FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.

"BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, AND I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE."-Rev. ii. 10.

"AND I SAW THE WOMAN DRUNKEN WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS, AND WITH THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS OF JESUS.". Rev. xvii. 6.

66 AND I HEARD A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING, COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, THAT YE BE NOT PARTAKERS OF HER SINS, AND THAT YE RECEIVE NOT OF HER PLAGUES. FOR HER SINS HAVE REACHED UNTO REMEMBERED HER INIQUITIES.

HEAVEN, AND GOD HATH
Rev. xviii. 4, 5.

as

To Ridley, going before him to the stake, Latimer said, "We shall light such a candle by God's grace in England this day, I trust shall never be put out again." To whom Ridley said, "Be of good heart, brother; for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it."

FARLEY COURT.

CHAPTER II.

PATTY'S TRIAL.

THE mothers' meeting was over, and Miss Farley was wrapping her cloak and her fur closely round her neck to keep out the cold, when Mrs. Hill, who had lingered behind, said to her, "We are in a little trouble, Miss Farley, and my poor Patty takes it so to heart; she would so like to see you, Miss."

"I will call and see my little friend as I pass," said Miss Farley. And she accompanied the mother to the cottage, where Patty was lying on pillows upon a wooden sofa. How Martha's face brightened as Miss Farley's soft hand patted her on the cheek,— that thin, wan face which all day had looked so gloomy, so hopeless! "Is there some new trouble, to-day, Patty; and have you no Friend to tell it to but me?"-a bright encouraging smile was on Miss Farley's face, and her tone was kind, though a little sad, as she questioned the delicate child-woman before her.

"O mother," said Patty, in a tone of wonder," haven't you told Miss Farley about our trouble?"

"No, Patty; your mother has told me nothing," replied Miss Farley; "but I dare say she has told a Friend who is able and willing to help you; and if your trial is not removed, that Friend will give you grace to bear it."

"Yes," ," said Mrs. Hill; "My grace is sufficient for thee.' I have always found that there is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.''

"You see, my dear little girl," continued Miss Farley, "I was quite right in thinking that your mother would tell her trouble to a better Friend than I could possibly be. And I should so like to think that you, too, had a better Friend than I. But come, you must tell me all your troubles; indeed, I have called on purpose to hear them."

At these words a faint smile of hope passed over Martha's pale face; and encouraged by a gentle pressure of the hand, she began her simple tale of woe, in words scarcely audible :

"O Miss Farley, it is so hard to bear, so very hard, that I sometimes wish I could die; but I'm afraid to die; and I know it's wrong to wish it. I'm ashamed of myself to be wishing such a wish after all I've learnt in the Sunday-school. But oh, how I do wish I'd never been born! And mother says it makes her miserable, to see me cry and to hear me say so."

The poor girl hid her face in the pillows and wept-not the quiet tears which are shed over some imaginary or tender sorrow, by those who are still surrounded by comfort-they were tears which came slowly, pressed out, as it were, in struggling with the

load within; indeed, her whole frame shook at the remembrance of her mother's reproof-that last bitter drop added to her already full cup of sorrow and disappointment.

Miss Farley felt by the delicate instinct which some women have, how easily a word unwisely spoken-nay, even a harsh or careless tone, would wound that quivering heart; and forbearing to give advice just now, she soothed only by gentle caresses.

At length encouraged by a kind, "Come, I've not heard anything about this new trouble, after all," Martha proceeded :

66

Long ago when I used to be weak and sometimes walk with crutches, the doctor said he thought I should get strong and be able to work after a while, and I hoped to be in service now, and if it wasn't for me we needn't all be in trouble now. It is hard to be of no use in the world but to fret and suffer, and bring trouble on those I love best.'

A choking sensation in the throat prevented Martha from continuing; and Miss Farley said with some difficulty for she was overcome by the sight of such deep mental and bodily suffering"My dear child, the Lord does not afflict willingly, and He will yet show Himself to be a God of love and mercy."

Martha shook her head and went on. "We owe a little money, Miss Farley, and we can't pay it, for father has poor wages as a field-labourer, and mother has so much to do for me and the children that she is wearing herself out; and then,-oh dear! what shall we do?—and a rough man came yesterday and said he would sell our things, if we did not pay him within a week."

Martha lay very still for a little while, for she had yielded to utter exhaustion; but her eyes were fixed and had a frightened look, as if something terrible was about to fall upon her and crush her.

And what wonder; for trouble and affliction have so crushing an effect on the young and helpless, who have no firm reliance upon God.

Mrs. Hill, who had left the room that her presence might not check the conversation, now came in and made her daughter a cup of tea.

Miss Farley said to her, "I am deeply sorry that you are in so much trouble, Mrs. Hill; I hope you are still enabled to trust in the Lord."

"I have served the Lord twenty years," replied Mrs. Hill, "and

'His love in times past forbids me to think
He will leave me at last, in trouble to sink.'

But I have a trouble even deeper than the thought of losing our beds in this freezing weather." And the mother looked so anxiously and sadly at her daughter, as she continued in an undertone, "O Miss Farley, you cannot know what I should feel, if

she were to die unconverted. How could I say Thy will, not mine be done'? I have indeed prayed with strong crying and tears, that the Lord would lay upon me anything but this. Indeed I did not murmur at the thought of our poor bits of furniture being taken from us, though we could ill spare them; for I said to myself, as I went about the house, All things work together for good to them that love God' (Rom. viii. 28). But it almost broke my heart yesterday, when my Patty,-who I've prayed for so long, and I thought her so good, that I hoped my prayers had been heard, and that a good work had been begun in her heart; and yet she rebelled against God's affliction; for the carnal mind is at enemity with God.' And when I see her laid there with but a step between her and death, and know how unfit she is to appear before God, I could willingly die in her place, that she might live to repent and love her Saviour."

"Fear not, but trust in the Lord," said Miss Farley. "He hath said, 'Commit thy way unto the Lord' (Ps. xxxvii). And when He gave us this command, He meant that we should do it at all times and under all circumstances. He who is not unmindful of the fall of a sparrow, will not be unmindful of a child of many prayers-a pious mother's firstborn."

When Martha was a little recovered from her exhaustion, Miss Farley knelt down by her and poured out her heart in fervent supplication, that the Lord would draw the child's heart unto Himself; and when she had concluded, she sat down, saying that if Martha wished she would stay a little longer.

Martha was unconsciously soothed by the loving tones of her visitor, and by her holy, unshaken trust in the Lord; and she was pleased that Miss Farley liked to sit and talk with her.

During the conservation, Miss Farley had perceived that the mother unintentionally spoke of conversion and of serving God in a way which seemed harsh to the nervous and over-sensitive girl. How many who are only thinking of love and kindness err in this way! We can hardly expect to draw the young by fear, but we may draw them by setting forth Christ's love in a loving manner. How often we have heard parents and teachers say, in harsh tones which seemed almost revengeful, "If you are wicked, God will punish you." And the timid child is glad to think of anything rather than of God. But if it is necessary to reprove, why not add the following words?" If you are good and try to serve God, He will love you and keep you from evil. Christ died to save you, and when you strive to be good and are sorry when you fall unto sin, Christ will ask God to forgive you for His sake; and He is preparing a beautiful home for all who love Him, that they may dwell with Him for ever, when this earth and sky shall no more be seen."

Happily, however, for poor Martha, Miss Farley possessed too much of the delicate instinct of a refined woman to fall into this

common error. At first Miss Farley did not speak of what lay nearest to her heart-the invalid's conversion; but she gently drew from the little woman (as she playfully called Martha on account of her thoughtfulness) little by little the artless story of her daydreams, when she ran about like other children, and when at other times she moved painfully about supported by her crutches.

When Patty was about ten or eleven, and her fits of weakness came oftener than before, she would lie or sit for days together watching her mother who worked so hard and so cheerfully; and being of an amiable and loving disposition, she would say to herself over and over again, "When I am older and stronger, how hard I will work to help mother." And sometimes the doctor would look in and say he thought Patty might outgrow her weakness when she was fourteen of fifteen. This bright hope was cherished by the little sufferer as though it were a certainty-it is so easy to believe in that which we wish for. And bright illusions followed this belief: how she would go to service, and earn money, and bring it home to her mother; how pleased her little brothers and sisters would be when she brought them something nice; and how plainly she would dress to make them all happier at home. Ah, Patty, a harder task than this was before thee: but it was wisely hid from thee then.

She had

Miss Farley found the stone whereon Martha had stumbled. She had rested on her own self-denying intentions. hoped to be a little heroine in her own way. Nothing would have given her greater pleasure than to be active and useful, and to comfort those she loved. But in all her plans she forgot the overruling Providence of God. It was pleasant to her kind-heartedness to think that nothing would interfere with the simple plans of a servant-girl, who only wished to help those whom she daily saw struggling with the trials of poverty.

But "God's ways are not as our ways, nor His thoughts as our thoughts." Martha's first lesson in obedience to the Divine will, was not to be in active usefulness; the harder task was appointed unto her that of lying under God's afflicting hand and being patient and submissive still.

Martha thought, like many older people, that God was dealing hardly with her, and that because her self-denying resolutions were not prosperous, the Almighty did not love her. But Miss Farley said, "It is written in God's word: Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' Now in this all, you are not left out, Martha; you are very weary, and can only find the rest you need in Jesus. And God, knowing that there would be many poor in the world, who might think they would not be accepted, because they had no money, gives this full and free invitation: Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat 3 yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price.'