things, and to submit to some treatment; but take it as a trial, it is part of your discipline, and a necessary and humbling one. Do not make objections to trying remedies. It is your duty to try whatever is suggested. Do not say that you cannot take this or that medicine. Try it again, for under your present circumstances the effect may be quite different to what it was at a former time. You owe it to your physician to try any thing that he thinks may be useful to you.

The manner in which medical men often talk to the friends of the sick, causes much trial to sick people; speaking of them as nervous; saying that they must be treated as such; urged to make exertions; that they have no organic disease; thus often causing them not only to think too lightly of the illness, but to inflict great suffering on the sick person by acting solely on the medical opinion, irrespective of their own knowledge of the characters of their friends.

One more trial a long illness frequently brings-medical men grow weary of the case. At first they are deeply interested in it, but it will not yield to their remedies; they grow impatient of it; call it nervous; then perhaps even turn the very ailments to ridicule; or make their visits less and less frequent, until, on one side or the other, the attendance ends. This is a sore trial, for the suffering neither ends nor

diminishes, but goes on its weary way; the strength, and nerves, and heart, meanwhile, giving way.

Such trials should teach us most deeply to value the long, unwearied, patient, faithful kindness of some medical friend, who has continued, in spite of all discouragements, to visit still, not in the expectation of cure, but just in the hope of alleviating, and soothing, and comforting. Such will, indeed, "have their reward;"a "they shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just;"b and shall surely find, even now, that "blessed is he that considereth the sick and the needy: the Lord shall have pity on him in the time of trouble." People are apt to extol those who cure them, but how far greater praise and gratitude do they deserve, who have not this reward of their skill? They who are not blessed with such good gifts from God, may at least take comfort that the Great Physician "fainteth not, neither is He weary." Though no other hand may pour oil or wine into your wounds, He will do it; and He who has sent the pain, and all its innumerable trials, will stand by, at all times, to soothe, and cheer, and strengthen, and bless. "Drink then with the patience of the Saints, and the God of Love will bless the medicine."

a Matt. x. 42.

Ps. xli. 1.

b Luke xiv. 14.

d Isa. lx. 28.

V.

NURSES AND ATTENDANTS.

ANOTHER class of the trials which weakness brings, belongs to the nurses and attendants. The innumerable fancies which will haunt a sick person on this subject could not be written. Sometimes a most violent dislike will be taken to some person; it may be quite without reason, but it seems impossible to overcome it. The sick person feels that it is, perhaps, very sinful, earnestly fights against it, but in vain, for the more he strives, the stronger it grows. Each time the attendant comes into the room he grows restless and distressed, and if she comes near the bed or sofa, it is only by the mercy of God that some words of annoyance or displeasure do not burst out. At any rate, it may cause really distressing feelings-quicken the pulse, make the heart beat quickly, or seem to stop. There may be a sensation of not being able to breathe when this person is near, as if she took up all the air which you ought to have. She seems to oppress you, to be as a weight on your heart or your spirits; you feel persecuted by her, and as if she ought to be removed from your sight. Or what is far more distressing, it may be some dear friend to whom you feel all this, and cannot account for it at all, only that

you feel that they are not what you want now; they provoke you by their awkwardness; they cannot do any thing for you, excepting, as it seems to you, very clumsily; they seldom give you the thing that you wish for, or in the way you wish it; they ask which thing you want? where they shall find it? how it is to be given? until you, feeling that they ought to know all this, and not to trouble you, get vexed; think how little they do for you, and say that you had rather not have the thing, than have to give so many directions. If such a person should chance to sit up at night with you, you feel given over to discomfort for the night; they cannot do a single thing to please you; you do not try to be pleased, and they lose heart.

On the other hand, perhaps there is some attendant whom you particularly like. No one else can put your pillows comfortably; no one else can give you your medicines, or even the smallest thing that you need. If any one else brings you your food, you do not half like it, and feel neglected; and so will not be pleased and satisfied, however kindly and well the thing may be done by another person. In this case there are temptations, as well as in the former: there is the danger of overtasking the strength of your attendant of taxing her power, and laying heavy burdens on her; and the more kind she is, the more willingness she shows to

do what you wish, the greater is your danger. Be very careful not to be exacting, in any way, to your nurses: considering them always as you would like to be considered; never wearing them out, just because you do not like any one else to wait upon you, for this is very selfish. Again, there is the danger that other people will be grieved at your partiality for this one, because you will not let them do any thing for you, or show their desire to help you. It is a great duty to avoid putting other persons to pain in this way; besides which, instead of their being drawn closer in love to, and sympathy with, you, by your illness, you will but put them further from you. When this temptation to dislike your nurse is felt, perhaps it may be of some help to you.

1. To resolve not to speak of it to any

one.

2. Because you are aware of it yourself, therefore to redouble your efforts to show kindness to that person, in thought, word, and manner, and especially, to pray for them.

3. Not to reason with it at all; but to put the thought away untouched, whenever it offers itself to your mind.

4. To lay it open before God; to tell Him how very sorely it distresses you; that you cannot overcome it, but that you hate yourself for it. Go on doing so continually. Say-"Father, if