cruel to dumb animals, will he be likely, when he has grown up, to be kind and tender-hearted to his fellow-men? Will he who is unmerciful have any claim to God's mercy? What does the Bible say on this subject? "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Matt. v. 7. "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?" Luke xii. 6.

LESSON XXVIII.

The Uses and Advantages of Pain.

[Let the pupils repeat the substance of the last two lessons, before they read the following.]

58. "WELL, girls," said John Darling, "I suppose you have been so much frightened by the poor, harmless snake, that you won't want to sit down on the log again."

59. "No, no," cried Helen, cried Helen, "I think it is about time to go home. See! the sun is not a great way above the western mountains.'

60. "Well, shall we cross the river again?" said John.

61. "I don't see any use in that," said Grace. "We can reach the road easily enough by keeping on this side. Then why should we wade, or be carried across, when we can all get home dry-shod?"

62. "True," said John; "but we shall lose the handsome flowers we saw among the rocks, to say nothing of the pleasure of carrying you girls across the water."

63. "Oh!" cried Julia Brown, let us lose those beautiful flowers.

"don't

64. Grace, as a farther objection, would have urged the danger of climbing among the rocks; but, as she plainly saw that the rest of the party were bent on returning the way they came, she said not another word.

65. The girls, accordingly, were carried across the stream on locked hands, as before, and all reached the opposite side in safety, though not without a few screams, occasioned by slight stumbles on the part of the carriers. But these only served to give a zest to the affair, and occasion a hearty laugh.

66. When the party, however, came to the ravine, Grace could not help remonstrating on the folly of running so much risk for a few flowers.

67. “Oh, nonsense!" cried John; "don't you see there are bushes all over the rocks to hold on by?"

68. Grace would have answered, that the bushes themselves might give way, but she saw that it would have been too late; for John and the other boys were already scrambling half way up the precipice.

69. "See here, Grace! see here!” cried John, waving the flowers in one hand, and holding on to a bush with the other. "You see now how foolish your fears were.

70. But the triumph of John was but for a moment. For the exertion of waving his arm in token of victory, having loosened or

broke the roots of the bush by which he supported himself, he lost his balance, fell, and rolled over rocks and bushes till he reached the water's edge at the foot of the precipice.

71. Most of the girls screamed aloud when they saw the mischance which befel their companion. The boys hastened down as fast as possible. Grace alone seemed to preserve her presence of mind. The

color instantly forsook her cheeks; but, in place of screaming, or wringing her hands like the rest, she rushed through the water which extended between her and the spot where John lay, and seizing his hand exclaimed,

72. "Cousin! my dear cousin! tell me where you are hurt."

73. Do not be frightened, my dear Grace," answered John. "I am afraid my leg is broken, but I am not seriously hurt any where else."

74. As soon as the boys came near, Grace requested four of them to go to the nearest house for a settee and a mattrass or bed, on which John might be carried home. She next wet her handkerchief in the stream, and, without paying the slightest attention to her wet clothes, sat down on the ground by her cousin. Then, placing his head in her lap, she continued to bathe his temples and wrists with her wet handkerchief till the return of the messengers with the settee.

75. "Oh, pray, do be very careful how you lift him," said Grace.

76. "My dear Grace," said John, "I really wish you would go home with the rest of the girls. It pains me more than my wound does, to see you in such distress."

77. "No, no," replied Grace, "do not ask me to leave you, till you have got fairly into the hands of your mother. I cannot

possibly go away now.'

78. John being at length carefully placed on the settee, and one of the boys despatched for a doctor, his leg was set as soon as he arrived at home, and he was quickly placed in as comfortable circumstances as his situation would permit.

79. In the evening Helen and Grace Somerville were relating to their mother the events of their little excursion, and its unfortunate termination, when Helen remarked, that she had often heard the power and goodness of God insisted on, both in and out of the pulpit.

80. "But, my dear mother," said she, “if God really be so very good and so very powerful, how does it happen that there is so much pain and misery in the world? He might surely prevent it, if he be allpowerful; and he certainly would, if he were so perfectly benevolent."

81. "Think a little, my daughter," said

her mother, "and try if you cannot find a reason for it.”

82. "I have often thought of it, mother," said Helen; "but never could understand it.' 83. "It appears to me that I have a glimpse of the cause," said Grace.

84. "Do tell us then, sister, for I am sure I never could find it out."

85. "I imagine it must be to make us more careful of ourselves," said Grace.

86. "You are right," said her mother. "If it were not for pain, our bodies would be entirely destroyed long before they could attain their full growth; and now, Helen, try if you can tell me why the eye is more sensible of pain than any other part of the body."

87. "I suppose it must be because it is more valuable," said Helen. "But is there

not more pain than is necessary?"

"

88. Certainly not," replied her mother. "Don't you see, that, notwithstanding all the pain of wounds, people are continually exposing themselves to danger on the most foolish and trifling occasions?"

89. "Do you think this is the only object of pain?" inquired Grace.

90. By no means," replied her mother. "There are other important purposes that it serves. It gives occasion to firmness and resignation on the part of the sufferer, and sympathy and kindness on the part of his friends, all of which are important virtues.