hat the thorns and the scorching heat are?"

"Our faults and troubles?" asked Kitty.

"Yes. Side by side with the seed, and from the same soil, the heart,
spring up thorns and weeds, which try to choke the seed. And the
little seed has to struggle hard for its life; if it does not choke
the weeds, the weeds will choke it. What must we do with the weeds?"

"Cut them down," said the children.

"Yes. We must fight with our faults, and not let one, however small,
be neglected, or it will soon cover the garden; for all weeds grow
fast. But the other enemies, the heat and the fowls, cannot be
_destroyed_. The scorching sun--trials and mockery--can only injure
those plants which have no root, those hearts which are not trusting
in Jesus, and rooted in him. But the fowls of the air,--those powerful
and wicked spirits who are constantly on the watch to crush all that
is good and encourage all that is evil in our hearts,--what can the
little seed do against such enemies?"

The children gave no answer.

"_It can do nothing_," said Mrs. Mordaunt. "You all see it has no
power whatever; and in this, too, the seed is like us. What then can
save it?"

There was a pause of a minute, and then Amy ventured to ask, "Does
not God watch over it?"

"He does, my child," replied Mrs. Mordaunt. "But do you remember why I
said the plants are cared for without asking?"

"Because they cannot ask."

"But we can ask. What is it called to ask anything of God?"

"To pray," said all the children.

"Yes; that is what you may all do. Our Saviour calls himself the great
husbandman or gardener; and now that he has risen and reigns on high,
if you ask him, he will not disdain to watch over the little seed of
good sown in your hearts. He will send the Holy Spirit, like the rain
to young corn, to strengthen all that is good in you; and he will
enable you, feeble as you are, to keep down all bad feelings, and
tempers, and habits, which would choke the seed.

"So there are three things for you to remember: the seed is sown in
your hearts, and must bring forth fruit in your lives; you have
enemies within and without to fight with far stronger than any of you;
and you have a Friend far stronger than all your enemies, who will
give you the victory if you seek his aid. And shall I give you a
little grain of precious seed to bear home with you?"

The children all wished it.

"Think, then, on these words, '_By love serve one another_.' Try to
_love