Ver. 19 to end. Let every of to hear the instructions of word; but let him guarda rash, proud, and provoking let him be slow to speak in tha slow to wrath; laying apart, hand, "all filthiness and and, on the other, all ma mind; receive with meekness which is to be engrafted into souls, in order to its produci effects in you. And remember are to be doers of the word hearers only, lest you deceive pose upon your own souls.

We must also pay a proper our words as well as our deeds any man professes to be relig keeps not his tongue under but pours out the folly of his o "that man's religion is vain word, the Christian's pure rel to the practice of it, is this, the fatherless and the widows affliction," with a tender, affe and sympathising heart, and same time to keep himself u from the world.

THE HEAVENLY JERUSA Revelation xxi. 3-7. WHAT a beautiful account we h read of what shall be! How different matters will be from w are now. God has not told us the happy future; but He has enough to make us wish to have in the holy city, when all thi made new. Truly,

"Our knowledge of that life is sn
The eye of faith is dim;
But 'tis enough that Christ kno

And we shall be with Him." Long has this happiness been for. St. Peter speaks of it as of hope (2 Pet. iii. 13); inspired p have written of it (Isa. lxv. 17 22); and though long delayed, surely come. The Lord tells us of what there shall not be than o shall be. Look at ver. 4: "no tears." Many tears are shed

Iv. 1); tears of sorrow (Isa. 5; Job xvi. 20; Ps. lvi. 8); sin (Luke vii.. 38); hopeless b. xii. 17); tears for others' sorrows (Jer. ix. 1, 18; Acts ; Phil. iii. 18); yea, Christ's is "weep with them that om. xii. 15); and He Himself Lazarus' grave (John xi. 35). happy time of which we have ing, sin, pain, and sorrow will ed away; and He who here His people's tears will there d them away for ever.

here shall be no more death." h enters everywhere (Job xxx. mbs into the palace (Jer. ix. s found in the cottage (Rom. v. ay destroy the youngest and est; few homes are there in is not missing,-gone on that ney which Job speaks of (Job Yes, sin is here and death is I the pains and the partings

death are very sad, even Christ's people they are but to a brighter world. But in Jerusalem there shall be no th; the Conqueror is come, ers are free. All there shall I meet for ever; death can them no more: no partings

else will have passed away? of crying and sorrow. Here often needed (Heb. xiii. 6, 7; i. 5; Acts xiv. 22; Ps. ; here with the sorrow the ds the comfort also (2 Cor. but in the holy city of the in and poverty, losses and tment, shall be known no d the inhabitants shall look confess that their God led he right way, even though a one, to the place where sorrow

here shall be no more pain." hospitals; stand by the sick See what a terrible thing pain how Job describes it (Job , 22); see also Ps. xxv. 18; 1. 22. How thankful should for health who have it; how should use it. But how sweet

xix. 7-9). How can they stand in His presence?

But if they cannot, who can? O my young friends, if you would have a share in these glorious things, of which we have read, you must be washed in Christ's blood (Rev. vii. 14, 15), clothed in His righteousness, renewed by His Spirit, kept holy by His grace (1 Pet. i. 5); and you may be, if you wish it: look at ver. 5. The Lord will give

you the water of life freely (John iv. 10, 15; John vii. 38; Isa. xli. 7).

God bless what we have read to-day to each of our hearts, by His Spirit, and give us grace, so to fight the battle that we may win the crown (ver. 7); and that, when He shall appear, we may see Him as He is and be like Him. "And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as He is pure."

THE HARVEST.

"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."-Jer. viii. 20.

DEAR children, you all know what harvest-time is. It is that portion of the year when the corn, ripened by the summer sun, is cut and gathered into the stackyards. Corn is not grown without much trouble and expense to the farmer. I will try to describe this to you. In the early spring, after the ground has been often ploughed, the corn is sown upon the ground by the hand or with a drill; then follow the harrows several times, to cover the seed over. Sometimes it springs up in a few days, or it may even be weeks ere the green blades appear. But, sooner or later (like the good seed sown in your hearts), it is sure to spring up. When at last it comes, the corn is apt to grow too high: to prevent this, in some places, the farmer turns his sheep into the field to eat it off and make it "spread." Wherever a sheep nips it, four or five blades grow where otherwise only one would have grown. With the corn also appear the weeds; and they must be taken out once, often twice the horse-hoe is sent along to cut them up between the rows; and, when the corn gets too big for this, women are sent with what is called a spud, to "look"-as it is expressed-the thistles out. Soon the ear puts forth its appearance: "first the blade, then the ear: now the corn is in bloom, and six or seven weeks after this the harvest time arrives.

MERCY C. W.

The farmer might plough, sow, harrow, and hoe; but if it were not for the rain, the dew, and the sun, we should never get bread to eat. And so, dear children, unless you have the Holy Spirit in your hearts, you cannot bring forth the fruit that God requires.

Men,

At all seasons of the year the farmer is busy; there is always something to be done on the farm: but the harvest time is the busiest of all. Early in the morning the workmen are up and away. With the reaper,1 the scythe, or the sickle, the golden grain is cut down. women, and children, all are there; none are allowed to be idle. It is a pleasant sight to see them all on a beautiful summer's day, working away so heartily. First go the reapers; then the children making bands; then the binders; and, last of all, the men who stook it up. Is the harvest ended now? No: the corn stands in stook until it is dry, but no longer. When it is ready, not a minute is lost. Often, as soon as daylight appears until late at night-sometimes all night-are the men at work leading. When the corn is all in the stackyard, then, only then, is the harvest ended, only when the corn is safe.

Harvest is the time when the corn is cut and gathered in. I have tried to make you understand how important it is to the farmer. But tell me, children, what would you think of that man who, when his corn was ready to reap, allowed all the fine summer days to pass away, and, instead of working hard, never went to gather it in, but let it waste in

the fields? You will say, "There can't be such a man living," or "He is a very silly man." "" But, alas! there are many such men. There is a harvest time for each of us, a time when our souls must be saved, a time to seek Jesus, a time to prepare for heaven. God gives each of us opportunities: do we make use of them? Too many do not. Like Felix, they put off until another day; and perhaps that day may never come. These opportunities soon pass away. "What is your life? it is even as a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.' 29 "As for man, his days are as grass, as a flower of the field so he flourisheth;" "for the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more." The longest life is thus short; and how shall I explain to you the uncertainty of life? As you often see the mist disappear before the morning sun, so you young people may be cut off in the morning of your days. "In the midst of life we are in death."

And when these opportunities have once passed, they will have passed away for ever. The farmer who would neglect to gather in his harvest at the proper season, who would occupy himself with other things till all the bright days had passed away, that man would find himself unable to recover his lost opportunity. He might repent of his folly, when his corn lay on the ground wasted by the wind, the rain, and the frosts; but his repentance would be too late, too late: "the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." How sad, how bitter will be the thought, We might have been saved; we might now have been in heaven enjoying all its happiness: we had many opportunities, but we ate, and slept, and drank, and neglected them all.

The harvest time is important to the farmer; but our harvest is a hundred, a thousand times of more importance to us. Jesus, who knows far better than we do the value of our souls (for He has purchased them), asks,-" What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for

his soul ?" "What must I do to be saved?" is a momentous question; but "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," is an all-sufficing answer. Do you believe that Jesus the Son of God came from heaven to die for you, that you might live? I ask you, young friends, do you believe this? If you believe that Jesus died that shameful death upon the cross, it is almost utterly impossible for you not to love Him; and if you love Him, then you will keep His commandments.

Dear children, are your souls safe? As the corn is only safe when in the stack, so your souls are only safe in Jesus. "He is a refuge from the storm." Go to Him to-day. It may be the last opportunity you have of doing

so.

Go to Him; for He is ready and waiting to receive you: He says, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

POLYANTHUS.

CHILDREN OF THE KING.

"And ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord God almighty."-2 Cor. vi. 18. SONS and daughters of God! Dear children, what an honour this would be! It is not at all improbable that you have often wished you were rich and powerful, instead of being poor and feeble. Well now, here is a chance for all of you. You have an opportunity of becoming sons and daughters of One who is higher and mightier than any king or queen on earth; One who is the King of kings, the Lord almighty.

Let me tell you a story.

A certain king, having large and boundless wealth, resolved to adopt some of his subjects into his family, and give them all the privileges of his own sons and daughters. He did not choose to adopt children only from his nobles and servants, but he said that whoever would might become his son or daughter. This proclamation was repeated everywhere. Some accepted the invitation, but more rejected it. Among those who had heard of the king's kind

The little girl took her friend's advice, and went straight to the palace. Arrived there, she knocked loudly and courageously at the gate, and walked in as soon as it was opened. She was washed, clothed, and instructed. In course of time this little girl learned the duties of the king's household, became one of his daughters, and finally enjoyed his great love and protecting care.

Now, dear children, the mighty King of whom I have been speaking is God. We are His subjects, whom He wishes to adopt into His family. He does not invite only those who are rich and great people on earth, but also those of low degree-in fact, all who will may be His sons and daughters. This good news is always being preached by God's messengers in various parts of the world. Some who hear it thankfully accept God's kind offer, and take Him at His word; others only laugh or reply scornfully to His loving invitation. I hope none of you who are present here to-day act like those whom I have last mentioned. Do not trifle with your souls' salvation.

Perhaps, however, some of you are like this little girl I have been telling you about, and are longing to become

God's children, but still think you are too poor or too wicked, and that the favour cannot be intended for you. But, dear children, I can only say it is; however sinful or poor you may be, it is still for you. But you must go to the door of heaven, and you must knock till you are admitted.

Perhaps you don't know how to get to the door of heaven, and who is exemplified under that designation. Well, Jesus is the Door of heaven, and you must go straight to Him and ask to be let in; with His help you will find the fountain ready to cleanse you from all your sins, the fountain which is opened to wash away all the uncleanness of the flesh. This fountain is filled with the blood of Jesus Christ which "cleanseth from all sin."

Learn then, dear children, each of you, from the example of the little girl I have mentioned: stay outside no longer, trying to become good first; but go at once to the door of heaven, knock at it by means of prayer, and ask for admission into the household of the great King. Confess yourselves sinners; tell the Lord Jesus your whole heart's desire; tell Him you have come to be washed from your sins and made His sons and daughters. Go to Him in faith; you have a promise from His own lips, "Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out" (John vi. 37).

Why is it necessary that you should go in faith? Because it is only to those who believe on His name " that Christ gives the power or privilege to become the sons of God (John i. 12).

Therefore, my young friends, knock unceasingly at the door of heaven, believing in the powerful mediation of the Saviour. And let your sins be washed in the fountain of His blood. When you are clean, you will have a new garment; God Himself will give it you: it is called the "robe of righteousness." Clothed in this, you will be taught the joyful duties of His household, and will be numbered among those who rejoice in that glorious, unequalled appellation, sons and daughters of the King, whose favour and love will ever be about you.

VIOLET.