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THE LAMB.

RUTH had a lamb, a very white and pretty lamb. She used to feed it every day with her own hand, and was never tired of playing with it. She called it Snowdrop, because it was so very white. One day she made a beautiful wreath of clover blossoms and daisies and butter-cups, for Snowdrop's neck: there were no green leaves in it, but Ruth thought it was prettier for that; and when Snowdrop frisked about, shaking his head very merrily, she was sure there could be nothing in the whole world more beautiful than he was.

Ruth and I sat together on the door-step just at night. Snowdrop was tired with play, and had lain down on the grass. Ruth was tired too, and she laid her head in my lap. At such times she would like to be talked to, and often asked me for a story; but to-night, as I had been gazing upon her sweet little playfellow, my thoughts had wandered to "the Lamb of God."

Jesus was likened to a lamb when the prophet foretold his coming; and when John saw him, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God;" and in heaven, when all the thousands and "ten thousand times ten thousand" of glorious saints and angels bow before him, they say, "Worthy is the Lamb." So I told my dear little friend of that Lamb of God, who on earth was so gentle, and meek, and pure; who was always loving and kind; who bore insults and poverty and toil without an angry feeling or a murmur; who was without a spot or blemish, pure from all sin; and

who at length was slain by wicked men, to save us from our sins. "It would seem a very cruel thing," I said, "to take your innocent, gentle Snowdrop, and bind his limbs with cords, and plunge a knife into his heart: but Jesus, the Lamb, was fastened to a cross, and his flesh torn with cruel nails; yet he was meek, and gentle, and loving to the last. He loved even his murderers, and wished they might become good men and be happy. Their hearts must have been hard indeed, who looked upon his perfect meekness, and heard his words of love amid such agonies, without being softened by the scene.

"Can you think of this dying Lamb of God without loving him? Remember, it was to save you and me from sin and its punishment that he died upon the cross. We will not forget his love, his gentleness, his purity. We will be grateful for them, and seek his protection and his guidance. Now he is in heaven, he calls us to be lambs of his fold; to be gentle and kind as he was; to be meek and patient, pure and spotless.

"Come unto him now, and at that day he will own you as his, and will lead you into green pastures, and beside still waters.'"

THE FAITHFUL MIRROR.
DAILY, hourly, we may see

Spots upon our actions lie;

How very anxious we should be,

And ask ourselves the reason why;

Conscience is the truthful glass,
Reflecting actions as they pass.

Eyes, that covet others' wealth,
Lips, that utter words impure,
Hands, that clutch away by stealth,
Fraud, that's always insecure.
Conscience holds the faithful glass,
Scan thy actions as they pass.
Idle moments reckless spent,
Wasted talents hid from view,
Heedless of these mercies lent,
They are all required of you.
Conscience holds the truthful glass,
Watch thy actions as they pass.
Want of kindness to the poor,

Help withheld in time of need;
Bread is promised to the sower,
But he first must sow the seed.
Conscience holds the faithful glass,
See thy actions as they pass.
Morn or eve unbent the knee,
Heart encased in living stone,

Caring not that God can see

The smallest act of sin alone.
Conscience holds the truthful glass,
Behold thy actions as they pass.
Watch and daily strive to gain
Pearls to string on Virtue's chain,
The jewels that compose her crown
Are by their brilliant lustre known.
Conscience, holding high the glass,
Reflects their brightness as they pass.

Pimlico.

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SUSIE spoke just as she felt about Jem Horton. He had not at all improved since we heard of him in the first pages of our story. Indeed, Susie thought that he grew worse instead of better. And many persons thought the same.

Jem had not a very happy home. His father was not a steady man; and he both spoiled his son, and was very harsh with him. Sometimes he would scold him for a small fault, and at other times he would almost No. 198. JUNE, 1861.

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encourage him in wrong doing. Jem had no mother. She died when he was very young, and this was a great loss to him. Had she lived, he might have been different; for she was gentle, but firm in her management, and would have brought him up in the fear of the Lord. The aunt, who had kept his father's house since that sad event, was not unkind to Jem, but she was a thoughtless sort of person, fond of dress and gossipping; and she never tried to make the boy comfortable. So it was no wonder if Jem early learned to find companions and amusement out-of-doors; and, having no one to look after him, he got acquainted with some idle boys, who did him a great deal of harm.

He was a clever boy, lively, and full of fun; and Susie's brother John liked him for a playmate. Mr. Morris was very easy and good-natured; and though he was not satisfied with all that he heard about Jem, he allowed him to come to the house and to go out with John, when they would perhaps have been better separated.

Jem was not what would be called a bad boy; but he was heedless, and soon led astray by others. In a family like Susie's he might have been trained to good habits, and taught good principles; but, with his home training, it was a wonder that he was not worse than he was.

Susie had not seen quite so much of him lately; for John left home to stay some months with an uncle, who wanted help in his business, and Harry and Jem did not suit together.

But she could not help meeting him out-of-doors; and once or twice he had been at Emma Perkins' when

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