Christ "gloriously terminated his mortal career, without a sigh or groan, on the 14th day of October, 1771, at about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, at his house in Camberwell, Surrey, aged seventythree years, ten months, and ten days."

He was succeeded in his pas

torate by Dr. Rippon, who filled the sacred office, like himself, for about fifty years. Several ministers followed him in the pastorate of Park Street Church; and then, about eighteen years ago, came Mr. Spurgeon, whom may God long preserve!

"

ERE you ever a child?" said a very little girl to her grandmother the other day. "Oh, yes," replied the good old lady; "but when I was a child, I didn't talk and behave as some little children do now-a-days."

Poor dear granny! she had quite forgotten how she used to think and speak when she was a little girl five or six years old.

It wasn't thus, however, as you girls and boys may see, with the man whose name you have often heard, and whose words you have now read. Paul, although a very great man, remembered being a child; and he didn't forget that, when so young, he was just like other children-" When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child."

A little boy says: "That's the sort of man I like; he doesn't frown when we laugh, and make a bit of fun; nor does he make us children

feel that he is so great and grand that we dare not look at him."

Well, I want to talk to you about this man who speaks of his childhood in such a manner as is likely to please and instruct all young people.

You know, I daresay, that he was a great writer. Perhaps you have read some of his letters; but if not, I am sure you will like to do so when you are a little older, and you must not forget to ask God to teach you to understand them; for there are some things in them which, to young people and grown-up people, too, are "hard to be understood."

Then, Paul was a great preacher. Do you know what he used to preach about? A little girl says, "I do; for I have read in my Testament that 'he preached unto them Jesus.'" Yes; he had a great deal to tell the people about the Saviour. You may easily remember his favourite text. It was, "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." And why did he say so much about that? Because Jesus

loved sinners, and died upon the Cross to save them. You would have liked to hear this man preach, wouldn't you? But do you know what happened one night while he was preaching?

Let me tell you. The place was crowded. I don't know whether you would have found any room. But there was one young listener there, and he had, I daresay, a good seat for seeing and hearing. As some of you boys like to do, he got up as high as possible, and was sitting where he could look down upon the people; and for some time he listened to the preacher; but as the sermon was a long one, he began to feel sleepy. I have no doubt he tried to keep awake; but, then, whoever did keep awake by trying? Besides, it was a late hour of the night, and young Eutychus, quite overcome with weariness, sank into a deep slumber; and, falling down, was dashed upon the floor below, and was taken up dead. Wasn't that very sad? Everybody was sorry; and there was such loud and bitter crying from some of the folks as you never heard. People now may say, shouldn't have gone up so high ;" or, "It was very wrong of him to go to sleep during Divine worship." But Paul didn't say so; no, he comforted those who were in trouble, and, as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, he used the power his Master gave him to restore this youth to life.

He

You are beginning to feel what a great man Paul was; but that is not what I want to talk to you about today. I should like you to think of him before he became a man; for he speaks in the text of what he was when he was as young as you: "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child."

You would like to ask me a few questions about him, wouldn't you? Yes," you say. "Where did he

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live?" "What school did he go to?" "What books did he read?" "Did he ever go out to play?" "Who did he play with?" "And—” But stay, or I shall forget how many questions you have asked. First of all, you want to know where he lived. Well, when a child, Paul lived with his parents in Asia Minor, in that part of it called Cilicia, and at Tarsus, its chief city. Can you fancy the place? A river flowed through it; and the two parts into which it was thus divided are said to have been in form like the wings of a bird. Just outside there were pleasant gardens, such as grown-up people, and children too, like to call their own. little further off there were fruitful fields. The rich harvests of corn which grew in them every year delighted the eyes, gladdened the hearts, and supplied the wants of young and old. More distant still, but plainly to be seen, there were great mountains.† Parents and children would often feel a pleasure in looking upon these; especially in the summer evenings, when, as you may suppose, the highest peaks had a charming appearance, as seen in the golden light of the setting sun.

A

Well, you are thinking of where Paul lived when he was a child. And let me say that not only was the country fruitful and beautiful, but Tarsus was "no mean city." It was visited by many people from afar: soldiers, sailors, merchants, and not a few young people, who had been sent thither to school, might any day be seen in the streets.

You wish me to tell you what school Paul went to;-whether he had hard lessons to learn; whether his schoolmaster was kind or severe; whether, when a child at school, he was ever in trouble through being late, careless, or forgetful. And you

* Cydnus. + Taurus.

would like to know a great deal more than I can tell you.

Perhaps you have heard that Tarsus was noted for its schools; but it had not many to which Hebrew parents would like to send their little boys. No; they would rather teach their children at home than have them taught by the heathen. If Paul's father and mother sent him to school, it would be to one, perhaps, adjoining their synagogue, where he would not be in danger of seeing and hearing those things which they felt to be displeasing to God. But I am not sure that you would have liked the school, had you been sent to it. Nor do I know whether you can fancy what it was. A little boy says, "I can; for I have a picture of such a school in a big book; and it is so funny, for the teacher and all the children are seated on the ground! And it says that, When learning to read, the boys recite their lessons aloud at the same time.' And I'm sure I shouldn't like to go to such a noisy school; nor to sit on the floor, with my legs doubled up, as they do." No; you wouldn't. But it was very likely to such a school that, when a child, Paul was sent. His schoolfellows were, I suppose, like himself, little Israelitish boys; and he would be known amongst them by his Hebrew name, "Saul." Perhaps

seen

other folks called him "Paul." His parents may have given him both names; and some people would like one better than the other. Or, it may have been, at first, that a few big boys in the streets playfully turned the name "Saul" into "Paul," which they would have told you meant the little one. You can fancy them "looking down" upon the lad who was so much less than themselves; but, then, some little

boys can read better, and they know a great deal more, than others who are bigger. I shouldn't wonder if it was so with this boy.

And you would like me to tell you what he read. Some of his first lessons were the wonderful stories of the Bible. He read all about Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brethren, Ephraim and Manasseh. He read, too, of Moses among the bullrushes; of Samuel who lived with the old priest at Shiloh; of David who took care of the sheep, and slew a lion and a bear; and of Abijah's sickness and early death, and how sorry the people were when the young prince was buried. He soon knew, from beginning to end, the history of Josiah, the boy-king, who began to reign when he was only eight years old, and every chapter in the charming story of Daniel and his companions, the youthful captives of Babylon. Every day, indeed, he would learn something of what the Holy Scriptures say about his own. country, and the chosen people to whom he belonged, and he would be delighted to find that, after all their sufferings in a strange land, they went back again, as it had been foretold, to Jerusalem, the beloved city, whither, when a few years older, he hoped to be sent.

A little boy says, "I think you have forgotten one thing. I want to know whether he ever went out' to play; and I should like to hear something about his playfellows." Well, it is quite possible that, when a child, Paul was like you, fond of play; but he would not be permitted to join in the games of rude and ignorant boys in the streets. He had pious parents, who wouldn't like him to learn the evil habits of wicked children.

One day a mother was crying. Why? "Her little boy," she said, "had just used such a bad word,' and she couldn't think where, nor when, he had heard it." But I will

tell you. In the streets, when playing with unruly boys.

The child at Tarsus had not such young people for his companions; but he had a sister-we don't know her name, nor whether she was younger or older than her brother, but we are quite sure that she would be the best playmate such a little boy could have. And you can fancy the fun and frolic they would have together. They were just like other children. Nor would they ever forget the happy time. Paul did not. The days of his childhood were fresh in his memory, even when writing about Divine things. Hence he speaks as he does in the text: "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child."

A little girl says, "Why, it's all about when he was a child." Yes; and it makes me think of something that I can say to you :

I. A child is sometimes talkative. And it is said, "What a tongue that child has !" We know that, when a man, Paul was often "the chief speaker;" and perhaps he talked a good deal when a boy at home. He says, "When I was a child, I spake as a child."

Some children talk too fast. Such talkers, whether young or old, should take care what they say. Paul was taught to do so. One of the hymns of his childhood says, "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile." And as soon as he could talk, God's word would teach him to pray-" Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips."

One

Some little children talk naughtily. Sometimes they do so in fun. day, as I was walking in the fields, I saw three little girls upon a very high bank, where they were in great danger. Before I could get to them, and as I was wondering how such little ones could have got to so dan

gerous a place, I heard somebody, who was anxious about their safety, saying, "Oh, you naughty children, who put you up there?" And the reply was, "Shan't tell you; what do you want to know for? we got up ourselves!" I am sure they said this in play, for they were laughing all the time; but it was very rude. If you read the Scriptures, as the child did of whom the text speaks, they will teach you to beware of "a naughty tongue.'

Some grown-up people have a disagreeable habit of saying," Children should be seen and not heard." But you don't think so; nor do I. Children were made to talk. We should as soon think of telling the little birds not to sing, as to silence all the girls and boys. What a dreary world this would be if we might have none of the children's talk! But then we shouldn't forget that God does speak in His Word of "A time to keep silence" (Ecclesiastes iii. 7). And every child should listen to what God says. If you do so, He will teach you, as I have no doubt He taught the little Hebrew boy at Tarsus, and He will make you wise; and a wise child will not talk when

he should be silent.

Some children, however, are silent when they should talk. We read in the Bible of "A time to speak " (Ecclesiastes iii. 7). A silent, sullen boy is never liked. We are always sorry for a poor little dumb child; but one who can speak should do so. Once I asked a little girl if she could sing

"Jesus, tender Shepherd, hear me." But she shook her head. Was she dumb? No: she could talk fast enough. enough. Why didn't she? Poor child, she was afraid. Why? because she didn't know me. And I daresay Paul, when so young, talked more to his father and mother and sister at home than he would to

strangers; for he says here, "When I was a child, I spake as a child."

II. A child should be sensible :He should show that he has a mind as well as a tongue. We read in the text, "When I was a child

. . . I understood as a child." Some people talk as though children had not much sense. Suppose we ask, What is a sensible child? “A boy who would be always at his book," says one; "A girl who doesn't care about her doll," says another; "A little one who is quiet, and doesn't want any playmates,' says a third. But we don't say so. We would rather you had a mind for some of the playful pursuits of childhood. Toys are for you, and you should show your good sense by the use you make of them. "When I was a child," says Paul, "I understood as a child." things that pleased children pleased him. His desires were like those of other young people. When a man, he "put away childish things;" but he didn't try to do so when he was a child. No: he was as fond

The

of them as you are. Had you seen him at play you might have fancied that he never did anything else. But he wouldn't be allowed to neglect his lessons. Perhaps he wanted to do so sometimes. He may have felt that some of them were very hard. He would, I daresay, have been better pleased if they had been a little easier. They were, no doubt, easy enough to the schoolmaster. He understood all about them; but Paul did'nt. He was only a child. And a little child, even if he stands on tiptoe, cannot reach as high as a tall man; but then, he can reach as far as God intended him to reach. And that is just what Paul did. He "understood as a child." We want you to do the same. We should like you to be sensible. But no child, who has good sense, will suppose

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that he can understand things as grown-up people do. Hence he will be humble, teachable, and obedient. III. A child can think:"When I was a child.. thought as a child." God has not only given you eyes to see, and ears to hear, and legs to walk, and a tongue to talk, but a mind to think. If a boy doesn't use his mind it is as though he didn't see, or hear, or walk, or talk, although he has the power to do so; and he will soon be known as a thoughtless, stupid child.

A man once pointed to a little boy, and said, "What a child that is! He has no thought." But that was a mistake. The little one had plenty of thought; but then he only thought as a child. And that is what the wisest of men used to do.. Listen to what he says, "When I was a child. I thought as a

child."

What merry thoughts a child has sometimes and foolish thoughts,. and vain thoughts, and wicked thoughts, too! But a child may have good thoughts-thoughts of God, and of His Word; thoughts of prayer, and of praise; thoughts of good people, and of holy angels, and of heaven. What a deal a child can think of!

Think of what you see. God meant

the mind to receive much knowledge through the eyes. The great things, and the beautiful things which He has made are all very wonderful; and they are not only to be looked at, but to be thought of. One child makes a good use of his eyes, and can tell you all he has seen; another makes but a poor use of his, and can tell you very little. How is this? One thinks of what he sees; the other doesn't.

Think of what you hear. Young people need the thoughts of those who are older and wiser than themselves; and many of these thoughts can only be received into the mind