distinguish and appreciate the good already given— the sweet drops mingled in their cup; be to them a mouth of praise-shed upon them a gleam of your rejoicing follow the example of Him who was light amidst darkness, and be

"A sunshine in the shady place."

XI.

SPECIAL WORK.

"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound towards you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.' -2 COR. ix. 6-8.

Sow in the morn thy seed,

At eve hold not thy hand;

To doubt and fear give thou no heed,

Broad cast it o'er the land.

Beside all waters sow,

The high-way furrows stock,

Drop it where thorns and thistles grow,

Scatter it on the rock.

Thou canst not toil in vain,

Cold, heat, and moist, and dry,

Shall foster and mature the grain

For garners in the sky.

And duly shall appear

In beauty, verdure, strength,

The tender blade, the stalk, the ear,

And the full corn at length.

JAMES MONTGOMERY.

OUR purpose has indeed failed, if we have led one soul to remain satisfied with small duties and easy work, instead of pressing on to higher degrees of service. We believe, however, that those who are most zealous in performing the humblest labours of the

vineyard, will ever be found most able and desirous, when the Master calls, of going forth early to sow the seed, to plant the vine, to twine the young tendril, to watch the tender grape and the budding forth of the green pomegranates. It must ever be remembered, that the most patient, cheerful, childlike submission to the trial of being debarred from the active work for which the soul longs, is quite compatible with a watching for every opening, a seizing of every opportunity, a knocking at every door, along with earnest prayer, to be permitted to employ every faculty in the service of God. When the Christian is brought to this willing, yet waiting spirit, he will not remain long on the threshold of the vineyard; for soon will the joyful summons be heard, "Enter in, the Master hath need of thee." He hath need of thee perhaps in his nurseries and his sheepfolds. Sabbath after Sabbath there are little tender plants and wandering branches to be trained into trees of the Lord's planting, that he may be glorified; or little wayward lambs to be guided to the Good Shepherd, and laid upon his steady shoulders. He hath need of thee, perhaps, in his mission-house, to encourage the bearers of glad tidings to far off kindreds and tongues, to give to them of your substance, to aid them by your activity. He hath need of thee, perhaps, in his prisons; He wants to be visited by thee, to receive a cup of cold water from thee,—to have the captive led to Him who leadeth captivity captive,

He

and breaketh asunder stronger chains than those of brass and iron. He hath need of thee, perhaps, in the lane and the alley, the cellar and the garret. He hath silver and gold to give out of thy abundance to the hungry and thirsty and wretched. hath kind words to speak by thee, and tender love to bestow on those who have known no kindness, who have imagined no love, and for whose souls no man hath cared. He hath need, perchance, of thy pen and thy intellect; there are scorners to be rebuked, and sophists to be confuted, in "thoughts that breathe and words that burn." He demands of thee, perhaps, the talent of thy rank and influence, to be a light shining and burning in the midst of thick darkness, to be a missionary in high places, where the accredited message, where the tabard of the herald, would find no entrance. Go forth, then, rejoicing to thy work; linger not a step, for the way is short; lose not an hour, for the night cometh when no man can work.

It has been said by one who once appeared "almost a Christian," "Let him who gropes painfully in darkness or uncertain light, and prays vehemently that the dawn may ripen unto day, lay this other precept well to heart, which to me was of invaluable service: Do the duty which lies nearest thee, which thou knowest to be a duty, thy second duty will already have become clearer.” * And it is true,

*Carlyle's Sartor Resartus.

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that while Christians work not to be saved, but because they are saved, yet there is much spiritual benefit to be obtained for our own souls by active work for God. He that doeth His will shall know of the doctrine.-John vii. 17. Let the Christian who is mourning over his ignorance, his doubts, his want of experience, become a diligent worker, and he will find that knowledge will flow in upon his soul like a river, and that he shall be satisfied with the riches of understanding that are in Christ Jesus. He that watereth others, shall be watered also himself." Perhaps the believer is enveloped in thick, dark clouds, or pursued by fiery darts of temptation, till his soul is ready to despair. Let him work, let him strain every nerve in the service of his Master, and he will forget, not his sinfulness, not his weakness, but he will forget his despair-he will have no time for his unbelief; there will be no room for Satan's temptations in his busy hands. While watering others, his own soul will become as a watered garden, filled with all manner of spices, and pleasant fruits, and lovely flowers. It is true that at first he will not bear the seed-basket so joyfully as those who are basking in the sunshine of God's countenance. There will be weeping because of weariness, weeping because of weakness, weeping because of unworthiness; so much the better. The precious seed will rise up all the goodlier and the greener, because of the spring showers before the summer sunshine.-Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6.