mustard-seed and the leaven. I thought mustard was so little!"

"The mustard you eat with cress at breakfast is; but in the East there is a large mustard-tree, such as our Lord describes. The meaning of the parable is plain. The Gospel had a very small beginning, but would spread over the world, and become a 'great tree,' a mighty principle. We know how true this prophecy has proved. Twelve poor men, after our Saviour's ascension, went forth from Judea to preach the good news of the Redemption, and now it has been heard all over the earth."

"What is leaven ?"

"A piece of sour bread put into dough to make it rise,' or be light and fit for bread. We use yeast in England to effect this; but I have tasted bread made with leaven in Malta. It has a slightly acid taste. A very little bit of leaven will spread through a great deal of dough and leaven it all. It is just the same with religion. True religion spreads through every action and thought and word of those who possess it, and leavens or influences their life.

"The end of the chapter shows you from what small beginnings Christianity arose. Christ is called, in contempt, by his countrymen, The carpenter's son;' it was from such a

lowly position that it pleased the Lord of heaven and earth to originate the world's new birth to truth and holiness, and to bring it salvation. Not by power or by might, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.'

"And in this, the kingdom of nature, Nonie, resembles the kingdom of grace. By the tiny coral insect, God made the islands of the Southern Seas. The white cliffs of England are formed of the small shells of insects of most minute size. Mighty forest trees are planted by the birds. A small insect, the silkworm, weaves our richest garments; pearls are found in the oyster, and, as Dr. Chalmers says, 'the power of littles is mighty.'

"Take care, Nonie, of small beginnings-of little faults-little sins - little neglects; and remember that from them may spring forth mighty results or consequences, even as the mustard-tree springs from a small seed

"""Twas but a little sin, this morn that entered in, And lo! at eventide the world is drowned.'"

66

READING EIGHTEENTH.

Speak gently of our sister's fall,
Who knows but gentle love
May win her at our patient call

The Christian way to prove !-Keble.

MAMMA, this is the last picture in my book. Is it the last parable?"

"With the exception of one which has reference to the Jews' rejection of our Lord, it is. And that one the husbandman,' did not offer a subject which I should have liked to present to those young eyes in the vivid colouring of the others. It was too sad. But, Honora, sad and solemn as it is, I mean you to read it, that you may know how our Lord warned the Jews of their approaching sin and its awful consequences, and how He foresaw and prophesied or foretold His own death. Turn, dear, to the 21st chapter of St. Matthew, the 33rd verse."

"Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine-press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

"And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

"And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. "Again, he sent other servants more than the first and they did unto them likewise.

"But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

"But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

"And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

"When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the

corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes ?

"Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

"And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

"And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they perceived that He spake of them.

"But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitude, because they took Him for a prophet."

"It was very usual for the prophets to describe the Jewish Church as a vine. Listen to what Isaiah says about it." And Mrs. Digby, turning to the 5th chapter of that prophet, read,

"My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

"And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein; and he looked