HYMN. Ashamed of Jesus! can it be, Ashamed of Jesus!-that dear Friend On whom my hopes of Heaven depend! No: when I blush, be this my shame, That I no more revere his name. Ashamed of Jesus! yes, I may, Till then, nor is my boasting vain- QUESTIONS. What do we read of the latter part of Solomon's reign? What should we learn from this? What change in the kingdom took place after his death? In whose reign did the prophet Elijah live? Where was he sent by God, and how was he sustained there? What lesson may we learn from Elijah at the brook Chereth? Where was he afterwards sent, and to whom? What may we learn from the widow of Zarephath? Where is Mount Carmel, and what happened there? Tell me two more lessons to be learned from this story, and a text on each. SCENE ON MOUNT HOREB. I HAVE more to tell you to-day, dear children, about Elijah. We left him, you remember, on Mount Carmel, just after he had, at God's command, put to death the false prophets of Baal. God had told him that rain would soon be sent to refresh the dry and thirsty land, and Elijah was now to watch for the fulfilment of this promise. So he went up to the top of Carmel, and cast himself down upon the earth, and sent his servant to look toward the sea-the Mediterranean Sea, which flowed at the foot of Carmel. And while the servant went to look whether any signs of rain had yet appeared, Elijah spent the time in prayer. He asked God to remember his promise, and to send the refreshing showers which were so much needed; and to show the unbelieving king, Ahab, that he was indeed a faithful, as well as a powerful, God. The servant soon returned, and said, "There is nothing." The sky was still bright and clear; no clouds were to be seen, no signs of storm. or rain. Had God forgotten his promise? Would he not attend to his ser vant's prayer?· Elijah did not think this; he felt sure that God would, in his own good time, send the rain as he had promised. So he said to the servant, "Go again seven times." And when that servant went the seventh time, and not till then, he saw a little cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, rising out of the sea; and he went and told his master. And Elijah said, 66 Go, tell Ahab; prepare thy cha riot, that the rain stop thee not." And in a very little time the sky grew black with clouds, and the heavy drops began to fall, and there was a great rain. Now, this shows us how true and faithful God is; that when he makes a promise, he never forgets it, never fails to do as he has said. And it teaches us, too, what we should do when we want any bless |