right, I would pray Thee to take away this sickness, and to make me well again. But whether I get well or not, let me be a better and purer and more loving child than I have been; for JESUS CHRIST's sake. Amen.' You will try (will you not?) to feel that you are resting quietly and safely in His loving arms. Think of the Good Shepherd, and how it is written of Him, "He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom." Does not that sound very peaceful and happy? Yes, dear child, it is indeed very peaceful and happy to lie still in His arms, and to be watched over by His loving eye. "The LORD is my Shepherd: therefore can I lack nothing." II. I WANT to tell you, my dear child, something which you have heard a great many times before, but which many people, even old people, often hear a great many times without heeding. The thing I want to tell you is only this-that JESUS CHRIST, GOD'S own dear SoN, came down from heaven and died upon the Cross to save you from your sins. This is an old story, you think. Ah! but is it not wonderful? How He must have loved us! When He looked down from heaven upon the world, He saw the people in the world so wicked that they could not be saved without Him. They were so wicked that it is hard to see how GOD could love them. Yet He did love them. And so the SON OF GOD, who had lived always with GOD in heaven, came down, and was born as a little helpless Child in the world, that, He might suffer and die to save us. And I will tell you what you may say "He loved me, and gave Himself for me. Is not that a good thing to be able to say? And now, dear child, you know what you must do in return; you must love JESUS, and try to be like Him. If some one came to your bedside, and covered your bed with all manner of beautiful presents, would you not love him? Yes, but JESUS has given you a present a thousand times better than all the world would be; for He has given you Himself. "He loved me, and gave Himself for me." Oh! if you think what that means, if you think of Him, the holy and spotless LAMB OF GOD, hanging nailed to the Cross in the bitterest of agony, to save your soul from sin and from death, you could not help loving Him a little in return. Try and picture Him to yourself on that Cross, looking down on you with tender love, and saying "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? pass by? Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto My sorrow." And then speak to Him in your heart, and say-0 my SAVIOUR, and didst Thou bear all this for me? And yet can I forget Thee, and go on sinning against Thee? Oh no! I will love Thee: I will follow Thee: I will try to be like Thee. I know I am a poor, weak, sinful child, and can do nothing for Thee. But Thou hast done everything for me. And I ask Thee now to do one thing more to make me love Thee in return for Thy wonderful love. Amen.' bymns. I. "The time is short." A FEW more years shall roll, A few more suns shall set A few more storms shall beat And we shall be where tempests cease, Oh! wash me in Thy precious Blood, A few more struggles here, "Tis but a little while, And He shall come again, Who died that we might live, who lives That we with Him may reign : Then, O my LORD, prepare Oh! wash me in Thy precious Blood, II. H. Bonar. "Abide with us." ABIDE with me! fast falls the eventide; Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; O Thou, who changest not, abide with me! Thou on my head in early youth didst smile; I need Thy presence every passing hour: I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless ; Hold Thou Thy Cross before my closing eyes; flee : In life, in death, O LORD, abide with me! Amen. III. Lyte. "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” ART thou weary, art thou languid, Art thou sore distrest? 'Come to me,' saith One, and coming, Be at rest.' Hath He marks to lead me to Him, If He be my Guide? 'In His Feet and Hands are wound-prints, And His Side.' Hath He diadem, as Monarch, If I find Him, if I follow, If I still hold closely to Him, If I ask Him to receive me, 'Not till earth, and not till heaven, Finding, following, keeping, struggling, Is he sure to bless ? Angels, martyrs, prophets, virgins, Answer Yes!' Amen. Greek, tr. Neale. IV. "There is mercy with Thee." Bow'd beneath my load of sin, Thou hast knocked at my poor door, |