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used to carry the weeds and rubbish in this basket out of the garden, and do many such other little things as his papa set him to do.

I must not forget to say, that Mr. Fairchild had a school for poor boys in the next village, and Mrs. Fairchild one for girls. I do not mean that they taught the children entirely themselves, but they paid a master and mistress to teach them; and they used to take a walk two or three times a week to see the children and to give rewards to those who had behaved well. When Lucy and Emily and Henry were obedient, their papa and mamma were so kind as to let them go with them to see the schools; and then they always contrived to have some little things ready to carry with them, as presents to the good children.

Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild had been brought to the knowledge of God in the early part of their lives.

It is the greatest blessing which we can possibly receive, to be made to know our God, and to be made acquainted with all that he has done for our salvation. It is the work of the Spirit to bring us to this knowledge; and they who are thus enlightened, have new hearts given them, and are entirely changed,-insomuch, that they may be called new creatures: and the way by which we may know those whose hearts are changed through the power of the Spirit, is, that they love God above all things, and seek the everlasting good of their friends on earth with a degree of earnestness which makes them despise all other things in comparison.

So it was with Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild; they did not wish their dear little children to be handsome, or rich, or powerful in the world; all that they desired for them was the blessing of God; without which, all that this world can give is nothing worth.

You would perhaps like to hear the prayer which these pious parents used to offer up in behalf of their children-a prayer which they often used as they knelt down in a morning in their own chamber, the three little ones kneeling by them.

The pious Father and Mother's Prayer for their beloved Children.

O Heavenly Father! who hast opened a way for us to approach thee, through the blood and righteousness of thy blessed Son, for his sake hearken to the prayers of

us sinful parents, who presume to intercede with thee in behalf of our children. Thou, O God, in thine infinite love, hast provided a means of salvation for all men. O grant to our humble and earnest prayers the assistance of thy Holy Spirit, to enlighten and renew the minds of our children, to convince them of the unbelief in which they have hitherto lived, and to point out to them that glorious atonement which thou hast provided for their sins. We do not ask any worldly honour or possession for our children; but we pray that they may be enabled to prefer Thee above all things, and be made sensible of that everlasting love with which thou hast loved thy people through all eternity.

O glorious Saviour! we devote these our little ones to thee, wholly unto thee, either to take them now to thyself, or to give them longer life, as it seemeth to thee good: but, oh! intercede for them, that they may be the children of the Holy One; and that of these little ones, whom thou hast given us, we may be able to say, at the last day, "Of them which thou gavest us have we lost none.' John xviii. 9.

Now to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be all glory, honour, and praise, now and for evermore. Amen.

HYMN I.

SEE Israel's gentle Shepherd stand
With all engaging charms;
Hark how he calls the tender lambs,
And folds them in his arms.

"Permit them to approach," he cries,
"Nor scorn their humble name;
For 'twas to bless such souls as these,
The Lord of angels came."

We bring them, Lord, by fervent prayer,
We bring them up to Thee:
Joyful that we ourselves are thine,
Thine let our children be.

Ye little babes with pleasure hear;
Ye children seek his face;
And fly with transport to receive
The blessings of his grace.

If orphans they are left behind,
Thy guardian care we trust;

That care shall heal our bleeding hearts,
If weeping o'er their dust

1

CREATION OF ALL THINGS BY THE SACRED
THREE IN ONE.

"It is a fine morning, my little ones," said Mr. Fairchild one day to his children; "we will take a walk to the top of the hill, and sit there under the shade of the trees; and there we will talk about God, and we will sing a hymn in praise of him." Then Lucy and Emily and Henry ran joyfully to put on their hats and tippets; and when their mamma was ready, they set out.

Near Mr. Fairchild's house there was a little green hill, at the top of which were some beautiful chestnuttrees: and under the chestnut-trees was a wooden seat, which Mr. Fairchild, with John's help, had placed there. In the summer mornings Mr. Fairchild often used to retire to this place, in order to sit there and read his Bible undisturbed: for the singing of the little birds in the trees was no disturbance to him. From the top of this hill one might see Mr. Fairchild's house standing in the pleasant garden; and also many beautiful cornfields, and little coppices, and meadows, through which flowed a smooth river; the long green lane which led to the village, too, was visible from the hill: and John Trueman's neat cottage just at the entrance of the village; and the spire of the church just peeping over the trees. You do not know who John Trueman is; but you shall know by-and-by.

So Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild and their children walked up the hill, and sat down upon the seat under the chestnut-trees; and then Mr. Fairchild began to talk to his children about holy things.

"Look round you, my dear children," he said; "what a beautiful place is this! Behold that glorious sun, which just appears above those golden clouds: that sun is a million of times larger than this earth; it shines upon this world, and gives it light and warmth; it would be quite dark, and very cold, if there were no sun, and we shoul dall die. The sun shines upon other worlds, many of which are vastly larger than this; of these we know but little, but that they were all made by God.

"The globe which we inhabit is very fair; look at the green fields, full of sweet flowers, in which the cows and the sheep are feeding-how beautiful they are! and how

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sweet is the smell of the flowers as the wind blows gently over them! The little birds make their nests in the branches of the trees, and God provides them with food. Men build themselves houses; but God creates the wood and the stone of which they are made: men sow seeds in the ground; but God sends rain and sunshine to make the seeds grow. All the things that are in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth, are made by the Lord Almighty.

"God is called in Scripture the Lord Jehovah; by which we understand three persons in one God-namely God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost; these three holy Persons are one God, which is a great mystery above our understanding, but which we are bound to believe, because it is a doctrine of Scripture. These holy Persons are continually engaged in the great work of man's salvation, and the bringing multitudes of those to glory and happiness who are lost through sin and disobedience."

Then Mr. Fairchild taught his children a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the wonders of creation; which prayer any little children may use upon the same occasion.

The Prayer.

O blessed Lord God: holy Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! we thank thee for having made the sun to shine upon us and warm us in the day-time, and the moon and stars to shine in the night. We thank thee for having made this world for us to live in; and for filling it with trees, and flowers, and corn, and useful animals. We thank thee, O Lord, for having made us and our dear papa and mamma; and for taking care of us every day, and giving us food and drink, and clothes to wear. O Lord, thou art very good! we thank thee for all thy goodness, and all the care which thou hast taken of us, ever since we were little babies; but more especially we thank thee for sending thy Son to die for us. And now, O dear and holy Lord God, give us now hearts, that we may know thee, and love thee, and serve thee all the days of our lives on earth; and after death that we may go up to heaven and live there, in thy presence, for ever and

ever. Amen.

Our Father, which ar 'n heaven, &c.

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