Why Does Christ Not Come?

Certain little incidents that find casual record reveal Falk's relation to the children in the happiest way; such as this, while they sat one evening at supper. For when one of the boys had said the pious grace, "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and bless what thou hast provided," a little fellow looked up, and said, —

"Do tell me why the Lord Jesus never comes? We ask him every day to sit with us and he never comes."

"Dear child, only believe, and you may be sure he will come, for he does not despise our invitation."

"I shall set him a seat," said the little fellow; and just then there was a knock at the door. A poor frozen apprentice entered, begging a night's lodging. He was made welcome; the chair stood empty for him; every child wanted him to have his plate; and one was lamenting that his bed was too small for the stranger, who was quite touched by such uncommon attentions. The little one had been thinking hard all the time:—

"Jesus could not come, and so he sent this poor man in his place; is that it?"

"Yes, dear child, that is just it. Every piece of bread and every drink of water that we give to the poor or the sick or the prisoners for Jesus' sake, we give to him. 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.'"

The children sang a hymn of the love of God to their guest before they parted for the night, and neither he nor they were likely to forget this simple Bible comment.—Praying and, Working.

Paris.—Steps are being prayerfully taken to carry on vigorously the work of evangelisation commenced last year. A meeting for prayer and conference on the subject was held in the Presbyterial Hall of the Oratoire, between Christian Protestants of various denominations. Two new Baptist stations have been authorised by the authorities for permanent worship.

Spain.—At the great annual fair of Valladolid, there were sold 266 Bibles, 15 Testaments, 2,700 Gospels'; and 20,000 tracts were distributed, amongst which were 8,000 of a tract entitled "The Martyrs of Valladolid," which told how greatly Spaniards had suffered in the 16th century for the Gospel's sake. In Madrid, a young Spaniard preaches four times a week to audiences of from 200 to 250 people. In one or two other parts of the city there are also mission stations where the gospel is preached by converted Spaniards. In November, 1868, public services were held in Madrid for the first time. Since then, a church now exists, attended twice every Sabbath by 850 to 900 people, and on week days by 400 to 500; three Sabbath schools, attended by 200 children; one day school and four mission centres, where the Gospel is preached every week to nearly 600 people.