erring child had fallen, and did not spare the chastening which was required. "Martha, Martha," He said, " thou art careM and troubled about many things : but one thing is needful.'' Faithful are the wounds of a friend ! That little sentence was a precious babn indeed ! It contained a volume of practical divinity in a few words.
" One thing is needful." How true that saying ! The longer we live in the world, the more true it will appear. The nearer we come to the grave, the more thoroughly we shall assent to it. Health, and money, and lands, and rank, and honours, and prosperity, are all well in their way. But they cannot be called needful. Without them thousands are happy in this world, and reach glory in the world to come. The "many things" which men and women are continually struggling for, are not really necessaries. The grace of God which bring- eth salvation is the one thing needful.
Let this little sentence be continually before the eyes of our minds. Let it check us when we are ready to murmur at earthly trials. Let it strengthen us when we are tempted to deny our Master on account of persecution. Let it caution us when we begin to think too much of the things of this world. Let it quicken us when we are disposed to look back, like Lot's wife. In all such seasons, let the words of our Lord ring in our ears like a trumpet, and bring us to a right mind. " One thing is needful." If Christ is ours, we have all and abound.
We should observe, lastly, what high commendation our Lord Jems Christ pronounced on Mary's choice. We read that He said, " Mary hath chosen that good part, which