steel, and iron work, and in making clocks and telescopes. It is certain, however, that we cannot very much praise their skill in drawing and painting, as our picture will show. It represents a Japanese lady in her walking attire. Just notice her strange headdress, and her fine flowing robe. Where her body, arms, and feet are, we cannot tell; the artist must surely have forgotten these.

This picture was given as a specimen of their art to a gentleman in America, when the Japanese embassy lately visited that part of the world.

The people of Japan are heathen, and among other objects regarded by them as sacred are the cat and the dog. May we not hope that the time will soon come when the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be taken to them, and when they shall be brought from the service of idols to know and love the true God?

THE FIRST GARDEN,

AND WHAT TOOK PLACE THERE.

PART III.

"The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."-Rom. vi. 23.

My dear little friends, my last address was full of sad and sorrowful things; but they are so true, and they are things that have so much to do with you, that I hope you have thought over them well; if you have, you will be the better ready to hear this address.

Adam and Eve were not alone long in this world after they left the garden; God gave them a baby. How

delighted they must have been with it! it was the first baby they had ever seen; for Adam and Eve, as you know, had never been babies: God made them a man and a woman at once. Oh, how fond Adam and Eve were of their little Cain; how they smiled as they watched all his little playful ways, and how lovingly they both looked at him when he was asleep. This first little baby was quite a wonder to them; but very soon they were shocked to see, by his self-will and naughty temper, that their little son was not like what they were at first when God made them: he was not holy; he was like what they were then, unholy, sinful.

Adam and Eve could not now expect that this child would be holy. But what I wish you to think of particularly now is this-what this first little child was; you are, for we are all, Adam and Eve's children: they are our first parents, and we are like our parents. I told you that, after their disobedience, Adam and Eve's hearts were cold towards God. Are not our hearts like this? I told you that they had no wish to be near to him and tell him everything, as they used to do. Is not this like us? I told you that they did not feel inclined to thank and praise him. Do we? Do we not oftener forget God altogether, and take no notice of his kindness? We are all alive about something; but are we all alive about getting those things which God likes best to give us? These things show that we are like our parents, Adam and Eve; and if we are like them, we deserve to have the same punishment as they deserved.

Oh, my dear children, I cannot bear to think of your little spirits being shut out of heaven; I want you to

enjoy the bright smile of God always, and love him with all your heart and soul for ever. It is this which makes me so glad to tell you of God's wonderful plan, so full of love and kindness. We read in the Bible of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; these three are one God. In many parts of God's book we are told of the great love of God the Father to his Son; the Father loved his holy Son, and the Son loved his holy Father, more than we can understand. In one place, where the Son of God is speaking of himself and his Father before the world was made, he says: "Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him."

The thought of this makes the plan I am going to tell you of more wonderful. God the Father loved his creatures, Adam and Eve, and he loved us their children; but he hated our sins; he could not have sin near him, who is the holy God; yet he did not desire that we should be unholy and miserable for ever: but what could be done? His word could not be broken, and he must show to every one how he hates disobedience and sin. God might have left Adam and Eve and their children to take the consequences of their disobedience; for no one asked him to make a way to save them. What they deserved was, that he should think no more of them; they had made themselves miserable, and they deserved that he should leave them to be miserable: but no! he thought of one way, the only way; it was indeed the plan of God himself; no one else would have thought of such a thing, for no one loves like God; it was a plan that came out of his own

heart, so full of perfect love and kindness. The plan was this: God the Father said he would send his only Son, Jesus Christ, from heaven into this world; that his beloved Son should leave his holy and happy home, and should become a man and live here among sinful, disobedient people; that he should be perfect and obedient, yet he should suffer very much, and die on the cross. Then, for the sake of what his Son had done and suffered, God would be able and willing to forgive those who asked him humbly and earnestly, and were ready to obey him in all things. God would smite his obedient, perfect Son, that there might be a way for him to smile on us for his sake. But how could God the Father bear the thought of such a thing? A verse from God's own book is the only answer I can give to this question; it is this: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God's great love to us made him willing.

But there is another question. What will God the Son say to this plan ? Is he willing to bear all this ? His answer shows that his heart is quite full of love: he said, "I delight to do thy will, O my God."

Now, then, there is one way for Adam and Eve and their children to be forgiven; but they are still unholy, and so they are not fit to go into heaven; they have lost their love to God and for good things; people with cold hearts cannot live in heaven with God, and would not enjoy being there. What is to be done? God did not forget this; his plan was perfect, wanting nothing. The work of God the Holy Spirit is to make

us new creatures again; he is our teacher; he shows us our wickedness, and makes us really sorry for it, and then teaches us to trust and love our only Saviour; he watches over and helps us as long as we live, and makes us fit to enter heaven and enjoy it.

My dear little friends, this is the plan which God made to save us from sin, from Satan, and from neverending unhappiness: is it not wonderful ?

God did not send his Son into this world directly, but he very kindly let Adam and Eve know something of his plan of love; he promised them a Saviour who could conquer Satan.

THE DEAD BABY

YES, the baby was dead!

The darkened windows told me so. It had been a sweet babe. Its hair so bright, its smile so loving, its voice so merry and glad; and as it lay in its coffin, its little hands crossed so peacefully on its breast, it was very beautiful even in death.

There were sad hearts and tearful faces around the little sleeper; but as I gazed, I thought of all the ills it had escaped, of all the joys it had entered upon; and I felt that it was better, far better, in heaven.

My little readers, did you ever stand and watch a little baby brother or sister, as it gently breathed its life away? Did you wonder to see it lie so pale and still, and did you take its little hand in yours, and feel it chilly, damp, and cold? And when the last breath came and went, and the grief of loving hearts burst forth, did you weep too, scarce knowing why ? Dear