STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN;
OR,
RELIGION  IN  COMMON  LIFE.
A SERIES OF LAY SERMONS FOR CONVERTS IN THE
GREAT AWAKENING.
BY T. S. ARTHUR.
NEW YORK:
DERBY & JACKSON, 119 NASSAU STREET.
1858.




ENTEIED accoldiln  to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by
DERBY & JACKSON,
In thle Clerk's Office of the District Court for'.he Southern District of New York.
W. I-. TINSON, Stereotyper.                              GIEO. RUSSELL & CO., Printers.




PREFACE.
No  special theology is taught in this volume.  It
addresses itself to no particular sect or denomination.  It
has no aim but to assist men to grow better, and thence,
happier.  The author comes to the reader, and seeks to
inspire him with an unselfish, even a divine and holy purpose; to aid him in the conquest of evil affections; and
to furnish him with incentives to right living.
Religion is life; that is, a life of good deeds in the
world-and, unless such a life be led, no matter what a
man's faith may be, his religion is vain.  Piety, which
means the formal worship of God, and Charity which con
sists in acting justly among men, make, when united in
any one, the true Christian.  Charity is the great essential; for, if a man love not his brother whom  he hath
seen, how  can he love  God whom  he hath not seen?
Worship, therefore, in the absence of charity, is vain, and
the prayers of one who does not deal justly and humanely
with his fellow-men, can never ascend into heaven.
Such is the doctrine of this book, and in teaching it, the




.IV                    PREFACE.
author has chosen the attractive and beguiling form of
life-pictures, narratives, and conversations, hoping thereby
to win the attention and hold the interest of his readers,
until the lessons he would teach are written upon their
minds in ineffaceable characters.  He takes, as it were,
the truth-seeker at the church door, as he is about going
back for his six days' toil, temptation, and experience in
the world, and tries to make him comprehend that religion
is for the daily life, and cannot be put aside at the tranquil close of Sabbath evenings. That in every department
of business; in every office and profession; and in every
household duty, men and women must be governed by the
divine precepts of the Bible, or they cannot move a step
heavenwards, no matter how devoutly they may have
worshipped in the congregations of the people.




CONTENTS.
I.
From Death unto Life,..    9
II.
As we Forgive,....
III.
Heavenly Minded,..                                           45
IV.
Wheat or Tares?...                       50
V.
Is he a Christian?.....   
VI.
Of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven,.  1
VII.
The Happy New Year,.                                          81
VIII.
Entering Heaven,.... e   95
IX.
It is Morning with the Child,..                       100
X.
Richer or Poorer?. e    v. 109




Vi                          CONTENTS.
PAGE
XI.
Every Wrinkle a Line of Beauty,..                           121
XII.
Died Poor,.......128
XIII.
Cursed with Blessings,...132
XIV.
He that Overcometh,.  138
XV.
The Trials of a Day,.                    146
XVI.
Angel Visits,.... 168
XVII.
Algernon the Merchant,...... 176
XVIII.
Enemies,. 1.83
XIX.
Duty and Kindness,....                        189
XX.
Imperishable Beauty,...     203
XXI.
Neighbor Gray,....                             214
XXII.
Spiritual Pride,.....232
XXIII.
Aunty Jones, the Peacemaker,...                      257
XXIV.
Which shall Serve?.....268




CONTENTS.                           vii
PAGE
XXV.
Mr. Brownlee's Visitor,...... 282
XXVI.
The Shadows we Cast,.....       291
XXVII.
Good Deeds,.......        01
XXVIII.
Ruined,.......  306
XXIX.
Providence,....       311
XXX.
The Wages of the Poor,......  325
XXXI.
The Dream Warning,........  332
XXXII.
In the Workshop,......... 842
XXXIII.
The Two Pictures,...  353
XXXIV.
Temptation,......... 362
XXXV.
At Home,....   3870
XXXVI.
Wild Oats,......  392
-XXXVII.
The Angel Pain,........           396








STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
I.
FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.
THE prayer-meeting excitement was over for the
day, and Mr. Lyon, who had returned to his family,
was feeling the pressure of old states, and the jar
of old discordant conditions of life.  Mrs. Lyon
was weary with her day's work, and manifested
an unusual degree of impatience, especially towards
the children, whose tempers were altogether out of
harmony.
The transition from a prayer-meeting, in which
the soul rises into states of ecstasy, or sinks into an
almost pulseless tranquillity, to an ill-regulated
home, where selfish feelings struggle for the mastery, and discord jars the heart at every pulsation,
is very great, and presents one of the strongest
1*               9




10          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
trials of a man's religious feelings. He who can
meet this change, and yet possess his soul in peace,
has, indeed, gained large accessions of spiritual life.
There are not many who can pass through the trial
unmoved.
Thank God! Another soul has passed from
death unto life 1" said a pious brother, as he wrung
the hand of Mr. Lyon, on parting with him at the
door of the room where the daily prayer-meeting
was held. "I greet you as an heir of the Kingdom! You have a goodly heritage. Let me exhort
you to stand fast in the faith, and to suffer no man
to take your crown."
- I have been near the gate of heaven," Mr.
Lyon spoke in a subdned tone, and with a smile of
peace on his countenance.  "I could almost hear
angelic voices-almost see the white garments of
the shining ones. Oh, the bliss of heaven! I feel
as if I would like to pass upwards, now, to my rest,
and be received into the company of saints and
martyrs."
" You speak from the warmth of a first love, that
is sweeter than honey and the honey-comb," answered the brother. " But we must fight, if we
would reign; and you must pray with the poet



FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.              11' Increase my courage, Lord.'' Only they who bear the cross, cal wear the
C'rown."l
A little dashed were the feelings of Mr. Lyon,
by these words of the brother, and he moved on his
way homeward, in a less ecstatic frame of mind.
" From death unto life!"  The language of congratulation still lingered in his ears. " What death?
What life?"  These questions a little disturbed
him, for the answer was not prompt and clear.
"6 Born into spiritual life.  Born a new creature
in God."  He uttered the words, mentally, with
some firmness, as if to settle the question decisively.
But he was not satisfied.' What is spiritual life?  What is a new creature
in God?  Language that involves such vast concerns can have no vague significance."
Instead of gaining light, the mind of our friend
passed into a region of clouds and shadows.  lie
was in this state when he arrived at home. It was
just after twilight.
" There now! Father's come!"  It was the voice
of one of his children, and the tones had in them
a threat and a warning.
"I don't care," was the rough, defiant answer.




12          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"He'11 make you care I"
No he won't!"
"John! Robert! stop this instant!"  It was the
mother's voice, shrill and jarring.  "I won't have
your everlasting contention in the house." At this
moment, Mrs. Lyon saw her husband; and she
went on: "If your father don't do something to
put an end to this quarrelling, I'll go off somewhere.
I'd rather live in Bedlam!"
What a transition for the young convert! What
a fiery test of his new life! The tranquil movement of his sweet emotions was checked, and all
the elements of feeling shocked by the sudden jar.
" John! Robert!" Mir. Lyon spoke angrily, for it
was as if a sharp spear had pricked him. And he
moved towards the boys with an uplifted hand.
"From  death unto life."  Was it a mocking
fiend, or a loving angel, who flung the words into
his mind?  No matter. The ministry was good.
The excited father checked himself, and his hand
fell, nerveless, by his side.
"John," he spoke now more in sorrow than in
anger,  go into the sitting-room, and you, Robert,
remain here. Children who quarrel must be kept
apart."




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.          13
The boys looked curiously at their father, and
John obeyed with unusual promptness. There was
a new power in Mr. Lyon's voice that left no motion
of resistance in the lad's mind.
"Did you order that sugar and butter sent home,
as I told you? It hasn't come."
Mrs. Lyon spoke fretfully, and looked at her husband with contracting brows.
" No! I declare I forgot all about it," answered
the husband.
"Forgot! HIumph!  Well, I can tell you; if
you want butter on your bread, and sugar in your
tea, you've got to go after them now."
Mr. Lyon was not, naturally, of a very amiable
disposition, and had never taken, with a good grace,
any matrimonial reactions of this kind; so the
temptation to answer in as bad a spirit was instant
and almost overpowering."
"From death unto life."  The thought was just
in season. He did not speak, but turned from his
companion, and, taking up his hat, went out. In
about ten minutes he came back with the needed
articles.
" You might have saved yourself that trouble,"
almost growled Mrs. Lyon. Now, this was too




14            STEPS TOW'EARDS HEAVEN.
bad; and tlhe repressed feelings of her husband
came near blazing out. But, le remembered the
)rayer-meetings, and his profession, and so strove
manfully with the enemies of his peace, that were
rushing down upon him like a flood.
At supper time there was little else but discord.
The children were, as usual, restless, dissatisfied,
and  contentious, and their overtried  motherweary in heart and limb-as fretful as she coild
be. Nor did Mlr. Lyon  succeed in keeping his own
feelings all the while in check.  More than once9
the inward pressure proved too strong for the outward resistance; and words were said, and acts
done,, that were not in harmony with Christian
patience.
It is not surprising, that tempting spirits seized
upon these occasions, to throw doubt into the young
convert's mind, and to suggest that religion was
but a cunningly devised fable, and professors only
self-deceived, or hypocrites. But there were remains of heavenly truths and holy states, stored. up
in his mind by a good mother, in the innocent cldays
of childhood and youth, and these were now convictions that no fallacious argument, or false suggestions, could obliterate.  Mr. Lyon knew  that




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.             15
there was such a thing as spiritual life, and that,
when it was born in a human soul, it had power to
hold all hell in subjection.  And so, thouglh cespised, sad and discouraged, he did not abandon
the ground he had taken.
After the supper things were removed, the children in bed, the sitting room put in order, and the
lamp placed on the centre table, near which Mrs.
Lyon sat cown with her basket of work, the quieter
sphere of the room  gave opportunity for the feelings of Mr. Lyon to subside into a more tranquil
state.  IHe took the unused family Bible, and
laying it upon the centre table, opened it, and after
turning over the leaves, commenced reading a
chapter aloud.
M1rs. Lyon lookecd  p at her husband curiously,
when she saw him  take up the family Bible and
bring it to the table at which she was sitting.
6What does this mean 2?  she said to herself.
When he commenced reading, curiosity gave way to
surprise. Mr. Lyon read in a low, impressive voice,
the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew,
that portion of the Divine Word which is so full of
incentives to right living. As le read, the precepts
of Him who spake as never man spake, sunk deep



16          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
ly into the hearts of the husband and wife. Into
the heart of the husband, because, like a thirsty
traveller in a burning desert, he was in search of
living waters-into the heart of his wife, because
the very novelty of the occasion gave her mind a
certain degree of preparation.
After reading these three chapters, Mr. Lyon sat
silent and thoughtful for some time.
"There is one thing very certain," said he, at
length, " if any man wishes to get to heaven, he
must live right in the world."
Mr. Lyon did not address these words to his
wife, but uttered them  as if speaking to himself.
She said nothing, and he remained with his eyes
upon the floor.
"Mary."  Mrs. Lyon glanced across the table,
and met the gaze of her husband. The tone of his
voice, and the expression of his eyes, were perceived by her as altogether different from anything
she had before observed.
" Mary, I was at a prayer-meeting this afternoon."
"Were youll     Mrs. Lyon seemed interested.
"Yes, Mary."  The firmness of tone gave way to
a perceptible tremor.  "And I think-or hopelhat I am a changed man."




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.           17
A flush of sudden feeling came warmly over the
face of Mrs. Lyon.
" Life in this world is short, at best, and very
uncertain, Mary, and to make timely preparation
for the next is only the dictate of common prudence."
Mrs. Lyon was wholly unprepared for this, and,
therefore, her mind was thrown into some confusion. But having broken the ice, so to speak, her
husband regained his self-possession, as well as
mental clearness. Meeting with no response, he
continued:
"I think, Mary, that I am  entirely in earnest
about this matter.  I wish to lead the life of
heaven."
Now, Mrs. Lyon had received early religious
instruction; and up to the time of her marriage,
had been a regular attendant at church. Since her
marriage, in consequence of her husband's indifference to spiritual things, she had fallen into a like
neglect with him. It was rarely that she attended
worship on the Sabbath; and her children were
growing up with but few good impressions. Many
times had she thought of this; and when early
states of mind returned, and she contrasted her




18          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
own childhood with that of her little ones, painful
condemnation woncld oppress her spirit.  "But
what can I do?" she would sometimes say to herself. "    My husband has no regard for religion." It
was but an excuse; yet the excuse prevailed.  No
wonder this unlooked for announcement bewildered
her. She did not answer still; but as Mr. Lyon
looked into her eyes, he saw tears filling into them.
6 Shall we walk on in this better way, side by
side, Mary?"  MIr. Lyon spoke with great tenderness, reaching his hand across the table towards
the hand of his wife. There was an eager assenting
clasp-a sudden bowing of the head-a rain of
tears.
" God helping us, we will lead anew life,' said MIr.
Lyon, breaking in, at last, upon the deep silence.
"There is no help but in Him."  Mrs. Lyon
looked up, the light of a new hope shining through
her tears. "And as I say this," she added,' I
remember the words of a  preacher, uttered
many years ago.  They were-' In every good
desire God is present, and into every good purpose
He flows with strength.' Not in our own strength
can we walk in this new way-for it is a heavenly
way, and human power is but weakness there. For




FROM DEATHI UNTO LIFE.           19
a divine life, there must be divine strength —and
this is the gift of God alone."
Mr. Lyon looked into the face of his wife, wonderingly, as she talked.
" I did not know, Mlary, that yon had religious
views like these,  he said.    I thoughlt you were
wholly indifferent on the subject."'"No, Henry, not indifferent by any means,"
she answered, with  much  earnestness.     ]My
mother was a pious woman, and talked with me
about God and heaven, and Christian duty, always.
But yon never seemed to care about these things;
and, gradually, I have fallen into coldness.  It
seemed to me that the way was too narrow and
difficult to walk in alone; and so, I have suffered
myself to take the broad, and what appeared the
easier, road through the world.  But it has not
been an easy way in any respect. Something is
always getting wrong, and the ground I tread upon
each day is rough or miry, though, when seen a
little in the distance, it looked smooth and firm as
a well beaten path.  I am  sadly conscious of a
steadily growing moral deterioration.  I am not
as patient, and hopeful, as forbearing and self-denying, as I once was. My temper is less under con



20          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
trol. I have wicked, revengeful, and rebellions
thoughts. And, most of the time, I am very unhappy. Oh, dear! I shudder often at the image of
myself, which seems held up before me as in a
mirror. God help me, Henry! I am  at times,
almost in despair!"
And Mrs. Lyon hid her face in her hands, and
wept violently.
"Let me repeat your own words, dear Mary,"
said her husband. "'For a divine life there must
be divine strength, and this is the gift of God
alone.' Shall we not pray for it here, and now? His
words are, Ask, and ye shall receive. Seek, zand ye
shall find. Knoc7c, and it shall be opened unto you."
" Here, and now," was the low-murmured answer
of Mrs. Lyon.
And so they knelt there together, in this first
consecration of themselves; and the husband prayed
aloud for wisdom to see the right way, and strength
to walk therein.
When they arose from prayer, a deep tranquillity had settled upon their spirits, and their minds
seemed elevated into a clearer-seeing region. From
the gloom of despondency they had passed into the
light of heavenly confidence.




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.            21
"The language of divine truth is exceedingly
plain," said Mr. Lyon, as they sat together.  " AsJ,
and ye shall receive. We have asked of our Father
iii heaven to teach us how to live aright, and he will
teach us, and lead us in true paths, if we submit as
little children. For this we have a thousand assurances, scattered everywhere through the Bible."
"Yes, everywhere," was the subdued answer.
" And memory is pointing to precious texts written
down upon her tablets long ago.' Come unto me
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest.' Does not this seem as if spoken to
us now, Henry   It was printed on the first ticket
I received in Sunday-school, and is as fresh in my
thought now as then. Oh! is it not full of comfort
and hope' Come unto me.''I will give you rest.'
There is no qualification; no discrimination. All
who labor and are heavy laden."
" God has changed our hearts," said Mr. Lyon,
warming into enthusiasm. "We have passed fromn
death into life. We are dead to sin, and alive in
Christ Jesus our Lord. Blessed be God for his
divine grace, that cleanses from all defilements!"
"From  death unto life?"  Mrs. Lyon looked
almost soberly into her husband's face.




22           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"Is it not so?" he questioned.  "Dead to sin,
and alive to righteousness?"
" God grant that it may be so," was the quiet
answer.  " But the hard duties of life are before us,
Henry; and more-"  She paused, with allost a
sad countenance,
" Moore? Say on, Mary."' We may be dead to sin. I pray heaven that it
be so. But, whatever of new life may be born
within us from God, must be feeble as the babe's
life. And, with only this feeble life to sustain us,
we have to do battle with the strong man of
evil."
" But God is on our side. In his strength we can
overcome all our enemies," said Mr. Lyon.
" If we will but look to Him  in the hour of
temptation. 
" We miust-we must. There is no other hope."
Mr. Lyon's enthusiasm was dying down. He saw
that there was not only work, but a battle before
them, and that they must toil and fight, if they
would come off victorious.
On the next morning, the calm, sober, earnest
manner of Mlr. and Mrs. Lyon had a marked effect
upon their badly trained children, who at once




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.              23
observed the change, and waited, curiously, to see
just what it meant.
" Will yon hand me the Bible, Mary "' said Mr.
Lyon, speaking to his wife, as she came into the
room where he was sitting with the children, to say
that breakfast was ready.
She looked at him for a moment, almost wonderingly, and then, with an assenting smile, lifted the
family Bible from  a stand, and placing it before
him, sat down by his side. The children gazed,
curiously, at both their father and mother, and
waited in silence for what was to succeed. A
chapter was read, in a low, serious voice. Then the
father and mother knelt down, and the children did
likewise. The prayer was brief, just covering the
needs and experience of the petitioner.  There were
no vain words, nor any pompons phraseology; but
a humble directness, that showed an earnest hearto
For the first time, in months, ]Mr. and Mrs. Lyon
enjoyed a quiet, orderly meal.  The effect of this'unlooked-for act of worship, was to subdue the children's minds, as well as to excite their curiosity;
and as the parents maintained a calui, rather sober
demeanor, they yielded to the new influence, and
took an altogether improved exterior.




24          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"'There is a wonderful power in divine grace,"
said Mr. Lyon, as he was parting with his wife,
after breakfast. " It has subdued even these almost
ungovernable children."  lie spoke with a glow of
enthusiasm.
Mrs. Lyon did not respond; but looked into his
face earnestly, and with eyes that had in them a
shade of sadness.
" Is the whispering Doubter already at your ear,
Mary?"  The husband spoke almost in reproof.
" It is he that overcometh, who shall not be hurt
of the second death," said Mrs. Lyon.
" Through God strengthening me, I can do all
things."  Mr. Lyon spoke with renewed enthusiasm.
A faint smile went over the face of his wife.
"Is it not so    Have we not the sure word of
promise 2"
"Yes, and I believe it," was the low, sober,
almost sad response.
"Then why are you cast down, Mary? Have
faith in God. Trust him-look to him. He is
stronger than all our enemies."
"All this is well to be said, Henry; for it is
true, and gives strength and hope. But Christian




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.            25
graces.are given, not as ornaments, but as tools for
work, and armor for battle. Religion is life-that
is, a good life; and the life cannot be good, unless
the acts are good. And now abideth faith, hope,
and charity, these three; but the greatest of these
is charity. Faith is idle, and hope vain, unless they
subside in charity. So I read the divine law."
" Lookup, Mary. Pray for strength-pray without ceasing," said Mr. Lyon encouragingly.  " God
will give you strength for duty."
" I must watch, and work, and guard, as well as
pray," was answered.  " There will be sudden assaults upon my patience, and untimely demands
on my discretion. In a moment of weariness, or
exhaustion, sharp provocations to anger will come.
When thought acts feebly, because both mind and
body are overstrained, there will arise some pressing need for wisdom  and prudence.  Can I hope
always to be patient and discreet, wise and prudent? No, Henry; that is impossible. But, God
helping me, I will do my best. I cannot rise into
these new-born ecstasies. I do not see the Christian life as one of undiminished sunshine and
heavenly tranquillity. There must be conquest,
ere smiling peace is born; there must be night, ere
2




26          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
the glad morning breaks; labor, before rest.  Well
done good ctad faithful SERVANT, are the words of
welcome into heaven."
"God will help you, Mary," was Mr. Lyon's
softened reply. " I see that you are indeed in earnest; that you mean to begin right. Let me say
this to encourage you-it comes but now into my
thought. After every conquest, will come a state
of peace; after every night of fear and doubt, a
sunny morning; after every period of labor, rest.
And so, with the daily trial, will come the daily
blessing."
"Thank you, dear husband," said Mrs. Lyon, a
gleam of light shooting across her face; "I just
needed that. Now I see clearer. Now I feel a
higher strength."
They parted for the day. We cannot follow
them through its varied scenes, nor show how their
new-born faith was tried. They had helped each
other by mutual suggestions, and did not, therefore,
go into the new life-battle with any vain confidence. If God gave the power to fight against
evil, they saw that they must use it as if it were
their own; that a change of purpose was not a
change in any of the laws of the soul's being. The




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.            27
individual must overcome, if he would triumph.
All that God did for him  was to supply proofarmor, a sword, and strength.  Beyond that, all
rested with himself. There was hope for them; as
there is for all who see the way clearly, and are in
earnest to walk therein.
Not light had been the trials, nor feeble the assaults of evil, which Mr. Lyon endured through
the day, and when he turned Lis steps homeward
at its close, he was in a soberer mood than when he
left the prayer-meeting on the evening before.
I-Iusband and wife looked into each other's faces
earnestly when they met. Faint smiles, that soon
faded, played about their quiet lips.  But there
were deep meanings in their eyes, that seemed to
have grown clearer and calmer. Mr. Lyon did not
find a storm, nor even the evidences of a storm.
Instead of being engaged in quarrelling, John was
doing something for his mother, and Robert sat
reading. There was an unusual stillness in the
house, and evidences of a new order of things all
around. A neater set tea-table he had not seen for
a long time than the one he found in the little
dining-room, nor had his food tasted so sweet for
years.




28          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
After the children were in bed, and the father
and mother were alone together again, Mr. Lyon
leaned across the little centre-table on which the
lamp had been placed, and looked steadily into the
face of his wife, who sat on the other side.
" How has the day passed, Mary a" he asked.
Mrs. Lyon did not smile, as she looked up and
met her husband's eyes.
"Well?"
"Better than I had hoped; yet I cannot say
well," she answered, soberly.
" I can see the evidences of a great and a good
work, well begun," was the encouraging answer of
Mr. Lyon. "How  singularly quiet and readily
obedient the children were. The mother's hand is
in this."
" You have seen them in their best condition,'
Mrs. Lyon replied.' It has not been so through
all the day. I have had to watch them with the
closest care, and to judge of them  and between
them, when it seemed as if my over-tried spirit was
losing its power to see and to act. I have learned
one good lesson in the trial. There must be selfcontrol and self-conquest, before we can hope to subdue evil in others. Just in the degree that I was




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.            29
able to control myself, was I able to govern the
children, and to subdue them to my will. But, if
I spoke with the slightest sign of anger, my words
seemed lost in the empty air."
" Then there has been a double victory over the
powers of evil," said Mr. Lyon, with a smile of
pleasure glowing in his face. "A victory on the
battle field of your own heart, and a victory in the
strife with our children."
"I can scarcely call it a victory in my own
case, was answered. " I was only not driven from
the field."
It was a long time since, in the eyes of Mr. Lyon,
the face of his wife had worn an aspect so pleasing as
now. He gazed upon it in almost loving wonder.'Are you discouraged, Mary?" he asked.
" Discouraged?  Oh, no!"  Her countenance
brightened suddenly. " Do you think I have forgotten the hopeful sentence you gave me this morning.'After every concquest will come a state of peaceafter every night of doubt and fear, a sunny morning-after every period of labor, rest.  And so,
with the daily trial will come the daily blessing.'
No, no; and now, dear husband! after this brief
period of strife, darkness, and labor, I have. a mea



30           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
sure of tranquillity, light, and rest. The daily trial
is past, and I have the blessing.'' Andc the blessing is worth all that it has cost,"
said Mr. Lyon.
"All, and more than all," she quickly answered.
"This, Henry, is, indeed, the better way, and my
heart is full of thankfulness, that our feet have
turned aside and entered its narrow bounds.  And
it is easier to walk herein than I had believed. We
have but to make the effort to move forward, and
God gives instant strength. The lion standing with
fierce aspect a little in the distance, terrifies us
with his threatening roar'; but as we approach,
putting our confidence in Heaven, we see the chain
that holds him, powerless for harm. If some enemy
to our peace make a sudden and malignant assault,
we have but to lift the sword-bearing arm, and
more than a giant's strength flows in from heaven.
It is not a vain thing to put our trust in God. But,
tell me of your day's experiences, Henry.  How
has this new life sustained you."
The eyes of Mr. Lyon fell slowly to the floor: a
shadow  dimmed his face;  a sigh troubled his
bosom.
4"I am  afraid, Mary," he answered, after some




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.          31
moments, that, but, for your more practical view,
of this question of religion, I should be lower down
in the valley of discouragement than I am now. I
came home last evening, in a kind of ecstatic condition of mind, and with only vague notions touching
the new life I had resolved to lead.  The first
shock of our disorderly home staggered me. The
transition of feeling was from glowing heat to sudden cold. I was bewildered, and, for a time, in
almost hopeless discouragement. But, I was really
in earnest, and, following the way on which fell
some feeble gleams of light, and acting upon some
new born impulses from Heaven, I compelled myself to open the long unused JBible,,and to read
aloud, not knowing how you wouid act, or what
you would say. Oh, Mary! When you turned to
me in the right spirit, my heart leaped upwards, as
if a crushing weight had been suddenly removed. 
Then, as we conversed, I found your perceptions going right down to the bottom of the whole question
of religion, as a matter of self-conquest and right
living; and you lifted my reason up into just conclusion. So we helped, and encouraged one another. I saw, that, if indeed, I had passed, as some
say, from death unto life, I was not a strong man,




32          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
but, an almost helpless infant, and that growth and
development were as necessary to my spiritual
manhood, as to the manhood of natural and rational
life. All day long I have been thinking over that
matter of the new birth, Mary, and I am sure,
taking the experiences of this day as conclusive on
the subject, that, but for the help you afforded me
last night, I should have given way to overwhelming doubts. I found, when any evil allurement
came, that evil desire was not extinguished; only,
that a desire for the opposite good was born. If
you had not helped me to think of the new birth
as only the first beginning of a spiritual state, I
would have, I fear, abandoned all as a delusion; for,
if I were really a new creature in Christ Jesus-if
I had passed from death unto lif —taking these
things in their broader meanings-how could I still
have evil desires  But light came, and strength
with light. If good impulses were very feeble, yet,
when I looked up, and made an effort to do right,
help came. Sometimes I was taken off my guard,
and stricken down in a moment. But, at that
point I placed a sentinel. So you see that I have
been at work in good earnest-thlough little has
been done. I do not feel greatly encouraged; and




FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.          33
yet, hope rests on a strong foundation. Reason appreciates and judgment approves the mode of
regeneration, that seem to me like steps towards a
mountain height, or ascending spirals, gradually
bearing the soul upwards to heaven.'
" His Word," said Mrs. Lyon, reverently, as her
husband paused, " shall be a lamp unto our feet,
and a light unto our path. I think we have begun
right. God sees the desire of our hearts, and will
give us the needed strength in every time of trial.
We will look to him in prayer, and in his Holy
Word; and He will not hide from us the light of
his countenance.  Your day's experience is like
my own; and if in anything I happened to say,
you found strength, I must own that. from youi
fitly spoken suggestions, came to me a world of aid
and comfort. Without them, I think I must have
fallen by the way."
How much depends on a right beginning. We
see it in this single day's experience of two who
had resolved to lead the life of heaven-a life, not
of mere feeling, but of doing. INot of pious acts
and the formal worship of the sanctuary alone, but
a life of daily self-denial and good deeds. They
had begun right, adding, to prayer and faith,
2*




34           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
effort-meeting temptation with the armor on, and
battling for the victory. They had, indeed, passed
from death unto life; and though only yet, as it
were, babes in Christ, the first fruits of the new
birth were plainly visible. Of such is the kingdom
of heaven.
Few of those who begin the Christian pilgrimage
in a like spirit ever turn aside, or go back again
into their old ways. Every step is an advance in
the regenerate life; every strife with the powers
of hell gives strength or victory; every night of
temptation, but precedes the surely coming dawn
of a brighter day. Religion, to be of any real use
to a man, must come down into all his daily duties,
and regulate his actions by a divine standard.  It
must make him patient, thoughtful of others, selfdenying, watchful against evil, and, above all, just
in even the smallest things, towards his fellowman. For, no matter how externally pious a man
may be; no matter how faithfully he may attend
upon the ordinances of the church; if he love not
his neighbor, he cannot have God's love in his
heart, and all who think and act differently are
yielding to a fatal delusion.




AS WE FORGIVE.              35
II.
AS WE FORGIVE.
" HE must pay it."  The voice that said this was
firm, and the tone decided.
"I think he is very poor, Mr. Glenn," answered
the collector, who was making his weekly return.
"No matter; poor people must pay their debts
as well as rich ones. I can't undertake to supply
the family of every poor man in the city with
shoes. There wouldn't be a pair left for my own
children's feet, if I undertook such a piece of
Quixotic benevolence."
And Mr. Glenn smiled a little grimly, as if there
were something of humor in the closing sentence.
" It strikes me that there is an exception in this
case," remarked the collector.
" NTone at all-none at all," replied the dealer in
boots and shoes. " Poor people must be honest as
well as rich ones, and not buy more than they are




36            STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
able to pay for.  Horton must settle.  There is no
use in his trying to shirk out of it."
" He has been sick."
" Well, what of that?  Other poor men are not
exempt from sickness. It is the common lot. Let
him do something, if it is ever so little, and thus
show an honest disposition."' It is hard to do something with nothing," said
the collector.
" How does he live?  He eats and drinks, doesn't
he?" interrogated Mr. Glenn.
"I suppose so, and his wife and children also."
"Does he steal the money he lives on?"'I didn't investigate the case that far," replied
the collector, showing a little annoyance.
"' He earns it, no doubt. And there is one thing
I have to say in the matter-while Horton is in
debt he has no right to spend all he earns.  I-e
should pay off something, if it is ever so small a
portion, of what is due to others.  That is being
simply honest."
" He has four little children; his wife is in bad
health, and he is working on three-quarter time.
I am  sure, Mr. Glenn, that he cannot, as things
now are, pay anything on your bill, without actu



AS WE FORGIVE.              37
ally diminishing the supply of food, or being turned
out of house and home.'  Oh! he pays his rent, then, does he?"
"He said that his landlord was a very close man,
and required the rent weekly. That he had got a
little behindhand with him, and was compelled not
only to pay up the current rent, but a certain sum
on what was due, at the same time, or have his
things put into the street."
"I see. Hle will pay only on compulsion.  If
that is his game, we will accommodate him. Just
call and say, that unless he shows some disposition
to settle, that I will send a constable after him."
" I wouldn't take that course, Mr. Glenn. His
intentions are honest, I am certain. But things
have gone wrong with him, and he is very much
under the weather."
" Good intentions don't save any one.  There
must be good deeds. Nothing else will pass current here, or hereafter.  Let Horton show  his
honest purpose by beginning to do honest acts.
Nothing less will satisfy me. Can't he pay twentyfive cents a week2"
" He might do so, I presume."
" Very well, let him begin at that figure. Tell




38           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
him that so long as he pays twenty-five cents a
week, punctually, I will not disturb him; but on
the first failure he may expect to see the constable."
" I must decline being the bearer of that message,' replied the collector.  "I would rather pay
twenty-five cents a week out of my own pocket,
than be your agent in any such business."
The face of Mr. Glenn grew red with anger,
and he said, sharply" I want none of your reflections on my acts or
purposes. As you have undertaken my collections,
I wish the work done as I direct. The responsibility rests with me."
s" Take my advice," returned the collector coolly,
" and forgive this poor man his debt. It amounts
to only seven dollars, and its loss will not deprive
you of a single comfort, while the act will relieve
him from a heavy burden. He is honest; and will
pay you, if it is ever in his power, whether you
cancel the obligation or not."
" You are generous with what is not your own,"
said Glenn, with sarcasm.  "Thank you for the
suggestion; but I am not in the habit of trusting
people and then forgiving them the debt. That sort
of thing doesn't pay."




AS WE FORGIVE.                39
" It does in some cases" remarked the collector,
speaking partly to himself.
" It will not pay in this, for I don't mean to try
the foolish experiment," answered Glenn.
Turning towards this hard man, who was a member of one of the churches, the collector-who was
also a church-member, but of a different stamplooked him steadily in the face for some moments,
and then said
" When you kneel before God this evening, and,
in praying, say over the words,'Forgive us our
debts as we forgive our debtors,' take heed that
you are not asking for a curse instead of a blessing.
If God forgives you as you now forgive this poor
man, the case will not assume a very hopeful aspect.' Buit if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.'
The language is not mine; I but recall to your
memory the words of eternal truth. Beware, lest,
knowing these, you have the greater condemnation."
Saying this, the collector turned away, and left
Mr. Glenn to his own not very pleasant thoughts.
That evening, in family worship, Mr. Glenn said
over the Lord's Prayer. If the collector had been




40           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
present, he would have observed a faltering in the
words, " As we forgive our debtors." He had never
before understood them  as now, though he had
repeated these words a thousand times since they
were taught to him by his mother in childhood.
All at once they had assumed a new and startling
significance.'Forgive us our debts as we forgive
our debtors!' Here was no vague petition, but a
plain request to be dealt by as the petitioner dealt
by his neighbor.' With what measure ye meet, it
shall be mecsured to you again."  The memory of
this passage, also, grew quite distinct in the mind
of Mr. Glenn, and it seemed also as if spoken
aloud in his ears. Conscience was at work, and
fear troubling him.
" What if my soul should be required of me this
night?"  A sudden shiver ran through his nerves
as this thought presented itself.
" God has heard and answered some of my
prayers," said Mr. Glenn, as he sat apart from his
family, pondering this new aspect of the case. " I
asked Him, at the outset of life, to be with me in
my incomings and outgoings; to smile upon my
toil, and send the rain of prosperity upon my
fields. And he has done so. I have prayed also




AS WE FORGIVE.              41
from childhood, onward to this time, that he would
forgive me my debts as I forgiven my debtors.
Now, have I ever, in my heart, forgiven the man
who trespassed against me? or refrained from
exacting from a debtor the last farthing, no matter
what his needs and circumstances? Have I regarded my brother in sickness or misfortune? Has
pity touched my soul, when the unhappy debtor
has pleaded for respite or forgiveness?  Should
God answer my oft-repeated prayer in this, will it
not be in banishment from his presence?"
For hours that night, Mr. Glenn lay tossing on
his bed, fearing to sleep, lest his awakening should
be in another world; but, wearied nature yielded
at last, and then in visions of his bed, he closed up
his mortal career, and passed to his final account.
But, no "Well done, good and faithful servant
greeted him!" Instead there burned before him in
letters of flame, turn which way he would-" With
what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you
again."  He closed his eyes —  As we forgive our
debtors," were gleaming in their place, though he
tried to shut out the vision of all things. In terrible
anguish he awoke. Again he slept, and the vision
was repeated. And once again, ere the day broke.




42           STEPS TOWARDS HEAIVEN.
Mr. Glenn assembled his household for morning
worship as usual; and read a chapter from  the
Bible.  His voice was low, and humble. The petition that followed was brief; and members of his
fimily noticed, as an unusual thing, that he failed to
conclude with the Lord's Prayer. I-is first act, on
going to his store, was to send Mr. Horton, the
poor debtor for whom  the humane collector had
pleaded, a receipt in full, thus cancelling the debt.
Hle felt more comfortable after this; but still, a
weight of concern lay upon his heart.  Here was
a new reading of the Divine precept, and one that,
if accepted, might, he feared, require a degree of
sacrifice that, in the present state of his natural affections, he could not give.  The law, as narrowing
itself down to his most literal rendering of the text,
seemed the hardest in the whole code of Divine
precepts.
But, Mr. Glenn had begun right.  If we constrain ourselves to do what we believe the law of
God requires, we always gain power over depraving
lusts, and selfish affections. We must fight against
the powers of hell, or there will be no conquest.
We must put away evil, before angelic loves can
flow into our hearts. The case of Mr. Glenn is an




AS WE FORGIVE.                43
illustration.  The reader has seen how hard and
cruel were all his feelings towards his poor debtor.
No(-) a single wave of pity moved over his heartnot a pulse of commiseration stirred.  It was different however, after he had so far conquered his
selfish desire for gain, as to cancel the debt. Then
pity for Horton began to work in his heart, and
draw before his imagination images of sickness,
discouragement, privation and suffering.
" Poor man I He has had a hard time of it. I
am  glad  that I lifted that burden  from  his
shoulders," he said to himself in this great change
of state.
And now, the current of feeling which was flowing in the right direction, began to set stronger.
Pity is not a mere idler; but a door of good deeds.
Mr. Glenn began to feel an interest in the poor
man, which  led  him  to  make  particular inquiry  into his circumstances.  I-e found  that
help was really needed, and with a cheerful alacrity that surprised even himself, he reached out his
hand to raise up and sustain a weak and falling
brother. It was the beginning of a new life for
Mr. Glenn, and one in which this small experience
showed him were new and higher pleasures than




44          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
any he had ever known-the pleasures that always
accompany good deeds lovingly performed.
Some weeks passed, before he again ventured to
say the Lord's Prayer, in family worship. But,
when the petition did pass his lips, it was in the
humble hope that God would give him that spirit
of forgiveness, without which there can be no remission of sins.




HEAVENLY MINDED.              45
HEAVENLY-MINDED.
I LISTENED while he talked in a low, serious, tender voice. He was speaking of the home in heaven
towards which his heart aspired.
" There will be no more night there, nor chilling
winter," he said; "no more sorrow, no more toil,
no more pain; for God is the light of that world,
and he will wipe away all tears from  our eyes.
How often do I find myself crying out with the
Psalmist,'Oh that I had wings like a dove, for
then would I fly away, and be at rest!' I grow
weary with waiting every day. This world has
no attractions to offer my soul. Its atmosphere
oppresses me; its ways are rough to my feet; its
touch chills me. I pray continually, 0 Lord, hide
me under the shadow of thy wings, until the storms
of life are over; shelter me from the burning heats;
cover me from the winter's cold."




46           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
And then he sang in a sweet, impressive way"Jerusalem, my happy home!
Oh, how I long for thee.
When will my sorrows have an end?
Thy joys when shall I see?"
"How heavenly-minded!" I heard spoken from
one to another, in a hushed whisper.
"lIe is ripe for the kingdom," was answered
back.
" The world hangs loosely upon him as a wornont garment, ready to be cast aside when the
Master summons him  away. God has endowed
him with a double portion of his Spirit."
I walked thoughtfully away when the little company separated. "Is it indeed so?" I questioned
with myself.' Heavenly-minded?'  Ripe for the
kingdom?''A double portion of God's Spirit resting upon him?"  What is it to be heavenlyminded?  How is a man ripened for the kingdom
of God?"
I knew a little of the man's past. and present.
lie had not been an earnest worker in the world;
but, rather, an idler and a dreamer. He was something of an enthusiast, and had the reputation of




HEAVENLY MINDED.                  47
being "gifted in prayer."  He talked much on the
subject of religion, and spent a great deal of time
in preparing himself for heaven. This preparation
consisted, mainly, in pious observances, the reading
of religious books, fasting and prayer. In business,
he had not succeeded, because he lacked earnestness, prudence, and industry. There was, to his
perception, a spirit of worldly-mindedness in these,
opposed to religion. It was a letting of himself
down into carnal things, that were death to the
spiritn.  Ad so he was very poor, and could sing,
and did sing, with feeling"No foot of land do I possess,
Nor cottage in the wildernessA poor, way-faring man.
I lodge, awhile, in tents below,
Or gladly wander to and fro,
Till I my Canaan gain."
And rather took merit to himself for his poverty;
regarding it almost as one of the Christian graces.
I need hardly say, that the wife of this man was
a toiler beyond her strength, and that his children
had not received the natural and moral advantages that their father might have procured for
them, if he had been a worker in tile world, instead




48           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
of an enthusiastic dreamer. The burdens of others
were made heavier, because he had failed to bear
his own allotment; and evil had crept in at the
door he was appointed to guard, because he had
slept at his post. And yet he was called " heavenlyminded," and ripe for the kingdom.
As I mused, reason and feeling both demurred.
I could see nothing of the spirit of heaven in this;
but only the delusion of an unprofitable servant.
To be heavenly-minded, is to be in the love of good
deeds; and every man who, from a religious principle, acts justly and faithfully in all his relations
in life, is a doer of good deeds. He only can become heavenly-minded; he only can worship God
in spirit and in truth. Praying and singing are of
no avail, without acting. They may lift the thoughts
heavenward; but only as our feet move are we
borne thitherward.  We are in the world for work
and duty; and we cannot be righteous, unless we
act right towards our fellow-men. Belief in God,
and an acknowledgment of his holy precepts, are
only as the inception of spiritual life; true vitality
and Christian manhood are the results of right living. It is the good and faithful servant who alone
enters into the joy of his Lord; only he who per



HEOVENLY MINDED.               49
forms good acts to the children of men is accepted.
It is easier to pray than to work; easier to believe a certain formula, than to practise self-denial;
easier to permit the feelings to lapse sweetly away
under the influence of tranquillizing music, than to
compel self-love to give up its darling scheme.
But only in the degree that we overcome the man
of sin, who is ever prompting to a disregard of
others, that we may get larger worldly benefits
and increased natural enjoyments, do we receive
true spiritual life, and advance in the way of regeneration. To rest a hope of heaven on any other
ground, is a most fatal delusion.
3




50          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
IV.
WHEAT OR TARES.
" WIEAT or tares-which are you sowing, Fanny,
dear, in the mind of this sweet little fellow?" said
Uncle Lincoln to his niece, lIMrs. Howard, as he
lifted a child not yet beyond his fourth summer
upon his knee, and laid one of his hands amid the
golden curls that fell about his neck, and clustered
above his snowy temples.
" Wheat, I trust, Uncle Lincoln," replied Mrs.
Howard, smiling, yet serious.  " It is the enemy
who sows tares-and I am his mother."
There was a glow of proud feeling in the countenance of Mrs. Howard, as she said, (I am his
mother."
It was Mr. Lincoln's first visit to his niece since
her marriage and removal to the city, some hundreds of miles away from her old home.
" Even a mother's hand may sow tares," said the




WHEAT OR TABES.               51
old gentleman.  " I have seen it done many times.
Not of design, but in thoughtless inattention to
the quality of the seed she holds in her hand. The
enemy mixes tares with the wheat, quite as often
as he scatters evil seed. The husbandman must
not only watch his fields by night and by day, but
also the repositories of his grain, lest the enemy
cause him to sow tares as well as wheat upon his
own fruitful ground."
" Willie,' said Mrs. Howard, speaking to her little
boy about ten minutes afterwards, " don't upset my
work-basket. Stop! Stop, I say, you little rogue!"
Seeing that the wayward child did not mean to
heed her words, the mother started forwards, but
not in time to prevent the spools of cotton, scissors,
needles, emery-cushion, etc., from being scattered
about the floor.
Willie laughed in great glee at his exploit, while
Mrs. Howard gathered up the contents of the
work-basket, which she now placed on a shelf
above the reach of her mischievous boy.  Then
she shook her finger at him in mock resentment,
saying" You little sinner! If you do that again, I'll
send you off with the milkman.'




S2          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
" Wheat or tares, Fanny?"  Uncle Lincoln
looked soberly at his niece.
"Neither,"  replied  Mrs. Howard, smiling
gayly.
"Tares," said Uncle Lincoln, emphatically.
" Nonsense, uncle!"
"The tares of disobedience, Fanny. You have
planted the seed, and it has already taken root.
Nothing will choke out the wheat sooner. The
tares of falsehood yon also threw in upon the
newly-broken soil. What are you thinking about,
my child?"
"The tares of falsehood, Uncle Lincoln! What
are you thinking about?" said Mrs. Howard, in
real surprise.
"Did you not say that you would send him off
with the milkman if he did so again? I wonder if
he believed you?"
"Of course he did not."
"Then," said Uncle Lincoln, "he has already
discovered that his mother makes but light account
of truth. Will his mother be surprised if he should
grow to set small value upon his word?"
"You treat the matter too seriously, uncle. I-le
knows that I am only playing with him."




WHEAT OR TARES.             53
"He knows that you are telling him what is not
true," replied Mr. Lincoln.
" It was only in sport," said Fanny, persistently.
" 3But in sport with sharp-edged instrumentsplaying with deadly poisons."  The old gentleman
looked and spoke with the seriousness that oppressed his feelings. " Fanny! Fanny! Truth and
obedience are good seeds; falsehood and disobedience are tares from the Evil One. Whatever you
plant in the garden of your child's mind will grow,
and the harvest will be wheat or tares, just as
you have sown."
Mrs. Howard did not reply, but her countenance
took on a sober cast.
"Willie," said she, a few minutes afterwards,
" go down to Jane and tell her to bring me a glass
of water."
Willie, who was amusing himself with some
pictures, looked up on hearing his name. But as
he did not feel like going off to the kitchen, he
made no response, and let his eyes return to the
pictures, in which he had become interested.
"Willie (Mrs. Howard spoke with decision),
"did you hear me?"
" I don't want to go," answered Willie.




54           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
" Go this minute!'
I'm afraid."
" Go, I say!"
" I'm afraid."
" Afraid of what?' inquired the mother.
Afraid of the cat."
" No, you are not. The cat never hurt you, nor
any body else."
"I'm  afraid of the milkman.  You  said he
should carry me off."'The milkman is not down stairs," said Mrs.
Howard, her face beginning to crimson; " he only
comes in the morning."
" Yes, he is. I heard his wagon a little while
ago, and he's talking with Jane now. Don't you
hear him 2" the little fellow put on, with remarkable skill, all the seiblances of truth in his tone
and expression.
Mrs. Howard did not look towards her uncle;
she was afraid to do that.
"Willie," (the mother spoke very seriously),
" you know the milkman is not down stairs; and
you know  that you are not afraid of the cat.
What you have said, therefore, is not true; and
it is wicked to utter a falsehood."




WHEAT OR TARES.              55
" Ho! ho!" laughed out the bright-eyed little
fellow, evidently amused at his own sharpness,
" then you're wicked, for you tell what is not true
every day."
Willie!"
"The milkman hasn't carried me off yet!"
There was a world of meaning in Willie's countenance and voice.
You hav'n't whipped me for throwing my cap
out of the window."
" Willie!" ejaculated the astonished mother.'" Dye see that?" and the young rebel drew
from  his apron pocket a fine mosaic breast-pin,
which he had positively been forbidden to touch,
and held it up with a look of mingled triumph and
defiance.
"' You little wretch!" exclaimed Mrs. Howard;
"this is going too far!" and springing towards her
boy, she grappled him in her arms, and fled with
him, struggling from the room.
It was a quarter of an hour before she returned,
alone, to the apartment where she had left her
uncle.  Her face was sober, and her eyes betrayed
recent tears.'` Wheat or tares, Fanny " said the old gentle



56           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
man, in kind but earnest tones, as his niece came
back.
" Tares9 was the half-mournful response.
"Wheat were better, Fanny."
"I see it, uncle."
And you will look well in future to the seed in
your hand, ere you scatter it upon the heart of
your child."
a God helping me, I will, dear uncle."
6 Remember, Fanny," said Mr. Lincoln, "that
truth and obedience are good seed. Plant them,
and the harvest-time will come in blessing. As a
Christian mother, this is one of your highest and
most sacred duties.  God has given you a child
that you may raise him for heaven; and he has
furnished you with an abundant supply of the
precious seeds of love, truth, tenderness, and mercy
to sow in his mind.  Oh, scatter them broadcast
over the rich soil prepared to receive them, and
they will take root, spring up, and bearl an abundance of good fruit in the harvest-time of his life."




IS HE A CHRISTIAN  57
V.
IS HE A CHRISTIAN?
" Is he a Christian?
The question reached my ear as I sat conversing
with a fiienc, and I paused in the sentence I was
uttering, to note the answer.
" Oh, yes; he is a Christian," was replied.
"I am rejoiced to hear you sayso. I was not
aware of it before," said the other.
"Yes; he has passed from death unto life. Last
week, in the joy of his new birth, he united himself
to the church, and is now in fellowship with the
saints."
" What a blessed change!"
"Blessed, indeed.  Another soul saved; another acded to the great company of those who
have washed their robes, and made them white, in
the blood of the Lamb. There is joy in heaven on
his account.."
3*




58           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
" Of whom are they speaking?" I asked, turning
to my friend.
" Of Fletcher Gray, I believe," was replied.
"Few  men stood more in need of Christian
graces," said I.  " If he is, indeed, numbered with
the saints, there is cause for rejoicing."
" By their fruits ye shall know them," responded
my friend.  " I will believe his claim  to the title
of Christian, when I see the fruit in good living.
If he have truly passed from  death unto life, as
they say, he will work the works of righteousness.
A  sweet fountain  will not send  forth  bitter
waters."
My friend but expressed my own sentiments in
this, and all like cases. I have learned to put
small trust in " profession;" to look past the Suncay and prayer-meeting piety of people, and to
estimate religious quality by the standard of the
Apostle James.  There must be genuine love of the
neighbor, before there can be a love of God; for
neighborly love is the ground in which that higher
and purer love takes root.  It is all in vain to talk
of love as a mere ideal thing.  Love is an active
principle, and, according to its quality, works.  If
the love be heavenly, it will show itself in good




IS HE A CHRISTIAN?              59
deeds to the neighbor; but, if infernal, in acts of
selfishness that disregard the neighbor.
"I will observe this Mr. Gray,"  said I, as I
walked homeward from  the company, " and see
whether the report touching him be true.  If he is,
indeed, a'Christian,' as they affirm, the Christian graces of meekness and charity will blossom
in his life, and make all the air around him
fragrant."
Opportunity soon came.  Fletcher Gray was a
storekeeper, and his life in the world was, consequently, open to the observation of all men.  I[le
was likewise a husband and a father.  Hiis relations were, therefore, of a character to give, daily,
a test of his true quality.
It was only the day after, that I happened to
meet Mr. Gray under circumstances favorable to
observation.  He came into the store of a merchant
with whom  I was transacting some business, and
asked the price of certain goods in the market.  I
moved aside, and watched him  narrowly. There
was a marked change in the expression of his
countenance and in the tones of his voice.  The
former had a sober, almost solemn expression; the
latter was subdued, even to plaintiveness. But, in




60           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
a little while, these peculiarities gradually disappeared, and the aforetime Mr. Gray stood there
unchanged-unchanged, not only in appearance,
but in character.  There was nothing of the' yea,
yea," and " nay, nay," spirit in his bargain-making,
but an eager, wordy effort to gain an advantage in
trade. I noticed that, in the face of an asseveration that only five per cent. over cost was asked for
a certain article, he still endeavored to procure it
at a lower figure than was named by the seller, and
finally crowded him down to the exact cost, knowing, as he did, that the merchant had a large stock
on hand and could not well afford to hold it
over.
"He's a sharper!" said the merchant, turning
towards me as Gray left the store.
" He's a Christian, they say," was my quiet remark.
"A Christian!"
" Yes; don't you know that he has become religious, and joined the church?"
"You're joking!"
"Not a word of it. Didn't you observe his subdued, meek aspect, when he came in "
" Why, yes; now that you refer to it, I do remem



IS HE A CHRISTIAN  61
ber a certain  peculiarity about him. Become
pious! Joined the church! Well, I'm sorry!"
" For what?
Sorry for the injury he will do to a good cause.
The religion that makes a man a better husband,
father, man of business, lawyer, doctor, or preacher,
I reverence, for it is genuine, as the lives of those
who accept it do testify. But your hypocritical
pretenders I scorn and execrate."
" It is, perhaps, almost too strong language this,
as applied to Mr. Gray," said I.
"What is a hypocrite?" asked the merchant.
" A man who puts on the semblance of Christian
virtues which he does not possess."
"And that is what Mr. Gray does when he assumes to be religious. A  true Christian is just.
Was he just to me when he crowded me down in
the price of my goods, and robbed me of a living
profit, in order that he might secure a double gain?
I think not. There is not even the live and let live
principle in that.  No-no, sir. If he has joined
the church, my word for it, there is a black sheep
in the fold; or, I might say, without abuse of language,  a wolf  therein, disguised  in  sheep's
clothing."




62           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
G" ive the man time," said I. "' Old habits of
life are strong, you know. In a little while, I trust
that he will see clearer, and regulate his life from
perceptions of higher truths."' I thought his heart was changed," answered
the merchant, with some ironyin his tones.  " That
he had been made a new creature."
I did not care to discuss that point with him, and
so merely answered.
"The beginnings of spiritual life, are as the
beginnings of natural life.  The babe is born in
feebleness, and we must wait through the periods of
infancy, childhood, and youth, before we can have
the strong man ready for the burden and heat of
the day, or full-armed for the battle. If V Mr. Gray
is in the first effort to lead a Christian life, that is
something. He will grow wiser and better in time,
I hope."
" There is vast room for improvement," said the
merchant.   In my eyes, he is, at this time, only
a hypocritical pretender. I hope, for the sake of
the world and the church both, that his new associates will mlake something better out of him."
I went away, pretty much of the merchant's
opinion. My next meeting with Mr. Gray was in




IS HE A CHRISTIAN  63
the shop of a mechanic to whom he had sold a bill
of goods some months previously. He had called
to collect a portion of the amount which remained
unpaid. The mechanic was not ready for him.'I am sorry, Mr. Gray," he began, with some
hesitation of manner.
"Sorry for what2?  sharply interrupted Mr.
Gray.
" Sorry that I have not the money to settle your
bill. I have been disappointed    "
"I don't want that old story. You promised to be
ready for me to-day, didn't you?" And Mr. Gray
knit his brows, and looked angry and imperative.
"Yes, I promised. But- 
"Then keep your promise. No man has a right
to break his word. Promises are sacred things,
and should be kept religiously."' If my customers had kept their promises to me,
there would have been no failure in mine to you,"
answered the poor mechanic.
"' It is of no use to plead other men's failings in
justification of your own. You said the bill should
be settled to-day; and I calculated upon it. Now,
of all things in the world, I hate trifling. I shall
not call again, sir!"




64           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"If you were to call forty times, and I hadn't
the money to settle your account, you would call
in vain" said the mechanic, showing considerable
disturbance of mind.' You needn't add insult to wrong." M.r. Gray's
countenance reddened, and he looked angry.
If there is insult in the case, it is on your part;
not mine," retorted the mechanic, with more feeling.   I am not a digger of gold out of the earth,
nor a coiner of money. I must be paid for my
work before I can pay the bills I owe. It was not
enough that I told you of the failure of my customers to meet their engagements —"
" You've no business to have such customers  "
broke in Mlr. Gray-" No right to take my goods
and sell them to men who are not honest enough
to pay their bills."
"One of them  is your own son," replied the
mechanic, goaded beyond endurance.  "Iis bill
is equal to half of yours. I have sent for the
amount a great many times, but still he puts me
off with excuses. I will send it to you, next time.'
This was thrusting home with a sharp sword,
and the vanquished Mr. Gray retreated from  the
dattle field, bearing a painful wound."




IS HE A CI-RISTIAN?           65
"That wasn't right in me, I know," said the
mechanic, as Gray left his shop.   I'm sorry, now,
that I said it. But he pressed me too closely. I
am but human."
"IHe is a hard, exacting, money-loving man,"
was my remark.
"They tell me he has become a Christian," said
the mechanic.  "Has  got religion-been  converted. Is that so'?
6 It is common report; but I think common report
must be in error. St. Paul gives patience, forbearance, long-suffering, meekness, brotherly kindness,
and charity, as some of the Christian graces. I do
not see them  in this man. Therefore, common
report must be in error."
" I have paid him a good many hundreds of dollars, since I opened my shop here," said the mechanic, with the manner of one who felt hurt.  " If
I am a poor, hard-working man, I try to be honest.
Sometimes I get a little behind hand, as I am now,
because people I work for don't pay up as they
should. It happened twice before when I wasn't
just square with Mr. Gray, and he pressed down
very hard upon me, and talked just as you heard
him to-day. He got his money, every dollar of it;




66           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
and he will get his money now. I did think, knowing that he had joined the church and made a
profession of religion, that he would bear a little
patiently with me, this time. That, as he had obtained forgiveness, as alleged, of his sins towards
heaven, he would be merciful to his fellow-man.
Ah, well! These things make us very sceptical
about the honesty of men who call themselves religions. My experience with "professors," has not
been very encouraging.  As a general thing, I find
them quite as greedy of gain as other men. We
outside people of the world get to be very sharpsighted.  When a man sets himself up to be of better quality than we, and calls himself by a name
significative of heavenly virtue, we judge him
naturally, by his own standard, and watch him
very closely. If he remain as hard, as selfish, as
exacting, and as eager after money as before, we
do not put much faith in his profession, and are
very apt to class him with hypocrites.  His praying, and fine talk about faith, and heavenly love,
and being washed from  all sin, excite in us contempt rather than respect. We ask for good works,
and are never satisfied with anything else. By
their fruits ye shall know them."




IS HE A CHRISTIAN  67
On the next Sunday I saw Mr. Gray in church.
My eyes were on him when he entered. I noticed
that all the lines of his face were drawn down, and
that the whole aspect and bearing of the man were
solemn and devotional. He moved to his place
with a slow step, his eyes cast to the floor. On
taking his seat, he leaned his head on the pew in
front of him, and continued for nearly a minute in
prayer. During the services I heard his voice in
the singing; and through the sermon, he maintained the most fixed attention. It was commnunion
Sabbath; and he remained, after the congregation
was dismissed, to join in the holiest act of worship.' Can this man be indeed self-deceived?"  I
asked myself, as I walked homeward.  Ad Can he
really believe that heaven is to be gained by pious
acts alone. That every Sabbath evening he can
pitch his tent a day's march nearer heaven, though
all the week he have failed in the commonest
offices of neighborly love?"
It so happened, that I had many opportunities
for observing Mr. Gray, who, after joining the
church, became an active worker in some of the
public and prominent charities of the day. IHe
contributed liberally in many cases, and gave a




68           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
good deal of time to the prosecution of benevolent
enterprises, in which men of some position were
concerned. But, when I saw him  dispute with a
poor gardener who had laid sods in his yard, about
fifty cents; take sixpence off of a weary strawberry
woman; or chaffer with his bootblack over an extra shilling, I could not think that it was genuine
love for his fellow men that prompted his ostentatious charities.
In no instance did I find any better estimation of
him in business circles; for his religion did not
chasten the ardor of his selfish love of advantage in
trade; nor make him more generous, nor more inclined to help or befriend the weak and the needy.
Twice I saw his action in the case of unhappy
debtors, who had not been successful in business.
In each case, his claim was among the smallest;
but he said more unkind things, and was the hardest to satisfy, of any man among the creditors. He
assumed  dishonest intention at the outset, and
made that a plea for the most rigid exactions;
covering his own hard selfishness with offensive
cant about mercantile honor, Christian integrity,
and a religious observance of business contracts.
He was the only man among all the creditors, who




IS HE A CHRISTIAN?             69
made his church-membership a prominent thingfew of them were even church-goers-and the only
man who did not readily make concessions to the
poor, down-trodden debtors.
"Is he a Christian a" I asked, as I walked home
in some depression of spirits, from the last of these
meetings.  And I could but answer No-for, to be
a Christian is to be Christ-like.
" As ye would that men should do to you, do ye
even so to them." This is the divine standard. "Ye
must be born again," leaves to us no latitude of interpretation.  There must be a. death of the old,
natural, selfish loves, and a new birth of spiritual
affections.  As a man feels, so will he act. If the
affections that rule in his heart be divine affections,
he will be a lover of others, and a seeker of their
good. He will not be a hard, harsh, exacting man
in natural things, but kind, forbearing, thoughtful
of others, and yielding. In all his dealings with
men, his actions will be governed by the heavenly
laws of justice and judgment. HIe will regard the
good of his neighbor equally with his own. It is
in the world where Christian graces reveal themselves, if they exist at all. Religion is not a mere
Sunday affair, but the regulator of a man's conduct




70           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
among his fellow-men. Unless it does this, it is a
false religion, and he who depends upon it for the
enjoyment of heavenly felicities in the next life,
will find himself in miserable error. Heaven can
not be earned by mere acts of piety, for heaven is
the complement of all divine affections in the human soul; and a man must come into these-must
be born into them-while on earth, or he can never
find an eternal home among the angels of God.
Heaven is not gained by doing, but by living.




OF SUC1O  IS THE KINGDOM OF I-EAVEN.,1
VI.
OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
"HE is a very sick child," said the doctor, in
answer to the mother's eager inquiries.' Do you think him in danger?" The mother's
face grew white, and her lips quivered.
The doctor, instead of replying to this question,
gave some minute directions about the administration of certain medicines, and then turned from the
luxurious bed upon which the child lay.
" How soon will you come again?" The mother,
in her anxiety, caught hold of the doctor's arm,
and held him fast.
"In the course of three or four hours. By that
time the action of the medicine will be fully apparent. Give it punctually, and according to directions."
"Can't you remain " urged  the distressed
mother, whose fears the doctor's unsatisfactory




2            XSTEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
manner had aroused to the highest degree.  " Oh,
stay with him!  There may be changes in an
hour that your eyes should see. His life is in your
hands, doctor; his precious life! Do not leave'
us!"
" Not in my hands, but in the hands of Him
who holds the issues of life" replied the doctor.' We are but the instruments of healing.'"
" A little longer, doctor! stay a little longer!"
urged the mother, scarcely rising a single degree
in her perceptions above that first blind confidence in the physician's skill.  But the doctor
said:-'"That is impossible..Duty calls me to other
bedsides. There is, but a short distance fiom here,
a poor woman's only child as sick as yours, and as
imperatively requiring my utmost skill. I must
see it with as little delay as possible."
A  poor woman's child!  The  mother turnea
half offended from  the physiciai, and as he withdrew, sat down on the bed on which her sick boy
lay, and taking one of his hot hands covered it
with tears and kisses.
A poor woman's child! A washerwoman's, perhaps; or the common, coarse offspring of a mere




OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.   T3
sempstress; or of a German or Irish woman, living
in a garret, amid dirt and disorder! And, for one
such, her physician could leave the pure, sweet
infant that lay suffering before her, of more value
in her eyes than a thousand poor women's children.
" I couldn't have believed it of him!" sobbed
the mother, in her selfishness and fear.
From  the merchant's luxurious palace, into
which disease had stolen on invisible wings, and
stricken down the hope and pride of the house, the
physician passed, and, in a few minutes, entered
one of the meanest-looking houses in the neighborhood. The rich mother had not been far wrong
in her conjecture. This visit was to a washerwoman's child. Up two naked, sand-covered pairs of
stairs the doctor went, and pausing at a door in
the third story, rapped lightly, and then, without
waiting for the door to be opened, lifted the latch,
and went in.
" Oh, doctor! I'm so glad you have come!"  A
pale, anxious-looking woman, with soiled and
rumpled garments, and uncombed hair, sat holding a child in her arms.  All of the preceding
night, she had held him upon her lap, for he was
4




-T4          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
too ill to sleep, and cried whenever she laid him
upon the bed.' How is he this morning?" inquired the doctor,
as he sat down by the poor woman, and looked
closely at the sick babe.
"Not any better. He's had a very bad night."
The doctor felt his pulse, examined his skin,
noted the character of his respiration, and asked of
the mother various questions relating to symptoms
-all with a carefulness and interest as marked as
he had shown at the visit just paid to the child of
wealth and luxury. And quite as eagerly did this
poor mother watch his countenance, and hang upon
his few, unsatisfactory words, as did the mother
from whom he had parted a little while before.
To her heart, her babe was equally precious. Born
though it was in poverty, and nurtured in toil, its
presence was like sunlight in her humble dwelling,
and its cooing voice the music that cheered her
labor, and made her half forget the sadness of her
recent widowhood.
" Do you think he will die, doctor?"
"While there is life there is hope," said the
doctor, evading, with this old phrase, a direct
answer.




OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.   T5
" He is very sick?"  The tearful mother still
urged for some expression of opinion.
" He is a sick child. But, we will try the virtue
of medicine, and trust in the Great Physician."
"Won't you come again to-day?"  A harder
heart than the doctor's could not have resisted that
pleading look and tone.
"Yes; I will be round again in a few hours.
In the meantime, give this medicine according to
direction."
Three hours later, the doctor entered the palacehome of the rich mother. There was a troubled
look on the face of the servant who admitted him;
but he asked no questions. At the door of the
sick chamber he paused a few  moments, and
listened; all within was still as death. Then he
entered, but so softly, that none seemed to be
aware of his presence. Around the bed on which
the child lay stood a group of four or five persons,
among them a clergyman, who had been sent for in
haste, to comfort with words of heavenly import
the heart of the mother, about to suffer its greatest
earthly sorrow.
On the babe's ashen face the death-seal was so
clearly impressed, that no eyes could be mistaken




76           STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
in the sign. Iope was extinguished even in the
mother's heart.
How still it was in that luxurious chamber!
-Respiration was half suspended. In the presence
of the dying babe, all felt a pervading consciousness of a divine presence. It seemed as if angels
were about the child, waiting to bear upwards its
pure spirit, just struggling to free itself from mortal
investure. All but the mother stood up reverently,
yet bending with earnest looks towards the beautiful babe-b'eautiful still, even though blighted
with sickness,-but she sat cowering down at the
bedside, her arm crushing the pillow on which the
child lay, and her white face so full of anguish,
that all eyes that looked upon it grew wet with
tears.
Silently the doctor glided in, and made one of
the waiting group. The babe's sight was veiledthe snowy lids having closed over the blue orbs
that danced in light and beauty a few days before.
The mouth, which pain had disfigured, was gradually recovering its sweet expression; and even
while the change was passing, the image of a smile
left thereon its soft imprint.
So gradual was the transition-so merciful was




OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.    77
the angel of death in his work of separating from
mortal bonds the immortal spirit-that none who
gazed on the infant knew  the precise moment
when the heart ceased to beat, and the lungs to
respire.
First to move, in that statue-like group, was the
clergyman.  He was standing close beside the
mother, whose blinding tears hid from her the true
aspect of her babe's face. Bending towards her,
he said, in a voice low, penetrating, and full of
spiritual comfort,
" For of such is the kingdom of heaven!"
His words broke the spell. A wild cry from the
mother's lips rent the air, and quivering sobs filled
the apartment.
Ended, here, was the physician's work, and so,
going noiselessly out, he departed, leaving the
mourners in their sorrow, and with their dead.
His duties were to the living.
His next visit was to the washerwoman's child.
As he opened the door of the humble room he had
left a few hours before, he saw the poor mother
sitting, as he had last seen her, holding in her arms
her sick babe.  It needed no second glance to tell
him that here, too, the physician's work was done.




T's8      STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
There was no hope in the mother's tearless face;
and no hope on the death-like countenance of the
little sufferer.
Thus alone sat the mother with her dying babe
on her lap. There were no friends to condole, no
minister of religion to comfort. And yet, in the
heart of the rich mother, whose child had just taken
its everlasting departure, no purer love found abiding place; and no sadder grief came with its
almost hopeless desolation of spirit, as the babe's
eyes closed, and the lips, whose smile of beauty
made the heart's daily sunshine, grew  rigid in
death.
"It is too late, doctor!" she said, looking up
with a stony aspect, and speaking in a voice so
calml and cold, that it almost chilled the physician's
heart.  " Ie is dying."
The doctor's work was not all done here.  As a
physician, his skill was of no further avail; but
humanity had claims upon him.  So he waited the
issue of the struggle between life and death. It
was brief, but not violent.  The ministration was
quite as merciful as in the former case. Very
gently the spirit passed.  There were no convulsions; no struggles; no evidences of pain; and the




OF SUCH IS TIIE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.    79
room  seemed. equally pervaded by angelic presence.
At last it was over, and the mother's face now
covered with the first outflowing tears that had
found vent for hours, was laid, in sorrow that no
words could express, down against the cold face of
her child.' Of such is the kingdom of heaven!"
Not formally, nor of previous thought, were the
words said. They fell from the doctor's lips almost
spontaneously, and in tones as reverent and full of
meaning as those in which he had heard the same
words spoken a little while before. And they were
just as true, in every shade of meaning in this
case as in the other. Just as precious was this
babe in the sight of heaven; just as lovingly was it
received by angels; just as beautiful now is its
celestial home; just as happy is it on the flowery
slopes, and amid the green, sweet places of the garden of God.
Of such is the kingdom of heaven!"  Yes, of
such. Of thpue pure and the innocent. Of the childlike in spirit.  Of those who pass upwards in the
innocence of ignorance, as little children; or, in
the innocence of wisdom, as right-living men




80          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
and women. It matters not for the external condition in either case. Only of such-the innocent
and pure in spirit-is the kingdom of heaven, and
they are to be found alike in the palace and in the
cottage-among the rich and among the poor; for
man is not regarded in heaven as to his externals,
but as to his internals.




THE HAPPY NEW YEAR.            81
VII.
THE HAPPY NEW YEAR.
"HAPPY New Year, papa!"  The sitting-room
doors were thrown open, and a sweet little girl
came bounding in. Her cheeks were all a-glowsmiles played around her cherry lips-her eyes
were dancing with sunny light.
" Happy New Year, dear Papa!"  And the next
moment she was in her father's lap-her small
arms clinging around his neck, and her rosy mouth
pressed to his.
" Happy New Year, my sweet one!" responded
Mr. Edgar, as he clasped the child fondly to his
heart.' May all your New Years be happy," lihe
added, in a low voice, and with a prayer in his
heart.
Little Ellen laid her head in confiding love,
against her father's breast, and he bent down his
manly cheek until it rested on the soft masses of
her golden hair.
4*




82           STEPS TOWARDS HEATVEN.
To her it was a happy New Year's morning, and
the words that fell fiom her lips were heart echoes.
But it was not so to Mr. Edgar. The cares of this
world, and the deceitfulness of riches, had, like evil
weeds, found a rank growth in his spirit; while
good seeds of truth, which, in earlier life, had sent
forth their fresh green blades that lifted themselves
in the bright, invigorating sunshine, gave now but
feeble promise for the harvest time.
No, Mr. Edgar was not happy. There was a
pressure on his feelings; an unsatisfied reaching
out into the future; a vague consciousness of approaching evil. Very tenderly he loved his little
one; and as she lay nestling against him, he could
not help thinking of the time when he was a child,
and when the New Years were happy ones. Ellen
loved no place so well as her father's arms. Ahen
they were folded tightly around her, she had nothing more to desire; so she lay very still and
silent, while the thoughts of her father wandered
away from  the loving child on his bosom to his
own unsatisfied state of mind.'For years," he said within himself, "I have
been in earnest pursuit of the means of happiness,
yet happiness itself seems every year to be still far



THE HAPPY NEW YEAR.             83
ther in the distance. There is something wrong.
I cannot be in the true path. My days are busy
and restless, my nights burdened with schemes that
rarely do more than cheat my glowing fancy.
What is the meaning of this?"
And Mr. Edgar fell into a deep revery, from
which he was aroused by the voice of his wife, as
she laid her hand upon his shoulder.
" A happy New Year, and many joyful returns!"
she said in loving tones, as she pressed her lips to
his forehead.
He did not answer. The tenderly spoken good
wishes of his wife fell very gratefully, like refreshing dew upon his heart; but he was distinctly
conscious of not being happy.
So far as worldly condition was concerned, MAr
Edgar had no cause of mental depression. Iis
business was prosperous under a careful management, and every year he saw himself better off by
a few thousands of dollars. Always, however, it
must be told, the number fell short of his expectations.
" There is something wrong."  Mr. Edgar's
thoughts were all running in one direction. A
startling truth seemed suddenly to have been re



84          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
vealed to him, and he felt inclined to look at it in
all possible aspects. "Why am I not happy 2?
That was urging the question home. But the answer was not given.
After breakfast, Mr. Edgar left home and went
to his store. As he passed along the street, he
saw at a window the face of a most lovely child.
Her beauty, that had in it something of heavenly
innocence, impressed him so deeply, that he turned
to gain a second look, and in doing so, his eyes
saw on the door of the dwelling the name of
Abraham James. There was an instant revulsion of
feeling; and for the first time that morning, Mr.
Edgar remembered one of the causes of his uncomfortable state of mind. Abraham James was an
unfortunate debtor who had failed to meet his
obligations, among which were two notes of five
hundred dollars each, given to Mr. Edgar. These
had been placed by the latter in the hands of his
lawyer, with directions to sue them  out, and
obtain the most that could be realized. Only the
day before-the last day of the year-he had
learned that there were two judgments that would
take precedence of his, and sweep off a share of
the debtor's property. The fact had chafed him




THE HAPPY NEW YEAR.            85
considerably, causing him to indulge in harsh language towards his debtor. This language was not
just, as he knew in his heart. But the loss of his
money fretted him, and filled him with unkind
feelings towards the individual who had occasioned
the loss.
INo wonder that Mr. Edgar was unhappy. As
he continued on his way, the angry impulse that
quickened the blood in his veins, subsided, and
through the mist that obscured his mental vision,
he saw the bright face of a child, the child of his
unfortunate debtor. His own precious one was no
lovelier-no purer; nor had her lips uttered on
that morning in sweeter tones, the words-" A
happy New Year, papa!"
How the thought thrilled him!
With his face bowed, and his eyes upon the
ground, Mr. Edgar walked on.  He could not
sweep aside the image of that child at the window; nor keep back his thoughts from entering
the dwelling where her presence might be the
only sunbeam that gave light in its gloomy chambers.
"A  happy New  Year, papa!"  Mr. Edgar
almost started, for the words had so distinct an




86          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
utterance to his inward ear, that they seemed as
if spoken in the ambient air.  In fancy, he had
seen the troubled debtor, over whom hung many
suits, his own among the rest, leaving the chamber
where he had passed an almost sleepless night,
and coming with slow steps and sad face to the
family sitting-room. There, alone, with his face
bowed upon his breast in gloomy reverie, Mr.
Edgar had seen him; and while his heart was
enlarged with  pity and  sympathy, the door
opened-light footsteps moved across the room
-a child sprang into his arms, and a glad voice
exclaimed"' A happy New Year, papa!"
When Mr. Edgar arrived at his store, his feelings towards Mr. James were very different from
what they were on the day previous. All angerall resentment-were gone, and kindness had
taken their place. What if Mr. James did owe
him a thousand dollars? What if he should lose
the whole amount of this indebtedness? Was the
condition of the former so much better than his
own, that he would care to change places with
him?  The very idea caused a shudder to run
along his nerves.




THE HAPPY NEW YEAR.              87' Poor man!" he said to himself, pityingly.
" What a terrible thing to be thus involved in
debt-thus crippled, thus driven to the wall. It
would kill me! Mien are very cruel to each other,
and I am cruel with the rest. What are a thousend dollars to me, or a thousand dollars to my
well-to-do neighbor, compared with the ruin of a
helpless fellow-man! James asked time; in two
years he was sure he could recover himself and
make all good. But, with a heartlessness that
causes my cheek to burn  as I think of it, I
answered —' The first loss is always the best loss.
I will get what I can, and let the balance go.' The
look he then gave me, has troubled my conscience
ever since. No wonder it is not a happy New
Year."
Scarcely had Mr. Edgar passed the dwelling of
his unfortunate creditor, when the latter, who had
been walking the floor of his parlor in a troubled
state of mind, came to the window and stood by
his child, who was dear to him as a child could be
to the heart of a father.
" Happy New Year, papa!"  It was the third
time since morning dawn that he had received this
greeting from the same sweet lips-the third time




88          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
that her kisses were given with the heart-warmth
of childhood's unselfish love.
Mr. James tried to give back the same glad
greeting, but the words seemed to choke him, and
failed in the utterance. As the two stood by the
window, the wife and mother came up, and leaning against her husband, looked forth with a sad
heart. Oh no! it was not a happy new  year's
morning to them.  Long before the dawn of
another year, they must go forth from  their pleasant home; and both their hearts shrunk back in
fear from tie dark beyond.
"' Good morning, dear," said Mr. James, soon
afterwards, as, with hat, and coat, and muffler on,
he stood ready to go forth to meet the business
trials of the day. His voice was depressed, and
his countenance sad.  Mlrs. James did not say
" Good morning," in turn. But her husband saw
the motion of her lips and the tears in her eyes,
and he knew what was in her heart.
The business assigned to that day was a painful
one for Mr. James. The only creditor who had
commenced a suit was Mr. Edgar, he having declined entering into any arrangement with the
other creditors, coldly saying that, in his opinion,




THE HAPPY NEW YEAR.             89
"the first loss was always the best loss," and that
extensions were, in most cases, equivalent to the
abandonment of a claim. He was willing to take
what the law would give him. Pursuant to this
view, a suit had been brought, and the debtor, to
anticipate the result, confessed judgment to two
of his largest creditors, who honorably bound
themselves to see that a pro ratca division was made
of all his effects.
The business of this New Year's Day, was to
draw up as complete a statement as possible of his
affairs, and Mr. James went about the work with a
heavy heart. He had been engaged in this way
for over an hour, when one of his clerks came to
the desk where he was writing, and handed him a
letter which a lad had just brought in. He broke
the seal with a nervous foreboding of trouble, for,
of late, these letters by the hands of the private
messengers, had been frequent, and rarely of an
agreeable character. From  the envelope, as he
commenced withdrawing the letter, there dropped
upon the desk a narrow piece of paper, folded
like a bill. Ile took it up with almost reluctant
fingers, and slowly pressed back the ends so as
to read its face, and comprehend  its import.




90          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
Twice his eyes went over the brief lines, before
he was clear as to their meaning. They were as
follows:
" Received, January 1, 18-, of Abraham James,
One Thousand Dollars, in full of all demands.
HIRAM EDGAR."
Hurriedly, now, did Mr. James unfold the letter
that accompanied this receipt. Its language moved
him deeply:
" ABRAHAM JAMES, Esq.,
DEAR SIR: Iwas not in a right state of
mind when I gave directions to have a suit
brought against you. I have seen clearer since,
and wish to act from a better principle. My own
affairs are prosperous. During the year which has
just closed, my profits have been better than
in  any year since I started business.  Your
affairs, on the contrary are unprosperous. Heavy
losses, instead of fair profits, are the result of a
year's tireless efforts, and you find yourself near
the bottom of the wheel, while I am sweeping upwards. As I think of this, and of my unfeeling
conduct towards you in your misfortunes, I am




THE HAPPY NEW YEAR.             91
mortified as well as pained. There is an element
in my character which ought not to be there. I
am  self-convicted of cruelty. Accept, my dear
sir, in the enclosed receipt, the best reparation in
my power to make. In giving np this claim, I do
not abandon an item that goes to complete the
sum of my happiness. Not a single comfort will
be abridged. It will not shrink the dimensions of
my house, nor withdraw from  myself or family
any portion of food or raiment. Accept, then, the
New Year's gift I offer, and believe that I have a
purer delight in giving than yon in receiving.
My best wishes are with you for the future, and if,
in anything, I can aid you in your arrangements
with creditors, do not fail to command my service.
"Most truly yours,
"HIRAM EDGAR.'
For the space of nearly five minutes, Mr. James
sat very still, the letter of Mr. Edgar before him.
Then he folded it up, with the receipt inside, and
placed it in his pocket; then he put away the inventories he had been examining, and tore up sev(ral pieces of paper, on which were sundry calcu



92          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
lations; and then he put on his warm overcoat and
buttoned it to the chin.
"Edward," said Mr. James, as he walked down
the store,'I shall not return this afternoon. It is
New Year's Day, and you can close up at two
o'clock."
It cost Mr. Edgar a struggle to write the receipt
in full. A thousand dollars was a large sum of
money to give away by a single stroke of the pen.
Love of gain and selfishness pleaded strongly for
the last farthing; but the better reason and better
feelings of the man prevailed, and the good deed
was done. How light his heart felt-how suddenly the clouds were lifted from his sky, and the
strange pressure from his feelings! It was to him
a new experience.
On the evening that closed the day-the first
evening of the New Year-Mr. Edgar sat with his
wife and children in his elegant home, happier by
far than he was in the morning, and almost wondering at the change in his state of mind. Little
Ellen was in his arms, and as he looked upon her
cherub face, he thought of a face as beautiful, seen
by him  in the morning, at the window of his
unfortunate debtor. The face of an angel it had




THE HAPPY NEW YEAR.            93
proved to him, for it prompted the good deed from
which had sprung a double blessing. While he
sat thus, he heard the door bell ring. In a few
minutes the waiter handed in a letter. He broke
the seal and read:
" MY DEAR SIR:
"This morning my dear little Aggy, the
light of our home, greeted me with a joyous'Happy New Year.' I took her in my arms and
kissed her, keeping my face close to hers, that she
might not see the sadness of mine. Ah, sir! The
day broke in gloom. The words of my child found
no echo in my heart. I could have wept over her,
if the strength of manhood had not risen above
the weakness of nature. But all is changed now.
A few minutes ago the' Happy New Year' was
flowing to me from the sweet lips of my child, and
the words went thrilling in gladness to my heart.
May the day close as happily for you and yours, as
it is closing for me and mine.
" God bless you!
"ABRAHAM JAMES.9
Mr. Edgar read this letter twice, and then
handed it, without a word, to his wife.




94          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
" What is the meaning of this? I do not understand it, Hiram." Mrs. Edgar looked wonderingly
into her husband's face.
The story, to which she listened eagerly, was
briefly told. When Mr. Edgar had finished, his
wife arose, and, with tears of love and sympathy
in her eyes, crossed over to where he was sitting,
and throwing her arms around his neck, said:
" My good, my generous husband! I feel very
proud of you this night. That was a noble deed;
and I thank you for it in the name of our common
humanity."
Never had words from  the lips of his wife
sounded so pleasantly in the ears of Mr. Edgar.
Never had he known so happy a New Year's Day
as the one which had just closed; and, though
it saw him poorer than he believed himself in
the morning, by nearly a thousand dollars, he
was richer in feeling-richer in the heart's unwasting possessions-than he had ever been in his
life.




ENTERINGI HEAVEN.            95
VIII.
ENTERING HEAVEN.
"THE gates of heaven have swung open, and
another soul has entered its shining courts," said
the preacher, as he stood, with uncovered head,
by the coffin of one whose mortal history was
closed.
As I left the grave-yard, an old man, of mild
aspect, walked by my side.
" Did you know Mr. -.?" he asked, referring
to the deceased..
"As a neighbor, but not intimately," was my
reply.
" I knew him very well," said one who walked
with us.
" The preacher spoke of him as having entered
heaven," the old man quietly remarked.
" He died calmly and in Christian hope, putting
his trust in his Redeemer," said the other  "I was




96          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
with him  in his last moments, and his end was
peace. If he has not gone to heaven, there are
not many of us who can look forward with confidence."
"We must enter heaven while living upon the
earth," said the old man, in answer to this, speaking gravely, "or the doors will be for ever shut
against us. We must be, as to our spirits, in the
society of angels here, or we cannot be in association with them hereafter."
" How can we be in heaven and upon earth at
the same time 2? queried the one who had spoken
of my neighbor's peaceful end; " for one is spiritual
and the other natural."
"To be spiritual-minded is to be in heaven;
and this we may be, while, as to the natural body,
we are still upon the earth.  Was our friend
spiritual-minded 2"
The old man turned to our companion, and
awaited his answer.' HIe did not talk much of religion, as a general
thing; but he was a regular church-goer."' That signifies little," was replied.
" He was as good as other men; better in many
things, I should think-though not in any way dis



ENTERING HEAVEN.              97
tinguished for piety. He was not one of your talking professors.  But those who knew him best,
valued him most. His peaceful end assures me
that he is safe."
"The life, not the death, gives genuine assurance,"
said the old man. "With rare exceptions, all men
die peacefully-the evil and the good.  As the
time of departure draws near, the soul sinks into
tranquil states, and thoughts of life, not death, hold
it away from  depressing influences. There is a
wise as well as a merciful providence in this. But,
you say, that those who knew him  best, valued
him most."
Yes."
" Valued him for what?"
" For his kindness of heart, his benevolence, his
truth and honesty. Why, sir, that man would
have suffered his right arm to be taken, rather than
swerve from his integrity."
"Was he proud of his honest fame? Did he
boast of it, and compare himself with  other
men?"
"No, sir. He was not one who thought much
of himself, or took merit for a good deed. I think
the poor will miss him, and weak ones sigh for the
5*




98          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
sustaining hand that is now cold in death. Ah,
sir, he was a good man. But I don't think he
could be called spiritual-minded."
"A good man, and a true man, and yet not
spiritual-minded!"  There was a look of surprise
in the old man's face.  "Are not goodness and
truth spiritual in their nature?  And does not
meir  reception into  any mind  determine its
quality i'"'You may be right in your conclusions," said
the other. "I have not been in the habit of viewing things just in your way. But I am very sure
that our friend has gone to heaven."
"He has gone among those who are like him,
and with whom he.was in conjunction as to his
spirit, while he yet lived in the world," the old
man answered.  "He could not live in eternal
association with spirits or angels, the movement of
whose lives was not in harmony with his own. If
he was a lover of truth; if he was kind, benevolent,
thoughtful of others, and faithful in all his acts, he
has passed upwards into the heavenly companionship of the good; but if he was selfish, cruel, exacting, and faithless in his life, no tranquil deathhour has made him a fit companion for angels, and




ENTERING HEAVEN.               99
he will go unto his own. Revelation affirms this, and
reason assents to no other conclusion. It is a doctrine that sweeps away fallacious hopes, and leaves
to none the dangerous, if not always fatal, experiment of a death-bed repentance."
We paused, for our ways diverged.
"If all were of your doctrine," said I, "men
would take more heed to their ways. There are
few  who do not hope to reach heaven at last.
They trust to some good deed that will not involve
any hard denial of self, or to some cheap act of
faith, to crowd them through the gate, thninking
that if they once get in, they will be all right for
eternity. But this idea of a heavenly quality being
formed in the soul before any one can enter heaven,
is rather a hard saying for most men. It is an extinguisher of hope for the evil-minded."
" There is no other way," was answered.  "We
must enter through the strait gate of self-denialand it will be found very strait to most people. If
we fail to do this, and seek to climb up some other
way, the consequences of our folly will be with us
for ever. "
And as the old man said this, we turned from
him, pondering his words in our hearts.




100         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
IX.
IT IS MORNING WITH THE CHILD.
A MOTHER sat, in tears, by the bed-side of her
youngest-born, and best beloved.  Six days had
passed since the hand of fever was laid upon him,
and, ever since, the life-fountains had been drying
up under the fervent heat. Many times daily had
she entered into her closet and bowed herself before the Father of Mercies, praying that the
Destroyer might pass by her dwelling. But prayers
and tears availed not. Steadily the disease kept
on its fatal course, and now scarcely a hope remained. Friends gathered around, offering words
of consolation, but they were only as idle murmurs
in her ears.
" The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh awayBlessed be the name of the Lord,' said the good
pastor, who, only a year before, had lifted the
sweet boy in his arms, and, in the presence of an



IT IS MORNING WITH THE CHILD.       101
gels, touched his pure forehead with the waters of
baptism.
But the mother made no sign. She could not
accept this affliction as a blessing-she could not
offer up thanks. Her very life was bound up in the
life of her child, and the thought of separation was
so terrible that no place for consolation was left in
her grieving spirit.
"It is appointed unto man once to die," added
the minister, still seeking to penetrate the mother's
heart, and pour in oil and wine; "we must all pass
by this way-must all enter this valley-must all
go down into the dark river. How much better,
then, to die in the morning of life, ere fierce sunbeams have drank the fragrant dews, or the green
leaves have withered on the sapless branches."
Still the mother made no sign.
" You will have a treasure in heaven; and where
the treasure is, there will the heart be also."
But all availed not. The tears fell like rain.
Sadly, at length, the minister turned away, and
left the weeping mother with her friends; for her
ears were closed to all the words of consolation he
could offer.
An hour later, and the mother still bent over the




102-        STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
frail body of her little one. There was no hope in
her heart, for she saw upon his wan face the signet
mark of the death-angel.  One friend remained
with her; and, until now, this friend had offered
no words of comfort.  The grieving mother was
bending over the pillow upon which the sick child
lay, and gazing down upon the countenance she was
soon to see no more, when she felt a hand laid gently
upon her own, and with a touch that sent a new
impulse throbbing through the heart.
"It is very dark here, sometimes," said the
friend, very softly, very tenderly, and with a meaning in her voice beyond that contained in the words
she had uttered.
The mother answered only by a returning pressure of the hand.
" Even the light of this world is darkness when
compared with the light of heaven. Here the best
and most highly favored do little more than grope
their way. There, every one walks in noon-day
clearness."
She had gained the mother's ear. Her words
had gone inward to the region of thought.
" I have passed through these deep waters, my
friend," she continued, " and have heard their ter



IT IS MORNING WITH THE CHILD.      103
rible roaring. I have held a dying babe in my
arms, and clung to it with an agony of grief that
seemed as if it would snap my very heart-strings.
But, after the keenness of affliction was over, I had
this consolation, and it has remained ever since.
When the night with me was at the darkest, it was
morning with my child. Yes, it was then that the
morning broke on him which shall never go down
in night. Blessed morning of celestial glory! Oh,
how often and often since, when I have walked in
darkness, have I thanked GOD, with a true heart,
fervently, that it was morning with my child!"
The mother's tears ceased to fall, and she turned
her wet eyes upon her friend, and looked into her
face earnestly.
" There is one question," said the friend, after a
pause, " that every mother should ask herself. It
is this-' How do I love my child-selfishly or unselfishly?' If unselfishly, then, whatever is best for
the child, will give to her heart the deepest pleasure. I had a dream on the very night my precious
one was taken away from  me. I believe that it
was imaged to my fancy while sleeping, by a loving angel sent to comfort me in my great affliction.
There had always been something very fearful to




104         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
me in the idea of dying here, and awakening to
consciousness in a new and strangely different existence; and the thought followed my child. That
dream  was to me a revelation, and as such I accepted it thankfully. I saw, in my sleep, two
scenes-the one contrasting with the other, as we
sometimes see them in pictures. One scene represented the saddest of my life-experiences. I saw
myself sitting in darkness and in tears, as you sit
now, my friend and sister, bending over my precious
babe, clinging to it as the miser clings to his goldaye, and with an intenser passion. But only a veil
dropped down between that scene and another,
which quickly enchained my vision, and caused my
heart, heavy with grief, to throb with a new-born
pleasure. An angel, in form like a chaste young
virgin, was clasping to her bosom a babe, in all the
ecstasy of a new-born joy. No mother, when she
feels upon her breast the first pressure of her first
babe, ever felt more delight than I saw pictured in
the face of the angel as she held my babe to her
loving heart. Yes, my babe, just born into heaven,
and given into her care by the Divine Father of us
all.
"For a time I could not withdraw my eyes




IT IS MORNING WITH THE CHILD.        105
from  the face of the angel. Never had I gazed
upon a countenance so full of love; so radiant
with celestial beauty. And the babe nestled on her
bosom as lovingly as it had ever nestled on mine.
From  this scene, after gazing upon it until tears
ran down my cheeks-tears of gratitude that it
was so well with my babe-I turned to look at the
darker one-at the sorrowing earthly mother and
the suffering child!  Poor babe!  Wasted with
sickness and writhing with mortal pain.  IHow
yearningly and pityingly my heart went towards
it, and I prayed for its deliverance! Even as the
words went up from my heart, the darker scene
faded  until it became  no  longer visible; out
the brighter one remained.  WThen I awoke, and
grief for my great loss revived in my heart, I recalled the precious dream, and took comfort. What
if I did walk in darkness?  It was morning-eternal morning, with my child!"
As the mother listened, to her mind was also
pictured the two scenes. Her tears had ceased to
flow, and her countenance showed a visible interest. A little while she sat musing, and then, as
she turned her eyes, full of tenderness, upon her
sick boy, said:
5*




106         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"Oh, it is hard, very hard, to give him up!I-low can I do it? How can I resign him, even to
the care of an angel?"
The friend said no more. Her words had found
a way into the heart of the sorrowing one, and she
left them to do their own work.
A little later, and the hour of deepest darkness
came-the hour of separation. Over the mother's
spirit a pall of blackest gloom was spread. The
words of her friend had faded from her memory.
She saw not the beautiful beyond, but gazed only
upon a dark, gloomy abyss, into which her precious
one was about falling, while she stood helpless
by. Oh, what would she not then have given for
light upon the future!-for an unsealed vision.
Willingly would she have died, that she might go
with her child along the unknown way, and shield
him from its terrors. Over him she bent, seeing
nothing, hearing nothing, caring for nothing but
her boy; while darker and closer the shadows
gathered around her. It was night-dark, cold,
moonless night, with the grieving mother.
For more than an hour the child had lain in a
deep stupor, but it was evident that life was
ebbing away, and that the last agony would soon




IT IS MORNING WITH THE CHILD.       107
be over.  For herself, the mother had  almost
ceased to grieve: every thought and every feeling
were centered in her child, about passing alone
through the gate of death-alone to meet the realities of the unseen world.
Suddenly a light fell upon the wan, suffering
fice-a smile played around the white lips-the
eyes, long closed, and heavy with pain and fever,
flew open, and, glancing upwards with a glad expression, the child said,
" Good morning, malmma!
"' Good morning, love!" answered the startled
mother, scarcely thinking of the words she uttered.
" Good morning!' repeated the child, still gazing
upwards, with a new and heavenly beauty in its
countenance.  "Oh, it is morning now!"
Fixed was the glad look for several moments;
then the fringing lids drooped slowly, until they
lay softly upon the pure white cheeks. The parted
lips closed; but the smile remained. The hands,
lifted for a moment in glad surprise, fell over the
placid breast, and all was still, and holy, and
beautiful.
"Yes, it is morning now," whispered the friend
in the mothler's ear, as she sat like one entranced,




108         STEPS TOWARDS HIEAVENI.
gazing upon the pulseless form before her, which,
as if touched by an enchanter's wand, had suddenly changed from  an image of suffering into
one of tranquil beauty.
And it was morning with the child-a heavenly
morning-and morning also with the mother; for
a new light had dawned upon her, and a new faith
in the hereafter. The. dark valley was suddenly
bridged with light, and she saw her precious one
by angel guides led safely over.
" God careth for these jewels," said the friend, a
few hours afterwards. " They are precious in his
sight: not one of them is lost. His love is tenderer even than a mother's love. We may trust
them  in his hands with unfaltering confidence.
Yes, yes, grieving mother! it is indeed morning
with your babe!"




RICHER OR POORER.            109
X.
RICHER, OR POORER?
IT was the last day and last evening of the week
and of the year; and Mr. Stephens sat alone, reviewing the incidents of his life during the twelve
months now just completed.
" I think," he said within himself, "that I have
cause of self-congratulation. Providence has specially favored me. All my work has prospered."
Yet, even while he thus referred to a providential agency, the pride of human prudence was
swelling in his heart.
"How many a goodly vessel has I)( en shattered
to pieces on the seething breakers; yet my staunch
ship still rides the waves in safety."
IMr. Stephens arose from  his chair, as he said
this, and drawing his thumbs into the arm holes of
his waistcoat, threw his head back and his chest
forward, and commenced pacing the floor of his




110          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
elegant parlor with the air of a man who felt at
peace with himself and all the world.  As he
walked, he said, half-aloud"Providence has smiled on me, and I am thankful. God has crowned my seasons with blessing.
To-morrow, on the first Sabbath of the new year, I
will give him  thanks in the congregation of his
people; for the Lord accepteth a thankful heart.
Many a man," he continued, " has lost his earthly
good things, for lack of a thankful heart. Mine
shall abound in gratitude."
And then MVlr. Stephens, by a natural progression
of thought, began making a hurried estimate of his
gains for the year. They were large. As he resumed his seat in the great cushioned chair, he
said, with a flutter of pleased emotions" I am richer to-day, by many thousands, than I
was a year ago.'"
" Richer-yes richer "-he murmured, half aloud,
as if speaking to some one. Several minutes had
passed, and, with eyes partly closed, he was sinking
down among the soft cushions of his chair. From
waking consciousness to sleeping vision there is,
sometimes, scarcely a moment's interval. It was
so in the present case.




RICHER, OR rOORER.             111
" Richer-richer," was still upon the merchant's
lips, when the rustle of garments reached his ears,
and he saw by his side a form of angelic beauty.
" And yet," said a voice that went thrilling to
the very centre of his life, " you have lost fearfully."
" Lost! lost! Oh, no-I have lost nothing," answered the merchant, quickly recovering himself.' Every venture has proved successful."
" Let us see."  And the strange visitor sat down
just in front of Mr. Stephens, and fixed her calm,
searching eyes upon his face.  " If I have estimated
correctly, you are vastly poorer now, than you
were at the year's beginning."
"A low shudder of fear ran along the merchant's
nerves. What could this mean? He thought of his
solid real estate, his well-secured stocks, his bonds,
his ships, and his merchandise.
" I am richer, not poorer,"' he answered with regaining confidence.
" You have lost integrity," said the visitor, "one
of the priceless jewels of a man's life."
"I am  an honest man."  The merchant spoke
with a flush of indignation upon his face.
HI-onest before men-not before God.  You




112          STEPS TOWARDS -HEAVEN.
have forgotten that an All-seeing eye was upon
you."
" What have I done? Bring my deeds to the
light.  I have wronged no man."
The merchant's voice was confident.
The visitor handed him, in silence, a narrow
piece of paper, on which were some written and
printed words.
"What is this " he read, and answered his own
question-" Oh, a tax bill."  His tone was indifferent.
" Is it paid?"
" Paid! I have never seen it before."
"You believed yourself forgotten, in this particular instance, by assessor and collector," said the
visitor severely, " and counted this sum as so much
in the year's gain.  You  knew  that the debt
existed; that you owed the State just so much for
the protection it gave to your life and property.
That so much was due as an item in your contribution in support of order, education, and the helpless
poor. But this high obligation you have willfully
set aside, and indulged a feeling of selfish pleasure
at the trifling gain it left in your hands-gain of
less than a hundred perishable dollars!"




RICHER, OR POORER.            113
A cold chill of conviction struck to the heart of
Mr. Stephens.
"But the loss is fearful to think of," was continued.  "Loss of manly integrity and heavenly
virtue. No one could know of this, you said within
your heart.  Or, if it were discovered that an
assessment had been omitted, or a bill mislaid, it
would only be regarded as an error, and your
prompt settlement, on presentation, would put you
all right in the world's regard. Ah, sir,-in the
trial of your integrity, honor failed. In the hour
of temptation, you fell. Is this gain, or loss? Are
you richer, or poorer, by the act?
The merchant's head sank low upon his breast in
shame and self-condemnation. It was all too true.
He had, knowingly, omitted to pay a tax bill that
was justly due.  Had failed that much in one of
his higher obligations to society, and for the paltry
gain of a few dollars. In all his public walk before men, he had maintained an upright stature;
but stooped to a petty fraud in secret.
"A fearful loss,' said the visitor, "for it is a loss
of just so much of the property that goes to make
up a man's riches in heaven.  I said you were
poorer now than at this time last year; and so you




114         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
are, by this large item. And you have lost, besides, a pearl of inestimable value; one that you
could have taken with you as a rich inheritance
into the other life. God gave you an opportunity
to help a brother in need, who came to you in his
sore distress, and tried to awaken your sympathy.
But you heard him only in part, and turned him
aside with cold and cutting words. It was not
enough that you saw the struggles of manly pride
in his face, and the pale anguish of features; not
enough that he was weak and in sore trouble-you
must add rebuke to denial, as if misfortune were a
crime. As a merchant, you had prospered in every
venture-you were at ease, and in comfort; and
so God sent to you this man, that you might help
him in his need, and thus add to your heavenly
riches.  But love of self triumphed over a love of
the neighbor. You preferred gold to good.-The
treasures that moth and rust corrupt, to that
which is enduring as eternity. The pure pearl of
tender compassion was offered for your acceptance,
but your eyes were too dim  to see its priceless
value. God did not forget his needy child. The
good deed you failed to do, another performed, and
to him heaven sent the blessing that might have




RICHER, OR POORER.          115
been yours. And so there is more lost treasure to
be taken into the account."
"Spare me!" cried the merchant, raising his
hands with a deprecating gesture.  "Oh, spare
me!"
Not yet," said the visitor. " BMloney gave you
power, and you used that power to wrong thousands of your weaker fellow-men."
" I have wronged no one," answered the merchant boldly. "All my dealings have been in
justice between man and man."
"You deceive yourself, returned the visitor
" Is mere speculation honest?" Is it just to monopolize an article that the poorest mechanic and
humblest day-laborer must have, and so enhance
its price that many comforts must be given up in
order to procure the needed supply? You have
not been just between man and man, for you have
done this, and done it at the peril of your soul; for
loss of neighborly regard and honest principle
were involved in the act. Gold gained by fair
trading did not come in fast enough to satisfy your
thirst for riches, and so you laid plans, that were
too successful, for defrauding your weaker brethren.
You diminished the supply of bread in the mouths




116         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
of hungry children, and made the poor man's burdens heavier, that you might add to the wealth
already increased beyond your power to enjoy."
Again the head of Mr. Stephens sank upon his
breast, and he was covered with shame and confusion.
"Is there cause for self-congratulation in this?
Are you really a richer man to-night than you
were at the year's beginning?"
" Leave me!" said the merchant, with a groan
of anguish.
"Not yet; for my mission is incomplete," answered the beautiful monitor.  " It is said that
Mr. Stephens is a high-minded, honorable merchant. Every where, in business circles, men bear
this testimony in his favor."
The merchant began recovering himself. A glow
of pride warmed his heart.
" Men can can say nothing less," he made answer.
" Let your own heart judge. What better are
you than the thief who appropriates unlawfully
the goods of another? Or what honor is there in
taking, by constraint, a dollar from the earnings of
ten thousand different men, in order that you may




RICHER, OR POORER.          117
add ten thousand dollars to your heaped-up store
of wealth? This you have done in a single act of
unrighteous speculation. What would you think
of the morality of a newsboy who should, by some
adroit piece of petty circumvention, succeed in extracting a sixpence from the pockets of each of a
dozen ragged companions, that he might be possessor of the most money, or secure the means of
enjoyment which poverty denied to them?  You
would consider him a sharper; perhaps, call him a
rogue. Covetousness was the spring of action in
your case, as it would be in his; and a selfish disregard of the neighbor led on to the consummation
of wrong.
" High-minded and honorable!' There was an
almost withering contempt in the monitor's voice.
"If it would not be honorable in the newsboy to
get, without any return of benefits, the sixpences
of his humble companions, it cannot be honorable
in the scheming merchant to wrong his neighbors
on a broader scale. Take a thousand dollars of
your money and place it here on this table-the
money you gained in that nice speculation for
which so many shrewd, unscrupulous men praised
your boldness and sagacity. Count it over, coin




118         STEPS TOWARDS IEAVEN.
by coin, and as you look upon each one successively, say thus to yourself:'This dollar I took
from a poor day-laborer. He had saved it, penny
by penny; and as he saved, the hope of getting
something ahead cheered him  in his ill-requited
work. But, my plans were too well laid; the dollar passed from its little treasury, and now is mine.
The man grew discouraged at its loss, and went
back to his dram-drinking. He lies in prison now,
and his children are beggars on the street. That
dollar cost something. This one has almost as sad
a story: A  toiling mother, with three helpless
babes to support, was barely able to procure food
and raiment, though she bent to her weary work
long after midnight. I raised the price of bread,
and this extra dollar she had to earn by increasing
toil. And so count on, coin after coin, until you
get the full sum of human suffering your base speculation in food has cost. Honorable! high-minded!
No, sir! In the sight of Heaven you appear mean,
base, selfish, and dishonorable."
Again the merchant's head was depressed, and
his heart sunk like lead in his bosom. His own
deformed image was before him, and he shuddered
at the monstrous effigy.




RICHER, OR POORER.            119
"I do not think you are any richer for that
scheme of wrong and oppression," resumed the
visitor.
" If your soul were required of you this night,
you could not take a dollar of gain with you; but
instead, only the curse of an evil deed. Shall I go
on?
" No! no! in Heaven's name, spare me!" cried
the merchant aloud, starting up and turning to fly
from his rebuking visitor. But, even while he
spoke, the beautiful being faded from his sight, and
he found himself alone in his parlor. The vision
had passed, but the lesson remained.
The next day was the first Sabbath of the new
year. Mr. Stevens went to church, as he had purposed-not, however, to give thanks for a prosperous year, but to humble himself; to ask forgiveness
of sin, and to pray for the inspiration of a better
life. The minister preached from these searching
words: " For what shall it profit a man, if he gain
the whole world and lose his own soul; or what
shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  And
every word of the sermon seemed as if addressed
to the conscience-stricken merchant. The unpaid
tax-bill; the unrighteous speculation; the failure




120         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
to help a brother in need, were all educed, and
marked by special condemnation. The mirror was
a second time held up, and Mr. Stevens looked
once more, in shame, upon the marred image of
himself.
"God helping me," he said devoutly, as he
walked homeward, " I will be a richer man on the
next new-year's day than I am on this-richer in
heavenly possessions, the best of all."
And it was so.




EVERY WRINKLE A LINE OF BEAUTY.   121
XI.
EVERY WRINKLE A LINE OF BEAUTY.
"I DON'T like old people," said a thoughtless
young girl, " they are either cross, disagreeable, or
ugly."
"' You have been unfortunate in your chances of
observation," replied a lady, sitting near her.
"It may be so, but I speak, at least, from experience. All the old people it has been my fortune,
or misfortune, to meet, have been cross in temper
and repulsive in appearance. I have an old aunt
who is always associated in my mind with the
Witch of Endor. From  a child I have had a
perfect horror of her. I doubt if she ever gave
utterance to a kind or uncomplaining word in her
life."
" You must not judge all by this aunt, my young
friend," said the lady. "There are handsome and
agreeable old people in the world, and not a few
6




122          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
of them either, but many. Age does not necessarily sour the temper, nor mar the countenance.
There is such a thing as'growing old gracefully,'
and the number of those who are thus advancing
along the paths of life, I am pleased to say, are
increasing yearly. I happen to have an old aunt
also, but, so far from being a second Witch of
Endor, I heard a gentleman, not many days ago,
remark, ini speaking of her,'Why, every wrinkle
in Mrs. Elder's face is a line of beauty.' And so
it is; for every wrinkle there was born of patient
endurance, or unselfish devotion to the good of
others. I look at her dear old face often and
often, and say to myself,'Now, is she not handsome 2?'
" I should really like to see your aunt," said the
young girl, half skeptically.
" Come to my house to-morrow, and we will pay
her a visit," answered the lady.  "It will do both
of us good."
" Thank you for the invitation. I will certainly
call."
The next day came, and the young lady was
early at the house of Mrs. Barton.
"Glad to see you, Kate," was the pleasant greet



EVERY WRINKLE A LINE OF BEAUTY.   123
ing she received.   We are to call on my aunt
Elder, I believe."
"Yes; you promised to introduce me to an old
lady who, so far from being cross and ugly, is sweettempered and beautiful. The sweet temper I can
imagine, but not a face wrinkled and beautiful at
the same time."
" You shall see," was answered.
" Ah, good morning, Mary," said a low, but very
pleasant and cheerful voice, as the two ladies entered the small but neat and orderly sitting-room of
Mrs. Elder.
"My friend, Miss Kate Williams," said Mrs.
Barton, presenting the young lady.
Mrs.. Elder laid her knitting upon a table, close
to her open Bible, and rising, took the hand of Miss
Williams, looking earnestly into her young face
as she did so, and smiling so sweet a welcome, that
Kate did not see a wrinkle, for the beautiful light
that shone from the old lady's placid countenance.
"I am  always pleased to see young faces,"
said Mrs. Elder, " and to feel the warmth of young
hearts."'"How  are you to-day, aunt?" inquired Mrs.
Barton.




124         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.'Not so well in body as when you were here
last. I sleep but poorly."
Mrs. Elder smiled as if she were telling of enjoyments, and then added"But this is only one of the penalties of age. I
knew it must come, and long ago made up my
mind to be patient and enduring. These are some
of the light afflictions, lasting but for a moment,
which, if borne in Christian meekness, help to
work out for us that far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory, to which the apostle refers in one
of his sublime passages."
Miss Williams looked at the old lady half wonderingly.
"Always doing something, Aunt Elder," said
Mrs. Barton, placing her hand upon the half-knit
yarn stocking which the old lady had put aside as
she rose to take the hand of Miss Williams. " Knitting, I suppose, has grown into a kind of habit.
The act brings its own reward. It is your pleasant
pastime."
"No, child, not my pleasant pastime, but my
useful employment," answered Mrs. Elder.  "I
can't do much in this world for other people; still
I can do a little, and I am thankful for the privi



EVERY WRINKLE A LINE OF BEAUTY.   125
lege; for I don't believe it is possible for anybody
to be happy who is not engaged in some useful
employment. I manage to keep the children of
half a dozen poor families in warm stockings -for
the winter, and that is something added to the
common stock of human comfort."
The eyes of Miss Williams were now fixed intently upon the old lady's age-marked features.
Wrinkles went curving about her cheeks, her lips,
and chin, and wrinkles planted themselves deeply
upon her forehead. Grey hairs were visible beneath her cap-border; her calm eyes lay far back
in their hollow  sockets; the symmetry of her
mouth was gone; and yet it seemed to the young
girl, as she gazed at her wonderingly, as if every
wrinkle in that aged face were indeed a line of
beauty!
" But you must have a surer foundation for happiness than knitting stockings," said Mrs. Barton.
The old lady seemed thoughtful for a moment.
She then said, with sweet impressiveness"There is only one foundation upon which we
can rest and find happiness, and that is God's love
in the heart. The great question for us all is, How
to obtain that love. It will not come at our com



126         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
nand.  We cannot drag it down from heaven.
We cannot find it, search we ever so diligently.
God's love is God-given; and he bestows it only
upon those who first have neighborly love. This
is that higher love's receptacle in the human heart.
First, love of the neighbor; then, love of good,
which is divine love in the soul, the sure foundation for abiding happiness. So you see, Mary, the
value of even knitting stockings to one like me.
It is useful work, and that, as the old monk said, is
worship."
Miss Williams could not withdraw her eyes from
the old lady's face. Its beauty and its goodness
seemed to fascinate her. She was a girl of quick
feelings and some enthusiasm. Suddenly rising
from the chair she had taken a few moments before, she came forward, and stooping over Mrs.
Elder, kissed her, almost reverently, on the forehead, saying, as she did so"May I be like you when I grow old-every
wrinkle in my face a line of beauty!"
" Grow old in goodness, my dear young friend!"
answered Mrs. Elder, taking her hand tightly
within her own, and speaking with emotion-for
the young girl's sudden speech had stirred her feel



EVERY WRINKLE A LINE OF BEAUTY.   127
ings to an unusual depth-" Grow old in goodness,
through the discipline of self-denial and the gentle
leadings of neighborly love. It is the only path
that conducts to a peaceful old age."
"Thanks for the lesson you have taught me,"
said Miss Williams, when she again clasped the
hand of Mrs. Elder in parting. "I will try to
grow old, as the years pass inevitably onwards, in
the better way that you have walked. And may
my last days be, like yours, my best days, and
radiant with light shining down from the better
world."
"I am a skeptic no longer" (she was now in the
street with Mrs. Barton); " beauty and age are not
incompatible."
"But the beauty of age," replied Mrs. Barton,
"is unlike the beauty of youth; the one is natural,
the other spiritual and celestial. The one is of the
earth-earthly; the other is of the heavens-heavenly. An evil soul gradually mars the face, until
every lineament becomes repulsive; but a soul of
goodness continually recreates the countenance,
and covers it with living beauty."




128         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XII.
DIED POOR.
" IT was a sad funeral to me," said the speaker;
"the saddest I have attended for many years."
That of Edmonson?"
"Yes."
"How did he die?"
Poor-poor as poverty. His life was one long
struggle with the world, and at every disadvantage. Fortune mocked him  all the while with
golden promises that were destined never to know
fulfillment."
" Yet, he was patient and enduring," remarked
one of the company.
" Patient as a Christian-enduring as a martyr,"
was answered. "Poor man! He was worthy of a
better fate. He ought to have succeeded, for he
deserved success."
" Did he not succeed?" questioned the one who
had spoken of his patience and endurance.




DIED POOR.               129
"No, sir.  He died poor, as I have just said.
Nothing that he put his hand to ever succeeded. A
strange fatality seemed to attend, every enterprise."
"I was with him in his last moments," said the
other, "and I thought he died rich."
" No. He has left nothing behind," was replied.
"The heirs will have no concern as to the administration of his estate."
"He left a good name," said one, "and that is
something."
"And a legacy of noble deeds that were done in
the name of humanity," remarked another.
"And precious examples," said a third.
"Lessons of patience in suffering; of hope in
adversity; of heavenly confidence, when no sunbeams fell upon his bewildering path," was the
testimony of another.
"And high truths, manly courage, heroic fortitude."
"Then he died rich!" was the emphatic declaration. " Richer than the millionaire who went to
his long home on the same day, a miserable pauper
in all but gold. A sad funeral, did you say? No,
my friend, it was, rather, a triumphal procession!
Not the burial of a human clod, but the ceremo6*




130          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
nials attendant on the translation of an angel. Did
not succeed! Why, his whole life was a series of
successes. In every conflict he came off the victor,
and now the victor's crown is on his brow. Any
grasping, soulless, selfish man, with a moderate share
of brains, may gather in money, and learn the art of
keeping it; but not one in a hundred can bravely
conquer in the battle of life as Edmonson has conquered, and step forth from  the ranks of men, a
Christian hero. No, no; he did not die poor, but
rich-rich in neighborly love, and rich in celestial
affections. And his heirs have an interest in the
adminisiration of his estate. A large property has
been left, and let them  see to it that they do not
lose precious things through false estimates and
ignorant depreciations."
"You have a new way of estimating the wealth
of a man," said the one who had first expressed
sympathy for the deceased.
"Is it not the right way?" was answered.
"There are higher things to gain in this world,
than wealth that perishes.  Riches of priceless
value ever reward the true merchant, who trades
for wisdom, buying it with the silver of truth and
the gold of love. He dies rich who can take his




DIED POOR.              131
treasure with him to the new land where he is to
abide forever, and he who has to leave all behind
on which he has placed affection, dies poor indeed.
Our friend Edmonson died richer than a Girard or
an Astor; his monument is built of good deeds and
noble examples. It will abide forever."




132         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XIII.
CURSED  WITH  BLESSINGS.
" CuSED with blessings." I closed the page, and
leaned back in reflection.
"Here is another paradox," said I. "Cursed
with blessings! It is simply a contradiction in
terms. What does the writer mean "
I turned to the page again, and read on. " There
is such a thing as being cursed with blessings, so
that the earthly good a man seeks, shall become the
greatest evil that can be visited upon him."
Some gleams of light passed into my mind.
Thought and memory went to work; and soon
around the proposition gathered a host of illustrating incidents. I remembered the case of a man
who, in early and middle life, always, in family
prayer, brought in the petition-" Increase our
basket and store."  And the worldly good things
he so much desired, came; came in rich abundance.




CURSED WITH BLESSINGS.          133
Ile added house to house, until his rents flowed
back upon him, a princely income. But, his selfish
heart made all his earthly blessings a curse. Like
the miser, his life was in his possessions; and when
anything threatened these, trouble of spirit arose.
The dread of loss by fire, haunted him like a murderer's conscience. He insured; but felt only half
protected by insurance, for there were dishonest
companies, flaws in contracts, quibbles in the law.
He had suffered one'loss in this way. It was not
serious, but enough to break his faith in Insurance
as a reliable protection against fire. And so, every
stroke of the alarm bell, by night or by day, gave
a shock to his nerves, and sent a pang of fear to his
heart. Sweet, refreshing sleep, became a stranger
to his pillow. The ghost of apprehension was forever by his side, a fearful vision.
Then came a morbid dread of poverty; and, after
a time, his day-dreams and fitful night-visions
began to be of pauperism  and the almshouse. At
sixty he was insane, from this cause, and died, in
the hallucination of abject want, leaving a hundred
thousand dollars of property, which passed to heirs,
who made the blessing a curse also, as he had done,
but in another way. In five years from his death,




134         STEPS TOWARDS H EAVEN.
his two sons realized their father's fears, and now
fill paupers' graves.
" Cursed with blessings! Even so!" I said, as
memory closed the page on which this history was
recorded. " Like the manna which the children of
Israel gathered in the wilderness, life's blessings
must be used to-day-if hoarded selfishly, they
will not keep."
Another illustration memory gave.  I knew a
man who set his heart upon wealth, as a means of
comfort in old age. " I am willing to work now,"
he used to say, " while I am young and vigorous;
though business is distasteful to me. I love ease
and freedom, and for the sake of gaining them, I
toil on in early manhood."
And while he toiled on he was comparatively
happy. I can remember him as one of the most
cheerful men in my circle of acquaintance. But
competence rewarded his labor ere yet his sun of
life had swept beyond the zenith, and his " basket
and store" were full. His toil crowned him with
blessings. And so he retired from the busy world
to enjoy these good things which had come to him
in return for useful industry. Alas for my friend!
He had no taste for books, no love of art, no fond



CURSED WITH BLESSINSGS.       1
ness for country life, or pleasant gardening. IHis
mind had been educated only in one direction. He
was a man of business, and that alone. And so,
he had nothing to do but to sit down and enjoy
himself. How impossible that was, he discovered
in less than a month. During the first and second
seasons he tried Cape May, Saratoga, Newport, and
a trip down the Lakes and the St. Lawrence. But
he did not really enjoy himself. How could he?
There is no enjoyment for a man living without a
purpose. Mere killing time is only a slow, soulkilling operation, and is always accompanied by
pain.
Ten years ago it was when my friend retired
from business, to enjoy his fortune. His cup of
blessing was full, and he has been holding it to his
lips ever since, trying to find sweetness in the
draught; but, judging from the expression of his
face, the tone of his voice, and the character of his
remarks, I think the wine in his cup must be
dashed with unusual bitterness. His blessinghas
become a curse.
Another received a moderate fortune from a distant relative. He happened to be heir-at-law, and
the relative dying without a will, he came most




136          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
unexpectedly into possession of about thirty-five
thousand dollars in cash. He was a clerk, with a
salary of one thousand dollars a year, living frugally with his wife and two children in a small, rented
house. Few men enjoyed life with a keener zest
than this young man. But the fortune proved his
ruin. The clerkship was at once given up for a
business venture; the hired house for a handsome
purchased dwelling; omnibus rides for drives in an
elegant carriage; social tea companies for elegant
parties. His course was brilliant but brief. The
blessing was made a curse. Soured, dissatisfied,
maddened by a sudden fall from the height up to
which he had soared, away down into the valley of
abject poverty, he lost self-respect and self-control.
Drink made the ruin complete. His pale widow
sits toiling now, early and late, striving to keep the
wolf of hunger from her door.
Shall we go on, varying these illustrations of the
text?  They may be taken from every condition in
life, and from all of its wide relations. There is not
a reader who cannot supply his quota, and set them
even in stronger light than we have done. And
there is not a reader who may not, with the writer,
find in his own past history almost unnumbered




CURSED WITH BLESSINGS.            137
instances, in which he has turned his good things
into evil; his blessing into cursing. We all do it,
when we let affection rest in mere natural and
sensual things, instead of making these  things
ministers of the soul's higher life. Worldly possessions are blessings, if acquired as a means to
useful ends; but they curse us, when we make
them our chiefest good.




138         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XIV.
HE THAT OVERCOMlETH.
" You will be at the meeting to-night," said a
clergyman to an influential member of his society,
speaking in an affirmative voice.
"No," was the decisive answer; "I shall remain
at home."
" Why so, Mr. Percival " asked the clergyman,
manifesting surprise.
" It is better for me to stay away."
" I don't understand you."
" I am too excitable. The way in which some of
our members speak and act in these church meetings chafes and annoys me to such a degree that I
lose temper, and say things that do harm  rather
than good; so I have concluded to stay at home,
and let matters take their course."
" Is that right, brother Percival?"  The minister
looked at his parishioner with a sober countenance.




HE THAT OVEROOMETH.           139' It is best," was answered.
" Best for what F?
"Best for my peace of mind, at least."
"Even though disorderly measures are carried
in your absence, and the church sustains an injury
in consequence 2"
" I am not so sure that such will be the case,'
Mr. Percival answered.
" There is an important measure to be sustained
or abandoned this evening."
" I know."
" You are in the affirmative?"
"I am."
"And you consider this measure of vital importance to the church "
" I do."
" And yet deliberately propose an abandonment
of your post of duty?"
" I am not fit to take the post of duty. My temper is too excitable."
The minister gazed for some monents into the
face of Mr. Percival, and then said"I was reading to-day in the book of Revelations, and noted a certain passage as involving a
most important doctrine. It was this:' To him that




14'0         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life.' I
read on, and soon the same doctrine was repeated,
but with a new assurance-'He that overcometh
shall not be hurt of the second death.' Still I read,
and again the doctrine was announced, in the
words,'He that overcometh, the same shall be
clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out
his name out of the book of life.' Now, what is it
that we are to overcome in order that we may' eat
of the tree of life,' and'not be hurt of the second
death.' Think, my dear brother, and answer this
question in your own heart."' We must overcome evil," replied Mr. Percival,
after a pause. His voice was rather sober.; This impulsive temper of which you complain,"
said the minister, "is certainly an evil, if it hinders your usefulness to such a degree as to keep
you away from duty."
Mr. Percival bent his head, while a shade of
concern passed over his features.
" Is not the way plain before you, my brother?"
The promise of life eternal is to him that overcometA. You must overcome if you would not be hurt
of the second death."
"Is it not far better," said Mr. Percival, " know



HE THAT OVERCOMETH.           141
ing this weakness of nature, to keep myself free
froml temptation."
" Will that be a conquest of evil' The cowardly
soldier might offer the same reason for not venturing into battle, lest he disgrace himself, and injure
his country, by running away. No, no; this will
not do. You must conquer the foes of heaven
upon the battle-field of your own heart. You must
overcome."
Mr. Percival bent his head again, and did not
answer.
" Go to this meeting to-night," said the clergyman,
after a brief silence. " Go to do your duty; and
in the divine strength, that will surely be given to
you, if you strive for victory over your easily-besetting sin, will you conquer and stand up a man.
Go. A good cause has need of your best efforts."
"I thank you for this wise counsel," replied Mr.
Percival. "I see that you are right. I must not
let this sin, that doth so easily beset me, hold me
back, a coward, from  my place, when God calls
me to stand up for the right. I must overcome,
and, God helping me, I will."
" Now you are in the right spirit," said the min
ister, encouragingly.  " Hold fast to this good




142         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
purpose, and go in this state of heavenly trust.
You will return from  the meeting to-night a
stronger and a happier man."
Under this view of the case, Mr. Percival could
not absent himself from the church-meeting. But
he went with a guard set over his feelings, and a
bridle on his tongue. There was one member who
always led an opposition, no matter what the subject under consideration. It was only necessary
to make a move towards doing something, to insure
objection; and as he was a cool talker, and had a
great deal of self-possession, he generally managed
to carry a party with him. Towards this individual, whose name was Lamed, Mr. Percival did
not entertain very kind feelings; and whenever he
opposed him, it was with excitement of manner,
and, too often, with intemperance of speech. Thus
he lost influence in his opposition; and always
came away from such meetings deeply mortified at
his want of self-control.
The business of the evening had progressed
almost to a conclusion, without a remark from Mr.
Percival, who sat a little apart from the rest, so
quiet and absorbed that few thought him at all interested in the subject under discussion. Mr.




HE THAT OVERCOMETH.          143
Larned, as usual, was in the opposition, and his
cool, specious way of talking had gained over to
his side quite a large number of the superficial
minds in the assembly, and there was danger of
defeat to a cause, the advocates of which had only
the best interests of religion in view. The minister
and others glanced towards Mr. Percival; but he
neither moved nor looked up. At last, the vote
was about being taken. Then, and not till then,
did the excitable member, who saw the whole
subject in the clearest light, venture to take the
floor.  He did so with a prayer on his lips-a
prayer for aid in his struggle for self-control. His
voice trembled a little as he began, and those who
knew him well expected soon the old vehemence,
and intemperance of manner. But a new spirit
was at work in the heart of Mr. Percival, which
soon showed itself in even tones, and a deliberate
enunciation. He took up the subject under consideration, and presented it in so many new
lights, that numbers who had regarded it as of
minor importance, now saw it as a measure which
it was clearly their duty to support. HIe finished,
without a single unkind word, sharp invective, or
angry denunciation.
It was the usual course of things for Mr. Larned




144         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
to reply to Mr. Percival's hot speech, in his cool,
semi-sarcastic way, and neutralize, with a large
number, all that was really valuable in what he
had said. The contrast between his manner and
that of Mr. Percival, no one saw more plainly than
did Mr. Percival himself; who also perceived, but
when too late, that he owed defeat to his own
quick, blinding temper.
Now, however, Mr. Lamed, on rising to answer
the forcibly stated argument of Mr. Percival, found
himself without power. There had been no intemperate warmth; no blundering confusion of ideas;
but a calm, rational directness of speech, that carried conviction to almost every mind-not excepting that of the always opposing member. When
the question was taken, the measure passed by an
almost unanimous vote.
" The first fruits, my brother," said the minister,
as he walked away from the meeting with Mr. Percival. " And if they be of such goodly size and
quality, in the beginning, what may we not
expect from the full grown tree. You have done
nobly-nobly.'He that is slow to anger is better
than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than
he that taketh a city."'
" It was a hard struggle," answered Mr. Percival,




HE THAT OVERCOMETH.          145
more in humility than exultation. " A very hard
struggle. I so dreaded, knowing my infirmity, to
take the floor, that nothing but an overpowering
sense of duty could have driven me to my feet. I
saw the whole subject in clear light, and all the
arguments in its favor were on my tongue's end.
But I feared the blinding influence of a hasty temper. Thank Heaven! I was able to overcome in
the struggle."
" And so accomplished a double good," said the
minister. " Good for yourself, and good for a cause
that needed your advocacy.  And now, my brother," added the minister, "let the valuable lesson
this night received, go with  you through life.
Never shrink from duty because of fear lest you
are not equal to the struggle against natural evil,
which may be required. The Christian must overcome natural evil. Must put down the strong man
of sin. Must succeed in every struggle with wrong.
We must be conquerors here, if we would receive
the victor's crown hereafter.. He that overcometh
shall not be hurt of the second death."
H




146         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XV.
THE TRIALS OF A DAY.
BABY had not slept well; and the mother, robbed
during the night of her refreshing slumber, awoke
later than usual in the morning. Her first sensations were of lassitude and exhaustion-her first
consciousness, that of being behind time for the
day. She started up as soon as she was fairly
awake, with a hurried feeling, and commenced
dressing herself in haste; but scarcely had she left
her bed before the baby missed her, and commenced crying to be taken up. Her husband, Mr.
Samuel Jenkins, who liked to indulge in a quiet
morning nap, was disturbed by this untimely and,
to his ears, very discordant, music, and spoke out
rather sharply to the baby, which frightened her,
and set her to crying with increased violence.
" Why don't you take her up, Jane?" growled
the half-asleep and half-awake husband.




THE TRIALS OF A DAY.          147
" I will when I'm dressed," replied Mrs. Jenkins
with manifest irritation.
" Then dress in double quick time. This din is
horrible!" said Mr. Jenkins, who was a rough sort
of a man, though well meaning in a general way.
Poor Mrs. Jenkins was not helped by this in
the smallest degree. Her hands shook, and her
knees trembled, as she hurried on her garments,
and drew them together. Baby's screams increased
in power up to the moment the last pin was inserted, and did not cease until lifted from the bed
and held tightly against her mother's bosom. The
pale face, that bent itself down until it touched the
face of the little one, was now wet with tears. The
mother felt weak and discouraged.
Mrs. Jenkins had recently become a church
member, and was trying to regulate her life by the
pure precepts of religion. Her husband, on the
other hand, cared for little beyond his business;
and sought for the accomplishments of nothing
besides the merest natural ends. The boundaries
of this world limited his hopes and aspirations. In
the main, he was a kind husband, and, in the estimation of his neighbors, " a good sort of a man,
but wide awake to his own interests."  Mr. Jen



148         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
kins had not yet learned to think out of himself, as
it were, nor to calculate with accuracy the effect
of his words and conduct upon others. The consequence was, that he was all the time doing or saying something that hurt or shadowed the feelings
of his wife, who was sensitive. In his rough speech
and imperative demand about the baby, Mr. Jenkins
did not feel half the ill nature that to his wife was
expressed in his voice and manner, and was wholly
unconscious of the jar and pain they occasioned.
As Mrs. Jenkins sat with her tearful face pressed
down upon the face of her now quiet baby, she
endeavored to lift her heart upwards in a prayer
for strength to endure patiently the trials of her
life; but, even while the petition quivered on her
lips, a call from waking children in the next room
drew back her thoughts, and gave another jar to
her feelings; for the call was made in fretful voices,
accompanied by the too-well known signs of contention. The sudden start she gave sent a pain
through her head.
" Oh, dear!" sighed the mother, "my strength is
not equal to my burdens. If I felt well and strong,
it would be different; but, in my weak state, how
can I keep up?-How can I do my duty i"




THE TRIALS OF A DAY.           149
"Mother!" called the loud, angry voice of a
little girl, " make Anna give me my stocking!"
"I hav'n't got her stocking!" retorted Anna,
in even a louder and more ear-shocking voice.
"You have, I say! Now  give it to me this
minute!"
"It is not yours! I won't!"
" Mother!"
" Good gracious, Jane!" exclaimed Mr. Jenkins,
starting up in bed, " why don't you stop that quarrelling   It's dreadful!"
Mrs. Jenkins did not reply to her husband,
although a cutting retort came to her lips, but
went immediately into the next room  to restore
harmony, if possible.  She found her two little
girls struggling together for the possession of a
stocking that each claimed. To punish them both
on the spot, was the first impulse of her mind; and
she had even raised her hand, in sudden anger, to
strike, when better counsels prevailed.
"I must control myself, as a Christian woman,"
she said, " or I cannot control them."
And so she held back resolutely her excited feelings, and merely uttered, with forced calmness, yet
in grave rebuke, the names of her children. The




150         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
two little girls were passive instantly. There was
something in the tone and look of their mother
which they felt no inclination to oppose. It went
past their external strife of feeling, and calmed the
inner turbulence at once.
" Now, let me see the stocking." She spoke in
a low, but serious voice.
Anna placed the stocking in her mother's hand.
Mrs. Jenkins looked at it for a moment, and then
held it close to the eyes of the little girl.
" Whose stocking is that, Anna?" she asked
steadily.
"Mary's," answered the child, crimsoning, and
hanging down her head.
" You said just now it was yours."' I thought it was."
" I think I heard you call Mary a bad name.
Was that right?"
" No, ma'am," answered the child, subdued by
the calmness of her mother's exterior.
" Why did you call her that name?"'
"I was angry," said Anna.
" And hardly knew what you were saying or
doing?"
"I don't think I did, mother. But I'm  sorry;




THE TRIALS OF A DAY.          151
and if you'll forgive me, I'll ask Mary's pardon, for
I was most to blame."
Now Mrs. Jenkins was really taken by surprise
at this confession and repentance on the part of the
passionate, self-willed child, whose passion and
self-will she had so often tried in vain to subdue
and control; but never with so strong a hand upon
her own feelings as now. Her voice trembled a
little as she answered"Mary is not altogether blameless. She permitted angry feelings to disturb her heart, and
harsh words to fall from  her tongue. I do not,
therefore, think that she will permit you to ask her
pardon; for she has sinned also-sinned against
that good God, whose loving angels have been
round your pillows all the night, protecting you
from evil. How much better would it have been,
my children, if your voices had been lifted in a
hymn of thanksgiving. You have made me feel
sad-very sad."
By this time all resentment had died out of the
children's hearts, and the almost mournful voice of
their mother filled them with sorrow and regret.
"Love each other as God has loved you," said
Mrs. Jenkins, kissing her little girls. Tears fell




15 a2       STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
over her cheeks, for her feelings were touched and
softened.
"Don't cry, mother! don't cry!" urged Anna
and Mary, throwing their small white arms around
her neck. "We'll be good! We won't quarrel
any more. Don't cry!"
Again the mother kissed her children, saying"If you will love each other, I shall be happy."
"Oh, we will, mother! we will!" exclaimed
Anna; "and we'll help you so much. I'll dress
myself as quickly as I can, and hold dear little
Eddy for you."
"Thank you, dear! That will be so nice!" answered the mother.
"And I'll go down and help about setting the
table," said Mary.  "I can put on the plates and
thle napkins, and the knives and forks."
"What smart little girls I have!" was the
mother's encouraging answer. "You shall do all
that, Mary. So make haste and get on your clothes.
But, remember, the hair must be nicely brushed,
and everything about you as neat as a new pin.
My dining-room girl must be the pink of tidiness."
Singularly enough, when- Mrs. Jenkins thought
about her head-ache, it was gone; and so was the




THE TRIALS OF A DAY.           153
extreme lassitude from which she had suffered on
rising. A new life seemed coursing through her
veins; and she was half in wonder at the change.
"Set baby on the bed, mother," said Anna. "I
can play with him and dress too."
"I'm  afraid he will cry, and disturb your
father."
" No, he won't. Set him down. I'll keep him
laughing, instead of crying; see if I don't."
The baby felt, also, the new sphere that was
pervading the room. I-e did not resist when his
mother attempted to place him on the bed, and
made no objection to being left alone with Anna.
So that first trial of the day was passed through,
and Mrs. Jenkins, in endeavoring to meet it in a
better spirit than usual, had risen above the darkness, the irritation, and oppressive weakness that
seemed as if they would bear her down to the very
earth. Even physical pain and exhaustion had
disappeared under the influence of a new condition
of mind. Mary soon followed her mother down
stairs, and aided, with cheerfulness and alacrity, in
setting the breakfast table, and putting things in
order. She was a bright little girl, and only needed
a calmly controlling will, and a wisely directing




154         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
hand, to make her orderly and useful. It was the
same with Amna, who, though quick-tempered, had
good impulses.
Mr. Jenkins, who had been wakened by the
baby's loud crying, and a second time roused from
pleasant morning slumbers, by the angry strife of
Anna and Mary, heard, half in wonder, the calm
words which his wife had addressed to the children, who, in his regard, deserved summary punishment, to begin with, and talking to afterwards.
He knew that his wife's mind was interested on the
subject of religion, and that she had become a
church member; but the change in her manner,
since attaching herself to the church, had not been
altogether agreeable to him. Her old lightness of
spirit had departed, and her feelings seemed all the
while shadowed. If he spoke to her a little roughly,
as he had been in the habit of doing, tears would
come into her eyes.
" If this religion," said he, " is going to fill my
house with gloom, if sadness is to sit forever on the
face of my wife, I shall do my best to banish it from
our dwelling."
But this little evidence of the better spirit that
was at work in the heart of his wife, changed ma



THE TRIALS OF A DAY.           155
terially the aspect of the case. Before, she had
repressed, with a strong hand, all strife between
her children; subduing the external manifestation
of anger, but not changing the evil condition of
mind. The storm of her passion only obliterated
the external signs of theirs. The ill nature, the
unkindness, the hate, were all alive, and ever gaining strength under the unwise repression. Now,
what a change a few  calm  sentences had produced!
When Mr. Jenkins came down at breakfasttime, and looked across the table at his wife, he
saw that her face was paler than usual.
"Are you not well, Anna " he inquired, in a
tone of unusual interest.
She smiled back upon him a sudden smile that
made her face look beautiful, as of old, in his eyes.
Eddy was wakeful, and I slept but poorly last
night," she answered.  "But I feel as well as
usual, and better than when I got up this morning."
" How nicely the table looks," said Mlr. Jenkins,
glancing around, with a pleased manner.  " Have
you got a new girl."
"I'm  the new girl," spoke out Mary, too much
gratified by this commendation to keep silent.




156         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"You? Why bless my heart! Is that so "
answered the father, affecting an air of surprise.
"Yes; Ilary is the new girl; and you don't
know how handy she is-"
"And you've got a new nurse too, if I'm not mistaken."  Mr. Jenkins glanced at Anna. "iNow,
that's something like, my little dears," he added;
" and I'm more pleased to think you've been helping your mother this morning, than if I'd found a
purse of gold."
What a glow of pleasure warmed every breast 
What happy smiles sat on every countenance.
" But, come Jane," added M]r. Jenkins, "pour
out my coffee, and let me get through with breakfast. You're late this morning, by nearly half an
hour. I felt strongly tempted to get impatient and
scold; but you were all doing your best, and so
cheerfully, too, that I hadn't the heart to be illnatured. I won't promise for to-morrow morning,
however."
" You mustn't be too hard on me, dear," Mrs.
Jenkins answered, with a faint smile, and a voice,
whose pleading softness went right to her husband's
heart. "Eddy don't sleep very well, you know,
and I'm broken of a good many hours' rest every




THE TRIALS OF A DAY.           157
night.  So, if I get sound asleep towards morning,
and lie a little too late, I ought to be forgiven.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Mr. Jenkins couldn't just stand that.  It kind of
choked him.
"I won't scold again, if you lie until dinner
time!" He answered, with sudden feeling.  "I'll
get up myself, and with Mary's help, cook the
breakfast if needed. How thoughtless we strong,
hearty men are, sometimes," he added.  "We
don't consider as we should, the broken rest, and
shattered nerves of our wives. And, now that I
think of it," he went on-" it does seem to me,
that scolding and ill-nature are rather out of place
in our home.  There is a better way for us to get
along, I am  sure. You taught me that, Jane,
this  morning;  and the lesson, I  think  will
abide."
"Me? How?  Where'"  Mrs. Jenkins looked
across the table half in wonder
" I will tell you another time," he replied, as his
eyes wandered from the face of his wife to Anna
and Mary. She understood him then; and a new
hope sprung up in her heart, and a new strength
pervaded her spirit.




158          STEPS TOWARiDS HEAVEN.
"If a single effort at self-control has worked
such great results as these" said Mrs. Jenkins to
herself, "what may I not hope to accomplish in
time?  God help me to overcome the selfish inclinings of my heart!"
Mr. Jenkins left his home on that morning, with
a new set of thoughts active in his mind; and a
new impression of his wife's character.
"If religion have done that," he said, speaking
to himself, " then it is worth something. I've never
had much faith in this singing and praying; and
never fancied these solemn faces. What I want to
see are reformed men and women. Religion isn't
worth a copper if it doesn't change the life as well
as the heart."
All very well for Mr. Jenkins. He belonged to
a class.
The next trial of the day for Mrs. Jenkins approached. The getting of Anna and Mary off to
school had been always attended with  trouble.
Neither of them liked school very well; and both
were in the habit of conjuring up every difficulty
in their power, and worrying their mother until
her stock of patience was exhausted. The scene
not unfrequently closed with a passionate outbreak




THE TRIALS OF A DAY.           159
on the mother's part, accompanied by blows, when
the children were driven forth in tears.
Mrs. Jenkins, now  that this trial was near,
began to experience a pressure on her feelings.
Her little girls had behaved very well, so far, and
been a great help to her; and, in consideration of this
and as a reward, she thought for a moment, of letting themn stay at home on that day. But, she saw
at once, the error and weakness of this. It was
merely getting around, or evading a duty, not
meeting it in the true spirit. So, she schooled her
own heart to calmness, and when the time came
for Anna and Mary to get ready, she said, in a
quiet, firm way, yet smiling as she spoke:
"What next? Time is passing?"
Anna and Mary looked at their mother.  They
understood her; and she saw in their manner, that
the thought of school was an unpleasant one.
" I haven't seen my little girls as happy as they
have been this morning for a long time," she
said, holding their eyes in her own steady gaze.
"' But the reason is plain. The proverb says:'To
be good is to be happy.' You have been goodthat is, usefnl to your mother and kind to one
another; and so happiness has flowed into your




160          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
hearts from your Father in heaven, who is the
source of all true happiness. Continue to be good
-that is to do right, and the Lord, who loves you,
will fill your hearts with pleasure. Now, what is
your next right action?"
" To go to school," replied Anna with promptness.
" Come!" said Mary, catching hold of her sister's
hand, "let us get ready in a minute, and not give
mother a bit of trouble. I know where all my
things are."
And the two children tripped away as lightly as
if they were about making ready for a pleasure
party instead of school. In a few minutes, they
came down, playful as kittens, and after kissing
their mother and the baby, went laughing, instead
crying, off to school.
"Isn't this wonderful!" said Mrs. Jenkins, as the
door closed on the children. "Oh, the power of
true thoughts and right purposes! I am in amazement at these large results from such small efforts.
It was not so very hard to control myself; not so
very hard to speak calmly, and firmly, and with
love, instead of anger, in my tones. Dear children!
Has not your mother been most to blame for your




TIE TRIALS OF A DAY.          161
ill-tempers, and selfish activities?   O Lord "and heart and voice went upwards,-" help me to
conquer myself-to do right and to be right. Oh.
be strength in my weakness. Give me patience,
long suffering, and unselfish love!"
With what a new spirit, with what an elevation
of feeling, with what cheerful hope, did Mrs. Jenkins move through her household duties during the
morning of that day! No pain nor weakness de
pressed her body, and no despondency her mind;
though her trials were far greater than usual,
arising from the fact that she had no domestic
in the family, she was able to meet and overcome
the many difficulties of her position with an ease
that astonished herself.
Dinner time brought home her hungry little
girls and their father. They came in together;
Mary crying out as she entered the door"Oh, dear mother, I'm'most starved! Isn't
dinner ready? No! I declare!"  Her eyes had
reached forward into the little dining-room, and
discovered that the table was not even set. " It's
too bad! And I'm so hungry! Can't I have some
bread and butter."
"Why, Jane!" said Mr. Jenkins, a frown dark



162         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
ening his face. " How could you neglect things
so? If you can't have meals ready in time, there
is no use in coming home to them. My business
won't wait."
Now this was breaking in upon Mrs. Jenkins
rather roughly, and the sudden jar came near
throwing her spirit from its even balance. But,
from a quick sense of fear, she rallied herself, and,
with a smile on her lips, said to her husband, in an
even, penetrating voice"Don't be too hard on me, dear. Remember, I
have no girl. Be a little patient, and I'll promise
to have a good dinner on the table in ten minutes
by the watch. I've been doing my best."
"Not a word more, Jane," answered Mr. Jenkins. "I stand rebuked. Ten minutes won't signify, here nor there. I know you've done your
best, as you always do."
" Can't I have some bread and butter?" Mary
jerked at her mother's dress, and cried out in a
very cross way.
"I'll tell you what you can have, my child,"
said Mrs. Jenkins, in a pleasant tone of voice.
"What, mother?"  Anna's face brightened
little.




THE TRIALS OF A DAY.          163
"The pleasure of helping me as you did this
morning. You know you are my little waitingmaid. It is late, and father is in a hurry for his
dinner. Move around quickly, and get the table
set, while I see to dishing up the meat and vegetables."
Mary sprang away to the dining-room, and soon
the air was musical with the rattle of plates, and
the jingle of knives, forks, and spoons; while' Mrs.
Jenkins, with lightened feelings, went into the
kitchen to take up the dinner. In less than ten
minutes the dinner-bell rung.
" Well, that is quick work!" said Mr. Jenkins, as
he sat down to the table.  " There must have been
some magic in the case."
He looked particularly well pleased.
"I'll try to be up to the minute to-morrow," answered Mrs. Jenkins. "But if I fail a little, you
must all help me by your patience. It does me a
world of good. It is not from willful neglect that
I am behindhand in anything."
Mrs. Jenkins did not mean to rebuke her husband; but, what she then said, he felt as a reproof.
His eyes were opened to a juster estimate of his
wife, to a higher appreciation of her character,




164          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
and to his own spirit of selfish exaction. How different all would have been if, instead of exercising
Christian patience, Mrs. Jenkins had permitted, as
she had often done before, wounded feelings to
blind, and passion to destroy, her self-control.
And she had her reward in a tranquil spirit, and
in a humble self-approval.
The evening of that day, which opened with
such evil promise, closed peacefully for the household of Mr. Jenkins.
" How did you manage to work such a wonderful transformation in yourself, in the children, and
even in your husband," said Mr. Jenkins, as he
leaned towards his wife across the little sewingtable. The children were all in bed and asleep,
and they sat alone, talking of the day's incidents,
trials, and conquests.  " It seems to me almost like
a dream."
"Not in my own strength, dear husband" replied Mrs. Jenkins, her voice trembling, and her
eyes glistening with tears. "I never felt weaker,
or more unfitted for the day's trials, than I did this
morning. I had lost sleep with Eddy, and when I
awoke, I felt so weak and nervous that I could
scarcely rise. Before I had dressed myself, a head



THE TRIALS OF A DAY.          165
ache set in. Baby screamed; husband scolded;
Anna and Mary quarrelled. I felt that the trial
was beyond my strength-and so it was. In my
weakness and despair, I looked up and prayed for
patience, wisdom, and endurance; and God helped
me in my extremity. He gave me patience, selfcontrol, and wisdom, for right action. Of myself,
I had no power for good; in Him, I have overcome
the enemies that sought to destroy my peace."
Mr. Jenkins let his eyes fall from the earnest face
of his wife, and for some moments looked down
upon the floor.
"If that is what you call religion, Jane," he said,
looking up, " I think the more the world has of it
the better. It does not contain a single element of
sadness; but, on the contrary, banishes gloom,\and
scatters good deeds and sunshine all around. If it
has carried you, cheerfully, through a day commenced in such dark promise, what a blessed lifecompanion it must be! I understand now what
religion really is; what trust in the Lord is; what
prayer for divine strength means."
" May he give you that strength, my husband,"
said Mrs. Jenkins, fervently. " Oh, look up to
Iim, and he will aid you in trial, and in tempta



166          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
tion, as he has aided me. Let us walk together in
this new way. Let us help one another."
MVr. Jenkins gave his hand to his wife, and, as
he felt its eager clasp, he answered"Teach and lead me by your sweet example,
Jane, as you have taught me to-day. I may not
be a very rapid scholar, but I will be learning
something all the while, if you will but look past
my roughness and hardness, which is more on the
surface than in the heart, and still keep repeating
your lessons, though the scholar be dull, and, at
times, rebellious.  You shall have your reward in
the end."
And Mr. Jenkins was right. She had her reward. Years afterwards she would look back and
bless the trials of that first day of truly Christian
warfare. Her conquests then were only the beginning of a series of conquests over the evils of her
nature. Daily, as she entered into her duties, and
performed them  from  a principle of religion, did
she gain new power, and rise into higher states of
enjoyment. The circle of her life seemed ever
sweeping in ascending spirals.  How beautifully
and effectively, did the Christian wife and mother
illustrate the doctrine she professed, by an untiring




THE TRIALS OF A DAY.          167
devotion of herself to the good of her husband and
children! From them she had honor and love.
Best of all, in her eyes, was their daily growth into
the likeness and image of God, through self-denials,
patience, repression of evil, and good deeds done
in the name of charity. Yes, she had her reward,
and it was given in rich abundance.




168         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XVI.
ANGEL VISITS.
THEY do not always visit us in beautiful garments,making the air golden with their sunny smiles.
Oftener, they come in sober-hued vestments, with
lips grief-curved, and eyes heavy, as from weeping.
But, come to us when and how they will, it is ever,
in love. Daily they are about our paths, though
we perceive them not with our dull bodily senses;
nor even recognize their presence by the spirit's
finer instincts-for,' of the earth earthy," as we are,
and with affections clinging to the earth, we have
neither eyes nor ears for the inner sights and inner
voices which are for the pure in heart. Yes, they
are about our daily paths, smoothing and making
them flowery when they may; but oftener piling
up obstructions and making them  rough  and
thorny.
"RBough and thorny! Piling up obstructions!"




ANGEL VISITS.             169
we hear from the lips of some life-weary sufferer.
" Is this a work for angels?"
Beautiful seemed the way before you, in the
bright morning of early womanhood, heart-sick and
life-weary one! And as your eyes went far onward, how many lovely vistas opened, showing
blessed Arcadias in the smiling distance! To gain
them was, you felt, to gain heaven; and onward you
pressed with eager footsteps. You did not gain
them! For a while, the path was even, and the
fragrance of a hundred blossoms delighted your
senses. But all at once your feet were woundedthere were sharp obstructions in the way; then
thick clouds and darkness were before you, hiding
the lovely Eden. Still, you pressed onward, though
the way was rough, and the sunny vistas opening
to the land of promise, were hidden from your
straining vision. Then a mountain arose suddenly,
whose rocky steeps you could not climb. Despair
was in your heart; and in the bitterness of your
disappointment you called yourself one mocked of
God.
It was not so, precious immortal! Not so, pilgrim to a better land than the Arcadia of your
maiden dreams! At the very foot of that inacces8




170         STEPS TOWARDS mEAVEN.
sible mountain, a narrow path became visible; and
though it looked rough and had no green margin,
beautiful with flowers, there was an emotion of
thankfulness in your heart for even this way of
escape: for, already a mortal dread had seized
upon your spirit.  With hurrying footsteps you
entered this new way, and the hope that it would
quickly lead around the mountain, and bring the
sunny land again in view, repressed the fear that
else had been paralyzing.
It was the hand of an angel which led you into
that new way, and kept your heart from fainting.
Narrow, rough and flowerless though it proved, it
was a better way than that along which you were
passing with such buoyant steps-for it bent heavenward. And think, life-weary one!-do you not feel
that you are nearer heaven now than when the sun
of this world shone from an unclouded sky above
the path of pleasure and prosperity? Think, and
answer to yourself the question.
A heart-stricken mother sat grieving for the loss
of her youngest-born, the sweetest and loveliest of
her precious flock-grieving and refusing to be
comforted.  There had been loving sympathy,
gentle remonstrance, and pious teaching from the




ANGEL VISITS.             171
lips of the minister who had a year before touched
the forehead of her babe with the waters of baptism; but all availed not-the fountain of tears
stayed not its waters, nor was the murmuring voice
hushed in her rebellious spirit.  At length, one
came to her who had known a like sorrow, and
whose heart had, even like hers, been bowed into
the very dust. She took into her own soft hand the
passive hand of the mourner, which gave not back
a sign. A  little while she held it, clasping her
fingers in a gentle pressure; then in a voice whose
tender modulations went vibrating to the inmost of
her spirit, she said:
You had an angel visit last night."
An angel visit! What did the words signify?
" Only a year has passed since I had a like visit,'
continued the friend.  " I did not recognize the
heavenly messenger when she came, for my eyes
were too full of tears to see her radiant form. She
came and went, bearing on her bosom as she passed
upward to the regions of eternal sunshine, the spirit
of my lovely boy!"
The hand of the mourner answered to the light
pressure of that in which it lay. That night, went
on the comforter, " I saw in a dream-I call it a




7T2          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
dream, but regard it as a revelation-my translated
one among the blessed in the upper kingdom of our
Father. He was in the arms of the angel-mother,
whose love for him it was plain to see was wise and
tender, surpassing all my own deep affection, as
far as the unselfish love of an angel surpasses the
love of a weak and erring creature of earth.
"' Grieve no more!' said the heavenly being, as
she came to me.' I have not taken this innocent one
from you in anger or cruelty, but in love-love for
both the mother and child. As for him, he is safe
in his celestial home for ever, and is and will be
blessed far above anything you could ask-for it
hath not entered into the heart of even a mother to
conceive what transcendent delights are in store for
those who are born into heaven. Is it not, therefore, better for your child? Were I to say, take
him again into the cold, dark world of sorrow, sin
and suffering, would you bear him  back?  No,
grieving mother, no! You love this precious one
too well. But, how is it better for you to lose the.
child in whom your heart was so bound up? I see
the question on your lips, and answer,-That is
always best which lifts the spirit nearest to God.
Is it not so?  Think! Not with a heavenly, but




ANGEL VISITS.              1T3
with an earthly and selfish aifection, did you love
your child, and such an affection can not truly bless
either you or yonr babe. It is now in heaven, and
as your heart follows it there, it will come into
heavenly associations, and thus be filled with aspirations for that higher life which descends from
and bears back its recipient into heaven. Grieving
one! I came to you in mercy; and though tears
have followed my visit, they are falling on good
seeds planted in your heart.'
"Thus spoke to me that angel-mother of my
child, and ever since, her words have been my stay
and comfort.  Such an angel came to you last
night, grieving friend. The visit was in love, not
in anger.  Then lift your eyes upward, and no
longer permit them  to rest on the gloomy grave.
The spirit of your child has already arisen, more
beautiful in form, and is now with the angels appointed for its guardianship. The wiser love of our
good Father hath transplanted a flower of earth to
blossom in the warmer atmosphere of heaven. Be
thankful, then, dear friend.  Oh, be thanful! —bt
weep not!"
And the heart, which no words of consolation had
been able to reach, felt itself swelling with a deep




174          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
emotion, and lifting itself upwards towards the
All-merciful.
"I will believe that it was an angel who came
here last night and bore away my child," she whispered, as with shut eyes, fringed by tear-gemmed
lashes, she bowed her head upon the bosom of her
consoler. " Oh, if anything can soothe the anguish
of this bereavement, it is to know that my precious
babe, for whom I have cared so tenderly, passed
from my arms to those of an angel; and that he
was thus borne safely across the dark valley into
which I looked down with such a heart-shudder.
I bless you for speaking such words of consolation!"
Not alone in misfortune or bereavement do angels visit us. They do not always make the way
rough, nor always darken the fires around whick
we gather. Daily they come to us; hourly they
seek to draw nearer, and quicken our better impulses. A thousand evils-soul-destroying evilsare warded off by them, even though we are unconscious of their presence, and, it may be, resist
the very influences by which such priceless benefits
are conferred.
" Ah!" we hear it said, "if we could but open




ANGEL VISITS.              175
our eyes and see; if the scales that obstruct our
inner vision could be removed; if we could know
our celestial visitors when they come!"
We may know them, and we may perceive their
presence. Whether we are in prosperity or in
adversity, in joy or in sorrow, angel visitors are
with us whenever the thought goes upward, and
the heart yearns for a better life. Their mission to
the sons of men is to draw them heavenward; and
if sorrow, affliction, or adversity is needed for the
accomplishment of this great end, they are made
subservient in the good work. But when, in their
high mission, they bow a thirsty soul to the bitter
waters of Marah, their hands hold not back the
healing branch; and a song of rejoicing is soon
heard instead of lamentation. Elim, with its twelve
wells of water and seventy palm-trees, is just
beyond.
Happy is that spirit to which the angels come
not on their errands of mercy in vain!




176         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVE.
XVII.
ALGERNON, THE MERCHANT.
THE day closed, and Algernon, the merchant,
turned thoughtfully from his counting-room, and
took his way homeward. Almost without intermission, since morning, had he been absorbed in
his money schemes, gathering in golden sheaves of
wealth from the harvest-fields of trade.
" Am I happier for all this?" he said, questioning with himself; "does the larger increase add
to my pleasure? Do houses and lands bring peace
of mind, or ships upon the ocean a tranquil spirit?
Rather, do not all these things multiply cares? Is
my sleep sounder than it was twenty years ago, or
my heart lighter?"
Away back into the past went his thoughts, as
the last sentence was uttered, and he remembered
the time when, with the closing of day, he could
dismiss the day's business, and find a pure delight




ALGERNON THE MERCHANT            IT7
in the humble home where wife and children welcomed his return with gladness. Now his magnificent dwelling was as little enjoyed as a prisoner's
cell; for his affections were not there, but winging
their way, with his thoughts, afar off, to distant
seas or strange lands, or hovering about amid
brilliant schemes, golden with the promise of untold
wealth.
Algernon sighed as he contrasted days gone by
with the present, and his heart acknowledged that
he was happier then than now. The merchant was
in a softer mood than usual; and it was well for
the half-starving women, whose white face looked
into his imploringly, that it was so.  She had
thrown herself, almost desperately, in his way, just
as he turned from the crowded thoroughfare into a
less frequented street, not far from his luxurious
home, and with this appeal"If you have children, sir, pity mine!"
What of your children?" asked the merchant,
as he stood still, and looked into the woman's pale,
pleading face, down upon which the rays of the
gas lamp fell, and showed its lines of sorrow and
suffering.
"They are hungry, and I have no food for
8*




178          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
them; they are sick, and I cannot get them medicine."' Is this true?" said the merchant, half in doubt.
Such extremity seemed almost impossible to him.
"Come and see! Oh, sir, come and see!" Hope,
doubt, anguish, all blended in that mother's voice.
" Where is your home?" asked Algernon.
"Only in the next street," was replied.
" I will go with you. Lead the way."
Hurrying on before with rapid feet went the
eager woman; following, with a quicker movement than usual, came the merchant. They were
soon at an old pile of buildings, not far from the
place of meeting. The woman entered, and Algernon followed.  The sight that met his eye
stirred all the man within  inm, and awakened his
utmost pity. A  sick child, with hollow  cheeks,
waxen face, and large, glistening eyes, lay upon an
old quilt on the floor; another wan-looking child
sat crouching in the chimney corner, trying to
warm  her half-naked body by the almost imperceptible heat of a few dying coals; while a third,
not over six years of age, stood on the other side
of the fireplace, mumbling at a bone from which it
was impossible to extract nutrition.




ALGERNON THE MERCI-IANT.       179
List is even so,9 said the merchant, as he glanced
in painful surprise about the room. Then he gave
the woman money, and told her to go quickly for
food to nourish her children, and fuel to warm
them. Nor did humanity end its good work here.
He went to a store in the neighborhood, and purchased beds and bed clothing for the destitute
family, and saw these comforts conveyed to the
room they occupied, and the children, after being
warmed and fed, laid in them with their faces full
of wonder and gladness.
In a single half-hour Algernon, the merchant
had changed the cold, desolate home of a poor
widow into what to her and her children was now
a Paradise of comfort. There was a large glowing
fire upon the hearth, making the air of the room
rosy with light, and genial with warmth. Added
to a few broken chairs and anl old table, which
constituted the only furniture in the apartment,
were two plain bedsteads, with beds and warm
clothing laid over them, giving their promise of
rest and comfort in the long cold nights. Flour,
meal, meat, bread, sufficient to' supply the little
family for weeks, were piled up in one corner, and
tle mother crumpled tightly in her hands a slip of




180         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
paper containing an order for fuel enough to last
the winter through.
"  May He who pities the widow and the fatherless be better to you than this, even a thousand
fold!" said the woman, as Algernon was leaving.
Her eyes were full of tears, but the heart's warm
glow of thankfulness was on her face and in her
voice. 6 And may the memory of this good deed
go with you as a blessing through life!"
An hour later, and the merchant sat alone in one
of the luxurious apartments of his palace-home. A
book lay on the table beside him, and his hand
rested upon an open page. He had been reading,
and this sentiment had arrested his attention, and
given his thoughts a new direction-"We only
possess what we have bestowed."  At first the
strangely-sounding apothegm struck him as a paradox.
" Possess only what we have bestowed 1" said he,
talking with himself. " How can I possess what I
have given to another  The thing is absurd. And
yet this writer is not in the habit of uttering absurd
things. What does he mean?"
Algernon turned to the book again and read on.
"Only what we enjoy do we really possess "  He




ALGERNON THE MERCHANT.          181
lifted his eyes from the page again, and mused on
this other proposition.
" There is truth somewhere here-a newer and
higher truth than my thought has yet apprehended," Algernon talked on again with himself.  " I
have acquired great possessions-are they enjoyed?
Am I happier now than when my wealth could be
told in half the figures it now takes to record the
sum? I have lands, houses, ships, gold, merchandise-do I really'possess them-that is, in this
sense of enjoyment? Do they not, in fact, weigh
heavier upon my spirit with each new accumulation, making possession but a mockery 2"
From ships, and merchandise, houses and lands,
the thought of Algernon turned to the widow and
her children, relieved from suffering under the sudden activity of an impulsive benevolence.
Instantly a glow of pleasure warmed his heart,
and a thrill of delight went trembling to the very
centre of his being. Thirty dollars had this good
deed cost him  in money; and already he was in
the possession of higher enjoyments therefrom than
all his day's large accumulations had given.
" This I possess!" he said, with rising enthusiasm. "This I have for all time, and for all eternity,




182         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
a source of perennial pleasure. Moth cannot corrupt it, fire cannot burn it, thieves cannot break
through and steal it away. I can lay me down in
the grave, and yet not lose my hold upon it. Is
not this possession in its sublimest sense!"
Then the thoughts of Algernon went back upon
his life, turning the pages of memory, and searching for the good deeds he had done. They were
"few and far between," but around each was a
halo that illumined the whole page.  Side by
side with the good deeds were recorded the gains
of the merchant; but always some other memory
shadowed these records of gain, and robbed them
blessing.
"These —these," said the merchant, as his
thoughts returned to the present, " are my only
real possessions. And yet how few they are-how
poor I am! Algernon, the rich merchant, has
made small accumulations, indeed! But, thanks
to the Teacher, he has found the way that leads to
another El Dorado."




tNEMIES.                183
XVIII.
ENEMIES.
" I know whose work that is," said Mrs. Edwards.
"I can trace her hand in every part of it." The
speaker's brow grew dark, and her eyes flashed
with anger. "She's bound to do me all the harm
she can; but I will be even with her."
"Why should Mrs. Grant seek to injure you "
inquired the lady to whom the above remark was
addressed.
" Because she is an enemy."
"An enemy 2"
"Yes, an enemy. And she is not the only one I
have."
"Why should you have enemies, Mrs. Edwards?"
asked the lady.
"Why does any one have enemies? Let a man
go straight forward through the world-independent, self-reliant, yielding to none, humoring none




184         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
-and, my word for it, he will find himself encompassed with a cloud of enemies. People never forgive those who are indifferent to them."
"'Indifferent! What do you mean by indifferent?  Let me understand you clearly, Mrs. Edwards."
" I make my own world," was answered; " or, at
least, make it up of my own, and leave my neighbors to do the same. I concern myself only about
my own things, and never give encouragement to
meddlers, of whom  there are a great abundance.
Out of every three persons you meet, two will be
found over inquisitive in regard to your affairs. I
never gratify them."
Why?" was the quiet inquiry.
Because it is none of their business. As, for
instance, there is Mrs. Lewis. If I buy a new
dress, a piece of lace, or linen, or make any addition to my wardrobe that she happens to discover,
straightway leaps out a question as to the price.
But she never gets anything out of me."
e Tow do you manage, in such cases, so as not to
give offence?"
" Sometimes I evade the question; sometimes I
mislead by giving a price higher or lower than was




ENEMIES.                 185
actually paid; and sometimes I deal in a little sarcasm, that may be taken or not, as the person
chooses. But nothing is ever learned of my affairs.
What I pay for goods, and where I buy them, is
my own affair altogether."
"And your neighbors too, I think, if the knowledge is of service to them, and no loss to you,g
said the lady with whom Mrs. Edwards was conversing.
" I don't see it so," was firmly answered.  " Let
people do their own shopping, and find the cheap
places and choice patterns for themselves. I'm not
disposed to gain knowledge for their advantage."
" Our candle burns none the dimmer for the
light it gives to the candle of another."
"Let people strike their own fires, say I," returned Mrs. Edwards.  "I have enough to do to
take care of my own. This running about to light
the candles of people who are too idle or indifferent to keep their own a-blaze, doesn't suit my
genius. I'm not one of the over-charitable kind.
Mind your own business is my life-precept."
" There need be no running about to light other
people's candles," said the lady.  " But it should
give us pleasure to communicate, when a person




186         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
asks to profit by our skill, knowledge, or experience, if the information may be given without
injury to ourselves."' It doesn't give me any pleasure," replied Mrs.
Edwards; with an expression in her tone and countenance that repelled her acquaintance, who remembered more than one instance in which she
had herself very innocently asked questions that
were answered with evasion
" Perhaps," she ventured to remark, " if you were
to try the experiment a few times, you would find
a higher pleasure in it than you imagine."
"I have no wish to make it, whatever. My own
way j ust suits me. I am neither debtor nor creditor
to the world. We stand at quits."
"Indeed! Then I don't wonder that you have
enemies, and they of the worst kind; having power
to do you harm."
" What harm?"  The lady's manner struck Mrs.
Edwards as involving some deeper meaning than
was apparent on the surface.
" Harm to your soul," was answered, in a serious
tone of voice.
6 Oh I"  Mrs. Edwards slightly tossed her head.
"Our real enemies," said the lady, "are within




ENEMIES.                187
us. Those who stand upon the outside-men and
women who, from evil purpose, seek to do us harm
-can only shatter the external a little, but have
no power over the real man. They cannot hurt a
hair of our head. Selfish feelings alone are our
real enemies, for they hurt the soul; marring its
beauty, exhausting its strength, deforming its
limbs, and changing it from the image of God into
a monster. We cannot live the life of heaven here,
Mrs. Edwards, upon your exclusive principle-pardon my freedom of speech. God placed us here,
that we might ascend to heaven through the way
of good deeds, having -their inspiration in a loving
spirit. If you refuse to let another's candle be
lighted at yours-selfishly refuse-the light of
God's love will go out in your soul, and leave you
in the darkness of eternal night."
The lady arose, and moved a step away from
Mrs. Edwards, not doubting that she had given
offence, and half regretting that she had been
betrayed into such plainness of speech. But the
boldness of her positions, the almost solemn manner in which she had spoken, and, withal, her
social standing and estimable character-all had the
effect to startle, rather than offend Mrs. Edwards.




188         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
6 You have a strange way of talking," said the
latter, rising at the same time, and looking steadily,
but without sign of feeling, at her free-spoken
monitor.
" I have given utterance only to words of truth,
and they have no limited or merely individual application, but involve the laws of heavenly life,"
was calmly answered.   As I have not meant to
offend, I trust you will not take offence. I have
spoken to do you good, not evil-as a friend, and not
as an enemy.'
"'I am not quite so bad," said Mrs. Edwards,
with signs of feeling, " as my words make me out.
I talk a little at random, and perhaps a little in
earnest, sometimes. But I thank you for the truth,
and honor you for womanly candor. The enemies
you have pointed out, I will watch, lest, in an unguarded moment, they do me some fatal injury."
" ]None others can do us real harm," was gently
answered.  H I-eaven guards us from  all outside
enemies, or gives us strength to overcome their
assaults. Only the secret foes, lurking in our own
breasts, can wound us in vital places."




DUTY AND KINDNESS.            189
XIX,
DUTY AND KINDNESS.
THERE was an angry frown on the countenance
of Deacon Jonas Browning. There were tears on
on the sad face of his wife.
" Ie shall be sent to sea!" said Deacon Browning, sternly.
There was a pleading look in the eyes of Mrs.
Browning, as she lifted them to the iron face of her
husband. But no words passed her lips.
"l e shall be sent to sea! It is my last hope."
" Philip is very young, Jonas," said Mrs. Browning.
" Not too young for evil, and, therefore, not too
young for the discipline needed to eradicate evil.
He shall go to sea! Captain Ellis sails in the Fanny
Williams on next Monday. I will call upon him
this very day."
" Isn't the Fanny Williams a whaler?"  The lips




190          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
of Mrs. Browning quivered, and her voice had a
choking sound.
"Yes," was firmly answered.
" I wouldn't send him away in a whaler, Jonas.
Remember-he is very young, not thirteen until
next April."
"Young or old, Mary, he's got to go," said the
stern deacon, who was a believer in the gospel of
law. IHe was no weak advocate of moral suasion,
as it is familiarly termed. He went in for law, and
was a strict constructionist. Implicit obedience
was the statute for home, and all deviations therefrom met the never withheld penalty.
Mrs. Browning entered into no argument with
her husband, for she knew that would be useless.
She had never succeeded in changing his purpose
by argument in her life. And so she bent her eyes
meekly to the floor again, while the tears crept
over her face, and fell in large bright drops upon
the carpet. Deacon Browning saw the tears, but
they did not move him. He was tear-proof.
Philip, the offending member of the Browning
family, was a bright, active, restless boy, who, from
the start, had been a rebel against unreasonable
authority, and, as a matter of course, not unfre



DUTY AND KINDNESS.          191
quently against authority both just and reasonable.
Punishment had only hardened him; increasing,
instead of diminishing, his power of endurance.
The particular offence for which he was now in
disgrace, was, it must be owned, rather a serious
one. He had, in company with three other boys of
his age, known as the greatest reprobates in the
village, rifed a choice plum tree, belonging to a
neighbor, of all the fruit it contained, and then
killed a favorite dog, which, happening to discover
them at their wicked work, attempted to drive
them from the garden. The neighbor had complained to Deacon Browning, accompanying his
complaint with a threat to have Philip arrested for
stealing.
"If you don't do something with that boy of
yours," he added with considerable feeling, " he'll
end his days in the State Prison, or on the gallows."
Hard words were these for the ears of Deacon
Browning, the rigidly righteous! Hard words, and
with a prophetic conviction in them. He had not
a very creative imagination, but in this instance
the prediction of his angry neighbor conjured up
in his mind the image of a prison and a gallows,
causing a shudder to pass along his nerves, and the




192         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
cold perspiration to start upon his forehead. From
that moment the resolution of Deacon Browning
was taken.
The boy was on the brink of ruin, and must be
saved at all hazards. As to the means of doing
this, it never entered into the heart of Deacon
Browning to conceive of any other than such as
involved harsh discipline. The Canaanite was in
the land and must be driven out with fire and
sword. With him the word duty had a stern significance. He had always tried to do his duty,
moving steadily onward in the path of life, and
crushing down all vanities and evils that sprang
up by the way, under a heel shod with iron.
"He shall be sent to sea!"  That was the last
desperate remedy. In his mind, as in the minds of
many like him, some years ago, a ship was the
great school of reform; and when a boy was
deemed incorrigible, he was sent off to sea, usually
to have his evil inclinations hardened into permanent qualities.
When Deacon Browning met his son Philip,
after receiving intelligence of his great offence, it
was with a stern, angry repulsion. He did not see
the look of appeal, the sign of repentance, the plea




DUTY AND KINDNESS.           193
for mercy, that was in his tearful eyes. A single
word of kindness would have broken up the great
deep of the boy's heart, and impelled by the
warmer impulses inherited from his mother, he
would have flung himself, weeping, into his father's
arms. But Deacon Browning had separated duty
from kindness. The one was a stern corrector of
evil, the other a smiling approver of good.
From his home to the wharf, where the Fanny
Williams lay, all equipped for sea, Deacon Browning bent his steps.  Captain Ellis, a rough, hard
man, was on board. After listening to the father's
story and request, he said, bluntly" If you put your boy on board the Fanny Williams, he'll have to bend or break, that's certain.
Take my advice, and give the matter a second
thought. He'll have a dog's life of it in a whaler.
It's my opinion that your lad hasn't stuff enough
in him for this experiment."
"I'll risk it," replied the Deacon. " He's got too
much stuff in him to stay at home, that's the trouble. The bend or break system is the only one in
which I have any faith."
" As you like, Deacon. I want another boy, and
yours will answer, I guess."
9




194         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"When do you sail "' was inquired.
"On Monday."' Very well. I'll bring the boy down to-morrow."
The thing was settled; the Deacon did not feel
altogether comfortable in mind. Philip was young
for such an experiment, as the mother had urged.
And now very opportunely, a leaf in the book of
his memory was turned, on which was written the
story of a poor boy's wrongs and sufferings at sea.
Many years before, his heart had grown sick over
the record. He tried to look away from the page,
but could not. It seemed to hold his eye by a
kind of fascination.
Still he did not relent. Duty required him to
go steadily forward and execute his purpose. There
was no other hope for the boy.
"Philip!"  It was thus that he announced his
determination. " I am going to send you to sea
with Captain Ellis. It's my last hope. Steadily
bent, as you are, on evil, I can no longer suffer you
to remain at home.  The boy who begins with
robbing his neighbor's garden, is in great danger
of ending his career upon the gallows. To save
you, if possible, from a fate like this, I now send
you to sea."




DUTY AND KINDNESS.           195
Very sternly, very harshly, almost angrily, was
this said. Not the smallest impression did it seem
to make upon the boy who stood with his eyes cast
down, an image of sti bborn self-will and persistent
rebellion.
With still sharper denunciation did the father
speak, striving in this way to shock the feelings of
his child, and extort signs of penitence. But it
was the hammer and the anvil-blow and rebound.
Very different were the mother's efforts with the
child. Tearfully she pleaded with him- earnestly
she besought him to ask his father's forgiveness for
the evil he had done. But Philip said"No, mother. I would rather go to sea. Father
don't love me-he don't care for me. IHe hates
me, I believe."
"Philip! Philip! Don't speak in that way of
your father. He does love you; and it is only for
your good that he is going to send you to sea. Oh,
how could you do so wicked a thing?"
Tears were in the mother's eyes. But the boy
had something of the father's stern spirit in him,
and showed no weakness.
" It isn't any worse than he did when he was a
boy," was his answer.




196         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"Philip!"
"Well, it isn't; for I heard Mr. Wright tell Mr.
Freeman that father and he robbed orchards and
hens' nests; and did worse than that, when they
were boys!"
Poor Mrs. Browning was silent. Well did she
remember how wild a boy Jonas Browning was;
and how, when she was a little girl, she had heard
all manner of evil laid to his charge.
Very unexpectedly-at least to Mr. Browningthe minister called in on the evening of that
troubled day. After some general conversation
with the family, he asked to have a few words
with the deacon alone.
" Is it true, Mr. Browning," he said, after they
had retired to an adjoining room, "that you are
going to send Philip to sea?"
" Too true," replied the father, soberly. " It is
my last hope. From the beginning that boy has
been a rebel against just authority; and though I
have never relaxed discipline, through the weakness of natural feelings, yet resistance has grown
with his growth and strengthened with his strength,
until duty requires me to use a desperate remedy
for a desperate disease.  It is a painful trial; but




DUTY AND KINDNESS.           197
the path of duty is the only path of safety. What
we see to be right, we must execute with unflinching courage. I cannot look back and accuse myself
of any neglect of duty towards this boy, through
weakness of the flesh. From the beginning, 1
have made obedience the law of my household,
and suffered no deviation therefrom to go unpunished."
" Duty," said the minister, " has a twin sister."
He spoke in a changed voice, and with a manner
that arrested the attention of Deacon Browning,
who looked at him with a glance of inquiry.
"She is as lovely and gentle, as he is hard and
unyielding."
The deacon still looked curious.
" When the twin sister of duty is away from his
side, he loses more than half of his influence; but,
in her beautiful presence, he gains a dignity and
power that make his precepts laws of life to all
who hear them. The stubborn heart melts, the
iron will is subdued; the spirit of evil shrinks
away from the human soul."
There was a pause.
" The name of that twin sister is Kindness."
The eyes of Deacon Browning fell away from




198         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
the minister's countenance, and drooped until they
rested upon the floor. Conviction flashed upon his
heart. He had always been stern in executing the
law-but never kind?
"Has that beautiful twin sister stood ever by
the side of Duty 2-has love been in the law, Deacon Browning 2"
Side by side with the minister stood Duty and
Kindness-the firm, unshrinking brother, and the
mild, loving sister-and so his word had power to
reach the deacon's heart, without giving offence to
pride.
"Kindness is weak, yielding, and indulgent,
and forgives when punishment is the only hope
of salvation," said Deacon Browning, a little recovering himself from the first emotions of selfcondemnation.
" Only when she strays from the side of Duty,"
replied the minister. "Duty. and Kindness must
always act together."
Mluch more, and to the same purpose, was urged
by the minister, who made only a brief visit, and
then withdrew, that his admonitions might work
the effect desired.
When Deacon Browning came in from the front




DUTY AND KINDNESS.           199
door of his house, after parting with the minister,
he drew a chair up to the table in the family
sitting-room, and, almost involuntarily, opened the
large family Bible. His feelings were much softened towards his boy, who, with his head bowed
upon his breast, sat a little apart from his mother.
The attitude was not so much indicative of stubborn self-will, as suffering.  Deacon Browning
thought he would read a chapter aloud, and so
drew the holy book closer, and bent his face down
over it. Mrs. Browning, observing the movement,
waited for him to begin. The deacon cleared his
throat twice. But his voice did not take up the
words that were in his eyes and in his heart. IHow
could they?
" As a father pitieth his children' —
Had there been divine pity in the heart of Deacon Browning for his rebellious and unhappy boy?
NTay-had there not been wrath, instead?
As a father pitieth his children "From a hundred places in the mind of Deacon
Browning there seemed to come an echo of these
words, and they had a meaning in them never perceived before. He closed the book, and remained
in deep thought for many minutes; and not only




200         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
in deep thought, but in a stern conflict with himself. Kindness was striving to gain her place by
the side of Duty; and cold, hard, imperious Duty,
who had so long ruled without a rival in the mind
of Deacon Browning, kept all the while averting
his countenance from that of his twin sister, who
had been so long an exiled wanderer. At last she
was successful. The stern brother yielded, and
clasped to his bosom the sister who sought his
love.
Prom that instant new thoughts, new views, new
purposes ruled in the mind of Deacon Browning.
The discipline of a whaler was too hard and cruel
for his boy, young in years, and by no means as
hardened in iniquity as he had permitted himself
to imagine. A cold shiver ran along his nerves at
the bare thought of doing what, a few hours before,
he had so resolutely intended.  Kindness began
whispering in the ears of Duty, and crowding them
with a world of new suggestions. The heart of the
stern man was softened, and there flowed into it
something of a mother's yearning tenderness.
Rising up, at length, Deacon Browning said, in a
low voice, so new in its tones to the ears of Philip,
that it made his heart leap



DUTY AND KINDNESS.            201
" My son, I wish to see you alone.'
The deacon went into the next room, and Philip
followed him. The deacon sat down, and Philip
stood before him.
"Philip, my son "-Deacon Browning took the
boy's hand in one of his, and looked him full in the
face. The look was returned-not a defiant look,
but one of yielding wonder.
"Philip, I am not going to send you to sea with
Captain Ellis. I intended doing so; but, on reflection, I think the life will be too hard for you."
Very firmly, yet kindly, the deacon tried to
speak, but the sister of Duty was playing with his
heart-strings, and their tone of pity was echoed
from his voice, that faltered when he strove to give
it firmness.
The eyes of Philip remained fixed upon the
countenance of his father.
" My son "-   Deacon Browning thought he had
gained sufficient self-control to ntter calmly certain
mild forms of admonition; but he was in error;
his voice was still less under his control, and so
fully betrayed the new-born pity and tenderness in
his heart, that Philip, melting into penitence, ex
olaimed, as tears, gushed from his eyes9*




202         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"' Oh, father! I've been very wicked, and very
sorry!"
Involuntarily, at this unexpected confession, the
arms of Deacon Browning were stretched out
towards his repentant boy, and Philip rushed, sobbing, into them.
The boy was saved. From that hour his father
had him  under the most perfect subordination.
But the twin sister of Duty walked ever by his
side.




IMPERISHABLE BEAUTY.           203
xx.
IMPEiISHABLE BEAUTY.
IT was a very plain face. My eye rested upon
it, for a moment or two, and then wandered away
to the countenance of another maiden, whose
beauty ravished the eyes of every beholder; and
as I gazed with a feeling of delight, upon its transcendent loveliness, an impulse of thankfulness
stirred in my heart-thankfulness to the Creator of
beauty. The first maiden sat alone; around the
other stood a group of admirers. So marked a
contrast between the two, as well in features as in
the impression made thereby, excited, first, something like pity for her whom nature had endowed
so poorly; and I turned to look at her again with
a kinder feeling in my heart.
There she sat all alone. Yes, her face was very,
very plain; but it did not strike me as repulsive.
The mouth, which had nothing of the ripe fullness




204         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
that gave such an enamoring grace to the other
maiden, was placid; and though not encircled by
a perpetual wreath of smiles, calmly enthroned the
gentle spirit of content. Her eyes were small, the
lashes thin, and the arch above them faintly visible.
Arch?  I can scarcely give it that graceful designation. I had not yet seen the expression of those
eyes. As I looked towards her, with that strange
consciousness of observation which all have remarked, but which few can explain, she turned he'
eyes from  another part of the room, and looked
at me. They did not flash brilliantly, nor strike
me, at the first glance, as having in them anything
peculiar. They were the common eyes we meet at
every turn-no soul in them. I give my first imnpression.  My second was different. I had turned
my eyes away; but something I had seen, caused
them  almost involuntarily to wander back to the
maiden's face. A friend whom I highly regarded
-a young man of more than common worth-had
crossed the room, and was standing before her.
She had lifted her eyes to his face, and there was
a new light in them-not a dazzling, but a soft,
winning light, that purity and love made almost
beautiful.




IiMPERISHABLE BEAUTY.          205
They were conversing, and I watched, for some
time, the play of that unattractive countenanceunattractive no longer.
"Ah!" said I, " there is a beautiful soul within
that casket.'
And as I spoke thus, in the silence of my own
thoughts, I looked towards the other maiden, who
was still surrounded by a crowd of admirers.
"Her beauty is wonderful!" I could not help
the utterance of this tribute to her charms. Yet
scarcely had I spoken the words, when she turned
to one of the group which had gathered about her,
a slight curl of unlovely scorn upon her lips, and
threw at him an arrowy word that wounded as it
struck.  She saw that it hurt, and a gleam of pleasure went forth from her brilliant eyes.
A filmy veil came between me and that countenance, which, a little while before, had shone
with a loveliness that was absolutely enchanting.
I turned again to the other maiden. My friend
still stood before her, and her eyes were lifted to
his face. She was uttering some sentiments-what,
I did not hear-but they must have been good and
beautiful in conception, to have filled every lineament with such a winning grace.




206         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"Ah l!" said I, the real truth dawning upon my
mind, " here is the inner, imperishable beauty.
The beauty, which, instead of losing its springtime freshness, forever advances towards eternal
youth."
A few weeks later, and my friend communicated
to me the intelligence, that his heart had been won
by the charms of this unattractive maiden. Once
he had been a worshipper at the other shrine-the
shrine of beauty; and I knew that, only a few
months before, hand and heart were ready to be
offered. Accepted they would have been, for he
had personal beauty, attractive manners, wealth,
and above all, a manly, honorable spirit.
For all I had seen, I was scarcely prepared for
this. The maiden might be good-I did not question that-but she was so homely; and this homeliness would be only the more apparent in contrast
with his elegant exterior. It was almost on my lip
to remonstrate-to suggest this thought to his mind.
But I prudently forbore.
" You know her well, I hope." I could not help
the utterance of this caution.
"She is not thought to be beautiful," he replied,
seeming to perceive my thoughts, "indeed, as to




IMPERISHABLE BEAUTY.             207
features, she is plain; yet, in person, she is tall,
graceful, dignified, and with a carriage that a queen
might envy."
This was true to the letter. I had not thought
of it before. Nature had given at least this compensation.
"But the higher beauty," he added, " is of the
soul. All else is soon diminished. Scarcely has the
blushing girl stepped forward through the opening
door of womanhood, ere we see the lustre of her
blossoming cheek beginning to tarnish in the social
atmosphere, or to pale from disease.  But the soul's
beauty dims not, wanes not, dies not. It is as inperishable as the soul itself.  Our bodies die, but
the soul is immortal."
"If she possesses this beauty?"
"I know  that she possesses it," he answered,
warmly.  "I have seen it looking forth from her
eyes, wreathing about her lips, and giving to every
lineament a heavenly charm.  It is musical in
every tone of her voice."
"Goodness alone is beautiful," I said.
"And she is good," he replied.  "I never met
one who so rarely spoke of herself, or who seemed
to take so loving an interest in humanity."




208         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.' That is God-like."
"Is not God the very source of all beauty? To
be God-like, then, is to be beautiful. Ah!" he
added, "I have found, indeed, a treasure! Morning and evening I thank the good Giver, that he
opened my eyes to see deeper than the unalluring
surface. I was dazzled, once, by a glittering exterior; but have a clearer vision now."
"Win her and wear her, then," I replied, "and
may she be to you all your fancy pictures."
"She is won," he answered, "and I shall wear
her proudly in the eyes of all men."
There was a world of surprise when it became
known that my handsome friend was about leading
his chosen bride to the marriage altar.
" How could he throw himself away upon such
an ugly creature?" said one, coarsely.' He might have taken his choice from the loveliest," remarked another.
" He will tire of that face in a month. All the
gold of Ophir would not bribe me to sit opposite to
it for a year."
And so the changes rung.
But my friend knew what he was doing. I was
present at the wedding.




IMPERISHABLE BEAUTY.          209
"If she were not so homely!" I heard a lady
remark, as she stood beside her handsome young
husband. " What can he see in her to love?
I turned and looked at the speaker. Nature had
been kind in giving her an attractive face  but the
slight curl of contempt that was on her lip marred
everything. I glanced back to the young bride'*
countenance; her pure soul was shining through
it, like light through a veil. To me, she seemed at
that moment more beautiful than the other; and
far more worthy to be loved.
The brilliantly beautiful maiden of whom 1 have
spoken, gave her hand in marriage about the same
time. Her husband was a young man of good
character, kind feelings' and with sufficient income
to enable them to live in a style of imposing elegance. A series of gay parties was the social welcome given to the lovely bride. But such honor
did not attend the nuptials of her plainer sister.
A few years later, and the spiritual qualities of
each were more apparent in their faces. I remember meeting both, in company, ten years after their
marriage. I was standing at one end of the room,
when an over-dressed woman, with a showy face,
came in, accompanied by a gentleman whom  I




210          STEPS TOWARIDS HEAVEN.
knew, not as an acquaintance, but as a man of
business and the husband of the beauty. I should
scarcely have recognized the latter, but for him.
What a change was there! At a distance, the face
struck you as still beautiful, but, on a closer view,
the illusion vanished. The mouth  had  grown
sensual, peevish, and ill-natured; the eyes were
bright, but the brightness repelled rather than
attracted. After awhile, wondering at the change,
I drew near and entered into conversation with
her. The music of her voice I remembered. There
was no music in it now; at least none for my ears.
A certain abruptness in her manners, born of pride,
or superciliousness, was to me particularly offensive. I tried her on various subjects, in order to
bring out some better aspects of her character.
The Swedish Nightingale had just been here, and
had sung to my heart as no living man or woman
had ever sung-I spoke of her.  "Too artificial,"
was the reply, with an air of critical vanity, that
gave to my feelings a ripple of indignation.  I
referred to a new poem, admirable for its purity of
style; she coldly remarked with depreciation on
some of its special beauties, merely repeating, as I
knew, a certain captious reviewer. I was in doubt




IMPERISHABLE BEAUTY.           211
whether she had read even a page of the book.
Then I spoke of a lady present.  She tossed her
head, and arched her lip, saying, " She's too fond
of gentlemen's attentions."
I varied still my efforts, but to no good purpose.
The more I conversed with her, the less beautiful
became her face, for the unloveliness of her true
character was perpetually gleaming through and
spoiling the already sadly-marred features. I left
her side, on the first good opportunity, glad to get
away. Ten years ago, in all companies, she was
the cynosure of every eye. The praise of her
beauty was on every lip. But so changed was she
now, that none bent to do her reverence. I noticed
her sitting alone, with a discontented look, long
after I had left my place by her side. Her husband, for all the attentions he paid her during
the evening, might have been unconscious of her
presence.
But there was another lady in the room, who
was, all the while, the centre of an admiring circle.
None, perhaps, considered her face beautiful; yet
to every one who looked upon it, came a perception of beauty that associated itself with her individuality. In repose, her features were plain, yet




212          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
not repulsive in the  slightest particular.  But,
when thought and feeling flowed into them, every
eye was charmed. There was a nameless grace in
her manner that gave additional power to the attractions of her countenance.
I was half in doubt, at first, of her identity, as I
gazed upon her from a distant part of the room;
she looked, in my eyes, so really beautiful. But
the presence of my old friend in the group, my old
friend who had been wise enough to prefer beauty
of soul to beauty of face, removed all questions,
and passing over, I added another to the circle
which had gathered around her.
There was nothing obtrusive in her conversation;
nothing of conscious pride; but a calm, and, at
times, earnest utterance of true sentiments. Not
once during the evening did I hear a word from
her lips that jarred the better feelings.'The good are beautiful!"  Many times did
this sentiment find spontaneous utterance in my
thoughts as I looked upon her; and then turned
my eyes to the discontented face of another, who,
a few years before, carried off, in every company,
the palm of loveliness.
Yes, here was the imperishable beauty! Maiden!




IMPERISHABLE BEAUTY.           213
would you find this beauty? No matter if your
features were not cast in classic mould, this higher,
truer beauty may be yours if you will seek for it in
the denial of selfishness, and the repression of discontent.  " The good are beautiful."  Lay that up
in your thoughts. Treasure it as the most sublime
wisdom.
Gather into the store-house of your minds sentiments of regard for others; and let your hands
engage in gentle charities. To do good and to
communicate forget not. If tempted to murmur,
think of your many blessings; if to repine, of the
thousands who are sick and in suffering. Be humble, gentle, forgiving, and  above  all-useful.
These are the graces that shine through the outer
coverings of the soul, and reveal themselves in
light and loveliness to all eyes.
The good never grow homely as they grow old.
The outer eye may become dim, and the cheek
loose its freshness, but in the place of earthly
charms will come a spiritual beauty, unfading as
eternity.




214         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXI.
NEIGHBOR GRAY.
6  AVE you met our new neighbor Gray, friend
Tompkins?" inquired one farmer of another. They
were at Peter Craig's blacksmith shop.
"No; and what's more, I don't want to meet
him," was abruptly answered.
"Don't want to meet him 2"' No! I've said just what I mean," replied Tompkins, ill-naturedly. "I don't want to meet him, nor
have anything to do with him."
"' You'll change your mind, I think," said the
blacksmith.
"Will I?"  A sneer curled the lip of farmer
Tompkins.
"Yes, and that before Mr. Gray is two months
in Splinterville," replied Peter Craig.  "But,
pray, tell us what you have against our new neighbor.




NEIGIBOR GRAY.             215
"Oh, nothing very particular, only I don't like
him."
" There is one thing to be said in his favor," remarked the blacksmith-" he keeps good stock."
"Ilumph! No better than is to be found in the
neighborhood," said Tompkins.  "No better, in
fact, than I have."
I'm not so sure of that," returned Peter Craig.
" I put shoes on his carriage horses yesterday, and,
if I'm  any judge, their match is not within ten
miles of these parts. No, no, friend Tompkins,
you hav'n't the horseflesh on your sixty acres that
will compare with neighbor Gray's.
" Bah! neighbor Gray's! Nobody's got anything, from a patent pitchfork up to a threshing
machine, that will compare with neighbor Gray's!
It makes me downright angry to hear people talk
after this fashion.  Who's Mr. Gray, I'd like to
know?"
" He's a gentleman," said the blacksmith, a little
warmly.
"Gentleman!" Tompkins spoke with a bitter
sneer, " I hate gentlemen!"
"The gentleman is the only true man," remarked
Peter Craig.




216          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
" Of course: kid gloves, calf-skin, broadcloth, and
Deaver, are everything, and the individual nothing."
"Not so fast, friend Tompkins; not so fast. It is
the heart that makes the gentleman."
" If that is the case, I don't think there's much
chance for your new neighbor. But, gentleman, or
no gentleman, I detest this Gray from the bottom
of my heart, and wish he were a thousand miles
away from Splinterville!'"
As Tompkins closed this sentence, in a pretty
loud tone of voice, his ear caught the sound of a
footstep, and turning quickly, he saw  Mr. Gray
approaching through the blacksmith's shop, having
entered by the opposite door from the one near
which the little group of men were standing. IIe
was near enough to have heard the closing sentence, and, from the expression of his countenance,
it was pretty evident that its meaning was understood.
The moment Tompkins saw him, his face crimsoned, and, turning off abruptly, he strode away.
As he did so, he thought he heard the voice of Mr.
Gray calling after him. But he had not the manliness to stop and meet, face to face, the individual
whose name he had used so freely.




NEIGHBOR GRAY.             217
An ill-natured, jealous-minded, unhappy kind of
a man was this Tompkins. You will find his counterpart in almost every neighborhood. Mr. Gray,
towards whom he cherished such unkind feelings,
had bought, some months before, the farm that
immediately adjoined his, and, a few weeks previously, taken formal possession. Now, Tompkins
wanted this farm, and had been for some time
endeavoring to strike a bargain with its previous
owner, when Mr. Gray, seeing the property advertised for sale, complied with the terms, and became
the purchaser. Tompkins wished to exchange his
farm for the other, and give notes for the difference in price; and although the owner had two or
three times declined his offer, he was still in hope
of making the arrangement, when Mr. Gray dashed
all his hopes to the ground.
From that moment he hated Mr. Gray in his
heart, and wished him all manner of evil. But for
all this, Tompkins didn't feel very comfortable in
mind about the harsh sentence which he was very
certain Mr. Gray had heard. Talk as freely as he
would behind his neighbor's back, he was not quite
prepared to denounce him to his face; and for this
reason, if for none other, he could show no cause
10




218         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
for his animosity. The farm was in market, and
his new neighbor had as good a right to purchase
as any one else. It was not at all probable that
Mr. Gray knew anything about his previous negotiations; and even if he had, that was no reason
why he should not purchase if an offer of the
farm were made to him.
Compelled now to look at the affair as if looking
upon it with other people's eyes, Tompkins was not
able to justify himself in the unkind attitude he
had taken. Imagination brought him face to face
with the incensed Mr. Gray, who said to him, in a
stern, demanding voice:
" What is the meaning of this language? What
have I done, that you detest me, and wish me a
thousand miles away from Splinterville?
In vain did farmer Tompkins seek to frame some
reply in his thoughts that would have the appearance of justification. It would not answer to refuse
giving any reason for his conduct; for that would
place him in the light of a mere traducer of his
neighbor without cause. Nor would it do to state
the true reason; for that was one which, however
valid in his own eyes, could hardly appear so in
the eyes of anybody else.




NEIGHBOR GRAY.            219
Farmer Tompkins was in something of a quandary. He had brought himself into rather a humiliating relation to this new neighbor; and the
more he thought about it, the less clearly did he
see himself honorably out of his trouble.
But Tompkins was not the man to "humble himself," to use his own words, to any one, by acknowledging that he had done wrong, no matter how
sharp were his own convictions on the subject.
And of all men in the world, Mr. Gray was the last
to whom he would make humiliating acknowledgments. He hated and despised him the more now
that he felt himself something in his power. And
he determined to brave it out. If neighbor Gray
called upon him for explanations, he would insult
him to his face!
On the next morning Tompkins had occasion to
visit the blacksmith's shop again.
"What did that Gray have to say about me
yesterday " he asked of Peter Craig, in his most
abrupt, ill-natured manner.
I-I1e didn't mention your name," replied the
blacksmith.
The farmer looked surprised.
" He must have heard me."




220         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
" I rather think he  did," said the blacksmith.
"And didn't say anything at all?"
" Not about you."
Farmer Tompkins was puzzled and disappointed.
Much as he hated, and affected to despise Mr.
Gray, he felt nervous about the effect produced
upon him by the harsh words he had spoken; and
he had hoped to get some clue thereto from the
blacksmith.
A few hours later in the day, as he was riding
away from  home, he saw his new neighbor approaching along the road not far distant. Obeying
the first impulse of his mind, he turned his horse's
head, and struck off into a narrow lane, that took
him nearly a mile out of his way. In consequence,
he was too late for an appointment at which some
important business was to be done, and lost an expected advantage.
"I wish this Gray had been in the Dead Sea
before he thought of coming to Splinterville,"
was his angry ejaculation, when, on arriving at the
appointed place, he found the business closed, and
all the benefit he had hoped to gain forever beyond
his reach.




NEIGHBOR GRAY.             221
Just as farmer Tompkins, on returning from his
fruitless ride, came in sight of home, he saw. Mr.
Gray leaving the house. He rubbed his eyes, and
looked again.  Yes; it was even so. Mr. Gray
was passing through  the gate; and now  was
moving down the road in the direction of his own
home. Tompkins slackened the speed of his horse
so that he might not come too fully in view until
Mr. Gray reached a bend in the road, around
which he passed out of sight.
" What did that fellow want?" he asked, sharply,
of his wife, on reaching home.
" Of whom are you speaking?" she inquired.
" Why of Gray; confound him!"
" He merely asked for you," replied the wife.
" Did he say that he would call again?"' No."
" Humph i" Farmer Tompkins was worried. It
was plain that Mr. Gray was not a man to be assailed and traduced without calling his traducer to
an account. So far as vituperation was concerned,
farmer Tompkins found that an easy matter-it
came as " natural as eating."  But the thought of
being called to an account-of being asked for
explanations-of being required to give reasons




222          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
for the strong language he had seen proper to use,
was very far from being agreeable.
All that afternoon, farmer Tompkins was in
hourly dread of another call from his new neighbor
Gray. Every sound of approaching feet, or sudden
call, or noise of the shutting gate, caused him to
start, or look up from his work. He was provoked
with himself for all this; but, for his life, could not
help it. A little while before sundown he came
over from  the barn to get something from  the
house. As he came in at the back door, a young
woman, wearing a blue sun-bonnet, went out at the
front door.
"Who is that?" he asked of his wife.
"Neighbor Gray's girl," was replied.
The farmer's heart gave a quicker bound.
"What did she want?"
He knit his brows as he awaited the answer.
" Mrs. Gray sent over a tumbler of calf's foot
jelly for Maggy."
Now, Maggy was a cear little two years' old pet,
with soft blue eyes, and light brown hair that fell
in wavy circles about her neck, and a heart as full
of love, as that of her father was of ill-will to al
most every one but herself. To him she was sun



NEIGHBOR GRAY.              223
light and joy. The love that gushed forth for her,
seemed all the stronger because it had free course
in no other direction. But Maggy was sick. A fall
fever had seized upon her delicate frame, and
wasted her almost to a shadow, and now, although
the destroyer had departed from  their dwelling,
the child was as weak as in the days of earliest
infancy.
" Mrs. Gray sent over a tumbler of calf's foot
jelly for Maggy."
What an unexpected answer! Farmer Tompkins
was altogether unprepared for it.
" How did she know that Maggy was sick 2"
His voice was less imperative.
"Mr. Gray asked about her when he was here
this morning."
"Who? What "
Farmer Tompkins was again taken by surprise.;" Mr. Gray asked kindly about her; and when I
told him that she was better, looked very much
pleased."
The farmer turned his face partly away, so that
his wife should not see its expression.
"How does Maggy seem  this afternoon?" he
asked, a few moments afterwards.




224         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"Better," said the wife.
" I must look at her for a moment; dear little
pet!" And Tompkins went into the bedroom where
she lay. An older sister stood by her side, holding
the calf's foot jelly, and feeding her with it.
" How is my little Maggy?" said the father, as
he bent over and kissed her.
"I'm  better,"  she  answered, smiling-then
added, in a pleased way,
"Don't you think Mrs. Gray was very good to
send me this nice calf's foot jelly?"
" Yes, dear."
How could he help answering yes?
When farmer Tompkins returned to the barn, he
felt very strangely. There was a pressure on his
feelings, for which he could not clearly account;
and no wonder-for the farmer was not much
given to the observation of his own mental processes. That little act of kindness towards Maggy,
so altogether unexpected, had thrown his mind into
sudden confusion. He had felt a dislike for Mrs.
Gray, simply because he hated her husband-but
how could he continue to cherish this feeling for
one who had shown kindness towards his little
Maggy?  It was next to impossible.  And Mr.




NEIGHBOR GRAY.             225
Gray had asked after Maggy! And further stillit was natural to conclude, that the kind act of his
wife had some sort of dependence upon his direction of her thoughts towards the sick child.
" I wish I hadn't said anything against him at
Peter Craig's."  Now  that thought marked the
beginning of a better state of mind in farmer
Tompkins. "I don't like him; and will never forgive him as long as I live. But there is no occasion
to make an enemy even of a dog. And, of course,
he's my sworn enemy from this day forth. I wonder what brought him  over here.  No, I don't
wonder either! Well, let him do his worst; he'll
find no backing down in Ephraim Tompkins."
On the next morning, Tompkins went over to the
blacksmith's shop to see if Peter Craig had finished
mending a plough which he had left there some
days before. IHe had said nothing about being in
a hurry; and did not really want the plough for a
week. But he thought he would step over and see
how the work was progressing. As he entered the
shop, he saw the plough lying near the forge. But
the blacksmith was hammering away upon a wagon
tire.  Now, although Tompkins didn't want the
plough for some days, he felt displeased at seeing his
10*




226         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
work put aside for the work of somebody else, and
said, a little tartly" I expected to see that plough finished by this
time."
" And so it would have been, friend Tompkins;
but our new neighbor, Mr. Gray, had the misfortune
to break a wagon-tire yesterday afternoon, just in the
midst of sonme hailing that must be finished by tomorrow. So I let your plough lie, as I knew you
were not in a hurry, and was sure you would be
willing to oblige Mr. Gray. I will have it all
ready for you in the morning."
" To-lnorrow morning won't do!" said Tompkins,
angrily.  " I want my plough to-day I"
"I'm sorry," said the blacksmith, in a troubled
manner. "I didn't think it would make any difference, or I wouldn't have put aside your work for
Mr. Gray or anybody else."
" Oh yes you would!" retorted Tompkins, in a
spiteful tone.' Mr. Gray is everything in Splinterville now-and I'm nobody!"
" Don't say that, friend Tompkins," said the
blacksmith; "I would do your work as quickly as
I would Mr. Gray's. If the plough had belonged
to him, and you had come with the broken wagon



NEIGHBOR GRAY.             227
tire, I would have laid aside the plough to mend
the tire."
But farmer Tompkins was not disposed to listen
to reason. This act of letting his work lie over for
a day, in order to do that of his neighbor, against
whom he had so deep a grudge, made him almost
blind with passion, and he was talking in a loud,
angry voice, when neighbor Gray's form darkened
the door of the blacksmith shop. The new neighbor had called over to see how the mending of the
wagon-tire progressed. Just as he entered, Tompkins used his name in connection with some pretty
harsh language. Not seeming to notice this, Mr.
Gray came forward, and offering his hand to Mr.
Tompkins, said very kindly"How is your little daughter this morning? I
hope she is very much better?'
" She is better, I thank you," replied Tompkins,
almost stammering out the words, at the same time
that he allowed Mr. Gray to take his hand and shake
it, pretty much as he would have shaken a stick.
" I hope," continued Mr. Gray, " that our friend
the blacksmith hasn't done anything wrong in laying aside your work to do mine. If so, I pray you
to let all the blame fall upon my shoulders. We




228         STEPS TOWAARDS HEAVEN.
were so unfortunate as to break our wagon-tire,
and all our work was at a stand-still until it was
mended.  It was one of those emergencies in
which all neighbors are ready to accommodate
each other, even at the cost of a little inconvenience."
Now, farmer Tompkins hardly expected a greeting like this, and was considerably thrown aback,
as the sailors say. The kind inquiry after Maggy
-the remembrance of Mrs. Gray's thoughtful attention to the sick child-and, more particularly,
the open, frank, friendly manner in which Mr.
Gray spoke, all had the effect to disarm him. He
wanted to repel the new neighbor-to speak out
" his mind " to him-to let him see something of
the antagonism that was in his heart. But the cordial good nature, and kind, gentlemanly bearing of
Mr. Gray were too much for him, and thawed the
ice of his feelings faster than a determined ill nature
could freeze the surface.
"I called over yesterday afternoon," continued
Mr. Gray,;' to mention what I had done; and ask
if it would put you to any inconvenience. And I
intended to speak with you about a matter which I
will mention now. It is this:"




NEIGHBOR GRAY.              229
And he drew farmer Tompkins aside, in order
that he might talk with him alone.
" I find," he continued, "in having the searches
made for the purpose of fixing a true title to the
farm just bought, and which adjoins yours, that
there has been a clear mistake in running the
boundary between your farm and mine-a mistake
that includes at least five acres of that fine meadow
land to the west of your barn."
" I don't believe a word of it!" exclaimed farmer
Tompkins, firing up, and looking the picture of
angry indignation.  " My title-deeds call for sixty
acres, and sixty acres I mean to hold, if I law for it
until doomsday!"
""Gently, gently, neighbor Tompkins," replied
Mr. Gray.  "There need be no trouble about the
matter. We don't need any law to settle a business like this. A compromise, where both parties
desire to do right, is the easiest thing in the world.
You will find me very reasonable."
"It's more than you will find me, then, Mr.
Gray, if you attempt to get five acres of my meadow land. I can tell you that, in the beginning."
"I don't want a foot of your land," said Mr.
Gray.




230         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
" What then do you want 2" demanded the exasperated farmer.
" Simply to do right," was the calm reply. " I
find that I am considerably over on your line, and
that the amount of land I inclose which really belongs to you, is about five acres."
Farmer Tompkins started, looked confused, and
flushed to a deeper crimson.
"I requested," continued Mr. Gray,' my conveyancer to go carefully over the matter again,
and make his report, which was done yesterday.
He says there is no doubt about the matter. I am
over the line considerably. Now, what I wish to
say is this: I will buy these five acres at a hundred
dollars an acre, if you are inclined to sell; if not,
I will have my fence removed to the true line,
which a surveyor can determine."
We need hardly say that Tompkins was completely disarmed. If a thunderbolt had fallen at
his feet he could not have been more surprised.
A moment or two he stood in bewilderment of
mind; then reaching out his hand to Mr. Gray, he
said:
"I am rebuked. Have it your own way. Let
the fence stand where it is, and keep the land if




NEIGHBOR GRAY.              231
you choose-I shall still be as well off as I thought
myself an hour ago.'
" Right is right, friend Tompkins," replied Mr.
Gray.'So if you will walk over to my house,
we will settle this business at once. I prefer keeping the land and paying for it the price mentioned."
" It is yours at any price" answered Mr. Tompkins. After a few moments of silence, he added:
"I was your enemy, Mr. Gray-your enemy, I now
see, without a cause. You have disarmed me in
the first encounter. Let us now be friends."
And he reached forth  his hand, which was
warmly grasped by the new neighbor.
After that, farmer Tompkins was a different
man.  Mr. Gray proved a true fiiend, for, both
by example and precept, he taught him a better
and happier way in the world, and he walked therein with a more cheerful spirit than of old




232          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXII.
SPIRITUAL PRIDE.
RESPECTABLE, orderly, well-to-do -in-the-world
people, who have comfortable and, in most cases,
eligible pews. in church; who are on familiar
terms with the minister, and whose opinions, on
matters ecclesiastical as well as secular, have
weight, are very much inclined to lapse into the
impression that they are elevated above the masses
of the people in spiritual as well as in external
things; that they are better than the poor, the
humble, and depressed. You will see them passing
up the aisles of our churches, and taking the uppermost seats, with the air of persons whose right
to these places are as natural as their right to the
elegant homes their money has purchased. And
no one questions their right to these seats; for they
have a property in them, by honorable purchase,
the same as they have in their stores or dwellings.




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.             233
We are looking below  all this, to the spirit that
animates them-to the approving self-consciousness
which gives quality to the soul.
These individuals are very much in danger of
falling into a low kind of spiritual pride. There is
a spiritual pride which has its origin in superior
intellectual qualities. Because a man is able to
talk on theological subjects with some acuteness,
and to rise quite above the ordinary range of
thought in matters of doctrine, he may indulge the
conceit that he is spiritually in advance of his
brethren, when he may not have overcome a single
evil of his selfish nature.  The danger here is very
great.  But there is another and meaner kind of
spiritual pride, which builds its foundation walls
on the sandy basis of wealth and mere social rank.
The churches are full of this.  It is the moth and
rust that are eating daily at their inner life. There
is a certain fashion in religion, or rather in churchgoing, which claims of its votaries as nice an observance as is demanded by fashion in dress; and' it
is far more hurtful than the latter, because it involves a degradation of spiritual things, and makes
of the votary, so far as religion is concerned, a
mere pretender.




234          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
Mrs. Hartman, the wife of a substantial merchant, was very much inclined to indulge in this
latter species of spiritual pride, if we may dignify it with the name of " spiritual."  She was a
pious woman in externals. Her place was never
vacant in church, and her demeanor while there
was always devout. She never absented herself
from the communion table, nor neglected any of
the public charities sanctioned by Christian usage.
The minister's wife was her very dear friend, and
the minister himself a regular visitor at the house.
In a general way, Mrs. -Iartman talked well on
religious themes, which she always made prominent when in the minister's company.
Very naturally did Mrs. Hartman come to think
well of herself, in a Christian point of view; and
if on some occasions her thoughts could have been
seen, they would not have differed very much from
those of the Pharisee, so strongly placed by our
Lord in contrast with the humble Publican.  It is
very certain that her estimate of the spiritual condition of the poor people who attended worship in
the same church, on each recurring Sabbath, was on
a level with her estimate of their natural condition.
The external, in her thought, corresponded with the




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.            235
internal; and so she held herself in stately attitudes
when she met any of them that she happened to
know, or spoke with forced smiles, condescendingly.  Some were pleased with her notice; some
felt her manner as a spur to pride, and experienced
annoyance; while a few met her with quiet, selfpossessed exteriors, that a little chafed her in
return. Among the latter was a Mrs. Royal, a.widow  in poor health and poor circumstances.
She had two little girls, aged seven and nine years,
delicate, sensitive creatures, that were loved by
her with a tenderness that grew deeper as health
and strength declined. By her needle she earned
the bread that nourished them. At one time she
had sewing from the family of Mrs. Hartman; but
she did not seem grateful enough for the privilege
of making up the under-garments of Mrs. Hartman s
children; and once was so thoughtless as to say, in
a moment of earnest expression on some religious
theme, " Sister Hartman."
Sister Hartman! H-umph! she is getting past
herself." Thus the lady soliloquized, after the poor
sewing woman had withdrawn.  " I shall have her
calling, and leaving her card, as the next move.
She doesn't know her place, and never did. She's




236          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
quite too familiar. Her way of speaking to me on
Sundays, if we happen to meet in the vestibule, has
always annoyed me. I shall send her no more work."
And Mrs. Hartmran kept her word. Mrs. Royal
never called, however, to leave her card, as the
other had affected to apprehend. But if she happened to meet her anywhere, it was with the old
quiet, self-possessed exterior, that Mrs. Hartman's
pride of position felt almost as an insult.
It so happened, in the progress of benevolent
movements connected with the church, that the
formation of a home for orphan children was projected. The first suggestion came from Mrs. Hartman; and, in consequence, she not only felt a kind
of property in the scheme, but a certain right to
exercise a controlling influence.
As the plan proposed to include only the orphan
children of parents who had been members of the
church, Mrs. Royal felt deeply interested in the
subject; and as the meetings called for the consideration and adoption of measures for carrying
into effect what had been proposed, were open to
all the members, she attended them, and made herself clearly conversant with every plan and proposition in their minutest details.




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.           237
Things had progressed as far as the appointment
of lady managers, who had chosen IMIrs. Hartman
as President.  At the minister's suggestion-he
understood Mrs. Royal a, great deal better than did
Mrs. Hartman-the poor widow  was elected to
serve as a manager in the Board, much to the annoyance of the wealthy member, who really felt the
appointment as a kind of degradation to herself
and others; and, for a time, actually debated the
question whether she should not resign, and let
those who would work in that kind of humiliating
association.
At the first meeting of the Board of Managers,
Mrs. Hartman submitted, through a lady present,
who went with her in all things, a plan for organizing the Home. According to this plan, a house
was to be rented and placed in charge of a M1atron,
into whose care the children of the institution were
to be given. A Visiting Committee were to have
the supervision and direction of affairs at the Home.
Then followed a detailed plan of discipline and
management, in which the children were considered
with about as much human regard and motherly
tenderness, as if they had been mere animals, with
only animal needs. This plan looked well enough




238          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
on the surface, but the eyes of Mrs. Royal, made
clear by love for her own precious little ones, penetrated far below the surface. In imagination, she
saw them subjected to all the rigid requirements
set forth in the plan of organization, and her heart
sickened at the picture. She waited anxiously to
hear some modifications suggested; but only words
of approval were uttered.
"Perhaps,", she said, at length, speaking for the
first timeMrs. Hartman looked really surprised, and even
frowned.  It was presumption enough for Mrs.
Royal to take her place in the Board; but to venture her opinions there, was going a little beyond
decorum.
" Perhaps," suggested Mrs. Royal, " it may help
us in this matter, if we think of our own children,
and then seek to surround the motherless little ones,
our good will designs protecting from evil and sufferings, with some of the comforts and pleasures
that we could ask for them, if in like manner deprived of our love and care."
" Don't concern yourself on that head," said the
lady chairman, with cold dignity, and a look of
reproof.  "We are Christians, and expect to do




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.            239
right. Damask curtains, and velvet furniture, our
plan certainly does not embrace. But simple necessaries, and arrangements for health, will be
provided amply."
The contrast of spirit and personal bearing between the two women, was too marked not to make
its impression on the minds of the ladies present.
" These, of course, are not contemplated," calmly
replied Mrs. Royal.  " But, as I have intimated, it
will help us in the right establishment of this
Home for motherless children, if we feel as mothers
in all we do and provide. Now, you have heard
the plan of organization read, with all the details to
be carried out by the Matron in charge. It sounds
very well-is taking and specious.  But let us go
down to the particulars, and take down with us the
tender little ones we have, and ask ourselves, if we
could leave them in the iron boundaries of such
a discipline, without a shiver in every heart-string?
No, my sisters, we could not! All babes are alike
precious in the eyes of God. Yours, mine, and the
babes of the sad pauper who dies in the almshouse.
And they are alike tender, and would be as humanely cared for, if the hearts of Christian men
and women were filled with the divine love of Him




240          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
who said,' Suffer the little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of
heaven.' Let us not, then, bind ourselves, at this
early stage of proceedings, to any fixed discipline
for the Home we are about to establish; but, first,
select the right woman for Matron, if such a one
can be found, and leave a great many little things
to her loving heart, and wise perception. Pardon
me, sisters, for saying so much. But, my heart is
in this thing."
There was a quiver of feeling in the voice ot
Mrs. Royal, as she closed and sat down, that
touched more than one who had listened to her
earnest appeal.
" You have heard the plan of organization," said
Mrs. Hartman, with something of contempt in her
voice. " Shall the vote on it now be taken?"
She paused, and looked from face to face. A
feeble "Aye"-"Aye" —was heard from two voices.
Then all was still. Mrs. Royal's words had made
no light impression. A lady, whose social position
and influence in the church was in no respect inferior to that of Mrs. Hartman, now arose and said" Our good sister Royal has spoken well.  As
mothers, let us give a portion of true motherly love




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.           241
to the poor little ones we seek to benefit.  We
need not rob our own children in doing this; for
God will fill our hearts even fuller of love for them.
I agree with sister Royal, that much depends upon
the character of the Matron we select. She should,
herself, be a mother; a wise, loving, tender mother.
But, where are we to find such a one?"
The lady's eyes turned, by an almost involuntary
movement, towards Mrs. Royal; and others looked
in the same direction. There seemed to be a common perception in the minds of a number, that she
was just the woman for the place.
" Sister Royal has just said," continued the lady,' that her heart is in this thing. Why may not
her hands be engaged in it, also?"
She paused again. Mrs. Hartman's face flushed,
and she moved in her chair, uneasily. Her whole
manner repelled the idea. The way in which Mrs.
Royal received the suggestion, showed that a
thought of such a thing had never crossed her
mind. She was startled and embarrassed.
"What say you?" the lady addressed Mrs.
Royal.
"I can say nothing," was the poor woman's answer; " because, in the first place, I have not given'11




242          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVE'R.
the subject a thought; and, in the second place,
circumstances do not warrant its consideration now.
Neither you nor I would be in freedom. But, as
my name has, most unexpectedly, been used in
this connection, and as no further proceedings can
go on unembarrassed, while I remain, with permission of the President, I will retire."
Mrs. Hartman gave a stately assenting inclination of her head, and Mrs. Royal promptly withdrew.
" She is not the woman for that place, said Mrs.
Hartman, in a very decided manner.'" She shall never fill it with my consent," chimed
in the lady, who had offered the plan of organization.
" Nor with mine, either,' said' the one who had
suggested the name of Mrs. Royal, "if there is
anything in her character or disposition that would
unfit her for so important a position. We must
have the right person, and, in order to secure this,
must act without fear or favor."' My own view of the case," remarked another
of the Managers, "as far as I can see, Mrs. Royal
is just the woman we are in search of; though I
should not have thought of proposing her; nor am




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.            243
I at all certain that she will undertake so important a duty. My own impression is, that her health
is too feeble."
"It is just what she wants to give her renewed
health," said another.  "She is killing herself with
confinement over the needle. Take her out of
her  present life, and  give her one of more
scope, and increased activity of mind and body,
and, my word for it, you will add ten years to her
life. Leave her where she is, and in less than half
of that period, you will be called on to receive her
orphans into your I-Iome."
" Then have we not a double duty before us?"
queried the member who had brought the name of
Mrs. Royal before the meeting.    And, indeed, is
not Providence leading us into the right way. He
will so lead us, if we, in heart, desire to accomplish
the good thing now in our minds. Suppose, with
Mrs. Royal in view, we appoint a committee of
conference with our minister.  He knows her better, perhaps, than any one of us."'"Not better than I do," interrupted Mrs. Hartman.
"First, then," answered the lady to this, "let us
hear our President.  She is not in favor of Mrs.




244-        STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
Royal. Of course, she must know something, that,
in her mind, constitutes disqualification. She may
give information that will enable us to decide at once.
If Mrs. Royal is unfitted for the place of Matron,
I am the last one to advocate her appointment."
Thus appealed to, Mrs. Hartman could not hold
back. Yet, what had she to say?  What had she
to allege against Mrs. Royal?"  She searched
along memory's quickly-turned pages, but no pertinent facts were disclosed.
" She'll give you trouble, take my word for it,
if you make this appointment," said Mrs. Hartman,
with ill-concealed unkindness of feeling.
"I have known Ars. Royal for a good many
years," was the answer of a lady to this, " and I
have seen nothing in her, during all that time,
which has left an unfavorable impression. She is
a humble-minded Christian."
" Humble  minded!" echoed Mrs. Hartman.
"She is anything but that. Once she did sewing
for my family; but, her free, presuming way of
putting herself on an equality with me, was more
than I could stand. So I changed my seamstress.
IHumble-minded, indeed! She gave evidence of
that to-day, I think."




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.            245
" We are getting rather ahead of our work," suggested a member.  "The question really before us
is, a consideration of the plan for organizing the
Home. With permission, I would move the appointment of a committee of three to consider that
plan, and to confer, at the same time, with our
minister."
This motion was seconded, and carried without
debate.
"I now move,' said the lady, "that the subject of a Matron be referred to the same committee."
This was also seconded, and carried.
" How shall that committee be appointed 2" inquired Mrs. Hartman.
" I nominate Mrs. Wilkins," said a lady. Mrs.
Wilkins was the member who had suggested Mrs.
Royal as the right person for Matron.
"I nominate Mrs. tIartman," said another.
" Mrs. Armour," said a third.
No further nominations being made, a vote was
taken, and the ladies mentioned, elected to serve
on this important committee.
The first impulse of Mrs. Hartman was to decline
the appointment. But a feeling of opposition to




246          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVENX.
Mrs. Royal, and a wish to prevent her election to
the office of Matron evercame this impulse.
" She will never be the Matron of that HEome."
she said, resolutely, to herself, as she walked away
from the meeting, " I'll compass heaven and earth
to circumvent the scheme. Mrs. Royal!"
There was a feeling of bitter contempt in the
heart of the lady.
To set herself up to oppose and criticise my
plan of organizing the Home; and to intimate that
there was in it no Christian or motherly spirit!
IHumph! She expects her young hopefuls to be
sent there before long, and wants damask curtains and velvet furniture. She's got above herself."
In this spirit, Mrs. Hartman returned from  the
meeting called to organize one of the purest charities in which the heart can engage. On her way
home, it occurred to her that, as she had great influence with the minister, the first and best move
for her was to see him before any other member of
the Board of Managers, and get him committed to
her views. So she turned aside and called upon
the clergyman.
" Well," said she familiarly, and with some ear



SPIRITUAL PRIDE.             24:
nestness of manner, as soon as she was seated with
him, "we have had our meeting."
" For organizing the Children's IIome?"
" Yes."
"You are moving in the right direction.  God's
tenderest love is towards little children; and if we
care for them in the right spirit, God will care for
us. If even the giving of so small a thing as a cup
of cold water does not lose its reward, how much
of blessings may we not call down upon our souls
by enlarging our charites."
Mlrs. Hartman did not respond with warmth to
these sentiments. She felt a little embarrassed, for
the minister's words had sent a gleam of light into
certain corners of her mind where dusty cobwebs
hung.
" There has been a committee of comference appointed," she remarked.
Ah! Conference with whom 2"' With yourself."
G Indeed. On what subject."
" We wish to submit our plan of organization;
and also to consult you about a Matron, in whose
care the children may be placed."
" Important questions to consider," said the min



248          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
ister. Has any one been suggested as worthy to
occupy the post of Matron?"
"Some one named Mrs. Royal," replied the lady.
There were rejection and contempt in her manner.
" The very person I have had in my mind's eye
from  the beginning," said the minister.  " If sister
Royal will accept the place there is no need to
seek further."
" Oh, there's no fear as to that," answered Mrs.
Hartman, with  ill-suppressed  chagrin.  "She'll
jump at it."'Then you may consider yourselves, or rather
the motherless children who are to have care, protection, and love, as most fortunate.  Sister Royal
is a true Christian woman."
Mrs. Hartman's feelings were thrown into a state
of fresh disturbance.  "Is it possible," she said
within herself, A" that I am to be over-ridden and
circumvented in this matter!"
"Perhaps," she suggested, "I may have enjoyed
better opportunities for close observation than you
possess."
" Not at all improbable," returned the minister.
" And as it is plain that you do not favor the selection of Mrs. Royal, I hope you will speak out




SPIRITUAL PtRIDE.             249
freely, and state your objections in all candor. In
this matter, we are not to consult private feelings
or prejudices, but to look to the good of those little
ones intrustec to our care by God."
"In the first place," said Mrs. Hartmain, in reply,
"she is above herself.  She doesn't know how to
keep her place now; and therefore, it is plain, that
if elevated to so important a trust, she will be forever intruding her own opinions, and insisting on
her own views of things, and so give us endless
trouble.  Why, this very afternoon, the moment a
carefully-digested plan of organizing the Home was
offered for acceptance, she, and she only, made opposition."
" On what ground?" asked the minister.
4 Oh, I can hardly remember now.  Some absurd objection, I believe, about the way in which
the children were to be cared for.  She wanted
damask curtains, velvet furniture, and all that, for
them, if I understood the drift of her remarks.  It
was a mistake ever to have put her upon the Board
of Mlanagement; and we shall have trouble so long
as she is there. I, for one, dont intend bemeaning
myself in any controversies with her; and if she
holds her place in the Board, and is as forward as
11*




250           STEPS TOWARDS H EAVENo
she was to day at all of our meetings, I shall resign."
The minister's aspect became grave.  He looked
cown  deeper into  the  lady's  heart than  she
imagined, and saw  that pride was at work far
more actively than a spirit of unselfish benevolence."
" She shall never be the Matron, with my consent."  Mrs. Hartman drew up her head in proud
self-consciousness.' Nor with mine," answered the minister, "unless eminently qualified for the office."
" That she is not," was the lady's positive asseveration.
"I am afraid, sister Hartmran," said the minister, after  musing for a little while, "that you
have permitted some prejudice to creep into your
mind."
" Oh, no!"  Mrs. Hartman flushed a little, bridled a little, and looked a little dignified.
" Our hearts are very deceitful, sister," there
was a kind smile on the minister's face, and a tone
of interest in his voice-"' Deceitful' the Bible tells
us,'and desperately wicked.' We must watch,
therefore, lest its natural inclinations lead us astray.




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.             251
I have already seen, that you were annoyed at the
election of Mrs. Royal to a place in the management of this proposed Home; and I think, if I
may speak plainly to you on the subject, as is my
duty, that I have penetrated the reason thereof.
But before going a step further, let me ask, my
sister, whether you can bear the truth, if in that
truth should come to you an accusation of wrong,
both in feeling and conduct'"
" Oh, I am not perfect; I am only human," said
Mrs. Hartman, in reply, her manner becoming
much disturbed.
"God looks into our very thoughts; yea, and
below these, to the secert impulses of feeling that
quicken them into life," remarked the teacher, impressively.  " He knows us better than we know
ourselves.  Hie is not a respecter of persons, nor a
regarder of position or worldly influence. Hath he
not chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and
heirs of the kingdom? Are not all little children
precious in his sight?"
The minister paused, and the eyes of his listener
fell beneath his earnest look.
"Sister Hartman,") resumed the minister impressively,;" I fear that the earthly good things poured




252         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
so bountifully into your lap by a kind Providence,
have been regarded as evidences of superior goodness on your part; and that you have suffered that
dangerous enemy, spiritual pride, to creep in and
blind you to real good in others, who walk in humbler paths. I know Mrs. Royal well. For years I
have noted her incomings and her outgoings. I
have seen her in the midst of sore trials, and under
the pressure of heavy burdens.  Yet, was she always patient, kind, enduring and self-denying.
Steadily has she moved onwards, keeping the quiet
tenor of her way; faithful to all duties; eventempered; unobtrusive, yet never losing her womanly self-respect. In a word, Mrs. Hartman, her
life, as I have read it, and my opportunities have
been large, has been the life of a Christian. Can
more be asked?"
"I think," said Mrs. Hartman, not disposed to
let her minister have it all his own way, "' that for
a woman in her station, Mrs. Royal is entirely too
forward. She meets you, with the equal air of any
lady in the land. And yet she is only a sewing-woman. I quit giving her work, on this very account.
Her manner always annoyed me. Why, she would'sister Iartman' me, with the sewing in her hand!'




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.            253
" Is that so?" asked the minister, in a tone of
surprise.
" Indeed it is so!" replied Mrs. Ilartman, entirely mistaking the tenor of her minister's thoughts.
"And it was very annoying.  She did it once,
before a lady visitor, and I was mortified to death
about it. I made up my mind, then, that she and
I would have to walk by different ways through
the world; and it has been so ever since."
"There is only one safe way through the world,
Mrs. Itartman," said the minister, " and by that
way all must go who expect to gain heaven at the
journey's end. Sister Royal, I think, is in the
right way-the way of duty, self-denial,
and humility.  You, Ifear, have wandered a little."
"     M Ie!" Mrs. IHartman felt this to be almost an
outrage. Mrs. Royal on the road to heaven, and
she astray! Now, that was going too far.
"All souls, remember," said the minister, with
impressive force, " are equal in the sight of God,
who never regards the worldly position of any one.
The wife of Edward Hartman is no more in His
eyes, than the humble widow who makes her garments; nay, nor of so much value, if the humble
widow be richer than she in the possession of hea



254          STEPS TOWAlRDS HEAVEN.
velly graces.  To think thus, may hurt the low
false pride of our evil hearts; but, if we assume to
be Christian men and women, let us conform  our
lives to the pure doctrines of the Gospel.  If we do
not, our religion is vain, and we are deceiving ourselves."
Before M/rs. Ilartman retired from the minister's
she understood the true quality of her affections a
great deal better than when she called in order to
commit him, if possible, to her side of the Matron
question.  IHe had faithfully done his duty by her,
influential as she was in the church, and dangerous
as an opponent; and there was just good enough
left in her to react under the probe of his sharply
cutting words. IHe called upon her, early the next
morning, in some concern of mind for the result of
his plain speaking.  Mrs. Hartman was sober and
reserved, but not repellent; and there was about
her something of the air of one who had suffered
humiliation of spirit.
At the next meeting of the Board of Managers,
the minister was present by invitation.  Mrs.
Royal did not attend. When the name of the poor
sewing-woman was introduced in connection with
the office of Matron for the Orphans' Home, only




SPIRITUAL PRIDE.             255
a feeble opposition was made on the part of one lady.
In contrast to this, was testimony in her favor of
the strongest character-so strong, that MVrs. HIartman felt rebukec by its accumulation in the face
of her previous opposition.  When the vote was
taken on a motion to fill the office of Matron, not a
single " nay " was heard.
The result proved the wisdom  of this choice.
The Home was at once organized, and Mrs. Royal
placed in charge of the motherless little ones who
were gathered within its sheltering walls. But, it
took [Mrs. Hartman a long time to get wholly reconciled. She still held her place as President of
the Board, and was on the Visiting Committee;
and tried to feel kindly towards Mrs. Royal, as was
her duty as a Christian woman.  But she was annoyed when the Matron assumed to differ with her
in anything pertaining to the children-the more
so, as it almost always happened that the other
ladies of the committee  saw  things with  the
Matron's eyes rather than with hers.  There was a
social gulf between them, which Mrs. Hartmnan
would not have passed, and every seeming attermpt
on the part of Mirs. Royal to bridge it over, was
felt as a presumption that must be repelled.




256          STEPS TOWARDS HIEAVEN.
But, self-discipline was going on. Mrs. Hartman
had some earnestness of purpose, and some yearnings after a Christian life. The discipline of time
and circumstances was doing its work, and the
Divine Providence, which is intimate with every
one from the cradle to the grave, so reacting upon
her, at every step of her way, that, through pain of
mind and pain of body, she was becoming purified
and meet for the kingdom.
Ah! how full of Mrs. Iartmans are all of our
churches; and how severe must b.e the humiliating
discipline that is to make them lowly in mind as
true disciples! It is hard, very hard, for human
pride to bend its neck for the Gospel yoke.  Hard
for the lofty to sit down, side by side with the
humble follower of the meek and lowly Saviour.
And yet, to be greatest of all is to be servant of all.
Alas! with what darkness of interior vision do we
read the doctrines of Life!




AUNTY JONES, THE PEACE MAKER.    257
XXIII.
AUNTY JONES, TIHE PEACEMAKER.
AUNTY JONES-she was called "Aunty" by half
the village, old and young, though she claimed
with no individual in Bloomingdale a blood relationship.-Aunty Jones was sitting by the window
of her neat little cottage home, when a neighbor
entered through the white-washed gate, and came
with a quick step along the flower-bordered walk
that led up to the door.
"Good afternoon, Aunty," said she, entering
without ceremony.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Blake! How are all at
home?"
"W ell, thank you. How are you to-day?"
"As well as usual, dear; take a chair."
Mrs. Blake sat down. She was a young woman
with rather a smart air, and free manners. Her
eyes were black, and had a good deal of latent fire




258          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
in them.  After a few remarks, she said, with considerable animation:
"There's trouble between Mrs. Fry and Mrs.
Lingen."
" Indeed! I'm sorry for that," said Aunty Jones,
a shade of regret passing over her countenance.
" What's the matter?"' MIrs. Fry is greatly to blame," said Mrs. Blake,
" and I don't wonder that Mrs. Lingen is angry. I
should be if I were in her place."' What has happened  to interrupt the good
understanding that has always existed between
them? They've been fast friends for years."
"I know  they have," answered  Mrs. Blake.
" But after what Mrs. Fry has done, it is impossible
for them to be firiends any longer."
"VWhat has she done?"  Aunty Blake looked
seriously troubled.
" I'll tell you," said Mrs. Blake, speaking in her
animated way, and entering with much feeling
into the relation: " Willy Lingen was over at Mrs.
Fry's this morning, playing with her children.
The little folks had a falling out about something,
as children will fall out, you know, and from
angry words came to blows.  Hearing the noise




AUNTY JONES) THE PEACEMAKER.        259
and outcry that followed, Mrs. Fry ran out the
garden, and, in a fit of passion, seized Willy Lingen
by the hair, and boxed his ears like a fury. I-e,
poor child, as it happened, had been sick all last
night with the ear-acle, and the side of his face
and head were tender as a boil, and badly swollen.
He was, in consequence, hurt terribly. Of course,
he came home and told his mother, and, of course,
she was outraged, as any mother would be. She
didn't stop a moment for reflection, but went, in
hot haste, over to Mrs. Fry's, and gave her a piece
of her mind in about the plainest kind of terms."
"' Bad-bad  very bad,' said Aunty Jones, shaking her head.
I've just come from Mrs. Lingen's," continued
Mrs. Blake; " and, I cal tell you, she's as sharp as
an awl about it-and a little sharper. Poor Willy
shows signs of his hard treatment. Dear little
fellow! It made my blood boil when his mother
told me of the cruel way in which he had been
served. Some of the neighbors blame her for what
she said to Mrs. Fry, but I don't. I would have
said as much, and, maybe, twice as much more, if
I had been in her place. Beat a neighbor's child
about the head, and pull its hair, when her own




260         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
brats, in all probability, were most to blame! According to Willy's story, he was only defending
himself when she came at him like a tiger."
After Mrs. Blake had fully informed Aunty
Jones as to this new cause of excitement in the village, she bade her a good afternoon, and went on
her gossiping round of visits. Not long after her
departure, Aunty Jones had another call. It was
friom a neighbor in the opposite interest-a friend
to Mrs. Fry, whose house she had left a little while
before. I-Ier version of the affair differed considerably from that given by Mrs. Blake, with the exception of the part about Mrs. Lingen's indignation
visit to the house of Mrs. Fry-which was given
with some added incidents and a higher coloring.
"  Mrs. Fry did just as I would have done, had I
been in her place," said she, warmly. " The children were playing together, when Mrs. Fry heard
her little Katy scream out suddenly; running into
the garden, she saw Willy Lingen with her finger
in his mouth. HIe got angry with her about something, and snapped at her finger like a dog! Mrs.
Fry caught hold of him, and ordered him to let go
instantly. But the young savage held on, and she
did just as I or you would have done, boxed his




AUNTY JONES, THE PEACEMAKER.      281
ears until he was glad to let go; when he ran off
home, bellowing like a calf, and told his mother
some lie about it."
" Bad-bad-very bad!" Annty Jones shook her
head as before, and looked quite sorrowful about
the matter.
"Of course," said the neighbor, " they will be
bitter enemies till they die. Quarrels about children are generally of the worst kind."
"I hope not," said Aunty Jones. "We must
forgive, if we would be forgiven."
"They'll never forgive each other. How can
they?" remarked the neighbor.' If you'd heard
the way in which Mrs. Liungen talked to Mrs. Fry,
you'd see that it was impossible. Mrs. Lingen is
not the woman to make apologies; and it would
take a book-full to satisfy the lady she was pleased
to outrage by all sorts of disgraceful epithets;
even going so far as to throw up things that happened long before Mrs. Fry was married."
"I'm very sorry."  Aunty Jones had no words
to utter but words of regret.
" Do you blame Mrs. Fry for being outraged?"
The neighbor tried to get Aunty Jones committed
to her side of the question.




262          STEPS TOWARDS IEAVEN.
"In all quarrels among neighbors, there is usually
faults on both sides."  This was as far as she would
go.
" I can't see what fault there was on the side of
Mrs. Fry," was answered with considerable warmth.
"Suppose it had been your child instead of Mrs.
Fry's, wouldn't you have boxed the ears of the
young savage who was biting her finger, to compel
him to let go? iMy word for it, you would, Aunty
Jones; you are not a stock or a stone."
But Aunty Jones admitted no imaginary action
of her own, by way of justification in the case of
Mirs. Fry. She had only regrets to utter. Before
night, several neighbors called in to talk the matter over with Aunty Jones, each one having a
slightly different version of the affair, and each
being warmly committed to one side or the other.
Mrs. Frick always knew that Willy Lingen was
one of the worst children in Bloomingdale, and as
for his mother, it was only necessary to look into
her face to see that she was a Tartar. For her
part, she fully justified Mrs. Fry, and had told her
so. Mrs. Camp had seen Mrs. Lingen, and examined poor, dear Willy's head. None but a savage,
in her opinion, could have so cruelly maltreated a




AUNTY JONES, THE PEACEMAKEE.       263
child. It was well known that Mrs. Fry was a woman of most ungovernable temper, and beat her
own children awfully. Indeed, she had heard it
whispered-and she repeated the rumor in a confidential whisper-that she had even struck her
husband in a fit of passion.
Aunty Jones was grieved to the heart. To all
of this she answered but little, except to suggest
that there must be exaggeration on both sides, and
that if the exact truth could be brought to the
light, it would, in all probability, be found, that
both of the exasperated mothers had been excited
into a blind passion by falsehood, over-acting, or
misrepresentation on the part of the children. The
two neighbors, so suddenly set at variance, were,
both of them, her warm friends, and had been on
terms of close intimacy with each other for years.
Both were, in the main, kind-hearted and rightminded women; and both of them, Aunty Jones
believed, would soon be sorry for what they had
done, and ashamed of having taken counsel of pas.
sion. She was the peacemaker of Bloomingdale;
and even in this bad-looking case, was soon pondering the question of reconciliation.
On the next morning, Aunty Jones went over




264          STES TOW',ARDS [I:AVJN.
early to see Mrs. Lingen.  She had thought it best
to give her the benefit of a night's sleep on the
matter. She found her strongly exasperated against
Mrs. Fry. Willy's inflamed ear was shown in
triumphant vindication of her right to be angry.
Aunty Jones examined the ear, but could not find
any very decided marks of inflammation. There
was, just within the opening, a little deeper tinge,
and on the back of the ear, close to the head, a
spot of darker hue, that, if she saw right, came
from a little cluster of pimples. Willy had all the
appearance of a suffering martyr, as Mrs. Lingen
exhibited him in evidence of the wrong done to her
mother's heart, and in justification of her indignant
assault upon Mrs. Fry.
"Willy," said Aunty Jones, as he stood before
her, with one of his little hands held in one of hers,
and her kind, yet earnest eyes, looking right into
his-" Willy, what was Katy Fry doing to you,
when you got her finger into your mouth a"
Mrs. Lingen gave a start at this question, and
Willy's face crimsoned.  A  glance from  Aunty
Jones kept the mother silent.
"You didn't bite Katy's finger hard, I hope,
Willy?"




AUNTY JONES, THE PEACEMAKER.      265
" No ma'am!"  Willy's face was redder still, as
he made this admission.
"What made you bite her finger, Willy'" —
Aunty Jones spoke so very kindly, and yet so
earnestly, keeping the child's eyes fixed in hers all
the time that no chance was left for anything but
truthful answers.
" Because she was trying to take my apple from
me, and wouldn't let go. But I didn't bite it hard,
Aunty Jones; and Mrs. Fry had no business to
box me on my sore ear as she did."  Willy closed
this defence by bursting into tears.
Enough, however, had been elicited to place the
whole matter in an entirely new light before his
mother's eyes. She told the weeping child to leave
the room, and, as soon as he had done so, said to
her visitor:
" This is all new to me, Aunty Jones. It is the
first intimation I have had of any finger-biting in
the case."
"I am told," replied Aunty Jones, " that Willy
bit Katy's finger very badly; and that Mrs. Fry
had to box his ears several times, very severely
before he would let go. If this is the case-and
Willy admits that he did bite the finger-can you
12




266         STEPS TOWARDS HAVENI
greatly wonder at Mrs. Fry? Reverse the case.
Think how you would act, if you were to find a
neighbor's child biting Willy's finger, and your
child screaming in pain.  Would you stay your
hand an instant?"
The countenance of Mrs. Lingen fell.  All indignation died out of her heart. She stood rebuked
in the presence of Aunty Jones, like one convicted
of a great wrong.
"Would you, Mrs. Lingen?" Aunty Jones pressed
her last query.
" No, not for an instant!" was the firm reply.
A broad smile lit up the fine face of Aunty Jones,
as she reached out her hand, and said:
"There spoke out the true woman! I knew
your heart was in the right place. And I have
not lost faith in Mrs. Fry. Neither of you is capable of wantonly hurting a child-neither of wantonly outraging the other. There does not exist
the slightest reason why you should not be friends
as of old."
"Oh yes, there does," was firmly answered.
"What reason?)
"I don't believe she will ever forgive me for
what I said to her, yesterday, in the heat of passion."




AUNTY JONES, THE PEACEMAKER.      26T
" Yes, she will. Leave that to me. When she
understands how the matter was presented to your
mind, she will not wonder that you were provoked;
and the slightest apology on your part, will make
all right again."' I can't believe it," said Mrs. Lingen.
"I am sure of it" replied Aunty Jones, confidently.
And, in less than an hour she had the two old
friends face to face again, bathed in tears of reconciliation.
Blessings on Aunty Jones! She was the peacemaker of Bloomingdale. Neighbors would fall out,
and busy-bodies would make wider every breach;
but Aunty Jones was always true to her missionalways on hand to throw oil upon the troubled
waves of passion. She knew that there was honor,
and truth, and right purposes in every heart, as
well as selfishness and blind passion; and her
hands never rested when she saw the latter obscuring the former, until the dimming veil was rent
asunder.
Would that every village and neighborhood had
its Aunty Jones.




268          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXIV.
WHICH SHALL SERVE?
THERE is natural life, into which we are born
nalturally; and there is spiritual life, which has its
beginning in the new birth of divine affections;
and the problem of religion is, Which shall serve?
Both cannot rule in the mind: one must be servant to the other. The natural mind must give up
its evil inclinations, in obedience to the higher laws
of spiritual life; or the spiritual must yield to the
natural, and become its slave; and then the man's
last state is worse than the first.
So the teacher taught; and with the sentiment
clearly discriminated in his mind, Mr. Loring took
his way homeward from  church, pondering the
lesson he had heard. It did not pass from his
thoughts, like a vision of the night.  He turned it
over and over, and viewed it from all sides; and the
longer he dwelt upon it, the more palpable it became.




WHICH SHALL SERVE?             269
" So here is the sum and substance of religion,
expressed in a formula," he said, as he talked with
himself.  " The question is, Which shall rule, and
which obey? All is resolved iito the simplest elements. What remains beyond is to discriminate
between the natural and the spiritual; and on this
point the preacher's instruction was clear.'The
natural man' said he,'is selfish, proud, cruel, and
revengeful; but the spiritual man is a lover of his
neighbor, whose good he seeks; is humble, forgiving, just, and self-denying.  There is not much
danger of a mistake here. There is little room left
for any confounding of ideas. The antithesis is
complete."
Mr. Loring was a man just beginning to be in earnest on the subject of religion. He went to church,
and read his Bible and religious books, because
he wished to know the laws of spiritual life. He
read a great deal that was mere generalization, and
listened to a great deal of abstract discussion of
theological questions; but these did not help him.
He wanted the thing narrowed down to a simple
formula, suited to all conditions of life, and ready
for use at any and all times; and he had it now, in
the proposition-Which shall serve?




270          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
On Mionday morning, Mr. Loring went to his
store, and began the business duties of another
week.  He was a man of clear thought, active
will, and enduring purpose. Whatever he put his
hand to had to move. He generally saw right to
the completion of a thing, and worked towards that
completion by the quickest means and the readiest
way. It was this element in his character that
would not let him  be satisfied with any vague,
dark things in religion.  He wanted no "mysteries," but a light set on a bushel, or a city on a
hill.
Among the business letters received on that day
was one from a southern customer, ordering several
bales of a certain kind of goods, if to be had at quotations of a specified date, the latest at which he
had received the prices current at New  York.
Now, the market was unchanged; but Mr. Loring
knew certain holders of the goods who had recently
suffered a heavy loss, and were not, therefore, in
any condition to carry stock.
I'll make something handsome out of this
order,' said lMr. Loring to himself, in an animated
way. " It comes in the nick of time. Austin &
Ledon are in a corner, and to make a sale of this




WHICH SHALL SERVE?             271
extent, will come down through quite a range of
figures."
So, after transacting some preliminary business,
MIr. Loring, quite elated in mind at the prospect of
so profitable an operation, left his place of business,
and went to the store of Austin & Ledon. In
rather an indifferent way-the manner assumed,
of course-he asked the price of the article he had
come prepared to buy.
" How muchido you want?" inquired Mlr. Ledon,
the younger partner of the firm.
"That will depend something upon the price,"
answered Mr. Loring, with evasion.
"There has been no change in quotations for
some weeks, and the stock in first hands is not
large.r' Are there not several heavy shipments on the
way?"  Queried Mr. Loring.
A shadow glided across the face of Mr. Ledon.
iMr. Loring saw it, and with a feeling of satisfaction.
I have not heard of them," replied Mr. Ledon.
"I think, on inquiry, that you will find my intimations correct. I was at Baker & Brothers yesterday, and noticed a pile of invoices on their desk.




272         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
The steamer's letters had just arrived; and you
know  that they are extensive operators in the
article."
" Yes; I know." There was a shade of despondency in the tones of Mr. Ledon.
"I will take twenty bales, if I can get them
right," said the bargaining purchaser.
" You shall have them right," was the emphatic
answer.  "Let me say a word to Mr. Austin."
After a brief consultation with his partner, Mr.
Ledon returned to Mr. Loring, and named a price
which was at least five per cent. below the regular
quotations.
But Mr. Loring looked grave, and shook his head.
And now, the senior partner, anxious to make so important a sale, came out from the counting-room."
"  Not temptation enough," said Mr. Loring, addressing himself to Mr. Austin.
"The price we have quoted is only a fraction
above cost," replied the merchant. " Indeed, when
interest and storage are added, the margin left to us
will be scarcely discernible."
Now, Mr. Loring had fixed in his mind a reduction of ten per cent. below quotations. This would
give him a clear gain of a hundred and fifty dol




WHaICH SHALL SERVE?             273
lars besides conmmissions.  Already, in fancy, he
had added that sum to the day's earnings; and to
abate a single dime thereof seemed like an actual
loss.
" I think I had better hold on a few days," said
he, indifferently.  "The present rates cannot be
sustained. I have no doubt, but that Barker &
Brothers have large invoices on the way.  It will
be safer for me to see them first, at any rate."
The partners glanced at each other, uneasily,
then drew aside and talked together in a low tone.
Mr. Loring heard the words"We cannot afford to lose this sale"-' Needs.
are too pressing " —  Shall sustain a loss, if we
recede farther "-" Mustn't let him  go  to Barker's."
" The fact is, Mr. Loring," said Mr. Austin, the
senior partner, speaking in a sober, yet frank way
-" Our recent heavy loss has rather tied up our
hands, and cut off our resources. But for this, we
would not have named anything below  market
rates. You want twenty bales?"
" Yes, I would take twenty, if the price suited."
Mr. Austin stood in thought for a few minutes,
and then gave a price that exactly suited the views
12*




274          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
of Mr. Loring, who ordered the goods sent to his
store.
" That will do for one transaction," said the
shrewd merchant, as he walked back to his place
of business.  "I can afford to sit with idle hands
for the rest of the day."
After the pleasurable excitement occasioned by
this piece of bargain-making had subsided, Mr.
Loring was conscious of an uncomfortable pressure
on his feelings. He -was not altogether at ease in
his mind. Something had jarred the machinery ot
his life. What could it be?-from whence was the
element of disturbance   What was its nature?
Mr. Loring turned back his thoughts upon the
morning's incidents; but failed to discover the
cause.
In the course of the day, the goods bought from
Austin & Ledon were sent in, and the invoice
laid on the desk of Mr. Loring. As his eyes rested
on the footing up, and he made a hurried calculation of his profit in the transaction, he felt a
renewed glow  of pleasure; but this soon went
down again, and the uncomfortable feeling returned. The pressure still remained at the close
of business hours, and he took it home with him.




WHICH SHALL S ERVE?             2T5
"What is the meaning of this?'" he said within
himself, as he sat alone, after tea, in anything but
a pleasant frame of mind.  " I have no cause to
complain of the day's business.  My profit has
largely exceeded that of any other this season."
Then, as he sat musing, his thoughts returned to
the subject which had so much interested him on
the day before, and the query,  "Which- shall
serve 2" again arrested his attention.
"Ah! That is the touch-stone," he said. "Let
me examine my day's work, and see how it will
bear the test."
Of course, the leading transaction came up first.
" Which served here, the spiritual or the natural?" He asked the question with some firmness.
But, there was, for a little while, a bewilderment.
He could not see clearly.  All the elements of his
mind were thrown into temporary confusion.
" There is a divine standard," he said, resolutely
to himself, at last, " and the quality of all actions
must be determined by this.'As ye would that
men should do unto you, do ye even so to them.'
Did I observe this Golden Rule in that transaction?
Let me reverse the positions of all parties. Ah,
no! I see it clearly now. I would not have thought




276          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
it right in Austin & Ledon to take from  me the
fair profit on my goods, because a necessity, which
I could not shun, placed me in their hands. And
now, the question comes up again, " Which served
here, the spiritual or the natural "
Mr. Loring bowed his head and sat musing on
the proposition. " The natural man," so his thought
run, "is selfish, proud, and cruel; the spiritual
man a lover of the neighbor, just and self-denying."
The difference was very clearly marked. There
could be no danger of error.
" Which served?" Mr. Loring was in so earnest
a frame of mind, that he spoke aloud. There was
a pause.  Specious reasonings began to intrude
themselves, and self-interest to lift a blinding veil.
In the strife that now began, Mr. Loring started to
his feet, and commenced pacing the floor.
" You cannot bring this law down into ordinary
business transactions.  It would be suicidal," said
self-interest. " There must be a great change in the
world, before a man is able to live up to the Gospel
standard in trade."
But enlightened reason saw the fallacy of this, as
applied to the case on hand, and answered it by
the question



WHICH SHALL SERVE?              277
"Did I act upon the' let live,' as well as the'live' principle, in the present case?  No; I did
not!" was the emphatic response; "but instead,
coveted my neighbor's goods, and used deceiving
arts, in order to obtain them! I was not content
to make a fair profit, in an honorable transaction;
but, discovering my neighbor's necessities, took
advantage of them, to secure for myself what of
right was his.  Which served in this case?"
Mr. Loring paused, and stood still; then resolutely answered to himself.
"The spiritual served!  The higher principle
stooped down and degraded itself, as a servant to
the lower.  Neighborly love became passive, that
self-love might rule.  Good gave place to evil!"
" This will not do," he resumed, after standing
silent for some moments.  "If I wish to turn my
steps' heavenward, I must seek another way; for
all progress in this direction must be downwards
instead of upwards.  The order of life must be reversed. Natural, selfish affections must be servant
to spiritual and divine affections. Religion is life,
and life is action; a religious life must, therefore,
be a good life."
But natural affections were not thus to be over



2 8          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
come by a single effort. The life of self-love is
strong in the heart of every man; for it has been
stimulated, from childhood up, with an abundance
of the most nIutritious food. The forces of evil
rallied again; and, for a time, Mr. Loring's clear
perceptions were dimmed, and he felt weak in the
hands of the enemies of his spul. Then, in conscious weakness and fear, he looked upwards and
prayed for wisdom  and strength-for clear sight
and unflinching purpose.
" I have done evil," he said now to himself, "and
have sinned against God; but I repent."'"Then do the works meet for repentance." The
injunction was in his own thought, and he answered
" I will!"
When Mr. Loring became really in earnest in a
matter, he was no half-way man. From this point
he refused to listen to the pleadings and demands
of natural principles, and steadily maintained a
better resolution. On the next day he drew up the
notes to be given for the goods purchased of Austin
& Ledon, and made them for an amount equal to
the price of the goods at current quotations.
6 You have made an error," said Mr. Austin, as
he looked at the face of the notes.




WHICH SHALL SERIVE?            2T79
I am aware of that," replied Mr. Loring, " and
simply correct it now. I have ascertained that
Barker & Brother have no shipments on the way,
as I intimated yesterday. Tie goods will not, I presume, recede, but rather advance in the next sixty
days. So I consider it only fair to let you make
your profit, and I will be content with mine."
"You are a strange man,' said MVr. Austin, taken
altogether by surprise.
" How so?" was the quiet interrogation.
" It is now thirty years since I began business in
this city," replied Austin, " and this is the first instance within my knowledge of a merchant's receding, to his own disadvantage, from a good bargain."
"Am I wrong 2' inquired Mr. Loring.
" You are just," said the other.
"Then I am right; for if this be just, the opposite would be unjust."
"I am not sure, however," said Mr. Austin, "that
we can accept your generous concession.  We sold
the goods at a price agreed upon, and we preferred
selling to keeping them  in store.  It was a fair
business transaction."
"You cannot hold me to an unjust thing," replied Mr. Loring. " According to your own view




280          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
of the case, my offer to pay the regular market
price you considered an act of justice. To settle,
according to the original agreement, would, therefore, involve injustice on my part, and leave my
conscience troubled."
" Have it your own way; have it your own way,
Mr. Loring!'" Austin replied, with some feeling.
" This is, indeed, a new thing under the sun. The
millennium is at hand!" -
Mr. Loring smiled, and said" Is it so strange a thing, then, for men to be
simply just in business?"
" It is, in my experience," replied Mr. Austin.
"Every man goes in for himself; and in going in
for himself, ignores the interest of his neighbor.
Get what you can, through any modes of sharp
bargaining not hindered by law, and keep all you
get. This is the mercantile creed of to-day. And
I do not afirm that I have acted, in all of my dealings, very far away from this creed. But, Mr.
Loring, your conduct a little staggers my faith in
myself. It is just, I see; but I am not sure that I
could have done so nobly. I honor you as a Christian merchat, and wish fromn my heart that the
world were full of such."




WHICH SHALL SERVE?              281
And he caught the hand of Mr. Loring in his
enthusiasm, and clasped it with a firm pressure.
"We call ourselves Christian men," said Mir.
Loring; "but can we be Christian men if we are not
Christian merchants? Is any man entitled to the
name who narrows down his purposes to the little
item of self, as if he were of most importance in the
world?  I think not. There must be just action
towards others, or there can be no Christianity in
the heart."
"The doctrine is clear," replied Mr. Austin;
and I thank you for both the true precept and
the good action. I think the profit will be mine as
well as yours."
After that Mr. Loring walked in a broader light,
and with a firmer step. The way before him was
plainer.  He saw, clearly discriminated, the difference between natural and spiritual principles; and
elected, that in his mind the spiritual should not
serve, but rule; and it was so.




282          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXV.
MR. BROWNLEE'S VISITOR.
MR. BROWNLEE felt comfortable. It was evening,
and late in December. Outside, the wind had a
cold, sharp whistle, and the snow, with which it
was laden, had been weaving, since early morning,
a shroud for the waning year. Within, the grate
glowed, the gas burned brilliantly, wife smiled, and
children played in happy unconsciousness of cold,
or want, or suffering.
Mr. Brownlee was in his pleasant sitting-room,
the walls of which were hung with pictures, the
windows draped with curtains, and the floor carpeted with yielding Brussels. He sat by a centre
table, on which were new books and the latest
numbers of the best monthlies.
Now, all this was calculated to make a man feel
comfortable; and Mr. Brownlee was entitled to
what he enjoyed; for he was an honorable, intel



MR. BROWNLEE'  VISITOR.         283
ligent, active, and successful merchant, a good citizen, a loving husband, and a wise and tender parent.' Wasn't that our bell "  Mr. Brownlee asked,
looking up from the page of a book.
"I think so," answered Mrs. Brownlee, and both
listened as the waiter moved along the passage. A
man's voice was heard.
6 I shouldn't wonder,' said Mr. Brownlee, "if
that were Mr. Lewis."  There was a shade of dissatisfaction in his tones.
"Mr. Lewis," said the waiter, entering the sitting-room a few moments afterwards.
" Ask him to walk up stairs."
The waiter retired.  Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee
looked at each other; but as their children were
present, neither made any remark. But it was understood between them that the visit of Mr. Lewis
was mutually regarded as something bordering on
an intrusion. They were feeling very comfortable,
as we have seen, shut in from the chilling wintry
blasts, and with the most agreeable surroundings;
and the presence of any stranger, just at that time,
could scarcely help being unwelcome.
" Good evening, Mr. Lewis."  Mr. Brownlee's
voice was kind, if not cordial.




284         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
A man plainly, we might say coarsely, dressed
entered the room. His manners were far from
being polished; though his rather pale, care-worn
face had in it many indications of a natural refinement.
"' Good evening," he responded, giving an awkward nod. " Good evening, ma'am," was added,
with a nod, in turn, to Mrs. Brownlee. And then
he came forwards and took the chair that was
offered him, and drawing up to the grate, warmed
himself.
" Heavy storm this," remarked Mr. Brownlee.
"Yes. The snow lies over a foot deep. But
you are very comfortable here."  And Mr. Lewis
glanced around the pleasant room.
" How is your wife to day?" inquired Mrs.
Brownlee.
"' Something better, thank you, ma'am. I hav'n't
been able to see her; but the nurse told me that
she slept last night, and has less fever to-day. I
feel very much encouraged.  Oh, dear! If she
only gets over it, I shall be so rejoiced!"
" How many children have you?"
" Four, ma'am; and the youngest is just about
as old as that dear little girl now in your lap. Oh,




MR. BROWNLEES   VISITOR.          285
dear! It was hard for her to be separated from
her mother, but harder for the mother.  I'm so in
hopes she'll get safely over it soon. I talked with
the doctor to-day; and he says that he's no doubt
all will come out right."
" I hope so, indeed," said Mrs. Brownlee, kindly.
" Iow pleasant it is here!" and Mr. Lewis looked
all around the room again. A6 And you are so happy in having all your children around you! IHome
is a blessed place-blessed, even though homely.
Mine wasn't like this; but it was a happy home for
all that."
"Where are your children now?"
" Scattered all around  among relations-poor
things! Since my wife's sickness, it's taken all I had
saved, and all I could earn, to get her doctored. Oh,
if they should cure her now, I shall be so happy!"
" We will hope for the best," said Mr. Brownlee.
"'I always do that; but it has been hoping
against hope for the last eight or nine months.
The darkest hour, they tell us, is just before daybreak.  So I comfort myself with thinking the
morning is very near."
Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee were touched with the
earnestness and simple pathos of their visitor, a




286         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
poor man from the country, who had brought his
wife to one of the city hospitals to be cured, if
possible, of a disease that for a time threatened her
life. M[r. Brownlee had met him by accident, and
from kindness of heart invited him to his house.
Mr. Lewis had taken advantage of this invitation
to drop in two or three times a week and enjoy the
home comforts and the books and periodicals he
found in Mlr. Brownlee's pleasant sitting-room. Hie
was not always an entirely welcome guest; and
yet he was so simple-minded, so interested with the
children, and manifested so much enjoyment in the
books and magazines he found upon the centre
table, that neither Mr. Brownlee nor his wife could
feel anything but kindness towards their unsophisticated intruder.
On the present occasion, Mr. Lewis, after warmilg himself by the grate, talking for a time in his
own peculiar way, and amusing himself with the
children, took up a book, and was soon buried in
its pages. Time went gliding by on swift wings,
and Mr. Lewis took no notice of his flight. Nine
o'clock came, and the last child was put to bed,
but he went on turning the pages of the book in
which he had become interested, wholly uncon



MR. BROWNLEE S VISITOR.        287
scions that the long evening had waned so far.
Half-past nine found him still buried in its pages.
Mr. Brownlee, who had for a time felt pleasure
in the poor man's enjoyment of his comfortable
surroundings, now began wishing him away.
"I like to be hospitable," he said to himself,
"but this is carrying the joke a little too far."
Ten o'clock was rung out at last by the handsome French clock on the mantel-piece, but Mir.
Lewis did not heed the warning.
" This is a very interesting book," he said, about
five minutes afterwards, looking at Mr. Brownlee,
his mild face beaming with true enjoyment. " How
pleasant it is here!" he added; and then his eyes
went back to the page from which he had lifted
them.
Mr. Brownlee's heart softened towards the poor
fman, and yet he could not overcome a feeling of
annoyance at his prolonged stay. He looked at
his wife, and his wife looked at him-then they
glanced mutually and meaningly at Mr. Lewis.
Mrs. Brownlee yawned, and Mr. Brownlee yawned,
rather loudly, in concert; but their guest was
wholly oblivious. The fascination of the page was
complete. Next, Mr. Brownlee got up, and com



288          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
menced pacing the floor; he was too fidgety to
sit still. He looked at the clock, the minute-hand
of which was now almost at thirty, looked at Mr.
Lewis, looked at his wife, knit his brows, and then
walked on more rapidly than before. At last impatience spoke out.
"Mr. Lewis," said he, "do you know how late
it is2"  Now, Mr. Brownlee tried to say this with
some gentleness; but his real feelings came more
fully into his voice than he was aware.  It was
plain, from the shadow that came instantly ovei
the face of Mr. Lewis, as he closed the book, and
let it fall upon the table, that he felt rebuked.
His eyes glanced from  the countenance of Mr.
Brownlee to the clock on the mantel.
" IHalf-past ten!" he said, in surprise.  "I didn't
dream of its being so late. Time passes much
quicker here, I think, than it does in some other
places. Good evening, sir! Good evening, ma'am!
I shall remember your kindness as long as I live.
I should not have staid so late; but a book and
this pleasant room made me forget myself. At the
cheap tavern where I am staying, there is no place
to sit down in but the bar; and I don't like drinking, smoking, and swearing.  I walk the streets




MB. BROWNLEE S VISITOR.        289
half of the evening, sometimes; but to-night it was
too stormy. Good evening, sir. Good evening,
ma am.
And Mr. Lewis turned away, and went forth
into the blinding storm, to walk nearly half a mile
before gaining his dreary lodging-place.
" Poor man!" there was pity in the voice of Mrs.
Brownlee.
"And yet," said Mr. Brownlee, speaking in
answer to the words of Mr. Lewis, rather than to
those of his wife, " I gave him grudgingly of my
home-comforts, and suffered a weak, selfish annoyance, while he was drinking in pleasure at every
source!  What a storm  it is!"  Mr. Brownlee
glanced towards the window, against which had
come the snow-laden blast with a heavier rush.
" And I have sent this poor man forth to meet its
wintry chill, with a pressure on his feelings. A little more Christian patience, a little more consideration, a little more unselfish pleasure in sharing my
good gifts with him, would have made his spirit
lighter, and mine also. Kindness, humanity, regard
for others, ever bear a double blessing; the want of
them  as surely lays upon our hearts a double
burden. I was never more conscious of this than
13




290          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
now. I will try not to forget the lesson.  The
lighting of another's candle at ours should never
dim  its radiance, as it has dimmed mine tonight."




TEE SHADVOWS WE CAST.          291
XXVI.
THE SHADOWS WE CAST.
A CHILD was playing with some building blocks;
and, as the mimic castle rose before his eyes in
graceful proportions, a new pleasure swelled in his
heart.  He felt himself to be the creator of a
" thing of beauty," and was conscious of a newborn power. Arch, wall, buttress, gateway, drawbridge, lofty tower, and battlement were all the
work of his hands. He was in wonder at his own
skill in thus creating, from an unseemly pile of
blocks, a structure of such rare design.
Silently he stood and gazed upon his castle with
something like the pride of an architect who sees,
after months or years of skillfully applied labor,
some grand conception in his art, embodied in imperishable stone. Then he moved around, viewing
it on every side. It did not seem to him a toy,
reaching only a few inches in height, and covering




292          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
but a square foot of ground, but a real castle, lifting itself hundreds of feet upwards towards the
blue sky, and spreading wide upon the earth its
ample foundations. As the idea grew more and
more perfect, his strange pleasure increased. Now
he stood, with folded arms, wrapped in the overmastering illusion-now  walked slowly around,
viewing the structure on all sides, and noting every
minute particular-and now sat down, and bent
over it with the fondness of a mother bending over
her child.  Again he arose, purposing to obtain
another and more distant view of his work. But
his foot struck against one of the buttresses, and
instantly, with a crash, wall, tower, and battlement
fell in hopeless ruin!
In the room, with the boy sat his father, reading.
The crash disturbed him; and he uttered a sharp,
angry rebuke, glancing, for a moment, towards the
startled child, and then returning his eyes to the
attractive page before him, unconscious of the
shadow he had cast upon the heart of his child.
Tears came into those fair blue orbs, dancing in
light a moment before. From the frowning face of
his father, to which his glance was suddenly turned,
the child looked back to the shapeless ruins of his




THE SHADOWS WE CAST.          293
castle. Is it any wonder that he bowed his face in
silence upon them, and wet them with his tears.
For more than five minutes, he sat as still as if
sleeping; then, in a mournful kind of way, yet
almost noiselessly, he commenced restoring to the
box, from which he had taken them, the manyshaped pieces that, fitly joined together, had grown
into a noble building. After the box was filled,
he replaced the cover, and laid it carefully upon a
shelf in the closet.
Poor child! That shadow was a deep one, and
long in passing away. His mother found him, half
an hour afterwards, asleep on the floor, with cheeks
flushed to an unusual brightness.  She knew
nothing of that troubled passage in his young life;
and the father had forgotten, in the attractions of
his book, the momentary annoyance, expressed in
words and tones with a power in them to shadow
the heart of his child.
A young wife had busied herself for many days
in preparing a pleasant surprise for her husband.
The work was finished at last; and now she awaited
his return, with a heart full of warm emotions. A
dressing-gown, and pair of elegantly embroidered
slippers, wrought by her own skillful fingers, were




294          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN,
the gifts with which she meant to delight hinm
What a troop of pleasant fancies was in her heart!
How,  almost impatiently, did she wait for the
coming twilight, which was to be dawn, not approaching darkness, to her!
A  last, she heard the step of her husband in the
passage, and her pulses leaped  with fluttering
delight. Like a bird upon the wing, she almost
flew down to meet him, impatient for the kiss that
awaited her.
To men in the world of business, few days pas
without their disappointments and perplexities. It
is man's business to bear this in a manly spirit.
They form  but a portion of life's discipline, and
should make them  stronger, braver, and more enduring. Unwisely, and we may say unjustly, too
many men fail to leave their business cares and troubles in their stores, workshops, or counting-rooms,
at the day's decline. They wrap them in bundles,
and carry them home to shadow their households.
It was so with the young husband on this particular occasion. The stream of business had taken
an eddying whirl, and thrown his vessel backwards,
instead of onwards, for a brief space; and, though
it was still in the current, and gliding safely onwards




THE SHADOWS WE CAST.           295
again, the jar and disappointment had fretted his
mind severely. There was no heart-warmth in the
kiss he gave his wife, not because love had failed
in any degree, but because he had let care overshadow love. He drew his arm around her; but
she was conscious of a diminished pressure in that
embracing arm.
"Are you not well?"
With what tender concern was the question
asked!
" Very well."
He might be in body, but not in mind; that was
plain; for his voice was far from being cheerful.
She played and sang his favorite pieces, hoping
to restore, by the charm of music, brightness to his
spirit. But she was conscious of only partial success. There was still a gravity in his manner never
perceived before. At tea-time, she smiled upon him
so sweetly across the table, and talked to him on
such attractive themes, that the right expression
returned to his countenance; and he looked as
happy as she could desire.
From the tea-table, they returned to their pleasant parlor.- And now the time had come for offering her gift, and receiving the coveted reward of




296          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
glad surprise, followed by sweet kisses and loving
words. Was she selfish? Did she think more of
her reward than of the pleasure she would bestow?
But that is questioning too closely.
"I will be back in a moment," she said; and,
passing from  the room, she went lightly up the
stairs. Both tone and manner betrayed her secret,
or rather the possession of a secret with which her
husband was to be surprised.  Scarcely had her
loving face faded from  before his eyes, when
thought returned, with a single bound, to an unpleasant event of the day; and the waters of his
spirit were again troubled. He had actually arisen,
and crossed the floor once or twice, moyed by a
restless concern, when his wife came back with the
dressing-gown and slippers.  She was trying to
force her countenance into a grave expression, to
hold back the smiles that were continually striving
to break in truant circles around her lips, when a
single glance at her husband's face told her that
the dark spirit, driven away by the exorcism of her
love, had returned again to his bosom. He looked
at her soberly, as she came forward.
" What are these?" he asked, almost coldly, repressing surprise, and affecting an ignorance, in




THE SHADOWS WE OAST.           297
regard to the beautiful present she held in her
hands, that he did not feel.
"They are for you, dear. I made them."
"For me?  Nonsense! What do I want with
such jimcrackery?  This is woman's wear. Do
you think I would disfigure my feet with embroidered slippers, or dress up in a calico gown? Put
them away, dear! Your husband is too much of a
man to robe himself in gay colors, like a clown or
actor."  And he waved his hand with an air of
contempt.  There was a cold, sneering manner
about him, partly affected and partly real-the
real born of his uncomfortable state of mind. Yet
he loved his sweet wife, and would not, of set purpose, have wounded her for the world.
This unexpected repulse-this cruel reception of
her present, over which she had wrought, patiently,
in golden hope for many days-this dashing to the
earth her brimful cup of joy, just as it touched her
lips, was more than the fond young wife could
bear. To hide the tears that came rushing to her
eyes, she turned away from her husband; and, to
conceal the sobs she had no power to repress, she
went almost hurriedly from the room; and, going
back to the chamber from whence she had brought
13*




298          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
the present, she laid it away out of sight in a closet.
Then covering her face with her hands, she sat
down, and strove with herself to be calm. But the
shadow was too deep-the heartache too heavy.
In a little while her husband followed her, and
discovering, something to his surprise, that she was
weeping, said, in  a slightly  reproving  voice:
"Why, bless me! not in tears! What a silly little
puss you are! Why didn't you tell me you thought
of making a dressing-gown and pair of slippers, and
I would have vetoed the matter at once  You
couldn't hire me to wear such flaunting things.
Come back to the parlor"-he took hold of her
arm, and lifted her from the chair-" and sing and
play for me.'The Dream  Waltz,' or'The Tremolo,''Dearest May,' or'The Stilly Night' are
worth more to me than forty dressing-gowns, or a
cargo of embroidered slippers."
Almost by force, he led her back to the parlor,
and placed her on the music-stool. He selected a
favorite piece, and laid it before her. But tears
were in her eyes; and she could not see a n)tc.
Over the keys her fingers passed in skillful touches 
but, when she tried to take up the song, utterance
failed; and sobs broke forth instead of words.




THE SHADOWS WE CAST.            299
"How foolish!" said the husband, in a vexed
tone. "I'm  surprised at you!"  And he turned
from the piano, and walked across the room.
A  little while the sad young wife remained
where she was left thus alone, and in partial anger.
Then, rising, she went slowly from the room-her
husband not seeking to restrain her-and, going to
her chamber, sat down in darkness.
The shadow which had been cast upon her spirit
was very deep; and, though the hidden sun came
out again right early, it was a long time before his
beams had power to scatter the clouds that floated
in lovers horizon.
The shadows we cast!  Father, husband, wife,
sister, brother, son, neighbor-are we not all casting shadows daily, on some hearts that are pining
for the sunlight of our faces? We have given you
two pictures of life, true pictures, not as in a mirror, but in a kaleidoscope.  In all their infinitely
varied relations, men  and women, selfishly, or
thoughtlessly-from design, weakness, or ignorance
-are casting their shadows upon hearts that are
pining for sunlight. A word, a look, a tone, an
act, will cast a shadow, and sadden a spirit for
hours and days. Speak kindly, act kindly, be for



300          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
getters of self, and regardless of others, and you
will cast but few shadows along the paths of life.
The true gentleman is always tender of the feelings
of others-always watchful, lest he wound unintentionally-always thinking, when with others, of
their pleasure instead of his own. He casts but
few  shadows.   Be gentlemen-ladies, or-in a
word that includes all graces and excellencesChristians; for it is the Christian who casts fewest shadows of all.




GOOD DEEDS.              301
XXVII.
GOOD DEEDS.
" HE is paving the way to heaven by good
deeds," said a lady. I bent my ear and listened.
"Unless it is very well paved, he will find progress in that direction exceedingly difficult."  The
reply fixed my attention.
" Are you not uncharitable?" remarked the first
speaker. "Mr. Floyd does a great deal of good.
I never go to him on an errand of benevolence,
that he does knot give me something."
"To buy paving-stones," was the quiet remark.
" Now, that is too bad!" said the other.   Give
the man credit for what he does. By their fruit ye
shall know them."
" God looks at the heart, not at the act. It isn't
what a man does, that saves him, but vwhy he does
it. The quality is determined by the purposes, or
ends of action, not by the outside work. Two men




302         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
may do the same thing; yet, to one it may be a
good act, and to the other an evil one."
"I don't know about that. A good deed is a
good deed. By what process can you change its
quality y"
" I thought," said the other, " that you would
understand me clearly. The acts of the two men
may benefit alike the objects; but, the actors will
be blessed or cursed therein, according as their.
motives were good or evil."
" I am not just able," was replied, " to see how a
good deed can be done from an evil purpose. For
instance, I called on Mr. Floyd yesterday for a
subscription to our Widows' Home, and he gave
me ten dollars. That was a good act, and I can
conceive of no prompting impulse but a good one."
The lady did not immediately reply; and I was
about answering for her, when she said:' If Mr. Floyd gave the ten dollars out of regard
for the poor widows, then the act was a good act
for him; but, if to appear benevolent, or to buy
paving-stones for the road to heaven, then it was
evil to him. For, in this latter case, love of the
world and love of self, instead of neighborly love,
ruled in his heart. And men only advance hea



GOOD DEEDS.               303
venward by the way of good affections.  lie not
only lost his money, but his reward. To the poor
widows, the benefit was the same; but the donor's
selfishness robbed him of his proper share."
" You go too leep for me," was answered to this.
"And too deep, I fancy, for most people. Charity,
the Bible tells us, covers a multitude of sins. And
what is charity, but good deeds.?
Charity is love of the neighbor, manifesting
itself in good deeds," was the promptly-spoken
reply.
"Very well; who will say that Mr. Floyd did
not act from true neighborly love 2"
God only knows. The adjudication of the matter is between him  and the human soul. If the
motive which God sees, is right, the action will be
good; if selfish, the action will be evil, so far as
the actor is concerned."
"But, you judge Mr. Floyd."
" Did I?  Well, there are many external signs
by which we get an impression of a nan's quality.
Some men hang but a thin veil over their motives;
while others, in their over anxiety for concealment,
are constantly betraying themselves. Mr. Floyd is
one of the most transparent men I know. Hie is




304          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
constantly letting you see below the surface of his
actions. The very air with which he hands you a
contribution, betrays the lurking sentiment."
"Then," said the other, "he might as well shut
up his bowels of compassion. If good deeds, such
as he does, are not to be valid in heaven, he had
better keep his own, and enjoy it to the full."
" Rather say, that he had better make the inside
of his platter clean, also.  Better cherish loving
affections, and do genuine good from these, and so
secure his share of benefits. What folly to halt in
the way after this fashion-to be content with only
the effigy of good deeds-to be satisfied to eat of
the husks of men's extorted praise, instead of enjoying divine approval, and eating of heavenly
food. As to selfishly enjoying what you call his
own, that is impossible. The more he increases in
worldly goods, the more wretched will he become,
unless lie uses them  as a faithful steward of him
who is the rightful owner of all. Like waters at
rest, unused riches spoil, and curse their owners.
So, if he will not give from the purest motives,
still he had better give, for, in giving, he will find
more delight than in withholding. Even the semblance of good deeds is better than no deeds at all.




GOOD DEEDS.               305
The neighbor is benefited, and the selfish giver
obtains some fleeting pleasure that stirs briefly
along the surface of his life. It is next best to
genuine charity."
" Judged by your standard, there is not much
good done in the world," was answered.
I fear," said the lady, "that there is less of
genuine good done by any of us than we are inclined to give ourselves credit for. I know, too
well, my own deficiencies."
" Which makes you sharp on others," the friend
remarked, half playfully, half in earnest.
" Well retorted," was good humoredly answered,
" and I accept the admonition; though, I do not
by any means withdraw the main proposition, that
the quality of our acts, in the sight of heaven, is
determined by the indwelling motive. This, to me,
is as apparent as the sun at noonday."
And the lady was right.




306         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXVIII.
RUINED.
"THE man is ruined-hopelessly ruined!"
The words startled me.
" So bad as that?" said the individual to whom
the remark was made.
" Even so bad."
" Of whom are you speaking?" I ventured to ask.
" Of Jacob Atwood."
I started to mny feet. He was one of my old, intimate, and long-tried friends.
"Ruined, did you say? That man ruined! Impossible!"
"There is no doubt of it. I received my information from  those who have the best right to
know."
"What has he done 2" I asked, eagerly.
My question was received in silence, as if the
meaning were not clearly apprehended.




RUINED.                307
"Is he a defaulter T'"
" No."  The answer showed surprise at my question.' Has he betrayed an honorable trust reposed in
him by his fellow-men?"
" No, sir; his integrity is without question. In all
his public relations he was true as steel to principle."
"What then? Has he placed any portion of his
property beyond the reach of creditors who have
just claims upon him?"
"' He has given up everything-even to the furniture of his house. Not a dollar has been retained,
and he goes forth into the world a ruined man."
" Oh no," said I, speaking out warmly. "' Not in
any sense a ruined man. The merchant may be
ruined, but, thank God! the man is whole."
The little company looked at me, for a moment
or two, half in surprise.
"The man is all right," I went on.' Only the
scaffolding on which the workmen stood who were
building up his character, has fallen. Erect, calm,
noble, half-divine, he stands, now, in the sunshine
and in the storm. Around his majestic brow the
clouds may gather; upon it the tempests may beat;
but he is immovable in his great integrity."




308         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVE N.
Some smiled at my enthusiasm. To them there
was nothing of the moral sublime in a ruined
merchant. Others looked a little more thoughtful
than before; and one said feebly:
"There is something in that."
Something in that! I should think there was.
It was the first intelligence I had received of my
friend's worldly misfortunes, and it grieved me. In
the evening I went to see Jacob Atwood. The
windows of the elegant residence where he had
lived for years were closed. I looked up at the
house-it had a deserted aspect. I rung the bell;
no one answered my summons.
I could not repress the feeling of sadness that
came over me. The trial must have been severe
even for a brave heart like his.
" I must find him," said I. And I did find him;
but far away from the neighborhood where merchant princes had their palace-homes. The house
into which he had retired with his family looked
small, and mean, and comfortless, in comparison
with the elegant abode from  which he had removed. I rung and was admitted. The parlor into
which I was shown was a small room, and the furniture not much better than we often see in the




RUINED.                 309
houses of well-to-do mechanics, or clerks on moderate salaries. But everything was in order, and
scrupulously neat.
I had made only a hurried observation, when
Mr. Atwood entered. He looked something careworn-his face was paler than when I last saw him,
his eyes a little duller, his smile less cheerful. The
marks of trial and suffering were plainly visible.
It would have been almost a miracle had it been
otherwise. But he did not exhibit the aspect of a
ruined man. He grasped my hand warmly, and
said it was pleasant to look into the face of an old
friend. I offered him words of sympathy.
" The worst is over," he answered, with manly
cheerfulness, "and nothing is lost which may not
be regained. I have found the bottom, know where
I am, and there is strength enough left in me to
stand up securely amid the rushing waters. The
best of all is, my property, which has been apportioned to my creditors, will pay every debt.
That gives my heart its lightest pulsations."
"I heard that you were ruined," said I, as we
sat talking together; " but I find that the man is
whole. Not a principle invaded- by the enemynot a moral sentiment lost-not a jewel in the
crown of honor missing."




310         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
He took my hand, and grasping it hard, looked
into my face steadily for some moments. Then, in
a subdued voice, he made answer" I trust that it is even so, my friend. But there
were seasons in the worse than Egpytian night
through which I have passed, when the tempter's
power seemed about to crush me. For myself I
cared little; for my wife and children everything.
The thought of seeing them go out from the pleasant home I had provided for them, and step down,
far down to a lower level in the social grade, half
distracted me for a time. For them I would have
braved everything but an evil deed, that is sin
against God. I could not bow to that. And so I
passed the fiery ordeal, and have come out through
a more than human strength, I trust, a better man.
No, no, no, my fiiend. I am not ruined. I have
lost my fortune, but not my integrity."
And so the man stood firm. It was not in the
power of any commercial disaster to ruin him.
The storm raged furiously; the waves beat madly
against him; but he stood immovable, for his feet
were upon solid rock.




PROVIDENCE.               311
XXIX.
PROVIDENCE.
"IT is very dark, but I am trying to put my
trust in Providence," said a merchant, as he sat
one evening in conversation with the minister of
his church, who had called to spend in an hour with
him. " Men are falling around me, like soldiers in
battle; yet I am still on my feet, moving forwards,
though not seeing the way clear before me for a
single week. The Lord has helped me hitherto,
when the way was as difficult as it is now; and
though I tremble, I still look up in hope."
The minister listened, but did not answer at
once. He saw that in the mind of his parishioner
God's providence went scarcely beyond the things
of natural life.
" God is an infinite and eternal being, Mr.
Harding," he said, letting his voice dwell, as he
spoke, on the words 6 infinite" and "eternal."




312          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
The merchant lifted his eyes to the minister's
face, and looked at him earnestly.
" His ends, therefore, must be infinite and eternal, and, in no case, limited to time."
" I am not sure that I take your meaning," said
the merchant, with a half-bewildered air.
"The providence of God, as I understand it,"
said the spiritual instructor, "regards, as of first and
highest importance, the salvation of our souls from
evil, and things temporal as always subordinated.
If prosperity will in any degree help a man towards
heaven, or prevent him from sinking to a lower
place in hell, then God permits him to prosper in
the world; and if adversity is needed for the same
purpose, then adversity will come in spite of human prudence.  It is always man's spiritual good
that determines the action of Providence, not his
natural enjoyment."
An expression of blank fear settled in the merchant's face. This was to him a new and alarming
proposition; for though what is called a pious man,
that is one strictly observant of all church ordinances, and exteriorly devout, his heart was in the
good things of this world more than in the heavenly
things of the next.  He took delight in laying up




PROVIDENCE.               313
treasure on the earth; and spent much care in
guarding it from  moth, and rust, and thieves.
But in the work of laying up treasure for Heaven,
he had really accomplished but little; for his heart
was not in this work. There was no genuine love
in his Sabbath worship, no spiritual affection in his
morning prayers. His religion was a kind of bribe
thrown to Heaven; a concession made for temporal security and final safety. No wonder that this
new doctrine startled him.
" If your reading of the doctrine of Providence
be correct," said he, after musing for a while, and
speaking in a husky tone of voice," I don't see
much to encourage me in this day of sore trouble."
"Why not?"
" My spiritual well-being may"
The merchant paused, unwilling to clothe his
thoughts in words.
"Require the discipline of adversity," said the
minister, concluding the sentence for him.
There was a sign of anguish in the merchant's
face-of anguish mingled with fear.
"You bring me no comfort," said he. " This is
a hard doctrine."
" What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole
14




314          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
world and lose his own soul?" The minister spoke
almost solemnly.
"I do not want the whole world," answered the
merchant, as if pleading for his earthly goods:' I
am not covetous for great riches.  My heart is not
set on gold. I am content with what I have."
6' But would you not be willing to part with all
your possessions, if in doing so you could secure
eternal felicities?" asked the minister.
" I don't see how my being crushed down now,
and being overwhelmed with ruin, is going to advance my spiritual welfare," replied the merchant,
visibly excited.
"My dear brother," said the minister, " God's
ways are not as our ways.  He is infinitely wise
and infinitely good, and therefore cannot err nor be
unkind.  Hle will permit nothing to happen to you
or to me that is not designed to secure in some way
our eternal well-being.  Let us not be like shortsighted and rebellious children, who resist the discipline of their wiser parents.  All souls are alike
precious in his eyes; and he cares for all with an
infinite love. Your neighbor, whose fortunes fell,
shattered into a thousand fragments, last week, is
equal with you in the eyes of God  and he regarded




PROVIDENCE.               315
him in love when he permitted swift-footed misfortune to overtake him.  Your neighbor, on the
other side, fell also; but he was not without the
sphere of Providence, nor was the visitation in
anger, but in tenderest mercy. It may be that
you will pass safely through; but your standing
or falling will depend on the security of your eternal interest. Whatever is best for the elevation of
your soul towards Heaven will occur. Your Father
loves you too well to permit temporal and perishing things to rule over and destroy what is spiritual.
Let me pray you to submit yourself, as an obedient child, to the will of God. Work faithfully,
vigorously; do all in your power, by honorable
means, to sustain yourself, and leave the result to
H-im in whose hands we are as clay in the hands
of the potter. Whatever comes will be for the
best; and you will live to see the day when you
can look back and bless God even for misfortune,
should it shadow your path of life."
As the minister was retiring, after having in vain
striven to lift the merchant's mind upwards into a
clear perception of the true doctrine of Providence,
the latter said to him, in a depressed tone of voice:
"You have taken away my confidence. I was




316          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
trusting in Providence, and hoping for a right
issue, even in the face of most discouraging signs:
I was not faithless, but believing; now, doubt and
gloom overshadow me. My strength is gone. I
have no heart to struggle in the meshes that fetter
my limbs."
" There is no night that does not precede a morning," replied the minister, as he held the merchant's
hand tightly in his own.   In every death is involved a resurrection. Night shadows the heart
with gloomy fears, and death comes with pain. But
the morning breaks in joy, and, through the resurrection, we rise into a superior life. Do not shrink,
then, from the dark night of misfortune, if it is to
come, nor from the death of natural affections; for
without the latter it is impossible for spiritual life
to be born."
Then, with a strong pressure on the merchant's
hand, he turned from him and took his way homeward.
A sleepless night did the merchant pass. It was
indeed true that the minister's words had taken
away his confidence. He could trust in Providence
for natural good no longer. The truth had reached
down and taken hold of his convictions. He saw




PROVIDENCE.               31Y
that eternal ends were first and highest; and that
Divine Wisdom  could not have regard to natural
things, except as servants of the spiritual.  He
saw, too, that, in the eyes of God, he was only his
brother's equal; and that all souls were alike
precious.
" Hundreds of men as good as I am, and hundreds who are far better, have been stricken down
in this wide-reaching calamity," he said to himself,
as he pondered the new aspect of things; " and can
I say that the same hard discipline is not required
for me? No, no, I cannot-I cannot."
Drearily broke the morning; and the merchant
went forth to his business with a Jheart heavily
oppressed; for he was not strong enough to accept
the higher truth which had forced itself upon his
rational convictions. He was not yet willing to
give up his natural good, that spiritual life might
be born. Reason had become clear, but the heart
was weak. There was nothing to encourage him
in the business of the day. New failures had taken
place, and new losses shaken the house in which
he was a partner to the very foundations. The
most hopeful of all his partners began to talk despondingly.




318          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
Two days more of struggle and loss went by;
and then the partners met alone, in the evening, at
their store, to take counsel of one another, and to
ascertain, as accurately as possible, their real condition and prospects. The issue was of the most
disheartening character; for a hurried examination
of their books showed that losses had already swept
away their entire capital, and that if the ratio of
losses among their entire list of customers was
maintained, they would not have assets sufficient
to pay forty cents in the dollar of their debts.
And so that terrible calamity, so dreaded by all
honorable men and so hard to accept-commercial
failure-was at the merchant's door, and he saw no
way of escape.
" We may save something from the wreck," suggested one of the partners.
"How?" was the eager question.
The means were proposed by which, in compounding with creditors, each partner might retain
enough to get into business again.
" We can do it with the greatest ease, and none
be the wiser for it," said the partner.  " I can't see
that we are called upon wholly to beggar ourselves. This disaster is not from any fault of our




PROVIDENCE.               319
own. If we could get in what is due, we could pay
dollar for dollar, and have a large surplus. Why,
then, should we be made the victims of circumstances?  I believe that' I am  as honest as any
man living; btit there are necessities which reach
beyond human control."
Then followed a silent pondering of the plan suggested; and then the other partner simply said,' It might be done."
"It can and must be done," said the one who
had opened the matter. IHe spoke with energy.
"Desperate diseases require desperate remedies.
I, for one, have no notion of being driven to the
wall if I can help it; of tamely submitting, when a
manful struggle will save me from total wreck."
The plan involves subterfuge," our merchant,
the senior partner, remarkedo
There was no reply.' And concealment."
No great harm  in that. We are not called
upon to exhibit every aspect of our affairs to the
world," was answered.
C And mercantile dishonor."
You are too scrupulous, sir," replied the advocate of the plan-"' altogether too scrupulous. ]Mer



320          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
cantile honor may become ideal and heroic. Remember that we owe something to ourselves and
to our families. Self-sacrifice is not the genius of
to-day. We are not required to throw ourselves
under the crushing wheels of every Juggernautcar a contracted public opinion may send rumbling
through our streets.  No, no; it were folly to let
events cripple us hopelessly, while there are time
and means to avert such a direful calamity. Desperate diseases, as I have said before, require desperate remedies. Let us act promptly, and thus
save ourselves from the worst."
The merchant was tempted by the specious plan,
and urged to its adoption by the fearful consequences that impended. But the temptation proved
his quality.' There is only one right course for us," he said,
in answer to his partner's earnest attempt to draw
him over-and he spoke in a sad but firm voice
--  and that is the straightforward, honorable,
honest one of making a fair exhibit.  Anything
short of this may seem to involve a present good;
but, depend upon it, evils worse than we now dread
will be sure to meet us in the future, if we yield to
dishonest suggestions."




PROVIDENCE.               321
But the partners were against him, and the
contest proved long and angry. Ile did not yield,
however; and without unanimous action no scheme
of fraud could be consummated
A little while longer the struggle continued;
then the house went down with a crash, and only
with their lives, so to speak, did the partners escape
from  the ruins.  Nothing was saved from  the
wreck of their fortunes. The creditors took everything, under a general assignment.  The senior
partner, in  whom  the highest confidence was
placed, they offered to retain, for the purpose of
settling up the business under the assignee; and
the offer was gladly accepted, as it gave at least a
temporary provision for his family.
Two months after the disastrous event, this conversation took place between the minister and his
old parishioner. The minister had called to see
him  in his humble home.  He was met with a
smile on the paler face of the reduced merchant,
and with a warm grasp of his hand.
"Cast down, but not forsaken," said the minister,
with an answering smile, and in a tone of cheerful
encouragement, as he returned the earnest pressure.
14*




322          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN,
" No, not forsaken," replied the merchant, with
feeling.  "ot forsaken, but sustained.  I have
passed through deep waters; the floods roared
about me; but I was not overwhelmed. I was
tried in the furnace, but the fires have not consumed me. If it is night, the whole firmament is
glittering with stars."
" Were you really happier before your misfortune, than you have been since?  inquired the
minister. The merchant was thoughtful for a little
while. He then answered"It may sound strangely, but I have since had
states of mind that were nearer happiness than anything enjoyed before.  I am  more tranquil, and
patient, and resigned to the will of Providence.  I
can look deeper into my own heart, and understand
its impulses better.  Mly soul more clearly appreciates the higher value of spiritual and eternal
things. Ah, sir, I now see clearly that better truth
in regard to  Providence, which you so vainly
sought to make me comprehend a few short weeks
ago. How blind and rebellious I was! How dim
had my vision become, through love of the world.
But, God let misfortune fall upon me for my good;
and the hard discipline is doing its work. Whlct




PROVIDENCE.              323
the crisis came, I found the tempter at hand in my
partners, who suggested that we should secure
something for ourselves. But, I was able to resist;
and in the most painful ordeal of my whole life, to
maintain an undeviating integrity. How many,
many times since, have I thanked God for the
strength he gave me in that hour of darkness and
sore trial."
" Then, you are really happier than before," said
the minister.
" I am more peaceful, more trusting, more desirous of spiritual attainments."
" If more peaceful, then happier.  God has
permitted these natural misfortunes to come in
blessing, not in wrath. And whenever prosperity
can be given without danger to your soul, it will
come again. Our Heavenly Father gives to his
children of natural good, all that they can receive
without endangering their eternal welfare, and
takes it from  them, whenever the discipline of
adversity is needed."
" It is plain to me, now, that. I needed the discipline," said the merchant. " Without it, I never
could have risen into my present views of providence-never could have seen, I fear, that all




324          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
natural events are but a series of effects bearing
upon spiritual and eternal things as ends in the
Divine economy. And without such a perception,
what dark, ignorant, groping creatures we are.
How full of mystery is everything around us. How
shadowed by doubts and vague questionings the
uncertain way we tread with halting feet."
" Enough," said the minister.  "The lesson God
designed to teach, you have quickly learned. Adversity has come as a priceless blessing; for you
have exchanged gold for spiritual wisdom-the
excitement of na.tural life, for heavenly tranquillity
-a restless love of gain for divine repose. Ah, my
brother; our Father in Heaven is better to his
children than all their fears."




THE WAGES OF THE POOR.         325
XXX.
THE WAGES OF THE POOR.
" How much is it?" asked the lady, as she drew
out her purse, and poured from it into her hand a
little pile of silver coins. Before her stood a pale,
poorly-dressed, weary-looking woman.
" Seventy-five cents, ma'am," was answered.
" Seventy-five cents!" the lady's voice expressed
surprise. "No, no, Mary; I can't give that price
for three quarters of a day's work. You did not
come until after nine o'clock, remember. If you
want full wages, you must do full work. Sixtytwo is all that I can give you."
" I'll have to take it, then," said the woman,
rather sadly. " My little Eddy was sick, and I
couldn't get away as early as I wanted to this
morning; but I have worked hard all day to make
up. I think I have earned it."




326          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.' No doubt of that in the world, Mary," broke
out the cheerful voice of the lady's husband, who
was sitting in the room; " and here's twenty-five
cents extra to my wife's sixty-two.  She's a prudent woman, and tries to be careful of my money;
but she's over particular to-night, it strikes me.
Buy Eddy something that he will like, as you go
home, out of the odd shilling, and say that I sent
it to him."
" Oh, thank you! thank you, sir!" exclaimed
the poor working woman, a sudden light breaking
over her face.' You are very good!"
Then she retired, and husband and wife were
left alone.
" That wasn't just right, Mr. Lawson," said the
lady, speaking seriously.' I know it wasn't, and therefore I corrected
your error at once," replied Mr. Lawson, as coolly
as if he had not really understood the meaning of
his wife's remark.
" It wasn't right, I mean, for you to interfere as
you did just now. What's the use of my trying to
be economical if you circumvent me in this way?
Mary was not entitled to full day's wages."
" I think she was," said the husband.




THE WAGES OF THE POOR.          327
"IIow will you Imake that out?  Let me see
your calculation.'
"I can make it out in several ways; can give
you the figures, and prove the sum. First, then,
she alleges that she worked hard all day to make
up, and thinks she really earned a full day's wages.
There's the sum worked out clearly.  Now, as to
proof of the result, I would first offer humanity;
next, the woman's loss of strength in a cay's hard
toil, for she looked so pale and weary that the very
sight of her gave me pain; next, her poverty; for
the mother of three children, who goes out to do
washing and house-cleaning in order to get bread
for them, must be very poor; next, a sick child,
who may need medicine, or some daintier food
than usual. Do you want further proof that she
was entitled to receive full pay for a day's work?"
There was a change in the countenance of Mrs.
Lawson before her husband had finished these sentences.
"Perhaps you are right," she said.  "These
poor women do work very hard for what they get,
and I often feel sorry for them. I'm glad, at least,
that you gave Mary the extra quarter.  Still, Mr.
Lawson, we cannot afford to overpay people who




328          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEIN.
work for us if they are poor. A shilling here, and
a shilling there, repeated over and over again,
daily, will amount to a serious item  in the year;
and, when the shillings are not really earned, will
prove, in most. cases, but incentives to idleness."
"The other side of the case, my dear," answered
Mr. Lawson, "and very well stated.  But let us be
careful in our transactions with these poor people,
that we do not withhold the shilling actually due
in our over-nice calculations as to the time they
may be in our service.  At best, their labor is
poorly compensated. They toil hard, very hard,
for the small sum they ask for services rendered;
and we can always better afford to give ten extra
shillings in a week than they can afford to lose
one. Let us not increase our comforts, or add to
our possessions, at their cost; but let them be rather objects of our care, sympathy, and protection.
The Psalmist says:' Blessed is he that considereth
the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of
trouble.' There is a vast deal more to gain than to
lose, I take it, in concessions to these humbler
children of our common Father."
" Mrs. Lawson sighed as her husband ceased
speaking.  His words  brought out from   her




THE WAGES OF THE POOR.          329
memory more than a single instance where she
had paid to the extremely poor, who rendered her
service for hire, less than the price demanded,
under the allegation of an excessive charge for
work. In her over-carefulness about what was her
own, she had withheld pennies, sixpences, and shillings, which really added nothing to her comforts,
but diminished the comforts of the poor. Coming
back upon her now, these memories troubled her.
"I am  afraid," she remarked, looking with a
sober aspect, into her husband's face, " that I have
not been altogether just in these matters. But you
have set me right. I will try to be more considerate and more humane in future. I did not, really,
perceive the meaning of what Mary said about
having worked hard all day to make up for loss
of time, nor feel the allusion to the sick child, or I
could not have had the heart to withhold that shilling. Our very thoughtlessness sometimes leads us
into wrong."
"There is, as a general thing,' remarked Mr.
Lawson, " a disposition to reduce still lower than
their present low rate, the wages of the extremely
poor, especially the poor who earn their living
among housekeepers. The seamstress, the washer



330          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVE,.
woman, and the day's-work woman, all have to toil
very hard for their meagre wages; and the disposition is to take off the sixpences and the shillings
whenever there is an excuse for doing so, instead
of a generous concession in their favor. I remember an instance of this kind which happened to fall
under my observation some years ago. A lady
was quite indignant at what she was pleased to
call an attempt at extortion on the part of a poor
woman, who had been cleaning house for her, in
charging her sixty-two cents a-day, instead of fifty.
The poor woman said that she always received
sixty-two cents, and the lady declared that she
never paid but fifty cents, and would not exceed
that sum in the present case. And fifty cents was
all she did pay. I noticed the dejection of the
poor, wronged creature, as she retired from the
house, and could not but feel a sense of indignation, which was in no degree lessened when I saw
the lady hand the shilling she had gained by oppression to an idle daughter, and heard her say,' Here, Jenny, is a shilling I have saved. You can
treat yourself to an ice cream to-morrow! "
" Are you really in earnest2" said Mrs. Lawson,
looking at her husband with a doubting air.




THE WAGES OF THE POOR.          331
" What I have told you is literally true."
"Doesn't it seem impossible?"
"It is wicked and disgraceful.  But such things
are of daily occurrence," replied Mr. Lawson.
"There is a better way, however, and a more
Christian spirit. Let us walk in this way; let us
encourage this spirit. If we change the wages of
the poor in anything, let it be to increase, not
diminish them; for Heaven knows they have been
reduced enough already!"




332         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXXI.
THE DREAM-WARNING.
" WILL yoU discount this note for me "
The question was asked by a merchant, in the
office of a private banker, a man of large fortune,
who had retired from business, and now used his
capital for discounting instead of in trade.
The shrewd money-lender took the note, and
after examining the face, handed it back, with a
shake of the head, and a very firm compression
of his mouth.
" It is A number one," said the merchant, with
almost an amused smile, at the severe prudence of
the money-lender.
"I have no question as to that," was replied.
" If I were in business, I should not hesitate to
sell the firm to any reasonable extent."
" Why, then, will you not buy their note?"
A pleasant light came into the money-lender's




THE DREAM-WARNING.           333
face.  He looked shrewd, knowing, and very
self-complacent.
" I was in market the other day," said he, " and
as I stood buying some fruit at a woman's stall, a
man, in going by, was crowded against a basket
standing thereon, which fell to the pavement. It
was nearly filled with eggs, more than two-thirds
of which were broken.'Ah, my good woman,'
said I,'the old error of too many eggs in one
basket. If you had placed them in two or three
baskets, instead of one, this general wreck would
never have occurred.' In my business, sir," continued the money-lender, "I never commit the
error of this market-woman.  I never place too
many eggs in one basket.,  Do you understand
me.
" I believe so," replied the merchant. " You
already have enough of this paper."
"Just as much as I intend buying.  When
some of it is taken up, I will make room  for
more. There are fixed laws, sir, that govern me
in this business, and I never depart from them.
"Good morning," said the merchant, smiling.
"I hope you will never get too many eggs in
one basket."




334         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
" No fear of that.  If a basket is upset, and
the eggs in it broken, I shall be able to bear
the loss."
The merchant withdrew, and the money-lender
turned over in his mind the word just spoken, and
felt self-complimented at his wise caution. " Nono "-he repeated over and over again. " They
cannot tempt me to place too many eggs in one
basket. I am too old and prudent for that."
This figure of speech seemed to please the
money-lender, and he used it a number of times
during the day, in declining good business paper
that was offered.
" Have I put too many eggs in one basket,
to-day?" he asked of himself, as he sat alone
during the evening that followed, counting up,
mentally, his gains, and looking with a feeling of
pleasure, at the unusually large aggregate. " Let
me see? That last note of L   & 0's came
very near to a violation of the rule. There are
quite enough eggs in that basket.  I miust not
venture another one. But the temptation of two
per cent. was hardly to be resisted on such paper,
which all regard as gilt-edged."
It was now  over five years since our money



THE DREAM-WARNING.            335
lender withdrew from productive trade, and narrowed down his intellect and his efforts to the
simple business of buying paper, which the holders
were unable to get done in bank.  During that
period he had added largely to his wealth; while
his desire for accumulation had grown stronger,
and manifested itself in a more eager reaching out
after, and drawing in of the gold that perishes.
As a merchant, he had been liberal, generous, kindhearted; and all men spoke of him as such. But
the work of mere money-getting, outside of any
productive use in society, had brought the interiors
of his mind into new associations; and his heart
was steadily hardening.  Every day the circle of
his thoughts narrowed itself; every day his heart
stooped lower and lower in adoration before the
miser's god. Others saw the change-spoke of it,
and regretted it.  But, as he grew  richer and
richer, and the worshippers of riches bent to him
in fiattery, he imagined himself to be growing
better.
" Too many eggs in one basket," he repeated to
himself, as he sat musing in his luxurious easychair; never for once thinking of the young merchant, without bank credit, more than two-thirds




336         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
of whose profits on a sale of five hundred dollars
he had clipped off a six months' note that day;
a note as good as any he had bought during the
past week.
"Too many eggs in one basket!  No-no. I
am too shrewd for that!"  Drowsily was this
murmured, as he laid his head back among the
cushions. His next consciousness was in another
world. He dreamed that he had passed through
the dark portal of eternity, and that to him the
judgment from the Book of his Life had comea judgment that was to reveal his true state, and
fix his everlasting habitation with those who loved
the neighbor as themselves; or with those who
loved and cared only for themselves. He did not
find himself in the presence of an august, Divine
Jndge, but in a large chamber, with translucent
walls and ceiling, where were gathered a small
assemblage of people, to the centre of which he
was led by one who seemed to possess a singular
power over him. Here, seated, and a little elevated above the rest, were two beings-one with
a countenance of heavenly beauty, and the other
with a face the cruel expression of which caused a
shudder to go thrilling to his heart. A book lay




THE DREAM-WARNING.           337
open before them, and he knew it to be the Book
of his Life, wherein were written every purpose
of his heart, with every act and deed. The moneylender had come to judgment.
With a hopeful countenance the angel began
turning the leaves of the book, upon which both
her eyes, and that of the demon were fixed with
an earnest gaze. The period of childhood showed
a fair and hopeful record. The tender, merciful,
loving impressions made upon the heart of her
child by a wise and good mother, who looked forward to a meeting with her son in heaven, were
everywhere visible. The budding soil gave a fair
promise for the fruit and flower.
Early manhood's record was also full of encouragement.  There was an eager looking forwards
into life, and an earnest will towards success. But,
united with this, were generous purposes towards
others, and  great humanitary schemes to be
wrought out for the world's good, when the moneypower to work should come within his grasp.
There were light and hope in the angel's face, as
page after page of the book was turned; while the
demon sat dark and scowling.
The middle period showed less fairly, as to the
15




338          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
ends of life-and it was into these that the angel
and the demon looked most narrowly. The act was
never judged of as it stood alone-it was by the
motive that its quality was determined.
A gentle sadness began to shadow the angel's
beautiful countenance, while dimly seen in the
demon's face was the light of triumph. Myany acts
of benevolence; many words of good counsel to'
others; many declarations of noble, generous, unselfish purposes were written down; but they were
seen as deeds with selfish ends for prompters, and
words that were only from the " teeth outwards."
More and more, as wealth rolled into the merchant's coffers, and he gained a higher and higher
place in the good opinions of men, did he bury his
thoughts in selfish purposes, and put forth his
strength for himself alone, as if he were the chiefest
thing in God's creation.  His name was on the
subscription papers, for charitable uses, to a large
amount; but, when the angel and the demon went
behind the record, what did they find? A generous
desire to benefit the suffering, or help the weak?
Alas, no! They saw, instead, an extorted benevolence, in most instances, done for the eyes of men,
and succeeded by a self-complacent gratulation, in




THE DREAM-WARNING.            339
the loss of so much of his dearly-loved gains, that
" charity covers a multitucle of sins!"
Sadder and  sadder grew  the angel's face;
brighter and brighter, with an evil triumph, the
face of the demon.
At last came the closing years of life, when the
useful merchant sunk down into the eager moneylender. Previous to this, gleams of better purposes
would sometimes throw a hopeful warmth over a
page, and lighten the saddening angel's face. But
the record now had in it little of variation, and no
passages of light. Desire moved on in an even
current, and thought had free course under the
pressure of desire. There was the one desire to
get money, and the one thought about the surest
means.  The face of a man-the form of a manthe step of a man —but quickened his avaricious
impulses. He was a great tumor, absorbing the
rich blood of trade, and growing larger and larger,
as healthy, working organs in the man of society
became weaker from impaired vitality. Gold had
become the god before whom he bowed down in
daily adoration.  He loved naught else; and
though, from a lingering desire to appear well in
the eyes of his fellow-men, he still performed some




340          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
apparent good acts; yet, in every such act, there
was thle effort to compass a worldly advantage that
marred the record in his book of life. Thus, for
instance, he had given liberally to the erection of
churches, but only when they were to be located
near his property, the value of which would be
improved thereby far beyond the sum of his subscription.
As the last page of the book was turned, the
angel breathed a deep sigh, and faded from the
money-lender's vision!
"Too many eggs in  one basket!" said the
demon, in a voice of triumph, as he bent his
malignant face so close that his hot breath almost
suffocated the terrified money-lender, who started
into wakeful life as he felt himself clutched by
the  demon's vice-like hands.  Some  moments
passed before his wildly-throbbing heart calmed
itself down to its wonted even pulsations.
"Only a dream-a foolish dream!" he said to
himself, as he vainly tried  to  rise  above the
depressed state of feeling which the mercifully
sent vision had left behind.
But conscience told him that it was more than a
dream, and that, while in all worldly prudence he




THE DREAM-WARNING.          341
was wisely careful not to get too many eggs in a
single basket, in matters of eternal interest he had
one basket only, and in that the price of his soul
was resting. He shuddered as the thought fixed
his mind, and overwhelmed all his convictions.
" What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole
world and lose his own soul? or what will a man
give in exchange for his soul?"
It seemed like the voice of his mother, speaking
back to him from the years of childhood.
" God help me!" he said, with a shudder.   I
am not in the right path!"
Did he go back to his eager money-getting and
money-lending? We know not.  The dream was
sent in mercy, and let us hope that it wrought upon
him its high and holy mission.




342         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXXII.
IN THE WORKSHOP.
" You are not going to put in that piece of wood,
Richard," said one workman to another.
"Yes, I am. No one will be the wiser for it,9
was answered.
" But some one may be wronged by it."
"No very serious wrong. The worst that can
happen will be a rickety drawer."
" But, Richard, if you will take the trouble to go
up into the third story, and select a better seasoned
piece of wood, you will then be able to furnish a
drawer that will always run smoothly."
" I am not going to take that trouble.  Mrs.
Thompson would be very far from putting herself
out as much for me."
" It doesn't strike me that you have anything to
do with Mrs. Thompson's disposition towards you
in the case. It is a simple question of right and




IN THE WORKSHOP.            343
wrong. You are at work on a bureau, for which
she has agreed to pay our employer a certain price.
The understanding is, of course, that the wood and
workmanship are to be of good quality. Now,
if you put in that piece of wood, you will wrong
both Mrs. Thompson and our employer.  She will
receive a defective, troublesome article, and he
will be injured in his business-for Mrs. Thompson
would hardly engage him to make another piece
of furniture after finding herself deceived. Your
doing this thing, Richard, is, according to my
notion, a violation of Christian charity."
" I don't see that Christian charity has anything
to do in the matter. Mrs. Thompson crowded
down in the price, and I am not too well paid
for my part of the work. So, you see, I can't
afford to be hunting about after seasoned wood.
This piece comes nicely to my hand, and I am
going to use it."
"I have nothing more to say," replied the fellow-workman, 6 except to repeat my judgment
of your act, and call it a violation of Christian
charity. Our praying, singing, and  Bible-reading,
Richard, will not help us heavenwards unless we
are just between man and man.  The Christian




344         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
profession is nothing without the Christian life.
Our religion, in order to change us radically, must.descend into all our commonest duties. It belongs
as much to the shop as to the family, and as much
to the family as to the sanctuary. If you put in
that piece of wood, knowing, as you do, that it will
render the bureau you are making permanently
defective, you will hurt your own soul."
" Don't trouble yourself about my soul," was the
rather short reply. " I will take good care of that.
If you hadn't said so much about it-magnifying a
molehill into a mountain-I might have selected a
better piece of wood; but this shall go in now. I'll
risk the consequences."
"The risk may be greater than you imagine. It
generally is in all such cases," was the grave reply.
And here the remonstrance closed.  Richard
Wheeler, the journeyman cabinet-maker, worked
in the unseasoned piece of wood, and went on to
finish the bureau, which was sent home at the time
agreed upon, and the price paid. We do not know
whether the suggestions of his fellow-workman
remained with him or not, or whether the unseasoned piece of wood troubled, in any wise, his
conscience.




IN TiE'OIiKSIHOP.        345
Time passed on. The bureau, which had been
placed in the chamber of Mlrs. Thompson, gave
good satisfaction for a time; but the unseasoned
piece of wood failed at length to do its proper
duty, and the drawer began halting in its work.
The disproportionate shrinkage of one side of the
drawer bent all the parts out of line, and so the
opening and closing thereof was always attended
with more or less difficulty.
Richard, the journeyman who made the bureau,
was in the wareroom one day, when Mrs. Thompson came in, and, with some warmth of manner,
said to his employer —" I don't think you have dealt fairly by me in
that bureau, Mr. Cartwright."
"'Rather a grave charge, Mrs. Thompson,"
replied the cabinet-maker. " Why do you say so?"
"You hav'n't made it of properly seasoned
wood, a thing for which I particularly stipulated,"
said the lady.
" I beg your pardon, madam "-Mr. Cartwright
spoke with visible indignation-" the wood was
properly seasoned."
" And I say that it was not."  Mrs. Thompson
was growing excited. "Why, there's one drawer
15*.




316          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
in particular so all awry from  shrinkage in some
parts of it that it requires more humoring to get it
in and out than I have the patience to give. I'm
tempted  some days to have the whole thing
pitched into the street. It would be a disgrace to
the poorest cabinet-tmaker in the city!"
This was rather more than Mr. Cartwright could
bear.  He lost temper entirely, and gave Mrs.
Thompson so bluff a reply, that she went off in a
passion, threatening, as she did so, to warn all
her friends against the cabinet-maker's establishment.
6' Richard made a hasty retreat from the wareroom to the workshop. His state of mind was not
one to be envied. Here was the evil fruit of his
wrong act; and what a monstrous production from
so small a seed! He had not only been unjust to
Mrs. Thompson, but had seriously injured his employer; for it was plain, that custom would be
diverted from  his establishment through his improper act.
The journeyman carried a sober heart home
with him  at the close of that day. His fellowworkman, the one who had remonstrated with him
about putting into the bureau drawer an unsea



IN THE WOIRKSHOP.           347
soiled piece of wood, called for him after supper to
go with him to a religious meeting; but Richard
declined. For the first time, he saw clearly the
want of agreement between his conduct, in this
particular, and that which was demanded by the
divine law of justice from man to man.
" Come!" urged his fellow-workman.
But Richard said, "No, not to-night," in such a
resolute way, that he was left to himself. IHe
passed the evening in a very unhappy frame of
mind.
On the next Sunday, he attended church as
aisual. He was still troubled in his thoughts by
what had occurred. Singularly enough, it seemed
to him, that almost every sentence spoken by the
preacher had a more or less remote application to
himself. Every proposition was a mirror in which
he could see his own distorted image.  But the
closing portions of the sermon, when the preacher
gathered his generalities together, and condensed
them into specific applications, smote him with
humiliating convictions of wrong.
" No man can be a Christian,' said the minister,
" who is not faithful in his common, daily-life pursuits.  The judge must administer justice from




348         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
equity, and not from favor or the lure of bribes;
the physician must regard the life and health of
his patient above all other considerations; the
merchant must deal justly, and the mechanic execute his work in all things faithfully. It will not
answer to disregard these things. My brother --
and the minister warmed in his manner, as he
leaned over the pulpit and looked, as it seemed,
to Richard, directly into the pew  where he
sat-" do not hope to reach heaven by the old
way. You must walk in another, and narrower,
road. Let us suppose you are a workman. Now,
what is Christianity in the workshop? You must
take it with you there, remember. You cannot
leave it behind you, go where you will; for it is no
loosely-fitting garment, but an element of life. Yes,
you must take it with you into the workshop, my
brother. Not as the Bible, in your hand; nor as
hymns, to make the air melodious; nor as pious
talk with fellow-workmen.  No, no.  Workshop
Christianity consists in a religious fidelity to your
employer and his customers. If you neglect or
slight the work you are paid to perform, you commit sin: you are irreligious, and your pious acts
will go for nothing."




IN THE WORKSHOP.            349
What further the preacher said, Richard knew
not. IHe passed, in his application, to the trader,
manufacturer, and the various professions in life;
but his thought was bound by the artisan's duty.
A  sad thing happened this morning," said
Richard's wife, on his returning from work one
day in the following week.  "Mrs. Thompson
broke a blood-vessel, and now lies very ill. The
doctors have but little hope of her recovery."
I-low did that happen " asked the mechanic,
with a sudden sense of uneasiness.
" She was trying to push in a drawer that didn't
run smoothly, when it caught,.and the jar, I
believe, caused the blood-vessel to break. It was
a bureau drawer. What's the matter, Richard?
You look pale. Are you sick."
His wife spoke these last sentences in a tone of
anxiety.
" I don't feel very well," he answered; " but it's
nothing of consequence. Did you say that she
was thought to be in danger?"
" Yes. She lies very low."
Richard turned his face away. When supper
was placed before him, he tried to eat, in order
that his wife might not see how deeply he was




350          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
troubled; but only a few  mouthfuls passed his
lips. Silent, and apart from  the family, he sat
during the evening; and the night which followed
was, for the most part, sleepless.
On his way to work next morning, Richard
went past the dwelling of Mrs. Thompson. IHe
almost feared to look at the house when he came
in sight, lest death-signs on the door should give
the fatal intelligence  of her dissolution.  lie
breathed more freely when he saw that all remained as usual.  So anxious was he, that he
stopped and made inquiry as to her condition.
" Something better."  How the words made his
heart leap.
" Is she out of danger?" he asked, almost tremblingly.
" Oh, no; but the doctor speaks encouragingly."
Richard went on his way. At night, as he returned homewards, he called to inquire again.' She is no worse."  This was all the comfort he
received; and on this he passed another restless
night.'"If she dies, am I not her murdeerer' This
was the thought that troubled him so deeply, and
made him so anxious about the life of Mrs. Thomp




IN THE WORKSHOP.             351
son. It was more than a week before all danger
seemed passed; and then the unhappy workman
breathed more freely. IHow the thin, white face,
and feeble steps, of Mrs. Thompson rebuked him, a
month afterwards, as he met her one day in the
street! HIe coulc not rest after that, until he had
obtained possession of the bureau drawer, and
adjusted it so accurately to its place, that it might
be moved in and out by the hand of a child. In
doing this, he took care to remove the defective
piece of wood.
" Why have you clone this?"  It was the sudden question of Mrs. Thompson, as Richard, having
made all right, was about leaving the house.
lie was confused.
" I did not send for you to do this."
The dark eyes of Mrs. Thompson looked out
from their hollow sockets upon the almost startled
workman.
" There was an unseasoned piece of wood in that
drawer," said Richard, speaking with as much
calmness as he could assume. "I wrongly placed
it there, and I alone am to blame. Mr. Cartwright
believed that every part of the work was of seasoned wood, according to agreement. He never




352          STEPS TOWARDS IIAVEN.
meant to wrong you. He is an honest man. Oh,
ma'am! if you can forgive me, do so; for, since
the accident to yourself, I have been one of the
most wretched of men."' I can do no less than forgive," answered the
lady, gravely; " and I hope God will forgive also;
for you have been the agent of a great wrong."
The journeyman cabinet-maker retired, with a
lesson in his heart that it was impossible ever to
forget. After that, he tried to bring his religion
into the workshop; and he was successful in a
good degree. It was then, and not till then, that he
began really moving heavenwards. Before, he depended on states of feeling; but now on just acts
to his neighbor, grounded on a religious principle.




THE TWO PICTURES.           353
XXXIII.
THE  TWO  PICTURES.
"How beautiful!"  And the two men paused
before the window of a print-seller.
The picture which had called forth from  one
of the men this admiring exclamation, was a
showy bit of landscape, painted for effect, and well
calculated to deceive an unpractised eye.
"I must inquire the price," said the speaker,
whose name was Godwyn, and he drew his companion into the store.
"What do you ask for that landscape in the
window?"
" Fifty dollars;' replied the picture-seller, "and
it's worth a hundred.  But the owner wants
money, and must sell, even at so great a sacrifice."
" Who is the artist 2"
A name not familiar to either of the men was




354          STEPS TOWARDS IHEAVEN.
given.  But, as they were only posted up in artnews indifferently well, and did not care to make
their ignorance known, no further question was
asked. The name was accepted as belonging to
an artist of celebrity.
" I must have that picture, Martin. It is a gem."
Godwyn spoke aside to his friend.
" We have a companion piece by the same
artist," said the picture seller, whose ears, all on
the alert, had overheard the remark.
" Indeed! Let us see the two together."
The paintings were placed side by side.
" Charming!-beautiful!-exquisite!" were the
exclamations with  which  their exhibition  was
greeted.
" I will take one of them," said Godwyn. " And
you the other." Looking towards his friend Martin.
6 I don't know about that," answered the latter.
" The pictures are certainly very tempting. But I
am  not just sure that I can spare fifty dollars
to-day for an article of simple luxury."
" They're cheap as dirt," said Godwyn. "' Better
take one.  You'll not have another chance like
this soon."
But Martin hesitated, debating the money-ques



THE TWO PICTURES.            355
tion involved, and finally decided to let the companion-piece remain where it was for the present.
Godwyn paid down fifty dollars, and ordered one
of the pictures sent home.
The two men left the picture dealer's and walked
on, Godwyn elated by his purchase, and Martin
well satisfied at having successfully resisted the
temptation to spend the sum of fifty dollars for a
painting, when he had other use for his money.
"You will regret not having bought that picture," said Godwyn. "It is a gem, and is offered
at half its value."
"I love pictures," was answered.' They are to
me a source of unalloyed pleasure. But my income
is yet too limited to permit an indulgence of this
taste. The common wants of life, and the charities
which may not be disregarded, keep me without a
surplus to expend in the merely ornamental."
"I am no better off than you are," said Godwyn.
" But a portion of my income must go in the direction of beauty and ornament. Bare walls are my
abhorrence"
At this moment a cry of warning reached the
ears of the two men, and looking forward along
the street, they saw a horse, attached to an empty




356          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
wagon, dashing towards them at a frightful speed.
A little way in advance stood a cart, backed up to
the pavement. Before the owner of this, an Irishman, had time to turn his horse, the runaway was
upon him, and one of the shafts striking his poor
beast on the head, killed him on the spot.
Poor fellow!" said Martin, in a tone of pity, as
he heard the Irishman bewail his loss.
Come," said Godwyn, drawing upon the arm
of his friend. " It's a mercy for the poor, halfstarved beast."
But Martin stood still, and began to ask the
Irishman questions.  His looks corroborating his
replies, satisfied him that the loss he had just met
was the loss of means for getting bread for his
children. The man was in deep distress.
" I can't wait here," Godwyn spoke, with some
impatience. " Come, or I shall have to leave you.
That picture will be home before I get there."
Go on, then. I must look a little further into
this case," said Martin, quite in earnest.
" Humph! You'll have your hands full if you
stop to look into every case of this kind." Godwyn
spoke  a little contemptuously, and then  went
forwards.




THE TWO PICTURES.            357
" Ah, Martin!" said he, as the latter entered his
store about two hours afterwards, "How  comes
on your Irishman and his dead horse?" There was
an amused expression on his face.
" Badly enough  at present,"  was answered.
"Poor fellow! The death of his horse is to him
indeed a calamity; like the burning of a mechanic's
shop with all his tools; or the sinking of a merchant's ship, wherein was all his fortune. But I
think we can put him  all right with the world
again, and at a very small cost to ourselves. I
propose that five individuals contribute ten dollars
each, and buy him another horse. Here is the list,
I have put down my name, and Gregg has followed suit. You will make the third, and I know
who to calculate on for the fourth and fifth subscriptions."
Martin only partly unfolded his subscription
paper, for a strong negative came instantly into
the face of Godwyn.
" I'm too poor to make ten-dollar subscriptions
for the purchase of cart-horses for beggarly Irishmen," he answered.  "If I once undertook that
business, I would soon have my hands full. Take
my advice, and keep your money, your time, and




358          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
your pleasant feelings, and don't waste either in
the thankless task of collecting money to pay for
dead horses."
But Martin, though disappointed, was not turned
from  his good purpose. He succeeded in getting
thirty-five dollars subscribed, and then, adding
fifteen from his own purse, he went to the humble
abode of the poor Irishman, whom he found, half
stupid with despondency, amid his sorrowfil wife
and children.
" Come, come, Jimmy Maguire?" he said, cheerfully, " this will never do. Brighten up, man!"
" There's no brightening up for me, yer honor,"
replied Jimmy, sadly. " Poor Barny is kilt dead,"
and he drew his hand across his eyes. "The cart's
of no use now, and if I was to die for it, I couldn't
find money to buy another horse. Och! yer honor,
and what is to become of us all?'
The picture that Martin looked upon in that
humble abode lay all in deep shadow. There was
not upon it a single gleam of sunshine.
What did Barny cost?"
" I paid thirty-five dollars for him, hard-earned
money, and he was chape at that, yer honor."
"Find another horse as good, or even a little




THE TWO PICTURES.           359
better than Barny, and I will buy him for you,
Jimmy. Some kind gentlemen have placed money
in my hands for that purpose."
Broad dashes of sunlight fell instantly on the
living picture, which lay a moment before in
deepest shadow.
"Oh, sir!  Is it indade as you say?"  Jimmy
caught the arm of Mr. Martin, and looked into his
face almost wildly.
" Just as I say, Jimmy Maguire.  Find the
horse, and I will make him yours."
From  the valley of grief and despair to the
mountain-top of joy, the Irishman's household
passed, as by a single stride. They overwhelmed
their benefactor with noisy gratitude, and placed
him at once high in the calendar of saints.
That evening Mr. Godwyn sat alone in his
parlor. The picture was on the wall, but his eyes
were already more than half satisfied with its
beauty, and ceased to turn themselves towards it
for pleasure. A friend had been invited home at
tea time to look at this picture. He had an artist's
eye, and knew  a good painting  from  a bad
one.  Unfortunately for Mr. Godwyn, he detected
glaring faults in the landscape, and did not hesitate




360         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
to pronounce it a fourth-rate affair, and dear at
the price which had been paid. Mr. Godwyn was
unhappy.
On the same evening sat Martin alone, gazing
at a picture, the sight of which gave him inexpressible pleasure. It was not hanging upon the parlor
walls, inclosed in gilded frame, but grouped in his
thought, and vivid as life itself. We need not
describe this picture. The reader knows that it
represented the poor Irishman and his delighted
family.  Imagination had painted it in richest
colorings, and memory was enshrining it in perennial beauty. There was no power in time to rob
that picture of its charming freshness. Its possession could not bring a reproving thought; no critic
was skilled enough in art to find a defect, and thus
lessen the owner's appreciation. It was worth a
thousand such pictures as the one his friend had
already ceased to value.
The lesson, reader, is for us all.
If we were as ready to hang the chambers of our
minds with beautiful pictures, as we are the walls
of our houses, what pleasures would we lay up in
store for the time to come. As we grow older, we
insensibly fall into the habit of looking inwards.




THE TWO PICTURES.           361
We see more with the eyes of the mind than we do
with the eyes of the body-oftener gaze upon the
pictures that cluster on memory's walls, than upon
those which hang on the walls of our dwellings.
Oh! let us then give beauty and happiness to the
future by daily acts of kindness-by tender charities-by deeds of human love. These will group
themselves into pictures, upon which, as years glide
away, and the eyes look more and more inwards,
we shall gaze with purest delight; for time cannot
deface them, neither will familiarity rob them of a
living interest. And these are the pictures which
are not left hanging upon walls that shall know
his presence no more, when a man lays down the
burdens of natural life. He takes them with him,
as he takes the precious silver of divine truth, and
the fine gold of celestial love; and they will help
to make beautiful the mansion prepared for him
above.  Good deeds are the stepping-stones to
heaven.
16




362          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXXIV.
TE MPTATI ON.
". IFit wasn't for temptation," said a young convert, speaking to one who had been many years
trying to walk in the narrow way, " I could get
along very well. But the enemy is always taking
me at unawares. I start out in the morning, resolved that my walk and conversation shall, in all
things, adorn my profession; but ere I am half
through the day, temptations assail me, and I
fall."
" I trust not, my young brother," was the gravely
spoken reply.  "To fact in temptation is a most
dreadful thing. Every man who is regenerating
falls into temptations. Without them, we could not
know the evil qualities of our hearts, nor be able
to rise above them into the life of good affections.'Count it all joy,' says the Apostle James,'when
ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that




T'EMPTATION.               363
the trying of your faith worketh patience.' And
again, he says:' Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation.' It is by means of temptations that
spiritual life is formed, and through the conflicts
that temptations bring that this life gains manly
vigor.  It is not falling  into  temptation  that
harms us, but falling in temptation-not the conflict, but the loss in battle.  We must conquer, if
we would have peace and rest.  Can you not see
that, my brother "'
"I see it," was answered in a troubled voice.
" But your words form  themselves into sentences
of condemnation. Alas! I fall in every temptation."
" Do not hastily write bitter things against yourself," was the encouraging response to this.  " Perhaps it is not so bad. If you will confide to me a
day's experience, perhaps I can give you some
aid, and some encouragement.."
" Most gladly; for I am in need of help. This
morning, before I left my room, I prayed most
fervently that I might be kept stainless through
the day-that a guard might be set upon my lips,
and that all my actions might do honor to His
name. Conscious of my own weakness, I wished




364         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
to depend on Him solely; and so prayed, that He
would substitute His strength for my weakness.
Thus armed, as I thought, I went forth; but, ere
the first hour had passed, I fell. A sudden assault
upon my feelings was repelled by sharp words,
instead of a meek reply; and so I dishonored my
Lord."
" Will you state the occasion i"
" It happened in this wise. I was attending upon
a customer who was captious and troublesome.
She annoyed me greatly by some of her remarks.
At last she called my word in question, which
threw me off my guard, and extorted an angry
response. Of course, she got angry in return, and
left the store. It made me unhappy for the day.
Next, I was betrayed into light and trifling conversation; and next, so far forgot myself, as so indulge
in evil speaking and uncharitableness. Then I
would discover that my thoughts were running on
worldly and forbidden things; and once, I actually
caught myself working out a secret scheme for
overreaching in trade. I was so shocked at this,
that I felt almost like abandoning my Christian
profession. Isn't it dreadful to think of? I believed
my heart changed; but now am sorely afraid that




TEMPTATION.              365
I am worse instead of better. Oh, these temptations! Why is it that we are subjected to them?"
"It is by temptation that our evil quality is
revealed to us,' was mildly answered.  "Now, as
I regard your experience during the day, I think
you have reason to be thankful for the occurrences
which have shown you that there are things in
your heart which must he removed ere you can
advance in the regenerate life?"
" But, I fell in temptation," said the young man,
in a troubled tone of voice.
"I am not so sure of that. Temptation is an
allurement to sin-and sin is some violation of
God's law; and we fall in temptation, when the
right and the wrong are both clearly presented to
our minds, and in freedom to do the right or the
wrong, we do the wrong, because our natural affections love it. Now, let us try your actions to-day
by this rule. First, as to the angry words to a
troublesome customer. Would you have said them,
if you had taken time for reflection?"
"No. I was pained the moment I gave them
utterance."
" Enough; the pain showed the spiritual vitality.
If you had felt pleased at having wounded or an



366         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEYN
noyed the person, the case would have been different; and if you have resolved to be still more
guarded in future, the lapse on this occasion is only
a stepping-stone, as it were, to better conditions of
mind. Both you and the lady, it strikes me, will
gain something by the incident. And let me help
you to look a little deeper. Which gave you most
pain, a consciousness of having wronged the lady,
or of appearing unmanly in her eyes?-of having
sinned before God, or of having disgraced yourself
before men? Get at the truth, if possible."
The young convert turned his thoughts inwards,
in close self-examination.
" You have helped me to look deeper,"-he lifted
a pair of sober looking eyes to the face of his friend
-" but I do not like what I see."
" Why?"
" It was not the sin that really troubled me. I
thought more of man's estimate than God's."
" Which was wrong."' Oh, yes.")
So much really gained by this loss of temper.
Can't you see that the trial was for your good, and
the fall, in a sudden assault, ere you had time to
buckle on your armor, permitted, in order that you




TEMPTATION.               367
might be enabled to see deeper into your heart.
You are on your feet again, and stronger than
before.
"The next thing complained of, is light and
trifling conversation; and the next, evil speaking;
then your thoughts ran on worldly and forbidden
things. Now, as to the light and trifling conversation, I have only to say, that religion does not bind
a man to solemn, speech at all times, and in
all places. Pleasant words are not evil, unless they
involve some hurtful thing, as what is obscene,
wicked, or profane-then they have a soul-destroying quality. Bring your conversation to this test
always. As to the evil speaking, and pondering
on forbidden things, they are to be repented of.
If the discovery has pained you, that is another
advance in the right direction. But, the most
serious discovery you have made during the day,
is the fact, that dishonesty lurks in your heart.
Here was a real temptation, but, thanks be to God,
who giveth us the victory, you were able to meet
the enemy of your soul on the very threshold,
and hurl him  back with more than  a giant's
strength. Now, think for a moment, my young
friend, and then say whether the experiences a




368         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
little while ago complained of so bitterly, are not
really     clay's stepping-stone towards heaven?
Are you not wiser, and stronger than when the
morning dawned? Is not the way plainer?
"Temptations help us onwards, if we but overcome in them; because they are revelations of our
evil qualities, the existence of which we could not
know without them. But if in the strife we fall,
then we grow worse instead of better; then our
steps lead downwards instead of upwards. Your
morning prayer, to be kept from evil during the
day, is well; but do not let the utterance of this
prayer lead you to neglect watchfulness for a single moment. Prayer will not weaken your enemies, but render them, it may be, more determined
and malignant. Watch through all the succeeding
hours of the day, and keep your armor tightly
girded. Be ready for sudden assault, or stealthy
inroad; and then, as a true Christian warrior, you
shall come off victorious."
"Thanks! thanks!" was the earnest reply.
"You have helped me wonderfully. I see clearer,
and feel both strength and encouragement. I have
not really fallen in temptation, but am stronger
for the brief conflicts."




TEMPTATION.               369
"These,9 said the more experienced Christian
soldier, "are but light skirmishings before the
shock of battle. Your real temptations are in the
future; but you will not be admitted to these
until you have overcome the outposts and vanguards of the enemy. Then will come the fiercer
struggles and wilder conflicts of the strong man.
Now you have only the child's strength, and none
but feebler foes are suffered to approach; but as
you grow up towards the full stature of a Christian
hero, the strongest and most malignant enemies of
your soul will array themselves, and then you must
conquer. Fear not; for divine courage and divine
skill will be yours, if you go bravely into the
fight; and when you have conquered, there will
be rest and peace. Count it all joy, therefore,
when you fall into divers temptations; for they are
the trials of your faith, and the means by which
you are enabled to put off the old maln of sin, and
to put on the likeness of the new man, Christ
Jesus our Lord."
16*




370          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
AT HOME.
A MAN'S " walk and conversation" at home give
always the surest test of his profession. At home,
few  are dissemblers. The real quality manifests
itself without disguise.  If a man's wife, children,
and servants, show  no respect for his religious
character, you may be pretty sure that he is selfdeceived, or a hypocrite. In other words, that he
is trying to get to heaven by a mere outside observance of pious forms, instead of through a
denial of self-love, and the cultivation of heavenly
affections.
Mortimer Grand had a very pious way with
him. I-Ie was much inclined to conversation on
religious subjects; fond of doctrinal discussions,
and much concerned about his neighbors' fidelity
in spiritual things.  Most persons thought him a
good man-some a very good man; but the few




AT iOME.                  371
wlo came in closer contact, and felt the quality of
his business life, held rather a different opinion.
They saw that he was, for the most part, eagerly
bent on securing personal advanta: e; and this
even to the injury of others.
But it is in his home life that we design testing
the religious quality of Mr. Grand. At home, shut
out from the world's observation, he could lay off
the assumed external, and act in all things just as
he felt.  If a tyrant in heart, he could act the
tyrant; if impatient at light annoyanlces, he could
be impatient; if inclined to selfish appropriation,
there was none to prevent his doing as he pleased.
I-e could enjoy the luxury of being himself, fiom
inmost affection to uttermost act.
The day had closed, and  in  no very good
humor-for all things had not shaped themselves
as natural affections desired-Mr. Grand bent his
steps homewards.  On the way he met a friend.
They stopped and  exchanged  salutations.  Mr.
Grand's face became almost radiant with smiles
as he responded to the remark"The good work goes bravely on."
"'Bravely and gloriously!" was his reply. "It
is, indeed, a time of refreshing from  the hand of




372         STEPS TOWARDS IEAVEN.
the Lord. The signs of His presence are everywhere."
Then they shook hands with ardor, and parted.
For a little way, the glow of enthusiasm remained
with Mrl. Grand; then, as home drew near, the
warmth of his feelings subsided; and by the time
his feet were crossing his own threshhold, his state
was entirely changed.
"No light in the passage, as usual!" he said,
fretfully, as he closed the street door behind him.
Even as he spoke, the faint, yellow gleam of a
match broke suddenly out of the darkness, and in
the next moment the strong glare of a gas lamp
blazed around him. It was the work of his wife.
" Humph I it's always so!" growled Mr. Mortimer Grand.
" Yes, it is always so," replied Mrs. Grand, her
tone of voice in no wise more amiable than that of
her husband.
" What's always so?" was demanded.
" Your temper when you come home."
This was severe; and Mr. Grand was irritated,
rather than rebuked.  So he went stalking up
stairs to the sitting-room, and entered among the
children like a cloud instead of a sunbeam. There




AT HOME.                  373
was a sudden hushing of voices, and a shrinking
away at his approach.  In the large cushioned
rocking-chair, sat little Frances, whose loving heart
was always going out in search of love. She lifted
her blue eyes to her father's face, as he approached
her, with  a half-timid, half-hopeful expression.
But he merely swept her from the chair with his
hand, and sat down without a gentle word or
glance of affection.
Dear little tender thing! The roughness and the
disappointment were too great for her.  Tears
came; sobs convulsed her tiny frame; and then
passionate grief broke in cries upon the air.
"Take that child from  the room!" said Mr.
Grand, sternly, as his wife entered.
" What's the matter with her?" inquired the
mother.
"It's more than I can tell.  She's always crying
about something. But, I won't have this din about
my ears. It's intolerable."
Mrs. Grand took the child up in her arms, and
pressed her head down against her breast, tenderly.
"What ails you, dear  Stop crying, and tell
me."  Mrs. Grand pressed her lips to the ear of
her child.




3 4          STEPS TOWARDS HIEAVEN
" Papa."  It was all the little mouth could say.
" Papa, what?"  Whispered the mother.
" Papa hurt me," was answered amid quivering
sobs.
And that was just the truth; and just as the
child felt it.  She did not mean to convey to her
mother any impression beyond the truth.  Hter
little heart was hurt.
"That is not so!"  And Mr. Grand started to
his feet.  " How  dare you tell a lie!"  And he
moved rapidly across the room. The frightened
child shrunk closer to her mother, and hushed her
crying.  Mr. Grand took hold of her slender arm
with the tight grip of passion, and attempted to
remove her; but Mrs. Grand would not permit
this. She was not going to trust her precious little
one to the tender mercies of an angry man, whose
hard spirit had bruised hers from the beginning.
The result of former contests with his wife, warned
lMr. Grand not to persist now; and so, after scowling upon her for some moments, he turned away
and went back to his seat in the large rockingchair, muttering something in an undertone.
For ten minutes Mr. Grand sat without speaking,
his chin drawn down upon his breast, and his




AT HOME.                  375
countenance  wearing  a most repulsive  aspect.
Then lie ordered one of the children to be still, in
a tone of harsh rebuke.  Ten minutes more of
moody silence followed.
" If supper isn't ready soon, I shall go off without it." AMr. Grand spoke suddenly.
"You didn't say you were going out." 3M[rs.
Grand arose and moved towards the door of the
room.  "If you had, I would have hurried tea."
" Supper ought to have been ready half an hour
ago. I've said, a hundred times, that I wished my
meals always ready by stroke of the clock."'
Mrs. Grand went down stairs, leading Frances,
who kept close to her side. Nearly ten minutes
more elapsed, before everything was on the table.
Ere half that time had expired, Mr. Grand had
commenced walking the floor of the sitting-room
with impatient footsteps.' Father!"  A  voice and hand arrested his attention.
"Well, what's wanted 2"  Mlr. Grand stopped
and looked down with closer contracting brows.
"Lend me your knife, father, to sharpen this
stick2?
"I shall do no such thing.  You broke the last
knife I had."  And Mr. Grand pushed his little




376          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
son away, who, made angry by the rebuff, crossed
the room to where his older brother was writing
out an exercise, and from sheer wantonness, born
of bad feelings, pushed his elbow and caused him
to spoil half an hour's work. This outrage could
not be borne; the brother turned and struck him
in the face. A loud cry followed, when the father,
catching up the boy who had dealt the blow, punished him with great severity, and then sent him
off, supperless to bed.  He made no inquirystopped for no investigation; but meted out summary punishment, because that was in  closest
agreement with his feelings.
When the tea bell rung, at last, he went stalking
down stairs, the children  following  in a wild
scramble.
" Silence!"  He demanded in a tone of stern
authority, as he sat down to the table. A grace
was then said, when, helping himself, Mr. Grand
left his wife to help the children. The toast was a
little burnt, and he scolded; his tea wasn't sweet
enough, and he called for more sugar, with a
frown; the butter didn't suit his taste, and he
spoke so sharply about it to his wife, that tears
came into her eyes. After eating, with a good




AT HOME.                377
appetite, Mr. Grand left the table, saying, as he
did so, that he was going out and wouldn't be
home until after ten o'clock.
" Henry!"  Mrs. Grand arose from the table,
and followed her husband into the passage.
" Well, what do you want?"
" I wish you could stay home this evening. I
was going to ask you, particularly."
" Stay at home! What for?" Mr. Grand knit
his very flexible brows, as he always did when not
pleased.
" Edward is not getting on right at school. He
hasn't had his lessons for a week or more, and says
he can't learn them. I have tried my best to help
him, but the lessons puzzle me. Now, Henry, if
you would only give him a little time this evening
you might save him from discouragement and disgrace at school. He says the teacher keeps him in
every day, and threatens severer punishment if he
is deficient to-morrow.  I promised him  that I
would speak to you about it."
" I've punished him, and sent him to bed, for
striking his brother," said Mr. Grand. "I don't
wonder he isn't getting on right at school if
he behaves as badly there as he does at home.




378          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
The fault, I apprehend, goes deeper than his lessons. I don't believe his teacher is so unreason
able as he makes out."
" But hadn't you better look into the matter? I
think Edward is doing his best. He must have
been very much provoked if he struck his brother.
He is not troublesome among the children. I
wish you would stay at home to-night and look
into this matter of his lessons. If there is any
injustice towards him, who but his father is competent to protect him?"
"Oh, as to the injustice, I will take all the
risk," replied Mr. Grand, indifferently.
" Then you won't stay at home?"
"I can't. I'm going to a missionary meeting."
" Missionary meetings may all be well enough,"
answered the wife, coldly; "but my opinion is,
that your duty to-night is to look after the neglected heathen of your own home."
"Mary, I will not suffer this!   Mr. Grand
spoke sternly.  "I know my duty, and am alone
responsible for its performance.  I wish  you
would do yours as well. We should then have a
better regulated household."
And he went out, shutting the door with a




AT HOME.                 379
heavy jar. Mrs. Grand sighed, as she walked
back, with weary steps, to the dining-room, and
took up, with a sad heart, the burden of her duties.
Mr. Grand went to the meeting, in which he took
a prominent part, and came away at its close with
pleasant compliments in his ears, and a feeling of
self-satisfaction in his heart, in having been an
active co-worker in a great scheme of Christian
benevolence.
Of this man's title to the name of Christian, let
the reader judge.  We have another and sunnier
picture to exhibit, and so pass from the contemplation of one that can only excite unpleasant feelings.  True religion always shows itself best at
home; for here disguises are put aside, and the
man is seen as he is.
" I wish father would come home."  The voice
that said this had a troubled tone, and the face
that looked up was sad.
"Your father will be very angry," said an aunt,
who was sitting in the room with a book in her
hand. The boy raised himself from the sofa, where
he had been lying in tears for half an hour, and,
with a touch of indignation in his voice, answered,




380         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
He'll be sorry, not angry. Father never gets
angry."
For a few moments the aunt looked at the boy
half curiously, and let her eyes fall again upon the
book that was in her hand. The boy laid himself
down upon the sofa again, and hid his face from
sight.
"That's father now!"  He started up, after the
lapse of nearly ten minutes, as the sound of a bell
reached his ears, and went to the room door. He
stood there for a little while, and then came slowly
back, saying, with a disappointed air:
" It isn't father. I wonder what keeps him so
late., Oh, I wish he would come home!"
" You seem anxious to get deeper into trouble,'
remarked the aunt, who had only been in the
house for a week, and who was neither very
amiable nor very sympathizing towards children.
The boy's fault had provoked her, and she considered him a fit subject for punishment."
"I believe, Aunt Phcebe, that you'd like to see
me whipped," said the boy, a little warmly.' But you won't."
" I must confess," replied Aunt Phcebe, " that I
think a little wholesome discipline of the kind you




AT HOME.                381
speak of would not be out of place. If you were
my child, I am very sure you would'nt escape."
I'm not your child: I don't want to be. Father's good, and loves me."
"If your father is so good, and loves you so
well, you must be a very ungrateful, or a very
inconsiderate boy. His goodness don't seem to
have helped you much."
"Hush, will you!" ejaculated the boy, excited
to anger by this unkindness of speech.
"Phoebe!" It was the boy's mother who spoke
now, for the first time. In an under tone, she
added: " You are wrong. Richard is suffering
quite enough, and you are doing him harm rather
than good.
Again the bell rang, and again the boy left
the sofa, and went to the sitting-room door.
"It's father!"  And he went gliding cown
stairs.
" Ah, Richard!" was the kindly greeting, as Mr.
Gordon took the hand of his boy. "But what's
the matter, my son? You don't look happy."
" Won't you come in here "  And Richard
drew his father into the library. Mr. Gordon sat
down, still holding Richard's hand.




382          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
" You are in trouble, my son. What has happened?"
The eyes of Richard filled with tears as he
looked into his father's face. He tried to answer,
but his lips quivered. Then he turned away, and
opening the door of a cabinet, brought out the
fragments of a broken statuette, which had been
sent home only the day before, and set them on
a table before his father, over whose countenance
came instantly a shadow of regret.
" Who did this, my son " was asked in an even
voice.
" I did it."
-low 2"
" I threw my ball in here, once-only once, in
forgetfulness."
The poor boy's tones were husky and tremulous.
A little while Mr. Gordon sat, controlling himself, and collecting his disturbed thoughts. Then
he said cheerfully" What is done, Richard, can't be helped. Put
the broken pieces away. You have had'trouble
enough about it, I can see-and reproof enough for
your thoughtlessness-so I shall not add a word to
increase your pain."




AT HOME.                 383
" Oh, father!"  And the boy threw  his arms
about his father's neck.  " You are so kind-so
good!"
Five minutes later, and Richard entered the
sitting-room with his father. Aunt Phebe looked
up for two shadowed faces; but did not see them.
She was puzzled.
That was very unfortunate," she said, a little
while after Mr. Gordon came in.  6 It was such an
exquisite work of art. Is it hopelessly ruined?"
Richard was leaning against his father when his
aunt said this. /Mr. Gordon only smiled and drew
his arm  closely around his boy.  Mrs. Gordon
threw upon her sister a look of warning; but it
was unheeded.
" I think Richard was a very naughty boy."
" We have settled all that, Phcebe," was the
mild but firm answer of Mr. Gordon; " and it is
one of our rules to get into the sunshine as quickly
as possible."
Phoebe was rebuked; while Richard  looked
grateful, and, it may be, a little triumphant; for
his aunt had borne down upon him rather too hard
for a boy's patience to endure.
Into the sunshine as quickly as possible! Oh, is




384          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
not that the better philosophy for our homes   Is
it not true Christian philosophy? It is selfishness
that grows angry and repels, because a fault has
been committed. Let us get the offender into the
sunshine as quickly as possible, so that true
thoughts and right feelings may grow vigorous in
its warmth. We retain anger, not that anger may
act as a wholesome discipline, but because we are
unwilling to forgive. Ah, if we were always right
with ourselves, we would oftener be right with our
children.' You will be at the meeting to-night, Marston 2"
said a man to his friend. They had stopped at
the corner of a street, and were about separating.
" Oh, yes. I wouldn't miss one of these Wednesday-night meetings on any account. I enjoy
them  very much; and gain  strength  for duty.
You will be there e"
" Of course; nothing but a matter of life and
death could keep me away."
" Good evening.".
" Good evening.  Come early, Marston."
And the two men separated. Both had recently




AT HOME.                385
joined the Church, and both were ardent in their
new life, almost to enthusiasm.
On his arrival at home, Marston found that preparations for tea were not in a very encouraging
state of advancement; so he said, in a cheerful
way to his wife, who was going about with a baby
in her arms" You must hurry up things a little, Anna. This
is Wednesday night, you know, and I wouldn't fail
being at the meeting on any account.  Give
Maggy to me. There; now your hands are free.
I ought to have come home a little earlier."
The pale, weary-looking wife, smiled on her husband, as she handed him  the baby, and said,
pleasantly" You shall not be late, dear. I will soon have
all ready. My head has ached badly all the afternoon, and this has kept me behindhand.
"I'm sorry for that, Anna. Does it ache still?
The husband's voice was full of kind interest.
"Yes; and I feel unusually weak.  The first
warm weather of the season, always tries me, you
know."
A shade of concern came over the face of Mr.
Marston, as his eyes followed the retiring form of




386         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
his wife. He was an industrious young man, with
only a small salary; and his wife was trying to
get along without a domestic. They had two children-a little boy four years old, and Maggy,
the baby, who had not yet completed her first
year.
In a shloter time than the husband had expected,
his wife's pleasant voice called him to supper. He
gave her the baby as he entered their little
dining-room, and she sat down with it in her arms
to pour out the tea.
" Does your head ache still " inquired Marston.
" Badly; but I think a cup of tea will do me
good."
I hope so, indeed. Give baby back to me. I
can hold her." And the husband reached out his
hands for little Maggy, who, pleased to return, almost leaped into his arms.
" You must take her back, mother," said Marston, rising from the table, in about ten minutes,
and reaching the baby to his wife. " It is late, and
I must be away, or the prayer-meeting will open
before I get there."
" But Maggy, who was very fond of her father,
did not wish to leave him; and so struggled, after




AT HOME.               387
her mother had received her, and cried to be taken
back.
"Papa must go, darling."  Marston bent down
and tried to soothe the grieving little one. As he
did so, Maggy got her arms around his neck, and
held on tightly. It took quite an effort to remove
them.
As Marston shut the door of his dwelling behind
him, and commenced walking rapidly away in the
direction of the church, at which the prayermeeting was to be held, he was conscious of an
unpleasant pressure upon his feelings. What did
this mean? He began at once searching about in
his mind for the cause. At first, he could see
nothing clearly; but gradually thought went back
to the home he had just left, and to his pale, wearylooking wife and children, grieving because he had
left them.
"Is this right?   The question came suddenly
upon him, and almost arrested his steps.
a 1 am sorry to leave them alone to-night," he
said within himself  "and wouldn't, except for the
prayer-meeting. I gain so much strength and
comfort in this means of grace, that I feel as if it
would be wrong to neglect it."




388          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
And so he walked on, but with slower steps, his
thoughts still returning to his home, and imagination giving more and more vivid pictures of his
wife and children in grief for his absence. At last
he stood still.
" I need the blessing I had hoped to receive this
evening. The strength, the comfort, the peace,"
he said, still talking with himself.  "But, poor
Anna! It is hard for her to be left alone. And
she isn't at all well."
"I will go back."  He spoke out resolutely, at
last; and commenced retracing his steps.  "I must
not consider myself alone. Perhaps God will give
the strength and comfort I need, even if I do not
meet to-night with his people."
" Oh, James, is it you "  Mrs. Marston started
at the unexpected appearance of her husband, who
saw, as she looked up, that her eyes were wet.
"Have you forgotten anything?"
"Yes," he replied, as he stood gazing with unusual tenderness upon her.
"V What is it? Can I get it for you?"
"I forgot to stay at home with my wife and
children," said the young man.
"Oh, James!' Tears gushed over his wife's face.




AT HOME.                389' And I've come back to remain with them."
Mrs. Marston leaned her aching head upon her
husband's shoulder, and sobbed. This unexpected
circumstance quite broke down the little self-composure that remained.
"Did you feel lonely?"
"Lonely, sad, and discouraged," she answered.
"But you are good and kind; and I am weak and
foolish. Go back, James, to the prayer-meeting
I shall feel better now."
"No, darling," said IMarston. "I will stay at
home to help and comfort my lonely, sad, and
discouraged wife; and I think I shall be serving
God in this, with a truer spirit of worship than I
could possibly feel in any prayer-meeting that I
went to at the sacrifice of a clear home duty."
"How does your head feel now, Anna?" was
asked half an hour later, as they sat together, Mrs.
Marston with her needle in her hand, and her husband holding both of the happy children in his
arms.
"It is free from pain, and I feel so much better.
I think your unexpected return has cured me.
Ain't I a weak, foolish woman, James? But, after
you have been absent all day long, I can't bear to




390         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
have you go out in the evening. I love so to hear
you read to me; and you don't know how much
good it always does me."
Mr. Marston smiled back upon his wife a loving
smile. New thoughts were awakened in his mind.
"' There are other souls to be cared for as well as
my own," he said, a little while after, as he sat
musing on the occurrences of the evening. " The
souls of my wife and children. How can I help
them on the way to heaven? By going out to religious meetings, or by staying at home with them?
Ah! My duty is clear. I must do right before I
can be right. If I endeavor to water the souls of
others, God will water my own soul. He has
placed these precious ones in my care, and I must
be faithful to the high mission."
To think right is the first step towards doing
right. While his wife sat at her work, Mr. Marston put his little boy to bed; first talking to him
about heaven, and its pure inhabitants, and then
hearing him say his prayers.
" God bless you, my son!" he said in his heart,
as he laid on his pure lips the good-night kiss.
Another new  thing in the household of Mr.
Marston occurred that evening. As his wife sewed,




AT HOME.               891
he read to her, first from religious books, and then
from the Bible. When bed-time drew near, he
said, in a serious, but gentle voice"There are home. prayer-meetings, as well as
church prayer-meetings; and God has said,'Where
even two or three are gathered together in His
name, there He will be in the midst of them.'
Shall we not open a prayer-meeting in our house,
Anna-a home prayer-meeting? There are two
of us here, and God has declared that even with
two He will be present."'I am not strong enough for duty, Henry.
Every day I feel that human strength is but weakness. Pray with, and pray for me, that divine
strength will be given."
Mrs. Marston spoke with glistening eyes.
Then they knelt down together, and opened a
prayer-meeting in  their home; and  Marston
gathered in the act more strength and comfort
than could possibly have been found at the public
meeting, had he gone there in violation of his
home duties, and sung and prayed never so fervently; for right actions, from religious principles,
alone bear us heavenwards.




392         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXXI.
WILD  OATS.
THERE are steps away from heaven, as well as
towards heaven, and a warning word cannot be
wholly out of place, and so we give this earnest
admonition to the young and thoughtless, and pray
them to keep their minds pure.
Many a young man has been lured from the
path of virtue, and enticed into the road that leads,
by an easy descent, into the accursed valley of
destruction, through the thoughtless speech of some
thoughtless person, talking flippantly about sowing
wild oats, as a thing to be expected in youth.
"I had one lesson on this subject from the lips
of an aged counsellor," said a valued friend to me,
not long since, "which has never been forgotten.
The timely warning saved me. I was nineteen
years of age, and had just entered college. Young
men were there from nearly every State in the




WILD OATS.               393
Union, and some of them already sadly corrupted.
I was social, in high health and spirits, and with an,imagination forever carrying me beyond the actual
and the present. Before I had time for reflection,
and before even a consciousness of wrong had
reached me, I was afloat on a dangerous sea, my
boat gliding swiftly forwards, and the Siren's songs
already in my ears.
" One night we had a wine party in the town,
which ended in excesses, the thought of which has
called a burning blush to my cheeks a hundred
times since. I had not been very well for some
days previously, suffering from constant headache
and low febrile symptoms. The dissipation of a
night turned the scale upon the wrong side, and I
was so ill the next day, that it was thought best to
call in a physician. He was an old man, of the
old school of gentlemen, and wise, thoughtful, and
kind. He commenced, at once, the business of
finding out everything in regard to my habits,
principles, and modes of thought, and there was
something in him that so inspired me with confidence, that I concealed nothing. He looked grave,
and offered a remonstrance.
"' Oh,' said I, almost lightly,' young men must
1jt




394          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
sow their wild oats. The ground will be so much
the better prepared for seeding wheat, after the
crop is taken.'
"' An error of the gravest character,' he replied,
seriously,  and one that has ruined its thousands
and its tens of thousands of young men. Is a garden,
better prepared for the reception of good seed, for
having been first permitted to grow weeds? I put
the question to your common sense. Are there not
some soils so filled with all manner of evil seeds,
that the gardener, with his utmost toil and care,
can scarcely remove the vigorous plants that spring
to life in the warm  sunshine and rain?  It is no
mere comparison, that of the human soul to a
garden. It is, in reality, a spiritual garden. Truth
is the good seed which is sown in this garden, false
principles the evil seed, or  wild oats,' which -the
enemy's hand scatters, if permitted, upon its virgin
soil. Now, is it not as much an insult to reason to
say that the man will be a wiser, truer, better man,
for having false principles, leading at once to an
evil life, sown upon the ground of his mind in
youth, as it is to say that a garden will be more
thrifty in after years, for being first permitted to
grow weeds?




WILD OATS.                395
"'My stranger friend! I have lived almost to
the completion of life's earthly cycle, and have
seen a sad number of young men lost to the world,
lost to themselves, and lost, I fear, to the company
of God's blessed angels, in consequence of that
single false idea sown into the earth of their minds.
Oh, cast it out at once! Keep yourself pure. Let
right principles, chaste thoughts, noble purposes,
manly aims, grow in your garden-not the accursed
wild oats! Be temperate, prudent, virtuous, obedient to superiors, honorable, kind. Aim to be a
man-not a sensualist.  Govern yourself as a man,
instead of letting passion, appetite, or any sensual
desire rule you as a tyrant.  Sow no more wild
oats. You will find trouble enough in your after
life with the seed already scattered in your fields.'
"The scales," said my friend, " dropped at once
from my eyes. I saw that the good old physician
was right, and that this cant about sowing wild
oats involved one of the most dangerous fallacies
into which the mind of a young man could fall.
It was my last folly of this kind."




396         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
XXXVII.
THE ANGEL PAIN.' OH, if it wasn't for pain," said Mrs. Warren,
"life would be, indeed, a blessing! But pain mars
everything. It is pain, pain, pain! This is the
heirloom which every one possesses; and the mind
must accept the fatal legacy as well as the body."
And the lady sunk back with a sigh upon the
pillow from  which she had raised herself while
speaking.
"An angel who never sleeps at her post, is
pain," said a gentle voice, the low tones of which
filled the room like a passing strain of music.
"A malignant, destroying angel!"  Mrs. Warren spoke with almost angry excitement.
"A  kind, wise, loving angel," was answered
firmly, " ever seeking to save. No enemy, whether
of the body or the soul, can approach the citadel




THE ANGEL PAIN.             397
of life without a sure warning from this faithful
sentinel."
Mrs. Warren's only response was a groan, accompanied by a firm pressure of her hand against
her side.
"Does the pain increase " was asked in tones
of sympathy.
" Oh, yes! It seems at each breath, as if a knife
were passing through me."
"The doctor will soon be here, I trust; and from
him we may hope for speedy relief."
"I am so oppressed!" said the sick lady, panting
as she spoke. "It seems as if a heavy weight
were crushing in my breast."
"You did not feel that in the beginning "
" No. The pain came first."
" Warning you of danger. I am  glad we sent
so promptly for the physician. You. dressed too
thinly last night. Bare arms and neck! I said
the imprudence would bring its own punishment."
"Was that the bell?" asked Mrs. Warren, raising
her head and listening.
" Yes."
"Oh, that it may be the doctor! This pain is
dreadful?"




398         STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
The doctor entered in a few moments.
"You did not send for me a minute too soon,'
was almost his first remark, after examining into
the symptoms of his patient. It was a case of
acute pneumonia. Mrs. Warren, who was a fashionable woman, had attended a fashionable party
on the night before, with arms, neck, and part of
her chest exposed. The company was large, and
the rooms oppressively warm. Imprudently, she
sought an open window for fresh air. A sudden
check of perspiration was the result, and inflammation of the lungs the final consequence. Pain
gave timely warning of danger, and aid was
promptly summoned. Skillfully applied remedies
met the destroyer at the threshold, and he retired
after a brief conflict.
"Thanks to the angel pain!" said the sister of
Mrs. Warren, as she sat by the feeble convalescent.
" Your precious life has been spared."
There was a faint, assenting smile.
"If she had not been true to her mission; if she
had slept one fatal moment at her post, and permitted disease to pass in without a stroke of warning, the darkness of death would now veil the eyes
of our sister, and our hearts be shrouded in mourn



THE ANGEL PAIN.              399
ing.  And so I say, blessed be pain! It is God's
merciful gift!"
Wise counsellor! sweet consoler! What would
I not give, dear sister Anna, for your clear-sighted
eyes- your Christian philosophy- your divine
faith-your acceptance, not only in my person,
but in your own, of pain as a blessing!"
" In nearly all cases," was the low-voiced answer, "pain comes from  a violation of either
natural or moral laws. If the former, the body
suffers; if the latter, the mind. And thus being
warned of error by the approach of evil, we turn
to the physician and are healed."
She paused, letting her meek eyes sink to the
floor, and remained lost for some time in thought.
" And so mental pain is an indicator of mental
disease!" said Mrs. Warren.
"Always," the sister answered.
"Always?" there was a tone of surprise in Mrs.
Warren's voice.
" But what if the pain arise from  another's act,
instead of our own "
" As when the body receives external injury, for
instance." said Anna.
"Yes. Is the pain from mental disease in that




400          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVEN.
"Is the body in health when a hand is crushed,
or the flesh bruised 2" asked the sister.
a~ No."
"And sudden pain gives warning of the sudden
injury. A  condition of health no longer exists,
and death may as surely follow without the physician's aid as if every pore of the body had absorbed contagion. As it is with the body, so is it
with the spirit.  One is materially organized; the
other, as I have often said to you, is spiritually
organized; and both are subject to laws which
cannot be violated, even in the smallest particular,
without evil consequences. It matters not whether
the disturbance of harmony come from without or
from within-the indicator, pain, gives surely its
alarm, and ceases not until the danger has passed.
If it were not so, spiritual death, which is the
extinction of all good affections in the soul, would
as certainly follow spiritual disease as natural
death follows natural disease."
"I see, but dimly," said Mrs. Warren with a
sigh. "Disease-pain-death! Alas! alas! There
is not a human flower untouched by their blight.
As for pain-pain of mind, and pain of body-it is
the death's head grinning at all our feasts."




THE ANGEL PAIN.              401
"Say rather, dear sister, the angel who points to
the enemy of our peace, and cries,'Beware! beware!' Look down into your heart, and question
it closely. From what causes have arisen pain ot
mind   From  orderly or disorderly activities?
That is, from neighborly and divine affections, or
worldly and selfish affections; for in these two
lie all the elements of life. There is not an impulse of feeling, nor the motion of a thought, lying
outside of them. As the fountain is, so will the
stream be. As the life is-orderly or disorderlyso will be the consciousness of life. The orderly
movement will be smooth, harmonious, delightful;
the disorderly, with shock, and jar, and pain.
"-Dear sister, look into your heart, and answer
the question-What has caused unhappiness? The
activities of neighborly love, burning with a desire
to bless others; or the activities of worldly love,
seeking to receive rather than to bestowS. Were
we in the true order of our lives, we would be
God-like, for we are the work of his hands; and to
be God-like is to love others, and to seek their
good. But if, departing from true order, we love
only ourselves, and seek merely our own good,
disease of mind follows as a sure consequence;




402          STEPS TOWARDS HEAVENo
and pain, true to her mission, will give the needed
warning lest we perish in eternal death. Mental
suffering is, therefore, a sure sign that our lifemotions are in the wrong direction. Pain touches
us in mercy, not in wrath. Let us be wise, and
heed her divine admonitions."
"The memory of a good deed," said Mrs. Warren, speaking from  a new  state of perception,' rarely gives us pain."
"Never," was answered, " when the prompting
motive is good. But if we exercise neighborly
charities from selfish or worldly ends, we cannot
claim the high reward of interior delight. As our
ends are, so always will be the quality of our
enjoyments. Real good must be genuine, from
inception to act."
" But how are we to know whether our motive
be selfish or unselfish2 Ends of life are most
deeply hidden."
" We surround ourselves," replied the sister,
" with an atmosphere so dusky that vision is often
at fault. And so we move forwards, not always
certain of our steps. But thanks to the prompter,
pain, she will not permit us to swerve a hair's
breadth from the right path, without giving a sign.




THE ANGEL PAIN.              403
If we heed not her gentler admonitions, she speaks
in clearer tones; and if we heed not yet, her voice
takes on a.harsher thrill. Louder, sterner, harsher
it becomes, if our feet continue to walk in the
ways that lead downwards; and she ceases not her
cry, even unto the end. A blessing on pain, then,
I repeat, dear sister! A blessing on pain! She
is heaven-sent, and would lead us to heaven."
THE END.