Page images
PDF
EPUB

sinners. They that have this bread have eternal life,

And they shall mount to realms on high,
And live when death itself shall die."

Mr. F. "Gently! gently!" he cries, as he goes by the cold spring in the lane, where Allan Freeth is just bending down to have a long drink at the water. "You are too hot, Allan, to drink much cold water. Better be

[graphic]

content with washing out your mouth a time or two; or, if you must drink, keep the water in your mouth half a minute or so, and that

will take off the chill, and then it will not hurt you."

T. Why he seems to me to say something useful to everybody he falls in with.

P. He does, indeed.

E. Mr. Fielding is never at a loss, happen what will. How I should like to be as useful as he is.

Mr. F. He has learned to think and to feel correctly and kindly; and, having much knowledge, he is enabled to act usefully. Avail yourselves of all opportunities, my dear children, to obtain useful knowledge; and look to the Father of mercies to bless your endeavours to do good, and I see no reason why you may not, in time, be as useful as Mr. Fielding.

Long after Mr. Franklin had left his children, they remained together to refresh each other's memory, with regard to all that he had told them about Mr. Fielding; for all of them wished to be able to perform acts of usefulness wherever they went. Edward said he should remember that straw, steeped in lime water, would not burn like other straw; and that he had written down all about the mixture that made a shoe water-tight.

Mary seemed to have stored up in her memory, all about the cut finger, the decanter, the foul water cask, and especially the words, "A young woman may go to heaven without health, without wealth, without learning, and

without friends; but she can never go to heaven without Christ."

Thomas was much pleased with what Mr. Fielding said about true wisdom, and the gin-drinker; and little Peter undertook to take away all their warts with a piece of lime, let them have as many as they would.

[graphic]

CHAPTER XXII.

ACTS OF GRATITUDE.

It was a lovely afternoon, and if the beauties of creation, the balmy air, and the warbling of the feathered race, ever elated the hearts of human beings, they made the pulses play and the hearts beat of Mr. Franklin and his children, when they next assembled in the garden to hold their accustomed meeting.

Beside the lovely day, and the singing birds, and the breeze laden with the scent of flowers, there were other things calculated to add to the happiness of the young people. A letter had been received, to say that their mother was about to return home, bringing with her a little present for each of her children: and, what was still better, she was to be accompanied with two favourite cousins of the young people. Here, then, was happiness for the present and the future; no wonder that when Mr. Franklin began to speak of acts of gratitude, he found an attentive assembly.

"We have spoken," said he, "of acts of duty, obedience, love, friendship, kindness, humanity, prudence, and usefulness, and now, at last, we come to those of gratitude. Gratitude is the feeling and acknowledgment of

a benefit received, with a desire, if possible, to requite it. When calling to mind the goodness of God, and the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, well might every act of ours be an act of gratitude to the Father of mercies, and all our thoughts, and words, and deeds, set forth a grateful remembrance of the dying love of the Redeemer. 'Active benevolence,' however, is said to be 'the very soul of thanksgiving;' so that we all have the opportunity of performing acts of gratitude to God every day of our lives."

Thomas. How can we do this, papa? I do not quite understand you.

Mr. Franklin. I mean that we can show our gratitude to God by acts of kindness to

[graphic][merged small][merged small]

orphans, the sick and afflicted, who claim our

« PreviousContinue »