How proud we are, how fond to show
Our clothes, and call them rich and new;
When the poor sheep and silkworms wore
That very clothing long before!
The tulip and the butterfly,
Appear in gayer coats than I:
Let me be dressed fine as I will,
Flies, worms, and flowers, exceed me still.

.
Then will I set my heart to find
Inward adornings of the mind;
Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace,
These are the robes of richest dress.
No more shall worms with me compare,
This is the raiment angels wear :
The Son of God, when here below,
Put on this blest apparel too.

It never fades, it ne'er grows old,
Nor fears the rain, nor moth, nor mold;
It takes not spot, but still refines;
The more 'tis worn, the more it shines.
In this, on earth, would I appear,
Then go to heav'n and wear it there i
God will approve it in his sight,
'Tis his own work, and his delight.

LESSON LXIII.

Jo seph

maid ens

spar rows

Pha ra oh reign ed

pit i ed E gypt

bright est sig ni fies drown ed mon arch glo ri ous plait ed

op press ed wrap ped dread ful ly be long ed mon sters gath er ed

a dopt ed an gels bul rush es re fu sed

pro ceeds

THE LITTLE BOY WHO WAS SAVED FROM BEING DROWNED

Many years after the death of Joseph, a very wicked king reigned over Egypt, who dreadfully oppressed the children of Israel.

He was so cruel as to give orders, that all the little boys who belonged

to the Israelites, should be drowned as soon as they were born.

There was a beautiful little boy, named Moses, who was hid by his mother three months, but then she could hide him no longer, and she was in great distress, to think that her dear little boy must be drowned.

In her trouble she prayed to God. God heard her prayer. He does hear the prayer that proceeds from the heart; and he put it into her mind how to save her dear child.

She gathered some large bulrushes which grew on the banks of the river, and plaited them together so as to

, make a little boat of them. And then, to keep out the water, she covered it all over with slime and pitch.

Then she laid it among the flags on the brink of the river, and wrapfed up her little boy, and put him in this boat.

When she had done so, she bade his little sister stand a little

way

off

a

and watch, that no harm might come to him.

And God did take care of him. The water did not carry the little boat away, and the monsters of the river were not suffered to do him harm.

God is very good; he not only watches over angels, but even little children are the objects of his care; he does not forget even little sparrows.

While the sister of the little boy was looking after him, the daughter of King Pharaoh, with her maidens, came down to the river; and when she saw the boat, wondering what it was, she sent one of her servants to fetch it

When she looked into the boat or ark, she saw the babe weep, and pitied it, and was very much struck with its beauty.

The sister of the little boy now came up to Pharaoh's daughter, and

said, “Shall I call thee a woman, to

a nurse the child for thee ?"

She bade her do so; and she went and called his mother. And Pha. raoh's daughter bade her bring up the child for her, and she would pay her for doing so. And she called his name Moses, which signifies, saved from the water, and adopted him for her son.

But when Moses grew up, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; and chose rather to have a lot among the poor, oppressed people of God, that he might do them good. For the eyes of his mind were opered, to see the great God ever present to help him, and make him happy.

His mother had no doubt taught him, that the favor of God is better than all worldly riches and honors He might have learned from her lips, that there is a better world, and a crown of glory for all who love and