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P. But I am afraid, from what happened afterwards, that he did not think of that—I am afraid that he only thought of God being pleased with him. He would think, perhaps, that his offering was a better one than Abel's, and would hope that God would show him the most favour.

L. Then that would be thinking of pleasing himself, instead of pleasing God.

P. I should suppose that he thought so, for when Cain and Abel came back to the field where the altars were, and placed their sacrifices on them, and burned them to offer them to God, God would not receive Cain's-God would not look down to see whose sacrifice was the best; but he would look into their hearts to see whose thoughts were best.

W. Ah, the thoughts were the sacrifices that pleased God. God would see Cain's selfish thought, and it would look as though Cain were trying to deceive God, by pretending that he wanted to please Him, more than Abel did.

L. I think so too; so that from his selfishness had grown another bad quality-deceit. That would make three bad things-envy, ingratitude, and deceit.

P. And then another bad feeling followed. When Cain saw that God had not respect unto him, or his offering, how would he feel? Ion. He would be very vexed.

P. Yes. We read that "he was very wroth, and his countenance fell." The evil that was in him was now very strong-he could not stop it-his vexation grew into anger; and, as he thought of himself and his own disgrace, the anger grew into passion.

Do you know what passion is?

L. It is very strong anger-violent anger.

P. It is really madness—and when any one has madness, he cannot tell what he will do. You have read what an awful deed Cain did"And Cain talked with Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him." Think of that! and then think how Cain would stand over his dead brother, and look at him.

Ion. I know how he would feel now; he would feel frightened-to find that Abel was so quiet; and he would feel sorry.

P. Ah, he would be very much afraid, and much wonder at what he had done. Perhaps, he would not know what "death" was. He would feel that his brother's body was cold, and would see that he did not move. He would call to him-he would shake him-but ah, no! his brother would not heed him; and the selfish, frightened Cain would begin to think that something wrong had happened.

L. He would be very much frightened.

P. He would be more frightened at that which followed. Perhaps he walked about in the fields for the rest of the day, afraid to go home to Adam. Perhaps it was in the evening time, when the dark gloom of the night was coming on, that he heard a voice calling to him. Ion. What! a voice in the dark?

P. Yes. It was the voice of God, calling from above, "Where is Abel, thy brother?" while Cain answered, "I know not: am I my brother's keeper?"

W. That was not true, papa; it was a lie, which was another bad thing. Now, how many bad things had grown out of his selfishness! envy, ingratitude, deceit, anger, murder, sorrow, and lying-seven bad things. Poor Cain!

P. And then came the punishment. We read in God's word that God said he should be "cursed from the earth." God told him that the earth should not bring forth any fruit to him, if he tilled it; and said that he should be a fugitive and a vagabond, wandering all over the earth.

Ion. And Cain said, papa, "My punishment is greater than I can bear."

P. Yes. That was an awful feeling-we call it despair; for indeed it was a great punishment, to be driven away by himself. You may read in another part, that God set a mark on him, so that no one might kill him.

When God How he must As he ran in

He must truly have felt that he was without hope. had marked him, I dare say he fled away that night. have made haste! how would all things make him fear! the darkness of the evening, the winds that howled past him and around him would seem to call to him, "Where is thy brother?" The blacklooking clouds before him would frown upon him and seem to say, "Where is thy brother?" And his conscience within would call to him very loudly, "Where is Abel thy brother ?"

W. Where did he go to, papa?

P. I cannot say where he went that evening-but we read that he afterwards dwelt in the land of Nod, and there built a city. Think of him in that city, always wearing a mark that he might not be killed! As his own children and other men grew up, it would bring another feeling, the feeling of shame.

Ion. I think he would try to cover up that mark; and perhaps, if he met any one coming he would hide himself behind some rock-for men would point to him, and say as he slunk away, "There goes the man who killed his brother."

P. Very likely-poor fellow! See how great things grow from little things. Perhaps all this trouble came upon him because, when he was a boy, he cared very little for others, and cared too much for himself. Thus, because he was selfish how many evils followed?

Ion. I will count them up once more, papa. From SELFISHNESS grew envy, ingratitude, deceit, anger, murder, sorrow, lying, despair, and shame. Nine bad things

P. And something else, which we have not mentioned yet. We will talk of that trouble next week.

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ENOCH.

"And Enoch walked with God, after he had begat Methuselah, three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years. And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him."-GEN. v. 22-24.

L. Please, papa, before we talk about Enoch, will you tell us what other trouble arose from Cain's selfishness?

P. Yes. The trouble from Cain's wickedness fell not only upon him, but on other people.

On that night when Cain fled away, how long must Adam and Eve have waited for him, and for Abel! I dare say that both Cain and Abel had wives-they, also, would wait for them. But what a sad scene there must have been, when they all discovered the body of Abel, and saw what death was! How must they have felt when they buried him! L. I think, papa, that Eve must have been grieved most.

P. The sorrows of Eve must have been very great. What would she say to herself now, when she thought about Cain? She would say, "I thought when he was a babe, that he would grow up to be goodand would teach his brother to love God and serve him-and now, he has killed him. I have lost both my sons." Again, as she went back sorrowing to her home, she might think, "Perhaps there would have been none of these troubles,-perhaps Cain would have been a good and happy man now, if, when he was a boy, I had only taught him not to be selfish."

W. Now, papa, I know why mamma let Ada spend all her money to buy nurse a present on her birthday; and why she let her take some

cake to the servants in the kitchen.

P. That was, that she might learn to think about her nurse more than herself;-and your mamma caused her to give up her place at the dinner-table to her little cousin yesterday, for the same cause-she wished her not to be selfish. So, if I ever have to correct you, Willie or Ion, for being selfish, how ought you to feel?

W. I don't know, papa.

P. You ought to feel thankful for such correction. Cain would have been thankful to his mother, Eve, for correcting him, if he had known how bad his selfishness would have made him.

Ion. And so, if you let us be selfish, papa, we shall become bad too. But, I don't think that I shall kill Willie!

P. You cannot be sure, Ion, of what you may not do. Neither Adam, nor Eve, when they looked upon their beautiful babe Cain, would have thought how much evil there would be in him. So mind, Ion, that you watch your heart every day; and see whether there is any selfishness or envy growing within it. Mind that you ask God every day for strength to kill such bad passions.

Let us now talk about ENOCH.

We read in God's Word, that after Abel's death, Eve had another

son, called SETH. Both Cain and Seth, we find, had wives and children; and as these children grew up, they became men and women, and had more children. We read, too, that each of these people lived on the earth for a long time,-"All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died. And all the days of Jared,' who was Enoch's father, "were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died."

W. What a long time! Must not they have felt tired?
P. I cannot say, I am sure.

W. Well, I think they must have been glad to die.

P. But of Enoch, we do not read that he died at all. Our text says, "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him."

It is thought from these words that he was a very good man indeed; and that he was taken up to heaven without dying. Let us think what is meant by the words, "He walked with God."

Suppose a large city

W. What, papa?

We

P. A large city-imagine to yourself a large city, such as the people used to build in those days. I cannot say whether there were many houses, or what they were built of-the Bible does not tell us. read that after the flood, men knew how "to make bricks, and burn them thoroughly;" while we also find that about the time of Enoch the descendants of Cain were workers in brass and iron. We read, too, that there were some who dwelt in tents, and had cattle; but I dare say that in the cities there might have been large houses.

Ion. Do you think that Enoch dwelt in one?

P. That I cannot say. It does not much matter; but let us suppose that he did, and that every day he walked with God. I was thinking that the neighbours would notice how different he was from themselves. W. He was much better, I suppose?

P. Yes, unless they also walked with God; but let us try and understand how he walked with God in that city! If you walk with any man, you may observe two things

1st, That he is very near to you; and, 2ndly, L. That you are going the same way with him. P. There is only one way to be near to God, that is, to pray to him often. Enoch, no doubt, would often go to His throne and ask for blessings, and thank Him for those he had. That was one of his duties to God-to be very near to him, and to offer him prayer and praise.

When Enoch had learned to do this, which was the first thing, the second thing would be easy.

W. What, to go in the same way with God? I should think that that would be very hard.

P. God would make it easy for him. When he had learned his duty to God, God would teach him his duty to men. That would be God's answer to his prayers.

Do you know what are God's ways amongst men?

L. Tell us, papa, please.

P. God is good, and God's ways are to do good, to give good bounteously, and not grudgingly. To all the people in Enoch's city God was giving not only health and strength-food to eat, and clothes to wear-but peace and happiness, and every good and perfect gift.

This is God's way amongst men, and God must have taught Enoch to walk with him in the same way.

I should like to have been able to ask one of the men in that city, "What sort of a man is Enoch?" I dare say he would have said, "We all love Enoch. Enoch loves God with all his heart and soul and strength; and he loves his neighbour as much as he loves himself." He does not covet, as Eve did-he is not envious, as Cain was; but he tries to do good to all, and to teach all of us the same love that God loves us with.

Ion. How I should like to be like Enoch !

P. And why should not you, Ion? You and all other children can be as near to God as Enoch was. He is exactly the same God now as he was then. All we have to do is to get near to Him by prayer, and we shall soon be strong to walk with Him. Oh, how happy you will be if you will only get near to Him! Try-and you will soon find that God will help you to walk in His ways, and to make known His ways amongst men.

W. But, before you leave off, papa, please tell us how Enoch went up to heaven. Did some angels come and fetch him? What did they want with his body?-it was so curious for it not to die.

P. The Bible does not give us the history of this circumstance-it is supposed that he did not die. How strange the people must have thought it, the morning after he was gone-for perhaps he left them in the night. Every one would be asking, "Where is Enoch? Have you seen him?-he was quite well last night."

But he was better now-he could not be in a better or a happier state. He was where God is, and where perhaps Abel was, with Jesus Christ and the angels.

That was a rich reward! You, dear children, may have that reward also. Try to walk with God as Enoch did. God may not take you to heaven without dying, but you may reach heaven, where good people live for ever, and where death never comes.

Seventh Sunday.

NOAH.

"Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence. And God

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