Sunday-school times

              MMNW
1IT
VOLUME X.
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT ONE DOLLAR AND FIFTY CENTS A YEAR-PHILADELPHIA, JULY 11, 1868.
NUMBER 28.
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL TIMES,
A Weekly Religions Paper.
All letters containing articles for publication, or re-
• lating to the editorial management of the paper, should
be addressed
Editors Sunday-School Times,
Philadelphia.
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ment of the journal, or containing remittances for sub¬
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to the best publications for Sabbath-schools, should be
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J. C. GARRIGUES & CO..
608 Arch Street,
Philadblphia, Pa.
[For Terms of Subscription, see Fourth Page.]
For The Sunday-School Times.
Encouragement for Teachers.—2.
WITH your permission, Mr. Editor, I will
narrate to "Disoouraged Teachers"
some instances of " Fruit Gathered" just be¬
fore the weary sower was taken to rest eter¬
nal.
Many years ago, a native of our city re¬
moved to the State of New York, as the wife
of a young clergyman. Seriously, prayer¬
fully she entered on her new duties, and for
nearly fifty years her light shone with steady
and increasing brightness.
No great duties, no great sufferings, no
great events marked her path. But in the
every-day duties, in the routine of ordi¬
nary events, such as we may all expect to
meet, she was faithful. The Word of God
was her well studied guide, and prayer the
channel by which she gained daily supplies
of strength.
Soon after her marriage a poor widow beg¬
ged to have her daughter bound to her ser¬
vice. Consenting to this, she felt that she
had assumed the responsibility of training an
immortal soul for time and eternity. She
therefore earnestly endeavored to teach her
not only domestic duties, but also the fear of
the Lord.
Time was given her daily to commit Scrip¬
ture, hymns and catechism, and these were
explained to her, and held up as the rule of
life. But she was self-willed, restive under
authority, and as she grew older, became
vain and fond of dress. Instruction and ad¬
monition seemed thrown away, and at last,
before the time of her indenture had expired,
she left the home which had kindly sheltered
her for many years.
Was the labor in vain ? Were tbe prayers
which had accompanied that labor unheard ?
No. "Faithful is he that hath promised,"
" Ask, and ye shall receive."
Years passed. The residence of each was
changed. At last a letter came filled with
thanks for the loving care which had watched
over her wayward girlhood, and stored her
mind with gospel truth. She was now a
wife and a mother; hoped she had found
Jesus precious to her soul, and wished to
profess that faith before men; before she
did this, she felt she must confess her faults
to her former guardian and instructress, and
obtain her assurance of forgiveness.
This was by no means a solitary instance
of care for the religious instruction of the
domestics in this pious lady's home. We be¬
lieve that none were ever in her employ, to
whom she failed to show the Way of Life.
Nor did she confine her care for souls to
those in her own employ. She loved to ga¬
ther a class of domestics in her own house
on Sabbath afternoons, to tell them of Jesus
and heaven.
Thus, during a short sojourn in the city of
T , several came to her for instruction.
Thirty years after, she sat one evening in her
home in a distant city. A letter was handed
her, of which the writing and signature were
alike unknown. The contents explained all.
Thus it ran:
"Friend very much esteemed,—Oh, how many
times I have thought of you since we parted.
Your prayers and the instructions which the
Spirit of God imparted through you to un¬
worthy me, were not in vain. You cast your
bread on the waters, and the light of eter¬
nity will disclose the result.
*******
"I know you will excuse the liberty of
thus addressing you, for I feel that you were
one who watched for   my soul   as well   as
prayed.    Until recently I thought you had
gone  from earth,  and lived   in  the  spirit-
world.    I have often said to my children that
you seemed like one of my guardian angels,
encouraging   me   on   my way heavenward.
*******
"I do  not know how to begin to recount
the mercies of the Lord.    He has marked my
path through  deep waters  and fiery trials,
which I humbly trust have not been in vain.
It has been confliot and victory all the way."
She then pays a beautiful tribute to the
Christian family with whom she lived for
seven years, and adds:
" I had often wept in secret places, because
I could not have the advantages of an educa¬
tion. Now my^ongings and desires for learn¬
ing are all met in the school of Christ, my
Prophet, Priest and King ; and in him are hid
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
*******
"With much respect, Martha."
Thus the seed planted had been bringing
forth fruit many years, and ere the sower
was taken from earth, she was permitted to
know of the good done by her humble labor
of love. The year before her death, another
domestic, who, after many warnings and
much forbearance, had been dismissed from
her service, came to her, leading a little
daughter, and saying:
"When this child was born, what you used
to tell me about my temper came back to me,
and I have been trying to get help to over¬
come it, and I do think I am conquering."
This narrative touches upon only one of
the many ways in which this faithful, mo¬
dest Christian lady exerted her influence.
Let me give one more brief instance.
A few days after she was suddenly called
to come up higher another servant girl call¬
ed on the bereaved family. Weeping, she
said,
" I wanted to see Mrs.  again.    I
wanted to tell her I had joined the churoh,
for she used to talk so much to me about it,
I thought she would be glad to hear it."
" In the morning sow thy seed, and in the
evening withhold not thy hand; for thou
knowest not whether shall prosper, either
this or that, or whether they both shall be
alike good." P.
Philadelphia.
w
For Tho Sunday-Schooi Times.
THE SILENT ACCUSER.
HAT a tissue of concealments the evil-
worker surrounds himself with to cover
up his crime. How vainly he fancies him¬
self secure behind the flimsy screen. Yet
one touch of God's finger upon the consci¬
ence, makes the thin gauze shiver and rend
like a spider's web. Like Cain, he imagines
every man he meets to be his enemy, and his
very anxieties to avoid it, often lead to his
exposure.
A certain Jesuit, whose hands were deeply
dyed with guilt, observed a man hastily follow¬
ing him, who had just picked up his lost glove,
and desired to restore it to him. But startled
conscience saw in him only the avenger, and
he fled away in terror. Leaping over the
nearest hedge, he was drowned in the stream
beyond it.
Truly "the wicked flee when no man pur-
sueth." Doubtless many an evil-worker
would give all his dishonest gains for the
quiet conscience with which the humble plod¬
der goes about his daily rounds. How he
covets his careless indifference of manner,
and the untroubled sleep which visits his
pillow. Yet these, he needs no one to assure
him, will never be his again, with that bur¬
den of guilt on his soul.
Charles IX., after his massacre of the Pro¬
testants, would neither sleep nor wake with¬
out the sound of music continually in his
apartment. Perhaps he hoped, like Saul, thus
to chase away the evil spirits which haunt¬
ed his dark soul. »
It seems wonderful to mark the workings
of God's Spirit on any awakened conscience.
Those whose lives have been most exemplary
are often plunged into as deep an abyss of
terror and despair as the most open trans¬
gressor. ." Then were they in fear, where
no fear was," as the world would regard it.
Indeed the unbelieving usually regard con¬
viction of sin as merely the excitement of a
disturbed imagination.
" You are good enough to go to heaven
without religion," said a husband, whose
wife was in anguish of soul in view of her
sins. " You have no need to distress your¬
self in this manner. I do not thank the
minister for so disturbing your happiness."
But such worldly consolation gave no
comfort to her troubled heart. It was only
when she felt that the blood of Jesus had been
applied to it, that she could go on her way
rejoicing.
And this is the only relief from the terrors
of conscience. No matter how dark our guilt,
if we turn to him with true faith, confessing
and forsaking our sins, we shall find mercy.
Lois.
flow of the river. Yes, thy peace shall be
even thus.
" Lean on me. Lean hard on my loving arm.
Commit the keeping of thy heart to me. Then
shall thy peace be as a river."       S. R. M.
For The Sunday- Sohool Times.
KEEP YOUR PROMISES.
THE importance of punctually fulfilling all
our business engagements cannot be too
highly estimated. The man of the world and
the man of piety alike recognize its neces¬
sity. While all concede this, still there is, as
we know too well, a deplorable degree of lax-
ness in practice among those whose theory is
perfection. The safeguards, notes, securities,
and general lack of confidence in the word
alone, are a proef of this fact among the
the world's people. But is there not among
those who profess to be disciples of him who
was all truth, among those who, it may be,
really are his disciples, a lamentable lack of
real, faithful promise-keeping at heart ? So
it seems to one who remembers with sadness
many broken promises and forgotten vows.
"Elder D told me he would call round
to-day and pay me for that wheat," said one
worldly man to another. " He told me he
would call, but I don't expect him for two
weeks at least. These church members are
not much better than other folks after all. I
never knew the Elder to keep but one pro¬
mise, and that was to call and get pay for
some oats he sold me."
" Yes, he keeps the books at the Orthodox
church, and pays the bills too, a sort of secre¬
tary and treasurer and manager combined.
One would think he would keep church pro¬
mises at any rate, and try and have every¬
thing straight there, but here I have been
trying for the last two years to get him to
settle a bill for oil and wine and wood, used
by the society, and for the life of me I can't
get a dollar of it. If that's honesty, I don't
want any of it. I overheard some of the
members say, the other day, that the church
books were in such a jumble they were per¬
fectly blind. I should like to know why such
a man as that can control these pious ones."
" I don't want to go to Sabbath-school any
more," said one youth to another. " They
told us last fall that there was to be a report
of the Sabbath-school at the end of the year,
and our lessons, absences, tardiness, deport¬
ment, &c, would be strictly given. I tried
with all my might. I was not absent or tardy
once. I think I had pretty good lessons, and
I expected to get credit for it.- But when
the tim& come, the~ supertntenrJent-sain no¬
thing about it, and I guess he never will. I
should have thought he forgot it, but one of
the boys said I was green, for they did so the
year before, and that was the last of it; said
he peeped into his teacher's class-book, one
day, when she was not looking, and found no
record at all, except names and ages. For
my part, I don't want anything more to do
with such a forgetful, cheating concern as
this."
Teachers, superintendents, church mem¬
bers, Christians, have not the world's people
too much reason to accuse us of culpable for-
getfulness, of virtual dishonesty? Are we
not too prone to promise thoughtlessly, and
fulfill carelessly, if at all ?
Let us each and all try, with Christ's help,
to keep punctually and religiously all our
promises. J. H. M.
For The Sunday-Schooi Times.
" I SHALL BE SATISFIED."
"I shall be satisfied, whenlawake, with thy likeness."
Ps.l7:15.
When thee, my Saviour, I shall see,
Opening the pearly gates for me,
That one so poor may come to thee,
I shall be satisfied.
When safely sheltered 'neath thy wing,
I hear the heavenly arches ring
With choral songs the angels sing,
I shall be satisfied.
When tender voices greet my ear,
That I have missed for many a year,
And mourned, because they were not here,
I shall be satisfied.
When Jesus wipes my tears away,
And I've no need to watch and pray,
As restful by his side I stay,—
I shall be satisfied.
Whip in his image glqrious, bright,
I too awake with saints in light,
Arrayed in vesture pure and white,
I shall be satisfied.
0 yearning heart, I cry, be still!
In patience wait the Master's will,
Till he his own sweet word fulfill,
And then be satisfied.       HbkbeetA.
For The Sunday-School Times.
"ASA RIVER."
I AM sitting upon a mossy bank. The river
runs by my side, and my feet touch its wa¬
ters. I have been watching here along time.
Watching and thinking. Ever the same, the
river flows on, hour after hour, day after
day. I see no change. Ever the same peace¬
ful, quiet flow. Large rocks are in its path,
but the river has learned to go around them,
and now they only add to its beauty. Where
the water eddies around them a beautiful
white foam marks its course, and a spray is
thrown up which reflects the sun's bright
rays. In some places the path of the stream
is winding and narrow, but this matters not,
it hurries fearlessly and trustfully on to its
home, the distant ocean. I throw a stone
into the stream, a little ripple appears, and
all is quiet as before. I cast large sticks
and the trunk of an old tree into its waters.
They seem to disturb them but for a moment
and then float on.
Beautiful river, long have I been watching
beside it, watching and thinking. Thinking
of that other river, and of those beautiful
words of Christ—
" Then shall thy peace be as a river."
But mine is not as a river. It does not
flow on the same day after day. All these
crooked paths trouble me. I cannot always
feel that they are leading home. These bur¬
dens I do not bear lightly. The rocks in my
path fill me with repining, but do not seem
to increase the beauty of my journey.
No, my peace is not as a river. But hark,
I hear Jesus' voice speaking in the gentle
For The Snnday-School Times.
"OUR ROCK."
THE Christian sometimes forgets what a
Bock he has. He thinks not as he ought
ef God as his Bock. He sings not as did Moses
of his God as the Rock of his salvation. For¬
getting what God is to him, and rejoicing not
in God as his Rock, he thinks, and feels, and
speaks like those who have no Rock, and
even as those who are the avowed enemies of
God and the Bible. The Christian does not
often enough compare himself with the unbe¬
liever and the infidel. If he remembered
always that " their rock is not as our Rock,"
he would count his faith in Christ more and
more precious, and his happiness would have
no intermissions and no bounds.
That those who reject or neglect the Bible
should be often wretched is no wonder; it is
a wonder that they can ever be at ease, and
a greater wonder that they can sometimes be
so joyous and gay. To the inhabitants of the
heavenly world, as well as in the view of rea¬
son anywhere, whether on earth or in hell, it
must seem strange that the Christian, whose
Rock is God, can ever be unhappy.
Infidels themselves testify that their rock
is not as our Rock. Lord Byron, an infidel,
has left this testimony to the value of reli¬
gion: "Indisputably, the firm believers in
the gospel have a great advantage over all
others; for this simple reason, that if true,
they will have their reward hereafter; and if
there be no reward hereafter, they can be but
with the infidel in his eternal sleep, having
had the assistance of an exalted hope through
life without subsequent disappointment, since,
(at the worst for them) ' out of nothing, no¬
thing can arise,' not even sorrow." Thus do
our enemies tell us that they have no Rock,
that their rock is not as our Rock.
When the difference is so great between the
Christian and the unbeliever or the infidel,
even our enemies being judges of- the condi¬
tion and situation of each, how joyous should
be he whose Rock is Christ! S. E. B.
What a sweet couple, what a glorious yoke,
are youth and grace, Christ and a young
soul!
For The Snnday-School Times.
AUNT DINAH.
I HEARD not long since of the death of an
old colored woman, whose life for many
years was the most perfect exemplification of
the " life of faith" that it has ever been my
privilege to witness. That she, " being dead,
may yet speak" for her divine Master, I would
ask leave here to record something of what
he did for her to the praise of his glorious
grace.
She was poor, often destitute of the com¬
forts and sometimes even of the necessaries
of life; she had peculiar trials to. endure and
difficult labors to perform; yet was uniformly
one of the happiest persons I have ever known.
She felt that she was just where her heavenly
Father had placed her; that even the mi¬
nutest events of her life were directed by his
hand; that he knew what was best for her,
and would do all things well. Therefore she
was content. She seemed never to undertake
anything without asking the divine blessing,
and so evidently were her thoughts aud affec¬
tions in heaven, that every one who knew
her felt what some expressed, " When Aunt
Dinah dies, thereMT be no doubt where she's
gone." Her husband, though a profane,
wicked man, had the most unbounded confi¬
dence in her, as was evinced by a remark he
made one day when a lady said to her, "Aunt
Dinah, what is the reason that whoever else
fails to have a garden, you always do have a
good one?" " I tell you what's the reason,
MissuB," exclaimed he, "Dinah never do
plant one seed 'thout she pray to the Lord for
it to grow, and it do grow, too."
Many interesting incidents might be men¬
tioned showing the power and simplicity of
her faith, her earnest prayerfulness, and her
unwavering trust in God. A few facts must
suffice.
She lived near a village, and the young
people were very fond of visiting her, often
spending hours and sometimes the entire day
with her, and never without hearing some¬
thing of her precious, faithful Saviour. Often
would she say to them, " I'm so glad to see
you, but I knowed you would come. I was
looking for you. I jest knowed the Lord
would send you, for I was wanting to hear
some of his blessed words, and I asked him
to send somebody to read them to me. Oh!
he does hear and answer prayer." Then
closing her Bible or hymn-book, she would
devoutly pray, "Lord, show me where to
open, give me what I need," and then she
would open it, and pointing to the place, the
reading must be done exactly there. It was
always good, for it was all good to her, but
when anything struck her as being remarka¬
bly adapted to her own case, she would put
in a mark, and all her numerous strings must
be carefully kept in their places, for she
wanted to hear the same things again. She
always listened with intense earnestness, and
sometimes with a countenance beaming with
joy, which kindled into such ecstacy that
shouts of praise would burst from her lips
unto him who had loved her and given him¬
self for her. "Oh!" she would sometimes
exclaim, "if I could only read, it seems to
me that I could not do anything else but read
about my precious Saviour !"
On one occasion it was thought necessary
for her to remove to a plantation at some dis¬
tance from her old home, her church, her
friends, and the "young white folks" that
used to read to her. It was a sore trial to
her, but like all else she took it as one of the
good things from her heavenly Father's hand
and went cheerfully on. Said she, " I have
given myself to the Lord. He has accepted
the gift. He has promised that his children
shall want no good thing, and he has sent
this trial. It is one of tbe " all things" that
shall be for my good, for though all is dark
and I can't see how it is, yet he says so, and
that is enough for me." Since that removal
I have known very little of her, but doubtless
in that day when hidden things shall be re¬
vealed, it will be seen that some have been
led to Christ, who but for that affliction so
cheerfully borne, might have gone down to
endless despair.
Her last days were in some respects her
best days, through the kindness of friends
whose love she had won, and her last hours
were full of peace and joy and triumph
through him who had bought her with his
blood. Leaning upon the arm of her Beloved,
she went fearlessly and gladly down into the
dark valley, and then faith was lost in sight,
hope changed to glad fruition, and prayer
was swallowed up in the first notes of the
unending song of praise. D.
Acworth, Ga.
For The Sunday-Schooi Times.
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE ?
By Rev. A. H. Hollowat.
YOUR life is mysterious. Who can tell
what life is, or how it is ? We see the
results of life in many beautiful forms around
us, but we cannot place our finger upon the
thing itself and say what it is. We know the
outward appearance only. None but God can
enter into the deep mysteries of existence.
And if the lower forms of. life are above our
grasp, how much more the life of the soul ?
Human existence is a fearful- heritage. It is
an awful thing to live before God as his cre¬
ation, and to be started on a career which
will never end. The universe is full of mys¬
teries, but there is that about each living
being more strange than all else. A result of
God's power, like God, living forever. These
are some of the wonderful elements of human
existence. Each human being is in himself
a possession of more value than all material
worlds. Why will so many squander this in¬
finite possession, and never ask themselves
the question, What i8 my life ? Why am I
here ? Where will I be when millions of ages
have passed away ?
Your life, as seen from the nearer view of
it, ia exceedingly unsatisfactory. It is vanity
and vexation; a dream and an empty show.
It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little
time, and then vanisheth away. We spend
our years as a tale that is told; they are
swifter than a weaver's shuttle. This side of
human life has been the theme of volumes
of poetry. And if a few days, filled up with
struggles for bread, is all, how vain is your
life! The preacher was right when he wrote
over all things, as seen from the nearer view,
" Vanity of vanities ; all is vanity."
But your life, as seen from the farther view
of it, is eternal; not a shadow, but infinite
substance. Your life will run parallel with
the existence of God. Every human being
enters life burdened with eternity. Hence
the awfulness of the question, " What is a
man....profited - if h* ghoulst -gain- 4he- whole
world and lose his own soul?" Or, what
shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?
There are certain infinite sums which are the
results of two factors; one is almost no¬
thing in value, but the other being infinite,
the result is infinite. Thus it is with human
life; there are two factors ; one almost no¬
thing, the other infinite. Hence the gran¬
deur of human existence. Life forever is the
wonderful possession of every one. It is evi¬
dent that it will be a wrong philosophy of
life to have all the thought centered around
that factor or element which is nothing in
value, while the infinite one is left to take care
of itself.
Think more about the soul, more about
eternity. You have no right to throw
away your heritage; deliberately to cast
away that eternal possession which God has
given you. You have no liberty to perish.
You have no right to take that whieh belongs
to another and squander it. Your soul be¬
longs to Jesus ; he purchased it with a price
far above the value of all worlds'. You have
ho right to take that which is his and waste
it. Ponder the question, What is your life ?
and God grant that you may be able to say,
My "life is hid with Christ in God."
THE OMNISCIENT EVE.
THERE was significance in the remark of
the little boy who was taken by his father
into a neighbor's field to steal a sheep. After
looking around in every direction with care¬
ful scrutiny, to see if any one observed them,
and being satisfied that there was no one
near, the father was about to take the sheep,
when the boy exclaimed, " Father, you haven't
looked up yet!"
It is said of Gen. 0. M. Mitchel, the Chris¬
tian astronomer, that on one occasion while
a guest at the house of a friend, the host took
him upon" the house-top to show him the sur¬
rounding country. The General, placing a
small telescope in position, asked his friend
to look through it. At a distance of eight
miles, through the woods and underbrush, he
observed a man with his dog and gun, and he
saw him distinctly elevate his piece and shoot
down a beautiful bird. The man was not
aware that he was seen, yet he seemed to be
but a few rods from the General and his friend.
What a spectacle does the world present to
the scrutinizing gaze of angels ! And were
we well assured that every step we take, every
line we pen, and every act we perform were
listened to and gazed upon by those higher
orders of intelligent beings, would we not all
look more carefully at the course we are
about to pursue? And did we ever keep
before the mind that there is an Eye that
never slumbers, which beholdeth even the
imagination of the thoughts, how often would
we hesitate in our way.
The Latest News.—The latest, greatest,
best and newest news, my brother, is that Jesus
has died for sinners. No news more welcome
was ever heralded on earth, to dying men
and women.   Hear it.   Heed it.
For The Snnday-School Times.
SPEAK OF JESUS.
T DO not mean by this, getting up and pro-
-i- claiming Christ in prayer-meeting, or con¬
fessing him in any large assembly—all thai,
is necessary and proper in its place. But I
do mean, the scattering, the dropping of the
seed, as you pass here and there through
life. How many times have you, my Chris¬
tian reader, walked arm-in-arm with that
friend; perhaps going to or from your bu¬
siness—and yet you have never said one word
to him about Christ.
It is startling to think how neglectful and
thoughtless, not to say indifferent, Christians
are in this matter. It is appalling to think of th e
many precious opportunities we have wasted—-
thrown away, when we might have improved
them for God's glory. I believe, as a gene¬
ral thing, that those out of Christ expect
Christians to speak to them about personal
religion.
Years ago, a dear friend of mine was con¬
verted. I did not then love God. I had no
desire to become a Christian. But I expect¬
ed he would speak to me of Christ—I wished
to have him do so, and was much surprised and
disappointed that he did not. We forget that
the souls which we daily meet and have in¬
tercourse with, are perishing souls, for whom
Christ died, and they may be waiting and
longing for the very words which we might
utter, that by the power of God, would Bend
them on their way rejoicing. But how strange
it is, our lips seemed sealed on this subject.
A poor tailor one said in my hearing :
"People conffe into my shop and speak of
everything and talk of everything, but they
never speak one word to me about my soul-
They don't seem to care what becomes of my
soul."
Again, I heard a young man remark:
"I have travelled thousands of miles on the
railway, and never have been once spoken to
on the subject of religion."
Ah, friends, at whose door do these charges
lie ? Is it not a shame to Christianity thai
such things can be said ? Shall we not be in
earnest in speaking the Word, in season and
out of season ? We stand waiting for oppor¬
tunities to work for God, and are surprised
that they do not come. We forget that we
are to make opportunities, not to wait for
them. Looking to God for guidance, seizing^
the first opportunity that presents itself—and
you will see hundreds, where you saw none
before, if you only watch. Strive earnestly
to reveal Christ as a personal Saviour, aad
God will bless your efforts.
Christian reader, let no chance go by,
where you might speak for Jesus; one word
from you might, by God's power, Bave a soul
—that word unspoken, and that precious soul
may be eternally lost. What a fearful thought,
that a soul should go down to the depths of
despair, simply because we failed to speak
the word that could have given him eternal
Life.
Then let us be vigilant and watchful, as
faithful followers of Christ, ever seeking to
present Christ as a personal Saviour to all
whom Providence may throw in our way. It
is a sad truth, that Christians too often for¬
get, that Christ should be held up before the
world as a personal Redeemer—ready and
willing to save to the uttermost all that come
unto God by him.
A gentleman, to whom the cause of Christ
was dear, visited an unconverted man, who
was in deep sorrow; he faithfully set before
his friend the urgent necessity of making
his peace with God, besought him to give
his heart at once to Christ, and then bowed
in earnest prayer. When he arose, the im¬
penitent man was bathed in tears.
" Sir," said he, " I thank you for this; you
are the first one that ever prayed with,
me; many professors have talked to me
about religion, and around religion, but never
urged me to accept of ChriBt personally, as
you have done. I heartily thank you for
it."
And so it is. If we are faithful, God wiU
bless our work. Let us, then, be up and do¬
ing—for the night is far spent, the day is
at hand. Remember, that " He that winnethv
souls is wise." S. B.
ARE YOU IN EARNEST?
IT is Christ's work that you are doing. He
has entrusted it to you. You profess te
love your Master. Are you really in earnest
in your work for him ?
It is a great work. Immortal souls are com¬
mitted to your trust; a work shared by God
himself; a work for the promotion of which
Christ died; in which angels are interested.
Oh, thou, who in God's providence, art called
to work in the same field with prophets, apos¬
tles, and martyrs, with the angels, with
Jesus, with the Father himself— art thou in.
earnest ?
The time is short. Your own life is uncer¬
tain. Your pupil is mortal. Youth ripens
into manhood. The golden opportunity is
fleeting. " The night cometh." Are you in.
earnest ?
Fellow-teacher, face your own conscience*
and, remembering that God is looking on
your work, ask yourself the question: An Z
in Earnest ?
" WJiatsoever thy hand jindeih to doy do {£
with thy might."—Tracts for Teachers.
Athanasius once said: "If the world goes
against truth, then Athanasius goes against
the world, for Jehovah and Athanasiua axe
always a majority,"