stics of our profession, as in helping on
the Kingdom of Christ with all that energy which a single eye can
impart to the most limited powers, when directed and sustained by the
Spirit of God?

It has been remarked that some pious men have, from their imprudence,
left their children a burden upon the Christian public, and thus
disgraced their profession. If, however, the unprovided state of
these children was owing to an enlarged view of devotedness to God on
the part of these Parents, accompanied by frugal appropriations to
themselves, and that strict honour and honesty, which must ever
precede beneficence to others; all the disgrace, and ultimately all
the loss, must rest on those that survive, who are so dead to the
privileges of the Gospel, as either to forget that it was ever
said,--"Whosoever receivers one such little one in my name, receivers
me" (Matthew 18. 5), or to neglect the opportunity, despise the
honour, and spurn away the blessing, of entertaining such a guest.
Oh! if we really believed our Saviour's declaration, how dearly
should we value, and how warmly embrace, such an opportunity of
glorifying our Master, of blessing ourselves, and of showing again to
the world "how these Christians love one another"![8] All our
misconceptions on this subject seem to arise from one deeply rooted
opinion, learnt of Satan and the world over which he presides, that
riches and comforts are better for our children, than poverty and
dependence. The whole tenor of the New Testament, however, pronounces
the opinion to be false; and were a hundred individuals appointed to
the once of choosing a portion for their children, in accordance with
the obvious principles of Christianity, and with the declarations of
its Author and his Apostles--such a portion as bore the most
favourable aspect on the acquisition of the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus; and were they conscientiously to perform
their office, they would all unite in choosing a portion poor and
dependent.[9] Yet whilst our Lord says: "How hardly shall they that
have riches enter into the Kingdom of God! "--we act just as though
he had said--How hardly shall they enter in, who are without them!
Here I would leave the sovereignty of the Lord unlimited. It is
doubtless the same thing to Him to work by many or by few--by the
rich or the poor: but still "how hardly shall they that have riches
enter into the kingdom of heaven" must stand.

If there had been