this labor. I do not. To me, the sight of the child Jesus, obedient to his parents and working for them in that retired village of Nazareth, is as pleasant a sight as that of the same child Jesus conversing with the wisest men in the great city of Jerusalem. A child obedient to his parents, and, if necessary and proper, industriously working for them, is one of the finest sights which can be seen in this world;-much finer, I think, than that of a child dressed in the finest clothes that can be made, and doing nothing. I would rather see a dutiful and industrious boy, any time, than the idle son of a governor or of a king.

And now, children, you perceive that this account of the childhood of Jesus, though it is short, is full of instruction for you. It tells you, what I hope you will faithfully remember; that when he was a child, he was so wise that he could converse with the teachers of Jerusalem, and yet so humble and affectionate, that he was subject to his poor parents at Nazareth.

After this account, we do not hear any thing more of the history of our Saviour till he was thirty years of age, when he was baptised by John, and began to teach publicly, and to work miracles. But there is no doubt that he was always as dutiful to his pa

rents as he was in his childhood, and that he always loved them. It is true, that while he was publicly laboring for our salvation, he thought more about that great work of his Father in Heaven, than about his family; and it was important that he should. But this work only lasted a year or two; and even at that time his love for his mother was as strong as ever, as I can show to you by one event. If you will listen to me a moment longer, I will tell you what this event was.

I have just been telling you about the first time that Jesus went up to the passover at Jerusalem. Well-it was about twenty years after this, that he went up there for the last time. The first time, he went up with his parents and relations, to be instructed in the law, and to take his youthful part in the ceremonies of the feast, and to eat of the paschal lamb, which was one of those ceremonies. The last time, he went up with his disciples, to complete the law, and, like a lamb himself, to be bound and slain by his enemies. Joseph, who was called his father, was now dead, most probably; for we are told nothing of him.

told, in so many words, that his

And we are not

mother went up

with him to Jerusalem ;-but she was there. Yes, his mother was there. When he was hanging on

that dreadful cross-and all his disciples but one had left him and fled-his mother did not leave him-she stood right under the cross-she and the beloved disciple-while enemies and soldiers were mocking, and her innocent son was dying. And he-Jesus-in the midst of his cruel torments, thought of his mother and that disciple. He looked at them. He spoke to them. ther " Woman, behold thy son ;"—and to the disciple, "Behold thy mother!" He told the disciple to be like a son to his mother; to be affectionate to her; to take care of her. And the disciple obeyed him. From that hour he took her to his own home.

He said to his mo

Did not this show that Jesus loved his mother till he died? How beautiful is this affection! How brightly it joins with all the heavenly greatness and goodness of his character. Children, I beseech you, by the love of Christ, and by the beauty of his example, to love your parents, to obey them, to be subject unto them. So will you increase in wisdom, and in favor with God and man.

SERMON VIII.

THE NOTICE TAKEN OF CHILDREN BY JESUS.

AND HE TOOK THEM UP IN HIS ARMS, PUT HIS HANds upon theM, AND BLESSED THEM.

I HAVE already related to children what is told us in the Sacred History, concerning the infancy and childhood of Jesus Christ. When he was about thirty years of age, he began his public ministry— that is, he began to teach men their duty, and inform them of God and heaven, and of all that is most important for men to know; and he began, also, to do wonderful works, such as curing the sick, and causing blind people to see, and raising the dead to life, in order that men might believe that he was really sent from God. He taught more wisely than any one had ever taught before, because God