nvitation which
Jesus gave when he said,--"_Come unto me, all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest._" Matt. xi: 28. Very young
people know what it is to feel tired and weary from walking, or
working too much, or from carrying a heavy burden. And, when they are
too tired to do anything else, they know what it is to go to their
dear mother and throw themselves into her arms, and find rest there.
And, in just the same way, Jesus invites us to come to him when we
are tired, or troubled, that our souls may find rest in him. We come
to Jesus, when we pray to him; when we tell him all about our
troubles; when we ask him to help us; and when we trust in his
promises.

"Was there ever gentlest shepherd
Half so gentle, half so sweet,
As the Saviour, who would have us
Come and gather round his feet?

"There's a wideness in God's mercy,
Like the wideness of the sea;
There's a kindness in his justice
Which is more than liberty.

"There is no place where earth's sorrows
Are more felt than up in heaven;
There is no place where earth's failings
Have such kindly judgments given.

"There is plentiful redemption
In the blood that has been shed;
There is joy for all the members
In the sorrows of the head.

"If our love were but more simple,
We should take him at his word;
And our lives would all be sunshine,
In the sweetness of our Lord."

The prophet Isaiah foretold that when Jesus came, he would teach his
doctrines to children just weaned. Chap. xxviii: 9. This shows us
that his teaching was to be marked by great plainness and simplicity.
And this was just the way in which he did teach when he uttered those
loving words:--"_Suffer the little children to come unto me, and
forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God._" Mark x: 14.
None of the other famous teachers known to the world ever took such
interest in children as Jesus did. And none of them ever taught with
such great simplicity. What multitudes of young people have been led
to love and serve Jesus by thinking of the sweet words he spoke about
children!

"The Child's Gospel." A little girl sat still in church listening to
the minister. She could not understand what he was saying till he
quoted these words of Jesus about the children. But she understood
them. She felt that they were words spoken for her. They made her
feel very happy. And when she went home she threw her arms a