heard there the voice of the bridegroom or the bride, or the mirth of marriage festival. Yet so long as there is marriage and giving in marriage Cana of Galilee can never be forgotten, nor that there it was that He who came to save us wrought His first miracle, blessing the wedding with His presence, as He still is ready to bless every such union of true hearts, every marriage to which He is invited, and all wedded, family and domestic life where His presence is sought. Let us not exclude Him from our life. What He tells us of Himself is true alike as regards both hearts and homes. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." 1 66 IN CANA OF GALILEE. The Christ came last to Cana's feast, The Saviour's is begun : Then, Lord, it is Thy time of grace, For merit I have none. The servants at His bidding haste Nor murmur that they do not know The meaning of His will. All Thy commands fulfil. They draw the water at His word, It sparkles ruby in the cup, Behold the water wine! To me with blessing thus enrich The wine comes to the wedding guests, With wonder they avow. 'Tis ever thus: Lord, Thou art come; 1 Rev. iii. 20. HO was she?" "What was she?" are very legiti mate questions to be asked respecting one whose son's fame as an evangelist is equally great in both continents. If "she who rocks the cradle rules the world," we may look with interest to see how the cradle was rocked from which such results sprang. Betsy Holton was the maiden name of her whom Dwight Lynam Moody delighted to call mother. She was of English descent, and was married to Edwin Moody on November 1st, 1800. Dwight was her sixth child, and with six brothers and two sisters made up the nursery group. When he was only four years old, his father died, after a few hours' illness. He was in the midst of his usual employ as a mason, and having overworked himself, was suddenly attacked with pain, staggered home, fell on his knees by his bedside, and in that attitude passed away from his wife and children to that land whence "no traveller returns." Humanly speaking, here was a case of extremity indeed. The widow was left with an acre or two of land encumbered with debt, with seven children, the eldest of whom was only thirteen, and a month after her terrible loss, a twin boy and girl were added to the fatherless family! But He who is "the Judge to the widow" was true, as He ever is, to His promise. He gave the sorrowing mother strength to meet her difficult circumstances, and resolution to do her best with a trustful heart. Her brothers helped her to clear off debt on the land, her boys gave what boyish labour could, the minister cheered her with his counsel and sympathy, and promised to help in the education of her little ones. His presence always brought sunshine, not only by the kindly little gifts by which he won the hearts of the children, but by his genial ways and timely encouragement. Little Dwight seems, however, to have taxed the good man's ingenuity, for he possessed so large a fund of energy, that unless fully employed, he was sure to be at mischief. The spell of his mother's influence was, however, irresis tible, he early learnt to feel its power, though too young at that time to understand where the secret of it lay. She knew well what it was to take the Lord for her " Counsellor," and to pour out her soul before Him in times of perplexity and dismay. A small house full of lively children, playing or quarreling, or jostling together, is found, even by mothers who can have assistance, often over-taxing to the wearied nerves, but when to this is added the struggle to find the daily bread, and the unshared oversight of everything, it becomes a load too heavy without having recourse to Him of whom it is said, "I have laid help upon One that is mighty." Mrs. Moody found relief in secret prayer. She asked for wisdom and patience, and it was given her. She would leave her little riotous group to seek for the renewal of her strength, and "when I would come back," said she, "they would all be good children again." She kept them all together once a week by regular attendance at their place of worship, her elder boys always coming home on Saturday, and the whole family taking their dinners with them on the Sunday, that they might be able to attend the Sunday-school which was held between the services. After their return home, they formed a happy circle under one of the sugar-maple trees, and the good mother would read to her eager listeners one of the books brought from the Sunday-school library. No wonder they were so attentive, for it seemed as though this particular book must have been written just for them. How could the writer have known that Dwight needed a little rebuke for being mischievous, or Samuel for quarrelling with his twin sister? They never could find exactly the place where their mother had read from; but it seemed to fit the case of each of her hearers remarkably well. When they sat down to their meals, she would repeat a text of Scripture or verse of a hymn, and the children would say it in one voice after her. Thus they were taught to be thankful for their humble fare, and shared their mother's con tentedness of heart. 66 no time" in a life full of domestic cares to remember the Giver of every good gift. The few minutes given to praise and prayer in the family bring a large blessing with them in the lightening of daily burdens. But one great, great How idle is the excuse that there is D. L. MOODY. One of her elder sorrow fell upon that devoted mother. sons became reckless and left his home. heart yearned over her boy with tender pity. "Oh, if I could only know he was dead," she would say, "it would be better than this! May be he is sick and in want! May be he has fallen in with wicked men, who will make him like themselves!" How the brothers and sisters mourned over the lost one, and how often, when they had gone to bed, did their mother sit up to weep and pray for him! Next day she would send to the village, a mile and a half distant, hoping for a letter ; but none came! At last, when hope had nearly died out in every heart but hers, for long years had passed away, one summer afternoon there came a tall dark-haired man, peering about the little homestead. "Will you come in ?" said the widow, in tones of gentle courtesy to the unknown stranger. No response followed her invitation, but the big tears flowed one after another down that weatherbeaten face. The mother knew her son! All was forgotten in the glad hour of assurance that he who had been lost was found! But the sorrow-stricken wanderer lingered on the threshold, and could not be persuaded to enter till he heard from his mother's lips that he was indeed forgiven. When, like Joseph, as he made himself known to his brethren, she wept upon the neck of her repentant son, then, indeed, there was joy in the re-united family. The lesson of that day has been brought before thousands, in the thrilling words of the great Evangelist, to illustrate the "joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth." No wonder that Mrs. Moody had faith in prayer or that she took pains to show to her children its wonderful results. But, whether older or younger, we have to prove this for ourselves before we thoroughly lay hold of it. Little Dwight, when only six years old, had been telling his mother how hard he found it to be a good boy. He was told he must ask God to help him; but he maintained that he had tried it, and was as bad a boy as ever, so he thought it no good to pray. (Perhaps he had been like the child, who prayed that she might say her lessons well, and took no pains to learn them!) However, Dwight was soon to make trial in good earnest, and of his own accord, of the power of prayer. Child as he was, he was always ambitious to be doing, and he engaged himself to a farmer to drive |