TALKS TO LITTLE FOLKS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1204, 29 March 1895, Page 28

TALKS TO LITTLE FOLKS.

By Rev. "William Birch, D.D. DRAWING THE LINE. Lost dogs frequently follow me home, like old Fox, who is at the Avon Refuge to-day—a friend says that Fox is the "lost first priz.e dog," but as no one claims him, he remains a guest at our home for destitute men. He has called on me this morning to see if I am all right, and, having had his quantum of milk in the kitchen, is now lying under my study table. Well, some years ago, when in England, a lost dog, like Fox, attached himself to me one cold, dark night, and when I remarked, "How do you do, old man?" he seemed to know me, though I didn't know him. On reaching home, I said, "A destitute orphan has invited himself"; but as the hall lamp showed him to be a disreput-able-looking creature, I was not surprised wh«n our cook exclaimed, "Really, we must draw the line somewhere!" He was a miserable object; one ear had been half bitten away and his tail lopped off too short to wag, with bare patches on his back, but as he had gentle eyes and a nice face, though I am a Baptist, I "christened" him Beauty. We gave him a good supper and a trencher of milk; and I felt sorry to shut him outside, drawing the line against him, and hoped he would go home, if he had one. But next morning he was there on guard. Hearing some one moving at the back, he went round and waited at the gate, and when the cook appeared with milk and porridge, also a. bone to use as a spoon, if he was particular, she said, he answered by mailing great efforts to wag his half-inch tail. Fortunately, Sir William Tell, our St. Bernard, was on his seaside holiday at Beaumaris, North Wales, else he might have drawn another line. Alter Beauty had been for a swim—he would dive and fetch a white stone or a bone from the bottom —we ornamented him with a blue ribbon; and if you saw him on the good ear side, with his back, etcetera, out of sight, he looked handsome, h's eyes beautiful, nose sublime and teeth perfect. He knew no end of tricks, and I think may have been a circus-dog or trained for a Punch and Judy Show. He was wonderful at a somersault, could stand on the top of a drinking glass, and won the second prize, with a medal, in ratting. But his general ugliness and the scabbylooking back, made our cook draw the line against him—he must not come into the house, and he would look sadly, but quietly remain outside in the big old China tea-cheat for a kennel—he could turn a somersault on the top without falling off, and as on a stage go through his exercise like a raw recruit. It was one of the treats of the neighbours' children to see Beauty perform, and then go round with a tin saucer to take up the collection," just like a Christian in church," as the little folks used to say. One Sunday morning Beauty followed me to the church service, and I left him in the ante-room. That morning I was very earnest, and some one coming in late, Beauty heard my voice, and came trotting up the stairs on to the platform, where he showed his joy by making frantic efforts to wag his stump of a tail. Of course, we all laughed, though it was in church. Seeing that he was not expected to do anything, Beauty quietly crouched down under the preaching-desk ; and, having forgotton my sermon, I told the people the story of "Drawing the Line," during which the dog knew I was speaking of him, and came from under the table, standing like a statue, or, as some of the men afterwards said, at "' Attention!' waiting for the word of command." I then applied the story, showing that our heavenly Father did not draw the line against any penitent sinner, but invited us all, " whosoever," to be pardoned and purified; and while tenderly speaking of His love, one of the dragoons, a colour-sergeant, almost ran forward* throwing himself on

his knees, in an emotion of prayer, while Major Pugit, over six feet high, one of our elders, went to kneel with him to point him to the Redeemer and Saviour. The thought that God had not drawn the line against any sinner . had so touched the heart of the colour-sergeant as to melt him into penitential decision. His conversion in that out-of-the-way manner had a great effect for good amongst the men, and was the beginning of a revival of practical religion in the district.

Dear youngster, when our Father says, "Whosoever will, may come," He means you. He never draws the line against any boy or girl; and it grieves Him when you think He does not love you. If you have done wrong which of us has not ? He wants you to come in praver to Him saying in effect; " Heavenly -Father, I am not worthy to be called your child, and now I know that you forgive me and that you love me all the same as if I hadn't grieved you, I want to be your obedient little child, and to grow to be forgiving and useful and pure." Youngster, if you pray like that it is sure to come true. Remember all your life that God never draws the line against any one; He loves the chief of sinners and earnestly desires every human being to receive pardon and be made pure in heart and full of kindness to other people. Also remember ttat you are always His little child !