to warm himself, but also to drive away from him the lions and other beasts of prey, which, he knows, are round about him, and will come out at night to seek for food. Long ago, there were many lions in the land of Judea. When David was but a strippling keeping his father's flock, there came a lion and a bear and carried off some of the lambs, and David bravely attacked them and rescued the lambs. Another brave man, one of David's mighty warriors, went down into a pit and slew a lion on a snowy day. And long before either David or Benaiah had their fight with a lion, strong Samson going down to Timnath rent in pieces a young lion that roared against him.

If you turn to the 13th chapter of 1st Kings and the 17th of 2nd Kings, you will find instances recorded in which lions were sent as God's messengers to punish sin. These show that even the wild beasts are under His control and power. They are creatures of God and cared for by Him. He satisfieth the desire of everything that lives, and so David says, 'The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.' In another Psalm he alludes to a fact in their natural history, that they are often a long time without food, and then they are ravenous and roar for their prey. 'The young lions do lack and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.' And then good king David has a word for the children. He says, 'Come ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.'

I remember long ago when I used to go to school, I passed an old house every day above whose doorway there was inscribed in old characters, Fear God onlye, 1697.' The man that built the house was dead, but the motto of his life and of his house lived still; and as it preached to me day by day in those old days, so now I say, get that motto into your hearts and you have the bcginning of a true and noble life, for 'the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.'

The lion's roar is the terror of all who hear it. The stoutest heart quails before it. How expressive then is that image under

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which stout-hearted Peter speaks of our adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walking about seeking whom he may devour.' Well indeed may he counsel us to be sober and vigilant. Little children are often the prey of lions, but their mothers care for them, and when the lion's roar is heard in the forest, the mother seeks for her little ones and puts them beyond his reach. There is One who cares for the little ones of God's flock, and who is able to protect them against even this lion-the Good Shepherd, who, like David of old, will go forth to do battle with the lion, and rescue His little lamb. Oh, children, love Jesus! Come to Him, the good and kind Shepherd, who gave His life for the sheep, and He will guard you from all danger, and lead you safely by the still waters to the green pastures of His own blessed kingdom above.

There shall be no lion there, nor ravenous beast.' You shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. Oh that the dear children who read this paper could so give their hearts to the loving Jesus, that they may be lambs of His flock. 'Jesus, tender Shepherd, hear me,

Bless Thy little lamb to night;
Through the darkness be Thou near me,
Guard my sleep till morning light.'

GOD EVERYWHERE.

GOD reigns in glory, and on high
Sits on His throne of majesty;
Yet from that glorious throne He bends,
And even to a child attends.
Asleep, awake; by night by day;
Where'er I go, whate'er I say;
Although the Lord I cannot see,
His eye is always fixed on me.
He hears me when I pray or praise,
He also ponders all my ways;
May I so live as God approves,
May I be one whom Jesus loves.
God never will forsake His own,
He will not leave me all alone;
When not another friend is near,
May I remember God is here.

Oh
may I try to praise Him still,
To know, and love, and do His will;
Then will my joy and gladness be,
That God's own eye is fixed on me.

MY Y dear young friends,-In a former paper I called your attention to the curlew. Let me now ask your attention to the cuckoo, another bird of passage, whose note we are all delighted to hear when it comes as the herald of summer.

All the music of the cuckoo consists of two notes, which correspond with its name; but these notes are very pleasant to the ear, and give a delightful variety to the music of the other pattering songsters, with which the hills and vales are vocal on the still mornings of balmy May. But when I have said that its notes are delightful, I have just said all the good that can be said about it.

It is a sad thing when we have to say about boys and girls, or men and women, that the more we know about them, the less we admire them. I hope, my young friends, that you will all try to be good and

kind, so that nobody can justly say that of you. But truth compels me to say that about the cuckoo. It is a summer bird. It never comes to cheer us till all nature is already gay and joyful, and it keeps to sheltered places. In the higher wilds of Scotland it is never heard at all. It comes with May, and leaves with June. It is often said, that it leaves when the barley begins to shoot into ear. It abides with us during the flowers, but when that which is more substantial begins to appear, it takes its departure. There are some men and women just like this. They are lovers of pleasure. They never go except where all is gay and merry. They laugh and sing, and add a little to the joy, where all is already joyful; but when the important duties of life present themselves, they instantly take their leave, and in the house

of mourning where there is sorrow to be soothed, they are as absent as the cuckoo in December.

But that is not all, nor even the worst that has to be said about the cuckoo. There is a grievous charge against it. They are all murderers. The female has this strange and peculiar habit that she never builds a nest. She always lays her egg in the nest of the hedge-sparrow, or some other little bird. Natural historians mention four or five little birds in the nests of which the cuckoo will deposit her egg. I have only observed one instance of this peculiar habit, and it was the nest of a lark. There were five eggs in the nest, four belonging to the lark, and a larger one to the Cuckoo. The lark hatched them all, and the young birds burst the shell about the same time. The young cuckoo was larger than the young larks, and it grew rapidly, and soon filled the nest; and turned out the larks to make room for itself. Thus ejected they died from exposure, and the parent lark continued to feed the murderer of her own progeny till it was three or four times as large as herself, and could take wing and fly.

When it is flying about it is often followed by some of these little birds which are fond of its company, and so it has no difficulty in finding their nests. Here again we are reminded of our 'lovers of pleasure.' They flaunt about gayly, singing and making love, till the thoughtless are attracted to their company, then they deposit in their hearts and minds the principles of their own frivolity, which the unthinking too often cherish to the utter ruin of their own industry and usefulness.

But let us notice nevertheless the Divine wisdom and goodness in giving us birds and beasts with bad habits that we may observe and avoid them, as well as others with good habits that we may learn to imitate them. These birds follow the instincts with which they have been created, and unswervingly answer the purpose for which they were made; and so God conducts them in safety twice every year over wide oceans and broad countries from and to Africa, where it is said they spend their winter. Since He

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so cares for these little birds which we think are of so little use, how much more will He care for us His own offspring, if we are loving and obedient. In allusion to these birds of passage, Mrs Hemans closes a beautiful poem with the following lines:

'Sad is your tale of our beautiful earth,
Birds that o'er sweep it in power and mirth,
Yet through the paths of the trackless air
YE have a guide, and shall we despair?
YE over deserts and deep have passed,
So may we find our bright home at last.'

JOH

AN OLD SHEPHERD.

LITTLE JOHNNY.

OHNNY'S father was a minister, and chaplain to a very good and noble lady, and Johnny's home was a very beautiful as well as a very happy home. The cottage was in the middle of a large garden, surrounded with shrubbery and lime trees, and quite over-grown with roses, ivy, and honey suckle. In the bright summer mornings, the bees who had sallied out, no one knew how early, attracted by the delicious fragrance of the lime trees and roses, and to pay a little visit to all those sweet flowers just on their way home, went humming past the open window of Johnny's nursery, and seemed to say, 'you little lazy fellow, why are you not at your work this bright summer morning? why, we've made already ever so much honey!'

Johnny had a number of little brothers and sisters, some of them quite big; and then there was the tiny little baby brother, only a few months old, and his great pet. Now, I daresay you are saying,-' But what like was Johnny, and how old was he?' He was just four years old; had large, deepblue eyes; long silky fair hair, which streamed in curls down his back; and he was seldom without a bright, happy smileand this, dear children, makes even a very plain face, look so nice and pleasant.

Yes! Johnny was a lovely little fellow, but better than all that, he had another loveliness, he had learned to love Jesus, and had, young as he was, already given Him his heart.

The cottage, as I have told you, was in the middle of a large garden, and not very

far from it, there was a little gravel path which led to a pond full of gold fish and tadpoles; a rockery was all around it, covered over with blue and white periwinkles, and wild strawberries.

It was a cold, frosty morning in the month of December, I remember the day very well, for I had gone a long ride away by the deer park, where the rooks held high holiday, and home by the bleak moors, where the peesweeps wailed and swept round my head.

or

Every morning Johnny was in the habit, along with the other children, of saying a verse after breakfast to his papa mamma. This Monday morning he said, 'Mamma, I would rather say a verse of my own choosing to you to-day." Well, Johnny. said his mamma, what do you want to say?' Clasping his hands together, and kneeling down on his mamma's knee, the little fellow repeated the whole of The Lord's my Shepherd.' At that verse, 'Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale, yet will I fear none ill,' his mamma's heart sank, and she trembled, for she almost felt as if her dear boy was soon to be taken from herso solemnly, so earnestly, did he twice repeat, For Thou art with me; and Thy rod and staff me comfort still.' Yet looking fondly at him, as he knelt beside her in perfect health, she dismissed her sad and troubled thoughts.

A few hours after this, and Johnny was dressed, and went out with the nurse and other children to walk. Before doing so, he ran into his mamma's room, kissed her twice, and said, 'mamma, nurse says we we will be back soon, for it's very cold.'

The children strolled with the nurse through the garden, until they reached the rockery. Now, between them and the inmates of that pond there existed a peculiar affection; to stand for long and watch the gold fish dart and leap at the gnats and chase the spiders, to take a long stick and stir up the mud, causing a resurrection of tadpoles and frogs, was the delight of many an hour. To the pond therefore the children went. Frost, the night before, had caused a thin coating to cover the surface; and the cherished fish, and attractive tad

poles were in snug quarters away down below. The day was cold and chilling, so the children soon left with the nurse, Johnny alone lingered behind looking into the pond, and watching the small stones which he threw, as they skimmed along the surface of the ice.

The nurse had not been gone many minutes, until missing Johnny she returned to the pond for him. Ah! what a sight as she turned the corner of the little path was that! Yonder is the pond, and two little feet, with little boots, are sticking up above the ice-coating in the pond! Yes! Johnny had over-balanced himself, and fallen in— with a terrible cry of anguish, she laid the little baby down, and pulled him out. His cheek was yet warm, his fair hair dripping, but the dear blue eyes were closed for ever; and as she dashed back the dripping curls from the fair young brow, and pressed him to her warm bosom-Johnny had ceased to breathe; the dark valley was trod by the little pilgrim feet, and the lamb was safely housed in the fold above.

Don't you feel sad and sorry for the little boy's poor mamma, when the sorrowful gardeners, who had hastened to the pond, carried to her arms little lifeless Johnny! but then she knew where her dear boy had gone, and she was able to say like the woman in that sweet Old Testament story, 'It is well.'

Another day, and Johnny was sleeping quietly and sweetly in his little coffin, the long curls clustering over his forehead, and a smile resting on his half closed lips, which told of peace and calm.

Dear children, give your hearts to Jesus, then He will fold His dear loving arms around you, and whether you have to walk a long time through the world, or have very soon to tread the dark valley, you will be able to say as little Johnny did,

Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale,

Yet will I fear none ill :

For Thou art with me; and Thy rod

And staff me comfort still.

E. F.

A BIRD'S NEST WITH TWO HUNDRED YOUNG IN IT.

HIS is the season when my young friends

of course, to disturb their inmates, but simply to enjoy the pleasure of knowing where they are, and how they are built. I know of few secrets which so gladdens a child's heart, or gives him so much importance with his comrades, as to know where a bird's nest is to be found, and to count the little speckled treasures which it holds. Though I have no claim to be considered young, I am as much pleased as any of my children to find out a bird's nest, and I have gone a-bird-nesting this spring to good purpose, for I have discovered a bird's nest with 200 young in it; two hundred young, daily opening their little mouths to be fed, and nestling cosily under the outspread wings of but I must keep my secret, I fear, till at least I have got a promise that if I show my young friends this wonderful nest, they will do something towards feeding those that are in it, for the feeding of them is, I assure you, no small matter.

Here, then, is the secret. Take your atlas; turn to the map of Ireland; find Dublin on the map, and next find Kingston, about six miles south-east of Dublin;-THE BIRD'S NEST is there, with 200 little children who, but for it, would have no home. Thirteen years ago four ladies in Dublin, touched with compassion for the destitute, forlorn condition of so many young children, resolved, like a noble woman of old, 'to do what they could.' Amidst many trials to their faith, and many fears that the work was to prove beyond their means, they still persevered in their labours of love. By constant, self-denying effort, and, above all, by effectual, fervent prayer, they secured a house in which 150 destitute children were lodged, fed, clothed, and taught the way of life. The hostility of the Romish church was roused against this practical display of Protestantism caring for the bodies and souls of the little ones; but the opposition and persecution to which they were exposed only served to render these wise, loving-hearted ladies, more firmly determined to go on with their work. Finding the number of applicants far in excess of the accommodation at their disposal, the foundation-stone of a new birds' nest was laid in April 1861, and shortly afterwards the robins, sparrows, chaffinches, and all the young brood moved into the new nest.

Now let me tell you how the NEST is kept

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up. Of course donations of money, clothing, &c., are cordially welcomed, and some of these come from quarters from which they might least be expected. But one of the main features in the support of the birds' nest is, that children form themselves into associations to help on the work. In the end of 1859, £35 had been received from these Associations, in the end of 1870, £900 were received as the result of the year's gatherings. Nobly done! many a little bird in the NEST has chirruped and carolled a heart-song of thanks to you, O little ones, for your generous givings. What hinders that the readers of the 'Dayspring' should form one of these associations, and raise among them as much as will keep one or two of the little nestlings? Miss Davies will be exceedingly happy to receive any sums that may be sent for that purpose.

If the children wish to learn fully about the 'Birds' Nest,' they should endeavour to procure a beautiful little volume written by Miss Davies, and entitled 'Holly and Ivy, a story of a Winter Birds' Nest.' The following is one of the many instances in which the book abounds, of how the Great Father provides for the little nestlings in the 'Birds' Nest.'

'One day in August the matron went to the lady who manages the clothing, and said, "We want under-garments for the girls very much indeed; I have got the old ones patched and darned, but they wont last any longer.' "How many do you want?" asked the lady. "Well, if we have five dozen, it would give one to each girl." "Well," said the lady, I have not any at all, and no money to buy; we must only wait. Five days after that a parcel arrived from the north of England; it contained almost the number of articles required, and nothing else! The parcel was accompanied by a letter, apologising for sending all the garments of one sort, as the little children who had made them could not make anything else. The lady was greatly astonished. She took the parcel to the "Nest," and told the children how God had supplied their wants. Tears stood in many eyes as they listened, and they learned a lesson of trust in God they will never forget. I want you," says Miss Davies," to see how God was preparing the answer before the want came. You know He says, Before they call, I will answer." And all the time these little children were putting in stitch after stitch, they were working out the will of God; and just when the need came, the work was ready.'

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