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'Tis Strange.

POW astonished the little chickens look, in our first engraving this month. There is

the little broken shell out of which they have just pecked their way, and now what a great wide world they have come into. Everything is strange. But little chickens have sense enough to keep near to their mother hen; and she soon teaches them how to find their food. When they are in danger, she calls them close to her side, and spreads her wings over them. In Mr. Roberts's Talks on Character this month, he speaks of children being obedient to their parents; now if little children were as obedient to their parents, as chickens are to their mother, they would be preserved from many a trouble. But we dare say that there are some foolish chickens, just as there are some foolish children. They will wander away, and will not answer to their mother's call. Although they have only been out of their shell a day or two, yet they think they know a thing or two. They, therefore, run about into forbidden places, and some prowling cat pounces upon them and snaps off their heads. Now both chickens and children cannot do better than keep near to their mother, and if they will only listen to her counsel they will not go far wrong.

in our conversation. I saw it had a family likeness, and said to my host,

"I suppose that is one of your near rela. tions ? "

"Yes, sir, it is a very good likeness of my dear departed father. If you know the history of that man, you would find that I have many reasons for thinking well of him.”

"I should judge from his calm, placid countenance that he was a temperate man and a good man."

"You are right in both opinions; and I will tell you something about him that will please you. My father was a decided Christian, and many years held office in a humble, or rather, not fashionable christian church. He was a firm believer in early conversion, and thought that God could adapt His saving grace to the heart and understanding of young children; rendering their salvation as clear and secure as to those of riper years. This conviction gave him strong faith, and rendered him very earnest in his labours amongst the young. His labours were not in vain, as I am a witness. I can look back to the years when I sat on his knee, and heard him sing simple hymns containing the Gospel; and though my head is now sprinkled with locks of grey, those little hymns are still the most expressive of my christian experience. He would read with us; tell us Bible stories; calmly and rationally talk with us about the goodness of Jesus, how He loved children, knew what they thought, heard what they said, and saw what they did, and how pleased He was when they knelt down and prayed unto Him. One day, when I was about eight years of age, he put his hand upon my head, and said,—

"James, my boy, Jesus Christ loves you, and I think you love Him; if you earnestly ask Him He will forgive you all you have said, thought, or done wrong, and give you a new heart, and make you very happy; thus you will commence the christian life, and do good all your days.'

"Those words had great effect on me. I did pray in earnest, and that same week I obtained the pearl of great price. I know I was saved, and have rejoiced in sweet communion with

the Holy Ghost from that time. I was saved when eight years of age, and for over fifty years have been joined in church fellowship, and during that time have been trying to do good, and endeavouring to live for heaven."

While the son was giving me this fine christian feature in his father's life, my interest in the portrait was deepening, but I forgot its execution as a work of art in my admiration of the original. It will be an unspeakable blessing to our youth when parents, ministers, and teachers have more confidence in their early conversion, as this man had: when the words of God being in our own hearts, we teach them diligently unto our children; talking with them when we sit in the house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, when we rise up, thereby following the directions in the training which God Himself has given us. The church on earth and the church in heaven will then have a glorious harvest. It should not be forgotten that in this day of infant schools, and schools of every description, and of shoals and showers of books for children, our little folks are far more intelligent and better understand either good or evil than their fore-fathers; and this fact ought to induce us to be in earnest to secure their very early piety. This is our only real guarantee for subsequent integrity, and holy living; and this is a guarantee. “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it," are inspired words.

Talking with a christian woman on the subject she said,

-

"I have good reason to believe in early conversion, for I was saved when seven years of age."

"What, consciously saved?" I asked. "Yes, consciously and joyfully saved." "Please tell me the particulars of your case."

showing us the way, and sending good men to tell everybody how He loved them, and how He wished us all to be good, and follow Him, and live with Him in heaven for ever. I had heard my mother tell how she was once very sorry because she had done and said and thought many things wrong, and how earnestly she prayed to God for pardon, and how she felt He had pardoned her and made her happy. Oh, how I longed to feel that He had pardoned me too. One evening my father had got his hat and overcoat on, and was going out to the church meeting. I put on my bonnet and little cloak, saying,

"Father, I will go with you to meeting tonight, if you will let me.'

"It is dark, and wet, and stormy, my child. You had better remain in doors; you shall go with me next week, if it be a fine evening.'

"I put back my little cloak and bonnet without a word, sat down at the fireside. and when father was gone I began to weep. My mother was washing and up to the elbows in soap suds. Looking at me she said,

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'Elizabeth, what is the matter with you? If the night had been fit for you to go out, father would have taken you.'

"Mother, I think if I went to the meeting, and heard the good people sing, and pray, and speak, I should get pardoned like you once did. I have had many bad thoughts, and said and done wrong things, and I want Jesus to forgive me and love me.'

"While I was speaking my mother stopped washing, stroked the soap suds off her arms, wiped her hands and face, and with a tremulous voice said,

"Bless you, my child; that is glorious news to me. Let us go upstairs, so that we may not be disturbed, and pray the Lord to grant you what you want.'

"We went upstairs; she asked me to tell her how this desire for pardon came, how long I had felt the desire, and if I believed that Jesus heard my prayer. I told her all about it. Tears streamed down her cheeks; we knelt down; and to this hour I remember her prayer,

"Oh, Lord, pardon and bless this dear

child; and do give me faith that young as she is Thou canst and wilt save her. Do not let me doubt this for one moment. Thou dost say,

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me." She is seeking Thee, Lord. Oh, that she may find Thee now! just now, just now!' My mother's words expressed the very feelings of my heart. I rose up, clasped my arms around her neck, exclaiming,—

"Oh, mother, mother! Jesus has pardoned me! Jesus does loves me! Oh, how happy J am!'

"Just then my father returned. Not seeing either of us in the house, he called out. My mother answered,—

“We are here, Richard; come up, come up. We have good tidings for you.'

"When my father arrived at the top of the stairs, I caught him round the neck, saying 'Oh, father, Jesus has pardoned me, and loves me, and I love Him. Oh, I am so happy.'

"He looked at my happy, smiling mother; looked at me; asked us to tell him what it all meant. - When he had heard all, he clasped his hands together, and in deep thankfulness exclaimed, 'Thank God! thank God!'

"I am now thirty-seven years old, and for thirty years I have enjoyed the witness of the Spirit that I am a child of God. I have had thousands of hours in the communion of saints, in the Church, in the Sunday-school; amongst the poor, the sick, and the needy; trying to serve my generation according to my ability; and I feel that the Jesus that saved me at seven years of age will save me to the end.”

both

Here, then, are two pleasing illustrations of early conversion-one at seven, the other at eight years of age-and who can tell the blessed results. How many, through their example, their labours, and their influence, have received unspeakable good no tongue can tell. They are both in strong, vigorous health; labouring hard in the church and school; both have prospered in this world, and been the means of true prosperity in others; and their very names to hundreds are precious. God does save the very young, and of this glorious, blessed truth we will give one more example.

I was standing at the Guide Bridge station,

waiting for the train from Manchester to take me on to Lincoln, when a middle-aged clergyman addressed me by name, and requested me to shake hands with his son George. A fine lad, about twelve years of age, stepped modestly forward, and put out his hand, which I cheerfully took. The train arriving, we rode several miles together.

Speaking to the boy, I said,—

"Well, George, you will shortly be thinking of the business of life. What path are you intending to pursue ? A doctor?

"No, sir."

"A lawyer? a merchant? a farmer ?” "No, sir."

"A minister ?"

By the change in his countenance I saw I had hit the mark, though he made me no answer. The father, who sat before me, had heard the questions, and, to relieve the embarrassment of the lad, he bent towards me; saying

"You have guessed by your last question. He thinks he shall have to be a missionary, and he is almost one now. He sells Bibles at prime cost, taking small payments; he attends well to his tract district, and goes with me to visit the sick; and I believe he is truly and knowingly converted to God. About twelve months ago he asked me if I thought he was too young to be saved. With a full heart I replied, 'No, George, you are not too young. Jesus loves the young, and can give them conscious pardon and peace.' A few days after, when in my study, with the door part shut, I heard his voice coming from his bed-room. He was at prayer, and praying much louder than he thought. I paused in my writing, and laid down the pen, for my soul was riveted by these words,

I was imploring heaven to hear my child's prayer while George was pleading in his bedroom. Later on he knocked at the door, and asked if he might come in. Yes, my boy; come in,' was my reply. He instantly stood before me, with a face beaming with intense joy, saying,

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Father, I am not too young to be saved. I am not too young. Yesterday and to-day I have prayed earnestly, and the Lord has heard my prayer, and now I am very happy, and I wished to tell you.'

The father finished his story, but while he was relating it his own joy became boundless; and no wonder, for what joy is to be compared to the joy of seeing our children brought to Christ? And we would ever bless Him for those cheering, encouraging words, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Yes, He loves to receive Young Disciples.

五

Talks on Character.

By W. L. ROBERTS.

Chap. IV.-On Being Obedient.

PAVE you ever seen soldiers exercising? I dare say many of you have; and you have laughed when you have heard the

officer say "quick-march," and then seen a mass first of left legs, then of right ones, moving with perfect regularity, and heard a regular, distinct tramp, tramp, tramp, as all these feet have touched the ground at one moment. Perhaps you have wondered how such regularity was secured; the answer is "by enforcing obedience." One of the first things a soldier has to learn is to obey; every man must obey, at once, and without questioning, the orders of his next superior officer. Without obedience the army would be a perfect muddle. Obedience is one of the first lessons that boys and girls should learn; they should obey their parents, their

teachers, and their masters. A family of disobedient children is a painful sight; a school where there is not obedience will never be prosperous; and if there is disobedience in the mill, the workshop, or the farm, there will be bad work, spoilt goods, and defective crops. "Children obey your parents in all things; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." "Servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh." "But my father sometimes bids me do foolish things," says one little fellow, who thinks himself very knowing and very clever. Ah! my little boy, now don't you think it likely that your father, with forty years' experience in the world, will know better than you, a little inexperienced boy of ten ? "Well, but he told me not to go

on the ice one day when I am sure there was no danger; and last summer he would not let me bathe in the river, and I am sure I could swim across it." All right, my boy, but you know young gentlemen like you are sometimes mistaken both as to the strength of ice, and their ability to swim across a running stream; and many a bright face has been laid in the graveyard because the orders of parents were disregarded. Better lose a bath or a slide than disobey. Parents may sometimes, in their anxiety for their children's safety, be exceedingly cautious; but it is a hundred times better to obey, than not.

"But my teacher is sometimes very unfair in what he bids me do," says another. Well, that may be. Teachers don't always know everything. But from my experience amongst boys, and I have had a little, I have generally found that it is the rebellious ones that have most complaints to make about the unfairness or unkindness of teachers.

In every position in life, my children, learn to obey, to obey at once. It will save you many a trouble, it will make your work a great deal more pleasant, and it will win for you the good opinions of nearly all those whose good opinion is worth anything.

Disobedience has wrought much trouble. It drove Adam and Eve from Paradise; it cost a prophet his life, and caused Jonah to be thrown overboard; and the sufferings that disobedient