Miss M. Was the lord angry when his servant informed him of this?

Kate. Yes; he told him to go directly into the streets and lanes of the city, and to bring in "the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind."

Miss M. Was there still room for others?

Charlotte. Yes; the lord then told his servant to go into the highways and hedges, and compel them to go in, that the house might be filled.

Miss M. Of course you understand that the servant was not to compel them to come in by force, but only by persuasion, in the same way that we speak of obliging any one to act in the way we wish. What did the lord say about those who had refused his invitation ?

Mary. That they should not taste his supper.

Miss M. We will now proceed to the practical application of this parable; we shall not have much to say about it, as it is very like that of the marriage feast. In those who began to make excuse we have a picture of the Pharisees. They, like those in the parable who had in the first instance accepted the invitation to the supper, had professed to be waiting for the Messiah, and yet, when all things were ready, when He descended upon earth, had refused to become partakers of His kingdom. Who were represented by the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind?

Mary. The publicans and sinners.

Miss M. Who is the servant sent?

Charlotte. The evangelists and apostles.

Miss M. But there was still room in the Christian Church for more, after many of the publicans and

sinners had embraced the Gospel. Who are represented by those in the highways and hedges?

Kate. The Gentiles.

Miss M. What does St. Paul say of the Gentiles in Ephesians iii. 4-6?

Selina. "Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel."

Miss M. And again, Ephesians ii. 19.

Elizabeth. "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God."

Miss M. Once more, Galatians iii. 14.

Selina. "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

Miss M. By the man who wished to see the piece of land that he had bought, those are represented who are so taken up or occupied with their riches that they will not think of what is far more important, the salvation of their souls. Such was the fault of the Laodiceans. Read Revelation iii. 17.

Mary. "Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."

Miss M. The man who had bought five yoke of oxen, and was anxious to prove them, represents those who are not yet rich, but who are so occupied in try

ing to obtain wealth, that they have no thoughts to give to the only enduring riches, the faith, and hope, and love of a Christian. The poor man may fall into this fault if he lets his heart be too much engrossed with the labour and difficulties he has to encounter in trying to make his way in the world, as the expression is. By the man who had married a wife, and therefore could not come, are represented those who are too much taken up with the pleasures of life. What does our Saviour say, as if in reference to this, in the 26th verse ?

Ellen. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."

Miss M. We are invited to form part of Christ's Church, to belong to His people; but if we refuse, He will call others who have not yet known Him, and we shall receive the punishment kept for the unbelieving and ungodly. How were those in the parable who made excuses punished?

Emily. They were not allowed to taste of the supper.

Miss M. In like manner, if we refuse to be real living members of Christ's Church militant here upon earth, He will shut us out from His Church triumphant in heaven. From such a punishment may God, in His great mercy, preserve us, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

CHAPTER XX.

THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP.

Luke xv. 1-7. Matt. xviii. 12-14.

"THEN drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

Miss Morton. Who do we read drew near to Christ to listen to His words?

Selina. The publicans and sinners.
Miss M. Whom did this displease?
Charlotte. The Pharisees and scribes.
Miss M. What did they say?

Emily. "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."

Miss M. They thought the publicans the greatest of sinners, and therefore shunned their company. How did Christ answer them?

Mary. By a parable.

M

Miss M. Or rather by three: for the lost sheep, the piece of money, and the prodigal son are all intended to teach us Christ's yearning love towards sinners. Can you now tell me the difference between these parables?

Kate. The sheep straying from the fold represents those who wander from God through wilful ignorance, who go astray almost without knowing that they are doing so.

Miss M. Yes; the sheep is a silly animal, and will often wander from the fold, not knowing where it is going, till at last it finds itself far from its companions, and unable to find its way back. So it is with a class of Christians: they have been placed within the fold, namely, the Church;-can you tell me when?

Jane. At their baptism.

Miss M. Yes. Turn to the Baptismal Service, and tell me what the priest says when he makes a cross upon the child's forehead.

Charlotte reads. "We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, and do sign him with the sign of the cross, in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner, against sin, the world, and the devil; and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end."

Miss M. But though this class of Christians have been received into Christ's fold, they have grown up leading a careless life, not caring to learn much about God, and through wilful ignorance have strayed into the paths of sin. The piece of money represents a different class, those who have been lost without fault