to show people that his God was the true God.

You see, dear children, how happy God made Elijah at last. Once Elijah had been obliged to hide himself, because wicked people had tried to kill him; and he had often felt unhappy, because people would not turn to God. At last his tears were wiped away, and he went in a bright chariot to heaven. I wish, my dear child, you would begin now to pray to God, and to think of him. How happy you would be at last!

no, Elisha will not leave

His father, and his guide;

Till the last hour he'll closely cleave

To his beloved side.

In vain Elijah bids him stay ;—
He still attends him on his way.

A gift Elijah bids him choose
Ere he ascends on high;

For heavenly grace Elisha sues,
And begs a large supply.

Does not this hope console his heart,
That dreads with one belov'd to part?

The voice he soon no more shall hear,
Still speaks of heavenly things:

But now Elijah must appear

Before the King of kings.

A chariot form'd of angels bright.*
Conveys him to the worlds of light.

Does not Elisha long to go
Up to the same abode ?

Ah! still he must remain below,
To labour for his God;

At last he must submit to die,
Before he sees the worlds on high.

It was indeed an honour rare
From God's all sovereign hand,
No death to see, but cleave the air,
And join the saintly band;

The grave's prepar'd for Adam's sons,
Save those who live when Jesus comes.

Ah! then the living saints shall soar,
And meet him in the sky,

And death the righteous shall restore,
Who in the cold grave lie;—
And sin and sorrow, death and pain,

Shall ne'er be known by them again.

* The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels. Ps. lxviii. 17.

Who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire. Ps. civ. 4.

The chariots and horses which Zechariah saw in a vision are declared to be the "Spirits of the heavens," which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. Zec. vi. 5.

CHAPTER LXXI.

ELISHA, OR THE BEARS.

2 Kings ii. 23—25 ; iv. 1—7.

DEAR children, should you think that people loved Elisha? People who loved God loved Elisha very much, but wicked people hated him. There were some people, who even dared to laugh at him: there were even some little children who dared to mock him. I will tell you about these children.

Did you know that people who have no hair (or only a little hair) on their heads, are called bald? Elisha was bald. One day Elisha came near a town, where a great many people lived, who worshipped idols. One of the golden calves that Jeroboam made was in this town. A great many little children came out of it, and met Elisha, as he was in the road; and they mocked him, and said, "Go up, thou bald head go up, thou bald head." They wanted Elisha to go up into heaven as Elijah

had done, that they might not see him more, nor to hear what he said.

any

How did they dare to speak in this way to the prophet of the Lord? but yet some children dare to take God's name in vain. Elisha turned back, and looked on them, and told them that God would send them a dreadful punishment.

The children soon found that Elisha had spoken truth: for two bears came out of the wood, and tore forty-two of these children into pieces.

No doubt the children cried, and screamed, and tried to run away, when they saw the bears coming; but it was of no use; they could not escape: the bears overtook them, and killed them. What must their parents have said, when they heard what had happened to their dear children? You know, my little dear, how your mother would cry, if you were to be eaten up by a bear. There are no bears or lions in this country; but God will put you into hell, if you are wicked. I hope that you do not like to hear people say bad words. I hope that you will never

say them yourself, and that you will never laugh at people who love God.

You have now heard what became of wicked children who mocked Elisha, and you shall hear next of Elisha's kindness to a good poor woman.

This woman had lost her husband, so she was a widow. Her husband had been a good prophet: and he had been very poor; and he had not been able to pay for all the things he had bought.

People should never get into debt, except they have not money enough to buy bread: but perhaps this poor prophet had not had money enough even to buy bread.

The poor woman came to Elisha, and said, "My husband is dead, and he did fear the Lord; but I cannot pay my debts, and a man is come to me, to take away my two sons to be slaves."

The poor woman was very unhappy at the thought of losing her dear boys. Your mother, dear child, would not like that you should be taken from her, and made a slave. But people in this country may not take