About an hour before the Sabbath scholars usually come together, little Lewis went down to the millstream to bathe. The poor boy had never seen his parents keep the Sabbath holy. He swam out into the stream. The current was too strong for him-he raised the cry of distress-the miller heard him and saw him, but was too much frightened to do anything. The current swept along-the little boy again cried for help-he was sucked down under the gate-the great mill wheel rolled round-crash!he was in a moment crushed and dead!-PAGE 121.

DANGER IN DELAY.

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little boys wiped their eyes with their hands and with the sleeves of their jackets.

For some weeks, it had been very dry, and the streams had become low. But during the preceding day and night, a heavy rain had fallen. A mill, on a small stream near by, which had stood still for some time for want of water, was set agoing early on Sabbath morning. I need not ask if the miller feared God.

About an hour before the Sabbath scholars usually come together, little Lewis went down to the millstream to bathe. The poor boy had never seen his parents keep the Sabbath holy. He swam out into the stream. The current was strong-too strong for him he raised the cry of distress-the miller heard him and saw him, but was too much frightened to do anything. The current swept alongthe little boy struggled—again cried for help-the waters rushed on-he was sucked down under the gate the great mill wheel rolled round-crash!— he was in a moment crushed and dead! Scarcely had his last cry reached the ears of the miller, before his mangled corpse came out from under the wheel. It was the same little boy who had looked so disappointed on the last Sabbath, because I omitted to talk about the holy Sabbath.

While standing beside the lifeless clay of this fair child, with all the children about me, my feelings were awful indeed. It seemed as if every child would cry out, "Oh, had you kept your word, and told us about breaking the Sabbath, he would not have gone into the water-he would not have

lain there dead." It seemed as if the lips, though sealed by the hand of death, would open and reproach me. "Had I not put off my duty, probably this life would have been saved-perhaps an undying soul would have been saved from the guilt of being the everlasting enemy of God. What sacrifices would I not make, could that child once more come into my Sabbath School!" Such were my thoughts. I have never been able to look back upon that scene without keen anguish. I have sometimes mentioned it to Sabbath School teachers, and, by it, urged them never to put off till the next Sabbath any duty which can be performed on this.

And since I have been a minister, when I have felt weary and feeble, and tempted to put off some duty to a more convenient season, I have recalled that scene to my mind; and truly thankful shall I feel in the great judgment day, if you, my dear children, will learn from this simple story two things.

1. To remember and keep holy the Sabbath day. Had that dear child only obeyed this one short text, he would not have been called to the presence of God while in the very act of sin.

"This day belongs to God alone;

He makes the Sabbath for his own;
And we must neither work nor play
Upon God's holy Sabbath day.

"Tis well to have one day in seven,
That we may learn the way to heaven;
Or else we never should have thought
About his worship as we ought.
And every Sabbath should be pass'd
As if we knew it were our last;
For what would dying people give
To have one Sabbath more to live?"

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2. Never to put off any duty, or any opportunity to do good, because you do not feel inclined to do it now. You may never have the opportunity again.

Should you live and grow up, I have no doubt but you will be prosperous and happy, that you will be respected and useful, very much as you keep the Sabbath. God will honour those who honour him. He does not ask us even to open the doors of his house for nothing; no, he will repay us in this life, and in the life to come with everlasting blessings. May all these great rewards be yours, my dear children, by your keeping his commandments. Amen.

XII. THE GRAVE LOSING ITS VICTORY.

"O grave, where is thy victory?". -1 Cor. xv. 55.

Vapour of morning-Garden flowers-What is a buoy?—The drowning man clinging to the buoy-Morning after the storm-Who must die-The twins-Beautiful poetry-Who can die happy?-My sister's grave—and the two little boys-Reflections in a grave-yard-The soul lives after the body dies-The humming-bird-The island-The adventurer-His return-his tidings-his death-Meaning of the story-The Christian's death--Angels' conversation-Beautiful description of heaven-Conclusion.

THE Bible, my dear children, talks a great deal about the shortness of our lives. Did you ever get up in some October morning, and see a thick vapour or fog hanging over the wide meadows and fields? You could not see a man, or even a great tree, at a little distance, the fog was so thick. But go out a few hours afterwards, when the sun is up, and where is all this vapour gone? It is all melted away, and has left no mark on anything. the Bible says, is the life of man. You may look upon a great congregation to-day, and see the street full of people, and in a few short years they are all gone and forgotten like the vapour.

Such,

Did you ever walk along the street, and stop and look into a garden, and admire the beautiful flowers which were waving in rows on each side of the alley? I presume you have. What colours! How many kinds! See that tulip-that pink-that rose! How beautiful! But wait a few short months, and then stop there again. Where now are those flowers? All faded and gone; all dead and passed