"I am going to sow some mignionette seed in my garden to-day," said Honora, as she rose and put away the books; "I shall take care not to throw it in the path."

Her mamma smiled as she kissed her little girl. She perceived that a train of thought had been suggested by the morning's reading, which probably would be carried on while the child worked in her tiny garden, and she prayed that the Great Teacher might bless the germs thus sown with a future harvest.

READING SECOND.

How couldst thou hang upon the cross,
To whom a weary hour is loss?

Or how the thorns and scourgings brook,
Who shrinkest from a scornful look?-Keble.

HONORA was very glad when her morning reading-hour returned. She had thought a great deal about the sower and the seed while gardening the day before, and it was with a more intelligent and observing eye that she looked again upon the holy words, beginning where her mamma's finger pointed, at the 20th verse of the 13th chapter of St. Matthew :

"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it. Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by-and-by he is offended."

"Stop," said her mother; "I will read you what St. Luke says of the seed sown on stony ground:

"And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as

it was sprung up it withered away, because it lacked moisture."

"Mamma," said Honora, looking a little perplexed, "St. Luke and St. Matthew both heard the parable: why do they not tell it in the same way ?"

"It is possible that St. Luke may not have heard it from our Lord's own lips, as he was not one of the twelve apostles; but as he was guided by the Holy Spirit in writing, his report of the parable must be correct, and indeed the difference is very slight. But I will try and explain to you why there are differences, or discrepancies, as people call them, in the gospels. If Mary had to tell me a story that she had heard, and you had to tell it to me also, would you both repeat it in the same words ?"

“Oh, no, mamma! Mary would say it in her baby way, and I should tell it in mine."

"And do you not also think that you might remember some parts of the story which had attracted your attention, and not hers, better than she would; and that she might possibly remember a few incidents or words you had forgotten ?"

"Well, that was the case with the evan

gelists or writers of the gospels; God allowed every one of them to tell the wonderful story in his own way; so, though all speak the truth, there are slight differences between their ways of telling it. The rock' and the stony places' are, however, precisely the same thing; the lack of moisture mentioned by St. Luke is only another image of the kind of soil St. Matthew describes-dry and withering."

"But the seed grew very fast at first !"

"And perhaps made a great show. It is a fact in nature, Nonie, that plants which run up quickly, springing from little earth, and growing on mere moisture (as mustard and cress, for example), never endure for any time. But here both moisture and earth were wanting. There are people who hear God's word with joy, and appear glad to know his will and eager to do it; but when they are tried by being treated unkindly on account of their religion, they fall away at once, because their love and faith are not real; but, like the root of a flower which is not set deep enough in the earth, the first high wind uproots it, and it lies on the ground and perishes."

"Mamma, what is persecution ?"

"It means being unjustly and cruelly treated on account of our religion. Wicked people

never like others to be good, and often ill-treat them on account of their obedience to God. Do you remember how cruel the Jews were to St. Stephen? You have seen the picture of his

death ?"

"Yes, they were very cruel; but that did not make him wicked."

"Because his love of Christ was deep rooted. The storms which uproot and destroy the flowers only make the strong oak strike deeper into the soil; it stands stronger for the shaking of the blast, because its roots are deep set in the earth. So it is with real love for God; sorrow or unkindness only makes those who have it cling closer to Him. They who receive the word on stony ground are unrealpeople-fickle and unstable, because selfish. I hope my Nonie may be very real and firm, and that the good seed may take deep root in her."

Honora continued reading:

"He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."

"Nonie, I think you can yourself explain this verse."