แ The Walk on the Waters. ELLEN and Harry were very affectionate children. When they came to their mamma next morning, they were still saying, "Oh, mamma, we are so happy you have come back! we have missed you so very much!" My dear children," said their mamma, "I am sure you are not more happy to have me back than I am to come. But I am sorry to hear you missed me so much. Was not papa with you, and nurse?" แ Yes, but dear papa you know has to be often away, and though nurse is very kind, she was busy with Johnnie, and she is not like you. Nobody is like you, mamma.” Mrs. Ross kissed them both fondly. My dear children, we must not love each other too much. We cannot be always together in this world, and you know there is a time coming when we must part." "Oh, mamma, do not speak about that, it will not be for a long, long time." "We may hope so, my love, but we cannot be sure, God only knows, and we must never forget that his will is always the best for us all. I would like you and Harry to understand the meaning of that sweet verse: 'When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.' I would like you to feel that while the Lord is your friend you could be happy even though both papa and mamma were taken away. A true Christian should never be really unhappy, unless when he does not feel that Jesus is near him." "But, mamma," said Harry, "Jesus is always near us.' "That is true, but we do not always feel this, or get the comfort of it. Why is it so dark this morning, so that we must sit near the window, and we are THE WALK ON THE WATERS. 147 glad to mend the fire too, why is it so different from yesterday?" "Because there is no sun, mamma. "No sun, Harry, that would be a dreadful thing!" "Oh, mamma," said Ellen, "Harry means that there is no sunshine, the sky is all cloudy, and rain coming on." "But what has become of the sun?" Ellen thought a little, and then said, "I suppose it is up in the sky still, but behind the clouds." "Just so, the sun is in its old place, as near us as ever, but there are thick clouds which keep away the light and heat. And so, my dear, Jesus will never leave nor forsake his people, but sometimes in times of great trouble, or above all, when they have been sinful and careless, he lets the clouds come, and seems to have gone away, and then they have no comfort, all is cold, and dark, and sad. Then they must confess their sin, and pray very earnestly, and wait patiently, till the sun appears again. When you are older, you will know better what I mean. Now, we shall read a beautiful story of what happened to the disciples when they were in distress, and thought their Lord had forsaken them. Read here my love." "And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray and when the evening was come, he was there alone."-Matthew xiv. 22, 23. "What does constrained mean?" "It means obliged, forced them, they were very unwilling to leave the Lord, but they did so at last, when he desired. them. He wished to be left alone for a while. There was a great multitude of people round them; and he had been all day preaching, and healing the sick, and had fed the people too by a wonderful miracle, which we shall read about some other day. Now he told the THE WALK ON THE WATERS. 149 multitude to go away home, and he went up the side of the mountain alone. Was he just going to rest?" แ No, mamma, it was to pray." Yes, his rest was prayer. We often hear of this. We are told by Mark of another time, when, after a long day of work in Capernaum, instead of taking a long rest as we should have expected, ' in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he departed, and went into a solitary place, and there prayed.' What an example to us! We cannot pray as he did-such prayer as that between the Father and the Son can never be heard on earth again, but if the holy Saviour found in prayer strength and refreshment, how much more do we need it, and how should we seek and enjoy it. We should also learn to take a solitary place for prayer. It is pleasant and good to join together, as we do here, or in the house of God; but that is not enough, every one must also speak to God alone. There is no place so delightful for this as among the beauti |