her safely to her journey's end, and I sent a telegram to tell her to wait for me in the waitingroom."

"But it was really like a parable," said Nelly. "You went back to look after the things of this world, and that kept you so long, the opportunity of getting into the train was lost; only you had your ticket all the same, auntie. I do not understand that part."

"We all have our tickets given us," said Aunt Myra, "for Jesus had died to save us ALL; but unless we make use of our ticket it will be of no good to us."

"Is that what is meant by those who have trodden under foot the Son of God, for whom it says, 'there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,"" said Nelly; "as if, when the ticket had been bought with that great price, some one threw it down and trod upon it, and did not care to make use of it?"

"Yes; I believe that is just what God wants us to see, that He gives us our redemption free; but we must come to Christ, and give ourselves to Him, that He may take us to heaven; that is the getting into the train; and we must take care to seize the first opportunity, for if we are looking after other things, the time may go by, and death may come suddenly upon us, and then we shall

hear those terrible words, 'Too late,' and find Jesus gone."

"May we think of the stations we pass now?” said Bertram.

"Yes, dear. I think we shall find our first station is Love; and perhaps Bertie can tell me what text is written over the door?"

The little boy looked puzzled, but Nelly whispered, and he said, "God is love."

"Joy is the next station," said Arthur. "The joy of the Lord is your strength,' is written there.” So the children went on enumerating all the stations they could think of, till they came to the Heavenly City itself.

THE SERVICE OF SONG.

MUST leave you to yourselves this afternoon, dear children," said Aunt Myra one Sunday afternoon, "I have to go to visit a sick man, who has sent to ask for me. But I have thought of something very pleasant, which you could all do together while I am out. I want you to try to arrange a little service of song on whatever subject you please; and, if you can manage it, you shall come and sing it to Grannie and me after tea."

"I should like to make a service of song very much," said Arthur. "I thought when I heard that one in the schoolroom, I should be able to arrange hymns to fit to the word, as I know so many hymns, and so do Nelly and Muriel."

When evening came, the children assembled in the drawing-room; and the good old nurse was

invited down to hear the service of song, while Grannie took off her spectacles and prepared herself to listen.

"It is called the childhood of Jesus, Grannie," said Nelly.

Evelyn began singing in a sweet, clear voice—

"I think when I read that sweet story of old,

When Jesus lived here among men ;

And called little children as lambs to His fold,
I should like to have been with them then."

Arthur then recited a verse of Milton's magnificent hymn on the "Nativity"

"It was the winter wild,

While the heaven-born child,

All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies;
Nature in awe to Him

Had doffed her gaudy trim,

With her great Master so to sympathise."

Nelly sang

"Cold on His cradle, the dew-drops are shining,
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,

Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all !"

Robin recited

"And was my Saviour once a child,

A little child like me?

And was He humble, meek, and mild,

As little ones should be ?

"Oh, why did not the Son of God
Come as an angel bright?

And why not leave His fair abode

To come with power and might?

"Because He came not then to reign,

As sovereign here below;

He came to save our souls from sin,
Whence all our sorrows flow."

All the children sang in chorus

"Oh! 'twas love, 'twas wondrous love!
The love of God to me;

It brought my Saviour from above,
To die on Calvary."

Bertram repeated—

"When shepherds watched their flocks by night,

All seated on the ground;

The angel of the Lord came down,

And glory shone around."

Arthur repeated

"When such music sweet

Their hearts and ears did greet,

As never was by mortal finger strook ;

Divinely warbled voice,

Answering the stringèd noise,

As all their souls in blissful rapture took :

The air such pleasure loth to lose,

With thousand echoes still prolongs each heavenly close.

"At last surrounds their sight

A globe of circular light,

That with long beams the shame-faced night arrayed;

The helmed cherubim,

And sworded seraphim,

Are seen in glittering ranks with wings display'd, Harping in loud and solemn quire,

With unexpressive notes to heaven's new-born Heir."