"So far from being angry, my love, I am quite pleased. Could you tell me the meaning of that verse, Mary ?" 66 I believe, mamma, it means that we ought to love God very much, more than every one else." "Fanny," said Mrs. Bertram, "suppose you had fallen from the deck of the great vessel that brought you from India, and, when you were sinking amid the cold waves, one of the passengers leaped overboard and saved your life at the risk of his own, how much would the dripping, shivering little girl think she owed her deliverer ?" "Oh, aunt," she cried, clasping her hands, "I would give him a lac of rupees if I had them—no, that would not be enough, I would give him a diamond necklace." "Then think, my love, what we owe the Lord Jesus Christ, who died that we might live: ought we not to love him, to give him our hearts ? Mary, if we love the Lord Jesus, how are we to show it ?" "By keeping his commandments, mamma. One of my texts says, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments,' '" John xiv. 15. "Well, Fanny," said Mrs. Bertram, " if, when you were leaving India, papa had said, 'My beloved child, we must now be separated for a time; here is a beautiful white lily which I am anxious you should take care of; water it, and see that it is not exposed to the cold of night. Will you do all this from love to your own papa who loves you so much ?" "I am sure I should be glad to do it for dear papa's sake," said Fanny. And, my dear girls, is not this just what our Saviour asks us to do? He says, I am gone away to the bright land of glory, you cannot follow me there now; I leave some of my loved ones, my lilies; take care of them, love them for my sake; and when I come again you shall receive your reward, for, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Our heavenly Father has given us his best gift, his Son; let us give him our best, ourselves, soul, mind, body, in return." Fanny did not forget this Sunday evening. As she grew older, she learned the happiness of giving her heart to God and keeping his commandments, of being good and doing good. THINGS TO GIVE. Our hearts to God. Praise to him. Prov. xxiii. 26. Psalm xcvi. 7, 8. Thanks to him. 1 Thess. v. 18. Our bodies a living sacrifice. Rom. xii. 1. God loves the cheerful giver. 2 Cor. ix. 7. THINGS TO KEEP. Our hearts with diligence. Prov. iv. 23. The commands of God. 1 John iii. 24. A good conscience. 1 Tim. i. 19. The tongue from evil. Psalm xxxiv. 13. GOD IS LOVE." Look at these three little words and get them into your hearts, for they are God's own words, and they tell us what God is, and we know that they are true. We cannot see God, though he sees us always-but these three words, "God is love," show us at once that he is our friend, and that we may safely trust in him. "God is love." Do you ask what love is ? You were once a little helpless baby-you could neither walk, nor speak, nor do anything for yourself, but your mother watched over you with care, nursed, fed, and clothed you; taught your little feet to step, your tongue to lisp her name. You were sick, and she tended you day and night, and often forgot to eat or sleep herself, till she saw health coming back to your pale cheek; and then how fondly she took you in her arms to the bright sunshine, that its warmth and the pure air might bring strength once more to your weak frame. This was love-a mother's love. You have grown up to be a child-you can speak, and eat, and run out in the green fields, and do many things for yourself, and also for others. But you cannot yet earn the food you need. Your father rises early, sometimes even before the sun, and toils hard till after it is down again; and this day after day, and week after week, and goes often tired to his bed, that you may have daily bread, and clothes to wear; and when at night you meet him with a kiss and smile, he, for a time, forgets all his care and toil, and feels that you are happy. This is love-a father's love. Well, the love of God is this, and more than this. It was God who put this love in your mother's heart, and made her show it in so many kind ways. And God gave your father the strength to work, and the love to make him wish to work for you. But God does more. He loves you himself. He looks into your little heart, and he sees there many sinful thoughts, which break out into angry words, and lead you to do many sinful actions. Often you disobey your kind parents, or are cross to your brothers or sisters, and are so sinful as to tell a lie to conceal a fault. Now God, who sees and knows all things, takes notice of all this; and though " God is love," he is also a holy God, too pure and holy to look upon sin. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." shown his love by sending his own dear Son into the world to die in our stead. Though he was over all, God blessed for ever, he humbled himself, and became a little child. He became a poor man, for he had not where to lay his head. He suffered pain and hunger, yet he knew no sin. And at last he gave himself to die for your sins, nay, for the sins of the whole world; that all who believe on him, and forsake their sins, should not perish, but have eternal life. Is not it then true that God is really love? And should we not then love him because he first loved us? And, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. He has said, But he has |