of Joseph by a previous marriage; for he was a widower when he took Mary to wife. Others think they were cousins. Both proceed on the assumption that Mary ever remained a Virgin. The former supposition is most generally accepted.

These friends thought He was going too far in His discourses, and wished to check Him. He had always been an obedient and affectionate son, and continued so to the last; on the Cross caring for His beloved mother. But He ever remembered the higher relationship, and that "He must be about His Father's business."

His disciples are His spiritual family -mother, brothers and sisters.

In order to do the will of God, it is necessary first to become a child of God. Adoption and grace lead to obedience; and this is the test of discipleship and of sonship, and of brotherhood with Christ.

FATHERS.

Rabbi Schimon said, "There are three crowns the crown of the law, the crown of the priesthood, and the crown of the kingdom; but the crown of a good name is better than all."

Rabbi Nehorai said, "Flee to a place where the law is respected, and do not say that it will follow thee; for thy companions will establish it for thee. Do not lean on thine own understanding."

Rabbi Jannai said, "We are not able to explain the prosperity of the ungodly, nor the chastisement of the righteous." Rabbi Mathja Ben Charash said, Anticipate all men with your greeting, and be rather as the tail of a lion than the head of a fox."

Rabbi Schimon Ben Elazar said, "Do not endeavor to pacify thy neighbor in the time of his anger; do not comfort him when his dead lie before him; do not ask anything in the time of his vowing, nor attempt to see him in the time of his trouble."

Schemuel the Younger couched his motto in the words of Scripture, "Rejoice not when thine enemy faileth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him." (Prov. xxiv. 16, 18.)

TALKING IS NOT TEACHING.

A vast deal of what is called "Bibleclass teaching" is talking, but not teaching. It might pass for fourthrate, or third-rate, or second-rate—or, at the very best and rarest-as first-rate preaching or lecturing; but it never ought to be called "teaching." The teacher talks, the scholars listen. The teacher is a gainer in his mind and heart by what he says; but not so his silent scholars. They hear, but do not learn. The "exercise" is an exercise only to the exerciser. The whole thing is a pocket-edition in poor type of a pulpitled service, with many of the disadvantages and few of the benefits of the full-page edition. And not a little of the ordinary class-teaching in the Sunschool is of the same character. The teacher talks, the scholars listen. There is a "teacher," but no teaching. There are "learners," but no learning. It is not a pleasant thing to face such a fact as this; but if it is a fact, it ought to be faced by those interested.

Telling a thing may be an important part of the process of teaching a thing. The telling may in itself interest or impress even where it fails to instruct. A teacher may teach in other ways than by his telling truths that are worthy of his scholars' hearing and learning. However this may be, it is important that every teacher should understand, at the first and at the last, that telling a thing is not in itself teaching a thing; and that if he is a teacher at all, it will be through some other agency than merely his talking.-S. S. Times.

LESSON VIII.

1. And he began again to teach by the sea-side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the Jand.

2. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

3. Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow.

4. And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way-side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

5. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

6. But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

8. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased, and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred.

9. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given

February 19.

to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

12. That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

13. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 14. The sower soweth the word.

15. And these are they by the way-side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17. And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time, afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, and immediately they are offended.

18. And these are they which are sown among thorns such as hear the word,

19. And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20. And these are they which are sown on good ground: such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some a hundred.

CENTRAL TRUTH.

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God." 1 Peter 1: 23.

GOLDEN TEXT.

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Rev. ii. 29.

Ques. 8. Are we then so corrupt that we are wholly incapable of doing any good, and inclined to all wickedness?

Ans. Indeed we are, unless we are regenerated by the Spirit of God.

Verse 1. On what seaside did Jesus frequently teach? Into what did he enter to teach?

2. In what form of teaching did he instruct the hearers? What is a parable? Ans. A comparison.

3. What is this parable about?

4. What became of the seed on the wayside?

5-6. What of that on stony ground? Why did it wither away?

7. Was this "the survival of the fittest," or only a triumph of the strongest?

8. How did the "good ground" differ from the hard, the stony and the thorny land? How much did it yield?

9. Does this verse mean the same as the golden text?

10. Did the multitude seek an understand

ing of the parable? Who did?

11-13. What is it to "know a mystery?" Ans. To have a deep secret revealed to the initiated. Could those that are without understand the parable, without first coming into the inner circle of learners?

14. Who is the Sower of the word? 15. What happens to "wayside," or careless hearers of the gospel?

16-17. What ought first to be taken out of the stony field? If the seed sinks deep, will it have root and moisture enough to endure long?

18-19. What are the two kinds of thorns? Ans. Cares and pleasures.

20. What is meant by good ground? What is good seed? See Central Truth.

Him, not their own ideas and opinions. The preacher takes his text from the Bible, and the Sunday School teacher takes a portion of the same book, which is a granary full of Divine seeds of life -words of eternal life-incorruptible seed, as our central truth calls them.

The field is the world. Matt. 13: 38. That is, the men, women and children in the world. To all these the gospel is to be preached, even though the word may not be received by all. There are four classes of hearers mentioned. Under one or other of these every individual must find a place:

(1.) Some hearts are like a way-side -hard and impenetrable. No seed can sink into them, unless the hard hearts are broken up by repentance. Besides, Satan and all tempters, like evil birds, seek to steal the truths of God from

men.

(2.) Other hearers are receptive, susceptible to truth; there is a thin surface of soil; but underneath are rocks. The word affects their emotions or feelings, but does not sink into their minds, consciences and wills. Rocks of ignorance and stubborness need to be broken and removed. Light and trifling dispositions are easily impressed, but also easily scorched by sins and temptations. (3.) Thorns-excessive cares of life, business and ambition; also pleasures and dissipation. No wheat grows for a great while amongst them, but perishes by being overshadowed.

(4.) Good ground-the hearts of believing and prayerful people.

Remember, the ground is made good by Him who plants the seed.

MAIDEN SPEECHES are apt to consist of a few public remarks feebly expressed. A history of the first public efforts of great men would be very interesting. Beaconsfield broke down utterly, and Fox was almost as disgusted with himself as everybody else was with him when he rose to his earliest debate. A gentleman from the great West, afterward a somewhat famous speaker, was 80 coufused at finding himself on his feet before a large audience that he caught at the first words which came into his mind, and said in stentorian tones:-"Mr. Speaker, I have observed

A

Blest boon to saint and sinner

day of rest-one day in seven, Rest for the tired and jaded brain,

Where toil is not the winner;

The wearied hand, on Sunday,
That they may gather strength again
For toil renewed on Monday.

The merchant, in his counting-room,
The artisan, at forge or loom,
The clerk, o'er desk and ledger,

The ditcher and the hedger-
The laborer, who must toil and slave,
From early dawn of Monday

Until the week sinks in its grave,

All cry: "Thank God for Sunday!" The day that lifts the weighty chain,

Which all the week hath bound us; That respite gives to heart and brain, From thousand cares around us; That in the toilsome march of life

Thus bids us take, for one day, Rest from the battle and the strife; Oh! God be thanked for Sunday!