Thorns yet unseen your path will strew
Fresh tasks be found for you to do:
Satan will still his arts engage

The world a constant war will wage:
And earth its mighty forces bring

To win your heart from Christ your King.

But in the word of God we learn
That all who to their Saviour turn

Will find him in their hour of need
A very present help indeed.
Then, courage, dear, be strong, be brave,
For Christ, your Lord, will ever save.
He'll screen, in fierce temptation's hour,
From sin, the world, and satan's power;
Your daily need he will supply,
And watch with his all-seeing eye
Your every step, and lead you where
A path for you he doth prepare.
Your timid soul he will sustain,
And ever, till the goal you gain,
He'll give you daily strength to bear
Whate'er, in love and tender care,
His wisdom hath it needful seen
To give of pain and sorrow keen.
And when at length you soar away,
To realms of everlasting day,

Join in the new and rapturous song

Which, rising from the blood-washed throng,
Shall swell the music of the skies,

And prove accepted sacrifice.

May I with you, my darling, meet,
And Christ our dear Redeemer greet.
Eternity will be too short

To tell what he for us hath wrought.
But, lo, I've reached my paper's end,
So will remain,

Your loving friend,

SOPHIA."

It would not be safe to affirm that Miss D. had attained an absolute completeness of Christian character. But she gave evidence that she was seeking

such completeness with honesty of purpose, and great earnestness and perseverance. She was striving, according to the abundant grace bestowed on her, to become all that God would have her to be, and to accomplish all that God would have her to do. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." The views of religion which Miss D. possessed were large, because her spiritual understanding was strengthened by the word of God. She saw much of what God had provided for his children; she desired the loveliness of character she was taught to see; and she diligently sought to acquire that which seemed so desirable.

K

affirm that you have never yet accomplished all that you might have done. It is not only true that others have excelled you; but that which might have been your own achievement far exceeds your actual performance. That you have little or no pleasure in your task may be your misfortune or fault, or may be both. But, however that question would be decided in a court where sufficient knowledge and strict impartiality

prevailed, thus much is clear, that there are powers within you which have been but very partially developed. Your nature, mental and physical, is as an estate the resources of which are only known in part. Richer harvests, and hidden stores of wealth, might have gladdened the proprietor, if suitable means had been employed, and sufficient power had been available. Whatever your chief life-task, you have not done therein what you might have accomplished if you had found pleasure in your task.

Miss Denham was taught, while seated at the feet of Jesus, to delight in doing good. Her blessed Master, during his earthly sojourn," went about doing good." He taught his disciples that they were to be followers of him who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. The Lord Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." We are instructed: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." By his word, and by his gracious Spirit, the Lord Jesus instructs the hearts of his docile and devout disciples to find a holy pleasure in doing good. Such attain great aptitude in blessing those around them, because they delight in doing so. The gifts with which they have been entrusted go far, because they are employed with earnest and joyful good will. They become ingenious in discovering methods of usefulness. As those whose

hearts are still under the influence of selfishness frequently display considerable tact in evading manifest duty, and are ever ready with an excuse why they should not spend their money, employ their time, or over exert their influence in that which will bring to them no personal and immediate gain of worldly kind, so those who are largely animated by love to Christ and compassion for the souls for whom the Saviour died, display considerable tact in contriving how they may promote the cause of God more effectually than might, at first sight, seem possible.

We have seen that Miss Denham settled in Masborough early in the year 1863, having just completed her eighteenth year. She was soon engaged in assisting to furnish a bazaar on behalf of the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel at that place. The effort was a very great one for the friends in that neighbourhood. They wished to raise six hundred pounds in order to remove the debt from their chapel. Perhaps few acquainted with the resources of the Methodists at Masborough would have deemed the accomplishment of their plan possible. But the good people threw themselves into the movement with all their soul and might. Among the many willing workers was Sophia Denham. She could work hard: she could give something; she could plead with those who were not as earnest as herself; and she could also employ her pen. Rhymes of considerable length were prepared by Miss D. and assisted in urging onward the movement. Perhaps enough has already been furnished of this form of composition from Miss D.'s pen, or these rhymes might have been found of service in other places on a similar occasion.