THE MOULDY LOAF. ONCE, as a poor family sat round the table to a scanty meal, one of the children looked up reproachfully at his father, and down distastefully at the portion before him. The portion was bread, and the bread was dry and mouldy. The father was quick to see his son's discontent ; but he spoke gently, "My dear boy, I am sorry we have nothing more pleasant than dry bread to-day. I am still more sorry that our bread is mouldy; but see," and he handed his own portion to the boy, who saw then that his father had taken the very worst part of the loaf for his own share, had cut and pared away the most mouldy and bitter parts of his children's slices on to his own plate. The boy coloured, looked wistfully into his father's kind and patient but anxious countenance, and burst into tears. His mouldy bread was sweet after that. Christian! you sometimes are tempted to look up reproachfully to your heavenly Father, and down discontentedly at your hard and scanty portion. You half revolt against the mouldy loaf, and are prone to envy the prosperity of others. Perhaps the best cure for this discontent, and the best way to make your bitter bread sweet, is to be shown of what your Saviour's portion consisted, "How bitter that cup no heart can conceive, Which he drank quite up, that sinners might live. 1 CORINTHIANS XIII. "SUCH was the portrait an apostle drew,The bright original was One he knew: Heaven held his hand,—the likeness must be true.” "I BEGGED." A LITTLE boy in Jamaica called on the missionary, and stated that he had lately been very ill, and often wished his minister had been present to pray with him. "But, Thomas," said the missionary, "I hope you prayed yourself?"" "Oh, yes, sir." "Well, but how did you pray?" "Why, sir, I begged.' A child of six years old, in a Sunday school, said— "When we kneel down in the schoolroom to pray, it seems as if my heart talked to God." A little girl, about four years of age, being asked, "Why do you pray to God?" replied, "Because I know he hears me, and I love to pray to him." "But how do you know he hears you?" Putting her little hand to her heart, she said, "I know he does, because there is something here that tells me so."-Children's Friend. Oct. 4. SATURDAY NIGHT. A TEXT FOR OUR TEACHER. October 1862. The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.-Ps. xii. 6. 11. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.-John xii. 24. 18. This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.-John xvii. 3. 25. Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.-Exod. ii. 9. "LET ME CARRY YOUR BAG, SIRP" SOME years ago I arrived late one winter night at the Greenock Railway Station in Glasgow. I was walking to a hotel, carrying a small travelling-bag in my hand, when a civil, quiet-looking boy, offered to do the service for He was so earnest for work, poor fellow, and yet so respectful, that I gave him my bag to carry. me. As he walked by my side I conversed with him. He was a fatherless boy, his father having died of cholera when it last visited Glasgow. He had two little sisters, and his mother was very poor, and so weak and often so ill that she could do little work, and could not often get it to do. The poor boy was anxious to earn a few pence to help his mother. It was a brave endeavour, and I was glad to give him the little piece of work. I do not think he was a converted boy, but he was at a Sabbath school, and seemed thankful and interested while I spoke to him about his soul. Fatherless boys! are you as kind to your mothers, and as anxious to help them, if they are poor? Here is a picture of a little fellow of whom I have heard. His little sister, like himself an orphan, lived with a poor woman who, for her mother's sake, took her to her home. The boy has just begun to earn some wages, and he has come of his own accord and given half-a-crown to the poor woman who is so kind to his little sister. That boy is likely to grow up a good and useful man. HOW TO BE AN ABRAHAM. ABRAHAM offered to God what was dearest to him. Whoever does that now, is an Abraham.-Martin Boos. "The boy has just begun to earn some wages, and he has come of his own accord and given half-a-crown to the poor woman who is so kind to his little sister." See Page 228. THE LITTLE SOCKS. THE following beautiful lines were found in a pair of little socks for a baby boy four months old, which were sent in a Missionary box from Philadelphia to the north-west. The parents of the little one trust that this sweet and earnest prayer may be answered in behalf of their dear child; and may all the dear children who read them reach, through Jesus, the heavenly kingdom. "Oh! little feet that out from these And when the journey ends at length He shall the Saviour's welcome hear,-- FOUR GOOD HABITS. THE late Rev. Dr. Alexander Waugh of London, a man eminent in his day for great usefulness, was wont to press upon others, by his own example as well as by his words, these four precious habits,-Punctuality, Accuracy, Steadiness, Despatch. Of these he was accustomed to say: Without Punctuality, time is wasted, those who rely on us are irritated and disappointed, and nothing is done in proper time and place. (See 1 Cor. xiv. 40.) Without Accuracy, mistakes may arise most hurtful to our own credit and interest, and that of others. Without Steadiness, nothing can be well done. Without Despatch, opportunities and advantages are lost which it is impossible to recall. |