, even as the Father knoweth me,
and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.'"

"This means, my dears," said mamma, "that Jesus cares for you and for
all his children, just as a good and faithful shepherd cares for his
sheep. The good shepherd brings his sheep safely home at night, and
the porter, or keeper of the fold, opens the door and lets them in.
The sheep hear his voice, and he calls each one by name and they
follow him, but they will not follow a stranger."

"What does 'hireling' mean?" said Margaret.

"It means, dear," replied mamma, "one who is hired to care for the
sheep, but who does not know them or love them as the good shepherd
does."

"I know," said Harold; "it means that Jesus can take care of us better
than anyone else."

"Yes," said mamma, "that is just what it means. And here is another
story from the Bible, which Jesus told to show how very tenderly he
loves and cares for his little ones":--

"'Jesus said, See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I
say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of
my Father which is in heaven. How think ye? If any man have a hundred
sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety
and nine, and go unto the mountains and seek that which goeth astray?

{287}{288}

[Illustration]
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
By W. C. T. Dobson

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for
the sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the
sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them: he fleeth
because he is a hireling, and careth not for his sheep. I am the
good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me, even as
the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life
for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and they shall
become one flock, one shepherd."--_The Words of Jesus_
[End illustration]

{289}

And if so be that he find it, verily, I say unto you, he rejoiceth
over it more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray.
Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one
of these little ones shall perish.'"

"In the book of the Bible called the Psalms," continued mamma, "the
twenty-third is often called the Shepherd Psalm."