and lilies, honeysuckles, and other flowers bloorn around. A flight of pigeons are making their way over the tall elm trees; and on the other side of the hedge some haymakers are going home after a long day's work. The little girl is reading her evening chapter from the Bible, and she has just come to the text, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another," (1 John iv. 11). With her mild blue eyes she looks at her father, and he speaks to her of the great love of God in forgiving, for Christ's sake, our many sins; and how ready we should be to show love to all, and to forgive them who may do us wrong. The little girl will now have a picture hung up in the gallery, from which she will never part. It will be the picture of a father teaching his child a lesson of love.

and

Let us now look at one of the dark pictures. The scene is a prison. A man sits in one of the cells, with chains of iron on his legs. Twenty years ago he went to the village school. A pious man was his teacher; but he cared not for the words of wisdom and truth he heard. The beginnings of evil were to rob a bird's nest, to play the truant, to break the sabbath; soon he learned to curse, and swear, and thieve. Thus he went on from one sin to another, until he has come to end his days as a felon. As he sits in his dungeon, if he thinks at all, it is of the time when he was a boy in a happy village home, and a scholar in the sabbath school; and then he calls to mind the hour when he saw his mother die of a broken heart, caused by his unkind conduct and wicked life.

What a picture is this! There are many others like

QUESTIONS ON THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. 179

it, which we will not now look at. But do you know what such a picture gallery is called ?

Its name is Memory. Every person, old and young, has one, and all are busy in filling it with pictures, bright and pleasant, or dark and dismal. What kind are you hanging up in it? Are you filling it with pictures of pleasant scenes, of loving deeds at home, and useful works abroad? Or are there only those of anger, strife, and wrong doing?

Would you have memory well filled, you must be a Christian. The Holy Spirit of Jesus will help you to fill it with thoughts and deeds of faith and duty. If you love Jesus, if you trust in him for pardon, and seek to walk in his steps, every day, we hope, will add a pleasant picture in the gallery of Memory. May yours be full of them, which you may not only look at in future years with pleasure, but even carry with you to a better world.

QUESTIONS ON THE PARABLES OF OUR

LORD.

THE LABOURERS HIRED.

Matt. xx. 1-16.

1. WHAT is here meant by the kingdom of heaven ? -Who is represented by "a householder ?"-What is the vineyard here spoken of?

2. Who are denoted by the labourers in it ?

3. What time of the day was this?-Was the market a resort for idlers, or labourers ? *

The word "idle" means unemployed.

4. For what wages did these men agree?

5. How late was the ninth hour?

6. Were these at the market, or in the streets ?— Is solicitude, or censure, implied here?

7. Did they offer a reason, or an excuse, in reply? -Did they accept, or decline the employ ?

8. Who is a steward ?-Why were the labourers called in this order?

9. What time of the day was the eleventh hour ?What was the value of a penny ?

10. Why did these men expect more?

11. Who is meant by "the goodman of the house ?" 12. Was this a charge of illiberality, or injustice? 13. Was it right, or wrong, to pay all alike ? 14. Why did not the complainer reply ?

15. To whom were these words addressed ?-How do you answer the last question for him ?-What is here meant by an " evil eye ?"

16. What doctrine is taught in this parable ?*— What is the difference between the called and chosen?

DO YOU LOVE THE BIBLE!

THE question is not, do you love to hear or read an interesting story? or do you love a pretty story book? but, do you love the best of all story books, the Bible?

*The parable seems designed to correct the error of the disciples, who supposed that they should occupy superior places in Christ's kingdom, as a reward for their attachment and fidelity (Matt. xix. 27), and to impress the idea, that heaven (their reward) was of grace, not of debt

The Bible a story book, do you ask? Yes, it is indeed; some of the best stories are to be found in the Bible; and, what is better than all, they are all true. This cannot be said of other books; parts of the stories may be true, but the rest is not true.

Need you be reminded of some of the many true stories or histories to be found in the Bible? There is that wonderful account of Jacob's dream at Bethel, and his dream when he saw the ladder whose top reached to heaven. Joseph and his brethren is another deeply interesting account of God's kind and watchful care over those who put their trust in him. Then we may read about Moses; his birth, and how he was kept from being drowned; his adoption by the king's daughter; his interview with God at the burning bush; and his appointment as the leader of the Jews. Then there is the journey of the Jews through the wilderness, led by the pillar of cloud and fire; the parting of the Red Sea, and their passage through to the other side; with the many other events connected with this wonderful journey.

Besides these are the histories of Samuel, David, Samson, and of the rest of the Old Testament worthies, all of which are full of interest and instruction, which, if you have not already often prayerfully read, you would do well to do so at once.

But best of all there is that "Sweet Story of Old”— the sayings and doings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which most of you must have read many times; and it is to be hoped some of you are never tired of doing so, but love to hear of the Babe of Bethlehem, and do so because you love him as your Saviour, in

whom you are trusting for salvation. May it be so with all the readers of " The Child's Companion." It will be so if you really and heartily love the Bible as the word of God-love it as the little girl did, referred to in the following true story.

In the year 1802, the Rev. Thomas Charles, of Bala, was walking in one of the streets in that town, when he met a child who attended his ministry. He inquired if she could repeat the text from which he had preached on the preceding Sunday. Instead of giving a prompt reply, as she had been accustomed to do, she remained silent. "Can you not tell me the text, my little girl ?" repeated Mr. Charles. The child wept, but was still silent. At length she said, "The weather, sir, has been so bad that I could not get to read the Bible." This remark surprised the good man, and he exclaimed: "Could not get to read the Bible! how was that?" The reason was soon ascertained: there was no copy to which she could gain access, either at her own home or among her friends; and she was accustomed to travel every week seven miles over the hills, to a place where she could obtain a Welsh Bible, to read the chapter from which the minister took his text; but during that week the cold and stormy weather had prevented her usual journey. Surely the word of the Lord was precious in those days to this lamb of the Saviour's fold.

What say you now? Do you love the Bible like this little girl? You are not compelled to go seven miles to find a copy, but have it in your own house, and can read it as often as you wish. There were no cheap Bibles then, as the Bible Society was not formed; but