Life And Death

 A SAD STORY.

THE Lord is very good to all his creatures,but especially so to his children. If we were more thankful for his kind care, it would not only be pleasing in his sight, but would add greatly to our happiness.

Do the bright-eyed, active, joyous boys and girls who read this, always bear in mind the favors and blessings which God bestows upon them ? Are their hearts filled with gratitude for these blessings ? or do they sometimes forget that they receive all these good things from the Lord ?

Do they realize what a blessing it is to have good health, kind friends, loving parents, warm clothes, comfortable homes, and warm hearts to greet them there. When you thank the Lord, in your morning prayer, for keeping you safe through the night, do you ever think what a dreadful thing it would be if your dwelling should be burned some of these cold winter nights?

On Christmas evening, a father and mother, and five children, sat around their humble fireside, as comfortable and happy, perhaps,

as any of us. It is quite likely that they went to bed that night with their minds full of pleasant thoughts, and bright expectations for the morrow. No doubt the children were expecting a visit from Santa Claus, and fell asleep with busy fancies running through their heads, of what he would bring them. How different would have been their thoughts and feelings if they had known what was to befall them!

Let us imagine the parents, after their children had retired, filling the little stockings with presents, and thinking how happy the children would be in emptying them in the

morning. What would have been their feelings if they had known that those little stockings

would never be disturbed, and that the wearers of some of them had already lain down to sleep the sleep of death! At last the fond parents retire, and all is still. The ground is covered with a heavy mantle of snow, and the cold is severe. The

clock ticks solemnly on the wall, and the sleepers are enjoying their rest. Soon, however, smoke begins to fill the room. The house is on fire, but the fated family sleep on.

The flames spread wider and grow fiercer; and yet the inmates of the burning building are not aroused. No guardian angel is sent to waken them.  The devouring element comes nearer and nearer to them, till the parents are finally awakened. They spring from their bed, but have only time to save themselves and two of their children. The other three must perish in the flames.

The half-distracted father makes every effort in his power to save them; but all is in vain. After being frightfully burned, he is forced to give up the attempt. What anguish fills the hearts of the fond parents, as they look on and know that their

dear ones are writhing in the agonies of death almost within their reach! There they stand in the snow, with bare feet, and almost devoid of clothing, exposed to the bitter cold and the cutting blasts of that winter night. It was more than a mile to the nearest house, so the husband and father took the remnant of his family to the barn and covered them with a horse blanket; then mounting the horse, he hurried away for help; but in his almost naked condition, he became so benumbed with cold that when he arrived at the nearest house he could not speak. He was accidentally discovered, however, and his horror-stricken neighbors hastened to his home, where they arrived in time to save the poor

mother and her two remaining children. The man was so badly burned and frozen that he probably cannot live, and even while we write he may be passing to his long home.

Dear readers, who protected your dwelling from fire on that Christmas eve ? Who saved you from terrible suffering, and perhaps from

death ? And will you not be grateful for such care ?

Give your hearts to the Lord, and secure his protection; for without it we are not safe.

"Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." The Lord will keep all that are his. Let us be sure that he owns and blesses us every day, and we shall have his protection; for which, may he ever give us a thankful heart.