was so deep-rooted with him, that he constantly fell back into it, and this made his anxiety and sadness only the greater.

The good woman, the neighbour's wife, who had once rebuked him, observed his unrest, and asked him one day, "Dear Jan! what is the matter with you? You look, indeed you do, so sad!"

"Ah," he said, "I have been so wicked, and now I hear that the wicked will be punished, and for that reason I am afraid."

She comforted him as well as she could, and said to him, "Jan! go but diligently to church, you will there hear what you have to do."

Jan did this; he visited diligently the church, but although the clergyman preached with great simplicity, plainness, and at the same time with great heartiness, the ignorance of the poor child was so great that he could not understand. The neighbour's wife, to whom he again lamented his spiritual need, could not help him any further; she brought him therefore to the minister, and said to him, "Reverend Sir! here I bring to you the poor lad Jan, who lives near me: he is so anxious on account of his sins, and he will not let himself be comforted. Receive this poor, forsaken, orphan child, and comfort him."

The minister, who heartily loved the Lord Jesus, received the distressed boy with much tenderness. He soon observed to his great joy that the Saviour Himself was by His Spirit working in the heart of this child.

"I will point out to you a means," he said to him, "by which you can be freed from your sins and anxiety. Come every Wednesday and Saturday to me for an hour, and we will then speak at length on the state of your heart."

Poor Jan came from that day twice every week to his minister; and this man of God entreated the Lord Jesus earnestly for help and the enlighten

129

ment of His Holy Spirit in this important matter; and the Lord Jesus, Who never lets His people pray in vain, crowned his labour with the most manifest blessing.

The preacher began by saying, "Dear Jan, you see God Who made the whole world, formed also the first man out of the dust of the earth, and gave him, out of love, an immortal soul, which does not die with the body, but continues to live for ever. Nor should his body have died, but since the first man was disobedient and fell from God, death came upon the whole human family, so all men must now die. But that is not yet all, for man has brought upon himself eternal punishment on account of his sins. You see, dear Jan, that was the inevitable consequence of sin. In your case, in mine, and in that of every man, it draws after it eternal misery."

With deep feeling, Jan exclaimed, "Is there, then, no means of being saved from sin and from this eternal misery ?"

"Poor child! in us there is not," said the preacher, "in ourselves there is no means; but take courage! Our Creator, Who is rich in love, has compassion on us; He has found out a means by which we can nevertheless be saved."

With great eagerness Jan now asked, "What kind of a remedy is that? O, do tell me!"

"O, Jan!" replied the preacher, "you would scarcely be able to believe that it was possible, and yet it is as certainly true as the fact that we are miserable sinners. This God Himself has made known to us. Just think! the Father, Who is rich in love, gave us the dearest that He had. He gave His own Son! He sent Him into this world. He became a man like us, being born a child into the world; and when He was thirty years old, He appeared as a Teacher among men to

proclaim to them how they were to be saved; and after that, He suffered and died for them as a malefactor on the cross. And because He so suffered for them, and in their stead, we are to be pronounced free from the punishment of sin. And that is not all, for He will then present to them, instead of this merited punishment, eternal salvation. You see, every one that believes on Him and receives Him as his Saviour is saved from sin; and you can also, my dear Jan, through this Jesus, but only through Him, thus obtain forgiveness of your sins, and one day eternal salvation in heaven.” (Acts iv. 12.)

So clearly and simply did the minister preach to the poor lad; and yet there was, notwithstanding, much in this discourse which Jan could not take hold of. He comprehended so much, however, and that remained with him, that there was One called Jesus, that He is a Saviour; that out of love to them He died to redeem them from their sins: that he had understood, and this great message filled his heart with the greatest joy, and sorrow disappeared.

"Ah, Reverend Sir," he exclaimed, "bring me to this Lord Jesus; I should so like also to see Him and to thank Him for His great love!"

"My good child," said the preacher, 66 we cannot see the Lord Jesus. He is no longer on the earth, but He is, nevertheless, still with and about us; and because He, like His Heavenly Father, is truly God, He sees and hears everything, and you can tell Him everything as simply, and speak to Him in such a way, as if He stood visibly before you. Come, my child," he continued, "let us pray to Him, and beg Him to give His Holy Spirit, so that we may avoid sin and live according to His holy will."

They fell upon their knees. The minister prayed with thorough ear

nestness to the Lord Jesus, and thanked Him for the great mercy which He had shown to this poor child. O, how happy poor Jan then felt! Tears of joy flowed down his cheeks, and, perfectly freed from his dreadful anxiety, he returned to his abode, and ran at once to the good woman his neighbour, who loved him so, and related to her how the minister prayed with him, and how happy he had become.

Jan was now quite a different lad. He was, as it were, transformed. Never did an oath come any more

upon his lips, nor a coarse word. He became now for the first time right diligent in the school; and as formerly in his great agony it had also been

laid on his heart that he had often told lies, he now devoted himself all the more to the truth, and spoke nothing but truth, even when speaking it tended to do him damage.

The good Jan became from that time thoroughly obedient to his master, and gave all diligence to serve him with all fidelity. He was also friendly to every one, and oft retired in private and cast himself before his beloved Lord Jesus, and poured out his heart before Him.

The minister let him now come into the Bible-class for children, and he attended the instruction given there. He often went, also, alone to this good minister, who conversed more and more with him, and made him still more and more acquainted with his Saviour.

Jan was now about twelve years old, and the elders were minded to have him taught a trade. But as he was more desirous of being employed in the open air, the minister exerted himself for him, to have him sent to a farmer whom he knew. This farmer, who, with his wife, was pious, took him for but little payment, and promised that if Jan would continue to conduct himself so well, he would in the course

of a year keep him entirely with him, and give him a small payment. This he faithfully did, and let him also go in winter to the night-school; and as often as instruction was given by the minister to children, he also was present. This farmer and his wife became soon quite taken up with Jan. He was so diligent, so obedient and so zealous in everything that he had to perform, that his master of his own free will gave him a small payment weekly as pocket-money. Jan employed the money always very usefully, mostly in alms for other poor people. In the evening, when his work was over, nothing pleased him more than to read in the Bible, especially in the Gospels, and then he would speak to his master on what he had read about the Lord Jesus. His master gave him also the collection of hymns by a Dutch poet called Lodestyn. The hymns in it are very fine, and good Jan learned many a little verse by heart. In this way he lived right happily, and everything went well with him at the house of these honest farming people.

A year after, when summer came, he went one day into the hay harvest, helped to load a waggon of hay, seated himself upon it, and went with the waggon homewards. On the way, one of the horses became restive. Jan fell from the waggon, the horse struck out and trod upon his breast. Severely wounded and quite unconscious, he was carried home. His master was terrified, and had the surgeon at once sent for. When Jan came again to himself, he complained of violent pains, and the surgeon at once observed that he had suffered severely internally, and that there was no hope of his recovery. Everything was, however, done that could serve to bring relief from pain. His minister came at once, and visited him.

"Dear Jan," he said, "it appears you will not remain long with us."

131

With the heartiest joy, Jan seized his hand and exclaimed, "O, am I then soon to see my Saviour! What a happiness to see Him Who died for my sins on the cross! O, how I will thank Him for everything that He has done to me, a poor child!"

"But, Jan!" said the teacher, "would you not be glad to remain longer with us, if it were the will of God to make you well again?"

"If it is God's will," answered Jan, "it is also my will; but rather, much rather, will I go to Him. O! I have grieved my beloved Saviour so often here, and that since He drew me to Himself; and who knows to how many sins I should allow myself still to be led away if I should grow up? Everything is very comfortable here, but above" (then he pointed to heaven) “I shall no more sin!"

He wanted to say still more, but his pains, which by speaking had become very violent, permitted him not to do So. The preacher then offered up a hearty prayer, and with deep feeling bade him farewell.

Three days longer his sufferings continued, but the good Jan bore all with great patience. He could not speak much, but it was clear that his thoughts were always fixed upon heaven. On the fourth day a severe loss of blood weakened him so very much that it was evident he was approaching his end. Once more he collected all his strength, thanked the farmer and his wife for their love, and said, a moment before his departure, with feeble voice, a little verse, and his blood-bought soul passed away to Jesus; but all who had known him mourned bitterly for him.

Thus died dear Jan, and although he was only a poor orphan child, he had nevertheless a fine funeral, for every person had loved him thoroughly. The preacher first, and then the schoolmaster, with all the school-children,

АH! you have come! and we have waited long!

Full oft have wonder'd, "Would it be to-day ?"

When we should see you with your pointed wings

Piercing the sky, and hear your twitterings,

Or else the shriller cry, a battle-song, With which you chase and seize your tiny prey!

Welcome, dear birds! we kiss to you our hands

Whilst with quick notes you sing your home-return. What you have seen and what perchance befell,

Where you have roam'd, we wish that you could tell;

All the rich wonder of those far-off

lands

need of a Saviour, Who must cleanse us by His blood and by His Spirit from sin. Come, then, dear children, let us again fall down before Him, and call on Him for His Holy Spirit! He, the Friend of sinners, and the Friend of children, Who out of love to us died on the cross, will certainly hear us!"

Many of these children were deeply moved under the prayer, and when they stood up gave the preacher the hand, and promised him daily to pray to the Lord Jesus for His Holy Spirit, and to ask Him for the forgiveness of sins. And so they went home moved to their hearts.

This, you see, is the history of the Dutch orphan lad. I will at another time relate to you something more of this kind.

POETRY.

Whither you hasted from our climate stern.

How came you thus to fly beyond the seas ?

Did He direct, whilst you but follow'd? Yes!

Led by our God, we know you wander forth

Autumn by autumn from the dreary

north.

When you return, there blows a softer breeze;

Bright are the skies, and blooms the wilderness.

Now we are glad, the hawthorn now will blow;

Then by and by the wild rose faintly

blush:

Then we shall have red poppies and blue-bells,

Flax tall and bright, and darling pimpernels;

Silver ox-eyes, the gorse's golden

glow;

Whilst woodbine tendrils trail on

every bush.

II.

FAREWELL OF THE SWALLOWS.

133

We left the town before the day Burnish'd the tall church-steeple ; The quaint old streets were still and blank,

Asleep the busy people.

Our friends from all the country round
Came in mid-air to meet us;
From thorp and hamlet, mill and farm,
They, flying fleetly, greet us.

And now in troops and troops we move,
In numbers beyond counting,
O! high above, and high above,

The mist and gray cloud mounting; O'er towns and cities dim we pass,

The shrill air round us blowing, We pass! We rush,* a current dark Through heaven's wide ocean flowing!

Across the rivers' snaky curves,

That twist a mile each furlong; Across the woods, across the hills, The coast we gain before long;

Across bright breadths of colour'd seas,

Blue, topaz, jasper, beryl,

Where ships flit on with sails all spread,

And laugh at coming peril:

Unto a land that God shall show

We thus speed on together, Away! away! from mist and rain, From the snow and frosty weather. A. H. VINE.

* Swallows it is stated can fly at the rate of sixty miles an hour.

SUGGESTIONS FOR A SUNDAY

SCHOOL ADDRESS. Founded upon the Morning Lesson for June 28th, 1874.

BY THE REV. J. FINNEMORE.

IN this morning's Lesson we were taught how God rejected Saul from being king, and how He chose his suc

cessor. (Do you remember the name of the person thus chosen? Whose son was he? Where did he live?) David was the youngest of the family, and the last to be introduced to Samuel. When the first was brought, seeing that he had a fine, commanding appearance, Samuel at once concluded that he was the Lord's chosen one. Such was not the case.