bed and fell asleep. As he slept he heard a voice calling him. Now he
was an obedient boy, and though it was hard for him to rouse himself
from a sound sleep and leave his comfortable bed he did so. He ran to
the minister saying, "Here I am, you called me, what do you want?" The
minister said, "No, my boy, I did not call you, go back to bed." The boy
returned to his bed and again went to sleep. A second time, and even a
third time he was called. Each time the faithful, obedient lad leaped
from his couch and ran to the minister. The third time it dawned on the
mind of the minister that the voice the lad heard was the voice of God,
calling him to himself and to his special service. Being a wise and
loving man he said to the boy, "Return to your bed, and if you hear the
call again, say, 'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.'" The boy did as
instructed and that night was forever memorable in his life, for that
was the night God called Samuel and Samuel answered.

MEMORY VERSE, _I Samuel_ 3: 10

"And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times,
Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak, for thy servant
heareth."

MEMORY HYMN [674]

_"Hushed was the evening hymn."_

A HAPPY HOME

This morning, the first thing, my boy said to me, "Tell me a story."
This is the story I told him. Once upon a time, it was a long, long time
ago, so long ago that we can scarcely realize how long, more than
twenty-five hundred years ago. Well, once upon a time there was a
home--homes then were quite the same in most ways as homes are
now--there were children in that home. They played and were happy. And
too, I suppose they had their misunderstandings, and sometimes the
children quarreled. One day the children heard music. Looking up the
street they saw a great company of men marching right toward them. They
were soldiers. There were thirty thousand of them. In the center of the
marching army were some oxen. The oxen were harnessed to a fine, new
cart. On the cart was a chest, most beautifully carved and decorated. On
the soldiers came. What was the amazement of the boys and girls when
they stopped right in front of their house! Then the king, majestic in
his bearing and gorgeously arrayed, came to their father and said, "I
want to leave this chest here in your house. Take good care of it." The
king's men brought the wonderful chest within, set it down, went out,
and the army marched away. From that hour t