ask her grandmamma if she was not a good girl, and the answer almost always was, "Yes, very good, when you are asleep." When her grandpapa was reading the newspaper aloud she would take her little chair, and promise to sit very still; but, before he had read half a dozen lines, she would creep under the table to stroke the cat that lay there fast asleep, and then whisper to her mother to see how pretty its nice soft fur did look Fanny had a present one day of a china mug that pleased her very much. On the outside of it was a picture of two little girls playing graces. One of these, she said was herself, and the other her little cousin Mabel. She begged Susan, the maid, to be sure and always wash their faces clean when she washed the breakfast things; and she charged her a good many times to take good care of the mug, and not let it get broken. She thought the nice fresh milk tasted better out of that mug than it ever had before, and the pleasure she took in it seemed likely never to grow less. occurred, that was very She happened to go into But by-and-bye an accident hard for the little girl to bear. the dining-room one day, just before dinner, and stopped, as usual, to give her mug an admiring glance. It was there, to be sure, close to her plate, where it always stood; but it was sadly injured. A piece was broken off the rim and a large crack ran from the top to the bottom. How do you think Fanny felt when she saw this? Did she get angry, and say it was a shame for any one to break her mug, or did she cry and fret about it? She did neither; but, going into the kitchen, where the servants were busy preparing dinner, she asked "Who broke my mug?" No one answered, and she asked again, " Who broke my mug! Finding that no one was inclined to tell her, she said very pleasantly, "Well it is broken, and I forgive whoever did it." Then Susan began to wipe away some tears, and she said, "It was I, Miss Fanny, who broke it; but I never will forget your kindness, in not being angry with me.” Then Fanny ran off to tell her mother all about it, and forget her own sorrow as well as she could. Sometimes she cannot help but think of it, when she is sitting at the table to eat her meals. But she is kind-hearted, and never reminds Susan of her carelessness. Perhaps some little girls who read this story will say it is not true, and there is no such little girl as Fanny ; but we assure them that we know her very well, and have often seen the china mug with the crack in it. If any of you are tempted to fret or be angry when any one, by accident, breaks something you value, try to be like Fanny, and have a forgiving spirit. It is good.-Protestant Churchman. THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMETH NOT WITH OBSERVATION. Whose experience as a Christian has not confirmed this truth? A man seeks some blessing at the throne of grace. He prays, and prays again, but there is none to answer, nor any sign that his prayers have reached the ears of Him to whom they are directed. He grows impatient, and at last weary. He believes that it is not the will of God that he should have the blessing sought, and after many a struggle with his rebellious heart, makes up his mind to live without it. The matter may have almost passed from his mind, when suddenly, and without any of the signs that he imagined would indicate its approach, he finds that the long sought blessing has come from some quarter least thought of, and his prayer is answered. He learns, in his own experience, that "the kingdom of God cometh not with observation." "Thou thoughtest," said the Most High to Israel, "that 1 was altogether such an one as thyself." But God is in His nature and mode of blessing unlike the world, and different signs from theirs herald His kingdom and His blessings. Pastor and people may unite to seek the converting influence of the Spirit upon a community, and feel as if an interest that lies so near the heart, and is so much in accordance with the purposes of God must be regarded. Yet summer and winter pass with none of the signs that they suppose ought to precede so great and good a work. Many grow weary and some may begin to doubt whether God intends to bless, or can have the interest of souls so much at heart. When a certain woman followed Christ, seeking a blessing upon her family, the disciples besought Him to grant a request, to which He seemed inclined to give no attention. They were annoyed at her crying after them, but the Son of God had higher ends than this to gain, and was actuated by a far purer benevolence. Thus He now waits, and seems at times, to feeble sense, less anxious to bless than His people are to ask. But He has higher purposes of benevolence than they, and His kingdom cometh, "not with observation." They look, perhaps, for a general outcry among the ungodly, or for something to satisfy the love of novelty or excitement. At last, when all signs seem to have failed, and the clouds big with rain have been swept away again and again, it comes. But it may be that it comes "without observation," and at the end of a few years the silent showers have filled their well. The Church is doubled in numbers and increased in grace. Thus we learn, by degrees, to wait upon God, and to look for signs of His coming indicated in His word, and known only to the saints. Each bird has its call, known to its mates and young, but incomprehensible to those of a different kind. The winds that in one region indicate heat, in another bring refreshing rain, and the stranger cannot read the signs of the weather. The flock of Christ knows the voice of the Shepherd, and follow Him. Happy is he who in the kingdom of God knows how to read signs of its approach, invisible to the natural eye. L. W. PROMISING FEMALES. In company with a lady, I visited the females of a respectable family, and found, to our great amazement, five grown-up young women, who never show themselves out of doors, reading St. John's Gospel in Hindi: they read this, together with a tract, very fluently. A young girl scarcely twelve years of age, who is the mistress of the Native Female School, and a member of this family, has taught them after school hours. At first, I was for remaining outside, but the master of the house insisted upon my also going in-observing, that it was from worldly people that the females were excluded, but not from the ministers of religion. I said, I hoped the day was not far distant, when I should have the pleasure of expounding the Gospel to them, to which he assented.-Indian Miss. POETRY. THE SUFFERER CHEERED. Say-shall I take the thorn away"- "Shall peace and plenty's cup swell high, Health leap through every vein, And all exempt thy moments fly From bitter inward pain? Be nought to check the inspiring flow And every want thy heart can know, "Know, thine ease-loving heart might miss The comfort with the care! And that full tide of earthly bliss Leaves little room for prayer! Thou, o'er thy bosom-sins, alone, "Nor deem the highest, holiest joy, A stranger still to woe; Blest servants in my high employ, My love illumes with tenderest rays And burning bright the glory's blaze "In conscious weakness thou shalt hang And, for My praise, to all shalt show, "Then wilt thou in thy Master's cup And in yon howling wilderness Step fearless forth with Me!" "Lord, magnify Thyself in me!" But He, who, through the shrinking flesh, Smiled on His work, and bade afresh ALL GRACE MEET ALL MY NEED. |