THE GLEANERS. ON a fine calm evening, in the season of harvest, I am very fond of taking a quiet walk into some village near the town where I dwell, and as I pass along, I stand sometimes to watch the busy reapers at their work as they cut down the golden ears of ripe corn that stand in thick ranks before them. I pass on, and having reached the village, I walk through it, admiring whatever is beautiful-and there is much that is beautiful in most of our English villages. Flowers and fruits abound on every hand— splendid dahlias and fragrant woodbines-ripe plums and rosy-cheeked apples-all combining to picture a scene of fruitful loveliness. Returning, I meet the labourer plodding homeward his weary way, after hard labour in a broiling sun since dawn of day. Poor labourer, how hard he toils for the little he gets! But his cabbage and bacon is ready, and his wife is looking for him at the door. He will relish his food and his sleep will be sweetsweeter far than many who seek it on beds of down. Here comes a mother, with her little boy and girl trudging on before, tired and weary. They have been in the harvest-field gleaning. The little folks have picked up a few ears, which they carry as a prize under their arms, and their mother bears on her head a heavy load, the fruit of patient labour through a long and weary day. But about this gleaning. I have a few thoughts about it-let me tell them. It is still the custom in many parts of our country to allow the poor to enter the corn fields in time of harvest, in order that they may gather up the scattered ears of corn which may have fallen from the reaper. Some farmers, however, are very unkind and unfeeling, and will not allow the poor to enjoy this privilege. We hope, however, that this good old custom will not soon be abolished, for we find it mentioned in ancient Scripture with approbation. If the young reader will turn to the 2nd chapter of Ruth, he will find an interesting account of a young Moabitess, Ruth, who went to glean in the field of Boaz, the great-grand-father of David, and afterwards became his wife. One word to any of our little country readers whose circumstances may call them to go into the fields to glean. You should not go without the permission of the master of the field, for all the corn is his property, and you have no right to go and take a single ear without his permission. And when you are there you should do no mischief. You should always go through the gates, and never break down the hedges by climbing over them. Observe these things and you will do well. But we wish to set all our young friends to the work of gleaning in another field, and that field is the Holy Scriptures. 'Tis a broad land of wealth unknown, Where springs of life arise; Seeds of immortal bliss are sown, And hidden glory lies. Go to its sacred pages, young reader, and gather its precious promises. Oh how thick they lie scattered o'er all the Holy Volume, and especially such as suit your case. Look at a few of them. "REMEMBER THY CREATOR IN THE DAYS OF THY YOUTH." "I LOVE THEM THAT LOVE ME, AND THEY THAT SEEK ME EARLY SHALL FIND ME. ME. "SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO "COME UNTO ME ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST." "HIM THAT COMETH, I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT." Here is a cluster of precious declarations! Enough to make your heart glad. But there are thousands more in the Holy Word. Oh go and diligently search for them. Gather them up, and, by serious meditation and holy contemplation, apply them to your own use, and they shall, through the divine blessing, bring forth fruit in you unto life eternal. BEFORE the bright sun rises over the hill, With the few scattered ears she can glean. She never leaves off, nor runs out of her place, Except now and then, just to wipe her hot face, "Poor girl, hard at work in the heat of the sun, Why dont you leave off as the others have done, |