that night; but the angels knew, and sang for joy, and the shepherds rejoiced when they had found the baby, and Mary was glad that such glory had come to her.

And when they (the wise men) were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him; and when they had opened their treasures they presented unto Him gifts; gold and frankincense and myrrh.-MATT. ii. 11.

THE wise men, in their Eastern home saw a bright star in the sky which guided them to the child. It was a long journey for these men, and I am sure every night they must have looked carefully for the star to be certain they were going right. At last, they came to Bethlehem, and, lo, the star stood over where the young child was. Can you think how glad they were to find the Christ? And they poured out the gifts which they had brought,— treasures of gold, and sweet spices, and fragrant gums from lands far away. Can you bring any gifts to Him, like the wise men? The treasures you can bring are prayer and praise, and the loving service of a willing heart.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb ;
If I were a wise man,
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI.

December 28.

And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.-MATT. viii. 20.

Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour.-ACTS v. 31.

And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. -I JOHN V. 14.

CHRIST loves us so much that He died to save us, and having loved His own, He loves them unto the end. If He so loves us, can He ever forget us? No: He watches over us and listens to our prayers, ready to help us in every time of need.

CHRISTMAS.

Do you think, dear little children

That the day of the Saviour's birth,—
The happy Christmas-day, is kept
In Heaven, as well as on earth?
Do you think that while the echoes
From the harps of glory ring,

He bends His ear to listen

To the song which the children sing?

Does He think of His life in the earth-land,—
Of His lowly manger-bed,

How He wandered lone and weary

With no place to lay His head?
In all the fair homes of Judea,
He could claim no little spot;

And, saddest of all, He came to His own,
And His own received Him not.

To-night, He is King of glory,
And over all the earth,
The nations hail with rejoicing
The day of the Saviour's birth ;—
In lofty and grand cathedrals,
In chapels by the way,
Thousands of happy voices sing
The angels' song to-day.

And He always listens kindly
Wherever His children be;

He bends His ear to earnest words
Of prayer from you or me.
To the words of Holy Scripture
From the lips of a little child,
He lovingly answers,-"Blessed
Are the pure and undefiled."

December 29.

Let no man seek his own, but each his neighbor's good. -I COR. X. 24.

A LITTLE girl and her brother went on an errand one cold frosty morning. They were dressed very thinly, and the little girl's coat was too short and too small; but, as they walked briskly along, she drew the curlyhaired brother close, and said merrily: "Johnnie, come under my coat; you look shivery."

"It isn't half big enough for me too," said Johnnie. "Oh, I guess I can stretch it a little." And, with a tremendous jump and pull, she tucked the little head inside the scanty coat, and they put their arms around

one another, and grew warm and cozy as two birds in one nest. How many coats have we to "stretch a little," at the beginning of the new year, I wonder !

MARGARET SPENCER.

A SUGGESTION FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Suppose we think little about "Number One;"
Suppose we all help some one else to have fun ;
Suppose we ne'er speak of the faults of a friend,
Suppose we are ready our own to amend ;
Suppose we laugh with and not at other folk,
And never hurt any one, "just for the joke;
Suppose we hide trouble, and show only cheer,-
'Tis likely we'll have quite a "happy new year!
MARY MAPES DODGE.

December 30.

If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask Him.-MATT. vii. II.

As the old year goes and the new year comes, what "good things" shall we ask of God for our loved ones?

LITTLE SERVANTS.

Two little eyes,
Blue,-blue,-

Blue as the azure deep of the skies,-
Now so roguish, now wondrous wise,

Solemn and funny, all in a twink,
Changing and changing with every wink,

What shall we ask for these little eyes?

Open them, Lord,
To see, in Thy word
Wondrous things;
Light them with love,
And shade them above

With angels' wings.