Mrs. Dermott was much pleased to see that the questions which had been explained were frequently talked of during the day, and the illustrations repeated. The account of little Lotty, and of the boy who prized his Bible, were commented upon again and again. Saturday evening arrived, and great was the disappointment that their father had not yet returned. It was now quite dark, and as Ruth was bringing in the tea, their mother called them to drop the curtains, and take their places at the table. They were scarcely seated, however, when they heard a firm step on the piazza, and all sprang toward the door to welcome the traveller. "You see I have kept my word," he said, as an hour later they were seated around the cheerful fire. "We have another lesson on the decrees, or plan, of God; and I wished to study it with you. Are we sure that God's plan will not fail?" "Yes, sir," cried Helen. "Why so? I made a plan of this house, but I might have died long before it was finished; or I might have changed my mind, and concluded not to build at all; or I might have lost all my property, and not been able to finish it." "But God can't die, nor lose his property," exclaimed Walter; "and in one of our lessons we learned that he is unchangeable. So we know that he will act according to his plan, or will do as he planned to do." "Very true, my son," said his father, affectionately patting his shoulder. "He will certainly execute his plan or purpose. Is there any way in which we can learn what his plan, or any part of his plan, is?" "I should think not, sir," replied the boy. "But does not the Bible reveal to us his plan for saving sinners?" Walter blushed as he replied, "Yes, sir; I didn't think of that." "Yes, the Bible reveals to us the gift of a Saviour. "To refer once more to my plan. While the building was in progress, I used to hear men talking with the carpenter, curious to know whether the house was to have an L, or a piazza, or an observatory. He smiled pleasantly as he told them to wait and see. We know that God made the world in six days, and that he executed the work of creation according to his plan, previously conceived and adopted. He is still carrying on this work by the creation of human beings. "God reveals his decree, or purpose, also in his providence, in which the great plan of redemption may be considered as included. The choosing of the Israelites to be his peculiar people—their exodus from Egypt, their rejection of and wicked crucifixion of the Saviour, are parts of his government, or providence, the leaves of which are unfolding every hour. "'What his soul desireth, even that he doeth.'"