r 
 
 
THE WIDOW'S LAMP. 
 
 Some years ago, the widow of a 
 fisherman lived in a lonely cot- 
 tage on the sea shore. Her hus- 
 band, it is said, had been drowned 
 
 n 
 
2 THE WIDOW'S LAMP. 
 
 almost in sight of bis home. The 
 poor woman often sat and looked 
 over the broad waters, with a heart 
 full of sorrow. She could from 
 her window see the waters toss- 
 ing in fury, and dashiug upon the 
 rocks below. At night the noise 
 of the winds and thunder would 
 often keep her awake till the 
 morning light. She would lie 
 for hours thinking of the poor 
 sailors who were out upon the 
 sea. 
 
 One stormy night, she lay in 
 her bed, thinking what the dawn 
 of the day would show to her, 
 when a happy thought came into 
 her mind. It was a plan to save 
 some of the ships from being 
 wrecked on the coast. Bat what 
 nould a poor and weak widow do 
 
 r 
 
THE WIDOW S LAMP. 3 
 
 Her cottage stood on high 
 ground, and the window looked 
 out upon the sea. " Now," 
 thought she, " I will put a lamp 
 in this window ; its light may 
 serve to warn the ships to avoid 
 the rocks that lie along the shore." 
 The next night the little lamp 
 was lit, and set in its place ; and 
 before she lay down to sleep, she 
 took care to put more oil into 
 the bowl, and trimmed the wick, 
 that it might not go out in the 
 night. All her life after, during 
 the dark ana stormy nights of 
 winter, the widow's lamp cast its 
 bright rays across the sea. Many 
 a poor sailor had to thank Grod 
 for its friendly aid. 
 
 If this widow had been rich, 
 she might have spent much money 
 
4 TITE WIDOW'S LAMP. 
 
 in building a lighthouse, or she 
 might have paid people to go to 
 ships in distress ; but she was 
 poor, and had to deny herself 
 that she might buy the oil for 
 her nightly lamp. It may be 
 said of her, " She hath done what 
 she could," Mark xiv. 8. There 
 are not many people who can do 
 great things, but all may do little 
 things, and these may be blessed 
 of G-od as well as larger ones. 
 Even young children may learn 
 to be useful, as you may soon 
 hear. 
 
 A little girl, m going to her 
 Sunday-school, saw many shops 
 open. The goods were hung out 
 lor sale, and there was almost as 
 much noise among the buyers and 
 sellers as if it were the market- 
 
THE WIDOW'S LAMP 5 
 
 day. She knew it was very wrong 
 for the people thus to break the 
 sabbath, but she thought, " What 
 can I do?" "When she got to 
 school, she told her teacher about 
 what she had seen, and asked if 
 she would give her a few tracts. 
 The teacher kindly said she would 
 do so ; and at the end of that day 
 she carried home with her a small 
 bundle of these books. Another 
 Sunday came, and the young 
 scholar, as she passed the shops, 
 very meekly and civilly left a 
 tract with each of the tradesmen. 
 She did the same on two or three 
 other Sundays, after which, she 
 was glad to see that a few of the 
 shops were closed. Some time 
 passed away, and then it was 
 found that these little tracts had 
 
6 THE WIDOW'S LAMP. 
 
 been read, and that the people 
 had been led to keep the sabbath, 
 and to go with their children to 
 the house of God, instead of hav- 
 ing their shops open on the Lord's 
 day. Her little lamp of useful- 
 ness had not been lit in vain. 
 
 A little boy went to an infant 
 school at Bath. He was almost 
 helpless ; for he was a cripple. 
 But though very poor and af- 
 flicted, he became wise and rich 
 in the knowledge of Christ. At 
 home he was kind, gentle, and 
 loving to all. Some boys and 
 girls, if they cannot go out to 
 play with other children, are fret- 
 ful and cross ; but it was not so 
 with the young cripple In every 
 way he showed his love to God 
 and to good ways. His father 
 
THE WIDOW'S LAMP. 7 
 
 and mother began to ask what 
 it was that made their poor child 
 so meek and happy ; and they 
 soon saw that it was because he 
 had given his young heart to 
 Jesus. His kind and pious ways 
 so won upon them, that they also 
 were led to think about their oavu 
 souls, and to seek unto Christ 
 as their Saviour. Surely this 
 afflicted boy was as a bright light 
 in his father's house ; and he did 
 not shine in vain. 
 
 Young reader, you have seen 
 how useful were the poor widow 
 with her lamp, the Sunday-school 
 girl with her tracts, and the little 
 boy by his meek and lovely 
 conduct at home; may you not 
 be useful too ? Ton need not be 
 rich, or learned, to do good in 
 
8 THE WIDOW'S LAMP. 
 
 the world. Nor need you wait 
 till you have grown up ; nor till 
 you can do some great things. 
 There are many ways at home 
 and among your friends for you to 
 show a willing and loving heart. 
 But whatever you do, you must 
 beware of pride and self-will. Be 
 humble and childlike ; and do all 
 to the glory of God. And that 
 this may be the happy case, first 
 ask of God to give you the Holy 
 Spirit, that your heart may be 
 made right in his sight. If you 
 are truly sorry for sin, and if you 
 are looking by faith to Jesus ; 
 then you will become like him ; 
 and the more you are like him, 
 tne more useful you will be in 
 fcne world. 
 
 Benjamin Pardon, Printer, Paternoster Row; 
 

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 How bless'd are those in early youth, 
 Who seek the holy ways of truth ; 
 And when life's opening joys appear, 
 The voice of wisdom love to hear ! 
 
 The firstling of the flock was given 
 Bv Israel to the God of heaven : 
 But dearer still he deigns to prize 
 The young heart's fervent sacrifice. 
 
 Oh ! while the path of youth is trod, 
 May we commit our way to God, 
 Nor ever form throughout the way 
 One hope for which we dare not pr**r. 
 
 Thus may we boldly cast our care