ent. The singing was all
secular. The very first night I went I caught a bad cold on my chest,
which prevented me from singing again at all till Christmas. Those were
better than any lessons from a singing master!' Does not this illustrate
both the keeping _from_ and the keeping _for?_ In the latter case I
believe she honestly wished to know her Lord's will,--whether the
training and practice were needed for His better service with her music,
and that, therefore, she might take them for His sake; or whether the
concomitants and influence would be such as to hinder the close communion
with Him which she had found so precious, and that, therefore, she was to
trust Him to give her 'much more than this.' And so, at once, He showed
her unmistakeably what He would have her _not_ do, and gave her the sweet
consciousness that He Himself was teaching her and taking her at her
word. I know what her passionate love for music is, and how very real and
great the compensation from Him must have been which could thus make her
right down _glad_ about what would otherwise have been an immense
disappointment. And then, as to the former of these two 'lessons,' the
song she names was one substituted when she said, 'Take my voice,' for
some which were far more effective for her voice. But having freely
chosen to sing what might glorify the Master rather than the singer, see
how, almost immediately, He gave her a reward infinitely outweighing all
the drawing-room compliments or concert-room applause! That one
consecrated song found echoes in heaven, bringing, by its blessed result,
joy to the angels and glory to God. And the memory of that song is
immortal; it will live through ages to come, never lost, never dying
away, when the vocal triumphs of the world's greatest singers are past
and forgotten for ever. Now you who have been taking a half-and-half
course, do _you_ get such rewards as this? You may well envy them! But
why not take the same decided course, and share the same blessed keeping
and its fulness of hidden reward?

If you only knew, dear hesitating friends, what strength and gladness the
Master gives when we loyally 'sing forth the honour of His Name,' you
would not forego it! Oh, if you only knew the difficulties it saves! For
when you sing 'always and only for your King,' you will not get much
entangled by the King's enemies, Singing an out-and-out sacred song often
clears one's path at a stroke as to many other things. If you