Now there are several things to learn from this picture story, and as I go along I think you will see them for yourselves. The vineyard belongs to the Lord God. The vines here represent the people in the world whom the Lord wants to store in His beautiful garner, the Heavenly Home, by and by. The labourers are God's own people, whom He calls to bring those precious grapes into the garner. God calls each one of us who loves Him to be a labourer in His Kingdom. To one, who is perhaps strong and able, He gives work that will last him the whole long day of a long life! Of another, He asks half a lifetime—of another, a quarter of a lifetime; or only one short hour perhaps! To each one, when the day is ended, the Lord will give His own reward. If the worker has been faithful in what has been given him to do, the Lord of the Harvest will say: "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord." Little children can work for this Heavenly Lord. They can do little kindnesses for Christ's sake; they can try to be like Jesus. They can listen for God's commands like little Samuel, and obey Him when He speaks to them. These may be like the one hour servants, but they will get their full rewards! Some of the servants of the Lord of the Harvest have very hard and toilsome work to do. He has given them that to do, and He will surely give them their pay! What is that pay? Not a Roman penny; not any earthly coins or rewards; but they are promised that if they are wise, and turn many to righteousness, they shall shine as the stars for ever and ever! Does not this encourage us to do what we can to tell others of the love of Jesus Who died on the Cross that we might be saved? We can all pray that God will call us to work for Him; and surely, if He does call and we listen to His Voice, He will teach us how to bring many to righteousness, and earn "the crown of glory that fadeth not away!" XXII. As a Hen Gathereth Her Chickens Not long before our dear Lord Jesus was crucified, He was walking one day in the streets of Jerusalem. He had been telling the Scribes and Pharisees that they were trusting in their own goodness, but were far-off from the Kingdom of God. His loving heart was filled with pity for those who would not come to Him to be saved. Do you not remember how He had said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!" He longed to have the poor, sorrowful people find joy and rest in Him. Had He not said at the very beginning of His teaching that He had come to bind up the brokenhearted? So on this day as He passed along through the streets, He noticed a hen with her chickens round her. Perhaps He paused to watch them as they ran hither and thither. Perhaps He heard the hen give a sudden warning cry, and watched the little chickens respond to it by running with outstretched wings to the shelter of her feathers, beneath which they nestled serene and safe from all alarms.