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Miss M. Yes, in the same way that the wicked servant

Anna. Was delivered to the tormentors.

Miss M. Find me some texts describing the pains of hell.

Jane. "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Mark ix. 44.

Elizabeth. "And shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Matt. xiii. 42.

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Miss M. Let us turn again to the parable. How does our Lord tell us to forgive our brother?

Selina. From our hearts.

Miss M. Exactly so. It will not do to say that we forgive them, and to have, notwithstanding, unkind thoughts about them; we must forgive them from our hearts, and try to feel towards them as we did before. That may be difficult to us at first, but we must ask for God's grace to enable us to do so. It would assist us if we sought some occasion of doing them some little kindness, for we rarely feel angry with those on whom we are conferring a favour. Go home and think of this parable, my dear children, and if there are any who have offended you, do not put off forgiving them for a moment, lest God should deliver you to the tormentors before you have done so. There is a motto, which I dare say you have often heard mentioned by your parents and friends, but to which, perhaps, you have never paid much attention. It were well, however, if it were engraved in the hearts of all: "Forgive and forget."

CHAPTER VII.

THE PARABLE OF THE LABOURERS IN THE VINEYARD.

Matt. xx. 1-16.

"FOR the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should. have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden

and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny ? Take that thine is, and go thy way I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."

Miss Morton. To whom does our Lord in this ble liken the kingdom of heaven?

is ?

Jane. To a man that was an householder.

Miss M. What did this householder possess?
Emily. A vineyard.

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Miss M. Which of you can tell me what a vineyard

Elizabeth. A garden in which grapes grow.

Miss M. Quite right. What did the householder go out to seek? What is to seek ?

Ellen. To look for.

Miss M. Yes; and what did he go to look for? Charlotte. For labourers to work in his vineyard. them ?

Miss M. What did he agree to pay

Kate. A penny a day.

Miss M. Were they satisfied?

Anna. Yes.

Miss M. Yes, they consented to work for the householder. When was it that he engaged them?

Susan. Early in the morning.

Miss M. Yes. He then went out again, and engaged others later in the day: why did he engage them? Elizabeth. Because they were idle.

Miss M. Were these the only labourers that he engaged?

Jane. No; he went out again at the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

Miss M. And we read that again at the eleventh hour he found others standing idle, whom he hired. What reason did these give for their idleness?

Anna. They said that nobody had hired them.

Miss M. When the even was come what did he tell the steward to do?

Kate. To pay them; beginning from the last unto the first.

Miss M. What did they each receive ?

Mary. A penny.

Miss M. Were they satisfied?

Charlotte. Those that had been engaged at the first hour murmured.

Miss M. Why?

Jane. Because they who had been working all day received no more than those who had only worked one hour.

Miss M. What was the householder's answer?

Ellen reads. " Friend, I do thee no wrong; didst not thou agree with me for a penny ? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?"

Miss M. The labourers that had been engaged in the morning, and who had worked the whole day, thought it unjust of the householder to give them no more than he gave to those who had only worked one hour, but the householder said to them, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own ?" The money was his, and as they had agreed to work for a penny, they had no cause to murmur. We will now

see what lesson we can learn from this parable. Who is meant by the householder?

Ellen. God.

Miss M. And what is the vineyard ?

Kate. The Church of God.

Miss M. And who are the labourers?

Mary. Those whom God calls to work for Him. Miss M. Yes; you know that every one who is a member of Christ's Church has some work to do: whether we are old or young, rich or poor, God has some work, which He wishes each one of us to do; none are too young or too poor to work in His vineyard. What is your duty as children?

Susan. To be obedient to our parents.

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Miss M. Yes, that is certainly the chief duty of children then to be attentive at church, to pray to God night and morning, to be kind to your brothers and sisters and to all those about you; all this is part of the work which God wishes you to do. As you grow older you will most likely go into service, and then what work will you have to do?

Mary. To obey our masters and mistresses.

Miss M. Yes, and you will still have duties to perform towards your heavenly Master; to love Him, to obey Him, to resist all temptation. An old poet has said,

"Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,
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meaning, that however little the thing is, if we do it because it is our duty, we shall be serving God. We cannot now go over all the different duties of Christians; it is enough for each of us to know that we 1 George Herbert.

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