Miss M. Yes; he, too, feels that every earthly thing passeth away; but does this thought disquiet him ? Children. No.

Miss M. Why not?

Jane. Because he knows that "there remaineth a rest to the people of God." Heb. iv. 9.

Miss M. And therefore his soul is at peace, undisturbed by earthly trials, or, if troubled by them in a measure, comforted by the hope of the bright future before him. Peace was Christ's parting gift to His sorrowing disciples: do you remember His words?

Susan. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you." John xiv. 27.

Miss M. Oh! let us all pray for this peace, for life is miserable without it, and death is hopeless. Can you give me an example of one who had been forgiven much, and therefore loved much? When our Lord was led before Pilate, what did all His disciples do? Elizabeth. They forsook Him, and fled.

Miss M. But which of them denied Him?
Emily. Peter.

Miss M. Yes; he therefore sinned most. Was he forgiven?

Ellen. Yes.

Miss M. What proof did our Saviour give that He forgave him? What were the angel's words to the women at the sepulchre? Read St. Mark xvi. 7.

Anna. "But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee."

Miss M. Yes; Jesus would not have sent this message to Peter if He had not forgiven him. You see Peter had been forgiven much; now tell me how we know that he loved much. Read St. John xxi. 15-17.

Susan. "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."

Miss M. Yes, these were the words of St. Peter; but how do we know that he was more to be believed than when he had said, "Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee ?"

Kate. Because he proved his love by dying for Jesus' sake.

Miss M. Yes. Read the 18th and 19th verses of the same chapter.

Kate. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God."

Miss M. I think I have told you before how St. Peter died. Do you remember?

Jane. He was crucified with his head downwards. Miss M. Now give me another example of one who loved much, because much had been forgiven him.

Mary. St. Paul.

Miss M. Yes. How had he behaved before his conversion?

Susan. He had persecuted the Christians.

Miss M. Yes. Read Acts viii. 1. 3.

Elizabeth. "And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. . . . As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison."

Miss M. And again, Acts ix. 1, 2.

Selina. "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem."

Miss M. What proof did Christ give of having forgiven him? Read the 15th verse of the same chapter.

Charlotte. "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel."

Miss M. If I had some important business which I wished to have performed, whom do you suppose I

should ask to do it?

Anna. A great friend.

Miss M. Yes; well, it was an important work to bear Christ's name to the Gentiles; and therefore His choosing Saul to do His business was a proof

that He treated him no longer as an enemy, but

Miss M. Yes; that He had forgiven him, and more than merely forgiving him, had made him His friend. I think I have proved to you that much had been forgiven to St. Paul; now tell me how he showed that he loved much.

Susan. By suffering for the sake of Christ.

Miss M. Yes. Read 2 Corinthians xi. 23—28. Anna reads. " Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches."

Miss M. Let us be ready, if necessary, to suffer as much for the cause of Christ as St. Paul did. We have more need of forgiveness than he had; for he sinned in ignorance, we against light and knowledge.

CHAPTER XV.

THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

Luke x. 25-37.

"AND, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of