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FLO WEES AND WEEDS. 
 
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 Arthur and Jane had each a 
 little garden of their own, whicu 
 had been given to them by theii 
 kind father. He told them that 
 uhey must take care to pluck out 
 
 a 
 
2 FLOWEKS A"S"D WEEDS. 
 
 all the weeds, and to do all they 
 could to make the flowers grow. 
 They used to save some of their 
 money in the winter, and when 
 the spring came they spent it 
 in buying seeds and roots. 
 
 When the little leaves and 
 stems began to peep above 
 ground, Arthur and Jane wa- 
 tered them every day; and as 
 the plants grew, they took^ care 
 to keep them free from ail in- 
 sects, and to shade them when 
 the sun shone too strongly. 
 They made a nice path of gravel 
 between the beds, which they 
 kept quite smooth and clean. 
 In the afternoon, as soon as 
 they came home from school, 
 they used to run into the gar- 
 den, to see to their sweet flowers. 
 
FLOWEES A.ND WEEDS. '6 
 
 With all tliis care the beds looked 
 very pretty when summer came. 
 
 But there was one thing which 
 gave them a good deal of trouble. 
 Weeds would spring up. Almost 
 as fast as they were plucked up in 
 one place, they grew in another. 
 
 "1 do not like those 'ugly, 
 naughty weeds,' said Jane to her 
 mother. They must not grow in 
 my pretty garden. I want only 
 sweet flowers to be there." 
 
 "Yes," added Arthur, "lam 
 sure we have tried our best to 
 keep them out, but they will 
 grow in spite of us." 
 
 "It is just like other little 
 gardens," said their mother, "in 
 which I wish to see only flowers, 
 but I am sorry to say I have 
 seen many weeds thrive there, 
 
* FLOWERS AND WEEDS. 
 
 though much labour has been 
 given to keep them out." 
 
 " What little gardens are they, 
 mother? " 
 
 "Those over which I have 
 watched, and in which I still hope 
 to see some useful and lovely 
 plants, though I have not yet 
 quite gained my wish. I have 
 often thought I could see a few 
 buds, but they have not come 
 into full blossom. And some- 
 times where I had hoped to find 
 a flower, I have only plucked a 
 weed." 
 
 " Butwhere are these gardens?" 
 
 " These gardens are your young 
 hearts, my dears. Tou know I 
 have wished to see there what 
 I would call my pleasant flowers. 
 One of these is Kindness : and 
 
FLOWEBS AKD WEEDS. 5 
 
 a very large and fine plant it 
 is when fully grown ; but the 
 weed of Selfishness too often 
 springs up around it, until it is 
 quite covered from our view. 
 This ill weed will spread in all 
 directions, and twine itself about 
 every stalk that comes in its 
 way. Humility is a very pretty 
 flower. It does not make much 
 show, for like the sweet violet it 
 hides itself among its own leaves. 
 If you mark it well, you will see 
 its delicate and sweet-smelling 
 blossoms. But there are tall 
 and showy weeds called Pride 
 and Vanity ; which though they 
 please some eyes, are very hurt- 
 ful to the flowers. Truth is an- 
 other plant in these gardens, but 
 the hurtful weed of Falsehood 
 
6 FLOWEUS A-lfD WEEDS. 
 
 will come up by its side, and 
 cause it soon to wither and die. 
 Then there are other flowers, 
 known by the names of Indus- 
 try, Contentment, and Peace, 
 which are much admired by all 
 who see them ; but the ' naughty 
 weeds ' of Idleness, Sullenness, 
 and Anger, often choke the nice 
 plants before they are fully 
 
 grown." 
 
 " Oh, 1 see, mother, what you 
 mean now. The flowers are good 
 tempers and conduct, and the 
 weeds are our wicked passions 
 and evil ways." 
 
 " Tou are quite right, Arthur; 
 and you should know that the 
 soil of your hearts is friendly 
 to the growth of these hurtful 
 weeds. Gardeners say that it 
 
FLOWERS AND WEEDS. 7 
 
 is always needful to keep young 
 plants clean from all weeds, which 
 twine round the roots, and stop 
 their growth. You see, then, 
 why I have tried to root out all 
 evil which I have seen in your 
 conduct, or to cut it down ; 
 but I have felt that the Holy 
 Spirit must renew your hearts. 
 We must watch, and pray, and 
 labour; yet only the Spirit of 
 G-od can so change these little 
 gardens of your hearts, as to 
 make 'the plants of grace' grow 
 and flourish in them. 
 
 " Tou said to us, dear mother, 
 that if we ask Glod to give us 
 his Holy Spirit he will hear, and 
 answer our prayer." 
 
 " Yes, I did, Jane ; and I hope 
 you and your brother will not 
 
8 FLOWERS AND WEKD8. 
 
 forget the lesson I then taught 
 you. Then I shall see in you 
 those flowers which of all others 
 are the most lovely that can be 
 found in the human heart. There 
 will be the precious blossom of 
 Faith : you will look to Jesus 
 as your Saviour, who died for you 
 on the cross ; and you will make 
 him all your trust. The sweet 
 plant of Love will flourish too : 
 you will yield yourselves to God, 
 and love him because he first loved 
 you. Ajid blooming Hope will 
 appear in all its beauty ; you will 
 look forward to the happy time, 
 when you shall be removed from 
 the Lord's garden on earth, the 
 church of Christ, to flourish in 
 his heavenly courts for evt r. 
 
 Pardon and Son, Printers, Paternoster row. 
 
i 
 
 
 
 
VI 
 
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 Busy I must be, and do 
 What is right .and useful too ; 
 I must learn to read, and look 
 Often in God's holy book. 
 
 What my parents, fond and kind, 
 
 Bid me, I will gladly mind. 
 
 Oh that never once again 
 
 I might cause them grief or pain ! 
 
 Never wrong should I have done, 
 If my naughty heart were gone : 
 But to God I still will pray — 
 Please to take that heart away 
 
 A 
 
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 He from, sin can make me free ; 
 For the Saviour died for me. 
 Oh ! how happy life to spend 
 With the Saviour for mv friend ! 
 
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