s.
"What's that," said he. "'Prepare to meet thy God.' Who has had the
impudence to send me this cant?" And, with an imprecation on his
unknown correspondent, he arose to put the paper in the fire.

"No; I won't do that." he said to himself; "On second thoughts, I know
what I will do. I'll send it to my friend B--; it will be a good joke
to hear what he'll say about it." So saying, he enclosed the tract in
a fresh envelope, and, in a feigned hand, directed it to his boon
companion.

Mr. B-- was a man of his own stamp, and received the tract, as his
friend had done, with an oath at the Methodistical humbug, which his
first impulse was to tear in pieces. "I'll not tear it either," said
he to himself. "Prepare to meet thy God" at once arrested his
attention, and smote his conscience. The arrow of conviction entered
his heart as he read, and he was converted. Almost his first thought
was for his ungodly associates. "Have I received such blessed light
and truth, and shall I not strive to communicate it to others?" He
again folded the tract, and enclosed and directed it to one of his
companions in sin. Wonderful to say, the little arrow hit the mark.
His friend read. He also was converted; and both are now walking as
the Lord's redeemed ones.

In Matthew we read: "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling
into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto
them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and
to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and
straightway took his journey."

Observe, he gave to every man "according to his several ability." He
gave to each servant just the number of talents that he could take
care of and use. Some people complain that they have not more talents;
but we have each the number of talents that we can properly employ. If
we take good care of what we have, God will give us more. There were
eight talents to be distributed among three persons; the master gave
to one five; to a second, two; and to another, one. The man went away;
and the servants fully understood that he expected them to improve
their talents and trade with them. God is not unreasonable; He does
not ask us to do what we cannot do; but He gives us according to our
several ability, and He expects us to use the talents we have.

We read: "He that had received the five talents went and traded with
the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that ha