grace, that the little ones who read the history of His dealings with His servants in these pages, may be prepared hereafter to turn with deeper reverence to Holy Scripture itself, and to read its words, as a means of receiving the HOLY GHOST, and of being guided by Him, as members of CHRIST'S Body into all truth. WHITSUNTIDE, 1858. READINGS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE. THE CREATION. THE world we live in was not always like that we now see. There were not always towns and villages, or houses and gardens, or seas and rivers, or trees and fields, or flowers and fruits,-nor were there either men and women with their little boys and girls, or the many animals that are of use to men, like oxen and sheep, horses and dogs, birds and fishes. We know what was not, but we do not know what there was. Only we read in the Bible that once there was nothing but darkness, and then it pleased God to make what we call the world. It was made by GOD,-Three in One, the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY GHOST, OF HOLY SPIRIT, the Blessed TRINITY, not with hands, as we have to make anything we want-but B by saying, "Let it be," and this God could do, because He is GOD, and able to do whatever He pleases. First, He made the light; you are not fond of being long in the dark, and you like nice cheerful houses where there is plenty of light. It is a gift from GOD. He made the light. But He let there be some darkness still, that people might go quietly to sleep and rest, else soon they would be too tired to do any work at all. So when daylight comes, and we get up, we must thank God for the light, that we may work; and when darkness comes, and we go to sleep, we must thank God for sending it, that we may rest. But He can see us as well when it is dark as when it is light; and we need never be afraid because it is dark, though the light is pleasanter. Next, God made the sky; that beautiful blue sky which we call Heaven. Whenever you look up at the sky it should make you remember how He is looking down upon us, though we cannot see Him; and when it is all covered up with clouds we can remember how our Blessed LORD went up into Heaven in a cloud, and the Bible tells us that when He will come again to Judgment, we shall meet Him |