{241}
How gentle God's commands,How kind His precepts are!Come cast your burdens on the Lord,And trust His constant care.While Providence supports,Let saints securely dwell;That hand which bears all nature upShall guide His children well.Why should this anxious loadPress down your weary mind?Haste to your heavenly Father's throne,And sweet refreshment find.His goodness stands approved,Down to the present day;I'll drop my burden at His feet,And bear a song away.
{242}
Above the clear blue sky,In heaven's bright abode,The angel host on highSing praises to their God:Alleluia!They love to singTo God their KingAlleluia!But God from children's tonguesOn earth receiveth praise;We then our cheerful songsIn sweet accord will raise:Alleluia!We, too, will singTo God our KingAlleluia!O blessed Lord, Thy truthTo all Thy flock impart,And teach us in our youthTo know Thee as Thou art.Alleluia!Then shall we singTo God our KingAlleluia!
{243}
{244}
{245}
Once there were two little children who lived in a large, red brick house, on a quiet street in the city. The names of these little children were Margaret and Harold. Margaret was five years old, and Harold was eight. Margaret and Harold used to have the best of times together. They played with their dog Sport and their cat Spot. They built houses of blocks. They colored pictures with their crayons. In winter, Harold drew Margaret on his sled, and in summer they played in the garden. But, better than all else, they loved to hear their mamma tell stories. Every night, before they went to bed, she told them a story.
"What shall it be to-night?" said mamma, as they sat before the fire after a cold winter's day.
"A Bible story," said Margaret.
"Very well," replied mamma. "It shall be a Bible story to-night, and since it is almost Christmas-time, I will tell you about the dear little Christ-child who was born in Bethlehem, and the first Christmas."
So Margaret cuddled up in her mamma's lap, and Harold sat at her feet, and she began.
"Once upon a time, there was a little town called Bethlehem of Judea, and late one afternoon in winter, a man named Joseph, and his wife named Mary, came to this{246}town. They were very glad to reach the village, for they were cold and hungry. But they were disappointed. No one would take them in. There is an old song which tells about it:--
"'O, dark was the night,And cold blew the wind,But Joseph and MaryNo shelter could find."'In all the fair cityOf Bethlehem,In cottage or inn,Was no room for them.'"
"Wouldn't anyone let them in?" said Margaret.
"No," said mamma. "They went to the inn, or hotel, of Bethlehem, and the keeper of the inn said, 'No room for you here, go away.' They went to each one of the houses, and the people who lived in them said crossly, 'No room for you here, go away.'"
"I would have let them in if I had been there," said Harold, earnestly.
"I would, too," said Margaret. "Were they very cold, dear mamma?"
"Yes, my dears," said mamma, smiling, "I know that you would have been kind to them. But you see this was before Jesus had taught people to be good and kind to others. Well, they were very cold and very sad, but at last the keeper of the inn let them go into his stable, and there were oxen there, and hay, and stalls for the cattle, and mangers."
{247}
{248}
BETHLEHEM AT SUNSETFrom a photograph taken by Mrs. Frank L. Goodspeed, and used by her kind permission.
This beautiful picture of Bethlehem was taken just at sunset, with a cloud effect unusual in Eastern skies. "So must the little town have looked when Joseph and Mary, weary from their long journey, approached it. The short winter's day was probably closing in as the two travelers from Nazareth neared their journey's end. The way had been long and weary. A sense of rest and peace must almost unconsciously have crept over the travelers when at last they reached the rich fields that surrounded the ancient 'House of Bread,' and, passing through the valley, which, like an amphitheater, sweeps up to the twain heights along which Bethlehem stretches, ascended through the terraced vineyards and gardens."
--Edersheim
{249}
"Like grandpapa's barn?" asked Harold.
"Yes," answered mamma, "only not so nice and comfortable, for this stable was a cave, cut out of the rock. That night, in the stable, the little baby Jesus was born, and his dear mother Mary wrapped him all warmly up, and laid him in one of the cattle mangers for a cradle."
"Was he a little tiny, tiny baby, like Grace's little brother?" asked Margaret.
"Yes, my dear," said mamma, "and the sweetest little tiny baby you ever saw.
"And in the fields near by there were shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night, and while they watched they saw suddenly a great light, and an angel stood before them and said, 'Be not afraid, for I bring you good tidings of great joy for all the people. For there is born in Bethlehem a little child Jesus, who is to be the Saviour of the world.' And when the angel had finished speaking, they heard voices, singing like a great chorus in the sky, and this was the song they sang,--
"'Glory to God in the highest,And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.'
"Then the shepherds went to Bethlehem, and found the little child Jesus lying in the manger, and loved him, and told everyone what they had seen and heard.
"And later, wise men from the East came on their three white camels, guided by the star of Bethlehem, which shone in the sky. And as they came near to Bethlehem, they{250}said to everyone, 'Where is he which is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.'
"And the star led them at last to the stable where Jesus was, and they brought beautiful gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh, and they worshiped him."
"And that is how Christmas came!" said Margaret.
"I am very glad that the little child Jesus was born."
"You must love him very much," said mamma, "for he was born, and grew up, and died at last, for our sakes. And now I want to read you a sweet little poem, which a very good man, named Phillips Brooks, once wrote about Bethlehem. I want you both to learn it to say to papa. Now listen while I read."
"O little town of Bethlehem,How still we see thee lie;Above thy deep and dreamless sleep.The silent stars go by;Yet in thy dark streets shinethThe everlasting light;The hopes and fears of all the yearsAre met in thee to-night."O holy child of Bethlehem,Descend to us we pray,Cast out our sin, and enter in,Be born in us to-day.We hear the Christmas angelsThe great glad tidings tell;Oh, come to us, abide with us,Our Lord Immanuel."
[Footnote: By courtesy of E. P. Dutton & Co.]
{251}
One Sunday Harold noticed that all the people who came from one of the churches wore a little piece of palm, or evergreen.
"What does that mean?" said Harold.
"Oh, this is Palm Sunday," said mamma. "This was one of the glad days in Jesus' life. To-night I will tell you all about it."
When it grew dark mamma called Margaret and Harold, and began
"You know that Jesus was poor and homeless, yet he was very rich in the love of his friends. He was never honored but once as his friends liked. That was on Palm Sunday, and the children helped to do it.
"It happened at the great city of Jerusalem. Jesus did not go to the city very often. He liked to live in the villages and in the country better. At this time there was a great feast in the city, and Jesus was going to the feast with his friends."
"What sort of a feast was it, mamma?" asked Harold.
"It was not exactly what we call a feast," mamma replied. "It was more like a great celebration. It recalled a great event in the nation's history, the escape of the Jews from captivity. It was called the 'Feast of the Passover.'{252}The Jewish people from all over the world came to Jerusalem to celebrate it."
"Why, it must have been the Fourth of July of the Jews," said Harold.
"Something like that," replied mamma, smiling. "Only the little Jewish boys did not make as much noise as my small son makes on his country's birthday.
"Well, the friends of Jesus who came with him to this feast wanted to show how much they loved him. They often wanted to treat him as though he were a king. Once they did treat him in this way, and Jesus did not forbid it. It does people good to show their friends how much they love them.
"Jesus stayed at night with his friends, in a village not far from the city, and every morning he came into the city. One morning he came over the hill, on the road which leads into the city, riding on an ass. It was a beautiful morning, and all his friends who were with him were filled with gladness. They shouted and sang as they marched along. They shouted 'Hosanna!' just as you shout 'Hurrah!' when you are marching in your processions. 'This man is going to be our king!' they called. 'Praise God for our king!' People from the city saw them coming and went out to meet them, so that there was a great multitude. They broke off branches of the palm trees along the way, and waved them in the air, just as the soldiers wave the royal banners of the king. Some of the people took off their cloaks and laid them on the ground for him to ride over, just as if he were a great king. They placed their palm branches on the ground, too, so that they seemed like a beautiful green carpet."
{253}
{254}
JESUS ENTERING JERUSALEM IN TRIUMPHBy Bernard Plockhorst (1825- )
"And as he went, they spread their garments in the way. And as he was now drawing nigh, even at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen; saying, Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest."--Luke 19:36-38
{255}
"Oh," said Margaret, "how pleased Jesus must have been!"
"Yes," said mamma, "Jesus was pleased to know that the people loved him. And he was a king, you know, though he never sat upon a throne. The Bible sometimes calls him, 'King of kings, and Lord of lords.'
"When they reached the city, there were many little children in the streets and about the temple. Now the children always loved Jesus, and when they saw him coming in this procession they all ran to meet him. They all joined in the procession, and sang songs, and shouted 'Hosanna!' and waved their hands for the children's king. Some of those people who did not like Jesus tried to stop the children. But Jesus would not tell them to stop."
"If I had been there, I would have shouted for Jesus," said Harold.
"That is my brave boy," said mamma. "But you must remember that there is just as much chance to let people know that you stand up for Jesus now, as then. You must never be afraid to let it be known that you are Jesus' friend.
"Now we will sing that hymn that you like so much. It is a good hymn for Palm Sunday."
So they sang,--
"Onward, Christian soldiers,Marching as to war,With the cross of JesusGoing on before.{256}Christ, the royal Master,Leads against the foe;Forward into battle,See, His banners go."Like a mighty armyMoves the church of God;Brothers, we are treadingWhere the saints have trod;We are not divided,All one body we,One in hope and doctrine,One in charity."Crowns and thrones may perish,Kingdoms rise and wane,But the church of JesusConstant will remain;Gates of hell can never'Gainst that church prevail;We have Christ's own promise,And that cannot fail."Onward, then, ye people,Join our happy throng,Blend with ours your voicesIn the triumph song;Glory, laud, and honorUnto Christ the King;This through countless agesMen and angels sing."
{257}
One afternoon in the springtime, just before Easter, Margaret was playing with her dolls. Her mamma came into the room and said:--
"I want my little girl to be good while I am gone; I am going to church."
"Why, mamma," said Margaret, "this is not Sunday, this is Friday."
"Yes," said mamma, "and this evening I will tell you and Harold why I am going to church on Friday."
At bedtime, mamma said, "Now I will tell you
"It is a very sad and yet a very sweet story. It is very sad to think that Jesus had enemies who hated him so much that they could kill him, and yet we love the story because it tells us how much Jesus loved us.
"If we love anyone very much, we are willing to give up things for him."
"Yes," said Margaret, "Harold loves me, and he gave up his party when I was sick, and noise troubled me."
"That was a very kind and unselfish thing for Harold to do," said mamma, "but Jesus gave up very much more than that for our sakes.
"You would have to love anyone very much indeed to give up your home for him. You would have to love{258}anyone better than you love yourself to give up your life for him."
"Do you mean like Frank's papa," said Harold, "when he ran into the fire when his house burned, to get Frank, and almost died?"
"Yes," said mamma, "Frank's papa loved his little boy better than he loved his own life, and he was ready to give his own life that his little boy might be saved."
"But why is the story sad, then?" said Margaret.
"It is sad," replied mamma, "because his death was such a cruel one, and because he suffered so much.
"One night Jesus gathered his dearest friends about him, and they had supper together, and he told them how much he loved them, and that they must never forget him.
"After the supper was over he went out into the night, to a place called the Garden of Gethsemane. Then his enemies came with torches, and found him there, and seized hold upon him, and bound him with ropes, and led him away.
"After they had treated him with great cruelty, they took him to a hill called Calvary outside the city, and there, before a great multitude of people, they nailed his hands and his feet to a cross of wood, and after he had suffered very much, he died there upon the cross. Then it grew dark upon the hill, and an earthquake shook the ground, and the people ran away in terror, because they began to see what a wicked thing they had done."
"Oh, what wicked people," said Margaret, "to kill dear Jesus!"
{259}
{260}
JESUS IN THE HOME OF MARY AND MARTHABy Siemiradski (1843- )
"And fast beside the olive-bordered wayStands the blessed home where Jesus deigned to stay;The peaceful home, to zeal sincereAnd heavenly contemplation dear,Where Martha loved to wait with reverence meet,And wiser Mary lingered at Thy sacred feet."
{261}
"Jesus loved even them," said mamma, softly. "He was so good that he loved them, even while they were killing him, and asked his Father in heaven to forgive them, too.
"You must remember that when we do what is wrong, we hurt our Father in heaven very much, but Jesus has taught us that he loves us still, and is ready to forgive us when we ask him.
"So this is the reason why we love Jesus so much. 'We love him because he first loved us.' This is the reason why mamma went to church to-day, to thank God for sending to the world such a loving Jesus, and to remember the day on which he died for us, and for all the world.
"Now mamma will sing you a beautiful hymn about the cross. The cross was dreadful then, but we love it now because it makes us remember the love of Jesus."
"In the cross of Christ I glory;Towering o'er the wrecks of time;All the light of sacred storyGathers round its head sublime."When the woes of life o'ertake me,Hopes deceive and fears annoy,Never shall the cross forsake me;Lo! it glows with peace and joy."When the sun of bliss is beamingLight and love upon my way,From the cross the radiance streamingAdds new luster to the day.{262}"Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,By the cross are sanctified;Peace is there that knows no measure,Joys that through all time abide."In the cross of Christ I glory;Towering o'er the wrecks of time;All the light of sacred storyGathers round its head sublime."
{263}
{264}
THE FIRST EASTER DAWNBy J. K. Thompson
"The day of resurrection,Earth, tell it out abroad:The Passover of gladness,The Passover of God.From death to life eternal,From earth unto the sky,Our Christ hath brought us overWith hymns of victory."
{265}
It was Easter Day. Both Margaret and Harold went to church. It was a beautiful day, warm and pleasant. The grass was green, and the tulips and the crocuses were blossoming in the gardens. Everybody was glad that the snow and the cold of winter had gone. When they were on their way to church, they saw a robin on a branch of a tree. The children laughed with pleasure to see Mr. Robin Redbreast back again. At church there were beautiful flowers, and the choir sang Easter songs and hymns. One of the hymns Harold liked very much indeed. He said it made him feel that the world was so glad that it couldn't help singing its gladness right out. This hymn began--
"Christ the Lord is risen to-daySons of men and angels say,Raise your joys and triumphs high,Sing, ye heavens, and, earth, reply."
In the evening they sat with their mamma, watching the beautiful sunset.
"Mamma," said Harold, "I don't think that I just understand about that long word the minister used so much this morning--resurrection; won't you explain it, please?"
{266}
"Well," said mamma, "it is not very easy for little folks to understand, but I will try. I will tell you the
"You know that the enemies of Jesus crucified him as I told you, and he died upon the cross."
"Yes," said Margaret, soberly, "I know about that. My little kittie died. She went to sleep, and couldn't wake up any more. Poor little kittie!"
"Yes," said mamma, "and you know that dear Grand-mamma White went to sleep and didn't wake up, and God took her dear, beautiful soul to be with him.
"After Jesus had suffered on the cross, he went to sleep, that sound, sound sleep that we call death. Then they took him from the cross, and placed his body in a tomb dug out of the rock, and rolled a great stone before the door. His disciples and all his friends were very, very sad, because they thought they would never see him again."
"But they did, mamma," said Harold.
"Oh, yes," said Margaret, "he wasn't truly dead."
"Ah, yes, my dears," said mamma, "he was truly dead, but after he had lain there quietly for three days, a wonderful thing happened. He came to life again. He came out from the tomb. He went to see his friends and his disciples. He made them very happy. He told them that soon he must go back to his Father in heaven, and that they must go everywhere in all the world, telling people about him.
"Now I will read you the beautiful story of the first Easter Day, as it is told in the Bible:--
{267}
"'Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb. She runneth, therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him."
"'Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. And they both ran together: and the other disciple outran Peter, and came first to the tomb; and stooping and looking in he seeth the linen cloths lying, yet entered he not in. Simon Peter therefore cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then entered in therefore the other disciple also, which came first to the tomb, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again unto their own home.
"'But Mary was standing without at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beholdeth two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou?"
"'She said unto them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him."
"'When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and beholdeth Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
{268}
"'Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?"
"'She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, "Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away."
"'Jesus saith unto her, "Mary!"
"'She turneth herself, and saith unto him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" which is to say, "Master."
"'Jesus saith to her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto my Father and your Father, and my God and your God."
"'Mary Magdalene cometh and telleth the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and how that he had said these things unto her.'"
"That is a very beautiful story, is it not?" said mamma, when she had finished reading. "And how glad Mary and all the friends of Jesus must have been to see him again! Now the sunset has faded, and I will sing you an Easter hymn."
[Footnote: Tune, "The Son of God goes forth to war."]
"The terror of the night has fled,Its shadows fade away;The tomb wherein our Lord lay deadIs open to the day."That Easter morn when He came forth,Who gave Him greeting there?The flowers, the birds, the radiant earth,And all the garden fair.{269}"Once more the glorious day is here,The day that saw Him rise,When Love was victor over fear,And glory filled the skies."Who comes to greet our risen King?Not birds and flowers alone,Our loyal hearts to Him we bring,And worship at His throne."
{270}
Harold and Margaret had been hoping for a snowy Thanksgiving, and they were very happy when, two days before Thanksgiving, the snow began to fall in great flakes. The sun shone again on Thanksgiving morning, and at nine o'clock the sleigh with the two dapple gray horses was ready to take all the family to Grandpa Emerson's over the river and away four miles across the snowy fields in the country. How they enjoyed the ride in the fresh cold air! What a merry tune was sung by the jingling of the sleighbells! And how happy they were after they reached the big old farmhouse! First, of course, they were kissed and hugged by Grandpa Emerson and Grandma Emerson. Then they went out to the barn to see the horses and cows. Then they went sliding down the hill behind the barn. Then they made a beautiful snow man, and by that time they were ready for Grandma Emerson's Thanksgiving dinner. They were to stay at the farm for a few days, and toward evening as they sat before the roaring fire in the big fireplace they asked mamma for a story. "I will tell you," she said,
"The first settlers of New England were the Pilgrims who came across the sea from England in the ship Mayfower."
{271}
"Oh, yes," said Harold, "I remember when we went to Plymouth and saw the Plymouth Rock and the old houses and the monument on the hill."
"Yes," said mamma, "that is where they landed and built their log houses. I will recite a poem which I learned when I was a girl and went to school like Margaret."
"The breaking waves dashed highOn a stern and rockbound coast,And the woods against a stormy skyTheir giant branches tossed;"And the heavy night hung darkThe hills and waters o'er,When a band of exiles moored their barkOn the wild New England shore."Not as the conqueror comes,They, the true-hearted, came,Not with the roll of the stirring drums,And the trumpet that sings of fame;"Not as the flying come,In silence and in fear,--They shook the depths of the desert gloomWith their hymns of lofty cheer."Amidst the storm they sang,And the stars heard and the sea!And the sounding aisles of the dim wood rangTo the anthem of the free!{272}"The ocean eagle soaredFrom his nest by the white wave's foam,And the rocking pines of the forest roared--This was their welcome home!"There were men with hoary hairAmidst that pilgrim band--Why had they come to wither thereAway from their childhood's land?"There was woman's fearless eye,Lit by her deep love's truth;There was manhood's brow, serenely high,And the fiery heart of youth."What sought they thus afar?Bright jewels of the mine?The wealth of seas, the spoils of war?--They sought a faith's pure shrine."Ay, call it holy ground,The soil where first they trod!They have left unstain'd what there they found--Freedom to worship God!"
"Did they have a very hard time at Plymouth?" said Margaret.
"Yes, my dear," replied mamma, "a very hard time. There were little children, and they often had to go cold and hungry. After the Mayflower brought them to Plymouth, it had to sail away again to England and leave them in the wilderness alone."
"There were Indians, too," said Harold.
{273}
{274}
THRESHINGFrom a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by her kind permission.
In the East the grain is threshed by the trampling of beasts, or sometimes, as in this picture, by a rude kind of threshing wheel. The wheels are carried in the framework on which the man is sitting. Sometimes a sledge with iron or stone teeth driven into the bottom is used.
{275}
"Yes," said mamma, "but they had the brave Miles Standish to protect them. At one time, so the story goes, they were almost starving. The winter was coming on, and they did not know what to do. So they set apart a certain day to fast and ask God's help in their distress. I am not sure that it is true, but we will suppose that a little girl and boy like you had climbed the hill to gather a few sticks of wood for the fire. We will suppose that the little girl was looking out to sea, and suddenly she cried, 'Oh, John, what can that be, is it a sail?'
"And we will suppose that John said, 'Oh, no, Priscilla, that is nothing but a seagull; there is no ship coming.'
"But Priscilla insisted.
"'It is, John, it is a sail.' And John looked again and cried, 'Yes! yes! it is, it is a sail!'
"Then how they ran to the village shouting, 'A sail! a sail!' and how the people came crowding out of the little church where they had gathered to pray, and how happy they all were!
"I do not know whether the children caught sight of the sail first, but it is true that on the day appointed for fast and prayer, a ship came from England, and the fast day was turned into a day of feasting and thanksgiving to God for his mercies. And ever after in New England, and now all over this country, the people keep this day; a day for feasting and joy, but a day also of humble thankfulness to God for all his goodness to his children.
"Now, we will draw the curtains and sing a Thanksgiving hymn."
{276}
"O God, beneath Thy guiding handOur exiled fathers crossed the sea,And when they trod the wintry strandWith prayer and psalm they worshiped Thee."Thou heard'st well pleased the song, the prayer:Thy blessing came; and still its powerShall onward through all ages bearThe memory of that holy hour."Laws, freedom, truth, and faith in God,Came with those exiles o'er the waves.And where their pilgrim feet have trod,The God they trusted guards their graves."And here Thy name, O God of love,Their children's children shall adoreTill these eternal hills remove,And spring adorns the earth no more."
{277}
{278}
SHEEPBy Jacque
"Little lambs, so white and fair,Are the shepherd's constant care;Now he leads their tender feetInto pastures green and sweet."Now they listen and obey,Following where he leads the way;Heavenly Father, may we beThus obedient unto Thee."
{279}
"What is that long word?" asked Harold.
"That is 'neighbor,'" said mamma. "Can you tell me what it means?"
"Oh, yes," said Harold. "It means the people who live close by. Ralph and Elizabeth are our neighbors, because they live in the house next door."
"Yes," said mamma, "and in the old times when people did not travel as much as they do now, they did not know much about any except their neighbors. The Old Testament says that you should love your neighbor. That meant the people you meet day by day. The people of Jesus' time said that you should love your neighbor, but you might hate your enemy. Jesus said that was not right. Do you remember what he said about that, Harold?"
"I know," said Margaret, "we had it in our Sunday School class last Sunday. 'Love your enemies.'"
"Yes," said mamma, "and he once told a story about neighbors. It is called the story of
"'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?
{280}
"'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 neighbor 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 neighbor?
"'And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who 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 these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among thieves?
"'And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.'
"What do you think that story means?" asked mamma.
{281}
"I think," said Harold, "that it means that to be neighbor to anybody is to help him."
Margaret thought a minute. "It seems to me," she said, "that neighbors can live a long way off, then. Our teacher said she would tell us next Sunday how we could help poor little children in a big city five hundred miles away. That will make us neighbors to them, won't it, mamma?"
"Why, yes," said mamma. "So it will." Then she smiled a little and said, "I think we have some neighbors living in China and some others living in India."
What do you suppose mamma meant?
{282}
Harold and Margaret were looking at a picture of an Eastern shepherd with his flocks.
"Mamma," said Harold, "is this our country? This man is not dressed as men are here."
"No," said mamma, "it is a picture of a shepherd and his sheep in the country of the Bible."
"What makes the shepherd go before the sheep, mamma?" asked Harold.
"In that country," said mamma, "the sheep are not driven, but led."
"Were sheep more plenty in the Bible land than in ours? I have never seen many sheep," said Harold.
"Yes," answered mamma, "most of the children in the Bible land knew all about sheep. Many of the hillsides had little white flocks of sheep on them. They were not kept in fields with fences. They wandered about over the open pasture lands; and so a man or a boy must be with them to watch over them. He was called the shepherd. He took them to the best pastures. At some seasons of the year he had to lead them a long way to find water. He kept the bears and the wolves and the lions away. He kept away the thieves who might come to steal the sheep. At night he drove the sheep to a fold, or shed, or sometimes he slept with them all night in the open air, beneath the stars.