BOYS OF THE BIBLE. 293

impulses; our hands for honorable, helpful toil. To live, to
love, to serve—these are purposes for which we are here.
An aimless life, a selfish life, does not answer the purpose
of being. Happy are they who, in the first fresh beauty of
life’s morning, take for the motto of all their days and years
the one grand sentence of the boyhood of Jesus:

“T must be about my Father’s business.”

Who is this lad in Nazareth town,
So true at his work, with saw and p.ane?
His brow wears a smile, and never a frown,
And his mother smiles back to him again.
His name, they tell us, is—Jesus.
Let’s get acquainted with Jesus:
’ Twill help in our heavy tasks of work;
’ Twill help to be true and never to shirk—
If we get acquainted with Jesus.

By the fountain, now, who is this lad

With the bounding step and the skillful hand,
In play so merry, so gentle, so glad?

And loving playmates around him stand.

His name, they tell us, is—Jesus.

Let’s get acquainted with Jesus!

"Twill add to the joy of our merry play,

’ Twill help to be gentle as well as gay—
If we get acquainted with Jesus.

Who is this lad, in the Lord’s own house?
His eyes are watching the altar-fire;
His voice joins sweet in the solemn vows;
His heart grows warm with strong desire.
His name, they tell us, is—Jesus.
Let’s get acquainted with Jesus!
’Twill help us to worship aright in God’s house,
’ Twill help us to join in the solemn vows—
If we get acquainted with Jesus.

With the gray-haired teachers I see him now,
“At his Father’s work.” With glad, sweet face,
The heart of the Holy Word he would know;
So he asks, and answers, with modest grace.
His name, they tell us, is —Jesus.