years thrown away in idleness, while so much work was to be done for my heavenly Master. Dear children! pray that He will early impress your young minds with a sense of what you owe to Him, and beseech him to bestow on you grace to be his faithful servants, and to show forth his glory among men, ere you become like this, a lump of senseless, helpless, immovable clay."

Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland were very thankful to hear their friend give so much good counsel to their dear boy and girl. Pious parents are often much disappointed when visiters, who are well able to speak of the Savior, and to direct young people to him, do not take the opportunity of instructing the children of the family on that subject, but merely question them about their other studies and their amusements. Children, too, are seldom found so anxious as they ought to be for profitable conversation with those who love God. It is not good for young people to put themselves forward, and to interrupt the discourse of their elders; but if, when a pious friend is so kind as to notice them, they would modestly ask such questions as might show a desire for spiritual instruction, they would often have cause to be very glad that they did so. Let them remember the holy child Jesus, who was

found sitting among the doctors (or teachers) in the temple, "both hearing them, and asking them questions."* No young boy or girl need be afraid to follow that example, so long as it is done with the meek and lowly spirit of the blessed Jesus; without pride, or pertness, or affectation of being wiser than other little folks. Nothing can be more teasing than the silly questions of an idle child ; but the serious inquiries of one who really wishes to be taught, it is very delightful to answer.

Luke 2: 16.

CHAPTER IV.

HAVING now seen all that was interesting in the collection, the party turned towards homeJane and Edward not a little anxious to learn from Mr. Peele the particulars of his travels in a country so very dear to every person who loves the Bible. However, they did not trouble him with any questions; but, while their papa was talking with him before dinner, they quietly went to their maps, and looked at that of Asia very carefully, in order that, when Mr. Peele should mention any place, they might know whereabouts it was. This, and talking over what they had seen, employed them pleasantly until they were called to the dinner-table, where they heard a good deal of instructive conversation between their parents and Mr. Peele.

At the removal of the cloth, some fruit was brought in; and among the rest, some very fine grapes. Mr. Peele pointed to them, and asked Edward if he remembered any thing that was said of grapes in the Bible.

Edward remembered the grapes of Eschol,

which the spies brought to Moses from the land of Canaan, to show what a fruitful country it was.

"And, Jane," asked their kind friend, "do you remember any thing that is said of the vine in the New Testament ?"

Jane replied, "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me:' Christ said, 'I am the vine; ye are the branches.'"*

"And how do you understand that passage, Jane ?"

"I think, Sir, when I look at a bunch of grapes, how sure I am that the branch where they grew was really a part of the vine; for if it had been cut off, no fruit could have come of it. Then I remember that, if I do not belong to Christ as much as the branch belongs to the vine, I can no more do any thing to please God than a dead stick can bear fruit."

"And now I

"Very right," said Mr. Peele. will fulfill my promise, and let you hear something of that country so long the rest of God's chosen people, and now, because of that people's sin, trodden under foot of the Gentiles, and made lit

* John, 15: 4, 5.

tle better than a barren wilderness, compared with what it formerly was."

The children and Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland

were very desirous of hearing what must be very interesting to them all. Mr. Peele could not have wished for more attention than he saw on the countenances of the little party around him.

"After passing some short time in Egypt, I proceeded to visit the land of Canaan; and I need not tell you that it was with very great interest I approached the country where 'God, manifest in the flesh,' had dwelt among men. It was the country, too, chosen and prepared by the Lord to be the earthly resting-place of his own people, whom he had brought out of the Egyptian house of bondage; and the type of that heavenly rest where his redeemed ones should dwell for ever, when safely delivered out of the sorrows of this sinful world. You know how beautiful and how wonderfully fertile the land of Judea was—'a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains, and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig-trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil-olive and honey.* This, and many other passages, Deut. 8: 7, 8.