Now, wearied out, wee Jess With flushing cheek will press

The pillow white;

Steals slumber, soft and sweet, O'er tiny form and feet;

Our love, goodnight!

Good angels, kindly keep
Our darling in her sleep
With folded wing;
Watch o'er her till she wakes,
And, when the morning breaks,
A blessing bring.

Still, as the years go round,
May her sweet life be crowned
With purest bliss:

Make her a child of grace,
A star in Yonder Place,
A light in this.

J. K. MUIR.

HE THAT TOUCHETH YOU TOUCHETH THE APPLE OF HIS EYE.'

'I

Zech. ii. 8.

WAS in the desert,' said my friend;

'we had travelled many miles over hot sand, parched plains, and under a cloudless, scorching sun. Water was failing, and our prospects were somewhat gloomy. Towards evening a cloud of dust arose in the crimson horizon; it was the sheik of a neighbouring tribe with some of his followers, mounted on fiery arabs. Was he for war or for peace?

After many salaams, according to the hospitality of his tribe, he urged me to visit him in his tent, adding, in order to allay any lingering suspicion, "Fear not to enter my tent, and stay with me. Come and visit my tribe. I will stand at the threshold; who touches you touches me first; no one can enter to you but through me."

The words of my friend fell sweetly on my ear; they were so suggestive of the words at the head of this little paper, spoken by Him who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

Dear children, as old Samuel Rutherford says, 'Be not ashamed to play the coward, and hide behind Jesus.' Hide in the clefts

of the Rock of Ages; that Rock is Christ. There you will be safe from a broken law, for He has kept it; safe from a guilty conscience, for He will wash you in the great fountain opened up for poor vile sinners; safe in the storm, safe in the calm, safe in the conflict of life's battle, and safe when you lay your head down to die.

Have you ever heard the sweet note of some little bird as you walked in the country? You have looked for it, but the bird was hid away far up in yonder ivy covered rock; from its nest there it sang, and only by its song could you tell its presence. So hide, dear children, in Christ, and then you will sing too; and when Satan seeks you, he will not be able to get near you, he will find you 'hid in Christ.'

'Water, water, oh, ye thirsty,' cries the Arab water carrier in the streets of Alexandria or Damascus; Water, water, come and drink!' So Jesus not only gives shelter and rest, but He quenches the weary longing of the heart.

A little Arab girl in Jaffa lay dying; her lips were seen to move. Moy, moy,' she whispered, which is the Arabic for water. Her dear teacher thought she wished a drink of cool water, and offered it to her; but she put it aside, and shook her head. 'Is it the water of life you wish?' asked her teacher. A glad smile stole over the pale face, and she bowed her head murmuring, The water of life!' A few hours after, and she was with the Good Shepherd, who leads His flock by the still waters.

OUR SURETY.

'I will be surety for him.'-Gen. xliii. 9.

E. F.

to the house of His Father and our Father. He undertakes to present us before the presence of His glory. We are in His hand, and from His hand God will require us and receive us. And God, who so loves His children, has trusted the Lord Jesus to do this. He has given us to Him, and He has accepted Jesus Christ as our Surety.

Now, if God has trusted Him, will not you trust him too? What! hesitate about trusting Jesus? Whom else could you trust? Who else could undertake to bring you safe to heaven? Benjamin might possibly have found his way by himself from Egypt to Canaan; but never, never could you find the way by yourself from earth to heaven; and never, never could any one but the Lord Jesus bring you there.

Benjamin could not be quite certain that his brother could keep his promise, for Judah was only a man, and might have been killed in Egypt. But you may be quite certain that your Elder Brother can keep his promise, for He is God as well as man. And do you think he would break His promise? He, the Faithful Saviour, break His promise? Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His word shall not pass away!

Then trust Him now, and never wrong His faithful love again by leaving off trusting Him. He is our Surety, and He will bring every one who trusts Him safe to the heavenly Canaan.

(From 'Little Pillows.") FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL.

June 8.-THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES. Ezek. 37. 1-10.

71

Memory verses: 7-10. Golden Text. It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. John 6. 63. Why does the soul of man need to be quickened, or made alive? Ezek. 37. 1-3. Eph. 2. 1,5. Who alone can quicken dead souls? Gen. 2. 7. Ezek. 37. 9. Acts 2. 2, 4. Whose words does the Holy Spirit employ to quicken souls dead in sin? Ezek. 37. 7, 10. John 5. 25. Psa. 119. 130.

Give examples of the words of Christ giving life to the soul? Luke 19. 5-9. Acts 9. 4-6; 16. 14, 30-34.

What did the golden candlestick which was shewn to Zechariah represent? Exod. 25. 31-40. Rev. 1. 20.

Why is oil an emblem of the Holy Spirit? Exod. 27. 20, 21; 29. 7. Isa. 61. 1-3. Who are those like who profess to serve Christ without having the Holy Spirit? Mat. 25.3. How may we obtain this holy oil? Luke 11. 13. What does the Holy Spirit do for those who receive Him? Eph. 1. 13, 14. Rom. 8. 15, 16.