tification, and not considering the Lord in it. Everything that I wanted or did was for my own pleasure. True, I asked him for the fulfilment of all my desires; for I had never forgotten that all good gifts come from him; but I never sought his blessing in them, and not seeking, I did not get it. I was hedging up my own path with thorns. I was setting up my will between myself and the Lord's. I made myself so many temporal needs and wants, that my poor soul was growing cold and dead for lack of looking to. When I just think of it now, Mrs. Fry, I feel I'm a monument of the Lord's forbearing grace, in not taking away his Holy Spirit from me, or cutting me off as an unthankful

servant.

"My missus' words brought me to my knees as soon as she'd turned her back for a long spell. I just did pray then with all my heart. I prayed the Lord never to give me anything unless his blessing was in it. I asked him to set me my work henceforth, and to keep me from choosing what I thought best, if against his Divine will. I offered myself afresh to his service, as if I had never 'listed in it before. I just saw 'twould never have done, when I was a soldier, to have been setting up my wants against my captain's will, and I'd no manner of business to do it with the Captain of my salvation. No, neighbour, I found that 'twas only as I kept in the ranks, and abided directions from head-quarters, that I'd be doing my duty. When my missus comes back I to her, Mary, I've found out what was wrong in my says religion.' 'Have you?' says she. 'Yes,' says I; 'I've been trimming the lamp that's to light me for time, but I've been forgetting the one that's to last through eternity. My poor soul's nigh upon starved; for I've been thinking of everything but feeding that. We'll start afresh, to-night.' 'Start afresh, Nat!' says she. Yes,' says I. 'We won't leave the Bible on that shelf for days together. No, wife; night and morning we'll take it down. If we goes without anything from this time forth, it shall not be the word of God.'

"It's nigh upon thirty years ago that we began regularly to read the Bible night and morning. The children looked as natʼral for it of a morning as for breakfast, and whatever we had to go without it wasn't our verses. 'Twasn't that we wasn't tried, neighbour, for we was; for for five or six years I was so busy, that I hardly knew which way to turn to get my work done quick enough, and every ten minutes

or quarter of an hour was of consequence to me; but I never shirked my Bible. Bless you, Mrs. Fry, it had got to me and my Mary as needful as meat and drink. Then came the trouble. I was a good bit over forty when I married, which was in '17; and when the trouble came, I was drawing on for sixty, and you know a man that has roughed it abroad in his young days can't stand as much in his old ones. Well, as I was saying, the trouble came, for I fell ill, and I was ill for months; but the Lord was with us to bless us. We seemed to live under his very smile. Whatever he saw fit to take from us he never withdrew himself. Why, when there was but a bit of dry bread in the cupboard, Mary and I could see his hand giving it. Then when I got better two of our children took sick (we had four little ones given us altogether) and they died. That was a hard pull at our wills just then, for we could not at first abide the thought of parting with 'em. But the Lord gave us grace at last willingly to give them up to him, to be lambs of Jesus for ever in his fold. And so the years have gone on, and I am now eight years over the age appointed to man, and Mary and I have nought to do but look forward to seeing Him face to face whom we love, and that very soon. We have learned that, to be happy, the Lord's way must be our way. Our means are small, and Ned is but a sickly chap, poor fellow, but he is God's servant; and day by day we trim our lamps together, waiting for our Master's coming, so that whenever he calls we may be ready. And oh, neighbour Fry, if you would look forward with peace to the hour of your departure, see that in trimming other people's lamps you don't forget your own."

"I believe every word you've said, Mr. Cantle," replied Mrs. Fry, thoughtfully, "and I feel that I've been forgetting my own soul whilst caring about other people's concerns. But how can I alter it without seeming unneighbourly like ?”

"If it's the Lord's work you're doing, he'll lead you by the right way to it. When you are sent for all of a hurry of a morning, just ask them who sent for you if 'tis of consequence that you should come for ten minutes or so, as you've affairs of your own that will occupy you a bit. Of course if it is, you must go at once, for for special work God gives special grace. But half, or nearly all your time you'll find that you can be spared very well. then as neighbours find out you've got concerns of your

And

own to be looked after, they won't be so heedless like as to be sending for you about every little worrit or trumpery. Mark my words, neighbour; you'll save a deal of time, do a deal more good, and, what is of more consequence than all, your lamp will burn and your soul thrive by rendering to the Lord the morning's first fruits. You'll go forth in his strength, and you'll have his blessing in your labours."

Well, Mr. Cantle, I'll try it, and glad I am that I've come to you. You do help a body so."

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They that have fallen know the dangerous places, and they that have had a faithful friend and helper in life can best tell of his goodness. I have been down, and the Lord helped me up; and sure if any poor sinner can testify to his love and mercy, 'tis I, Nat Cantle. Good bye, neighbour; step in soon again."

Mrs. Fry having departed, Nat took up the shoe he had laid down when talking to her, and stitching cheerfully away upon it we will leave him for the present.

PROVIDENCE IN DAILY LIFE.

A FEW years ago two young merchants met, by chance, in an hotel at a fashionable and popular watering-place in Derbyshire. They were prospering in business, and came to seek restoration of the health which had been impaired by excessive devotion to the pressing duties devolving upon them as junior partners in very large establishments. They had travelled together for some miles on the coach which conveyed visitors from the nearest railway station, and thus when they took their places side by side at the dining-table in the large public room of the hotel, they were not entire strangers to each other, though they had never met before. The conversation which had already passed led each to recognise in the other one who bore the image of their common Lord. Further intercourse changed their slight, casual acquaintance into close familiarity and a life-long friendship. For they had many topics of mutual interest, and were like-minded both as regards the life that now is and that which is to come.

One day our two friends, Mr. Stewart and Mr. Tweediefor so we will call them-had ascended a lofty hill in the neighbourhood of the hotel, and as they surveyed the course

by which they had risen from the valley and climbed to the summit, they were led to speak of the path of life and the good hand of God guiding them by ways which they knew not. The remark was made by one of them that the most important incidents in our lives are seldom those of our own seeking or making. They come to us unsought, and fashion our after-course without our own choice. This led to an exchange of experiences in illustration of this, and they freely communicated to each other many of the instances of God's providential dealings towards themselves. Among the marked features of these, the early steps in their business advancement came to be treated of. On this theme being introduced, Mr. Stewart said, "I owe my present position in the commercial world to a most unexpected but providential meeting which I had with one who was to me an utter stranger."

"This is singular enough," replied his companion; "my case is somewhat similar. To a most unlooked-for introduction to a gentleman of influence I ascribe, under God, much of my present success in business. May it not strengthen our faith in the daily superintending providence of our heavenly Father, if we narrate to one another the leading events connected with such meetings to which each of us seems to owe so much."

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Agreed," said the other, and Mr. Tweedie gave the following account of his early history:

"I was born of very poor but pious parents. Having few earthly friends, my prospects in life were, humanly speaking, dark enough, when by a singular providence I was introduced to one to whose kind influence I owe much of my present advancement in life, and to whose friendly counsels I am perhaps even more indebted than to all the influence he has exerted in my favour. I was anxious to get a good education, and, like many of our Scotch youths, I was determined to push my way upwards. Having procured a bursary at the high school, I was prosecuting my classical studies, and was in attendance on a Greek class, where I was struggling in a keen competition for the scholarship which I needed to enable me to carry on my education, for my parents could not keep me at school or college. An exercise in Greek prosody had been prescribed. The mode of accomplishing this was to me a perfect riddle, nor had I any one to whom I could apply for help. Many of my competitors had tutors or friends at home who could

assist them. I had neither, and was almost in despair. I happened to mention my difficulty to a bookseller who took a kind interest in my studies, and to whose shop I was often sent by my father. He shook his head, and expressed regret that he could not assist me. Going at a later period that very evening into my friend's shop, I saw standing by the counter an intelligent-looking man, whom the bookseller introduced to me as one who had been a first-form scholar in his early days, and then stating my perplexity, he kindly said, Perhaps if this boy brought you his book, you would kindly help him in his difficulty?'

"With all my heart,' was the frank reply.

"Off I bounded for my Euripides, and on my return I not only had my first lesson in Greek prosody, but formed a friendship from which I have received the greatest benefit ever since. The friend with whom I was thus brought into contact has stood by me in many a difficulty, introduced me to many important positions, used his influence on my behalf; and whenever I think of my present position in society, and feel how entirely I owe it to my friend, I love to trace the finger of God in my first meeting with him.” "Thanks for your narrative," rejoined Mr. Stewart. My experience, though differing in its circumstances, illustrates the same great truth. One stormy night in the month of January, two travellers were seated by a comfortable fire in the commercial room of the Royal Hotel of AFor weeks the weather had been boisterous and changeable, and few, save those compelled by the call of duty, were disposed to quit the comforts of their own firesides. This accounts for the small number now occupying the coffee-room in a hotel which was often crowded with visitors. The present tenants of it were remaining for the night. The one was Mr. M—, a celebrated surgeon, whose skill led him to receive calls from distant parts of the country. He had been early brought to a saving knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, and being a man of warm sympathies, he was ever on the watch for opportunities of ministering to the comfort of the sorrowful and distressed. He was now on his way home from a visit which he had been suddenly called to make to a gentleman who had sustained severe injuries by the fall of his horse in hunting. He purposed to take the earliest train next morning to the metropolis, where he lived.

"The other traveller was a young man, about twenty