master. It was a book; but in a language unknown to the Japanese. His curiosity was so excited that he carried the book to a Dutch merchant, who told him that it was a Christian book-the book of the religion of the Europeans. "Ah!' said the Japanese gentleman, 'tell me about it. I wish to know what it contains; translate it to me.' But the Dutch merchant did not know the language well enough to be able to translate it. 'Could I not get this book in a language which I could understand?' asked the gentleman. 'Yes; it could be got in the Chinese language, but it costs dear.' What it costs is of little importance; do get it for me in Chinese; I wish to read it. For a long time I have wished to know the European belief in matters of religion.' The order was given, and when the ships returned from China, one of them brought a Bible which this earnest Japanese enquirer gladly bought. He read it. He studied it. He devoured it. This book revealed to his anxious soul Him whom he had been unconsciously seeking after for several years-the true God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth entered his soul, and he gave himself to the Saviour who had died for his sins. This gentleman was the first convert in modern times in Japan, that wonderful country now opening up to receive instruction. But who had sowed that seed upon the waters? How had that book come there? A young naval officer who loved the Lord Jesus wished to obey His command, Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret. He had no quiet room into which he could retire, and there were many hindrances to devotion on ship-board, so he had got into the habit of climbing to a high part of the ship where he could read God's word and commune with his heavenly Father. While there one day his testament fell from his hands into the sea. This was a great grief to the pious officer, because he thought that the precious volume could be of no use to any one. The young man had been praying for Japan, and God answered his prayers by wafting the precious volume to its shores. Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. SNOWFLAKES. 'Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.'-Psa. 51. ISSY MARKHAM was out travelling with her father, and as the snowflakes fell lightly on the carriage windows she would turn round and say, Oh, papa, the beautiful snow is all spoiled-its whiteness is gone, it has melted into dirty water.' Her father took her upon his knee and answered her: Cissy, darling-while the snow is falling nothing can look whiter, can it? but the moment it touches the dusty glass it all melts, and its beautiful whiteness disappears. Now, you love Jesus, who has promised that though your sins be deep coloured as crimson He will wash them whiter than snow; every day you ask Him to do this, because your daily contact with the world has made you like the snowflakes on the window--dusty, almost hiding the whiteness that was there before. Remember, Cissy, as your hands and body need daily washing, so does your soul, and only Christ the dear Saviour can cleanse you.' Cissy jumped off papa's knee-ran to the carriage window, and looked out: Dear papa,' she exclaimed, 'I thought nothing could be whiter than snow, but now I think of Jesus, who was "without spot and without blemish," I can understand.' May you, dear reader, understand too; and may you remember that Jesus has prepared a garment whiter than snow for you-a robe of righteousness in which you shall stand among saints and angels. M. B. G. Teacher Himself. In sending you to a school your parents naturally enquire about the teacher. Is he competent? Has he been a successful teacher? And you wish to know if he is kind. Now, this Great Teacher of whom I am to tell you, is 1. Competent. One who was taught by Him once said, 'Lord, Thou knowest all things,' and so He does. He knows what is in man; for He can read each thought and tell every desire and feeling. He knows what is in heaven; for He came down from heaven. And He knows God as no one else knows Him; for No man knoweth the Father save the Son.' The counsel of peace was between them both; so that if you wish to know about yourself-about God-about heaven and how to get to it, I know of none so competent to teach you as Jesus. 2. He has been a most successful Teacher. Some teachers know a great deal, but they have not the gift of communicating their knowledge. But the very enemies of this teacher had to confess 'Never man spake like this man'; while one of His scholars asked the other on a memorable occasion, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while He spake with us by the way, and opened unto us the Scriptures?' and love, that they will keep him from hunting and from fighting any more." Yet this teacher has a rod. He would not be kind if He had not. He does not wish His scholars to be lost, and when all else fails, He uses this rod, and all because He loves them. But I must tell you next about His School. It is a school with several class-rooms. There is an Infant class-room, over the door of which is written, Suffer the little children to come unto Me.' There is a Junior class-room, over which you may read, 'I love them that love Me, and they that seek Me early shall find Me'; and there is also a Senior class-room, over which is inscribed, Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden, learn of Me.' Thus it is a universal school, in which you will see scholars of all ages, from the lisping child to the gray haired old man tottering upon the brink of the grave; all ranks, from the humblest to the highest; all countries, for all languages are spoken in this school. He can teach those who speak Dutch, or French, or German, as easily as those who speak English. Further, it is a free school. He will accept no fees. Those who wish to learn of Him must be content to do so without money and without price.' He will admit them on no other conditions. I am sorry to say that there are sometimes truants in this school. Jacob played truant when he deceived his old father; Moses, when in anger he struck the rock; and Peter, when with oaths and curses he denied his Lord. How often have you played truant by telling lies, taking what was not your own, or disobeying your parents? How could you grieve so kind a Teacher? 'Oh,' said 3. He is kind. He rules by love. He loves His scholars. He knows all their difficulties, and He is more vexed than angry when they turn wilful and disobedient. Dr Moffat, the veteran missionary, tells that an African chief once came to him saying that his best hunting dog had eaten his New Testament. But you wish now to know about the Lessons. Are they hard? Are there many of them? LIGHTHOUSES. The Lesson is Himself. 'Learn of Me,' He says. He is your copy, and just as in learning to write, you keep your eye upon the top line and try to imitate it; so, 'be ye followers of Christ as dear children.' Learn of Him that holiness which hates sin, that obedience which never says NO to a father's command, and that love which never grows cold. I have said this is an easy lesson, and yet it takes a long time to learn—it takes a life-time. Ask the aged Christian and he will tell you, I have not yet attained, nor am I perfect.' No; till his dying day he will be learning of Christ, and the more he learns the more he will feel his ignorance. Oh! if you wish to have the lesson ready, you will need to begin early and study diligently. And now, having told you of the Teacher, the School, and the Lessons, I must close by telling you about the Prizes. In many schools there are two kinds of prizes. There are those which are given to the diligent scholars each day-the dux gets a medal and the others who excel get marks or tickets. Then you know what the end of the session brings-what goodly volumes are carried home by those who have been diligent throughout the year. Now, in the School of Christ there are also two kinds of prizes-those given from day to day, and those given on examination day. The prizes which are given from day to day are, peace of conscience, joy, assurance. And who could be happier than the boy or girl who gains these? Oh! to feel that God loves us and that we love Himto have a mind at perfect peace-to have 45 the assurance that though death should come suddenly, it would but take us home to be ever with the Lord; are not prizes like these worth striving for? And yet, these are little compared with the crown and the kingdom which are to be given to us when our lesson is learned and our work is done. Yes; when that day comes we shall see this Great Teacher coming on the clouds, surrounded by His adoring hosts; but better far than the sight of His splendours will be the welcome which He will give to all who have sat in this school and learned of Him: " Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world.' Blessed Jesus, be Thou my Teacher; admit me to Thy school, and help me by Thy Spirit to learn of Thee. 'Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, Suffer me to come to Thee.' LIGHTHOUSES. ON the Cornish coast, fourteen miles south from Plymouth, lies a very dangerous reef of rocks. The rolling waves of the Atlantic dash on these rocks with terrible force, breaking up into swirling eddies, and hence the name Eddystone, given to the reef. The many vessels which were wrecked on this dangerous spot shewed men the necessity of placing some warning light there, but the difficulties in the way of doing so were very great. The first person found willing to undertake the difficult work was Winstanley, who first lighted a lamp there in November 1698. So confident was he in the strength of the building he had constructed, that when, in November, 1703, as he was putting off in a boat from Plymouth to superintend some repairs, a friend mentioned to him his fear that it could not last long, he replied that he only wished to be there in the greatest storm that ever blew under the 6 |