"But it is not such people I wish to be like, but like Christ Himself!"

"O!" interrupted Fanny, "I like to see a little spirit, and I think you only did as you ought just now. Why should you take insults and taunts from an ignorant girl like that?"

There was a pause, and then Emma quoted the words of Peter respecting Jesus: "Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not."

The girls separated at the door of the house where Emma was employed, and Fanny went on up the street. She had not proceeded far when she met her Sunday-school teacher. With her heart full of concern about the young friend with whom she had just parted, she could not help exclaiming :

"O, teacher! I am so glad to see you!"

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"Are you, Fanny ?" said the lady; can I be of any service to you?"

"Not to me especially, teacher, but I did want to tell you about Emma N-. Have you noticed that there is a difference in her ?"

"I have certainly thought her more attentive to the lessons lately, and less inclined to trifling during the services of the house of God; but you have all improved, and I am very thankful for it."

"I cannot keep you standing here, teacher, or I would like to tell you more about Emma."

"Come home with me, Fanny; I dare say your mother will spare you. Run in and ask her."

Fanny readily obtained permission to accompany her teacher, and lost no time in relating the following circumstances:

"A few weeks ago, several of us girls went to the Anniversary Services at T-. The evening sermon was a very impressive one, and a great many people seemed concerned about their

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souls. After the service there was a prayer-meeting, and a few young people asked the prayers of the congregation. The minister spoke to them most earnestly, and some were made happy in the love of Jesus. We girls all felt serious, but Emma N- was quite agitated, and as we came home together, she said she was sorry she did not go up to the minister and tell him how she had determined to be a Christian. Then we all had a talk, and we made up our minds to try to be different; to have a regular time for reading the Word of God and praying; to be kind to everybody, to watch against bad tempers, and a great many other things, teacher. When we parted, Emma said, 'Let us all remember this evening, and that we "ought also so to walk, even as Christ walked."! Things went on, and we made up our minds not to tell you until we were more settled like. After two or three weeks, most of us lost the anxiety; we failed so often that we were discouraged. Not so Emma; she used to beg us to try again, saying, 'Rome was not built in a day;' and she really has kept us thinking on the subject. However, to-day Mary B- called her names, and told her she was pretending to be good, just because she wanted the Superintendent to choose her for a teacher. Emma was angry, and answered back; and now she is so grieved about it, and says it is no use trying to be a Christian till she gets rid of her temper."

Fanny had finished her story, but was surprised to find how much ler teacher was affected by it.

"Would it have been better to have told you before now?" Fanny asked.

"Yes, my dear! I wish you had; and I blame myself too for not having been more ready to speak to you of your personal interest in the Saviour I have seen that the Spirit of God was striving with some of you, and yet I

have been waiting for greater signs. But run home now, Fanny, for I want to think. I shall (God willing) see you on Sunday."

On Sunday the teacher met the members of her class with an earnest and determined purpose of setting Christ before them as the Saviour from sin. She told them how by nature they were all dead in trespasses and sins," but "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life;" that none could walk in the steps of Jesus who had not previously come to Him, and believingly accepted the salvation purchased by His blood; and that there is great danger of looking upon Jesus only as a perfect human model, and so vainly fancying we can follow His bright example in our own strength. She said there might be much sentimental sighing, "I want to be like Jesus;" and even mourning, "Alas! I'm not like Jesus," without the slightest real hatred of the sin that made us unlike Him. When Peter spoke of Christ leaving an example that we should follow His steps," he was writing to those who knew that they were redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ," and who had "received the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls." Such were no longer dead," but as they had "received Christ Jesus the Lord, so" they could" walk in Him."

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"But, teacher," interrupted Emma,

"I do so want to be gentle, like Jesus; I am so quick-tempered, yet I try and try to be like Him, but it is no use."

"Because, my dear, you have no power, unaided, to lay aside your besetting sin: the blood of Jesus Christ has atoned for your sins; God can be just, and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus;' and the first thing for you is to give up your trying in your own strength, and come, confessing your guilt and perfect helplessness, and yield to be saved through grace alone. You need not be discouraged, for Jesus Himself declared, 'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.

"Then, teacher, do you think I never shall be like Jesus?"

"I believe you will, Emma," was the reply; "this good work begun in your heart by the Spirit of God will, I trust, be perfected; but you must lie low at the foot of the Cross, and as you gaze by faith on the Crucified, let your language be,

'For ever here my rest shall be,

Close to Thy bleeding side;
This all my hope, and all

my plea,
For me the Saviour died!'

You can have no other Refuge, and will need no other; for 'He is able to save to the uttermost.' He saves freely, not only from the guilt and punishment of sin, but also from its power and indwelling; so you have every reason to hope."

SUGGESTIONS FOR

A SUNDAY-SCHOOL ADDRESS. Founded upon the Morning Lesson for

December 6th, 1874.

IN this morning's Lesson we have another very striking illustration of

LILLIE MONTFORT.

David's wisdom and piety. Under the very distressing circumstances narrated in the Lesson, it is wonderful how he restrained himself from hasty and illadvised action. We cannot well imagine anything more distressing than the calamity which had befallen him and his followers, their wives, their children

and their treasure had been seized and carried away by their foes, so that instead of finding peace and welcome on their return, they found nothing but desolation. We do not wonder that they "lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep." With all his wisdom and experience, David was at a loss to know what to do. He had no earthly friend near to render him sympathy and aid, no one to advise him as to the course he should pursue. But he did not hesitate long. There was one Friend always near to guide and aid him, and to Him he now came with his new and unlooked-for trouble. God was his "Refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." He directed him to follow the foes, and assured him that he should overtake them and recover all. This he did. Now the great lesson we learn from all this is, that in all seasons of perplexity and trial we should make known our requests to God and ask counsel of Him. You doubtless remember many passages in which we are directed to do this. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee."

Even while you are young there come times when you find it difficult to decide what to do, and questions arise in your minds which you are altogether unable to answer. You don't know whether to do this, or that, or something else. At such times you should ask God to direct you and teach you how to act. Go to Him in prayer, and tell Him how perplexed you are, and how you desire to know His will and to act according to it. He will in some way, directly or indirectly, open your way and guide you into the right path. And as you grow up into manhood and womanhood you will find many occasions for similar reverent appeals to God. Probably cares and perplexities will increase in number and importance with increasing years, and you will often find it necessary to seek counsel and aid from those who are wiser and abler than yourselves. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance to you to form the habit of constant appeal to God. None are so wise or able as

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He, to direct, to help, or to deliver. Therefore take Him as your Counsellor and Guide.

By so doing you will give Him the honour which belongs to Him alone. To whom should we come but to Him Whose we are by right of creation and grace? To whom should we go for counsel but to Him? If the hearts of men are in His keeping, and their ways under His control, of whom should we seek direction but of Him? All we know of God, in His relation to us and our life, leads us to the conclusion that we ought to honour Him by making Him our Confidant.

By doing this you will further reap the greatest possible advantage to yourselves. You will secure the best possible direction; such indeed as will, when fully followed, prevent mistake, disappointment and failure. This is more than can be positively affirmed of any human advice. Our best friends may be as greatly and as easily mistaken as ourselves, and are, therefore, to that extent, as little to be depended upon. God knows the end from the beginning, and how one thing leads to another. This lifts Him far above the wisest earthly friend, who cannot make positive calculation of events long before they happen, and cannot positively affirm that because one thing is another will be. Human knowledge, even of human life, is, comparatively, very small; so that it is not to be depended upon at all times. But God's knowledge and foresight are absolutely certain, and therefore may be confidently relied upon. How happy, then, are they who have Him for their Guide! But in addition to this best and wisest direction, by making God your Counsellor, you secure the interest of One Who is better able to help you than all your earthly friends together. All things and all events are under His control. He causes or prevents as He wills.

They only are safe, therefore, who commit their ways to Him. The promise is that He shall "direct their paths," so that they will prosper. This accounts for David's prosperity. In spite of all his foes and all his difficulties, he became

Help.

1 SAMUEL XXX. 6: "David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."

1. David in sore distress.-Do you remember how David was driven away from home, and how he was hunted by Saul, who sought to kill him? In his sad state, not knowing where to go, he went to dwell with Achish, a king of the Philistines. Now these people were enemies of the Israelites, and often fought against them. Yet at this time Achish was kind to David and his men, and they even went out together to fight. But some of those with Achish were angry because he took David with him, and so he was obliged to send him back again. How sorry David was now! All seemed to

turn against him; yet worse was to come. While he and his men had gone out with Achish, fierce men had come to their city and had burned it with fire, and taken away their cattle and sheep, and all that they had, even their wives and their sons and daughters, and carried them off captive! Could anything be more sad than this? They had lost all that they most loved; and "David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep."

2. How David found help.-Where was David to go for help and comfort in this sore trouble? Would he not find it in the strong, brave men who were with him? No: they were so grieved at what had happened that

they even spoke of stoning David, as though he were to blame for it. Yet it was not his fault; he had suffered, too, as much as they. What then could he do? In his great distress, "David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." Had God ever helped him before? when? As he thought of the lion and the bear, of the great giant, of Saul's enmity, and of other dangers and troubles out of all which the Lord had saved him, he felt sure of help now, and he put his trust in God. He did more than this-He asked the Lord to show him what to do. And God answered his prayer, and guided him so that he soon found those who were lost, and saved them and all else from the hand of his enemies.

3. How we may get help.-Let us learn from David what we must do. Shall we have trouble? Shall we need help? No child can live long without it. We know not what the trouble shall be, nor when it will come. But may we not get all the help we want from mother, and father and friends? Not at all times: they will not always be near us; they could not always help us if they were? To Whom may we turn? Is He always near? Is He always able? and willing? In all our trouble let us ever think of David, and "encourage ourselves in the Lord," and ask His guidance and help.

December 13.-About Living and Dying. PHILIPPIANS i. 21: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

1. Paul's life.-When Paul became a servant of the Lord Jesus he gave Him all his heart. He did not wish another master, nor seek any other work than that which Jesus gave him. Whom had he served before that time? What kind of work had he done? Now wherever he went he did only what he knew would most of all please Jesus. In all places, and in all company, it was the Lord Jesus of Whom he most of all thought and spoke. He cared only to please Him, and this made him ever full of care to do what was good and right for others. This is what the

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love of Jesus ever does: it fills the heart with love for others. Paul's whole life was spent for Jesus; and a blessed life it was. All he wished to live for was that he might make all know and love the same Lord. He said, "For me to live is Christ." Paul the better for this? Did Jesus give him wages for this service? The best of wages. A life full of happiness, and a hope sure and blessed of a better life beyond the grave.

Was

2. Paul's death.-Paul knew that he could not live always, but he did not fear to die. Many do. They fear even to think about it, and most unwise as it is, they do not try to get ready for it. Yet death will come. No money, or wisdom, or strength, or anything else can keep it away. And if this life alone be thought of and cared for, how full of dread the thought of death is! The way in which men meet death depends on the kind of life they lead. If life has been wasted or spent badly, death is full of terror. If life has been spent well, we know that death will but begin a new and better life. How had Paul spent his life? How then would he meet death? For himself he said that to die was 66 gain." What would he gain by death? Where would he go? To many, death is but a great loss. When they lose life they lose everything which to them has been pleasant, and death begins a life of misery for ever.

3. How we should live.-Can we get Paul's hope? May we have a life as blessed, and a death as full of gain as his? Yes; he was once a sinner, but

he found mercy. Where and how was

this? The same Jesus will be our Saviour. He invites you to come to Him. Hear His gracious words: "Suffer little children to come unto Me." "Those that seek Me early shall find Me." Will you not go to Him? and go now?

REVISION.-How did Paul live? What did he say of his life? What did he say of his death? Why did he say that death would be a gain? To whom is death a loss? How may we make our death a gain?

December 20.-How to get Joy. PHILEMON 20: "Let me have joy of thee in the Lord."

1. Of joy and sorrow.- -What is it to "have joy"? We all know what it