UNTO HIM.
"I WOULD like to have been that little boy, but Jesus isn't here any more; and I'm a girl!" Jeanie France had just been reading about the little lad who gave his loaves and fishes to Jesus, who, with them, fed five thousand people. Her mother smiled, and taking Jeanie's Bible, said,—
"Even if Jesus had staid upon the earth, he might never have lived just where we live; while now, in heaven, he hears every word we speak to him. But he knows, dear, that we would all of us like to do something for him, and so he kindly sends some one to each of us, who stands in his place."
"O mamma, tell me who stands in Christ's place for me. I'll do anything for that person." Mrs. France opened Jeanie's Bible, and read:
"And he took a child and set him in the midst of them, and when he had taken him in his arms he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me.' Jeanie, is not Paul one of such children?" Jeanie's face grew red, and her eyes filled with tears. Paul was a little orphan cousin who had lived with them for nearly a year. At first Jeanie thought it great fun to take care of little Paul, but by and by she grew tired of washing his face so often, and mending his clothes, and, only lately, her mother had heard the little girl speak sharply to little Paul.
"I never thought," she said, softly.
"Ah, Jeanie dear, we miss so much by not thinking!" and then Mrs. France put on her bonnet, for she was to spend the day at grandma's. Paul came home at noon in a great hurry for his dinner. Generally Jeanie would have teased him and kept him waiting, but she was so kind and patient that Paul did not know what to make of it. Auntie had left two little cup custards for their dessert, and Jeanie gave him the biggest!
She was so kind that when she said, "Paul, I'd like to wash your face and hands, and put on a clean collar before you go back to school," he tried very hard to stand still and not to grumble. Jeanie found it was quite a different matter to wash and dress Paul for Jesus.
She tried to be as gentle as possible, and felt so full of love and peace, that when she had tied his ribbon, she kissed him. He ran off and told Charlie Dunn that his cousin Jeanie "was as good as her mamma! "But he did not know, as we do, what kept Jeanie kind and patient:
Somebody stands in Christ's place in every home. Who is it at your house? It may be a little fretful baby, or a tired-out mother, or a sick old grandmother; but whoever it is, Jesus says to you, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Hope Ledyard.
HAVE something to love and care for. It has been wisely said, "Whatever a child takes care of, or works for, it begins to love." And "he who loves most is happiest."
