Stye Hibrarp of tljC Bllmtoergitp ofi^ortf) Carolina TOjte book toa£ preaenteb ftp MissSusan Gt. A^ers RS This BOOK may be kept out TWO WEEKS ONLY, and is subject to a fine of FIVE CENTS a day thereafter. It was taken out on the day indicated below: k *v> > y ... > *: S BT THK AUTHOR OP "JESUS UPON EARTH." NEW-YORK: ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH, 770 BROADWAY, Corner of Ninth Street. * 1865. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S63, by ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New- York. This Work, like a preceding one, is Memorial of one who has gone before; for, since it was written, the child who so eager- ly listened to the reading of each chapter, has been taken to sing in heavenly num- bers, and to be taught by saints and angels. To Happy Households, now blest with Ed voices of children, this little Volum srfully sent. CONTENTS. lei Chapter • Paos I. Introduction, 9 II. About God, 15 III. The Creation, 19 IV. Love, 23 V. Goodness, 28 YI. The Fall, 33 VII. Broken Law, 38 VIII. A Saving Plan, 43 IX. The Great Sacrifice, 48 X. Another Gift, . . . . .53 XI. A Guide, ........ 58 XII. None are Good, 62 XIIL A Clean Heart, 66 XIV. How to have a Clean Heart, . . . 71 XV. Faith, 76 XVI. Ready to Forgive, . ... . .81 XVII. A Stranger, 85 XVIII. Everlasting Food, ..... 90 XIX. The Good Shepherd, 94 XX. The Spirit, 99 XXL- Fruits of the Spirit, 103 XXII. Love to God, 107 XXIII. Prayer, 112 XXIV. Prayer, 117 XXV. How to Pray, 122 XXVI. Idolatry, 127 XXVII. Swearing, . . . . . . 132 XXVIII. The Sabbath, . ■ 13G XXIX. Duties to Parents, 140 CONTENTS. Chatter Pioi XXX. Love to All, 145 XXXI. False Witness, 149 XXXII. Truth, 154 XXXIII. The Tongue, 158 XXXIV. The Heart, 168 XXXV. Anger, .167 XXXVI. How to Forgive, . . . ' . .171 XXXVII. Peace, . 176 XXXVIII. Love, 180 XXXIX. Kindness, 185 XL. Benevolence, 190 XLI. The Golden Rule, 195 XLII. Conscience, 199 XLIII. Hearers and Doers, .... 204 XLIV. Wisdom, . 208 XLV. Industry, 213 XLVI. Comfort, . 218 XLVII. Life, 223 XLVni. Death, 228 XLIX. Resurrection, 233 L. Hell, . . ' 237 LI. Heaven, • . 242 LII. Abide in Him, 247 "IN THE MORNING SOW THY SEED." This little book is an attempt to simplify and illus- trate the great truths which constitute the broad and deep foundations of our evangelical faith. If it can quietly enter the Sabbath-school, take a place in the children's home library, be read by little ones around the nursery-fire, or suggest something to those who desire to feed hungry minds, its modest mission will have been accomplished. Should it ever fall under the eye of a scholar, its simple theology, or childlike illustrations, may excite a smile; but we have passed the days of cold philoso- phy, which sneered at the simplicity of the Gospel, and this is the age which takes care of the children. Perhaps, by this plan of sowing precious seed in the early morning, we. may help to conquer some of the practical infidelity of life, if He who sends the genial sunshine of his love, and the dew of divine grace, will but bless our efforts to foster the germs of religious faith which He has implanted in every heart. INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER L "it is good 'for us to be here." Theee is a little room built m a grassy yard, which, if you could look in some morninp; after all the Sabbath bells have been ringing, you would think was a very happy place. Seated there are little boys and girls looking so happy and pleased that the room seems bright with sunshine. Nor is it silent there — the voices of these children are like cheerful music, when with every eye fixed on their teacher, they all together repeat beauti- ful verses from the Bible. And we have music too, for they all sing; and as I stand before them and hear the sweet voices, I rejoice to know that the 10 ONE HOUR A WEEK. great and wise Being who made these lips and hearts, is listening to them; that the Saviour, who took in His arms just such children as these, loves this precious company as well as He did those little ones that He blessed so long ago. And while they sing, I look from one bench to another, and sometimes seem to see two or three young faces that are not really there. They used to sing with us, and though I seem to see them, it is only in my memory, for their hands are folded, and their lips are stiff and cold. Only last week as I listened, the tears came for a mo- ment ; but then loudly sang the child- ren: " Glory, glory ; hallelujah! forever, evermore !" Yes, that is so. While this little band of scholars sing only one hour a week, those who are gone sing " Glory," forever and ever. Here there is one little room full of singers; there thousands and thousands join till all heaven is filled with the happy chorus. FEARS. 11 But in the midst of that .celestial music, Jesus hears the songs of our little company; we know He loves this little school, for He has been here and chosen some to be His own. Perhaps He will come again — whom will He take next ? Then let us go on singing and learning of Him, that if He should choose any of us, we may know how to join in those songs that never will cease. But some of these children will live to be men and women, and for them I fear more than if I thought Jesus would" come and take them all away. Will these hands that keep time to Sabbath songs, ever do wicked work, be lifted in passion, or busy in sin? Will these red lips now saying blessed words, ever learn to use wicked lan- guage or speak sinful thoughts? Will these little pattering feet that come so gladly to our infant school, ever learn to walk in the way of the wicked? I pray God that it may not be so, and if 12 ONE HOUR A WEEK. - tliese clear cliildren will but remember and obey all they learn in the Sabbath- school, they will become good and use- ful and happy. But many children live in the country far away from any Sunday-school ; some are sick, or lame, and can not walk. Many of those who do go to Sunday- school love to read at home: for all of these this little book is intended. Suppose you were starting on a jour- ney to reach some distant land, and you were obliged to walk mile after mile on a long, tiresome road you had never travelled before. Perhaps when you were starting, some kind friend would tell you of one true guide, di- recting you the best way to go, and that you might know how you pro- gressed, by the white stones placed at the end of every mile along the way. Dear children, you are every one do- ing, this. Life is the journey which we all must take. You are just starting: let a loving friend tell you there is A JOURNEY. 13 one guide which will show you the right path. He who made us, and who dwells in that country which we all hope to reach, has given us a true guide — the Bible. This journey of ours is a long road; sometimes it is so pleasant that flowers seem to grow in the path and sunlight to shine on our way; but sometimes trouble and sorrow make it seem dark as night, and evil passions and wicked thoughts beset us, as thorns would tear our feet if we walked in a tangled path overgrown with briers. But fol- low the Bible, and rt will guide you where all is safety and peace. In the long way, you will find many weary places, and sometimes hardly know it you are really getting forward at all. Then let these little chapters be the mile-stones on your path, one hour in every week read a chapter, and we will travel together through the Sabbath days of one year. If we all follow this true guide, and remember what is 2 14 ONE HOUR A WEEK. written on all these little mile-stones, we shall at last finish our journey, and all meet with those dear ones that have gone before us, and we will then all together sing : "Glory, Hallelujah! For ever, evermore i" CHAPTER II. "the lord, he is god in heaven above." A few evenings ago several children came to see me, and brought with thern a very little girl whose home is far away in a distant city. The children admired her pretty curls, and bright eyes, and. her sweet way of talking. After a while one of them ashed, her who made her. She said she did not know.. They were all surprised at this, and told her that it was God, who lived in heaven. She did not seem to understand it at all, and when we showed her the bright stars twinkling in -the sky, and told her that the God who made her, made the stars also, and that He now watches over us, her 16 ONE HOUR A WEEK. eyes were bright with wonder, and she went on repeating over and over: " Dod made Lida, and Dod made stars." Lida was a rich child, and wore beau- tiful clothes; but as I looked at her, and thought that no one had ever taught her little lips to speak God's name, I could not help saying, Poor Lida ! Not many children in this land grow to be even as old as she is, with- out learning something about God; and yet there are some things about this Great Being which we never can understand until we go to heaven, where " we shall see Him as He is," where we shall know and understand all the wonderful things which often perplex us here. God, who created all things is the Lord and Euler of all. He dwells in heaven, and yet is everywhere, and can see every thing at the same time. He had no beginning, He has lived and will live forever and ever. We can CAN YOU SEE GOD? 17 not understand how this is, and child- ren are often perplexed, and ask ques- tions which no one could answer. As you walk out in a winter morn- ing, the strong wind blows your cloak, and drives the snow into your face. Can you see the wind ? In a warm summer day, you wander about until you find a cool spot where you may rest and breathe the refreshing air sweet with the perfume of the flowers. Can you see the air? Can you see the scent of the roses that has sweetened the atmosphere ? No ! you see the leaves moving, as the soft breeze .blows them about, but* you can not see the wind itself. We can not see God except as we behold Him in all His works. When evening comes, and darkness falls upon the earth, go out and lool^ at the sky. Look as far as eye can see, and everywhere above the earth, glittering like diamonds, are the stars. Could you count them ? Some are large, and shine brightly and steadily; 2* 18 ONE HOUR A WEEK. others are in clusters, and some so far away, and so close together, that they look almost like a silver cloud. But there was a time, long, long ago, when there was nothing in existence but God. One God, and yet three pei> sons in one, Father, Son, arid Holy Ghost. Nothing lived hut this great :ZW-une, or three in one, God; no an- gels, no worlds, no sun, no moon, no stars. Even then, this great and wise God had a plan of all the worlds He would create, and of some wonderful things upon this little earth which should bring praise and glory upon His name for ever and ever. CHAPTER III. AND IT STOOD FAST. Nothing- existed but God — vast, great, alone — until " by His power the heavens were made, and at His breath the an- gels were created." We can hardly imagine such power that innumerable worlds and hosts of angels should come into being at His command. Among these countless worlds was our little earth. Here, all was dark- ness and confusion, till He said, " Let there be light," and light was. At His voice the waters retreated from the land, and went to their own place; the dry land was covered with green grass, and tall trees of many kinds, 20 ONE HOUR A WEEK. which were loaded with, delicious fruits hanging in rich plenty from the grace- ful boughs. At His word the sun was created, to give its light and warmth by day, and the moon was made to give its gentle light to rule the night. "When evening came, a mist went up from the earth, which fell in gentle dews upon the grass and flowers and trees. Rivers clear as silver flowed gently through the fields and meadows. And who was there ^ to enjoy this beautiful earth? God made the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, and all the creatures upon the earth. He look- ed and saw that it was good; and then, the crowning glory of His creation, He made two human beings in His own image, possessing souls that should last forever. In a world beautiful and pure enough to be the home of angels, He placed this man and woman. This state and place of perfect happiness' we call Paradise. PARADISE. 21 Here they had dominion over every living thing, and here every want was supplied. If they were hungry, the most delicious food huno* within their reach; if they were thirsty, the pure sparkling water flowed fresh at their feet. Their occupation was to take care of this garden, and have power over all the animals. When weary of delight — for they had neither annoying care nor hard labor — the grassy banks afforded them rest; and when they closed their eyes to shut out excess of joy, the sweet un- disturbed sleep of innocence rested upon them. When the light of ( each fresh new morning broke upon Eden, their waking was welcomed by the glad songs of birds like choirs of angels, and they arose to mark the happy hours as they passed, by opening flowers that yielded their sweet odors, as a full heart sends up its quiet thankfulness to heaven. Was not this a happy way to live? No sorrow, no pain, nothing to trouble 22 ONE HOUR A WEEK. thein, and there was but one command for them to obey. In the garden was one tree, the fruit of which they were forbidden to taste, but in every thing else they were free to do exactly as they wished. Was not that an easy condition, and a blessed lot i Living in God's smile, fed by His hand, must not their hearts have been full of love to Him, and wonder at His wisdom and goodness? CHAPTER IV. Childbed, can you tell what God is ? I once asked an infant class this ques- tion, when several answered at once: "Yes/ 1 know. God is a spirit." That is true ; but one quiet, blue-eyed " girl looked timidly at me, and then said: " God is love." Is not that a good description of God? The dear little girl gave a sweet answer, so we took that verse for our lesson, and I am sure His loving ear heard the words when they all repeat- ed with one voice the precious verse. Every morning after we sing a hymn, we take a motto or verse from the Bible for the lesson of the day — and 24 ONE HOUR A WEEK. all repeat in concert over and over until they know it perfectly. The Bible is full of beautiful and true verses, but there could not be one more sweet and dear to us all than the three words: "God is love." He it is who placed us in these homes of comfort, who keeps us in peace and safety, who spares the lives of those we love, and who gives us all that we have to make us happy. "Was it not His loving hand that made all the beautiful world, carpeted the hills and valleys with velvet grass, made the flowers to bloom and give their sweet perfume to the air, made the spreading trees with their dense shade, and the flowing water and the running brooks? He makes the sun to rise and give us its light and warmth ; and when we are weary with the cares and duties and pleasures of the day, He brings the cool and still night for rest. He sends sleep to the tired eyelids; and while our unconscious heads lie still THE MOTHER AND HER BOY. 25 through the hours of darkness, He who "never slumbers nor sleeps" keeps watch over every pillow. It makes no difference to Him whether it is a king or a beggar, whether it is a petted child whose downy bed as covered with silken comforts and curtained with lace, or a pale sorrowful face pinched with want and a hand that has labored hard all day, the same God of love sends sweet refreshing sleep. He has done so many great things for us, that we are apt to forget our common blessings. We sometimes re- member to thank Him for keeping us from harm, for saving our lives; but what child when he is thirsty, and en- joys a drink of cool refreshing water, remembers that it is His love which supplies it? Did you ever think how dreadful it would be to die of thirst ? Many, many years ago, a woman and her son were travelling across a dry, barren wilderness. Early in the morn- ing they rose up, and the father of the 26 ONE HOUR A WEEK. boy put a bottle of water and some bread upon the mother's shoulder, and bade them farewell. They started, and hour after hour walked on their weary way. The sun rose higher and hotter, and at last the little boy's feet were tired, and he wanted to rest. But hardest of all, the dry, hot wind of the desert had parched his throat and lips, the water in the bottle was gone, and he longed for a cool fresh drink. His mother tried to encourage him, but alas ! she had no water to give him, and at last he cried in an agony of thirst. It almost broke his mother's heart, and she laid him down under one of the few stunted trees or shrubs that grew there, and then she went off a little way, for she could not bear to see her darling boy dying there before her eyes. Alone in the dreary wilder- ness, with her suffering child, what could she do ! One eye beheld her distress as she wept bitter tears of sorrow. "While IN THE WILDERNESS. 27 she cried to Him, an angel stood be- side her and said that " God had heard the voice of the lad." She looked, and there in the dry sands at her side, was a well of water. Can you not think how eagerly she took the famished hoy in her arms, Lathed his throbbing head, and wet his parched lips; and as he drank the sweet, cool water, and heard the dripping sound while his mother filled the empty bottle, whether he ex- pressed it in words or not, do you not think he felt that "God is love"? CHAPTER V. "the earth is full of the goodness of the lord." Suppose a group of merry children were sitting around the cheerful fire, while the snow is on the ground, and the mother of one of them brings in a basket of fine, red-cheeked ajjples. Per- haps some thoughtful one would thank her and say it was very kind to think of their pleasure, and would love her more for all such kindnesses. But would any of them as they en- joyed the delicious fruit, remember how the apple-trees looked in spring-time, covered with their pink and white blossoms and their tender green leaves? Would they think who sent the gentle breeze, that carried away the leaves of ABUNDANT GOODNESS. 29 bloom, leaving the little germ on all the boughs ? Who sent the sunshine day after day, and the gentle showers, and the summer dew? And who in the golden days of autumn made the large, round fruit, hang ripe on its stem? God might, when He made this world, have made but one kind of food if He chose. It would have been enough to keep us from starving, if the broad fields had been all filled with grain, and we lived on, bread alone. It was His good- ness to us that planted the grape-vines on the sunny hills, that loaded the trees with their precious fruit, that put on the peach its golden fur, and polished the pear with smooth, beautiful skin, that made every climate and every land produce delights for the eye and the taste. Then how many creatures He has made to be useful to man, to labor for him or to furnish food or clothing. Could any one but God have done this ? SO ONE HOUR A WEEK. Are not all His works wonderful and strange ? Did you ever notice the small, black seeds in an apple ? Did you ever think that in that little seed God had placed the germ of a tree ? It takes a long time for it to grow and bear fruit ; but at last it becomes a large tree, and the little birds build their nests in its branches, and up on the topmost boughs they sit and sing as if they were thank- ing their Creator for their happy ex- istence. It seems strange to us, that with all this world full of people, the sun, moon and stars to watch and take care of, God can notice every little bird. But He says not even a sparrow, one of the smallest of birds, falls to the ground with- out His notice. Who taught the little birds to sing, and where to look for their food, and how when it is evening to tuck their heads under their soft wing and sleep in their own little feather-beds? How do they know, ELIJAH FEB. 31 when the frost comes and the nights grow cold, that they must fly far away to a warm land, where the roses bloom through all the year ? And when spring returns to us with mild air and leafy trees, does He not direct their flying wings back to their summer home \ Long, long ago God once made use of some birds as his messengers. There was a good man, one of the prophets, who loved God, and could not stay among the wicked people who wor- shiped idols. God told him to go and stay by a certain brook, and that He would feed him there. If Elijah had not been a good man, he would have looked around him, at the brook flow- ing at his feet, and the wild, rugged rocks close by, and felt that in that barren place he would starve to death alone. There was a famine in the land at that time, but he believed God would take care of him; and so He did, for in the morning two ravens came bring- 32 ONE HOUR A WEEK. ing "bread and meat to him, and again in the evening, and did so every day until the little brook had dried up and God told hhn to go to another place. Eavens are not usually gentle birds, but are strong and wild; but then, they were working for God, and in obedience to Him brought the food and gave it to Elijah. As they laid the precious morsels on the rock before him, do you not suppose he thanked God for sending it? Then when we have much more than birds could bring us, ought not our hearts to be full of love for the blessings of every day and hour? CHAPTER VI. "by one man, sin entered into the world." Do you remember there was one com- mand which Aclam and Eve were to obey in the garden of Eden? Only one; but God said, if they ate of the fruit of that one forbidden tree, they should surely die. We do not know how long a time they lived there in perfect hapj)iness ; but they did eat of that fruit, and then were filled with fear, and tried to hide from the presence of God Vain at- tempt ! for there never has been a sin committed from that hour until now, that God did not watch and see. He called to Adam, and asked what he had done. Not that He did not 34 ONE HOUR A WEEK. know, but He wished to see what an- swer the man could make. Now, notice, Adam in the beginning did, as the wicked always have done ever since; tried to put off the blame on some one else, for meanness and cowardice began as soon as man began to sin. His re- ply to God was: "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." Then the Lord asked the woman, and she in turn, tried to blame the serpent who by a lie had told her that they would not die. Thus you see, by one ♦ man sin entered into the world, and there in that beautiful garden where human life commenced in peace and purity, even there sin began. First, Adam and Eve secretly wished they might taste; for if they had not thought of disobeying, they would not so willingly have listened to the first lie. Then, when charged with the sin, how they each excused themselves by trying to throw the blame on another! DEATH. 35 And now they had offended the Holy God; that God who is love, the Great Being who has existed forever and ever, the merciful God, who has filled the earth with His goodness, the wise God who did not give them any thing very great or very hard to do, only an easy command which they conld have obeyed. He knew when He pnt them there that they would disobey Him ; bnt that made no difference in their sin, for they were free to obey and be happy, or dis- obey and die. They chose to disobey, and the just and true God who can not change, was obliged to punish them. Had they remained pure and holy, there never would have been any suffering or sorrow or pain; but death came by sin, for the just God had said : " In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." It does not mean that their bodies died instantly, but that they were under sentence of death, and of a death more terrible than that which makes the body 36 ONE HOUR A WEEK. stiff and cold and lifeless. They were immediately banished from their beau- tiful home. Can you not imagine their slow steps, the sad looks from eyes that then shed the first tears that ever fell, and the deep sighs of distress in hearts that never before knew what sorrow meant ? But they were driven on, till they came to the gates of paradise; on, into the unknown lonely world. If they looked longingly back to their Eden home, there was an angel with a flam- ing sword, to guard the entrance that they might never more return. Here in this outer world were no delightful fruits; but they must toil and labor, and in sorrow cultivate the ground to produce their food, and when their weary lives were over, lie down in suffering and pain, and at last in anguish die, and those bodies become dust. But what of those souls in the imas;e of God, which were to live forever and ever? It was sad enough for those BANISHED FOREVER. 37 bodies, beautiful in form and feature, full of grace and vigor, to be banished from Paradise, never more to hold com- munion with their Maker as he talked, to them in the garden; but that was not all — those souls were banished from God. They and their children were to dwell in this world under the frown of that justly offended God, until the weary body should be worn into the grave. And then — ah ! and then — their mis- erable souls, still banished from His presence, should be sent to a place of everlasting punishment prepared ~for Satan, and all who forget God. CHAPTER VII. "THE LAW IS nOLT, AND THE COMMANDMENT HOLY, AND JUST, AND GOOD." There was a noise and confusion the other clay in the street. "What was it all about t Every body was getting out of the way, for crowds of men and boys were rushing down-town. In the midst were two policemen, and between them, a man with an evil, angry-looking face, whom they were dragging along. He struggled to get away, but they forced him on, till they reached the jail, where he was put in a cell with a grated win- dow, and the heavy bolt pushed bach in the iron door, and then he could not escape. They surely would not have taken an THE PRISONER. 39 innocent man and carried Mm off — oli ! no. He had been stealing, he . had broken the law of the land, and he must expect to suffer the punishment. The next mornino* he was brought into the court-room to be examined. Some questions were ashed him, and then he was sent back to his gloomy cell till the time appointed for trial. Then he is to be brought again to the court-room, where sits the judge, and the prisoner is seated on a low bench before him; those who saw him steal, are obliged to come in as witnesses, and prove that he is guilty. Sometimes the prisoner engages coun- sel, and when the testimony has been given proving he is really guilty, his lawyer tries to plead for him. Suppose he should say: "Yes, the prisoner is guilty, he confesses it; but he was suf- fering for the clothes which he stole. Listen to the bleak winds of winter, shudder as you see the drifts of snow beating against the windows, draw your 40 ONE HOUR A WEEK. own warm garments more tightly around you, and look at the wretched prisoner in his threadbare, tattered rags. Need you wonder that the temptation over- came him? Gentlemen, I plead for mercy." Every heart in the court might be filled with sorrow for the wretched man, but he is none the less guilty of having broken the law. Suppose the lawyer should rise again, and say: "I will pay a ransom for this man — let me give you a certain sum of money, and let him be free." But for every broken law there must be a punish- ment, and neither mercy nor pay could satisfy the law. To continue to be a perfect law, it must pronounce the sen- tence and punish the guilty. Now let us see how Adam and Eve stood. They had stolen from God, they had broken his command. They # could not say they did not know it was wrong; for when Satan first tried to persuade Eve, she replied, that if they THE WITNESSES. 41 took the fruit they should die. You may think it was a hard law, that it was only a little sin and a very great punishment;' but God wished to try them; if they could not keep an easy command, they would not keep a greater one. So might the poor thief argue that it was only some coarse clothes he had stolen; but yet he had broken the law against stealing just as much as if the theft was greater. He might plead that he was in need, but Adam and Eve had no wants to supply, for they had enough before. Our poor ragged thief might plead that he had not been taught the sin of stealing, that he had grown up in wretchedness and poverty, surrounded by people more wicked than himself. But these two first sinners could not offer that excuse, for they were created without one impure wish, pure and holy, and held converse with none but the Holy One who made them. Angels looked on at their creation and sang 4* 42 ONE HOUR A WEEK. songs of glory to the Lord who had made man but little lower than them- selves. But now the blessed pair had wicked- ly, foolishly sinned, their kind and loving Father had become their offended Judge, and all the angels witnessed this, the first broken law. CHAPTER VXII. "for there is one god and one mediator between god AND MAN." We can not imagine sorrow in heaven. If we could, we should suppose that those heavenly witnesses, the angels, grieved to see the fall of man. Cer- tainly they must have t>een surprised, and have wondered what would become of the dwellers in that earth, new and beautiful from its Maker's hands. Man himself dared not utter one word, there was no way of escape; the vast, lonely world was his prison-house and God his angry ruler. Was there not one among the bright heavenly host who could beg for mercy, who could pray the Father to forgive the rebels ? 44 ONE HOUR A WEEK. But how should that commandment, which was holy and just,, be satisfied and yet man "be spared i There was one divine eye that "looked and saw there was none to help," and a voice sweet with compassion said: "Lo, I come to do thy will, O Lord !" One powerful arm was stretched out to save and "bring deliverance from death. "In His love and in His pity He re- deemed them." Was this one of the angelic host % Who had such power with God \ WJio could redeem and yet satisfy the law ? Surely it must have lieen one of equal power with God. It was. One of the three persons in the Godhead — the beloved Son — was the Mediator between God and man. He it was who said: "I delight to do thy will, O God !" And the great plan for which the world was made, for which God had permitted sin, was unfolded, and the silence of watch- ing angels was broken as they com- A MEDIATOR. 45 mencecl a new song : " Holy, holy, Lord, which was, and is, and is to come." But what was this plan? None but one equal with God, could have pro- posed terms which God could accept. Man was under sentence of death. God could not break his word, and man must die — only death could satisfy this broken law. God in His mercy did not wish to destroy man forever, and love devised a way to meet the punishment and save the man. This Holy Son offered to die in the place of the guilty, to let the wrath of God rest on Him and let man be forgiven. Was not that divine love and heavenly pity ? This is what it means to be a Mediator, to go between two parties, who can not of themselves be reconciled, and make peace between them. And it was not only to save Adam and Eve, but all who should ever live on this earth; as they would all be k born in a state of sin, since the first 46 ONE HOUR A WEEK. state of holiness was lost, so this atone ment would be so full and free as tt atone for all sin. The lawyer in the case of the poor ragged thief, might offer in vain to pay money for a ransom — in this case death must be the penalty, and so Jesus Christ died, that His death might be the ran- som. He is called the Redeemer, be- cause His dying blood was the price by which He redeems or buys back, the souls of men. He is called the Sav- iour, because He saves us from sin and its punishment. God at once accepted the promise of His coming, but it was many, many years before He actually came down to this world to die. But all who believed in the promise were forgiven, and God heard their prayers and accepted their worship. The people used to take the choicest animal of their flock — a lamb, a kid, or a goat — and burn it upon an altar, and as the smoke went up toward heaven, 4 A LAMB. 47 tliey would pray that He would accept their offering and forgive their sin. This was an emblem of the great offering which would be made when Christ died. This is why the Saviour Jesus Christ, this one Mediator, is called " The Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world." CHAPTER IX. BEGOTTEN SON TO DIE. Hundkeds and hundreds of years went on after the earth was created, and still God looked down upon a world, by this time full of people, and not one among them all who was so perfect that he did not need to be forgiven of sin. "Wicked as they were, He still loved them, and still cherished the great plan of salvation. "When some thousands of years had passed, the time came to do as He had promised. We have seen the love and pity of the Saviour when He offered to go and save man. But God the Father loved that only Son with a love as great and strong as His power. THE LIFE OF JESUS. 49 He who knew all things, ages before they came to pass, knew what His Son must suffer. How could a Father's lov- ' ing heart consent for His dear Son, His only Son, to endure all this % Ah ! it ; was because He " so loved the world." At last Jesus Christ became human, and was a babe in Bethlehem. You must read and study His life, for even in His human nature His history is a most remarkable one, and the thirty- three years which he spent upon earth, were more eventful than the life of any hero or conqueror the world ever saw. His is the only pure and perfect life which ever existed. He was like us in form and feature, with the same wants to satisfy ; was often hungry and cold and weary, suffered pain of body, and anguish of mind, and was often tempted, yet never sinned. And at last, when the days and nights of His life upon earth were nearly ended, when He knew the time had come for Him to suffer and die, He went into a 5 50 OWE HOUR A WEEK. lonely garden with a few of His friends. It was a sad, still place, where He often went to pray ; but now the saddest hour of His life had come. Himself pure and innocent, so holy He could not look upon sin without abhorrence ; yet the sins of a whole world rested upon Him, and crushed His spirit even to the earth. Words could not describe the weight of woe under which He suffered, with groans and tears and cries ; how fervently He prayed to God, how in the chilly night His worn-out form was prostrate on the cold ground, and yet in His agony He sweat great drops that fell from His face like drops of blood, till human na- ture sunk from anguish of spirit, and He fainted. Do you not see what love it was in the Father to suffer His dear Son to endure all this for us ? Did He not from heaven watch every throb of the human heart of the poor Sufferer through that terrible night ? And when He fainted, God sent an anorel to strengthen Him. This was THE CROSS. 51 the agony of spirit, but before another ni^ht He had endured all the tortures of body, which hate and revenge and cruelty could invent. Nailed on the cross, He died — and the world was saved. Who was this whose death could save a whole world \ It was a Man ; for he was born a child in Bethlehem, he grew like any other child, he became a man, he walked, he talked, he ate, he slept, he shed tears, he felt weariness and shame, like any man, and then he experienced bodily suf- fering and died, and his body became stiff and cold and lifeless, and was "bur- ied. He was more than man ; for God's pro phets had foretold Him hundreds of years before, and He came just as God had pro- mised. He had power over disease and death, over the waves of the sea and the power of the storms. He could perform miracles, He foretold future events ; and after He died, in three days He rose from the grave, appeared to His friends, and 52 ONE HOUR A WEEK. then in a few days they saw that same body, bearing the print of His death- wonnds, rise from the earth and ascend to heaven, "where He now sits at the right hand of God " CHAPTER X. "i "WILL POUR OUT MY SPIKIT UPON ALL FLESH." Jesus, when upon earth, had a few very dear friends ; and before He died He told them He was going back to His Father's house, meaning heaven, and there He would prepare a place for them. They were very sad when He told them He must suffer and die; but He said: "I will not leave you comfortless. I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter that He may abide with you forever." Soon after this, He died as He had told them ; but after He rose again He promised that they should be endued with power from on high. Ten days after He ascended to heaven, they were all in an upper room, when 5* 54 ONE HOUR A WEEK. suddenly there was a sound as of a "mighty rushing wind, which filled all the place, and there seemed tongues of fire resting upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." This was the promised power from on high, this Holy Spirit which God had promised to " pour upon all flesh." We have seen how Jesus Christ was equal with God, how He had existed from eternity, how He became two dis- tinct natures, lived and died and rose again to the bosom of His Father. But there are three person in the One God, and this third person, the Holy Spirit, then came to dwell among men. "We know we can not see a spirit, and it is hard for us to understand what this Holy Spirit is. Jesus Christ himself, in talking of the work of the Spirit, said it was like the wind; which we can hear blow, but we can not tell from whence it comes or where it goes." Look out in the early sunshine, and find a drop of clew glistening in the heart A POOR LITTLE BOY. 55 of a rose. Can you tell how in the silent night, the dew-drop was formed, or how it came in the flower? You only see that the rose which the evening before was dusty and drooping, is refreshed by the pure gentle influence that quietly came in its bosom. Thus it is with the Holy Spirit, which ever, since it was sent to that company of Jesus' followers, has dwelt upon the earth, and, quietly and unseen, works upon the hearts of men. When children remember the blessed words of Jesus, when they think of all they are taught in Sabbath-school, when they try to be good and obedient, it is the Spirit which is quietly acting upon their hearts. A poor little boy was once out in the streets when they were covered with snow. His shoes had holes in them, and through the rags in his coat you could see the purple flesh on his poor, thin arms. He stood looking in at a store where he saw plenty of warm stockings and stout shoes, and as he looked had to keep 56 ONE HOUR A WEEK. striking his numb feet against each other to keep them from freezing. Just then he saw an old lady get in a carriage, and something fell down in the snow in the gutter. He picked it up — it was a purse, full of money ! In an instant he seemed to see the shoes and stockings he could buy, and his poor, sick mother comfort- able with food and fire and medicine. For an instant he was almost blind with joy, then looking carefully around to see if any one was watching, he slipped it into his pocket. But while he looked, it seemed as if a voice wintered: "Thou God seest me." He heard that verse the Sunday before at the ragged school, and his cheek burned with shame as he ran after the carriage till he overtook it, and returned the purse to the lady. She saw how poor he looked, and her kind heart was touched. She took him in her carriage, bought him warm shoes and stockings, and clothes, and then went with him to see his sick mother, and be- came a true friend to them both. A HEAVENLY VOICE. 57 It was the Holy Spirit who whispered the truth to the little boy's heart, and the same good Spirit which prompted the lady's deeds of kindness. Thus the good Spirit watches over every little child, and will whisper to their hearts, if they will but listen to the heavenly voice. CHAPTER XI. "FROM A CHILD THOU HAST KNOWN THE HOLT SCRIPTURES." Theee is another precious gift for which we should love and thank God — it is the Holy Bible, the Book of books. Other books may be good, and we may love to read them; but they were all written by human beings like ourselves ; while this book is the work of many au- thors, all directed by God how and what to write. Then most of the books which we see, are written in a short time, and are read for a while, but in a few short years at most, are laid aside and forgotten. But ,this book was commenced more than a thousand years before Christ was born, THE WONDERFUL BOOK. 59 and was not finished till many years after He died and went to heaven. It was commenced by Moses, the meekest man who ever lived, and was finished by John, a good man whom Jesus loved better than any of His friends, and who is called the Beloved Disciple. God employed' so many persons and so much time in making this book, that we might understand that it was to last for- ever. Most books are only upon one theme, or at most, embrace but few subjects ; but the Bible speaks of every thing which the human mind can think of. Then it is suited to every body ; the wisest scholar who ever lived can find some things in it which he needs to study hard to under- stand, and yet the simplest child can learn enough to make him happy forever. Most books we can study and soon learn all that is in them, but this book is like a flowing spring whose clear waters gush from an eternal rock; the world 60 ONE HOUR A WEEK. may drink forever and yet the unceasing stream will flow on. When I was a little girl I knew an old gentleman* who was a wise and good man. When he was eighty Ave years of age, he told me one day, that he and his wife to- gether had read the Bible, through sixty times. They began when they were mar- ried, when he was twenty-five years old, and read it through every year. I never can forget when he laid his hand, trembling with age, on my head, and said : " My dear child, every time I read the Bible, I learn something I did not know before. You must begin to study it younger than I did, for I feel that I know but little about it. I have had a long journey in this sad world, and sometimes the way has been very dark ; but I thank God that He gave His word to be i a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.' I shall soon be laid in the dark grave, but I know the same holy words will light me to that bright * David L. Dodge, of New-York. THE BOOK FOR CHILDREN. 61 • place, where there is no night." The clear old man has long been gone to his Messed home; and as his eyes, which grew dim over the holy page, now look on the face of God, do you not think he rejoices that he made that precious "book the guide of his life ? Children are very apt to think it is well enough for grown people to read the Bible, but that it was not made for them. But long before they can read they can learn to repeat verses, and listen to the sweet stories, for there are many, sweeter and more wonderful than any story-book ever told. Then there are some parts of the Bible that seem to have been written expressly for them. There are many stories about children, the lives of some who early served the Lord, and when very young were wise and good; and there is the beautiful story of Jesus Christ holding the little ones in His arms and blessing them and saying : " Of such is the king- dom of heaven." 6 CHAPTER XII. You will think it very strange to be told that there is not one person on the earth so good that they do not sin. The Bible tells ns that : "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." It is strange, after God had so loved the world and given ns His beloved Son to die for us, the Holy Spirit to work upon onr hearts, and the Holy Bible to guide ns, that still we are all snch sinners. I know you little children will think this very hard to believe, and will think of your father or mother or your minister whom you think very good, and you will suppose the Bible did not mean them. They may seem very good to you, and it is right that you should try to be like 1\01\E ARE GOOD. 63 therii as far as tliey are like Christ ; but if you could see in their hearts as God does, you would find they have wicked thoughts sometimes, and that when they do some things which seem generous and good, it comes from some wicked wish. Paul, of whom you will read in the Bible, became one of the best men who ever lived ; and even he said : " The good that I would, I do not ; but the evil which I would not, that I do." God has given us His law in ten commandments, which we are to obey, and which every child should commit to memory. It is om duty to obey these, and yet there is no one so good that they would not, ill some way or some time, have to answer for having broken some of these laws. It is because we all have such wicked hearts : as long as these hearts remain so sinfiil our actions can not be good. Sup- pose you should begin from this hour to try and be good and obey God in every thing;. I once heard of a little boy who deter- 64 ONE HOUR A WEEK. mined to try and see if for one day he could be really good. He did not kneel down in the morning and pray God to help him, but thought if he only said, " I will? that it would be easy enough. He played with his little sister, and help- ed his mother, and said his lesson, and did every thing very well, till just before dinner, when he sat down and thought it all over in this way : " Well, Frank, you've been a good boy — you was very kind to play with your baby-sister when you wanted to go out to the woods ; you was a noble boy to help your mother ; and it was very generous to giv£ away five cents to that poor child. I know my father will give me a dime for my generosity." Then he thought how his mother would praise him for all this ; but oh ! she could not see his proud heart, nor did she know the motive for his generosity. After think- ing of all this, he walked into the house, holding himself up very straight, with a long, solemn face. FRANK'S GOOD DAY. 65 Just then his older brother, a naughty fellow who loved to tease, said: "Take a seat, parson Frank — you look very saint- ly." Poor Frank's goodness could not stand that, and he answered with a dou- bled fist and a hard blow. Frank thought, like many children, that he had only to change his actions, and forgot that it was his sinful heart. Then he thought that he could make himself better, and did not pray to God : " Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." He thought he could keej3 himself from temptation, and began to be very proud of it, because he gave up going to the woods to please his sister ; but when he was angry, instead of whispering, " De- liver us from evil," his good resolutions were gone, and his good day came to a very bad end. 6* r ^7 A. CLEAN HEAi ■V* ^#^M^MN' CHAPTER XIII. "create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me." There was another boy, named Charlie, who, like Frank, wanted to be good, but lie was thoughtless, and did wrong very often, and when asked about it would say: "Oh! I forgot." His father one day told him that he had read of a way to make him remem- ber. Out in the yard was a tall white post, and he intended to keep an account there. Every time he did wrong he would drive in a nail, so the big black nails would show him how often he had forgotten. In a few weeks there were many nails driven in the post, but Charlie seemed THE NAILS. 67 sadly troubled to see so many, and was really trying to improve, and his father told him that he would still drive one for every bad action, but for every good ac- tion he would pull one out. "Well, for a time there seemed to be about the same number, some pulled out and some driven in ; but after a few months there was not one left. One day his father went out and found Charlie sitting on the grass at the side of the post crying bitterly. " My son, what is the matter V Charlie only sobbed and pointed to the post. " But my son, the nails are all drawn out." " Yes, father," cried Charlie, " but the marks are all there." Sure enough, there were the great black holes on the white post, to remind Charlie of all his faults. His father told him it was so with his heart. When he was an innocent baby, it was pure and white ; then as he began to unders-tand a little, he began to get angry and show a naughty temper; as he grew older 68 ONE HOUR A WEEK. the sinful nature which every one has possessed since Adam's first sin began to show itself more and more, and led him to speak improper words, be disobedient, and commit wicked actions; and for every sin, came a dark stain on that pure heart. " And," said his father, " if this marked post distresses yon, what wonld you feel if you could see your heart as God sees it, all stained and marked and spotted with sin V Perhaps many of you, like Charlie, have never thought of all this before; perhaps you would like to be good, but you think how Frank tried and how his good resolutions turned out, and some im- patient child will say : "Well, what's the use of trying? I can't be good any way." But Frank did not try in the right way. If you do as he did, you will not succeed any better. Charlie was in a better way to succeed than Frank, for he began to see that it was his wicked TRUE SORROW. 69 heart which made him do wrong. But when his father told him how black and stained that heart must look to God, he cried more bitterly than ever, and said : " O Father ! what shall I do ? I can't make it any better. What shall I — what can I do !" His kind father was glad to see such sorrow, for this is why God allows us to see some of the wickedness of our hearts, that we may be truly sorry for our sins. " No, my child," said his father, " you can not make it any better." God at first made it pure; you have spoiled it with sin : but if you are truly sorry and re- pent of those sins, He will forgive them. He himself has told us what to say to Him. Go alone in your own little room, and repeat over and over to Him this prayer : " ' Create in me a clean heart and re- new a right spirit within me.' " Sometimes children think — oh ! it will be time enough to think of this when I am older, and so they go on, and every 70 ONE HOUR A WEEK. time tliey are disobedient and unkind, or tell a lie, or speak wicked words, the dark stains grow darker and larger until at last their hearts are so black with sin, and so hard, that they do not feel any sorrow at all. No one ever cried to God in sorrow as Charlie did, that He did not hear. He says : " I will take away your stony heart, and give you a heart of flesh." The heart, when it is full of sin, is cold and hard, and this is why the Bible calls it a stony heart. But if you wall in sorrow pray this prayer to God, to "create a clean heart," He will fill it with His love, and make it pure and kind, and warm and gentle. CHAPTER XIV. " THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CLEANSETH FROM ALL SIN." Do you know how it is that God can take the hard heart, all stained and dark, and wash it white and clean ? "When Jesus Christ was here on earth, his wicked enemies took him and stretched his body upon a tall wooden cross ; they took nails and drove them through his hands and his feet, and tore their quiver- ing flesh, and pierced the veins with the rough nails until the blood flowed down from the cross. He wore upon his head a crown of thorns, which, in mockery, they had put on him, and while the sharp points of the thorns pierced his temples and the blood trickled down, his sad face, 72 ONE HOUR A WEEK. full of pity for his cruel murderers, was lifted toward heaven in prayer for them. They took a spear and pierced his side until blood flowed from the wound. Why did His Father let that precious blood be spilt ? It was so that it might wash away the sins of the world — nothing but that blood could cleanse those dark sin-stains upon every heart. • And if it was not necessary that those stains should be washed away, Jesus would not have given so costly a price. Death was the sentence passed upon all sinners — and as all have sinned, it has passed upon us. We must die. Not only our bodies but our souls were under sentence of an eternal death; but this "Friend of sinners" came down from heaven and died in our place, that we may be saved from that everlasting death* We are guilty, and deserve to die ; but this Saviour who never sinned, says : " I have suffered — it is enough. I bore the weight of sin — let man be forgiven." And God not only forgives us, but takes A SICK MAN. 73 tii^se wicked hearts and washes them in Hia precious blood as clean and white as if they never had sinned. He took onr sins, and now God, in His mercy, forgives and pardons us, and treats us as if we had been righteous like Jesus. Is not this wonderful love, that He should bear our sins, and allow us to wear His righteousness ? — and this is what is meant by being justified with God. And yet how many children and grown people know all this, know that we all are sinners, know that all must die, but do not seem to be at all anxious to be saved from death. Suppose a man was sick of some loath- some disease, so that the fair and rosy face was covered over with sickening sores, which every day were getting larger and deeper. Suppose the disease got stronger hold upon his body every- day, and seemed spreading over his whole form, and he knew that at last he must die. Then suppose that many persons whom he knew told the truth, who were 74 ONE HOUR A WEEK. his friends, and wished him to be well, should tell him that a certain spring had been discovered, whose waters could cure that disease; that if he would go and bathe there, the sore and painful flesh would be healed and become again healthy and smooth. Now, if he had reason to believe that this word was true, would he not go as quickly as possible and bathe in the restoring waters and be cured \ Suppose he should pay no attention to what they told him, as if he did not care that he was a loathsome, disgusting crea- ture. Suppose he should say : " Well, I'll wait until I get worse ; when I think I am just going to die, I'll go — but there need be no hurry about it; I don't think I'm sick enough yet to be cured." Would not you say the man was a fool ? But do you know your hearts are in a worse condition than that poor miserable body; they are so scarred and stained with sin that they are loathsome to God. Those dark spots will eat deeper and A WONDERFUL SPRING. 75 deeper, and become canker-sores, whose painful throbbings will never cease; and yet, like the foolish, sick man, you do not seem to believe or regard it when you are told, that a wonderful fountain has been opened, where they can be washed and made clean. You need not search to find the wonderful spring, for it is always open — you can not doubt the truth of this, for the Bible tells us many times, that this blood will wash away all sin. The sick man's disease would at last only kill the body, but this heart of sin, if still unwashed, will forever ruin the soul. Then, why not, like Charlie, look at your hearts, and see how sinful they are, and then ask God, for Jesus' sake, to wash them clean in that precious blood \ CHAPTER XV. " BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED." I suppose if I should go and ask every little child who reads this book, if they "believed in Jesus Christ, they would say : " Oh ! yes, of course we do. We believe that he is God's dear Son ; that he came to this world and died to save sinners, and that he is now in heaven, and for his sake God will forgive sin." Yes, it is necessary to know all that ; and yet that is not the way in which we are to believe and be saved. Many people believe all that, who do not love God; who do not thank Jesus for dying for them, and who never have FAITH. 77 asked Hini to wash away their sins in His blood. They never have felt that they were sinners, or that they needed to be saved. To really believe on Jesus, is to feel your need of Him, to feel that your heart is sinful and wicked, that it will surely die if that sin is not taken away; then to feel that it was for you He spilled that precious blood on the cross, to believe that for His sake, God will forgive you, and to pray earnestly that He will wash away those sins — to believe that He hears your prayers, and then He will send down into your heart the sweet hope that you are safe in His love. Children are apt to think Faith is a very hard thing to have, and a hard thing to understand. Some years ago a strange thing hap- pened, which will show you exactly what Faith means. During; the nio;ht there was a cry, " Fire ! Fire /" It proceeded from a large hotel, and the flames were bursting out from some of the windows. 7* 78 ONE HOUR A WEEK. ft The people rushed out of the building as quickly as possible, for the fire raged hot- ter and fiercer every moment. In one room of the hotel slept a girl, about twelve years old; the gentleman who was travelling with her slept in another part of the hotel, and in the con- fusion, could not find her room. She awoke almost suffocated by the smoke, and saw the flames bursting into the room. She tried to escape, but the stair-ways were one mass of fire. She went to the window, threw it up, and looked out; but she was in the third story, far from the ground. Her screams of terror were heard above the shouts of the firemen and the crackling of the angry flames. The din of voices was hushed as the crowd below looked anxiously at the ter- rible scene. There she stood, her face almost frantic with despair, wildly fling- ing out her arms, as if imploring for aid, the flames all behind, and the wind fan- SAVING FAITH. 79 ning them towards the thin white night- dress she had on. A resolute voice said, "She shall be saved !" and a stout fireman stepped out from the crowd. There was a balcony beneath where she stood. Seizing a lad- der, he hastily climbed upon this, balcony, and stood directly beneath her, with out- stretched arms. "Drop yourself down, and you shall be safe!" cried he. The girl gave one agonizing look behind her. She must perish if she staid. She stepped on the window-sill, closed her eyes, let go her hold, and in an instant the strong arms clasped her fainting form. Closely he pressed her to his heart, and carefully descending the ladder with his precious burden, bore her to a place of safety. It was faith when, in that instant of sorrow and fear and terror, she deter- mined to let go her hold and drop into the strong arms held out to save her. Do you not see that it is so with be- 80 ONE HOUR A WEEK. lieving in Christ I He saves us from a more terrible death than fire which can consume this frail body. He stands al- ways ready, and only asks for faith which will believe on Him, and we shall be saved. CHAPTER XVI. "for thou, .lord, art good, and ready to forgive." Whex Jesus was here in this world He often taught the people as children love to be taught, by telling them stories, or parables, as they are callefl.. The Bible is full of sweet and wonderful stories; but these-parables are better than all, for they came from the lips of Jesus himself. A few days before He was crucified He told many stories, and one which shows exactly how ready and willing God al- ways is to forgive. There was once a man who had two sons, and the younger said to him one day : " Give me my share of all that will belong to me." So his father divided all 82 ONE HOUR A WEEK. his money and Ms goods, and gave this son one portion. He took his money, and went from his home to a country far away, and there spent all he had in foolish wasteful living. A famine came upon the land, and he be- came so poor he was obliged to work hard to earn enough bread to eat. He hired himself to a citizen of that country ; and the work which he was obliged to do was a disgrace to a Jew — he was to feed the swine, the animals which all Jews considered unclean. But he was so poor and so near starving, that he often wished to eat the husks which he gave to the miserable animals in his car^; but no kind eye looked upon his distress ; no kind hand gave him bread. He thought of the plenty in his father's house, of the comforts there, of his childhood passed in perfect joy, and his early youth, when he never knew either want or care. He thought of the servants in that house, who lived in ease and comfort, with bread enough and to spare, and he, m want. 83 a son, perishing with hunger. But he was an outcast son ; he himself proposed the division of his father's goods, that he might take his share and go out from that loved roof, into the wide world open before him. He left that home, and here he is now T , sunken to the society of these unclean animals, and almost envy- ing them their wretched food. He feels how bitterly he is punished for his sin, and, filled with sorrow and shame, he determines what he will do. "I will arise and go to my father, and say, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy son : make me as one of thy hired servants." He started immediately — in his want, in his rags, covered with shame, full of thoughts of his < own unworthiness, he journeyed on toward his home. Sometimes when weary by the way- side, doubtless he feared lest his father would be angry, and his heart almost sunk within him as he came nearer. He 84 ONE HOUR A WEEK. knew lie did not deserve to be a son, bnt if lie was only allowed to be a servant, it wonld be joy indeed. On lie went : and while lie was a great way off, his father saw him, and ran to him, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him. The repentant son said : " Father, I have sinned against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." But that was only half of what he meant to say — before he could ask to be made a servant, his loving father com- manded his servants to bring the best robe and put it on, to put a ring upon his hand, and 'shoes on his feet — to make a great feast, and rejoice ; " For this, my son, was dead, and is alive — was lost, and is found." CHAPTER XVH. "BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK." It is night : from a dwelling near by, come sounds of joyful music, and bright lights shine out in the darkness, showing glimpses of the gay scene "within. It is the home of a young man who has invited some friends, young and gay as himself, to come and be merry with him. He is young, and life is all bright before him ; he is rich, and can gratify every desire : but yet he is never satisfied ; there are some strange longings in his heart which money and comforts do not fill. Even now in the midst of the gay- ety a voice seems to whisper : " It is all in vain — this is not real happiness." 8 86 ONE HOUR A WEEK. After a while the music ceases ; one by one the gay guests depart ; and sad and alone, the young man sits in silence. Hark ! there is a gentle footstep at the door, and then some one softly knocking ; but lost in his own dreams, he does not seem to hear. Again and again the sound, and at last he hears the knock, but only glances that way. Who is it, that is thus by the mas- ter of the house permitted to stand ? Through the half-open door he must see that patient form ; the light falls on him, and shows his dust-worn robe trailing on the ground ; his unprotected head seems bent with sorrow, and his locks all wet with the dews of the night. His naked feet look weary and worn, but surely it was more than the dangers of the way which made those deep scars there. His hand is Jiejd out as if he asked some favor, and there in that outstretched hand, there is a deejD, strange scar. Is it not the print of a nail ? And yet he stands and knocks, his face WAITING STILL. 87 full of pity and compassion, and tears of sorrow streaming from his mild eye. Who is it that is treated with such meanness, left to stand in the cold dews of night \ — for still the young man does not open to his imploring knock. And who is this stranger that thus stands and knocks and waits? It is a heavenly Visitor — the same feet that bled on the cross, stand waiting to be invited in ; the same hands that were pierced with nails, are stretched out as if to implore mercy. And there sits the young man un- moved, and sighing for some real happi- ness, when the hand which is held out to him, if he would but accept it, would give him everlasting joy. "What do you think of such a young man ? Ah ! children, this is no picture of mine. Jesus Himself says these blessed words : " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me." Again 88 ONE HOUR A WEEK. He says : " If a man love me, he will keejD my words : and my Father will love him, and we will come nnto him, and make onr abode with him." Was not that a foolish yonng man to slight such promises as these? — not to open the door to such a visitor ? But do you know that unless we love Jesus, and have this saving faith in Him, we are all like that young man ? Every week that you learn these precious verses, you are shown the way of life ; and then if you would stop and listen, you would hear this knocking at the door of your hearts. This kind Friend does not wait for us to seek Him ; He comes and stands and begs as if Hq was to receive some favor from us, instead of granting to us the only joy and comfort which will last forever. But you have gay, thoughtless com- panions ; your hearts are full of pleasure which amuses for the time ; and you silence the thoughts of that Saviour who knocks for admittance, and think : " I'm a little child now — when I'm older, it SLIGHTED CALLS. 89 will be time enough to think about all that." 'And so you go on, like the but- terfly which flits through the sunbeam, and lights on the gaudiest flowers, never knowing that a cold night will come when there will be neither warmth nor food in the perished flowers, and he must fold his gaudy wing, and like them perish in the dust. 8* CHAPTER XVIII. I AM THE BREAD OP LIFE.' Once while Jesus was liere in this world, he had been talking all day to a great crowd of men, women, and child- ren, who had all come together to hear and see this man who had done so many wonderful things. They listened to his teachings until it was almost evening, not even allowing Jesus any time to eat ; and neither his disciples nor the hungry crowd had eaten any food. The disciples told Jesus that the day was almost gone, and asked him to send the people away, that they might go into the towns and buy themselves food to eat. Jesus asked how much they ON THE GREEN GRASS. 91 had with them; they answered: "Five loaves, and two small fishes." Jesus then told the disciples to have the people all sit down in companies. So they arranged them all by fifties and hundreds, seated in rows, on the green grass. Then Jesus took the bread and the two little fishes, and looking up to heaven, blessed and broke them in pieces, and told them to hand the food around to the multitude. They did so, and there was plenty for all. After they had eaten, Jesus told them to gather up the pieces which were left, for it is not His will that any thing should be lost or wasted. They gath- ered them all together, and what was left filled twelve baskets — far more than the small loaves which they had at first ; and yet five thousand men, besides women and children, had been fed. "Was it not kind in Jesus to feed the hungry multi- tude ? — for he looked on them with com- passion, and in pity fed them. But it was not alone compassion for 92 ONE HOUR A WEEK. those hungry people that he "by a miracle supplied bread for their wants ; it was that wherever the Gospel is known this story shall be told to show that He can satisfy the hungry soul. Our bodies are so formed that we must have food — with- out it we die ; and God has provided it in abundance to supply our every want. So our souls hunger after something which the joys and cares and business of this world never can give. It is this want of our souls which the love of Jesus will fill, and so He says : " I am the liv- ing bread, which came down from heav- en : if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever." He says ( also : " Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall he filled" The good, loving Jesus, is so anxious to fill our hungry souls, that He comes in every way to try and win our hearts to Him. He calls Himself " the water of life, of whom if a man drink, he shall never thirst." "We know what suffering it must be to die of thirst — to long for WATER OF LIFE. 93 even a drop of cooling water to soothe the dry and burning tongue. He repre- sents Himself as a fountain, that is al- ways flowing, always ready, that never can "be exhausted, though thousands and thousands drink, and are satisfied : still He cries : " Come to the waters and drink, without money and without price." And at the close of the precious Bible once more the invitation is repeated : " The Spirit says, Come / and let him that heareth say, Come ; and whosoever will, let him come and drink of the water of life freely." CHAPTER XIX. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. 7 Here in this country we do not know much about the life of a shepherd. It is a person whose business it is to watch and care for a flock of sheep and lambs. All day he watches them, and leads them w r here they can find the greenest and ten- derest grass, and through meadows where there is fresh and flowing water for them to drink. They all love him for his kindness, and learn to know his voice and follow his footsteps. When he calls they gladly go wherever he leads them, and the little lambs are fed from his hand. The young- I est of his flock he gathers in his arms and THE FOOLISH LAMB. 95 carries them in his bosom, and when they wander to rough, stony paths, he goes after them, and carefully guides them back to a place of safety. In the cool mornings and evenings he goes with them to the sunny hills, that they may enjoy the warm air ; but in the noon-day heat he finds for them a spread- ing shade, where under some broad tree they all gladly gather around him who so tenderly watches them. At night he calls them all together and puts them within a fold or inclosure, to keep them safe, lest if they staid out in the broad field some hungry wolf would steal in, and in the darkness carry away a tender lamb. I expect you have all heard of the fool- ish little lamb who was tired of staying in the fold. She looked far away in the distance, and saw the blue mountains, and thought that must be some enchant- ed land ; and she began t<3 wish and wish that she could wander away by herself, and see what grew on the mountains. 96 ONE HOUR A WEEK. When she had these thoughts she did not love the voice of the shepherd as she once did, and at last she determined to steal away. Her mother told her of the dangers of that outer world, of the fierce animals that would devour her; but she would not believe it. She thought one little lamb could go through the woods so quietly, she would never be found out. One night when the shepherd called she hid herself under a tall bush until ijie flock was folded, and then she crept out, crossed the road, and started toward the blue mountains. For a while the moon shone brightly on her way; but dark clouds soon came, and she could not see the rough stones and sharp briers before her. The shepherd counted his flock, and one was missing. He went out to the wilderness, and called, but there was no answer. He would have taken the lamb and carried it in his arras safely back, but she was hid under a rock, and LOST. 97 though she heard him call again and again, she would not go back to him. He returned to his flock, but his heart was full of pity for the lost lamb. The sheep were quietly sleeping on the ground all around, and the little lambs closely nestled in their warm fleecy beds, but he could not rest, and often raised his head and listened to see if he could hear the voice of the wanderer coming back to him. Hark! in the stillness there were some fearful cries, and the shriek of hun- gry wolves quarrelling over the lamb as they tore her in pieces. Now the Saviour is the good Shepherd, and He sweetly calls for these lambs to remain in His fold. Will any of these dear little ones stray away to the moun- tains of sin, and refuse to come back when he so tenderly calls ! If you do, there is a worse enemy than the wolf, one who is always watching for prey. The same wicked one who tempted our mother Eve in the garden, still "goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom 9 98 ONE HOUR A WEEK. he may devour." He rejoices to find the foolish little lambs that are wandering away from the Saviour's fold. Some of the dear ones who used to spend with us this "one hour a week," are not with us now. They are the gath- ered lambs which He has taken in His arms and carries in His bosom. "We will not wish they were back with us, for they are safe forever, feeding on the bread of life, in the green fields of paradise, drinking of the fountain of living water. Let us listen to the call of the good Shep- herd wherever He may lead, and we shall all meet at last, safely gathered in His heavenly fold. • CHAPTER XX. QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT. Deae children, when you think of this good Shepherd calling you to be His own precious lambs, do you not feel your hearts full of love to Him, and wish that you might really see Him and run to Him, that He might fold you in His arms and bless you, as He did the little children when He was on earth \ And sometimes at night, when the evening shadows gather around you, a voice seems to say : "lam the Way, the Truth, and the Life ; believe in me." Do not try to drive away these blessed thoughts ; it is the voice of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus sends to help you to remember all His words. He is so afraid 100 ONE HOUR A WEEK. you will not listen and believe and live, that after calling you in every way to lead you to Hiin, He sends His Spirit, gently to melt your heart ; and then He so fears you will not listen and be led by it, that He tells you not to quench the Spirit. You know what it would be to quench a fire; it can be done in many ways. You can pour water on it, you can smother it, or you may let it alone, and it will go out of itself. So it is with this Holy Spirit. Many times, children, and older people, too, try to drown all their serious thoughts in pleasure, to hide their real feelings by a loud, merry laugh, and to avoid going where they will hear any thing to make them think anxious thoughts about their own hearts. But when they do any of these things, they not only slight and pain that dear Saviour, but they break His command. Many children try to silence all care about their souls by saying : " I'm too young now to think of this — children > ' AN OPENING BUD. 101 can't be Christians." But this is a. great mistake. If you wished to give a flower to a Mend, to show your love for hiin, you would not wait, and let the hot sun beam on it through all the livelong day, and when it was withered, its sweetness all gone, and its leaves just ready to drop from its stem, you would not then offer it as an evidence of your love. The time to give it would be when the bud was just opening, sweet and fresh, glistening with morning's early dewdrops on its unfold- ing leaves. So with your hearts. While they are young and pure, fresh with the dew of youth, give them to Him who claims your best love. It is not so hard to be a Christian now, as it will be when you are old, your heart hard with sin. Only try and do as you have been taught, and quench not the Spirit, and you will feel in your heart the sweet hope that you [are one of God's dear children. If it was intended that only grown people should be Christians, this way of 9* 102 ONE HOUR A WEEK. life would not have "been made so easy and so plain. Not only does Jesus wish the young to "be Christians, hut when He was here, one day while teach- ing His disciples He called a little child to Hirn, and taking it in His arms, said : " Except ye receive the kingdom of God as a little child, ye can not enter therein." Then the Bible tells us of many good children who were Christians. There was one little hoy named Samuel, who was sent "to live in the temple and wait upon the priests. One night while he was asleep, he heard a voice calling: " Samuel ! Samuel ! " He answered, thinking it was the priest who called him, but again and again he heard the voice. It was the Lord who came to talk with him, and show him His holy will. . This was long before Christ was born. He does not now speak to us as He did to Samuel; but Jesus through] His Spirit calls every little child to Him, as plainly as if He called them every one by name, and said: " Kepent and be- lieve." CHAPTER XXI. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOT, PEACE, LONG SUFFERING, GENTLENESS." I hope some of these dear cliilclreii have learned to love the dear Shepherd who watches over them, and have earnest- ly prayed to God for Jesus' sake, to wash their hearts clean in His precious blood. But they must not suppose that when they have done this, the good work is done — it is only begun. We are told that we must pray without ceasing, for we are constantly sinning and need con- stant forgiveness, and the best Christians are those who are most sorry for their sins. The difference between a Christian and 104 ONE HOUR A WEEK. others is, tliat one is a penitent sinner, who feels that he is a child of God, and that His loving Father is always kind and ready to forgive ; bnt impenitent sin- ners are those who go on and are never sorry; who do not repent, or care that they are offending a kind and just God. But it is our duty to try and keep from sin, and if we have a new heart, to com- mence a new life. It is not true repent- ance to be sorry and seek forgiveness, and then go on doing the same things over again ; we must repent and forsake our sins. If the good Spirit dwells in our hearts, we shotdd show it in our lives. Once while Jesus was here, He sat upon a mountain, the people all around Him, and preached a sermon. He told them they could judge the heart by the acijons. He asked them if men could gather " grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles," and then said: "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit." It is just as true now as it was eighteen LL PRECIOUS FRUITS. 105 dred years ago, for the heart of man now is just as it was then. You might as well expect to find delicious grapes growing on a thorn-tree, as to see good and lovely actions come from an evil heart. If this Spirit of God dwells in the heart, its fruit will show in the life, and the Bible tells us what those fruits will ;be. You may think it is a long list, and that you can not always live in "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness." Ii you depend only on yourself, you could not for a single day keep from sin; but ;this Spirit which will dwell in your heart, will help you to keep in the -right way. Some Christians are so fearful and timid they seem to be always sad ; they have not enough faith to remember that God has said : " My grace is sufficient for thee." They forget that one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy ; they forget that David, the sweet singer of old, said: "Let all those that put their trust in 106 ONE HOUR A WEEK. Thee rejoice ; let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest thern; let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee." Children sometimes . think it is a gloomy thing to be a Christian, but they are mistaken. It was not a gloomy thing when an angel came to* the shep- herds in the fields of Bethlehem, and said: "I bring you tidings of great joy." And it was glad music when a multitude of the heavenly host sang : " Glory to God in the highest." Except for these glad tidings life would have been gloomy indeed; then, who should be so joyful as those who hope their sins are forgiven? We are told: " There is joy in heaven among the angels over one sinner that repenteth." . Let us, then, always be glad, and remember that " the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads ; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall nee away." CHAPTER XXII. u THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD, WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND." Some years ago, I was travelling in the cars, when by an accident they were de- tained, and all the passengers were col- lected in a large room at the depot, wait- ing until they could start on again. It was the middle of the night, and every body was chilly and tired, and wrapped them- selves in their travelling-shawls and cloaks, and tried to be comfortable. Close by me was a woman with a little child, whom I had noticed when in the cars before dark ; bnt she was now sobbing bitterly : " Why couldn't I go with my mamma — I want my mamma," 108 ONE HOUR A WEEK. The woman tried to quiet her, but still she cried: "I want rny mamma." Poor child ! her mother was dead. The woman told me, that only a few ckys before, while she was watching beside her, she kissed the child farewell, and with a prayer on her lips that God would take care of her desolate orphan, she died. This woman said : " I do not know what I can do for her, for I am poor myself; but I could not leave her alone, and I determined to take her with me to the West, and try to find a home for her somewhere." A thoughtful-looking lady sat by, and listened to the story ; then she took the* sobbing little girl up in her arras, softly \ \stroked her smooth brown hair, talked to Ler in a gentle tone until the tears were all dried away, and soon the little head nestled down on her shoulder, and the blue eyes were fast asleep. The lady and her husband seemed earnestly talking about the little sleeper, and soon asked the woman who had the THE CHILD ADOPTED. 109 i care of her, if she would give her to them. They assured her that they would take good care of her, and would love her and teach her as if she was their own child. They once had a little daughter, but she died; and now if they could adopt this child to gladden their lonely home, they would be happy, and do exactly for her as they would for their own daughter. Upon being satisfied that their story was true, the woman said they might take her, if the little girl was willing to go with them. Tenderly the lady held the little sleeper, covering her with her own warm shawl. After a while the little one awoke, but finding how kindly she was cared for, the frightened face sank back again, and she began to talk in her sweet baby-lan- guage. " Mamy love you" she said, and kissed her new friend. The lady told of her pleasant home in the country, of the birds and the flowers, and then 10 110 ONE HOUR A WEEK. • asked little Mary if she would not like to go there. By the time the shrill whistle warned ns to start again, the little heart was won, and the next morning she was seated at "breakfast "by her new mamma, as if she had always belonged there. As weeks and months rolled on, and her adopted mother and father continued their kind- ness in the home they gave the little orphan, do you not suppose she loved them ? She did not need to be told that she must love them, nor to stop and won- der why she did so. If asked, she could easily have said : " Because they love me, and give me all I have to make me so happy." Ah ! is it not strange that we need to be commanded to love Him who gave us our homes in this beautiful world, our friends and all our comforts? Is it not strange that our love does not always go up to Him, instead of needing to be told how we must love Him \ Need He who made our hearts, our souls, and our minds, ADOPTION. Ill claim their services ? But more than all, He lias given ns His Son and His Holy Spirit. Still more, when we are lost in this journey of life, led away in strange paths by sin, if we will but love Him, He will by adoption make us His own sons and daughters, and be always our kind, loving Father. Jesus says, if we will do His will, He will be our own Elder Brother. Who could refuse to love, with the promise of being adopted among the children of God, with Jesus for a dear Brother, and a place forever in that blessed heavenly home \ CHAPTER XXIII. "PRAT UNTO ME, AND I WILL HEARKEN." Do you remember the little girl who was adopted by the lady and gentleman in the cars i Well, if that little girl when she was playing should fall and be hurt, do yon not think, she would tell her kind mother? If there was something she wished for very much, would she not ask her kind father to give it to her ? And if she had done something wrong, and was sorry, would she not come and throw her arms round his neck, and hide her face against his shoulder, and beg him to forgive her ? Is not God a better Father to us than the adopted father of the little girl 1 He wishes us to go to Him with all our DOES HE HEAR? 113 wants and sorrows, just as the child would go to her father whom she loves. We are apt to feel as if God was so far away, that heaven is so far from earth, that we may say over our prayers as if we were just talking to ourselves, and nobody could hear. But God says : " Pray to me, and I will hearken." We know that His word is true, and He says, " He will hearken ;" so if He does not hear us, the fault must be either that we do not pray at all, or that we do not pray aright. He says He will hearken, but children sometimes think : " He may hear grown people, but I don't believe He hears us." Perhaps they never think to see whether He answers their prayers or not; but there never was a time when the most feeble little voice cried to Him and He did not hear. Last summer, when the blackb ernes were ripe, there were three little girls who started out in the afternoon to pick berries. They lived in the West, not far 10* 114 ONE HOUR A WEEK. from some great woods, where the trees were so thick and tall that the sunshine scarcely ever got in. They walked on through the woods, until they reached a little opening where the berries grew, and there picked the ripe fruit till they filled their baskets, walking on and on, all the time. At last, the eldest one, who was ten years old, thought it was time to start home. They walked toward home, as they thought, "but there was no path through the woods, and they saw that the sun had gone down, and it was get- ting dark. They still walked on a little farther, "but the youngest one cried that the briers hurt her feet, and they sat down. The wind began to moan in the tall tree-tops, and every moment it grew darker. They did not know what to do ; the little ones began to cry ; but the eldest one said : " God can see us, if it is so dark — let us ask Him to take care of us." So the three little girls took hold of WATCHING AND PRAYING. 115 hands, and knelt down on the ground, while 'the eldest one prayed aloud and asked God to help them safely out of the lonely woods. They all ate some of the berries for their supper, and then the two little ones soon cried because they were tired and cold. The oldest one found some bark and moss, and made a little heap of them, and then gathered up the dry leaves to make as soft a bed as she could, with the moss for a pillow. She laid the little ones down, and .took off her apron and cover- ed them, and then, after praying once more, she told them to go to sleep, and she sang sweet hymns to them to soothe their fears. They were soon sound asleep, and then she gathered some wintergreen leaves, that she smelt, growing close by, for she knew they would wake early in the morning, hungry. The minutes and hours seemed long and dreary to her, as she watched the dismal bed and its pre- cious sleepers ; but she sang, " to pass the 116 ONE HOUR A WEEK. rdglit away,' 1 she said, and when she got afraid, she prayed to God. All this time her father and mother, with many of the neighboring farmers, where looking everywhere for the lost children. They earned lanterns with them through the dark woods, and looked and listened every step. At last the mother's quick ear heard a voice ; they followed it, and the lantern- light showed them two little sleepers on a "bed of leaves, and the noble little woman on her knees beside them, still praying for help from Heaven. Do you think God hears children when they pray '? CHAPTER XXIY. PRAY "WITHOUT CEASING. We see that when the lost children were in trouble, and cried to God, He heard them; but if we only pray when we are in sorrow, and when we are happy forget all about it, can we expect to be heard \ Our Father in heaven never for- gets us; every hour, whether we are asleep or awake, He keeps our hearts in motion, for if he should forget us we should die. And so He tells us to pray without ceasing, that is, to live in the regular habit of prayer. You never forget to eat when it is time for breakfast and supper ; then you should never forget to thank God morn- ing and evening for His mercies, and to 118 ONE HOUR A WEEK. ask Him to forgive your sins, to bless you, and give you his Holy Spiiit to make you better. I once heard of a little boy who knelt down by his bed, and said something over and over, as fast as he could. His mother said : " My son, what are you doing V He answered " Oh ! I am saying my prayers over seven times, so I need not say any more for a week." Plenty of little children will laugh at this, who are exactly like this boy; for, like him, they say their prayers, but never pray. I have somewhere read of an old man, who often said that he never went to bed without saying over the prayer his mother taught him, when, a little child, he knelt every night at her knee. One Sunday he was in a Sunday-school listening, and a teacher asked his class what praying meant. One bright little fellow answered : " It's just begging God." The old man started; he never thought of that before — he went home still think- ing; he fell on his knees, and this time THE TWO PRAYERS. 119 jhe did not say the same words. With tears dropping down, and a trembling ! voice, he confessed that he had never truly prayed, and begged forgiveness for i Christ's sake. After that, he spent the irest of his life in going about to Sunclay- ; schools and meetings, and everywhere he would say: "This is the old man who \said his prayers for seventy years, and jnever prayed !" But it is not only of late there have been these people who said prayers, and did not pray, Jesus when He was in ithis world, saw just such people, and one day He told a story about this way of isaying prayers. This is the story He told : Two men went up to the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, a rich Jew, who wore a handsome trailing robe, and walked with a slow step, and. had a long, solemn face, as if he were very good and holy. He stood up in the temple, pro- bably looking about him to see if the people around did not watch him as he 120 ONE HOUR A WEEK. stood up so straight and grand, with his solemn face. Then he began : " God, I thank Thee ; I am not as other men are ; or even as this poor man here." Then he mentioned some of the mean wicked things which he was too proud to be seen doing, and then he told God what good ! things he did ; that he fasted twice- in a week, and paid part of all his wealth for taxes toward the temple. Now, notice this prayer. He does not ask God for a single thing ; he does not thank Him for any mercy; only boasts that he is not like the poor man near by. He need not have told God so boastfully what he did or what he did not, for He knew very well every action and every thought ; and so it seems there was very little praying about it, only a proud, im- pudent speech. The other was a poor man: he stood afar off, not on the high step where the Pharisee was, but in an humble place ; he dared not look up, but beat his hands, upon his breast, and said : " God be mer- THE POOR MAN. 121 ciful to me, a sinner." "Was not that, too, a very little prayer? — but it meant a great deal. He, too, told God what he was, but with sorrowful voice and down- cast eye, called himself a sinner. He begged for mercy, and implied as plainly |as if he had talked half an hour, that he knew God could be merciful ; he knew he needed mercy, and he believed God would hear his cry and * answer his prayer. 11 CHAPTER XXV. "teach us to prat." The little* company who loved Jesus and spent all their time with Him, one day asked Him to teach them to pray. First, He told them how they should not pray. They were not to he like the Pharisees, who used to stand on the cor- ners of the streets, and pray aloud, to be heard "by the people, so they should think them very holy; but they should go where none but God can see, and pray to Him. They were not to say vain words over and over, as the heathen do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. The poor man's prayer, which was most acceptable to God, was only seven words ; so it is not our many words OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN 123 which are prayer. Then they were not to have on a long sad face, which is only put on like a mask to cover a foolish heart. Jesns then taught them this prayer : " Our Father who art in heaven, hal- • lowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil : for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever." This prayer every child should learn, and repeat every day, and not only say over these words, but understand what they mean. Do you not think a child who every morning began the day by talking to his Father in heaven would try to remember that he was God's child \ would not the name of his dear Father in heaven seem holy to him \ would he not do what he could for His blessed kingdom to come on earth \ Suppose he was sick or poor 124 ONE HOUR A WEEK. yet if lie said every morning, " Thy will "be done," would it not help him to bear all his troubles, remembering that there is after this life a heaven, where it is our Father's will that His children should be free from all want and suffering \ If poor, would he not ask for daily bread, believing that Grod would take care of him ? There was once a poor widow, who with, two little children lived in an old cottage. She was* a good woman, and had taught her children to trust in God ; but they had become so poor, that one night they all went to bed without any supper. The children soon fell asleep, but the mother was so distressed she could not rest. Her tears soaked the pillow where she laid her head, tired out with trying to think of some way to get work to feed her hungry children ; but she remember- ed the promise : " I will preserve thy fatherless children ; let thy widows trust in me." THE POOR WIDOW. 125 Early in the morning the little boy awoke, and said : " Oh ! I am so hungry." His mother told him that they mnst trust in their heavenly Father, so the little boy repeated the Lord's Prayer, as he did every morning. When he came to the line, " Give ns this day, onr daily bread," he said, " O mother ! that prayer was made for ns," and he repeated it over and over again. His mother told him they mnst trnst in God, and He certainly wonld not let them starve, and she wrapped the bed-clothes closely around him, for they had no fire. Every little while he would raise up his head, and looking out, say, " Mother, has God sent any bread yet ?" and she, her heart almost failing her, would say : " No, my child, but He will." She sat down to watch the sleeping little girl, fearing every moment lest she should wake and cry with hunger. Just then there was a knock at the door, and a ruddy farmer stepped in. " Mrs. Brown," said he, " our hired woman 11* 126 ONE HOUR A WEEK. is sick, and my wife thought, may be you would come and work for us for a few days. I'll bring you home every evening ; here's a basketful she sent for the children, as you wouldn't have time to cook any thing for them." He looked at the cold hearth with only the embers of the last stick, and telling the widow he would call for her in half an hour, as he went away he looked at the empty wood-shed by the door,. When the widow and her children saw the generous loaf, and the buttered rolls, and the well-cooked ham the farmer's good wife had sent, they did not forget to thank God for hearing their prayers. Dickey worked hard all day piling up the load of wood the generous farmer un- loaded at the cottage-door, and when another night came, their hearts were fall of gratitude that they had received both food and labor. CHAPTER XXVI. "THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME." ThPwEE thousand years ago, a large com- pany of people were travelling through the wilderness on a long journey with Moses for their leader. Throngh the day a pillar of clond moved before them, and at night it became a pillar of fire ; and in this way God directed their footsteps. At one time they were all encamped aronnd a high mountain, the top of which seemed covered with clouds, and through the thick darkness, smoke and fire went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled. Then they heard a voice, loud and clear, like the sound of a trumpet, calling Moses up into the mountain. God then gave Moses the 128 ONE HOUR A WEEK. Ten Commandments, and lest they might be forgotten, He wrote them with His own finger on two tables of stone. The first fonr of these ten rules, contain onr duty to Him. The first is to keep us from loving supremely and worshipping any thing but the one true God. There never yet has been a» nation discovered who had not an idea of some superior power. Some have worshipped the sun, some the moon, the water, or some ani- mal which they imagine is holy and pow- erful. These poor people have not the light of the Bible to shine in their dark i hearts, or they would not so break the first commandment. But we just as of- ten break this rule as these poor heathen. "Whatever we love with all onr hearts, we allow to take the place which we should give to Him who alone is the Lord. Many people make it the chief object of their life to make money, and they worship their wealth. Some seem to live only for pleasure ; but whatever it is, whether our friends or our home, money or pleasure, we break this first command. IDOLS. 129 In the second we are forbidden to worship an image of any thing, in place of praying to or loving any thing but the one holy and true God. Many people kneel down to little images, made of wood or stone, sometimes of gold and \ silver, and pray to them. Sometimes ! they have immensejdols, which they wor- ship with a faithfulness which ought to make us ashamed. They will do any 5 thing which they believe will gratify these idols. They will cut # themselves with knives, or put sharp hooks through : their flesh, for they suppose this will ) gratify their god. They throw their little children in the river, and listen to ; their frightful cries when the crocodiles come to swallow them; and they will hang them in a basket on a tree, and \ watch while the ravenous vultures fly to them, and pluck out their eyes, and eat the delicate flesh, wdiile the mother will stand by and rejoice that she has done j what will please the dumb idol. At the time the Commandments were 130 ONE HOUR A WEEK. given, Moses remained in the mountain hidden from the people by the clouds and fire so long, they did not know what had become of him. They gathered around his brother Aaron, and asked him to make them something which they could worship. He told them to give him all their ear-rings and bracelets, every thing which was made of gold. He melted it and made it in the form of a calf, and built an altar to put it on. After being in the mountain with God for forty days and nights, Moses came down, bringing with him the two tables of stone. Before he reached the people he heard the sound of many voices in singing ; he came nearer and nearer, and then he saw the crowd around a calf of gold, and they were singing and dancing before it. Strange, that when they knew their leader was with God, receiving the laws which they knew they should obey, strange that they could thus wickedly worship a god of gold. Even the meek- THE BROKEN TABLES. 131 est man who ever lived, was so angry, that he threw down the two tables of stone, and dashed them in pieces against the side of the mountain. But these Commandments were not to perish by the anger of man, for God call- ed Moses again into the mountain, and gave him two more tables of stone, con- taining the same Ten Commandments, which from that time until now, it has been the duty of man to obey. CHAPTER XXVII. "THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN." If you have a dear friend who has always loved you, and given you precious gifts, would you "be likely to sj)eak his name with disrespect ? "We have learned God is wise and great, holy and good; that He is love ; that He has given His Son to die for us, and He ever watches over us in mercy ; surely, then, we ought never lightly to speak His name. We trust these little lips that have learned to repeat so many blessed verses, will never take that Holy name in vain; for He tells us He " will not hold him guiltless who taketh His name in vain." There is no sin so useless, so inexcus- SWEARING. 133 able as swearing, and yet how many people become so in the habit of it, that almost every hour is blackened by the sin. Dear children, remember to love that name, for if you constantly utter it in prayer and keep your hearts warm with love to Him ; if you will realize the ter- rible sin of using God's name idly, or in anger, you will never take the first oath. A person who is in the habit of praying to this Holy God, could not use His name except in love and reverence. Swearers are those who never intend to pray, but sometimes in their oaths they do say some terrible prayers to God, which if He answered as soon as He heard them, you would see men and boys falling dead where they stand on the street-corners, swearing and calling down God's wrath and curses upon them. We % would not dare to tell these innocent little children of the fearful things which these swearers really say to God; we trust these pure lips will never be stained with such wickedness, and that you never 12 134 ONE HOUR A WEEK. may hear such words without thanking God that you have been taught better than to swear. God has given us some terrible ex- amples to serve as warnings to us. Some years ago, there was a steamboat captain, who was just starting from one of the "Western cities to make the first trip to New-Orleans on a new steamboat. It was filled with passengers, and the wharves all around crowded with people, watching to see the new boat start on her trial-trip. All was excitement — a band of music playing gay marches, and the flags proudly waving in the breeze as the wheels began to turn in the water ; the boat moved from her moorings, and pass- ing the city, went up the river a little distance to display its graceful and swift motion, then, turning around, came again in sight of the assembled crowd, and went on its downward way. Just then, a smaller steamboat quietly moved from the wharf, and went side by side with the new boat. It soon became TEE CAPTAIN. 135 evident that they intended to make a trial of speed. Some one called the cap- tain's attention to it, and he, angry that another boat should dare to rival his, said with a terrible oath in the name of Grod : " I'll win the race or die !" Scarce- ly had he uttered the words when there was a terrible sound — the boiler had burst ! Persons were thrown on the wharves and buildings near, terribly in- jured, and the w r ater was strewn with dead bodies scattered among the floating pieces of the boat. Where was the swearing captain? God did not hold him guiltless, but took him at his word. The same air that re- ceived his wicked oath, took his shattered body as it was hurled away by the ex- plosion, and his bead, completely severed from his body, was found three or four squares off in the city. CHAPTER XXVIII. REMEMBER THE SABBATH-DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY. Theee are some pecyple in the world, who think Snnday a very dull day, and would be glad if it came only once a year. But the dear children who come to Sunday-school ought to think it the hap. piest day of the seven. It is not a day to put on a long face and look very sad and solemn, as the Pharisees used to do ; "but a day to be happy and enjoy the blessings around us. This is older than any other commandment ; for in the beautiful garden of Eden, before this earth had witnessed a single sin, God blessed the seventh day, and by His own example, made it a day of rest. How tired and weary we should all be, REST. 137 if there was never any rest, and in this busy world, every body was driving on full of care and anxieties day after day. We should thank our kind Father that He has wisely given us one day in every seven to rest. Then the father forgets his labor and his anxious thoughts about business; the ever-busy mother lets the hands that are never idle, be unemployed ; the sewing that is never done, is out of sight ; the children, through the week noisy and restless, intent upon school or play, or their own many plans, gather quietly in the family circle, and sing sacred songs, or read good books, and in happiness and quiet and peace, spend the blessed day. So, if it was only for our own good and comfort, we ought to remember the Sab- bath-day ; and when we know that it is the will of that God who has crowned our lives with blessings, it seems very little for us to give Him one seventh part of our time. But there is another and greater reason. 12* 138 ONE HOUR A WEEK. It was in the early hours of a beautiful quiet morning, on the first day of the week, that two angels, in shining gar- ments, came down from heaven, and roll- ed away a great stone from the door of a tomb, and some One who had been buried there, rose up and left the grave. He soon appeared to His friends who were mourning for His death; and then He showed them His hands and His feet, bearing the print of the cruel nails, and they understood that it was He who had told them that a He must suffer many things and die, but that He would rise again on the third day." That was a joy- ful day to the Disciples ; at night, when they were all together praising and thank- ing God that their beloved Master had triumphed over death and the grave, He suddenly appeared in their midst, and they heard the same gentle tones of that voice that had so often taught them, say- ing : '■ Peace be unto you." The last time before His death that they were all together with Him, was at THE DAY THE LORD AROSE. 139 supper the night before He was crucified, when His heart was bowed down with anguish. Now, as they were eating, He appeared to them, and stretched out the pierced hands in blessing, and took some food with them. This was the evening of that same first day of the week, and ever since then, Christians have loved the Sabbath be- cause it is the day the Lord arose. Is it not a day to be happy ? Unless we learn to enjoy this day here, we can not be happy in heaven, for there we are to see Him as He is, and praise Him forever in one eternal and blessed Sabbath. DUTIES TO PARENTS. CHAPTER XXIX. HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER. A few weeks ago, one bright sunny Sunday morning, a minister was sent for to go and see a young man who was in great distress. He went immediately with the messenger, down one street after another, till they reached the jail. They entered the yard, the keeper un- bolted the great iron door, and admitted them to the gloomy - looking building ; then he unlocked another smaller door, which, as soon as the minister was ad- mitted, swung heavily back on its iron hinges, and the great bolt sprang to its place in the rough stone wall. Within this little cell was a young man, apparently not more than twenty m THE JAIL. 141 years of age. The minister expressed surprise at finding so young a person in such a place ; when he replied : " I have been listening to the Sabbath bells this morning, and it seems but a little while since I was an innocent, happy Sunday- school scholar. If I had continued there, I never should have come to this wretched place. One Sunday morning an evil com- panion came for me to go and spend the morning in fishing. My mother told me to go to Sunday-school, but I deceived her, and went with this bad boy. It was the first time I ever deceived her — oh ! that it had been the last. " Sunday after Sunday I still deceived her, until I had learned to be so wicked I had no more love for Sunday-school, and but little for her. "My father was dead, and I did not want to be governed by any body. " O my wretched, hard heart ! that could ever have been willing to leave that gentle mother, whose prayers seem ringing in my ears even now, and I seem 142 ONE HOUR A WEEK. to see lier tearful eyes as she begged me to forsake ray evil companions and listen to her wishes and her counsels. But I went on, until in a moment of rage, under the influence of drink, I committed the fearful crime which brought me here. My poor mother's heart I had broken, and she died, sorrowing for her wicked, erring son. Go to Sunday-school scholars, and tell them a voice from the jail warns them to obey their parents." We have seen that the first four of these commands show us our duty to God ; the rest show us our duty to our fellow-men. The first of these, " Honor thy father and mother," seems particularly made for children; for as soon as they can tell right from wrong, they can learn to obey. It is a duty to God, for He has given you your kind parents to watch over and take care of you, and He it is who com- mands you to obey them, and if you love Him you will gladly do what is well- pleasing to Him. LOVING CARE. 143 Then it is your duty to your parents, to reward all their love by obeying them in all things. You never can know the care and anxiety they have felt for you. How they watched your cradle when you were a helpless baby, how your mother, night after night, bent over your pillow, herself worn out by your fretful cries. Then, as you grow older, with what ten- derness does she watch your childish pleasures and desires — how your kind father provides for every want. And when you begin to show that you have a wicked heart, an angry temper, and a disobedient will, what pain you inflict upon those loving hearts ! When at night you are quietly sleep- ing, you little know how many anxious sighs are breathed for you, how many tears of sorrow when you have done wrong, how many prayers go up from your bedside, that your sins may be for- given, and that you may be a Christian child, and grow up to be good and useful. To be obedient, is to have respect to all 144 ONE HOUR A WEEK. the wishes of your parents, to honor them not merely from fear of. punishment, but to be a loving, true-hearted child, yielding a ready and cheerful obedience. Children sometimes think it is hard they must sub- mit and can not do as they wish; but they forget that unless they learn to obey their parents, they can not obey God ; unless in childhood we learn to yield per- fect obedience, it will be harder still in later years to give our unrestrained wills to God, who always claims our best serv. ices. CHAPTER XXX. FOR ALL THE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF." A lawyePw once asked Jesus to tell him Which is the great commandment in the law i" He replied : " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself." This embraces them all. " Thou shalt not kill," is the sixth com- mandment, and the Bible tells us that whoever hates his brother is a murderer ; but if we loved them as we "do ourselves, no unwind- or impure thoughts of others could ever enter our hearts. We should wish them the same happiness which we desire for ourselves, and could never 13 146 ONE HOUR A WEEK. strike an angry blow, or do and .say any thing which could inflict pain. " Thou shalt not steal," is another com- mand which we could not violate, if the wish to protect another's rights was as strong as the desire to take care of our own property. But it is stealing to take any thing, no matter how trifling, which is not our own. Children are apt to for- get this; they would be very angry if any one should call them a thief ; but yet they would take little things, and use and keep them, thinking it no harm. The last commandment teaches us that it is a sin even to wish that the posses- sions of others were our own. No one ever stole who did not first covet. They w T ill look with admiring eyes upon some- thing they see, and begin to wish it was theirs, and try to plan how they might get it, until at last they think : u Well, I want it so much there can't be^ny harm in taking such a little thing." ]STo one ever commits one sin, and then stops; it is exactly like a flight of easy-going STEALING. 147 stairs. At the start they hesitate and wonder, and take one step down ; then it is easier to take the next ; and so on and on in the downward course. The young man in the jail took his first step when he disobeyed his mother, and did not go to Sunday-school; then he went on down, still farther down, until he at last reached the lowest fearful place, where there was a gallows for him to be hung, because he had broken the command: " Thou shalt not HH" We trust that not one of the little hands which hold this book, will ever have upon them the fear- ful stain of a brother's blood, or be guilty of taking what is not their own. Children are apt to take little things which belong to their mother or their playmates, thinking it is so little it will make no difference; but that is- the way that wickedness begins, by little acts at first, and then very slowly and very sure- ly goes on to great sins. But in the eye of God, he who steals an apple from his neighbor's tree, or a top from a playmate, 148 ONE HOUR A WEEK. or hides another's marbles in his pocket, is just as guilty of stealing as the raid- night robber who enters a house and takes away the silver Jie finds there. And we may steal in other ways than by taking actual possessions. The little gir] at school, who by deception keeps the highest place another deserves to have, not only deceives, but steals the credit belonging to another; while one who conceals the good actions of another, or hides their virtues, really robs them of their good name. CHAPTER XXXI. "THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGA NST THY NEIGHBOR." The first sin which was ever committed was a lie / it was not false witness against a neighbor, but against God. In that beautiful garden where all was peace and joy and beauty, Satan entered and with a lie on his lips, persuaded Eve to disobey God. This was the beginning of all the sorrow that has darkened our beautiful world from that day until now. God hates all deceit, and every thing which is not perfect truth, and He es- pecially commands us never to tell what is false of our neighbor. It is mean and ungenerous to tell what is true of others if it is any thing to their discredit, and 150 ONE HOUR A WEEK. we are warned not to be tofe-bearers, and again : " Speak not evil one of another." But to charge them with what is not time and speak falsely of them, is the meanest and most hateful form of decep- tion. In a school of twenty girls, the teacher had promised a prize at the end of the term to the one who had "been most per- fect in scholarship and in deportment. It was nearly the close of the school, and they were all trying very hard for the prize, but there were two girls who in scholarship were so nearly equal, that it seemed doubtful which would receive it. Mattie G , the oldest and largest one in school, was a proud girl, who seemed to expect that every body must yield to her, and because of her wealth and her beauty many of them did yield to her in- fluence. She was a fine scholar, and was admired, but not loved like Nellie R , a modest, retiring girl, whose pale cheek was flushed in an instant by an approv- ing word or smile. She was the only THE MISSING PRIZE. 151 child of a poor widow, and had studied •hard to excel, for she hoped to become a teacher, and thus support her feeble mother. Day after day passed, and these two girls were so nearly together, that it seemed as if no difference could be dis- covered. Nellie had been in the habit of coming early in the morning, and arrang- ing and dusting the room, and thus paid part of her school bills. One morning the teacher asked who had unlocked her desk. All looked sur- prised, but there was no reply. The teacher repeated that some one had open- ed her desk, and that something valuable was gone. All looked amazed and breathless with silence until Mattie G spoke, and said: "Let all our desks be searched. We all came in to- gether this morning but Nellie, who was arranging your desk when I came in." Every eye fell upon Nellie, who blushed at the notice thus attracted to her. The teacher went around and looked in every desk — last of all she came to Nellie's, 152 ONE HOUR A WEEK. and there, wrapped in paper, was the in- tended prize — a Bible, bound in blue vel- vet with a golden clasp. A sigh of sur- prised sorrow seemed to come from every heart, as the teacher held it up, and said : " Nellie, what does this mean V The poor girl made no reply, but Mattie G spoke again. " Yes, I said there was nobody here this morning but Nellie, and when we came in I heard her lock your desk, and then she ran to hers." At that moment an assistant teacher went up to Mattie G , and held up a large key. " Tell the young ladies, Mat- tie, what you did with this key !" The look of triumph was changed to one of confusion as Mattie Gr sank back in her chair, and the teacher went on: "Last evening I remained after school, and sat in the little room until quite late, looking over the writing-books. While there, I heard some one unlock this outer door, and, through the glass door to the little room, I saw Mattie come in. She went to your desk, and unlocking it, took THE HIDDEN KEY. 153 something out, I did not know what, and went over to Nellie's desk. Then she looked about, as if to see if any body was watching, locked the outer door/and placed this key under the door-step." In what shame and disgrace Mattie G was expelled from that school, be- cause she had so wickedly been a false witness against her companion. God did not let her go unpunished; and sweet Nelly ever after found peace and comfort within the velvet cover and the golden clasp of her precious Bible. $f TRUTH. CHAPTER XXXII. In tlie early history of the Church we find that its members spent all their time together, preaching and praying and praising God. They all contributed of their property, so that they might have enough money to supply their wants, for they had given up their business and daily labors to devote their time to re- ligion. Among those who had joined the com- pany was a man named Ananias, and Sapphira, his wife. They owned a piece of land, which they sold, and brought the money and handed it to the Apostles ; but God enabled Peter to know the wicked purpose in the man's heart. Tie ■ HOW LYING LIPS WERE STOPPED. 155 had in reality kept back for himself part of the money, and yet pretended that he was giving all to the Church. Peter asked why he had so deceived them, and said : " Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." In an instant he fell dead in the spot where he stood, and while the people all looked on in great fear, he was taken out and buried. After a while his wife came in, not knowing what had happened; and Peter said to her : " Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much V And she answer- ed : " Yes, for so much." Peter said : " How is it that ye agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out." Immediately she fell at his feet and died; and the same men who had just returned from burying her wretched husband, took up her lifeless body and carried it away. Is not this a terrible example to show us that "he that speaketh lies shall 156 ONE HOUR A WEEK. perish" ? Ananias acted a lie which was a fearfully wicked one, for he wished to rob God of half which he had promised to give Him, and to make the disciples believe that he was giving all the money. Then his wife repeated the lie in words, and thus they both perished, to be re- membered as long as the Bible lasts, as warnings to us that " lying lips shall be put to silence." Children never begin by telling such terrible lies; but by deceiving in little things, by shaking the head when 1 they do not exactly dare to say No ! because it would not be true, and they are not really brave enough to say Yes, when they have committed a fault. The only safe path is the pure, strict truth. Never, by look, or motion, or sign, make another to believe that which is not exactly true. No matter what you have done that is wrong, a lie can never hide it from God, nor for any time from your parents, and there is no sin so great but that a lie to hide it, will make it twice as bad. It is THE LIGHT OF TRUTH. 157 mean and cowardly to lie, but a brave child will never be afraid to own the truth. A liar can never be trusted or loved ;. he will grow up to be despised like the serpent that crawls silently in the grass, and is ready at any time to spit out his deceitful venom. But the child whose lips only utter words of sure honesty will grow up loved and respected, and through his beaming eye the bright truth will shine out from his soul, like a star, whose clear depths give back to whoever looks, the gleaming rays of purity and truth. 14 CHAPTER XXXIII. " KEEP THY TONGUE FROM EYIL AND THY LIPS FROM SPEAKING GUILE." If we all loved our neighbors as our- selves, there would be little need of this warning ; for if our hearts were filled with love to God, and love to man, our lips would have nothing but love to express. The One Perfect Life, which is our pat- tern, was not only a life of love, but a life which was never blemished by one un- kind or angry word. One of His follow- ers, who was among those first called to be with Him, in writing of Him long after, says : " He did no sin ; neither was guile found in His mouth." We are apt to think words are trifles — they are but empty sound ; we say much BY THE WELL-SIDE. 159 and mean little, and soon forget it all. But every little word mnst mean some- thing, and has its influence either for good or evil. A pleasant word, a gentle smile, £an bestow much happiness ; while 'a bitter look, an unkind expression, may fall on some heart where it will cause sadness and sorrow that we may never know. I expect you have all heard the story of a fairy, who found a young girl sitting by a well, crying bitterly. She laid her hand on the girl's shoulder, and asked her why she wept. She looked up, and was surprised to find a beautiful being by her side, with so kind a face, that she told her all her troubles. It seems the girl had not a very happy home; for because she had a plain face and a crooked back, her mother did not love her as she did a more beautiful sister. They made her work very hard, and then found fault with her all the time. The fairy seemed to understand the case exactly, and said to her: "Ke« 160 ONE HOUR A WEEK. turn kind words for evil ones, and you shall have your reward." The tearful eyes had grown bright with wonder, and as the fairy disappear- ed, the girl took her bucket of water and returned home. As usual, she was met by cross words, and questioned why she had been gone so long. She made some mild reply, and as she spoke a beautiful diamond fell from her lips. They asked how this had happened ; but she could only tell them that a beautiful fairy had appeared to her. And while she told all this, jewels and pieces of gold kept drop- ping from her mouth. The other sister was anxious to receive such good fortune, and so she put on her most beautiful dress, arranged her long curls, and took her seat near the well. Soon the fairy came, and after she had asked her to bestow on her some gift, the fairy answered, with a peculiar smile : " Go home and do as you always have done, and you shall be rewarded." She hastened home, and as soon as she GEMS AND GOLD. 161 spoke to her sister, a hideous worm measured its length from her mouth. They talked on, and while the plain sister picked up her- newly found trea- sures of gems and gold, the other was trying to get away from the bugs and worrns which crawled from her lips. The story goes on to tell how the plain, good sister was loved by every body for her kind words and generous acts; for she became rich and was able to give much to the poor: how the other became so disgusting that no one could endure her presence. Now, there are no such things as fairies, and this story is not true ; but yet it is a very sweet story, and teaches us a useful lesson. If affectionate words were jewels and diamonds, they would only be valu- able to us in our lifetime, but the effect of kind words will last long after we are gone. And yet this story is not far from the truth in making evil-speaking so hateful, and kind words so precious, for the Bible 14* 162 ONE HOUR A WEEK. says, "The tongue of the just is as choice silver ;" and in another place, that : "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold, in pictures of silver?' CHAPTER XXXIV. "KEEP THY HEART "WITH ALL DILIGENCE." It will be in vain to try to keep the tongue from evil, unless the heart is right, for " out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Suppose in the spring of the year your father should give you a little spot of ground, that you might have a garden of your own. Would you not determine to bestow upon it the greatest care, that you might succeed in producing something beautiful ? In the first place, you would faithfully dig up the ground, and if you could not do it yourself, you would get the gardener to see if the soil was good, and to help you to make it just right, that whatever you planted there should have good 164 ONE HOUR A WEEK. ground to grow in; for if it was coarse gravel, or filled with stones, or wet, heavy earth, it would not do at all for a garden. I Then when you were sure the ground was prepared, you would, with the good i gardener's advice, carefully select the best seeds of the kinds of flowers you wished to have, and plant them. Then after a I few days you would eagerly watch to see if the little green shoots were corning up, and when you found them, how tenderly you would take care that no rude foot- step should press on your garden-bed. If the gardener was wise and thought- ful, he would tell you that these little seeds would grow and bloom, and then die when the autumn winds came, and though they are very beautiful for a while, he would advise you to get the roots of some hardy plants which would live from year to year, and the roots of some perpetual roses, that need not be newly planted every spring. Then he would tell you that sometimes the hot sunbeams will scorch the short-lived deli- CFIILDREX IN THE WOODS. One Hour a Week. p. K'1. THE GARDEN. 165 cate flowers, and you had better have some young trees which would shield them with a gentle shade, and in time yield delicious fruit as a reward for your labor. After you had planted all you wished in the warm, genial spring days that gave such promise of an early summer, suppose the sky should become clouded, and toward evening the air should be keen and chilly, and the little green shoots should shiver and shake in the cold wind. The gardener would tell you that night would bring a killing frost, and he would help you prudently to cover your garden, and you would carefully tie up every young slip, and protect all from the nipping frost. Day after day, through the summer, you would watch the sunshine and the gentle showers, and water your garden whenever it was hot and dry. But after a while you would discover some things growing which certainly you did not plant — which never would produce any 166 ONE HOUR % A WEEK. thing but thorns and thistles. The gar- dener would tell you these were weeds, and that your chief care now must be to keep clear of them. You would break them all off, but in a few days they are there again, and you find that the only way to get rid of them is to pull them up by the roots ; for if left there, they will grow much faster than the flowers, Now, every child has one garden-spot, which requires all this care in planting, and protecting, and keeping clear of poisonous thorns and thistles. That garden is your heart. Oh ! watch it well : plant there the seeds of virtue and wisdom and love ; do not let the killing frost of evil companions nip off the tender beginnings of virtue; follow the instructions of your kind advisers, and their loving help will be the sunshine and the dew ; and, above all, watch and keep clear of every weed of evil thoughts and unkind words and wrong actions. CHAPTER XXXV. "be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry." Suppose that after a while you became rather careless of your garden, and did not weed it as thoroughly as at first. Tired of pulling up the weeds that would grow again so fast, suppose there was one large one that you thought would "be so hard to get up, you would let it alone awhile. It would not take many days for this rank weed to be as tall as the roses, and a few more days for it to fringe out in the top of every stem, and have clusters of little pods filled with seeds. One hot noon sun would burst these pods and scatter the little brown 168 ONE HOUR A WEEK. seeds far and wide, and then a large crop of the same sort may surely be expected, which in time, if unchecked, will choke and drive out all the flowers and poison the fruit. "Would not the wisest way have been to pull it up, root and branch, before it grew so large and strong ? This one wild plant grows in every soil and in every climate; there never was a heart in which nature did not plant this poisonous weed. It is anger, and there is no one sin which will produce so many more sins as this : evil thoughts, hasty wicked words, unkind actions, and cruel blows, all come from an angry spirit. If it is not controlled in childhood and youth, the heart will be so overgrown with headstrong passion that it will not be controlled, and neither see nor care for the worst results; it will separate the best and truest friends, and lead to violence and death. Then check the first appearance of it, for unless you learn in childhood to choke A CONQUEROR. 169 tMs growing weed, it will grow so rank in your heart as itself to choke every right feeling. We are taught in many places in the Bible to avoid anger. An angry person is always an unpleasant sight — the flashing eye, the distorted red face, the hasty words and excited motions are never pleasant to see, and besides being sinful it is certainly foolish. The Bible tells us that " anger rests in the bosom of fools." Again it tells us that " he that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city." A general who with his soldiers would march to a city and conquer it, would have the rolling drum and thrilling trumpet to celebrate his victory; but he who with a silent struggle has hushed the rising clamor of passionate thoughts, is a grander con- queror. If, then, you would be a mighty con- queror, hush the first risings of that proud spirit which does not wish to sub- mit to another's will. " Let all bitterness and wrath and anger be put away from 15 170 ONE HOUR A WEEK. you." "Cease from evil and forsake wrath," and when you see others excited with passion, remember that "a soft; answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger." CHAPTER XXXVI. "if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you." Theee is no one lesson more neglected by every body than the lesson of for- giveness. How many people every day of their lives ask God to forgive their sins, which are many and great, and ex- pect He will do it, while there is some living person who has offended them in some little thing perhaps, and they will have nothing to do with them because they treasure up the memory of one evil word or thoughtless action ! If they are reasoned with about the duty of for- giveness, they will at last say : " Well, I'll forgive, but I'll never forget." That is not forgiveness at all. 172 ONE HOUR A WEEK. Is that the way God forgives ? There is not a day of our lives in which we do not sin; if not in outward action, we have wrong thoughts which God sees. We know He can not look upon sin without hating it ; and yet every hour He pours out His mercies in blessings upon us, in a constant unfailing stream. And when we repent of our sins and humbly ask Him, for His own Son's sake, to forgive us, it is not that half-way forgiveness which we poor mortals have for each other. He promises that Christ's blood shall wash away all sin, and then sends into our hearts that sweet peace and com- fort by which we know that He is our dear Father, and will not treasure up our sins against us. "When He is the kind Father of us all, and gives and forgives such great things, why can not we, his poor unworthy creatures, learn to forgive each other the little things which happen from day to day % But childhood is the time to learn how to forgive, and how to seek forgiveness ; THE ARROW. 173 and if it is not learned then, the heart will grow so unbending that it can not easily be humbled. A long time ago, a little boy was shoot- ing a bow and arrow in the yard, and trying how high he could send his arrows in the air. Perhaps he was careless about it, and one of them hit a lady who was standing near by. She was not much hurt, but was angry, and told his mother that he had shot at her. His mother did not see how it happened, but she called the little boy to her. Jle said : " Mother, I did not mean to do it — I am so sorry." His face showed that he told the truth, but the tears came when he knew that his cousin was angry with him. He went to her and threw his arms around her neck, and with sobs told her he was sorry and begged her to forgive him. He kissed her, and she held her cheek to his little lips, but there was no answering kiss, and when he asked her again to please forgive him, she coldly said, " Well" and went on reading, just as 15* 174 ONE HOUR A WEEK. if the dear, loving, little heart full of sor- row, was not waiting to be loved and freely forgiven. And yet that lady was a Christian, and believed that God, for Christ's sake, would forgive all her sins. If she had learned when a little child how to forgive, she would not have been so far behind that little boy in lessons of forgiveness. But it was not in vain that he so early learned such lessons, for he is now growing up a noble youth, wearing, in the expression of his face, the proof that the Christian graces of love and forgiveness adorn his heart. Besides the commands which we have in the Bible, we have several examples of this lovely trait which the Christian, of all others, should possess. A good man who was stoned to death because he was a Christian, with his dying breath prayed God to forgive his wicked murderers. But Jesus tells us : " Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them TRUE NOBILITY. 175 that despitefully use you." He never taught any thing in words which he did not also teach by example. While He hung on the cross, suffering the agonies of death, He prayed God to forgive those who spit upon Him, who struck and mocked Him. We may feel that it is hard for our proud hearts to ask or grant forgiveness ; but if our hearts are filled with love, we will remember that it is noble, it is God- like to forgive. CHAPTER XXXVII. "blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called the children of god." If we learn to forgive and to seek for- giveness, we certainly shall come in the class who are called blessed. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. Before He came to this world there had been many long and cruel wars ; nations had fought against each other, and slain thousands and tens of thousands, and the green earth had been deluged with blood. Those that were victorious sang loud songs of triumph, rejoicing in the death of thousands of their enemies. But when Jesus was born, that same country that had often heard the trumpet A PEACEMAKER. 177 of battle, now listened to a new song. It was the music of angels in the sky, and the words they sang were unknown be- fore : " Peace on earth, good- will to men." The Jews had expected that Jesns would come as a mighty king «in great power, but they were surprised that He preached unto them " a gospel of peace." In these bonds of peace He would unite us all ; then if we strive to be like Him, let us be peacemakers. Children may learn and practise this ; for how often . in one family, even under the roof of their own loved home, is there some strife and contention ! To possess and impart a spirit of love, which seeks to bring together the hearts where bitterness to each other is springing up, is the work of a peacemaker. How often a little child, by some tender, kind words, can do this very thing ! Jesus Christ tells us, if we do His will, He will be our Elder Brother, and we have the promise that " peacemakers shall be the children of God." Let us, 178 ONE HOUR A WEEK. then, try to follow peace with all men, and be members of one great loving family. But there is another sense in which we should be peacemakers. We are all sin- ful and wicked Unless we have repented and sought forgiveness through the blood of Christ. We have sinned against our great and holy Judge, and He is angry with us; angry that we slight all His kind offers of mercy when we know that we ought to make our peace with Him. If we would do this, in sorrow go to Him, and say He is justly offended with us, and pray Him, for Christ's sake, to ac- cejDt and forgive us, we could love Him as our dear, kind Father, and Jesus as our Elder Brother, and then, indeed, should we be blessed as the children of God. But even more than this ; by our ex- ample and precept we can try to induce others to be reconciled to God. It is a glorious thing to be the means of leading even one person to make his peace with God. Then remember even a child can work for Him. PEACE WITH GOD. 179 Is it not blessed indeed to be at peace with God and at peace with men ? Then shall we be called the children of God, and He will give us that " sweet peace which passeth all understanding," which "the world can not give and can not take away." It was in this sense that Jesus spoke to His disciples on the last night He spent with them before He was cruci- fied ; when with His own dreadful death before Him, He said : " Peace I leave with you ; my peace give I unto you." CHAPTER XXXVIII. U A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE UNTO YOU, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER." There was one of Jesus' followers whom He clearly loved, named John. He was more constantly with Him than most of the other disciples, and when He took His last supper with them, John leaned upon the Saviour's bosom. He is called the Beloved Disciple, and his writings show more of the spirit of love and gentleness than almost any other writer in the Bible. It is said that naturally his temper was quick, and his disposition ready to resent an injury ; so that when he was first a dis- ciple, Jesus called John and his brother James, "Sons of Thunder." But he be- JOHN. 181 came one of the mildest, gentlest charac- ters of which history has ever told us; for he received the spirit of his Master, who was meek and lowly of heart. He lived long after the rest of the disciples were dead, and it is said that when he was old and weak, he used to be led to the church where the people were wor- shipping, and as he was too feeble to preach, he would say: "Little children, love one another." All of his writings are filled with this sweet spirit of love — love to God and to men. His heart seems to be so full of divine love, that he breaks out in such words as these : " Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God." No one could see more clearly the love of Jesus than this disciple, who had wandered with Him day after day, who had witnessed whole nights spent in prayer, who saw the fearful agony in the lonely garden, and who stood by and looked with aching heart while his dear 16 182 ONE HOUR A WEEK. Master was cruelly nailed on the cross. He heard those dying cries and groans, and knew the fearful cost of those pre- cious drops of bloo'd. He remembered the tones of that voice which but a few days before said to them: "As I have loved you, also love one another." He who had so well learned to measure the length and depth of divine love, felt how strong and deep should be our love to each other. He knew that the life of Jesus # was a life of love, for His daily path was marked by scattered blessings ; and "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," was not only a rule of His lips but of His life also. There is scarcely a command in the Bible which is so often and so distinctly repeated as this one ; it is recorded nine times in these same words: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Jesus was once teaching this, when some one said to Him : " Who is my neighbor V He answered by telling this story: A man was travelling on the THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 183 highway from Jerusalem to Jericho ; but he fell among thieves who stole all they could, and then wounded him, and left him by the road-side to die. While he lay there a priest passed along. "We should expect a priest to show some pity for a suffering man, but he passed by on the other side. Then a Levite came by; one who lived in the temple, and who sang the sweet psalms of David," and ought to have had a tender heart; but he went and looked at him, and then, like the priest, walked over on the other side. Next, came a Samaritan who was going to Jerusalem, and as soon as he saw him, he had compassion on him. The Samari- tans were enemies of the Jews; but he forgot that in his pity — his kind heart must relieve suffering ; so he went to him and bound up his wounds with oil and w r ine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to a house and took care of him. The next day he himself paid the keeper of the house, and promised if he needed more care, he would pay for it. 184 ONE HOUR A WEEK. . After this story, Jesus asked which one of the three was his neighbor. They answered: "He that showed mercy on him." Jesus then added, for us, as well as for the listeners then around Him: " Go, and do thou likewise." CHAPTER XXXIX. BE YE KIND ONE TO ANOTHER. The Apostle John, after so often tell- ing us to love one another, seems to fear it will be only in expression, and adds: " Let us love not in word, but in deed and in truth." Loving; and kind ex- pressions we should always use, but af- fection should not end in words. Suppose the good Samaritan who found the wounded, bleeding man, had gone to him, and leaning over him, told him how he pitied him, how sorry he was for his dreadful wounds, how much he loved him in his distress, and then had gone on his way, leaving him there to die. Would it not have been an idle story to the poor helpless man? The* only love which is 16* f 186 ONE HOUR A WEEK. worth, any thing, is that which will prompt kind deeds. I once knew two little girls, whom I will call Zephyr and Sunshine. Zephyr was so pretty and graceful, that every body admired her as soon as they looked at her; she always went flitting about the house, singing like a bird, and making every body feel as if they ought to be cheerful and happy. She would go to her mother, and throw her arms around her neck, and say : " O my sweet mother ! you are the dearest mother in the world." Then she would frolic with her little brothers, and then go to the baby, and shake her golden curls at him, and play bo-peep until he would laugh, and crow, and clap his little chubby hands. At home or at school, every body was gay when Zephyr was about, for she had a bright smile and a cheerful word for all. But Sunshine would glide so softly in and out you scarcely knew when she came; but if the baby was fretful and tired, and mother \^s busy, she was al- SUNSHINE. 187 ways there to take him. in her arms and sit in her little rocking-chair, and with the low song he loved the best, soothe his restlessness nntil his head rested heavily on her shoulder, in sweet, quiet sleep. If the little children got into trouble, she was ever ready to help them ; if they were hurt, Sunshine could bind up the cut finger or bruised head; and when they had played so hard with Zephyr they were worn out, Sunshine would gather them around her, and with some sweet story quiet them. Zephyr was so gay and restless, nobody ever thought of asking her to do any thing, which would not be pleasant to herself; but Sunshine seemed to live for others, and was always just in the right place and the right time to do kind deeds. Not far from their house was a little cottage, where an old man lived, and the sisters loved to go and visit him. In the mild summer evenings he sat in an easy chair at the cottage-door. 188 ONE HOUR A WEEK. There lie would listen for Zephyr's merry voice, as she would come bounding np the green lane, and she would chat with him a few minutes and then away — so he called her his humming-lbird. But Sunshine stepjDed so softly on the green grass that she would get quite up to him and lay her little hand on his, before he knew she was near, and sometimes hand- ed him a flower, or some nice fruit that she would not eat herself, because she was happier to give it away. It made no difference to him that Sunshine's face was plainer than her sister's, or that her only beauty was in her soft, loving eyes — for he was blind. People said her mouth was not pretty, but it made no difference to those who knew her lovely character. When Zephyr was gone, Sunshine would sit on the low door-step by her old friend, and read to him from the precious Book he loved best, and as the twilight came, his trembling hand would stroke back her smooth hair, while he THE OLD MAX. 189 told lier of a little sister whom lie loved. Seventy years ago she died, but lie forgot the long gone years, and remembered her as the little sister with whom he played. Sometimes he seemed to think he was a boy again, and this was little Alice who had slept so long in the valley; but again he would talk of heaven, and raising his sightless eyes toward the sky, would say : " O sunshine ! we, will see her there." » BENEVOLENCE. CHAPTER XL. " GOD LOVETH A CHEERFUL GIVER." Theee are many verses in the Bible which teach ns to be generous, and give to those who are poorer than we. Not a child will read this little book but is meant in that verse which says : " Freely ye have received, freely give." "We all enjoy many blessings and comforts, which we might share with others not so blessed. We need not always give great things, for there are some who give great things who are mean in trifles ; but Jesus tells us : " Whoever will give a cup of cold water shall not lose his reward." A cup of cold water is a very little thiDg, but when one is hot and weary it is very re- GENEROSITY. 191 freshing, and so is every little gift that is prompted by a kind, loving heart. It is not the worth of the gift which God looks at, but if it is* given cheerfully, out of love to Hirn and love to onr fellow- men, then it is pleasing to Him. There was once a boy who had learned this verse one morning, and determined he would try that day to do some good by giving. At school, in one of his classes, was a little boy whom he knew as being a good scholar; but he never met him at play with the other boys, and only knew him because he kept near the head of his class. This day he noticed the boy had on a very thin coat ; the el- bows were neatly patched, but the short sleeves did not cover his wrists ; his pan- taloons, too, looked worn and small. It did not take Harry long to deter- mine h^ would find out where Charles lived, and ask his mother to let him take him a suit of last winter's clothes, which were rather small for him, but would fit Charles. When school closed, Harry look- 192 ONE HOUR A WEEK. ed for him, but Charles could not be found. He went home to ask his mother about the clothes, and found his grand- mother there spending the day. She sat by the fire, knitting, and soon finished a pair of warm mittens, which she gave Harry. After dinner he put on his thick overcoat and his new mittens, and started with his father down-town. They were walking along through the snow, when a little boy stepped up and said : " Have a paper, sir V It was a familiar voice, and Harry looked — there stood his school friend, a leather strap over the thin jacket, and a bundle of papers under his arm. Harry noticed the purple hands which held the papers, and the fingers so numb he could scarce- ly handle the change as he gave it to Harry's father. Harry thought but an instant I "Sure- ly grandma would not care — he needs them more than I do." The next minute he thrust the new mittens on Charley's hands, and ran on to overtake his father. A CHEERFUL GIVER. 193 The next day Charley thanked his new friend, and Harry asked if he might come to see him. At first Charles would not tell him, saying, " You would not care to visit a poor newsboy;" but Harry insist- ed, and Charles agreed to come for him after he had sold his evening papers. # It was a big bundle Harry carried under his arm that night, as he followed Charles through the narrow streets, and his widowed mother thankfully accepted the warm suit of clothes. He found a little sister of Charley's, only two years old, who did not seem any more warmly dressed than he was. Harry's little sister was just learning to sew, and she was so interested in her brother's new friends, that she spent all her leisure time in making some warm woollen dresses for the little girl. Those children had learned how to give. Harry's heart was warm if his hands were cold, for he rejoiced to know that Charles's hands were kept warm 17 194 ONE HOUR A WEEK. with grandma's mittens. And Harry's sister, as she sat at her sewing, day after day, sang like a bird, for she was happy in being useful. CHAPTER XLI. "WHATSOEVER YE WOULD THAT MEN SHOULD DO UNTO YOU, DO YE EVEN SO TO THE3I." Suppose an angel should come to this world, and tell us some way in which all we touched might be turned to gold: how eagerly we would listen to every di- rection he would give ; how anxiously we would try to do as he directed us ; and how joyful would we be at our riches and happiness ! But a greater than an angel has come down from heaven, and in a few short words has given us a rule which is more precious than gold, and which, if every body followed, would fill the world with the riches of true happiness. Hundreds of years before Jesus came, 196 ONE HOUR A WEEK. wise men and scholars tried to discover the secret of human happiness. They thought and talked, and wrote great plans and sets of rules by which they hoped men could live in peace and die in happiness. The great kings of the earth believed in war and in power ; that men should submit to be ruled and live in peace, because all were alike subject to the great powers that conquered the earth. Scholars toiled and wrote, and left: long rolls of written parchment for other scholars to study, looking in vain to discover some great plan for human virtue. After all this, there was a Man who grew up as a carpenter, who was never a scholar of any of the great philosophers of the age, who never wrote a line in His life that we know of, who had no earthly throne or power ; and yet one day gave a simple rule to His few followers, which will last until the end of time, and which, if obeyed in all the world, would make a golden age. A ROMAN EMPEROR. 197 The people expressed no joy when this new rule was given ; nor did they realize that they were in possession of the long looked for secret. There was one of the great ones of the world who saw the beauty of these links of golden deeds that could bind the hearts of men in a chain which would reach to heaven. It was one of the emperors of Rome, who had this rule inscribed in letters of gold on the walls of his chamber. "We should feel shame at the example of this Roman, for now in this Christian land how few of us make this the rule of our lives ! There is scarcely a child but what could repeat it, if they were asked the Golden Rule; but instead of asking if they could say it, if we should watch each one carefully from morning until night, how many would show by their actions that they kept the Golden Rule bright in their hearts ? How many large boys treat their little brothers and sisters as they would like a larger brother to treat them \ How many sisters are kind 17* 198 ONE HOUR A WEEK. and sweet and gentle to all as they would like their elder sisters to. be to them? How many children are as loving and thoughtful and careful of the comfort of their parents, as they expect their parents to be to them ? If we could but have our hearts so full of love to our Father in heaven that we loved all His creatures, we should gladly make this the rule of our lives. Then we should not feel the risings of anger and ill-will and hatred ; we should not find evil, unkind words on our lips ; we should not need to struggle so hard when we try to forgive ; but loving thoughts,' kind words, and generous deeds would adorn every day and hour. Let us, then, try to obey all, in remem- bering that "whatsoever we would like others to do to us, we will do eren so to them." CHAPTER XLII. "have always a conscience void of offense toward god and toward man." Theee is an old story of a mother, whose son was going far away to distant lands, to be away for a long time. She had always watched him closely and tried to lead him in the ways of virtue. But he was now going far away from his moth- er's eye and warning voice. As she bade him farewell, she placed a ring upon his finger. She warned him never to be guilty of an action which he would be unwilling for her to see, and begged him never to lose her last gift, for there was magic in the ring, and it would remind him whenever he did wrong. It was a brilliant diamond, so set, that as his hand 200 ONE HOUR A WEEK. moved, the glittering stone moved also, and showed every ray of light that fell upon it. The under part of the stone had a very sharp point, and in some mysterious way, whenever he was doing wrong, it could sink down in its golden setting and prick his finger, as if it held a hidden lance. He bade his mother farewell, and touch- ing his noble horse with the spur, gallop- ed away, while she watched his shining helmet and bright plume waving in the morning sunlight. Day after day he continued his journey, and at last joined a company of Roman soldiers. He had not been long in the encampment before he was urged to join in pleasures which he knew his noble mother could not approve. True enough, the magic ring pierced his finger, so that with a sickening feeling he left the camp, and wandered away from his companions. But the merry laugh reached him, and he began to think perhaps his mother had not seen the world, and did not know THE MAGIC RING. 201 that lie could enjoy its pleasures without being hurt. • He returned; but again the sharp re- minder told him he was doing wrong. He could not endure this — he was re- solved that he would taste for a little while the pleasures of the Roman camp, and yet he could not bear this piercing monitor which gave him no rest. His mother's last gift — he dared not take it off or fling it away ; so he took a small piece of flint and slipped it between the diamond and his finger. ISTow that he had silenced his little teacher, there was nothing to keep him from pleasure. He forgot the object of his journey, and passed week after week joining in every thing which came up among the wild and lawless soldiers. . One day thoughts of home, of his mother, came over him, and as his eyes fell upon the diamond, whose unchanging brightness should have shamed his dark doings, he thought of the little flint which he had inserted. A dim sense that 202 ONE HOUR A WEEK. lie had been false to his promise, made him take the flifct away. Soon the troops were ordered to move their camp ; but he still went with them, charmed with his wandering, lawless life, every day of which saw some deed which he wonld not have owned to his noble mother. But the ring no more reminded him of her; worn and blunted on the flint, its touches were now so slight they gave him no pain. Do you know that every child possesses a gem, which is at first as bright and clear as a diamond, and as easily moved as the stone of this magic ring? It is called a Conscience. God has put this power in every soul. If you will notice its promptings, it will remain bright and keen ; but if you will not heed it, at last it will become so dull and blunt that you can not be guided by it. You know how sweet it is, when you have done right, for your mother's loving eyes to look upon you, and her own loving voice to tell you she loves you because you are CONSCIENCE. 203 good. How much better to know that God can look with favor upon us, and that we may know when we displease Him, He has planted this, silent monitor 4n our breasts ! "Why is it that the child who has spoken an untruth, hangs his head and looks ashamed and unhappy ? Because he is troubled, for this conscience pricks and pains him. The only way to be truly happy is to try and perform all our duties to God, to ourselves, and to our fellow-men — then shall we "have a con- science void of offense toward God and toward man." CHAPTER XLin. "BL5SSED ABE THEY THAT HEAB THE WOBD OP GOD AND KEEP IT." Every child who reads this little book, who has a kind mother, or teacher, or friend to tell them about good things, has heard the word of God. "Would you not think it a blessed thing if you could see the Saviour standing by you ; if you could feel those holy hands that were pierced by the nails, resting upon your head? But in reality you are more favored in being taught, than those little children whom Jesus took in His arms when He was on earth. They had not the Bible, Jesus had not died, and they did not know how they could be forgiven. They HEARERS AND DOERS. 205 had no Sunday-schools and no good books. We have all these, and a tender conscience to tell ns if we obey these wise and holy teachings ; and more than all, we have a blessing promised to us if we hear the Word and keep it. But if we do not keep it, where is our excuse ? We are told that we must be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Thousands of children grow up in heathen lands, where the first word they are taught to utter is a prayer to some image of stone; thousands of children never heard the name of Jesus; thou- sands even in Christian countries have wicked parents, and soon learn to lie and steal. Some never heard the voice of prayer, and are accustomed only to un- kind words and wicked oaths. How thankful ought these dear child- ren to be that they have heard the word of God ! It is this which makes ours such a happy country ; it is this which fills our land with kind mothers and hap- 18 206 ONE HOUR A WEEK. py homes, where we may worship God in peace and quiet. In countries where there is no Bible there is war and bloodshed and cruelty ; women are made to labor like cattle, and little children are killed to please the dumb gods of their fathers, or left to grow up in ignorance. We do not realize how glad we should be for this Word which makes our lives so happy. But will it do us any good, if we do not obey its teachings? We are told that "to whom much is given, of them much shall be required;" and the pro- mised blessing is not only to those who hear the Word, but to those who keep it. We sometimes wonder that those per- sons who saw the miracles of Jesus, who heard His voice, who could ask Him questions, did not do exactly as He taught them. But there were many who listened to His voice, and heard the words of wise instruction as they fell from His lips, who never obeyed them. He him- self talked of this, and said that those THE TWO* HOUSE-BUILDERS. 207 who heard His sayings and obeyed them, were like a man who wished to bnild a house. First, he dug deep in the ground and filled it in with rocks, that he might have a strong and sure foundation, and then upon the rocks he built his house. After a while a storm came, and the wind blew, and the rain beat upon the house. But in vain the torrents dashed upon his dwelling, for it was firm and strong, upon a rocky foundation. But there were others who were not doers of the Word, but hearers only, and thus He draws their picture. There was a thoughtless, foolish man who built a house upon the earth, without digging any foundation — thoughtlessly he raised his walls upon a sandy soil. Soon the wind arose, and the walls trembled as the rain beat against it — the storm in- creased until the flood swept in torrents through the sand, and the tottering walls fell with a crash, burying all in storm, and flood, and ruin. ny,sv> o/: CHAPTER XLIV. " WISDOM IS THE PRINCIPAL THING : THEREFORE GET WISDOM." There was once a young man who was king over the Jews. His father, David, died, and left Solomon to reign in his place. Soon after that, one night, in a dream, he heard the voice of the Lord, saying : a Ask what I shall give thee." Solomon knew it was God who spoke, and that He could give him riches, or long life, or power to conquer all the nations of the world. Now, what do you suppose he asked ? He said : u I am hut a little child, and know not how to go out or come in. I have "been made king over this great people, and I am so young I do not KING SOLOMON. 209 know how to govern them. Give, I pray Thee, Thy servant an understand- ing heart, that I may know how to judge Thy people." God was pleased at Solomon's choice, and told him he should have a wise and understanding heart ; greater wisdom than any man who ever did, or ever will, live. But because he did not ask riches, or long life, or power, he should have them all. He was so wise that he wrote three thousand proverbs, and one thou- sand and five songs, and in his proverbs and songs that we have in the Bible, he speaks more than two hundred times of knowledge and understanding. No little child can doubt that " wis- dom is the principal thing," when the wisest man who ever lived has written so much about it in the Scriptures. He tells us that wisdom is more precious than rubies, and that understanding is better than fine gold ; that we must seek it as silver, and search for it as for hid treasures. 18* 210 ONE HOUR A WEEK. And these precious promises are made to those,who love knowledge and seek to be wise : " They shall learn of God ;" " They shall be kept from evil and crooked ways," and led " in paths of pleasantness and peace ;" in this world it " shall add length of days, and riches, and honor," and at last " a crown of glory." But some little child will ask : How can I get this wisdom ? how can a little child be so wise? The simplest child may have " the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of knowledge." If you have read as far as this, " one hour a week," and thought about it, the way has been shown by which you can find this path to true wisdom. You have Sabbath-school instructions, and kind teachers and friends, and you must choose good companions; for this same wise king tell us : " He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but the companion of fools shall be destroyed." Then we have the promise of' God, "Those who seek me early, shall find HEAVENLY WISDOM. 211 me ; - but of " those who hate knowledge and do not desire instruction," Gk>d says, "I will laugh when their fear conieth;" for when it is too late, they will call, but He " will not answer ; they will seek Him, but shall not find." These minds which Grod created are not given merely for our own pleasure, but that we should improve our powers and seek to become wise. Not alone for our comfort in this life, for here we only begin to learn, and there is much which the greatest minds can not understand; but there is another world where we shall know and see all that is dark to us here. There, we shall go on learning, and be taught by the prophets and saints and angels who have so long been learning new and glorious things from Jesus and from God Himself. Let us, then, improve every opportu- nity which can help us to learn, and store these minds with useful knowledge, not forgetting to teach others when we can by our words, but always by our ex 212 ONE HOUR A WEEK. ample. Let us do all we can to make others 'Wise unto salvation," remember- ing that " they that be wise shall shine as the sun, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever." ONE H V R A WEEK page 213. CHAPTER XLV. "be not slothful in business." " Well, that is a queer motto for this week," some child will say ; " what busi ness have children to do V They have a great deal to accomplish. The ravens who fed Elijah were working for God; and if birds can work for Him, certainly boys and girls have something to do. In the first place, they must try to be Christians; watch their hearts and see how full of wickedness they are, and ask God, for Christ's sake, to forgive their sins. Then it is their work to try and keep the Commandments of God, live in love and peace, and study all they can to learn His will and become wise. Is not all that enough to make children 214 ONE HOUR A WEEK. busy? If ever we learn to be indus- trious, it must be in childhood. Suppose a farmer in the spring should say : " This is such pleasant weather, I will sit down on the grass and enjoy the warm sun- shine, and hear the birds sing. Summer will be time enough for me to work." So while his neighbors ploughed the ground, and sowed the seed, he would fold his arms and do nothing. Soon their grain would come up, and they would carefully watch every field as it grew greener and the stalks higher. Then summer would come, and they would have broad fields of waving grain, ripe and ready to cut, while the easy-do-nothing farmer would sigh that he had a large crop of weeds, and a few poor, miserable patches of lone- ly corn-stalks, which accidentally came up without any of his labor. The wise Solomon tells us, he went " by the field of the slothful and the vine- yard of the man void of understanding. It was all grown over with thorns, and in place of fruit were nettles, and the stone THE SLUGGARD. 215 wall around it broken down." Where was the owner of the field? He was lying down in idleness, his hands hang- ing at his side, his eyes stupid and dull, saying : "A little more sleep and a little more slumber." Again, he tells the sluggard to go to the ant and watch her doings. The little creatures, so tiny that your foot might crash a hundred of them, have no mind and no ruler to teach them what to do. But did you ever see them, in the warm sunny spots, come out and search for little grains of food, and then carry them carefully away to store them until the dark winter? Well may he tell us to " consider her ways and be wise." Thus should we eagerly search and find the precious grains of wisdom, and safely place them in the store-house of the mind, now in the spring-time of youth. Above all, industriously commit to mem- ory precious verses from the Bible; for they will cheer and comfort in sorrow and in age ; and in many a dark hour when 216 ONE HOUR A WEEK. memory brings them back, you will re- joice that you possess such treasures. Time is not given to us to spend it all in mere pleasure. Every day brings us nearer to that time when our bodies must be laid to rest. That day is wasted in which you do not learn something that will help to make you wise, or do some deed of kindness, or by precept or* ex- ample help to make some one better. "We can not live in this world without either doing good or doing evil to those around us. The farmer who would not plant his field, did harm to others, for he let the weeds grow, and they went to seed, and the wind carried the seeds far and wide, and they sprouted again to hurt other fields around them. A child who does not do good will do great harm, if only by neglecting good things. But one who is wise and obedi- ent, kind and loving, even if he never tries to persuade others to be like him, is working for God, for his example will be EXAMPLE. 217 a bright and shining light to show others the path of wisdom. So we see that a wise child is "not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." 19 CHAPTER XL VI. " CASTING ALL YOUR CARE UPON THE LORD — FOR HE CARETH FOR YOU." Theee are some little children whose parents are poor and can not have many comforts in their home. Sometimes, through misfortune and poverty, they hardly know where to find bread to feed their hungry children. But our Mnd heavenly Father tells us He hears the young ravens when they cry, and sends them food : then will He not surely send supplies for the wants of His dear child- ren % He does not promise to take care of the careless and idle; for He tells us to them poverty shall come " as an armed man." But if we do our dutv, Pie will not let TRUST. 219 us suffer. We must love Him and keep His Commandments, and after we have done all we can, trust in Him, and He will take care of us. Jesus told His dis- ciples that " not a sparrow falls to the ground without our Father's notice." And then He asks : "Are ye not of more value than many sparrows 1" In order to follow Him, they had given up the busi- ness by which they made their support ; and they were poor, and as they wander- ed about, were often hungry and needed clothing; and thus He taught them to trust in God. But it is not only by sending poverty, that He afflicts His children ; for in this world there is much pain and suffering and sorrow. How many persons are sick or lame, and have to spend months, or even years, lying upon a bed ! How many are blind, and can not see the beautiful world around them ! How many are deaf, and never hear the voice of love ! We do not know why the wise God sends so much of pain; but we need 220 ONE HOUR A WEEK. some hard lessons to teach us to trust in Him. If we never had any sorrow, we should forget the precious words : " Cast thy burden upon the Lord, for He will sustain thee." Whatever is our sorrow, pain, distress, temptation, sin, or bereave- ment, Jesus knows every throb of pain our poor hearts are called to suffer. Then we should, as dear children, cast our cares and sorrows upon His bosom, and looking up to our heavenly Father, trust in Him, for He knows what is best for us. If He was a cold, stern Father whom we feared, then we might be anxious and troubled for the future ; but we know that He loves us, and will do what is best, though our sorrows some- times seem hard to bear. There are many dear children who have seen their father or mother grow sick, and day after day become weaker. At last a day came when the family of little ones were gathered around the bed, and the feeble voice bade them all fare- well, and while the mourning ones sob- COMFORT. ( 221 bed and cried aloud, the dear hands were quietly folded, the lips closed, the eyes, looking heavenward, became glassy and still — the last breath came faintly — and then all was over. The beloved one was dead, and in that solemn room stood a band of desolate orphans. Oh ! how your heart ached when you kissed that icy forehead ! when you stood by the coffin, and whispered your mother's name ! But she could not hear when you touched those hands now crossed over the heart that was full of love for you — those ever-busy hands that never before rested from works of goodness and love. Oh ! when you stood by and saw that dear body laid in the grave, it was hard to feel that it was in wisdom and love God laid His hand so heavily on your young heart. And when you think of that dear one, how the tears will come that she is gone forever from your home ! Jesus wept just such tears at the grave of one He loved. You may weep and mourn ; but remember that to comfort us 19* 222 ONE HOUR A WEEK. in trials like this, He has taught us to trust in Hirn at all times ; for " like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." CHAPTER XL VII. "ye know not what shall be on the MORROW — FOR WHAT IS LIFE?" If we should ask a company of bright children this question, they would answer : " Oh ! life is a very happy thing." And so it is, to live in this pleasant world, every thing around us full of beauty, to have pleasant homes and health, is a joyous and delightful thing. God means us to enjoy this life, remembering that " every good and perfect gift comes from above." But the Scriptures tell us that " Life is but a vapor that appeareth for a time, and then vanisheth away ;" that it is " as the shadow that declineth." As we look at an aged man, his face that was once 224 ONE HOUR A WEEK. rosy and fair, written all over with fine wrinkles, Ms hair silver white, his stoop- ing form leaning for support, we are apt to think : " How long his life must have been !" More than three thousand years ago, just such an old man as this was sent for by the king of Egypt. As he sat on his mighty throne, the old man was led in before him. The stooping frame, and look of age and care, made the king wonder, and he said : " How old art thou V Now, listen to the answer of the old man : " The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years — few and evil have the days of the years of my life been." It seemed to him, that his days had been few ; to us, how many ! But when we think of God ; that He has existed and will exist forever, our lives are "as a tale that is told;" and to that God who says, "A thousand years are as one day," our life is as the shadow made by the evening sun. When we think of life as compared with eter- LIFE A JOURNEY. 225 nity, it is indeed as a vapor which in the morning rises from the dewy ground, bnt the sun shines on it, and it quickly vanishes away. Then what can we accomplish? and why are we here if time is so fleeting? Because every day is a step toward the great and wide eternity, The good King David made this his prayer : " Show me the path of life." "Well may we pray that God would guide our wandering steps, and " keep our feet from falling and our eyes from tears." God watches over all, and though He will show us the best path, if we seek His direction, yet there are many ways to reach at last the gate of Death, through which we all must pass. It is as if a company of people all started together to travel toward the set- ting sun, across a country, covered with many paths, all "branching off from the same starting-place, and apparently going in the same direction. Some would find broad and splendid roads, where on each 226 ONE HOUR A WEEK. ♦ side were fruits and flowers, smooth level ground to walk upon, and arched bridges to carry them over every ravine. Some would hear the music of rippling water and the rustling of leaves, and turn off in quiet by-paths, and dream away the hours of day until the fading light surprised them, and they groped in vain to find the true path they had left. But one company started with their faces toward the west, in a strait and nar- row path. Sometimes they climbed rug- ged hills, and sometimes went down in deep valleys; but even there the light shone on them, for they followed the sun in its course. Though sometimes worn and weary, they kept on until evening, and then their faces all glowed with the radiant beams of the sun setting in splen- dor. Where were the other travellers? Far away in* various paths, following their own wishes, forgetting that night would surprise them with half the jour- ney done. THE SUN-LIT JOURNEY. 227 Let us, then, seek that strait and nar- row way, the only path which is all gild- ed and made clear by " the Sun of Kight- eousness." • v \ CHAPTER XL VIII. WE ALL DO FADE AS A LEAF. How delightful it is, after the long winter, when snow covered the ground and the wind moaned through the bare branches of the trees, to feel the mild air coming back to the earth, which is putting on its carpet of green for spring to dance upon. How the tall brown trees begin to be covered with little swelling buds, that day by day grow larger, and then in the warm sunshine unfold themselves, and thousands of young and tender leaves in- vite the birds to come and dwell among them with songs of gladness. The honeysuckle ■ that in the winter nights rustled against the house with a wailing FALLING LEAVES. 229 sound, like the low cry of a lonely child, now sends out its young shoots, and the curling tendrils twine themselves against the window. The rose-bush by the door is clothed anew in perfect leaves, and soon the first buds come and crown the May with roses, sweetening all the air with fragrance. But some of these leaves are nipped by early frost, and in a few days are gone; the March winds drive many before them, and they are swept away One rude touch may break off the tender rose-bud, or a worm at its heart may turn it to decay ; or, if it becomes a rose, how soon, on every scattered leaf upon the ground, seems written that it bloomed only to fade ! Or if the green leaves last until summer, the noon-day sun may scorch and shrivel them with its heat, or the rain may not descend to keep them fresh and green. If they live until the fruit has ripened on the boughs, the frost-king comes and touches them with his cold finger. Then how gaudy they 20 230 ONE HOUR A WEEK. look with their crimson and golden colors, only to shine nntil the bleak winds hurry them all away, and strew them on the ground, to remind us that we all must fade ! Life, in childhood, is like the leaves and flowers of spring ; but if the early frost and the March winds do not destroy it, it may fall in its noon, or at most, if it hold out until autumn, it must at last fade ; for Death must come to all. JVe all know what Death is, for there never lived a little child to be old enough to under- stand it, who has not lost some friend or companion. In this busy world we do not often enough remember that' every head must be laid low in the grave, every voice must become silent, the lips that are warm with kisses of love must become stiff and cold, the hand that writes must be laid upon the silent heart, and over the eyes that read the frozen eyelids must be closed for the last time. -No warning can then make us wiser or better; life will JESUS DIED. 231 have ended, and in whatever path we were then going, there will be the grave. While life lasts, the Good Shepherd beckons us to join His flock; while life lasts, we hear His gentle knock at the door of our hearts. Life is the time He has given us to prepare for death. What misery and torture and pain must they endure who have never prepared for this hour until it is too late ! But if we have obeyed all the heavenly teachings which our Father has sent us, the hour of death will be peaceful. When we are in health, life is a joyous thing, and the grave seems dark and deso- late and lonely. But when sickness and pain have wearied the body until it is worn out by suffering, the heart will cast all its care on God, knowing that He careth for us, and will think of the grave as a quiet bed, where He will give us sweet and peaceful sleep. Our kind Father knows all we have to suffer; and did not His own Son endure the most 232 ONE HOUR A WEEK. terrible death, and His crucified body rest in the grave I Life will indeed be joyous, if we are prepared for Death, which must sooner or later come alike to all. , RESURRECTION. CHAPTER XLIX. We can see and understand life, "be- cause we all live ; we know what death is, because we have seen those we love fade away and die. We know that life was gone, for they could not hear or speak or move, and we have seen them laid in the dark grave. We can see no more, and we know that our turn will soon come, and we must be laid away in that same silent sleep. And what then ! Would it not be sad if we knew no more than these bodily eyes can see ? We know the body will lie in the grave until it turns to dust; but the spirit is not asleep there. Would we not be lost in darkness if we did not 20* 234 ONE HOUR A WEEK. know what was to "become of these spirits, which we feel within ourselves can not die? Blessed be God, there shines down from His bright throne, through the Scriptures, a light to show us the way. And blessed be His Son, who died for our sins and lay in the grave, and rose again to show us how our bodies will at last rise from the grave. We know that when the body is dead and lifeless, it is because the spirit is gone ; it has left the house of flesh in which it lived, and gone to that Great Spirit who sends His angels to bear it in safety to its Maker. We are told in the Bible, of a poor beggar who was clothed in rags, and whose body was covered with sores. He had no home, for he lay, day after day, at the gate of a certain rich man, and held out his hand to beg of the passers-by. He had no food, for he lived upon the crumbs that were thrown to him ; he had no friends, for the dogs came and licked his sores. THE BURIED SEED. 235 One day he died, and we are told that angels came and carried him to heaven to the bosom of a holy man who died many, many years before. It was not the wretched body which the angels took, for he was a miserable beggar, and his poor diseased body, that nobody bnt dogs wonld tonch, was probably shuffled off and laid in some grave in the rocks only to be ont of the way. It was his spirit, which could not die, that the angels car- ried to heaven. We are tanght in nature that these bodies shall some time live again. When the plant dies, it leaves a little seed which falls upon the earth. The rains come npon it and bury it beneath the ground, where it seems to die; but there it re- mains out of sight, and • after the long winter is passed, it bursts from its shell, and springs up and becomes a new plant. So with these bodies which turn to dust in the grave ; if they have been the dwell- ing of a soul that loved its Maker, at 236 ONE HOUR A WEEK. His word they will rise again, glorious and pure, free from disease and pain. After the body of Jesus rested three days in the grave, He arose. It was the same body, the same mild eyes, the same benevolent face, the same gentle voice; for the disciples knew him, and to them He showed the same hands and feet, bear- ing the nail-prints, and the wounded side from whence the blood had flowed. A few days He remained with them, and then one morning, as they stood afound Him on a mountain, He bade them farewell, and slowly began to rise in mid-air before them. They watched as He rose higher an(J higher, until bright and shining clouds received Him out of their sight. "Were not thbse clouds bands of shin- ing angels that came to welcome Him back to His throne, and to sing aloud new songs of praise that He had risen in that glorified body, to show them the great mystery of the "resurrection and the life." CHAPTER L. There was once a good man, who had a little son. As soon as the child could talk, his mother taught him to pray. Night and morning he heard his father's yoice as he read the Bible and prayed. His parents taught him of the Saviour, and by precept and example, showed him his duties to God and to man. He went to the Sabbath-school, and there and at home was faithfully taught in all good things. But he began to choose thoughtless companions, to stay away from the house of God, to shun the society of Christians, and to be uncomfortable when the sub- 238 ONE HOUR A WEEK. ject of religion was mentioned. He was never guilty of any great crimes ; but when his mother would urge him to love the Saviour, he would impatiently say, " It will be time enough after a while," and would banish it from his mind. Just as he was twenty-one years of age, he was taken sick. For many days he was restless with fever ; so sick he could scarcely understand what was said to him. After many days of suffering the fever ceased, but he was so weak that it was evident life was almost gone. His mother, gently as she could, told him they feared he must die, and begged him even then to cast himself ujpon Jesus, and pray for mercy. The conscience that he had so often neglected came back in all its power ; he remembered the many times he had hushed its warnings ; the invitations he had slighted; how he had closed his heart when the Saviour knocked and waited. All came before him, and fixing his eyes on his mother's face, he feebly said : " It is too late." In THE RICH MAX 239 vain the good minister prayed with him and for him ; he listened with an agonized look, but only gave the same reply, and as death rested on his brow, his lips moved only \o say: "It is too late." With despairing hearts his parents saw his body laid in the earth. But where did his sorrowful spirit go ? Not to heaven ; for if when here he could not bear the society of Christians, how could he dwell forever with God and that Saviour whom he had slighted ? Where did his spirit go? The Scriptures do not leave us in doubt. There was a rich man, at whose gate the poor beggar lay — the same beg- gar whom the angels carried to heaven. The Bible does not say this rich man was wicked ; but he evidently cared only for the wealth and joys of this world, and neglected to attend to religion. He was dressed every day in elegant robes of purple and fine linen, and lived in a splendid house, where feasting and pleas- ure filled every hour. But wealth can 240 ONE HOUR A WEEK. not keep Death from the door : he died, and his body was buried in a splendid tomb, with all the pomp and show that he had loved in life. But where was his spirit ? The same page which tells us of the beggar in heaven, tells us that the rich man was in hell, in torments, and though heaven was afar off, yet he could see the beggar there. He cried out, asking that Lazarus might come and bring a drop of water on the tip of his finger, for he was tormented in the flames. But Abraham, the holy man in whose bosom he saw Lazarus, said : " Son, remember that in thy life thou receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus evil things: now he is comfort- ed, and thou art tormented." He told him also that between them was a great gulf, over which none could pass. What a change was that ! Here, the poor beggar lay at the gate, hungering for the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table ; there, the rich man thirsted for even one drop of water. And what / UNDYING CONSCIENCE. 241 is this place where the rich man went to spend his eternity % His life, which was full of pleasures, must have seemed like a brief hour compared with the endless years which had then commenced. Con- science, that in this world can be silenced, will there become the worm that never dies, ever alive with its poisonous sting. Memory will give back every evil word and thought and deed; and then the knowledge that it is all seen and known by an angry God, will cover with shame all those whom He has placed in that dreadful world, to dwell forever with "the wicked and all who forget God." 21 , CHAPTER LI. " COME, YE BLESSED OP MY FATHER, INHERIT THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU." Johe" the Beloved Disciple lived to be very old, and preached the Gospel until the reign of an emperor named Domitian. This Emperor was cruel to the Christ- ians, and by his order the aged disciple was put on board a ship and carried to a small island. The wicked Emperor thought he could silence the voice of this, the last of the twelve followers of Jesus who founded Christianity; but even in exile John preached to the people about him. But God can make even the wrath of man to praise Him : there, on that dis- mal island, he sent to this beloved and faithful servant, visions, such as human THE CELESTIAL CITY. 243 thought never imagined. Not only were they sights to cheer his lonely clays and nights, but he was inspired to write true descriptions, and these were no mere dreams. It was on the Sabbath-day,' when it seemed as if a door was opened, through which he could look into heaven, and a voice, like a trumpet, cried : " Come up hither. I will show thee the things which must be hereafter." Instead of seeing only the coast of the lonely island, and the water dashing and foaming against its rugged shore, the Spirit show- ed him the Celestial City, with the throne of God in its midst. The streets were of pure gold, and they were filled with angels in white and dazzling robes, with crowns of gold upon their heads and harps in their hands ; and they sang : " Worthy is the Lamb which was slain — Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and ife to come." These angels were once dwellers on the earth, and had endured sorrow, pain, and 24A ONE HOUR A WEEK. sin; but their robes were washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb; and now they are ever before the throne in that blessed world, where there is no more sorrow, nor pain, nor death, and " God himself shall wipe all tears from their eyes." There they shall never hunger, never thirst any more, for there is the bread of life, and the fountain of living waters. ITiere, darkness with its dreary shadows can never come, for " there is no night there " — " neither the light of the sun ;" for in glory that can not be expressed, shines the Sun of Kighteousness forever and ever. This is the blessed home where Jesus told His disciples He would prepare a place for them. Our weak minds in this sad world, clouded by sin and sorrow, where the shadow of death is ever fling- ing its dark wings, can not form much idea of that glorious home. Every thing in this world is. changing; storms succeed the sunshine, and a dark night comes after every bright day. HERE AND THERE. 245 Here we become weary even of pleasure, and toil and care is the lot of all ; there it will be an eternal rest, not like the few hours when we slumber here, to wake only to be wearied again. There the heads that ached with weariness here, will rest in the bosom of the blest, in a sweet peace that will never, never be dis- turbed. Here we grieve for the friends who have gone and left us sad and lone- ly; there we shall meet those we love, never again to bid them farewell. Here we seek to gain wisdom, but we find some subjects which our weak minds can not understand, for " here we know in part ;" but there we shall ever go on learning of the wise and great, and shall " know even as we are known." Here we strive to overcome sin and to be like our great Pattern, who was in the world but not of the world ; but we are weak, and yield to temptation, and the Christian's life is one changing scene of sinning and repenting. In that blessed place, sin can not enter, and the soul, free from care and tempta- 21* 246 ONE HOUR A WEEK. tion, will be forever " witli Him, and we shall "be like Him." We can form but a faint idea of the glories of heaven, for after we have tried to picture its perfect bliss, we remember the Bible says : " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." s ABIDE CHAPTER LII. "and now, little children, abide in him." We Lave come to the last Sabbath of the year. We commenced with that gar- den of Paradise where our first parents lived in perfect happiness until they dis- obeyed God. We now read of the second Paradise, where no sin can enter; the eternal garden of God, where John be- held a pure river of the water of life flowing from the midst of the throne. There is the tree of life, with its fadeless leaves and branches of everlasting fruit, of which God says: "To him that over- cometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Para- dise of God." This same John whom Jesus loved, 24:8 ONE HOUR A WEEK. whose long life was all spent in His Master's service, thus writes : "And now, little children, abide in Him; that when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." In these chapters we have seen that of ourselves we are miserable sinners; that our hearts are full of wickedness which God abhors ; but we have also seen with joy that there is a way by which we can be forgiven. We have learned how the Holy Spirit comes to help us to feel our need of forgiveness ; and we have heard the voice of the Good Shepherd calling us to come and dwell in His fold. Have you answered the gentle voice that sweetly calls you to come? or have you hushed the whispers of con- science i neglected to accept the sacrifice, and refused to be saved by "the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world " ? Oh ! remember that in those visions which John saw, there were some who said to the mountains and rocks : LIFE A SCHOOL. 249 " Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and the wrath of the Lamb." In the first chapters of this book we tried to describe to you the love and goodness of God, as shown around us. But as you read on, we trust you have seen that while He clothes and feeds our bodies, He offers our souls a robe of right- eousness and the bread and water of life. Each daily blessing is but the type of richer blessings He has provided for our souls. Suppose you have a book written and given to you by a dear friend. You would prize it, not alone for its beautiful binding, or pleasing pictures, or gilded leaves, though all these would be pleasant tokens of him. But, more than all, you would love it because, as you read its pages, the thoughts of the author would become your own, and lead your mind to become like his. Thus the different scenes and events of our whole lives are pictures to show us 250 ONE HOUR A WEEK. the character of God, if we will but read the lessons aright. Lest we should be awed by His greatness and His power, and fear Him as we see His holiness and justice, He shows that He is a tender Father by letting us see Him through that only Son who came to this world to save us. It was Jesus who suffered for us, and yet the same* God who turned to our poor mortal eyes His nature clothed in human form, that we might better see and under- stand Him. As the sunshine falls on the earth with its gr#en fields and blooming valleys, its lakes and rivers, the bright beams are re- flected in a thousand different colors ; but it is the same sun shining over all. You can see that glorious sun in the s"ky; you can feel its warmth reaching to the ground beneath your feet, and you can see the effects of its light and warmth in the fruits and flowers, and you know it is all from that same sun shining on in its splendor every day. And thus shining through all, and in SUNSHINE WITHOUT A CLOUD. 251 all, and above all, is the great Father, God, the Son, and the Spirit. From His throne on high He watches over every little child; at His right hand sits His blessed Son, holding up those pierced hands, ever interceding for you ; and the Spirit calls to you to be a loving and faithful child. And now will you not heed these last words of an earnest heart, which would once more strive to give you a motto, not only for a week, but for every day of life ? Can you not hear the voice of that be- loved disciple, who, after he had grown old, and was almost ready to go where his head might ever rest on his Saviour's bosom, says so imploringly : "And now, little children, abide in Him" ? Then the trials and temptations and sorrows of life will be but as passing shadows in a long summer's day, for we shall soon all meet in our Father's house, where our Elder Brother will welcoi ie us to abide forever. Then how our hearts 252 ONE HOUR A WEEK. will thrill with joy, as we meet those who have gone before us, and join in their songs, as there is placed on every head an everlasting Ceow^ of Life! *