n
this room has been taught to pray daily, "Thy Kingdom come." Now if we
hear a man swearing in the streets we think it very wrong, and say he
"takes God's name in vain." But there's a twenty times worse way of taking
His name in vain than that. It is to _ask God for what we don't
want_. If you don't want a thing don't ask for it: such asking is the
worst mockery of your King you can insult Him with. If you do not wish for
His kingdom, don't pray for it. But if you do, you must do more than pray
for it; you must work for it. And, to work for it, you must know what it
is.

4. Observe, it is a Kingdom that is to come to us; we are not to go to it.
Also it is not to come all at once, but quietly; nobody knows how. "The
Kingdom of God cometh not with observation." Also, it is not to come
outside of us, but in our hearts: "The Kingdom of God is within you." Now
if we want to work for this Kingdom, and to bring it, and to enter into
it, there's one curious condition to be first accepted. We must enter into
it as children, or not at all; "Whosoever will not receive it as a little
child shall not enter therein." And again, "Suffer little children to come
unto me, and forbid them not, _for of such is the Kingdom of
Heaven_."

5. Of _such_, observe. Not of children themselves, but of such as
children. It is the _character_ of children we want and must gain. It
is modest, faithful, loving, and because of all these characters it is
cheerful. Putting its trust in its father, it is careful for
nothing--being full of love to every creature, it is happy always, whether
in its play or in its duty. Well, that's the great worker's character
also. Taking no thought for the morrow; taking thought only for the duty
of the day; knowing indeed what labor is, but not what sorrow is; and
always ready for play--beautiful play.

JOHN RUSKIN.

* * * * *

EXTRACT FROM "THE RING AND THE BOOK."

Our human speech is naught,
Our human testimony false, our fame
And human estimation words and wind.
Why take the artistic way to prove so much?
Because, it is the glory and good of Art,
That Art remains the one way possible
Of speaking truth, to mouths like mine, at least.
How look a brother in the face and say
"Thy right is wrong, eyes hast thou, yet art blind,
Thine ears are stuffed and stopped, despite their length,
And, oh, the foolishness thou countest faith!"
Say this as silvery as tongue can troll--
The