Page images
PDF
EPUB

Germany, in 1822. The three next figures, towards the left, represent some, which fell at the same time, as they appeared when cut through the middle. If hailstones are burst asunder, the result is the production of a number of pyramidal fragments, such as are shown on the left of the group of figures.

Scripture has some striking passages in which snow is mentioned. One of the chief of these is Isaiah i. 18: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool;" and a little poem on this gracious promise of God to those who repent of their sins, may well serve to bring this paper to a close:

"White as snow!' O! what a promise

For the heavy-laden breast; When by faith the soul receives it,

Weariness is changed to rest.

"Red like crimson,' deep as scarlet

Scarlet of the deepest dye-
Are the manifold transgressions
That would else upon me lie.

"God alone can count their number;
God alone can look within:
O, the sinfulness of sinning!
O, the guilt of every sin!

66

"God's own law, so just and holy,

Proves my sin and shame and loss; But what proves it still more clearly

Is the story of the Cross. 'Heavy-laden, worn and weary, To the promise let me go : 'Though your sins be red like crimson,

They shall be as white as snow!' "White as snow!' O! have you watch'd it,

Softly carpeting the ground; Wreathing with a wreath of silver

Every common thing around? "White as snow!' Can my transgressions

Thus be wholly washed away, Leaving Lt a trace behind them

Like a cloudless summer day? "Yes, at once, and that completely, Through the blood of Christ, I

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

ap

regularly, whenever the pointed time for doing so comes round; and constantly, whenever we feel a need for prayer. Just as the body cannot thrive without regular meals, so the soul cannot prosper without set seasons for prayer. And just as hard work, or cold weather, will sometimes make us feel hungry between meals, so there are times when the soul has a wish to commune with God before the set hour returns. You can pray without going aside to kneel down. You can speak to God, and ask His blessing, when you are walking to school in the morning, or while you are reading in a railway-carriage. Those who Those who 'pray without ceasing" are ready to pray wherever they are, and about all that they do.

[ocr errors]

56 GETTING A START."

LITTLE black-eyed girl once laid

Her book upon my knee, And with a troubled look essay'd To learn her A B C.

But all in vain-she did not call

A letter right-not once! At length I harshly set her down, And call'd her "little dunce." Sad tears soon fill'd her merry eyes; I'd pain'd her little heart;

"Aunt Fanny, do just wait," she cries,

"Till I can get a start." And soon the dear girl "got a start," Each letter learned to tell, And ere three months had pass'd away

Could read a lesson well. Now,when you find some duller mind Discouraged, sick at heart, I say, be patient-chide them not, But let them "get a start."

THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERD BOY.

ERHARDT was a German shepherd boy; and a noble fellow he was, too, although he was very, very poor. One day as he was watching his flock, which was feeding in a valley on the borders of a forest, a hunter came out of the wood, and asked:

"How far is it to the nearest village ?"

"Six miles, Sir," replied the boy, "but the road is only a sheep-track, and very easily missed."

The hunter glanced at the crooked track, and then said:

66

My lad, I am hungry, tired, and thirsty. I have lost my companions, and missed my way. Leave your sheep, and show me the road. I will pay you well."

"I cannot leave my sheep, Sir," replied the boy. "They would stray into the forest, and be eaten by the wolves, or stolen by the robbers."

[ocr errors]

Well, what of that ?" replied the hunter. "They are not your sheep. The loss of one or more wouldn't be much to your master, and I'll give you more money than you ever earned in a whole year."

"I cannot go, Sir," rejoined Gerhardt, very firmly; "my master pays me for my time, and he trusts me with his sheep. If I were to sell my time, which does not belong to me, and the sheep should get lost, it would be just the same as if I stole them."

66

"Well," said the hunter, "will you trust your sheep with me while you go to the village and get me some food and drink and a guide? I will take good care of them for you."

The boy shook his head. "The sheep do not know your voice, and-" here Gerhardt stopped speaking.

“And what? Can't you trust me? Do I look like a dishonest man ?" asked the hunter, in an angry voice.

"Sir," said the boy, slowly, "you tried to make me false to my trust, and wanted me to

break my trust to my master. How do I know you would keep your word to me? "

The hunter laughed; but he felt that the boy had fairly silenced him. He said: "I see, my lad, that you are a good, faithful boy. I will not forget you. Show me the road, and I will try to follow it myself.”

Gerhardt now offered the humble contents of his wallet to the hungry man, who, coarse as they were, ate them gladly. Presently his attendants came up, and then Gerhardt, to his surprise, found that the hunter was the Grand Duke, who owned all, the country round. The Duke was so pleased with the boy's honesty, that he sent for him shortly after, and had him educated. In after years Gerhardt became a very rich and powerful man, but he remained honest and true to his dying day.

Honesty, truth, and fidelity are precious jewels in the character of a child. When they spring from piety they are pure diamonds, and make their possessor very beautiful, very happy, very honourable, and very useful. May you, my readers, wear them as Gerhardt did! Then a Greater than a Duke will befriend for you,

the Great King will adopt you as His children, and you will become princes and princesses royal in the Kingdom of God.

THE POWER OF LOVE.

KIND Christian lady, in one of her visits of charity, found a poor, destitute little orphan girl, and brought her to her own home. The little stranger at first would take no comfort, but sat down weeping in the hall. The children of the house endeavoured to make friends with her and draw her into the parlour, but they could not; and so they said to their mother, "She will not come and play with us. She will not leave the hall."

"There is a secret," said the lady, "by which you can bring her where you like. It is a secret in four letters. Try if you can find it out."

The eldest girl taking the lead, searched eagerly among all her prettiest playthings. "I know what it is," cried she, "it is D-o-l-l." So she brought her best doll, and offered to give it to the child if she would come into the parlour. No, it was a failure.

[ocr errors]

The next in age said to herself, 'M-u-f-f is spelt with four letters;" and brought her a fine muff-a Christmas present; but she would not touch the muff; nor even look at it.

Grace, the youngest, could think of nothing worth offering after this, but stood looking on in sorrow, until at length, following an instinct of her own, she sat down beside the little stranger and cried too. Then presently she took her by the hand, and encircling her neck with her own tiny arm, she drew the weeping one softly nearer and nearer, and imprinted a gentle kiss upon her cheek. This decided the case. was nothing said, but Grace soon led the way into the parlour, holding her captive by the hand.

There

"Well, girls," said the mother, "Grace has found out the secret, and the four letters are L-O-V-E. Love is the strongest rope in the world."

Ah! yes, love is a great power. It draws all things to itself. It brought the Son of God down to earth to die, so that He might go back to heaven to intercede for us; and it is able to draw Him down again, any day and every day, to dwell with us in our hearts. It will bring down

blessings on the labours of good of our own character. And on people.

this character depends our success for time and eternity. In order to build well, we must

BUILDING À CHARACTER. have some idea of what we want.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

What kind of man do you mean to be? Are you gaining information and forming habits which will help you to be what you desire ? First mark out your plans, and then do all in your power to gather the right material, and do the work carefully and well.

GLASS, AND ITS MANU-
FACTURE.

LASS is a transparent substance, through which neither water nor air can pass; and though it is exceedingly brittle when cold, by a

"Don't know yet, Thomas, high temperature it is rendered what it is to be."

66

Well, that is queer, Mr. Gracey. How do you know you have brought the right materials, if you don't know what you are going to build ?"

If Mr. Gracey was in earnest with Thomas, he must have been a very foolish builder. And yet there are many young people who seem too ready to do just as he did.

so flexible and tenacious that it may be moulded with the utmost ease into any form we choose. When heated, it can be drawn out into threads of the utmost conceivable fineness, and these when cold are pliant and elastic in a remarkable degree. The time at which glass was invented is very uncertain. The popular opinion is that it was discovered by accident. It is

We are all to be the builders said by an ancient writer, Pliny,

« PreviousContinue »