In the dark night, all was still and quiet in those fields at Bethlehem, where the shepherds watched their flock and gazed up into the starry sky, waiting for the dawn.

But as they looked, suddenly they saw an angel of the Lord close to them, and a wonderful light shone all round them—such a glory as they had never seen before, even in the brightest day.

The shepherds were very frightened, but the angel spoke to them at once; and he said to them, what God says to us so many times in the Bible: "Fear not!"

You may think how anxiously the shepherds listened to the angel's words; and those words have been repeated thousands and thousands of times all over the world, and have made heavy hearts rejoice.

Listen to the angel's message: "Fear not! for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

Still the shepherds held their breath to listen, and still the glory of the Lord shone round them.

Was that all the message? What were the glad tidings which would make everybody joyful?

Ah! Here it is: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord!"

Did the shepherds turn and look eagerly towards the little village over the fields? "A Saviour? Christ the Lord?"

But hush! The angel has not finished his message: "And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And then, as if the news was too great and too glad for them to keep silence any longer, suddenly there was with the angel thousands more angels, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men!"

Then all the angels went back to heaven, and the shepherds said to each other, "Let us go, and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us."

So they ran very quickly to Bethlehem, and there, in the stable of the inn, they found Mary and Joseph, with the Holy Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in the manger!

Then the shepherds understood what the angel had meant about the "sign"; that this little Babe was the One they were looking for, and was to be the Saviour of the world.

How glad they were! They were only poor men, those shepherds, among the poorest in the land, but they had the honour of being told of God's great gift, and they had seen Him with their own eyes.

No wonder that they went out and told everybody they met that the Babe lying in the manger was Christ the Lord.

[II. "His Star"]

How happy those men look! They are pointing to a bright star, and it is one which they are very glad to see.

They have come a very long journey; and they have had to go through hot deserts where there is no water to be had.

What made them take that journey, do you think?

When people go a long way, they generally want to see some one at the end of it. And these wise men from the East wanted to see some one too.

They had come all that way to see a King! When they reached the end of their journey and got to Jerusalem, their first question was, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him."

Now Herod was the king of the Jews at that time, a king set up by the Romans; and when he heard what the wise men said, he did not like it at all.

So he inquired of the chief priests whether they knew where Christ should be born; and when he understood that God had said in the Scriptures that He should be born in Bethlehem, he sent secretly for the wise men, and told them to search for the Baby King, and when they had found Him, to let him know, and he would come and worship Him too.

So the wise men left King Herod, and when they began their journey again, lo! The star which they had seen in the East, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the dear little Baby with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him; and when they had opened their treasures—which you know the camels had brought all that way—they presented to the dear Lord Jesus gifts from their store, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Then God warned them in a dream to go back to their country another way, and not to return to Herod, who was a wicked man, and did not really want to worship the Lord Jesus at all.

Do you not think you would have liked to be with the wise men, and have found the dear little Baby, and have had the joy of giving Him gifts from your treasures?

If you say "Yes," dear children, then remember that you have a treasure which the dear Lord Jesus wants above all else—that is, the love of your heart! Do not forget that we can make Jesus glad now, by giving Him that!

[III. The Flight into Egypt]

I have told you about the wise men who saw the star of Jesus in the East, and how King Herod heard of it and was very troubled.

Herod was afraid that if the real King whom the godly Jews were expecting to come very soon should be born, he would lose his throne; so he sent for the chief priests and scribes, who knew more about the Scriptures than any one else, and asked them where Christ should be born.

They told him at once that in the book of the prophet Micah it was foretold, 700 years before, that the Ruler of Israel should be born at Bethlehem in the land of Judah.

So Herod sent the wise men to find the young Child, promising to come and worship Him too.

But the wise men were warned by God not to go back to Herod after they had seen the Lord Jesus.

Then Herod was so angry that he sent to Bethlehem and killed all the little baby boys he could find.

But God had taken care of the Lord Jesus, and before Herod's soldiers could get to Bethlehem, He was far away!

For God had spoken to Joseph in a dream, and had told him to take the little Babe, and Mary His mother, right away down into Egypt, and to stay there till He sent him word.

Joseph was a very good man, and obeyed God in all things.

When the Angel told him to go down into Egypt, he arose at once, and set out in the night with Mary and the Babe on their journey.

By and by, when the wicked King Herod was dead, God sent an angel again to Joseph, and told him to take the little Child and His mother back to Palestine, directing him to go to Nazareth, so that the words of the prophet might be fulfilled: "He shall be called a Nazarene."

So Joseph and Mary left Egypt and came back to Nazareth, "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my Son."

We must never forget, children, that Jesus is the Son of God! He became a little child, and lived on earth as a man, in order that He might die for us; but after His death on the cross, He rose from the grave, and went back to heaven, and there He is now, ready to help us at any moment when we speak to Him. He is alive for evermore!

Nazareth was not a very good place, but the Holy Child Jesus was brought up there for thirty years. He, who did no sin and was pure and good, lived in the midst of sinful people, so that He might be a holy pattern to all of us—showing that we may be good with God's help wherever we are!

[IV. Found in the Temple]

It is nice to think that the dear Lord Jesus was a boy, just the age that you little boys and girls are to-day.

And in His holy and blameless life, while He lived on this earth, we have the great Example of how we ought to live too.

The Jews went up to Jerusalem to worship at the Passover Feast every year, and when Jesus was twelve years old, Joseph went up to worship as other Jewish men did, and the mother of Jesus went too.

A number of other people from the country villages travelled together, so that there was a very large company.

When they all set out to go home again, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, and His mother and Joseph went a day's journey before they found out that He was not with the rest of the travellers.

But when they could not find Him, they turned back again to Jerusalem, and looked for Him for three whole days.

LISTENING TO THE LEARNED MEN AND ASKING THEM QUESTIONS.

At length, they found Him in the Temple of God, listening to the learned men and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and His answers.

Then His mother told Him how she and Joseph had looked for Him so long. And He gave them that gentle answer which, from the Son of God and the Son of man as He was, meant so much, "How is it that you looked for Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

He was speaking of His Heavenly Father, and of the glorious and loving work which He had come on earth to do.

His mother Mary thought a great deal about His sayings, and though she could not fully understand all that was going to happen, she watched her gentle Son with ever-increasing wonder and love, as she saw His obedience and wisdom, and how He grew towards manhood, loved and praised by all who knew Him.

To all children, just growing out of children into boys and girls, our blessed Lord's obedience comes as a great encouragement.

The Bible says He was "subject" to His parents; that means that He was always ready to obey in His earthly home, and to live a quiet life in a carpenter's shop in the lowly town of Nazareth!

[V. At Jordan]

John the Baptist had been sent by God to baptize the people for the remission of sins, and to tell them that the Lamb of God who was to "take away the sin of the world" was soon coming to live among them, and to be their Saviour.

"And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth . . . and was baptized of John in Jordan."

"And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and there came a voice from heaven, saying, 'Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'"

"And John saw, and bare record, that this is the Son of God."

So now we know, children, what was happening all those eighteen years at Nazareth, while Jesus grew from a boy into a man.

The people at Nazareth were offended at Him, when, after His baptism, He began to go about the country healing the sick, and teaching the people about God; and they said, scornfully, "Is not this the Carpenter?"

But God gives us the whole history of those eighteen quiet years in one sentence—

"This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!"

When John saw Jesus coming to him to be baptized, he had exclaimed,—

"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!"

And two of his disciples, hearing him speak, turned and followed Jesus.

May we hear those blessed words, and follow Him too!

[VI. "Nazareth where He was brought up"]

When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He lived among men for thirty-three and a half years.

We have in the New Testament only little glimpses of His life during the first thirty years.

First as a little baby; then, as a boy of twelve, we see Him journeying to Jerusalem to be present at the Passover Feast, and we are told that when He returned home to Nazareth He "was subject" to His mother and Joseph, and obedient to them in all things.

FOUND IN THE TEMPLE.

Here for eighteen quiet years Jesus lived learning the trade of a carpenter, and working with His own blessed hands, making the simple things that were used by the country people around Him—seats, and tables, ploughs, and yokes for oxen.

Is it not nice to think that Jesus knows all about making yokes!

Do you not remember afterwards, how He said, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of ME . . . for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light"?

So children, Jesus knows exactly all about the weight of "the yoke" you may have to bear. Everybody has some trial or burden; but Jesus says, if you will come to Him, the yoke He has made for you will be light.

I like to think that when He made yokes for the oxen, He made them as comfortable and easy and light as they could possibly be made, so that no rough edge should gall the patient animal as he pulled the heavy plough!

When Jesus was thirty years old, all the wonderful things began which we read of in the Gospels.

His first public appearance was when He came to John the Baptist to be baptized by him in the river Jordan, which we shall read about on the next page.

Soon after this He began His public ministry.

One Sabbath day, He went to the synagogue as was His custom, and stood up to read from the Holy Book.

The servant or attendant gave Him a roll of the Prophet Isaiah, and, when He had found the place, He began to read.

And what do you think the Son of God, the Saviour of the World, read to explain His great mission?

He read: "The Lord . . . hath anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted; to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised."

He comes to each one of us first of all with the promise of forgiveness. His name means that!

"Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins."

[VII. The Well at Nazareth]

In the story belonging to the last picture, we heard how God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream, and told him to take the Lord Jesus and His mother away from Egypt, and to go back to their own city, Nazareth.

Our next picture is of the public well at Nazareth, where people even to this very day go to draw all the water which they want.

For you know, children, that water is not "laid on" in eastern countries, but has to be fetched from long distances in jars or skins.

The women and children generally do this; and the Lord Jesus when He was a little boy must have gone daily to this well with His mother, keeping her company in the long hot walks to and fro, and helping her to carry the jars of water back to their home.

If you were to go to Palestine, the land where Jesus lived, you would see (besides, the women who come to the wells) the water-carriers, who have large pig-skins supported by straps to their shoulders.

These they fill with water, and tie up the neck securely with a string; and then they carry the heavy skin to the next town or village; and as they go along they call out—

"Ho! Thirsty ones, come and buy water! Here is water! Do you want to buy it?"

Then the people who have any money to spare, and who do not want to walk the long distance to the well, come out to the water-carriers and have their jars filled and pay for it.

Do you remember what God says about that in the 55th chapter of Isaiah?

"Ho! Every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money come and buy. Yea, come and buy wine and milk without money and without price."

Ah, children, God gives us His gifts without money and without price! The "Living Water" which Jesus promises, we have only to ask of Him and we shall be given it.

For Jesus is the Living Water Himself, and those who drink of that water and have Jesus in their hearts, will find that He makes them happy, and that having Him for their Saviour they have all they need!

We read of many wells in the Bible, and some of them are to be found now.

There is "Jacob's Well," where Jesus promised the Living Water to the woman of Samaria; and there is this well at Nazareth, which is called "Mary's Well" now, because people feel sure that Mary, the dear mother of Jesus, must have drawn water at it when she lived at Nazareth.

It is nice to think that the feet of Jesus as a little child walked along those roads; that His eyes rested on those very hills that surround Nazareth; that He picked some of the countless flowers that grow all over the fields and make a carpet of beautiful colours such as we never see here.

This was the home of Jesus all the time He was a child; and here He lived every day, and watched Joseph at his work in his carpenter's shop. It was here that He lived an obedient, dutiful life, and grew in favour with God and with men. It was here He pleased His Heavenly Father in all things.

It is a nice thought, children, that whatever age you are, He was just that age too; so that He knows what children's feelings are, and all their little trials or joys or temptations.

He lives in heaven now, it is true, but He is ready to help you if you look up to Him.

I do not mean looking up with your eyes, but with your heart and your thoughts.

Just a little word or two spoken in Your heart will bring help from Jesus!

A little prayer of three words has made many a person happy when he was miserable before.

"Lord help me!" or "Lord save me!" will bring Jesus near in a moment; and He does help and save!

[VIII. At Bethany]

There seems to have been one home especially where the Lord Jesus loved to visit.

We hear a great deal about the people who lived in this home, perhaps more about them than any other of the friends of Jesus.

Their names were Lazarus, Martha and Mary.

One day the Lord Jesus was going about healing the sick, and teaching people about His Heavenly Father, and in His journey He came to the village of Bethany, where Martha and Mary and Lazarus lived.

Martha was a very industrious, energetic woman, and when she saw Jesus and His disciples coming, I dare say she ran out to meet them, and invited them into her house to have something to eat.

She bustled about and spread the table; she told her servants what to bring to set before the large company who had suddenly come to her; and with joyful willingness she hurried to put before them whatever she could think of to make them welcome.

Suddenly her eyes fell upon her only sister, Mary. She was not bustling about and getting the dinner ready; she was sitting near Jesus, eagerly listening to His words, and satisfied to be in His presence.

Poor Martha! She loved to hurry about and make Jesus welcome, but to have her sister sit idle and enjoy to hear Him talk, was more than she could bear.

So she got quite cross and vexed. She felt that it was too hard; and she ran to Jesus and asked Him how it was He did not care that Mary had left her all the work to do alone, and begged Him to bid Mary come and help her.

And then Jesus turned to her and said those gentle words which have been a lesson to busy, bustling people all these hundreds of years: "Martha, Martha, you are too much troubled over these many things; only one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen the good part which shall never be taken away from her."

SHE WAS NEAR JESUS, EAGERLY LISTENING.

Do you ask, children, what that one thing is?

It is learning of Jesus, and hearing His voice.

Even if everything else is lost to us, if we have Jesus we can be happy. Even the poorest and most wretched person in the world, who has heard the voice of Jesus, has the "one thing" which will make him happy here, and will give him endless joy by and by.

[IX. The Temptation]

Directly after the Lord Jesus had been baptized, and God had spoken out of heaven saying He was His beloved Son, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.

Perhaps you ask, dear children, "Why must Jesus, the Holy One, be tempted by Satan?"

I think it was for two reasons: that He might be our perfect example in everything; and that He might show us the way to conquer Satan.

It says in the Bible Jesus was tempted in all points like we are!

One of Satan's temptations to Jesus in the wilderness was "if He was the Son of God," to make the stones into bread.

Jesus was very hungry, He had not had food for a long time; but Jesus would not do what Satan asked Him. He said to Satan, that it was written in God's word "that men were not to live by bread alone," but to please God first of all.

You will understand His wonderful answers to Satan's temptations as you get older. But you can remember this now—If Satan tells you to do wrong, tell him boldly in return, that "Jesus is your Saviour, and He died to save you."

It says in the Bible, "His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins," and if you say to Satan the one word "Jesus!" you will find that he runs away.

[X. The Deep Well]

Jesus was taking a long journey. He had to walk many, many miles, and at last, when He came near a large town called Samaria, He sent His disciples on in front to buy food.

He was very tired, and while He waited for them, He sat down to rest by the well which, hundreds of years before, Jacob had dug, which has been called ever since Jacob's Well.

Presently a woman from the town came with her pitcher to draw some water. As it was twelve o'clock in the day, the sun Was very hot, and the dear Lord Jesus was very thirsty.

When the woman came close to the well, He asked her to give Him some water to drink. But she was so busy with her own thoughts, that she told Him she was surprised that He should ask her for anything, as the Jews were not friendly with the people of Samaria.

Jesus did not answer that; for His loving heart knew all about her, and how she needed a Saviour to save her from her sins.

So He said to her something like this—

"If you knew what a wonderful gift God has to give you, and Who it is that has asked you to give Him drink, you would have asked Him instead, and He would have given you living water."

The woman could not understand this at all. She saw that Jesus had nothing to draw with, and she knew that Jacob's Well was very deep. What could He mean by living water?

Then Jesus told her that if any one came to Him for this living water, he would never be thirsty again, but would have everlasting life!

The woman began to think that it would be very nice not to be thirsty any more, so she asked Jesus to give her this water; but she did not know that she was talking to the Son of God, Who gives the Holy Spirit; she only thought of her many hot journeys to and from the well.

And now the Lord has to show her that it is something much better than real water that He wants her to have. He explains to her that she is a sinner, and He tells her so much about her past life, which she thought nobody knew, that she begins to guess that Jesus must be the Christ whom the Jews were expecting to come into the world.

Then Jesus said, "I, that speak unto thee, am He."

The woman was so surprised, and so glad, that she left her waterpot and ran back to the town to tell her neighbours all about her wonderful Saviour.

So numbers of them came out to find Jesus, and many believed on Him, not only because the woman had said that Jesus had told her all that ever she did, but because they heard from His own loving lips the words which brought them everlasting life.

[XI. "Suffer Little Children to come unto Me"]

A number of people are pressing round the dear Lord Jesus!

The mothers have heard how kind He is, and how He is doing good to everybody who comes to Him, and they are anxious that their little ones shall be blessed too.

So they take their babes in their arms, and their toddling children by the hand, and lead them to where they know the Lord Jesus is.

When the little ones see His loving face, they are not a bit afraid. They run to Him, sure that He will not refuse them, and when they come to Him, Jesus takes them up in His arms, puts His hands upon them, and blesses them.

The men who are following the dear Lord Jesus, think that the little children will be a trouble to Him, so they tell the mothers to take the little ones away; but we read that Jesus was much displeased, and said, "Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Yes, Jesus said, when He was here walking about in our world, "Let the children come unto Me, and do not forbid them"; and now He is gone to be with His Father in heaven, He says just the same to all of you little ones. "Come to Me!" He says every day.

He is here in spirit, just as much as He was then, and He wants you to love Him with all your loving little hearts.

He loves you so much that He cares about everything that happens to you. He cares whether you are happy, He is sorry if you are naughty, and He is glad when you are good. He loves to have you do anything to please Him, and His dear eyes see you all day long, and He will help you to please Him if you ask Him.

Besides all this, the Lord Jesus has died on the cross, to bear the punishment of your sins, instead of you.

Should you not think it very kind if a little brother were to offer to be punished instead of the one who had done wrong?

That is what Jesus did. He took upon Himself the sin of the whole world, that whoever trusts Him and comes to Him, may be forgiven, and may go at last to live with Him, and with God our Heavenly Father, in that bright and beautiful home which He is getting ready for all who love Him.

Perhaps you ask, "Why does Jesus want you to come to Him?"

When you have been naughty and are sorry, why does mother hold out her loving arms to you?

Is it not that you may run into there and be forgiven and comforted? Is it not because she loves you?

Does she not wipe away your tears, and tell you that she will not think of your fault any more?

Does she not take you with her about the house, or in the garden, and show you by her manner how glad she is that you have come to her for forgiveness, and that you are going to try to do better?

Well, that is just a little bit like the love of Jesus.

He wishes you to come to Him, that you may have happiness and joy.

He wants you to live with Him all day long, and walk about by His side; to go to Him in every trouble; to ask His help in anything difficult.

You cannot see Him yet, but He is close to you all the time, and He can see you and hear you in an instant when you speak to Him.

By and by He will give you endless pleasures at His right hand for evermore.

"Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child;
Pity my simplicity,
Suffer me to come to Thee.
"Fain I would to Thee be brought,
Blessed Lord, forbid it not:
In the kingdom of Thy grace
Give a little child a place."

[XII. "Follow Me"]

Soon after Jesus had chosen Peter and James and John as His disciples, He was walking near the lake of Gennesaret when He saw Matthew sitting at the place where the people had to pay taxes.

For Matthew was not a fisherman, like the others, but was a taxgatherer employed by the Romans to collect money from the Jews.

These taxgatherers were very much disliked, as they often took more money than they ought, and kept it for themselves, so that the Jews hated them and dreaded to see them coming.

But the Lord Jesus chooses disciples from all sorts of people. He does not wait till we are good, to call us to follow Him; but He says to us, just where we are, at school, at work, at play, in the street, in the home, in the shop, "Follow Me."

And these words mean, "Keep close to Me, where you can see Me and speak to Me. And if you keep close to Me, by and by when I lead the way into My glory in Heaven, you, if you are following Me, shall come with Me and share all I have."

So Jesus called Matthew the publican; and Matthew heard His call, and rose up, and left all and came after Jesus.

Dear children, if we hear Jesus calling us, let us leave behind anything that would displease Him, and tell Him we are ready to follow Him wherever He may lead.

[XIII. Lazarus]

Not so very long after the supper where Martha had served, her brother Lazarus fell sick and died.

We are told that "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus," and yet He let him die!

Ah, how often have those whom Jesus loves, to trust Him through the very hardest thing that could happen to them!

Jesus was not there when Lazarus fell ill, and though they sent to Him to tell Him, He did not go to them at once, but stayed where He was for two more days. In the meantime Lazarus died, and was buried.

At length Jesus told His disciples that He would go to Bethany.

When they got near to where Lazarus lived, Martha heard that Jesus was coming, and hurried out to meet Him with the words, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give it to you."

Then Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise again; and Martha showed her faith in answering that she knew he would rise at the last day. And again Jesus questioned her with these wonderful resurrection words, "Whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

And Martha gave one of the most wonderful answers that we read in the Bible: "Yea, Lord: I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."

Blessed Martha! She had found the one thing needful!

So by and by they come to Bethany, and Jesus sent for Mary to come from the house of mourning to Him.

And Mary's first words were the same as Martha's, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not died."

Oh, the compassion of Jesus! He knew that soon their sorrow would be turned into joy, but when He saw them all weeping. He was very troubled, and wept too.

And so they come to the grave; and Jesus told them to take away the stone. The Martha reminded Him that Lazarus had been dead four days.

But Jesus answered her, "Did I not say to you, that, if you would believe, you should see the glory of God?"

And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me . . . that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me."

And then He called with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" And the dead man came forth, bound with graveclothes and Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

Oh, how happy those sisters were! Did not Martha, indeed, see the glory of God, as Jesus had said?

[XIV. The Widow's Mite]

One day, very shortly before our dear Lord was crucified, He was teaching in God's Temple at Jerusalem and preaching the gospel.

He had been warning the people against the scribes, who loved to seem very good and to be thought well of, who chose the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts, who made long prayers for a show, and who oppressed poor widows and took away their houses.

The Lord looked straight into people's hearts, and He could not bear for the scribes to seem very good outside and to be very wicked inside!

Jesus was sitting near the treasury, which was the chest or receptacle in which the people put their offerings of money for God's service.

After He had been speaking about those scribes that oppressed the widows, He raised His eyes and saw the people casting their gifts into the treasury; and many that were rich cast in much.

JUST THEN A POOR WIDOW DREW NEAR.

And just then a poor widow drew near, and she put in two mites, which make a farthing.

Jesus saw it all! He could see into her empty pocket; He knew all about it!

Then He called His disciples to Him and said to them, "This poor widow has cast more in than all the others who have cast into the treasury: for they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living!"

There is another widow we read of, who gave all her living to God! The account is in 1 Kings xvii. God sent the prophet Elijah to her in a time of famine. When he got to where the widow lived, he found her gathering a few sticks to make a fire to bake the last bit of bread that she had!

So Elijah called to her to fetch him a little water. He was nearly dying of thirst, and as she ran to fetch it, he begged her also to bring him a morsel of bread too.

But she told him that she only had a tiny bit of meal left in the barrel, and a little oil in a cruse, and this she was going to make into a little cake for her and her son, and when they had eaten that, she said, they must die!

But Elijah said some words like these to her: "Fear not . . . make me a little cake first, and bring it to me . . . for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, You shall always find a little meal in the barrel, and a little oil in the cruse as long as the famine lasts!"

And she believed God's promise, and went and did as Elijah had said; and she and Elijah and her son had enough to eat for many days.

[XV. "Do this in Remembrance of Me"]

Very soon after this, just before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that the hour had come that He was to die, and to go back to His Father, He wished to do one last act of love to His disciples, because "He loved them to the uttermost."

And supper being ended, Jesus rose up and taking a towel He poured water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of His disciples.

This astonished them very much, and when it came to Peter's turn, he said, "Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?"

Then Jesus said to him something like this, "You cannot understand what I am doing now, Peter, but you shall understand by and by."

But Peter said to Jesus, "Thou shalt never wash my feet!"

And Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, Peter, you have no part with Me."

So Peter at last let Jesus wash his feet; but he asked Him to wash his hands too, and his head. I think he meant that he wanted to be made wholly clean!

Jesus is our perfect example, and though He was their Lord and Master, He did for them what was the office of the servants in the East, that they might hereafter remember that there is no act, however lowly, that they should be unwilling to perform for one of His disciples.

This loving example has helped thousands of the followers of Jesus to go into prisons and hospitals; or to minister to the sick in crowded, wretched rooms, where dirt and misery abound; that they may brighten and cleanse them, and bring a little, to the poor suffering inmates, of that love of Jesus which loves to the uttermost, and "is able to save to the uttermost, those that come unto God by Him."

* * * * * *

And now the hour for the Passover Feast had come, and Jesus sat down, the twelve apostles with Him, and He told them that with a great desire He had longed to eat that Passover with them before He suffered.

Dear children, you have often heard of the Communion of the Lord's Supper, and some of you may have been with your parents, and may have seen it.

But now I am going to tell you about the first time the Lord's Supper was held.

Ever since that time for nearly nineteen hundred years, the people who love the Lord Jesus have met together "to remember Him" as He told them; and those who love Him are told to do this, till He comes back again to take us to His heavenly home.

Sunday stories

SUNDAY STORIES