them; and shrank a little from the
association. However, she reflected that this was the first day of her
being in the school; doubtless when the people saw who and what she was
they would put her into a class more suited to her station. Then she
looked at the teacher; and she forgot her companions. He was a young
man, with a very calm face and very quiet manner, whose least word and
motion however was watched by the children, and his least look and
gesture obeyed. He sent one of the boys to fetch a couple of Bibles for
Matilda and Norton, and then bade them all open their books at the
first chapter of Daniel.

The first questions were about Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom of
Babylon. Unknown subjects to most of the members of the class; Mr.
Wharncliffe had to tell a great deal about ancient history and
geography. He had a map, and he had a clear head of his own, for he
made the talk very interesting and very easy to understand; Matilda
found herself listening with much enjoyment. A question at last came to
her; why the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into the hands of the
king of Babylon? Matilda did not know. She was told to find the 25th
chapter of Jeremiah and read aloud nine verses.

"Now why was it?" said the teacher.

"Because the people would not mind the Lord's words."

The next question came to Norton. "Could the king of Babylon have taken
Jerusalem, if the Lord had not given it into his hands?"

Norton hesitated. "I don't know, sir," he said at length.

"What do you think?"

"I think he could."

"I should like to know why you think so."

"Because the king of Babylon was a strong king, and had plenty of
soldiers and everything; and Jehoiakim had only a little kingdom
anyhow."

"The Bible says 'there is no king saved by the multitude of an host.'
How do you account for the fact that when strong kings and great armies
came against Jerusalem at times that she was serving and trusting God,
they never could do anything, but were miserably beaten?"

"I did not know it, sir," said Norton flushing a little.

"I thought you probably did not know it," said Mr. Wharncliffe quietly.
"You did not know that many a time, when the people of the Jews were
following God, one man of them could chase a thousand?"

"No, sir."

"Who remembers such a case?"

Norton pricked up his ears and listened; for the members of the class
spoke out and gave instance after instance, till the teacher stopped
them for want