DYING.


MOST people, children in particular, are very

 much afraid of death. There is a sting in death 

which makes it a dread to every living creature. 

That sting is not the real pain felt in dying, for 

many people die very easy, but it is the reproach

 of conscience, or the remembrance of having

 done wrong.

Very few persons like to say much about death,

it is not a welcome subject, from the fact they

 know they are unprepared. But when we 

remember that as often as the clock ticks a 

person dies, and that one-quarter of the people

 born into the world die before they are seven

 years old, this becomes a reason why children

 should often stop and think of dying. We 

sometimes meet with those in the prime of life,

 "stout-hearted," and "far from righteousness,"

 who treat it as a silly weakness to be much 

troubled with the thoughts of their final change.

 These remind us of the case of a pious king and

 his wicked brother. The king one day seeming

 very thoughtful and sad, his brother who was a

 gay young courtier, inquired the cause. "0 

brother," said the king, "I have been a great 

sinner, and know not how to appear in judgment

 before God!" His brother made a jest of it and 

tried to pass it off. The king made no immediate

 reply. It was a custom in that country, that if an

 executioner sounded a trumpet at any man's 

door he was presently led to execution. The king

 in the dead of night caused the trumpet to be

 sounded at his brother's door, who, hearing it

 and seeing the messenger of death, immediately

 sprang into the presence of the king,

imploring him to say in what he had offended.

 "Alas, brother!" said the king, "you have never

 offended me; and if the sight of my executioner

 is so dreadful to you, how shall I feel to be

 brought before the judgment seat of Christ?"

This was a good test, and well calculated to 

show the real condition of the young courtier's 

mind. Had his heart been right, with God, the 

death-notes of the trumpet would have caused 

no uneasiness in his feelings. But, children and

 youth, remember that the sentence of death has

 passed upon all mankind, and that it is the

 height of earthly wisdom to be always ready for

 our final change, for we know not the hour we 

may be called hence. May dying scenes so teach

 us to number our days that we may apply our 

hearts unto wisdom.



O. W. A.



MARY'S TWO PRAYERS.


SOME years ago a preacher was traveling in a

lonely part of Scotland, and being benighted was

obliged to stay at a house some distance from

 any village. At the hour of prayer he asked if all

 were present. "All," was the answer, " except

 Mary the servant girl; but she is such a poor 

creature that we should never think of asking 

her in." At the preacher's request, however, Mary

 was told to come in. Before he left he talked 

with her and found that she was very ignorant,

 and knew but little about God. He talked to her

 about him and his Son Jesus Christ, who died to

 save sinners, and she promised him that she

 would say a short prayer of four words every

 morning and evening, which he told her. It was

 this:" Lord, show me myself."

On his return he stayed at the same house again,

and soon missed Mary. He inquired where she

was. "Oh," said the mistress of the house, "she

has scarcely done anything but cry since you 

left, and now she is sick." He went to see her 

and found her on a sick bed, and asked her if she

 had kept her promise. "Yes sir, yes sir, and he 

has shown me myself. Oh! What shall I do?" He 

told her now another prayer of four words, to say

 as often as she chose. It was this: "Lord, show

 me thyself."

In a little while God answered this prayer

also.

A few words in close. Can you say yes to the

following question; Should death overtake me 

now should I be prepared to die? If you cannot

 you are not safe, because you cannot boast of

 the morrow. Then let me entreat of you, whose

 sins are not forgiven, that you will lose no time,

 but that you will come to God now; and depend

 upon it, that if you are sincere, and seek him 

with all your heart, he will hear and answer your

 prayer as he did Mary's.




A. COVENTRY.

Montcrey, Mick.