CHILDREN AND TREETOADS.
WHEN I was a small boy, I heard a minister say, "Children are like little tree toads." I wondered what he could mean by such words as these, for I could see no likeness between children and tree toads. "It is said, "remarked the minister," that the tree toads became the color of the bark of whatever tree they are on." And he said, "Boys and girls are like them in this way; they partake of the habits of the children with whom they keep company. If they play with bad children, they will be likely soon to form the same bad habits which they practice." How true were his words!
IT takes two to make a quarrel, and two to keep it going; it only needs one to end it.
A LEARNED writer says of books: "They are masters who instruct us without rods or ferrules, without words or anger, without bread or money.
If you approach them, they are not asleep; if you seek them, they do not hide; if you blunder, they do not scold; if you are ignorant, they do not laugh at you."
SEE that the feelings, thoughts, actions of each hour are pure and true; then will your life be such. The wide pasture is but separate spears of grass; the sheeted bloom of the prairies but isolated flowers.
THE WIDOW'S MITE.
AMONG the appropriate things placed in the beautiful temple built by Herod, which was standing in Jerusalem in our Saviour's time, were the treasure chests, with large, bell-shaped mouths, into whichpeople cast their offerings for benevolent purposes when they went up into the temple to worship.
Jesus sat one day near these chests, and saw the people making their contributions. Many who were rich gave large sums. Perhaps some of them were pleased to hear the jingling coins go rattling down into the chests, and others were glad to have people see them give liberally, and, no doubt, some were astonished to hear Jesus say, when the poor widow came along and dropped in two mites, worth about one-fifth of a cent, that she had given more than all the rest. It was more to her, for it was all that she had. The rich could give large gifts without feeling it, but the little that she gave was "all her living," and her love must have been great, or she would never have made such a gift.
God values our gifts to him according to the love we have in our hearts.
The Myrtle.