and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal," 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18.

Then, as Felix and Arthur were going along, they talked about the home they were going to, and the friends they should meet there, and the pleasures they should enjoy. Just so, Christians like to talk about their home in heaven, and their friends in heaven -especially their great and glorious Friend and Saviour, and elder Brother, Jesus, the Son of God.

"Children of the heavenly King,
As they journey sweetly sing;
Sing their Saviour's worthy praise,
Glorious in his works and ways."

The little boys, you remember, came to a town where they were invited to stop, and where they were treated both with kindness and unkindness. The children of God are sometimes invited to stop short in their journey to heaven; but they are too anxious to get home to be tempted so. And though they partake of the refreshments which are provided for them on their way, they "use the world as not abusing it." They will not make it their home.

As to the rude boys who wanted the young travellers to stop and play with them, this

will serve to remind us, that wicked people often try to make good people wicked too;

and if they cannot do that, they abuse them, and speak evil of them. But all the evil they can say, if it be not true, is only like the dirt that would not stick. There are two verses which I should be glad if you, my dear grandson, would always remember. These are the verses:

"If I meet with railing tongues,

Why should I return them railing?
Since I best revenge my wrongs,
By my patience never failing?

"When I hear them telling lies,

Talking foolish, cursing, swearing,
First I'll try to make them wise,
Or I'll soon go out of hearing."

The wild flowers and the wood-what shall we say about them? I think that all the pleasures of this world-the balls, the races, the theatre-the sabbath-breaking and timewasting pleasures of the world-are like those kind of flowers which look pretty to the eye, but which have no pleasant smell, and which soon, very soon fade when they are handled. Such pleasures make us say, after we have tried them, "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity," Eccles. i. 2. And when those who are really in the right way to heaven turn aside to these false pleasures, they are quite sure to stray from the path, and lose themselves, as Felix and Arthur lost themselves in the wood. It hinders them, and tires them, and soils their characters; and though they should be set right again at last, they can never make up for lost time and strength. The pleasures I am speaking of lead also to great dangers. Our little boys, you remember, laid down under a tree, and fell asleep, and were in danger from an adder. Here are two more verses of a hymn, which speak of this danger :

"I left the God of truth and light

I left the God who gave me breath

To wander in the wilds of night,
And perish in the snares of death.

"I dreamed of bliss in pleasure's bowers,
While pillowing roses stayed my head;
But serpents hissed among the flowers:

I woke, and thorns were all my bed."

Well, the little travellers were set right again; that was a good thing. And when Christians who have wandered from the good way are set right again, that is a good thing; and they have great reason to be thankful to the kind and gracious Saviour, who will not let them perish, nor suffer any one to pluck them out of his hand, John x. 28. But see- -Arthur and Felix began to quarrel about whose fault it was that they had gone wrong; and they were so splashed with mud, that it was a long time before they were clean again. This it too much like the children of God, who, when they go astray, are too apt to lay the blame one on another, instead of each one taking it to himself. And as to the splashing-why the disgrace which befals a good man, when he really does anything disgraceful, is worse than all the bad things which wicked men say of him, when the things are not true.

The high rock by the road-side-I think you can tell me what I wished that to represent. George. I think God is sometimes called a rock in the Bible?

Grandmother. Yes; David said that the Lord was his Rock-the Rock of his salvation; and the dear Redeemer is spoken of as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. The spring of clear water, too, which the little

weary travellers found flowing from the rock, may put us in mind of the precious promises of God's word to all who take refuge in Jesus, and which cheer and refresh them in their pilgrimage. But I must not tire you with talking too long about these things; so I will only just say, that Christians, while on their way to heaven, often meet with storms, and this when they least expect them. But though they are cast down, they are not destroyed; no, nor yet forsaken. There is sure to be some door opened when they as little expect it, where they may take shelter till the storm is over. And those who befriend Christians, because they are Christians, when they are in trouble, will not lose their reward; for Christ says to them, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

George. But the rainbow, grandmother?

Grandmother. Oh yes, the rainbow; we will not forget that. Well, that should put us in mind of the pleasures which good people enjoy when some worldly trouble has passed away, so that they can say, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." You remember, too, that the storm cooled the air, and made the walking more pleasant to the two little boys. So it is with the troubles which Christians have in this life: they are sure, in some way or other, to turn out for their good. After the storm, Felix and Arthur caught another sight of their home.