on a sofa, to which he had been lifted from his bed, he said
to Arthur, "I remember long ago, in the old country, Arthur, when you
and I were discussing what was the object in life most worthy of our
aim, I thought wealth, for the sake of spending it on pleasure--on
myself. I could not make out exactly what your aim was; but you and
your brothers seem to me to have got all you can desire to make life
pleasant, while I have lost all I had, and gained nothing."

"I held, I believe, that all we should aim at is to do our duty, and
that openings for the employment of our energies will always be found
for us," answered Arthur. "We certainly have found this to be true in
our own case."

"Yes, that you have," said Mark, without, however, any bitterness in his
tone. "I should have called it luck once, but I won't now. I will try,
by God's mercy, poor helpless creature that I am, to find some means of
usefulness, that so I may not be a mere cumberer of the earth, but may
repay in any way that may offer itself some little portion of the
kindness of my benefactors."

The Gilpins had truly been fruitful fig trees. All they undertook
prospered.

Far and wide they were a blessing to their neighbours, for as such they
looked upon all those--rich or poor--whom they could reach.

Through their efforts and instrumentality the glad tidings of great joy
were carried to all around them, many of whom would never otherwise have
heard the Gospel sound.

The contrast between the career of the brothers and their quondam friend
was great, but not greater than will usually be found between those who
set the Lord always before their eyes, and seek him early while yet He
may be found, and those who turn aside from His ways and refuse to
follow them.

Craven declared that it was impossible any one could reap more benefit
from his friends than he had. It seemed probable, indeed, that, but for
them, he would have remained a hut-keeper to the end of his days. As it
was, he became not merely an upright man in the eye of his fellow-men,
but also a sincere Christian. He married Jane Gilpin, and with this
event we close our narrative.

THE END.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gilpins and their Fortunes, by
William H. G. Kingston

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