Their teacher was about to say something more on the same subject, but the school-bell rang to prepare for an address: the children then put by their Bibles, and stood up to sing that pretty hymn:
"How sweet the precious Saviour's words.
What solid joy this truth affords
To those who early pray;
They shall the heavenly boon obtain,
And Jesus and his favour gain,
Who walk in wisdom's way."
After the address, they sang another hymn, and then the school was closed with prayer.
It was at this time that little Charles and John began the conversation I have mentioned, about their walk in the orchard on their way home; and as Mr. Fulton overheard them, and had been interrupted in his remarks by the ringing of the school-bell, he thus addressed them: "My dear boys, as I am going up the green lane towards your father's house, we will all walk through the orchard together; and perhaps I may there find something to supply a better explanation of this day's lesson, than I have yet given you."
The little boys were both much pleased with Mr. Fulton's offer, and wishing their school-fellows good-by, set off with him towards their home.
As they walked through the meadows, and saw the young lambs feeding with their flocks, and noticed their shepherd who watched them, Mr. Fulton called their attention to the language of King David in Ps. xxiii., where he speaks with such confidence in the Divine protection and care, and says, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." Now, as both John and Charles seemed to be much pleased when their teacher referred them to this very beautiful psalm, he proceeded to say, "You see, my dear boys, that every one of the sheep in the flock is equally the object of the shepherd's care; and there is not a lamb, however young or weakly, but he is anxious for its safety. Just so, the Lord is the Shepherd and Keeper of his people; for it is said of him, 'He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom,' (Isa. xl. 11;) and if you are his disciples, he will protect you as the lambs of his flock."
Here Charles, who had seen some of the lambs pass through an opening in the hedge, and wander from the fold unseen by the shepherd, said to his teacher, "But the lambs of Christ's flock must be more secure than these, sir; for this shepherd cannot see all his flock at once, although he may wish to do so: but you told us, last Sunday, that those who love the Saviour, however young or poor, are each as much the object of his care, as if there were no others in the world." "I am very glad to find you remember that remark," said his teacher; "for, as you grow up in life, you may find it a comfort to think, with Jacob,'He knoweth the way that I take;' and to adopt the language of David as your own,'I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant: for I do not forget thy commandments.'" Ps. cxix. 176.
By this time they had again entered the green lane, from which they had departed to pursue the path across the meadow; and having gone over the stile by the village church, they entered the orchard through which Charles and John had expected such a pleasant walk.
I do not wonder at their wishing to go home that way, for the trees were all so full of beautiful pink and white blossoms, and the birds sang so sweetly as they hopped from twig to twig, or fluttered on the branches, that you could not have been there without rejoicing with them.
It was not long before Mr. Fulton invited the attention of his scholars to a little apple tree, on every twig of which were buds and blossoms. The two little boys, on seeing it, cried out together, "O, what a beautiful tree!" to which their teacher replied by saying, "And I hope you will be like it." This remark surprised them both, especially little Charles, who looked at his teacher as if he would inquire, "How can I be like this tree?" He was not kept long waiting, however, for Mr. Fulton, observing his astonishment, explained himself by saying, "I wish that, as this little tree has so early put forth blossoms, so you both, my dear boys, may begin, while young, to show that you are His, who said, 'I love them that love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.'" Prov. viii. 17.