so how do you think he managed to get to Jesus? He went to Him in the night. How kind it was of Jesus to receive him at such a time! It makes me think of some sweet words which were spoken of Him by Isaiah the prophet, "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench." (Isaiah xlii. 3.) And now you can fancy Jesus talking with Nicodemus by night. You will wonder when I tell you that he could not understand the very first thing Jesus said to him. Why?" you will ask me; "did you not say he was a very learned man?" Ah! but, dear children, he had never been taught by God's Holy Spirit. He did not know that we are all born in sin, and children of wrath; so when Jesus told him that none can get to heaven unless they are born again, Nicodemus was quite puzzled.

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Have you, dear children, learned to feel, as well as to know, that you must be born again, if ever you would see the kingdom of

God? If not, Oh! pray earnestly that God would make you feel it by his Spirit. We may believe that Nicodemus became a follower of Jesus, for we read that he was not afraid to be seen paying respect to his: body when it was taken down from the

cross.

CHAPTER VI.

JESUS AT THE WELL OF SAMARIA.

AFTER a time Jesus left Judea, and returned to Galilee. See, dear children, what long journeys the Saviour took on foot. In that country the weather is often very hot, so hot that it is often impossible for travellers to go on in the middle of the day. Jesus had to pass through Samaria, and about twelve o'clock one day He arrived at a well called "Jacob's well." Being very tired, He sat down on the well, and while He was resting there, a woman came to draw water. Jesus was thirsty as well as tired, and He asked the woman to give Him a little water to drink.

Now, she was a woman of Samaria, and the Samaritans were not friendly with the

Jews. The woman saw at once that Jesus was a Jew. She wanted to know how He could think of asking her for water. Ah! how little she knew who it was that was speaking to her! If she had known, Jesus told her, she would have asked of Him, and He would have given her living water. This surprised her more and more. She knew the well was very deep, and she saw that Jesus had nothing to draw with, so she could not think how He could get any water at all. Jesus told her that if she had some of the water which He could give her, she would never thirst again. Often had this poor woman toiled in the heat of the sun, to draw water from that well. Oh! how glad she was to think that if Jesus would give her some of the water He spoke of, she should never have to toil there again. She did not know what He meant by living water; but you do, I hope, dear children. He meant that precious gift of the Holy Spirit, which He was willing to give to all

who asked Him.

(John vii. 35.) But Jesus did not yet explain this to her. He first showed her that He knew all her history, and that she was leading a wicked life. We may hope the poor woman would learn to love Him; but this we are not told. We only know that Jesus made Himself known to her as the promised Messiah, and that she left her water-pot and went to call the men of her city, to hear the wonderful things He had to say. A great many of them believed on Jesus, and I hope the woman was one of the number; but He only stayed two days among them, for you remember He was on his way to Galilee. If you look at the map of Canaan, it will make these journeys of our blessed Lord much more interesting to you.