ble myself, and bow down to be taught by my little boy. I wept over this feeling; I prayed, I struggled with it for six months, and then I yielded. I became a scholar to my little son. 6. "He taught me my A, B, C; and so we went on together, till at last I could read the Bible; and now, blessed be the name of the Lord!' that, after so many years, even now, as I am drawing so near to the close of my life, being an old man, I can read his holy Word; and, oh, although I know but a little of it, how I love that little!" ANY years after God created the world and its first man and woman, the people who were living upon the earth had become so awfully wicked that he resolved to destroy all of them, except one family, by a flood. This was Noah and his household. 2. Noah was a good man, and God contrived a plan to save him from the destruction which he would bring upon the rest of the world. So he told him to build an ark, or large ship, in which he and his family could escape the flood of desolating waters. 3. Noah believed God, and did as he bade him. He built the ark, and gathered into it two of every kind of birds and beasts and living things, to keep alive all the sorts of animals which the Creator had made. He also took food of every kind for man and beast. 4. When Noah and his family and the creatures with him were all gathered into the ark, and God had shut them safely in, he brought a great rain upon the earth for forty days and forty nights, and all the ground was covered with water. Every living person and creature not shut up in the ark was drowned. 5. But Noah and his family were safe in their floating house; and in about a year the waters had dried, so that they came forth, and settled again upon the land. Then God made a solemn promise to Noah, that he would never destroy the earth again by a flood. 6. He also gave the bow in the cloud as a sign, or token, that he would remember his covenant with every living creature, that "the waters should no more become a flood to destroy all flesh." So we love to look upon the rainbow, and think how faithful God is to his promises, and how safe it is to trust him. When the people of the old world became very wicked, what did God resolve to do? What family did he wish to save from the flood? What did the Lord tell Noah to do? Who and what were saved in the ark? How long did the rain come down? How long was Noah shut up in the ark? What promise did God make to Noah? What sign did he give that he would remember it? What should we think when we see the rainbow? wrong smooth right LESSON X. hatch-et thought-less in-jure fol-low-ing temp-ta-tion prin-ci-ple sud-den-ly THE POWER OF HABIT. CHIL LDREN sometimes think that it is no matter if they do some wrong things while they are small and young, because they intend to leave off such conduct when they grow older. They suppose they shall find it much easier to do right when they become men and women than it is now. 2. But they are mistaken. Sin becomes a habit very quickly, and every time they sin the power of this habit is increased. They can not do wrong today, and feel no effect from it to-morrow. The only safe course is to do right now and always. lowing story will show what is meant by this. The fol 3. A boy was playing in his father's garden. Having in his hand a new hatchet, which he wanted to try, he struck it, without thought of any harm, into a thrifty young tree which stood near him. Years passed: the wood grew over the cut, and the bark became as smooth as if it had not felt the edge of the sharp tool. 4. When the boy had become a man, and his children had played in the shade of the tree which he cut, he was surprised one morning to find it broken down, and lying on the ground. A high wind had blown during the night, and the beautiful tree had not strength to stand. 5. The owner looked to find out why it had fallen so suddenly, and discovered that its heart was rotten. The cut he gave it many years before had caused slow but sure decay inside; and so, when the wind blew strongly, it was ready to tumble down. Its stout trunk and broad-spreading branches and deep roots could not save it. 6. So a child's heart may be injured by some thoughtless act of wrong-doing, which, at the time, seemed small and trifling. The inward hurt may spread secretly for many years, until some great temptation comes, and there is not strength of principle to resist it. Then the man's heart is found to be rotten, and he falls into open sin and shame. 7. We must keep watch over our thoughts, our hands, and our tongue, and ask God to help us even in little things. If the heart is right, our actions will be right. So we must pray, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Then God will help us to form good habits. What do children sometimes think? What is the only safe course? What did the boy do in his father's garden? What happened to the tree afterward? What made it so weak as to fall? What may injure a child's heart? What may such injury bring him to? |