go

children," added he, turning to the others, and feed the young birds that were lately hatched: remember also to take some new milk to the white fawn whose mother is dead; and forget not to carry food to the fair hind which yesterday broke her leg." Some other little commands to the same purport he gave them: then waving his hand, his little flock were soon scattered over the green hills and pastures, all hastening to fulfil their various duties of love and kindness; while the good shepherd sat upon the hill, under the shade of the cedar grove, conversing with his God in holy meditation, and still watching his scattered charge as they wandered about the flowery pastures, lest some enemy should break in, and by any means hurt one of those unsuspecting little ones.

CHAPTER VI.

THEN I looked again after Humble Mind: and behold, his sisters were leading him towards the bower which the shepherd had given them. And as they walked along, they sometimes kissed each other, and sometimes questioned each other concerning the things which had happened since the day of their parting.

Now I saw, in my dream, that this bower was exceedingly lovely and fresh, shaded from the noonday sun by the tufted branches of the trees; and there was a soft bed of spring herbs, on which the little ones were accustomed to sleep. So the children broke off their conversation relating to past circumstances, in order to shew their brother such things as they loved in and near their bower. Peace shewed him a little valley adorned with lilies; and told him that, early in the morning, while the dew was upon the grass, the young fawns would come and feed among the lilies.

"Here," said Playful," you may sit in the heat of the day, and hear the voice of the turtle-dove; (Sol. Song ii. 12.) here too are brooks of water, and fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; (Deut. viii. 7.) and here are beds of spices and sweet flowers." (Sol. Song v. 13.)

Then spake Peace: "Our good shepherd tells us, that all these things were made by God for the use and entertainment of those who love him. But

there are more beautiful things than these in heaven; for he shewed me where it is written in my book-Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Cor. ii. 9.)

To this Humble Mind made answer, "O my beloved sister! let us bless the Lord at all times, and let his praise be continually in our mouths: (Psalm xxxiv. 1.) for as a father pitieth his own children, so hath the Lord pitied us." (Psalm ciii. 13.)

I beheld then, that the children sat down in their bower, and related to each other every thing that had happened to them during their separation. First, Humble Mind gave an account of himself: after which, Playful related to her brother the history of her's and her sister's pilgrimage. And thus she spake :

"When Mr. Worldly-Prudence had taken you away from us, sweet brother," said she, "Evangelist came again to us while we were crying at the door of our house, bidding us to take our books in our hands, and, leaving all, to follow him. Now our hearts clung not to our home, as in days past; for our father was gone, and our mother was gone, and you, our dear brother, had also left us: SO we followed Evangelist, who brought us from our own dwelling-place, and set us in the way where the shining light and the gate of salvation were directly before us; then bidding us hasten towards that gate, he departed.

Now we had not gone far, before we were overtaken by a young woman carrying a very little baby in her arms, and her steps were turned, like our own, towards the shining light: so she looked affectionately at us, and said, My little ones, whither are you going?' And when we had answered her, she kindly said, Come with me, my children,

and what little assistance I can afford you shall be freely given.'

So, as she hastened on, with her little one in her arms, certain idle persons, passing that way, Isaid to her, Woman, wherefore are you in such haste?'

"I am going,' she answered,' to yonder shining light, to seek admittance there of the Lord of the gate for this my little boy: for whereas, through the disobedience of his first father Adam, this my baby is counted worthy of death, I, his mother, anxiously seek for him the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby he may be rendered meet for eternal life.'

"Whereupon these strangers, being enemies of the Lord, and wishing to trouble the pilgrim, thus answered: That outward sign of the Lord's acceptance which was formerly appointed by him and administered by his servants, to wit, Baptism, hath for some time past been denied to such little ones as thine in that place, through failure of the ministers of the Lord's ordinances.'

"With that the young woman began to weep, crying out, O my Father! grant to this child admittance at thy gate: whether living or dying, make him thine own child, O my Father! my Father! I ask this inestimable favour at thy hand in my Saviour's adorable name.'

"So we hastened towards the gate," continued Playful, "where we met with no hindrance: for we were there most kindly received; after which we were washed with pure water, and clothed with white garments, and had the seal of our Lord set in our foreheads. Then did the mother of this little baby give thanks, and weep for joy.

"After leaving the gate, we came on our way, Peace and I, with the young woman and her little baby and she talked sweetly to us as we passed along, and was unto us like our own mother. And

in this manner we went on a day and a half; she from time to time kissing the little fair one who lay in her arms, and making the way pleasant with cradle-hymns and songs of praise, which she sang almost continually as we journeyed along.

"But behold, as we went on, there came after us a winged messenger, on whose brow the word Death was written. At sight of him we began exceedingly to tremble, while the poor woman pressed her baby closer to her bosom. But the messenger shewed her a token, which was a silver cord broken. And more than this, he told her that he came from God, and that these were the words which he had orders to speak in her ears- If you love this child, you will rejoice, because he is going to his Father.' (John xiv. 28.)

On hearing this she wept bitterly, and delivered her baby into the messenger's hand, saying, 'O God, take my child, and make him thine own for ever!'

The little baby smiled, and looked upon his mother, as she delivered him to the messenger; and, O! how sweet was his smile! O! how lovely was his pale face! So the messenger of God took away this little fair one, and we saw him no more."

I perceived then, in my dream, that Playful's account was for a time interrupted by her sorrow. After awhile, however, she thus continued her story.

"So we walked on weeping and mourning, till we came to this place. Here we found the good shepherd, and to him our loving companion very earnestly commended us, saying, ' Kind Sir, I beseech you, take care of these lambs, and feed them with milk till they have gained strength to continue their journey.' And with that, kissing us and blessing us, she was about to depart; when the shepherd asked her, wherefore her countenance was sad, and her eyes red with weeping?