A great multitude of people had followed our Saviour to listen to His teaching, and He had led them some distance away from any town. He preached to them a long time, and was still continuing His instructions when the shades of evening began to gather round. Then the disciples reminded Him that the day was declining, one of them saying, “This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: send them away that they may go into the country round about and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat.”
But our Saviour was too compassionate to send the people away hungry, and He intended Himself to give them food. He said to His disciples, “How many loaves have ye? go and see.” And when they knew, they said, “Five loaves and two fishes.” Christ then commanded them to make all the people sit down upon the grass; He took the five loaves and the two fishes, and brake the loaves, and gave the pieces to His disciples to give among the people: He also divided the two fishes, and gave them in the same way. Then the multitude, as the Bible tells us, ate and were filled: and, what is more, the disciples afterwards gathered up several basketsful of the fragments that were left.
Thus, by our Lord’s power, those five loaves and two fishes were made sufficient to feed and satisfy that great multitude of five thousand people.
SOME OF MY LITTLE FRIENDS:
DORA.
I am sorry to say I have to tell you to-day of one of my little friends, whom I cannot hold up as an example to any of my little readers. Dora is an only child, and a very spoilt one too,—though I ought to mention that I think she is improving of late; and her improvement dates from the event I am going to describe. It was a severe lesson for her, but I hope and believe it will prove a useful one.
Dora had a very naughty and stupid habit, whenever she was found fault with, of saying she would run away. One day, when the family were staying at Hastings, nurse scolded her for drawing upon her books, and threatened to tell mamma.