so is an emblem of that life that endures even in the midst of death.

"This green pine-tree may remind us of the 'tree of life' in the midst of the garden of Eden, from enjoyment of which Adam was cut off by his disobedience and sin.

"It may also point us to that better tree of life planted anew for us by God, that we may be grafted into it, and draw our life-springs from its sap. You know who that tree of life is?-the Lord Jesus Christ. As on this night the word of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled: "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.'

"This tree may also make us think of the happy time when God's people shall enter into the true paradise of God, of which St. John speaks at the close of his Revelation and says: 'In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no night there: and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever.' The fruit hung on this tree points us to the fruit of His life, sufferings, and death, whose birth we to-day commemorate; while the sweet things tell us of his many precious heavenly gifts. But not only do the stem and twigs bear fruit for us, in which we may rejoice, and for which we should praise him in fruits of righteousness, but the light that proceeds from the tree tells us of the 'Light of life,' that 'true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,' and in whose light alone we can ourselves become the children of light.

"The single lights scattered over the tree remind us of the bright forms of the holy angels, who came down to earth in a shining band on the night we celebrate; while there, at the top, is the figure of the angel with golden wings, representing to us the leader of the heavenly choir. In one hand he holds the olive branch of peace; in the other the words of his message, 'Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy unto you is born this day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.'

"There, at the foot of the tree, we see how it once was in Eden, and how it will be again, in that day of which Isaiah writes: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.'

"There, too, you see the shepherds on the green hills of Bethlehem; and on the other side the stable with the child Jesus, whom the Wise Men of the East came to seek. Of that, you boys must now remind us by your carols."

So the three boys stood up together, and began to sing, sometimes all together, and sometimes one by one, the history of the Wise Men of the East:

"Christians, awake! salute the happy morn Whereon the Saviour of mankind was born; Rise to adore the mystery of love,

Which hosts of angels chanted from above:
With them the joyful tidings first begun
Of God Incarnate and the Virgin's Son."

In Bethlehem born

A Babe I see:
He is my Lord;

His will I be
For ever, yea, for ever.

In his dear love
I will rejoice;
Give him my all,

Life, heart, and voice, For ever, yea, for ever.

Through weal, through woe,
Lord, thee I'll love ;
Here, more and more,
And there above,

For ever, yea, for ever.

I seek thy grace,
That so I may
Live still to thee

From day to day, For ever, yea, for ever.

'We come, we come, the song to swell, To Him who loved our world so well, That, stooping from his Father's throne, He came to claim it as his own,"

Here come three wise men from the east afar, Heaven-guided by the leading of a star. "

"To Herod's house our way we quickly took, And saw himself out of the window look.

44 And Herod said, with voice deceitful then, 'What seek ye? Where away, ye three wise men?

"We seek for David's city, where we hear

That Christ the Lord new-born must now appear 'Then forth we went together down the vale, Till o'er a house again the star we hail. "Within that house so lowly, there we view The Babe in manger laid by Virgin true.

"Our knees we bend in humble reverence low; That Babe so poor and weak, as God we know."

"O Jesus, infant born!

Though thee the rude world scorn, Before thee down I fall,

To own thee Lord of all:

I worship at thy feet,

A thousand times thee greet.

O wonder great! I see The God of gods in thee! Thy glory left behind, And clad in humankind; And all for love of me,

Poor sinner though I be."

And then the three sung the closing verse, in which the "Star Boys" express their thanks for the gifts they receive. They had indeed received good gifts.

"For gifts received our thanks we give,

And pray God you may happy live,
Both here and in the heavens high;
And so we wish you all good-bye,
And leave you now, for well you know
We and our star must further go."

But going further that night was not to be thought of, neither on the next day were they allowed to depart; it was only on the third day that they were permitted to leave the house where they had received shelter and such great kindness. The pastor's family, too, had been full of joy, for had they not had an opportunity of show

ing kindness to some of those poor children of whom the Lord speaks as his representatives.

With what wondering delight did father Flinner look out, as he saw his boys coming along clad in their new warm jackets and caps!-he scarcely recognized them.

As they related all that they had seen, and heard, and experienced, during the last few days, his eyes were brimful with joyful and thankful tears.

"But hearken, boys," he said at length; "remember this has been your first expedition as 'Star Boys,' and it must also be your last; but see you keep in mind all that God has done for you; and never forget, through all your life long, the kind people through whom he has shown you such love and kindness."

B. W.

D

ID you ever examine a flea under the microscope, and see how marvellously the little fellow was made, and observe how quick and active he was?

Fleas come from tiny little eggs, which the mother flea laid, and placed in any secure corner she could find, but would desire most to have it warm. The first thing you noticed would be the little eggs wriggling and squirming, and looking just like white, transparent

worms.

Would the mother flea now lay sufficient food near her offspring for their future wants, like the beetles? No. Would she forget all about them, or run away? No; she would remember her little ones; and just at the right time, when they woke up so hungry, she would go away, but not to stay, only to steal a drop of blood from some giant, though in danger of her life, and back she hops to pour it down one of those little hungry throats. Look now, and you may see it right through the skin of the little ones.

These cunning little things keep growing and eating, till they think it's quite time to begin to hop. Then they spin a quilt of pure silk, which they roll in till they are all covered up, and so fall asleep. After quite

a while, they begin to feel smothered, and so kick and stretch till they burst their little quilt-and, astonished, find they have turned black, and have legs just like their mother. Now we'll look through the microscope at one. I see a small head, round body, and such a bright pair of eyes. I count six legs, and two feelers, between which is a little pipe through which blood is sucked. Then his body is covered with little joints, made of some hard glossy material. Each joint laps over the under one, and ends in a fine bristling point; so woe to the enemy who has the audacity to attack him, or quickness to overtake him.

The legs, too, are many-jointed-not for protection alone, however, but so they may move easily. And the last two legs are twice as long as the others, to enable him to hop high and far, like the grasshopper or kangaroo.

But his strength is something wonderful. Had you or I as much in proportion, we might hop to the top of a steeple and think nothing of it. Fleas are sometimes trained to draw little carriages many times their own weight, but after the tiny chains are once on which fasten them to the carriage, never are they released; so it seems a little cruel.-Christian Weekly.