BIRD JOURNEYS.

"Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow observe the time of their coming."-Jer. viii. 7.

HAVE any of you little ones ever wondered what becomes of nearly all the birds in winter? If you walk in the country at that time of the year, you only hear a faint twitter occasionally; but now, the beginning of the delightful summer weather, they all seem to be trying which can sing loudest, and we meet with them everywhere. Some build under the eaves of our houses, or in the corners of the windows; what birds are they?—(Swallows.)

Yes, and we may hear the woodpigeon cooing in nearly every wood, and the beautiful woodpecker tapping away on the trees, and in many places the song of the blackbird and lark, and at times that of the nightingale. In winter our most familiar favourites are the dear little robin redbreast and the sparrow; but before that time the summer birds have all departed. Some go in August, some in September, and the rest in October; and they fly away to warmer countries before the cold sets in. Some of them go thousands of miles; the nightingale and swallow, it is said, go to Africa.

Now, how do you think these birdwanderers find their way ?-(God shows them, teacher.) Yes, and it is very wonderful when we think of it, that the little bird which you watch building its nest in the spring comes from so great a distance, and returns again, over sea and land, to its summer abode, when severe weather is approaching. It never makes a mistake in going to a cold country instead of a warm one. are sure God gives it the instinct which guides it; for it could not know of itself.

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Now, if God takes such care of the birds, will He not much more take care of us? What have we that they have not? (Souls, teacher.) Yes, souls for which Jesus died; and how that thought should make us love and trust Him.

There are many lessons we can learn from the birds; our verse for to-day

contains one. It shows us how the birds obey the instinct which God has given them; and in that respect they almost appear better than human beings; for we who have reason and knowledge are constantly disobeying and distrusting Him, just as if we did not know so much about Him as the birds. God has written down His will in a book, that we may be quite sure about what is right and what is wrong; you all know what that Book is called? -(The Bible.) Yes, the Lord has given us that to guide us, and He has promised to keep us safe if we only trust in Him; but do we always go in the way the Bible tells us? Ah no, how often we get into the wrong way, and fall into sin and danger.

Have you not often heard people say, as happy as a bird"?-(Yes, teacher.) Would you not like to be so? Well, if you would, you must trust in Jesus as your Saviour. From Him you will only obtain true happiness-happiness more lasting than that of the bird, for it will remain for ever. If you trust in Him you will feel, whatever happens, that God is your Father, who is taking care of you, and loving you with far greater love than He shows to the birds.

But you cannot be as happy as a bird unless you have asked forgiveness for your sins. Of whom must you ask for giveness?-(Of God, teacher.) And for whose sake?(For Jesus' sake.) Yes, and you must also ask that God may give you His Holy Spirit to help you to obey Him, and to guide you in the way which you should go. Here are a few verses in connection with our lesson today which I should like you all to try and learn very carefully.

"Who taught thee, little bird, to fly
Far over sea and land;
When winter's near with storm and frost,
To seek a summer strand ?

'Twas God who taught thee, little bird,
A warmer clime to seek;
And me He'll guide to that bright home
Of which the Scriptures speak;
Since Christ for sinners died, that we
That happy home might gain,
Where there can never, never more,
Be sin, nor death, nor pain!"

TERESA.

PERFECTED PRAISE.

Matthew xxi. 15, 16.

In the last verse I have read to you, little ones, there is a question asked; can any of you tell me what it is?("Hearest Thou what these say?") Who are meant by these?-(Little children.) What were they saying?— ("Hosanna," etc.)

Hosanna is a cry of praise to God, or the asking of a blessing from Him (literally, save now").

Who was the Son of David ?-(Jesus.) What happened previous to the occasion of these little ones shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David"? Listen, and I will tell you. This is one of the very interesting narratives of the Bible; and for children it should have special attractions.

Jesus was on His way to the largest and most beautiful city of the country in which He lived. Can you tell me its name? What great building was at Jerusalem? (The temple.) Well, when Jesus was on His way, He sent two of His disciples to a village not far off, to fetch an ass for Him to ride upon. Asses were much more thought of in that country than they are in ours; they were used instead of horses, and kings frequently rode upon them. The disciples went as Jesus had told them, and brought an ass and a colt, or young ass, and put their clothes on them, and set Him thereon; and then they went towards Jerusalem.

There were a great many people on the road, and they welcomed Jesus as their king, spreading their clothes and scattering branches of palm-trees all along the way He had to pass. Then they began to shout and say, "Hosanna," etc. (read ver. 9). The little children

heard all this, no doubt; and they joined in the shouts of welcome, and followed Jesus into the temple, where they began crying" Hosanna" by themselves.

Well, there were some proud people there,,who thought a great deal about themselves, and did not like to hear Jesus praised, and they were very much displeased; so they asked Him if He

heard what the children said, wishing Him no doubt to stop them. By His answer Jesus shows that little children, though weak and helpless, may sing praises pleasing to Him.

Was it not very kind of Jesus to say what He did? Do you remember any other time when Jesus was very good to little children? Some mothers once brought their little ones to Him; and when the disciples thought them too young, and would have sent them away, Jesus would not let them go. What did He do?-(Blessed them.) Yes; and He will bless little children who go to Him now. He will not send them away. Ought they not, therefore, to seek to please Him? How can they do so?(By singing His praise.)

Yes; He can hear your praises now just as well as He heard those little ones we have been talking about. He is always listening at such times, and knows whether you are in earnest when you sing His praise. I want you to try and remember this, and to think of the meaning of the words you may be singing. Never sing your hymns in play. Jesus would be displeased to hear them. Ask Him to teach you to love Him, and to sing His praise joyfully and earnestly; and if you do so on earth, you shall have the great privilege of singing His praise in heaven.

NOT OUR OWN.

LILLY.

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Yes, perform all the little offi in your power for your p brothers and sisters, and for poor, and helpless. Your ey eyes can study-first, God's and also your lessons; render assistance to some own sight is failing. Your e ears can be open to good t always carefully shut to ever is bad or may harm them. Ah, now we are come to an matter. Children may do a with their lips; they may spe and His love to those who heard of Him before; they utter words of kindness in ge they can prove that they ar God, and so can glorify Him.

And now how can you glor your spirit ?-(By praying Yes, by giving your heart to H thinking of Him and lov Only in this manner can you b of His children; and if you child of God, whose child a (The child of the devil.)

What a dreadful thought! b ber, we are all bought with price, Jesu's precious blood must do all in our power to selves worthy of our great ra we are "not our own." T heaven is open to us all-to y me, dear children; and, if yo you will find it pleasant to wor to glorify God; because workin is the best work on earth, and in the happiest. Therefore give wholly to Christ; do not le day pass without yielding y soul and body, "a living sac and acceptable unto God."

writer with God this is as very striking one. David is of the most familiar personag Old Testament, and may not compared to St. Paul, from t our having in respect to each fined personal history in co

David to walk through ?of the shadow of death.) say he should feel?-(Not y should he not fear?I would be with him.)

David know he should want f death ?-(Comfort.) Was should have it? (Yes.) ive it to him?-(God.) are several very important nteresting things to talk let us consider the event to was looking forward. What = death.) What is death? tion of soul and body. On eath come?-(Every one.) th passed upon all men" ). Read Eccles. viii. 8. owever, been some excepà (Gen. v. 24), Elijah (2 0. And there have been ve died twice; Eutychus irus' daughter (Luke viii.), mite's son (2 Kings iv.), xi.).

he first death recorded in Abel's, Gen. iv.) Who lived ethuselah, Gen. v.) Yes; years, yet of him it was and he died." So you a subject in which we all serious interest. Many t like to think or speak of mat is foolishness, it must eat thing is to be prepared ch. olvi

prepared ?-(Christians.) All those who have come enitence to Jesus for the r sins, are trusting entirely Ivation, and by the help of t in their hearts are daily ve and glorify Him who as to die for them.

en, death must come to ou; are you prepared for u gone to Jesus-given Him? are you trusting in im, serving Him, working g for Him?

David speak of death ?ley of the shadow.") To ath is an awful reality,

have to consider, however, before us.

Read the text once more. There is another express notice here; what had Da the valley of the shadow (To"walk through it.")

Yes, that is it; not to you see. God's servants their way through the dis but they will not remain tl rest is not to be amid th darkness, but amid the b light.

Had David to accomplish alone? (No, God would be Yes, Jesus will accompany tian, and will cheer the other valley with the light of Hi He will bring the trav "through" it, so that h that blessed abode which i by the Sun of Righteousn which casts no shadow.

But remember, if we wi walk with us in death, we with Him in- ? (life.) V walk in the ways of the w end in death (1 Tim. v. 6). not walk in the ways of s end of those is death (Rom. We must not walk in the own evil hearts, or we cannot kingdom of heaven (Gal. v.

With whom must we wa God.) Yes; be much wi prayer, in reading His word ing of Him, in living to "Follow the Lamb whither goeth:" so shall you find hour of death He will not you will hear His loving whis not, for I am with thee" (I xli. 10), and you will be a with David, "I will fearfor Thou art with me, Thy r staff they comfort me.")

Who can say how much forts His people at such a tir None but the Lord of life Hi knows how often, upon other the heart of man yearns for fort which earthly friends ca At such times, if we will on Him, we may have priceless c