For the Young.

The Donkey's Wheel and the Express Train.

WAS wandering
through the Isle of
Wight some years
ago, and went one
day to visit Caris-
brook Castle. It is
a fine ruin, standing
on a lovely site.
Here for the greater
part of a year, King
Charles I. was kept
in prison, and here
his daughter Eliza-
beth died. In New-
port Church you can
see a monument
erected to her me-
mory by our own
good Queen.

They live for themselves, to please themselves is their only aim; and for all the lessons they learn, for all the work they do, they are not one whit happier, nobler, or more useful. They are working away, but they make no real progress.

When I was a boy, I used to know every spot near the great city where I lived at which one could see an express train pass at full speed, and often took my stand there to see it pass. It is a grand sight-the huge engine hurrying onwards, panting as if out of breath, and at night puffing out sparks and flame from its big mouth, as it drags its heavy burden onwards at the rate of fifty or sixty miles an hour. Most boys like to watch the train; and both boys and girls love to get a ride in it.

Two things you have noticed about the engine, I am sure. It always runs on iron rails. If it left them for a moment, it would smash and tear up everything in its way, and would end perhaps by smashing itself. But the rails would be of no use, were there not steam at work within the breast of the great machine. The fire is burning, the boiler is full of water, the steam is up; and so the wheels fly round upon the rails which guide them. Thus the train flies forward fast and safely, till at the appointed hour it pulls up in the station of some great city.

There is a very deep well in the courtyard of the castle; we may suppose that these royal personages used to drink of it. I went, like others, to see the well, and to taste its waters. I told the man in charge what I wanted; and at once he went to the door of the little house that covers the well, and called, "Jack! Jack!" In a few moments a donkey came slowly forward, in answer to that Rails and steam-Ah! I think we have there call. It entered the little house, and passed into the two things we all want for progress. God's the centre of a large hollow wooden wheel, which commandments are the rails He has laid down for I had not noticed before. Having got into the our life to run on: and it is never safe to leave inside of the wheel, Jack began to move, as if he them. What does God say? I should always ask. were walking, and in doing so he turned the wheel | What is right to do-not what is pleasant; should round. The axle of the wheel was fastened to a be my constant question. How shall I please windlass, and round the windlass was a rope by God; not, how shall I please myself or the world. which the bucket was drawn up from the dark "You may laugh if you want to," said a boy depths below. Slowly and steadily Jack wrought once; "but I have made up my mind never, so on, until at last the bucket was seen, coming up to long as I live, to do anything I would be ashamed the surface; and before we had time to get the to tell my mother." Let us go one step higher bucket emptied, Jack had disappeared. and say, God helping me, I will never do anything with which He would be displeased.

Poor Jack, he did not like the work, and little wonder. At the end of all his labour he was exactly in the same spot as when it began. He had only been pushing a wheel round and round.

We all have our round of lessons and of work: and it is well we have. There is always a blessing in work, if we do it honestly and cheerfully. But there are not a few boys and girls, as well as men and women, who are learning and working day after day, for many hours a day, and who never make any progress. Jack did some good; he brought up a draught of cool water for a hot and thirsty man. These people do no good at all.

The rails are not enough. I must have God to help me. His grace is the steam which alone can help me forward. Love always makes work easy. If I love my mother, it is delightful to be able to help her. If I love Christ, it will not be hard to obey. To give my heart to Christ, is the very first step. He loves to save. He will forgive my sins. He will draw me close to Himself. He will give me grace hour by hour. Step by step, He will lead me by His Spirit on through joy and sorrow; and at last He will bring me home to heaven, to serve Him perfectly for evermore. W. PARK, M.A.

No. IV. A precept of Christ, illustrated by house.
His own example on the Cross.

1. Whose heart did the Lord open

while Paul was speaking?

2. A Hebrew measure.

12. A daughter of Saul who loved David. 13. A remarkable giant.

14. Whence did the spies bring the

3. The wife of Ahasuerus, who refused large cluster of grapes?

to come at his bidding.

4. The mother of all living.

15. Who slew six hundred Philistines with an ox goad?

"IT'S A CONSOLATION."

BY REV. P. B. POWER, M.A., Author of "The Oiled Feather," etc.

F consolation-com- A stranger called one day upon a celefort could be brated doctor. The man was well bought, what a dressed, and spoke like a gentleman; crowd there would but he was in dreadfully low spirits. be round the door He complained that he was suffering of the shops where from an ailment which no medicines it was sold! They seemed able to cure. "How do you would stop the way- feel?" asked the doctor. "Oh, very aye, block up not only melancholy." "Melancholy often comes the footpath, but the from blighted hopes," said the doctor. road, and it would be "That is not my case," answered the no use for all the patient. "From disappointments in policemen in London love?" continued the doctor. The to say "Move on." They would not patient shook his head, saying, "I am budge-no, not an inch-until they had dreadfully dull and low-spirited." that case you should order the best wine procurable, and use it in moderation." "Doctor, I have the best wines in my cellar, but they don't do me any good.'

been served.

You would find all sorts and conditions of men going to the comfort-shop, from the richest and the greatest, down to the very poorest-from the man in his carriage, who wanted his thousandpounds' worth, down to the poor folk, who could only afford a "pennorth," or perhaps "a fardin's worth."

Folks would pawn their very coats to go to the comfort-shop.

"The rich folk," and "the great folk" -what, would they be found in the crowd? Aye, indeed; for there are as many heartaches among the rich and great as among the poor and lowly, and perhaps many more.

Now there are many false ways of seeking consolation, or comfort, amongst the thousands of trials which, no doubt, beset us in life. Some think the ginpalace a comfort-shop. Some seek their consolation in pleasure, in forgetfulness, in a pipe! All poor comforters, as Job said, Miserable comforters are ye all."

66

Let me tell you of a man who tried all sorts of ways to get real comfort, apart from Christ, where only it was to be found, and how he failed.

1 Job xvi. 2.

"In

"Then you should travel." "I have travelled all over Europe, but in vain; the low spirits follow me wherever I go.

"This is a very serious case," said the doctor. "You must go and hear some good music." "I hear it every day; it makes no difference, and my complaint grows worse and worse." "Then there is only one remedy I can think of; you must go to the theatre, and hear the famous singer Velutti, whose rollicking fun and humour are irresistible." "Alas!" said the poor patient, "I am Velutti!"

This man had all the world could give, and could not find comfort anywhere; but there are many who have nothing as regards this world's goods, but they know where to turn for comfort, and they find it.

I sometimes speak to poor folk I meet with along the road, and try to do them good; and walking along one cold day at Christmas time, I met a very poor man, who was quite destitute. He had come a long way that day, and was hungry and weary; and I began to talk to him