MR. GRAPESHOT'S DONATION PARTY.

It would be wrong for the Church | would savour too much of worldlito be kept in ignorance of the ex-ness. Under these auspicious cirtraordinary liberality of the noble cumstances the labours of the good people of Shouting Vale. A little man commenced. He preached by more than a year ago they called day and night. He visited their sick to their Church the Reverend Timo- buried their dead, and preached theus Grapeshot. He had a wife funeral discourses over the remains and five children, and naturally of the departed. felt some solicitude as to whether A laborious, faithful, circumspect, the Church would sustain him. and upright pastor was Mr. GrapeThe session was called together, shot. How could the people keep and Mr. Grapeshot submitted mo- from appreciating him? The elders destly to them whether they ought at the prayer-meetings showed it not to agree upon some specific sum by the fervency with which they to be paid him for his services as poured forth their concert petitions pastor. He was told informally, by for their beloved brother and his the leading elders, that it would dear family. The mothers in Israel not be well to press the matter showed it by many shrill and rebefore the people; that it would sponsive shouts, and the fathers by have a bad effect; that some would repeated and pertinent holy grunts think he came here to make money; and that he had better go along with his preaching, trusting in God, and relying that the people would do their duty.

and " amens. And often as the good minister descended from the pulpit, would these pious men and women of Shouting Vale meet him, and with tears in their eyes shake him warmly by the hand.

So the pastor rented a house, and began his labours. He found And thus the close of the year a house with three rooms, owned | drew on. How the minister lived, by one of his elders. For this, how the wife and children were fed, considering he was the pastor, he are questions too gross and unwas required to give only one spiritual in their nature. Does not hundred and fifty dollars a year. God hear the young lions when This, he was told, was cheap. That they cry? Did He not send ravens house could have been rented for to feed the prophet? What if the fifty dollars more, if any one had preacher's wife did take in sewing? applied for it; but no person had What if the preacher himself did go thus far desired to rent it. Besides, in debt to the butcher and the this large-hearted elder said he grocer? And what if the whole would take ten dollars of the rent family ate corn-bread, and the in preaching! Overcome by this children wore patched clothes to first manifestation of the affection Sunday-school? The object of this of the people, Mr. Grapeshot felt article is not to enter into these himself shut up to the necessity of little matters, but to put upon occupying the house and the record the generosity of the Church church. at Shouting Vale.

He was required to give a note for the rent, with security, because that was a business matter. On the other hand, it was agreed that it would not be well for the people to come under any obligation in writing to him for his service, for that

One evening in December, Mr. Grapeshot being absent, Deacon Rider stated, in an informal meeting of the elders and deacons, that he understood several ladies, who were widows, had sent the preacher ten dollars each. He then went

on to tell that two or three other may rest assured that there were members had given him some many more equally valuable premoney, and that several hams and sents poured into the house of sacks of meal had been kindly their "beloved pastor "that megiven to the family. Still he morable night, by the grateful and ventured to suggest that, consider appreciative people of Shouting ing the circumstances, it would be Vale. a good thing to get up a donation party, to evince to him and the world their appreciation of so good a man as their "beloved pastor." The suggestion was favoured and agreed upon.

Now, it was the strangest thing of all that Mr. Grapeshot himself did not appear happy that night. Here were his people, and their children, and many other well-wishers of the A committee of neighbourhood, all smiling with ladies was appointed to go round delight; and the young ladies and and see all the members-near one their beaux, all joyously promenadhundred and ascertain what each ing and basking in the light of would give. It was decided that twelve blazing tallow candles, the party should "come off" on the brought by Farmer Pease; but still evening before Christmas, and that Mr. Grapeshot did not appear to everybody who gave anything enjoy it. When he laughed, he should attend, and that the whole looked as if he were making an thing should be kept secret from effort. their "beloved pastor" and his family, that the surprise might make it a more agreeable thing.

Well, all delights must have an end in this world. So the donation party came to a close, and the At last the time came, and the people went home. Several elders presents came, and the people observed their pastor's conduct that came. And such a time! Elder night, and freely expressed themBones took his wife and five selves, declaring it was in bad children to the party; also a quilt taste.

kept somewhat of an account, declared that the money which had been paid Mr. Grapeshot during the year, added to the value of the presents at the party, amounted to one hundred and eighteen dollars and thirty-seven and a half cents! The meeting, upon this, were unanimously of the opinion that Mr. Grapeshot had evinced a want of taste, a failure to appreciate their liberal kindness, and that his family had evidently been guilty of extravagance.

and a bag of turnips. Farmer Soon after they had a meeting, Pease took a fat hen, his two at which Deacon Rider, who had daughters, and one dozen tallow candles. Deacon Rider took his niece, her three children, a stone of bread, and a dressed sheepskin. The Misses Skaggs went themselves, and took along their beaux and three dolls. Old Granny White took the spectacles of her late husband, and a twenty-dollar bill in Confederate money, which she thought would be good some day. The Widow Poor went carrying a fat turkey and ten dollars in gold. The Widow Rich went, taking with her a man servant, a maid-servant, a basket of quilt scraps, three lamp mats, and a black skirt braid. Uncle Johnny Rouse carried four nice quart bottles, an inkstand, and a bookjack.

But this enumeration is tedious. I will not continue it. The reader

A month later Mr. Grapeshot left that noble Church with a sorrowful heart and a flat purse. He is now teaching a country school. The pulpit he occupied is vacant. Who will go to Shouting Vale ?-From an American Paper.

THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM.

BY THE REV. W. P. BALFERN.

"He that is least among you shall be greatest."--Luke ix. 48. HUMILITY is the sweetest flower of heaven, and the root of all excellence. Mrs. Fry beautifully writes:

"The loveliest, sweetest flower

That bloomed in Paradise, and the first that died,
Has rarely blossom'd since on mortal soil,

It is so frail, so delicate a thing,

'Tis gone if it but look upon itself;

And she who ventures to esteem it hers

Proves, by that single thought, she has it not."

Another writer says: "Humility is the first lesson we learn from reflection and self-distrust, the first proof we give of having obtained a knowledge of ourselves." "Whatever obscurities may involve religious tenets, humility and love constitute the essence of religion; the humble is formed to adore, the loving to associate with eternal love." Everything may be mimicked by hypocrisy but humility and love united. The humblest star twinkles most in the darkest night; the more rare humility and love united, the more radiant when they meet."

These words are all beautifully true, and are the result of Christian influence and teaching, direct or indirect. For we must not forget that the words of John Wesley, respecting humility, are true: "The whole Roman language now, with all the improvements of the Augustan age, does not afford so much as a name for humility (the word from whence we borrow this, as is well known, bearing in Latin a quite different meaning); no, nor was one found in all the copious language of the Greeks, till it was made by the great Apostle." Humility is indeed a fruit of God's Spirit and teaching, inseparably connected with a knowledge of God and ourselves and faith in Jesus Christ; and, like all the other graces of the Spirit, it is found only in all its full beauty and fragrance beneath the cross of Christ. Spiritual knowledge of Christ and Him crucified, is its life-giving root.

Our Saviour, in the words we have cited, states that there is a connection between humility and real greatness. "He that is least [most humble] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." These words are very remarkable. Christ does not say, he that is the strongest, wisest, most learned, most gifted, most honoured, is the greatest; but he that is the least, most humble. What a truth is this; how it ought to humble us; how it strips the creature-high and low, rich and poor of all that is extrinsic, however prized, and puts us upon the ground of real moral worth before God! How careful should we be, therefore, to apply this test to our condition before God if we would not be deceived! What! does God turn aside from the kings and princes of this world; its patricians and nobles, its statesmen, men of

wealth, science, and letters; its orators, poets, and preachers? does He brush them all aside to turn into some humble shed, to commune with and give His company and love to that poor illiterate, but holy and humble Christian? He does. Then let us all see to it that we are in practical sympathy with Him, or we shall never enjoy His love or realise His presence. "He knoweth the proud afar off; but he giveth grace to the lowly." Let us notice some few particulars in which the most lowly are the greatest in the kingdom of God.

KNOWLEDGE. "Humility leads to the highest distinction in knowledge, because it leads to self-improvement. Study your own characters; endeavour to learn to supply your own deficiencies; never assume to yourselves qualities which you do not possess; combine all this with energy and activity, and you cannot predicate of yourself, nor can others predicate of you, at what point you may arrive at last." Why is it that so many real Christians make so little progress in spiritual knowledge? Because many of them are not in sympathy with these sentiments so ably put by Sir B. Brodie; if they are not too indolent to seek for growth in knowledge, they are too self-satisfied to make much progress. Their own wisdom is too great for them to have much of the wisdom of Christ. They will not sit at His feet to be taught entirely of Him. They will not learn the great truth as expressed in His own words: "Unless ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." They will let Christ teach them in some things, but not all. They select some of His words and reject others, and hence their small progress. They forget that the stars of truth shine brightest upon those who have no light of their own-who do not attempt and have no desire to light up the night of their ignorance with the flickering tapers of their own wisdom-and that the dew of Divine knowledge falls most copiously upon those whose own cisterns of pride and self-trust have been most completely broken.

FAITH.-He whose humility is the result of spiritual knowledge, and is the deepest arising out of such self-knowledge, by that very knowledge, of which his humility is but the fruit, will be compelled to live most upon Christ and His grace and words; while his faith, being thus fed, must grow and thrive. The very humility which drives us by faith to live upon Christ increases our faith; for faith is strengthened by its own activities.

LOVE. To the truly humble-the man who really knows himself— every bitter thing is sweet. The measure of our humility and selfhatred is the measure of our love to Christ; humility must teach us to hate ourselves before we can love Him. The less we see in ourselves to love, the more we shall see in Christ to admire; and what we thus see in Him will stimulate and increase our love. The beauty of Christ, which feeds our love, most clearly paints itself upon the eye of humility.

JoY.-The greater our humility, the greater our joy; for Christ, the true Source of all joy, reveals Himself most to the humble. Humility has a constant feast, for Christ delights to comfort such. Not until the prodigal came home humble and broken-hearted was the fatted calf killed, or the voice of the father heard, saying, Let us "eat and be merry." And he who makes the feast at the commencement of the journey, where the soul is kept humble, makes a feast all the way. God can fill the soul of the poor, but "the rich must be sent empty away."

PRAISE. Out of humility comes the joy of faith, and from this joy springs praise; and "whosoever offers praise glorifies me," says God. Yes; and is glorified in the praise offered; for those who are clothed in the garments of salvation ever wear also the garments of praise. These garments are the beauty of the Church, and God exhorts her to arise and shake herself from the dust, and to put them on, that His glory may appear upon her. Humility by faith does so gladly, and thus becomes great in praise. The poet sings

"The bird that soars on highest wing,
Builds on the ground her lowly nest;
And she who doth most sweetly sing,
Sings in the shade when all things rest.

The saint that wears heaven's brightest crown,
In deepest adoration bends;

The weight of glory bows him down
The most when most his soul ascends.
Nearest the throne itself must be
The footstool of humility."

PEACE.-When we live under the influence of a deeply humble and self-abased spirit, we enjoy much of the peace of God; the mind is contented-we do not find it hard to bow to the will of God; and, being little in our own eyes, we escape many of the blows given to the proud. "Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." The truly humble do thus love the law of God, and by their humility and self-distrust are kept from being stumbled by the words or ways of God, and so reach peace which becomes deeper and deeper, as with joy it pours itself into the great ocean from whence it sprang. Peace is the twin sister of humility, and the heart most richly bathed in the dew of humility will have the richest harvest of peace, for

"The lowly spirit God hath consecrated,

As His abiding rest;

And angels by some Patriarch's tent have waited,

When kings had no such guest.

The dew that never wets the flinty mountain,

Falls in the valley free;

Bright verdure fringes the small desert fountain,
But barren land the sea,