The matrices, and bids him depart

There the hungry son is refreshed vila a foi more grenous by far than the mana de desert-there, surrounded with the entiems of sorrow, the afficted offer the GOENDENDOPELITE Sacrifice for some departed objees of their affections, in the consoling hope that if any human frailties remain to be expiated by him, his sufferings may be shortened and his glory accelerated-BAINES.

TRUST IN GOD.

Son, teaches the Saviour, I am the Lord who gives strength in the day of tribulation. Come to me when it is not well with thee. Do not betake thyself so unwillingly to prayer; for this it is which most hinders me from comforting thee. For before thou earnestly prayest for my help, thou lookest elsewhere for comfort, and wilt not trust to me till other means fail thee. And hence it is that they do fail thee;

for I am He who rescues those who trust in me and there is no real help, no useful wisdom, no lasting strength but from me.

But now, having taken heart after the storm, rise up again in the light of my mercies; for I am at hand to repair all-not only to the full, but abundantly and beyond measure. Is any thing difficult to me? or shall I be like a talker only and not a doer? Where is thy faith? Stand up and persevere; be steadfast but patient. Comfort will come to thee in due time. Tarry for me, tarry: I will come and heal thee. It is a trial, that which troubles thee: it is a vain fear that frights thee.

What avails it to be so anxious about the future? It is but heaping sorrow upon sorrow. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. It is bootless and foolish to be fearful or glad about things to come: which, perhaps, will never come to pass after all.

Man is apt, however, to be thus mocked by idle dreams though it is a token of a weak mind to be so easily taken up by suggestions of the enemy. For he heeds not whether they be true or false, so that he may entrap thee; nor whether it be by love of what is present or by dread of what is absent that he is able to overcome thee. Let not, therefore, thy heart be troubled nor let it be afraid. Believe in me and trust in my mercy. When thou thinkest

me to be furthest off, I am often nearest to thee. All is not lost when things do not happen according to thy wish. When thou thinkest that thou hast lost all, think, perhaps, thou art about to receive the greatest reward. I know thy secret thoughts: I knew how needful it was for thy salvation that thy soul should be left for a while without heavenly gladness: lest thou shouldst be lifted up with thoughts of thine own Godliness, and shouldst deem thyself that which thou art not.

What I have given, I can take away; and can give again when it pleases me. For when I give, it is still mine; and when I take away, I do not take thine: because every good and every perfect gift is mine. If I send thee sadness and trouble, be not angered and cast down. I can quickly upraise thee, and change all thy sorrow into gladness.

But I am not the less just and greatly to be praised when I deal thus by thee. If thou wouldst understand and rightly bethink thee, thou wouldst never be so cast down by losses; but thou wouldst rather be glad and give thanks, and deem it cause of a true gladness that I smite thee with sorrows and do not spare thee. As my Father hath loved me, so I also have loved you, I said to my dear disciples: but I did not, therefore, send them to worldly joys, but to great strife: not to honours, but to scorn; not

to idleness, but to work; not to rest, but to bring forth much fruit in patience. My son, heed these words and say thus mid every want: -Lord, if it is to thy honour, let it be so in thy name. Lord, if thou seest it to be good for me and available to me, enable me to succeed to thy honour, but if thou knowest it to be hurtful to me and to my soul, take from me the wish to have it. For every wish comes not from the Holy Ghost, although it seem meet and good to man. It is, indeed, hard to judge whether thy wish comes from a good or an evil spirit, or from thine own heart even. Many find that they have been taken in, who, at first, thought that they were led on by a good spirit.

Whatever, therefore, seems desirable to thee, desire it, and ask for it with fear of God and with lowliness of heart: and above all, feel a total resignation, leave it entirely to me and say: Oh Lord, thou knowest what is best : let this or that be done as thou wilt. Give what thou wilt, as much as thou wilt, and when thou wilt. Do with me as it most liketh thee, and as is most to thy honour. Put me where thou wilt, and deal freely with me in all things. I am in thy hands; uphold me or cast me down. Behold, I am thy servant-ready for all things: -asking not to live for myself, but for thee: and oh, that I might do so worthily and holily! -IMITATION OF CHRIST.

Y

CHARITY TO THE POOR.

There are three kinds of charity to the poor which prefer a claim to attention.

1

The first, and perhaps one of the best, is to give stated and considerable sums, by way of pension or annuity, to individuals or families, with whose behaviour and distress we ourselves are acquainted. When I speak of considerable sums, I mean only that five pounds, or any sum, given at once, or divided amongst five or fewer families, will do more good than the same sum distributed amongst a greater number in shillings or half-crowns; and that, because it is more likely to be properly applied by the persons who receive it. A poor fellow, who can find no better use for a shilling than to drink his benefactor's health and purchase half an hour's recreation for himself, would hardly break into a sovereign for any such purpose, or be so improvident as not to lay it by for an occasion of importance, e. g., for his rent, his clothing, fuel, or stock of winter's provision. It is a still greater recommendation of this kind of charity, that pensions and annuities, which are paid regularly, and can be expected at the time, are the only way by which we can prevent one part of a poor man's sufferings,the dread of want.