and some of the conversations which arose from these nightly meditations, and of the hymns which the little boy learnt by heart afterwards, are offered in this little volume, believing that they may be suggestive and interesting to parents, teachers, and young people of various ages; for the periods of life are various when questions touching the solemn topics of God and the Soul first loudly appeal for answers; and the simple queries and remarks of the child often sound the depth of the highest mysteries. Though often difficult to answer, nay, sometimes impossible to reply to, they are not to be dismissed, but reverently entered into, if we would not "quench the smoking flax." Safe sleeping on its mother's breast Now sweetly sinking into rest, Now washed in sudden tears. Without a mother's tender care, And not a tittle does it know What kind of world 'tis come into. The lamb sports gaily on the grass Trots frolicsome away; And not a creature, tame or wild, Full many a summer's sun must glow, And lighten up the skies, Before its tender limbs can grow To anything of size; And all the while, the mother's eye Must every little want supply. Then surely, when each little limb Shall grow to healthy size, And youth and manhood strengthen him For toil and enterprise, His mother's kindness is a debt He never, never will forget. LESSON I "GOD THE CREATOR OF US AND ALL THINGS." "Youth's Natural Theology," by Gallaudet. (Edmund Fry and Son, London.)—“ Paley's Natural Theology.”—“The manner in which Little Henry came to the Knowledge of God:" a Story for Children; from the German. (Harvey and Dalton.) H. Ware's Works, vol. iii., Sermon 1.* ONE morning early in March the sun shone brightly upon Walter's home; the grass was white with frost, but the warm sun soon melted the frost, and the pretty yellow and purple crocuses that grew in tufts in the little garden before the house, looked very bright and gay. Their petals opened wide, and the bees came humming to them, collecting wax and honey. It was a pleasant spring morning, and Walter's mother brought her chair into the pretty porch, and sat there, amongst the young green honeysuckle leaves, sewing, with her feet in the warm sunshine. Presently she heard little footsteps coming towards her, and Walter came and stood beside her. At the head of the Lessons, references will be given to various works, where the Teacher may find interesting, useful, or suggestive passages, the study of which may in some degree supply what he may feel to be wanting in the Lesson. "Mother," said he, "I have been trying to make a little boat of that round cork you gave me yesterday; I have hollowed it out with my knife, and put a large pin into it for a mast; and it floats, but I cannot make it keep upright; as soon as ever I begin to blow it along, it turns over, and the little sail gets wet, and I can't make it float upright again till it gets dry. Cousin William's little ship sails so nicely-why won't mine ?" Mother: It is not skilfully or cleverly made: I think that is the reason. : Walter Who made Cousin William's, mother? Mother: I do not know who made it; how do you know that anybody made it? Walter Why, mother, it could not make itself! There are the little hooks on purpose to hang the sails to, and the pegs to keep the oars in the right places, and little ladders and ropes, and an anchor,all made on purpose to look like a real ship. Oh, it is so nicely made-I'm sure it must have been made by somebody who understands about ships. Mother: Yes, my child, it is plain that it was made by some one more wise and skilful than you are; but Walter, the people who make real ships must be still wiser and more skilful than the person who made Cousin William's-don't you think so? Walter: Yes, mother; there are so many more ropes and sails, and they are made to furl and unfurl-all properly-and the great masts are fixed so |