THE LITTLE CHILDREN.

I HAVE often told you how much our Savior was followed by the people, and how anxious they were to receive his noly instructions, which did them so much good, that they naturally wished their children could enjoy the benefit of them too.

But the children were too young to understand the discourses of our Lord; so the parents thought, that if they were to bring them to Christ, He was so very kind and compassionate, that He would give them his blessing, which they felt sure would remain with them during their future life.

Accordingly, one day they brought them before our Savior, when his disciples were around Him, and humbly entreated Him to lay his hands on their heads, and bless them.

But the disciples, knowing how many important things occupied their Master's time and attention, thought that He would not like to waste that precious time in receiving and blessing little children; and therefore they reproved the parents for having brought them to Him.

But they did not know the condescending love of our

blessed Lord, when they thought He would refuse to receive the little lambs of his flock. When He saw what his disciples had done, He was much displeased with them, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.'

And then He took them, one by one, and laid his hands upon them, and blessed them, and restored them to their happy parents, who took care, I dare say, often afterwards to remind them of the sacred duty of loving and serving Him, who had so tenderly received them, when they were too little to know how greatly they were honored.

Many, many years have passed since Christ blessed those little children, and yet we still hear the gracious words,'Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not.' He speaks them to us from the Bible, and they have been obeyed. You, too, my dear children, have been brought to your Savior;-you were brought by baptism, when you were perhaps too young to know what was passing.

You were taken up in the arms of one of the ministers of Christ, and blessed in his name: and though your Savior was not visibly present, yet God was there ready to receive you with all the mercy and kindness that Christ showed towards the little children of Judea.

You are now called by his name, Christians, and some of you are devoted by baptism to his service: but let me warn you that,

great as this blessing is, it will do you no good, if you do not yourselves try to live as Christians ought.

LAZARUS.

In a town called Bethany, there lived another man of the name of Lazarus, with his two sisters, Martha and Mary. They were a holy and pious family, and on that account had been honored with the friendship of our Lord, who loved both Lazarus and his sisters. Now while our Savior was at a place called Bathabara, some distance from Bethany, it happened that Lazarus was taken dangerously ill, and his sisters, in great alarm, sent to our Lord to tell Him of it. So He set out for Bethany, after some delay, and arrived at the village.

But Lazarus was dead, and had already been laid in the grave four days, and Martha and Mary, who were tenderly attached to their brother, were in great sorrow. As soon, however as the news of Christ's arrival reached them, Martha went out to meet Him, and said to Him, 'Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.' Jesus said, Thy brother shall rise again.'

But Martha thought He meant that Lazarus should rise

at the day of judgment; and she answered that she knew he would rise again at the last day. However, she soon found that the resurrection our Savior meant, was one that was to take place immediately; and she went to call her sister, and told her that the Lord was come and was inquiring for her.

Poor Mary had hitherto sat still in the house in silent grief; but when her sister whispered to her that her Savior was calling for her, she instantly arose and went to Him.

Many Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary after the death of their brother, and they were now with Mary in the house. So when they saw her rise up so suddenly, they said, She is going to the grave to weep there;' and they followed her out. But she took a different direction, and went to the place where the Lord Jesus was.

When she saw Him, and remembered the love He had shown to her dear brother, who was now no more, she threw herself at his feet, exclaiming, as Martha had done before, 'Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.'

Now when our Savior saw poor Mary weeping at His feet, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, He was troubled in spirit, and-Jesus wept!

Then said the Jews, 'Behold, how He loved him!' and some among them wondered whether He who could open the eyes of the blind, could not have saved the life of Laza