KING David had a little son, a baby, whom he loved very much; and this child fell sick. While it was sick King David grieved for it, and prayed that it might be made well. But it was not God's will to make the little boy well, and he died. And then David was patient, and knew it was God's will; and he said, "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." For David meant that one day he should die, and then his soul would go to be with his little son's soul in the happy place of rest; and by-and-by their bodies will rise again out of their graves, and be joined to their souls again, and live for ever and ever. King David used to sing the Psalms to praise God; indeed, he first made most of them; and in one he says, "My flesh also shall rest in hope." That was, the hope that he should rise again from the dead, and always live in God's holy home in heaven. Heaven is the happy place where we all hope to meet and live by-and-by, and that is the comfort that good Christians have when death takes away friends whom they love. QUESTIONS. 1. What was David's sorrow? 2. What did he do when his little boy was ill? 3. Did the little boy get better? 4. What became of him? 5. How did David bear his death? 6. What did he say? 7. Where did he hope to go to his little son? 8. When would his soul go to his child's soul? 9. When will their bodies rise? 10. What does David say of his flesh? 11. What is his flesh? 12. What hope does he rest in? 13. When will our flesh rest? 14. What do we hope to do? 15. Where in the Belief do you say we hope to rise from the dead? 16. What people will be happy then? 17. What are David's songs called? [Illustration: DAVID MOURNS THE DEATH OF HIS CHILD.--2 Sam. 12:18.] THIRD READING. "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!"--_2 Samuel 19:4._ GOOD King David had more sons besides the little one who died. One was named Absalom. He was a very fine, handsome young man, and had most beautiful hair; but he was fierce and proud, and wanted to be king. And when David was old, this wicked Absalom gathered men together, and drove his father away, that he might be king instead. Good King David had to go away, weeping and barefoot, down the steep rocky pass, for fear of his wicked son; and cruel men called him names, and threw stones at him as he went, while Absalom was made to reign in his father's palace, and did all he pleased there. But God will not let wicked men prosper; and all David's faithful old soldiers came together to help him. They had a great battle with Absalom and his men; and Absalom was beaten, and fled away on a mule. [Illustration: SHIMEI CASTING STONES AT DAVID.--2 Sam. 16:5, 6.] But when he came into a wood, his thick hair was caught in an oak tree, and he could not get it loose; and his mule went away, and left him still with his hair caught in the tree.