LESSON XVIII.

PECULIAR OR INDIVIDUAL BLESSINGS.

Again, Newman's "Soul," Part III.

How pleasant the breakfast table looked when they came in hungry from their walk!—with its snow-white table-cloth, its pretty blue and white cups and saucers, and bright teapot-its fresh butter in the shape of little swans, swimming in water-its brown and white loaf-and its great jug of sweet new milk. They had been to the farm the day before, and Walter had enjoyed the new milk there so much, that his mother thought they would like it new at breakfast, and had asked Martha to give it them.

Walter had nearly finished, when his uncle Henry came in to have breakfast with them, and it was so long before he had done, that they began to be very tired of sitting still. His mother saw that they were getting tired, and

whispered to them, "Go, dears and ask Martha, for the things I put out for poor Peter Wood. Put the sago and the rice out of the bottles, and tie it up safely in paper parcels; then put all into a basket, and after lessons we will take it to Peter."

The children were delighted to do all this: Walter had been longing so much to go and see Peter, for Peter was always so kind to him, and showed him his carpentering tools, and his lathe, and let Walter try to use them sometimes; and now he had hurt his arm and his side, and was obliged to sit still all day long, doing nothing, and Walter wanted to go and comfort him, and show him some picture newspapers which his aunt had sent him.

After lessons, as they were walking along towards Peter's cottage, Walter said, "I guess, mother, you knew how tired I was of sitting still at breakfast, and how much we should like doing up the sago and rice for Peter. It was such fun pouring it out of the great bottles and playing with it."

Mother."Yes, I thought you would like it; and I thought, too, you would soon be beginning to teaze each other and be cross, if you had nothing to do."

Walter.-"Ah, that's the reason, Caroline, that it is always so nice to be with mother. She always guesses what I shall like, and keeps me from beginning to be naughty; she understands me."

"It reminds me," said Caroline, "of a gardener taking care of his young plants. When he sees that they are weak, and likely to be easily blown over, he shelters them from the wind, just as your mother saved you, Walter, when she saw that crossness was ready to come: and when she plans pleasure for us, it is like the gardener putting his young plants into the pleasant sunshine."

Mother. .—“I said, you know, Walter, that we should find, I thought, every day, something fresh to tell us of God's love;-and this watchfulness for you that He has put into your mother's heart to shelter you from sin, and to plan pleasures for you, how plainly that tells us that He loves you-does it not? And it is just like what He himself does for His children-for me. I, you know, dear children, have no earthly parent to shelter me and help me, but I have a Heavenly Parent (as I told you once, long ago, Walter,) who takes care for me just in the same sort of manner that I take care for you :—the same sort

of manner, I say, but far more wisely, because He knows so much better than I do what is really good for me, and what is not. I feel that He understands me, just as you feel that I understand you, and that He knows exactly what will trouble me, and what delight me. To-day, for instance, I feel how in His love He has made me able to enjoy this beautiful day-given me eyes that delight to look upon all the pretty things about us, the deep shadows and the cheerful sunshine, the dark leaves against the blue sky, and the sparkling little river; how He has put strength into my legs, so that it is enjoyment to walk along; and given me a happy child-two happy children-to walk beside me and talk of all these pleasant things; and, above all, He has given me an untroubled mind, without which I could not enjoy any of these other blessings.

"It is true I cannot see Him as you do me while I walk beside you; nor can I hear Him speak as I speak to you; but when I find some pleasure planned for me which He knows I love, or some lesson taught me which He knows I need,-or when I find that I have been saved from some trouble or some sin that I dreaded, I feel that He understands me—that He has known my wants, my wishes, and my fears, and that He has indeed dealt kindly with me.

"Are you tired, dear children, of listening to me? I dare say you are; but just try and attend for two minutes longer: I want to explain to you about one other difference that there is between the way in which I understand you and the way in which God understands me. I can only guess your feelings, though I generally guess right, but God cannot mistake mine. Thus you see He can plan for us better than we can plan for each other, because He understands us better."

Psalm cxxxix. 17, 18.-How precious are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.

Psalm ciii. 1-4.-Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies.

Matthew x. 29-31.-Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall