and never mind rebuffs if you get them. People did not
listen to our Master; it is no matter of wonder if they refuse to hear
us. But He did not stop His labours for that; neither must we. 'Let us
not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we
faint not.' I give her that for her watchword;--' _If we faint not_,
remember.

"The next question in my hand is, 'what we are to do about welcoming
strangers?' The writer states, that six new scholars have lately come
to the school, and, to her certain knowledge, only two of them have
received any welcome.

"Well," said Mr. Richmond, thoughtfully, "I must come to the words I
had chosen to talk to you about. They answer a great many things. You
all remember a verse in the Epistle to the Ephesians which speaks of
'redeeming the time, because the days are evil.'

"I dare say it has puzzled some of you, as it used once to puzzle me.
How are we to 'redeem the time'? Another translation of the passage
will perhaps be clearer and help us to understand. '_Buying' up
opportunities_.' The words are so rendered by a late great authority. I
don't know but you will at first think it just as hard to comprehend.
How are we to 'buy up opportunities'?"

"I am sure I don't know," said Mrs. Swan, Ailie's mother. "I always
thought opportunities were given."

"So they are. But the privilege of using them, we often must buy."

"I don't see how."

"Let us come to facts, Mrs. Swan. Here are four opportunities in the
school, in the shape of new members added to it. How comes it these
opportunities have not been used? There are two other grand
opportunities in Lilac Lane."

"Are we to buy them?" said Mrs. Trembleton.

"I do not see how else the difficulty can be met. They are worth
buying. But the next question is, What will you pay?"

There was a long silence, which nobody seemed inclined to break.

"I think you see, my dear friends, what I mean. For welcoming those
four strangers, somebody must give up his ease for a moment--must make
a little sacrifice of comfort. It will be very little indeed, for these
things pay as we go; we get our return promptly. The opportunities in
Lilac Lane must be bought, perhaps, with some giving up of time; of
pleasure, perhaps; perhaps we must pay some annoyance. It is so with
most of our opportunities, dear friends. He who serves God with what
costs him nothing, will do very little service, you may depend on it.
Christ did not so; who,