Pouring from the little throat: 2. "Water! water! Rippling with its crystal tide: 3. "Water! water!" said the tree, For his leaves were very dry : 4. "Water! water!" said the flower, Whispering with its perfumed breath; "Let me have it in an hour, Ere I, thirsting, droop in death! 5. "Water! water!" said the grain, Wealth untold! 7. Water! water! Young and old, Crush him underneath your feet! HIS BIRTH, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION. HY was it necessary for Christ to come into WHY this world of trouble and sorrow? It was because of sin. Our first parents, whom God created holy, listened to the temptations of Satan, the Evil One, and disobeyed the command of their almighty Maker and Friend. 2. Thus they lost the pure likeness of God in which they were made; and not only became sinners themselves, but gave a sinful nature to all their posterity, and brought upon the human race that sentence of temporal and eternal death which sin against a good and righteous God justly deserved. 3. But their Father in heaven was so full of love and pity for a lost world, that he promised to provide a Saviour. So it was that Jesus, the Son of God, left his bright throne above, and came down to earth to suffer and die for the sinful and the guilty. 4. When all was ready for the coming of Christ, an angel appeared to a humble virgin, whose name was Mary, and told her, that, by the power of the Holy Ghost, she should become a mother, and that the holy Child which should be born of her should be Jesus, the Saviour of the world. 5. This wonderful prophecy was fulfilled. In Bethlehem of Judea, as it had been foretold for many years before by the prophets of the Lord, Jesus was born, an infant in a lowly manger, with human form and feelings, but without sin. 6. His childhood was passed in quiet obedience to his earthly parents; and, as he grew in years, he grew in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man. When he was about thirty years old, he began to preach and to teach the gospel. 7. Being God as well as man, he put forth his divine power in works of mercy and skill. He went about doing good. He healed the sick; cured the deaf, the dumb, and the blind; cast out devils from those who were tormented by them; raised the dead to life; and pardoned penitent and believing sinners. 8. But only a few of those to whom he came received him as the Saviour. The rest rejected and hated him; and the Jewish rulers and chief men persecuted him, and were determined to kill him. So they hired Judas, one of his followers, to turn traitor, and betray his Lord into their hands. 9. Then they had a mock trial, with false witnesses, and condemned Jesus to death. They took his life because they hated him; but he freely gave it, as he had come to earth on purpose to die for sinners, and knew it was the only way to save a lost world. Thus, from this cruel and wicked deed of the unbelieving Jews, God brought forth everlasting life. 10. The death of Jesus for this great end, as well as his birth, had been predicted a long time before it came to pass. It had also been foretold that he would rise again to life the third day after his death. His enemies had heard that he assured his disciples of this, and so they tried to prevent it. 11. When his dead body had been laid in a tomb which was hewed out of a rock, they sealed up a great stone which had been rolled to the door of it, and set a watch to guard it. But, early in the morning of the third day, an angel rolled away the stone, and Jesus rose from the dead as he had said. 12. The guard were frightened, and fainted; but Jesus went into Galilee, showed himself to his friends. several times, ate and drank with them, and was seen by them forty days. Then he gave them his parting blessing, and before their eyes he ascended through the air and clouds into heaven. one what each What made Christ's coming necessary' ? What sad thing did our first parents do? What did they lose by this? What sentence did this bring upon all? What feelings did their heavenly Father have for them in their lost condition? What did he promise to provide? Where was Jesus born? When did he begin to preach? What wonders did he do? Who hated and tried to kill him? Who betrayed him? What did God bring forth from his death? When did Jesus rise from the dead? How long was he seen afterwards? How did he leave the earth at last? W WE THE MARRIAGE TIE. HEN God created the first man and woman, and gave them to each other, he placed them together, as we know, in the home he had made for them. Thus God himself formed the marriage relation, and by his divine authority made it sacred and binding. 2. No man and woman can lawfully live together as husband and wife unless they are united by the marriage tie which God has made. And no one can break this tie, or cause others to break it, without fearful sin. The husband and wife be faithful to each other till death. Hear what the Bible says about it: must love and 3. "From the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female." "What, therefore, God hath re-la-tion au-thor-i-ty vi-o-la-tion |