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two large loaves of bread, returned to the cabin, crept softly up, and tumbled the loaves down the chimney. Peeping through a crevice, he saw the old lady, her eyes swimming with tears of gratitude, pick up the bread, and eat it, giving hearty thanks to God. The wicked man bellowed out, "You old fool, you need n't thank God for that bread, for I brought it to you." The old saint replied, "that it made no difference to her if the devil brought it; she knew that the Lord sent it."

About this time my brother-in-law, Judge Wright, the proprietor of an extensive flouring establishment in Logansport, Indiana, hearing of our misfortunes, told us that as long as he owned the mill he would furnish us with all the flour we needed; and he has been as good as his word.

Another channel of benevolence I ought not to fail to mention,-Mr. L. M. Brown, the youngest brother of my wife, a merchant, in Lafayette, Indiana, who occasionally slips a five or ten dollar note into a letter, which finds a more than welcome in the cabin of the poor. How glad I am that my Heavenly Father has directed his recording angel to credit all these things to my benevolent friends, even to the giving a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple.

"His stores are open all and free
To such as truly upright be;
Water and bread he 'll give for food,
And all things else he sees is good.

"Then do not seek, with anxious care,
What you shall eat, or drink, or wear;
Your Heavenly Father will you feed;
He knows that all these things you need.
"Without reserve give Christ your heart;
Let him his righteousness impart ;
Then all things else he'll freely give ;
With him you all things shall receive."

Amen! My soul is a witness to the truth of these lines. Truly might the apostle say, that the promises are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. But while we remember with gratitude our kind friends through whom, as a medium, God conveys temporal blessings to his needy children, we cannot help reflecting, that many who give their goods to feed the poor will miss of heaven at last, because they have made a Saviour of their good works. Let us be careful to remember that "there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved," but the name of Jesus.

I am reminded of another little circumstance, which claims a place in this golden chain of providences. It was but a few days since, as I was getting ready on Saturday to go to Rome poorhouse, a distance of twenty-seven miles, to preach the gospel, the tempter whispered in my ear, "You have no money to spare on such occasions." Here I found it necessary to climb up the ladder that led to the garret of my cabin, and tell my Heavenly Father all about my troubles. He listened to me kindly, and graciously permitted me to pour all my

troubles into his bosom. I came down from my sanctum, feeling assured that the Lord would not suffer me to go a warfare at my own charges. I set out at once, and in a few minutes the iron-horse landed us in the village of Rome. I had not been there long, before some individual met me with a friendly salutation, and, giving me a hearty shake of the hand, passed on, leaving a five-dollar note in my hand. I know not who he was, or from whence he came; probably I never shall, until the books are opened above. But I fully believe that it came as directly from God as did the meat and bread that was brought to Elijah by the ravens. My fare on the cars was only one dollar, but I have always found the Lord a good paymaster. It is the pure in heart that can plainly see the hand of God in lesser as well as in greater blessings, and thankfully acknowledge him in all his ways.

Reader, I have been relating to you the kind dealings of my Heavenly Father to me for the last year of my narrative. The few incidents I have given you have been selected from many like providences, and are characteristic of God's dealings with me since I entered into his gracious service, although I did not see them so plainly while travelling in twilight, as I have since I entered the land of Beulah. And I solemnly believe, that if I prove faithful to Him that hath called me, sooner than I should lack the comforts of life, God would place a key in one of my hands, and his draft in the other,

and, with the full assurance of faith, I could unlock the heart, the pocket, or the granary of the various misers on earth.

I wish to say a word here to my local brethren in the ministry. Satan will tempt you that you are working for nothing. Remember what St. Peter says, and you will at once detect his falsehood: "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock: and when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

CHAPTER XXXI.

I AM often astonished when I look back upon the first part of my Christian pilgrimage, and reflect upon my stupidity and blindness upon the great subjects of temperance and slavery. Although the curtain of my moral vision has been gradually rolling up, yet I think I never saw these two huge monsters, this Gog and Magog, in their true light until within the last three years.

During the fifteen years that I was engaged on public works, I presume to say that very few men followed more drunkards to the grave than I did.

Probably ten thousand dollars would not purchase the liquor that was drank within that time by those in my employ.

Alas! how indifferent one may become by constant familiarity with scenes of drunkenness, debauchery, and death. I thank God that he has fully awakened me to a sense of my responsibility as a man and a Christian. St. James informs us that "pure religion, and undefiled before God, is to visit the fatherless and the widow in their affliction ;" and then, as if aware that in searching out the abodes of poverty, we should come in contact with vice and corruption, he adds, "keep yourselves unspotted from the world." Visit the widow in her affliction; not when her quarter's rent is due, to pinch from her hard-earned pittance your claim, but visit her to relieve, to console, and to instruct in righteousness. There are thousands that alcohol has robbed of a kind father and husband, house and home, and all the comforts that make life desirable; and while you are administering comfort, and wiping away the tear of sorrow, keep yourself unspotted from the world." Not by avoiding them, and passing by on the other side, as if you would say, "I am better than thou;" but by following Christ's example, who ate and drank with publicans and sinners, seeking thereby to instil into their minds his pure and righteous principles. It was from reflections such as these that I decided to join the Sons of Temperance. My motive was not

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