LYING AND MAKING LIARS. 47 poisons, snakes in the grass, satanic transformations-the popular periodicals of the day, the fashion-plate magazines and comicals, the multitudinous mixed-up thing of the bitter and the sweet, God and Mammon, Christ and Belial appear disgusting and heart-sickening. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away: behold all things are become new.'-2 Cor. v. 17. What avails a religion that does not cast out Satan and let in Christ? To bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, is our blessed privilege. Besides, God commands it— Eph. vi. 4. See also Deut. vi. 6-9, Prov. xxii. 6. "What a sad, lamentable, soul-ruinous error do parents and teachers, having the charge of children and youth, fall into, when, to make home attractive, happy and joyful, they introduce trifling amusements-nonsensical, doll-baby publications, heart-sickening! What is there not truth enough in all the world, aside from holy revelation, on which to nourish your little ones, mentally and spiritually, without feeding them on lies, the food of Satan? Fill first the bushel with the wheat, "You see now what you are doing, Mr. Whiffler? Instead of obeying God in family discipline, taking your little ones to Christ forthwith, placing them in the arms of redeeming, sanctifying mercy, you take an opposite course, and place them directly on the lap of Satan, dandle them on his knees! Wicked man!" It's Spring-time here, bright and smiling. HERE'S a farmer resting in the shade. the happiest of the happy, or should be. Country folks are Spring prefigures childhood, and youth betokens mercy, love and salvation. Childhood is, indeed, the spring-time of the year, the time for the singing of birds, the lambs to skip, the mountains and the hills to break forth in joyful praise, and the trees of the forest to clap their hands. "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength." SEE that little girl holding her hat for the nuts as her brother gathers them? Is she not beautiful? Does not her whole countenance indicate modesty and purity. YOUNG friends, whenever you want fruits or flowers. be sure to ask permission of the owner. Never enter GATHERING FLOWERS. an orchard or flower garden unless you are first invited to do so. These sprightly little folks represented in the engraving are innocent, harmless as doves—their every look indicates this. Yet there are some boys and girls, we regret to say, who take great liberties, do things they ought not. Others, who have no fear of God before their eyes, go so far as to pluck fruits and flowers secretly, and do other very wicked things. Stealing is stealing, theft is theft, robbery is robbery, in little things and great things. A boy or girl who will steal an apple, a pear, or bouquet, will, doubtless, by-and-by, steal other things and greater things. Beware, little folks and great folks. "Thou shalt not steal," saith the holy one. your sin will find you out." "On the goods that are not thine, Do not dare to lay thy finger: "Pilfer not the smallest thing, Touch it not, howe'er thou need it; Though the owner have enough, Though he know it not nor heed it." "Be sure Ir is with health as with property; we rarely value it or know how best to use or to take care of it till it is gone. |