sees when any try to annoy them. Will He punish persecution?-He will; He says so in His word (Ps. x. 14). And He punished Herod, as you will hear presently.

Herod had Peter put into a dark, cold prison; and, that he might be kept safely, sixteen soldiers were placed to watch him in his cell; four of them, besides the keepers who were at the doors, were to watch him for a little time, and then when they were tired four more were to take their place; and so on. Notwithstanding that he had set all these men to watch Peter, Herod, to make doubly sure, ordered him to be put in chains. See what a lot of trouble was taken about Peter; but the apostle would have been powerless to resist had even a great deal less been taken, because he was only one man against many. Still, he was stronger than Herod with all his soldiers and power. Can you tell me why? Of course; God Iwas with him.

Do you remember the name of another good man who fell into the hands of a wicked king who was very careful lest his prisoner should escape? Yes,

Daniel: the mouth of the lions' den in which he was placed was sealed with the king's seal, so that none might render him assistance. Peter's case, as far as escape was concerned, appeared almost as hopeless as that of Daniel; but while the apostle was in prison his friends prayed earnestly to God for him. That was the very best thing they could do; for God is able to accomplish all things, and Peter's friends knew that the Lord would save His servant if it appeared best to Him so to do.

Does God always listen to prayer? -Always; He is never tired of hearing the prayers of His children. He heard these prayers, and vouchsafed an answer as you will see. One night Peter was asleep-he could sleep peacefully, although he was in prison, because he knew God would take care of him-lying between two soldiers, chained to one on one side, and to another on the other side; and all the heavy gates and doors of the prison locked, and the keepers guarding them. Do you think there

was much chance of Peter escaping? -No; unless God helped him. With God all things are possible; there is nothing too hard for Him to do; and while Peter was asleep, the Lord was watching over and taking care of him. God never sleeps; He that keeps us neither slumbers nor sleeps. No wonder then that Peter could sleep soundly, for he knew that a mighty Friend was watching over him. God's children are always safe, asleep or awake.

Did he

About the middle of the night a light shined in the dark, dreary prison, a bright light, brighter than the sunshine. What caused it, do you think?—It was an angel, sent by God to take Peter out of the prison. The angel touched Peter on the side, and awoke him. also waken the soldiers?-No; God kept them asleep. Then the angel told Peter to get up and follow him. Could he get up, and he chained?-Of course; God never tells us to do anything that He does not make us able to do. So we must never say or think that we can't do anything that God commands us. Peter got up directly, and the chains fell quietly off his hands, and he then followed the angel.

But what about the doors and the gates? Directly the angel got to them, they opened of themselves; and when he had led Peter safely out of the prison, he disappeared from the apostle's eyes. Peter was so astonished that for some time he could hardly believe he was out of wicked Herod's power; it seemed too good to be true. But how grateful he felt when he discovered that he was wonderfully delivered out of the hands of the tyrant. To whom was he grateful to the angel? No, to God, for it was He who had sent the angel. Were the soldiers surprised, do you think, when they woke in the morning, to find Peter gone? Indeed they were; but by that time the apostle had got far away, and they couldn't find him. He went to live in another place. And how glad Peter's friends were to see him again, and to know that God had heard their prayers! But what became of the wicked Herod who troubled God's people?—He was eaten by worms. See

how terrible a thing it is to make the great God angry with us.

us.

Now what may we learn from this story? Nothing in the Bible is told us merely to amuse. There is something in every verse for all of us to learn. Try and think what we may learn from this wonderful delivery of Peter :-two things. First, the value of prayer; and second, the great power and loving-kindness of God our Father. Repeat the text that I have asked you to learn today. Yes, if we are God's children nothing need make us afraid, for God is able to do all things, and if we pray to Him He will always hear and help Don't you think it must be very nice to be God's children, to feel always safe, like Peter, who could sleep thus quietly in prison, and in chains, because he trusted in God? Would you like to be God's children? Then ask Him to make you His; He is quite willing to have you for His children, and He will not refuse your prayer. But you must obey His will in all things, and try to please Him, and never do anything to make Him angry; and then by-and-by your heavenly Father will take you away from this world to His glorious home in heaven, where trouble, sorrow, and persecution can never come, but where there will be peace and joy and gladness for evermore.

WATCH.

HELEN.

"And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."-Mark xiii. 37.

WHY do you think we ought to mind the words of Jesus, little ones?- -Because He loved us so much that He died on the cross for us; because He was so good and holy; and because His words teach us how to live so as to please God, and how to die so that we may go to heaven. How many words does Jesus say in our text?-Yes, one little word, very easy to be remembered. To whom did He say it? "You" means the disciples He was speaking to at the time; but He did not say the word only to them, but unto all; to you, and to me, and to everybody.

What does watching mean? It means looking out for something. You know what it is to watch for your father coming home from his work, don't you? You do not know exactly the moment he will come; but you look out to see whether he is coming; and when he does return home, tired perhaps after a hard day's work, what does he expect to find? Supper ready? He wouldn't be pleased if, when he came, supper had to be prepared and he had to wait? No, he likes to find you all ready for him. Well, when you watch for your father you look out to see whether he is coming; or you look at the clock to see whether the time is near, that everything may be ready when he does come.

Now what does Jesus tell us to watch for? It is for His coming. When will He come again ?-At the last day. How will He come ?-In the clouds of heaven, in great glory, with all His holy angels. And what will He come to do?—To judge the world; to send the wicked into hell, and to take His own people to Himself. Does not the Bible tell us something else about His coming? Yes, that He will come suddenly and unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. How then are we to watch?-We are to be ready, always expecting Him to come. And how are we to be ready?-By having our sins pardoned for Jesus' sake, and by trying to please God and do His commandments.

You must not forget God, little ones, but you must often think about Him, and remember that Jesus is coming. You must watch over yourselves, that you don't give way to wicked passions, or say wicked words and do wicked things; and you must pray very earnestly that God will keep you from temptation, and give you strength to fight against sin and Satan, Think how dreadful it will be for those who are not ready when Jesus comes; they will be so frightened when they see Him, that they will call on the rocks and mountains to hide them, for they will know that God is very angry with them and has come to punish them. But those who are watching and ready will be glad, and joyfully lift up their heads to see Jesus whom they love, and

who has come to take them to be with Him for ever.

Will you try then, and remember this one little word I have been speaking to you about? Never forget that Jesus has told you to watch for His coming. You may be alive when He comes, or you may be dead; no matter, you are to watch all the same. Jesus told the disciples to watch, and they died hundreds of years ago and did not see Him come. Perhaps you may be lying in your graves when Jesus comes; if so, then the sound of the trumpet will bring you back to life, and you will rise up to meet Him. If you have watched for Him in your lifetime, then that will be a joyful meeting; but if you have died unprepared to meet Jesus-for once you are dead you cannot get ready-what a fearful thing it will be! Oh then, dear children, get ready now, for you do not know how soon our Lord may come or how soon you may die. If you watch for Him now while you live, then when death comes your watching will be over, and you will close your eyes on this world, and when you open them again it will be to see Jesus.

G. M. H.

THE BURNING OF THE ROLL. Jeremiah xxxvi.

I WONDER if any of you little ones can tell me who Jeremiah was. Yes; he was a prophet-that is, one who could tell what was going to happen. How do you think the prophets could tell so long beforehand? You do not know what will take place next year; nor can you be sure of anything next week, or even to-morrow. God revealed to or showed the prophets the things which would come to pass, that they might let the people know.

Do you remember the names of any other prophets?-(Elijah.) What can you tell me about him? Who was thrown into the den of lions? Yes; Daniel was a prophet; so also was Samuel, whom God called when he was very young. Can you recollect how it

was?

The prophets often reproved the

people when they had done wrong, foretelling the punishments God would send if they went on in their evil ways; and on one occasion, when the people of Judah had turned from the Lord to worship idols, God told Jeremiah to write in a book all the judgments He intended to bring upon the people, so that when they heard what dreadful punishments they were drawing down upon themselves, they might be sorry and leave their evil ways. Then Jeremiah called a man named Baruch, who wrote down all the words God had spoken to Jeremiah. In those times books were not like ours, but consisted of sheets of parchment or prepared skin, which were used instead of paper, and, after being written upon, were rolled up and then tied. The art of printing was not yet discovered, and everything had to be written. Children in those days had no little books, such as you so often get, with easy words and pretty pictures. I am afraid you have never thought of thanking God for them, have you?

When Baruch had written all the words of the Lord Jeremiah commanded him to go to the house of God, and read them to the people. He did this one day when a great number had come to Jerusalem from the cities round about; and one man who heard him went into a room in the king's house where all the princes sat, and told them the things he had heard. These great men at once sent some one to fetch Baruch, that they too might hear his roll; and it came to pass, when they heard what he read, they all became very much afraid and said to him," We will surely tell the king of all these words." For Jehoiakim the king was a wicked man, who led the people to do wrong; and very likely the princes thought that if he knew what terrible judgments God meant to send on account of his evil ways, he would surely leave them, and ask God to forgive his sin. But, fearing he would be angry, they desired Baruch to hide himself and Jeremiah too, and let no one know where they went. Then they put the roll in a safe place, and went to the king, who, when he heard what they had to tell him,

ordered the roll to be brought and read to him.

It was winter at the time, and the king sat by the fire listening: but he did not listen long; for, as soon as he had heard a little of the writing, he took the roll, cut it with a penknife, and threw it into the fire before him, so that it was all burnt. Thus he destroyed the word of God-for God, you know, had told Jeremiah what to write: yet neither he nor his servants seemed afraid at what was done. Three of the princes begged the king not to burn the roll, but he would not listen to them. Then he commanded some men to take Jeremiah and Baruch; God however had hidden them, and they could not be found. You see the care God takes of His people. What does He say about this? Read Ps. xxxvii. 40.

Jehoiakim burnt the roll, because in it was written that the king of Babylon should come to destroy his land and take the people prisoners; and, as he did not wish this to happen, he would not believe it. Do you think those words of God were all lost? Oh no; for God told Jeremiah to take another roll, and write in it all that had been written in the first roll, and some more besides, showing the punishment Jehoiakim should have for his sin, part of which was that his body should lie unburied, exposed in the day to the heat and in the night to the frost. And all the things happened just as God had said: Jehoiakim gained nothing at all by his wicked act; he only did himself harm.

Now I do not think any of you would be so wicked as to tear the Bible if you did not like what you heard read out of it; but is it not a sin if you do not listen when it is read, or, if you do listen, just act contrary to what it tells you? The Bible says God hates lying, and that all liars shall be punished in hell. Then if you tell lies you act as if you do not believe what God says, just like Jehoiakim, who would go on in his evil ways though God had said he should be punished for them. The Bible tells us too not to steal, or swear, and that we are to keep the Sabbath-day holy; and can you say you do this? Will not God

send His judgments on you, if you disobey Him, just as He did on Jehoiakim? Yes; God will punish the wicked, if not in this life, at any rate in the life hereafter. Again, we must never forget God, who has been so good and gracious to us. If we do, it shows we do not love Him; because people think a great deal about those whom they love. But are there not many who, after acting wickedly, have been led by the Holy Spirit to turn to God? Will they be turned into hell" for their sins? No; if they come to Jesus, and trust in Him; for God sent His own dear Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not die but have everlasting life. Trust therefore in Him, little ones, for He is the only Friend. Now let me see how much you remember of what I have been telling you,

LILIAN ELSIE.

GOD IS LOVE. 1 John iv. 8.

OUR text to-day is very short, and I think all of you can say it already; can you not? It is one of the first I can remember being taught. I used to think, when people were loving and kind to me, how very kind God must be, for He gave these people all their kindness, and the Bible says, "He is love."

Now I wonder whether I can persuade you little ones to think about the meaning of the beautiful words, "God is love." You all know what it is to be loved, and to love others. Who loves you best, Lizzie? (Father and mother.) And do you love them most dearly too? I trust so. What do your parents do for you, children? [Various answers.] And when you are ill, who nurses you, and watches by you, and is so anxious about you?

Why do you think they do all this for you?-(Because they love us.) Quite right; you feel that they love you, and you know that nothing else could make them take such trouble for you. All of you I think have fathers and mothers, or kind friends, to take care of

you; and how much you ought to thank the Lord for giving them to you. But though your parents love you very dearly, there is One who loves you far more; indeed, you cannot imagine how much He loves you. Do you know whom I mean? Yes, our heavenly Father: He has done more for you and me than any one, and nothing but love could have induced Him to do it.

A

I have no doubt you can tell me some of the good things God has done for you? [Various answers.] Yes, all we have comes from God, even though He gives it us through other people, parents or friends, whoever they may be. gentleman told me, a short time since, that he used generally to feed his dog after having his own dinner; but sometimes he would let the servant do it. When this was the case, however, the dog would still come to him, as if to thank him for his dinner, just as though he knew his master had provided it for him, although he had received it from a servant's hands. What a lesson, I thought, that poor animal teaches us, who so often forget that all our blessings come from God, and so seldom thank Him for them!

Then it was God's love that made earth so beautiful for us, with flowers and trees and grass-everything to please us. Have you ever thought why God made the grass the colour it is? Because it is just the colour that our eyes can best bear constantly to look upon, without getting tired. Was it not kind of our heavenly Father to think about that?

But, above all, God has shown how great His love is by giving His own dear Son to die for sinners. All who feel how sinful they are, and really wish to be forgiven, He has promised to pardon, if they will come to Him in the name of His only-begotten Son. Do you think God will hear the prayer of such little ones as you? Oh yes, for He is ever ready to answer you, whatever you may ask for, always provided you

ask for what is good and right, and ask in Jesus' name. God, you know, has said that if we ask anything according to His will He will hear us, and give us what we want; and He is so holy, so true, that it is impossible for Him not to keep His word (Tit. i. 2).

The name of "God" means "good," and should ever remind us how holy He is. But it is just because He is so good and cannot break His word, that He must punish those who will go on in their own sinful way; yet He has told us this in love, that we may go to Him and be saved. What do you think your father and mother would do, if the house were on fire, and you were asleep? -(They would wake us, and carry us out of reach of the fire.) Well, would it not be very silly if you were to say you would much rather sleep on, and not go with them? I fear though that is what some of us do say very often in our hearts, when God, in His great love, warns us of the danger we are in. We do not like to think about it, and so try to forget it, and, as it were, go to sleep again. Oh, dear little ones, if you have done like this hitherto, do not do so any longer; it is so ungrateful, and grieves our heavenly Father so much. He would like to carry you safely out of danger, like a shepherd his lambs, if you would only trust to Him. I greatly want you to feel-not merely to saythat "God is love." If you do you will greatly love Him in return, and that will make you love everybody else too. Remember, however, you cannot do this, or anything else that is good, of yourselves; but God's Holy Spirit will help you, if you ask Him.

"From the first dawn of infant life,
Thy goodness we have shared
And still we live to sing Thy praise,
By sovereign mercy spared!

To seek Thy grace, to do Thy will,
O Lord, our hearts incline;
And o'er the paths of future life
Command Thy light to shine."

TERESA.