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would, child-but my heart is hard, my heart is hard." Once more hear these gracious words, "I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me."

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What a dreadful-looking creature is a lion. It is called from its courage and strength "the king of beasts." This animal is found in Africa and the hottest parts of Asia. In the deserts of Zaara, where mankind cannot live, on account of the rigorous heat of the climate, the lion reigns sole master of the land.

But though the lions in this part of Africa are more dreadful in their rage than those of other countries, yet there are not so many

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of them as there used to be. tell us that the Romans carried more lions from Lybia in one year for their public spectacle, than could be found in all that country at this time. Now powerful and terrible as this animal is, its temper is of a fine kind, and very generous. It has been known to spare the life of an animal that was given it to eat, to live peaceably with it, and even give it the best part of its food. The lion has a large and shaggy mane which surrounds his awful front. His large eye brows; his round and fiery eyeballs, which upon the slightest irritation, seem to glow with peculiar lustre; together with the for midable appearance of his teeth-is a picture of terrific grandeur which no words can describe. The length of the largest lion is between eight and nine feet; the tail about four, and its height about four feet and a half. The roaring is loud and dreadful. When heard in the night it is like distant thunder. Its cry of anger is louder still, but shorter. A person who had often heard it says, "it is one of the most horrid sounds in nature, which the stoutest man scarcely hear without trembling." See Judges xiv. 5. Jeremiah ii. 14. Amos iii. 8. "The lion hath roared, who will not fear

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This dreadful beast always takes its prey by surprise. He crouches on his belly in

some thicket, where he waits till his prey comes near, and then with one vast spring he leaps upon it and seizes it at the distance of fifteen or twenty feet. His lurking places are generally chosen by him near a spring or by the side of a river, where he catches animals who come to drink. One lion in the Tower of London lived sixty-three years, and another seventy. The great God has given wisdom even to this animal; for when the lioness is afraid of being discovered, she takes her cubs (usually three or four in number) and carries them in her mouth from one place to another, brushing the ground with her tail, that her tract may not be seen.

Now my young readers may think the above account very wonderful, and rejoice that they do not live in Africa or Asia, where they might be devoured by this dreadful animal; but I am now going to tell you, my dears, of a lion which is in England. I do not mean those at Exeter Change, or in the Tower, where they are in confinement; but I mean one unseen but always at hand-one who "walketh about." Yes, this lion is in every town and in every house. If you look at the first Epistle of Peter 5th chapter and 7th verse, you will see who this lion is. "Be sober, be vigi

lant, because your adversary the devil, as a

roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." O! my dear young friends, how we should watch against this lion. He lurks in the thickets of temptations, and seizes his prey with a spring. "What are we to do ?" you say; why watch the doors of your hearts, that he do not enter by sending in evil thoughts which too often end in evil actions. O how many grown men, women, and children too, has this one lion devoured, and his appetite never fails, he is always devouring. "Be sober"-do not let your little spirits run away with your reason. "Be vigilant❞—that is be watchful and prayerful. But that you may not be quite discouraged, I must mention to you a lion who is of a very different nature to your adversary. Yes, there is a lion who walks up and down, but not to destroy you, but for your help. This lion seeks to befriend you, and to protect you from the "devouring" mouth of the other. Now very likely you never considered the grace, and kindness and great strength of this good lion. He is a lion in his power, but a lamb in his nature. See Revelation 5th

chapter and 5th verse. "The lion of the tribe of Juda." His other name "the Lord Jesus Christ."Make this lion your friend, and the other will never hurt you. It will walk about still seeking whom he may de

vour, but like the lions in the den with Daniel, God's angel will "shut" his "mouth" that it "may not hurt you," and the "lion of the tribe of Juda" will prove stronger than your adversary" bruising him under your feet shortly.

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This tree, sometimes called the date-tree,> grows plentifully in the East. It rises to a great height. The stalks are generally full of rugged knots, which are the vestiges of the decayed leaves: for the trunk of this tree is not solid like other trees, but its centre is filled with pith, round which is a tough bark full of strong fibres when young, which as the tree grows old, hardens and becomes ligneous. To this bark the leaves are closely joined, which in the centre rise erect, but after they are advanced above the vagina which surrounds them, they expand very wide on every side the stem, and as the older leaves decay, the stalk advances in

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