not CHRIST's way. We need not be of the world, but we must be in the world. My dear boys, set yourselves this term in earnest to spend one hour in this manner with CHRIST. You need make no outward professions, you need not be quoting religious expressions, you need not make long prayers,—but in your life among yourselves, with us, here, and at home, so act as children of God. You will not be less happy; you will be more happy. You will not feel a sense of sadness ever present in your daily pursuits, but GOD will hallow all you think or do. Away from Him who can be safe? Not the wisest or strongest in this world but must come like little children to spend their hour of life with CHRIST, if they would taste the truest happiness on earth, and reach the eternal happiness of Heaven. And lastly,-Only in Him, only apart from outer things, and alone with CHRIST in the Garden of Gethsemane can you find the perfect sympathy. To watch is an order, and it implies a degree of loneliness. And to shrink from GOD's order argues weakness, however natural. The cry of the Psalmist, "Oh that I had wings like a dove, for then would I flee away and be at rest," is not the highest faith. Higher and more perfect, and not beyond our reach, is the prayer uttered in the garden of CHRIST, "Not My will, but Thine be done." He best follows the SON of GOD JESUS CHRIST, who hugs the Cross to his breast, and who sheds tears of agony with Him in Geth semane. All you prize most highly here, all you hold dearest and nearest, cannot satisfy entirely and to the full. At least I think not. But JESUS can. Perhaps you think I am preaching what may well suit those older than you; but that at present the Garden of Eden is rather for you than the Garden of Gethsemane; the tree of knowledge a tree to be desired, rather than the tree of the Cross. O believe me, I earnestly desire that you may be very happy, and may pass through boyhood, retaining all the freshness and innocency of childhood as far as may be; but I beg of you now that you are in the dawn of life, with so much even in the flowers, and shrubs, and insects around to love and rejoice in, with all God's good gifts around you, believe that herein, in really living a CHRIST-like life, lies your true happiness. Were we ready to see it, our best happiness is near, and requires no such straining after it as we often deem. Says a great modern writer, "To watch the corn grow, and the blossoms set; to draw hard breath over ploughshare or spade; to read, to think, to love, to hope, to pray,-these are the things that make men happy." Therefore this term, and every term, keep one hour for CHRIST. Let your Sundays be to you especial holy days, wherein you may rest awhile from every-day bustle and work. Let your prayers by your bedside, morning and evening, be realities, bringing comfort and strength to you. At such times shut out all save CHRIST from your heart, and enter alone with Him into the Holy of Holies. But while this is so, while such things are especially consecrated to God's service, at all times remember that you are in GOD's presence, and that His everlasting arms are ready to receive you, wherein you may lose yourselves and be safe. "White the lilies raise their heads, Pierced with daylight through and through, Smiling in the morning dew. "Will the darkness ever gather, Will the night roll slowly on, "Enter thou into My garden,' "In the dawn of childhood's hour, Land thee in Eternity.'"' 1 By the author of these pages. 119 66 XIV. TALENTS. Occupy till I come."-S. Luke xix. 13. It was a bright summer's morning, and the gardener came forth to sow his seeds in the ground. And he looked around over his big garden, and saw that here and there were spots very well fitted for the growth of flowers, spots carefully sheltered from the rain and wind, yet open to the warmth of the sun; other spots less favourable, yet where the soil was good and fertile; others again barren and hard, either wholly in the damp unwholesome shade, or exposed to the fierce glare of the sun at all hours of the day. And he sowed his seed and went his way. Now in this garden the seeds, under the sun's warm influence together with the kind rain, soon sprang up; and what had been but a short time ago but an unfruitful piece of land now shone brightly with flowers of many colours, some of greater, some of less beauty; and some of the fairer flowers of great size and uncommon beauty held themselves haughtily and disdained to look on those of lower degree. And ever and again the gardener came to watch the progress of his flowers, and he looked somewhat anxiously at these proud ones which endeavoured to attract his attention, . . . and his eye rested rather with a smile of tenderness on some modest violets which lay back under a high wall, unobserved, save by the gardener's eye. And again his eye would rest on, with very great love, and he would stoop tenderly down to, some poor weak plants struggling amid some bare and evil soil, where despite all their efforts to flower and please the gardener's eye they could only put forth a sorry flower. So throughout the day these flowers grew; and at even time the gardener came to gather a nosegay for himself. His face had something changed from tenderness to a more stern expression, and some of the flowers of greatest brilliancy on the instant of touching his hand withered up, and their beauty instantly was lost. And many of those weak nay almost ugly flowers, many of those which seemed least forward, when gathered into his hand, seemed all at once to throw out a richer brilliancy, and acquired a very great beauty; and the gardener gathered his nosegay and left his garden. This little allegory, boys, needs little explanation from me. JESUS CHRIST is the gardener; this world is the garden; we are the flowers growing in that garden. To each of us GOD has given a power to grow in this garden; and He will assuredly come at eventide to reward us according to our growth. The words of the text say, "Occupy till I come." How can we occupy? Let us try to-night, and read the answer to these questions. |