active service in His vineyard, you are obliged to go into scenes whence you return home despondingly, feeling that there you have left some of your precious things, without having imparted them to others; your bodily strength is worn out by what seems labour worse than wasted, and day after day finds you and leaves you weary, and useless, and murmuring. This must not be. God has allotted to you a social work to do for Him, and how grieved He must be when His servant refuses to do it. Keep this work ever before youself-denial is one part of it; the adorning of the doctrine of your Saviour is another; the winning of souls to Christ by your influence, noiseless and nameless as it may be, is another; and soon you will find the evil to yourself obviated, despondency vanishing, and an object of deep interest rising into your present objectless life. To give an example how the principle may be reduced to practice in what are called "little things," (although nothing is little in the sight of the great God;) the next time that your brow is shadowed and your tone impatient because of the arrival of one visitor after another, interrupting a favourite occupation; or a cherished scheme of doing good; or that you are obliged to go forth to the social circle, when you would rather be resting beside your own pleasant fireside; go to Him who went forth from the mountain, and the Kedron, to be buffeted in the busy world-ask for the same Spirit that was in Him, to make you a willing servant in any way that

He pleases; take up the little cross cheerfully, smooth your perturbed brow, get your heart filled with interest, and your eyes brightened with kindliness; and in the pleasant glance, the genuine cordiality, the gentle word spoken in season, perchance to those not accustomed to gentleness, you will be doing real though humble work for God, all the more real and the more acceptable that it is work which none will know and none applaud.

Inseparable from this kind of work, there is the work of influence, both conscious and unconscious; for the latter we would refer our readers to the admirable little tract called "Unconscious Influence;' with regard to the former, we would seek to impress upon all the necessity of cultivating diligently a talent which God has confided to the trust of every one. There is no form of false humility more common than that which prompts the remark, "Alas! I possess no influence,-what can I do ?" Now it is true. that many have no wealth, no beauty, no rank, no accomplishments, no intellect; but there never has been a heart created since the world began, that has not received and exerted the precious though muchabused gift of influence. How is this? Just because every heart has the power of loving. We have heard the well-known answer of Cecil's little daughter, quoted by one of the greatest of our living poets, as containing the essence of the truest, most thrilling poetry; it certainly contains the essence of the

truest influence:-"Mary, why does every body love you so much ?" "Oh, papa, I think it must be because I love every body!"

Here, then, is a work which all have to do. "Love is power;" therefore love is work, if the power is used for God. The sunshine has its work to do; it penetrates into all dark places, all dreary nooks and crevices, lighting up and cheering; it brings life and warmth to the chilled and torpid; it gives colour to the flower, and ripeness to the fruit; it takes a message into every heart, for all hearts love the sunshine, and it speaks of hope and comfort even to the kneelers beside a dying bed. Just so may the loving heart do it may not be a powerful heart-it may not be a wise heart-it may not be a rich heart; but if it is a loving heart, it will go about cheering and lighting up, warming and colouring, and ripening all things just like the sun. One of the most hardened offenders in Newgate when she was brought to the feet of Jesus, in her right mind declared that it was Mrs. Fry's "Look of Love" that first led her to hope that she too might be saved; and most of us know well the effect of a kindly sympathizing look, shining upon us in the midst of heart darkness, like a burst of light and blue sky on a "rainy day," that was "cold, and dark, and dreary."

Closely allied to the loving heart and the loving look is the loving manner; and yet these three are often at variance, and we are wounded by the thorns

and the briers when beneath are blossoming fresh. lovely rose-buds. Many very good people seem to think it a duty to keep their hearts locked and padlocked, for fear of casting their pearls into the mire; others are intensely disagreeable, because it is their way, and "what does manner signify ?" Others are painfully aware of their defects, but the habits of early life are too strong for them. And so it comes to pass that we so frequently meet with that anomaly in grace, grace, a disagreeable Christian. Have you ever thought seriously of the sin which it involves? Have you ever thought that it makes the religion of your gentle, genial Master, appear disagreeable too? Have you ever thought, that as the Lord Jesus Christ looks upon the cup of cold water as given to Him, so He will look upon the wounded feeling, the repulsed confidence, the bruised spirit, as given to Him also? Oh, it is a sad thing to fold up in a napkin the talent of manner, to lose the key of the casket, to forget the Sesame to the hearts of men! Let it not be objected that this implies insincerity or affectation,that it is assuming something which is not felt. If the heart is right with God, glowing with love to Jesus, and filled with the fruits of the Spirit, there is no fear of insincerity in a manner expressing interest, and sympathy, and kindness, and compassion towards all; for all are "possible angels," possible redeemed ones!

Closely connected with the law of love, there is

the "Law of Consideration." Mrs. Hannah More, of whom we shall give a slight sketch at the end of the chapter, was so impressed with the necessity of this quality, that she expressed her intention of writing a treatise upon it, which, however, she unhappily never accomplished. It is not so necessarily a part of love as influence, for many loving hearts who would lay them down to die for the objects of their affections, yet lack the minute thoughtfulness, the attentive watching, the intuitive knowledge, "the determination," to use Mrs. More's words" to be the author, in the common matters of life, of as little unnecessary uneasiness, trouble, or inconvenience as possible," which are essential parts of the law of consideration. This law is simply a fulfilment in its strictest sense of the command, "Love thy neighbour as thyself;" for who does not like to be thought of, and thought for? Who does not wish to be saved from the pin points of trouble and uneasiness which we suffer, and make others suffer every day from want of consideration? This quality is peculiarly alluded to, when God says, "Blessed is he that considereth the poor," which is not a benediction upon those who give large alms and do great things for them, but upon those who consider their case, and with wisdom and tenderness think for them and do for them according to their ability.

We must allude in passing, to a subject which often causes doubt and embarrassment to the con