r life because they are afraid of hurting
them when they are young. Coddle your children, and they will turn out
noodles. You may sugar a child till every body is sick of it. Boys'
jackets need a little dusting every now and then, and girls' dresses are
all the better for occasional trimming. Children without chastisement
are fields without ploughing. The very best colts want breaking in. Not
that we like severity; cruel mothers are not mothers, and those who are
always flogging and fault-finding ought to be flogged themselves. There
is reason in all things, as the madman said when he cut off his nose.

Good mothers are very dear to their children. There's no mother in the
world like our own mother. My friend Sanders, from Glasgow, says, "The
mither's breath is aye sweet." Every woman is a handsome woman to her
own son. That man is not worth hanging who does not love his mother.
When good women lead their little ones to the Saviour, the Lord Jesus
blesses not only the children, but their mothers as well. Happy are they
among women who see their sons and daughters walking in the truth.

A BLACK HEN LAYS A WHITE EGG.

The egg is white enough, though the hen is black as a coal. This is a
very simple thing, but it has pleased the simple mind of John Ploughman,
and made him cheer up when things have gone hard with him. Out of evil
comes good, through the great goodness of God. From threatening clouds
we get refreshing showers; in dark mines men find bright jewels; and so
from our worst troubles come our best blessings. The bitter cold
sweetens the ground, and the rough winds fasten the roots of the old
oaks, God sends us letters of love in envelopes with black borders. Many
a time have I plucked sweet fruit from bramble bushes, and taken lovely
roses from among prickly thorns. Trouble is to believing men and women
like the sweetbrier in our hedges, and where it grows there is a
delicious smell all around, if the dew do but fall upon it from above.

Cheer up, mates, all will come right in the end. The darkest night will
turn to a fair morning in due time. Only let us trust in God, and keep
our heads above the waves of fear. When our hearts are right with God
every thing is right. Let us look for the silver which lines every
cloud, and when we do not see it let us believe that it is there. We are
all at school, and our great Teacher writes many a bright lesson on the
blackboard of affliction. Scant fare teaches us to liv