, by dropping coins into
the slots, get what the machines have to give. The more coins dropped, the
better the owners are pleased. They do not want the weights, they do not
want the music; these are provided for the public; and whosoever will may
have his full satisfaction on certain conditions. Now, God's joy for his
children is just the same--the more they have of it, the better pleased he
is. The more joyful they are, the more joyful he is. You are mistaken in
thinking that you are denied joy. You are not denied it any more than you
are denied music from the music-box. If you know how to operate the box
and are willing to pay the price, you may have plenty of music. It is
equally true that if you are willing to pay the price, you can work God's
joy-machine all you please."

"Well," said Brother Littlejoy, "I do wish I knew how. And what do you
mean by the price of joy?"

"It is something many people have not learned yet," answered Brother
Joyful; "but I will tell you the secret. I will tell you how I get God's
joy-machine to operate. A specified coin is required to operate these
machines, but there are many different things that will work God's
machine. Sometimes one thing will do it, sometimes another, and sometimes
it takes several things together. The first thing I try is obedience.
Whole-hearted obedience to the Lord never fails to bring me a good supply
of joy, but that is a price many people are not willing to pay. They would
like to have the joy, but when it comes to obeying God and throwing their
whole soul into that obedience, they draw back. Often they obey
reluctantly, with more or less unwillingness in their hearts, or they want
to do it just a little differently from God's way. That kind of obedience
never makes the joy-machine work. There are others who are willing to obey
God, provided he will do so-and-so to suit them. Such people wait a long
time for their joy. So long as the heart is closed up against God's
commands, you can count on God keeping a lock on the joy-machine.

"Sometimes, and very often too, we have to drop some trust into the slot.
If you are doubting God and questioning whether he means what he says or
whether he will keep his promises, the machine will not work. When I want
a feast of joy, I make sure that I am obeying God, and then I tell him
that I believe him, that I trust myself and my all completely into his
hands, and that I feel perfectly safe in doing so; that I believe his