LECTURES TO CHILDREN.

Second Series.

I. THE LOWLY CRADLE.

"Ye shall find the Babe, wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger."-LUKE ii. 12.

The mill and the carriage-A large island-A poor stranger cast ashore and killed by the natives-The ambassador in his war-ship-The shepherds of Judea-The babe in the manger-The king tries to kill the babe-The real character of the occupant of the lowly cradle-The temple and a pair of doves-The lesson taught-No disgrace in poverty.

CHILDREN, you know that if you were to try to make a mill, or a carriage, you would go to work very differently from the way in which a man would; and you know, too, that while the man might finish his mill or carriage, you could not finish yours. The man would go to work very differently from the child, because he is older and wiser.

Suppose there were a large island far off in the ocean, full of people; and suppose these people had all become thieves, so as to rob ships, and kill all in the ships; and suppose that they were liars and drunkards, and were just as wicked as they could be! Now, how would some men deal with them? Why, they would send war-ships, with cannon, and powder, and great balls, and guns and

swords, to fight them. The great ships might shoot down their houses and cities, and kill a great many people; and they might scare them, and make them promise to do better, but this would not make the wicked people feel any better; they would still want to be thieves and to rob ships, and would do it, if they only dared.

Suppose, now, that some day, just at night, these people on the island should find a man floated on their shores, almost drowned,-because, in trying to get to them, his little boat had struck upon a rock, and been broken in pieces. They, pick up the poor man, and find that he has no watch, no jewels, and no money which they can steal. He tells them that he has heard they are wicked, and he has come to teach them, and to tell them about God, and heaven and hell.

They laugh at him, scorn him, refuse to give him food or a bed; sometimes they throw stones at him, sometimes tell lies about him; but the stranger never gets out of temper. He bears it all meekly, and watches with the sick, makes crutches for the lame, leads the blind, and takes' the very poorest children, and teaches them in his school. When not in school, he is going about doing good, carrying medicines to the sick, comforting the sorrowful, and speaking words of kindness to all. By and by some of his scholars catch his spirit, and do just as he does; and they go and open new schools, and teach the same good teaching.

After a while, some of the islanders get very

THE STRANGER WHO MADE THE PEOPLE FEEL SORRY FOR THEIR SINS. He tells them that he has heard they are wicked, and he has come to teach them, and to tell them about God, and heaven and hell. They laugh at him, scorn him, refuse to give him food or a bed; sometimes they throw stones at him,-sometimes tell lies about him; but the stranger never gets out of temper. He bears it all meekly, and watches with the sick, makes crutches for the lame, leads the blind, and takes the very poorest children, and teaches them in his school. By and by some of his scholars catch his spirit, and do just as he does; and they go and open new schools, and teach the same good teaching.-PAGE 142.