we
obeyed it better."

"That is exactly what grandmama says, and that we must attend to the
Gospel from love and gratitude to God, rather than from fear of
punishment or hope of reward, which is precisely what we saw in poor
widow Mackay and Evan, who seemed scarcely to expect a recompense for
behaving so honestly."

"That was the more remarkable in them, as few Christians now are above
receiving a public recompense for doing their duty to God. Men of the
world have long rewarded each other with public dinners and pieces of
plate, to express the utmost praise and admiration, but of late I never
open a newspaper without reading accounts of one clergyman or another,
who has been 'honoured with a public breakfast!' when he is presented
by an admiring circle with 'a gold watch and appendages!' or a Bible
with a complimentary inscription, or a gown, or a pair of bands, worked
by the ladies of his congregation! and all this, for labouring among his
own people, in his own sphere of duty! What would Archbishop Leighton
and the old divines have said to any one who attempted to rouse their
vanity in this way, with the praise of men?"

"What you say reminds me, uncle David," said Frank, "that we have been
asked to present our Universal-Knowledge-Master with a silver snuff-box,
as a testimonial from the scholars in my class, because he is going soon
to Van Dieman's Land, therefore I hope you will give me half-a-crown to
subscribe, or I shall be quite in disgrace with him."

"Not one shilling shall you receive from me, my good friend, for any
such purpose! a snuff-box, indeed! your master ought to show his
scholars an example of using none! a filthy waste of health, money, and
time. Such testimonials should only be given, as Archbishop Magee says,
to persons who have got into some scrape, which makes their
respectability doubtful. If my grocer is ever publicly presented with a
pair of silver sugar tongs, I shall think he has been accused of
adulterating the sugar, and give over employing him directly."

"Laura," said Frank, "you will be having a silver thimble voted to you
for hemming six pocket-handkerchiefs in six years!"

"I know one clergyman, Dr. Seton, who conscientiously refused a piece of
plate, which was about to be presented in this way," continued Major
Graham; "he accidentally heard that such a subscription was begun among
the rich members of his congregation, and instantly stopped it, saying,
'Let your testimonia