of every human heart till changed by His grace.

"This doctrine was quite new to the Geneva students; and it seemed to them so very strange, that they were unwilling to believe that it really was the truth taught in God's word. At last D'Aubigne said, I see that doctrine is in the Scriptures.

'Yes, Haldane replied; but do you see it in your own heart?

'D'Aubigne thought of Haldane's words till he felt that the description of human nature which he had found in the Bible was a true picture of his own heart. He saw his own danger, and gladly received the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ. From that time till his death he laboured diligently in the service of Jesus.'

'Can you tell me, Willie, why the Bible, which is so full of God's love to man, tells us so often of our awfully sinful condition by nature?'

'It is to make us seek Jesus.'

"Yes. God, in His great love, shows us our sin and our danger that we may flee to Jesus the great Saviour.'

'He came to raise our fallen state,
And our lost hopes restore :
Faith leads us to the mercy-seat,
And bids us fear no more.'

Angels, I can see no way

Through the beautiful blue sky!
Oh! tell me, are there steps to climb?
Can I have wings to fly?

I see no way in day-time bright,
Nor when the stars are seen at night.

I so little am and weak,

And so soon should tired be;
Oh! that some angel, kind and strong,
Would take me lovingly

Into his arms, and with me fly
Up to that blessed land on high.

MOTHER'S ANSWER.

My child, the holy angels love
All little children well,
They often leave their happy home

To watch us where we dwell;
And they are kind and strong and good,
And God's commands obey;

But there are things they cannot do,
To them we should not pray.

They cannot take us up to Heaven
Till soul and body part;
They cannot take our sins away,

Nor give a holy heart.

But there is One, whose tender love
Is always watching you,
More beautiful than angels are,

More tender, strong, and true.

He is the only way to Heaven;
He can your sins forgive,
And send His Holy Spirit down

Within your heart to live.
If this good Spirit lives in you,

Then He will lead you right,
And bring you every day more near
To Heaven's land of light.

Then ask of God His precious gift,

For He will hear your prayer, And all your life-long journey through Will make your steps His care; So will you walk the way to Heaven, For Christ will show the road, And send His angels when you die To carry you to God.

K. M. K.

YES, it was Willie's birth-day,

And a great day that must be, 'For I am no more a baby,

But seven years old,' said he.

The gifts that his friends had offered

He thought neither few nor small; But I think that grandmamma's present Was the favourite after all.

That morning had come a hamper,

So carefully tied with string, And the children had crowded round it To see the wonderful thing. Agnes and John and Minnie

Stood watching with eager eyes, While Willie with hands that trembled Drew forth his beautiful prize.

A couple of snow-white rabbits,
Oh, the enchanting sight!
Willie was almost speechless,
And breathless in his delight.

The favourite old Newfoundland
Was almost as pleased as they,
His eyes in their wistful gladness
Said all that a dog's could say.

'But where shall we put the beauties?'
Said Minnie in accents sweet,
'And how shall we make them happy?
And what will they like to eat?"

Spoke John in his older wisdom,
(He would be thirteen ere long,)
I will build them a hutch to-morrow,
Spacious and clean and strong.'

138

'And till it is built,' said Minnie With a shade of doubt in her face, 'They might live in the sugar barrel For want of a better place.'

We could line it with hay completely, To make them a cosy nest, And bring them lettuce and clover To see which they like the best.'

Sweet Minnie's advice was taken;

The cask was speedily brought, And the pets seemed quite contented As indeed I think they ought.

How long was the hutch in building
It were best perhaps not to say;
But the cask was the rabbits' dwelling
For many a summer's day.

And now if you question Willie
About any birth-day past
(We shall soon have no little Willie,
The years hurry by so fast),

I think he will tell you smiling,
That of those he can best recall,
When grandmamma sent the rabbits
Was the pleasantest one of all.

KATIE THOMSON.

PIONEER QUESTIONS

PREPARED FOR THE 'CHILDREN'S SERVICE.'

BY DAVID MACRAE.

SERIES B.-OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS.

(c) THE MINOR PROPHETS.

97 How many books of prophecy follow Daniel? Twelve.

98 What are these sometimes called? The Minor Prophets.

99 What does the word "minor" mean? Less. 100 Why are these books so called? Because they are so much smaller in size and scope than the others.

101 Name the first of the minor prophets? Hosea.

102 What is his prophecy full of? Denunciations and warnings.

103 Why? Because Israel was very corrupt in his time.

WHAT IS TIME?

ASK'D an aged man, a man of cares, Wrinkled and curved, and white with hoary hairs;

Time is the warp of life,' he said; 'Oh, tell The young, the fair, the gay, to weave it well! I ask'd the ancient, venerable dead, Sages who wrote, and warriors who bled; From the cold grave a hollow murmur flowed,

'Time sow'd the seed, we reap in this abode!'

I ask'd a dying sinner, ere the tide Of life had left his veins;-'Time!' he replied;

'I've lost it! Ah, the treasure!'-and he died.

I ask'd the golden sun and silver spheres, Those bright chronometers of days and

139

THE DAYSPRING' FOR 1874. BIBLE QUESTIONS.-The result of our young friends' efforts in the competition, with the names of the successful competitors, will be given in the 'Dayspring' for January 1874. The same No. will also contain the first of a new series of Questions, for which Prizes will be offered.

A series of papers for the young on the EARLY REFORMERS will be given, and the interesting Home Lessons for the Lord's day will be continued.

Encouraged by the success of the past two years, every effort will be made to make the DAYSPRING' both acceptable and useful to the Boys and Girls of Great Britain.

ANSWERS TO OCT. AND NOV. QUESTIONS
JUNIOR DIVISION.

(28) Psalm x. 4; (29) Psalm lxvi. 18; (30) Luke xviii. 7.

(31) Psalm lxvii; (32) Rahab and RuthMatthew i. 5; (33) Matthew xii. 41.

SENIOR DIVISION.

(28) Job. xxi. 15; (29) 1 Samuel xv. 11; (30) Job xxvii. 10.

(31) Genesis xii. 3, with Gal. iii. 8; (32) Numbers xiv. 21; (33) Romans x. 14, 15.