children went to heaven, and God made them far happier there than they would have been in this world. And no one of them would ever think they had got there too soon."

"But the poor mammas!"

"Ah! their sorrow would be great indeed. Let us be thankful that we do not live in a country where any king can do such a dreadful thing. Our good Queen Victoria has sweet children of her own, and she loves all the children of her people, and wishes to do them good. And now you have had a long lesson, and you must be tired. What verse will you write to-day, Ellen ?"

"I think the pretty one, mamma, about the star coming again, and the wise men being so glad to see it."

Yes, and think of that sometimes, when you look out at the stars at night. Now I shall read you a hymn about it, which you may learn soon by heart."

HYMN.

BRIGHTEST and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining;
Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore him in slumber reclining,

Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all.

Say shall we yield him, in costly devotion,
Odours of Edom, and off'rings divine;
Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean;
Myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine?

Vainly we offer each ample oblation—

Vainly with gifts would his favour secure :
Richer by far is the heart's adoration-
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

PRAYER.

O Lord God, thou art everywhere, and we thank thee that we may pray to thee every day, and in every place. Help us to love thee with all our hearts, and to do all we can to show our love. We do not know thee, and we do not love thee nearly so much as we ought. O send thy Holy Spirit to teach us, and to

as the wise men were. If we are to live long in this world, may it be as thy dear children and servants, and then may we go to be with thee for ever in heaven. Forgive our sins and hear us for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Jesus among the Doctors.

LUKE ii. 41-52.

"I Do not think you will be able to tell me much about this picture," said Mrs. Ross, as she took out a new one. "What is it, Ellen?"

"It is a young boy, sitting among a number of old grave men."

"Who will the child be?"
"Is it Jesus, mamma?"

"Yes; the story of this picture happened when he was twelve years old. We are told nothing about him all these years, only that when the cruel King Herod died, God sent an angel in a dream to tell Joseph that it was safe now to go back to his own country; and so they returned, and lived at Nazareth, the town where Mary was when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. I have read about Nazareth in a book of travels; it is a small place, but in a very beautiful

dear Lord spent all his early years. There is no place in the Holy Land I should like more to visit. Should not you ?"

"Yes, very much. But, mamma, I should like to hear more of what Jesus did when he was a child."

"So should I, but God has not told us much. But you remember how he would be different from any other child." "He had no sin, mamma; He would never do what was wrong.'

"Never, Ellen; never made his mother sad, and to feel a pain in her heart."

Poor Ellen looked very sad now, for the evening before she had been disobedient, and vexed her mamma very much. She did not speak, but laid her head cn her mamma's knee, and began to weep; and Harry looked as if he could cry

too.

"Ellen," said Mrs. Ross, "we will not speak of your fault now. You asked God to forgive you for Jesus' sake, and he has promised to hear us when we do