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LITTLE MINISTERS OF SONG.

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'It is the joy of God's people to know that He cares for them and makes all things work together for their good. Do you remember how Jesus taught His disciples to trust in God's providence?'

'He told them that even a sparrow would not fall to the ground without our Father, and that God would take far more care of them, because they were of more value than many sparrows,' said Katie; and little Maggie added, 'He told them to look at the lilies of the field and see how beautiful God had made them-far more beautiful than king Solomon's fine clothesand then they would be sure that God would give them everything they needed.' 'Yes, dear, God made the sweet flowers "To comfort man-to whisper hope Whene'er his faith is dim; For whoso careth for the flowers

Will much more care for him."' 'And now, Katie, you will tell me one thing more about Moses. Of whom was he a type?' 'Moses was a type of Jesus, mamma, for he delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage, and Jesus delivers His people from sin.'

'But God preserved the life of Moses, and He allowed wicked men to crucify Jesus. Why was that?'

'It was because Jesus came into the world to die for our sins.'

When the Jews crucified Jesus they thought that they had put an end to His claim to be the Messiah; and yet by that most wicked deed God accomplished His eternal purpose to save sinners. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with with Him also freely give us all things?"

"God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace: Behind a frowing providence

He hides a smiling face."'

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'Now, mamma,' said Harry, 'you might tell us a story about when you were a little girl.'

'I think our lesson has been all stories together.'

'Just one more story, mainma.'

'I will tell you one. When I was a little girl my mother took me to see a very good old Scotch woman who lived alone in a little thatched cottage, nearly a mile away from any other house. A friend who was with us said to her, "Mary, are you not frightened to live by yourself in this lonely cottage." "Frichted," she replied, "what wud be frichted for; if I can trust my Maker with my soul's salvation, surely I may trust my old frail body to Him."

'That good old woman had learned the meaning of the Saviour's words, "Seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind, but rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." Her trust in her Father's care was not disappointed. He raised up kind friends who watched over her and supplied all her wants as long as she lived. "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord."'

LITTLE MINISTERS OF SONG.

CAN you sing hymns?

If you can, then sing them often, at your work and at your play, at home as well as at school. While you are singing, vain and wicked thoughts will not be able to enter into your heart. David's music drove away the evil spirit that troubled Saul. The great Martin Luther used to sing to drive away Satan. He wished all to learn the art that gave him so much comfort and delight, and got many psalms and hymns set to music and printed in a

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LITTLE MINISTERS OF SONG.

book with pictures. The Germans have sung these ever since, for more than three hundred years.

You cannot write a book like Martin Luther, nor play on the harp like David; but you can sing, and your hymns may comfort many a weary heart. You know some who cannot sing-old men or women whose voices are too weak, or some sick child lying on a bed of pain, or on a bed of death. Could not you go and sing to them, and fill their hearts with sweet words set to music?

Daisy and Violet went one day with their papa to see little Mary Brown, for they had heard that she was sick. They found her lying in bed and quite alone, for her mother was out at work. Mary spoke very little; but while their papa read to her and told her a story, the two little girls noticed her thin hands, her pale face, and how much she was enjoying the visit. When they bade her good-bye, she asked if Daisy and Violet would come back to see her. They promised, and went very soon.

Mary was alone again, and very glad to see them. They sat down at her bedside and spoke of many things. They told her of the Sabbath School excursion which was soon to take place. Violet asked if she would like to go?

'Yes,' answered Mary, very much. But I shall never go to a Sabbath School excursion again. I am going far farther away.' This brought the tears to the eyes of the little visitors. Then Daisy said:

'You are going to the happy land?'
'Yes,' said she. 'Will you sing to me

about it?'

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She had intended to say that they were going to sing the new hymn at the excursion; but when she looked at Mary and thought that she could not go to it with them, but must go on a long journey all by herself, she could not finish her

sentence.

'Yes, do sing that verse again-sing it all over again,' asked Mary.

They did so, and then Daisy said: 'You are not afraid, Mary, to go on the long journey?'

'No,' she replied, 'Jesus will come for me; I am not afraid to go with Jesus. And I shall look for you both to meet me in the happy land.'

They did not speak, and she went on :'I want you to be sure to take Jesus for your Friend now, and He will bring you there.'

Daisy and Violet promised that they would, and bade Mary good-bye. Some days after they heard that Mary had taken the long journey to the

'Home for little children
Above the bright blue sky

A few weeks ago this story was told to a class of boys and girls. One of their companions had been hurt in a mill, and on the very next Sabbath four of the boys were sitting round his bed singing. They sang The Happy Land,' 'Joyful,' and 'Suffer little children to come unto Me.'

Boys and girls, which of you will go and sing at the bedsides of sick children, or of sick men or women, filling their ears with sweet music, and their hearts with praise? In words from The Ministry of Song,' by Frances Ridley Havergal, we ask if you will

'Sing at the cottage bedside;
They have no music there,
And the voice of praise is silent
After the voice of prayer.

Sing of the gentle Saviour

In the simplest hymns you know,
And the pain-dimmed eye will brighten
As the soothing verses flow.
Better than loudest plaudits

The murmured thanks of such,

For the King will stoop to crown them
With His gracious "Inasmuch."

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'BEHOLD I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK!'

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'BEHOLD I STAND AT THE DOOR AND

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KNOCK!'

HAV

AVE you ever observed that the word 'BEHOLD,' does not occur very often in the Bible? Although every page might have a 'Behold' in it,-it is all so wonderful, yet God's spirit is sparing in the use of the word. One result of that is, that wherever you do find it, you must regard it as the finger of God pointing out something more than usually wonderful. And surely this is a wonderful thing that HE should stand knocking at the heart of man. Let us see what there is in the verse to justify the use of the word.

WHO STANDS? 'The beginning of the creation of God; the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness.' Why, this is none other than the Al

mighty Son of the Almighty God; One who is armed with all heaven's power, and robed with all heaven's glory. O what condescension! what wonderful, surpassing love!

WHERE DOES HE STAND? At the door of human hearts. Do you know that the house before which He stands, was once His own? He made it. He supports it in being. He gives it day by day the support which it needs. Once the house, all ruined now, was a glorious temple, and in its Holy of holies was enshrined the true Shekinah; not a Shekinah like the strange,

mysterious light that gleamed of old above the mercy seat in Tabernacle and Temple, but GOD HIMSELF. Over the entrance to it, were carved the words, JEHOVAH

SHAMMAH-The Lord is there.

FOR WHAT DOES HE STAND? Is it to punish, to avenge, to destroy, to level the house with the ground, and leave not one stone standing on another? The trembling conscience says, Yes! it must be for this purpose, and for no other. BEHOLD! He stands to bless you, to build up the ruined house into a temple for God's indwelling, to glorify it with His presence, and to

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Read over

HOW DO WE RECEIVE HIM? the verse again; try if you can pick out two words which will answer the question. Of course you fix at once upon the word 'STAND.' But there is another little word which you must not pass over,-'IF.' Suppose one to come from a distant land, and to knock at your door at midnight. You look out by the lattice, and the stranger says, 'I have come off a long journey; and I come to tell you that a relative of yours has died, and left you all his vast fortune: here is his will signed with his own hand. Take it, read it, make yourself sure about it.' Would you not say, 'Come in, Come in!' There would be no 'IF' in that case. How it must grieve Christ to stand day by day, night by night at the door, and see how it moves upon its hinges to let in others than Himself. Here is one crowned with roses: he touches the door ever so lightly. Lo! it flies open, and the beloved of the Lord stands without, while Pleasure gains ready entrance.

Another

comes up his hands full of yellow gold, and glittering silver. He does not require even to knock, for as he is seen approaching, the door is held open, and he passes in. A third, a little infant, with tiny feet, with laughing blue eyes, with sunny hair, taps so gently at the door; and a mother's arms clasp the little one to the throbbing heart; but He who of old took the little ones in His arms and blessed them, can find no place in the woman's heart. His hair is wet with the dews of the night. By all that love can plead, He pleads with you to let Him in. His hands, as He lifts them, have the print of the nails in them. As the wind drives aside His robe, there is seen the mark of the old spear wound, which the Roman soldier inflicted; and He says, 'all this I bore for you; let me in!' Yes! let the Blessed of the Lord in! It will be a terrible thing if He goes away: if, after years of pleading with you, He should say, 'I will let them alone: they shall call upon me, but I will not answer.'

WHA

HARVEST FIELDS.

HAT a joyous sight is a harvest field. How many happy thoughts it suggests. The waving golden ears, the busy reapers, and the storing of the precious grain, all tell of His goodness who openeth His hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing. The valleys covered over with corn shout for joy; they sing, Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness."

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But what a sad thing it would be, were the harvest ripe, and no labourers could be found to put in the sickle, and gather it into the barn! The farmer could not bear to see the precious crops wasting away for want of reapers, but would make every effort to secure labourers before the harvest was past and the summer ended.

The whole world is a great harvest of souls, and many fields of this precious corn are perishing for want of reapers. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.

The large island of Madagascar, with a population of about five millions, is an immense field white already to harvest. The Queen has herself embraced the religion of Christ, and she wishes all her subjects to become Christians. Encouraged by this good Queen, they have already built churches all over the island, but they cannot get pastors, and how can these poor Malagasy believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent?

Sometimes the Malagasy meet together in their places of worship, and sit there in silence for a good while. Then one stands up and says, O Lord, we wish to worship Thee, but we do not know how, send us teachers.' Then the assembly disperses. Surely we should join with these poor heathen in praying the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers, lest these precious souls perish for lack of knowledge.

'Hear the heathen's sad complaining,
Christians, hear their dying cry;
And the love of Christ constraining,
Join to help them e'er they die.'

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