As Lucy entered the garden gate, her mother's voice was heard, calling, Come, Lucy, Lucy, you must have walked very slow, or had a longer sermon than usual. I want you to take baby while I get tea." Lucy was not a very strong child, she was weary and baby was heavy and restless; and, moreover, as she laid aside her bonnet she looked wistfully at the back number of the " green book," lent to her that day by her teacher. She took baby in her arms, and sitting down in the chimney corner gave him her ticket-bag to play with, hoping thus to be enabled to read in peace, but baby would not allow this, and soon a fat little hand was stretched out towards the bright green cover. Lucy, with a sigh, closed the book, and placed it in safety, and as she did so, the lesson of the afternoon recurred to her mind. How was she doing "home work!" and the mother looked up in wonder at the alacrity with which Lucy now devoted herself to the baby, and the cheerful way in which she begged to nurse him during

tea.

The humble meal was soon over, and while her mother undressed the little one, Lucy's sisters gathered round her, asking with great eagerness to see Miss C's pretty book, and the little scholar was soon deeply engaged in reading its contents aloud, till the children's bedtime arrived, and as Lucy laid her head on her pillow, she thanked God for the Sunday School, and prayed that the lessons she learned there might be treasured up in her heart, and show forth their fruit in her daily home life.

A. L.

THE INSCRIPTIONS,

OR OLD ALLAN'S STORIES.

FROM THE GERMAN.

No. I.-The Golden Lizard.

OLD Allan Gray was a great favourite in the village where he lived, especially with the young folks. He was so cheerful and good-tempered, and had so many nice stories to tell, that it is no wonder the children loved him, and were always pleased to be with him. In the summer and autumn-time, his usual seat, during the cool of the evening, was on the trunk of an aged tree, not very far from the church, where he could enjoy the refreshing air, and think about good things, or speak a "word in season "to the neighbours as they passed by. Merry boys and girls often left their play to cluster around him, and to listen to his tales of bygone days. It was to a group of such little ones, that he once related the following stories, which he had picked up in some of his travels; for Allan, in his younger days, had been a considerable traveller.

It is the custom in Switzerland to write inscriptions, by which I mean short sentences, texts, or verses, upon the walls of the houses. At a village in Switzerland, called Lansdorff, where I was once staying, almost every house had its inscriptions.

I was so struck with some of these little sentences, that I could not help asking the villagers why they had been chosen for their houses. From the answers they gave me I learnt the pretty stories which I am now going to tell you, and I will begin with the inn where I stayed.

The inn at which I stayed at Lansdorff was called "The Golden Lizard." It was not the largest inn of the village, nor was it the one from which you get the best views of the mountains. But the people of the house were quiet and civil, the rooms were clean and pleasant, and I must confess I was partly led to stay there from a simple and pious inscription over the door which greatly took my fancy. The words were these

Oh, could we see with eyesight clear,

God's love would all around appear."

One day I could not help asking the landlady why she and her husband had chosen this pretty motto for their house? and, also, why they had fixed upon so strange a name as The Golden Lizard" for it? She told me in reply that her mother's life had once been saved by means of a lizard, and in explaining how, she related the following story.

"My mother was a widow," said the landlady. "And as we were very poor, she made out her living by gathering herbs, such as are used in medicine, and selling them for the docters' shops. One day she took my brother and myself to the ruins of the old castle yonder, where these herbs grew in plenty. It was a warm day in June, and my mother told us to go and wait for her in a little copse opposite the

castle, where she said we should find wild strawberries. We gathered a great many, and were stringing them on a long blade of grass, when we were frightened by the sight of a small reptile, such as we had never seen before, coming towards us. We ran to her in alarm, and I told her I had seen a serpent.

“No,” said my brother, "it was not a snake, but a pretty little green and gold creature.”

"It must have been a lizard," said my mother, and she went back with us to the wood to find out what it really was; but scarcely had we reached the copse, when we heard a peal of thunder, and in another moment we saw a flash of forked lightning. The next minute down with a crash went the mouldering old wall of the castle, just over the very spot where our mother had been standing! When we all got home safe after the storm, my dear mother made us thank God for sending that little lizard to draw her from the place of danger. And she taught us the two lines which are now placed over our door :

'Oh, could we see with eyesight clear,

God's love would all around appear."

J. Y.

LESSONS ON THE LIFE OF CHRIST. FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT.-Mark iii. 13-19. Luke vi. 17-20.

WHY was Jesus not now at Capernaum ?Where was He ?-Why did He ascend a mountain ?-How long did He remain there ?-Was this a solitary instance?-Who will help us in prayer?-How can we pray without ceasing?—

Can a dumb child pray ?-Do you pray ?-Mention examples of persons remarkable for private prayer. What may be supposed to be the object of Christ's prayer on this occasion ?—What occurred the next morning?-From whom were the apostles chosen ?-Why were these particular persons chosen?-What is an Apostle ?-And what is a disciple P-What three reasons were given for their ordination ?-Was Paul chosen by Christ-How might human judgment have objected to the choice of these men P-God has always chosen weak instruments.-How may this encourage you?-How can you now become the companions of Jesus ?-Does Christ promise to to meet his people now?-A spiritual or natural sight of Christ, which is better?-Did the apostles possess any power of their own? -Did Christ? Why is Simon's name mentioned first? -Which of the apostles have we met with before? Why was Judas called Iscariot ?-Was there another Judas among the apostles ?Why was Judas chosen ?-How did he deceive the other apostles ?-Did he deceive Christ ?After ordaining the apostles where did Jesus go? -What did He do ?-Whence had people come? -Why had they come ?-Why is this sermon not the one mentioned in St. Matthew's fifth chapter?

SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT.-Luke vii. 1—10.

After the sermon on the plain, where did Jesus go? Why had He left this city ?-Who met Him?-Why had they come?-What was a centurion ?-Was this man a Jew ?-Was he altogether a heathen ?-If not, what would you call him?-What kind of master was he ?-What