and, in time, even bring all the civilized world to acknowledge the truth of what they taught, and in some measure to be governed by it.

Now I am going to write you an account of the way in which these things happened, as I have learned them myself from a book by one of the sacred writers, called the Acts of the Apostles, out of which I have already read to you several interesting histories, but which being written for the use of older people, does not give so short and easy an account of the whole, as younger ones seem to require.

I should, indeed, have told my dear children these things, if they had not asked me, shortly; but I

am glad that you have; for young people, as well as older ones, are very apt to be curious about what does not concern them, while they do not inquire, because they do not think or care about, how their best blessings come to them; and then they scarcely deserve to be told.

CHAPTER I.

Of the Promise given to the Apostles. They return to Jerusalem, and choose an Apostle in the room of Judas.

OUR Conversations on the life of Jesus Christ finished with his ascension into Heaven. I will repeat the gracious promise which He left with his Disciples; "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world:" though He left them, yet He was to be with them always— how could this be? It means, that

though, as Man, our Lord would no longer be present with them, yet that his Spirit, the Spirit of God that is, who dwelt in Him, would come and abide with them for ever. Now this promise was given to his Disciples unto the end of the world; to us, then, as well as to them :let us see how it was fulfilled.

But first you will wish to know what became of the Apostles when they lost sight of their Lord. Two Angels, you remember, stood by them, and roused them from their sorrowful meditation by these words: 'Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? this same Jesus who is taken from you into Heaven shall so come, as ye have

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seen Him go into Heaven." The Apostles gave heed to their heavenly messengers, and returned to Jerusalem to wait there, as the Lord had commanded them, for " the promise of the Father," the coming of the Holy Ghost, which was to take place not many days after.

We next read of their being assembled together, with the mother of Jesus, and other Disciples, in an upper room in one of their houses, consoling each other by conversation and prayer.

It was at this time that they chose another Apostle, in the room of Judas Iscariot that unhappy Being, on finding that his Master was indeed about to suffer the cruel death to