a wild night at sea; and could they but detain him from returning to light the beacon lamps of the lighthouse, they expected to reap a harvest from the wreck, on those rocks, of some poor unfortunate vessel. Accordingly they bound him hand and foot, and left him on the beach, exposed to the storm. The poor man's heart was lifted in prayer to God, not for his own sake merely, but for protection for the hardy seamen now exposed to the tempest, and with no light to give them warning of the rocks on that dangerous coast! The keeper of the lighthouse had, that afternoon, left within it his little daughter, Mary; and it was now the time for God to work by means of this dear child. Long she looked for signs of her father returning, until the evening shadows began to fall. The tide too, had risen, and she knew it would not be possible for her father to get back before morning. She felt lonely, but nothing daunted she thought, Oh, if she could but light the lamps, already trimmed for that purpose! She thought too, of the poor mariners, and she resolved to try. She drew a table close to the wall, and then mounted it. This was not high enough; she then placed upon the table a chair, still she could not reach to light the lamps. She thought of a stick, to tie her match to, but she could not find one. She was about giving up the attempt, when her eye fell on what had been her dear mother's Bible. But, was it right to stand on that? Yes, it was to save life. She placed it on the chair, and standing upon it, on tip-toe, she touched one wick after another, until the whole were in a blaze! Her father, from where he lay bound, saw the lamps lighted, and he shouted for joy. The "wreckers," defeated this time, let him go free, and then, at low tide, he returned to his dear little heroic daughter. Thus, it is, the Lord sometimes raises up a feeble hand, to light the lamp of His Holy Word, for those who lie bound in sin. XIX. Comforting the Mourners. "MANY of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."DANIEL Xii. 2. "AMONG whom ye shine [shine ye] as lights in the world."-PHILIPPIANS ii. 15. OH, Thou! that driest the mourner's tear, If, when deceived and wounded here, The friends who in our sunshine live But Thou wilt heal the broken heart, NINETEENTH DAY. OW wise was the Patriarch's view of How the dealings of Divine Provi dence: "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." And may we not here understand Job as implying that God always gives more than he takes away? Should wealth depart, health remains; and should both flee, God in kindness provides us with friends. Or, if some complain, “lover and friend" are both gone; still heaven is left, and Jesus is left, and the blessings of God's goodness and grace are secure. Many who, like Rachel, mourn and refuse to be comforted, would do wisely to rejoice at the thought of the many mercies that still remain. It may be the loss that is mourned is that of a dear childa flower all too delicate for this rude, cold world. Well, such are sometimes kindly taken away from the evil to come. Per haps, such an one was the subject of some painful disease, and God saw it was mercy to release it from its woe. Although we miss their presence we have the grand consolation that they are for ever "with the Lord." A little girl, when on her death-bed, seeing her eldest sister with a Bible in her hand, requested her to read about Christ blessing little children. The verses were read-the Book was closed. -and then the child said, "How kind! I shall soon go to Jesus; He will soon take me up in His arms, and bless me too; no disciple shall keep me away!" Her sister kissed her, and said, "Do you love me?" "Yes, darling," she replied, "but do not be angry, I love Jesus better." One of the offices of faith is to lift us up from the low, grovelling ideas, which we form for ourselves, instead of mounting up as on the wings of eagles ! F |