66 "Yes, that's it," returned Mrs. Grant, holding up the cucumber, almost with tears in her eyes. "It has been done out of jealousy. have such a bad spirit! them off." Dear! dear! that people should "Do you think this has been done to prevent your winning the prize?" I asked. "That's it, sir," was the answer; "but if I don't get it, they shan't either. There is a lot of potatoes kicked about, and peas and things all trampled!" and the poor woman sat down in her cottage a picture of vexation. "Jim and I were looking at them last evening," she continued ; "and he said we were sure of first prize, as they would be just fit by show-day. But I know who must have done it; and I would not be them for something, for Jim will be just about wild when he comes home." "Can you be quite sure?" said I; "because it is well to be careful not to accuse any person rashly." But Mrs. Grant was too much put out to listen; so, after expressing my sorrow at her misfortune, I bid her "good morning," and said I would look in again. About mid-day I walked down to the mill where Jim Grant was at work, in order to have a little talk with him at his dinner-hour. Jim was a good workman, and could set the mill-stones better than any man in the neighbourhood, and he was a man of sense and of good education besides, and, more than that, he tried to lead a sober, Christian life; but yet I could not be sure that his temper would be able to stand the trial of finding, when he got home, that his show cucumbers were ruined, and especially if his wife encouraged him to do to others as they had done to him. So, after some conversation, I said, "I know a man, Jim, who has had a pretty wrong done him-to spite and harm him, it is said. Now, I am almost afraid he will be led to pay it back in the same coin." "That won't do, sir," said Jim, who was fond of talking on serious matters, and knew as well as any one what was right. No," said I; "it is very wrong to take revenge. We ought to forgive and forget; but, Jim, that is not an easy thing to do, and especially when one is taken unawares.” True, sir," he returned; " and I don't know but that I might be almost afraid of myself, if it came upon me on a sudden; but that it would be wrong, there can be no doubt at all. We have our Master's pattern set us, that we should follow His steps, 'who, when He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously."" The trial of the soldier is in the battle, I thought, when, soon after, I left the mill. It is easy to talk and to make good resolutions; but when the hour of temptation comes, then we find our need of protecting and assisting grace. So, notwithstanding the assuring words of Jim Grant, I was both curious and anxious to know in what temper he would bear the unwelcome news of the destruction of his prize vegetables, and I made a point of looking in upon him the same evening. Jim was sitting very sulkily in a corner of his cottage; and his wife, in no better humour, was washing up her teathings at the table. "I somehow thought you meant it for me when you came to the mill, and talked like that this morning," said Jim, at length. "Yes," said his wife; "but I don't see why those who hurt their neighbours in wicked spite shouldn't suffer for it.” "But I am glad to hope that Jim is not going to take the matter into his own hands, and return evil for evil," I said. "As to that," was Jim's reply, "I'm not going to be of one mind in the morning and another at night; but "and then he stopped speaking, but stamped his foot on the floor, and plainly looked as though he would not spare somebody's vegetables if he had them under his heel. "Ah! Jim," said I; "I see the snake is only scotched, and not killed." Jim looked at me, and his wife turned from her teathings, as if neither at all understood what I meant; but before another word was spoken, a lad stood in the open doorway. "If you please," said he, "is it your garden that our donkey broke into last night? It must have come through the hedge, or have opened the gate—for 'tis clever enough --and it gives us a deal of trouble." "And so 'twas a donkey after all," exclaimed Jim. “I seemed to think they were curious marks." "that he is "Well, to be sure !" exclaimed Mrs. Grant. "Master bid me say," continued the lad, very sorry it should have happened; and if you will step up to-morrow morning he will pay the costs of the damage." Jim and his wife exchanged looks as the boy went away. "And so 'tis all for the best, wife," said he, "that I didn't take your advice about giving 'tit for tat.'" Mrs. Grant did not reply, but began to talk about "that troublesome donkey." But Jim turned to me with the words, "I believe, sir, I have you to thank for speaking as you did at dinner-time, for else I don't know but that I might not have got myself into trouble. And I am sure both my missus and I see now how wrong it would have been if I had given way to the bad spirit that tempted us to pay, as we thought, evil for evil. I don't know that it would not have mastered me," he added, "if I had not said what I did this morning to you, sir, in the mill. But what did you mean just now, sir, about the snake that was not killed?" "I meant, Grant," said I, "that the old man is not yet crucified within, and the heart is not yet filled with the Spirit' of Christ. "We must not trust to the power of avoiding the temptation to sin, for what has happened to-day will show that we shall not always succeed; but we must strive against the evil spirit in the power of the Holy Ghost, and thus 'overcome evil with good.' Sin must be rooted out, that it may dwell in the heart no longer. Whilst it is yet alive, it will most surely spring up at a favourable opportunity, and show its evil fruits. But the grace of God is not in vain, and in the end we may be 'more than conquerors.'" So I left Mr. and Mrs. Grant at length, having endeavoured to recommend, by this opportunity, the special grace of Christian people-forbearance, forgiveness, and love. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." man. The Use of Trials. ow much we all desire exemption from the trials of life, forgetting that without these life itself might be a failure. The rough sea makes the good sailor; and nothing but battles can produce veterans fit for the fiercest fights. An untried man is but half a His strength has never been tested. His powers are unrevealed. Only in the deep waters can we know the strong swimmer's skill. Only the fury of the hurricane can show the might of the eagle's wing. And as only temptation and trial can reveal our weakness and our strength, so nothing else can disclose to us the power of Him who watches us in our trials, who helps us in all our infirmities, who stands by us amid the terrors of the darkest hour, who "knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation," and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to bear, and who has given to us this blessed and assuring word, "My grace is sufficient for you." "My strength is made perfect in weakness." In all thy ways acknowledge Him. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."-PROV. iii. 6. "IN To whom thy path is known; Nor strive to walk alone. Commit thy way to God. The rest Thy strength in each emergency, Thy every burden on the Lord," And stay thyself upon His Word! "In all thy ways." Thy strength brought down, With lingering sickness pressed, Too weak to raise thy head, thou may'st Recline on Jesu's breast. Though now the end thou canst not see, Thou yet shalt sing, ""Twas good for me." "In all thy ways acknowledge Him." Leave every painful doubt To Him whose name is " Wonderful," In child-like faith His Word receive, "In all thy ways acknowledge Him." Love, even to the end; The glorious end, which draweth nigh, A. F. |