long to wait, that morning his prayer was answered and he got his new shoes. How delighted he was!

His mamma thinking he was so taken up with his new shoes that he had forgotten to thank God for sending them to him, said, “You must thank God for your new shoes,” when he promptly answered, “Yes, mamma, I did.” And you, dear little ones, may go to God about everything, “In the Name of the Lord Jesus,” if you know that He died on the cross for you; and has washed all your sins away. God loves to have little children come to Him and tell Him all their troubles, just as you do to your mamma, and ask Him for what you need.

Sometimes, when you ask God for what you need, He may see best to give it to you right away, when at another time, He may know it would be best to have you wait a little while, and when He answers your prayer, don’t forget to thank Him at once.

Remember, you should always ask God for what you want, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, as the verse which the little boy repeated, says, “If ye ask anything IN MY NAME, I will do it.”

If you know that God loved you so much that He gave His only Son, the Lord Jesus, to die on the cross, to bear the punishment for your sins instead of you, He will also give you, through Him, what you ask Him for, if it is for your good.

You might ask God for something that would do you harm and God in His love for you, could not let you have it, just as the baby often cries for a sharp knife, because it is pretty and bright, but mamma cannot let him have it, as she loves him too much to allow him to cut himself. But God always hears when you ask Him for what you need and tell Him your troubles.

ML 05/21/1899

Papa is Coming Home.

NOW, let us peep inside of that house, and see how happy they are! The children are all around their mamma, the little ones jumping and clapping their hands, while the two oldest ones are close to mamma, looking intently on a piece of paper, which she holds in her hand but their faces express fully as much delight.

What does it all mean? Why, the postman has just come and, the same as other mornings, has brought a letter from papa, but this one tells them, that he is coming home and he will not send any more letters, the next thing they can expect, is, to see him.

The little tots say, “O! how soon will papa be here, mamma; may I go meet him at the corner as he gets off the car?” Mamma says, “I don’t know how soon he will be here, he may be here right away and he may not be here till night.”

How their faces beam with joy at the prospect of seeing him so soon.

L. says, “Let’s keep ourselves nice and clean.” Little E. says, “I go and watch for papa.”

But in an hour or two after, they say, “Mamma, why don’t papa come?”

“Have patience, my children, he will come soon,” she says.

But one got tired waiting and went to play and very nearly forgot that papa was coming.

Listen! the door bell has rung;—just look at all of them run. They are sure it is papa and when the door is opened, what joy!

All are happy, he is happy to see them, and they are happy at having him back again and see! they don’t want to leave him, they stay right with him and sit as close to him as they can and tell him all that happened while he was gone.

Do you wonder, dear children, they should be so glad to have the news, that their papa was coming home and should rejoice when he did come?

I am sure you will say “No! they love their papa and their papa loves them,” so, it was just what was to be expected.

Now, let me ask you a question. Would you be very happy to read a leer from the Lord Jesus which tells us that He is coming back, or would it fill your heart with fear?

If you know the Lord Jesus has loved you so much that He came down from Heaven, to die on the cross for you and bear the punishment which you deserved on account of your sins, surely you will be very happy to know from His own words that He is coming back again.

Now open your bibles to John 14:3. The Lord Jesus says, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Then in 1 Thess. 4:15-17, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive, and rain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep, For The LORD Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of GOD: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

The verse in John 14 tells us that He is coming for His own—all the children and grown people, who trust in Him for salvation and they shall be with Him where He is, and those verses in 1 Thess. 4 tell us, How He is going to come and take all believers up to be with Himself.

He will not send an angel but He will come Himself, from Heaven with a shout and then the “dead in Christ”—that is, those who have died, knowing the Lord Jesus was their Saviour—shall rise first, then all the believers who are alive on the earth at that time, shall be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air and shall be with Him forever.

The father came home to his children and they ran to the door, when they heard the bell ring. So, when the Lord Jesus will come in the air for His own, they will hear the shout and by His power, they will go up to meet Him. What a happy time that will be!

But, perhaps, some of you say, “When will that be, how soon will He come?”

I can not tell you, but He is coming soon, and the scripture says, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour.” Matthew 25:13.

Don’t be like that little one who got tired waiting for his papa and nearly forgot he was coming home but may you be watching and have great joy at the happy and sure prospect of soon seeing and being with the Lord Jesus, Who loves you and gave Himself for you.

ML 05/28/1899

Spring Time.

How bright and glad it is! When the cold, northern blasts are over, and the soft, balmy breezes take their place, all nature seems to rejoice. The sun shines brightly, the little birds sing their sweet songs: then comes the gentle rain, making the grass look fresh and green: and next, the tiny buds bin to swell, telling us that soon the bushes and the trees will put on their beautiful foliage: then comes the bright blossoms, filling the air with fragrance.

How pleasant it all is! and it all speaks to us of the goodness of God who gives us the rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

But as the sweet blossoms unfold, putting on new life and beauty, and as the icy blasts find their home in the far away Arctic regions, and, for a time, cease to trouble us, do we not see something more than God’s goodness to us in the beautiful spring time? Does it not speak to us of the eternal spring time upon which we shall enter when we go to be with Jesus?

There are many rude blasts that reach us in this world; there are many storms of trial and sorrow that even you, dear children, feel; but there, storms will never come, sorrows will never more be known, and all will be bright and beautiful in that happy home to which all who love Jesus are going.

Here the spring time, with its freshness and its loveliness, passes away: the flowers fade and die, the grass withers, the leaves fall, and the wintry blasts return.

But there, the freshness will never fade, the beauties of that scene will never pass away. Its joys will fill our hearts, and these joys will flow on forever.

Another thing I want to tell you, dear boys and girls; we will never grow weary there. Sometimes you get tired of your plays and your playthings down here, but up there the pleasures will be always fresh and new. Oh! how happy we will be, and how blessed it is to think about it!

So, dear children, when the spring time opens with its cheer and gladness, allow your thoughts to dwell upon that coming happy spring time which will continue in all its freshness and beauty throughout eternity.

Now just one little word more. I want to tell you that Jesus, that blessed One, who has suffered for our sins, will make the brightness and the joy of all that happy scene. Think of Him and of what we shall have when with Him, and your hearts will be as full of happiness as the spring time is full of brightness and cheer. R.

ML 05/28/1899

Echoes from the Sunday School.

WE had been talking about the verse, — “Every eye shall see Him.” Revelation 1:7. I said, “Blossom, how shall we know Him?” She answered so sweetly, “By the wounds in His hands.” Yes, we shall see Him “a Lamb as it had been slain.” (Rev. 5:6.) And one shall say unto Him, “What are these wounds in thine hands? Then He shall answer, “Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” Zech. 13:6.

ML 05/28/1899

Little E.'S Prayer.

Dear Little Ones: I want to tell you a true story of a very little girl, only two and a half years old; who, though so young had learned what Jesus meant when He said “Ask and ye shall receive.” E.’s mother had received a letter, one day, saying that an express package was coming with a dress in it for the little girl.

When E. knelt by her bed that night, her mamma asked her if she would like to thank God for putting it into the heart of her kind aunt to send her a new dress. She did so, and then of her own accord, added this prayer, “O Dod, div me some little shoes, my shoes dot holes in.” After she had gone to sleep, the package came, and in it, with the dress, was a nice pair of shoes. In the morning her mamma asked her if she remembered asking God for shoes, and if she believed that God was going to send them? She said very decidedly, “Yes, nim, He is.” When her mamma handed her the shoes, she was very much plead but not at all surprised. “According to your faith be it unto you.”

ML 05/28/1899

I Am the Way.

MAN jumped on a street car to go to a certain place in the City. After he had ridden a few blocks he learned that he was going the wrong way. He quickly got off the car, and jumped on the one going the right direction.

Dear reader, have you learned that you are going the wrong way? God is now sending to you His Gospel that you might be turned from darkness unto light. Those who have never been to God about their sins are like this man on the wrong car. It may seem nice riding for a while, but the bitter end of sin is death. And as all the riding on this wrong car could never bring this man to the right place, so all your doings in the flesh can never, no never, save your soul. Do not be deceived. I beg of you to not continue as you are, thinking things are all-right. Because you feel happy is no sign that you are saved. It would be awful to spend eternity with the wretched sinners, apart from the blessed Saviour, who now so tenderly invites you to come to Him and be saved.

Again I entreat you, be as this wise man, change your mind quickly, and take the other car by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ who says, “I am the way.” F. E. H.

ML 05/28/1899

After Death the Judgment

BRIGHT and clear was April 15th of 1881, when the Alabama left Glasgow for New York with many bright faces. A few were weeping because of the dear friends that were left behind, and handkerchiefs were kept waving as long as the crowd of friends on shore could be seen. After stopping at another port, then out to the open sea, —still calm and beautiful. All seemed to enjoy the voyage for two days, but the wind began to blow, the sea grew rough and many enjoyed the difficulty of walking, while the vessel rolled from side to side and plunged between the waves, — like hills all around, —then again lifted to the top of a wave, where the wild and raging sea could be seen. The sight was grand, but the anxious look on the captain’s face, told there was danger ahead. Yet music and dancing were carried on by the passengers. No thought or fear of God, no thought of their own eternal welfare, or how soon they had to face death. Merriment, laughter and what they called a good time, were all they thought of. Soon the good time was changed to trouble, the laughter to tears, and the merriment to (not only sorrow but) terrible grief. What caused such a change? Had they become more wicked, or had they less thought of God and their eternal welfare? No, they only then began to think with seriousness where they would spend eternity and cried to God for help. The storm had become more severe, the immense waves were breaking over the vessel, every hatchway and all port-holes had been made secure, but the waves broke through, filling the berths, drenching the passengers, and causing many articles to float around in the cabin. But the fear that filled the hearts, on that dark and stormy night, of those once merry people, seems as fresh in my mind today, as if it were yesterday. Those cries, “O, we are going down, we are going down and we have no priest!” still keep ringing in my ears. Why had they so much fear? Let me tell you, dear children. The reason is, they did not know the Lord Jesus as their own Saviour. They did not know what it was to have their sins washed away in the precious blood of Christ, or have Him as the One who bore the judgment on the cross which they deserved for their sins. They might have known that verse, “As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment;” and therefore feared to die knowing they were sinners, but had they believed the next verse, “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time, without sin unto salvation,” (Heb. 9:27-28), they would not have been afraid to die, but would have rejoiced, seeing there was no judgment for them, as Christ had borne it all when offered for sins upon that cross.

Dear children, you need not be afraid of death either. The thing for you to do is to be ready, and the way to be ready, is to believe that Jesus died for you, and therefore you will not have to bear the wrath from God due to you for your sins.

Carpenters soon repaired the vessel so all were brought through safely, and the next day many of those who had been frightened were laughing about it. Yet they were one day nearer eternity then, than the night before.

Dear children, consider now. “Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1. Accept of Christ now as your own Saviour. “Believe and be saved.” Luke 8:12.

ML 06/04/1899

God Is Looking

I ONCE heard a story of a little boy who had a wicked father who used to steal. One day he took his little boy with him to steal some corn out of a man’s field. When they came to the place where the corn was, he said to his boy, “You watch and tell me when you see any person looking, and I will go in and fill my bag full of corn.” Now this little boy had gone to Sunday-school and had learned many things from the word of God. So after his father had gone over into the field and was taking the corn, he called out, “Papa, somebody is looking.” His father dropped the bag of corn and ran to where his little boy was, but could not see any person, and said, “You mustn’t call me when nobody is looking.” But his little boy said, “Papa, God is looking.” Perhaps the girls and boys who read this paper have looked at a picture on a wall, and have seen the eyes in the picture looking straight into yours. Every place you go in that room, those eyes will follow you. So it is, dear children, with the eyes of God. There is no place you can go where His eyes don’t follow you. There is nothing you do, that He does not see. You can go where papa and mamma cannot see you, and you can do what they may never know about, but God sees and knows all. He knows all the naughty things that children do and marks them down in His book. There is only one thing that can take all those marks out of His book and that is the precious blood of Jesus, and the way to have that precious blood applied, is by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. May every girl and boy who reads this, accept Him as their Saviour NOW.

“Behold NOW is the accepted time, behold NOW is the day of salvation.”

E. B. H.

ML 06/04/1899

The Conversion of a Heathen Chief.

A FEW years ago a certain servant of the Lord felt led to go into the heart of Africa to tell a noted chief, Africanus by name, about Jesus the Saviour of poor sinners. His dear friends pleaded with him not to go, for, said they, “He will be drinking out of your skull in less than an hour.” Africanus was known far and wide to be a terrible man. But this man of God felt the Lord had called him to visit Africanus, so go he must. He went and told him of the love of God in the gift of His Son to die upon the cross. He preached salvation to him through the Lord Jesus, and what do you think? He was converted and confessed Jesus as his Saviour.

Dear reader, have you been converted? God is now beseeching you to take from Him this very same gift which was so readily received by Africanus. Will you still refuse God’s love in giving His Son to die, which could but melt the heart of cruel Africanus? Let that same story just now melt and win your heart. Just think of Jesus hanging on the cross for you, wounded, bleeding, and dying. Oh, confess your sins and look to Jesus.

HEART.

“Keep thy HEART with all diligence; for out it are the issues of life.

MOUTH, LIPS.

Put away from thee a forward MOUTH, and perverse. LIPS put far from thee.

EYES, EYELIDS.

Let thine EYES look right on, and let thine EYELIDS look straight before thee.

FEET.

Ponder the path of thy FEET, and let all thy ways be established.

HANDS.

Turn not to the right HAND, nor to the left.” (Prov. 4:23-27.)

ML 06/04/1899

Little Ones Columns

DEAR Little Ones: —

Last week I told you of a little girl, who asked for something for herself, and how God heard and answered her prayer. Now I will tell you of another, who prayed for her friend and how her request, too, was granted. G.— lived in the country and went to school by rather a lonely path through a wood. One day as she was going to school alone, her thoughts were about a little friend of hers who was very sick. G. — felt very anxious about her friend’s soul, so she knelt down in a fence corner in a quiet spot and prayed earnestly to God to save her friend, and take her to heaven, if she died. In a day or two she heard that her little friend was dead, and that she died rejoicing in the Lord. G. — felt very happy in knowing that God had heard and answered her prayer, and it encouraged her in after years to pray for the salvation of other friends. I have written this to encourage you, dear children, to do the same. You may have a dear father, mother, sister, brother or school-mate who does not believe in Jus. Bring them to Him in simple faith.

When Jesus was on earth He was healing the sick, and there was a man so sick he could not get out of his bed to go to Jesus. So four of his friends picked up the bed on which he lay and carried him to the house where Jesus was. They found the house so full they could not get in the door; but they would not give up the hope of seeing their sick friend healed. They uncovered the roof and let down the bed on which the sick man lay. “When Jesus saw their faith He said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” After that He healed his body too. How richly Jesus rewarded the faith of these four men! Proving Himself to be the Jehovah of Psa. 103 “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases.” In Eph. 3:20, we read of Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” James 1:6. Let us ask in faith nothing wavering. “He is faithful.” Heb. 10:23. E. G. B.

ML 06/04/1899

"Are You Saved, Alice? I Am."

HARRY was a bright little fellow, eight years of age, to whom I often spoke about the Lord Jesus.

One day Harry said to a little girl, “Are you saved, Alice? I am. Bill, the porter is saved, too, (meaning a porter at W.— station).

She asked him how he knew he was saved. The answer Harry gave her was: “Jesus died to put away my sins, and He says, ‘Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life,’ and I do believe Him, for HE CANNOT LIE, and I must be saved.”

Are your sins put away, my young reader?

If you, believing in Him, have been made clean by the precious blood of Jus, you ought indeed to be happy, for Jesus now lives again, and always watches over you, loving you ever so much. No one can measure His love: it is like an ocean without a shore.

ML 06/04/1899

Is Christ Your Saviour

A YOUNG lady asked a little girl, as she overtook her, when walking in the country, “Can you tell me who Jus is?”

“Yes, miss,” the little girl replied, “He is our Saviour.”

“But is He your Saviour?”

To this the little girl answered, “I do not know.”

How many there are, like this little girl. They speak, sing and talk about a Saviour, but do not know Him as their own personal Saviour.

They cannot truly say, “He is my Saviour.”

Just to know that there is a Saviour, without having to do with Him personally, will benefit no one.

Let me earnestly entreat you, dear children, not to rest, till, in the presence of God, you can really say, “Christ is my Saviour,” for unless you know Him thus, you cannot be saved. Be wise; take God at His Word, and the result will be eternal-salvation.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners.” 1 Tim. 1:15.

“The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Rom. 10:8-10.

ML 06/11/1899

The Chariot and the Great Family Umbrella.

I HAVE something to tell you, my young readers, which is very good, very old and very new. “What is it,” you may well ask, “that can be both old and new?” Let the following facts supply the answer.

Twenty-seven centuries ago, an aged prophet of God, but at the same time “a man subject to like passions as we are,” went up to the top of Carmel, and casting himself down upon the earth, put his face between his knees and prayed. There had been no rain in the land for three years and six months, and he was now praying earnestly that it might rain. When he had continued a good while in prayer, a little cloud like a man’s hand was seen to rise out of the sea. On being told of this, the prophet sent to king Ahab, saying, “Prepare thy chariot and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not... Meanwhile the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.” 1 Kings 18:44,45.

That good rain, dear children, was thus given in answer to the prayer of faith in olden times; but faith itself—the gift of God—however old in the history of God’s people, is in its own nature always new. God always answers the fervent, effectual prayer of faith; and if we be subject to like passions with Elijah, still, if like him, we pray without doubting, we shall surely find how God hears and answers prayer. Besides, it is our privilege, now to pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God’s love; and He has told us that “Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:13.

The following is a new fact, in proof of God’s faithfulness in hearing and answering prayer. It was not in Palestine, but in England; not twenty centuries ago, but a few years since; not the prayer of an old prophet, but of a little girl. I read the account in a French paper, and now present it to you, to encourage all of you who believe in Jesus to pray in faith for everything you need.

“At a time when many of the midland counties of England were suffering from a long drought, some praying farmers, fearing to lose their crops for want of water, asked their minister to convene a special prayer meeting, to supplicate God for the rain they so greatly needed. The time for the meeting having nearly arrived, the minister was there with the first. He thus had the opportunity of exchanging a few words with those who had come. Amongst them was a little Sunday-scholar, who had brought with her an enormous family umbrella, so large as to be a burden for one so little to carry. The minister, quite astonished, addressed her thus: “What can be your idea, my little Mary, in bringing an umbrella in such magnificent weather as we have today?” The child, evidently much surprised at such a question, replied, “I thought, sir, as we were meeting to ask God to send us rain, that I should surely need an umbrella.” The minister smiled, and the service commenced, but while they prayed, a strong wind arose, the heavens, before so bright, became occurred with clouds, thunder and lightning followed, and a deluge of rain covered the country. They who were not prepared to receive the blessing in faith, went home drenched, while little Mary returned under the shelter of the great family umbrella.”

Dear reader, whether you be young or old, let me ask you one question. When you meet with others in public prayer, or in the secret of your own 1:00M, lifting up your heart to God, is faith the key which opens your heart before the Throne of Grace? If not, remember Ahab’s chariot and the little girl’s umbrella.

PURE STREAMS.

ML 06/11/1899

Come and Hear.

“INCLINE your ear and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live.” (Isa. 55:3)

First of all, God beseeches you to give attention to what He has to say. If you have heard any good news, you want to tell it to your friends. It is just so with God, for He has the best of news to tell you. You have seen a man who is a little deaf, put his hand up to his ear. God wants you to thus incline your ear and hear, for there is life in His words. Christ said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” Man lost life by listening to the voice of Satan, but God does not cease to speak yet.. These are His words, harken! “Come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live.”

“TAKE HEED WHAT YE HEAR.”

Such are the words of the Lord Jesus which we read in Mark 4:24. Dear reader, have you ever given heed to these words so wisely spoken? Thera are many evil words spoken by those who know not the Lord, but do not listen to them. It is a sad thing to see children talk like sinful men. Satan also is trying his best to get you to hear him. He puts evil thoughts into your mind, and tells you that you are too young to think about your soul, just wait until you arc older. He knows full well that the chances are, you may never live to grow up, and if you do live you will likely never receive Christ. So “Take heed what ye hear.” God says, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” (Eccl. 12. 1.) F. E. H.

ML 06/11/1899

Come.

Come, come little birdie,

Come here to our door,

And pick up the crumbs,

That fall to the floor.

I’ll not frighten nor harm you,

Nor chase you away,—

But feed you and pet you,

So come every day.

I know that our Father,

Who lives up above,

Is thinking about you

In goodness and love.

You may not have storehouse,

Nor shelter, nor bed,-

But God watches o’er you,

And you shall be fed.

He cares for the sparrows,

He feeds all the birds,

And He blesses dear children

Who heed His kind words.

He measures their sorrows,

He thinks of their fears,

He bids them come to Him,

Though tender in years.

Then come little birdie,

Come here and be fed,

And come little children—

To Jesus be led.

He’s waiting to bless you,

Oh! do you not see,

His kind invitation

Is “Come unto Me.”

ML 06/11/1899

Jesus

Entered and passed through Jericho, and there was a

Rich man named Zacchaeus, a publican, who was

In great haste to see Jesus, and

Climbed up into a tree; Jesus said, “Make haste and come down, for today I must abide at thy

House.”

On hearing this, he MADE HASTE, CAME DOWN and RECEIVED HIM joyfully.

Jesus said, “This day is salvation come to this house.”

Jericho had God’s judgment resting on it, so is God’s judgment resting on this world. Zacchaeus was a publican and therefore linked with sinners, and in Jericho. So are we sinners, and in this world where God’s judgment is hanging over it. Zacchaeus got up high in the tree, but the Lord had to tell him to come down. So, too, we must take the low place and not have high thoughts of ourselves, but own ourselves lost and helpless sinners, unable to save ourselves. Zacchaeus made haste, came down and then the third thing, he received Jesus and it was with joy. So now, if we take the low place and receive Jesus as our own Saviour, we have joy, knowing that He saves all who come unto God by Him. M. W. S.

ML 06/11/1899

"He'll Come Soon."

WELL, Bertie, how long are you going to live?” a friend asked a little boy.

“I do not know,” little Bertie slowly replied.

“Until you are an old man of a hundred years, eh?”

“I don’t think so,” said the tiny boy, gravely, as he raised his blue eyes to his friend’s face.

“Indeed! Are you very sick that you think you may die soon?”

With a sweet little smile, but trembling lips, six-year-old Bertie replied:

“Oh! you don’t understand one bit! I’m only waiting for Jesus, and He’ll come soon.”

Dear little boy; with childish simplicity he went on with his play, but the words he uttered sank into the heart of the one who had heard them-”He’ll come soon.”

And what joy it gave him to be expecting Jesus to come every day, for he knew that He had said “Surely, I come quickly;” not, as some people say, that He comes whenever any of His children die; but He is coming in the clouds of heaven and He will call away all who trust in Him and give us bodies of glory like His, and we-shall live with Him forever, and be so happy.

I hope each one of our dear little friends are waiting for Him to come soon.

ML 06/11/1899

Story of a Stork

In a village in Norway there is the figure of a stork carved on the church, and over many of the houses. This is the beautiful story they tell of it: That in that village once there lived a little lad, named Conrad, and his widowed mother. Every summer a stork came near the house, and built its nest close by. Little Conrad and his mother were very kind to the stork. They fed it and petted it, so that it got to know them, and would come whenever Conrad whistled, to feed out of his hand. Every spring they watched for it, and when it came it seemed as glad to see them as they were to welcome it.

Spring and summer chased each other, until Conrad had grown up to be a young man. Then he said he would go to sea, and make money enough to come back and keep his mother in her old age.

So he went as a sailor, and set out for a distant land. All went well for many weeks, but one day when they were near the coast of Africa, a number of cruel pirates swarmed around in their boats, and climbed up the ship’s sides. They took possession of the ship, and put the sailors in chains, and afterward sold them as slaves.

Weeks went by. The widow began to be afraid about her boy, it was so long since they had heard of him. At last they gave up all hope of seeing him again, and mourned for him as drowned, and all the village pitied the lonely mother in her grief. As for her, the only thing that seemed to interest her at all, was the stork as it came each year. For Conrad’s sake she welcomed it and fed it, until the autumn came, and it flew away into the sunny south. Now it happened that one day as poor Conrad toiled away at his dreary work in some lonely place, a stork came flying close to him, wheeling about him in great delight. In a moment the scene flashed on him of his home and of his mother and their yearly visitor. Scarcely knowing what he did, he whistled as he used to do to call the bird long ago. To his delight, the stork came at once close to him, as if to be fed. Conrad lifted up his heart to God, and with tears gave thanks that so dear an old friend should have found him there. Day after day he saved what he could from his wretched meal, for the joy of calling the bird to feed at his hand. But Conrad’s heart grew sad again as the time came for the bird to fly away to the north. Was it going to his mother’s cottage? Was the nest there still that he remembered so well? Was there any to welcome it now and any to feed it? Then it occurred to him—why, this bird may help me to get away from this vile place. He managed to write on a scrap of paper, a line or two, telling where he was, and that he was a slave, and then he tied it firmly around the bird’s leg.

The spring came again, and with it the stork. The old widow’s eye lit up as it came, reminding her of her lost boy, and tenderly she welcomed it and fed it, and as it took the food from her hand, she caught sight of this strange letter tied to its leg. Curiously removing it, —think of her joy when she found that it was from her son!

Forth with the tidings, she ran to the minister of the little parish to tell him of the news. It quickly spread through the village. They must send and redeem Conrad, was what everybody said.

The next Sunday morning the people brought their money to the church, and each gave what he could for the widow’s son. Then one was sent to the King to lay the case before him, and to get a ship of war from him that the pirates would not dare to touch. It took a long time in those days to send to Africa, and there to recover Conrad from his slavery. But before the stork had flown, the bells of the village church had rung and all the people rejoiced with a great joy, for the widow’s son was redeemed, and was safely at home again in his mother’s cottage. Such is the story they tell of the stork in that Norwegian village.

And thus from the bondage of sin and the evil of our heart, we can cry to the Lord for His help. Prayer is the white-winged bird that can bear our message right up to the Father’s house. And an answer shall come. Jesus, the King’s Son, comes to redeem us. But lo! for us He gives Himself, a ransom for us all! —Selected.

ML 06/18/1899

"Come and See."

THESE are not the words of the Lord Jesus, but Philip’s words to Nathanael in John 1:46. Nathanael wondered how a good man could come out of a despised little place like Nazareth. But Philip had met Jesus, and found Him to be the promised Saviour, so he invites his friend to “Come and see” Him too. And what was the result? Nathanael was converted at once and confessed Him as “the Son of God,” just as everyone does who comes to Him, now.

And now, dear reader, I would just take the place of Philip, and invite you to “Come and see” Jesus, the Son of God. Look at Him, through the eye of faith, hanging on the cross. See Him there forsaken of His friends and even His God. Oh, what a sight! Yes, they not only crucified Him but put Him in the grave and sealed it. They placed men to watch also. But see, oh see Him arise from among the dead! What a wondrous sight! Jesus lives! Is He not truly the Son of God, the only Saviour?

“I have a Saviour, He’s pleading in glory,

And oh, that my Saviour were your Saviour too!

For you I am praying, for you I am praying,

For you I am praying, I’m praying for you.”

ML 06/18/1899

His Love to Me.

And is it so that “all have sinned,”

And wandered far from God,

In fleshly lusts, by satan led,

To tread destruction’s road?

And is it so that “God so loved”

This world of sinners lost,

That His beloved Son He gave

To die upon the cross?

And is it so, whoe’er believes

In Jesus, God’s dear Son,

He everlasting life receives

In Him whose work is done?

Such love as this I can’t reject,

I’ll perish if I do.

My sins are great and God detects

Them all. I know ‘tis true.

Now melted is my stubborn heart,

I trust to self no more;

I look to Jesus on the cross,

Where all my sins He bore.

Yes, now I know that Jesus came,

And for my sins did die.

For me did He thus suffer shame,

For my sins did He cry,—

In accents loud, with darkness round,

And enemies before,

“Eli, lama sabachthani?”

Could Jesus love me more?

F. E. H.

ML 06/18/1899

Daniel

DANIEL, the Hebrew captive, refused to

defile himself with the King’s meat.

devout and faithful in worship, he

declined to obey the King’s

decree, and was cast into a

den of lions. Out of which he was

delivered by God, and afterward

Darius, the King, proclaimed the true God. Dan. 6.

“We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5. 29.

ML 06/18/1899

The Children's Hour

A LITTLE girl, eight years old, and her younger brother, were sitting one evening in winter, around their cozy fire, playing hide-and-seek between their parents, and under the chairs.

When the lights were brought, both children exclaimed, “Oh, mamma, please read to us?” The Bible was brought and the children sat eagerly listening to the story of Jesus and His love. They read those verses in Luke 22:39 to end and Luke 23, telling of the great any He suffered in the garden, when great drops of blood fell from His brow; how patiently He endured the rude treatment of cruel soldiers, the scourging, the spitting, the mocking, the crowning with a crown of thorns, and after all actually let them put Him to death, although they found no cause of death in Him—and all for love to us.

Suddenly the mother’s voice faltered and she broke out crying, for it was only a few weeks before that she had learned how much her dear Saviour had suffered for her.

“Mamma,” said the little boy, putting his arms around her, “why are you crying? Are you sorry Jesus let them treat Him so?” “No,” said the mother, for if Jesus had not died upon that cross for us, we must each have been punished for our own sins; but I was just thinking how hard hearted and ungrateful I have been in living so long without ever thanking Him.”

All this time, little Mary sat still and unnoticed, when suddenly she began sobbing bitterly, and said, “Oh, mamma, do you think Jesus will receive me now, just as I am, if I ask Him?” “Yes, dear, I know He will,” says the mother,” “for He tells us, that ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out’.”

“Do let us ask Him,” said Mary, and sinking on her knees, she told Him how sorry she was for her sins and that she wanted to be His little lamb. She thanked Him for being punished instead of her, and asked Him to hold her tightly as she was so small.

Now, dear young readers, have you ever thanked the Lord Jesus for dying for your sins? If not, do so now. He will receive you now, just as you are, however small and however bad; He will wash all you sins away by His precious blood that was shed on that cruel cross, and make you one of His children, and then when He comes,—and that is very soon now,—to take all those that love Him, up to that glorious and happy home He has prepared for us in the mansions above. He will take you, too. Accept Jesus as your Saviour now and do not treat Him so ungratefully. W. S.

ML 06/18/1899

Come and Drink.

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isa. 55:1)

Here is God’s invitation to “every one that thirsteth,” to come and drink. We all know what it is to be real thirsty on a hot summer’s day, and run to the well for a drink. But God means eternal life in this verse, which, if we thirst for, or desire, and come to Him, we get at once. How this world is thirsting for something that will satisfy! So they go to the dance, the music-hall, the theater, &c., night after night. But these things last only a short time, and do not meet the soul’s deep need.

Are you not thirsty, dear reader? I mean, do you not want Jesus the Saviour, both now and forever? Then hear His words in John 4.:14: “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” That means, whosoever comes to Him, receives life eternal as a gift. Do you not want it? Come to Him just as you are, hungry and thirsty, and He will not turn you away empty. F. E. H.

ML 06/25/1899

The Bear.

WE will look this week a little at the bear as found in Scripture.

In 1 Sam. 17, when David wished to go and fight the Philistine giant, Goliath, Saul said, “Thou art not able,”— David told Saul this beautiful little story of what had happened when he was keeping his father’s sheep. He said: “There came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock; and I went out after him and slew him and delivered it out of his mouth... Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear... David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”

Now, what does this mean? For surely it has a meaning for us. David, the shepherd, we know is a type of our Shepherd, even Jesus, who delivered His lambs from the power of Satan, (the Lion); we will look more fully at this when we study the lion. But here we have a bear as well as a lion, and I think we may say it means human power, usually in connection with Satan. When our blessed Lord Jesus was on the cross, the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for the sheep, He suffered from the hand of man, prompted and led on by Satan.

In 2 Kings 2 we find some naughty children mocked the man of God, Elisha, and said, “Go up thou bald head... And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood and tare forty and two children of them.” Now I would have you learn at least two lessons from our study of the bear.

The first is, that Jesus has prevailed over all the power of wickedness in man or Satan, so that He is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him.

The second is, that God’s judgment falls on those who despise His messenger. If you have come to Jesus and believed on Him as the One who laid down His life for the sheep, no one, man nor devil, can pluck you out of His hand. But if you despise and reject the message of God’s offer of salvation, through Jesus as the One who has died for sinners and has gone up to heaven, there is nothing for you to expect but the judgment of God.

E. G. B.

ML 06/25/1899

My Book.

A LITTLE girl, Emma by name, was once left in a room for a few minutes with a gentleman. Wishing to entertain him till her parents came back, she took up her father’s pocket Bible, saying, “Would you like to read a little from this? This is my father’s book, and I don’t often see him reading anything else.”

Dear little friends, can you tell why Emma’s papa was so fond of this book? I will tell you, because it tells about Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God, the One who made this world, and when He saw that all the people in it, both old and young, were sinners and not fit to go up to His home in heaven until all their sins were washed away, He loved them so much that He left that home above for a season, came down into this world and suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that we should not have to be punished for them, and that He might take all who believe in Him and love Him, up to His glorious and everlasting home in the mansions beyond the sky where God dwells.

Did you ever hear of this Jesus who died to save you? Do you love Him and the book that tells about Him? When He was down here in this world, He once said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not.” When little Emma was twelve years old she found the Lord Jesus as her own Saviour, then the bible became her book as it had been her father’s.

This book cheered her in all her trouble and turned her sorrow to joy. As years passed by and the time came for her to leave her earthly home, she said, “I’m going to my heavenly home, now. I shall soon see Jesus. I have loved Him nearly all my life; now, I am going to be forever with Him.”

Can you say, “It is my book, too?” Dear children, there is no one loves you so much as Jesus. The Bible says that He loved us and gave Himself for us; that He suffered and died for our sins so that if we believe in Him; He will wash all our sins away, and take us up to that bright, heavenly home where Emma is. If you have no Bible, ask your papa to get you one, so that you might learn of and love that Person who was called JESUS, because He would save, His people from their sins. Matt. 1:21. W. S.

ML 06/25/1899

A True Story.

DEAR Children: I have a true story I wish to tell you about a young man who was a friend of mine. This young man had been hurt and for some weeks was unable to work. When he was able for work he could not find anything to do, so he, with a few more young fellows, proposed to join the navy. They were not able to enlist in the small town of M.——where they lived, but had to go to the large city of Chicago to enlist. Now, you will remember, my young friend had not been working for a long time and consequently had no money to pay his fare on the train, so if he were to go he must steal his ride to the city, which he managed to do, on a freight train, for about fifty miles, when the train stopped and all the young fellows got off. They then started for the front part of the train, except this young man who went to the rear end, and this was the last his companions saw of him. The next morning the railroad men found him eighty-five feet below the bridge with his neck and back broken. Thus he passed into eternity—unsaved!

My dear little reader, you will have to pass into eternity, perhaps very soon; how is it with you? Are you, like this young man, unsaved, or are you saved by believing on the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? If so, when you die you will go to be with the blessed Lord Jesus who loved you and gave Himself to die for you, my little one, that He might have you with Him in glory.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. F. C. T.

ML 06/25/1899

That Loving One.

I WANT to tell the children

Of One whose name I love;

Who came on earth a stranger,

From a world of joy above.

He came to us with truth and grace,

With hands outstretched to bless,

He went around from place to place,

To thousands in distress.

He cleansed the leper, cured the blind,

Healed the sick and raised the dead;

He banished woes of every kind,

And multitudes of hungry, fed.

He wiped away the burning tears,

From many sorrowing eyes,

And vanquished the Disciples’ fears,

When waves did round them rise.

Although He saved and healed and blest,

And loved both great and small,

Men did not like this Heavenly Guest,

Whose grace flowed out to all.

So they found Him in Gethsemane,

Where all alone He prayed,

And took Him like an enemy,

To judgment to degrade.

They braided then a crown of thorns

And pressed it on His head;

And then with wicked sneers and scorns,

To Calvary He was led.

And then they nailed this Gracious Friend

To a cruel cross of wood;

And watched with joy His painful end,

As round the cross they stood.

Friends took Him from that shameful tree

And laid Him in the grave;

But God has raised Him up to be

The One to bless and save.

And now, at God’s right hand above,

He asks you to believe

The wondrous story of His love,

And life through Him receive. C. C. C.

ML 06/25/1899

"Don't Let Anything Bite Papa."

LITTLE John had listened attentively one day while his mother told him the story about Daniel: how he had been thrown into the den of lions, and how God had closed the mouths of those great, fierce animals so that they could not bite him.

That evening when he knelt by his mother’s knee, he thought of his father who was absent and asked God to bless him, then added, “and don’t let anything bite papa.”

No doubt he thought that God who had kept Daniel from harm could take care of his papa, too. And he was quite right.

How many of my little readers lot their thoughts turn to God? How many of you ask Him to keep you, and those dear to you, from harm and from sin? Do not forget, God hears our cries, and He helps those who trust in Him. R.

ML 06/25/1899

The Voice of Conscience.

WILLIE was an errand boy at Dr. Becker’s. From early morning till late in the evening, with a basket on his arm, he went through the streets of a city in Germany. Sometimes getting things needed in the household for Mrs. Becker, or fetching medicines or refreshments for his master’s patients. Dr. Becker was not only an able physician, but a very friendly and kind-heard gentleman, who, often when he found misery and poverty, not only gave free treatment, but furnished medicines, food or refreshment to the sick free of charge.

Willie was a good natured, diligent boy, and tried his best to please his master and so obtain his favor. His mother was poor and had to work out from day to day to support herself and children. But she was a Christian, who loved the Lord Jesus dearly, and it was her joy to please Him and to live for Him, and also to bring her dear children to Him while yet in their young days; for besides Willie, there was a little girl, Minnie, the image and delight of her mother, and the darling of her brother, who was a few years older. One day Minnie became very sick, which alarmed her mother and brother very much. Dr. Becker came, and found her case very doubtful, indeed. Willie was sad and frightened, and as often as he could, he would run home to see his little sister. Oh! how it grieved him, to see his darling suffer without being able to help her.

Minnie was lying in a high fever and every moment calling for water to quench her burning thirst. One morning she asked piteously for an orange. “Mother, give me some money that I may go to market to buy an orange,” said Willie, who had not yet left the house to begin his daily work.

“I have not a cent left in the house,” the mother answered with a deep sigh. “I am afraid Minnie has to wait a little longer.

Willie left the room with a heavy heart. “Oh! if I had money,” murmured he softly to himself, “Minnie would not have to wait long for an orange.” A few moments later, he stood before Dr. B— to receive his daily instructions.

To begin with, Dr. B—sent him to get a paper which he had left in the dining-room. Willie went, and what do you think first attracted his eyes on entering the room? A large dish full of beautiful oranges.

“I must have one of them,” thought Willie to himself. “One, surely, they won’t miss, and how happy Minnie will be when I bring to her the longed-for refreshing fruit!” It was a strong temptation for Willie; he stood still and couldn’t take his eyes off of the tempting fruit. At last he stepped forward and took one of the nicest oranges out of the dish, weighing it thoughtfully in his hands. “If it were for myself I would not do it,” he whispered, “but it is for poor sick Minnie.” The temptation grew stronger. A voice seemed to whisper in his ears, “Stealing isn’t sin, if done for the good of some one else.” “Nobody will find it out,” he again whispered. That is the way Satan tries to assure people. He puts sin so nicely bore them, that at last it does not seem to be sin at all. Willie was still standing before the dish of oranges. What shall he do? At once he heard an inward voice which he plainly understood to say, “It is not good to do evil; and it is a big sin to take anything that does not belong to you.” It was the voice of the conscience, — the faithful friend that always is with us and warns us of sin. “Oh, Lord, give me strength to keep from sin and to do that which is good.” So Willie prayed, and left the room as quickly as he could. He had conquered Satan, through the power of the Lord. How glad he was now, how happy he felt that he obeyed the voice of Jesus through his conscience. As soon as he could, he ran home to see about Minnie. As he entered the room she called to him with a joyful voice, “Just see, Willie, what dear Mrs. Becker brought to me!” With this, showing him a dish full of beautiful oranges standing on the table. How surprised Willie was when he saw the very same oranges which, a few hours before, had been such a great temptation to him. He could hardly trust his eyes. He felt deeply ashamed, but thankful that the goodness of the Lord had kept him in the hour of temptation, and had so kindly provided for all things. With tears in his eyes, he left the room and went to his own little bedroom, fell on his knees, and there poured out his heart in fervent thanksgiving to God for His deliverance, goodness and kindness towards them.—Translated from the German by H. R. E.

ML 07/02/1899

Little Jane.

A LITTLE girl, called Jane, got to know that “forgiveness of sins” was for every one that believeth. She believed on God. She loved Jesus, and was quite a different child from what she used to be. She was a Christian at home, in the school, and when playing amongst her school fellows.

One day Jane said to her mother, “Mother. I am quite sure that Emma loves the Lord Jesus.” “How do you know that, my child?” said her mother. “Why, mother, because she plays just like a Christian. I’m sure she loves Jesus.”

It was true. Emma loved Jesus; and the boy or girl who truly loves Jesus, and knows the forgiveness of sins—of their sins—will be like Jesus on Lord’s day, and during the week, too; will seek to please Jesus at home, in the school, and also when engaged in play.—Selected.

ML 07/02/1899

True Obedience.

A BOY was tempted by some of his companions to pick some ripe cherries from a tree which his father had forbidden him to touch.

“You need not be afraid,” said they, “for if your father should find out that you had taken them, he is so kind that he will not hurt you.”

“That is the very reason,” replied the boy, “why I should not touch them. It is true my father may not hurt me: yet my disobedience, I know, would hurt my father; and that would be worse to me than anything else.”

Was not that an excellent reason?

ML 07/02/1899

Come and Rest.

“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28.) These are the precious words of the blessed Lord Jesus who had received authority from the Father. Many a weary soul who has tried for years, to please God and yet felt the burden of his sins and guilt, when hearing these words, has come to Jesus and found rest.

Dear young reader, do you not want rest of heart and conscience? Do not look to the world to find it. The world is not at rest. But find it you must, dear one, for your burden of sin is growing more heavy all the time. Every sin you commit only increases your guilt. But the sin above all sins, is the rejection of the Son of God, when He so tenderly calls you to come unto Him. If you have been rejecting Him, do so no longer, but receive Him at once. The burden of your sins is great, but He who knows them all, suffered upon the cross and bore God’s judgment due to sin. Oh, if you knew how dear you were to God! Listen to the voice of the Saviour, “Come unto me.”

“Jesus is calling the weary to rest—

Calling to-day, calling to-day;

Bring Him thy burden and thou shalt be blest;

He will not turn thee away.”

F. E. H.

ML 07/02/1899

"I Was Ready to Die."

A LITTLE boy in the city of C—, has been very, very sick for over a month. So sick, that his loving parents and even the physician had little or no hope of his recovery for about a week. He had Typhoid Fever. Does not this remind you of Simon’s wife’s mother, spoken of an Mark 1:30,31? We are not told that she was sick long, but as soon as Jesus, the Great Physician, came in, and lifted her up and the fever left her. No one could be, sick or even dead, where Jesus, that perfect and loving Saviour, was.

Dear children, do you know Jesus as your own Saviour? Have you allowed Him to cure you of that incurable disease, Sin? I say incurable, because we are all sinners in God’s sight, and “The wages of sin is death:” So you see we had no power over death and were lost, but Jesus came “to save that which was lost.”

Well, nobody knew whether or not this little boy, N—, by name, had his sins washed away by the blood of Jesus, and this made his parents, —who belonged to the Lord Jesus—very anxious about their little boy; but as he was too sick to talk, they told the Lord all their troubles, and their prayers were most graciously answered. After a few days, the Dr. told them that he thought N— was out of danger.; and in another week, that one, who was so low, was able to be up and around: He is now quite a few pounds heavier than he was before he took wick.

The best news I have to tell you about N—, and what made his father and h’s mother feel so thankful for, is, that one day he went to his mother after he had been up a day or two and said, “Mamma, I was ready to die, if Jesus wanted to take me.” N— stood almost face to face with death, but as he knew that Jesus had died for his sins on that cruel cross, he was not afraid to die, because he knew that he would go up to be with the Lord and even be better off than in this wicked world.

Would N— have been afraid to die, if he had not known Jesus? Yes, if we die in our sins, we cannot go where Je sus is. John 8:21,24.

May each of you who read this little paper accept Jesus as your Saviour now. Tell Him how sorry you are for your sins, and that you want Him to wash them all away and make you one of His own little children. He never sends any one away that comes to Him. W. S.

“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 6:23.

ML 07/02/1899

"A Word in Season."

I WANT to tell a story to you older children who know the Lord Jesus, about two boys who spoke a word for Him to a poor, needy sinner. I read the story some time ago, and I believe it is a true one.

School was out one day at 4 p. m. at a school-house in the country, and these two boys were running along the road towards home making a great deal of noise, as boys know how to do. As they were passing a house, a man came out and begged them to be quiet because his old mother was very sick in the house. They stopped at once and walked quietly along. They knew the Lord Jesus, who died for sinners, and they at once thought about her soul. Pretty soon one said to the other, “I wonder if that woman is saved? We ought to go back and tell her about the Lord.” They went back to the house, but their courage failed and they did not go in; they went away again. After a little while one of them said, “This won’t do: we must go back and tell that poor woman about the Lord Jesus.” They went back to the house again, but dared not go in. They went around the side of the house—the Lord led them—and looking through a crack between the logs, (it was a poor log house), they saw the bed, with the poor woman lying sick. One of them put his mouth to that crack, right at the head of the bed, and whispered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Like a voice from heaven, that mysterious whisper reached the ear and the heart of that poor, needy, dying sinner. She was not yet saved, though feeling her guilt in the prospect of soon being in eternity.

It was “a word in season.”

Now, if the Lord Jesus has saved your soul, do you not think you ought to tell some one else about the Saviour you have found? It is a great and precious salvation, and we must not keep it all to ourselves. The Lord is coming soon, and the time for people to be saved will soon be past forever. We must tell them about Jesus now.

W. D. C.

ML 07/09/1899

Animals of the Bible. 3.

The Camel.

WE come now to a very interesting animal, both naturally and from what we read of it in Scripture. The camel is an animal peculiarly fitted for the scene where God has placed it, and for the work He has given it to do. Found in a land where long journeys must be taken through the desert, where for days sometimes neither food nor water are to be procured; the camel has a wonderful provision for the way. Look at its picture. It has on its back a large hump, (sometimes two.) This hump is composed of a fatty substance which sustains the animal’s life when other food fails. Then it has two stomachs, one of which forms a reservoir of water which supplies the need in “a dry and thirsty land where no water is.” The feet, too, being flat and broad and protected by a thick sole, are suited for walking on the desert sand.

The first mention we have of the camel in Scripture is Gen. 24. Please take your Bibles and read the whole of this beautiful story in which Abraham sends his steward to get a wife for his beloved son Isaac. He took ten of his master’s camels, as he had a long joey before him over a desert country. When he reached the place where Abram’s kindred lived, he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water, at the time when women came out to draw. Then he prayed to God to show him who was the one to be Isaac’s wife, by this sign, that when he should ask a young woman to give him a drink, she should say, “Drink, and I will give thy camels drink, also.” This, Rebekah did, and he found she was one of his master’s kindred. He asked her if she would go with him to Isaac to be his wife. She said, “I will go.”

So the servant took her and her damsels and they rode on camels. When the desert journey was almost at an end, Isaac came to meet her and took her to his home; she became his wife and he loved her. Now, Isaac, we know, is a type of Jesus, the beloved Son of His Father. So Rebekah, his wife, is a picture of all the people who believe in the Lord Jesus, spoken of in the Bible as the Bride, the Lamb’s wife—the church.

And, dear ones, we, too, (I speak of those who believe in Jesus as their Saviour), are journeying through a desert or wilderness. This is not our home; and as Isaac came to meet Rebekah and took her home, so surely, some day, Jesus Himself will come for His people —His Bride. (1 Thess. 4:16-17.) And what do we learn from the camel in all this? I think it means God’s perfect provision for the wilderness journey—food, water, and care for the feet. You may remember, those of you who have read how God cared for His ancient people those forty years in the wilderness, how He fed them with manna; He gave them water from the rock, and their feet swelled not. So He provides for us, not only for our bodily needs, but also for our souls. Jesus is the food for our souls, the bread which came down from heaven, (John 6:48,51,) and He gives the living water to satisfy our thirst; for our feet, too, He makes full provision according to our aced and the roughness of the road. John 13; Deut. 33:25. E. G. B.

ML 07/09/1899

Blind Bartimeus.

Mark 10:46-52.

COMING out of Jericho, Jesus and. His disciples saw blind Bartimeus being, and when he heard it was Jesus, he cried out, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” Many charged him that he should hold his peace; but he cried a great deal more, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called; they said to him, “Be of good cheer, He calleth thee.” He, casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus and received his sight and followed Him.

Children, do you know that sinners are just like this poor, blind man? They are poor, because whatever they may have of this world, will be burnt up. They are blind, because they do not see God’s dear Son as their only Saviour, whom He has in love given for them. They are helpless, because they are in darkness. (John 3:19.)

Jesus came to save such and to-day He is ready and will receive you as He did poor, blind Bartimeus. Now, dear children, do not wait any longer, but cast aside all excuses; as Bartimeus did his garment, and come to Him, for you may never have the opportunity again. Suppose he had said, “I will wait until to-morrow,” he might never have met the Saviour again, and he, being blind, certainly could not have found Him alone. Will you not, dear children, accept the Saviour while He is near? “Bold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor. 6:2.

“Come to the Saviour, make no delay, Here in His word He’s shown us the way; Here in our midst He is standing to-day, Tenderly saying, ‘Come’.”

M. W. S.

ML 07/09/1899

The Hollow of His Hand.

“Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?” Isaiah 40:12

After reading these words, a little boy said, “Father, if I were out to sea, and fell overboard, I should still be safe.”

“What makes you think so?” asked his father.

“Because I should still be in the hand of God,” replied the little boy.

ML 07/09/1899

God Is Love.

WHO holds me with a mighty arm, And keeps me day by day from harm?

Who guards me while I sleep at night, And bids me wake, with heart so light? Who gives me health and clothes and food; And lets me want for nothing good? ‘Tis God, the God that dwells above, That does it all—for “God is Love.”

Who gave the blessed Book to me, To tell me what I ought to be? Who calls a little sinful child In words so sweet and voice so mild?

Who bids me come to Christ and live, And He will all my sins forgive?

‘Tis God, the God who dwells above, That speaks it all—for “God is Love.”

ML 07/09/1899

Returning God's Love in a Little Measure.

HAVE my little friends who love the Lord Jesus ever seen the following lines? We want you to learn them by heart, for God has made us for His glory, and we should seek, in everything we do, to please Him:—

“Two little eyes to look to God,

Two little ears to hear His word,

Two little feet to walk in His ways,

Two hands to work for Him all my days,

One little tongue to speak His truth,

One little heart for Him now in my youth,

Take these, Lord Jesus, and let them be

Always obedient and true to Thee.”

ML 07/09/1899

"Bless, and Curse Not."

A BAD, passionate man was one morning swearing at his wife, when his little girl of five years old came into the room and said, “Mother, I know my text; let me make haste to school.” “What is the text, my dear?” said the poor mother, wishing to keep her child from hearing the oaths of the father.

“Bless, and curse not,” said the little girl, putting up her rosy mouth to her father for a kiss as she finished the words.

The tears came into the man’s eye as the child went away. All that day, “Bless, and curse not,” (Rom. 12:14) rang in his ears. God had spoken to him by the mouth of a little child, and he became a changed man from that time.

“I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

Our dear little Friends;—

We shall be very glad to have letters from you asking questions about Scripture, and shall endeavor to answer them through this paper or privately if preferred. And will be pleased to hear if you have found the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour. J. T. A. 4431 Garfield Ave., St. Louis.

Repeat the verse in large letters every day this week and recite next Lord’s day.

ML 08/09/1899

A Contrast

A few years ago the following incident occurred, forcibly illustrating the solemn truth of the words of the Lord Jesus, “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36,37.)

Mr. V. lived in London, and enjoyed a moderate income. He was a man of education, and exercised a certain amount of influence over the circle in which he moved. Brought up only with the outward forms of religion, he imbibed, when between forty and fifty years of age, a strong tendency to atheistic principles. He read many infidel books, and at last openly declared that he doubted the existence of God, and that he believed the Bible to be wholly untrue. Besides this, he denied the immortality of the soul, and frequently asserted that, “when a man died, there was an end of him altogether!”

Just at the time when these terrible opinions appeared to be firmly rooted in his mind, he received most unexpected news. His great-uncle, who had emigrated to New South Wales some years before Mr. V’s birth, but who had no communication with relatives in England after quitting the “old country,” and who was long thought dead, had purchased land, which, after the lapse of time, had grown very valuable. The property was situated in what had become the best part of one of the largest towns in New South Wales, handsome streets and squares having been built upon it. The owner had never married, and had died at a great age without a will.

Search was made for the “next-of-kin,” and Mr. V, the free-thinker, was discovered to be the rightful heir to the immense property, estimated at being worth more than a million of money.

On the receipt of this intelligence. Mr. V. determined to go at once to Australia, and take possession in person of his newly-acquired estates; and consequently preparations were made for the long voyage, Mrs. V. intending to accompany her husband.

The Asiatic cholera was at this time raging in the metropolis, and, before the appointed day for leaving London had al rived. Mark 5 was seized with that dreadful malady. In a few hours, symptoms of so alarming a nature set in, that the doctor dared not delay to tell the unhappy sufferer that death was very near.

The scene which then took place in that bed-room can never be effaced from the memory of those who witnessed it. It was as if a thick veil had been suddenly torn from the mental vision of the wretched skeptic, revealing to him the awful future—judgment, hell, and never ending torment! Where were now his often-repeated assertions that there was “no God?” Where were his infidel reasonings—his profane arguments? Gone, like a puff of smoke before the wind, in the presence of the dread reality—DEATH.

His cries of agony could be heard all over the house, and even by those who walked past it. He frequently exclaimed, “There is a God! I know there is, and I am afraid to meet Him! The pains of hell are upon me, and I shall soon be there!” In less than twenty-four hours after he was taken ill he was a corpse.

Oh! may this mournful history be a warning to any who are not saved by the precious blood of Christ—to those who are listening in any degree to Satan’s lies about the truth of God’s word! Serpent-like, he first tempted Eve to doubt what God had said, and is now, as a “roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8.)

As a pleasing contrast to this dark picture, let me mention the case of a dear old Christian, whom I saw more than once in the infirmary of a London workhouse.

When rising to take leave of a poor, sick woman, to whom I had been reading, I observed an aged woman, lying on the next bed, looking very earnestly at me. “Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom I have been speaking?’ said I. Her worn countenance lighted up immediately, and drawing a small hymn-book from under her pillow, she opened it, and said, “Please read that,” pointing to the verse—

“The Saviour’s precious blood

Hath made my title sure;

He pass’d thro’ death’s dark, raging flood,

To make my rest secure.”

“Yes,” she said, with her feeble, trembling voice, “that’s it! He has made my rest secure! and all through His precious blood! I’m just lying here waiting—waiting to go up to Him in the glory!”

Dear old Mrs. Wightman! there she lay, without an earthly friend, but intensely happy in the love of God.

Oh! my readers, ponder these two cases. It is “the fool” who “hath said in his heart, NO GOD.” Such is the language of folly, of madness, whether in the heart, unexpressed, or on the lips, or openly avowed. To-morrow may be too late to make a decision, if not already made. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2.)—Selected.

ML 07/16/1899

Animals of the Bible. 6

The Camel—continued.

WE will look, this week a little, at the camel, as a burden-bearer. It is made to kneel down and enormous loads are then placed on its back. See it, as its sides stand out with great parcels! Now, it comes to a narrow gate of the city wall, called, a “needle’s eye.” Can it enter? “Impossible,” you say, and so it is with its load. But see! It kneels down, has its burden removed, and, still on its knees, passes through the gate, into the city. Many suppose this is what our Lord meant, in speaking to the rich young man, who came to Him, sang, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Now we know that we cannot do anything to gain eternal life, for the Word says, “The gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” But Jesus answered him according to his question and reminded him of the commandments. He said all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jus beholding him, loved him, and said unto him, “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come take up the cross and follow Me. And he was sad at that saying and went away grieved; for he had great possessions.” ... . Jesus saith unto the disciples, “Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:17-25.)

This poor, rich man turned his back upon Jesus. He was not willing, like the camel, to lay down his burden and on his knees enter in. As long as he trusted in his riches or his goodness, to gain eternal life, it could never be his. No, if we come to Jesus, it must be as needy, repentant ones. The camel, with its load thrown off and on its knees, is the picture of one in his true place before God. Then in this way even the rich man may be saved, for with God all things are possible.

One thing more, and we are done with the camel. We have been looking at it, as a burden bearer, and its burden bonged to another. Does not this rind us of that word, “Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ?” Gal. 6:2. Now I believe it is only, one who has come to Jesus and laid down his own burden, whatever it may be, who can truly bear another’s burden of trial or sorrow.

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.” Psa. 55:22. Then you are free to help your brother bear his burden. When Jesus was here among men, He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. I do not speak now, of His bearing our sins. We must look at that, in studying another animal. E. G. B.

ML 07/16/1899

"God is Very Particular"

ONCE two dear little girls were sitting out on the grass, talking to one another about their play. A lady, who was approaching, heard one say to the other, “We must not do that, must we, for God would not like it.” “No,” said the other, “God is very particular.”

That was a true word. He is very particular. He will not allow any sin at all before Him. How does He allow us to be with Him, then? He puts sin away by laying it on Jesus. That is the reason why He will not have our goodness or half goodness to save us. It is Christ He wants us to trust in, the One who bore sin away when on the cross, and now, being raised from the dead, has no sin on Him; so, you see, in Christ and in Him alone, we are fit for God.

Are you not glad to learn that He is so particular? A great many and indeed all of us, until He teaches us His estate of sin, would like to have God make light of our sins as we do. But what kind of a God would that be? No better than man. And what kind of a heaven would it be, if He were to allow us to enter it with our sins, instead of being CLEANSED FROM THEM with Christ’s precious blood? No better than this wretched world where man is unhappy and vile.

I have told you, dear children, how God hates sin and yet brings sinners into His presence. It is by having made Christ a sin-bearer. Can you find this one verse? “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” That One who knew no sin, who was made sin for us, was Christ.

And now I would like to ask you this question, “What think ye of Christ?” Will some of you send an answer to the editor of this paper? I once asked that of a class of children which I was teaching, and in a few days, I received some very precious answers telling me that some of them believed in Him as their Saviour. Do you? —Selected.

ML 07/16/1899

Question from a Little Girl.

“I BELIEVE on Jesus, but how can I be sure that my sins are all forgiven?”

Answer: You may be sure that your sins are forgiven, because God says so. “Through this man”—the Lord Jesus Christ—”is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things.” Acts 13:38,39. If you believe on Jesus, He has suffered for your sins, and those sins are put away, never to be remembered any more; and as it is God Himself who tells you this, there can be no question or doubt.

God is satisfied with what Jesus has done for you. Jesus at His right hand is the proof of this.

Your sins are covered. Rom. 4:7.

ML 07/16/1899

Two Resurrections

NOT long since, with a friend, I visited a most beautiful and for many years, widely celebrated cemetery where are lying thousands of sleeping ones, —some beneath imposing shifts of granite or marble, thus perpetuating the memory of those loved and honored here, while others with but a simple marble slab, are already forgotten and passed by unnoticed, by the throng. Alas! death has brought all to one common level.

“The paths of glory, lead but to the grave,” and all are alike, awaiting resurrection.

But there are two distinct resurrections, —one is for the just, the other for the unjust.

The resurrection of the just, takes place at least, one thousand years preceding the resurrection of the unjust: 1. Thess. 4:16,17: “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: “Then we which are alive and rain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Rev. 20:4-6: “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

After the resurrection of the just, many of those graves, which are now filled, will then be vacant; for all those sleeping saints, now occupying them, will then, have answered to the trump of God and assembling shout and will be gathered around the Lamb, in glory. But thousands of graves, will still be filled; for one thousand years, the wicked dead—those who have not put faith in the blood of Jesus—will lie there, awaiting their solemn doom, at the end of which time, they will be raised—solemn, solemn thought—to meet a holy, holy God, to undergo righteous and eternal judgment.

Rev. 20:15: “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Rev. 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Dear reader, should the Lord call you from earth—if you should be called today—would it be with you “absent from the body, present with the Lord,” or would it be “the blackness of darkness forever?”

For the believer—one who knows Jesus as a present and eternal Saviour—death hath no terror: but for those who are strangers to the love of God and work of Christ, it is the portal through which they pass, into outer darkness. Jesus has died; on that aul cross, He sustained the judgment of God against sin. God accepted that work, raised Him from the dead and placed Him in glory, a living Saviour.

If you would know the resurrection of the just and not of the unjust—if you would know the resurrection of life and not of judgment, receive Jesus, receive Him now; for “as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” C. R. B.

ML 07/23/1899

As on Eagles' Wings.

I DOUBT not, dear children, that many of you who read this little paper belong to the Lord Jesus, and I want to say a little to you about God’s care over you and His ways with you.

I want you to think of an eagle spreading its great strong wings, calling the little eaglets to come, and when they are all safely perched upon those wings, taking its flight. The little ones are carried safely on without any effort on their part.

This is the beautiful illustration that God uses when speaking of His people Israel whom He brought out of Egypt, led through the wilderness, and into the land of Canaan. I want to give you the words: “As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead him. Deut. 32:11,12. Is it not very blessed to see God’s care over His people of old? And the same loving care is over you, dear children. You will be carried along, borne as on eagles’ wings, until the Lord has you safe home with Himself in the glory. It is happy to know this care and this love.

But there is something else in the verse I want you to notice. It says, “As an eagle stirreth up her nest.” What does this mean? Let me tell you how the eagle builds her nest. She puts thorns in the bottom of it; but these are all laid smoothly down, and covered over with feathers so that when the nest is finished it is nice and soft. When the little birds are hatched out they have a comfortable home; but the time soon comes when they must learn to fly, and the mother-bird stretches her wings and calls for them to come. Sometimes the little ones refuse to leave the warm, soft nest; and what do you think the mother-bird does then? She goes into the nest and stirs up the thorns, and this makes it so uncomfortable for the little ones that they do not want to stay any longer.

Now, dear little believers in Jesus, there are two things I would like to have you learn from this verse. The first is, that the Lord is leading you in a pathway that you could not tread alone, and His loving care is ever over you. The second is, that you are inclined to be like the little birds: you want to settle down in this world and have everything nice and easy and comfortable, and not give very much thought to the heavenly things.

But God has other thoughts. He wants His own dear people to soar in spirit above the things of earth, and so He sends trials and disappointments. This is His way of “stirring up the thorns.” He has something better, brighter, more blessed for us, than all we could have done here, and He wants our thoughts to go on to that coming, happy day.

He loves us too well to allow all to be smooth, and no sorrow to come to us, so He stirs up the thorns. Sin has come in and marred this whole scene, and God does not want us to settle down in it, so He lets us feel its sorrows and turns our thoughts and hearts to the scene where sorrow will never come, the happy home where thorns will never be felt.

Let us then try to fly. If we feel the pricking of the thorns let us remember that this is not our home. May any sorrows or any trials that come to us, only turn our hearts more to Jesus our Lord, and our thoughts to the time when we shall be with Him: then will the stirring up of the thorns prove a blessing to us. R.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psa. 27:1.

ML 07/23/1899

"It Was for Me."

ONE stormy Sunday afternoon, at the hour when a class of young women usually gathered in a little mountain cottage, only one young girl waited for her teacher.

She had been learning during the week the sweet words contained in the 53rd of Isaiah; and as she toiled up the hillside, she had been repeating the verses to herself; but they were only to her then, as the “very lovely song of one who had a pleasant voice.” She did not know the meaning of “being healed by His stripes.”

After prayer, with which the hour of teaching always began, Mary repeated the first four verses of her chapter. When she reached the fifth verse—”He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed,” the tears filled her eyes, and before reaching the end of the verse her head sank down, and the fast falling tears dropped on the open Bible before her, as she sobbed out—

“It was for me, it was for me!”

The intense solemnity of that moment prevented any other words being spoken than these in answer to her words— “Let us thank Him, dear child, that it was for you:” and they knelt down, and after the teacher had thanked the Lord for opening the blind eyes of her dear scholar to see Jesus as her substitute, the weeping girl in broken words said—

“Lord Jesus! I thank Thee that Thou didst die for me, that Thou didst take my punishment:” and then the sweet calm of conscious acceptance in the Beloved stole into the broken heart, and peace with God was sweetly realized.

Dear young reader, have you ever known the joy of knowing that “the Lord Jesus was wounded for your transgressions, that He was bruised for your iniquities?”

ML 07/23/1899

Tell Me of the Lord Jesus.

OH! tell me of the blessed God

And let His will be done,

I will not seek this earth’s false ways

But trust His blessed Son.

Oh! tell me of the blessed Lord

And how He lives above,

I shall be some day with Him there

And share with Him, His love.

Oh! tell me of the One who died

For sinners doomed like me,

And how He came to earth one day

To die upon the tree.

Oh! tell me of that blessed One

On whom my sins were laid,

Who drank the bitter cup of wrath

And suffered in my stead.

Oh! tell me of the future King,

Who is my present Guide,

As He is coming for me soon

To take me to His side.

—Composed by one of our young friends. Le. R. H.

ML 07/23/1899

Animals of the Bible 5

The Cony.

THIS little animal is something like a rabbit in size and color, though it is not one. It has fur and a tail also like a rabbit’s, but its head and ears are like a rat’s.

The Hebrew name for cony, means “a hider.”

There are some very interesting things to be observed in connection with it. A rabbit burrows, that is, digs a hole for itself in the ground, but the cozy hides in a hole already made in the rock. From Prov. 30:24, we learn that it is one of the “four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:” and vs. 26 tells us how they show their wisdom. “The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.” Why are the conies “exceeding wise” in hiding in the rocks? Because they are “little upon the earth” and “a feeble folk.”

How glad I am that such poor, weak things have the strong rocks to dwell in. What would become of them if they had to remain out in the forest and meet the fierce lions?

How kind God is to take notice of such little things and make clefts in the rocks for them to hide in. For you see they could not cut out a house in the rocks for themselves.

Now, dear children, you, too, are “little” and “feeble”, like the cony. Are you also like it in being “wise?” Have you made the Rock your hiding-place? But do you ask, “What is the Rock?” Let God’s word answer: “I will publish the name of the Lord; ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock.” Deut. 32:3. 4.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also spoken of as “the Rock” in Matt. 16:18. “Upon this Rock I will build My church;” and in 1 Cor. 10:4: “They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” He has said, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me,” and how thankful you should be, that there is such a strong Rock for a little, weak one like you to go to.

Some think they are very strong and wise, and try to find salvation by doing a great deal; they try to make a hiding-place for themselves, like the rabbit, rather than hide in the Rock.

One more scripture in regard to the cony. “The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats and the rocks for the conies.” Psa. 104:18. A refuge is a place of safety from danger of whatever kind. What or who is our Refuge? Again let God’s word answer: “The Lord is my Rock.... and my Refuge.” 2 Sam. 22:2,3. “God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psa. 46:1.

Just as the little, feeble cony may lie down in peace and safety in its home in the rock, so may you lie down in peace and sleep, if you have fled for refuge to the Lord Jesus and trusted in Him and His work on the cross for your salvation. May you, each one, be “wise” enough to find your home, your refuge, in the Rock, is the earnest prayer of your friend. E. G. B.

ML 07/30/1899

A Path and a Road.

THERE are two ways, dear children, in one of which you and all the people in the world are traveling.

God calls one of these ways a “path,” the other He calls a “road.” The pith leads up, the road leads down; the path is narrow, the road is broad; the path is difficult, the road is easy; the path has few travelers on it; the road is thronged with people. In the narrow pathway there are many thorns to prick the feet, while in the broad road many roses are strewn along and it is sometimes very enchanting.

Now, which of these ways have you chosen, or which will you choose? Do you say, The pathway has everything against it, while there is everything in favor of the broad and pleasant road; I will choose the easy road with plenty of gay companions!

Wait a moment! Let us take a glance at the end of these two ways. The broad road down which you can travel without any special effort, ends in “the lake of fire.” The narrow pathway, which is so difficult, ends in a scene of delight—a happy home where sorrow can never come and where pleasures will never end.

The time it will take you to travel the broad road will be, at most, a few, fleeting years; then an eternity of woe will result. The difficult pathway will occupy only “a little while,” then you will enter an eternity of joy. Your company in “the lake of fire,” will be the wicked and the lost, and the devil and his angels. Your company in glory will be Jesus Christ, the Saviour, and all the host of the redeemed.

Again, I ask, which of these two ways will you choose?

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” If you will take your true place as a lost sinner, you are one whom Jesus came to save; and if you believe in Him your sins-are borne and put away. And while the pathway you will be called to travel is a narrow and difficult one, you will have Jesus with you in it, and He will keep you all the way.to the end.

I beseech you, then, dear children, decide for Jesus! Give Him your heart. Do not let Satan deceive you, making you think the broad road is happier and better and that it will be safe enough to journey on it, for a while, at any rate. It may seem fair and bright, but oh! dear children, the end is dreadful. And the longer you are on this road the more difficult you will find it to leave it.

Which, then, will you choose? Count the cost; count it well! Heap tether all the pleasures of which you can possibly think, and put them in the balance against your never-dying soul; and which will you have?

When will you decide? There is only one time that is acceptable to God —that is NOW! R.

ML 07/30/1899

A Little Boy Who Wanted to be Saved.

A LITTLE boy, who was much concerned lest he should not get to heaven, came to a minister, and earnestly inquired of him the way of salvation. The minister was struck with the child’s eagerness, and after telling him of God’s goodness and readiness to receive the young and old to His rest above, he bade the child run quickly home, and kneel down and pray earnestly to be received for Christ’s sake.

With a mournful voice the little fellow said, “Oh! sir, but suppose I should die before I reach home?”

The minister, who felt rebuked at the child’s simple answer, learned the lesson God would teach him. “You are right, you are right, my child,” he said, “and I am wrong. I ought not to have bidden you go home and pray to be sad, but as the Scripture, God’s own word, shows me, I should have told you, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

To be assured of salvation was the longing of that simple hearted child; and God met his desire. He took the verse pointed out to him, as God’s own word, believed it simply and found rest.

Has our reader this child’s earnest ness, and do the words of God, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” satisfy his heart and set every difficulty at rest? —Glad Tidings.

ML 07/30/1899

Little Ones Like Me

JESUS when He left the sky,

And for sinners came to die;

In His mercy passed not by,

Little ones like me.

Mothers then the Saviour sought,

In the places where He taught,

And to Him the children brought,

Little ones like me.

Did the Saviour say them nay?

No, He kindly bid them stay,

Suffered none to turn away,

Little ones like me.

‘Twas for them His life He gave,

To redeem them from the grave,

Jesus now will gladly save,

Little ones like me.

ML 07/30/1899

Echoes from the S. S. 3

OLD Bro. R. had been talking to the children a little before the regular lesson began, and as I came into the room I heard him say, “You see it is not our love to God.” “No, sir,” answered Grace, “We love Him because He first loved us.” How happy it made me to hear the dear girl say that She had never openly confessed Christ, but I felt sure that she included herself in that “We,” who have learned something of His love. “His great love wherewith He loved us.” Eph. 2:4. “His everlasting love.” Jer. 31:3. Love that was stronger than death—love that many waters could not quench. Do you know that love that “passeth knowledge?” Eph. 3:19. E. G. B.

ML 07/30/1899

The Rock.

DEAR children, when I was a little child, I found in the Pine woods near my home a large rock. One side was steep and smooth, the other was quite rugged, so we could climb to the top. The shade was dense and the rock cool, even in the hot summer days. My sister and myself would often go there to read. It was a beautiful place. A dogwood tree with pure white blossoms grew over one end of the rock, and over all was the dark pine boughs. But as I grew older there came many days when 1 must help my father in the field and orchard nearby. How often then I longed for the cool shade on the top of that great rock. Sometimes a week would go by before I could get back to my cool retreat. I have not seen that rock since I was thirteen years of age, and that is many years ago. But, dear children, I have found another Rock where I can ever rest—Jesus my Lord. He has been to me as the “Shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” He has been “a refuge in time of storm.” And He is soon coming to take all who are His own to Himself. Who will be ready?H. B.

ML 07/30/1899

The Prisoner's Deliverance.

IN a cleft of a mountain range in Upper Silesia, through which the wild and raging Neisse river forces its passage down to the Oder, stands the impregnable Prussian fortress of Glatz, a natural fortress, almost unequaled in the world, begirt by mountain peaks like walls, and fortified yet more by human skill. The valley itself is shut out from the rest of the world; and one who is enclosed by the massive walls and gratings of the castle, is an exile from the world, as if buried alive.

Here in the second decade of this century, lay the Count of M., hitherto petted and thronged, now hopelessly immured behind bolts and bars. By treason against the realm, and especially by personal violence offered to Frederic William III. of Prussia, he had drawn down the rage of that monarch on his head, and was condemned to solitary imprisonment for life. For a whole year he lay in his frightful, lonely cell, without one star of hope in either his outer or inner sky, for he was a skeptic. They had left him only one book—a Bible—and this, for a long period, he would not read, or, if forced to take it up to kill time, and relieve his consuming weariness, it was only read with anger and gnashing of teeth against the God it reveals.

But sore affliction, that dreadful, and yet blessed agent of God, that has brought to the good Shepherd many a sheep, was effectual with the Count of M. The more he read the Bible, the more he felt the pressure of the gentle hand of God on his forlorn and hopeless heart.

On a rough and stormy November night, when the mountain gales howled round the fortress, the rain fell in torrents, and the swollen and foaming Neisse rushed roaring down the valley, the Count lay sleepless on his cot. The tempest in his breast was as fearful as that without. His whole past life rose before him; he was convicted of his manifold short-comings and sins; he felt that the source of all his misery lay in his forsaking God. For the first time in his life, his heart was soft, and his eyes wet with tears of genuine repentance. He rises from his cot, opens his Bible, and his eye falls upon Psa. 1. 15, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” This word of God reaches the very depths of his soul; he falls upon his knees, for the first time since he was a child, and cries to God for mercy. And that gracious and compassionate God, who turns not any away from the first movement of faith towards Him, heard the cry of this sufferer in the storm-beaten dungeon of Glatz, and gave him not only spiritual but temporal deliverance.

That same night in his castle, at Berlin, King Frederic William III. lay sleepless in bed. Severe bodily pains tortured him, and in his utter exhaustion he begged of God to grant him one hour of refreshing sleep. The favor was granted, and when he woke again, he said to his wife, the generous Louise, “God has looked upon me very graciously, and I may well be thankful to Him. Who, in my kingdom has wronged me most? I will forgive him.”

“The Count of M—,” replied Louise, “who is imprisoned in Glatz.”

“You are right,” said the sick King; “let him be pardoned.”

Day had not dawned over Berlin ere a courier was dispatched to Silesia, bearing to the prisoner in Glatz, pardon and release.

It is the usual way of our good Shepherd, in gathering His lost flock, for whom He died, to do it “without observation,” and when He holds up to us a marked instance like the above, no doubt it is that our dormant faith may be quickened in His power to save in the face of every obstacle.—Selected.

ML 08/06/1899

Saved by Another.

SOMETIME ago three young girls were bathing in the open sea. In the full enjoyment of youthful strength, they swam out against the rolling, breaking waves, until they were wearied with the pleasant exercise. They then made for the beach, but before landing, one of them said she would have another short swim.

The other two reached the shore safely; but when the third tried to return, she found her strength was gone, and that it was impossible to swim against the strong, ebbing tide that was now setting out to sea.

As all effort on her part was useless, she was forced to the conclusion that she could not save herself. Another must save her; she could do nothing for herself. Help must come to her, or she would be lost. Turning on her back, she floated on the water, and looking up to God, earnestly cried to Him for help.

Her friends were watching from the beach, their shouts for aid reached a man who was working close at hand. He came running up, on the way casting off his coat and hat; and when he reached the little group at the water’s edge, he said, “I can’t swim much, but I will do my best,” and plunging into the water, he attempted to reach the drowning girl. But it was beyond his strength, and soon he was overpowered by the rushing, roaring waves, and sank before the eyes of the anxious watchers.

Heroic though his purpose was, he was not able to accomplish it. Unable to deliver himself from the awful power of death, which he had so nobly ventured to meet, it was impossible for him to rescue another.

But help was near. A life-buoy and line were found, and a strong swimmer went out with them, and soon both he and the young girl were drawn safely to shore, —she saved by another, and at the cost of a precious life.

And now, dear reader, has the record any voice for you? Are you battling in life’s stream? And have you found that all your efforts to save yourself from the awful waters of judgment that are rising round you are useless? Have you found that all your desires to be better, your seeking “to turn over a fresh leaf” are fruitless, and that you are without strength? (Rom. 5:6.)

Perhaps you are now learning this; or you may realize that you are lost, and unless help comes from another, there is nothing for you but death: and “after death the judgment.” (Heb. 9:27.) Let me tell you whether you have discovered it or not, that this is so. If you are in your sins, you are hopelessly lost.

But there is help in another; there is a Saviour; One who laid down His life; One who went forth, not in nature’s strength to do His best, but One “who through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God.” (Heb. 9:14.) And God has accepted the sacrifice, for He has raised Him up, and seated Him at His own right hand, a full and blessed proof of the righteous acceptance of His work in laying down His life for poor sinners.

And now again, dear reader, let me ask you, have you given up all that is of your own strength, and in simple faith looked up to Him, and found One who is able to save to the uttermost all those that come unto God by Him? (Heb. 7:25.)

May God grant that you may turn to Him just as you are, and know Him as your Saviour and your Lord. W. H. S.

A CHRISTIAN dying was asked, “Is your faith strong?” to which he replied, “No; but MY JESUS IS; I rejoice in Him greatly with a quiet joy.”

ML 08/06/1899

Jesus Says, I Am the Way

A LITTLE boy was passing along a street one day, with a book under his arm, when a gentleman coming up to him said, “Can you tell me the way to Waterloo Station, my lad?”

“Yes, sir,” cheerfully replied the boy; “and I can tell you the way to heaven, too.”

The gentleman looked surprised. “Well, my boy, I should like to know both ways.”

“Straight before you, sir, no turnings, will bring you right to the station, and,” (looking up to the gentleman’s face with a happy smile,) “Jesus says, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life;’ and that’s the way to heaven, sir.”

Did that little boy know what you do not?

Are you trying some way of your own to be saved? Now, what’s the use? Jesus says, “I am the way.”

Do you believe it, that Jesus, and He alone, is the way to the Father? Yes, you say, I do. Why then not go to Him? Do you doubt if you would be made welcome? Then why did God send His Son into the world at all? Was it not that He might open a way for poor sinners back to God? Yes, dear friends, Jesus did so, through His death on Calvary’s cross.

And now let me tell you that you may go right to God the Father, through Jesus, and find a welcome, yea, more than a welcome. Think of the Father’s grace to the prodigal. Such is God’s heart, dear anxious one, towards you. “I am the way.”—Selected.

It was a fine example of true docility and submission which a child exhibited when, having met with a severe accident, one of his limbs was about to be amputated. His mother was weeping beside him; but the little boy looked up, smiling in spite of all his suffering, and said, “It must be all right, dear mama, for God makes no mistakes.”—Selected.

ML 08/06/1899

Praying for His Enemies.

A LITTLE boy at school complained that some of the boys had teased him.

“Why did you not do your best to defend yourself, or complain to the teacher”? inquired his mother.

The boy hung down his head and was silent.

“What did you do,” added the mother, “when they were having their pleasure in tormenting you”?

“I remembered what Jesus did for His enemies,” replied the boy; “I PRAYED FOR THEM.”

ST. LOUIS MO. SEPTEMBER 10th 1899.

Our dear little Friends;—

Repeat the verse in large letters every day this week and recite next Lord’s day.

ML 08/06/1899

My Burden Gone.

THE Lord had graciously blessed me with Christian parents, and from a little child I always longed to be able to say I was one of the lambs in the Good Shepherd’s flock.

It was not, however, until I was fourteen, that I had that peace which I so desired.

One Lord’s Day evening in May, 1884, I was present at a preaching in the vilage of W—, where an earnest servant of the Lord told out God’s message of a full and free salvation through faith in the finished work of Christ, and my anxiety was increased; but being very shy and reserved, I did not like to confess my soul-sorrow.

For a few days I said nothing of what I felt, until at last I could bear the load of sin-on my heart no longer, and resolved that I would not rest until the question was settled.

I was almost afraid to sleep, lest, when I awoke, I should find the Lord Jus had come and taken His own to be with Himself forever, leaving me bind for the judgment.

I was filled with fears and anxiety, until one morning the Lord directed my attention to two verses upon an almanac on the wall:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24.)

And Rom. 10:9: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

I knew that I did believe on the Son of God, and did in my heart believe that God had raised Jesus from the dead, and now saw that God said I had everlasting life.

In a moment the burden was gone, and all was joy and peace in believing, and from that hour to this, I have not dared to doubt Him.

There are many who are, as I was, waiting for happy feelings before resting on the word of God. The Lord Jesus says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” Come without feelings; wait no longer; come as you are. Faith comes first, and happy feelings follow.

Time is short, eternity is at hand. It is still the day of grace, but tomorrow may be too late. When once the Master of the house rises up and shuts the door, it will be forever too late; there will be no admittance for you then.

The Lord Jesus offers salvation now; without money and without price. Accept, then, His great gift, the great salvation purchased at such infinite cost. —Selected.

ML 08/13/1899

What a Contrast

ON a bitter cold night in mid-winter, I was called from my bed to go ten miles over a bleak and drifted road, to see a young man who was sinking in the deep waters of death. He was but twenty years of age. He had been a Sunday-school scholar and a church-goer. He knew all about the way of salvation. But he had broken away from all these hallowed influences of earlier years—he had yielded to the enticements of evil companions, and now he was dying without hope. The messenger who came for me in haste was one of those who had helped him on the way of darkness, but he could not lead him back to the light. I bade the dying youth look to Jesus—plead with him, to look, but his wild and wandering’ eye could see no Saviour in the darkness that was gathering around him. His despairing look and heavy groan only answered “Too late, too late!” He kept sinking till the billows of death passed over him, and no word or sign of hope came from his dying lips.

As I went back to my home in the cold starlight of that winter morning, it seemed to me as if the icy north wind what swept the frozen earth and swayed the naked branches of the trees by the roadside, took up the refrain of those sad and despairing words, “Too late, too late!”

Again, in the same city, on a summer’s afternoon, I was called to visit a dying man. I walked hastily down by the river’s side, where his humble dwelling stood in the midst of noisy workshops, and surrounded with all the sounds and activities of busy life. I entered his lowly room and approached his bedside with awe as well as compassion, for I felt myself to be in the company of heavenly messengers, who were waiting to conduct an emancipated soul from the bed of death to the throne of glory. I felt that I must speak fit words for a redeemed and immortal spirit to remember as the last accents of human lips in this world, and I spoke of Him who is the light of heaven and the hope of earth. The man was dying in great agony, but he could still signify, by the pressure of his hand and the glance of his eye, that in Christ was all his hope, and that beneath him were the everlasting arms. He had lost the power of speech, but he wrote upon a slate with a wavering hand words that he wished to have read. I looked earnestly at the irregular lines, but could see no meaning. One word in the middle of the sentence was larger than the rest, and he pointed to that as if it contained the meaning of the whole. Still I could not spell it out. With dying energy he seized the pencil and slowly printed, “VITORY.” It was his last effort and it was enough. I could now read the whole sentence: “Thanks be unto God who giveth us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

And as I went from that bedside to my home, it seemed to me as if the roar of the waterfall in the river, and all the sounds of busy life around me took up the word and echoed—VICTORY. And for many a year my fainting heart has acquired new strength at the remembrance of that word written with a dying hand in the chamber of death—VICTORY.—D.M. Glad Tidings.

ML 08/13/1899

Remember Lot's Wife.

WAS at one time addressing some children in a Sunday-school and asked them to repeat one verse that they knew in the Bible. When I asked one little boy, about five or six years old, what his verse was, he rose to his feet and in a clear, loud voice said, “Remember Lot’s wife.”

We may be sure, dear children, that if God has asked us to remember anything, it is very important that we should do so. Now, let us see a little of what God tells us about this woman.

Lot’s wife lived in a place called Sodom. God had said that He was going to burn up that city, because the people were so very wicked.

HER POSITION

was one that exposed her to judgment. The city was to be destroyed and if she stayed in it, she would have to suffer the same fate as all the others who lived there. Sodom is a picture of this poor world. God has appointed a day in which He will judge this world. Every little girl and boy is living in a world, that is sure to come under the judgment of God some day and all those who do not believe in Jesus are exposed to it, for they are part of-it. Another thing that we should remember about Lot’s wife, is.

SHE WAS PRAYED FOR.

There was a man named Abraham who was outside of the city and because he was a righteous man God told him what He was going to do to Sodom. As soon as he heard of what was going to happen to the city, he commenced to speak to the Lord about it. First of all, he asked God if there were fifty righteous people in the city, would He spare it. God said He would. Then he asked would He spare it if there were forty-five righteous people in it, then he prayed for forty, then for thirty, then for twenty, and last of all for ten. God heard rand answered his prayer every time.

I am sure some person is praying for you; someone wants you to be saved and not to be judged with this world.

As we send out this little paper, our prayer: for you is, that you may be saved.

ML 08/13/1899

It's all Scribbled Over

DEAR Children: I wish to tell you a true story, which a gentleman once told, while speaking on the importance of prayer.

An English gentleman had occasion to visit the town, where his two little sons were attending a boarding school. Their father asked the master of the school to allow the boys to come down to the hotel, to have dinner with him, which was, as you may believe, a great pleasure for the boys. At the table an acquaintance joined them, and began to read a letter which he had just received from his wife, and enclosed was a letter from his little four year old child. This little letter he showed with much pleasure.

“Now,” said the father of the two boys, “I notice three things in this letter,” much to the astonishment of the others, for who could read the scribbling of a child four years of age? “In the first place, we understand there was life or else there could be no scribbling. Then there must be relationship, or else the child could not have written. Last of all there was liberty.” All of us know what this liberty is, with our dear parents.

After dinner the gentleman took his two sons to his room to pray with them, which was customary when with their papa. The father prayed first, then the elder boy, and after waiting a long time on the younger one, he began like this: “Dear Lord Jesus, I don’t know what to say, but it is all scribbled over. Amen.”

Now, dear little ones, you will learn from this story, how the Lord Jesus is delighted with even the weakest prayer. He knows what is in our hearts and if we do not have words to tell it out, yet we can just confess it to Jesus and He will be glad, like the father, who received the scribbled letter from his dear little child. How Jesus loves to have us come often in the day to tell Him of all our little troubles, and often we forget to thank Him for His kind care, but yet He never forgets us. He came down from glory and died for us; now He has gone back to prepare that home for us. While we wait for our Lord Jesus to come to take us home to be forever with Himself, let us never forget to be often in prayer, for it pleases the Lord Jesus to have us frequently speaking to Him.

E. J. M.

ONE of our little S. S. boys—not yet eight years old—said to me one day, “I wish you would send John 5:39, and ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,’ to the paper.” I asked him why he wished to have those verses sent to the paper. His answer was, “So everybody can see them.” I said, “Do you think they are very nice verses?” He replied, “Yes, ma’am.”

This dear boy has learned to love the Lord Jesus, and he takes pleasure in God’s word. Let me give you John 5:39, which he wished sent to the paper: “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me.” How many of you have learned to search the Scriptures? R.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Matt. 5:44

ML 08/13/1899

The Apple.

LITTLE Susie was sent by her mother to the garden one day, to get some flowers. Before the door was a man chopping wood. Susie climbed over the pile of wood, which he had already chopped, and ran into the garden. When she came back with her hands full of flowers, the wood-chopper lifted her over the pile of wood, and setting her in the doorway said, “I have lifted you over, my dear child, as I was afraid you would hurt yourself and I would have been very sorry.” Susie thanked him with a smile and running to her mother, told her how kind the old wood-chopper had been to her, and asked if she might give him some little present. “What would you like to give?” asked the mother. “I thought to give him that red apple, you gave me this morning. Shall I, mamma?” “Yes, if you wish,” answered the mother. With hasty steps Susie ran to the wood-chopper and brought him the apple. He reached out his rough hand to the child and said, “What shall I do with this beautiful ale, my child, may I take it to my poor Johnny?” “Johnny? Who is Johnny?” asked Susie. “It is my poor boy, who is a cripple. When he was very little, he fell from his chair into the fire. The flames caught his dress and would have burned him to death, had not his mother been attracted by his cry. He suffered very much and especially since his mother died. May I give him this apple?” Susie said, “Yes,” and slowly went to the house. Oh! how she pitied poor Johnny.

When evening came and the woodchopper was nearing his hut, the poor cripple was waiting by the window to receive his father with open arms. How surprised he was when his father laid the apple on the table and told him of the kind-hearted giver. How he would like to have run and thanked her. He gazed at the apple a long time, then he looked at his father and said, “I know what I will do with this apple. I will give it to that bad boy that comes to the window and makes faces at me, and mocks me because of my misfortune. What do you say, father?” “Ah! you mean Jack Newman, whom I had to chase away, because he annoyed you, with his mean tricks? I thought you did not love him very much.” “I used to hate him, I could not bear it, that he mocked me for my misfortune which I am unable to change,” answered Johnny, “but when you read in the word of God, not long ago, that the Lord Jesus prayed for His enemies, and told His disciples to do the same, then I thought the hatred in my heart must be something bad. I wept because I saw, that, by nature my heart was not better than Jack’s. I prayed to Jesus to take away the hatred from my heart and from that time I have loved Jack. Often I wished for something to prove my love towards him. Now, father, the Lord Jesus gave me this apple which I will give to Jack to prove my love.” The father said nothing but turned from the child to wipe a tear. Never were their hearts happier than on that evening, and never was the word of God, which the father read every evening, more precious to Johnny than then.

ML 08/20/1899

Remember Lot's Wife

SHE WAS WARNED

of the coming judgement and told to escape in plenty of time. God had sent a special message to Lot and his family to get away from the place, so that they would not be destroyed.

Now the Bible teaches, that as soon as you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, God does not look at you as a part of the world that has His wrath abiding on it, though you are in it; and you will not be judged with it. How safe you little ones are who trust in Jesus. No harm can befall you. How thankful you should be, that God has sent you a warning in time for you to escape the judgment that is so soon coming upon this world. Though Lot’s wife was warned of approaching danger in plenty of time to escape it, yet

SHE LINGERED.

This is very often the way that Satan deceives children. He tells them they are young yet and have plenty of time to be saved. He tells them to wait until they get older and they will understand things better. Then if they listen to him and put off accepting Christ until they are big boys and girls, he still says to them there is plenty of time, wait until you are a man or woman and that will be time enough. If they wait until then, he will then say they have too much work to do and too many things to worry and think about, so they had better wait a little while yet. And last of all he will tell them that they have left it too long, and now they can’t be saved. Dear children, don’t wait any longer before you put your trust in Jus as your Saviour. “Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out.”

One more thing about Lot’s wife,

SHE PERISHED.

Though she was warned, and prayed for, she lingered, and at last she perished. She might have been saved, but she was not. How sad!

We have tried to warn you, little readers, in time, of danger to come, and beg of you not to linger any longer. Our prayer is that the Lord will incline your hearts to believe on Him as your Saviour, to-day.

“REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE.” Luke 17:32. E. B. H.

ML 08/20/1899

"Come unto the Marriage."

BEHOLD, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.” (Matt. 22.)

How proud you would be if the President of the United States should send you a letter inviting you to the White House to a marriage feast. You would want all your friends to know it, and you would expect great things. You would surely see a fine house elegantly furnished, and a great table would be spread before you. You would be sure to go if you could, would you not? Now God has, at much cost, provided a great supper for you, dear children, and He now, in His letter, (the Bible) asks you to come just as directly as if He were to send you a letter through the Post-office. Mark the cost of God’s great supper! He gave His only Son to die, that you might come to Him, and be saved. Yes, when God gave His own dear Son, He gave up the dearest object in heaven. Oh, do not attempt to compare any other with Him, no, not even the angels.

God first sent an invitation to the Jews, to come to His feast, but the solemn thing was, they rejected it. God is now sending out the blessed message by His servants to all, even the poor, the maimed, the halt and blind, “for all things are now ready.” Hark! do you not hear God saying to you, “Come, for all things are now ready?’ God earnestly entreats you to come and be saved because Jesus has died and shed His precious blood, you can now come and receive forgiveness of sins through believing in Him. Oh, how I would beg of you to come at once, for soon, and no telling how soon, the last seat will be filled, and then there will be no more chance for you. May it not be said of any of the readers of this little paper—

“Ye would not believe, Nor Christ receive, And now, eternally lost!”

Give ear, dear one, still the call goes out to you.

“Come hear the gospel sound—

‘Yet there is room!’

It tells to all around,—

‘Yet there is room.’

His only Son He gave,

He’s righteous now to save

All who on Him believe.”—

‘Yet there is room’.”

F. E. H.

ML 08/20/1899

"He Spake, and it was Done."

(Psa. 33:9.)

WHO made the world, so fair and bright, And hung it up in space: And made two orbs to give it light, And set them in their place?

Who binds the water in the clouds; Who rules the raging sea; Who holds the overflowing floods, At whose rebuke they flee?

Who formed the everlasting hills, Which tower to the sky?

Who made the sparkling little rills, That laugh and bubble by?

Who made the trees, the grass, the flowers,

The little birds so gay;

Who gives the sweet, refreshing showers,

And sends the sun’s bright ray?

‘Tis God alone, who can create, Who made the earth and sun, The Firmament so vast and great;

Who “Spake, and it was done.”

And He made man, and when he fell, Devised a plan in love,

To save him from the depths of hell, And give a home above.

Then let our hearts go forth to God; All praise to Him be given!

Well bless Him, and adore, and laud, The Lord of earth and heaven. R.

ML 08/20/1899

A Talk with the Little Ones.

LITTLE more than a year ago, I was talking with two dear little boys about the Lord’s coming, They loved the Lord Jesus, and liked to think and talk about the happy day when He would come and take them to His home above.

They were wondering how those who had died would get out of their graves. I said, “Suppose Jesus should come when it was winter—when we needed a fire to keep warm, and had all the doors and windows tightly closed to keep out the cold winter wind, would we need to open the door to get out?” One of them replied, “O, it wouldn’t make any difference then. After we went to be with Jesus we wouldn’t care if the door was open.”

My little friend had not understood my question as to how we could get out without waiting to open the door, but he knew one thing—something very precious to know—that when we will be caught up to meet Jesus we will have no further concern about keeping the house warm, or, in other words, about anything down here. All is left behind. Up there we will have Jesus and He will be enough to satisfy the heart.

Yes, dear little ones, we shall leave everything for Him then, and we ought now to be living for Him and not thinking too much about the things down here. Think and read about that kind and long Saviour with whom we are soon going to live forever and ever, and, young as you are, you will find every day, something to do for Him. I.

“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: He calleth them all by names, by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth.” Isa. 40:26.

ML 08/20/1899

"In the Beginning God Created the Heaven and the Earth."

—Gen. 1:1.

EVERY little boy and girl who reads this paper knows something, I dare say, about the sun, that great orb hung in space which gives us light by day, and whose rays of light and heat give strength, not only to man and beast, but also to grass and tree and flower.

And you know, too, dear little rear, about the moon which sheds its soft, gentle light at night, and I doubt not you have often watched it chasing in and out amongst the fleecy clouds, or sidling in majesty across the clear sky.

And perhaps you have looked in wonderment at the myriads of stars scattered through the heavens, far, far above this world; many of them worlds also!

But have you ever stopped to think or ask by whose power and goodness these wonderful things were made, or who formed the world’ in which we live, with its great mountains and rivers and lakes and forests?

There was a time when there was no light; no sun, no moon, no stars; all was one vast chaos. But God began to work, and beauty and order soon reigned everywhere.

God did not need materials in order to build the worlds, as man does when he builds something. If a boy wants to make a kite he gets paper, sticks and paste together and then shapes and forms his kite. And if a man wants to make a table he must have wood and other necessary materials with which to make it. But God creates; do you know what that means? It is to form something out of nothing. And when God spoke the word, worlds sprung into being. In Heb. 11:3, we see these words, “The worlds were framed by the word of God.” Psa. 33:6, tells us “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made;” and the ninth verse of the same Ps. tells us “He spake and it was done.” In the first chapter of Gen., God gives us an account of the creation of the sun, the moon and the stars, the world and what is in it; the great whales and every living creature.

It is well, dear children, to read these scriptures and let God’s word sink down into your heart. There are many people who deny God, but in His word He tells us that those who say there is no God, are fools. There are many who listen to Satan’s lie and will not have God and they are bold in their words against Him. But what a change comes over them when they are brought face to face with eternity! Then their boldness flees; then they see under what an awful delusion they have been; then they would give worlds, if they had them to give, to know God as their friend—to know Jesus as their Saviour.

What madness to wait until it is forever too late! Dear children, read God’s word, and believe what God says to you in it. It is there you will learn about Jesus, through whom alone is salvation. R.

ML 08/27/1899

The Apple.

Next morning Johnny sat by the window waiting for Jack. He did not have to wait long. As soon as he saw Jack coming; he motioned to him to come near. “Here, I have a beautiful apple, which I will give to you, Jack,” said Johnny, handing him the apple. Jack blushed, and refused to accept the apple, for he felt how wicked he had been to the poor child. Johnny urged him so warmly that Jack could not refuse. “How can Johnny,” thought he, “be so kind to me, when I have been so rude to him? I am sorry that I accepted it, for how seldom does he get an apple like this.” Jack’s repeated refusal was in vain, for Johnny would not take the apple back. Jack went home slowly. He felt queer, and his brothers and sisters were astonished, when he called them and divided the apple among them. They could not remember when they had ever received anything from him. From then on, Jack was different to the poor boy. When passing by he would salute Johnny with a smile. Though with this, Jack was not satisfied but kept thinking how he could make the cripple happy. At last he decided to go to the woods and gather sticks to sell for wood. He began his work with eagerness and soon had a big bundle, which he sold and with the money bought nuts and plums and brought them to Johnny with a smile. For the first time in his life, he enjoyed the pleasure of being a cheerful giver. He took the cripple’s hand and asked him if he had any bitter feelings against him any more. It was sometime before Johnny could answer, for he was so overcome with joy. “Oh! I haven’t hated you for a long time,” said Johnny. “You are a good boy, Jack.” “But how could you be so kind to me, since I have been so wicked?” asked Jack. “The Lord Jesus taught me. My heart used to be full of bitterness against you, and I murmured because I could not run about as other boys do. But my father read the Bible to me and so I learned to love you and everybody,” answered Johnny. “What! you learned that from the Bible!” said Jack, astonished. “Yes, I found there that all men, by nature, are sinners and hurrying on the broad road to destruction, and that the Lord Jesus came from heaven to die on the cross for lost sinners and to bear their sins. Oh! you don’t know how much He suffered for us and as patiently as a lamb. I felt that I was a sinner and that He hung on the cross for me. Then I could not be bitter against you any more. I prayed to Him about it and I was happy. Then my hatred against you was gone.” Jack was very sober. He had never read the Bible. After a pause he asked, “Do you often read the Bible, Johnny?” “Alas; no, reading is too difficult for me,” said Johnny sadly, “but my dear father reads for me every morning and evening.” “May I come when I have time and read to you?” asked Jack. How the poor boy’s face brightened and he pressed his new friend’s hand warmly. A better offer, Jack could not have made. It was decided to read a chapter every afternoon, and Jack kept his promise. From then on he could often be seen at his friend’s side. The reading of God’s word was not without blessing to Jack, the once mean boy, who was now pleasant to everyone. Soon Jack, too, found the Lord Jesus as his Saviour and Lord.

—Translated by H. R. E.

ML 08/27/1899

This Is Not Home.

A LITTLE girl was once taken into a room to see her mamma just bore she died, and to kiss her good-by. The next day the nurse told her that her mamma was dead. She then went into another room and put on her new dress and shoes and hat and came to the nurse and said, “I am going away, this is not home for me any more.” She felt because mamma was gone, that she had no home here. Those who love the Lord Jesus know He has died. He was “taken by wicked hands and crucified and slain,” and we should feel His absence, and remember we have no home down here. Our home is up in heaven with Jesus and very soon He will come for us and take us there. And the more we love Him, the more we will long to be with Him. Do you, little girls and boys, love Jesus and is it your desire that He would come soon and call you to meet Him on the cloud, to spend eternity with Him? E. B. H.

ML 08/27/1899

Too Late.

SOME time ago I desired to go from O. to S. which was seven miles across the bay. So I walked down to the pier and stepped on board the ferry-boat. In a few moments the departing whistle blew. Glancing up the street just at that moment, I saw a man running with all his might to catch the boat. He rushed on the wharf panting for breath, with an excited and disappointed look on his face. For he was too late! We had just drawn out from the pier, about twenty feet; he could not leap the chasm, so he was left behind. But why was he so anxious to catch that boat? It was not the only boat that week; no, nor that day, for boats were going to S. every half hour. As we coursed on our way to S., where he so desired to go, I watched him fade away in the distance and I thought what a solemn word, “Too late!” Then I thought of the five foolish virgins that the Lord Jesus tells us about in the 25th chapter of Matthew, who were too late.

Now, dear children, I want you to read in this chapter for yourselves, from the first verse down to the fourteenth, and you will see these five virgins were like this man. He wanted to go to S. on that boat but he was “too late.” They wanted to go to the marriage but they were “too late.” “The door was shut.” How sad! Now, some of you children, who read this paper want to go to heaven, and you must not be, like those people, “too late.” “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Jesus says, “I am the way,” and He is the only way. “I, even I, atm the Lord; and beside Me there is no Saviour.” There was only one ark in Noah’s day, and there is just one Ark of refuge now, and that is Jesus. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

Accept Him now, and if Jesus comes to night, you will not be like the five foolish virgins, “too late.”

Too late, too late; O, solemn word, It shall with fear and woe be heard By those who would not hear His call, Who suffered, bled and died for all.

Too late, too late to enter heaven, Too late to have your sins forgiven; Too late to see the Bridegroom’s face, To hear His words of love and grace.

Too late, too late, O, children dear, These words I hope you’ll never hear; Too late, too late shall not be heard By those who trust in Christ the Lord.

C. C. C.

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8.

ML 08/27/1899

Whiter Than Snow.

IN one of the beautiful stately homes of England there lives a nobleman, the father of a lovely little girl, about six years of age. Little Alberta is the delight and happiness of her father’s heart, the companion and relief of his leisure moments.

One day, when alone with him in his study, Alberta suddenly ceased her childish prattle and looking up into her father’s face, asked with all the earnestness of childhood, “Father, do you know anything whiter than snow?”

“No, my darling, there is not anything whiter than snow.”

“O, but there is indeed.”

“What is it then, my child?”

“Father, the soul washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus is whiter than snow.”

The nobleman looked both annoyed and surprised.

Oh, the desperate opposition in the human heart to the truth of God! It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. There is need, not of a change, for flesh cannot be improved and remains the same to the end, but of the introduction, of another and entirely new element. “They that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

“Who taught you, this, my child?” “My nurse.”

The bell was hastily rung, and a footman appeared.

“Tell Alberts nurse, to attend.

The nurse came to the door and was questioned. She acknowledged that she had told Alberta of the value of the precious blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin, so that the soul of the believer is seen by God without spot.

The nobleman took out his watch, and telling the nurse that such proceedings could not be allowed by him, gave her orders to leave the castle within an hour.

A short time after, a royal prince came for a few days to pay a visit to the nobleman. Great were the rejoicings, extensive the preparations, widespread the excitement this event occasioned.

One day, toward the close of his stay at the castle, his royal highness was for some minutes with the nobleman in his study, when little Alberta came running in and gamboled about the room in the gayety of her heart, as if unconscious of the august presence of her father’s guest. The beautiful, artless child at once attracted the prince’s attention. He spoke to her. She suddenly stopped, as if turning over something in her mind, and then, with the greatest simplicity, fixing her large eyes on his face, enquired’, “Prince, do You know anything that is whiter than snow?”

“No, dear,” said he, “I have never heard of anything whiter than snow, have you?”

“Oh! yes, prince; the soul washed from all its sins in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, is whiter than snow.”

There was complete silence; the attention of the nobleman was arrested, but he said nothing.

Reader, what is the sequel? Do you anticipate it? I have only to add that the hard, proud nature of the nobleman was completely bowed down. He turned to the inspired word of God, to learn therein for himself of the atoning efficacy of the blood of Christ, who, “Through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God.” Christ, the Eternal Spirit; and God the Father, all interested and engaged in that stupendous transaction, which accordingly could bear, and does bear, no other stamp than that of PERFECTION.

Whether the simple word of a little child remained with the prince or not, the Day alone will declare. He did not in the least oppose the truth of the observation; and it was this (being such a contrast to himself) that struck Alberta’s father. The nurse is now re-instated in the castle, tending and teaching her precious charge; and the nobleman is now rich in faith, and heir of the kingdom which God hath promised to those who live Him. He has learned a little (oh, how little do any of us learn) of the love of the Living One who went down into the dust of death, who was dead but is alive forevermore, who gave Himself a ransom for all, who was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, and who now has ascended up on high and sat down at God’s right hand, hang obtained eternal redemption.—R. B. —Faithful. Words.

ML 09/03/1899

Come and Reason

THERE are many, who are fond of reasoning, but there are not many who like to reason with God; although He gives an invitation to men to reason with Him.

They can talk about Him, but all naturally fear to meet Him.

Dear young reader, have you met God about your sins? How we wish some dear child, may have found a Saviour since reading some number, of “Messages of Love.” Perhaps some one feels the burden of his sins to be too great, and fears to come to God. Just open your ear and heart this moment while God speaks to you:

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isa. 1. 18.)

Now I want to ask you a question, and I want you to think over it solemnly. Have you come to God and been cleansed from your sins? I must tell you what it is that does this blessed work: “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Though thy sins are red like crimson, Deep in scarlet glow, Jesus’ precious blood can make them White as snow. F. E. H.

ML 09/03/1899

Animals of the Bible. 6

THE DOG.

THE dog in scripture is an animal worthless and unclean, even feeding on corpes, (2 Kings, 9:36) and spoken of in this way as a type of unclean and wicked people.

When one wished to speak of himself in a very humble way, he called himself “a dog.” Mephibosheth, overcome’ by the grace and kindness of David, says, “What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am? 2 Samuel 9:8. David had said, “Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.”

Beautiful picture of the grace of God which takes us up—worthless, unclean even “dead” in sins and gives us a place at His table. God speaks, of His people, Israel, as sheep (clean animals), but the Gentile nations were called dogs, (unclean animals) and such were we, who were once afar off, but are now made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Matt. 15) When Jesus was on earth, a poor Gentile woman came to Him beseeching Him to heal her daughter he was grievously vexed with a devil. he Lord said, “I am not sent but unto he lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she cannot be put off, she no longer calls Him Son of David, but cries “Lord, help me.” But (as though to try her still more deeply) He said, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast it to dogs.” And she said, “Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Master’s table.” Then Jesus commends her faith and grants her request. She was willing to take a dog’s place, counting on His grace ‘extending even to a dog, and she was not disappointed.

“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:6. In the last chapter of the last book of the Bible, after getting the blessedness of those-who enter into the heavenly city, we get the words, “Without are dogs,” &c. Oh, it will be dreadful then to have nothing but a dog’s place. He that is unclean will be unclean still.

May every dear one who reads this paper, be willing to take the lowest place now and cast himself on the grace of God, and he will find His grace giving him a place at the King’s table among His children. Yea, he will find that he is one of His children.

ML 09/03/1899

Nigh to Death.

TWO little girls, named Alice and Laura, about ten and twelve years old, went one day to bathe in the river bed, about half a mile from their father’s house. This they had often done before, as there were pools of water, in which it was quite safe for children to bathe. So they went first to one pool, and then thought they would go to another. Laura stayed behind a little while. saying she would follow her sister; but Laura did not come; and Alice called her, but there was no answer. At last she saw her little sister struggling in some deep water; for Laura, instead of walking round the edge, had tried to go straight through a pool of water that lay between her and her sister. Poor little Laura! She had sunk twice, and was now becoming so weak, that she must soon have died had not Alice, who was much taller than herself, been able to come and drag her safe to the bank. But she had then become quite unconscious; and Alice had to rub her to make her warm, and hold her up as well as she could to let the water run out from her mouth. After a time she had the joy of seeing Laura open her eyes; and though looking very ill, she was able to walk home leaning on her sister. Their mother was much distressed at what had happened; and for some time they were not allowed to bathe again. How near to death had little Laura been! And I should like to ask each dear child who reads or hears this little story, If death came suddenly to you, would you be afraid? Would you take your sins with you into the presence of God? or have you by faith seen them all laid on Jesus, when He died on the cross? I knew a little girl, who, when she was asked “Where are your sins?” answered, “In the grave of Jesus.” She had read in the Pilgrim’s Progress, how Christian’s burden fell off his back into the grave of Jesus, and he saw it no more. But even before the Lord Jesus was laid in the grave, when He said on the cross, “It is finished,” the whole burden of sin, which He had borne in those terrible hours of darkness, was gone forever. And He rose from the grave to prove that the sins of all who believe in Him, are forever put away. God says He will remember them no more.

Will you learn Isaiah 53:6? and if you do not know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, may the Holy Spirit teach you the meaning of those precious words; but if you do know this for yourself, may you prize your blessed Saviour more and more.

Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Mark 10:14.

ML 09/03/1899

A Little Talk About Creation.

DEAR little readers, we were telling you a short time ago of how God created this world fair and beautiful; and not this world only, but the sun, the moon and the stars also; and how that He did not have to go through the slow process of building; He simply said, Let it be so, and it was so. When He spoke the word, worlds sprung into being. This proves Him to be God, for God alone can create.

Shall we have a little further talk about God’s wonderful works of creation? Although He could, and did, with a word, bring worlds into existence, yet He did not finish the creation in a moment of time. He chose to take six days in which to complete the work, and then rested on the seventh day.

But “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” That was before the six days began. How long before no one knows. God did not create it in vain (that is as a waste) but afterward it became “without form and void,” of which the second verse speaks. At this time there were no people on it; and there were no horses, nor dogs, nor animals of any kind; and there was no grass nor trees; there was not even any ground to be seen; there was only water—water everywhere. What a wild waste it was! But God did not leave it so, for He was going to place man upon the earth, and before doing this, He put everything in shape for man to enjoy. On the third day He gathered the waters into one place, and caused the dry land to appear. As the waters rolled together, He called them Seas; this made the great Oceans on which people travel in large ships from one country to another. On the dry land, with its hills, and valleys, and plains, God made the tender grass to spring up, and the fruit tree to grow, and the herb to yield its seed.

On the fourth day God made two great lights. The greater light was to rule the day, and from morning till night, all these thousands of years, this great light has been shining, carrying cheer and blessing all over the World. The lesser light was to rule the night; and how beautifully and gently it does its appointed work! I am sure you can all tell what this lesser light is! The wonderful stars, too, were a part of the work of the fourth day.

On the fifth day God created the great whales, and all the creatures that move in the waters, and the birds that fly in the air. Then the waters were full of life, and winged creatures were moving back and forth, and up and down, through the air; but on the earth there were no living creatures—only the grass and trees and flowers.

On the sixth day God made the cows and sheep and all the animals that live in the fields and in the woods. And, last of all, when everything was ready for man to enjoy, God created man and woman. He gave them food from the herbs and from the trees, and He gave them power over all the animals and the snakes and other creeping things; He gave them power, too, over the fish that were in the sea, and over the birds that flew in the air. All the creatures were to be subject to the man and the woman that God had made.

When all was done, and God looked over the creation, He saw that everything was good. No doubt the little birds carroled His praise, and the trees of the field clapped their hands for joy, and the great, roaring ocean spoke of His power. All was good; all was hay; but, alas! sin soon came into the scene and then all was spoiled.

If the Lord will, we will tell you more about this at another time. R.

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Heb. 11:3.

ML 09/10/1899

The Prodigal Son.

I EXPECT my little readers have often read about the “Prodigal Son,” in the 15th chapter of Luke. He asked his father one day to give him the portion of goods that fell to him, and his father did so. Soon after this, he gathered together all that his father had given him, and left his home and went far away. By and by all his money was spent and there was a famine in the land where he was, and no person would give him any work to do, or anything to eat. He was a very bad man, and spent all his money in wicked ways. All his friends had left him and he had no place to go. At last he went to a man who hired him to feed his swine, and he was so hungry, that he would have eaten what he gave to the swine. So when he had lost all his friends, and had no place to go, he remembered that his father had plenty and enough to spare. He felt how bad he was, and said, “I will arise and go to my father.” He went, and found that his father was ready to receive him with open arms; ready to forgive him for all the naughty things he had done. He said to his father, “I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” His father kissed him and called for the best robe, the ring and the shoes to be put on him, and the fatted calf to be killed, gave him all he could eat and wear, and did all he could to make him happy. This bad man didn’t deserve to be treated like this, did he? But his father was glad to do all this for him, because he loved him. Now, the prodigal is a picture of each one of us. We have done many naughty things against God. We have said things and thought things that are wrong and yet God is ready to forgive us, just as the father was ready to forgive his son. If God had not loved us very much, He would not have sent Jesus into this world to suffer and to die, so that we might go to be with Him in His happy home. His love for us is so great that no matter how bad we are, He has said “Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out.” The father was willing to receive his son, when he came, Confessing his sins, and God, too, is ready and willing to receive those who come to Him. Our prayer is that all of the girls and boys who read this paper may come just as they are, and believe on Jesus. The prodigal son could not buy good clothes, he could not improve his appearance he could not pay his way, he had to come just as he was to his father; so those who come, just as they are, believing in Jesus, receive forgiveness and peace.

Little children, come to Jesus, He is ready to receive,

He is ready, too, to pardon

All who in His name believe.

When the prodigal confesses All his sins against God and man; Then the father gladly gives him All the gifts of love He can.

Glad is he to have his father Give him robe and ring and shoes, Glad to have a son’s blest portion, All the father’s love could choose.

But how glad his aged father

Is, to manifest his love,

To the one so undeserving—

Ah, how much like Him above!

God, to show His love to sinners, Gave His only Son to die, Made them heirs with Him forever, Sharers of His home on high.

Come to Jesus, now, dear children, Let not one more day go by; Then when Jesus comes from heaven, He will take you up on high.

Then forever in His presence,

You will in His love rejoice;

Find in Him your happy portion,

Since on earth you’ve heard His voice. E. B. H.

ML 09/10/1899

Only a Poor Gypsy Chap

PASSING near an encampment of Gypsies, I went in among them. After buying some of the skewers they were making, I learned one of their number was ill, and begged to be allowed to see him. The father asked: “Did you want to talk about religion to him?”

“No.”

“What then?”

“About Christ.”

“Oh, then, you may go; only if you talk religion, I’ll set the dog on you!”

In the caravan I found a lad alone, and in bed, evidently at the far end of the last stage of consumption. His eyes were closed, and he looked as one already dead. Very slowly, in his ear, I repeated the scripture, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I repeated it five times without any apparent response; he did not seem to hear even with the outward ear. On repeating it the sixth time, he opened his eyes and smiled. To my delight he whispered, “And I never thanked Him! But NOBODY EVER TOLD ME! I ‘turn Him many thanks. Only a poor Gypsy chap! I see! I see! I thank Him kindly!”

He closed his eyes with an expression of intense satisfaction. As I knelt beside him, I thanked God. The lips moved again. I caught, “That’s it.” There were more words but I could not hear them.

On going the next day, I found the dear lad had died, (or rather had fallen asleep in Christ) eleven hours after I left. His father said he had been very “peaceable” and had a “tidy death.”

There was no Bible or Testament in the encampment. I left one of each. The poor man wished me “good luck,” and gave me a little bundle of skewers the boy “Jemmy” had made.

Reader, it was apparently the first time this dear boy ever heard of God’s salvation, and with unquestioning faith he took God at His word, and with his dying lips thanked Him that He so loved the world as to give His Son for him, “a poor Gypsy chap.” God is satisfied with the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This poor lad was also satisfied, and this mutual satisfaction was instant and everlasting salvation. In eleven short hours he exchanged that forlorn, rickety caravan for the paradise of God, where he is tasting that God is as true as His word.

If you have not with your heart said “Amen” to God’s way of saving lost sinners, you are on the extreme verge of that death which God calls “eternal,” and He alone has the keys of hell and death. But the “grace of God that bringeth salvation” is brought down to you—to your very level—to-day. Oh, will you walk past it to “the great white throne” lying ahead of you, and thence to the fire that “never can be quenched?” or will you pause and take it and “turn Him many thanks”?

My fellow-believer, may none within your reach or mine have occasion to say, with regard to these everlasting realities, “Nobody ever told me.”—Glad Tidings.

ML 09/10/1899

The Greenlander.

GREENLAND is a very cold country. For three months the sun is never seen; and for nearly nine months the ground is covered with snow. We have plenty of nice fruit in summer, and many good things all the year round; but the poor Greenlanders live mostly on seal’s flesh, blubber and oil. Poor, poor Greenlanders, they live so miserably; and what is much worse, many of them know nothing whatever of Jesus and His love! But God loves them, for He so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life, so that if a Greenlander hears of Jesus and believes in Him, he will be saved.

Some missionaries went there to tell them of Jesus, and labored there eight years without any apparent success, and thought about returning home. They had suffered a great deal from cold and hunger, and the people only laughed at them and mocked them. But these dear missionaries had made a great mistake; they thought to begin with proving that God lives, and that He made all things, instead of telling them about Jesus and His love. Sinners need to know that “God is love,” and that Jesus died.

One day a party of heathen Greenlanders led by a cruel and wicked native, named Kajarnak, came to the missionary’s hut where the missionary was writing. He was finishing his final correction of the four Gospels, and was just then at that part of John’s Gospel relating to the sufferings and death of Christ. Karnak was surprised at seeing the missionary writing, and at once asked him what he was doing.

“Writing.” “Writing!” said Karnak, “what is writing?” The missionary tried to explain it to him and then said, “I will read you what I have been writing?” Turning to Luke 22nd and 23rd chapters he read the account of Christ’s agony in the garden, and then upon the cross, with the story of His being crowned, scourged, and spit upon. As he read on Kajarnak became deeply interested. “And why,” he asked, “did they treat the man so? —What had He done?”

“Oh!” said the missionary, “this man did nothing amiss, but Kajarnak did. Kajarnak filled the land with wickedness; and Kajarnak deserved to go to hell for it. But this man suffered, all this to bear Kajarnak’s punishment, that Kajarnak might not go to hell.” And then the missionary went on to tell about God’s love, man’s sin, and Christ’s work for sinners, till the big tears were seen to roll down the poor heathen’s cheeks, and, unable any longer to restrain his feelings, he rose from his seat and cried, “Oh, tell it all over again, for I, too, would like to be saved.”

He was told it all over again—it was such a precious story, and Kajarnak believed the good news. His, heart was drawn to Christ. He believed in Him. Kajarnak was saved.

Are you saved, dear reader? You have often heard and often read of Jesus and of His sufferings. The blood of Jesus alone cleanses from sin. Poor Karnak, from “Greenland’s icy mountains,” with a heart colder than the ice and darker than the darkest night in his country, yet came to Jesus, believed in God’s love and was saved.—Selected.

ML 09/17/1899

A Word to Christian Children.

SOME little children of christian parents wanted, at one time, to go to an exposition, so they asked their mother if they might go. The mother asked the Lord that night, to guide her in answering the children; so in the morning she handed each of the children a paper with questions for them to answer and return to her. These were the questions, with the answers the children wrote. —Was the Exposition or Fair got up by the Lord Jesus? No.

Would He go if He were here? No. What is the greatest sin that God holds this world guilty of? Killing His Son. What is one of the reasons for which the Lord gave Himself? Gal. 1:4.)

“Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.”

Write 1 John 2:15,16.—”Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Write John 17:16.—”They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

Write John 12:26.—”If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am. there shall also my servant be; if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. “

Write 1St John 2:28. — “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

Do you think it is right for christians to go to these places? No.

This was enough; the children then had no desire to go, as the Word of God had its effect on their consciences.

If little girls and boys would remember these questions and scriptures, how often they would be kept from going into places that would be displeasing to the Lord. E. B. H.

ML 09/17/1899

Do You Know Jesus?

IT is late autumn, the loose clouds sweep gray and chill over the great city of London, the ends of the long streets are blotted out in drizzling mist; even the hardy sparrow looks pinched and cold as the south-east wind blows about its feathers while it searches for scraps of food between the paving stones. In an upper room is a needy family. The father has been struck down in his early manhood by the ruthless hand of consumption, and, with her child to see to and her husband’s sickness upon her, the mother’s hands are full. Father and mother look down the cheerless street in vain longings for help. At length says the wife. “Go out you must, John, and, borrow that sixpence, for there is not so much as bread left in the house.” And he, who had not been outside his door for days, and whose feeble feet tottered beneath the slight weight of his shrunken body, slowly creeps down the stairs and makes his sorrowful way in search of the neighbor who will lend the pence.

I wonder if in this hour of his distress the sick man remembered his hatred to the letters of his godly sisters, bidding him to come to Jesus; and his vow never to open a letter from them again if they did not once for all “drop talking their religion to him?” Be that as it may, John had not long left his home when a lady, who was seeking in the street for a family, the father of which was ill and unable to work, knocked at his door. She left five shillings in his wife’s hand, and went away. Who that stranger was John never knew, and how it was she was sent at such a time to help him, eternity only will reveal.

As John slowly crept down the street, a young man observed him. He was a Christian, and the poor, wasted form of the invalid drew out his pity. He gently tapped John upon his shoulder, saying, “You look very ill, sir!”

“Indeed I am,” was the answer.

In a kind voice the young man added, “I fear, my friend, that you are not long for this world,” and then earnestly asked, “Do you know Jesus?”

The question went through John, and he muttered in reply, “No, I do not; I know too little of Him, and I am not long for this life.” Promising to call upon him shortly, the young man left.

That question, “Do you know Jesus?” was an arrow aimed direct into John’s inmost soul. There the question was fixed, to be answered in eternity. So absolutely did the words lay hold of him that John came back heedless of the sixpence he went out to borrow, pondering at each step of his return the vital question, “Do you know Jesus?”

ML 09/17/1899

"Because the Bible Says so."

A FEW days ago I met a little girl to whom I said, “Do you know that Jesus loves you?” Her face lighted up with a smile of confidence, and she quickly answered, “Oh, yes, sir.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because the Bible says so.”

“But as you speak about the Bible, my little girl, I must tell you that that holy book says, that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that there is none righteous—no, not one.”

“But Jesus said, ‘Suffer little children to come unto Me;” “she replied.

“But you are a sinner. You have (lone many naughty things. What makes you think He would receive you?”

“The Bible says He died for sinners, and therefore He died for me.”

“But that is a very great thing for such a little girl as you to say. How can you be so sure about it?”

“Because the Bible says so.”

“The Bible also says that Jesus will come again and take His people up from the earth in a moment, some day. What will become of you then? How would you feel if He were to come now, while you and I are talking?”

“I should be very happy.”

“Why would you be happy?”

. “Because He would take me up to be with Him forever.”

This was childlike faith, and I found that she showed by her ways; that the confession of her lips was the real working of God in her soul.

We know that God is love, because the Bible says so, and when we believe God’s word, our hearts answer to its truth. Are you sure that Jesus came to this earth to save sinners? And are you sure that He came to save you, if you are, are you saved?

You may be quite sure, because the Bible says so. C. W. E.

ML 09/17/1899

I am Going Home.

A LITTLE boy, eight years of age. was bitten by a mad dog. His father was dead, and they were poor, but the dear little fellow knew Jesus as His Saviour and that made him happy. He was in great pain, yet not a murmur escaped his lips. At the foot of the bed stood the doctor, who, in a whisper, said to the anxious mother, “I fear your son cannot live much longer.”

Faintly as he whispered, the poor child heard the words, and said, “I am glad of it; I am glad to hear it.”

“Why, my little man?” asked the doctor.

With a peaceful smile, the dear boy answered, “Because I am going home.” For sometime he talked about the mansions Jesus had gone to prepare for those who love Him; and then bidding his friends goodbye, he fell asleep in Jesus—he went home.—Glad Tidings.

ML 09/17/1899

Do You Know Jesus?

Upon reaching home he learned the way God had sent him help. But a greater hunger was awakened within him, a heart-longing that bread cannot satisfy, and as he sank down into his chair he looked straight into eternity, asking himself, again and again, “Do you know Jesus? Do you know Jesus?”

Then he took from his pocket a tract the young man had given him, and read it till, his weary eyes could read no more, after which he made his wife’ read it to him till her lips were tired. The dying sinner’s end it related loomed before him as his coming doom, and John trembled with the dread realities of death and judgment before his soul.

Thus a few days passed by, his darkness deepening; his fears growing greater. One evening, the young man who first met John had, as it were, a word from God, bidding him go upon his knees and pray for the sick man he had casually met in the street. So he shut himself up in his room that evening, and cried to God for the stranger’s soul.

It was the same evening that John said to his wife, “Some one is now prang for me, I am sure—I feel it.” And he began to think of Jesus dying on the cross for guilty rebels, and as his soul went out in thought after the Lamb of God, a kind of vision appeared before him, and in the corner of his room he saw, vividly, the Saviour nailed to the cross.

The lesson was from God, clear, unmistakable. John looked to Jesus by faith, he believed that He died for sinners, that His blood has made a full atonement for sins, and in a moment the burden of his guilt was lightened—be knew Jesus, he was saved!

While relating this marvelous story, the tears of joy running down his cheeks, he said, “I cannot understand it at all—I cannot make it out. Mercy for me! What does it mean? There was I, living without God, and even while laid up in this sick room I would spend my hours over the newspapers or idle tales, and so I went on until that day when my dear friend met me. To think that, after sinning against Him all my life, God should have met me with His mercy, and the very last time. I was able to walk out! Oh, it is wonderful! There! I cannot make it out!”

“What! are you indeed saved for eternity, just at the last hour?” said one astonished at the change. “Consider your past life.” But John’s bright answer was; “He cannot lie. He says, only believe; He says, I will in no wise cast out. Yes, there is mercy for me—even me.” Reader; have you like precious faith?

“There has been no fretting since that last walk,” said his wife, “and it always used to be, ‘Oh, that I could get out into the street!’” With a face beaming with heavenly joy, he added, “I used to sit in this chair by the window, watching the children play, until I fairly cried; but now I turn my back to the street and look up into that dear corner of the room, and think about my blessed Jesus. No more crying to get out into the street, for me. I have Jesus now!”

There was one amongst his unconverted friends whom John was particularly anxious to see. “Well, John, how are you getting on?” said he. John smiled, and clasping the strong man’s hands with his wasted ones, replied, “I am so happy; I am so happy. I am going to heaven, Teddy, and you can tell my friends so. Oh, that I had known before what I know now! Oh, that I had known Jesus earlier, and had not spent my life as, alas, I have done! What is all this world worth when compared with my present peace and joy? Ah, Ted,” he continued, still grasping his hand, and still gazing fixedly-upon him, “You will have to come to this! Are you ready? Are you ready?”

As he was sinking he asked for a hymn of praise. His friends began the hymn, “I believe I shall be there.”, “I know I shall,” interrupted he.; “there is no doubt about it—none. I know I shall, for Jesus loves me, and I love Him.” Then asking for a book, he said, with a. smile, “I can sing, too,” and so he did, his voice rising above theirs.

Come, ye scoffers, behold the light of heaven shining into the humble room of this dying man! Inquire, ye reasoners, whence it is that death is to him a longed for hour, and find your answer in his faith—faith in Him who died upon the cross, and who now is at the right hand of God. Stand beside his armchair; look at the fading countenance; watch the sunken eye, the distended nostril, the matted hair; see the thin, pale hands, with the bones piercing the skin, and hear his memorable words— “They tell me I am going to die; they say they must see me off; they want to watch me go; but I tell them (and this he said with triumphant smiles) I shall not die. Oh, no, I shall not die, I shall just fall asleep. There is no death for me, for I am going to Jesus.”

“This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ. whom Thou hast sent.”—Jno. 17:3.

“Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. “—John 6:37. —Selected.

ML 09/24/1899

The Garden of Eden.

LET us have a little talk to-day, dear children, about the garden of Eden, and what happened there.

When God had finished the works of creation, He planted a garden in Eden, and in this garden He made many trees to grow—trees that were beautiful to the sight, and trees that were good for food, having luscious fruit upon them. But there were two very special trees in the midst of the garden; one of these was “The tree of life,” and the other was “The tree of knowledge of good and evil.” There was a river in the garden which watered it; and the land near by had fine gold in it, and stones of great beauty and value.

How different the world then was, from the time when waters covered the earth and darkness brooded over all. We can think of the glad sunshine, of singing birds and murmuring brooks, of beautiful shade trees and of luscious fruit, of precious stones and of finest gold, for such were some of the things which God had prepared for man.

In this fair and wonderful garden, God placed Adam, the man He had made. But God never made man to be idle, so He gave to Adam a charge; and that charge was to dress and keep the garden. It was, I doubt not, a very pleasant task, for before sin came into the world, there was not the toil and weariness and suffering that now are known.

After God had put Adam in the garden, He brought all the animals to him, and the birds. that fly in the air, to see what lie would call them. What an honor this was to put upon Adam! Can you imagine him surrounded with all kinds of creatures, big and little—creeping, walking, jumping, flying creatures—all coming to him? And whatever he called each creature, that was its name. When you read about or see, the elephant, the lion, the giraffe, the ostrich or the eagle, the horse, the cow or the sheep, or any other creature, you will, perhaps, remember, that it was Adam, the first man God made, who gave them their names.

But with all these creatures about him Adam was alone. He might give to the dog a name, but the dog could not talk to him; he might ride on the horse, but the horse could not counsel with him; he might eat the pleasant fruit, and look at the sweet flowers, and sit down in the cool, refreshing shade, but he had no one to share these pleasures with him. God knew all this and He gave to Adam one who could be a companion, and a suitable help for him.

ML 09/24/1899

Elsie's Faith.

HAVE you heard of a little girl who was asked, “What is it to have faith?” and who answered, “It is to take God at His word, and ask no questions?”She was right, too, in her simple reply. One who has faith believes what God says because He says it. Just as the youngest of you believe your mother’s word because she has never deceived you. If she were to say to you, “I will take you to see grandpapa this afternoon,” would you not run off, and perhaps tell everyone in the house that you were to go out with mamma, and call upon grana that afternoon? Why would you do this? Because you believed what your mother had said. So the young christian can say, God has spoken, and I believe Him.

There were two little girls whom I knew, one named Katie, the other Elsie. Katie was about five, and Elsie about two-and-a-half years old. They often showed their love in their own childlike way, peeping at times through the half-opened door, and then quietly coming into the room where I was reading or writing, and at last sidling right up to me, waiting for the nod or smile or word which they sought.

One day, just as I was going out, I held out a penny, and said, “Here is a penny for you, Katie, if you will take it.” Katie was standing near the fireplace, and looked very wistfully at the coin, but did not move. So I repeated the words, but she did not come. Though she seemed to wish to have it, she did not, I suppose, believe I would give it to her. Turning to little fair-haired Elsie, I said, “Here, Elsie, is a penny for you, if you will take it.” Without waiting a moment, the little one ran forward and, of course, soon held it in her tiny hand. She believed me, and received the little gift. Katie did not believe me.

Are there not many boys and girls, who read Messages of Love, like Katie? In this way I mean: they want very much to have their sins put away, and to be made clean in God’s sight, and fit to be with the Lord Jesus in His glory; and when they hear that God is ready to pardon—that Jesus came down to save sinners, and died upon the cross for them, and now, as it were, holds out salvation to all who know their need, yet they do not believe Him. Something keeps them back. They think they are too bad, or that it is not for them. Others are like Elsie; they see the Lord is willing and waiting to give just what they need, and so just as they are they come by faith to Him, and receive the forgiveness and blessing which He delights to bestow.

Which are you like, Katie or Elsie?

Faith is a very simple thing,

Though little understood;

It frees the soul from death’s dread sting,

By resting on the blood.

ML 09/24/1899

The Garden of Eden.

This one was Eve; and together Adam and Eve walked and talked in the garden of Eden, and enjoyed the good things that God had provided for them.

But alas! a time came when everything was spoiled. Satan, that enemy of all that is good, took the form of a serpent and went to the woman and talked with her, trying to make her dissatisfied with God. He asked her if God had said they should not eat of every tree of the garden. She told him they could eat of the fruit of the tree, of the garden, but God had said they must not eat, nor even touch, the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil which was in the midst of the garden; and if they ate of it, they must die. The serpent told the woman that they would not die if they ate the fruit, and it would make them very wise.

How sad it is to think that the woman listened to the serpent and believed what he told her, and disobeyed God!

She looked at the beautiful fruit, and thought of the serpent’s words and how nice a thing it would be to be wise, and she was overcome; she took of the fruit and ate it and then she gave some to Adam and he ate it.

Ah! that was a sad day for Adam and Eve, and the sad results of their sin have been felt for thousands of years by their descendants. The serpent had told them partly true; they became wise, but it was to know evil, and to know that they had sinned. When God spoke to them they tried to hide among the trees. It is always so when people do wrong—they want to get away from God, but no one can hide from Him. He knew all about what Adam and Eve had done, and how Eve had talked with the serpent. He asked Adam if he had eaten of the fruit that He told him not to eat. Adam could not say no, but he tried to screen himself by throwing the blame on the woman, and when God spoke to her, she tried to throw the blame upon the serpent. But they were all wrong, and God had to pronounce a curse upon each of them, for sin must be punished. He told the serpent he should be cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field; and He said he must crawl un the ground, and eat dust all the days of his life. Then God told the woman that she should have pain and sickness; and to Adam He said, He would curse the ground for his sake; it would not be like the beautiful garden; it would bring forth thorns and thistles, and he would have to work very hard to get his food, and he should labor and toil until he died, and then his body should be put into the ground, for God said to him, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” And they had to leave the beautiful garden, for the tree of life was there, and God said if they would eat of that, they would live forever; but they had already eaten of the forbidden fruit and were condemned to die. So God drove them out of the garden and placed angels with flaming swords to guard the way to the tree of life.

That was a heavy punishment that Adam and Eve had to bear, was it not? And they were not the only ones who suffered; their children and their children’s children have felt the dreadful effects of the curse.

God said they must die, and from that day to this, death has reigned; and sickness, sorrow and misery are in the world; labor and toil and weariness are everywhere; and all the result of the sin of our first parents.

Perhaps some of you, dear children, may reason in this way—I do not think it was very bad to take some fruit and eat it; but let me tell you what made it so very bad; God had forbidden it, and to disobey God is a serious evil. When God speaks we must heed, or we will have sorrow.

And now let me give you a word that God speaks directly to you, and may you give heed to it. It is this,

“Children obey your parents in all things; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.”

Colossians 3:20.

Let us learn from the fall of Adam and Eve, to give heed to what God tells us.

There is another lesson for us to learn also, of which we may speak another time. R.

ML 10/01/1899

The Lord Jesus Is Coming.

I want to speak to my little friends today, about the Lord Jesus coming again to this world. If you will read the first few verses of the 14th chapter of the gospel of John, you will see that Jesus says, “If I go and prepare a place for you,

I WILL COME AGAIN. “

We know that He is gone away. He was nailed to the cross. After He died, they took down His body and laid it in the grave, and after three days He rose again and was on earth for forty days after His resurrection, and was seen by a great many of those who loved Him, and then He was seen to go up into heaven. So He is not here now. And just as sure as He is gone, He will come again. Then in the 1St chapter. of the Acts we are told that one day Jesus was on Mount Olivet, talking to His disciples, and all at once they saw Him going up into heaven, and as they stood looking at Him going up, a cloud came in between Him and them and they could see Him no more. But as they stood looking up, two men in white clothing stood by them and said;

“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.” (Acts 1:11.) These two in white, I think, were two angels sent from God, and they were telling these disciples the same thing that Jesus had told, them, that is, that Jesus was coming again. And then the Apostle Paul, who was inspired of God, said:

“THE LORD HIMSELF

shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God,” etc., 1 Thess. 4:16 etc. So we have Jesus speaking in the first scripture, angels speaking in the second, and an inspired man speaking in the third, and they are all speaking of Jesus coming again. Now no one but God the Father knows when Jesus will come again, but the bible tells us, He is going to come soon, and then “in a moment in the twinkling of an eye’’ every one who loves Him will be called up to meet Him in the air. He may come to-day, perhaps before you finish reading this little paper, and if He did, do you think you would go? Do you believe in Jesus as your own Saviour? If you do then you would be sure to go. He could not leave you behind. If you have accepted Him as your Saviour, then you are His little child and He wants to have you up in the glory with Him. No matter where you are, at home or at school; no matter if you are playing or working; if it is at night or in the day, when Jesus comes, you will go up to meet Him and then be with Him forever. Oh, how my heart longs that every little one who reads this, may be among that happy number who are to be with Jesus when He comes.

All those who are left behind, when Jesus comes. will never have another opportunity of being saved. They will be those who have heard the gospel and refused to believe in Jesus, so God says they will hear and believe the lie of Satan and be forever lost. How important then that you should believe on the Lord Jesus now, before He comes, and then when His shout is heard in the air, you will hear it and rise to meet Him. Then

Forever with the Lord Each little one will be, Who hath believed in Him Who died upon the tree. E. B. H.

ML 10/01/1899

The Tree and the Spring.

I had been reading the 37th Psalm; and the 35th verse reminded me of a fearful storm, which I saw, when I was a child. Near the orchard path there was a fine tree standing, the branches of which, were many feet from the ground, and a massive evergreen top, whose long limbs had seen the storms of many years; but this Summer’s night the clouds gathered so dark, and the deep thunder spoke fear to our hearts. The storm grew more severe and a bolt of lightning seemed to cleave the earth. In the morning, we looked—and there, instead of our fine old tree, was only a tall white post, broken and peeled. All about it lay the great, green boughs. The fire of the lightning had ruined it. Is not that like the wicked? “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.” Dear children read the 37th Psalm and see what is written there about the righteous and the wicked. Now look at what is written for us in Isa. 58:11. “And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” Is not that precious? Do we not see His long hand so tenderly caring for us? Do our hearts get filled with gratitude to Him? You know He wants our love and He must have it if we are His. In the morning after the storm, I ran to the spring for cold water for breakfast. The storm had not disturbed it. It was ever the same, so pure and cold and clear, in the cleft of a rock beneath the hill where the storm had ragged the night before; this is like that blessed One,— “The same yesterday and to-day, and forever.” Do not forget to read the 104th Psalm. H. B.

ML 10/01/1899

Christ Is My Goodness.

A little girl who knew the Lord Jesus, and who could not help singing about His love while playing, or at work at home, was asked by a Christian if she knew she was a sinner, and if she thought she was good enough to go to heaven? “O yes, sir,” was her reply. “But you have no goodness,” said he. “Indeed I have, sir,” she answered. “And where is your goodness?” he asked. “Up in heaven, sir,” she replied with a smile; “Christ is my goodness as well as my Saviour.”

How sweetly some little ones learn about Jesus; and to them that believe He is precious. May you, dear children, find in Jesus, salvation, life, peace, joy and goodness, through faith in His name.

O what a Saviour Jesus is,

So loving and so kind,

His love, so great, it wins our hearts;

Full joy in Him we find.

—Selected.

ML 10/01/1899

"Resist the Devil, and He Will Flee from You."

James 4:7.

LAST week, dear little friends, we had a talk about the garden of Eden, and how it happened that our first parents, Adam and Eve, were driven out of it. And how, because of their great sin of disobedience, sorrow and suffering came into the world. We should learn from this how serious a thing it is to disobey. And let me tell you that when children disobey their parents, they disobey God, for He has told them to obey their parents in all things.

But I think there is another lesson to be learned from what took place in the garden of Eden. When the serpent came to Eve and told her to do what God had told her not to do, she should at once have said, no, and she should have listened no further to Him. But she did listen; she stood and talked with him. And when she told him that God had said to them that they would surely die if they ate of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil,” the serpent boldly said to her, “Ye shall not surely die.”

Ah! the sad work was done; Eve had listened; she was tempted; and then she acted on Satan’s lie, and fell. Instead of believing God, and turning away from the wicked one, she gave ear to the tempter’s words and believed his lie; and the result has been sickness and sorrow and death, to man and beast, ever since.

Now, dear children, Satan is still roaming this world over, and God tells us he is a liar and deceiver. Do you know what a deceiver is? It is one who will try to make you think that what is true, is not true; and that what is not true, is true. This is what Satan is busy doing, and you are in danger from him. He will not come to you as a creeping serpent that you can see, and talk to you in words that you can hear, as he did to Eve, but he will come without your knowing anything about it, and put thoughts of evil in your heart. He is a very sly foe, and this makes him all the more dangerous.

Let me tell you about a little boy of whom I once read, and how he was tempted. He was poor and had to work for his living. He heard of a kind merchant who wished to hire a boy, and he went to this merchant and asked for the place. The merchant wished to have a boy that he could trust and. thought he would give this one a test before consenting to take him. So he said to the boy, “Come to my house, to-morrow.” When the boy went to his house he was put in a fine room, and the merchant said to him, I will come in half an hour and talk with you about the place you wish to get; you may look about you, but see that you do not touch that covered dish on the table. He then went away and the boy was left alone in the room. All went well for a time, but after a little, the boy began to think he would like to see what was in that dish. Something seemed to say to him that it would be wrong to look in it, for he was told not to touch it; but another voice came to him—oh, there will be no harm in just taking a peep; no one will see; you can look in and nobody will ever know that you touched the dish.

Do you see, dear children, it was Satan leading the boy to wish to do what was wrong and trying to make him think it was not wrong, and also telling him what was not true when he said he would not be found out! The little boy did not see Satan; but Satan was doing his bad work in him; and, like Eve, the little boy listened. He began to move slowly toward the table; when he reached it, he looked around; no one was there to see; cautiously he lifted the cover of the dish—just a little, and—out jumped a mouse! Ah! it was all over now. When the kind merchant came in a few minutes later, the empty dish told the story. He could not trust a boy who could not obey, and so would not have him.

How much better it would have been for that boy, if he had not listened to Satan’s lying words—peep in and nobody will know anything about it! The only right way is to turn away and refuse to listen when Satan would lead us wrong. God tells us to resist the devil, and he will flee from us.

Perhaps we can have a little further talk next week about how we can overcome this great enemy when he seeks to lead us astray. R.

ML 10/08/1899

The Jewish Doctor.

SOME time since there lived in a large city in Holland, a Jewish doctor who, like Paul, had lived a Pharisee. Like Paul, too, he had been, by the por of the Holy Ghost, turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan to God; and, like Paul, his heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel was that they might be saved.

With this object the doctor went day after day into the part of the city inhabited by the lowest class of Jews, and from house to house he preached and taught Jesus Christ. In reaching this suburb he had to pass the magnificent house of a rich Jewish merchant, who had a house of business also in the mercantile part of the city.

It had often happened to the doctor to pass this house; but it was not until he had done so many times that a new thought struck him. Why was it that he was ready to go day after day and speak of the Lord Jesus to the poor Jews in the back streets, and yet he had never felt how accountable he was to God for not making Christ known to the rich Jew in the great house?

He knew that the merchant was often engaged in the city till a late hour, and he therefore determined to call upon him one evening at about ten o’clock, thinking that by that time he would be sure to find him at home.

He was surprised at being at once admitted and shown upstairs, just as though he had been expected. But this was explained when he was ushered suddenly into a large ball-room, already filled with company. The music was playing and the dancing had begun.

The appearance of the little doctor, so unlike the rest of the company, caused many eyes to be fixed upon him. He at once went to the master of the house, and apologized for his untimely visit. “I was not aware,’’ said he, “that you were engaged this evening, but as I have called upon a matter of great importance, I would ask if you would kindly appoint a time when I may call again without inconvenience to you.’’

“Certainly,” replied the merchant— “May I ask if the business is pressing?”

“It is a matter of life and death,” replied the doctor. “I will call again at your earliest convenience.”

“Allow me to ask one more question,” said the merchant. “Whom does the business concern?”

“It concerns the Lord Jesus Christ—Jesus of Nazareth,” replied the honest doctor. “It is concerning Him and Him only that I came to speak to you, and I am glad that you will kindly allow me the opportunity of doing so another day.”

“Stay,” said the merchant, with a very strange expression of joy and astonishment. “This is wonderful,” he continued, now speaking so as to be heard by the doctor only. “My friend, I have been miserable for many months past; how or why I know not; but one thought has continually haunted me by day and by night; whether in business or at home it has never been absent from my mind. I have tried to put it from me, but I could not. It is a thought which has left no peace, and it was this, ‘Who and what was Jesus of Nazareth?’ I have asked God in His mercy to help me, and to send me some one who could speak to me and tell me the truth about this great question. Now He has heard my prayer. I cannot let you go. There is no time like the present.”

ML 10/08/1899

Under His Wings.

UNDER His wings shalt thou trust.” Psalms 91:4.

That means to-day, not some other time! Under His wings, the shadowing wings of the Most High, you, poor little helpless one, are to trust to-day.

When the little eaglets, that have not yet a feather to fly with, are under the great wings of the parent eagle, how safe they are! Who would dare touch them? If a bold climber put his hand into the nest then, those powerful wings would beat him in a minute from his hold, and he would fall down the rocks and be dashed to pieces. So safe shall you be “under His wings”, “nothing shall by any means hurt you there.

When the wild snow-storms round the eyrie, and the mountain cold is felt, that is death to an unprotected sleeper, how warm the little eaglets are kept! Not an arrow of the keen blast reaches them, poor little featherless things, not a snowflake touches them. So warm shall you be kept “under His wings,” when any cold and dark day of trouble comes, or even any sudden little blast of unkindness or loneliness.

“Under His wings shalt thou trust!’’ Not “shalt thou see!” If one of the eaglets wanted to see for itself what was going on, and thought it could take care of itself for a little while, and hopped from under the shadow of the wings, it would be neither safe nor warm. The sharp wind would chill it, and the cruel hand might seize it then. So you are to trust; rest quietly and peacefully “under His wings;” stay there, not be peeping out and wondering whether God is really taking care of you! You may be always safe and happy there. Safe, for “in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge.” Happy, for “in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.”

Remember, too, that it is a command as well as a promise; it is what you are to do to-day, all day long: “Under His wings shalt thou trust!”—Selected.

ML 10/08/1899

A Light House Lesson.

A friend told us that he was visiting a light-house lately, and said to the keeper. “Are you not afraid to live here? It is a dreadful place to be constantly in.” “No,” replied the man, “I am not afraid; we never think of ourselves here.”

“Never think of yourselves! How is that?” The reply was a good one: “We know that we are perfectly safe, and only think of having our lamps brightly burning, and keeping the reflectors clear, so that those in danger may be saved.” That is what christians ought to do.

ML 10/08/1899

"Tell it All to God."

TELL it all to God,” were the words of a dear little boy, to a lady, as he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks at the thought of her sorrow, in the rent loss of her husband.

Those who know Christ as their Saviour may go and tell Him all their sorrows, as well as all their joys. He is always ready to listen. It may be to-night He will call them away to be with Him forever in yonder bright regions of joy, where sorrow, suffering and sin are all unknown.

ML 10/08/1899

The Sword of the Spirit

IN our talk last week, dear children, we were speaking of the great enemy of souls, and how sin, sorrow and death had come into the world because Adam and Eve had listened to him and through him, were led to disobey God. Now, this great enemy, Satan, was not willing to stop when he had brought misery and ruin to Adam and Eve. He has been busy ever since, trying to lead people astray; he attacks old and young, and he will be pretty sure to come to you.

What would you do if he would come to you? Do you think you would run away from him? That would not do, for it would only make him bolder and he would pursue you. What could you do then? Would it be right to strive with him? It is not right to strive and fight with your playmates; God is not pleased with this, and He is not pleased when men take the sword and go forth to fight with their fellow men. He says, “they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” But, if it was right to stand against Satan, how could you, a little child, meet such a powerful foe—stronger than thousands of men put together? I once asked some sunday school children this question and a little boy quickly raised his hand; “and what would you do, Gerald?” I asked. “I would blow him up with gun powder,” was Gerald’s reply.

This dear child was very earnest and evidently thought he had hit upon a plan to vanquish the dreadful foe; he did not know that all the gun powder in the world would have no effect upon Satan, because he is a spiritual foe, whom God calls “the prince of the power of the air”—a “wicked spirit” that could not be hurt by any common weapon.

But it is right to withstand this evil one, and there is a way in which it can be done; there is, too, a weapon to be used against him, and it is one which even a little child can handle. That weapon is a sword—not a sword made of steel, such as men use when they war with one another, but a sword that Satan cannot resist. It is “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” May be you will think that is a strange kind of a sword, but when you learn to use it, you will find it has great power.

A sunday school teacher asked her class of little scholars what they would say to Satan if he tried to get them to play with children who used bad words. A number of hands went up, and a bright little girl of five years was called upon for the answer. She said, “I would say to him, “My Son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” Prov. 1:10.

That dear child was learning to use the sword of the Spirit, before which Satan cannot stand. And it is what I wish every boy and girl who reads this paper could learn the use of.

It was with this sword that the Lord Jesus overcame Satan when He was tempted of him in the wilderness. Jesus was very hungry, for He had not eaten anything for nearly six weeks, and Satan went to Him and told Him to command the stones to be made into bread. Jesus, who is God, could quickly have done this, and thus have shown His power and satisfied His hunger, but He would not act without the word from God the Father.

He did not, like Eve, do what Satan had proposed; He knew the character of His dreadful foe, and He met him with the sword of the Spirit; He said “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Jesus would wait for the word from God before He would satisfy His hunger.

Three times Satan tried to lead Jesus into-what would not be pleasing to God, but each time, Jesus took the sword of the Spirit and met him with, “It is written”—and then Satan left him.

Do you understand, dear children? Do you think you can meet Satan with the sword? Suppose he comes and tries to make you put out your hand to take what does not belong to you, telling you no one will see or know anything about it! Could you answer him no, for it is written, “Thou shalt not steal?”

Suppose he tempts you to do what your parents have told you not to do; could you say to him, no, for it is written, “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord”? Suppose he tries to make you tell a lie—could you say to him, Oh! no, for “All liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone!” If you can meet him thus, you will be using the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, and you will gain the victory. R.

ML 10/15/1899

The Jewish Doctor.

Then calling for the music to stop, the merchant addressed his astonished visitors: “This gentleman,” lie said, “has kindly come to speak to us on a matter of great importance—a matter in which each one of us is personally concerned. May I ask you to take your seats, and give him your attention? And you, dear sir,” he said to the doctor, “will you now speak fully and plainly? Tell us all you have to say, and keep back nothing.”

And at once, standing in the middle of the ball room, the zealous little door began to preach that wonderful Goel of God concerning His Son; he preached the cross which is to them that perish foolishness; but unto those who believe and are saved it is the power of God, both to Jews and the nations, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

It was not long after this memorable evening that the merchant confessed with his mouth the Lord Jesus and believed in his heart that God had raised Him from the dead, and was saved, for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom. 10:10:11. I cannot now remember whether others in the ball-room also received Christ into their hearts. It is my impression that some of them did; but as this story is strictly true, it is well to add nothing which is on doubtful authority. —Glad Tidings.

ML 10/15/1899

Waiting and Watching.

I was traveling by boat a short time ago, and about 20 minutes before dinner was called, the passengers gathered near the dining-room door waiting for the call for dinner, and it made me think, as I saw how patiently they waited, of how those who love the Lord Jesus should be patiently waiting for Him to come and call them into His presence to be with Him forever. He tells us He is coming, and coming soon, and asks all who love Him to watch. Do you know, my dear little reader, what it is to watch for your papa or your mamma when they are away and how glad you are to see them come home. And why are you so glad? Because you love them. Then if you love the Lord Jesus, you will be glad to see Him when He comes, and you will be watching for Him. Now if Jesus should come to-day would you be glad? E. B. H.

ML 10/15/1899

A Little Boy's Prayer.

SOME time since, the mother of a rosy, restless, affectionate little boy, was dangerously ill. The bustle awakened the dear child, and on hearing the cause, he rushed into his mother’s room, and, without respect to physician, or any one present, fell on his knees, and in the most simple and pathetic terms, pleaded with God for her recovery, adding, “Oh, do not take away my mother? What shall I do if I lose my mother!” Soon after he came to her bedside, saying, “Are you better, mother?” “Yes, Freddy.” Expressing great joy, he replied, “God does hear a little boy’s prayer, don’t He, mother?”

ML 10/15/1899

The Old Negro's First Spelling Lesson.

WHEN the negroes of the south were liberated, great efforts were made to educate them, and for this purpose schools and colleges were founded and built, and many capable of teaching, soon volunteered to carry the work on. The freed negroes showed an aptitude for learning, and the work went on rapidly. The gospel had been joyfully received many a year before, and the hard task and the still harder task-master could not beat out the love of God which had cheered the heart of many a poor slave.

Amongst the rest of the learners at one school, an old negress of upwards of seventy presented herself, for she wand to read in the Word of God herself about Jesus. The teacher had to take his aged scholar through the alphabet, and a difficult lesson it was; but at last A B C was mastered, and D E F conquered sooner than the teacher expected. After much patient plodding on the scholar’s part, and much and loving patience on the teacher’s, X Y Z, was at last reached, to the satisfaction of both parties.

Then came the spelling lesson, whereupon the old lady said, “The first word I should like to spell is ‘Jesus.’ When I can spell that, all the rest will be easy enough.”

What a lesson might be learned from the simple hearted negro to begin with Jesus. Now I for one am sure that when we begin with Him, all the rest does become easy. We can trust Him for the salvation of our souls, yet often distrust Him in everyday matters. No wonder, then, that the lesson of the wilderness is so hard, because we keep Him out of the question. We put matters together as letters are put together to form words, but if the morning lesson began with Him, how differently we should bear ourselves all the rest of the day, whether in business or in the household, at school or at play, and how blessedly and calmly we should glide into the evening lesson—the X Y Z of one daily experience. He is worthy of every pulsation of our hearts; every affection of the heart should be centered on Him, and how right and how sweetly goes everything else when it is so. Whatever the lesson we have to learn in the school of God, “pleasing or painful, dark or bright,” let us begin with that name that is extolled and honored above every name—JESUS!

ML 10/15/1899

Can I Take Christ With Me?

A very plain and simple way for any child who is in doubt as to whether he should do this or that, is to ask this question, “Can I take Christ with me? Can I feel that, if Christ were to come, I am doing what I should be pleased for Him to find me engaged in?”

ML 10/15/1899

"Make it Plain That I Can Get Hold of it."

ON the 16th day after the battle of Gettysburg, I entered the room where a young wounded captain was apparently near to death. As I entered he was roused from his stupor and beckoned me to his bedside, and threw his feeble arms around my neck.

“Oh, my father, how glad I am to see you! I was afraid you would not come till it was too late. I am too feeble to say much, though I have a great many things to say to you; you must do all the talking. Tell me all about dear mother and sister.”

I soon perceived, by the appearance of those in the house, that there was no hope of his recovery. But as I could no longer endure the agony of suspense, I at last inquired of the doctor, “Doctor, how long do you think he can live?”

“Not more than four days. He may drop away at any hour.”

As I entered the room with the dreaded message of death pressing on my heart, the eyes of my son fastened on me.

“Come, sit by my side, father. Have you been talking with the doctor about me?”— “Yes.”

“What did he tell you? Does he think I shall recover?’’

There was a painful hesitation for a moment.

“Don’t be afraid to tell me just what he said.”— “He told me you must die.”

“How long does he think I can live?”— “Not to exceed four days, and that you may drop away any hour.”

With great agitation, he exclaimed, “Father is that so? Then I must die! I cannot, I must not die! oh! I am not prepared to die now. Do tell me how I can get ready! Make it so plain that I can get hold of it. Tell me, in a few words, if you can, so that I can see it plainly.”

‘Twas no time now for tears, but for calmness and light, by which to lead the soul to Christ, and both were given.

“You want to be forgiven, don’t you?”

“Oh, yes! This is what I want. Can I be, father?” — “Certainly.”— “Can I know it before I die? “Certainly.”

“Well, now, father, make it so plain that I can get hold of it.”

“Do you remember while at school, in—, you came home one day, and I having occasion to rebuke you, you became very angry, and answered me with harsh language?”

“Yes father, I was thinking it all over a few days ago.”

“Do you remember how, after your anger had subsided, you came in and threw your arms around my neck, and said, ‘My dear father, I am sorry I abused you so. It was not your loving son that did it. I was very angry. Won’t you forgive me?”

“Yes, I remember it very distinctly.” “Do you remember what I said to you as you wept upon my neck?”

“Very well. You said ‘I forgive you with all my heart,’ and kissed me. I shall never forget those words.”

“Did you believe me?”

“Certainly. I never doubted your word.”

“Did you feel happy again?”

“Yes, perfectly.”

“Well, now, this is the way to come to Jesus. You just confess your sins fully and frankly to God, and He will forgive, for He hath said,

‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ 1 John 1:9.

And again, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in NO WISE CAST OUT.’ Will you trust HIM? —His love and His finished work! Will you?”

He turned his head upon his pillow, and asked me to leave him for a little. On my return to my son’s bedside, he said—

“Father, my dear father, I don’t want you to weep any more; you need not. I am perfectly happy now. God has forgiven, me. I know He has, for He says so, And I take His word for it, just as I do yours, and I know He has forgiven me, for He-says so.”

The captain still lives, for it pleased the Lord to raise Him up, and he is very happy in leading others to the same forgiving and blessed Saviour, whose pardoning grace he first learned in the military hospital, and he always remembers in speaking to others of God’s glorious gospel to ‘MAKE IT PLAIN THAT THEY MAY GET HOLD OF IT.’ My dear reader. do YOU know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour’? It is an awful thing to reject the Saour’s offered grace and love. Remember, Christ is the only safety. Trust it the precious blood of Jesus, which cleans. eth from all sin.

Glad Tidings.

ML 10/22/1899

Life Through Death.

NOW, dear children, shall we have another little talk about God’s ways with Adam and Eve? When they had sinned, God told them of the dreadful punishment that must come upon them; and this punishment has been felt ever since, for death has come upon old and young; but while they must suffer because of their sin, God showed them the love that. was in His heart, by giving them a wonderful promise—a promise that brought in life in the midst of death.

He told the serpent that his head should one day be bruised by one of the woman’s children. This showed that God meant to give children to Eve, and it showed also that Satan would one day be defeated.

Thousands of years passed away, and many were born into the world and died and passed out of it, before the One who was to gain this victory, came.

One night, while some shepherds in the plains of Bethlehem were watching their flocks, an angel from heaven appeared to them, and a glory shone about them. This made the shepherds very much afraid, but the angel quieted their fears, telling them he brought them very happy news, for that day a little babe was born who was the Saviour—Christ the Lord.

While the angel was talking with the shepherds, suddenly a great many more angels appeared and they all praised God and spoke of glory and peace in connection with the birth of that wonderful child; and then they went back to heaven.

When the shepherds were left alone, they began to talk to each other about what they had seen and heard, and they said, Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that the Lord hath made known to us. So they went quickly and found the babe where the angel had told them He would be—that was, in a manger, a place where cattle are fed. When they looked at the little child and remembered that the angel had said that this was the Saviour, their hearts were filled with joy, and they praised God.

As they went forth they told these things to the people they met and soon the glad news spread. Then the shepherds went back to the fields to look after their flocks.

Now, this child Jesus, whose birth the angels celebrated, was the One who had been promised so long before, to Eve. He was the One whom God gave, and it is through Him that God gives life to all that believe. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

It was through man that death came into the world, but it is through Jesus, the Son of God, that life is given. And the life that He gives, is everlasting life —a life that will never end.

How is it, do you think, dear children, that God, who is holy and who must push sin, can receive poor sinners, and give them this wonderful life?

Listen, and I will tell you, for God’s word gives us the blessed answer.

If you believe in Jesus, all your sins have already met their punishment.

Jesus bore the dreadful load of your sins and mine when He hung upon the cross; there He took every stroke that was due to you and to me, for our wrong doings. Yes, He suffered more than we can ever know; and through His precious blood He has washed all our sins away from before God. Was not this great love! Jesus died; we live!

Through His death, we who believe in Him, get a life that will never end. Our bodies may die, for we are children of Adam; but our souls cannot die; and after a little, when Jesus comes, He will give us bodies that will never die; and in these new bodies there will be strength and power and beauty, such as they do not now have; they will be like the body that Jesus has in glory.

God has very great and wonderful blessing in store for those who love Him. Our sorrow and suffering, which are the fruit of sin, come through Adam, the first man; our eternal joys and blessedness come through Christ, God’s well beloved Son.

Is it not sweet to think that God gave the promise of this wonderful One, away back in the garden of Eden!

And now we can look back as far as the cross and say, Jesus has suffered for my sins, and I will be happy with Him forever, in the bright glory. R.

ML 10/22/1899

"He Carries the Lambs in His Bosom."

A little girl one day said to her papa as he was going to the market to get some things to eat, “Papa, will you take me with you to market?” Her papa said, “Yes,” so she was soon ready. When they were going home Papa had a lot of parcels to carry, so he gave one or two to his little girl. After they had walked a few blocks, she said, “Papa, carry me.” Her papa said ‘It will be a heavy load for me to carry you and your parcels, too.” But he picked her up and carried her, and then he told his little girl that that is the way Jesus does. He carries every little girl and boy who loves Him and He carries their burdens, too. He likes to have His little children go to Him and tell Him all their troubles and sorrows. Nothing is too small to tell Him about. He will listen to all they have to say. I wonder if the children who read this little paper pray to Him every day? You have many things to thank Him for. He gives you food to eat every day, and clothing to wear, and every blessing you have comes from Him. And you have many things to ask Him for. I know of one person who had nothing to eat so he asked God, for Jesus sake, to give him something to eat, and He did. I know of a little sick girl who asked for some oranges and it wasn’t long before the Lord gave her some. I know a little boy who was frightened when he heard the thunder, so he said, “Please, Jesus, make the thunder stop,” and He did. And you remember reading in one of these little papers of the little boy who asked for a pair of shoes and he got them. Never forget, dear children, to pray to God every day you live. He always hears and answers the prayer of faith. E. B. H.

ML 10/22/1899

Animals of the Bible. 7

THE FOX.

Dear Children:

You all, no doubt, know something of the fox. The cunning, sly rogue, who likes to slip into the hen-house at night and catch the poor sleeping chickens. You know, too, that he lives and hides in the day time in dens or holes in the ground. You have seen his picture with his sharp little nose, keen for scent, and pointed ears thrown forward as if to catch every sound. So, as I think you are quite well acquainted with his looks and his ways, we will go on to see what lessons we can learn from the scriptures in regard to him. There are three portions to which I would call your attention. The first is Song of Solomon 2:15. “Take its the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” If you raised a grape-vine and took great care of it, you would expect to enjoy its fruits. What if you should find some morning that the sly “little foxes” had spoiled your vine? When Jesus was on earth, He came to His own people, the Jews, seeking fruit but found none. (His earthly people were spoken of under the figure of a vine, see Psa. 80-8). And so He seeks fruit, now, from His people. “Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples.” Do you believe in Jesus as your own Saviour? Do you want to be His disciple and bear fruit for Him? But do you ask—What is fruit? In Gal. 5:22:23 we find this beautiful list. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,” and these things may be found in the simplest duties of your every day life, if all is done cheerfully, heartily as unto the Lord. But suppose they are not done in this way, but with a shrug and a pout and an, “I wish I didn’t have to do this.’’ All! There is no fruit for God there. The “little foxes” of self-will or indolence, or something else have spoiled the vine. The “tender grapes” are missing. So let us be watchful and prayerful and “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines.”

Our next scripture we find in Luke 13:31-34. Jesus says, “Go ye and tell that fox, etc,” in answer to those who had said, “Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.” Then turning to God’s own favored city, He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto her; how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!” Now a “fox” comes only to kill and destroy. Herod, the fox, (type of Satan) would have willingly destroyed Jesus—blessed Jesus—who longed to gather His people to Himself, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings. Now, dear children, what would you think of a little chick which would not go to the hen’s sheltering wings but preferred to stay where the fox could catch it? Just as foolish is any child or grown person who refuses to come to Jesus and prefers being out in the world, exposed to the craft of Satan. Yet this is what the Lord had to say to his earthly people— “How often would I have gathered thy children tether, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not.” Matt. 23: 37.

And so He has to say still to those who reject Him, I would but ye would not.

Just one scripture more. Matt. 8:20. “Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” Just think of it! The One who made all things, who gave the cies the clefts in the rocks, the little birds their nests, and even the sly, cruel foxes holes in which to hide, had no where to lay His head.

“He came to die,” as the little hymn says. No place for Him down here where He found no fruit in His own vine, where His people would not be gathered. No, His home, His resting place was heaven—the Father’s house—but first He must die, that others might be there with Him. May you receive Him, be gathered by Him, bear fruit for Him and be waiting for Him to take you to His Father’s house is the earnest prayer of your friend, E. G. B.

ML 10/29/1899

Teady and the Children's Prayer.

Dear children, there is a verse in the Bible which is very precious for those who get into any kind of trouble. You will find it in the 15th verse of the 50th Psalm. In this verse God says:

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.”

Now I am going to tell you about two little children who got into trouble, and who called on God, and were delivered. E. was a boy about eight or nine years old; and M. was his little sister, about three or four years old.

The parents of these two children attended a meeting of God’s people on the Lord’s day; and in the cold weather of winter, they left the two children at home by themselves, and they had their little meeting, too. E. would read a chapter, and then they would pray tether; and when the parents came home, little N. would tell them about their meeting.

Now I will tell you about the trouble they got into. A friend gave E. a beautul canary bird, called Teady; and the first Lord’s day after Teady came, E.’s father warned him not to touch the bird, nor let him out of the cage, and E. promised he would not. When the parents came home they found everything all right, and they thought E. had been very obedient. But this was not the case, for E. had opened the cage, and the bird got away from them, and they were in great distress; and after they tried to catch the bird, and could not, they called on God, and He delivered them. It was little M. who told her father about this a short time after, for her conscience did not allow her to keep it hidden. I cannot tell you about it in her baby words, but I will tell you in her father’s words. She said to her father: “You ‘member ‘at Lord’s day you told E. not to touch Teady? Well he did touch him; and he took him out of the cage, and held him in his hand, and ‘en he let me hold him, and I could not hold him very tight for fear I would hurt him, and he got away, and flew up on the curtains poles, and on the curtain, and on the mantel, and all over; and we t’ied, and we t’ied, and we could not catch him; and we just went and knelt down, and we told the Lord all about it, and asked Him to help us catch Teady; and the Lord was very good to us, for He made the bird come right down on the carpet and stay there until E. caught him and put him back in the cage.”

There was nothing wonderful in this to little M. In childish simplicity she took it as the Lord’s answer to their prayer, as indeed it was. Oh! yes. God hears little children quite as readily as He hears big people, and He delights to hear their cry, and to deliver them when they are in trouble.

Now, dear children, have you learned to take your troubles to the Lord, as dear E. and M. did? He will hear you, if you do.

Have you ever had any trouble about your sins? This is the greatest trouble you can have. But Jesus died for your sins, and if you take this trouble to the Lord He will take it all away. He will forgive all your sins and make you happy in His presence. A.H.R

ML 10/29/1899

"My Master is Always in."

JOHNNIE,” said a man, winking slyly to a clerk of his acquaintance in a dry goods store, “You must give me extra measure. Your master is not in.” Johnnie looked up in the man’s face very seriously, and said: “My Master is always in.” Whom did he mean?

ML 10/29/1899

"A Little Child Shall Lead Them."

In a sweet spot, in one of the Western States, lives little Annie Gale. Not long ago, she was led to embrace Christ as her Saviour. The news of her conversion soon spread through the place.

One day a friend called on her father, and said, “It’s all nonsense for your Annie to think she. has been converted, she’s just like a little angel always: I don’t believe in religion making her better, she’s good enough before. If Dan Hunter, now, could be turned around and made a Christian of, I’d believe in it.”

Annie heard the conversation, and her heart beat with pity for poor Dan; she knew him to be one of the worst and vilest of characters. Impelled with love for his soul, she went to his wretched dwelling, and began to talk to him in tender tones about Jesus, and God’s love to the chief of sinners. After referring to her own conversion, she asked him if he was not a sinner, and if he did not need the same Saviour whom she had found? Poor old Dan’s heart was touched; he wept, he fell upon his knees, and cried out, “Lord, ha’ mercy on the worst of sinners.”

God heard that earnest, penitent cry; and Annie left the old man praising the Lord who could save a wretch like him. It was Dan’s business now to tell to all, the story of God’s love. He would say, “It’s the same gospel, the very same gospel that so blessed little Annie Gale; you wouldn’t think it, but the same Lord which blessed little children, saves the chief of sinners. Jesus casts out none”—Selected.

ML 10/29/1899

What About Your Sins?

A teacher in Sunday School once asked her scholars (some little boys and girls from five to ten years of age) how many of them had eternal life —the life which the Good Shepherd gives to His sheep. Nearly every little hand went up in answer to this question. “But,” asked the teacher, “what about your sins?”

As some of the little boys and girls who read this paper may not know how it is about their sins, let me give them some of the answers which these dear children gave, and it may be a help to you.

Little Philip said: “I believe my sins are put away, because Jesus died on the cross for me.”

Willie said: “My sins are washed out by the blood of Jesus Christ.”

Ada said; “I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and my sins are covered with blood.”

Anna said: “I think He died on the cross so that I wouldn’t have to die.”

Ruth said: “I believe on the Lord Jesus. He bore my sins and put them away.

Do you not think these are nice answers for the little ones to give?

And it will be as true to you, each one, as it is to these dear children, if you believe on Jesus, your sins are put away. He suffered for your sins and you will never have to bear the punishment of them. Was not this wonderful love? Come, then, to Jesus, and He will make you clean. He will forgive all your sins.

Do not come thinking you are a good boy or a good girl, and so Jesus will save you. No, come just as you are—a sinner—and Jesus will receive you. “Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.” R.

ML 10/29/1899

Bible Questions.

IN order to encourage our young friends to search the scriptures more, we will give Bible questions once a month, and we hope that all will study to find out the answers.

Those desiring to send the answers to us, will please write their name, age and address plainly.

Prizes will be given (D. V) for correct answers up till May 1900, to those not getting help from concordance nor older persons. Quote the verses which give the answers, and tell where they are to be found. Answers to be sent in, not later than the 1St of the next month, addressed to E. B. H. 4431 Garfield Ave. St. Louis, Mo.

The answers to these questions are to be found in the gospel of Matthew and the first, letter of each, will spell two words which Jesus said to the one who said to Him, “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.”

How many days did Jesus fast in the wilderness?

What did Jesus say to Peter when he began to sink as he walked on the water to meet Him?

What did the leper, who came to Jesus to be healed, say to Him?

What will the foolish virgins say when the door is shut?

What did Jesus pray to the Father when He was in the garden of Gethsemane?

What did Jesus say to His disciples when they awoke Him from sleep and He calmed the troubled sea?

Who was sitting at the receipt of custom to whom Jesus said, “Follow me?”

What prophet said, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord make His paths straight?”

ML 11/05/1899

The Conversion of a Jewess.

A JEWISH lady in Baltimore had a husband who was a gay man of the world and in the habit of passing his evenings with congenial friends at the theater and other places of amusement, leaving her alone at home. To relieve the monotony of an evening she slipped out, and impelled by curiosity attended a religious meeting which was being held on the same street as that on which her home was situated. The first evening’s services left no particular impression. The question simply arose in her mind, just as a cloud flits over the sky, “Suppose that Jesus was the Messiah?”

The next night Jesus was again preached, and before the sermon was over, the question became more than a question; she said to herself, “Jesus was, perhaps, the Messiah;” and it greatly distressed her.

On the third night the thought seized her soul, and shook it through and through, “Jesus was the Messiah.” Of course there came with it—inevitably to a Jewess—the conviction, “I am lost forever. for my people slew Him.” And in that spirit she went home sobbing and wailing. Her husband returned at midnight, and she met him in tears and said at once, “Go to some christian neighbor’s and borrow for me a New Testament.” He tried to laugh her out of her impressions, or argue her out of them; but it was of no use, and so for the love he bore her he went out at half-past twelve in the morning, and rang up a christian neighbor.

When he came to the door, the caller said, “I beg your pardon, but will you be so kind as to loan me a New Testament?”

You may be sure the request was most cheerfully granted. The neighbor thought, There is work in that house to be done for Jesus tonight; and as soon as he could properly dress himself, he hurried to a christian brother’s, and with him repaired to the Jewish mansion. The door was instantly opened, and the mistress met them with a smile, saying, “I have found Jesus!” And then she told them the story that I have told you, with this addition, she said that when the New Testament was put into her hands, she went into her own room, and kneeling, she lifted up her face to heaven and cried, “O Lord God of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, give me light, give me light!” She opened the Testament at the beginning of the Epistle to the Romans. She read slowly,” and the verses went tearing through her soul like hot thunderbolts, until she came to the sixteenth verse:

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth; TO THE JEW FIRST”—Here she stopped, her bursting tears blinded her. She looked again. It is “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” As she read these words she believed them and was saved, and knew it. When the christian brethren came she was a christian. Glad Tidings.

ML 11/05/1899

Cain and Abel.

DEAR children, we have had several talks about Adam and Eve and of things that took place in the garden of Eden; let us now have a little talk about some of Adam and Eve’s children and about some things that happened outside of the garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve called their first child Cain, and the second child that God gave to them, they called Abel. As these boys grew up to be men they had to learn to work, for when Adam sinned God had told him that in the sweat of his face he should eat bread until he returned to the ground. And from that day to this, man has had to labor and toil.

Cain and Abel did not choose the same kind of work. Cain’s work was to dig up the ground and plant it and get fruit from it; and Abel’s work was to feed the sheep and take care of them.

After a time, both these men—for I think they had by this time grown to be men— brought an offering to God. Perhaps they thought that God would not punish them for their sins if they took Him a nice present; for I have no doubt they felt that they were sinners, and people like to atone for their sins if they can.

Now, as there is a lesson of great importance in the offerings that Cain and Abel took to God, I hope you will listen well, while I try to point it out to you.

Gain brought for his offering some of the fruit of the ground which he had been cultivating. I suppose it looked very fine, for he would wish to bring the finest of what he had when making an offering to the Lord. Abel took his offering from the lambs of his flock, and I think he took the best of them, too.

But God did not accept both of their offerings; He was pleased with Abel’s offering, but not with Cain’s. There is a little verse in the ninth chapter of Hebrews which shows us why God could not accept Cain’s offering; it is this:—

“Without shedding of blood is no remission;” that means that sins cannot be put away unless blood is shed, for sin deserves to be punished with death. God says “the wages of sin is death.”

When Abel killed the lamb and offered it to God, it showed that he himself deserved to die, because he was a sinner. The lamb that was offered, pointed to the Lamb of God who long after died upon the cross to save sinners; and it is through His precious blood that there is forgiveness of sins for those who believe in Jesus.

Many little boys and girls, and many grown people, too, think their good works will take them to heaven, but they will not. Such offerings are no more pleasing to God than Cain’s offering was, for in these good works there is no shedding of blood. And God cannot accept the good works of a sinner. But Jesus gave Himself an offering to God for sin, and this perfect offering was well-pleasing to God. And if you believe in Jesus your sins are forever put away from God’s sight.

TO BE CONTINUED.

ML 11/05/1899

The Heart at Rest

A YOUTH is resting beside a bank, while some cows, over which he keeps watch, graze quietly not far off. A stranger passing hears him softly singing. and pauses to catch the words of his song:—

“Jesus! my hearts dear refuge,

Jesus has died for me.”

“Is He your refuge?” she enquires. “Yes, lady,” replies the youth, “I have known Him two years.”

The stranger heard the quiet words, but the expression of the young man’s face had deeper language, for it told of settled peace within, and a heart at rest before God.

“Jesus has died for me; I have known Him two years,” was his simple tale: what a world of meaning these few words convey!

How different his case from another’s whose sad unrestful expression could tell of no peace within, even had her lips not confessed it to one who remarked, speaking of her years of suffering, “Well, this has been a sad world to you—have you a bright hope of another?” The weary face looked even more sad as she replied, “I hope so ma’am, I am trying hard for it, and have done my best for the last forty years.”

In the one case the burden of sins had been removed by the death of the Lord Jesus, and acquaintance with Himself, and His praises were filling the heart; while in the other the lifetime spent in doing her “best” had failed to give peace or assurance of salvation, and the Divine Person at God’s right hand was quite unknown.

Reader, are you trusting in this Blessed One, whose work can give you perfect peace? or are you doing your best to earn forgiveness, and only “hoping?”

“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matt. 1: 28-29. Selected.

ML 11/05/1899

Christ is Mine.

A GENTLEMAN one day took an acquaintance of his upon the top of his house to show him the extent of his possessions. Waving his hand about, “There,” said he, “that is my estate.” Then pointing to a great distance on one side, “Do you see that farm?” “Yes.” “Well, that is mine.” Pointing again to the other side, “Do you see that house?” “Yes.” “That also belongs to me.” Then said his friend, “Do you see that little village out yonder?” “Yes.” “Well there lives a poor woman in that village who can say more than all this.” “Aye, what can she say?” “Why, she can say, Christ is mine.” He looked confused, and said no more.

He is a kind and gracious Lord— Love fills His gentle breast; “Come unto Me” is His own word, “And I will give you rest.”

ML 11/05/1899

The Finished Work.

JOHN—— , the saddler, was known in his village as a trustworthy workman, who took an honest pride in doing what he had to do well. But John was in trouble about his soul; he feared death, and, for the unsaved, that awful after death— “the judgment.” Yet John was a religious man, and one who, looking at outward things, stood better than many of his neighbors.

One Saturday evening, a friend of the saddler, who knew his anxiety of soul called in upon him. The week’s work was just over, the last stroke had been given to the piece in hand, and John was putting down his tools, exclaiming, “That job’s done,” and as he set the harness upon the table, his friend observed that he eyed it with the satisfaction of one whose hard week’s labor had ended.

Looking at the work, and then at the workman, his friend exclaimed, “Why, John, how is this? what! you fold your hands, and sit down! Do you mean to call this harness finished!”

“Sir,” cried the saddler, with some little indignation, “when I say a job is done, it is done. It means done, and well and properly done, too.”

“How so, John?” said the friend, in a questioning tone; “what! you call it finished, do you?”

“To be sure I do—I am not one of the stamping sort—and it is finished,” John warmly replied, viewing his work with greater satisfaction.

“Then I am to believe you, am I?” was the question, and again put in an incredulous tone.

Now, John would never allow anyone to question his word, and he was not at all pleased at the insinuations just made. He considered his word true and honest, and his work the very best he could give his customers.

Observing his feeling, his friend continued, “Ah! John, so I am to believe you, am I? and yet you won’t believe the Lord Jesus.’’

Here John was perplexed. What was his friend driving at?

“Yes,” he continued, “you believe Him, and yet doubt His work? He said upon the cross, It is ‘finished.’ He came from heaven to finish the work His Father gave Him to do. He came to work out salvation; neither did He rest till all was done. He is now seated un the right hand of God’s throne on high, in token that all is done. The Scripture tells us.—

‘When He had by Himself’ purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.’” Hebrews 1:3.

“Now,” added he, “I did not really doubt you when you said your work was done: your folded hands proved to me at once that your week’s labor was over. And a pleasant thing it is, on a Saturday night, to sit down and say, It is all done; to-morrow I can rest. But strange it is that you, who speak so confidently upon your own work being done, cannot trust the Son of God.”

John would not allow that he did not trust the Lord; yet when his friend added, “If you do, then, trust Him, how is it that you have not the rest of soul of which He speaks?”

John was silenced.

Jesus said, “Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God;” and He came from heaven to earth, and died for us upon the cross; “by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once:” and after He had accomplished God’s will, “after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God.” All is finished, and now it is peace for all who believe.

The simple illustration was used by God to John’s deliverance of soul. May it be to yours also, dear reader. Instead of toiling, striving, laboring, day by day, may you rest in the finished work of Christ. —(Selected.)

ML 11/12/1899

Cain and Abel.

Now, dear children, do you see the lesson in these offerings? Do not bring your good works to God as an offering for sin. Jesus is the only offering for sin that God will accept. He accepted Abel’s slain lamb, for it pointed to Jesus, and blood was shed. Believe in Jesus as the One who has borne your sins. He is our offering.

Cain’s offering was the fruit of the ground which God had cursed for man’s sake; and the good works of one who does not believe in Jesus are like the fruit that Cain brought.

Come to God then, not on the ground of “doing,’ but, believing in Jesus who has done all, and God will accept you in Him.

Cain got very angry when God did not accept his offering. God asked him why he was angry and He let him know that He would accept him, too, if he would bring the right kind of offering, but this did not satisfy Cain. One day when he was talking with his brother Abel in the field, he rose up against him and killed him. By this act Cain showed how dreadful a thing it is to allow anger to have a place in the heart, and to what it may lead.

And because of this great sin, God’s curse rested upon Cain. He told him that the ground should not from that time yield its strength to him, and that he should be a wanderer in the earth. Cain thought his punishment was very heavy, but He went out from the Lord’s presence, and dwelt in the land east of the garden of Eden.

He built a city and tried to make himself happy; but there is no true happiness apart from God. R.

ML 11/12/1899

Another Nail.

I ONCE read a story of a little boy named Willie, who had a very bad temper, and when anything happened that he didn’t like he would get into a passion, and say and do things that were very wrong. He would scold and hit his little sister, and speak rude to his mamma, throw his toys around the room, and shut the doors hard, so as to make as much noise as he could. How naughty it was for him to act in this way. He forgot that there was One who was looking on and saw all he did, and heard all he said. His father and mother loved the Lord Jesus and it grieved them very much to see the way their little boy acted. They would often try and show him how very wrong it was for him to do such things, and would pray with him and when he would be asleep they would pray together and ask the Lord to tell them the best way to teach their little Willie the evil of his ways. So one day his father called Willie to him and gave him a hammer and some nails and said, “I want you, every time you get angry, to come to this door and with this hammer, put a nail into it.” Willie said he would do as he was told, and ran off to his play. But it was not long before something took place that he did not like, so he got angry, and of course, he had to go to the door and hammer in a nail. And soon he was angry again, and that meant another nail. Every time he got angry, he went and drove in a nail. Each night his father and mother would go to the door, to see how many nails were there, and they were very sorry to see how fast the door was being covered with the nails. Then they would kneel down and pray for their little boy, for they were very anxious he should learn the lesson they wanted to teach him.

At last all the nails were in the door, and Willie came to his father and told him, and said he was sorry and asked him if he might take them out again. His father spoke kindly to him and said, “I will let you take them out in this way; every time you overcome an angry feeling, you may come to the door and draw a nail.” This pleased Willie and he thanked his father and away he went.

In a little while his playmate did something that did not please him, and just as he felt like getting angry, he thought of what his father had said, and gained the victory over his temper, so he went to the door and drew a nail. This he did many times and at last the nails were all out. Willie went to his father and told him so. But his father noticed that though the nails were all out of the door, Willie did not look happy and he asked him why it was. Willie said, “But papa the marks are all there yet.” So his father took him on his knee, and explained to him how that every time he got angry God took note of it and it left a mark that nothing but the blood of Jesus could wipe out. It was right for him to do better but that would not cleanse him from his sins. Nothing but the precious blood of Jesus could do that, and if all his sins were to be put away, he should believe on the Lord Jesus as his Saviour. And, my dear little reader, I would say to you that if you want all your sins put away from God’s eye, you, too, must believe on the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. The blood of Jesus can cleanse away every stain so that God can say of all who believe in Him, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10.17. How much joy there would be in the presence of the angels of God, if some little reader of this paper would trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and know that his or her sins are forgiven, through faith in Him. E. B. H.

ML 11/12/1899

Asking God's Blessing.

BOYS, here is an excellent rule for you; yes, and for girls, too, as well as for larger folks.

A child of God, being asked by a company to play cards, rose up and uncovered his head.

The company asked him what he was going to do.

“To ask God’s blessing,” he answered.

“We never ask a blessing at such a time,” they cried.

“I never engage in anything but on what I can ask (Tod to give blessing,” was the reply.

Think of that, will you? Never engage in anything upon which you can not ask the blessing of God; “Ought I?” “Is it quite right?” “What would mother say?” You are not quite sure. Then apply this rule, “Can I ask God’s” blessing on it?” If not, drop it at once.

ML 11/12/1899

"God is in the Thunder."

ONE day, a party sailed down the harbor in a boat. The weather was fine when they started. In the afternoon a black cloud arose, the thunder rolled and the lightning flashed, occasioning great alarm among the ladies. One lady was more frightened than the rest; her little daughter nestled towards her; taking her hand and looking up into her mother’s face with a look of pity and surprise, said “Mother, God is in the thunder; can’t we trust Him when He speaks loud as well as when He speaks easy?” “Yes, my child,” replied the rebuked mother, with a tear in her eye. “And pray Mary, that I may have the perfect trust of a little child.”

How precious was little Mary’s faith!

ST. LOUIS, MO., NOVEMBER 19th, 1899.

Our dear little Friends:—

We shall be very glad to have letters from you asking questions about Scripture, and shall endeavor to answer them through this paper or privately, if preferred. And will be pleased to hear if you have found the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour. J. T. A., 4431 Garfield Ave., St. Louis.

Repeat the verse in large letters every day this week and recite next Lord’s day.

ML 11/12/1899

Animals of the Bible. 8

THE GOAT.

Dear children:—It is with real pleasure that I write to you about the goat because it is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I love to think of Him and write of Him. I do long for all the dear readers of this paper to know and love Him, too.

The goat is a clean animal; that is, one which God allowed His people, (the Jews) to use for food and for offerings. Besides using its flesh and milk for food, they also used its hair for clothing, and some of the curtains of the Tabernacle were made of goat’s hair.

But what I wish to write to you about now, is the Great Day of Atonement. You will find it in Leviticus 16 and it is blessed to see that everything done on that day was by the word of the Lord (Jehovah.) verse 2. He first gave full directions as to how Aaron, the High Priest, should come with an offering for himself, before he could enter the Holy of Holies where God dwelt. (For Aaron, though a type of Christ as to his office of High Priest, was a sinner, but Jesus we know was sinless, perfect and holy, and needed not the blood of bulls and goats, “but by His own blood entered in.” Hebrews 9:12.)

Then the Lord directed Aaron to take two goats and cast lots upon them. One lot for the Lord, the other for the scape goat. (vs. 8) Then he killed the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell and sprinkled its blood before, and on the mercy seat, (vs. 15) and he made an atonement. Then Aaron took the live goat and laid both his hands on the goat’s head and confessed over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and then sent him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness—into a land not inhabited. Now we see two goats here because we find two aspects of the death of Christ. They both refer to Christ, the One perfect offering. You see the goat on which the Lord’s (Jehovah’s) lot fell, is killed and its blood carried into the Holiest. This shows us the work of the Lord Jesus Godward. As another has said “Atonement or propitiation was made according to the requirements of the nature and majesty of the throne of God.” Man had sinned against God, He must be satisfied, before man could come joyfully into His presence. The second goat is a type of Jesus as the bearer of our sins, Isaiah 53, “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (vs. 6.) “And He bare the sin of many.” (vs. 12.)

Just as Aaron laid his hands on the goat’s head and confessed over it all the sins of the people; so God laid our sins on His beloved Son when He hung on the cross. But the live goat was sent bearing the peoples’ sins to a land not inhabited, that is, where no one could find them, to bring them up against the people. So God says “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more,” Heb. 10:17. Dear children, isn’t it a blessed thing to know that on account of the perfect offering of Christ once for all, God can blot out all your transgressions, remember your sins no more! God is satisfied with Jesus and His work. Are you satisfied? This great salvation is for you if you will accept it. But if you neglect it,—

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Heb. 2:3.

Oh, that each dear one who reads this may be able to sing from the heart—

“Our sins were borne by Jesus The Holy Lamb of God: He took them all and freed us From that condemning load. Our guilt was borne by Jesus Who washed the crimson stains White in His blood most precious, Till not a spot remains.”

E. G. B.

ML 11/19/1899

Enoch.

WE have been telling you, dear children, the story of Cain and Abel, and you will see from it how bad the heart of man is; for when Cain rose up and killed his brother, and then went out from the Lord’s presence and tried to make himself happy without God, he was only acting according to what was in his heart. Our hearts have evil in them, and it is only as God’s restraining power is exercised, that we are kept from doing wrong. But God laid sore punishment upon Cain for his wicked ways; and here again we may learn a lesson, for God has told us that we shall reap as we sow. If a farmer sows wheat in his ground, he expects to reap wheat in due time; but if he sows tares—that is a kind of weed—he must expect to reap tares. And just so with boys and girls, if they are sowing words of kindness and deeds of love they will reap love and kindness in return; but if they are cross and unkind and ugly in their ways they will reap sorrow.

We are all sowing, and God tells us “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall be also reap,” and this will surely come to pass.

But I was going to tell you something about Enoch, whose history is much brighter and happier than that of Cain. I want you to see what a blessed reaping time he had. After Cain had killed Abel, God gave to Adam and Eve another son to take Abel’s place, and this son they called Seth; and Enoch, about whom I wish to tell you, was the great, great, great grandson of Seth, so that six generations of people had lived, and many of them had passed away, when Enoch came into the world.

At this time there was much wickedness in the world; but while others were going their own way and doing their own will, Enoch “walked with God.” He felt the evil of what was going on about him, and instead of taking part in what was wrong he turned away from it and found his happiness in walking with God. He told the people around him that the Lord was coming to execute judgment upon all because of their wickedness.

God was well pleased with the way that Enoch walked and He showed His pleasure in a wonderful way. Let me tell you how it was. He took Enoch right up to Himself in heaven—caught him away from a scene where there was labor and sorrow and toil, up to the bright glory where God dwells. Enoch did not get sick and die; Adam died, and Seth died and Mahalaleel and all the other people that lived before and after Enoch, died; but God was so well pleased with Enoch’s walk that He took him to Himself without his going through death. What a happy reaping time that was for Enoch!

Now learn from this, dear children, that God takes note of all you do and say, and that you are either pleasing Him, or displeasing Him in all your ways. And if you stand apart from evil and seek to please the Lord in all you do, you will have a very bright reward. God loves those that love Him, and He watches over them to do them good; and He tells them they shall reap in due season if they faint not.

Enoch did not know that he would be suddenly caught away from earth to heaven; and how wonderful it must have seemed to him to be placed in a moment where all was pure and bright and lovely, beyond all that we can think of!

But we know that Jesus is coming to take His loved people to Himself, and when He comes, those who have, like Enoch, been walking with Him, will, in a moment, be caught away in the clouds to meet Him in the air.

May the Lord help us, each one, to walk with Him, and to please Him in all our ways! R.

“Happy children who are waiting For that bright and joyful day, Knowing Jesus as their Saviour, They can watch for Him and say,

Come, Lord Jesus!

Take Thy little ones away.”

ML 11/19/1899

Did Jesus Die for Good Children?

I WAS walking through one of the little towns in S—a few weeks ago, and noticed a group of about eight little folks standing together. After giving them some picture leaflets, which spoke in simple language of God’s great love in giving His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for sinners, I asked them, “Have you ever heard of Jesus?”

This question seemed rather to take these little ones by surprise, and it was some time before the eldest one could say, “Yes.”

‘And where is Jesus now!”

“Up in heaven, sir,” they said.

Interest now being somewhat aroused, I continued, “And who did Jesus die for? For good or for bad children?”

“For good children,” they replied. “And are you good children?”

There was now a pause. None of them liked to say they were either good or bad children, so I said, “You are all making a mistake. The Bible says, ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’”(1 Tim. 1:15.)

How astonished they looked as I told them, in simple words, of what the Lord Jesus had done, how He bore our sins in His own body on the tree, and that the soul who really and truly believes on the Lord Jesus could say, He “loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

With many “Good-bys” from these interested little ones, I passed on my way, perhaps never to meet them again.

But what do my young readers say to this? You may have better opportunities for hearing of Jesus than these little ones had, you may be doing your best and hoping that some day it will be all right with you, but let me tell you through these pages, that the work is all done, and that all you have to do is to

“Cast your deadly doing down, Down at Jesus’ feet,

Stand in Him, in Him alone, Gloriously complete.”

And know that all your little fancied goodness is, in the sight of God as “filthy rags,” and that you yourself are as an “unclean thing.” (Isa. 64:6)

You can never fit yourself for God’s holy presence. You must be made meet by the work and blood-shedding of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only Saviour, and God has decreed that to Him every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Oh, dear, young reader, confess Him now in this the day of salvation; bow the knee and own Him as “Lord,” and you shall never come into judgment. He is speaking from heaven, —

Hear His blest voice calling, Blessings rich are falling, Jesus alone, Jesus alone, Jesus alone can save.

“To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” May the response of every dear girl and boy who may read this be, —

My heart is fixed, eternal God,

Fixed on Thee.

And my immortal choice is made, Christ for me!

ML 11/19/1899

"A Little Maid."

DEAR children, I would like to have you find the fifth chapter of 2 Kings, and read it. You will find in it something about, a leper, and something about a little maid; and if you are a little believer in Jesus, I would like to have you learn a lesson from this little maid. You will find in the second verse, that she was a little Israelite who had been taken captive by the Syrian army, and she waited on the wife of the captain of the Syrian host. This captain was a great man in Syria, “but he was a leper.”

Now I will tell you what a leper is. It is one who has a very fatal and loathsome disease, called leprosy. This is a disease which the doctors could not cure. None but God could cure it. The poor sufferer had to live away from all other people, so as not to give them the disease; and he must go with his clothes torn, and his head bare, and with a covering on his upper lip, and he must cry, “unclean, unclean,” as if to warn everybody not to come near him. See Leviticus 13:45. Oh! would you not pity one who had leprosy?

Now in the Bible leprosy is used as a type of sin, that terrible disease in men’s souls that none but God can cure. A sinner is like a leper; he has an incurable disease. No, it is not incurable, for God can cure it; but man cannot.

Now the Syrians did not know of any cure for leprosy. Nobody in their land could cure it; and they did not know the God of Israel. But this little captive maid, who served Naaman’s wife, knew that God had a prophet in Samaria, and that God, through this prophet, could cure her master’s leprosy. So she told her mistress, and her mistress told her husband, and the poor leprous man went and found Elisha, the prophet of God, and got his leprosy cured, and his flesh, which was so loathsome and diseased, became “like unto the flesh of a little child’’ (vs. 14.) Was not this, a wonderful cure?

Now do you know the lesson I wish you to learn from this little maid? I think, I hear some of you say, Yes, I know. Just as the little maid could not cure leprosy, but could tell of some one who could; so we cannot cure the leprosy of sin, but we can tell poor leprous sinners of One who can. We can point them to Jesus who died for sin on the cross, so that every sinner who believes may be saved. Ah! yes, we can do this, dear children, and thus glorify our blessed Lord and Master. Have you ever told some poor sinner of One who can cure sin? Will you not do like the little Israelitish maid in Syria? She told who could cure leprosy. And cannot you tell sinners of Jesus, who can save them, and make them new creatures? A. H. R.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4: 12.

ML 11/26/1899

The Shepherd Boy in Africa.

A little shepherd boy in Africa heard the story of Jesus the Son of God; how He was born as a little child in Bethlehem. He went, and told the lovely story to another shepherd boy. This one was so delighted with it that he stood up and said, “I will go to Bethlehem, I must see that little child; where is He now?” The first boy answered: “At the Mission Station at K.” “Have you then seen that little child there?” asked the boy further.

“No,” said the first, “I have not seen Him yet, but I know He is there, for the pious people there talk to Him, and sing beautiful hymns to Him.”

As the boy heard that, he left his work, and trudged over a hundred miles, by dangerous roads, to find Jesus, the Child of Bethlehem. God watched over the poor boy and allowed him to reach the Mission at K. in safety, on a Saturday evening.

An old woman, who had become a Christian, took the boy in, and gave him his evening meal. The next morning he went with her to hear the word of God. Eagerly did he look around to see the little child.

At a distance from him, near the man who spoke to the people and then prayed, sat a little white boy, with fair hair and blue eyes. Such a child the shepherd boy had never seen before, for in Africa the people are black.

That is surely the Child of Bethlehem, thought he, and he scarcely took his eyes off the fair child.

When the preaching was over, and they were on their way home, he inquired of the old woman, “That child that was sitting back of the man of God was the Child of Bethlehem, was he not?”

At first the old woman did not understand the boy. But when she realized what he meant she began to tell him who the Child of Bethlehem was, what He had done and where He was now.

The boy listened and listened, it seemed as though he could not hear enough; for God opened his heart to believe the glorious gospel of Jesus. How his little heart was stirred as he heard that the Child of Bethlehem had become a man, and out of love to us had died for our sins on the cross, that He had, hover, risen from the grave and gone back to God His Father in heaven.

And as he heard further that every one who believed on Jesus, from the heart, would receive forgiveness of sins, and go to be with Him in heaven, his black eyes shone with gratitude and joy, and he desired no more to return to his place, but he remained at the Mission, learned to read the Bible, that precious word of God, read and studied it diligently, taking it really to heart. He became a true and earnest Christian, and as he grew up to be a man, he told out the story of the Child of Bethlehem to other heathen, and preached the gospel of His grace to them.

And now you, my dear young friends, need not to take such a long and wearisome journey to seek the Child of Bethlehem. You have—most of you—heard all about Him, how He came as a little child to this earth, how He died on the cross to save us from our sins, and how He has gone back to heaven now, and that “whosoever” turns to Him, and believes from the heart in Him, “shall be saved.”

And does not the account of this dear African boy and his eagerness to see, or hear about the blessed Babe of Bethlehem shame many of you, dear children, who care so little to hear about Him? Oh, let his example stir you up to more earnestness! E. R.

ML 11/26/1899

A Cure for Fear.

CHILDREN are sometimes afraid of the dark. Jimmy was four years old, and so much afraid in the dark, he always wanted a light to be left in his room on going to bed.

One night, as he was about to retire, his mamma said, “Jimmy, you have nothing to fear, for God takes care of His little ones in the dark as well as in the “I know it,” said Jimmy, “but I can’t help being afraid.”

“Do you ask God to help you, so that you may not be afraid?”

“No,” was his serious reply.

“Then I would: He hears prayer.”

A little time after this he asked his mother for an apple. She told him he could have it if he would go and get it himself. A few moments after, she saw him go into another room and kneel behind the door. Then she heard this little prayer: “Lord, don’t let me he afraid.”

Then he arose from his knees, went down into a dark cellar, and bravely got an apple from a barrel in the darkest corner.

His mother said, “Were you not afraid?”

Jimmy replied, “No; God did not let me be afraid.”

ML 11/26/1899

"I'm Waiting to be Washed."

A LITTLE boy who was not yet four years of age went one day to his mother and very earnestly asked her to pray for him. His mother asked him what he wished her to pray for, and he told her that he wanted to be washed and made whiter than snow. The mother, much touched by her child’s request, took him apart and prayed for him.

The dear child then folded his little hands reverently, and bowed his head and asked the Lord to make him whiter than snow. When his prayer was ended he still remained on his knees; after waiting for him to rise, his mother asked him why he did not get up. “I’m waiting to be washed,” was his reply. He still continued for some time on his knees, for he thought the Lord would lay His hand on him and that his body would then turn white.

His mother had to explain to him that it is through the blood of Jesus that our sins are put away, and by believing in Him we are cleansed and made whiter than snow; and the dear child has learned to believe, and trust in Jesus as his Saviour.

How many of my little readers have been washed and made whiter than snow? And how many of you are waiting to be washed? It is only the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, that can make you clean in God’s sight.

Do you feel that you have done many wrong things and are not fit for God’s presence? If you do, God has a word for you; He says if you will confess your sins, He will forgive you, and will cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

How simple it all is; and how blessed! Get on your knees, as the dear little boy did, of whom I have been telling you, and when you are ready to speak to God, remember that His ear is open, and He hears all you say; confess to Him that you are a sinner, tell Him about your sins; and He will make you to know that all is settled, and that He can and does accept you, because Jesus died for your sins, and believing in Him you are made clean.

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1:14. R.

Echoes from the Sunday School. 4

OUR lesson was about Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and His sheep. I said, “Now children, can you tell me who are Jesus’ lambs?” One little boy said, “us.” That answer pleased me best of all given, like Grace’s “we,” it showed that he included himself among the number of Jesus’ lambs. It is not enough to say, the Lord is a Shepherd. No, by faith you must appropriate Him and say, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Paul could say “Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Gal, 2:20 E. G. B.

ML 11/26/1899

Bible Questions for December.

See notice for prizes etc. in No. 27

THE answers to these questions are to be found in the gospel of Mark and will spell something that was said of Jesus, when He had made a deaf man hear, and loosed the string of his tongue, so that he could speak.

1. The name of the woman who was the means of John the Baptist being beheaded?

2. Give the name of one who appeared to the disciples on the mount of transfiguration?

3. What did Jesus say to His disciples when the man, to whom He said, “Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor,” went away grieved?

4. When one of the disciples cut off the ear of the servant of the High priest, what did Jesus ask those who came to take Him?

5. When Jesus asked the question to His disciples, “Whom say ye that I am,” what answer did He get?

6. With what words did they salute Jesus, when they had clothed Him with purple and platted a crown of thorns! and put it on His head?

7. Who went into the house of God and did eat the showbread?

8. At what mount was Jesus and His disciples when He sent two of them to get the colt that He rode on into Jerusalem?

9. What did Jesus say to the fig tree that had nothing hut leaves?

10. When there was a darkness over the whole land while Jesus was on the cross, what did He cry out?

11. What did the people say, as they passed by the cross of Jesus railing on Him and wagging their heads?

12. When Jesus said, “If thou can’st believe, all things are possible to him that believeth,” what answer did He receive?

13. When some found fault with the woman who brought an alabaster box of ointment and poured it on the head of Jesus, what did He say?

14. What did the unclean spirit say when they saw Jesus, and fell down before Him?

15. What did the people say, as Jesus came into Jerusalem on the colt?

16. What did the leper, who wanted to be healed, say to Jesus?

17.From what place in Galilee did Jesus come?

18.What country did the man live in, who said “my name is Legion?”

19. What did Jesus say to the man sick of the palsy, who was carried by four and laid down before Him?

20. What did Jesus say when the woman touched His clothes and was healed of an issue of blood?

21. Whom did they say Jesus called for, on the cross?

22. What was the name of the one who sat at the receipt of custom, to whom Jesus said, “Follow me?”

23. What request did blind Bartimaeus make, when he came to Jesus? E. B. H.

ML 12/03/1899

Disobedient Robert.

IT was a bright summer morning in the month of June, many years ago, that the Sunday-school began to assemble in the quiet town of P. The children were generally regular and punctual; and among the pupils, of whom Robert Kelly was one, there were signs of deepening earnestness. Robert was a fine intelligent boy, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.

That morning, as usual, he left his mother’s home a little before schooltime; he had just received from her a new gilt-edged Bible, together with her blessing and a parting kiss: but Sunday-school, was opened and closed, and still Robert’s place remained vacant.

Robert was soft and pliable, easily influenced by others; therefore, that Sunday morning, he was carried away by the temptations of a set of boys who had determined to spend the Lord’s day in pleasure, and joined them in a row on the river.

Doubtless there was a struggle between conscience and inclination, but the end was that Robert turned his back on the Sunday-school, thrust his Bible under the bridge close by, that he might find it on his return home, and, with loud laughter and eager hope, hastened off with his companions.

It was long past noon, and the village congregation had assembled as usual, and Robert’s pious mother was there. Several times did she glance towards her son’s usual seat, and observing that one or two other boys were also absent, she feared that Robert was playing truant.

The writer was in the pulpit on that day, and the congregation were listening with their usual attention, when the church door opened quietly, a man, pale and agitated, whispered something in the ear of one, who immediately hurried out. Soon another and another followed; and when the cause of the excitement was known, it was found that the little boat, that had gone out so merrily, had been upset, with all the boys on board. Hastening to the spot, the writer was shocked at the sight before him. The bodies of the poor boys were stretched on the grass, and as the parents of each recognized their child, who can describe their piercing cries of sorrow!

Robert’s mother alone was calm; no cry broke from her lips, no tear flowed from her eye. In silent agony, with clasped hands, and on bended knees, she looked upward toward heaven, and then on the cold, fair face of her boy. It was a dreadful thought to her widowed heart, that she should have been called on to part with him so suddenly, and, worst of all, in an act of disobedience.

It was agreed by the bereaved parents that all the funerals should take place on the same day; and those who witnessed the sad scene cannot easily forget it. Some unable to control their sorrow, bewailed in wild cries the death of their beloved ones, while in others broken sobs gave expression to their grief. Robert Kelly’s mother seemed dumb, she wept not, spoke not, but gazed steadfastly on the coffin of her boy.

In a solitary nook in the cemetery of P. are two graves side by side. A weeping-willow over-shadows the lesser one, and in the early summer time, it is adorned by flowers that were planted by a mothers hand. Need we tell the reader whose graves they are?

For some weeks the lonely mother resorted almost daily to the quiet resting-place of her beloved boy, but gradually her visits became less frequent, and the neighbors remarked that she grew weaker and weaker. At her own request she was buried near her poor disobedient Robert, near him whose, sad end had brought down her “gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.”

“Children obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3.

ML 12/03/1899

The Leper Cured.

LAST week we were reading about “a little maid” who told her mistress where her husband could be cured of his leprosy. We will now look a little at the way in which he was cured.

Now this Syrian captain was a great man, and the king of Syria was anxious that he should be healed. And so he wrote a letter to the king of Israel, asking him to heal Naaman of his leprosy. But the little maid had not said the king could heal the Syrian captain. She had spoken of God’s prophet as the one who could heal. And the letter only made the king angry, so that he “rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man cloth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy?” The King of Israel knew very well that only the power of God could cure leprosy, and he thought the Syrian King was only seeking a quarrel. But “when Elisha the man Of God had heard that the King of Israel rent his clothes,” he sent to him, saying, “Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came to Elisha, with his horses and with his chariot, and with silver and gold and changes of raiment, and stood at the door, thinking he could pay well for the cure, and that the prophet would come out, and show-him a great deal of honor, and call upon the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the leprosy, and recover him. But in all this he was disappointed, for the prophet did not come out of his house; and, besides, his money could not have bought the cure. Such a cure could not be bought with money. Like all the gifts of God it must be free. The prophet simply sent word to him, saying, “Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.”

But Naaman was a proud man, as well as a great man, and he was very angry because the prophet did not do as he expected, and he thought the rivers of Damascus were better than the rivers of Israel. “So he turned, and went away in a rage.” His servants were wiser than he, and said to him, “If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, wash and be clean?” How very simple it was! Nothing great to do! Only to dip seven times in the water of Jordan! And when he yielded to the simple directions of the prophet, the healing was soon accomplished. “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”

This is just a little picture of the way God recovers a poor sinner from the leprosy of sin. None but God can heal the sinner, and He does it just as simply as Naaman was healed of his leprosy. The waters of the Jordan point us to the death of Christ. Naaman was healed when he dipped himself in the Jordan seven tunes. And the healing power of Christ’s death is applied to us when we believe in Jesus. Elisha did not sell a cure to Naaman; and God does not sell salvation to us. We could not purchase it for money. The price would be too great. Christ, through His death, has purchased it for us, and God gives it to us freely, when we believe in Jesus. We are not asked to “do some great thing.” It is only to believe in Jesus, to accept salvation freely as the gift of God, through faith in Jesus and His blood which was shed for us.

Have you believed in Jesus who died for you? If not, oh! come to him now as a helpless sinner, and He will save you; He will heal you of your leprosy. A. H. R.

The Lord attends when children pray; A whisper He can hear;

He knows not only what we say, But what we wish or fear.

‘Tis not enough to bend the knee,

And words of prayer to say;

The heart must with the lips agree,

Or else we do not pray.

He sees us when we are alone,

Though no one else can see;

And all our thoughts to Him are known,

Whatever they may be.

ML 12/03/1899

Noah.

NOW we come in our little talks, dear children, to Noah, who was the great, great grandson of Enoch. Perhaps you will remember what a wonderful thing happened to Enoch—how, after he had walked with God for hundreds of years, he was translated from earth to heaven without seeing death. It may seem strange to you to hear of a person walking with God for hundreds of years, but in those days people lived much longer than they do now. Enoch’s son, Methuselah, lived 969 years. That was a wonderful age, reaching to nearly a thousand years, wasn’t it? And if God had not told us that he died we might have thought that he was carried away with the dreadful flood that swept everybody from off the face of the earth, for he lived until his grandson Noah was 600 years old, and it was at this time that the flood came.

But I want to tell you something about this flood and about Noah, too. We were noticing that it was because Enoch walked with God and apart from the evil that was about him, that God took him in such a wonderful and blessed way to Himself. But Enoch’s strange disappearance does not seem to have made any difference in the ways of the his children and his grandchildren lived on, and at that time there began to be a great many people in the world; but when God looked upon the earth He saw that the people were very corrupt and full of wickedness. There, was, hover, one man upon whom God’s eye rested with pleasure—that was Noah, for he was righteous before God.

Did you ever think, dear children, that God’s eye is upon you? It is; He is watching all your ways, just as truly as he watched Noah’s ways, and the ways also of the ungodly people that were about him. It may have cost Noah something to stand apart from the evil, but wait a little and you will see that he was well repaid for any self-denial he may have exercised. God told Him that He was going to destroy the people because of their wickedness—He would bring “a flood of waters upon the earth” and all should perish; but because Noah had walked with Him, He would save him and his family.

And this was the way that Noah was to escape the flood; he was to make an ark into which he could go and be safe when the waters would deluge the earth. God told him how to make the ark; how long it was to be, and how wide; and where to put the door and the window; and He told him to put rooms in it, and to make it with three stories; and it was to be secured with pitch, inside and out, so that no water could get through; it was to be a large boat that would float upon the waters.

God gave instructions to Noah to make the ark large, for he was to take animals and birds and reptiles into it, when it was finished and ready for use; and he was also to store in the ark food of all kinds to feed these creatures; and food for himself and family; for Noah’s family as well as himself, was to be saved. His wife and his three sons and their wives were to go into the ark with him. It is beautiful to see that God does not forget the children of those who walk with Him, and when He was watching over Noah to do him good, He brought blessing to his house-hold also.

It must have been a great work for Noah to build such a large ship and get everything in readiness, and it must have taken many years to complete it; but God gave him time for it all.

And while his hands were busy, his thoughts were busy too; no doubt his heart was filled with sorrow when he thought of how those poor, ungodly people would be swallowed up with the terrible waters; for he believed God and he knew the flood would come, and he knew that God was helping him to prepare a place of safety; so he preached to the people and warned them of the coming danger; and I doubt not he told them he was getting the ark ready to save from the flood all who would enter it. But they, perhaps, only laughed at Noah’s earnestness; at any rate we know there was not one of them who gave heed to his words and found a place of safety in the ark.

But Noah went on with his work, doing everything as God had told him. At last, all was ready—the store of provisions laid in; the animals and birds and creeping things, some of every kind, put each in its right place; and Noah and his family, all safe inside. Then the Lord shut up the ark, and the awful storm came; the fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened and poured forth their floods. It was water from beneath and water from above.

What about the poor people who would not listen to Noah’s words of warning? They were going on just as usual, eating and drinking and having their marriage feasts; they had not believed Noah’s words, then why should they make any difference! But oh! how suddenly their pleasures were brought to an end. When the fearful storm burst upon them, what haste there must have been—what terror must have filled their hearts! No doubt they tried to escape; perhaps some got on the house top, and those who were able may have climbed into high trees; and some would clamber up the mountain sides, I daresay; but houses, trees and mountains were soon covered in the rolling, surging waves. For forty days and forty nights the waters continued to pour forth until once again there was oy water, water everywhere. But there was one spot of safety; the ark rose higher and higher as the waters swelled upon the face of the earth, and all who were in it were secure, for God kept them floating about the dreadful flood.

The waters that were bringing death to all outside the ark, were bearing up those who were in it. And how they must have felt the greatness of God’s goodness to them!

Now, dear children, let us learn a lesson. As God’s judgment overtook a guilty world in Noah’s day, so His judgment will again overtake a world of sinners. There are many, many wicked people in the world to-day, and the day of God’s wrath is fast hastening on. But there is an ark provided for us into which we may flee and be safe. That ark is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only place of refuge, the only place of safety. Come to Him, and be safe! Do not go on without Him, and think all will be well. He will come suddenly and take His people home, and those who are left will cry in vain for the Lord to take them, too. But it will be too late! too late! Come, now, to Jesus!

If the Lord will, we will tell you more about Noah another time. B.

“As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.” Luke 17: 26

ML 12/10/1899

What a Fool I Have Been!

IT was early in the spring. I was asked by a friend to visit a poor old man, who was thought to be dying. For many years he had neither heard nor read the Bible; his life had been chiefly spent in the pleasures of the world. His wife kindly asked me in, and on entering the room such a sight met my eyes as I never shall forget. The object of my visit was propped up in bed by pillows. His white locks told that at least seventy years had passed over him. He was sinking fast. His voice was nearly gone; he could only speak in a low whisper. Through the long night he had continually uttered this one dreadful sentence, “It’s too late; it’s too late! What a fool I have been!” As I sat bide him I spoke gently to him of the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work, and solemnly warned the old man of his need of such a Saviour. But he paid me no attention. Then I spoke to him of the tender compassion of Jesus and His willingness to save; whereupon the dying man turned his face and looked at me. Oh! the despair and terror written upon his countenance as, with a feeble voice, he moaned, “It’s too late now: no mercy for me!” Shortly after, he breathed his last.

Dear reader, have you believed? Have you truly bowed to the name of Jesus? Reader, what do you say? I warn you, in my Master’s name, not to delay, but to accept the proffered mercy ere it be too late. The mournful bell that knelled over the remains of the poor old man of whom I tell you, seems still to ring in my ears, “To-day! To-day!” To-morrow you may be in eternity, where no message of mercy is ever heard.

Oh! dear reader, take heed lest you be cut off in your sins. Do not trifle with the grace that still pleads with you: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

Reader, will you sell your eternal happiness for a moments gratification? Why be so unreasonable, so cruel to your soul? Count not upon the opportunities of a death-bed. Oh! beware of to-morrow! Souls are generally lost, not because they resolve never to repent, but because they defer it, and defer till it is “too late.” Be warned by the solemn example before you. —(Selected.)

“To-day if ye.will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”—Hebrews 4:7.

ML 12/10/1899

"Ask and it Shall be Given You."

LITTLE M—had been at school, and when she came home, she came running into the room where her father lay sick in bed, and told him the “Examiner” had been in school, and said “she did. her work the best in the class,” and asked the teacher who she was. Her father said to her: “I have been asking the Lord to help you at school. and that is why you got along so well.”

Little M—replied, “I know, for I asked Him myself, and He did help me.”

Her father then told her to go into the next room and thank the Lord, to which M—replied, “I did.” When he pressed her to go, she did not seem in any hurry to do so, and then her father said to her that when the Lord had been so good to her, she ought to go and thank Him. She then told her father, that, before coming into the house, she had gone into the back shed, and kneeled down all alone, and thanked the Lord.

So you see, dear children, little M—not only asked the Lord for help, but when she got help she also thanked Him for it. I am sure you will say this was right. Do you trust the Lord in this way, dear children? Do you so trust Him, that you go to Him to get help with your daily duties? And when He gives you help, do you go and kneel down all alone, and thank Him? I hope also that you trust in Him as your Saviour, to save you from all your sins. This is the first thing. Then pray to Him to help you please Him in all you do. A. H. R.

ML 12/10/1899

Noah

IN our last talk, dear children, Noah and his family, with animals and creatures of every kind were being lifted up; as the water rose higher and higher, in the ark where God had shut them in. It was not for one day only that the waters deluged the earth; no, for forty days and forty nights the rain and floods were unceasing, until, at last, all the high hills under the whole heaven, were covered. Noah and his family must have been filled with wonder and with awe as the rain beat down upon them day after day, and night after night, and as the faithful ark outrode the storm, mounting up and still up. No doubt they talked together of these things, and also of the many people they had known on the earth who were so suddenly and so quickly swallowed up in the dreadful flood, and their hearts would sorrow over these things. But they would recognize God’s hand; the warning had been given, and people would not heed: and God must punish wickedness.

But if God shut Noah in the ark, it was not to forget him; and when the waters had done the work which they were sent to do, God remembered Noah and all the living creatures, and He made a wind to pass over the earth and the waters went down; the fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain ceased, and the waters began to flow back. But it took time for such mighty wastes of water to diminish. After five months the ark rested upon a very high mountain which was called Ararat; and in ten months, tops of other mountains could be seen; and in a few weeks more, Noah took the covering from the ark and found that the ground was dry.

But after the rain stopped, and before the waters went down, Noah opened the Window of the ark and sent out a raven; he also sent out a dove that he might know if the waters had gone down. I want you, dear children, to notice the difference in these two birds that Noah sent out from the ark.

The raven which was sent out first went to and fro until the waters went off the earth, never returning to the ark; but the dove, finding no rest for the sole of her foot, soon found her way back to the place of refuge, and Noah put his hand out of the window and took hold of her and pulled her into the ark. Now I want to ask you, why did the raven stay out, and the (love come back? Can you tell me? Let me, then, tell you. The dove found no place to rest her feet, and the raven did find a place where it could rest. How was this? Just think a moment!

The raven which is an unclean bird, and feeds upon dead bodies, would find plenty of places to alight and plenty to feed upon, in the many bodies that must have been floating on the waters; for you will remember that the flood had destroyed man and beast. But the clean and gentle dove could not feed upon, or even touch these dead bodies, so she flew back to the ark.

Now, dear boys and girls, if you are unsaved you are like the raven with its unclean nature, and you will feed upon things that God counts unclean—the pleasures and follies of the world. But if you are born again you have a new nature; and this new nature will make you wish to read God’s word so that you may know His mind; and it will lead you to desire to please Christ and to grow more like Him. But you still have the old nature also. Which are you going to feed—the old or the new? The new nature tells you, go to the prayer meeting; the old says, go the concert and the party; the new says, go with God’s people in whose companionship you will find help and blessing; the old says, no, go with these nice, lively companions and have a good time. The new nature says, read God’s word; the old says, read this nice story!

To which will you listen? Which will you feed? Will you, like the dove, flee to the ark and he safe; or will you, like the raven, feed on corrupt matter and let your feet rest on that which must soon sink in the waters of judgment? Remember that Christ is our Ark, and we will always find refuge and safety in Him, and in going to Hint, our souls will he fed.

There is, then, a most important lesson in the raven and the dove, and I hope you will all think about it. Turn away with loathing front the dead bodies —the things of this world that Satan makes to look so bright and pleasant to you. There is corruption underneath, and if you feed upon these things you can reap only sorrow front it but if you turn to Jesus, you will find true and lasting joy.

But let us return to Noah. When the ground was dried, God spoke to him and told him to go out of the ark with his wife, and his sons and their wives, and to take the creatures out also. So they all went out, and I think they were very glad to set their feet upon the earth again after having been more than ten months carried about by the waters. In the gladness of his heart, Noah offered an offering to God; lie took of every clean beast and every clean fowl, and burnt them upon an altar which he made for this purpose.

God was pleased with this offering, and He said that He would not again curse the ground for man’s sake; and He made a covenant with Noah, for himself and his children, and for every living creature, that He would not again cut off all flesh by the waters of a flood. And He set His bow in the cloud as the sign of this covenant. So whenever you look on the beautiful rainbow, you can think, that is God’s promise to us, never to destroy the earth again with flood.

God not only brought Noah out of the ark, and accepted his offering and made a covenant with him; but he also made him to be fruitful, and He put the dread and fear of him upon every beast and upon all the fowls and fishes.

You will remember, perhaps, that Adam had rule over the creatures in the garden of Eden, but his dominion was in gentleness and love, I judge.

But after the flood it was to be the fear and dread of man that was upon the creatures. And there is scarcely an animal no matter how wild or fierce or strong, that man has not succeeded in taming. But alas! how man has abused this wonderful power that God has given him. God also, at this time, gave to man the living creatures for food, as He had given to Adam in the garden of Eden, the herbs and the fruits of the trees. But our talk has been long enough for this time. The Lord willing, we will speak of other things again.

ML 12/17/1899

Obey at Once

LITTLE DANIEL was particularly fond of having his own way, and though not on the whole disobedient, he had a habit of not doing what he was told at once. Thus if he were looking at pictures in it book, and his mother called him, he would answer, “Yes, Mamma,’’ but would not go until he had finished looking over the pictures. He did what he wanted first, and afterward what his mamma wanted. Daniel had been told many times that this was wrong, and at last he began to try to leave it off, and to obey immediately; and it was well for him that he did, as you shall hear.

While staying at the sea-shore, one day he went with a kind friend to pretty little bay where the sea runs into a hollow in the land, and where all around the water, there are high cliffs. The flowers and the grass grow on top of the cliffs, and you may walk almost to the very edge before seeing the water underneath.

When Daniel came to this place, and saw the smooth, green grass sloping down like a beautiful lawn, he thought it would be a nice place for a run, and off he set, skipping amid racing, and in a few minutes more he would have run right over the edge of the cliff and have fallen into the sea.

The lady he was with called loudly to him to stop, which he did at once, and waited for her to come to him. She then gently led him to the edge of the precipice, and little Daniel was amazed and terrified when he saw the deep water far below. where they were standing.

“Now,” said he, “if this had happened six months ago I should have been killed, because, instead of stopping at once when you called, I would have said, ‘I will just have my little run first and then come back.’” —Selected.

ML 12/17/1899

"No, Papa, Dod Did Dat."

A FRIEND of mine who lives in the city of D— had five children, and one evening he thought he would like to know how many of them knew their sins were forgiven, so he called them to him one by one, and asked them each the question, “Have you laid all your sins on Jesus?” Four of them said, ‘‘Yes, Papa, I have.” But when he took his little girl on his knee, who was too young to speak plainly, and asked her if she had laid her sins upon Jesus, she did not answer, so be said, “You have heard all the others tell me that they have laid their sins on Jesus, so I want my little girl to tell me if she has laid her sins on Jesus.” Then the little one looked into her father’s face and said, “No, Papa, Dod did dat.” This was an answer from God’s blessed word, for we are told in the 6th verse of the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

It was at the cross, and no where else, that God did this, so that every one of you who believe on the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour, can say, “He bore my sins in His own body on the tree.” And, dear little boy or girl, if you have thus believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and know that He had all your sins upon Him at the cross and that now they are all put away from God’s eye, how happy you should be, and how much you should try to please Him in return. Let all around you see that you are loving and serving the blessed Lord Jesus for what He has done for you. E. B. H.

ML 12/17/1899

"With Jesus."

SOME children in Sunday School were asked the question, “Why would you rather go to heaven than always live on the earth?” One dear little girl replied, “I want to go to heaven to be with Jesus.’’

“To be with Jesus”—what a beautiful answer! The Lord Himself will indeed be the center of attraction. How many, even older people, think of the rewards, the crown, the freedom from sorrow, and earthly troubles, the meeting with friends gone before, and perhaps other hopes, yet all these are as nothing compared with “being with Jesus.”

May all the dear little readers of this paper so learn to know and love their blessed Saviour, that their greatest dire will be to be with Him. I.

ML 12/17/1899

Naaman a Changed Man.

WE have read about the little maid, and about the healing of Naaman, the Syrian captain; and we will see what is said about him alter he was healed. You find it in 2 Kings 5:15,17. Not only was Naaman healed of his leprosy, and his flesh became like that of a little child, but he acknowledged that the God of Israel, whose goodness and power had healed him, and declared that there was no God in all the earth, but in Israel. And he wanted to give a present to the man of God, through whom he had been healed. But no, the man. of God would receive none. The healing must be entirely free—nothing to pay either before or after the healing. “As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” said the man of God.

Ah! yes, God would have us come to Christ to be saved, “without money and without price and we must not think that after He has saved us, He will take anything for it. It is beyond all price, a gift from God, which all the gold of all the world can neither buy, nor begin to pay for. God will receive nothing for it as payment, either before or after.

After we are saved, however, we ourselves belong to the Lord. He has redeemed us, and we are His. And now we serve and worship Him, not to pay for our salvation, but because we love Him who first loved us. And this is a happy service. We do not serve Him because we must, but because we love Him.

Naaman, after he was cleansed, declared that he would worship no other gods, but only the Lord. He had been an idolater, but now he was turned to the living God, and He would worship Him. This was right. Have you been cleansed of your leprosy? Has the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed you? Ah! this is far more than the healing of Naaman’s leprosy. And does not this lead you to love God, and to yield yourself up ill loving service to the Lord Jesus? Oh! what a precious Saviour He is. He is worthy of your service and your worship. A.H. R.

ML 12/24/1899

A Lesson from the Bees.

A BLACK CLOUD was rising out of the west; the low muttering of distant thunder was heard, and as I stood taking note of the signs of the coming storm, I noticed the air seemed full of bees, each one dropping down straight as an-arrow to the hive. I watched them for some time, its they hastened in from the flowery fields to their home, and this Scripture came to my mind, “Flee from the wrath to come.” Luke 3:7; Matt. 3:7. I thought, how much wiser the little bees are than the men of this world! God has given them warning after warning in His word of the judgment surely coming on the poor world. But men go on as though all were well, unheeding the solemn word, “Flee from the wrath to come.”

How safe the little bees are in their hives! The storm may rage about them, but it does not touch them. And, oh, how safe is each one who has fled for refuge to Christ. “A MAN shall be as an hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest.” Isaiah 32; 2.

We know who that Man is, even “The Man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all.” 1 Timothy 2:6.

O, dear children! young and old—be wise as the bees. Make haste to Christ’ Let not the sweets of any of this world’s fields tempt you to stay away from Him. He will be your “covert” and “hiding-place” when the great day of God’s wrath has come. E. G. B.

ML 12/24/1899

How Jemmy was Saved.

JEMMY was the grandson of a poor Scotch shepherd, named Robin. The old man was nearly eighty years of age; ‘his wife, and sons, and daughters. were all dead, and he had no one to comfort him in his declining days save little Jemmy, who, during the day, tended the flock, and, when the evening was come, would read aloud of that Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep.

Robin had a dog named Watch, which had always been of great service among the sheep, and this faithful creature accompanied Jemmy every morning. Together they looked after the sheep, and very often Jemmy would play with his much-loved mate.

One day Jemmy had left the flock, and on his return found that four of the sheep were missing.

Hastening home he told his grandfather, who said, “The sheep are probably gone to the right side of the mountain to reach the other pastures. Go and look for them there, my child, and make haste, for it will snow soon; then bring home your flock quickly.”

Away the boy hastened. The snow began to fall, slowly at first, and then more and more quickly, until almost everything was hidden from view.

At home old Robin had begun to repent his having sent the boy alone; for he well knew that if Jemmy were to lose himself on the mountain in the snow he would probably be frozen to death ere the morning. For a long while the old man sat near the window, listening anxiously for the expected footfall. Seven o’clock having struck, and the darkness deepening, the old man fell on his knees, and prayed God to restore his poor child.

He was about to start to call upon a neighbor, named Mackie, when he heard a scratching at the door. It was Watch. Poor dog, when Robin opened the door, he ran a little distance and then came back. He wanted to lead the way to where his young master was.

Robin now hastened without delay to his neighbor Mackie, who, on hearing what was the matter, started off at once to find the missing boy.

“Go on before, Watch,” he said to the faithful dog, “I will follow you,” and on very fast they went, though not so fast as the animal would have liked. Watch was always in front. Suddenly he stopped, and Mackie heard him whining loudly and bitterly. Pressing on, Mackie saw the dog scraping furiously in the snow. moment after he heard a feeble voice saying, “Help me, save me,’’ and saw little Jemmy’s head above the snow.

With some difficulty Mackie took him out, and carried him rejoicing towards his home. There he was received with glad heart by the kindly neighbor’s wife, and at once put to bed, his benumbed limbs well rubbed, and some hot porridge given him—old Robin whose heart was lifted up in thanksgivings to God that his boy was found, and his prayer answered, watching all the time near his bed.

The next morning Jemmy was much recovered, and, whilst Watch lay at his feet, by the breakfast table, the story was told of all that had befallen them.

Jemmy had sought along the mountain side, whilst the snow fell ever thicker and faster, until, tired and weary, and then stumbling, he had fallen into the hole where lie had been found. Watch, at first, tried to drag him out, but, this failing, ran off to the cottage and scratched for help. When left alone Jemmy had cried to God to take him out of that dreadful place.

Thus two prayers were answered—the old man praying in his cottage, and the sheep-boy in that mountain snow-drift. Both cried to God in their trouble, and were heard.

How it reminds us of that passage in Ps.107:12-13,

“They fell down, and there was none to help, Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.

There is no sorrow, no trial, no difficulty in which the believer cannot look up to God, and count upon His loving kindness and tender care.

“Happy are the children Who trust in Jesus’ name; Although they cannot see His face, He watches over them.

Safely on their Shepherd’s breast All His little lambs may rest.”

ML 12/24/1899

"The Way of Transgressors is Hard."

CECIL H—attended the Sunday-school but he was not always attentive to what the teacher said. Although his mother wished him to be regular in his attendance, he would sometimes make excuses and would stay away. His sister, who is younger, has learned to love the Lord, and is always in her place in the school, with a bright, happy face, unless kept at home by illness; for, young as she is, she has known much of suffering. One day when she came into school the teacher asked her if her brother would be there that afternoon. She said she did not know, but her mamma had said he must come and if he did not she would shut him up when he got home.

I want to tell you how God shut Cecil up, and for a much longer time than his mother would have done.

It was a pleasant afternoon—an afternoon to make boys think it would be nicer to stay outside, maybe, than to go to Sunday-school; so when Cecil met some boys who wished him to go with them to the river bank, which was not far off, and have a play, he was easily persuaded, and they were soon running along together.

But the Lord was looking upon Cecil and was displeased with his ways, and He did not allow the afternoon to pass without giving him a lesson which he will, likely, never forget.

There were steep hills where the boys were playing, on their way to the river, and as Cecil was running down one of these he stumbled, and fell on a piece of barbed wire that was lying on the ground. In the fall he gashed his leg badly, tearing it wide open and taking out a piece of flesh. Poor boy! that was an end to his Sunday play. The other boys helped him home, and his frightened mother, who had not the courage to look a second time at the mangled leg, hastily a summoned doctor.

When the doctor came he found the poor limb in a bad condition; it was so badly torn he had to cut away part of the flesh, and he had many stitches to put in in order to hold the torn places together. But Cecil bore it all very bravely, and made no complaint. He knew that he had done wrong and that the Lord was punishing him for it; this he owned to his teacher when she went to see him. For weeks, Cecil was shut in, and time was thus given him to think about his ways.

Do you not think, dear children, that Cecil would have been wiser, and better off, if he had gone to the Sunday-school and not listened to boys who had no love for such things? He turned aside in a wrong path and the Lord allowed him to suffer for it. God tells us, “The way of transgressors is hard.” Do you know what a transgressor is? It is one who does what is wrong, and Cecil was a transgressor on that Lord’s day. He found the way hard, for he had to suffer much. It is always best to do what is right, and pleasing to the Lord, even if it cost us a little self-denial at the time. R.

ML 12/24/1899

The Door of Escape.

IT was a lovely winter morning, no cloud was in the sky, and the sun shone brightly upon the gleaming earth. “Let us skate, let us skate,” cried a party of young people, as they looked out upon the frosty scene. “Hurray, the ice will bear!” and very soon they had left the country house that was their home, and were running gaily over the crisp snow to the frozen pond. It was a lovely morning; the hedges and the rushes were glittering with ice gems, and every tree wore a special frosted phantasy of its own. Who would not be merry on such a morning? But there was one amidst that gay group who could not enter into the fun at all; she grew silent and sad, and often paused to cast a troubled gaze upon the snow-covered hill which lay between her and a little common, to which her thoughts that morning were constantly taking their way. A voice— “a still, small voice”—heard only by those who have escaped through the Door, was urging her to leave her idle sport, and go to visit the cottage upon the common. Why did she linger? She wanted “just for once” to spend her precious hours upon the ice; and Satan whispered, “The path is eighteen inches deep in snow; you cannot go, you will take cold.” How careful Satan is sometimes over the health of the Lord’s people. But only when he wants to hinder their service. She did not know that, there was any one ill there, but the Lord did, and He knew, too, how that poor, terrified girl was crying out for a place of safety. How wonderful is the love of Christ. That poor girl had never thought about Him while she was well and strong, but now that she was dying, and felt the need of Him, He was not going to let her perish. It may be that she had never been shown the right way of escape; for though she had been to the Sunday-school, those who taught in it were those who thought that a soul could build a bridge of good works for its own salvation.

The Lord who loved the poor girl, loved His idle servant too, and He wanted to teach her that her time was too precious to be spent in amusements, however innocent they might be. He wanted her to serve Him, and not to live unto herself; she must not act like a caddis anymore but live in a new sphere. At last her lingering was over; she took off her skates, left her companions, fetched her Bible from her room, and started for the common. She was an unwilling servant that day, but still she went. She crossed the hill, and reached the cottages, passing from door to door with hasty steps, till suddenly her progress was arrested by the exclamation, “Oh, I an so thankful you have come; my girl is dying, and she do so want to see some one; we fetched the clergyman, but he only read a prayer or two, and went away; he seemed afraid to stay.”

“Afraid to stay!” said the visitor; “what is the matter?”

“The doctor says it’s typhoid fever, Miss; but you will come in, she can’t last long, and she’s afraid to die, and she do so want to see some one.”

For one moment the young lady hesitated, but that sad appeal, “dying, and afraid to die,” brooked of no delay, and the step was quickly taken out of the fresh, frosty air into that house of death. It was typhoid, indeed, in its worst and deadliest form, and such was the atmosphere of the whole cottage, that she no longer wondered that the clergyman had fled as if for his life. But who that knew the rest and peace of the place of safety, could leave a poor soul to sink in the deep waters, unaided? She was quickly in the sick chamber, gazing on the form that lay stretched upon the old-fashioned four post bedstead. The flush of fever was on the fair young face, and its light gleamed in the fine dark eyes that were turned so eagerly upon her as she entered. Masses of chestnut hair streamed over the white pillow, and but for the blackened lips and the soul anguish that the whole countenance expressed, you might have cried, “How beautiful!”

“Your mother tells me you are dying” said the lady, gently, “and you are afraid to die!”

A look of deepened agony gathered on the face, and with infinite difficulty the parched lips uttered a short assent.

“Her throat is so bad, “said the mother, “she cannot speak.”

Yes; it was easy to see that there was no time to be lost in pointing that perishing one to the only place of safety. And what did the visitor speak about? She spoke of One who has said:

“I am the door, by Me, if any man enter in he shall be saved.” John 10: 9.

It was of a tender, loving Person that she spoke, who was waiting and ready to save her to the uttermost; she told of the blood He had shed, that all her sins and iniquities might be “remembered no more”. Heb. 10:17. She pointed out that, through what He had done, the sinner could be completely forgiven; that Christ was the way to the Father’s heart. But speak as she would, the anguish was still upon that brow, and terror shone out of those glistening eyes. What was she to do? She was little accustomed to scenes like this; she fell upon her knees, and cried to God Himself to save this passing soul, then rising, she turned again to the sufferer and slowly repeated these few lines:—

I will believe, I do believe,

That Jesus died for me;

That on the cross He shed His blood,

From sin to set me free.

Slowly and with difficulty the stiffened lips of the dying girl followed the words. Again and again the lady repeated them, for she saw that the poor sufferer was learning her last lesson upon earth; then, unable to bear the tainted atmosphere any longer, she hurried away. Away from that scene of soul-terror and storm, and turmoil, into the bright cheery sunshine of the winter’s morning; but oh, with what altered feelings she took her homeward path; things seen and temporal had faded from her view, and “things which are not seen, eternal,” had taken their rightful place in her thoughts.

ML 12/31/1899

Gehazi.

GEHAZI was the servant of Elisha the man of God; but he was not like his master. He was covetous, untruthful and a thief. Elisha would take nothing for the healing of Naaman. It was not Elisha’s power, but the power of God, that healed the Syrian leper, and the healing was the free gift of God, just as salvation is. It cannot be bought; it cannot be paid for with money. Christ Himself has paid the price of it, in the shedding of His blood, and we must not only receive it freely for ourselves, but we must not try to sell it to others, nor take a price for showing others the way of salvation. This is what Gehazi did. When he saw the silver and the gold and the goodly raiment, he coveted them, and told the Syrian a lie, and took the money and the raiment which did not belong to him, and then came and told his master another lie. He also misrepresented his master, the man of God, and conveyed the idea that, after all, he would take something in payment for the cure. All this was wickedness. He took from Naaman two talents of silver (something over three thousand dollars) besides the two changes of raiment. But he was not permitted long to enjoy these fruits of wickedness. The man of God called him to account, and not only rebuked his covetousness, but left him under the judgment of God. “The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.”

May we, dear children, avoid the sin of Gehazi. We must not try to make money out of the salvation God gives to sinners freely. To do this is to tell a lie about God, and about Christ, and about His salvation. If we have received this salvation freely ourselves, we can rejoice to show others this great salvation, taking no price from them. And what a privilege it is! How many of you, dear children, have been saved, and are showing others the way? A. H. R.

ML 12/31/1899

A Little Hero.

A FEW years ago, near Tolua in Mexico, lived a little boy, the son of a converted Indian. When only eight years old, he was walking in the street one day when he met a popish procession of images. Every one knelt on the ground and uncovered their heads except the little boy, who remained standing. “Kneel down, child!” exclaimed some one at his side.

“Indeed I shall not,” said the boy. “Kneel down, I tell you; don’t you see God is passing by?”

“That is not God, that is only an idol,” replied the little fellow; “my God is not made of wood; He is a spirit, and tells us to worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

The procession passed by, the man turned to the little boy and said, “Child, who taught you such ideas?”

“God’s word did,” said he.

“I should like to read it,” said the man.

“I will give you a book, if you will meet me next week” said the boy.

Happily an English gentleman had only a few days previously given the boy’s father several copies of the gospels. True to promise, on the appointed day the child met the man and gave him a copy of the gospels, which God used in blessing to his soul. Who can tell how much blessing resulted from that one little act of faithfulness to the Lord Jesus? —Gospel Stories for the Young.

ML 12/31/1899

An Answered Prayer.

DEAR little readers, I want to tell you how Jesus delights to hear your prayers and to answer them.

One Lord’s Day afternoon not long ago, while sonic children were in Sunday school, a steady rain set in, and the little ones did not know how they were going to get home. Those living near and having umbrellas went on, while several living about a mile away thought they would wait till the rain had stopped. But the sky was covered with dark, gloomy clouds and looked as though it would rain all afternoon and night. What do you think these little ones did? Perhaps some of you know and will not be surprised when I tell you that they knelt down with their teacher and asked the Lord to make it stop raining long enough for them to get home.

Do you think the Lord heard their simple prayer? Yes, my little readers, He did hear it, and answered it, too. The sky began to grow brighter and brighter, and very soon the rain had all stopped.

I hope you have learned to tell Jesus your troubles, and to ask Him for what you need. He is always ready and willing to hear whatever you want to say to Him, and He, Himself, says, “Ask, and it shall be given you.” Luke 11: 9. I.

ML 12/31/1899

Messages of God's Love: 1899

Table of Contents

Introduction.

Suddenly Called.

Three Little Things

Lost Ruth.

Jesus, the Saviour.

The Three Questions.

There Is No Difference.

"God so Loved."

"Thou God Seest Me."

This Pig Went to Market.

Animals of the Bible.

S-I-N.

Echoes from the Sunday School.

God Cares for You

Papa is Coming Home.

Spring Time.

Echoes from the Sunday School.

Little E.'S Prayer.

I Am the Way.

After Death the Judgment

God Is Looking

The Conversion of a Heathen Chief.

Little Ones Columns

"Are You Saved, Alice? I Am."

Is Christ Your Saviour

The Chariot and the Great Family Umbrella.

Come and Hear.

Come.

Jesus

"He'll Come Soon."

Story of a Stork

"Come and See."

His Love to Me.

Daniel

The Children's Hour

Come and Drink.

The Bear.

My Book.

A True Story.

That Loving One.

"Don't Let Anything Bite Papa."

The Voice of Conscience.

Little Jane.

True Obedience.

Come and Rest.

"I Was Ready to Die."

"A Word in Season."

Animals of the Bible. 3.

Blind Bartimeus.

The Hollow of His Hand.

God Is Love.

Returning God's Love in a Little Measure.

"Bless, and Curse Not."

A Contrast

Animals of the Bible. 6

"God is Very Particular"

Question from a Little Girl.

Two Resurrections

As on Eagles' Wings.

"It Was for Me."

Tell Me of the Lord Jesus.

Animals of the Bible 5

A Path and a Road.

A Little Boy Who Wanted to be Saved.

Little Ones Like Me

Echoes from the S. S. 3

The Rock.

The Prisoner's Deliverance.

Saved by Another.

Jesus Says, I Am the Way

Praying for His Enemies.

My Burden Gone.

What a Contrast

Remember Lot's Wife.

It's all Scribbled Over

The Apple.

Remember Lot's Wife

"Come unto the Marriage."