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"The same kind Jesus who took the li the children in His arms. put His hands upon them, and blessed them, is the infinite, eternal, and unchangeable God."-p. 62.

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HOME LESSONS FOR THE LORD'S DAY

THE

WHAT IS GOD?

HE answer we have got to learn today in the Catechism is a very difficult one. Please, mamma, will you help us?' said Katie, as the children seated themselves around their mother.

'I would like first to tell you a story about that answer, and then I will help you to learn it. It is told that when the Westminster Divines, in preparing the Catechism, came to the question, What is God? these good men were so impressed with the greatness of the subject, and with their own inability to frame a suitable answer to so very solemn a question, that for a long time no one spoke at all. After having met four days to consider it, George Gillespie, the youngest of the Scotch Commissioners, stood up in the Assembly and repeated the words, God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. Some of the other ministers wrote the answer from his lips, and no one suggested a single alteration. All felt that this one sentence contained so much truth, in words so well chosen, that a better answer to the question, What is God? could not be prepared.'

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Why was it so much more difficult to answer this question than the others in the Catechism, mamma?' asked Willie.

"It was more difficult because this answer is the foundation on which all the others are built. The first three questions are only the entrance to the building. Knowing that a right belief concerning God is the foundation of all true piety, these good men were most anxious to teach the young the knowledge of God in the very best words that could be chosen, and they felt that the subject was too wonderful for them. You will understand this better if you think for a little of how many answers might be given from the Bible to the question, What is God? Maggie knows a little text which tells us what God is?'

666 "God is Love," and I know another one, mamma, God is Light," Maggie replied.

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'God is our Father in heaven,' said Katie, and Willie added, ""God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

"These are all correct answers, and I am sure you could find many more. The Catechism answer, though so short, is gathered from a great many passages of Scripture. Little Harry will tell us now what he has learned about God?'

'Jesus is God, mamma, and Jesus loves little children,' said Harry.

'That is the best answer; Jesus is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person. When Philip

said to Jesus, Lord, shew us the Father; Jesus said, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. The same kind Jesus who took the little children in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them, is the infinite, eternal, and unchangeable God.'

'Jesus said that He was not a spirit, mamma. He said, a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have,' Katie remarked enquiringly.

'You know, dear, that a spirit cannot be seen. No man hath seen God at any time. It was His human body that Jesus shewed to His disciples, and after they had seen Him ascend to heaven, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. When Jesus told them shortly before His death that He was going away, sorrow filled their hearts, and yet after they had seen Him go up to heaven in the clouds they were filled with joy; why were they so glad?'

'I don't know. I thought they would have been very sorry that Jesus had gone away and left them.'

'Jesus' parting words, "lo, I am with you alway," tell us the secret of their great joy. They knew that though they would not see Jesus any more on earth, He was still with them, that He would never leave nor forsake them, and that He would supply all their need out of His infinite stores of wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. They rejoiced because they knew that the same Jesus who had been their friend and teacher is the

A NEW KIND OF SOCIETY.

unchangeable God. I think, Willie, that you could tell us now what is the meaning of the words, in finite, eternal, and unchangeable, in His being?'

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"They mean that God is everywhere, that He never had a beginning and will never have an end, and that He is alwaysthe same.' Quite right, Willie; and then the Catechism tells us that God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in His wisdom, in His power, in His holiness, &c. We must think of what that means now. Who was it that asked God for wisdom, and received a very large share of it from Him?'

It was Solomon, mamma,' said Katie. He was the wisest man in the world; the queen of Sheba came a long journey to hear his wisdom?'

'And yet Jesus said, "a greater than Solomon is here." Solomon's wisdom was only finite, that is, measured; there were a great many things that Solomon did not know; but the wisdom of Jesus is infinite; it cannot be measured, because He knows everything. Solomon was a very powerful king, but there were a great many things that he could not do. He could not heal the sick, raise the dead, or command the winds and the sea, because his power was only finite. Jesus can do everything because His power is infinite. Solomon built a magnificent temple; Jesus created the heavens and the earth.

'Can you tell me what good man was so distinguished for his holiness, justice, goodness, and truth, that his enemies could find nothing against him, except concerning the law of his God?'

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63

It is the work of saving sinners, you mean, mamma.'

Yes, it is the cross of Jesus which shews us most clearly the wonderful character of God. There, mercy and truth meet together; there, we see a just God and a Saviour. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.'

Then the children read the story of the cross, of

"That wonderful redemption,
God's remedy for sin,'

and mamma told them that God's wisdom had planned the great salvation before the world was made, and that His eternal truth will carry it on till all the redeemed, that great multitude, which no man could number, stand around the throne, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands,

And they spoke of a little Persian girl who had learned the story of the cross in Miss Fiske's Mission School, and had given her heart to Jesus. One day she came to her teacher and asked her if it was wrong to wish to die. 6 Why should you wish to die,' asked Miss Fiske, and the child replied, That I may go and stay with Jesus and never sin again.' Another time she said, 'It seems to me I cannot wait, I do so want to go to my Saviour.'

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Soon her longing soul was satisfied. A few months after she was seized with cholera, and joyfully departed to be with Christ, which is far better. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.'

A NEW KIND OF SOCIETY.

Daniel was a very beautiful character, WHE and yet you know how he confessed his sins to God, and besought his forgiveness. Jesus alone is infinite or perfect in holiness, justice, &c. He alone did no sin. But the best way to learn the wonderful wisdom, power, and holiness of God, is to consider them in His works. Do you know in which of God's works His wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth, are all most gloriously displayed?'

HEN one is very poorly and tired, and not well enough to go out of doors or even run about in the house, how nice it is to have something fresh to read! something not too heavy, because a big book makes one's arms ache; and not too long, because one soon gets tired; and not too hard, because it would make one's head ache. How particularly nice if it happens to be the first Sunday in the month, and there is a new Dayspring ready

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A NEW KIND OF SOCIETY.

to read! Now, do you not think that the poor little invalids in a Children's Hospital, or in the Children's Ward of other Hospitals, would like very much if somebody would send the Dayspring to them? There they lie in their little beds for weeks or months, and if just well enough to sit up and walk about the ward, they get restless and tired, and would be just as glad to have some new pictures to look at and a new magazine to read, as you are when you have been ill. Who will be the good 'Somebody?' A day or two ago a kind clergyman arranged to send several copies every month to the Children's Hospital at Birmingham, but who will send to all the other Hospitals?

I will tell you what I would do if I were a little girl or boy of nine or ten years old. I would start a 'Dayspring Society!' The grown-up people have plenty of great grown-up Societies, and why should not the children have little wee Societies, and plenty of them too, on their own account? This is how I would set about it. First, I would ask God to help me, and to show me how to do it in the best way, and to bless my little 'Society.' Then I would go and ask one or two of my little friends to join me, and then we would set to work,-perhaps three of us. Then we would ask our friends-kind old ladies, big brothers, good-natured uncles, and so forth, to give us an odd penny or two, (never despising stray farthings;) and I dont think it would be many days before we had money enough. Then we would put it all together, and see how many Daysprings it would supply; and then we would send it to Messrs Parlane, 97 High Street, Paisley, with an order for copies for any Hospital our good friends advise. Only fancy twelve Daysprings going to brighten up the poor little sick children for every sixpence we get! And if our funds were sufficiently magnificent, we would also order a bound copy of last year's Dayspring, which only costs a shilling, because that would last a long time, and amuse numbers of little ones in a Children's Ward. Would not this be a very easy and delightful new kind of

Society? I hope a great many Dayspring Societies' will be formed at once, so that the poor little invalids may not have to wait for their magazines while we are thinking and hesitating about it. It would be a very kind thing if some of the Dayspring Societies would send a copy or two to the poor children in workhouses, for they have very few little pleasures, and are in many ways much more to be pitied than even the little ones in the Hospitals. Many are orphans, and all are very, very poor and friendless, and no one comes to see them and bring them little books or presents.

Perhaps some little girl or boy living in the country, says, 'Oh dear! I can't have a Dayspring Society, because I have no little friends living near!' Then I will tell you what to do. I daresay you can afford an extra halfpenny a month, then order two Daysprings (or three) to be sent to you, instead of one, every month. Then, when a rainy-day comes, (and no fear but there will be plenty), get your little paintbox, and colour a few of the pictures as neatly and prettily as you can, and then post them to any Hospital or Workhouse which your parents will tell you of. It will be so very pleasant to feel that you have a little work to do every month for the poor little sick or friendless ones; and pleasanter still, if you look up to the Lord Jesus and ask Him to bless and accept your little work, and to let it make the poor little children glad and happy.

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As the Dayspring Societies' will take only a little time and money, they need not in the least interfere with the Bible Society or Missionary work in which I hope every little subscriber to the Dayspring has a share. Many of you are interested in the 'Birds' Nest' at Dublin; I wish one of the 'Dayspring Societies' would undertake to send half a dozen copies, or even a dozen, every month to the little Irish 'Birds.' I hope to hear in next month's magazine that somebody has undertaken this, and started a Birds' Nest Dayspring Society.' 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least ye have done it unto Me.'

F. R. HAVERGAL.

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Haggard face and hungry,
Features wan and thin,
Little feet and fingers,
Early trained to sin.
Eyes, whose blue is often
Dimmed by blinding tears,
Loving voices never

Meet his childish ears.

Bred in courts and alleys,
Dark and foul and sad,
Even God's bright sunshine
Cannot make them glad.
Never breath of summer

Spring with all its sweets, Comes with perfumed breezes Down such narrow streets.

Little lonely orphan!
Are there none to bless
Thy forsaken childhood
In its loneliness?
No fond father's kisses,
Mother's voice and touch!
If he strays from virtue,

Can we wonder much?

Are there none to help him?
Have we all forgot
How on earth the Saviour

Said, Forbid them not?'
He has hopeless yearnings,
Longings unsufficed,
Tell the little outcast

He is dear to Christ.
Oh! our babies' voices,
Call they not to us,
These neglected children,

Shall we leave them thus ?
Jesus, gracious Master,
Give us strength to see,
Helping these Thy children
We are helping Thee.

II.

OUR PET CHARLIE.

Eyes as blue as violets,
Teeth as white as pearls,
Hair like threads of sunshine,
Oh such sunny curls!
Little clinging fingers,

Little pattering feet,

None of spring-time's flowers Seem to us so sweet,

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