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OUR GIFT.

DEDICATION.

"We offer no words of inspired thought,
No gems from the mines of wisdom brought,
No flowers of language to deck the page,
No borrowed glories of Muse or Sage;
But an offering simple and pure we bring,
And a wreath of wild roses around it fling;
Not culled from the shades of enamelled bowers,
But watered by love's own gentle showers.
In tones of affection we here would speak;
To waken an echo of love we seek;
We mingle our tears for the early dead,
To the land of spirits before us fled.
While a moral we humbly would here entwine
With the flowers we lay on affection's shrine,
We pray that the light of religion may dawn,
To brighten our pathway each coming morn.
Then with love for each other OUR GIFT we bring,
And love for the memories that round it cling,
And trust in the hopes that are lighted here,
To burn with new brightness each passing year.
And as Time moves on with unceasing tread,
And the flowers of youth are withered and dead,
May no sigh of regret to the past be given,
As it peacefully fades in the light of Heaven."

PREFACE.

"OUR GIFT" has been prepared as a token of affection for ourSunday school Pupils, and it is hoped that it may serve a similarpurpose in the hands of other teachers. It has been said, that"He who gives his thought, gives a part of himself." It wasthis idea that suggested the offering we now bring. We do not claimfor it especial excellence. We are aware that its pages have notuniform merit. When we state that they are from the pens oftwenty-five different teachers, few of whom are accustomed to writefor the public eye, we offer the only apology for the imperfectionsof the work, which, in our judgment, the circumstances of the casedemand. If this explanation shall not cause the critic to throw thework aside, we would welcome him to whatever pleasure he may findin its perusal. Of the defects which it contains, we prefer toshare jointly the responsibility; and have, therefore, omitted toattach signatures to the several articles. The shorter paragraphs,scattered through the work, embody ideas from several contributionswhich have been excluded by its narrow limits. Such as it is, wepresent it to the public generally, and especially to our pupils,as a slight token of the ardent love we bear them, humbly prayingthat the moral lessons it contains may find a place in theirhearts, and contribute to the formation of such a character asinvolves within itself the highest form of blessing.

CONTENTS.

Dedication.

Preface.

Remember Me.

Honor Thy Parents.

Uncharitable Judgment.

Boys Become Men.

To The Portrait of Father Ballou,

Susan's Repentance and Appeal to her ElderSister.

Little Emma.

The Old Sabbath Schoolroom.

The Hunter, and his Dog Jowler.

Take Care of your Books.

My Niece.

Teachers' Library.

Scholars' Library.

Agatha.

Responsibility.

Duty of Parents.