tude? No. Want of exercise? No. Compulsory idleness. Of course this punishment only falls to the lot of the unconvicted, but while it lasts it is most severe. The unhappy prisoner would do anything to obtain employment for his idle hands, distraction from his miserable thoughts.

To wind up with a pleasant anecdote. Convicts, amongst other occupations, are sometimes set to sort Government waste paper-the War Office, the Admiralty, &c., contributing a mass of rubbish to be sorted into brown and blue, white and ruled heaps, for the purpose of re-manufacture. A woman busy at this work came on a 20%. note thrown away into the waste; she immediately gave it up to the authorities, and had 17. placed to her credit for her honesty.

Stray boughts on Raith, Life, and Work.

B

E WORKERS in your faith, and so keep it to the end. When you find a man of eighty professing to believe still what he believed at twenty, it may signify something very bad or very good. It may mean death or life. It may mean that long ago he gave up thinking, and studying, and feeling, and is going along through life, and by-and-by is going out of life, to God, with nothing but an old withered handful of grass and flowers, dead long since, which he still thinks precious, because they were fresh and alive when he picked them sixty years ago. But he has held them in his hands instead of planting them into his life, and they are dead. He goes, saying, 'I have kept the faith;' but he has no more kept it than the tomb that keeps the body keeps the

man.

But there is another old man who believes still his boyhood's creed. The things that were so dear to him at first have grown

The joy and grief of rain, have worked to

dearer year by year. life, like sunshine and gether to ripen the well-planted field. He said the Creed this morning, and it was truer to him than on the day when he was confirmed. All life has illustrated it; and now, as death draws near, he sees how, through death's window, eternity casts into it light and meaning that it never had before. He will go, saying, 'I have kept the faith,' and will hold it up really green and vigorous before GOD; and as GOD takes it and plants it in the richer soil of the eternal life, His words of benediction will descend, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a few things, enter into My joy, and keep thy faith there for ever.' Such be our constant saying of our Creed, our steadfast keeping of the Faith.

Try your love for souls by the standard of JESUS. He realised the value of souls. He saw them dying-He saw them damned after death. He saw all this, and He rushed to save them. He went about trying to open their eyes, and make them see that they were no true children of Abraham, but the children of the devil, and that they were on the high road to the bottomless pit, where they would soon find themselves unless they turned round to seek the GOD of their fathers.

Try your charity by this example.

Do you trouble yourself about the famishing, dying, half-damned souls of your fellowmen? Do you ever think about it? Do you grieve over the state of the world, the state of the Church? Do you go sometimes into the church, or into your own chamber, and spread your grief before the LORD as Hezekiah and the other old prophets did? Do you weep over it and cry earnestly to God as did Daniel? Have you this divine charity?— born of GOD-the beloved child of God. not, ask God to give it you. This sort of charity springs from the Holy Spirit. Pray, therefore, to the Father, for the sake of the only-begotten Son, to shed abroad the Holy Spirit in your heart.

If

Kneel at the foot of the Cross and behold Incarnate Love, bleeding, dying of love, and say, 'Come, LORD, and break up this hard, stony heart, and shed within it Thy beautiful, pure, divine gift of charity.

True worship is the going forth of the spirit of man towards the spiritual glory of GOD, in confession, adoration, and fervent desire; it is the earnest cleaving of our being towards that goodness of GOD in which we rejoice; it implies that GOD is known, and that we have the eye to recognise the beauty of His holiness. How, then, ought worship to be expressed?

In a sense every act which is a confession of the Will of GOD is an act of worship. Every life of sincere obedience towards GOD, and every sacrifice which is made to please Him, and every gentle grace learned through the reverent imitation of CHRIST, becomes charged with the sweet incense of worship. Let worship be only the approach of man's spirit to God the Father of our spirits, and then, whether offered in public or private, whether expressed in prayer and praise, or in a holy, obedient life, it will become the grand instrument for increasing sanctity.

by his gentleness, his purity, his spiritual life, a constant reproach to his rough and unspiritual elder brethren. The envy had probably been lurking in their hearts for many years; and when Jacob gave Joseph a coat. of many colours (a garment of rich colours sewn together in very small pieces, thereby showing great pains in its making) it may have been not only a special favour, but a sign that he was to be the head of the family instead of Reuben, whose sin had perhaps forfeited that position. They hated him and showed that they hated him, and, like the terrible hatred of Cain towards Abel, they showed it first by the tongue. They could not speak peaceably unto him.

APPLICATION.

This sin of envy brings forth hatred; hatred brings forth sins of the tongue. Am I envying any Joseph? Do I dislike some one whose life is better, purer, nobler than my own; some one who is innocent and unsuspicious of evil; some one who is deeply loved, some one whose disposition is a contrast to my own; some one who, though far younger than myself, and possessing far less of the wisdom of the world, has been clothed in a coat of many colours, and set above me in high places? If I am thus envious, why am I so? Why have I fallen from the high estate I might have had? Am I to neglect my Heavenly Father and to sin against Him, and then expect the highest place? Do I envy spiritual gifts? If, as S. Bernard says, the coat of many colours means spiritually the varied gifts of the Holy Ghost, I have them not because I deserve them not. How often my harsh words proceed from harsh thoughts and my harsh thoughts from the evil spirit of envy!

AFFECTION.

O LORD my GOD! cast out of me the evil spirits of envy and anger! Let me not think or speak evil of any one for fear I should speak evil of one of Thy friends, perchance of Thy favourite child. If I have fewer privileges than others, let me know that it is my own fault. I have not been worthy of them.

RESOLUTION.

To take the lower place as a matter of course, and so to check the first rising of envy.

THOUGHT.

'He knew that for envy they had delivered Him.'

Joseph's Dreams.

First Prelude.-Picture: An upright sheaf; eleven prostrate around it.

Second Prelude.-Prayer: 'O LORD! I beseech Thee to enlighten my understanding and to strengthen my will, that I may meditate profitably upon this history, and draw from it hope and encouragement.'

CONSIDERATION.

Joseph's dream of the sheaves was doubtless sent to him by GOD as an encouragement and a consolation in the midst of his brethren's unkindness and contempt. The innocent mind is fit for revelations from the Most High, and finds its greatest solace in communion with the world above. Joseph had to work in the fields with his brethren, and probably he heard not one kind word all day; but at night his Heavenly Father revealed to him his future glory, and the triumph of good over evil, though the evil seemed so much stronger. His first dream being treated with hatred and contempt by his brethren, another dream still more emphatic was sent to him as if to confirm the prophecy of the first, and he was made to announce it to his kinsfolk, in order that they might remember it in the time to come.

APPLICATION.

The day is sometimes dark and dreary, but the night is my own, and, if I lead an innocent life, will be full of the visions of GOD. How often I am discouraged by the strength of evil and evil-doers. Not only is the world full of injustice and evil-speaking, but the Church also. The forces of evil seem like ten to one, and the ten so much stronger, so much wiser, than the one. Little

Benjamin has not yet grown big enough to help me, and the ten older and stronger are all against me. But who is on my side? The fruitfulness of the earth and the glory of heaven, all the sheaves and all the stars; for there is to be a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. The vision of future glory can sustain the weakest Christian under the trials of false brethren is my life so devoted to GOD as to deserve the vision?

AFFECTION.

O LORD JESUS CHRIST! the innocent Joseph was truly but a type of Thee. Thou wert surrounded on every side as he was, found fault with, spoken harshly to, called not only a dreamer but a blasphemer; help me to a portion of Thy humility and Thy innocence, and may I look forward to the vision of Thy Glory!

RESOLUTION.

To look forward, instead of brooding over the present and the past.

THOUGHT.

'Truly my hope is even in Thee.'

Joseph's Search for his Brethren.

First Prelude.-Picture: Joseph looking for the shepherds and the sheep in the fields of Shechem.

Second Prelude.-Prayer: 'O LORD! I pray Thee to enlighten my understanding and to strengthen my will, that I may learn the true meaning of this search, and be ready to answer to Thy call.'

CONSIDERATION.

Whilst his brethren were full of black thoughts and envy towards Joseph, he was made the messenger of his father's kindness towards them. He was sent to see whether they prospered, for they were near an enemy's country; whether it was well with them. Joseph's faithfulness here comes into prominence, for when he found they were no longer in Shechem he did not return to his father with the excuse that he had only sent him so far; but he found out where they had gone, and went after them to Dothan, twelve

miles to the north. Instead of being softened by this conduct, they conspired against him even before he came near to them; and the envy and hatred they had indulged in brought forth the dark plot of murder and lies.

APPLICATION.

JESUS CHRIST, the Saviour of the world, was sent by His Father with a message of mercy. He walked through the fields searching for his brethren. He followed them afar, and all the return for His love was 'They conspired against Him to slay Him.' What part or lot have I in this matter? My Saviour is looking for His shepherds and His sheep. He is anxious to know if it is well with them close to the enemy's country. He is looking for me. How am I responding to the call? Am I overjoyed at the sound of His voice? Am I grateful for His care, or am I conspiring against Him? Am I stifling CHRIST in the pit of my sinful heart, and then seeking to lay the blame upon some evil beast? Am I with the ten or with the One? Do I look upon His great promises and prophecies as idle dreams, and take part with the vain. philosophies of the world? If I do, I am like the brethren who conspired against Joseph to slay him. I am like the Jews who murdered the Brother who would have saved them.

AFFECTION.

O dear LORD JESUS CHRIST, I thank Thee with all my heart for coming to see if it be well with me. I would make a throne for Thee in my heart, and pray Thee to abide with me for ever. When I see Thee afar off, may I run to welcome Thee! When Thou drawest nigh, may I rejoice with a pure

heart!

RESOLUTION.

So to act that I may be glad to be found by JESUS.

THOUGHT.

'My soul is athirst for God.'

Keuben's Half-heartedness.

First Prelude.-Picture: Reuben looking into the empty pit.

Second Prelude.-Prayer: 'O LORD! I pray Thee to enlighten my understanding and to inflame my will, that I may learn from this meditation the necessity of strongly opposing evil.'

CONSIDERATION.

The eldest brother was moved with compassion for his innocent young brother. Two of the ten seem to have been kinder-hearted than the eight others. Reuben would have saved Joseph altogether; Judah wished for a lighter measure than death. But neither were brave enough to resist evil. Reuben reproves not evil; he only suggests another kind of death, in order that he may return and save his brother in secret; he is ruled by policy, expediency, love of popularity, fear of turning numbers against him. Had he boldly denounced the wicked proposal of his brethren, he would have been on the side of JEHOVAH, and prevented a cruel wrong; he would have saved himself long years of remorse, and long years of deceit towards his father. The wrath of his brethen would have been perhaps terrible, but short. The misery his half-hearted conduct produced was deep and long.

APPLICATION.

How often I am half-hearted, afraid of opposition, fearful of the world's opinion! I think a straightforward course unwise; so I invent excuses, slightly blame those I really admire, speak of their rashness in order to excuse my own lukewarmness. I do not wish my brother to be killed, but I advise him to be stifled. I put him in a pit just to gain a certain sort of credit with the world for prudence and sagacity, and then I think I will come and take him out secretly just to save my own conscience. But the world, perhaps, is a little too strong for me, and when I come to the pit I find my Joseph is gone, and my portion nothing but lamentation and woe. Why am I so faint-hearted? Why do I not at once that which is right, leaving results in the hands of GOD? I will choose His side, and the side of His servants, and neither palter nor parley with the world.

Monthly Botes.

E have been able to carry out our intention of securing additional house-room at Broadstairs, as a temporary arrangement, while the new Home is in course of building. The friends of little sick Londoners will be glad to learn this, for it means that we shall not-as last year-be compelled to refuse so many child-convalescents who stand in sore need of such a refuge. No; so far as we know, we shall be ready, in and after April, to receive as many children as the still limited space will admit of.

Meantime we are anxiously looking out for a little help with the furniture, of which we spoke last month. Twenty-four additional beds will, we hope, be the result of this extension of our premises; and we think there must be amongst our readers quite twentyfour persons who would gladly contribute a bed each. 30s. will cover the cost of a fullsized bed, 26s. of a smaller one, il. Is. of a baby's cot; and these prices, of course, include everything in the way of sheets, pillows, coverlets, &c.

But, besides beds, we want a few tables and chairs, a cupboard, two or three common baths and cans, and an invalid couch. The walls, too, will look cold and bare without

A clergyman writes for further information about the One Hour Services mentioned in this month's Our Work, and for a copy of the handbills, &c., used. He says, 'I think the idea excellent, and hope to start something of the same kind in this neighbourhood.' We thank GOD that even one parish priest has been moved to consider the needs of the overworked portion of his flock, and to step outside the accustomed groove in order to help them.

These services at Kilburn have continued to be very well attended. The room is a very large one, and it has sometimes been crowded. The experiment may therefore be regarded as quite successful. Working men and women-often surrounded by their whole family, down to the infant in armsform the congregation; and a mother may be heard to say anxiously, as she goes out, 'I hope I've got all my little fry.'

Perhaps one attraction lies in the title of this novel Evensong-Short Services for Busy People.' It certainly expresses more sympathy than the notices one often reads of 'Mission services,' which seem to take it for granted that the poor stay away from church only because they are too slothful, ignorant, vicious, and godless to care to go.

This attempt of the Kilburn clergy to provide short, bright services for working-folk has happened very opportunely, since-for the very same hour on Sunday evening-an infidel lecturer has engaged a neighbouring 'hall,' where everything righteous and of good report is held up to the scorn and ridicule of the audience.