ON CASTING BREAD UPON THE
WATERS.

BY THE REV. JOHN TODD, D.D. ALHOUSEN lived in a little mud cottage on the banks of the Nile. Back of his house he had a sandy spot which he called his garden, but it bore little more than a few prickly pears and a few aloe plants. In front, however, he had a little spot of meadow, which every spring was covered for weeks by the waters of the Nile. It was divided off from other similar patches by a few stakes thrust into the mud. Alhousen was very poor, and had a large family of children. These he hardly tried to clothe, but he did work hard to give them food. Generally he contrived to satisfy their hunger, though to do even that he had sometimes to give them radishes instead of bread. But times of scarcity, too, sometimes came, when the many little mouths were hungry, and the poor man had nothing to give them. One spring, when the whole valley, further than the eye could see, was covered with water, and it looked like a great lake, Alhousen's children were very short for food. They used to beg and cry for something to eat. One day, when they were thus hungry, they saw their father go to gather up, in a basket, all the rice, even to the last kernel, which they had on hand. The little creatures set up a shout, for now they thought they were to have a good breakfast. What was their amazement to see their father, instead of getting a little kettle to boil it,

get into his little boat and go out on the water, and throw the rice into it! "Oh, father, father! don't throw away the rice-don't throw our bread away-we are so hungry!" But the father paid no attention to their cries, and continued to throw the rice away on the waters, till not a kernel was left. The rice sank down into the mud, and seemed, as it went out of sight, to be lost. But no! the father knew that this bread cast upon the waters would be found after many days again in the new, full, and ripe harvest. Then the children saw that it was not cruelty, but kindness and wisdom, that led their father to "throw away their bread."

Under this beautiful imagery our heavenly Father encourages us to do good-to give away that which will procure bread, with the assurance that we shall find it after many days. I do not know but a whole volume of facts might be easily collected to illustrate and prove the truth of this promise. I want to present one only at a time.

About half a century ago, a daily coach ran between Glasgow and Greenock. A lady riding in this coach one day noticed a little bare-footed boy, weary and struggling on his way. She told the coachman to take him up and give him a seat, and she would pay his fare. All the rest thought the lady very weak thus to encourage the boy perhaps to run away. When they reached Greenock, she asked the little boy what he came there for. He said he wanted to be a sailor, and hoped that some sea-captain would

take him. The lady gave him half-a-crown (bread cast upon the waters!), wished him success, and charged him to be a good boy.

Twenty years went past. In the afternoon the coach was returning from Glasgow, on the same road. When near Bishopton, a sea-captain desired the coachman to take up a weary lady whom he saw walking on the road, put her into the empty seat, and he would pay her fare. While the horses were being changed, and the passengers were sauntering about, except the captain and the old lady, she took occasion to thank him for his kindness to one too poor to ride. The captain said

"I always sympathise with the weary walker since I was a little boy, twenty years ago, when, near this very place, a kind-hearted lady ordered the coachman to take me up, and paid my fare."

"Well do I remember that incident, sir. I am that very lady. But my lot in life has changed. I was then independent. Now, through the doings of a prodigal son, I am reduced to poverty."

"How happy am I," said the captain, "that I have been successful in my enterprises, and am now on my way home to live on my fortune! And from this day, madam, I shall bind myself and heirs to supply you with twentyfive pounds annually, so long as you live!"

Which of the two had the most enjoyment I cannot say-the one who cast the bread upon the waters, or the one who showed that we shall not always find the bread thus cast in this life; but we know assuredly that he that giveth a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple of Christ shall in no wise lose his reward.

THE BOY THAT BROKE HIS PROMISE. LITTLE James was eight years old. His parents loved God, and taught James to love him, too. His father was a physician. He had many books in his library. Some of them were large, and required much faithful labour to master their contents. Perhaps some of my little boy-readers may be physicians when they grow to be men. If so, you must study hard, and ask God to help you, so that you may be very useful.

One morning, James' mother said to him, 66 'James, go into your father's library, and study your Bible lesson for your Sabbath-school."

"Yes, mother, I will," cheerfully answered the little boy.

So he went into the library, and sat down on a stool. He had a little red morocco Bible in his hand, which his dear grandmother had given him when he was five years old. He opened his book, and commenced to read the twenty-third Psalm. Do any of our little friends remember how this psalm begins? "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." "How very easy that verse is!" thought James. "I can easily learn this psalm in an hour-I need not hurry." Just then he heard a bird singing very sweetly in an apple-tree which shaded the window. His curiosity was excited. He must go and see all about it. So he went to the window, and he saw a bird's nest in a tree; and by standing on tiptoe. and stretching his neck out of the window as far as he could, he was able to count four little blue eggs. He was so much engaged in thinking about the nest, and wishing that he could get it, that he stood there wasting his time nearly half an hour.

Just then his mother came in. He was much ashamed, and ran to get his book, which was lying on the floor, just as he had thrown it down. His mother said, pointing down to the book, Is this the way, James, you treat your book-your nice Bible, which grandma gave you; and is this the way you keep your promise?" I am sorry to say that at first James' thoughts were very wicked and angry.

His mother looked very sad indeed; and she fixed her calm eyes upon him in silence.

Better feelings prevailed, and James said

"Forgive me, dear mother; I have been very naughty. I have broken the promise which I gave you, that I would study my Bible lesson-I will try to do better."

"I am glad to hear you say so, my son," said his mother. "Pray to God to give you grace to resist temptation, and not presume to make good resolutions without first asking God, for Christ's sake, to help you. A. J. R.

In

THE AFFECTIONATE LOOK. A GIRL who had long been kept at Sunday-school by the force of her parents' will, suddenly became very much attached to it. stead of being her detestation it became her delight. On being asked the reason of this change in her feelings, she replied

"I have a new teacher, mother. Since Miss Wilson took our class I take quite a pleasure in my lessons. The first day she taught us I did not know my lesson; but she did not speak cross and scold me, as my other teacher used to do. When I failed to answer my questions, she looked right into my eyes in such a sad way that I almost cried. Since

that day I have always had my lessons."

Mark, my brother and sister, in this childish answer the philosophy of much failure and of much success in teaching. That girl's former teacher spoke cross and scolded; her latter one looked right into her eyes with a sad expression. The scolding spoiled the scholar. . The look of grief conquered and reformed her. And were not these consequences such as might be expected? Does not like always produce like? Must not ill-temper in the teacher always produce irritation and illwill in the scholar? Must not love awaken love, obedience, and docility? Learn, therefore, that your power to secure attention, order, diligence, and improvement in your scholars depends to a very great degree on the love you feel for them. May the Lover of souls baptize you with a heart full of genuine affections for the "little ones" committed to your charge!

AVOID EVIL COMPANY. SOPHRONIUS, a wise teacher of the people, did not allow his sons and daughters, even when they were grown up, to associate with persons whose lives were not moral and pure.

Father," said the gentle Eulalia one day, when he had refused her permission to go in company with her brother to visit the frivolous Lucinda-"Father, you must think that we are very weak and childish, since you are afraid that it would be dangerous to us to visit Lucinda."

Without saying a word, the father took a coal from the hearth, and handed it to his daughter. "It will not burn you, my child," said he; "only take it."

* Eulalia took the coal, and behold, her tender white hand was black; and without thinking, she touched her white dress, and it was also blackened.

"See," said Eulalia, somewhat displeased, as she looked at her hands and dress, "one cannot be careful enough when handling coals."

"Yes, truly," said her father. "You see, my child, that the coal, even though it did not burn you, has, nevertheless, blackened you. So is the company of immoral persons."

GOLDEN MAXIMS.

KEEP good company, or none. Never be idle; if your hands cannot be usefully employed, attend to the cultivation of your mind. Always speak the truth. Make few promises. Live up to your engagements. Keep your own secrets, if you have any. When you speak to a person, look him in the face. Good company and good conversation are the very sinews of virtue. Good character is above all things else. Your character cannot be essentially injured, except by your own acts. If any one speaks evil of you, let your life be such that none will believe him. Drink no kind of intoxicating liquors. Ever live within your income. When you retire to bed, think over what you have been doing during the day. Make no haste to be rich, if you would prosper. Small and steady gains give competency, with tranquillity of mind. Never play at any game of chance. Avoid temptation, through fear you may not withstand it. Earn money before you spend it. Never borrow, if you can possibly avoid it. Do not marry until you are able to support a wife. Never speak evil

Mary, Mary, take care, there's a mouse in the pantry!"

I often used to cease crying at this, and stand wondering to my self what he meant. I often ran to the pantry, too, to see if there really was a mouse in the trap; but I never found one. One day I said

"Grandfather, I don't know what you mean. I haven't a pantry; and there are no mice in mother's, because I have looked ever so often."

He smiled, and said

'Come, little woman, sit down here in the porch by me, and I'll tell you what I mean. Your heart, Mary, is the pantry; the little sins are the mice, that get in and nibble away all the good, and that make you sometimes cross, and peevish, and fretful, unwilling to do as your mother wishes; and, if you do not strive against them, the mice will keep nibbling until the good is all eaten away. Now, I want to show you, my little girl, how to prevent this. To keep the mice out, you must set a trap for them-the trap of watchfulness; and have for bait good resolutions and firmness."

"But, mother," said Nancy. now quite interested in the story; "wouldn't they nibble the good resolutions away in a while?"

'No, Nancy; not if the watch

was kept strictly, and the bait a good one. I did not exactly understand it when grandfather first told me, for I was such a very little girl; but I know it was told for me in some way, and after a while I began to find out what he meant. He told me, too, I might store my pantry with good things, if I watched it well. Do you know what that means, Nancy ?"

"To be full of good always," said Nancy, whose tears dried now.

were

"Yes; to store it with good principles, good thoughts, and kind feelings."-Early Days.

them, and remembering them. That is praying.

دوو

One boy kneels down and says, "O Lord, forgive me, and make me a good boy, obedient to my parents, and kind to all. Help me to speak the truth and remember always, 'Thou God seest me.' Now, the child who says this prayer without thinking will jump up, and presently you will find him teasing his little sister, forgetting what his mother bade him do, and quite likely at school trying to recite his lesson from another boy's book, and thus deceiving his teacher. That boy soon forgot all about what he had prayed for, because he did not think; he did not really mean it. He only said his prayers. The words were on his lips, and that was all. They did not come from deep down in his heart.

Another boy kneels down and says, "O Lord, forgive my sins, and make me a good child. Help me to be obedient to my parents and kind to everybody. Help me to speak the truth, and be like Jesus, my Saviour, who died for me." As he rises from his knees he thinks, "Since the great God has condescended to give his dear Son to be my Saviour and Friend, I must try truly to be a good boy, and behave in a manner to please him."

He hears his mother call him. "Joseph," she says, "run to the shipyard and pick me up a basket of chips." He does not say,

Why can't James go?" He does not even ask where the basket is. He does not stop and look. He immediately finds the basket, and hastens to do it. In the shipyard one of the choppers is telling a funny story to some boys. Joseph wants to hear, but he remembers his mother wants the chips more. The spirit of obedience is in his