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BE PATIENT.

though God in His mercy wrought a miracle and made the waters sweet, it must have been with thankful hearts that they approached the waving palm groves of Elim. For they knew that the rich verdure which now gladdened their sight was the sign of water. And we read that they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they encamped there.' These wells of Elim were wells of life, not only to the beautiful palms, and to the birds of gay plumage which flitted among their leaves, and the wild beasts of the desert which nightly gathered there, but also to the tired and thirsty Israelites.

There are wells embalmed in our dearest memories. There is that well of Bethlehem, for one draught of whose cool waters David longed saying, 'Oh! that one would give me drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate.' There is the well of Sychar,-whereat Jesus sat,-and one poor sinful woman coming to draw water was supplied with living water springing up in her heart to life eternal. Who would not have sat by that well? Travellers tell us that this well is built over now, and that never more shall thirsty ones get water from it. But the well of life which Jesus gives to drink from is ever open, and its sweet streams are ever flowing. Ask Him for that water and He will give it freely.

In early Jewish history wells are much spoken of. The patriarchs needed water for their large herds of cattle, and whereever they went they dug wells.

It is

written of a king of Judah that he 'digged many wells.' It was our father Jacob' who gave the people of Sychar their well. It was at Beer-lahairoi-the well of Him that liveth and seeth me-that Hagar was found when she fled from Sarai; and there too that in after years Isaac dwelt. Abraham made a covenant of peace with Abimelech at Beersheba-the well of the oath-a covenant which was renewed 100 years later at the same spot between their sons, when Beersheba became a city.

Solomon says, 'that the mouth of the righteous is a well of life.' What a good

man says is a very Elim of refreshment to the weary traveller. And just as these sweet wells of Elim brought refreshing water from the deep caverns of the earth, so the mouth of the righteous brings forth its water of life from the depths of a chastened spirit. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.''Understanding is a wellspring of life.'

Dear children, lay to heart these latest words of Solomon, king of Israel-' Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.' Thus shall the well of your life be ever fresh and sweet. No weary traveller shall ever come to you and find that you are a well without water. But if you have God's truth in your heart as a well of water springing up to eternal life, yours shall be the happy privilege to help to cheer those who may be faint and weary. And when in God's good time the silver cord of your life is loosed, and the golden bowl is broken; when the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern,-your heavenly Father will take you to be with Himself in that happy country where the wells are never dry, and the day is always bright.

'There everlasting spring abides,

And never withering flowers;
Death, like a narrow sea, divides
That heavenly land from ours.
Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood
Stand dressed in living green:
So to the Jews old Canaan stood,
While Jordan rolled between.'

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THAT ABUNDANT ENTRANCE.'

'I am sure I would have enjoyed the sight very much, Georgie dear, but you know this is Saturday afternoon, and I could not have gone out without leaving work to be done to-morrow which ought to have been done to-day. I often remember a rule by which we may easily know what work it is right to do on Sabbath. My pastor taught me it when I was a little girl.'

'But what was the rule, mamma, you might tell us it?'

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"THAT ABUNDANT ENTRANCE.'

'It was this "It is right to do on Sabbath whatever can't be done on Saturday, and can't be wanted till Monday." That is why I could not go with you this afternoon. But you must tell me all about the ship.'

Summer holidays had come, and our little friends Johnnie and Georgie had gone with their parents to the sea coast, and were enjoying their residence there most heartily. Saturday especially was a happy day for them, because then their kind papa was with them, and he was sure to contrive some new pleasure for his little boys. This afternoon he had taken them to see a large ship arriving from America, and they had been wonderfully pleased with the beautiful sight.

Johnnie described to his mamma the happy countenances of the sailors when they came ashore, and the hearty shaking of hands with the friends who were waiting to welcome them home.

And, mamma, he said, the captain is such a pleasant gentleman. Papa spoke to him, and he invited us to come on board,and said he would show us all through the ship another day. Papa asked him if he had had a pleasant voyage all the way home; and he told us that shortly after he sailed there had been a severe storm, and that another fine vessel which had sailed about the same time that he did was wrecked, and all on board, he feared, har! perished. But he said that his ship was strongly built; and all the crew were sol er, industrious men; and though they had a very anxious time for a few days, they weathered the storm without much damage.'

'I think, Johnnie dear, our lesson tomorrow must be about ships coming into the harbour.'

'O, mamma, you surely do not mean that our Sabbath evening lesson is to be about ships coming in.'

I do mean it, and you must try to find out what the Bible says about ships entering the harbour.'

On Sabbath morning the boys were still thinking of the beautiful ship they had seen, and wondering what mamma would tell

them about it in the evening, for they could not remember anything in the Bible about ships coming into the harbour. In church the minister read part of the 107th Psalm, and when he came to the lines

'Then are they glad, because at rest
And quiet now they be ;
So to the haven He them brings,

Which they desired to see,'

the boys began to understand what was their mamma's meaning. And when the text was read from 2 Peter i. 11- For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and the preacher said that the allusion in that verse was to a ship entering the harbour in full sail after a prosperous voyage, heavily laden with a precious cargo-they felt sure they knew what mamma had been thinking about.

In the evening mamma asked the boys if they had found anything in the Bible about ships entering the harbour, and they both replied, 'Yes, mamma; the psalm we sung in church and the sermon we heard, were both about it, and we know now what you meant. Heaven is the harbour, and good people when they die are the ships entering there.'

You are quite right; that is what I meant. And do you remember, Johnnie, what Mr said about some ships which never reach that blissful haven ?'

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'He read us a text about some who concerning faith had made shipwreck. (1 Tim. i. 19.) And he told us that Esau, and king Saul, and Judas, were examples of such shipwrecks.'

And can you tell me, Georgie dear, how we can make sure that we shall not perish amid the many dangerous rocks and shoals of life's sea?

'Yes, mamma, I know that if we give our hearts to the Lord Jesus we shall never perish.'

'And what more must we do if we would have a prosperous voyage, and an abundant entrance into the haven at last?'

Johnnie replied, we must add to our faith courage, knowledge, temperance,

THE PRINCE RESPITED.

patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. Mr said these virtues were the mariners who obeyed the Captain, and so made the voyage prosperous and happy.' 'And can you remember any of the songs they sung by the way, Georgie?'

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'I remember some of them. Courage sings, Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;" knowledge saying, "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord;" and temperance saying, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content."'

'Very well, Georgie. I think I must help you with the rest. Patience sings, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;" godliness sings, "As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God; " brotherly kindness sings, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity; " and charity sings, "God is love."

Then mamma said, 6 we must earnestly seek to have these songs written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and thus make sure of an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.' And she told them a story of a good old woman who heard a sermon on that text one Sabbath afternoon. On leaving the church she slipped a few shillings into the pastor's hand saying, This is for the poor, for I'm thinking that abundant entrance is not far distant.'

After tea a neighbour came in and asked the old woman if she would accompany her to an evening sermon. 'No,' she replied. 'I was so delighted with what I heard this afternoon that I would like just to sit here and think about that abundant entrance,but you might come in and tell me about the sermon on your way home.' Accordingly, the neighbour called after the service, and found the old woman still seated on her chair, her Bible open at 2nd Peter, and her spectacles across the words, For so an entrance,' &c.: but her spirit was with Jesus. To her had already been ministered that abundant entrance on which her last thoughts had been so joyfully fixed.

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THE PRINCE RESPITED.

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IT is said that a bold and hot tempered

prince, brother of a king, when serving with his regiment, quarreled with a brother officer, and stabbed him in the height of his passion. Death took place in a few minutes.

The king, hearing of the event, caused his brother to be apprehended, and tried, as an ordinary person would have been, if guilty of such a crime. This he did to show to his subjects that there was but one law for the highest and lowest in the kingdom. The prince was found guilty, and had the sentence of death passed on him. Then, when feeling the disgrace and misery of his position, the royal message came to him, in which he was told that he was pardoned, and might return to his military duties. This caused him great joy, and he went back to his regiment a wiser and a humbler

man.

The king, however, required one thing from the prince ere he left his cell. It was, that he should wear, by day and by night, around his neck, a black cord, (emblem of death), so as to keep up a constant remembrance of the punishment he deserved, and of the pardon which was so mercifully brought him; and should he ever be found without that cord he was to be put in prison for twenty-four hours.

Dear young friends, have you not all sinned, and broken the highest of God's laws, and greatly offended the King of kings? Are you not therefore guilty, and as such condemned already, and liable to have the sentence executed upon you? That sentence is, the soul that sinneth it shall die.'

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It is through the love and favour of God you are spared to this hour-respited, we may say, at the pleasure of your royal Master. He waits this day for your return to Himself. Long has He waited to hear your confession of guilt, for He delights to pardon all who confess and forsake their sins. Come then, give Him your heart, for His heart is towards you this day full of the richest love. Believe Him. Trust Him.

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'LO! I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS.'

Cast yourself upon the love of God in Christ, and His anger will be put away. Then will He receive you again, admit you to His royal favour, and employ you in His service.

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PROFANE SWEARING.

M. B.

WOWPER wrote some lines about swearing which it would be well for every one to learn:

'It chills my blood to hear my blest Supreme
Rudely appealed to on every trifling theme:
Maintain your right, vulgarity despise
To swear is neither brave, polite nor wise.'

Some who would not swear by the name of God, think nothing of swearing, 'By George,' or 'by jingo,' or by something else. Others often cry out, 'Good Gracious!' or 'Mercy on me!' and the like. These are the beginnings of swearing. They are, to profane swearing, what acorns are to the oak.

Our Saviour said, when on earth :- 'Let your communication, be Yea, yea; Nay, nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.' This means that we should use plain language. David had a short prayer which every youthful reader should now commit to memory, and always remember:

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth;

keep the door of my lips.

OUR MISSIONARY PAGE.

'LO! I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS.'

EVERY lover of missionary work has in

his heart a sincere love for the noble Robert Moffat, who has recently, after more than half-a-century of labour in South Africa, returned to his native land. Of the narrative of his self-denying work, that may be said, which was said by the Archbishop of Canterbury after reading the account of the labours of John Williams in the South Seas-'it seems as if a new chapter had been added to the Acts of the Apostles.' The early days of Mr Moffat's work were

days of danger and of trial. Let our young readers give their attention to the following vivid description of a missionary's perils:

'The country was suffering from a severe drought; the heavens were as brass, the land was barren, cattle were dying rapidly, and many of the people, reduced almost to skeletons, were living on roots and reptiles. The rainmakers were consulted, and being puzzled to find any more plausible reason for the absence of rain, attributed it to the prayers of the missionaries, and the bell of the missionchapel which they said frightened the clouds. At last the missionaries were informed that they must leave the country, and that measures of a violent nature would be resorted to if they disobeyed. The chief who conveyed this message stood at their cottage door, spear in hand, in the presence of Mrs Moffat who was watching the crisis.

'Mild though he was, Moffat was in courage and nerve a match for the bravest of them. Before the deputed chief and his twelve attendants he presented himself as fearlessly as David before Goliath and the Philistinesweak like him, yet, like him, strong in the Divine power on which he threw himself and his cause. There, too, stood his intrepid wife, with an infant in her arms. With a steadfast gaze the tall missionary looked the spearbearing chief straight in the eyes, and thus, or to this effect, calmly and replied: "We are unwilling to leave you. We are now resolved to stay at our post. As for your threats we pity you; for you know not what you do. We have suffered, it is true; and the Master whom we serve has said in His word,. 'when they persecute you in one city, flee ye to another.' But though we have suffered, we do not consider that what has been done to us amounts to persecution. It is no more than we are prepared to expect from those who know no better. If resolved to get rid of us, you must take strong measures to succeed, for our hearts are with you. You may shed my blood, or you may burn our dwelling; but I know that you will not touch my wife and children; and you will surely reverence the grey head of my venerable friend Mr Hamilton. As for me, my decision is made. I do not leave your country.' Then, throwing open his waistcoat, he stood erect and fearless. "Now, then," he proceeded, "if you will, drive your spear to my heart; and when you have slain me, my companions will

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