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get a tithe, or even a hundredth part of the things they wish for? Sometimes they wish for impossible things; and no wonder they don't get them. Or wish for things which they might get if they were not too indolent to put forth the effort which is needful to win them. Sometimes, too, for good and wise purposes, God denies us things which seem to us very desirable. But there are other things in which men are disappointed; for instance, when they get things they have desired, and then find that they are worthless, and don't make them happy. There are some wishes, moreover, that need never be disappointed. Can you tell me what they are?"

"I think I know what you mean, papa,' said Mary; "but perhaps you will tell us.'

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"If you wish for the blessing of God's salvation-for pardon, for a new heart, for sonship with God; and if we seek them through Jesus, believing in his name, we can be as certain as that we live-as certain as that God lives —that we shall get them; for his promise is, They shall not be ashamed that wait for me.' But what is far better, we shall find them all and more than all that we ever expected from them; for the 'joy' of the Lord's salvation is unspeakable and full of glory."

CONTENTMENT.

"A CONTENTED mind," says the old proverb, "is a continual feast." But the proverb does not say enough, at any rate does not tell all the truth about the matter. A continual feast would not be altogether a pleasant thing. We should soon get wearied of dainties and delicacies, and the continual feast would be almost worse than scanty food and occasional hunger. But a state of contentment is one of which we never get tired; for the longer we possess it, the more thoroughly we enjoy it, and the more contentment we have, the happier we are.

It seems strange that so cheap a blessing should be pos sessed by so few, at least that there should be so many whose whole lives show that they do not possess it. Somehow or other most people find something to grumble at. I should be as happy as need be, says one, if only this or that matter were different. It's impossible for me to be contented, says another, for I haven't enough. Well, for the matter of that, says a third, I have enough, and am

better off than many; but then I have troubles that they haven't. I shouldn't care if I could only get as good a position as So-and-so, for instance, says a fourth. Ah! and if you all had what you want now, you'd be miserable next week for the want of something else, wisely replies the fifth. Contentment lies not in our possessions, but in ourselves.

There is an old story that once upon a time all mankind were to be permitted to exchange their troubles for others which they should prefer, and which they might think easier to bear. So the lame gave up their lameness, and became blind or deaf, or what else they chose. And the poor laid down their poverty, and took instead of it some other burden which they thought would press less painfully. But, strange to say, soon after they had all fitted themselves with their burdens there was nothing but complaints, lamentations, and groans. And when permission was given them to lay down their new burdens and take up the old ones again they were filled with delight. Then the story goes that a beautiful form, whose aspect was both serious and cheerful, whose eyes were frequently cast towards heaven, and whose name was Patience, appeared; and giving to each man his own proper burden, taught him how to bear it in the best and most convenient manner; after which they all marched off contented, thankful that they had not been left to their own choice as to the evils which should fall to their own lot.

So ends the story which professes to have been a vision; and, dream or no dream, it teaches us a very good lesson. It teaches us the folly of repining at misfortunes of our own, and of fancying others better off than ourselves; and it points us to the great importance of a spirit of contentment; for if we possess that we shall neither envy others nor repine at our own lot.

What, then, is contentment? It is evidently worth having, for the Bible tells us "that with godliness it is great gain."* And it is evidently possible that we may have it, for Paul could say, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."† So now we ask what is it?

A dictionary is a very useful and very interesting book to those who desire to understand the true meaning of words; and if we look in a good dictionary for the meaning * 1 Tim. vi. 6. + Phil. iv. 11.

of the word contentment, we shall find that it comes from a Latin word meaning to contain or hold, and that therefore it signifies keeping or containing oneself within certain limits. Contentment, therefore, implies the maintenance of a calm spirit in adversity and a thankful one in prosperity, and an equable and temperate one under all circumstances. Some people will tell you that under certain provocations, or in circumstances of perplexity, they cannot contain themselves. And so it is, they lose all selfcontrol, and give way to foolish anger, or foolish and sinful murmuring. And others who have borne adversity pretty well are no sooner raised above their difficulties than they become proud, upstart, self-conceited, and nothing is good enough for them. These are not contented minds. They are not self-contained. Contentment, it may be gathered from this, is not an occasional feeling, but rather an abiding state of mind, and accommodates itself to the changes of life and the discipline of Providence. It knows, as the apostle did, "both how to be abased and how to abound." It is instructed "both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."* Therefore the contented man always has enough, and is never made wretched by the craving for more.

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True happiness is to no place confined,
But still is found in a contented mind."

For "happiness consists, not in possessing much, but in being contented with what we possess."

"Oh, yes!" I fancy I hear some of my readers exclaiming, "it's all very well to tell us what a fine thing contentment is, but it is not so easy always to be contented." Exactly so, my friend; and therefore I will try and show you how it can be gained, and tell you some of the rich blessings of it. Only first of all set your mind at rest upon this point, that contentment does not lie in what you possess, but in yourselves; not in having what you desire, but in bringing your desires into subjection to the Divine will. Unless this is the case, no amount of earthly possessions will satisfy us, for we shall always desire something which riches cannot buy. Like poor sinful, selfish Ahab, who could not rest or eat because, though he was king, he could not have the vineyard of Naboth. So it will be with What we have will seem worthless, because we want * Phil. iv. 6.

us.

something we cannot have. And the burden we have to bear will seem harder and heavier than any other burden would be. We must, therefore, if we would have this blessed state of mind, remember that it is God who orders our ways if we love him, and that he orders them according to infinite wisdom and infinite love. If he thought wealth needful to you, could he not bestow upon you wealth beyond all that ever man possessed? If he thought it desirable for you, could he not alter altogether your outward circumstances, give you altogether different conditions of life? Why, then, does he not do this? Let the answer be thought of in reverent meditation before him. Listen to his words. "All things work together for good to them that love God;" and then think whether He who has given his Son for you may not be trusted with all else belonging to you, and whether deeper thankfulness does not become you rather than discontent with any part of his will.

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Think again what you deserve, and compare it with the blessings you enjoy. A quaint writer has observed, Think well that you deserve hanging, and you will be glad to escape with a whipping." Ah! think of your deserts before God! Why are you spared? It is his mercy. Why are you not suffering the doom of your sins? Because of his mercy. What is it gives you all you have?

His bounty. And can you murmur because there is something not quite as you like it? "Should it be according to thy mind?"

Then count up your mercies. Count them! "They are more in number than the sand."* Begin at the beginning. Go back to the time of childhood, when you lived in the sunshine of a mother's love, and sat proud and happy upon a father's knee. Then think of the words,

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But if you know the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, you will not need to be more than reminded of this.

Listen to his promises. Here, again, is a wide field—a field of wealth unknown, full of precious promises,† exceeding great and precious, and all yea and amen in Christ Jesus.‡ *Psa. cxxxix. 17, 18.

† 2 Pet. i. 4.

2 Cor. i. 20.

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And there is one of these which especially refers to this virtue of contentment. "Let your conversation -that is, your whole conduct-" be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." * Well may we

say,

"Having Thee I all possess."

What can we want, what can we fear, if He be our friend? How worthless in comparison are all things when put side by side with his favour! And if we really know what it is to have him for our portion and to rejoice in him, we shall lose in this higher feeling the discontent which would fasten upon some petty want or difficulty and make that an occasion for murmuring. In him will be our rest, in him our joy, in him our present and eternal satisfaction. What he gives us we shall take and use thankfully as the loving gift of a father's hand. What he withholds we shall believe he withholds because he loves us. The way in which he leads us we shall believe to be the right path, whether it be through the valley of the shadow of death, or in green pastures and by still waters. Finally, we shall be able to leave all that we cannot understand in his hands, as we hear his voice calming our fears and replying to our questionings, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter."

Now, surely, you will see for yourself how rich and full and ever new must be the blessings flowing from such a state of mind as this. One of them will be a heart at rest from needless cares and anxieties. It is our discontent that makes half our cares. If we would only be content with such things as we have, and bring our desires within the limits of our possessions, we should be freed from endless trouble and anxiety. And how great would be the blessing of this, many a careworn man of business, and many a no less careworn mother of a family, can testify. To be able to feel that all is well because all is in his hands to resist the temptation to needless risks in business, in the hope of getting more than we have, instead of trusting to honest, patient industry: to be able to commit the issue of every enterprise to Him, to give it success if he pleases; if not, to show us a better path: to pursue our path of duty earnestly, faithfully, trustingly, believing that

* Heb. xiii. 5.

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