kind of character would you give his sick servant?-Texts about service.-Examples of good servants.-Examples of bad servants-Did Jesus become a servant P-Will there be service in heaven? Who were the "elders"?-What plea did they use?-Was it needed?-Can we recommend ourselves to Christ P-We should do good works, in order that we may have a good reputation-show the reality of our Christian profession-and glorify God.-Whom else did the centurion send ?-Why did he not come himself? What showed his strong faith?-Where had Jesus not found so great faith?-What did the name "Israel" commemorate P-When did Christ marvel at unbelief?-When again did He commend faith? What does the possession of great privileges prove? Why ought especially the Jews to have believed in Jesus ?-Why are you more responsible than the heathen ?-Was the servant fully restored to health ?-Why was it a very remarkable change ?-Have you believed in Jesus?-Have you sent up earnest prayers for the souls of some dear to you?

THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT.-Luke vii. 11-16.

Show from this narrative that Jesus was never tired of doing good,-Where was Nain? -Was it a large place?-Who went with Jesus? -Why did they go?-Who met Him?-Describe the ancient funeral ceremonies.-Was the

widow weeping? Show how gently Christ

worked this miracle.-Show that there was nothing like vain display.-Who, in Old Testament times, raised the dead ?-In what was their doing it unlike Christ's ?-Other instances of raising the dead. Why was the crowd astonished and

awe-struck P-What did they man by calling Christ a great prophet?-What may you learn from this narrative as to the way of doing good P

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT.-Luke vii. 17-35. Matt. xi. 20-30.

Did the news of the raising of the widow's son travel far?-What prisoner did it reach? -Why was he in prison?-Why did he send his disciples to Jesus?-Did they repeat their message quite correctly P-What reply did they receive? What is the especial privilege of the poor?-How were people offended in Christ ?— Are they so now?—What is meant by the publicans' justifying God?-The Pharisees

were

always the enemies of John.-How had they rejected God's counsel ?-How was this against themselves?-Prove that a sinner's unbelief is to his own injury.-How were the Scribes and Pharisees unreasonable ?-How did Jesus illustrate this? What may you learn from his speaking of children at play ?-Why did the Saviour reprove the cities where He had preached ?-What became of Capernaum ?-What is the sin of the world?-There are babes in grace as well as in years. Only those who have a child-like spirit can receive the Gospel.-If you want to know more about Jesus, who will reveal more to you?-How did Jesus end his solemn rebuke? Have you come to Jesus?-His service is pleasant, and his commandments are not grievous.

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT.

Quarterly Examination Questions are given in the SUNDAY TEACHER'S TREASURY.

THE MUSTARD SEED.

"THE kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; which, indeed, is the least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof."

This is one of the Lord Jesus Christ's little sermons. And what does He mean to show by the comparison which He makes? To show how the kingdom of heaven grows-that it does not stand still, but makes progress.

In hot countries, as in Judea, the mustard tree reaches a size which it never does in colder ones; sometimes large enough to allow a man to climb in its branches, or to ride on horseback under them, as a traveller in Chili mentions he had done.

In Spain, great ovens are sometimes heated with wood from it. Flocks of birds which are fond of its seeds, at certain seasons light upon its branches, and lodge beneath its shade. Thus the mustard-seed, one of the smallest of seeds, becomes a tree. In the same way Christianity was once but a little seed. It began small. Jesus Christ, its Founder, was born in a distant and despised province; his reputed father was an humble carpenter, and He lived with his parents in a very retired manner, until He was thirty years old. When He began to preach, He preached only three years, and then much in villages. He had few friends. At last He fell into the hands of wicked men, who put Him to a cruel death upon the cross, while his followers forsook Him, and fled. What could be

hoped from such a beginning? What could seem more discouraging for Christianity?

Did his death make an end of his cause? No. Soon after He arose from the dead, He reassembled his poor affrighted friends, and filled them with a courage that nothing could afterwards daunt. The Spirit of God came down. They went everywhere, preaching his kingdom. Wonderful success attended their preaching, and multitudes believed that He was the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. Christianity grew. It extended into all the neighbouring countries, and went to Greece and Rome. It branched out into Britain, and Spain, and Germany, and Norway. It spread across oceans, and is now waving its boughs all over our country. Its healing leaves have dropped on the distant islands of the sea, until by and bye it will fill the whole world. The Bible will travel into every land. The ministers of Jesus Christ will preach to every people. His truth will knock down every idolatry, and his " kingdom will come, and his will be done," throughout all the earth. Let nobody despise small small. beginnings because they are 66 'The mustard seed, though one of the smallest of seeds, grows to become one of the greatest of herbs, and becometh a tree."

In the same manner will the smallest seed of piety, dropt into the heart, spread over the whole character. The beginning may be very small, only a penitent tear, only a contrite sigh, only a broken prayer, only a heartfelt resolution, only a looking to Jesus; any of these may be the beginning of the kingdom of heaven within you, the first little seeds of piety, which will spring

up, and shoot out branches, and grow up a beautiful and blessed tree, bearing the fruit of Christian excellencies, which the Bible tells us are "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness."

People sometimes ask how we can tell whether we belong to this kingdom or not. "How can I know that I am a real Christian ?" asked a young girl of me the other day. There is a way of knowing; there is a way of distinguishing the true from the false. Are you a growing Christian? Does your piety expand? If it has not growth it is dead, for growth is a fixed law of the kingdom of God within us, as well as without us. Have you a growing love to your Saviour? A growing delight in his service? A growing obedience to his will? A growing love for prayer? A growing peace in your soul? A growing desire to be useful? Instead of falling off in some or any of these, are you making progress? If this is so, there is evidence that your religion is genuine.

Some people, not seeing the importance which God attaches to little things, think they must wait for some great occasion to become religious, or to do good. But this is a serious mistake. Do not neglect the smallest beginnings of grace in your soul. Do not despise the humblest endeavours to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not overlook little occasions to make others happy. It is only by improving these that you can improve greater opportunities. It is only by doing these that you will do more.

66

For

the mustard seed, though one of the smallest of seeds, grows to be one of the greatest of herbs, and becometh a tree."

C. P.