PRIZE SCRIPTURE ACROSTICS AND QUESTIONS. 'Nay, 'tis not I who called, my son : Oan I, too, hear His voice? Yes, you may minister to Him; And daily in His Word He speaks To all who read and hear. He calls you all, dear children; Calls you to come to Him; Give Him your ear, your heart, your life; Be minist'ring for Him. It was a message dark and sad, The Lord to Samuel gave; 'Tis one of love and grace to us,That Jesus died to save. M. A. LISTON FOULIS. TRUSTING JESUS. IAM trusting thee, Lord Jesus, Trusting Thee for full salvation, I am trusting Thee for pardon, For Thy grace and tender mercy, I am trusting Thee for cleansing, I am trusting Thee to guide me; I am trusting Thee for power; Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me, I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, Never let me fall! I am trusting Thee for ever, And for all. FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL. The 23 Dayspring Bible Class. These Questions are intended to encourage the young to read the Scripture passage carefully. The answer to every question is contained in the passage itself, and so may be found by any one who reads it with care and attention. QUESTIONS ON MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. Where did John the Baptist preach to the people? What was the burden of his preaching? What prophecy concerning John the Baptist is here quoted? What are we told about his food and clothing? From what places did many come to him to be baptised in Jordan? What did John call the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to be baptised? What question did he ask them? In what way did he require them to prove the sincerity of their repentance? Against what delusion did he warn them? In what striking words did he assert that nothing is too hard for the Lord? By what emblem did John describe the doom of mere professors? What saying of John's shows his humility, and his reverence for the Lord Jesus? How did John contrast baptism by Christ with his own baptising with water? By what emblem did he describe the final separation of true and false professors? Why did Jesus come from Galilee to Jordan? Why was John at first unwilling to baptise Jesus? What reason did Jesus give why He should be baptised? What amazing sight did John behold when he baptised Jesus? What words were then spoken by a voice from heaven? Prize Scripture Acrostics and Questions. Competitors not to be above fourteen years of age; and the answers must be honestly the work of the individuals competing. All answers to be sent, with the name and address of the competitor, not later than the 18th of each month, to the Rev. JOHN KAY, Coatbridge. 1 Give a verse to shew that graciousness of speech is a help to the acquisition of knowledge? 2 Where are unjust legislators threatened with perplexity as to the disposal of their property? 3 Where are we warned against expressing a judgment without sufficient knowledge to guide us? I CANNA LANG BE KEY C. Moderato. HERE. Words and Music by W. R. Wiseman. M.S: Im' :-.r'd' : |1.1:-. .1 s.d': | m' :-.m | r :m d.m: My faither-oh, he's lang, mither, In comin' hame the nicht; He disna ken his only bairn Will nae mair meet his sicht; He thinks na o' the pain, mither, Drink brings tae you and me: I wish he had been here the nicht, Tae see me when I dee. He wad hae seen hoo ane, mither, I thocht to say a word, mither, A word frae his ain deein' bairn Paisley: J. AND R. PARLANE.] :-.f|d.d: If s d I canna lang be here. : His only bairn, wha lo'ed him weel, An' seek the Han' will guide him safe My een are growin' dim, mither, A drowsiness is on me now, I've scarcely strength tae speak. I'll soon be where there is nae care, You'll meet me there aboon, mither,- But trust in Him, wha lo'es us a':. [London: HOULSTON AND SONS 26 THE TRIAL TRIP. THE TRIAL TRIP. Na beautiful spring morning, George Mortimer, with his little sister Mary, and Harry Jones, their constant companion in all expeditions, set out full of hope for the trial of 'The Fairy,' in the little lake not far from their home. "The Fairy' was the first real ship, as George called it, that he had ever possessed. He had sometimes tried to sail small imitations of boats in a basin in the nursery, or empty cocoa nuts had sometimes been rigged out,' by his elder sister, to please his liking for all seafaring things; but a real ship, with sails, ropes, and helm, had never been his till now. His cousin Robert, who had actually been two years a sailor boy, and whom George looked upon as an experienced seaman, had spent his last Christmas with the Mortimers, and had built 'The Fairy,' while George and Mary looked on, in mute admiration of his skill. George was glad to be allowed to fetch and carry any thing that was needed, while the grand work was going on: and Mary could hardly sleep for a night or two, till the hemming of the sails was finished; for that was her share of the business. And now, all was ready; Harry, as his contribution, had got 'The Fairy,' printed in gilt letters on the blue pennon which fluttered at the mast head; and down ran the children, to trust their precious property to the winds and waves;' for the gentle ripple on the lake Mary dignified by this name. It was really and truly a trial trip that was now to be made; for if 'The Fairy' behaved well, as sailors say, she was, next Saturday, to sail on the river that the children saw far off, from the nursery window; but strong currents were there, which might capsize the little craft, and eager as George was for his vessel to show her powers, he would not have risked her in the fast flowing stream, before she had been tested in the stiller, safer waters of the lake. George, of course, had the honour of launching the ship. Harry ran round by the head of the lake, and stood watching the doings on the other side, ready to receive 'The Fairy' on her first landing. But fear filled the young hearts as the voyage began. After George and Mary thought her fairly afloat, 'The Fairy' got entangled in the rushes near the shore. Mary bore up bravely when she saw the white sails on which she had spent such labour get soiled and wet, before the crossing had well begun; but George managed well, got her righted again, and fairly off at last; then stood watching with intense anxiety, when his much prized treasure was really out of his hands. Perhaps he thought, as he bent eagerly forward, that he could help on the little vessel, so much did he seem to feel each lurch, as 'The Fairy' breasted the wave. He and Mary held their breath, as the tiny ship leaned to one side, and they thought all was over with her; but Harry's ringing cheer from the other side, as she recovered her balance and sailed steadily on, gave them heartening to run round by the head of the lake, as he had done; and all three joyfully welcomed The Fairy,' as with the sun shining brightly on her white sails, she landed safely in her destined harbour. Had there been a shipping list for the children's boats, such as there is in the newspapers for the great ships that cross the ocean, you would have seen reported amongst the arrivals next morning 'The Fairy," all well, prosperous voyage.' This was what the young people eagerly announced, as they rushed into the drawingroom, and told Mrs Mortimer of the grand event. 66 'Oh! mamma,' said George, I only wish cousin Robert had been here to see her; she is a splendid sailer, "obeys her helm beautifully," (for George had picked up a few seaman's phrases, which he liked to show off). "Don't you think we may go next Saturday down at once to the seaside, and launch her there?" Mrs Mortimer looked wistfully at the eager faces of the children; perhaps she was thinking how all three, though little dreaming of it, were setting out on the voyage across life's ocean, and she wondered how it would fare with them. 'Don't you think so, mamma?' asked HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL. 6 Mary, impatient for a reply. You can't think how steadily she sailed, after she was fairly off; and it would be such a grand thing, if "The Fairy" was out on the ocean, like one of the great large ships. I would not be afraid of her,' Mary added, in a wise, experienced tone, forgetting all her fears at the launch on the lake. 'Oh! no,' said her mother, 'that would never do. This morning "The Fairy" made her first trial trip; she must be tried a little more yet, before she ventures on the ocean, else I much fear she may suffer shipwreck; and we should all be grieved if that were to happen. Baby managed to walk safely across the nursery floor yesterday, for the first time, with a firm hold of my finger; that was his trial trip. But you would think it very strange, were I to set the poor little fellow off alone at the garden gate, because he had done his first journey well; he must be tried again and again. He will have some troubles, I fear, before he can be left alone.' 'Well,' said Mary, "The Fairy" almost had a tumble just at setting off, but the sails were well set, and George had pointed her helm in the right direction, so all went well at the end.' 'Yes,' said Mrs Mortimer, 'that is the main matter. You and all of us are often making trial trips; beginning some new course, seeking some end,-be sure that it is a right one. Columbus knew he was right when he set out; and patiently and steadily sailed on, believing that he would reach the American shore, and so at last he did. It is terrible to make a trial trip in a wrong direction. Nobody does some very bad thing all at once; there is always some small beginning. Poor widow Smith's son, who was ringleader in a great robbery, and is banished for it now, began, as he told me when I saw him in jail, by stealing sixpence one day from a companion at school; he never intended to grow up a thief, he wished to please himself. In life's voyage, the point he steered for was his own will, not God's; and you see how he has been shipwrecked. I dare say you understand what I mean, George?' 27 'Oh! yes, mamma; and with such a wind as was blowing when "The Fairy" set out, with all sails set, she might have been wrecked too, had she not steered right for the port.' We grown-up people,' continued Mrs Mortimer, have had many trial trips in our day, and have come through many storms. You, children, who have yours still before you, see that in them all you put the helm in the Saviour's own hand, and He will guide you safely into the harbour.' "There's the dinner bell, mamma,' said George, rather eagerly. Very well, my dear-put away your pretty ship for this week-she has done her part well; and if you remember a little of what we have been talking about, she has been your good "Fairy" in more ways than one.' WE HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL. K. 'Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.' Rom. 13. 14. E all wish to look well. That is, right. It is a pleasure to ourselves, and to all who see us. The mistake is, that we often seek, not that we should look well, but that our clothes should look well. The goodness and beauty we think of, and seek after, is outside of us-in our dress, and not in ourselves. It is foolish to take pleasure in our clothes, if we cannot take pleasure in ourselves. A clothes screen is not any grander in itself, however splendid the dresses may be that are hung on it. A man is not any better in himself when he puts on better clothes. A gentleman's son was playing on a country road near the village where his father lived. There was a potato field by the road side. In the middle of the field was a wooden man which the farmer had set up to scare the crows. After a while the boy noticed this figure, and was so much amused that he went up to it to see it nearer. In the end, indeed, out of fun, he dressed it up in some of his own |