by earnest prayer to the Lord, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not: and why should they not continually say, "Lord, teach us what we should do to this child?" "How shall we order the child?"

Then, it seems, you would make the child's obedience dependent on the parent's devotion.

Not dependent; there is no dependence but on God, for this pious disposition; but it (as a means) must be greatly facilitated by a proper direction of the mind, and reference to God; and it is an arduous thing for a child to learn to honor those in whom he sees not the principle calculated to inspire him with that feeling. If you would have your children honor and obey you, you should seek to exhibit before them that which is honorable, and to lay upon them those commands which are agreeable to the mind and will of God. There is a promise to parents who so act: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Nevertheless, the duty of the child is imperious; he is to honor and obey in the Lord, as father and mother, for there is sufficient claim in all to this duty on the ground of the natural right they possess, and the natural protection they extend.

I am glad, said Mrs. Conway, you have come to this conclusion, as it brings out the practical part of the duty, and engages me more to look into the other arguments you have used.

I too am glad that you feel so engaged; but let us all recollect the faith and grace it requires to apply the precept, in hope of the promise, to a practical effect on our own heart. But we are forgetting the flight of time; we must not neglect our engagement to the young people in the other room.

CHAPTER V.

WHEN we entered the room, we found a fine assembly of children of different ages, from about six to fifteen years. They had just finished their refreshments, and were beginning to arrange themselves according to their own fancy, choosing their seats near to their own favorite companions, and it was not a little curious to see how, by this means, they had unconsciously classed themselves. They all rose at our entrance, and showed the exterior mark of respect for their seniors, whether it were prompted by innate feeling, or inculcated by education.

Welcome, my dear young friends, I said, as I approached them; but let me survey my little flock, and endeavor to know each particularly. This is the Good Shepherd's plan, as we read in the 10th chapter of John:-"I am the Good Shepherd, and I know my sheep, and am known of mine." So let us, in the name

of that Good Shepherd, know each other. I see William, and Isabella, Maria, Anna, Mary, Louisa, and her brothers Charles and George. I think too, I see all the party I invited at Mrs. Evans's, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and, besides, some countenances new to me: may I beg them to be introduced?

Mrs. Evans stepped forward, and said, These are three children of my friends, Mr. and Mrs. Graham.

So I have just nineteen. Now observe, I count you like young sheep; I know you each by name, and a shepherd always desires to keep up his flock; to lose none; desirous to give in his account, presenting them to his master. How beautiful is that assurance we have in Scripture that the Lord Jesus will keep his own. He laid down His life to keep them, and therefore He will say when He presents them to the Father, "Behold, I and the children whom thou hast given me.' "Of all that thou hast given me have I lost none.'

In His Name may we be assembled and held together, for the sacred purpose of learning how to manifest true love to Him!

This easy address calmed the agitation which was visible in some; fearing they knew not what; and those

with whom I had before been acquainted looked pleased to be thus welcomed.

In the fourteenth chapter of John, at the fifteenth verse, Jesus thus speaks to his disciples: "If ye love me, keep my commandments." With this persuasive plea, how sweet do the commandments of the Lord appear! They are thus laid by the Gospel on the basis. of love; and hard is the heart that is not sensible of the difference between this tender injunction, and that which was accompanied with such terrors on Mount Sinai, stating them as the condition of life:-"Do this and live but whoso breaketh the least of these commandments shall surely die." In the Gospel, which is the manifestation of free grace and peace, there is no condition attached to the commandments; but obedience to them is named as the proof of love to Jesus. Now, my dear Maria, does not this accord with your motto, "All for love ?"

She smiled and said, Yes.

And though you thought that "Honor thy father and mother" sounded so cold, you see it is a commandment to be kept for love.

She smiled again.

We may now turn to the twenty-first verse, and we