" Indeed I do, and a very disagreeable inmate he was. He waa always either shut up in his room, or if he walked out, he never condescended to speak to any one." " Ah ! my good woman," Napoleon rejoined, " had I passed my time as you wished to have me, I should not now have been in command of the army of Italy." 1
^ Wasted an hour at Morton's talking of the pictures, etc. Nothing learned, came home and was in a hurry for the loss of that hour all night. I will spend no more precious time on acquaintances.^
(2) But the great prize of life is spiritual. Business is not simply our opportunity for getting on ; it is our opportunity for getting up. Eightly done, daily work helps us towards the great ends of life. We may use all the machinery of our life, the money we get, the work we do, in such a way as to bring us more and more of the riches of the soul. Equality of opportunity is perhaps not conceivable, but we can use our particular circumstances so that they can further God's great design for us.
^ The incandescent mantle is made by laying a mantle made of cotton in a chemical solution. A deposit is made on it, a process of crystallization takes place on the threads. When the mantle is used the threads are fired, and only the mantle which has been formed on them is left. This world, our earthly lot, all the machinery of our life, is only the cotton thread for the making of the soul. It will all be burned up, and only so much character, so much soul, as we have made will remain.^
^ Carey, before his call to the mission field, used to go about from village to village preaching, for his soul was filled with the love of God. One day a friend came to him and said, " Mr. Carey, I want to speak to you very seriously." " Well," said Mr. Carey, " what is it ? " The friend replied, " By your going about preaching as you do, you are neglecting your business. If you only attended to your business more you would be all right, and would soon get on and prosper ; but, as it is, you are simply neglecting your business." " Neglecting my business," said Carey, looking at him steadily, " My business is to extend the Kingdom of God, and I only cobble shoes to pay expenses."*
^ During December an extraordinary thing happened, for he did allow that there was a small present he would like to have
^ J. E. Foster, Pain, 217. '^ Life and Letters of Frederic Shields, 43.
* H. Bonner, Sermons and Lectures, 211.
* J. Duff, Illuminative Flashes, 103.
EPH.-COL. — 17
25S The purchase of opportunity
given to him on Christmas Day ! This was a seal, and one of Dutch design was found. On the evening of Christmas Day we began to talk of what might be engraved upon it, and I asked him to invent a motto for it. He was silent for a second or two, and then said, " I think I should like to say, ' The Utmost for the Highest.' " 1
(3) The special opportunity that the Apostle urges us to embrace is that of rendering service to God and man. " As we have opportunity," says Paul, "let us do good unto all men." Every Christian ought to be intent on helping in some form to make the world a happier and a better world. The troubled, the weary, the unfortunate are always near to us. There is always something within our reach which we could do, if we would. The troubles and misfortunes of others are often our opportunity.
^ One day or other the world will slip through our fingers, and all we hold dearest in it. Only the good we have done will remain. That cannot pass away. It is written down in the memory of God, registered in the books of His Divine Eetribution. We will need it all when we come to give in our account of our service and go to get our wages — our love, and kindliness, and faith, and unselfishness, and well-doing — we will need it all and more than all when God puts the question to us : " Of what use have you been in My world ? " ^
^ A heathen king once said that that day was lost in which he had conferred no benefit on a friend ; and shall not we feel that day indeed to be lost on which we have returned no thanks to God for the numberless common blessings which cheer and gladden us, in which we have not sought in gratitude to extend to others the hope which we feel ourselves ? ^
^ It is related of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, that in mid-winter, as she carried in her robe a supply of food to some poor people in the mountains, and as she climbed the steep and slippery path, she met her husband returning from the chase. " What hast thou here, my Elizabeth ? " said he. " What art thou carrying away now ? " And as she stood confused and blushing, he opened her dress and found it full of red and white roses, lovelier than those of earth. So did the Middle Ages invent legends to glorify the sweet charity of this noble woman, who spent her time, strength, and means in caring for the poor people afflicted by