CHAPTER IX.

AT HOME AGAIN.

A HAPPY day for the four friends was that when Mr. Warren, having returned from Europe, once more joined their little meeting. There was so much to be said of the last six months, that no time was left to look wistfully into the future. For that night, at least, Mr. Warren saw he must postpone what he wished to say to them, that he might listen to their eager recitals. But as they were about to separate, he asked, "Well, my friends, have the last six months been months of progress? Paul says, we are to prove our own selves.' Can you see that you are farther on in the way towards the celestial city than you were when I left you?"

Each looked thoughtful, as they began to review those past months.

"that

"I think, sir," said John, at last, I have learned to go more directly to God for the wisdom I needed. When Mr. Dexter made me that offer I wished very much that you were here to advise me, but I was left alone with God, and I should not have drawn so near to him had there been any one else to whom I could have gone for counsel." The others thought they had also learned to depend more entirely upon God for help, and that, in other respects, they had grown somewhat in grace.

"I do not doubt," remarked Mr. Warren, "that it is the greatest of blessings when God so places us that, as John said, we seem to be left alone with him, when we are constrained to say, 'All my help is in thee.' John and Jerry have probably felt this the most, as they have been left the most without the advice and sympathy of

near friends, which is such a support to us all. Probably this is the reason why they incline to depend less on the judgment of others. God promises special blessings to the orphan; and he does, indeed, specially bless them when he leads them to depend more fully upon himself. He is the father of the fatherless,

forsaking."

never leaving, never

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be!'" said Jerry, with much feeling.

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure,'" added Mr. Warren. "That shall be my parting word to you to-night. God make you all faithful servants of our Lord Jesus Christ!"

At the next meeting, as Mr. Warren took his seat among them, he said, "I do not suppose I shall be able to be present at all of your little gatherings, now that you have

them so often, as I am glad to find you do, since they must be of so much service to you. To-night I would like to have you study, with me, the parable of the Sower. You will find it in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew."

They opened their Bibles, and Mr. Warren read: "The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the seaside. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat and the multitude stood on the

shore.' Let us well as we can.

crowd of Jews. James?"

imagine the scene as Let us be one of that

Which seaside was it,

"The Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, or Gennesaret, for it had the three names, sir."

"Very true, and here by the lakeside our Saviour sat down. I think he was tired and sad, for he had been talking long to the people. The Pharisees had re

tired to plan for his death; but hearing of a fresh miracle, they had returned, with redoubled hatred, to entrap him in his talk, and divert the thoughts of the people from that dreaded question, 'Is not this the Son of David?' Christ had met this fresh onset of his bitterest foes, and then, weary and sad, had gone forth to seek for rest beside the sparkling waters of Gennesaret. How quiet it looked across the beautiful lake; how soothing the gentle breeze singing through the oleanders, just bending the dark, luxuriant grass on the plains and the mountain slopes. slopes. And then, gazing upward, beyond the heavens just skirted by the tall tree-tops, where the sun and moon and stars declare God's handiwork, to the third heavens,' the heaven of heavens,'

- there was the Fath

er's throne, which he had left for earth and the cross! Ah! he who wept over Jerusalem was not without grief here!