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TOM'S BIRTH-DAY LESSON.

AWAKING on the morning of his sixth birth day, Tom was agreeably surprized at finding a parcel on the chair beside his bed. On opening it, he found it contained a beautiful Bible. It was a present from his Mamma. It bore an inscription, which he could not read; but it was- From Mamma to Tommy, on his sixth birth day.' On the other chair beside the bed, lay another little packet. This, too, was speedily opened, and it turned out to be a very nice French top. This must be Aunt Mary's present, Tommy thought to himself. As he was admiring his two presents, the door of his bedroom opened, and in walked his Mamma, wishing her dear boy many happy returns of his birth day.

Ere long Tom was arrayed in his Sunday suit, and with a present in each hand, found his way to the parlour and breakfast. A little after breakfast he took to spinning his French top. It was very beautifully painted, each ring being of a different colour; so that when it did spin, there was a halo of beautiful light around it, which was quite fascinating to the little man.

By and by, however, Master Tom got a little tired of his top. He stood for a moment in a meditative mood, wondering what to do next, when his hand found its way into his trousers' pocket. Pursuing a kind of aimless search there, his finger touched a little coin. Immediately the coin was seized by fore finger and thumb. Dragged to the light, it was discovered to be a threepenny bit. 'I know whose present this is,' said Tom. And as Martha, the maid, entered the room, he ran to her, holding up the coin and saying, 'Thank you, kind Martha.'

Now, Tommy's Mamma observed that the top and the little silver coin were the chief attractions, so by way of a change, and to give his thoughts a better turn, she proposed a lesson from his 'very own,' beautiful, new Bible. Tommy at once closed with the proposal. The threepenny bit is committed to his trousers' pocket,

the top and handle lie idle on the carpet, and our little six-year-old is standing at the table with his mother pointing to the open book.

• What

He

Look at the picture once more. picture is this?' I said to a friend. replied, It is Timothy getting his daily lesson from his mother.' It may be a Timothy, but it cannot be the Timothy we read of in the New Testament. Why, my young readers? Look once more at the picture, and tell me. Maggie says, 'Because Eunice would not have flounces on her dress, and a chignon would not be then known.' Well done, Maggie.

All of you look again. And now Arthur suggests Because Timothy would never be dressed in knickerbokers.' Good for Arthur.

I see you are all thinking, but take another look. Here wise Archie breaks in-Because Timothy's Bible would not be a volume like that, but unrolled like a map when it is taken down for the lesson.' Very good, Archie. I am glad you are all learning to read pictures.

The Bible opened at Proverbs, and the page that was on Tommy's left hand contained his first lesson, Slowly he spelt it out word by word. At length he read— 'My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.' He repeated it a time or two over, till at last he could say it off.

'But what is "entice," Mamma?' now Mamma's little sermon began.

And

Entice is to try and get a person to do what is wrong, by trying to make it appear quite right and nice. You are out playing some day, and you are to come in when the bell rings at six. But the play is very nice, and a companion says, "Just stay a half-hour longer. My mother is never angry when I stay a little longer; besides, you must finish the game." Tommy, that is enticing; he is trying to make you disobey your mother, by speaking about it as if it were not disobedience.

'You go into the garden some day, and you are not to touch the apples, because they are not ripe; but on going near the tree, you see an apple which you think is ripe. Then the naughty spirit says, "Take

the apple; it is quite ripe; it is a little one, and will never be missed; besides, it will be very nice to eat, I can tell you." There is nobody. saying all this to you, but the naughty spirit is putting it into your head. Beware, Tommy, he is enticing you. He wants you to do evil, by making it appear good. That is the meaning of entice.

But what is the meaning of consent? This is the next question. Consent not, is just to say no. When you are asked to do what you are afraid is not right, say no. Not a little frightened, half yielding no, but a good, round, decided ÑO. If you are tempted to take what is not your own, say NO. If you are tempted to say a bad word to cause a laugh, say NO. If you are asked to do anything God would not be pleased with, again say NO. That is the meaning of consent not.'

And now the birth-day lesson was finished. Tom repeated it; and what is more, he understood it; and what is better, he said he would try and practice it

"My son, if sinners entice thee, CONSENT THOU NOT.'

39

'Do they not know that God has forbidden the use of images in His worship?'

'Many of them do not know, because they have never searched the Scriptures for themselves. Whenever any of them begin to study the Bible-carefully and prayerfully-they find out the errors of their church. Do you remember that Aaron displeased God by making a golden calf for the Israelites to use in His worship?' 'Did the Israelites mean to worship God by the golden calf?'

'They intended to worship God. Read Exodus xxxii. 5, Charley.'

'And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow is a feast to the Lord.'

"This narrative shews us how very displeasing it is to God to have any graven image used in His worship. You can tell me, Charley, What is forbidden in the second commandment?'

'The second commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in His word.'

Jesus reproved the Pharisees for breaking this commandment, when He said, In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.'

'Besides warning us against a sin, the second commandment requires of us a duty. What is it, Nelly?'

6

The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in His word.'

When Jesus was about to ascend to heaven, He gave this commandment anew to His disciples. I think, Charley, you can remember the words in which He did so.'

"Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."

'These words shew us that we must seek direction regarding the religious worship and ordinances we should observe from Christ Himself. What did Jesus tell the woman of Samaria, when she asked about the place where God should be worshipped?'