AMONG HEROES AND MARTYRS; OR, STUDIES FROM HAT is heroism? It is courage, and a full determination to do one's duty in the midst of difficulty and danger. All nations boast their heroes of the battle-field, and honour the names of their dauntless warriors; but " peace hath her victories no less renowned than war," and many a man and woman-yes, and many a child too -who has been but little known, and never made any stir in the world, has been numbered by God and by angels among the true heroes who have patiently suffered, diligently laboured, and have "dared to do right, dared to be true," in the midst of scorn and opposition. Now, who and what is a martyr? One who bears witness to truth, and it generally means one who bears witness by suffering, and even death. The world has had many martyrs. Some have witnessed and died for God, and others have borne witness for the rights of men, and many a blessing for ourselves has been won by the sufferings of our forefathers. But it is not my purpose to tell you of heroes and martyrs in general. I want to carry you far back into the distant past; and, if you will enter with me into a very ancient picture-gallery, I hope to show you a few life-like portraits of worthy men and women, whose likenesses have been drawn by inspired artists, and the colours of the pictures are still so bright and clear that we might imagine the work of painting them had been only finished a little while ago, so that we may find our study both easy and pleasant. And now, having brought you thus far, let me introduce to your notice the object of interest which at once meets us, and will form STUDY NO. I.-THE FIRST MARTYR, ABEL. There are three or four pictures of this worthy hung up in different parts of the RECORDS. gallery, drawn by different hands, and representing him in different positions. They do not show us what you might have liked to see-the colour of his eyes and hair, the height of his stature, and the like-but they do what ordinary likenesses never can-they reveal the man's character, and give us an insight of the inner workings of his heart. But they are very interesting, and tell us a good deal about him in other ways. The first shows us Abel as a little boy, when there was only one other little boy in the world, his elder brother Cain. In the second we see a shepherd selecting a lamb for a sacrifice to offer up to God. See how carefully he chooses it. He is determined to offer the very best one in all his flock, because he loves and wants to honour the Lord. Then we are shown another offering of fruits and flowers brought by his brother Cain, and God is seen accepting Abel's lamb and rejecting Cain's fruits. We see the thankful countenance of the man whose gift is approved, and whose prayer is answered by God; while in the dark background of the picture we catch a glimpse of the angry face of Cain, who, with sullen downcast eyes, is brooding over his disappointment and thinking of revenge. He hears the voice of God reasoning with him, and assuring him that, if he does well, he too shall be accepted; but he turns away stubborn and relentless, to form the hateful design of getting rid of his envied brother by murdering him. Again, we see the good Abel slain by Cain's unbrotherly hand, and hurriedly his body is buried out of sight, before any one can know what has been done. But stay-one Eye has beheld, one Being knows all about it; and once more the guilty one is startled by a voice from heaven, telling the murderer of wrath and punishment, though his life is to be spared. And now, having glanced at the set of THE HAPPY CHILD. pictures which briefly tell the history of his life and death, we turn to the fulllength portrait, drawn by the master hand of Him who knows all that is in man, and this likeness bears the simple inscription," Righteous Abel." What a volume of meaning lies in that one word righteous! To be right with God, to be upright, true, and faithful in all our deal. ings with men! How highly honoured are they of whom this can be truthfully affirmed! Side by side with this beautiful picture we find another, drawn by the beloved pupil who loved to follow the steps of his glorious Master, and this describes Abel as hated of his brother for righteousness' sake. Cain's works were evil, and his brother's works were righteous, and therefore he slew him. There is one more portrait of Abel in the gallery, and this represents him as a believer. Why did he offer a lamb? Not just because he was a shepherd, but because God had appointed that such sacrifices should be offered by sinners who wanted His forgiving love. Abel believed God, and so he obeyed Him. And why did he choose the best lamb he could find? Because he BELIEVEDthough he knew but little of the promised Saviour that God's Lamb would be a pure and holy One; so wishing to be blessed and accepted in God's own way, he brought his healthy and beautiful lamb, and offered it up in faith and hope, and the Lord graciously heard his prayer, and granted his desire, and perhaps sent down fire from heaven to consume the offering which Abel had slain. He accepted Abel and his offering then, and He received Abel's spirit to Himself when his life blood was spilt upon the ground. And now, dear readers, having shown you all these sketches of a good man, let me ask you, have you any desire to be like him, a doer of righteousness-a believer in God and in His beloved Son? Without holiness none can see the Lord with joy, and without faith it is impossible to please God. But remember that every good and perfect gift comes II THE HAPPY CHILD. ELIZABETH CHRISTINA, Queen of Prussia, was speaking one day to the little daughter of her gardener, and was greatly pleased with the wisdom and gentleness of the child. Some time after, as the Queen was about to sit down with her ladies at table, the child was brought in, and the Queen ordered her to sit beside her. The Queen was curious to see what impression the gold, and silver, and bright ornaments, would make on the little child. She looked around in silence and astonishment. At last she folded her hands, and said in a clear voice "Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress; 'Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head." The ladies were deeply moved. "Oh, the happy child !" one of them exclaimed to the Queen. "How high she is above us !"-Children's Friend. BIBLE SUBJECTS FOR EACH Jan. 7. Commit to memory Ps. lxxiii. 24. THE SHEEP OF HE Bible is a Book for all time, all lands, all nations, and all ages of humanity. It is the special characteristic of "the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" that the youngest child as well as the grown-up. man or woman can understand them, if enlightened by the Spirit of God. Written in Eastern countries, by Eastern minds, surrounded by Eastern scenery, animals, and habits of life, the Bible is full of Eastern characteristics; yet the worldwide circulation of the Scriptures is prophetically hinted in many similes and expressions. Job inquires, in chapter xxxviii., verse 29, of his Book, from whence came the ice; and goes on to say, "The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen;" and the writer of Psalm cxlvii. says, "He giveth snow like wool: He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes. He casteth forth His ice like morsels: who can stand before His cold?" Now, in Palestine generally there is very little snow. In some parts ice is unknown, and the ground is never frozen. But the Psalmist is talking of God's power, and how unable man of himself is to stand before what He does; and the people who live in the colder countries can well understand it. We notice also, when God sends a hard frost, nothing can be done by man to counteract it. He can only wait for what we call a "thaw," which is usually a warm wind, agreeing with verse eighteen in the same Psalm, "He causeth His wind to blow, and the waters flow." There are some similes, however, that God uses, which nearly all countries and peoples can understand-and one is the shepherd and the sheep. They are both found in hot Egypt or Palestine, and in cold Scotland. No doubt many of our readers have heard or read some interesting anecdotes of Scotch shepherds and their sagacious dogs, which are of JESUS' FOLD. great service in such storms as the one represented in our illustration. The names by which Jesus is called are very universal, as King," "Light," "Deliverer," "Mediator," "Advocate," "Brother," "Friend," and could be easily explained, even to heathen minds; but the "Shepherd of the sheep" (Heb. xiii. 20), "the Good Shepherd" (John X. II), is especially simple. If He is, then, called the Shepherd of His people, they must be called sheep. "We are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand," sang His ancient people Israel (Psalm xcv. 7). "He made His own people to go forth like sheep; and guided them in the wilderness like a flock." God's people are called sheep, then; but they are also called "lost sheep." A good shepherd will gather all his sheep together at certain times-times of danger particularly-and, if possible, put them into a fold; but he must first gather them. Therefore the Bible calls God's people "lost sheep," to show that they have to be found by the Shepherd and gathered into the fold. Peter, writing to the "elect strangers," says, " Ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd . . . of your souls" (1 Pet. ii. 25). Again, in Isaiah liii. 6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." Also, in John x. 16, " Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd." How does an Eastern shepherd, then, gather together his scattered sheep? By calling them. They know his voice, and come at his call. A story is told of an English clergyman travelling in the East, who met a shepherd with his flock, and, hearing him call them, watched with much interest how readily they came at his call. Presently he said, "I believe your sheep only come because they know your dress and staff. Let me put on your clothes, and see if they will not come for me." The shepherd smiled and said, "No; you will find they will not; it is my voice they know." However, he agreed, and the clergyman took off his coat, put on the long cloak and turban of the shepherd, and imitated the call very successfully, but the sheep would not move. The clergyman took off his borrowed clothes, possibly very glad to be proved wrong, and find another literal verification of our Lord's words in John x. 4, 5,where He says, speaking of Himself, "The sheep follow him; for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." His disciples did not understand that Jesus meant to teach them about Himself when He talked of the shepherd and the sheep; so, in verse 11, He explained it to them, and said, "I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep." In Matthew xxv. it is clearly shown that the "sheep" of Jesus Christ are the only people who will go into "life eternal" (see ver. 46), and live with Him in glory for ever; so how very important it is that we should all, young and old, inquire whether we are Christ's sheep or not; and Jesus Himself tells us how we may know it. In John x. 27, He says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." You may tell whether you want to follow Jesus or not, in this way. If you hear His voice, you will want to listen to what He says in His Word, because this is the only way in which He speaks to His people now. We have no angels or prophets, as in Old Testament times, because we now have this most precious Word, according to which He always leads His sheep, and which was not then completed. Further, if you are one of Christ's" sheep," you will want to "follow" Him-to "follow" His ways, His commandments, and His people. You will want to go to those places where He is likely to be found, and to the place where He is sure to be found-the spot that Paul calls "the throne of grace (Heb. iv. 16). God's sheep are very often on their knees, begging their Shepherd to teach them about Himself, to feed them with His Word, to direct them what to do and say, and to bring them safe to the fold of heaven at last. If any boy or girl has any of these desires, and sometimes tries to whisper them to Jesus in prayer, it looks very much as if they were one of God's "flock," though only a "lamb" as yet. It looks as if God the Holy Spirit has made them want to hear Jesus' voice, and follow Him; and He only puts these desires into the hearts of the "sheep.” The fulfilment of Isaiah's beautiful prophecy takes place continually: "He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom" (Isa. xl. 11). ESTHER. SCOFF not at the natural defects of any which are not in their power to mend. Oh, it is cruel to beat a cripple with his own crutches. "To act with common sense, according to the moment, is the best earthly wisdom I know; and the best philosophy to do one's duties, take the world as it comes, submit respectfully to one's lot, bless the goodness that has given us so much happiness with it, whatever it is, and despise affectation." IT is, of course, a difficult thing for the slandered to endure slander, but the victory over self is worthy of the effort. Only the other day we overheard one boy telling another what a third boy had said about him, and urging him to "lick him." "Oh," says the second boy, "it isn't worth minding. He knows it ain't so, and I won't stoop to his level by taking any notice of it." Herein the boy showed himself wiser than many men. |