before, she answered, "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." *

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Methinks," said the little child, “that even as those cold waters to the thirsty soul, such are thy sweet words to me. They are unto me good news indeed, from a far country."

Beyond the place where he had drunk of the pure waters, the Teacher showed to the child a beautiful vine-the vine spread its branches widely, and grew from tree to tree, hanging in wreaths of living green, through which the purple grapes appeared.

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Behold," said the Teacher," these branches that are joined unto the vine are filled with a fair and fruitful life-see how their bright leaves shine in the sun, and how richly the clusters of their fruit weigh down the boughs. Behold also, yonder branch that hath been cut off from the vine-it

* Prov., xxv. v. 25.

withers upon the earth-it is already dead. Learn thou, my child, that there is One above, to whom thou even now art joined, even as the branches unto this vine. If by faith in Him, if by believing in his words and obeying his commandments, thou remain, through grace, thus joined into Him, then thine heart shall have strength, and thy spirit shall have life and joy; but if thou shouldest forget and forsake Him, and so be cut off from partaking of His life, then thou wouldest be withered, like the withered bough. Therefore," said He, of whom I speak, I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.'"*

* John xv., v. 1—6.

6

So they went again on their way, and the child said unto his guide," I hear men say, that one named Nature maketh the tree to grow, and the flower to spring, and the bird to find his meat; but I have learnt to-day that all things live and move, and grow, according to the will of God. Who then is Nature ?"

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Nature," replied the heavenly Teacher, "is but a name that men give unto the power and law of God. When we see the sun rise and set, and the dews fall, day by day, and all things go on as God commandeth them, we say that Nature worketh these things: but Nature is not a person: Nature's work is but the working of God."

They went forward then, until they came upon a flowery meadow. Now in the meadow, were many beasts feeding;-the bellowing bull was there, fierce and over-fed ;—the proud horse, pawing up the ground;-the

blood-thirsty hound pursuing the hare ;-the goat fighting with his companions. The child sighed as his eye followed the savage motions of these noble animals; formed at first, for good only;-for peace, for glory, and for beauty-and he remembered the curse that was upon the earth. But, presently, the heavenly Teacher led him to a corner of the meadow, where three milk-white lambs were sporting innocently together among the flowers: Harmless and gentle, they hurt not one another, nor, in their plays, did they molest any living creature; they ate the soft grass with a quiet pleasure; bounded over the flowery hillocks, (chasing each other, not as the hound chased the hare, but in fond and merry glee); or lay their fair and spotless forms peacefully upon the green turf, and gazed with happy humble eyes around them. The little child looked lovingly upon these fair lambs.

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"As are these lambs," said the heavenly Teacher, "among the beasts of the field, such among the children of this world, should be the lambs of Christ:-In the midst of the greediness, the pride, the rage, the cruelty, and the noisy quarrels of wicked men and wicked children, they should be ever as His dear little ones; gentle and kind, happy and smiling; eating the daily food which God sends to them with thankful hearts; sporting innocently together; crying not, striving not, quarrelling not, but lovely and loving; a sweet sight unto the eyes of all-that all men when they look upon them may say'These children belong to Jesus.' Here the heavenly Teacher paused, and she dropped

a tear.

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Why dost thou weep ?" said the child,"I weep," said she, "because He who loved little children enough to die for them, hath so few children that love Him, or that will seek