narrow, do it with all your might, with zeal and patience, God will bless you in it and will perhaps open out something higher for you to do if He finds you faithful in the little. After all, somebody must do the drudgery of life. Pass on to the other form of the trial. Many long to be up and doing for God, but sickness or continued ill-health prevents. What comfort can they find? Again consider that God knows, and expects no more of us than He gives us strength to accomplish. Also, there are many ways of doing God service. Some can do it by working, others by waiting and patient suffering. Qui laborat orat laborando fortior or as we may render it in English "He prays who works the work of God He prays who leads the quiet life There are many little ways in which we can serve God in an illness. We can make ourselves holier, more fit instruments in God's hand if He is pleased to restore us to health. We have a quiet influence which we can bring to bear on those with whom we have to do in our hours of sickness or disablement. And if continued ill-health be our lot we can pray systematically and earnestly and can show forth the Christian virtues of patience, cheerfulness, faith and unselfishness. These will involve as much effort, and will be as acceptable in the sight of God, as the active doings of those who are strong and well. No sincere efforts are overlooked by God, none will go without their due reward. Come ye after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.-St. Matthew iv, 19. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. -St. Matthew x, 42. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.-St. Matthew xix, 29. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many. St. Matthew xx, 28. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy lord. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.-St. Matthew xxv, 22, 23, 40. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.St. Mark xiv, 8. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life.-Romans ii, 7. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.-Galatians vi, 9. For suitable Prayers see page 169. Persecution. "BLESSED are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." These words must have been of the greatest possible comfort to many poor afflicted ones. Think of the martyrs of old, and of the many faithful, loyal souls, who, in ages gone by, suffered for the cause of Christ. In our own time persecution does not take the same form-there are no longer the stake, the fire, and the rack. But in other forms persecution does, and probably always will exist. Ridicule, opposition, and coldness, and such like, are hard to bear. They call upon our moral courage which is a higher, nobler thing than physical courage. And this form of trouble is by no means rare, though perhaps |