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74

THE CLEVER LITTLE CARPENTER.

THE CLEVER LITTLE CARPENTER.

NE

EARLY a hundred years ago, a boy was born in a little cottage near Shrewsbury. His name was 'Samuel Lee.' Any one speaking of him when he was still a child would have called him a charity school boy, for as such he was brought up and then sent out to work for himself when he was twelve years old. When he died in 1852, he was the Rev. Samuel Lee, D.D., late Regius professor of Hebrew and Arabic in the University of Cambridge, Rector of Barley, Herts, &c.' How was there such a change in his position at the beginning and end of his life?

It was not easy in those far off days for a boy to rise in the world. There were no school board officers who compelled children to attend school, fining or imprisoning friends who kept them away; nor were there, as now, rewards and bursaries for the sharp, clever boys, who learn their lessons and get well through their examinations. But where there's a will, there's a way.'

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Little Samuel had a hard life of it during his teens. He was apprenticed to a carpenter, and had to work very busily through long hours of toil. During any spare time he had in the work-shop, and occasionally, I fear, when he was working in the houses of customers, he would seize a book and eagerly read it: then, when working hours were over, Samuel's great joy was to pore over the few books he had,-not picture or story books, but what required thinking in order to be understood. Sometimes, as he read, he would come upon words which, do as he liked, he could not make out. No wonder; they were not English words, and foreign languages were not taught at a charity school. Samuel saw that in order to understand the books in which he was so interested, he must learn Latin. But how was this to be done? how could he teach himself?

One day when his thoughts were full of this question, he stopped at a book-stall as he was hurrying along to his work. Lifting up a well worn book he saw it was

called Ruddiman's Latin Grammar,' and the price was marked 'one shilling.' Now, this was a large sum for Samuel to give; moreover, he required a new tool for his carpenter's work, and had been saving up his pence in order to buy it. While he turned over the leaves with one hand, he felt for his shilling with the other. He had but one, so it was easily found at the bottom of his pocket. I shall manage the tool some way,' he said to himself, 'I really must have this grammar,' so the price was laid down and the book carried off in triumph.

That very night he set to work, and before morning had learned by heart a portion of the book. Using every spare moment, you may be sure he was not long of mastering the whole. You can fancy how, after that, he would turn again to the books he had been studying months before, find out the difficult passages, and try to read them intelligently now.

The diligent young carpenter plodded on. He was not slothful in his worldly calling, but he had something else, this love of learning, to which he turned with pleasure when his hard day's work was done. I have no doubt this kept him out of the way of idle, bad companions, and so, in more ways than one, was a blessing.

Latin being mastered, Greek came next, for the desire of knowledge grows with what it feeds on; after Greek came Hebrew, then Arabic, till, when Samuel was above twenty years old, he was quite a learned man. When he was twenty-five he began to think that his beloved studies must be given up, and that he must turn his mind to improvements in his own trade. This would have been great self-denial, but Samuel Lee was upright and conscientious, and would have done it had he been called on to do so. It has been often said that 'Providence helps those who help themselves.' Samuel had certainly helped himself, and you will hear in what a strange way Providence helped him. A fire broke out in the premises where he worked; his tools, his stock in trade, as one might call them, were burned. If he was to

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'MOTHER, WHERE IS GOD?'

continue as a carpenter, he should, without one shilling in his pocket, have to begin the world again.

At this very time, the difficulties and struggles of the young man came to the knowledge of Archdeacon Corbett, who immediately befriended Samuel, introduced him to learned men of his acquaintance, and got for him the post of master of the Blue school, Shrewsbury. When he was thirty, he entered Queen's College, Cambridge, and in three years afterwards, published his Syriac Testament. For this he was honoured with the degree of Doctor of Divinity, from the University of Halle, and a whole host of literary honours followed.

Although his great genius could have enabled him to excel in any branch of study, his greatest ambition was to have a thorough knowledge of the Bible, God's book for man. To this he applied himself with unflagging zeal, and found in it his rich reward. But knowledge such as this every Christian desires to share, and Samuel Lee's great joy was to tell others the truths he knew. To do good, and to communicate, he forgot not, knowing that with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Ere he died in his quiet Rectory at Barley, many had reason to be thankful for the life led by the clever carpenter, who grew up into the wise Doctor of Divinity. I wonder if any young tradesman among my Dayspring' readers will go and do likewise.

STRONG DRINK.

THE
HE strength of man is wasted,
The children's hopes laid low,
And woman's beauty blasted,
By Drink, our island's foe.

The leering demon leadeth

Its host of million slaves

To misery, and feedeth

The worm of thousand graves.
Where'er the thing appeareth,
It sheds a hopeless blight;
It withers what it neareth;
It leads to endless night.

K.

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75

LITTLE WILLIE was four years old,

when one day he came softly into the room where his mother-who had long been an invalid-was lying. She saw at once by his flushed cheeks and hesitating manner that he was ill at ease. She drew him to her side, but he did not throw his little arms around her neck, or put up his sweet lips for a kiss, as was his wont. She was a good mother, and always encouraged her children to come to her in their little difficulties, therefore she knew that little Willie would soon tell his trouble to his dear mother; nor was she mistaken. After a short time he looked up, and said solemnly, 'Mother, where is GOD?'

'Dear Willie,' she replied, 'I thought you knew that God is everywhere.'

'But, mother, I dont think God is at our bleaching-green.'

'Why do you think God is not there, Willie?'

'Because,' replied he, 'I have been there just now, and I looked all over the green and up to the skies too, and I could not see God anywhere.'

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No, my Willie,' returned his mother, 'you would not see God. The Holy Bible says, "God is a spirit; " and again, "No man hath seen God at any time." though you cannot see God, God sees you. "He looketh to the ends of the earth, and sceth under the whole heaven."

But

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76

LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF NATURE.

'But if there were no windows God could not see me.'

Ah, dear child,' said his mother, 'God has no need of windows. Darkness and light are both alike to God. He sees your little heart and knows what you are thinking this moment.'

Then, mother, God saw this berry in my hand when it was firm shut? Oh!' said he, bursting into tears, I dare not eat it. What shall I do with it?'·

'Hush, my dear,' said his mother soothingly, and tell me where you got it.'

O mother,' he sobbed, I was playing with Dick Bold, and he climbed over the the fence and picked some of Mrs. Jackson's berries. He gave me one, and said if I did not tell, nobody would ever know. Oh, mother! I suppose he forgot that God saw him. Shall I go and give him back the berry and tell him that God was there?'

'Yes, my boy; but first kneel down and ask God to forgive you for His dear Son's sake; for you knew it was wrong to receive from another what you knew had been stolen. And never forget that God says in His book, "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."'

A BAIRNIE'S PRAYER.

A. M.

LORD, I'm just like some wee bairnie Wha's an orphan wean,

Needin claes an' ilk providin—

Canna gang alane.

When I walk I'm sure to stumble,
Getting mony fa's;

But, ye ken, it's just through breakin
A' your ain gude laws.

Tak awa my rags o' doubtin

Weeds, which ready bloomFor they're neither braw nor dacent, Made in Satan's loom. Cleed me wi Thy garments holy, Mak me, Lord, your ain;

Tak my wee hauns, grip them firmly, For I'm but a wean.

Lord, ye ken, I need gude guidin,
An' I'm wae oft whiles,
Unco dowie, sad, unhappy,

Wishin for your smiles.
Wash my heart an' scrub it cleanly,
Tak awa ilk stain,

Step atower an' bide inside o't;
Speak wi your wee wean.

O! dear Faither, guide your lammie
Ower the cauldrife mairs;

Free ilk road frae thorns an' briars,
Lead me by a' snares,
Till within your ain braw biggin
I may safely dwell,
Praisin Thee for a' your gudeness
When I see yoursel.

DAVID CUTHBERTSON.

LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF NATURE. ASPIRATION, OR THE SKY-LARK.

OME with me out into the wide fields

COM

of creation, and see what pleasure and instruction we may there find. In order to this we must cultivate habits of observation, and encourage the spirit of reverence. Much beauty rests all about our daily path, but how few have eyes to see it, or lowly, loving hearts, whereby to rejoice in it.

It is not necessary to go in search of what is called fine scenery, for this our purpose. When I was a very little child, my dear mother used to call my attention to many of the common every-day beauties of nature. Now it would be the lowly 'gowan' at my foot, or the soft sweet music of the rippling stream with its fairy nooks and tiny waterfalls. Another unfailing source of interest was the deep blue sky with its glorious fleecy clouds or raking wintry blasts, resplendent each morning and evening by sunrise and sunset. Such objects may be seen by most people, if only they wish to.

But it is quite possible that even some little reader of the 'Dayspring' may be so circumstanced as that these seem

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