ind
the door.

"I listened with streaming eyes to the missionary's account of the
destitution and darkness in heathen lands. Poor as I was, I felt it to
be a great privilege to live in a Christian land and to be able to read
my Bible.

"It was proposed by our pastor that the congregation should fill a box
and send it out with the missionary on his return.

"O," thought I, "how I would like to send something." "When I returned
home my poor children were still sleeping soundly, and my disconsolate
husband waiting my return, for he had been out of employment some time.
After he had gone to bed I went to looking over my clothes, but I could
find nothing that was suitable that I could possibly spare; then I began
looking over the children's things, but could find nothing that the poor
dears could be deprived of; so I went to bed with a heavy heart, and lay
a long time thinking of the destitution of the poor heathen, and how
much better off I was.

"I got to thinking over my little stock again. There was nothing I could
put into the box except two brown towels.

"Next day I got my towels, pieced out the best one, and when it was
almost dark, put on my bonnet, went to the church, slipped my towel into
the box, and came away thinking that the Lord knew I had done what I
could.

"And now, ladies, let me tell you it was not long after that till my
husband got into a good situation; and prosperity has followed us ever
since. So I date back my prosperity to this incident of the brown
towel."

Her story was done, and, as her carriage was waiting at the door, she
took her departure, leaving us all mute with surprise that one so rich
and generous had been trained to give amid poverty.

GIVING BLESSED.

A merchant of St. Petersburg, at his own cost, supported several native
missionaries in India, and gave liberally to the cause of Christ at
home. On being asked how he could afford to do it, he replied:

"Before my conversion, when I served the world and self, I did it on a
grand scale, and at the most lavish expense. And when God by his grace
called me out of darkness, I resolved that Christ and his cause should
have more than I had ever spent for the world. And as to giving _so
much_, it is God who enables me to do it; for, at my conversion, I
solemnly promised that I would give to his cause a fixed proportion of
all that my business brought in to me; and every year since I made that
promise, it has brought me in abo