have some work to do for Christ our Lord.

We may

all, whoever we are, leave a good example behind us, which should be a great encouragement to us to do right. Now tell me, when is it that God takes us to work in His vineyard?

Jane. When we are admitted into His Church by baptism.

Miss M. Yes, it is then that God calls us to work for Him; when we promise to renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, and to walk in His commandments all the days of our life. Now what is meant by the penny that the householder agreed to pay his labourers? What reward shall we have if we work as diligent labourers in God's vineyard?

Charlotte. We shall go to heaven.

Miss M. Can you tell me now what is meant by the different hours at which the labourers came to work in the vineyard, for you said just now that it is at our baptism that we are admitted into God's Church, and we are all baptized when children ?

Kate. Though we are all then admitted into God's Church, we do not all begin working for Him at once.

Miss M. That is quite right. A man may begin at once from a child to do what is right, or he may repent and turn to God when a man; or there are others who do not serve God till they are old, perhaps only a few years before their death. Which of the labourers in the parable are those like who have served God from their childhood?

Mary. Those that began to work at the first hour of the day.

Miss M. What reason had the householder for hiring those at the eleventh hour?

Ellen. He hired them because he saw them standing idle.

Miss M. That should teach us that God does not only expect His servants to do nothing wrong, but He expects them to do right. They are not only to "eschew evil," but they are to "do good;" it will not be enough for us to be able to say on our death-bed that we never did any harm to any one, that we never took God's holy Name in vain: we must be able to say that we have helped our fellow-creatures to do right; that we have not only refrained from speaking against God, but that we have praised and magnified Him. What did some of the labourers murmur at?

Emily. Those that had been hired at the first hour murmured because they received no more than those who had only worked one hour.

Miss M. If we serve God, as far as we are able, all our lives, are we to expect to receive more than those who repent and turn to God after having led a life of sin ?

Mary. No.

Miss M. Our Lord tells us that when we have done all those things which are commanded us, we must say, "We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." Luke xvii. 10. Could we by our own goodness hope to be accepted at the last day?

Jane. No, it is by the mercy of God, and the love of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, that we hope for pardon. Miss M. Then indeed have we cause for gratitude, and no reason for complaint. If we were rewarded

according to our works, sad would be the prospect before us-the few good works that we might have done here would be more than blotted out by a long catalogue of sins, which the blood of Jesus Christ can alone wash out. Which of the parables shows us that those who repent and turn to God will be received by Him?

Elizabeth. The parable of the Prodigal Son.

Miss M. Quite right. Our Lord says before He delivers that parable to the people, that "joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." Luke xv. 7. Our parable to-day may persuade those who are not serving God to do so, and may show them that it is never too late to serve that God, who is a God of mercy as well as of judgment. But you must not think from this, that it does not signify whether you begin serving God at once or whether you put it off to a more convenient season, because those who have led an idle or a wicked life, and only turn to God at the eleventh hour, are admitted into heaven. What great reason have we for serving God at once?

Anna. We may die at any moment.

Miss M. Yes, our Lord tells us to "work while it is day, for the night "cometh, when no man can work." John ix. 4. And the night may come to us before we have had time to repent of our sins. Go home then, children, determining to do what work you can for your heavenly Master, that at the eleventh hour He may not find you idle.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS.

Matt. xxi. 28-32.

"BUT what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him."

Miss Morton. This parable does not begin like many of the others, by likening the kingdom of heaven to the subject of the parable. How many sons had the certain man of whom we read?

Susan. Two.

Miss M. What did he say to the first?

Jane. "Son, go work to day in my vineyard."
Miss M. What did he answer?

Mary. I will not.

Miss M. But afterwards

Kate. He repented, and went.

Miss M. What did the man say to the second ?
Mary. Likewise.

Miss M. Did he answer in the same manner?

Elizabeth. No; he said, I go and went not.

Miss M. What question did our Lord ask about this parable?

Anna. Which of them did the will of his father.
Miss M. What did the people answer?

Anna. The first.

Miss M. What did our Saviour then tell them ? Selina. That the publicans and harlots would go into the kingdom of God before them.

Miss M. Why?

Mary. Because John had come unto them in the way of righteousness, and they had not believed him, but the publicans and harlots had done so; and they, when they saw it, had not afterwards repented, that they might believe him.

Miss M. We will now consider this parable: first, as it related to the Pharisees and publicans; and secondly, as to the lesson which we ourselves may learn from it. Who is the certain man?

Jane. God.

Miss M. Who are meant by his two sons ?
Kate. The Pharisees and publicans.

Miss M. Tell me reasons for our being called the sons of God.

Susan. Because He made us.

Mary. Because He provides us with all things necessary for us.

Miss M. What are we to understand by the first son having been told to work in the vineyard?

Mary. That God called the publicans to do the work appointed them.