little useful turn, and the mother seated at her neat work. It does one's heart good, to see how equally comfort is divided, and that God can give peace of mind and real happiness to any who truly love and serve him. In this respect "the rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.” PROV. xxii, 2.

CHAPTER IV.

DISINTERESTEDNESS-ABSENCE OF SELFISHNESS.

Another striking feature in the character we are now considering, was disinterestedness, or the absence of selfishness. The Apostle gives this advice, "Re not wise in your own conceit." ROM. xii, 16. And let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves." PH. ii, 3. Oh! how much unhappiness would be put an end to, in many a street and village, and family, if these simple Scriptures were fully obeyed. Many persons in the circumstances of this poor widow, seem never tired of thinking and talking about themselves, and every thing they can possibly get, they seem to feel so much clear gain:

then, if a neighbour has received any little benefit, they are angry because they are passed over, while they almost seem to imagine, that, what is given to another is lost to themselves. How very different to this common conduct were the feelings and actions of this good woman; she was not "wise in her own conceit," for, as we have seen above, she would scarcely allow herself to be a christian at all; and so sensible was she of her own ignorance, that she scarcely dared to speak her opinions. She was not always thinking what others would say of her, or how she might as it were, get beyond them; she had no little ambition, no "vain glory," and therefore no "strife or envyings." But really, she seemed to imagine almost any one more worthy than herself; and so it came to pass, that she thought and felt more for her poor neighbours, than she did even for her own comfort and benefit. This was plainly seen on many occasions, and especially when the kind lady who discovered how very poor she was, and how much she needed certain little comforts in her old age, offered to put her name on a charitable list, by which she would have received

some broth, and some articles of clothing. This she respectfully and firmly declined, and by what she said, it was plain that she had got those words of God into her heart, "Let no man seek his own, but every man another's good." 1 CORINTH. x, 24. Charity seeketh not her own." xiii, 5.

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As for receiving any relief from the parish, she considered it would have been a sin little short of robbery. Though if poor people generally, had the same right principles, as well as the same careful industrious conduct, she had; no doubt the poor rates would be less than half what they have been. How very foolish and ignorant are the owners of land and farmers, and other persons of property, when they shew themselves indifferent to the religious education, and instruction of the poor; why, if they knew their own interest, they would understand, that the shortest way to save their pockets is to get those they employ, and must support to be true christians. What short-sighted narrow-minded beings are men without religion: they think they are acting for

their own benefit, when often they are preparing the greatest evil for themselves, and those who come after them.

Now the pious woman whose character is before us, not only followed that precept, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others; PHIL. ii, 4, but she went much further. For since she was too poor to do any thing for others, without depriving herself, she did not hesitate; as a christian she knew what her Lord had said to her, "If any one will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." LUKE, ix, 23. This scripture like others, she took in its plain meaning, and she followed it in this manner. She gradually stinted herself in bread, and her other simple food, until she found the smallest quantity she could live upon, and it seemed too certain that she allowed herself less than was needful for her health and age. When the kind lady spoke to her once, about a little piece of meat as likely to do her good, she was forced unwillingly to confess that she sel