others; he had a bad memory for his friends. Young readers will think it very selfish; and so it was; but there are many grown-up people in the world, and children too, who only care about being well off themselves, and have no time or care for others. The Bible says it was two "full" years before the butler thought of Joseph; that is, two long years, as we should say. Long indeed they must have been to the poor prisoner, as day after day, month after month, passed on in that dreary place; and now and then he thought sadly on that glorious dream, which seemed as if it never, never would come true.

Here, then, were the four sad steps of Joseph's journey. The Pit, Slavery, Imprisonment, Disappointment. Then, like the little boy we spoke of at first, he had come to the corner of the road! One sudden turn, and the reason of all this sorrow is made plain. Pharaoh dreamt his dreams about the rich and poor wheat-stalks, the fat and lean cows; what could they mean? Nobody could tell. Then the chief butler all at once thinks of Joseph. "Quick!" says Pharaoh, "let him be sent for!" Straight from the prison he comes, and stands before the king's throne. God gives him understanding to know the meaning of Pharaoh's dreams, and in a little while, see! Joseph is riding in Pharaoh's chariot, a golden ring on his hand, a golden chain around his neck, rich robes upon him, while people run before him, crying, "Bow the knee, for this man

is ruler over all the land of Egypt." And now he sits upon a throne, every one bows down to him; his wise counsels save the land from the terrors of the long famine. The Egyptians look to him for food; he supplies them, keeps thousands upon thousands alive; and by-and-bye his brothers come, then his father, to rejoice in his greatness, and to feel his love. The dream, then, has come to pass! As wonderful as the bowing down of the stars out of the blue sky seems this bowing down of the sons of Jacob to their brother, whom they had sold for a slave.

Now this was God's way with Joseph. Was it not the right way? If he had not been sold for a slave at Dothan, he might not have been carried into Egypt; if he had not been carried into Egypt, he might not have been Potiphar's servant; if he had not been Potiphar's servant, he might not have been cast into that prison; if he had not been cast into that prison, he might not have known Pharaoh's chief butler; if he had not known Pharaoh's chief butler, and if the butler had not forgotten him for those two years, until the very time of the king's two dreams, he might not have been raised to the greatness and glory which he had from that moment until his dying day.

We may learn these two things:

First. "All things work together for good to them that love God." Poor Jacob said, before he understood the plan of God, "All these things

are against me." But when he saw this plan, how gratefully he acknowledged that God's way is the right way, the best way-that he doeth all things well.

Secondly. Let us do our duty patiently, honestly, meekly, in times of trouble as well as happiness. Perhaps people may be unjust to some of the young persons who read these pages; may punish them when they do not deserve it; they may be treated unkindly, unfairly. If so, it is bravest to endure. Often one cannot help saying, "It is too bad;" but never let the bad conduct of others, my young friends, lead you to sin. Keep up cheerfully, hopefully; let nobody be able to say that you are stubborn or disobedient, passionate, or sullen. When you feel as if you "cannot bear it any longer," only pray more earnestly than ever. God's time will come. knows the troubles of all his children, and will give his help and peace to all who trust in him. Serve him truly, do his will, meekly bear the trials you suffer, whether great or small, and as he was with Joseph so will he be with you, and the "turning of the path" will come at last, which will show you the way to happiness and home.

He

The Death-bed of Jacob.

GENESIS xlviii.

Two young princes and their names-Story of their father's life -Forgetfulness and Fruitfulness-The grandfather's arrival -Seventeen happy years-The old man's illness-His staff -His memories-His wonderful faith-Jacob's son or Joseph's-The poet and his mother's picture-Israel's blessing-The younger before the elder-Prayer for bothWords of a dying parent-We must pray for ourselves.

THERE were once living in a noble palace in the land of Egypt two young princes. We need not mind about the beautiful dresses they used to wear, or the splendid chariots in which they * rode, or the riches and enjoyments they possessed; but we may be quite sure that all who knew them loved and honoured them for their father's sake. For he was a great man and a ruler, though not the king of the land; and, what was better still, he was as good as he was great. But he had given these lads of his two strange names-names which it is likely many people thought very odd indeed. But the father had a good reason for it. The elder was named FORGETFULNESS, the younger FRUITFULNESS. And now let us ask why these singular names

were given. To understand this, we must recollect a little more about the father of the little princes. In his own young days he had suffered great troubles; but now such comfort and happiness had come to him that he had quite "forgotten" all those sorrows. And yet he had not forgotten God, whom he had early learned to serve, and who had taken care of him. So, as soon as he had a little boy of his own, he thankfully thought on what God had done, and said, This child's name shall be Forgetfulness; "for God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house."

The father was JOSEPH, and his eldest son was Manasseh; for Manasseh, in Joseph's language, means Forgetfulness.*

The younger son's name was Fruitfulness, or Ephraim; because, as Joseph said, "God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." He thought of himself as having once been like a young tender tree, growing in quietness and beauty by his father's house; but cruel hands had plucked it up, and cut and bruised it, and cast it away to die. Yet God had looked kindly on the fair tree, and had caused it to take root again in a far-off land. So now it was growing there-sending out great branches, beautiful with fragrant blossoms, and then covered with ripe rich fruit. Was not

* More strictly, "Manasseh " means causing to forget; but, practically, the word given above is near enough.