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the care which breaks thy rest,

       Whate'er the wish that swells thy breast;

       Spread before God that wish, that care,

       And change anxiety to prayer.

      JANE CREWDSON.

      Trouble and perplexity drive us to prayer, and prayer driveth away trouble and perplexity.

      P. MELANCTHON.

      Whatsoever it is that presses thee, go tell thy Father; put over the matter into His hand, and so thou shalt be freed from that dividing, perplexing care that the world is full of. When thou art either to do or suffer anything, when thou art about any purpose or business, go tell God of it, and acquaint Him with it; yea, burden Him with it, and thou hast done for matter of caring; no more care, but quiet, sweet diligence in thy duty, and dependence on Him for the carriage of thy matters. Roll thy cares, and thyself with them, as one burden, all on thy God.

      R. LEIGHTON.

      March 15

      Hear me, O Lord. for Thy loving-kindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies.—PS. lxix. 16.

      Let, I pray Thee, Thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Thy word unto Thy servant.—PS. cxix. 76.

      Love divine has seen and counted

       Every tear it caused to fall;

       And the storm which Love appointed

       Was its choicest gift of all.

      ANON.

      O that thou couldst dwell in the knowledge and sense of this! even, that the Lord beholds thy sufferings with an eye of pity; and is able, not only to uphold thee under them, but also to do thee good by them. Therefore, grieve not at thy lot, be not discontented, look not out at the hardness of thy condition; but, when the storm and matters of vexation are sharp, look up to Him who can give meekness and patience, can lift up thy head over all, and cause thy life to grow, and be a gainer by all. If the Lord God help thee proportionably to thy condition of affliction and distress, thou wilt have no cause to complain, but to bless His name.

      I. PENINGTON.

      March 16

      Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.—I COR. x. 31.

      With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not unto men.—EPH. vi. 7.

      A Servant, with this clause,

       Makes drudgery divine:

       Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws,

       Makes that and th' action fine.

      G. HERBERT.

      Surely the truth must be, that whatsoever in our daily life is lawful and right for us to be engaged in, is in itself a part of our obedience to God; a part, that is, of our very religion. Whensoever we hear people complaining of obstructions and hindrances put by the duties of life in the way of devoting themselves to God, we may be sure they are under some false view or other. They do not look upon their daily work as the task God has set them, and as obedience due to Him. We may go farther; and say, not only that the duties of life, be they never so toilsome and distracting, are no obstructions to a life of any degree of inward holiness; but that they are even direct means, when rightly used, to promote our sanctification.

      H. E. MANNING.

      March 17

      Where hast thou gleaned to-day?—RUTH ii. 19.

      What have I learnt where'er I've been,

       From all I've heard, from all I've seen?

       What know I more that's worth the knowing?

       What have I done that's worth the doing?

       What have I sought that I should shun?

       What duties have I left undone?

      PYTHAGORAS.

      All of this world will soon have passed away. But God will remain, and thou, whatever thou hast become, good or bad. Thy deeds now are the seed-corn of eternity. Each single act, in each several day, good or bad, is a portion of that seed. Each day adds some line, making thee more or less like Him, more or less capable of His love.

      E. B. PUSEY.

      There is something very solemn in the thought that that part of our work which we have left undone may first be revealed to us at the end of a life filled up, as we had fondly hoped, with useful and necessary employments.

      SARAH W. STEPHEN.

      March 18

      Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.—I PETER iii. 8.

      Make us of one heart and mind;

       Courteous, pitiful, and kind;

       Lowly, meek, in thought and word,

       Altogether like our Lord.

      C. WESLEY.

      A little thought will show you how vastly your own happiness depends on the way other people bear themselves toward you. The looks and tones at your breakfast-table, the conduct of your fellow-workers or employers, the faithful or unreliable men you deal with, what people say to you on the street, the way your cook and housemaid do their work, the letters you get, the friends or foes you meet—these things make up very much of the pleasure or misery of your day. Turn the idea around, and remember that just so much are you adding to the pleasure or the misery of other people's days. And this is the half of the matter which you can control. Whether any particular day shall bring to you more of happiness or of suffering is largely beyond your power to determine. Whether each day of your life shall give happiness or suffering rests with yourself.

      GEORGE S. MERRIAM.

      March 19

      Showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.—TITUS ii. 10.

      If on our daily course our mind

       Be set to hallow all we find,

       New treasures still, of countless price,

       God will provide for sacrifice.

      J. KEBLE

      If content and thankfulness, if the patient bearing of evil, be duties to God, they are the duties of every day, and in every circumstance of our life. If we are to follow Christ, it must be in our common way of spending every day.

      WM. LAW.

      He who is faithful over a few things is a lord of cities. It does not matter whether you preach in Westminster Abbey, or teach a ragged class, so you be faithful. The faithfulness is all.

      G. MACDONALD.

      I would have you invoke God often through the day, asking Him to kindle a love for your vocation within you, and saying with St. Paul, "'Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do?' Wouldst Thou have me serve Thee in the lowest ministries of Thy house? too happy if I may but serve Thee anyhow." And when any special thing is repugnant to you, ask "Wouldst Thou have me do it? Then, unworthy though I be, I will do it gladly."

      ST. FRANCIS DE SALES.

      March

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