Take care, young men, that you do not rear the fabric of your fortunes on dishonest gains; for if you do, it is not unlikely that it will prove a foundation just as rotten as that worthless stone, and you may be involved in ruin." Mr. Patrick coloured deeply as this was said. Of course a moment's reflection convinced him that the bow must have been drawn at a venture; but the arrow rankled long. "I wonder," he thought, "if that ten pounds is to prove the rotten foundation of my fortunes."

Under the earnest ministry of their pastor, his wife was brought to a knowledge of the truth, and professed publicly the name of Christ. For a long time she held back, reluctant to do so alone, and hoping her husband would join her. He was often the subject of deep convictions, but they were all put away. The remembrance of what he had done years ago arose continually, and kept him back. He thought sometimes of restitution, but he scarcely knew how to make it without running the risk of exposure; and so time rolled on without its being made.

But convictions cannot be repressed without a deteriorating influence being exerted on the character; and so it was with Mr. Patrick. First his evenings were spent from home, too often in tavern company; then great portions of the day as well, and business was neglected. Left much to servants, it gradually declined, and at length, some speculations in which he had engaged apart from his own business, having turned out ill, he became involved in pecuniary difficulties. Then sickness came, and for some time it seemed as though he would not recover. Mr. Long, their minister, often visited him, and spoke to him very kindly and faithfully, urging him to put his whole trust in Jesus; but for a long time without effect. There was deep feeling, and he displayed much anxiety; but nothing Mr. Long could say seemed to afford him any peace.

One day, after many conversations with Mrs. Patrick about her husband's state, he said to her, "I wish you would leave me alone to-day with Mr. Patrick. Perhaps he may speak to me more freely if we are quite alone." She assented, and after going up with him to her husband's bed-side, she left him there.

"Mr. Patrick," said the minister, "will you suffer me to speak to you plainly? I am persuaded you have something on your mind, which hinders your believing on the Lord

Jesus Christ. Now trust me as your friend. Is there anything? And if so, is it anything you can tell me or your wife? You may depend on my regarding any communication you may make with perfect confidence.'

"You are very kind, sir," said the poor man ; "there is something. I have not even named it to my own wife; but I will tell you all about it." He then told him the whole story..

Mr. Long listened very attentively, and when Mr. Patrick had done, he somewhat surprised him by saying, "I have heard part of what you have told me before. The clerk who inadvertently paid you that ten pounds was Mr. Unwin, who has recently been appointed Messrs. Ridleys' manager in this town. He is about to become my brother-in-law, and he told me some time since how nearly he was ruined for life by the loss, as he was suspected of having abstracted the money. His excellent previous character, through the good providence of God, saved him; and the more the Ridleys saw of him the more they saw how utterly unfounded the suspicions were which had at first attached to him."

It will be readily believed how, in Mr. Patrick's state of mind, his sorrow was heightened by the knowledge that he had so nearly ruined an innocent and worthy man.

Well, now," said Mr. Long, "will you leave this matter in my hands? I will deal with it with all possible caution and prudence. From what I know of Mr. Unwin, I can assure you beforehand that he will forgive you most freely, if you will let me tell him."

After a little further conversation, Mr. Patrick consented.

Mr. Long went straight to Mr. Unwin, and said,

Unwin, what do you think? I've found out all about that ten pounds."

Without mentioning the person, he told him the confession which had just been made to him.

"Poor fellow!" said he. "How much he must have suffered! It was a great trouble to me: but that soon passed; although, ever since, I have felt as though I would give anything so only that the matter might be fully explained. I freely forgive him, whoever he be, and I am sure I can undertake that the Ridleys will forgive him too. But tell me who it is."

Trusting to his kindness and wisdom, Mr. Long did so.

"Thank God !" he said. "And yet I am deeply sorry to-morrow, and tell the Rid

for him. I will go to

leys all about it.”

They heard the account, and, in reply to his request that he might assure the sorrow-stricken man of their forgiveness, said,

If you can forgive him, I am sure we may."

They promised, too, that the name should never be mentioned, so that Mr. Patrick should not be injured by his own confession.

That same night, accompanied by Mr. Long, Mr. Unwin paid a visit to Mr. Patrick, and assured him both of his own forgiveness and that of his employer.

"I must take, moreover," said he, 66 some part of the blame; for it would never have occurred save through my inadvertence and carelessness."

"Don't say that, sir," said Mr. P., "the blame was all mine."

Most unexpectedly, Mr. Patrick recovered; and after his recovery, the sincerity of his repentance and his trust in Jesus was proved by their fruits. Assisted by his friends, he commenced business again; and he succeeded so far as to be able to rear his family in comfort. One of his first. acts, after he had surmounted his difficulties, was to repay the ten pounds.

"No, no!" said Mr. Unwin, moved to tears, when, having sought an interview with him in the bank parlour, Mr. Patrick tendered the money. 66 I don't think the firm

expect it."

66

They have been most kind, sir," said Mr. Patrick; "and so have you, beyond all my power to thank either you or them; but I could not rest till this was done. You must take it.'

"It was the right thing for him to do," said Mr. John Ridley, when he heard of it. "The money is a mere trifle to us; but the payment of it is worth more than ten times the amount to him. It is the best practical proof that his sorrow was sincere."

THE CALL OF ABRAHAM.*

Gen. xi. 27-32; xii. 1–9.

FAR away in the land which was once called Canaan, in a beautiful valley among the southern hills, there is a little city, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, with thousands of cattle, sheep, and goats quietly grazing upon the mountain sides. The people who live there would tell us truly that it is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has had several names, but the inhabitants have forgotten all these excepting one. If we ask them, they tell us, again, that the place is called "The Friend."+

A strange name to give to a city. Why not call it Hebron still, as in Bible times? The reason is, that once there lived in Hebron a man whose best and greatest title was "Friend of God." Was it not wise and right to try and keep in remembrance such a man, even by changing the name of the city?

But who was this friend of God? Every reader of the Bible will answer, "Abraham." We have been now reading about him, and we may well think of him a little further, because that glorious name of his is one which may be ours as well. Sometimes children sing

"Great God, and wilt thou condescend

To be my Father and my Friend?"

And often they are told that for Jesus' sake God will be their Friend.

But

The Bible shows us why Abraham was called to be the friend of God. A time had come when the world had almost everywhere forgotten its Maker. Men worshipped the sun, moon, and stars, and idols which their own hands had made. Abraham's own father was an idolater.‡ it was God's plan to have a people which should remember and worship him, and to which, after many hundred years, he should send his Son. God intended Abraham to be the father of this people. So in the heathen country there was heard a voice from on high commanding Abraham to arise and depart. He knew that it was no false god which

* From "Bible Sketches and their Teachings," just published by the Religious Tract Society.

The modern name of Hebron is el-Khulil, Arabic for the friend. See Robinson's "Biblical Researches," ii. 456; Kitto's "Cyclopædia," article Hebron.

Joshua xxiv. 2.

spoke, but the Lord of heaven and earth. So, without asking any questions, he obeyed.

66

66

We may see here that it is not always an easy or a happy thing at first to become the friend of God. Abraham must have felt some sadness as he turned away from the home in which all his young days had been spent, and felt that he should never see those green fields or tall trees, or the bright waters of yonder noble river,* any more. How much, too, it must have grieved him to say, "Good-bye" to his old friends, the companions and playmates of his early days. Perhaps, too, they would laugh at him, idolaters as they were. Why, Abraham, you are going away to worship a God you cannot see! Where is he? Surely he cannot be very kind to you, or he would never take you away from your own home!" But Abraham was not to be turned. God had spoken, and that was enough for him. We have not now to give up so much as Abraham had. God does not say to us, Arise, and leave your country and your fathers' homes." But he does tell us often to give up something very dear to us, before we can be truly his children. Some bad companion, perhaps, or vain and foolish amusement, or wicked habit, must be got rid of, or we shall never be able to love Christ. And we may, too, have to bear being laughed at, or teased for our "religion." Can we cheerfully suffer this? Can we give up all for Christ? Perhaps we have idols, too, though we have never thought it. Let it be the prayer of all my readers that God will help them to love him better than all the world beside. But there was something yet harder for Abraham to bear. Suppose one of his old companions had come and said to him, "Well, tell me where you are going, and I will not tease you any longer." Abraham's answer could only have been. "I don't know." "Don't know!" the other might have said. "What! are you starting off with your wife and servants, and all your goods, never to come back again, and all the time knowing nothing of the journey that is before you, or of the place where you will find a home?" "Yes, that is just what I am doing." "Why, Abraham, you must be mad!" We know what his reason was. He trusted God. When God said "Go !" he went, not asking where; for he knew that God would guide him somewhere, and would show him the way. What lesson may this teach us? Why, to do the right always, whatever *The Euphrates.