' James Vaughan.
PSALM XXXIV. 8 113
of evil tidings, his heart' is fixed, trusting in the Lord. To be religious is to keep God's commandments, and the path of rectitude cannot but be the path of happiness. Of course we must not disguise the fact that to be truly religious is to deny one's self and to take up the cross. But even that carries with it its own blessedness. Suffering and sacrifice for the good of another bring to one's soul a peculiar sweetness and satisfaction. How much more must this be the case when it is done for God ! " Take my yoke upon you," said Christ, not concealing that His religion is a yoke, " and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
^ Miss Trotter was penurious in small things, but her generosity could rise to circumstances. Her dower was an annuity from the estate of Mortonhall. She had a contempt for securities, and would trust no bank with her money, but kept all her bills and banknotes in a green silk bag that hung on her toilet-glass. On each side of the table stood a large white bowl, one of which contained her silver, the other her copper money. One day, in the course of conversation, she said to her niece, " Do
ye ken, Margaret, that Mrs. Thomas E is dead ? I was gaun
by the door this morning, and thought I would just look in and speer for her. She was very near her end, but quite sensible, and expressed her gratitude to God for what He had done for her and her fatherless bairns. She said she was leaving a large, young family with very small means, but she had that trust in Him that they would not be forsaken, and that He would provide for them. Now, Margaret, ye'll tell Peggy to bring down the green silk bag that hangs on the corner of my looking-glass, and ye'll tak' twa thousand pounds out 0' it, and gi'e it to Walter Ferrier for behoof of thae orphan bairns ; it will fit out the laddies, and be something to the lassies. I want to make good the words, that ' God wad provide for them,' for what else was I sent that way this morning, but as a humble instrument in His hands ? " ^
2. He who has tasted the goodness of God and has learned the secret of happiness will seek to share his experience with others. Fire will cease to have either heat or light as it burns, before the blessed life will be hidden away in heart-secrecies, buried like the one talent in useless seclusion. Every man or woman who rises above carnality and custom and selfishness into the pure brightness and calm strength of communion with Christ ^ J. A. Doyle, Susan Ferrier, 18. PS XXV.-CXIX. — 8
114 THE GOODNESS OF GOD
must go on to exemplify His word, " Ye are the salt of the earth ; ye are the light of the world." Egoism is as intolerable without altruism as altruism is impossible without egoism. In the blessed life there is no conflict between these two. Rather do they supplement and stimulate each other. The human self, by very reason of its enrichment beyond utterance through receiving Christ Jesus as Lord, will never cease to feel, and act upon the feeling —
0 that the world miglit taste and see The riches of His grace !
The arms of love that compass me Would all mankind embrace.
^ When persons only wish for the happiness of another, and when they never pass a day without doing a kindness, how can they be otherwise than happy ? And when difhculties are very great they have only to ascend to the level of doing the will of God ; they will be happy still. If they are determined to act rightly, to live as the best men and women have lived, there is no more difficulty of unbelief. They see, not having seen, they go out trusting in God, but not knowing whither they go. There is no delight in life equal to that of setting the world right, of reconciling things and persons to one another, by understanding them, not by embittering them. True sympathy with every one is the path of perfect peace.^
^ A poor man came home one day and brought five peaches : nice beautiful peaches. He had ibur sons ; he gave one to each and one to his wife. He did not say anything, but just gave them. At night he came home again, and then he said, " How were the peaches — all nice ? " I will tell you what each of the four boys said.
The eldest boy said, " Oh yes, father, delicious. I ate my peach, and then I took the stone very carefully, and went and planted it in the garden, that we may have another peach-tree some day." " Well," said the father, " very prudent ; look out for the future."
Then the little boy said, " Oh, father, 'twas exceedingly nice. I ate all mine, and mother gave me half hers, and I threw away the stone." " Well," said the father, " I am glad you liked it, but perhaps if you had been a little older, you would have acted differently."