heart! I have been unwell many times, and have felt that life might soon be gone, and sometimes the thought of dying has made me shudder, and the solemnity of appearing before God has made me afraid; and again and again has Jesus removed my fears, and so cheered my heart and brightened up my prospects that death has looked like a friend who would release me from all sin, and pain, and fear, and in the words of God's blessed book I have sung, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Again, I have been told not to be too religious, when I have been known and seen often to read my Bible. I have been told it was all very well to have a little religion, and show myself respectable, but not to make too much fuss about it and become melancholy. I was but a young man then, and several years have since passed away, and I have found, by God's blessing, that His Word has often banished all my melancholy feelings, instead of making me so, as men think; and, while it does search the heart, and makes one loathe himself, yet it has “a balm for every wound, and a cordial for our fears." Again, I have heard the Bible ridiculed by an infidel. I have seen that same man become slightly ill, and I have seen him so depressed, and yet so raging, calling over with ill feeling almost everything and everybody, with nothing, nothing, NOTHING to cheer or comfort him; and oh, how this has made the Bible to appear more and more valuable, its truths more and more precious, and Jesus inore dear, as One who will not leave His people comfortless! Dear children, read the Bible; never neglect it; and may God by the Holy Spirit make it "better unto you than thousands of gold and silver." B. B. QUESTIONS FOR GLEANERS. Dost thou love His house of prayer? Little Gleaner, where art thou? A GIANT TREE.-A patriarch of the forest has been lately felled in California, and the greater portion of the wood taken to San Francisco. It was known by the epithet of "Old Moses." If one might infer with accuracy its age from the number of its rings, it must have been 4,840 years old. Its capacity is said to have been so great that three hundred persons could find room within its trunk. -Times. THE YOUNG MARTYR OF ANTWERP. 31 THE YOUNG MARTYR OF ANTWERP. IT the time to which our narrative refers, Martin Luther and his friends were trying to make known to those about them the great truths of the Bible. This was the way in which they hoped to save people from the errors the Gospel to the people. They offered a reward to every one who would give them notice of persons who were preaching the Gospel, and those persons would immediately be taken up and thrown into prison, or put to death, on which account met together on one of the wharves by the river Scheldt, in Antwerp. They wanted to hear about the Bible, and they hoped that some good minister would come and preach to them. No minister came; but still they waited there. However, among that crowd there was a young man named Nicholas. He was not a minister, but God had taught him to know and love the Bible, and he made up his mind to give those people a plain Bible talk, so he stepped on the deck of a vessel in the river, which we see in our picture. There he stood up, and, taking out his Bible, he read the account of Christ feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fishes; and then he gave them a good, plain, earnest sermon on the subject, and the people were delighted to hear him. But some one went and told the priests that Nicholas was preaching the Gospel to the people, and they resolved to stop him from preaching, so they hired two wicked men to make away with him. These men met him in the street. They seized him, bound him hand and foot, put him in a sack, tied up the sack, and threw him into the river, and drowned him. These priests thought they could stop the people from learning about Jesus by throwing this young man into the river; but they were mistaken. Why, they might as well have tried to stop the sun from shining, for, although the enemies of true religion have tried in many ways to destroy it, they have never been able to do so. They have burnt the Bible, they have put people in prison for reading it, they have killed the ministers of Jesus, and tried in many ways to stop the progress of the Gospel; but they have never succeeded. The good work has gone on. It is going on still, and it will go on in spite of all that men may do to stop it. We may be sure of this, because Jesus Himself hath said that "the gates of hell shall not prevail" against Him and His cause until all His redeemed ones are brought to His fold, and His victory over all His foes and theirs is for ever complete. Thus He will "clothe His enemies with shame; but | upon Himself shall His crown flourish." Oh, that our young readers may know His great salvation! THE ARAB HORSEMAN. HE Arabs are among the best horsemen in the world, and have the fleetest horses. Seen from a long distance, a mounted Arab, dressed in his best finery, and with a long spear in his hand, is an attractive sight. Trained from boyhood to the use of the horse, the Arab sits on him as if he were a part of the animal, and is as much at ease in a rapid gallop as he would be if at perfect rest. It is not until we come closer to the Arab that we discover what a coarse and rude fellow he is. His gay clothing is worn and shabby. He is unwashed and dirty, and on closer examination of his ways, we find him to be the meanest kind of a thief. We hear many romantic stories about the bravery and boldness of these Arabs, and their devoted affection for their horses. A few of these may be true, but the most of them are simply romances. The fact is, that the Arab is as selfish as he is dirty, and that he has no higher notions of honour and honesty than an ordinary chicken thief. Boys who allow their ambition to run in the direction of following the example of Arab chieftains will surely go astray, and be utterly disappointed. The old proverb says that THE YOUTHFUL KING AND THE BEST SWORD. 33 THE YOUTHFUL KING AND THE BEST SWORD. HREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-TWO years ago, on the 28th of February, a procession of the nobles and dignitaries of England was being formed to conduct Edward VI. to his coronation. Among other state officers were three, each of whom carried a sword representing the three countries then governed by our kings. A boy, not ten years of age, was about to be crowned. Observing the three swords, he remarked, “There lacks yet one." His attendants asked, "Which?" "The Bible," he replied; "that book is the sword of the Spirit, and is to be preferred before these. It should ever govern us. Without it we are as nothing, and can do nothing. He that rules without it is not to be called God's minister or a king." Thus spoke the young Josiah of England, as he has been called by some, and according to his wish, a Bible was brought and carried before him. Hence our beloved England began to emerge from the darkness that had covered it, choosing the Bible for a lamp to guide it; for, when the king uttered these memorable words, he expressed the desires of the common people. The Word of God had not long been circulated to any extent, and as it spread over the country, the people's ears were opened to the blessed tidings it contained, and they were quickly delivered from the superstitious and debasing fear of the priests under which they had so long groaned. Young people of our time cannot understand the darkness of those days. The poor people especially, and most among other classes, were wholly in the hands of the priests, who, according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome, which is the same now as then, professed to have all power over the present and future states of the souls of men. Thus, all who were in any trouble were expected to come with some gift to the priests to obtain from them the forgiveness of their sins; and while poor people were groaning under this bondage, and being continually robbed, the wretched priests were living on the best the land could afford. But, when the Bible came among the people in their own language, it was like a sword cutting asunder the chains of ignorance which had bound them, and they, like men set free, rejoiced in the gracious truths it contained. Great was the desire of people in those days to possess a Bible, and when, by command of Henry VIII., father of Edward VI., one was placed in every church throughout the land, chained to a desk, that people might come and read it, often during the day would a little company be gathered round, while someone among them would read aloud for the benefit of all. The people having their eyes now opened to the worth of the Bible, desired nothing so much as that their rulers should govern according to its precepts, and when young Edward ascended the throne they were in expectation, and rejoiced to hear his words. Edward's love for the Bible was evidently sincere, for his chief concern during his short reign was to advance the truths it contained; and during his last days he was often in prayer that God might advance the true religion and preserve England from the miseries of Popery. He died at the age of fifteen years and eight months, his last words being, Lord, I am faint! Have mercy upon me, and receive my spirit!" and doubtless he now wears an everlasting crown in the presence of his God. 66 Thus passed away one whose reign was a great blessing to England. Truly our country has been favoured with many great statesmen, and our forefathers have shed their blood to advance its glory, but never before had they made such a stride as when, with young Edward, they chose the Bible for their guide. From this time our favoured land has risen in power and glory, for, though the reign of Mary, who suc ceeded Edward, was a time of trial and persecution, yet the love of the people for the Bible grew more general as they learned how fearless and brave it made those who suffered martyrdom for its truths consequently the nation, upon the ascension of Elizabeth, made firmer choice than ever of God's Word. England now began to shine among the nations, and produced many noble and famous men, who made the Bible their trust; and it is very interesting to read in the proclamations made from the throne how God's hand was acknowledged as truly delivering the nation in time of great trouble. Thus were our forefathers proving how blessed it was to have the God of the Bible for their defence, and from those days to the present time our nation has been favoured above and beyond any other. The writer'sdesire in giving this short account is to direct the attention of the readers of the LITTLE GLEANER to a study of history, that they may prove for themselves how the Bible raised our ancestors out of a state of ignorance and bondage, and has been the real cause of England's prosperity. But the great question for every reader to consider is, whether they have,through divine teaching, made choice, like this young king, of the Bible for a lamp to their feet; for, like him, they may be called to die young. Has the Bible been like a sword to you, searching out every hidden thought, and making you feel how sinful you are before a holy God, who sees every hidden thing? Have you mourned over your sins, and earnestly desired to be enabled to do what is right in the sight of God? and have you cried to the Lord for mercy? If you have not known these feelings, and die without repentance, you will yet have to learn that God's Word will at the last strike as a sword of anger, destroying and casting into everlasting misery all who have not through grace made this good choice in their lifetime, and fled for refuge to Jesus, who is "exalted to give repentance and the remission of sins." That many readers may learn to love the Bible like young King Edward is the desire of UNCLE JOHN. PAYING FOR A BIBLE. MISSIONARY lodged one night in the house of a gentleman among the mountains of Derry, in Ireland. In the morning, as he stood beside his host looking over the wild and beautiful country, they saw a shepherd tending some sheep at a little distance. The gentleman pointed him out to the missionary. "There is Peter," said he " shrewdest men in the district." one of the Then the missionary went up to him, entered into a conversation, and gave him a tract in Irish. A few weeks after he and Peter met again. "I've swallowed the tract," said the latter. "If I give you an Irish Bible, will you swallow that?" "I won't be indebted for it, but I'll buy it." "Well, I've got two or three.” "What is the price?" "The price I ask is this-when God shall strike the light and love of it in your heart, that you will teach six men like yourself to read the Bible." And Peter took it. Some time after, an Englishman, accompanied by the missionary, started across the mountains. Before them was Peter. "Och!" said he, "but your riverence is welcome so early." "Why, Peter, what are you doing here?" "Sure, I'm doing honestly; I'm paying for the book!" On the top of the mountain, where by this time it was broad daylight, he led them to the haystack, behind which were six Roman Catholic men, away from the eye of the priest, waiting for Peter to teach them the Word of God. |