OUR LITTLE "DEW-DROP."

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more about the dew that sparkles on the ground for miles on these lovely mornings.

Jane-Well, father, I have often noticed that the dew seems to be everywhere; for, as I was in the garden the other morning, I saw it lying quite thick on the leaves of the sweet-brier; and then, as I passed the marigolds, I saw it there; the honey-suckle sparkled with its silver drops; and, when I stooped down to the violets on the bank, I found they had been bathing themselves in it all the night. Surely the dew seems to reach all

Father-Yes, my dear; and so do the good people who publish your little magazine, wish their DEWDROP to be found, not in one or two places merely, but to reach all the tender plants that it can. I was told that they knew it would reach to hundreds of the little boys and girls among the mountains in Scotland; and to thousands in the cities and towns. That it was expected it would reach to many a farm-house and cottage fireside in the happy homes of old England; that it would refresh many a tender plant in the thickly populated manufacturing districts, and be gladly welcomed into many a Sunday-school, But more than this, I was told there were many young folks in the north of Ireland, and some hundreds across the seas in Canada, who would be refreshed by the DEW-DROP, as they sat down in their log-hut cottages, in their forest home, or wandered by the side of the large oceanlakes of their New World. And the gentleman I spoke of, said, it gladdened him to think that, when he should be writing for the little magazine, in his quiet snug study, he should be writing what would be suitable to, would refresh and reach to young people in so many

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KINDNESS POWERFUL.

Yes, he said, I shall

and distant parts of the world. love to write, from month to month, what will be read with glee by the plough-boy in the cottage, and by the shepherd-boy on the hills; by the factory children in the towns, and the villagers in the country; by the sailor-boys in their fishing-boats on the week-day, and the thousands of Sunday-scholars in the quietness of the Sabbath-day.

And now, you see, there are at least three reasons why your little magazine is called the DEW-DROP. And I hope, my dears, you have heard enough to give you a deep interest in the little work. The gentleman who conducts it, told me that he hoped you would do all you could to get a large number circulated. He said"Tell them to think of plans for making all the boys and girls around them acquainted with it; tell them to talk about it to their school-fellows in the week and on the Sabbath; to show it to them; to ask all their young friends, Have you seen the DEW-DROP? Do you get the DEWDROP? Would you not like to take it in? it is only ONE HALFPENNY a month. Do TAKE IT."

KINDNESS POWERFUL.

A lady one day saw a carter beating a fine horse most unmercifully about the head. She spoke to him mildly, and asked him why he did so. He told her the horse would not stir a step, and had often done so in the same place; he therefore repeated the blows, but all to no purpose-the horse would not move. Then the lady advised him to try what kindness would do; to stroke the horse and coax him; but the man continued to beat the animal unmercifully, and seemed to take no notice of what she said; so she went on, for fear she should only increase the man's anger. But presently she saw him doing what she wished: he patted the horse on the neck, called him by his name, stroked him, and very soon he went on quite well. If he had always been kindly used, very likely he would not have been so obstinate.

THE PICTURE GALLERY.

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THE PICTURE GALLERY.

INTRODUCTORY LETTER.

She

BELOVED CHILDREN,-Everybody does, or ought, to love little children. Your parents love you very, very much. Your father, with his strong arm and thoughtful mind, arises in the morning to the cares and toils of the busy day, that he may provide for your many wants, because he loves you. Your mother, also-how tenderly she loves you! I cannot find words in which to convey to you a full sense of a mother's love. Ever since she first received you, a little helpless infant, from the God who gave you to her, she has loved you with untold affection. You must have perished had you not been nursed with the most watchful and untiring care. You could not even sit upright at first, much less walk, or speak to tell your wants, or even put out your hands to show what you wanted. At this time your kind mother guessed at your wants and supplied them; and she nursed you hour after hour, day after day, and month after month. When her arm was very tired, and her whole frame very weary, she still nursed on. shielded you from the cold air with the warm clothes which she had so neatly made for you. And when you were sick and in pain, then she forgot all her weariness, indeed, she almost forgot every thing but you; and yet at the same moment you have often repaid her care with passionate cries, and most wilful and wayward resistance. This is love which, I am sure, you will well understand; but oh, my dear children, this is but as a shadow to the great reality of the love of God to you. Though the love of your father and mother and brothers and sisters and friends were all heaped up together, it would be but like a grain of sand to the mighty mountain of the love of God to you. It is he who made you; your active limbs, your throbbing heart, your thinking mind, were given you by him. He formed your eye that you may look upon this beautiful world which he has made for you; your ears that you may listen with them to sweet sounds and words of wisdom; and your mouth, that you may express your thoughts with it, and

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THE PICTURE GALLERY.

speak his praise. And he has made all well and wisely, and loves you so much, and values you so highly, that he has counted every hair upon your head. No one ever loved you like this, excepting your God. But he has done much more for you than this. This is only a small portion of his love. I feel sure that when you think of this you will listen with those ears which God has given you, to all that you can hear about that greater proof of his love which remains to be told, And when from hearing about that love, you come to be better acquainted with him, that you will love him more and more because he first loved you; and use your lips in inquiring more about him, and in speaking his praise.

In order to teach you how much he loves you, he has from time to time, raised up good men, to whom he has given much instruction, and many messages for you, These he commanded his servants to write down. So now, all this instruction and these messages, are collected together and printed in one book, and that is the book which we call, The Holy Bible, or Book of books, which the word "bible" means. This best of books is filled with interesting histories for you to read, with perfect laws for you to obey, with solemn warnings for you to observe, with beautiful descriptions of the hea venly country which he has bought for you, with wonderful records of the amazing price which he has paid for it, and with kind invitations and most pressing entreaties for you to take the blessings of pardon and peace from him here, and hereafter to enjoy all that he has got laid up for you in heaven.

My dear children-I once had a little boy whose name was Bertie; some of you will have read the little book about him. He was only a few short years ago quite ignorant of God, and would have remained so, had he not been taught to know him. That same little boy is now a bright angel before

"The throne of God in heaven."

Ah, if you could only have a peep at the glories of that place, and at the beauty of the King of the place, how

THE PICTURE GALLERY.

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anxiously you would cry out-"Oh, how can I get there? show me the way, now, this very moment." And although you have not had the peep, I think you are anxious to know how you may be quite sure of getting there. I shall endeavour to show you the way in the same sort of manner in which I showed it to Bertie. My plan was very simple and easy; it was this. We got some pictures representing Bible histories; some of these we pinned within the head of the little bed where Bertie and his brother slept; others we kept close at hand, so that, at all times we might have something which was very interesting and most important, near us, to talk abont.

It is my intention, if spared, to send you a letter in each succeeding number of the DEW-DROP, descriptive of one of the pictures in our little picture gallery.

The thought arises in my mind, however, that before my next letter reaches your hand, you may be called to die-and if so, do you know the way to glory? My beloved little reader, do you know that dear Saviour who poured out his heart's blood for you? Do you yet know that your sins were the nails that pierced his hands and feet, and thus that your sins were the murderers of the Lord of life and glory? Jesus died in your stead. He bore the punishment which your sins deserved when he died on Calvary. That accursed death was suffered by him, instead of you suffering an eternal hell. You have broken the law of God when you committed the first sin: and from that moment have been in danger of losing your soul; for, if you died with that one sin unforgiven, you must have gone to that world where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. God, the God of Love, saw your danger, loved your soul with inexpressible love, though he hated your sin; and lifted the punishment off your head, and laid it upon the head of Jesus. "Behold the Lamb of God bearing the sin of the world!" and therefore thine! God tells you in the Bible that he is fully satisfied with

* Two large sheets of Scripture Plates can be had from J. Gall, North Bridge, Edinburgh. Price 6d.