Her aged hand on his strong young arm
She placed, and so, without hurt or harm,

He guided the trembling feet along,
Proud that his own were firm and strong;

Then back again to his friends he went,
His young heart happy, and well content.

She's somebody's mother, boys, you know,
For all she's aged, and poor, and slow;

"And I hope some fellow will lend a hand
To help my mother, you understand,

"If ever she's poor, and old, and gray,
When her own dear boy is far away.'

And "somebody's mother" bowed low her head
In her home, that night, and the prayer she said,

Was," God, be kind to the noble boy,
Who is somebody's son, and pride, and joy!"'

March 9.

As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you.-Isa. lxvi. 13.

A CHILD, speaking of his home, to a friend, was asked, "Where is your home?" Looking with loving eyes at his mother, he replied, "Where mother is."

MOTHER'S LOVE.

What is there down so deep
But mother's love will find it?

Cover it over and hide it well,

Neither with lips, nor by glances tell;
Have you a trouble? Wherever it dwell,
Mother's love finds it out.

What is there up so high,

But mother's love can share it?
All that is noble, and good, and true,-
That which enriches and blesses you,-
What you accomplish, and purpose to do ;
Mother's love shares it all.

Is anything too hard

For mother to do for you?

No, obstacles vanish, and cares grow light,
Dangers diminish, and clouds become bright,
Burdens grow smaller, and roll out of sight
For mother, when doing for you.

March 10.

Know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind.-I CHRON. xxviii. 9.

THE smallest things become great when God requires them of us; they are small only in themselves; they are always great when they are done for God, and when they serve to unite us to Him eternally.

SERVING.

A tiny shell

FRANÇOIS FENELON.

Upon the white sea-sand
Where great waves tell

Of wrecks along the strand;
No eyes may see

Its use where waters curve,
Yet, lowlily,

The Father it doth serve.

The stars of night,
Than it how far more grand!
Yet in His might

Who holds all in His hand,
That shell has place,

Or else it were not here

To yield a grace

Within its humble sphere.

A little child,

Beside the great, vast sea,
Whose billows wild

Reach to eternity,-

What can it do,

So helpless and so weak?
The ways seem few
To give Him service meek.

Oh, greater far
Than ocean in its might,
Or radiant star,

Thy soul within His sight!
With kindly deed,

And loving thoughts, to fill

Some earthly need;

'Tis thine to serve Him still!

GEORGE COOPER.

March 11.

Whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.-MARK ix. 41.

GIVE, because you love to give,—as the flower pours forth its perfume.

CHARLES Spurgeon.

SIMPLICITY.

Take, Lord, the little I can do ;
For love counts nothing small,
And lowly service serveth true
In gladly giving all.

To stay one weary heart in pain,
One cheering word to say,
To help one sufferer sing again,
Sufficeth for the day.

In simple errands, silent praise,
And pure obedience trod,

So, one by one, shall all my days

Be hid with Christ in God.

M. WOOLSEY STRYKER.

March 12.

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.— MARK XIV. 38.

"WHAT is conscience?" said a Sunday-school teacher, one day, to the little flock that gathered around her to learn the word of life.

Several of the children answered, one saying one thing, and another, another, until a little timid child spoke out :

"It is Jesus whispering in our hearts."

Happy the child who listens to the loving whisper !

THE BOY AND HIS CONSCIENCE.

Boy.

"Over the fence is a garden fair,

How I would love to be master there!

All that I lack is a mere pretense,

I could leap over the low, white fence."

Conscience.

"This is the way that all crimes commence ;
Sin and sorrow over the fence."

Boy.

"Over the fence I can toss my ball,
Then go in for it,—that is all;

Picking an apple up, under the tree,

Would not be really a theft, you see.

Conscience.

"This is a falsehood,- —a weak pretense;
Sin and sorrow over the fence."

"

Boy.

Where is the voice that speaks so plain?
Twice have I heard it, and not in vain ;
Never will I venture to look that way,
Lest I should do as I planned to-day."

Conscience.

"This is the way that all crimes commence,
Coveting that which is over the fence."

March 13.

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.PROV. xxviii. 13.

To do so no more is the truest repentance.

MARTIN LUTHER.

SORROW FOR SIN.

'Tis not enough to say

"We're sorry and repent," Yet still go on from day to day Just as we always went.

Repentance is to leave

The sins we loved before,

And show that we in earnest grieve
By doing so no more.

Lord, make us thus sincere
To watch as well as pray;
However small, however dear,
Take all our sins away.

ANN TAYLOR.