EARLY RISING.

LITTLE child once observed, that in the Bible the good people always got up early when God sent them on messages.' It was a quaint statement of the truth that meets us everywhere in the perusal of those grand old lives that are the world's examples.

One of the most remarkable of the early risers of Scripture was the military commander, Joshua. Before he did any of his great works, we are told of his early rising in the morning. When Israel's host removed from Shittim; when Jericho was compassed with the army; when the town of Ai was to be taken, and the victory regained for Israel ;-on all these occasions 'Joshua rose up early,' and girded himself betimes to the work which God laid upon him to do. So we read of Abraham, and of Job, and of David. My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord! in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee,' says the Psalmist.

patience inherit the promises.' Isaac rose early to make his treaty with the Philistine kings. Moses at the same hour brought the Divine messages to Pharaoh. Nehemiah laboured from the rising of morning till the stars appeared.' Jeremiah prophesied 'rising early and speaking.' Such are

some of the examples set before us in Holy Scripture, and any of us who have hitherto sinned by sloth should consider the subject, and redeem the time' which belongs to Him Who gave it for our use and improveAn old poet says:

ment.

came to a stone, so that she need not hit
her little foot against it.'

"This is right, George, and I want to
tell you one thing. You see now how to
understand that beautiful text, "He shall
give His angels charge over thee, and in
their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at
any time thou dash thy foot against a stone."
God charges His angels to lead and lift
His people over difficulties, just as you have
lifted little Annie over these stones.
you understand it now?'

Do

'Oh yes, sir, and I shall never forget it
while I live.'

THE SERGEANT WHO BELIEVED

IN GOD.

HE Rue de Lille in
Paris was one of the
streets most ravaged
by the flames kindled
by the Commune.
On Tuesday evening,
23rd May, the palaces
of the Legion of
Honour, of the Council of State, and all
the neighbouring houses, became the prey
of the flames.

The incendiaries continuing their detest-
able work, and throwing petroleum both
on the exterior and interior of the houses,
had arrived at the peaceful residence of a
Protestant pastor of Paris. They entered
the courtyard, and in a loud voice ordered
all the persons in the house to leave it as
quickly as possible, taking with them all
they thought necessary, as in five minutes

it would be set fire to. The pastor at once
hastened to appear on the threshold of his
house, and then, addressing the soldiers
charged with the work of destruction, he
tried to turn them away from their purpose

by words at the same time firm and en-
treating. He told them that, as a Protest-
ant pastor in Paris during the last thirty
years, he had devoted himself to the relief
of the unfortunate, and that particularly
during the siege he had not ceased to give
his whole care and attention to the sick
and wounded of the hospitals; he told them
of the confidence he had shown in them in
remaining at his post during the Commune,
continuing to visit the prisons and hospi-
tals: did they wish to reward his devotion
by burning his house?

God granted the pastor the favour of
finding among these men hearts which
allowed themselves to be touched by his
words. Many of them were moved. A
sergeant in particular, who was directing
the incendiaries, a man of a certain age, said
to the pastor, Well! calm yourself, we
will not set fire to your house,' and he or-
dered his men to go away.

6

Later in the day, after several hours of
similar struggles against other insurgents,
the pastor perceived the old sergeant re-
turning to him, who said with tears in his
eyes, Ah! sir, if you only knew! They
wished to make me pay very hardly for
having spared your house, and now they
have just sent me a new order from head-
quarters to burn all the houses in this part
of the Rue de Lille.' And he showed the
order.

When the pastor urged him still to per-
severe in his humane conduct, the brave
sergeant replied, pointing up to the sky,
For my part I believe in God. And I
shall disobey, even if they shoot me for it.
As to you, flee from the danger. I will
watch over your house, and preserve it
from pillagers.'

The old sergeant kept his word.

J. F. C.