fluence for good, and many would thank God for relief. St. Paul begs every one to give something; he that had little he urged, gladly to give of that little. He that had much, to give liberally; but every one to do it willingly, not grudgingly, or of necessity.

The gift that is got by repeated requests; the subscription that is paid after much entreaty, does not come from a cheerful giver, and those who make excuses, and decline to send the good news of salvation to others, can surely not have felt the preciousness of the Saviour to their own souls.

No one can join St. Paul in saying, Thanks be unto God, for His unspeakable gift,' who will not be ready to testify their active service in their Master's cause, like Martha, or by secret self-denial, present an offering, as did Mary, which will be acknowledged by the Saviour, though man may call it waste. Only let us prize the gift of a Redeemer, and know the value of our ransom being paid by the precious blood of Christ, and we shall think nothing too much to offer out of love to Him, who gave His own life for us.

Friday Morning.

1 CORINTHIANS, xiii.

THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part: but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

TRUE CHARITY.

Grant us, O Lord, that true charity, which will show itself in love to Thee, and all the world.

LEST we mistake the Scriptural meaning of charity, it is well to ponder over this chapter, for we are told, that people may give all their goods to feed the poor, and even give their body to be burned, and yet have no charity. People may even speak loving words, and talk like angels, but yet have no charity. Let us, then, observe St. Paul's description of charity.

'Charity suffers long, and is kind.' Yes, it does not soon get weary of people's tiresome ways, but it suffers long with them, and is not sullen while it suffers through others' peevishness, but is kind.

Charity envieth not.' If a person is especially noticed, charity is not jealous of that person. Charity does not envy either the friends, the favours, or the happiness of others; it vaunteth not itself, is not

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puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked.'

Oh, what a beautiful picture is this! It reminds us of modest Mary, sitting at the Saviour's feet; not setting herself up as better than others, not tossing her head when Judas tried to blame her waste, not easily provoked when he would put the poor before her, rather than her blessed Master. How many even good people are puffed up with self-sufficiency, and act unseemly to others, passing them without kindly notice, and easily provoked with fancied slights.

True charity does not even think evil, but tries to make excuses for the appearance of evil. Charity is not only negative, it is positive. It is not content with showing no unseemly behaviour, but it acts lovingly, and thinks tenderly. Charity bears all things, believes the best of all things, endures all things. Instead of being ready to take offence, it does not believe any ill was intended, so it is ready to pass over injuries, and, while it endures what it cannot remedy, it shows that true love

dwells in the heart, which thus influences the life. This is that true charity which will outlive both faith and hope; when faith is lost in sight, and hope is changed for possession, charity will still rule, for true charity is heartfelt love, the mind that was in Christ, and such love will be supreme in heaven, where perfect love reigns.

Let us each pray that the Holy Spirit may so shed the love of Christ abroad in our hearts, that we may show forth the meekness and gentleness of the Saviour in our daily life, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another; if any have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave us, let us do the same. Then shall we find a foretaste of heaven on earth, for love and good-will promote peace and happiness everywhere.