SONG FOR THE BLIND. CANNOT see the sunny gleam, Which gladdens every heart but mine; But I can feel the warming beam, And bless the God Who bade it shine! O Lord, each murmuring thought control; I cannot see the flowerets bloom, All glistening with the summer showers; But I can breathe their sweet perfume, And bless the God Who made the flowers! O Lord, each murmuring thought control; I cannot read the pages where Thy holy will is written, Lord; Which lifts my soul to that blest place And see and own His love in all ! Apostles in the likeness of fiery tongues,* while a rushing mighty wind filled the house where they were assembled. His first gift to them was the gift of tongues, by which they were suddenly enabled to preach the gospel in languages which they had never learned. The Holy Ghost is as truly with the Church now as He was on that Feast of Pentecost long ago; and as truly He gives Himself to every Christian, baptized in His Name, as He gave Himself to the first Apostles. But now He comes not with the noise of a mighty wind, and not with miraculous gifts, but silently, with the inward grace which enables us to lead holy lives. He dwells in the hearts of His own people, to make them holy, and fit for Heaven. It is He Who puts good thoughts and desires into our minds, and helps us to drive the bad away. And so it happens, that even little children can conquer Satan when he tempts them to do wrong, because the Holy Ghost is with them to give them strength. How good is God the Holy Ghost to care so much for our happiness! Let us be very careful never to do anything to grieve Him, lest we drive Him away from us for ever! Let us pray, 'Gracious Spirit, abide with me while I live here to make me true and gentle, and at last take me to dwell with Thee in Thy Home above.' Ashton looked George in the face. 'Began to-day. How? What do you mean to be?' A Christian boy, and so to grow up to be a Christian man,' said George. I believe that is the greatest somebody for us to be.' George is right. There is no higher manhood than Christian manhood; and it is in the power of every boy to reach that. Every boy cannot be rich: every boy cannot be a king: every boy cannot be a lord: but God asks you all to be His sons, and so, with His Son Jesus Christ, to be heirs of heaven.-Sabbath-School Messenger. But soon he felt that never more He took his mother's hand in his, And heaved a bitter sigh: 'Mother,' said he, I feel it is God's will that I should die! Remember me to all I loved, And those were all I knew; I thought upon my messmates still, And when I'm in the green earth's breast Let Henry go to sea, Because he's stronger than the rest, And of a spirit free. That God who stills the roaring wind And oh dear mother, when you cry Wild storms had met that vessel's track, And broke the sea in foam; Loud winds had roared around, yet Jack Had sailed in safety Home. But now He called, who was his stay Upon that boisterous tide, And in his bed one sunny day The little sailor died! AMONG LIONS. (Continued from page 196.) HE idea pleased all the children, who lost no time in exacting a promise from their father of a visit to South Cross when Mr. Pottinger's caravan had moved there. Bell got her wish, and stayed one Sunday more at Moor. the Monday Mr. Pottinger came back, and the following day he and his lions and the travelling-cart took their departure; Bell, who was a brave child, winking back her tears as she stood at the half-door, while Dora, at the Rectory-gate, was actually crying. 'I liked her, father, that little girl,' she sobbed; and I'm so sorry for her, for I know her uncle beats her.' "Couldn't you have taken her from that Mr. Pottinger, father?' asked Alice; 'wouldn't it have been right to do it? You say you think he is a bad man, and may make her bad though she wants to be good.' he 6 No, Alice; I could not see my way to removing the poor child out of her present line of life,' said Mr. Swayne: the people say they are her relations, and if I had made any stir about her they would doubtless have taken her out of the way at once, and we might have lost sight of her. Now the woman has promised to let me know if anything occurs to change the course of affairs.' 'And then you will have Bell back,' said soft-hearted Dora, wiping away her tears. And then we will have Bell back,' said Mr. Swayne, cheerfully; but I shall want a great deal of help from every one, for little girls even cannot be kept for nothing.' 'I'll help to make her clothes,' said Dora. And I'll sew her frills in,' said Gilbert, slyly, to Dora's great confusion. 'And she shall be in my class on Sundays,' said Alice. 'No, Alice, that won't de; she is in Mr. Prince's class, you know, for she can't read.' This did not please Alice, who liked to patronise, and had already woven a dream of how she would look after little Bell if ever she came to live altogether at Moor. She did not even take to the idea of her being Miss Brett's little maid; but instead had made a plan, which only required her father's sanction, to take Bell in the place of a certain little weeding-girl who was employed at the Rectory. Mr. Swayne gave way to her whenever he could; but somehow Alice fancied she might meet with a little opposition to this scheme, and yet it seemed so very desirable. I don't think Alice had yet found out that the lion she had to fight was Self-will. Nurse knew it, however, to her cost. The visit to South Cross was all planned for a certain Tuesday, and the schoolroom party, in charge of Miss Dawkins, were to have the waggonette, and do a great deal of shopping, besides going to the show. All at once Alice took it into her head that baby, a delicate little boy of four years old, would enjoy the sights as well as any of them, and she instantly went to her father's study to ask if he might go. 'I have no objection if nurse likes,' said Mr. Swayne, who was busy writing; 'but see he is well wrapped up, the wind is keen to-day.' Off went Alice to the nursery. Baby |