,collections1 ,university ,libraries1 ,ball ,state ,university and the ,online ,distributed ,proofreading ,team at http3_/_/www4pgdp4net ,illustration3 ,cover #aajb ,,the ,,cochineal4 ,new ,york3 ,general ,protestant ,episcopal ,sunday ,school ,union2 ,depository1 ,press ,buildings1 ,no4 #df ,lumber-,street1 in rear of ,trinity ,church4 ,printed at the ,protestant ,episcopal ,press1 ,no4 #df ,lumber-,street4 ,,the ,,cochineal4 ,as ,i was one day studying in the same room with my little son1 a child of ten years old1 he turned towards me1 and pointed to a little insect which was crawling on a sheet of paper4 ,look1 papa1 said he1 look at that insect2 how small it is6 ,see how it moves its feet--how wonderful that ,,god should have made this little creature6 ,father4 ,it is a little cochineal4,a--,wait2 ,i will bring my microscope1 and we shall see many more wonderful things4 ,child4 ,make haste1 or it will fly away4 ,i put the insect between two glasses1 and thus prevented it from escaping1 without restraining it from moving its limbs4 ,to the naked eye1 it did not look at all remarkable3 its back was of a brown colour1 spotted with black and white1 and the under part of its body was gray4 ,but no sooner had ,i placed it in the focus of the microscope1 than ,i was filled with wonder and admiration4 ,the back1 which before appeared unworthy of notice1 now displayed the most perfect and beautiful appearance4 ,the colour1 which appeared brown to the naked eye1 now presented a variety of feathers or scales of the same size and shape1 polished1 brilliant1 distinct1 and arranged in far more exact order than the tiles on the best built roof4 ,the ground was formed of beautiful white scales1 surrounded by a border of polished black and blue scales of the same description4 ,a black line divided the back into two equal parts4 ,how marvellously wise and powerful is the ,,lord6 exclaimed ,i4 ,who would believe that so many beauties1 and such a variety of exquisite workmanship1 had been bestowed on this little1 despicable insect8 ,oh1 how great is our ,,god6 ,the child was impatient to judge for himself4 ,he approached the microscope1 and gazed in silence for some moments4 ,at length1 raising his head1 and fixing his eyes upon me with an expression of wonder and astonishment--,oh6 papa1 exclaimed he1 is not this beautiful8 ,how beautiful6 repeated he1 raising his hands4 ,how powerful ,,god must be to give this little insect1 which attracts so little attention1 such a beautiful coat6 ,did you see its scales1 its neck1 its head1 and its glittering horns8 ,it looks like glass on polished gold4 ,how beautiful6 how beautiful6 ,father4 ,my dear boy1 since our heavenly ,father is so great1 so powerful1 and so wise2 since he takes such care of this little insect which crawls upon the ground2 think how great must be his care of his own children1 whom he loved so much as to give his well-beloved ,,son to die for them1 that they might be saved1 from eternal death6 ,child4 ,yes2 our ,saviour himself says that his children 'are of more value than many sparrows2' so they must be of more value than this little insect3 and since it has received1 and does all the while receive from ,,god1 its food and its rich and beautiful clothing1 surely the same ,,god will feed and clothe us also6 ,my dear papa1 are we not very happy in having seen this insect1 since it has shown us the power and goodness of the ,,lord8 ,papa4 ,yes1 my dear2 let us thank ,,god for thus enlarging our views of his goodness and infinite wisdom4 ,how good ,,god is1 thus to fill our hearts with confidence1 to assure us of his guardian care1 and to teach us that he sees1 protects1 and preserves us6 ,i now turned the microscope1 that we might examine the cochineal on the other side2 it was equally beautiful and perfect4 ,the side legs1 which were so disposed as to balance the body1 and make its motions easy1 were partly covered with scales1 like those on the back2 but they were much smaller and more flexible4 ,there were no scales near the joints1 and the legs were fastened to the body with such exactness that it was impossible to perceive the smallest defect1 even by means of the strongest lens4 ,its light and delicate limbs moved with the greatest ease1 and with most astonishing regularity4 ,how wonderful is even one of its legs6 said ,i2 could the most skilful artist or human mechanic imitate it1 even in the clumsiest manner8 ,could the most learned man give motion and life to this little creature8 ,child4 ,and yet some people say that all this is done by chance2 is this possible1 papa8 ,father4 ,my dear1 there is no such thing as chance4 ,,god made the world1 and all that it contains4 ,he alone is the ,creator and ,preserver of all4 ,those that say that this insect was made by chance1 show that they have never examined it2 and thus they cannot have seen the powerful hand of ,,god4 ,child4 ,and what do those mean who say that nature created animals and plants8 ,father4 ,those who speak so are generally irreligious and ignorant persons1 who1 instead of glorifying and blessing ,,god as their ,creator and ,preserver1 never mention his name in their works or conversation2 and thus1 instead of saying1 ',,god made this or that1' they say ',nature made' such things4 ,child4 ,,god then made every thing8 ,father4 ,yes1 every thing1 except what is bad4 ,child4 ,this must be true3 ,,god created us1 and preserves us every moment4 ,yet few think of him1 or speak of him4 ,how does this happen1 papa8 ,father4 ,my dear child1 our hearts are naturally turned away from ,,god4 ,sin is the cause of this sad state3 it separates our hearts from our ,father and ,creator4 ,we do not wish to own that he preserves and takes care of us--supplies our wants1 and gives us all things we enjoy4 ,child4 ,oh1 papa6 how few love ,,god1 and trust in him as they ought6 ,father4 ,the true children of ,,god alone really love him1 desire to please him1 and sincerely trust in his goodness4 ,yes1 my child1 till we are true ,christians1 till we are renewed and changed by the ,,spirit ,,of ,,god1 we are like this little insect4 ,we receive life1 motion1 food1 and clothing from him1 but we seldom think of him2 and we do not even thank him for all his gifts4 ,child4 ,i think1 papa1 that those who forget ,,god are not even so good as this little insect2 for it at least does nothing wrong1 while they are wicked1 obstinate1 proud1 and ungrateful4 ,father4 ,you are right1 my dear child4 ,the sinner is not so good as this insect4 ,how thankful should we then be that our ,saviour has redeemed us from sin1 and has made us children of ,,god1 by uniting us for ever to himself8 ,child4 ,yes1 we know that ,,god is our ,father1 and that he loves us4 ,i am sure he takes care of me1 since he has given his ,,son to save me4 ,what a good ,father6 what a kind ,saviour6 ,father4 ,continue to love this good ,saviour1 my dear child2 and always remember the words of ,st4 ,paul3--,he who spared not his own ,son1 but gave him up to the death for us all1 shall he not with him also freely give us all things8 ,remember the cochineal1 which is so wonderfully formed by the ,,lord1 and seek1 above all things1 the blessing of the all-wise1 powerful1 and good ,,god1 who never forgets you1 and who is1 through ,,jesus ,,christ1 your heavenly ,father4 ,illustration ,,the ,,great ,,and ,,good ,,god4 ,how wonderful this rolling ball ,of earth1 that bears me now6 ,and1 ,o6 thou mighty ,,god of all1 ,how wonderful art ,thou6 7,and what is this vast world to thee1 ,with all its sea and land8 ,just what a pebble is to me1 ,or e'en a grain of sand47 ,and may a simple child address ,so great and high a ,king8 ,and will he notice1 will he bless ,so mean a little thing8 ,and may ,i hope his love to win1 ,before his face to stand1 ,who holds this spacious world within ,the hollow of his hand8 ,o yes6 for though he is so high1 ,he makes e'en worms his care2 ,he will not scorn an infant's cry1 ,a sinful infant's pray'r4 ,footnote3 ,footnote ,a3 ,perhaps the young reader would know it better by its more common name of lady bird4