in full chorus at that time, and with scarcely the variation of a minute. The second cock-crowing is between one and two o'clock. Therefore, when our Lord says, 'In this night, before the cock crow twice,' the allusion was clearly to these seasons." (Arundell, "Discoveries in Asia Minor.")

The Mishna states that cocks were not kept at Jerusalem, for fear of their polluting the holy things. But this regulation, if it existed, could not apply to foreigners, of whom there were many in Jerusalem; and the Romans would certainly not have tolerated any restriction on a bird so much in vogue amongst them for sport as well as for food. The statement is however probably a fiction; for not only was the cock not considered unclean, but the rabbis mention an instance of a cock which was stoned, by order of the council, for having caused the death of a child. The Jews at the present day keep poultry in great quantities, not

only in their yards, but in in Jerusalem, where they ro over their beds. Chicken form even a larger proport animal food of the popula east than in this country rearing of poultry and eggs maintenance of widows, and and infirm.

We have no certain know poultry were introduced i They were common in Rome earliest times, and can C traced in Greece before th war. The poet Pindar, who after the return from the captivity, mentions the coc word Αλέκτωρ occurs in Ho name of a man, probably der this bird. Aristophanes ca Persian bird; and it was do troduced to Greece through 1 probably at the same time into Palestine.-Tristram's History of the Bible."

Pre

IN passing down a pleasant and shady lane in the outskirts of one of our large and populous towns, during a delightful afternoon last spring, my attention was attracted by a group of young children just dismissed from the village school. One of them, a gentle, thoughtful-looking boy, about seven years old, sauntering a short distance from his companions, appeared seeking for something among the long green grass under the hawthorn trees. sently I perceived that he had collected a pretty and tasteful bunch of wild violets and daisies. My curiosity being excited, and my interest awakened by the child and his proceedings, I silently followed at a short distance, where I heard the little fellow murmuring to himself, "I will take these home to dear Mary; she loves wild flowers; and though she cannot enjoy any more pleasant walks with me, she shall see that I love her still, and she shall not miss

the flowers she used to talk to so nicely when she was strong to walk with me. But th days will never come agai Mary!" and the child sighe fully as he looked down upon in his tiny hand. He now la silence for the remainder of A few minutes brought him wicket gate, opening into a well-kept garden. With noise he walked along the narrow gr as if he feared to disturb s within the pretty white cottage he was slowly approaching. ing the threshold, the child retraced his steps a few yards, tiptoe peeped into a small lat dow, to reassure himself that th was asleep. As noiselessly he and, lifting the latch with care into a neat, unpretending ap apparently unoccupied; but, inspection, might be seen a yo

ed that this interesting "dear Mary" of my loquy. He approached 7, fearing to disturb her ook from off the small e, whereon lay an open china vase, which he t of replenishing every esh flowers from her ing from the room, reh water; then, arrangof violets and daisies, ced it by her side, that -efreshed, on awaking, her favourite flowers. before the slumberer she looked on the rs, loving yet sad, filled silently gazed upon the ed were the emotions e sight of them-love the thoughtful little and sorrowful were the ed by the resemblance e teachers bore to her

, there is another life ent; there is another s one, which we now So beautiful and pleaI may not, cannot live e time will come when from this world, must see and love around us, other world where we for ever.

we should not get any nearer to it, nor should we be able to see it. Persons who die and go there cannot come back to tell us what it is like. We should not know that there is another world beside this, nor anything about it, if the great God who made both had not told us. Can you tell me where we may find all He wishes us to know about it ? (In the Bible, teacher.) Yes, in His own word. There we may read about this life and the next; in it young and old can find all they want. Let us look in it together.

First, the Bible tells us that there are two homes in the other world, to one of which every man, woman, and child must go-the one home gloomy and dark, a place where those who do not love God will live in pain for ever. This is called- ?(Hell, teacher.) Yes; the other home bright, happy, and full of light, a place where those who love God will live in joy for ever. It is called- -?—(Heaven, teacher.) Yes.

Now don't you think we ought to care very much about this other world, and try to find out what makes the difference in these two homes, and to which we are likely to go?--(Oh yes, and we ought to be getting ready, teacher.)

Quite right, we ought. But tell me, to which would you all like to go?(Oh! the happy one, of course.)

Well then, we will talk about the happy one this morning-our home in heaven, which God has prepared for all who love Him. He has described it in the Bible, to encourage and cheer His children while living upon earth.

Remember always that we are placed here by God as at school. We have lessons to learn, and tasks to do, work given to us by God, to make us fit for and ready for home, fit to live with Him. Earthly parents put their children to school, what for?-(To learn reading and writing, teacher; a great many things besides.) Yes, all that will make them useful men and women.

And what do children look forward to while at school?-(Going home, teacher.) Ah! I should think so. And good children think too of learning all they can, and learning well, to give pleasure to

their kind father and moth look forward also to being home, free from lessons, whe grown up and need not be school.

Well, just so is it in God's among His children. Those love Him, while on earth, v learn all He gives them, lessons He puts before then He wishes; and then they lo to His sending for them one for ever at home.

Now I want you to repeat text you may remember that sp heaven.-("Heaven is My Acts vii. 49.) Very good; th that God is king there, and all. Now another.-("I go a place for you:" John xiv. 2. then the Lord Jesus is in we learn this too. (I k teacher, "At Thy right hand pleasures for evermore:" Ps. That is a very nice text: ple ever:" think of this often pleasures pass away, not so heaven.

You have found very nice vers are also many others in the Bi speak of the great beauty of 1 almost beyond our understan deed, so much so, that we ma thing on earth can be properl describe it. God has made all nature beautiful; His works drous: can you name any sun, teacher; the trees and the rainbow; birds and bu the stars.)

Quite right; all these are and make our world so beautifu a little girl was found gazing heaven at the stars. She wa what she was looking at and about. "Oh," she said, "if t of heaven is so beautiful, what i other side be!" But there ar of men beautiful too: churches. pictures, ornaments. Then w hear beautiful sounds and song none of these are to be compare of the heavenly things which prepared for those who love Hin Do you think there ever was a

eaven? (No, teacher.) efore sin came into the den, wasn't it?) Yes, cause no sin was there.) การ์

11 its beauty could not aven: for this reason;

not the light thereof. mb?-(The Lord Jesus, 1, He is the light of of that; no sun nor there, and the gates hy? (Because always

on why Eden was not this: the devil could did, and spoilt it. Not can never again enter, that defileth." I could more about this future ut I think I have told you present. Remember the aven is? (the Lord ) Yes, He is always never leave it; if He did, nger be heaven. Then ome on earth changes, is e heavenly home never

ildren, after all you have what do you think of it? all like to go there, n begin to think about get ready for it. There way, which we will talk on; but the Lord Jesus it, if you ask Him, every

lose, say after me these

God came down to die, should be forgiven; children, you and I, to the bright blue sky, home is heaven.

hat He is reigning there, e can never leave us, d our punishment to bear, thorns for us to wear, His blood to save us.

m out the darksome tomb, e skies ascended; room, for children room, eemed, when He shall come s bright attended:

glory come to claim

med, His forgiven;

Why not? (Because we should be thinking all the while of the pleasure to come.) Exactly so; and so it is with the Christian now, with God's children. When tired or troubled because of the way, they think of their Father's promise and of the pleasure at the end. Do you understand?

66

I will now tell you why the gate is "strait," and the way narrow." Because, when people go in, they must give up their own way, their own will. They must leave sin behind them; they must deny self; they must be holy; they must think, speak, and do God's will instead of their own. Now all this is difficult, so much so that few enter. Many men, women, and children turn away from the gate, and like to go in the pleasanter and broader way, with the many. They think it pleasant, because their own way; but they forget the end. What is it? Ah! a sad end.

I hope no little child in my class this morning will be so foolish as to turn away and choose the broad road. God has allowed you to come here to learn, and sent me to teach you to-day the "good way; " and I hope He will teach you, by His Holy Spirit, to choose the right; but you must ask Him to do So. You will find it very hard sometimes; there will be rough and stony places to walk over, high hills to climb, dark parts to pass through, and many dangers to meet.

(What do you mean, teacher ?)-Quite right to ask; why, if you make up your mind to take God's way, when you enter you will find many difficulties meet you, which you could avoid by taking your own instead. For instance, suppose you want to do something, or to go somewhere, and you cannot without disobeying mother, will it be pleasant to have to give up your own way?—(No, teacher.) No, then it will be rough walking for you; it will be stepping upon stones, not pleasant, but right-unless you turn out of the road.

Again, if you ask something which your parents think right to deny, and you fight against self-will, you must give self pain; here too it will be a rough piece of road.

(But the hills, teacher?)— at school you find some lesso and you feel inclined to give if you try to learn it, bec because it is the work which you to do as a child, th climbing a hill, a high hill in road.

There are the dark places ness may come upon you, you alone, to give up all the pleas brings; the day will seem nights dull. This will be li through dark and lonely wo as to dangers, things that you, why, every temptation danger. If the devil, or you heart, says, Do this, think t speak this wrong word, temptations are the dangers meet in the narrow road. D derstand now what I meant ?

There is one bright spot, which I must not forget to about. The Lord Jesus say the Way." He travelled i thirty-three years, to make it us, to show us how to go in follow Him we shall keep step by step we must go af then we shall get to heaven, now is. Only He can open but He will, if we follow H loving Saviour, the Way! this easy; and if we remember the to come, the end-i.e. homenot mind the way. If people of the end, they would never c "broad" pleasant road instes "narrow."

Dear little ones, go home God to draw you now into Hi way, if you are not walking in if you are, then ask Him to from ever turning away to foll