advice. John said, I remember, "I do wish I had any thing to shelter that poor tree."

R. But when you go out into the world, you will have a shelter from temptation, if you will only make use of it.

L. Yes; God's help-God's grace.

R. And He will give it us when we are confirmed. He will strengthen us by His Spirit, so that we shall be able to resist temptation.

L. Yes; just as John said, "If the tree stands the cold winds of this one spring, it will get hardened and strong for the next."

R. Now we have been talking chiefly about three things. What are they?

L. Let me remember. We began about funerals, then baptism, then confirmation. But that is not their right order. Baptism, confirmation, burial : that is it.

R. Now, if you can come into my room, I will look out for something to read to you about them.

L. Oh, that will be very nice. But shall I read it to you?

R. I do not think you could: it is written, not printed. It was written by my dear mistress for me.

L. But tell me, is it a story? Oh, I hope it is! I like stories better than any thing.

R. It is not a story; and it is best to read other things besides stories sometimes,-they may be more profitable. We ought, as we grow older, to be content to learn good things without being amused at the same time. Besides, when you have once read a story, you know what is coming; so the first reading seems the best. But books that are not stories are apt to become pleasanter the oftener we read them.

L. I dare say it is so; but I do like reading a story, and fancying what I would do if I was in the place of the people I read

about.

R. [smiling.] Well, I hope you do not forget to fancy what you can and ought to do in the place you really are in; and then I do not mind your reading stories now and then.

L. Shall I call Ann and Ellen to come and hear you read?

R. Yes, if they are not busy.

L. Ellen was mending her stockings, and hearing William say his collect. I know mine, Rachel; I learnt it at the beginning of the week. Oh, I see them both coming; and Ann has got her clean apron: she has done her Saturday's cleaning-up.

R. Then we will go into my room before it gets too dark to see well. We can all four sit nicely by the window.

L. And though the sun is set, there are such pretty bright clouds in the sky; they seem as if they would give us light.

"We walk by faith, not by sight." 2 COR. v. 7. "Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory." EPH. i. 13, 14.

It is a bright spring morning. The sun is shining on the fresh green leaves; the flowers are springing in the fields and woods; the sky is clear, the air is soft.

It is the morning of the Lord's day. The

church-door stands open, the bell calls to prayer, and over the fresh green fields, among the young leaves and the gay flowers, are seen the people, in their Sunday-dress, hastening to the house of God.

Among the people who are thus approaching the House of God is one who never came to that House before. An infant newly born is brought there. It is but a few weeks since this little babe entered into the world. Like the rest of the children of Adam, he has been born with a sinful nature. He is now brought to receive, through God's bounteous mercy, that thing which by nature he cannot have, that new life which the Holy Spirit only can give.

He is brought to the House of His Lord, Who, when He was on earth, said, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God;" Who "put His hands upon them, and blessed them." Our Lord is now in heaven; but before He returned thither, He gave commission to His apostles to " go teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." He is now in heaven, and all power is given unto Him also on earth. He bestows His blessing when the stewards of His mysteries wait on their ministry.

This young child is now brought to Him