and weakness, begins to think what will become of him when he dies. Ah, God is stirring up his nest and making him uncomfortable here, so that he may learn to fly on wings of faith and prayer to Jesus, and be saved.

Or a child is made poor and needy, or God takes from his home a dear father or mother, and his heart is almost breaking with sorrow. God is stirring up his nest, that his thoughts of love and trust may soar up to heaven, where Jesus is.

But when the eagle-mother shakes her little ones out of their snug home, she does not let them fall to the ground and hurt themselves. So God will not leave His little ones to perish, but puts under them His everlasting arms, and holds up their souls until He has taught them how to fly towards heaven. Let us learn these lessons well, that when death shall come and break up our dear nestling-places here, we shall not perish with them, but shall mount up like birds let loose from their cages, to soar and sing through the heavenly air in company with the angels.

But there are evil birds of which the Bible speaks, as well as good ones. You all know how the farmer dreads the crows, who come and steal his corn from the ground before it has had time to grow. Sometimes they make what they call a scarecrow, or a

straw-man in hat and coat, to stand up in the field and frighten them away.

Now, Jesus tells us that the Bible is like seed to sow in our hearts. When we read its blessed truths or hear them preached, then is the sowing-time. But this seed does not all come up and grow. Why? "Some seeds," says Christ in His parable, "fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up." When the disciples asked Him to tell them what this meant, He answered, "When any one heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart."

Ah, Satan is in the church and Sabbath-school, like the crow in the corn-field; and when a child is inattentive or thinking of other things, as his sports and plays, instead of listening to God's Holy Word and the instructions of his teacher, then Satan is catching away the seed from his heart, so that it shall do him no good. Oh, be on the watch against this evil bird-this wicked one- and do not let him steal away these precious truths, that are able to save your souls. Ask God to help you to remember them, so that they shall be like the seed on good ground, that shall spring up and make your whole life beautiful with the flowers and fruits of piety.

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One lesson more from the fowls of the air I hope every child will learn-that of praising God. Next to the singing of children, there is nothing so melodious as the music of birds. What grand concerts they give in the woods and groves on a fine spring morning; as if their first thought on awaking was to praise their Maker, and call on all around to praise Him too.

But you, dear children, have much more to praise God for than the birds; and why has God given you your sweet voices, but to warble forth His praise ? Shall the robin fill the air with his gushing melody, and your voice be silent?

"Robin has no shoes and stockings,

Has no cap upon his head;
Nothing but his coat of feathers,
And his little waistcoat red.

"Has no cosy bed or blankets,

Yet you hear him early raise,
Only for his life and freedom,

That sweet song of grateful praise.

"And since you have every blessing,
By a loving Father sent,

Won't you learn this piece of music,
Robin's song of sweet content?"

When you think of heaven, do you not think of singing there" the new song?" Then why not now begin to sing it, so that you may know it all by heart before you get your harp of gold? Oh, if you love Jesus, and have His Spirit in your heart,

you will be so happy that you cannot help singing. And no music of birds is so sweet in God's ear as the voices of children singing His praise, and shouting, like those little ones in the temple at Jerusalem, "Hosanna to the Son of David." For the birdsongs die away, and soon shall be heard no more; but the child that here "loves to sing of Jesus," shall keep on singing long after this world has been burned up; and his voice shall never grow tired, nor that golden harp be broken or out of tune, nor the new song grow old. May we all sing together in heaven that sweetest of all songs, "the song of Moses and the Lamb."

"Be good, dear child, and let who will be clever;
Do noble things, nor dream them all day long;
And so make life, death, and that vast for ever,
One grand, sweet song."