felt, in listening to the mother's simple tale, much regret that she had known

so little of her quiet scholar, yet the facts so unexpectedly brought to light encouraged her to go on sowing the seed beside all waters, seeking a spirit of more simple dependence on Him who has declared, "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

"THE NOBLE ARMY OF MARTYRS."

"AN army of martyrs!' what can it mean?" said little Martin to himself, as he thought over the words which he had heard read in the beautiful hymn of thanksgiving after the first lesson in the morning service. Martin had often heard of an army of soldiers, but it quite puzzled

him to think what an army of martyrs could possibly be.

Now it so happened that Martin had a pious father and mother, who were not only able, but were always willing, to explain to their children anything which they found it hard to understand; and in their little troubles about hard words and things of which they had not heard before, Martin and his brothers and sisters knew where to run for help.

As soon as Mr. Benson had returned from his visits to the poor that afternoon, and was preparing to have his tea with his wife and children, little Martin came to his father's knee, and said to him, “If you please, father, what did the minister mean when he said, 'The noble army of martyrs praise thee?""

"You have asked a short question, my boy," said Mr. Benson, "and I could tell you a long story in answer to it; but I am very glad that you have asked me,

for I have long wanted to talk with my children about the faith and sufferings of those holy men, women, and children, who have been counted worthy by God to give up their lives for his name's sake.

"I shall only give you now a short explanation of the meaning of the word martyr; I will next tell you one or two instances out of that great number of people who have been put to a cruel death as true martyrs of Jesus; and then you will soon know what the hymn of praise Martin has heard to-day means, when it says, 'The noble army of martyrs praise thee.'

"The word martyr means a witness, one who is ready to die rather than to deny what he believes to be the truth of God. He is willing to give up all he has-even life itself, sooner than believe what he knows to be a false religion. The word martyr is only used three times in the Bible; the first you will

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find in the Acts of the Apostles, the 22d chapter and the 20th verse, in which St. Paul says, when speaking to the Jews about what he had done before he knew the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Saviour of the world,' And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.' Here, Martin, St. Paul mentions the death of the first martyr for Christ: the Jews stoned Stephen for believing and preaching that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the Saviour of the world; but God was with Stephen, and so strengthened his dying martyr, that amid all the raging of the Jews he,' being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up to heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.' Then Stephen said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.' This confession

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or witness for Jesus so enraged the blind and wicked Jews, that they rushed upon him and stoned him to death. But, like his blessed Master, the meek and lowly Jesus, Stephen first prayed for himself and then for his murderers: for himself, 'Lord Jesus, into thy hands I commend my spirit,'-for his murderers, lay not this sin to their charge.' And then so calmly did this faithful martyr die amid the showers of stones, that it is said he fell asleep.'

Lord,

"But Stephen was not the first who was a martyr for God. If you will turn to the 12th chapter of the Hebrews, at the 37th verse, you will find St. Paul speaking of prophets and righteous men who lived before Christ came, and who bore witness for God against the sins of the Jews, and foretold to them of the coming of the Messiah. St. Paul says of these men, 'They were stoned, they were sawn asunder.'