to the reader.

As soon as he had finished his hymn, he said, "Do not be offended, sir,
at my boldness: you love the Lord, too, I hope; and then I am sure you
won't be angry to hear me praise him. But now, sir, talk to me about
Jesus Christ. You are his minister, and he has sent you here to-day to
see a poor unworthy soul, that does not deserve the least of his mercies.
Talk to me, sir, if you please about Jesus Christ."

"Neither you nor I are able to talk of him as we ought," I answered; "and
yet, if we were to hold our peace, the very stones would cry out."

"Ay, and well they might, sir, cry shame, shame upon us, if we refused to
speak of his goodness," said the old man.

"Jesus Christ," I continued, "is a sure refuge, and a present help in
time of trouble."

"That's right, sir; so he is."

"Jesus Christ has taken care of you, and watched over you all the days of
your life; and he will be your guide and portion in death."

"That's right again, sir; so he will."

"You have committed your soul into his keeping long since, have you not?"

"About forty years ago, sir; about forty years ago, (when I first used to
hear Mr. Venn and Mr. Berridge,) he came to seek and to save me, a vile
sinner, who deserved nothing but his wrath. I can never praise him
enough."

"Well, my friend, and this very Saviour, Jesus Christ, whom you love, and
in whom you trust, lived for you, and died for you; he rose again for
you, and has sanctified you by his Holy Spirit, and now lives to make
daily intercession for you: and having done all this, do you think he
will leave you to perish at last?"

"No, sir," said the old man: "faithful is he that hath promised, and will
do it. Mine, alack, is a changing heart; but he changeth not. I believe
that he hath laid up a crown of glory for me; and though the old enemy of
souls sometimes tells me I shan't have it, I believe in Christ sooner
than in him, and I trust I shall have it at last."

"And do you not find by experience," I added, "that his yoke is easy, and
his burden light? His commandments are not grievous, are they?"

"No, sir, no: it is a man's meat and drink, if he loves the Lord, to do
what he bids him."

"Where were you before you came into this infirmary?"

"In the parish workhouse of S---."

"Have you a wife?"

"She died some years since, and got to her heavenly home before me."

"Have you any children?"

"Yes, sir, I have two sons married, and settled in the