call a husband, and the children ran away from him when they saw him." His family were in the greatest poverty, and his wife had only a bed of straw to lie upon; for all the money went in drink.

One day this collier went from curiosity to hear another collier preach. The text was this: "The Master is come, and calleth for thee."

The drunkard was smitten in his heart when he heard of the love of Christ; and he prayed very earnestly to Him that He would indeed come and save him. Such prayers are never prayed in vain. Christ did come and save him. Then he who had been blind saw the folly and misery of sin; his eyes were opened, and he saw the love of Christ and the beauty of holiness. His ears were opened too, and his tongue was loosed, so that he could hear and receive the truth, and speak as he had never spoken before.

Instead of curses came forth blessings from his lips; and the little children who had in former days run away from him in fear would now come and climb on his knee and talk to him in their pretty childish way. Lo, waters broke out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert: his poor wife, whose heart must have thirsted many a time for some loving word, was no longer neglected and miserable, for the dragons of sin were driven out of her husband's soul, and the parched ground became a pool.

Perhaps you are thinking, "I am not a drunkard, I am not a bad man, but I like to be the master of my own actions. I can't give up the key of my heart to another."

In other words, you are saying, "I will not have this man to rule over me."

But, alas! if Christ does not rule over you, Satan will. Nay, even now you are in bondage to Satan unless you have given up your heart to Christ. And "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." "1

1 Rom. vi. 23.

Which of these two masters will you serve?

The one is a hard and cruel tyrant; the other, 66 a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother." The one 66 as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour;" the other is the "Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep." The one pays you for your service with misery and death; the other gives freely eternal life to all who trust in Him.

Oh, be persuaded to give up the key of your heart to Christ. Give Him yourself, and then all things are yours. "Things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's."1

1

J. B.

A Faithful Servant.

LLEN O'CLURE had lived for several years as servant in the family of an Independent minister then residing in Ireland, and had become so much

attached to her master and mistress, and so devoted to the "dear children," several of whom she had tended from their birth, that she preferred accompanying the family to England to remaining among her own people.

Formal and precise in manner, the impression on a stranger calling at the house was hardly likely to be quite favourable; and although I became, as a near neighbour, very intimate, it seemed to me that there was never the slightest change of manner or modulation of tone in her invariable suggestion, "Will you please walk into the drawing-room?"

I soon found that under a roughish exterior was the kernel of a most affectionate heart, and it were difficult to say whether was stronger in this faithful servant the love of

1 I Cor. iii. 22, 23.

punctuality and order, or her devotion for those under whose roof she dwelt.

Careful, thrifty, and economical, she had accumulated year by year, but could never be persuaded to deposit her savings in any bank, because she had once heard of the failure of such an institution; she therefore handed her earnings to her mistress for safe custody.

Early in the year Ellen fell ill with an affection of the throat, which rapidly gained ground. At the hospital some doubts were expressed as to the precise nature of the disease, but closer examination by a celebrated physician left little doubt that cancer was the cause of her suffering.

Her kind mistress, in the absence of her husband, conversed with her, as she had often done before, as to her preparedness for death, and asked if she would wish to see the priest.

"No, ma'am," she said; "for though he knew I was ill, he would not come to see me as he used to do."

"And why not?" inquired Mrs. B.

"Because, ma'am, he got to know that I had been now and again to the church at the other end of the town."

Soon after this her strength failed, and she could only speak in a whisper: her chief anxiety was that her mother should be provided for; and, though no lawyer, I ventured to draw up and witness her mark, by way of signature, to a document appointing her mistress trustee for the due execution of her few bequests.

Her brother and sister arrived from Ireland just in time to see her alive; and as they had hoped to take her back to Ireland they were well-nigh broken-hearted to find that she could not undertake the journey.

She was only just able to recognise her relatives, and, after that, surrounded by her loving children, whose every want she had delighted to anticipate, she gently fell into what proved to be the sleep of death.

Thus passed away a faithful servant and a loving friend, mourned by those in whose service she had spent so many happy years. Every care was taken, every means employed, to soothe her in her weakness. Oh, that there were more such servants! Yes; and perhaps some who read this history may learn to follow the example of those who, during her lifetime, had rightly valued her hearty good service, and at her death mourned for her as those who feel that they indeed have lost a friend.

Her brother went next morning to the priest to request that he would perform the Burial Service according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church, when he met with great reluctance because he, the priest, had not been summoned, and the sister had not received the benefit of the Church to which she belonged.

Poor soul! Afflicted mourners, to whom no word of comfort, no ray of hope was offered by the offended minister of religion. These indeed were to be pitied, for, still in the darkness of superstition, they knew not the free mercy and pardon of sin through the atoning blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

With Ellen it had been otherwise; the family devotions, the daily converse, the improving comment on passing events, and especially the oft-repeated reference to a Saviour's love for sinners, had, by God's Holy Spirit, been brought home to her heart, and she could answer the inquiry of her young mistress as to her hope of getting to heaven, "Oh, miss, I feel safe in Jesus."

As such was her assurance it was a matter of deep regret to all around that the slender means of the surviving relatives were considerably reduced by demand made in payment for masses for the dead.

Let us be ever thankful that we have heard the gracious invitation: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price;" while we pray that many who have not yet quite

cast loose from Rome may, through the flickering mists of error, see the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings, and, ere called on to depart on their last journey, may feel themselves safe in the arms of Jesus.

The Try Company.

CHAPTER III. CONCLUSION.

ET us determine that what is our duty to do shall be well and faithfully performed in the best possible way; as one said, "If I were only a poor shoeblack, I would be the very best shoeblack in the place, to bring honour to my Master." So that it may be as true of us as of Daniel of old, against whom his enemies "could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." Let us try daily to reduce the "large heap of misery" in the world and to enlarge the "small heap of happiness." If we are to do this it must be in following, as far as may be, the Master, who "went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil." We must reflect His likeness, we must look up to Him for power, and wisdom, and tact, and love, and a sound mind, and then we may hope that our little effort may tell on some soul to its eternal happiness and the glory of God.

There are some efforts which we are constrained to leave to the mighty ones in God's army, to those called to a special work in a special manner by Himself; but there are some lines of service open to the weakest and feeblest amongst us to the little child, to the stammering lips, to the tarriers at home who also divide the spoil. Let us try