was very angry, and asked who had done it. Nobody spoke. Then his father said, "George, did you cut this tree?" George waited a minute, and then ran to his father, bursting into tears, and cried out, "Father, I cannot tell a lie. I cut the tree." His father was so glad that his son had told the truth, that he said he would rather lose all the trees in his garden, than hear him tell one lie. This little boy afterwards became a very great man.

WHERE shall liars have their part?

What does St. Paul say about speaking the truth? Who was Gehazi?

What did he tell?

What led Gehazi to tell a lie ?

What is covetousness?

How was Gehazi punished?

What is the leprosy ?-The leprosy is a disease which makes all the skin white like snow, and it can never be cured.

Who will help you to tell the truth?
How can you get God's help?

EVIL SPEAKING.

THERE is an old rule, which is a very good one, "Never to say behind the back what you would not say before the face." If this rule was observed, how many ill-natured things would not be said. I am afraid you often say things about other people, which you would not like them to hear; but you should remember, that though they may not know how you speak of

them, every word you utter is heard by God. But is God angry when we speak about other people's faults? Yes; it is contrary to his will: for it is written in the Bible, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren," James iv. 11. Whenever we do what the Bible forbids, we make God angry.

But if we inquire into those feelings which lead us to speak of the faults of others, we shall not wonder that it is displeasing to God. Sin is very hateful to God; the least sin is very displeasing in his sight. But how different are those who can take pleasure in speaking of sin, and who think that it is amusing to find out the faults into which other people have fallen! They surely do not hate sin as they ought to do, or they would be much grieved to hear or to speak of it.

Another bad feeling which gives rise to evil speaking, is uncharitableness. If we loved our neighbour as we ought to do, we should be much grieved at his faults; and, instead of talking about them, and letting every one know them, we should try to hide them. Though God hates sin, he pities sinners, and has sent his Son to save them. If we are like our heavenly Father, we too shall be sorry for those who do wrong: we shall try to improve them; and, above all, we shall pray earnestly to God to forgive them, and turn their hearts.

St. Paul tells us that charity "thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth," 1 Cor. xiii. 5, 6. Let us pray that God would pour into our hearts, "that most excellent gift of charity."

Pride is another source of evil speaking. People seldom speak of the faults of others, without a secret feeling of pleasure at their own fancied goodness. They compare themselves with those whom they blame, and are proud to think that they are free from their faults; while they forget that they may have committed worse things themselves; and that the pride which makes them speak ill of others, and think well of themselves, is particularly hateful in the sight of God.

People often excuse themselves for speaking ill of others, by saying, " It is all true; it is only what he deserves." But, even if it is so, that is no excuse. Would you like to have your faults talked about, though perhaps you also deserve it? Would you think it kind and brotherly in any one to do so? Now, why do you care so much more about your own character than about your neighbour's; but because you have an ill-will to your neighbour, compared to the good-will which you have to yourself. But this is not according to the rule of our blessed Saviour: he said, 66 As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise," Luke vi. 31. This is a golden rule; pray to God to write it on your heart. It is the heart that must be changed, and then the tongue will speak according to it. For what must that heart be, where such proud, unkind, and spiteful feelings dwell? It is not like the mind of Christ. Surely, it needs to be changed. These bad feelings must be turned out, and the law of love must be written upon it by the Spirit of God; for he alone can do it. Pray, then, for the help of

that blessed Spirit: he will make you feel how Christ has loved you, and died for you. And then you will both love the Saviour, and you will also love your brethren; for Christ has loved them, and he died for them as well as for you.

WHAT is the old rule about speaking of others? What is the first bad feeling which is shown by evil speaking?

Does God think lightly of sin?

How would charity, or love, make us think of the faults of others?

What can we do for those who sin?

Tell me another cause of evil speaking.

What is Christ's rule about our duty to others?

What must be changed.?

What will be right, if the heart is holy?

Who can write the law of love on our hearts?

Why should we love our brethren ?

Who are our brethren?

Who is the Father of us all?

FRANKNESS AND TRUTH.

It is a bad sign in any person, and especially in the young, to be very anxious to cover their faults, and to defend themselves when they are reproved. I know some of the young, who turn sulky when a fault is pointed out to them: they pout their lip, and hang their head; not from shame, but from bad temper. I know some others, who always try to take the blame from themselves, and cast it upon their companions. This was one of Adam's sins in the garden of Eden, when the Lord spoke to him

for eating the forbidden fruit; he answered, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat," Gen. iii. 12. When the Lord then spoke to Eve, she, in the like manner, did not confess her fault, but blamed the serpent: "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat,' ver. 13. Now, this was very

wrong.

66

I will now relate a story I have read, of a girl, whose name we will here call Sarah: she had a brother George, and sister Mary. They were one day playing in the parlour, when their mother entered, and exclaimed, What an untidy room you have made, children!" Sarah immediately called out, "Why, it was Mary who took down every one of these books; I did not touch one of them; and George tore up that paper into little bits, and threw it on the floor. I could not help it. I told them not to do so." Now, this might all be true; but was it kind in Sarah to tell tales of her brother and sister? Her mother then said, "You are the eldest; I have always desired you to keep a tidy room: take up all the books and paper, and put them in their proper place." Sarah moved to obey, but not with a willing step; she just crawled about the room, and in a low grumbling voice, said, "Well, Mary has been cutting papers too; they are more than half hers:" instead of stooping at once to pick them up.

We must all allow, that the temper Sarah showed here was not amiable. She had helped to make the room disorderly, and ought at once to have minded her mother's bidding, without