March 14.

If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.-1 COR. iii. 14.

Two young masons were building a brick wall,-the front wall of a high house. One of them, in placing a brick, discovered that it was a little thicker on one side than on the other. His companion advised him to throw it out.

"It will make your wall untrue, Ben," he said.

"Pooh!" answered Ben, "what difference will such a trifle as that make? You are too particular."

"My mother," replied he, "taught me that truth is truth, and ever so little an untruth is a lie, and a lie is no trifle."

"O," said Ben, "that's all very well; but I am not lying, and have no intention of lying."

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Very true, but you make your wall tell a lie, and I have read that a lie in one's work is like a lie in his character, it will show itself sooner or later, and bring harm, if not ruin.

"I'll risk it in this case,' "" answered Ben, and he worked away, laying more bricks, and carrying the wall higher, till the close of the day, when they went home.

The next morning they went to their work, when, behold, the lie had wrought out the result of all lies.

The wall, getting a little slant from the untrue brick, had grown more and more untrue as it grew higher, and at last, in the night, had toppled over.

Just so with ever so little an untruth in your character; it grows more and more untrue, if you permit it to remain, till it brings sorrow and ruin. Tell, act, and live the exact truth always.

BUILDING.

We are building every day
In a good or evil way;

And the structure, as it grows,

Will our inmost self disclose,

Till in every arch and line

All our faults and failings shine ;
It may grow a castle grand,
Or a wreck upon the sand.

Do you ask what building this
That can show both pain and bliss,
That can be both dark and fair?
Lo, its name is character.

Build it well, whate'er you do ;
Build it straight, and strong, and true;
Build it clean, and high, and broad;
Build it for the eye of God!

I. E. DIEKENGA.

March 15.

In Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, by night and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, O Lord my God, Thou hast made, Thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. Give therefore Thy

servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people?—1 Kings iii. 5, 7, 9.

HEAVENLY Father, I am a helpless little child, and Thou art our Heavenly Father. I am not a little child half as much as I should like, in truthfulness and simplicity, but I am a little child in wanting Thee,-in being able to do nothing without Thee. Not because I am childlike, Heavenly Father, but because I am helpless, help me; not because I love Thee (and yet I do love Thee), but because Thou lovest me,-because Thou diedst for my sins, help and save me.

From Diary of Kitty Trevylyan.

SOLOMON'S WISE CHOICE.

In visions of the night,

If God should speak to me,—
Should stand before my eager sight
And bid me ask what things I might,
What would my answer be?

Should I, too, have the grace
As did this one of old,

To ask,-not life and length of days,
Nor earthly power, nor human praise,
Nor shining heaps of gold?

Should I be quick to say,—
"I am a little child;
Alone, I cannot find my way;
If left alone, I go astray,

In paths of sin beguiled?''

Should I the prayer repeat,-
Thy grace, O God, impart,
Give me a temper, mild and sweet,
A spirit easy to entreat,-

An understanding heart?"'

I. N. TARBOX.

March 16.

In the multitude of words, there wanteth not sin : but he that refraineth his lips is wise-PROV. x. 19.

WE have only one mouth, but two ears; whereby nature teaches us that we should speak little, but hear much.

ZENO.

(A Greek philosopher, born in Cyprus, 355 years before Christ.)

Silence is golden. The flowers have no tongues. I do not mean that you must not talk. God has given us tongues, and means us to use them; but let the silent beauty of the flowers teach us to do all the good we can with sweetness and quiet grace.

WILLIAM BURNETT WRIGHT.

TWO AND ONE.

Thou hast two ears and but one mouth,-
Remember it, I pray!

For much there is that thou must hear,
And little say.

Thou hast two eyes, and but one mouth,—
Ponder and reason well!

Full many things thou art to see,
And few things tell.

Thou hast two hands, and but one mouth,—
Nature hath rightly done;

For she hath given two for work,

Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child—1 SAM. ii. 18.

THERE is a story of a poor, tired mother who took her three little children into a parlor-car by mistake, and was rudely driven into another car, in a way that brought smiles to some faces, but a great pity into the tender heart of a little boy. He showed his sympathy in true boyish fashion by taking some of his fruit and luncheon to the abashed little group in the common car. So sweet and gentle was the ministry of the bright-faced, beautiful boy, that one of the children asked, "Was he an angel, mamma ?”

"No, dear, but he was doing an angel's work, bless him," answered the mother.

Is there not a little bit of angel's work for each one of us, every day, no matter how commonplace the day may be? Perhaps you are not quite sure just what an angel's work is, but a little searching of the Scripture will make it clear. And, having found what the work is like, suppose we, each one, watch diligently for such pieces of it as may lie in our path.

HYMN.

God make my life a little light,
Within the world to glow,-

A little flame that burneth bright,
Wherever I may go.

God make my life a little flower,
That giveth joy to all ;-
Content to bloom in native bower
Although its place be small.

God make my life a little song,
That comforteth the sad ;
That helpeth others to be strong,
And makes the singer glad.

God make my life a little staff
Whereon the weak may rest,—
That so what health and strength I have
May serve my neighbor best.

God make my life a little hymn
Of tenderness and praise,-
Of faith, that never waxeth dim,
In all His wondrous ways.

Good Words.

March 18.

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green.-JER. xvii. 7, 8.

WE should seek to make our lives straight, and true, and healthful, and beautiful, because that is what they were meant to be; just as a tree grows upright, and broad, and leafy, because it is the natural thing for it to do. Think how deep it must send its roots to draw nourishment for all that verdure,-how wide and free its