LEFT ON THE ROCK. IT T was our annual summer holiday, and we were enjoying that never-failing source of delight-four weeks by the sea. These weeks by the sea! They were pictured in glowing colours for months before they arrived; and then they were lived over again in sunny memories, till the dying year was crowned in wintry snows. But this one August, it lived on overtopping every other August; and even now it towers above the rest, and we still talk of it, my brother and I, when we meet together at Christmas, with our children clustering round us; and they listen to his tale, which seems to gather in magnitude and interest, for they never weary of it; but with flushed cheeks and full-orbed eyes, hearken to the story, and are left in mysterious conjecture as to what and where they would have been to-day, had mamma and uncle John been drowned.

Perhaps other little ones would like to hear the story too.

Rocky Bay is one of the sweetest of watering-places. It opens out to the west-one wide bay, encircled by precipitous cliffs,-not so high as to strike awe into the spirits of the children as they play on the sunny sands at their base. Here and there the cliffs are broken by little rocky openings, through which the waters dash and play like some living, joyous thing. How the shouts and ringing laughter of the children used to blend with the waves, and make such music as never surely anything else can make, but children's laughter and the free triumphant waves.

John and I went with our tiny boat to spend a long afternoon on the inviting beach. We felt like explorers on the desert, as we wandered over the sand, tracing this little stream, scooping out this little pond, which was not quite deep enough for our brave little ship. Hollow after hollow we sailed our little 'Neptune' in; varying our pleasure by watching the crabs and jelly-fish, and gathering the pink and white sea-weed that abounded, but of which we never seemed able to have too

large a store. With a gleeful shout we both gave utterance to our delight, as we came upon a large rock, on the further side of which was the most charming little lake, quite deep enough close to the rock to take John up to his knees. This was worthy of our 'Neptune;' here she might sail all day. And how glorious to sit on the rock with feet paddling in the cool water, and watch the softly creeping tide as it came caressingly over the sands. The sun, arrayed in his evening robes of purple and gold, was shining down in kingly splendour; and the sea reflected back his majesty in burnished beauty.

'It does not look like water, John; it's a shining track of gold, as if we could go right over it to heaven.'

You forget how it looked yesterday, Lucy,-leaden and white and roaring, as if it would dash down these cliffs, and swallow up our pretty village, that lay so smiling and safe through it all. I enjoyed these words, and said them aloud to the lashing billows-"Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." They did look so proud and mighty; I only wished they could have understood the words and felt them. They did want humbling.'

"They are sweet enough to-day, John.'

'Oh, yes; they want to make up for their unruliness; just as your extra sweet hours generally come after a storm. Is not that so, Lucy?'

'You naughty boy; I'll never make you another flag, never-now.' 'Yes, you will.'

Well, you are a provoking thing, that's sure. I just wish I had a good little sister, with yellow hair and a blue dress, that I could nurse and pet, instead of a tease of a brother. I don't know what boys are good for; it would be great deal better if they could be made grown men all at once.'

'Would it, Lucy; here is what I am good for now,' and so saying, he pulled me on to his back.

'We'll have one farewell scamper;' and leaving Neptune' to ride in safety in her calm little lake, he flew over the sands.

Yes, run, John, it's glorious; oh, how free; just the length of the water, and we'll have some play with the waves. It's good to have a brother after all,' and John bounded over the sands till he was out of breath with his delighted burden, and we sat down together on a little dry bank of sand. There the handkerchief of sea-weed was untied, and its finest specimens spread out in a little pool, to display all their beauty in water.

'How glad aunt May will be--wont she, John? She said she would make a large basket and frame it, just of sea-weed from Rocky Bay, if we brought enough."

And so we sat, all heedless of the treacherous waters that were coming up behind, that had even now crept round us on our right, and almost encircled us. John snatched me up regardless of my choicest treasures that floated out their beauty in the clear pool. He flew through the fast increasing waters. We reached our little rock. Neptune' had been washed on the top of it by the last wave, and I stood with my brother's arm fast round me, woefully surveying the depth of water that lay between us and the shore. Neither of us could speak-no living object was in sight both our thoughts were of homehome so near, but during these awful moments so far. The waves touched our feet, came over our ankles with an icy chill. These same waves we had rejoiced in but a short hour or two before.

'Lucy, could I leave you? I might swim ashore and run to the old fisherman's for help. Would you be afraid? have no time to lose.'

We

I clasped him tight, and with one fond kiss said, 'Go, John; I think God will help you.'

He leaped into the water, and with a few bold, strong strokes, reached the shore, and I was alone on the rock. God strengthens His very weakest ones in the hour of peril. I stood upright and firm on the now covered rock. A few steps either way, and the water would have overwhelmed me. But all the time I prayed, Father, take me home; but not through the water to Thee yet, not yet;'

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and I felt my heavenly Father near me. Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.' I repeated the words again and again; they quieted and comforted me; and presently, although it seemed hours, I saw my brother running, the old fisherman's hand in his, and they were near me; and in a moment old Davie was in the water. and at the rock, and took me in his arms, and was back again to the shore. But I knew no more, the excitement was too much for me; and I was carried in his kind old arms safe to our home. When next I opened my eyes, it was my mother's face I saw bending over me, and my dear, good brother hovering about the room.

'O, John,' I said to him next day, 'I'll never speak about brothers again, as I did yesterday. Where would I have been but for you? And it seemed it would have been so easy a little while before to have gone over the shining sea to God. But it was awful, John, when it came round my feet, and I felt there was perhaps no escape. I know now the meaning of the words

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'To linger shivering on the brink,
And fear to launch away."

I hope it wont be so when the real end does come.'

'I don't think it will, Lucy; when we have to pass through the real Jordan, He'll strengthen us, or make the waves not seem too high for us.'

'He'll always be with us, John; that is one thing I have learned by these lonely, fearful moments on the rock.'

And now when twenty years have gone by, I can repeat my youthful assurance, but strengthened by the many trying experiences of life. Our Saviour is ever closest to us in the storm. When the billows of sorrow and adversity go over our heads, then He comes near; we feel His presence, we see His face, we hear His voice, and we know Him to be the Beloved of our souls, the strength of our hearts, and our portion for ever.

A. C. W.

LESSONS FROM AN OLD SCHOOL-BOOK.
LEARN TO SAY NO.

'Little Fish, little Fish, listen to me,
Watch not the bait so greedily;
"Twill enter your neck with a cruel sting,
"Twill tear you sorely, you foolish thing;
See you not there, on the bank, the man?
Little Fish, little Fish, flee while you can.
Little Fish thought he knew better than we:
He saw the bait, and nought else saw he;
The boy on the bank, he said, (he knew best,)
Was only sitting down there to rest.
He gave one snap at the tempting bait,
And then he struggled-but all too late.'

Do you know any little boy who is sometimes very like that little fish?' asked grandpapa, after he had read this fable to his little grandson.

'Do you mean me, grandpapa?' Willie replied.

I am afraid you and many other little folks and big people too, sometimes act very like that foolish little fish. They see only the bait, and they will not believe that there is a hook concealed by it. There is one who is always throwing out baits to catch men. He has a great many different kinds of bait to suit all sorts of men. is the bait with which he catches a great many, pleasure is another bait he often uses, honour too, and even the love of knowledge he employs to destroy men.'

Gold

'It is Satan who is always seeking to catch men. He caught Eve in the garden, when he told her that she would not die, but that the tree would make her wise.'

'What should Eve have done then, Willie ?'

'She should have believed God and not have listened to Satan.'

'She should have done as Jesus did, had nothing to do with Satan. My old teacher used often to say, "Boys, learn to say NO firmly and decidedly: not a feeble uncertain sort of no which only encourages the tempter to go on tempting, and too often changes into a yes. Let your No be like that of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, when they said, "Be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." Then he would make the whole class repeat the words, "MY SON, IF SINNERS ENTICE THEE, CONSENT THOU NOT."

'And he would ask us to tell of some who consented to do what wicked men enticed them, and of others who boldly said Can you name any of them, Willie?' 'Pilate consented to allow the Jews to crucify Jesus.'

no.

He

'Pilate's history is a very sad one. knew that Jesus was innocent, and did not wish him to be crucified, but he wanted courage to displease the Jews by saying No.'

'Herod, too, suffered John Baptist to be beheaded, because he wanted courage to say NO when he could have saved him.'

'Now you must tell me of some who did say NO firmly and decidedly when sinners enticed them. Why was Daniel put into the lion's den?'

'It was because he said No to the King, when he told him not to pray to God; but God took care of him, and sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths, that they did not hurt him.'

'Yes, and God takes care of every one who trusts Him, and fears to sin against Him. Daniel was not afraid of the lions, but he was afraid to sin against God.'

Be brave to do the right,

And scorn to be untrue;
When fear would whisper "Yield
Ask-'What would Jesus do?'

'What did Jesus do when Peter tried to dissuade Him from enduring the cross,

saying, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee?"

'Jesus said, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me." 22 2

'Jesus would not allow the thought of turning aside to enter His mind, but steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, where He knew He must suffer and die. That He might be able to save others He would not save Himself. The great Apostle Paul followed His footsteps, when his friends, fearing lest he would be put to death, entreated him not to go to Jerusalem. What did he say to them? Read Acts 21, 13.'

"Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart? for I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus."

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A school companion lent little Willie a New Testament, and persuaded him to read it. His parents were Roman Catholics, and at first Willie was so afraid of their anger that he read the Testament in his own room with the door locked. While he read, the Holy Spirit opened his eyes to behold the wondrous things written in the Book, and he could hide it no longer. When his mother saw the Testament, she was very angry, and told Willie that he must never open that book again. But the boy replied

'Mother, I cannot give up reading the Testament, for it tells me that God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'

The mother told the priest what her boy had said, and by his advice she burned the Testament, and told Willie that unless he promised never to read that book again, he must leave the house. The boy replied,

'Mother, you have always been kind to me; you have given me my food and my clothes, and I don't wish to leave you; but Jesus died for me, and I must read His book.'

A CHILD'S CIVILITY.

HEN the Emperor of Germany was once on a visit in a distant portion of his dominions, he was welcomed by the school children of the village. After their teacher had made a speech for them the Emperor thanked them. Then, taking an orange from a plate, he asked:

To what kingdom does it belong? 'To the vegetable kingdom, sire,' replied a little girl.

And to what kingdom do I belong, then?' asked the Emperor.

The little girl coloured deeply, for she did not like to say the animal kingdom,' as he thought she would, lest his Majesty should be offended, when a bright thought came, and she said, with radiant eyes:

'To God's kingdom, sire.'

The Emperor was deeply moved. A tear stood in his eye. He placed his hands on the child's head and said, most devoutly :

'God grant that I may be accounted worthy of that kingdom.'

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.