lesson about_--THE TALENTS--_is the third lesson that comes to
us from Olivet_.

This parable tells us that before the Master went away, he "called
his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. Unto one he gave
five talents, to another two, to another one; to every man according
to his several ability." verses 14, 15, In St. Luke's account of the
parable, what the master gave to his servants is spoken of as
_pounds_, and each servant is said to have received one pound. These
talents or pounds both mean the same thing. They denote something
with which we can do good, and make ourselves useful. And it is
plain, from both these parables, that the Master gave at least _one_
talent, or one pound, to each of his servants. None of them were left
without some portion of their Master's goods. And the lesson from
Olivet which comes to us here is that every one of us has a talent,
or a pound, that our Master Jesus, has given us, and which he expects
us to use for him. And the most important thing for us is to find out
what our talents are, and how we can best use them, so as to be ready
to give a good account of them when our Master comes to reckon with
us.

A TALENT FOR EACH.

"God entrusts to all
Talents few or many;
None so young and small
That they have not any.

"Little drops of rain
Bring the springing flowers;
And I may attain
Much by little powers.

"Every little mite,
Every little measure,
Helps to spread the light,
Helps to swell the treasure.

"God will surely ask,
Ere I enter heaven,
Have I done the task
Which to me was given?"

"One Talent Improved." One day, amidst the crowded streets of London,
a poor little newsboy had both his legs broken by a dray passing over
them. He was laid away, in one of the beds of a hospital, to die. On
the next cot to him was another little fellow, of the same class, who
had been picked up, sick with the fever which comes from hunger and
want. The latter boy crept close up to his poor suffering companion
and said:

"Bobby, did you ever hear about Jesus?"

"No, I never heard of him."

"Bobby, I went to the mission-school once; and they told us that
Jesus would take us up to heaven when we die, if we axed him; and
we'd never have any more hunger or pain."

"But I couldn't ax such a great gentleman as he is to do anything for
me. He wouldn't stop to speak to a poor boy like me."

"But hell do all that for you B