ather! I am not afraid." He took a steady aim;
fired, and knocked the apple off without hurting his son.

Just as the teacher was telling this story a sudden storm burst from
the sky. There was a flash of lightning, and a loud crash of thunder.
Some of the children screamed, and began to cry and ran to the
teacher for protection. But a little boy named Willie Hawthorne, kept
his seat and went on quietly studying his lesson.

When the storm was over the teacher said:

"Willie why were you not afraid like the other children?"

"Because," said he, "I knew the lightning was only an arrow in my
Heavenly Father's hand, and why should I be afraid?"

How well Willie had learned the lesson which Jesus taught his
disciples when he performed so many miracles to show what power he
has to protect his people from danger!

Here is just one other story to illustrate this truth. We may call
it:

"The Widow's Tree," Some years ago a violent storm, with wind and
thunder, swept through the valley of Yellow Creek, in Indiana County,
Georgia. For more than a mile in width trees were uprooted, houses,
barns, and fences were thrown down, and ruin and desolation was
spread all over the land.

In the centre of the region over which this hurricane swept stood a
small cabin. It was occupied by an aged Christian widow, with her
only son. The terrible wind struck a large tree in front of her
humble dwelling, twisting and dashing it about. If the tree should
fall it would crush her home, and probably kill herself and son. The
storm howled and raged, and the big trees were falling on every hand.
In the midst of all the danger the widow knelt in prayer, and asked
God to spare that tree, and protect her home, and save her own life,
and that of her son. Her prayer was heard. And when the storm was
over, the widow's tree was spared, and strange as it may seem, was
the only one left amidst that scene of desolation. There it stood,
as if on purpose to show what power our loving Saviour has to protect
from danger those who trust in him!

_But, in the last place, we see that Jesus performed some of his
miracles for the purpose of teaching us that he has power
to_--PARDON.

A man was brought him, one day, who was sick of the palsy. His limbs
were helpless. He was not able to come to Jesus himself, so his
friends carried him on a bed. At this time Jesus was preaching in the
yard, or court, connected with some rich man's house. In those
eastern cou