1. One beautiful trait in our blessed Saviour's character.

He can teach senators wisdom.

Kings reign by His aid, and princes decree justice by His teaching. The wisest man that ever lived, grows wiser if Christ teaches him. The greatest man that ever lived, is greater for sitting at Christ's feet. The poet sings more sweetly, if the Spirit of Jesus touches his harp. The palace of the king is more beautiful for having Christ in it; and the hall of legislation is more honoured, if He presides in it. He walks among the stately buildings of the great city, and makes the rich people better; but He also goes to the cottage, and sows by the side of the door a plant called Contentment, and it grows and covers the poor man's cottage, and makes all within happy. He comes to the bed of the sick, and leaves an angel there, whose name is Submission, and the feeble one weeps no more. He comes to the little child, and becomes his companion. He comes into the garden, and there gathers the lilies which He places in His garden above for ever. He is just as well fitted to be the child's friend, as if He thought only of him, and planned only for him.

2. We all see duties that rest upon us.

Ministers must not neglect the lambs of the flock. They must think much of the children, and pray for them, and see that they are faith

fully instructed, because these are the lilies which Christ comes to gather.

Parents must not grieve too much, or think the little ones are lost whom Christ takes from their arms; for they are gathered lilies. They must not fail to train up their families faithfully and prayerfully, because from these He will yet gather His lilies.

Sabbath-school teachers! consider the lilies. They are for you to water, and nurture, and cultivate. No fairer flowers grow in all the garden of God,-none that Christ thinks more of,— none whom He loves more! I hear Him say to you, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God."

Children! there is not one among you all of whom Christ does not think. Consider the lily. How easily soiled! How worthless when ruined! So does sin look in a child! You must not use wicked words, nor do wicked deeds, nor have wicked thoughts, if you are Christ's lilies.

"And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him.""-MARK iii. 9.

My dear children, I once went into a gentleman's grounds, on which he had all kinds of forest-trees that would grow in this climate, all kinds of shrubs and flowers, and all kinds of fruit-trees. And he had a great yard, in which were deer, and curious animals, peacocks and fowls, and all kinds of doves. Some of these he kept because they made such singular noises; some, because they were so beautiful in form or colour; some, because they were so strange in shape. Then he had horses, great ones and little ones, beside many other animals.

Now you say, this must be a very rich man.

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And so I have no doubt he is. God has given him a great deal of money. Whether he ought to spend it in this way, when there are so many poor children who need homes and schools and books, is a question you may think of. But would you not like to have all these things for your own? So many playthings?

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But suppose that this rich man had the power to make these creatures all do just as he pleased; so that, when he wanted, the horses would come up to the door of themselves; when he wanted, the hens would run and lay their eggs, and the doves coo, and the birds sing, and the fish leap about, and the trees rustle their leaves, and the flowers open and smile on him, and the fruit-tree drop its ripe fruit just at the moment he wanted it; and the duck lead off just as many little ducklings as he wanted; and the birds fly at his command, and the deer leap before him, and the peacock spread his tail just when he wanted him to do it, as if these creatures were his servants to wait on him, and to do just what he wanted, and just when he wanted it. Would he not be a very great and a very rich man? Would he not have what we call a great deal of power?

In the four Gospels which have been written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we have an account of the life of Jesus Christ. It was said of Him, that all things should be put under His

feet; that all things should be His servants. Now let us see how this was.

At a certain time Christ wanted to teach his disciples not to be over-anxious about what they should eat, or what they should drink, or how they should be clothed. (Matthew vi. 25-34.) Just then He wanted some birds from which He could instruct them, and, behold! the birds are there! He points to them near at hand,—contented, happy, and free from care. "Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them! Are ye not much better than they ?" The storms may come, and the cold winds may blow, and the snow and ice may fall. They have no wheat laid up in the storehouse. They have no warm home provided. What will they do? Ah! the same Great Power that brought them to the spot just at the moment when He wanted them to preach from, will take care of them! They do not know how to plough, or sow, or reap. They have not mind enough, nor strength enough, to sow or reap; but God will take care of them. He has already made the tree to grow in which they shall be sheltered. He knows just where every worm and every seed will be found for them when they are hungry.

So when Christ wants flowers to preach about, behold, the lilies stand in the field close by, and