"The wise man says, 'A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children.' In a beautiful and holy example, in wise instructions which you will never forget, in fervent prayers, and in a good name, your beloved parents have left you a legacy compared with which what you have just received is of very small account.

"That is true," replied Wilson.

"We have received a

vast amount of kindness from our friends here, and I see plainly that we owe it all to their respect for our dear father's and mother's memory. The money Mr. Bray has left us will prove a great help; but I prize it most because he left it to us out of respect for our father."

"But now

"You are right, Wilson," said Mr. Prest. let me ask, what use have you made of this precious legacy? The hope and the prayer for you was that you might be devoted servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am happy to believe that your sister Mary is a lowly follower of Jesusare you ?"

“I am afraid not, sir-not yet," replied Wilson.

"Not yet!" replied Mr. Prest; "and why not? Give yourself, in true repentance and in faith, to the Saviour now. Need I tell you it will be the safeguard and the joy of your life? Then, too, it will link you, truly and for ever, with those whom you so deeply revere and love.”

Just then the conversation was interrupted by the return of Mrs. Prest and Mary, the former of whom, immediately on their arrival, having some message to convey to her husband, went straight to the study. Nothing more was said on the subject on which Mr. Prest and Wilson Goodwin had been speaking; but an impression was made on the mind of the latter by what had passed, which, through Divine mercy, was abiding. His long, and what he now felt to be his sinful indecision, ended in the thorough consecration of his heart and life to God. He fulfilled his purposes of study, and became actively engaged in the prosecution of business; but it is his greatest happiness that, at the time his earthly fortune was left him, he found "the true riches."

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I

AKING thought for the morrow."

That is the way

I spent my life for many a long year. From morning till night I was toiling and moiling,

working and slaving, fuming and fretting, fearing and fussing, just because I was always taking thought for the morrow. I had as good a husband as ever lived, and as fine a set of children as you could see on a summer's day, though say it that shouldn't. We had a comfortable little cottage, and never were short for the rent, or wanted a bit to eat, or decent clothes to cover us, and had something laid by in the savings bank as well; and yet I was discontented and unhappy, because I would take thought for the morrow-anxious, faithless, worrying thought.

One time I'd be taking thought what would become of me if my husband got ill and lost his work; and that kept me from half enjoying as I ought to have done his good health and regular work. Another time I'd be taking thought what I should do if bread or firing got dear, instead of thanking God when they were cheap: worst of all, I was often taking thought what would become of my husband and children if I got sick and died; and all the while I was strong and hearty. Why, when I look back on those days now, I feel as if my heart ought to have been running over with thankfulness for all God's mercies to me and mine, instead of fretting the very flesh off my bones-taking thought for the morrow.

I often wonder why our Lord had patience with me all those years, and didn't let me prove how little good my taking thought would be, if he didn't take thought too; and I'm sure it must have been because, having loved me so much that he gave his own life instead of mine, he would not lightly let me go. It's what we pay dear for that we value most; and surely it was a great price the Lord paid for me! I knew this-I knew that he was my own Saviour; the Holy Spirit had changed my stony heart, and taught me to believe in my Saviour's love. But I had yet to learn the

full and blessed meaning of what it is to have the Lord God of heaven and earth for my Father; he who made the world, and yet reckons the very hairs of my head. I knew it in a sort of way, of course, but it was no comfort to me, for it hadn't gone right down into my heart.

I remember when the change came to me. It was one morning when Mrs. Godfrey, the Bible woman, came in to see me, and found me at my usual work, taking thought for the morrow. There had been some talk of a strike in the business my husband was engaged in; and I was taking thought, as hard as I could, what would become of us all if he was thrown out of employment; and by dint of taking so much thought about it, by the time Mrs. Godfrey came in I saw it as plain as if it had been printed in a newspaper, that we should all have to starve.

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Well," said Mrs. Godfrey, when I had told her about it, "I don't see much signs of starvation yet; you seem to me to have everything as comfortable as any one in the village."

"Oh yes,” I said, "we're well enough off now, if it would only last; but there's no knowing what may happen tomorrow."

"No knowing indeed; so wouldn't it be wiser thankfully to enjoy what God gives you to-day, instead of wearing yourself out, taking thought for the morrow? It says in the Psalms, 'In keeping thy commandments there is great reward ;" and I don't think that there's one of them that holds truer than this, 'Take no thought for the morrow.' It's our blessed Lord that says it."

"Yes; but sure it must be the rich he meant."

"I don't think so at all; at least, I am sure that, while he meant it for every one, rich and poor, he meant it especially for the poor. We know that two ways. It's a bit of the Sermon on the Mount, which he spoke to the poor people, fishermen, and such like, who followed him. Besides, it's food and clothes he's speaking of, and the rich are not likely to be taking fearful thought about them. Of course

1 Psa. xix. 14.

if the poor are not to take thought about food or clothes, the rich are not to take thought about other things; still I do believe it was the poor our Lord had mostly in his mind at the time; and I think, when he told them to take no thought, he meant to lift a heavy burden off their minds."

'Well, I'm sure I've found the taking thought a heavy burden, as you say, but I don't see how I can help it."

"There is only one way," said Mrs. Godfrey; "and that is by letting another take thought for you. What would you say to your own children if they began troubling and worrying themselves, taking thought how they would get their breakfasts to-morrow, instead of enjoying what you give them to-day, and trusting you to provide for to-morrow?'

"Set them up, indeed, with their taking thought!" said I; "if it depended on that, it isn't much breakfast they'd have in the morning, I'm thinking; but somehow it seems to come natural to a child to trust its father and mother."

"And yet," said Mrs. Godfrey, "a mother might forget her child, and a father might not have bread to give it. But all things in heaven and earth belong to that great God who is

6

our Father in heaven,' and who has given us his solemn promise that he will never forget us."1

"But still I don't quite see what his being our Father has to say to our Lord's command that we should take no thought for the morrow."

"Don't you?" said Mrs. Godfrey. "Why it's the very reason of it. Look here," she went on, taking her Bible out of the big black bag she always carried about with her; and opening it at the 6th chapter of St. Matthew, she read, "Take no thought.' Of course you know," she said, "that that doesn't mean that we may not think to-day what we will get for dinner to-morrow, or what kind of frocks would be best for the children: our Lord doesn't mean that kind of thought; but over-anxious, careful, worrying thought, like the thought you were telling me of just now, when you were wondering what would become of you if your husband lost

1 Isa. xlix. II.

his work. That's what our Lord forbids when he says, "Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed?' And then he puts in, 'For after all these things do the Gentiles seek.'"1

"I can't think what that means," said I, interrupting her : "sure are'nt you and I Gentiles ?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Godfrey; "but it was to Jews our Lord was speaking; and, at that time, the gospel hadn't been preached to the Gentiles, so they knew nothing about God being their Father. Now they do, so in that way it comes home to us. But it was as if our Lord had said, 'The Gentiles know nothing about God being their Father; so not having any one else to take thought for them, it's no wonder that they take thought for themselves.' But he wouldn't have his own people act like the poor Gentiles, who, at that time, knew no better; so he tells them to take no thought, 'For,' said he, your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.' And surely if he knows our need, and can supply it, we should not fear that he will leave us to want. If one of your own children was hungry, and you had plenty of bread in the cupboard, it wouldn't be long before you gave him some, I think; and if any of them wanted clothes, wouldn't it be just your heart's delight to get clothes for them ?"

6

"It just would," said I (and I thought of the pence I had been saving up all the year that the children might have something new for a surprise at Christmas); "but do you really mean that our Father in heaven is as willing to give us what we want, as we are to give our children ?"

"That he is, and a great deal more. No mother ever loved a child as God loves us. If only we trusted him as our children trust us, what a difference it would make; if, instead of wearing ourselves to death taking thought for the morrow, we remembered God's love, and his power, and let him take thought for us, I think we might go through life singing with thankfulness for the good care he is always

1 Matt. vi. 31, 32.