THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 Rare Book Room 
 GIFT OF 
 
 John W Beckman 
 
s 
 

P A G JZ 1: 
 
CONSECIUTED TALENTS; 
 
 OB, 
 
 0f 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR OF 
 
 "WREATHS AND BRANCHES," "CHRISTIAN 
 ORNAMENTS," ETC. 
 
 " We are not our own." 
 
 ' Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.' 
 
 Weto Yorfc: 
 
 GENERAL PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION, 
 
 No. 20 John Street. 
 
 1852. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, ia the year 1852, 
 
 By JOHN W. MITCHELL, 
 
 (As Treasurer of the General Protestant Episcopal Sunday School Union,) 
 
 In the Office of the Clerk of the United States District Court for the Southern 
 
 District of New York. 
 
 Stereotyped by BILLIN & BROTHBBS, 
 10 North William-st. 
 
 Printed by PUDNEY & RUSSELL. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 THE following work is intended as a conclusion 
 to a series of volumes written for the youth of the 
 Church. 
 
 The first, "Wreaths and Branches," was written 
 to exhibit the beauty and fitness of the forms and 
 services of the Protestant Episcopal Church. The 
 second, " The Book of the Church," was an abridg 
 ment of a volume by Southey, giving an account 
 of its history ; and the third, " Christian Orna 
 ments," sought to portray and illustrate its spirit. 
 
 The present work aims to point out the mission 
 of those children of the Church whose privileges 
 are thus exalted. The narrative does not connect 
 
4 PREFACE. 
 
 it with the preceding volumes, but the principles 
 which it inculcates are the same. 
 
 Should it succeed in arresting the attention of 
 any who are just preparing to put on the whole 
 armor of God, it will fully accomplish the end 
 
 for which it was designed. 
 
 C. L. T. 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J., April, 1852. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE ACCOUNT-BOOK ......... 7 
 
 CHAPTER IT. 
 
 THE FAMILY AT BEULAH ... ..... 16 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE PIC-NIC AT CAMPBELL'S GROVE ..... 34 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 LIFE'S MISSION ......... 55 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE ORPHAN . ." . ...... 66 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 MR. MALCOLM'S COUNTING-ROOM . . .79 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 FAMILY EDUCATION . ....... 100 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SICKNESS IS SOMETIMES A TALENT 
 I* 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. PAGK 
 
 MARY'S HAPPY SUNDAY . . . . . . . 128 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 BERKLEY PARSONAGE . . . . - 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE INVALUABLE NURSE .... -\RA. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 RESULTS. . .' . '. /. 9 - f ^ 17g 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE ACCOUNT-BOOK. 
 
 IT was Eeginald Campbell's birth-day. Why 
 did he remain so long that morning in his un 
 cle's library when an eager group were await 
 ing his appearance in the breakfast-room ? 
 
 His cousin, Horace Hastings, was becoming 
 decidedly impatient. The flush on his young 
 face grew deeper, and he paced the room with 
 rapid steps, repeating again and again, in a 
 low voice, some stanzas which were evidently 
 his own composition. 
 
 "Why don't he come?" asked pretty Mary, 
 as she looked fondly at a crimson purse, the 
 work of those delicate taper fingers. " I wish 
 I knew how much money father was going 
 
8 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 to give him to put in this purse; I hope it 
 will be in bills, for gold will wear it out so 
 much sooner." 
 
 "If Judge Hastings has been all this time 
 in giving him his allowance, he will want that 
 beloved, new carpet-bag to carry it in," said 
 Celia Eogers, laughingly, as she lay back in 
 the rocking-chair, quite at ease, and not seem 
 ing to share the general excitement. "I am 
 very sorry for my part," she added, "that 
 Eeginald is going to have any of that vile 
 trash which makes every body so selfish and 
 stupid. He is a nice boy now, but you'll see 
 that his money will soon spoil him." 
 
 "Celia always thinks rich people are dis 
 agreeable. Is it so, Horace?" asked Mary, 
 as her brother, in his restless promenading, 
 approached the low ottoman on which she 
 was seated. 
 
 Horace did not seem to hear the question, 
 but went on murmuring to himself, 
 
 " Oh, happy boy, the starving poor 
 Shall bless thy generous hand, 
 Which lavishly its gifts shall shower 
 To cheer each household band." 
 
THE ACCOUNT-BOOK. 9 
 
 " There ! there !" exclaimed Mary, jumping 
 up from her seat, "I hear some one coming 
 through the passage. Pshaw !" she added in 
 a tone of disappointment, "it's only mamma." 
 
 " Only mamma !" repeated the sweet-looking 
 lady who entered the breakfast-room. "Pray 
 who is expected that makes me such a second 
 ary consideration?" 
 
 "Excuse me, mother," said Mary, kissing 
 her mother affectionately. It was never hard 
 to forgive Mary, for her manners were natu 
 rally most winning ; and when she tossed back 
 the dark curls from her fair face, it was much 
 easier to kiss those red lips than to resist their 
 pleading. Beauty has its advantages, and of 
 this Mary was already aware. 
 
 "Has my son no good-morning for me?" 
 asked Mrs. Hastings, turning to Horace, who 
 was so absorbed in one subject that he scarcely 
 knew that any one had entered the room. 
 
 "Did you speak to me, ma'am?" he asked 
 in an absent manner, then added in a livelier 
 tone, "Mother, see if this stanza sounds better 
 now : 
 
10 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 Thou art no orphan ! One above 
 
 Has claimed thee for his own ; 
 And thou hast owned his right to be 
 
 Thy father, till thy course is run. 
 
 No, no! that's the first version. I have writ 
 ten it now: 
 
 Thy sense of his almighty love, 
 By filial acts is shown." 
 
 Mrs. Hastings smiled at the ardor of the 
 young poet, who seemed to think the differ 
 ence between these two stanzas of immense 
 importance. She saw that they were both 
 quite tame, but only said kindly, "The last 
 will do, Horace, for Eeginald will never criti 
 cise the verses, for he knows the sincerity of 
 the love that dictated them. Affection gives 
 beauty to the most commonplace rhymes. But 
 where is the hero of the day ? Have you not 
 seen your cousin yet, Mary?" 
 
 And where was Eeginald? He had risen 
 an hour earlier than usual, but, on entering 
 the library, found it already occupied. By 
 the will of the late Dr. Campbell, his son 
 was, on his sixteenth birth-day, to become the 
 
THE ACCOUNT-BOOK. 11 
 
 uncontrolled master of an income of six thou 
 sand dollars, which, to him, seemed an inex 
 haustible sum. It was not strange that he 
 felt an added sense of importance, and his 
 manner was slightly consequential as he en 
 tered the library to receive his first quarterly 
 allowance. This momentary rising of pride 
 was instantaneously checked by the serious, 
 almost solemn, aspect of Judge Hastings, who 
 oifered his congratulations affectionately, but 
 gravely ; and then taking up a large morocco- 
 covered book from the round table, in the cen 
 tre of the library, said, in an earnest tone, 
 " Here, Keginald, is my birth-day gift for you. 
 It is an account-book, which I have been oc 
 cupied during the last hour in preparing for 
 your use." 
 
 " Thank you, uncle," said Eeginald, respect 
 fully, "I had already prepared an account- 
 book, but I shall value this as your gift." 
 
 "I do not think you have one of this 
 kind," said the Judge, in the same serious 
 tone. "God grant that the accounts you regis 
 ter here may be such as shall win for you the 
 
12 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 final commendation, 'Well done, good and 
 faithful servant.' " 
 
 Eeginald felt involuntarily impressed by his 
 uncle's manner, and turned in silence to the 
 first page of the volume, where he found writ 
 ten in a large hand, " Account of my steward 
 ship for the talent, riches, committed to my care 
 May 1st, 18 . 'Unto whomsoever much is 
 given, of him shall be much required.' " At the 
 head of the next page were the words, " Proofs 
 of Accountability to God for all His gifts ;" and 
 under them were ranged such arguments from 
 Scripture as placed it beyond a doubt that all 
 earthly possessions are only a sacred trust. 
 On a succeeding page there was a similar col 
 lection of texts to show the "Justifiable Use of 
 Eiches;" and on the next, a formidable array 
 of its "Dangers and Temptations." 
 
 Eeginald was beginning to feel that his 
 newly acquired independence was a very doubt 
 ful acquisition when he turned to a page head 
 ed, " Money expended ;" and this was so much 
 more like an ordinary account-book that it 
 revived pleasant anticipations of the luxuries 
 
THE ACCOUXT-BOOK. 13 
 
 and enjoyments with which he might hence 
 forth surround himself. This momentary glow 
 of satisfaction was changed to thoughtfulness 
 by a glance at the opposite page, where he 
 was confronted by the words, " Keasons to jus 
 tify these expenditures in His sight, whose 
 steward I am." 
 
 The countenance of the youth was an inter 
 esting study as he stood silently reflecting upon 
 the new views he had acquired of his worldly 
 fortune. The Judge watched the workings of 
 his expressive face with tender interest, and 
 then extended to him a porte-monnaie con 
 taining three notes, each for five hundred dol 
 lars. Eeginald took it in his hand, looked 
 surprised at the amount of the notes, and 
 blushed deeply. An evident struggle passed 
 in his mind, which ended by his saying, with 
 tearful eyes, as he handed the porte-monnaie 
 back to Judge Hastings, 
 
 "Uncle, I think I had rather entrust this 
 sum to you than to undertake the management 
 of it myself. I do not yet know what is the 
 right use of money." 
 
14 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 Judge Hastings did not receive the proffered 
 trust, but looked much, gratified at the altered 
 manner of his young ward. 
 
 "Keep it, Eeginald," he said, "for 'tis not 
 right to shrink from any responsibility which 
 it has pleased our heavenly Father to bestow. 
 Yesterday, at the Communion, you joined in 
 the solemn dedication of yourself and all that 
 you possessed to His service, and to-day He 
 entrusts you with the means of extensive use 
 fulness. It is well for you early to examine 
 into the most profitable disposition that can be 
 made of all your consecrated talents. Do not, 
 because I have placed before you the certainty 
 of being called to an account, imitate him who 
 hid his gift lest' usurious interest should be 
 demanded. That Spirit which, in one of our 
 collects, we invoke to 'give us a right judg 
 ment in all things,' will assist you to employ 
 this gift in the manner most acceptable to the 
 Giver; and if thus employed, it will bring 
 you in so rich a harvest that you will confess, 
 though great talents involve great responsibil 
 ity, they also present enlarged means of happi- 
 
THE ACCOUNT-BOOK. 15 
 
 ness. Now go to your cousins who are waiting 
 to congratulate you, and, by this time, must be 
 almost in despair." 
 
 Still Reginald hesitated, and then said, in a 
 low tone, "Uncle, will you pray that I may 
 have the guidance of the Holy Spirit in fulfil 
 ling my new duties? I fear myself." 
 
 "Certainly, my boy," replied the Judge; 
 "and you shall join me now in asking that 
 corruptible gold may not deprive you of an 
 incorruptible crown." 
 
 There was something surpassingly lovely in 
 the face of the youth, when the fervent petition 
 of his uncle had ended. He felt that he had a 
 mission to discharge to a perishing world, but 
 he did not shrink from its responsibility, being 
 convinced " that he who in the strength of Je 
 sus trusts, is more than conqueror." 
 
16 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 
 
 MANY persons are thankful for their birth in 
 a Christian land, but there are few who realize 
 that all the circumstances of their earthly lot 
 are themes for praise. Yet there is not a sin 
 gle feature in our condition, which, if rightly 
 improved, may not become a means of useful 
 ness to ourselves and others. 
 
 " The trivial round, the common task, 
 Will give us all we ought to ask, 
 Room to deny ourselves ; a road 
 To bring us, daily, nearer God." 
 
 The situation of our dwelling-place, the char 
 acter of our companions, the luxuries or dis 
 comforts with which we are surrounded, and 
 our personal appearance and manners, may 
 have a momentous effect upon our destiny. 
 
 Judge Hastings had, for many years, been 
 a leading member of the bar, where he had 
 
THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 17 
 
 proved the truth, that a successful lawyer and a 
 devoted Christian are not necessarily a contra 
 diction. When raised to the bench, he became 
 anxious to leave the city, and endeavored to 
 procure such a home as might most conduce to 
 the welfare of his family. There were many 
 who wondered at his preferring to give a 
 higher price for a country-seat near the inland 
 town of Berkley than for a beautiful place upon 
 the Hudson, which, by the bankruptcy of its 
 owner, could have been obtained for half that 
 sum. 
 
 " My dear Judge Hastings," said the plausi 
 ble salesman of the latter, " are you aware of 
 all the advantages of the situation I now offer ? 
 I have always heard that you were most anx 
 ious for the good of your children, and I assure 
 you that, by locating them in this spot, you 
 would at once insure to them the best of soci 
 ety. Their near neighbors will, of course, in 
 time, be their intimate friends, and what more 
 desirable connections could they form? The 
 De Lancys are within a stone's throw, the 
 Beadmans on the right, and the Yan Bemans 
 
18 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 on the left three of the oldest families in the 
 state." 
 
 " But there is no church within ten miles," 
 answered Judge Hastings calmly, "and I con 
 sider it indispensable that my children should 
 have every means of grace that it is in my 
 power to bestow. If necessity deprived them 
 of the privilege of regular attendance on the 
 services of the Church, I might hope that the 
 deficiency would be compensated; but I have 
 no right to place them where they would be 
 liable to this deprivation, for any mere worldly 
 advantage. Nay, as a Christian man, I do not 
 see what I have to do with any project for 
 their worldly advancement, when, at their very 
 birth, I renounced, in their name, all claims to 
 favors the world can bestow. In choosing a 
 home for my children, the main question is, 
 ( "Where can they be reared in such a manner 
 as best to prepare them for serving God, in 
 time and eternity ?' The families you mention 
 do not even profess to be educating their chil 
 dren for heaven ; would not their vicinity then 
 be, on the contrary, rather a disadvantage? 
 
THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 19 
 
 You are right in thinking the early friendships 
 of children of importance. I hope that those 
 of mine may be such as can be continued 
 through eternity." 
 
 It is doubtful whether the gentleman to 
 whom these remarks were made understood 
 their full import ; but, at any rate, he ceased to 
 urge the purchase of the Kover estate. 
 
 Beulah, the residence to which Judge Hast 
 ings had given the preference, was a pleasant 
 country seat, situated on a fine hill, two miles 
 from the town of Berkley. The house itself 
 was a simple frame dwelling, but large, and of 
 the purest white, and surrounded -by a light 
 green verandah, covered with luxuriant vines. 
 A beautiful stream wound around the base of 
 the hill, over which a tasteful bridge was 
 thrown, at the foot of a fine avenue of elms 
 leading to the house. Under these venerable 
 trees there were rustic seats, which were the 
 favorite haunts of the children, and especially 
 of Horace, who would sit there for hours gazing 
 in silence on the beautiful prospect. There, 
 too, of late, Eeginald Campbell might often be 
 
20 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 seen absorbed in meditation. The possession of 
 comparative wealth had evidently not yet made 
 Keginald a happier boy ; for ever since his six 
 teenth birth-day he had worn a thoughtful air, 
 and often appeared full of care. He had told his 
 aunt Emily, who was his favorite confidant, that 
 he sometimes almost envied Horace, because he 
 was not obliged to be the dispenser of wealth. 
 The children were quite amazed at the effect of 
 his new possessions upon their generous cousin, 
 and could not account for his not bestowing 
 upon them the various little luxuries which he 
 had previously intimated should be theirs when 
 ever they were at his command. Celia Eogers 
 entirely despaired of ever possessing the desire 
 of her heart, a wrought gold bracelet, for on 
 mentioning her admiration of such ornaments 
 to Keginald, he had quietly handed her a Bible, 
 open at St. Paul's description of the suitable 
 adorning of women. Mary held out much 
 longer in her hopes of a pretty, new purple 
 velvet Prayer-book, with her name on a real 
 gold clasp, for she knew her cousin loved to 
 gratify her when he could, and she had heard 
 
THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 21 
 
 him say herself, that " the best of books ought 
 to have the best of bindings." She forgot that 
 she had already a very nice one, bound in En 
 glish leather, which would outlast three of the 
 kind on which she had set her heart. 
 
 Reginald, in his conscientious investigations 
 with regard to the wisest expenditure of 
 money, had already discovered that things 
 which seemed expensive were eventually the 
 cheapest because of their durability, but could 
 not decide how far he was fulfilling his duty in 
 purchasing mere articles of luxury for the en 
 couragement of manufacture, and to provide 
 labor for the poor. He remembered the remark 
 of a certain divine, who answered this popular 
 plea for self-indulgence by the suggestion, that 
 there could never be wanting followers of mam 
 mon to make a demand for such superfluities, 
 so that Christians could employ their means 
 where they were extensively and immediately 
 useful. Poor Reginald! No wonder that he 
 felt inclined to envy Horace; for what with 
 reading political economy and reports of all the 
 various societies of the Church, and examining 
 
22 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 the claims of the large number of applicants 
 who immediately came to him for assistance, 
 he had become perfectly loaded with business. 
 He had not, however, forgotten the desire of 
 his little cousin for the showy Prayer-book, but 
 having priced one, and found that he could 
 obtain for the same sum twenty-five plainer 
 copies to give to a new floating church, he 
 decided that the expenditure could not be 
 placed in his account-book with a reason op 
 posite which could make it justifiable. 
 
 It is no wonder that Mary could not enter 
 into his feelings, for he had already taken a 
 step in advance of many of her most excellent 
 friends. She forgot that all the family had the 
 same claim on Reginald for expensive gifts as 
 herself, and that it was his duty to calculate if 
 the sum expended on the whole could not be 
 better employed. So sure had she felt that her 
 wishes would be complied with, that a place 
 in the little bureau in the nice room occupied 
 by Celia Eogers and herself, had been already 
 allotted to the imaginary treasure. 
 
 The girls took great delight in their room, 
 
THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 23 
 
 where they passed many happy hours. It was 
 as pleasant an apartment as one could wish. 
 Mrs. Hastings knew the value of domestic habits 
 to girls, and had therefore studied to make this 
 room peculiarly attractive. On each side of the 
 capacious chamber was a dressing-room, large 
 enough to contain a little bed, and all that was 
 necessary for a neat and careful toilet. Besides 
 a pretty little book-case, filled with useful and 
 interesting works, there was a splendid piano 
 between the large windows, which was the es 
 pecial pride of Celia Eogers, who had early 
 evinced a most decided taste for music. 
 
 Celia Eogers was the daughter of an early 
 friend of Mrs. Hastings, who was now travelling 
 in Europe for the restoration of her health. In 
 the days of their intimacy both were thought 
 less, arid lived only for the world ; but when 
 Mrs. Hastings became more sober-minded, she 
 did not on this account renounce the friend of 
 her youth. It is true, that after inviting Celia 
 to pass the year of Mrs. Kogers' absence at 
 Beulah, Mrs. Hastings trembled lest she had 
 provided Mary with a companion who would 
 
24 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 be most injurious; but her husband comforted 
 her with the hope that their united influence 
 would outweigh that of the new associate. 
 
 "How incessantly you study!" remarked 
 Celia one morning to Mary, soon after Kegi- 
 nald's birth-day. "I suppose, though, that your 
 mother keeps you at your book. I am thank 
 ful that, for one year at least, my time is* my 
 own." 
 
 Mary laid down her book, and, for a mo 
 ment, her pretty face wore a puzzled expres 
 sion, and her smooth brow was wrinkled with 
 perplexing thoughts. "Who gave you this 
 year for your own?" she asked at length in a 
 peculiarly innocent, earnest manner. 
 
 "Who gave it me!" replied Celia, almost 
 contemptuously ; " why mother, of course. She 
 said I was to be my own mistress, and Mrs. 
 Hastings agreed with her that I was to have 
 my time at my own disposal. You need not 
 look so shocked, Mary, for I heard your wise 
 mother remark that she thought every body 
 ought to learn to manage their own time." 
 
 " Did she ?" asked Mary with the same per- 
 
THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 25 
 
 plexed air ; " well, then, of course it must be 
 so. I'll ask her what she meant the other 
 day by telling me every hour was a new 
 loan from God." 
 
 Celia said nothing more, but commenced 
 drumming on the piano the first part of a new 
 polka, thinking to herself, "What a tiresome 
 family this is ! one never makes a remark but 
 they get a sermon." 
 
 Mary continued reading in silence for some 
 time, and then approaching the piano some 
 what timidly, with a little volume of manu 
 script poems in her hand, she said, 
 
 "Celia, will you play Sartoria for me? I 
 want to see if the words of Horace's new 
 hymn can be set to it." 
 
 "Sartorial and pray what tune is that?" 
 asked Celia, laughing. 
 
 " Why, the one we sang in church last Sun 
 day," answered Mary, more boldly. 
 
 "The one that goes, Tol, dol, de, dol, doll" 
 exclaimed Celia. " I play that humdrum air ! 
 No ! indeed. I only know three hymn tunes, 
 and those are old songs Christianized. My 
 
26 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 German teacher never would let me learn any 
 sacred music, for fear, he said, it would injure 
 my style of playing, which, excuse my mod 
 esty, he thinks decidedly brilliant." 
 
 Mary made no reply, but determined to ask 
 her own mother, the first opportunity, if play 
 ing sacred music spoiled any one's execution. 
 She walked in silence to her seat by the win 
 dow, and read over again her brother's new 
 hymn with evident pride and pleasure. Celia 
 was discontented with herself, for she saw she 
 had wounded Mary by her contemptuous way 
 of speaking of hymn tunes, which were the 
 only music with which she was acquainted. 
 She rattled over several waltzes with an uneasy 
 mind, and then, getting up from the piano, 
 came and threw herself in a luxurious rocking- 
 chair, which was also her own property, as 
 Mrs. Hastings would never have provided a 
 seat so calculated to foster her indolent habits. 
 At its side was a pretty little work-table, which 
 was also her own ; the top of which was in the 
 form of a large basket, and contained various 
 articles that were in themselves a clue to Celia's 
 
THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 27 
 
 character. There was a purse half knit before 
 crocheting was in fashion, and dropped as soon 
 as she learned the latter art. There was a pair 
 of slippers there too, which had been begun 
 on canvass, in single-stitch, and were thrown 
 aside to make room for a newer pattern. The 
 worsteds were all in a snarl, and the silk was 
 tarnished by being pulled out several times, 
 so that the purses, when finished, would, nei 
 ther of them, be acceptable gifts. Celia stirred 
 round the contents of the basket, till she had 
 extricated a tiny strip of soiled-looking mus 
 lin, which had caught in knitting-needles and 
 crochet-hooks till it had received several small 
 rents, and already needed darning. She com 
 menced hemming away violently on this ques 
 tionable-looking piece of work, till, with a great 
 effort, and without looking at Mary, she bolted 
 out what was meant for a kind remark : 
 
 " If you'll give me the notes, Mary, I'll learn 
 that horrid tune, now you want to set Horace's 
 hymn to it ; but I don't see what possesses him 
 always to write to such doleful metres." 
 
 Though Celia's manner was so blunt, Mary 
 
28 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 saw that she was trying to be kind; and her 
 face grew brighter as she answered, "Oh, he 
 does not think them doleful, and he wants to 
 write to tunes that every body knows. Mam 
 ma says," she added very earnestly, "that it is 
 an honor to the greatest poet in the world to 
 have hymns of his writing sung in church to 
 the praise of God." 
 
 "But how can Horace's hymn be sung in 
 church, Mary?" asked Celia, half amused by 
 the simplicity of her young companion, and 
 impressed by the reverential manner with 
 which Mary always mentioned every thing con 
 nected with religion. "We only use the 
 hymns in the Prayer-book, on every occasion." 
 
 "I will tell you a secret," said Mary, her 
 cheeks glowing with animation. "You must 
 not tell any body, or let Eeginald know that 
 you have heard of it, for papa has taught him 
 to feel almost ashamed if any body finds out the 
 good he does. You know Dr. Campbell used 
 to be a teacher in one of the Free Church Sun 
 day-schools in New York. This interested 
 Reginald in the Church, and when he was last 
 
THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 29 
 
 in the city, lie visited this Sunday-school, and 
 got acquainted with some of the children. He 
 found that there were actually some little girls 
 there who had never seen the country; and 
 one of the teachers told father, who went with 
 cousin Reggie, that there were three in his 
 class who had never been beyond the limits of 
 the city. They lived in the fourth story of a 
 miserable old house, which had not even a 
 court for them to play in, and the largest piece 
 of ground they had ever seen was the Park, ex 
 cepting once, when, as a great treat, they rode 
 down in the omnibus to the Battery. Only 
 think of that, Celia ! How could they imagine 
 a ' vineyard,' or know about ' lilies of the field,' 
 brought up in that little dirty street where they 
 only saw the sun at noon, and through clouds 
 of smoke?" 
 
 "I don't believe it," said Celia. "I don't 
 see how it is possible that they never went over 
 to some of the neighboring towns when any 
 ferry-boat would have carried them for a few 
 pennies." 
 
 " But, Celia, they had to work all the week 
 
30 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 for pennies to buy bread, so they had none to 
 spare. Anyhow father believed the story, and 
 you know he is a lawyer, and used to finding 
 out whether things are true or not. He said 
 he believed it would make these children actu 
 ally better to get one large view of God's glo 
 rious works as we see them, and Eeggie, of his 
 own accord too, proposed a plan that could 
 give them a peep at these." 
 
 "I understand, I understand," said Celia, 
 nodding her head; "but go on and tell me 
 all about it." 
 
 "What's the use if you know it all before 
 hand ?" said Mary, laughing. 
 
 "Oh, just to see how excited you'll get in 
 telling it," said Celia, playfully. 
 
 " Well, if I amuse you, I am glad of it, for I 
 am very happy myself when I think of this 
 pic-nic. The way it is to be done is this: 
 Next Saturday afternoon all the children are to 
 have a holiday, and the parents are to be paid 
 for whatever work the children would have 
 done if they had stayed at home. Then Eegi- 
 nald has, with father's help, chartered a boat to 
 
THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 31 
 
 bring them up to the cove, and they are to 
 have a pic-nic in the woods near the landing, 
 which belongs, you know, to the Campbell 
 estate. Father and mother are to help fur 
 nish the provisions for the treat, and Horace 
 has written a hymn which they are all to sing 
 to Sartoria, because that is the tune they know 
 best." 
 
 "But how are they to learn it?" asked Celia 
 doubtfully. 
 
 "Oh, it is going to be printed," said Mary, 
 with evident pride at such an honor being con 
 ferred on her brother's poetry, which, in her 
 own heart, she thought worthy of being framed 
 in gold. 
 
 "But is Eeginald to pay for that?" asked 
 Celia. "I thought he esteemed it wicked to 
 spend money for any thing that was not really 
 useful ; and what good can there be in printing 
 those verses when there are thousands already 
 in the world as good, and better too ?" 
 
 Mary almost lost her temper at this remark, 
 but she conquered herself and answered very 
 mildly, " Perhaps so ; but father says they can 
 
32 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 all take home the printed hymns, to keep them 
 in mind of the day, which he hopes may give 
 them some better notions of the greatness and 
 goodness of our heavenly Father. Besides, 
 Celia, I do not see how it can be wasting 
 money that belongs to God, to use it in making 
 children learn to sing praises to Him or remem 
 ber His kindness." 
 
 Celia's objections were silenced by this re 
 mark. She helped Mary find the tune in Can- 
 tus Ecclesias, and sung it with her at the piano 
 so sweetly, no one would have remarked the 
 little errors in the versification. Celia herself 
 began to like the tune, and said half aloud, "I 
 can't see why sacred music should spoil one's 
 singing and playing." 
 
 "Nor I," said Mary, as if the remark had 
 been addressed to her. " And if it did, Celia, 
 what matter would it be ? I am sure it is nicer 
 to sing 'Youth, when devoted to the Lord, is 
 pleasing in his eyes,' than about ' dreaming you 
 wandered in marble halls,' or that song that 
 tells you not to love, when the Bible tells us 
 we ought to love every body." 
 
THE FAMILY AT BEULAH. 33 
 
 "What a pity it is you are a girl, Mary! 
 you would have made such a nice minister," 
 said Celia jestingly; but she put her hand 
 affectionately in those brown, glossy curls, and 
 kissed Mary with an affection that only sim 
 plicity and faith can inspire. 
 
34 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE PIC-NIC AT CAMPBELL'S GROVE. 
 
 THOUGH Keginald Campbell was in many 
 respects very mature for his age, in others he 
 was quite a child. From the moment that the 
 plan of the pic-nic was suggested to him he 
 was impatient for its execution, and hardly 
 closed his eyes on the night preceding the 
 eventful day. His joy was unbounded when 
 he found that the sun was rising clear and 
 bright, and before it had fairly appeared above 
 the horizon he was already equipped for his 
 ride. 
 
 The boys were to accompany the Judge on 
 horseback, to Campbell's Grove; then came 
 Mrs. Hastings in the carriage with the girls, 
 while a large ox-cart, loaded with provisions, 
 followed in the rear. Both Keginald and 
 Horace were overflowing with animation as 
 they sprang upon the fine horses, which were 
 
THE PIC-NIC AT CAMPBELL'S GROVE. 35 
 
 a recent purchase of the former, who entered in 
 his account-book his reasons for the expendi 
 ture, thus: "Bought two horses, to afford 
 Horace and myself a healthful and cheerful 
 exercise ; while at the same time we may be 
 come better acquainted with the state of the 
 poor in its vicinity, and acquire a keener relish 
 for the beauties of nature." 
 
 The improvement in Horace's health since 
 the possession of Bucephalus, for so he had 
 named his steed, seemed quite to justify the 
 expenditure; and Eeginald had marked with 
 delight the rich glow that had appeared on his 
 cousin's cheek and the increased activity of his 
 slight frame. The exercise of riding, too, al 
 ways exhilarated his spirits; and this eventful 
 morning, even the little anxiety he felt as to 
 the singing of his own hymn could not depress 
 his gaiety. 
 
 Mary thought as she saw the party ride away 
 from the door, that her brother Horace certainly 
 was the most beautiful as well as the most 
 talented boy in the world. She could not, 
 however, long meditate on his perfections, for 
 
36 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 it was necessary to prepare for her own ride : 
 so she ran up to her room, humming as she 
 went the first part of her favorite Sartoria. 
 Celia Eogers was already dressed, but, contrary 
 to Mary's expectations, she wore only a ging 
 ham and her common straw bonnet. 
 
 "Why, Celia, how shabbily you look!" she 
 exclaimed; "you have got on the very frock 
 you told me last week that you were going to 
 give to the chambermaid, and you said that 
 was only fit for a gardening bonnet." 
 
 " That is precisely why I put them on," said 
 Celia, with her coldest, proudest air. "When 
 I am going among the rabble, I do not think it 
 worth while to dress up, as they will do, in my 
 best." 
 
 " The rabble !" said Mary, with astonish 
 ment, "there will be no rabble at the Grove. 
 The steamboat is only going to bring up the 
 Sunday-school, and there will be no others 
 there, only Mr. Hinton's family, whom father 
 invited to be present. 
 
 "And what are the Sunday scholars but rab-, 
 ble?" asked Celia, contemptuously. "They are 
 
37 
 
 all picked up out of the gutter ; Eeginald told 
 me himself that the city missionary had col 
 lected them out of the very dregs of the popu 
 lation." 
 
 For a moment Mary was silent. She could 
 not deny this part, but still she was aware that 
 the manner in which it was mentioned was 
 decidedly wrong. At length she said, musing 
 ly, "I know they are poor, Celia, but Grod 
 made them so, and I cannot see why we should 
 be proud because He saw fit to make us dif 
 ferent." 
 
 No ! Mary saw no reason for pride, because 
 she was not in the least tempted to that fault. 
 She had not been taught like Celia, from her 
 infancy, that she belonged to an entirely differ 
 ent class from those of her fellow-beings, and to 
 associate with them would be contamination. 
 Her mother, it is true, had told her that it was 
 for the good of mankind in general that they 
 should have different employments, some of 
 which needed education and refinement, while 
 others only called for bodily strength. She had 
 also been informed that it was for the happiness 
 
38 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 of all that those should associate together whose 
 manners, habits, and employments were most 
 alike, and plain and uneducated people felt as 
 uncomfortable with those who had had greater 
 advantages, as the refined did, in society which 
 was not congenial to them. But she had also 
 been told that her position in life, as it gave her 
 more influence, was a talent, and that she must 
 improve it by being as kind as possible to all 
 within her reach, that they might be the more 
 inclined to follow the good example which it 
 was her bounden duty to set them. Indeed, 
 Mrs. Hastings had impressed this truth so often 
 upon the minds of her children, that they were 
 almost inclined to change places with any who 
 had not to answer for influence abused, as well 
 as for their individual faults. 
 
 But if free from pride, there was another 
 sin to which Mary was often tempted. That 
 pretty face of hers gave her wondrous pleasure, 
 and now, as she stood curling her brown locks 
 around her long white fingers, she wondered if 
 any body that day would observe their beautiful 
 color. Then she pinched her cheeks slightly, 
 
to see how she looked when animated, and put 
 on her round straw hat very carefully, and 
 slowly backed away from the mirror, to see 
 herself at full length, and notice if her feet 
 really looked so very small as she had been 
 told that they did by some injudicious friend. 
 Yes ! there was no doubt of it. They were dear 
 little feet, and she was certainly very pretty; 
 tall for her age, and uncommonly ladylike for a 
 girl of thirteen. She smiled, and then smiled 
 again, because she thus showed little white 
 teeth between her full and red lips, like the 
 most delicate pearls. So occupied was she with 
 self-admiration, that she did not even hear her 
 mother enter the room. "Yes, you are very 
 pretty, my child," said Mrs. Hastings, who read 
 Mary's thoughts in the guilty start she gave 
 when aware of her presence. " Yery pretty 1" 
 she repeated sadly ; " God has made a beautiful 
 house for your soul to live in on earth. ' You 
 cannot admire too much any of His works, nor 
 be too thankful for His kind gifts. But, my 
 dear child, I am afraid that though beauty has 
 been loaned to you as a talent, to be employed 
 
40 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 in your Creator's service, you have hitherto 
 considered it entirely your own. Eemember, 
 that from those who do not improve their 
 talents, will be taken away even that which 
 they have. Your earthly body must be re 
 turned to its Giver, and if it has not been used 
 in His service you will not receive in its place 
 an incorruptible one full of glory. Kemember, 
 my dear child, that the being on whom you are 
 gazing with such delight, must decay in the 
 grave, and that every thought of vanity will 
 render it less probable that you shall be clothed 
 in eternal beauty. But I cannot stay to say 
 more upon this subject. The carriage is wait 
 ing for us, and I trust that I shall not see again 
 on your face that self-complacent expression 
 which to me would make the loveliest features 
 disagreeable. 
 
 Mary made no reply, but the tears rose to 
 her eyes. They were not tears, however, of 
 anger, for she felt the reproof was just, and was 
 thankful that she had so judicious and excellent 
 a mother. She saw now, that if Celia's choice 
 of a dress had shown the deep-rooted haughti- 
 
THE PIC-NIC AT CAMPBELL'S GKOVE. 41 
 
 ness, which was the great fault of her character, 
 her own had as clearly proved the vanity 
 which was her besetting sin. She followed her 
 mother in silence to the carriage, but Mrs. 
 Hastings soon banished all unpleasant feelings 
 by her pleasant conversation, and the ride to 
 the Grove seemed very short, and was, as both 
 the girls declared, "most delightful." 
 
 On their arrival at the scene of the expected 
 festivities, Celia and Mary busied themselves in 
 arranging the provisions on the long tables 
 which Eeginald and Horace erected. There 
 was abundance of cold chickens and cold ham, 
 and plenty of nice bread and butter, but no 
 dainties. Mrs. Hastings knew that some of the 
 poor children who were coming had rarely 
 enough of any kind of food, and that it would 
 be unwise to endanger their health by giving 
 them a supply of luxuries to which they were 
 unaccustomed. The fare of her own children 
 was always simple, because, after renouncing 
 for them all the sinful lusts of the flesh, she 
 had no idea of fostering in them that greediness 
 which is one of the besetting sins of childhood. 
 
 i* 
 
42 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 Substantial and excellent food they had in 
 abundance, but it was never made a reward, 
 nor the deprivation of it a punishment, lest it 
 should acquire undue value. Hospitality was 
 exercised to all " without grudging," but she 
 gave to the stranger such things as she had, 
 and there was no complaining at Beulah of 
 headaches from too free indulgence in rarities 
 prepared for the entertainment of guests. 
 
 In the boys, Mrs. Hastings was particularly 
 anxious not to excite a fondness for good liv 
 ing, having seen many a mother broken-hearted 
 by the dissipation of a son in whom she had 
 cultivated the love of eating, which is the pre 
 cursor of the love of drinking, by taking pains 
 to give him delicacies in his childhood. She 
 believed that in every Christian household the 
 Lenten rule of abstinence should be prolonged 
 throughout the year ; at least, that " the flesh 
 should be so subdued to spirit that they might 
 ever serve God in righteousness and true holi 
 ness." 
 
 The arrangement of the tables was just com 
 pleted when Horace cried out that he saw the 
 
43 
 
 smoke-pipes of the Erie through the trees, and 
 in a moment she was letting off steam at the 
 landing-place. Celia and Mary ran to the edge 
 of the grove to see the children come on shore, 
 and Mary even could hardly help smiling at 
 their singular appearance. All were in their 
 holiday clothes, but they were of every variety. 
 Some wore tarnished finery; some, expensive 
 but outgrown and inappropriate clothing, and 
 a few, homespun garments of the coarsest sort, 
 while here and there some absolutely ragged 
 urchins were sprinkled among the crowd. 
 There were little girls in flaring, faded, blue and 
 pink bonnets, with silk capes evidently made 
 for grown-up women, and boys with velvet 
 jackets with barren spots here and there, and 
 gaudy buttons ; and as for hats, he was a hap 
 py fellow whose head fitted into its covering. 
 Big skulls were squeezed into little winter 
 caps, and small boys were running about in 
 broad-brimmed beavers, which threatened to 
 slip over their noses and almost cover them. 
 Mr. Neville, the pastor of this curious little 
 flock, had requested that any person in the dis- 
 
44 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 trict where lie resided would send to him such 
 clothing as they were willing to bestow on 
 charity. A few weeks after, the apartment in 
 which these donations were stored presented a 
 striking commentary upon the style of dress 
 adopted even by the conscientious and benevo 
 lent. 
 
 If Christians have only their own cast-off 
 clothes to bestow in charity, would it not be 
 well for them to adopt some style of dress 
 which would not render objects of their charity 
 absolutely ridiculous, or cultivate in them a 
 taste which may prove their ruin. The deli 
 cate materials, however, which are often per 
 fectly suitable for the wealthy, are of no use to 
 the laboring classes. Might it not, therefore, 
 be a more judicious way for those who assist 
 to clothe the destitute, to practise some self- 
 denial instead of changing with every fashion, 
 and giving away that which is useless to them, 
 because out of date? They could wear the dress 
 appropriate to their station till it was no longer 
 serviceable, and employ the money thus saved 
 by a fitting attention to the Christian rule, in 
 
THE PIC-NIC AT CAMPBELL'S GROVE. 45 
 
 buying such clothing as would be of real 
 service to the poor. 
 
 Among the gentlemen who landed from the 
 steamboat with the children, there was one 
 whose whole manner and appearance were 
 most attractive ; his thin, gray hair was parted 
 smoothly over a high, fair forehead, and there 
 was a smile of such benevolence on his intelH- 
 gent face that the smallest child in the group 
 was not afraid to run and take hold of his 
 hand as they commenced climbing the hill 
 which led to Campbell's Grove. Indeed, he 
 seemed to be a universal favorite, for tall, 
 rough-looking boys clustered around him, lis 
 tening eagerly for his replies to their clamorous 
 questions. This gentleman was Mr. Neville, 
 who had been for many years a city mission 
 ary. By his exertions the congregation had 
 been gathered together that now compose the 
 Free Church, of which he was pastor. He was 
 acquainted with every child in the Sunday- 
 school, and to many of them he had been intro 
 duced under circumstances which enlisted his 
 peculiar sympathy. The little girl that he led 
 
46 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 by the hand was an orphan whom he had first 
 seen as a baby in her cradle, when called to 
 visit a poor woman who had been nearly 
 burned to death. The mother died in a few 
 weeks, leaving her child without a friend in the 
 world, excepting the benevolent clergyman, 
 who immediately made the case known to 
 some pious individuals who looked to him for 
 advice in the discharge of their stewardship. 
 By their aid little Ellen had been placed in one 
 of the charitable institutions of the Church, 
 until a lady took her into her family to bring 
 up as a waiting-maid. It is true that she was 
 too young to be yet of much service, as she 
 was now only eight years old ; but Mrs. Nash 
 wisely remarked that the foundation of all 
 character was laid in childhood, and that she 
 could not expect Ellen to become such a 
 woman as she liked unless schooled under her 
 own eye. At her own request the child had 
 been allowed to attend the Sunday-school of 
 the Church of the Messiah, where her attentive 
 behavior gave great satisfaction to her excel 
 lent friend. 
 
THE PIC-NIC AT CAMPBELL'S GROVE. 47 
 
 But it would take too long to tell the history 
 of all Mr. Neville's proteges. Some of the 
 boys were chimney-sweeps, who had been re 
 leased from tyrannical masters; some, newspa 
 per boys, who had been persuaded to leave an 
 employment so dangerous to their morals ; and 
 some, foundlings, who knew only the name 
 given them when they were rescued from de 
 struction. With these children of misfortune 
 there were others fortunate enough to have 
 poor but honest parents, who were drawn to the 
 Church of the Messiah by the simple pleadings 
 of its warm-hearted pastor. All his flock were 
 regarded by him with deep interest, but his 
 pets were the young wanderers who had been 
 won back by persevering efforts to the paths of 
 happiness and peace. 
 
 Eefined, gentlemanly, and intelligent in no 
 common degree, Mr. Neville had passed the 
 best years of life among the wretched and de 
 graded, precisely because he found that his very 
 refinement and intelligence gave him an influ 
 ence over the coarse and ignorant, of which 
 they were not themselves aware. The harsh 
 
48 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 voice insensibly softened as it replied to his 
 gentle tones, and the hardened face showed 
 often a gleam of feeling as it met his kind eye. 
 No mortal tongue could tell how many souls 
 had been saved from perdition by his coura 
 geous efforts, but frequently there came to his 
 ear the tidings of some sinner rescued, through 
 his instrumentality, from eternal misery, and 
 then he rejoiced with the pure joy of the an 
 gelic choir. Oh, thrice blessed is the man who 
 is gifted by nature for the discharge of a mis 
 sion so much resembling that of his divine 
 Master, who came "not to call the righteous, 
 but sinners to repentance!" 
 
 It was nearly sunset when the sound of mu 
 sic clear and sweet rose from Campbell's Grove 
 to the blue sky above. A hundred children 
 were singing, with hearts gladdened by the 
 lovely scene around them, the praises of their 
 gracious Father in heaven. Judge Hastings 
 and his wife, with the girls, stood on a little 
 mound, under a tall oak, commanding a view 
 of the youthful band. Horace was seated on a 
 stump near them, and as he listened to the 
 
THE PIC-NIC AT CAMPBELL'S GROVE. 49 
 
 
 
 words of his own composition, a deep flush set 
 tled on his young cheek, and agitating thoughts 
 were evidently passing through his mind. He 
 had written many verses before, but none of 
 them had affected him thus. It seemed so like 
 leading the devotions of others to have com 
 posed the form of words in which praise was 
 offered to the Almighty. He almost trembled 
 at the thought. Had he sufficiently considered 
 the solemnity of the act, and was he fitted to 
 discharge such an office? He felt now that 
 it was not sufficient that words thus sung 
 should contain poetical thoughts they must be 
 the breathings of a pious heart. Any man 
 might write poetry; but only a child of Glod 
 could know in what language to address his 
 Father. 
 
 Oh, it is strange at what seasons, and by 
 what means, the Spirit of Grod impresses upon 
 our hearts those truths which reason has long 
 acknowledged! While seated on that stump, 
 Horace realized the fact that the noblest em 
 ployment of human intellect was the praise of 
 its Giver, but that this employment must be 
 
50 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 preceded by an entire surrender of our souls to 
 His service. He remembered the words of the 
 Confirmation Hymn, and uttered its fervent 
 petition, 
 
 "Deign, Lord, to make me wholly Thine," 
 
 with a sincerity which accounted for the spirit 
 of devotedness that his subsequent life dis 
 played. 
 
 The last echo of the hymn died away among 
 the hills, and the children were preparing for 
 departure, when a sudden scream of terror was 
 heard from the place where Celia Eogers had 
 wandered alone. A frank, fine-looking boy 
 sprang to the spot just in time to snatch up in 
 his hand, and whirl over the hill, a poisonous 
 snake that was just preparing to spring upon 
 the affrighted girl. No sooner was this manly 
 act performed than he fell back into the group 
 from which he had separated himself. 
 
 When Celia recovered her self-command, 
 she was unable to distinguish her deliverer; 
 but in spite of her fright, the momentary 
 glimpse she had of him had awakened disa- 
 
c^: 
 
 PACE 50. 
 
greeable feelings in her proud heart. As she 
 had been standing, a few hours before, under 
 a little rustic arbor which the boys had erect 
 ed, a scene had passed which she did not now 
 like to remember. Her dress had been so 
 studiously plain, that she was several times 
 mistaken for one of the Sunday-school chil 
 dren, and certainly many of them were her 
 superiors in politeness and consideration on 
 that occasion. While talking with Mary, this 
 same noble-looking boy had approached her 
 and asked politely, " Is this bright red flower 
 the Cardinal flower? I have not been in 
 the country since I was five years old, and 
 I want to know if this is my mother's fa 
 vorite." 
 
 Mary, who was studying his face, saw the 
 tears filling his dark eyes as he mentioned the 
 word "Mother;" but Celia was looking the 
 other way, as she haughtily replied, "I do not 
 know the names of any of these weeds ; they 
 are all the same to me." 
 
 "Indeed!" said the boy, with grieved sur 
 prise, "I beg your pardon for asking the 
 
52 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 question, but I did so want to know, and I 
 could not find Mr. Neville." 
 
 "Here I am, Frederick," said the pleasant 
 voice of the pastor, as he emerged from the 
 other side of the arbor, where he had been an 
 unintentional listener to the foregoing conver 
 sation, and a grieved observer of Celia's un 
 christian manners. "Yes! that is a Cardinal 
 flower, and if you will give it to me, I will 
 take it home and press it for you, to keep in 
 memory of this pleasant day." 
 
 An eloquent blush bespoke the boy's grati 
 tude as he turned away. 
 
 ISTo remarks were at that time made by the 
 clergyman, but when Celia heard that he had 
 exchanged with their own pastor, and was to 
 return in the carriage to Beulah, she felt no 
 pleasure at the information. She was almost 
 sure that the boy who had saved her life was 
 the same whom she had thought impertinent 
 in asking a civil question. If so, which stood 
 the highest in the scale of beings, one who 
 would give pain without provocation, or he who 
 would ward it off at the risk of his own life ? 
 
THE PIC-NIC AT CAMPBELL'S GKOVE. 53 
 
 Nothing lias been said of Keginald, who on 
 this day was studiously quiet, and no one could 
 have suspected from his manner that he was 
 the giver of the fete. He referred every thing 
 to Judge Hastings with modest respect, and was 
 very desirous the children should not be told 
 to whom they were indebted for so happy a 
 day. At the same time he had ma'de various 
 inquiries with regard to such children as had 
 excited his particular attention, and has set 
 down in his memorandum-book the names of 
 those to whom he thought some aid might be 
 most useful. What need was there of his 
 name being known? he was only the instru 
 ment, and most fortunate in being allowed thus 
 to dispense enjoyment. 
 
 And now the steamboat bell rang loud, and 
 the children eagerly flocked on board. A mo 
 ment more and the Erie glided away, and soon 
 disappeared from sight. Mr. Neville handed 
 Mrs. Hastings and the girls to the carriage, and 
 then took his seat beside them, while Judge 
 Hastings and the boys remained for a few 
 minutes, to see that the fragments of the feast 
 
54: CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 were packed away into the ox-cart, and then 
 they mounted their horses, and rode home so 
 rapidly that they arrived in time to welcome 
 the clergyman to Beulah. 
 
55 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 " THE bright, the beautiful, the blessed Lord's 
 Day!" exclaimed Horace, as he woke to con 
 sciousness on the ensuing morning. His win 
 dow commanded a view of the rising sun, and 
 as he saw the glorious clouds, gilded with its 
 dawning splendor, adoring thoughts of the 
 great Creator filled his young heart. 
 
 An eye for the beautiful, and a love for the 
 outward forms of nature add much to the hap 
 piness of life ; but this is not their only aim. 
 Horace had been taught that even his percep 
 tions of beauty added to his responsibility, and 
 it was inexcusable in him not to make some 
 return for the love which he could read in 
 every glistening star and fragile flower. 
 
 " What shall I render unto the Lord for all 
 His mercies !" was the involuntary question of 
 his grateful heart. And what could he render 
 
56 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 since he possessed nothing which he had not 
 received at the Lord's hands. 
 
 " Time, Health, Intellect, Influence, these are 
 Thy gifts, Parent of Good," he again ejaculated. 
 "Oh, give me grace to use them aright!" 
 
 Horace had been from his childhood a sober- 
 minded boy, and had been taught always to 
 consider himself as admitted by baptism to fel 
 lowship with Christ's Church, if he did not 
 forfeit this glorious privilege. He looked 
 eagerly forward to the time when he could 
 renew in Confirmation the vows that had been 
 made for him in infancy, and at fifteen the wish 
 of his heart had been fulfilled. It is sometimes 
 said that Christian education often fails to 
 attain its end, but this had not been the experi 
 ence of Judge Hastings. His children were 
 fallible beings, often overpowered by tempta 
 tion and sin, but ever repenting and confessing 
 their errors and seeking forgiveness through 
 the blood of Christ. They were viewed by 
 their parents, and taught to view themselves, as 
 beings created for God's glory, and whose chief 
 aim must be to advance that end. As they 
 
LIFE'S MISSION. 57 
 
 drew nearer to maturity, they were led to 
 examine themselves, so as to discover in what 
 way they could be most extensively useful; 
 and even Mary had learned to ask in every un 
 dertaking, "Will it forward the purpose for 
 which I was created? Will any one thus be 
 made better or happier?" 
 
 With such views, it is no wonder that these 
 young people hailed the Lord's Day with de 
 light. It furnished them with refreshing food, 
 by which they were better enabled to dis 
 charge every duty. But the thoughts which 
 had passed through the mind of the young poet 
 while listening to his own verses had made 
 him peculiarly susceptible to all holy influ 
 ences. He felt that he must look upon na 
 ture's broad expanse, and rising quickly, he 
 dressed himself, and walked forth upon the 
 lawn. The air was so delightful that insen 
 sibly he wandered down the hill, and crossing 
 the small bridge at its foot, ascended a rocky 
 precipice which overhung the little stream. 
 As he stood gazing on the fresh beauty of 
 the morning, a pleasant voice saluted his ear 
 
58 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 with the words, "You are out early, my young 
 friend, but I see your temptation this beau 
 tiful scene, is it not?" 
 
 "Indeed it is, sir," he replied respectfully, 
 as he saw Mr. Neville appearing from the 
 other side of the projecting rock on which he 
 stood. Both remained for some time gazing 
 in silence as the golden clouds faded away, 
 till they were lost in the clear blue of day. 
 
 "I wish that I were a man," exclaimed 
 Horace at length, with much animation. 
 
 "Why so?" asked Mr. Neville, wondering 
 why at such a moment the lad should wish 
 to exchange joyous youth for care-worn man 
 hood. 
 
 "So that I might assume your office, sir, 
 and tell all mankind of the love of Him who 
 made this beautiful world," was the earnest, 
 yet modest reply. 
 
 " Such, then, are your aspirations ?" re 
 marked Mr. Neville, with a smile of benevo 
 lent delight; "God grant, my boy, that they 
 may be one day fulfilled! But you need not 
 wait, Horace, for manhood to publish the 
 
LIFE'S MISSION. 59 
 
 goodness of your Maker. Do you not know 
 that you are already a consecrated missionary, 
 and there is abundance of work for all your 
 energies and strength?" 
 
 "How so?" asked Horace, eagerly. "Tell 
 me where is any work, that I may do it." 
 
 "You belong to that Church," was the re 
 ply, " which is the body of our divine Lord, 
 to whom He committed, upon His Ascension, 
 the work of Christianising the whole earth. 
 Prompted by the holiest of motives, gratitude 
 and love, aided by His ever-present Spirit, its 
 chief aim and end is to save a perishing world. 
 To this aim every other must be made subser 
 vient, every faculty and every talent devoted. 
 1 Ye are the salt of the earth, ye are the light 
 of the world,' were the words of Christ to 
 His disciples, and all who are named by His 
 name are now called upon to purify and en 
 lighten the earth. It is true, it is the duty 
 of each individual to cultivate personal holi 
 ness, that the salt may not lose its savor, nor 
 the lamp its oil, but this is only the begin 
 ning. Each must labor to discover what 
 
60 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 place is allotted to him in the vast field, and 
 what instruments he is best fitted to use, and 
 then devote himself wholly to his appointed 
 task. 'Whether prophecy, let us prophesy 
 according to the proportion of faith; or min 
 istry, let us wait on our ministering; or he 
 that teacheth, on teaching; or he that ex- 
 horteth, on exhortation.' " 
 
 "I know," said Horace, thoughtfully, "that 
 we may, and must all be useful according to 
 the best of our abilities, but only in the cleri 
 cal profession can the salvation and the relief 
 of misery be the whole business of life. Other 
 men must give much of their time to some 
 secular occupation." 
 
 "There is the very point which so few 
 understand," answered Mr. Neville. "Every 
 calling in life may be made the instrument 
 of fulfilling a higher mission, and ought to be 
 considered as such. The merchant should 
 view trade as the instrumentality through 
 which his light is to shine. By a disinterest 
 ed, upright, and high-minded course, he may 
 reach hearts which were impervious to any 
 
61 
 
 other agency. Every vocation forces a man 
 into more intimate acquaintance with those 
 similarly employed, and this gives him an 
 opportunity for exerting over them a more 
 powerful influence, while it directs their at 
 tention to his own life and conduct, and the 
 principles by which he is actuated. The mer 
 chant thus becomes a missionary to merchants 
 in general, the mechanic to those similarly 
 employed, and the laborer to those who share 
 his daily toil. The latter may not even come 
 within the sound of a clergyman's voice, but 
 there may be moments when a fellow-laborer 
 may drop good seed into his heart, which 
 could have been sown by no other hand. 
 While two mowers are cutting down the long 
 grass they may discover the hidden bird's 
 nest, and one may direct the other's attention 
 to the piercing cries of the parent from the 
 neighboring bush, and speak of that universal 
 parental love whose type and image is found 
 in every animate being. Or they may be 
 mutually rejoicing in the refreshing influence 
 of a much-needed shower, and the missionary 
 
62 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 laborer may take occasion to speak of Him 
 who sends ' the former and the latter rain.' 
 To do this effectually his life must give 
 weight to his words, and this it will be more 
 apt to do if he feel rightly his own consecra 
 tion, body and soul, to the service of Christ." 
 
 " But these are men, all men," said Horace, 
 despondingly, "and again I could wish I were 
 a man, that I might be more extensively 
 useful." 
 
 " And is youth no talent, my young 
 friend," asked Mr. Neville, kindly, "that you 
 are so willing to give up its advantages? You 
 would throw away one of the most beautiful 
 instruments in the plan of benevolence. There 
 is a power in the earnest piety of a young 
 heart to unseal the purer fountains in those 
 of the old, and to reach the coldest, most 
 world-hardened men. Uncontaminated by 
 contact with evil, and unstained by vice, the 
 young are the ordained preachers of purity 
 and disinterestedness. They should beware 
 lest in their zeal for active usefulness they 
 deviate from the modest virtues which give 
 
LIFE'S MISSION. 63 
 
 them most powerful influence. Glowing 
 health! vigorous strength! ardent enthusiasm! 
 these all whisper of a being fresh from the 
 hand of God, and when seen entirely devoted 
 to His service they have a most delightful 
 effect in keeping alive the cheerfulness and 
 activity of those who are discouraged because 
 of the way. As I look at you, now burning 
 with zeal to be up and doing, I recall my own 
 youth, and feel its ardor renewed. This very 
 morning you have done missionary labor, my 
 boy, for you have made me see the blessed 
 privilege of having so many avenues of use 
 fulness open before me. There are tunes 
 when I am almost burdened with the respon 
 sibilities which have accumulated upon me, 
 but I recall the hour, when like you I longed 
 for a wider field of action, and it cheers me 
 on to labor more faithfully." 
 
 A deep blush overspread the face of the 
 young lad, and he said modestly, "Oh, sir, I 
 can hardly believe that I can have done or 
 said any thing that could affect you thus, but 
 I am very sure I shall never forget your 
 
64 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 words. Yes, sir, till I can be a clergyman, I 
 will try and fulfil that mission with which I 
 am already intrusted; I will ask my father if 
 he thinks me fitted, in later life, to assume 
 the holiest of all professions, and if so, oh, 
 how joyfully will I go forth to spread the 
 glad tidings of salvation." 
 
 So saying, Horace accompanied Mr. Neville 
 to the little path which wound down the hill, 
 and crossing the bridge they walked up the 
 long avenue of elms which led to the house, 
 in perfect silence. 
 
 The Judge was standing in the green ve 
 randah watching for their return, and accom 
 panied them into the library, where the rest 
 of the family were already assembled for their 
 usual morning devotions. 
 
 Never before had Horace so fully felt the 
 force of the language of the "General Con 
 fession" in the Prayer-book, in which every 
 member of the family supplicates God, for 
 Christ's sake, that he "may hereafter live a 
 godly, righteous, and sober life." 
 
 Oh! how can so many Christians, not only 
 
LIFE'S MISSION. 65 
 
 listen to, but join in those solemn words, week 
 after week, and month after month, and then 
 go forth to their daily occupations, to buy 
 and to sell, to teach and to learn to heap 
 up riches, as if the treasures they accumulated 
 were their own, for which they must render no 
 account ! 
 
66 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE ORPHAN. 
 
 SUNDAY evening was always a delightful 
 time at Beulah, for Judge Hastings and his 
 wife were both then at leisure to converse 
 with the young people, and solve for them 
 some of the various questions which had been 
 puzzling their conscientious minds during the 
 week. The presence of Mr. Neville gave ad 
 ditional charm to this happy season, and by 
 degrees the conversation fell mostly into his 
 hands, while the rest of the circle were de 
 lighted listeners. 
 
 Eeginald had found courage to ask for the 
 history of many of the Sunday-school scholars 
 in whom he had been particularly interested 
 the day before; he had also been promised 
 Mr. Neville's company in his intended visits 
 to them, whenever his uncle would give him 
 permission to go to the city. Mary had been 
 
THE ORPHAN. 67 
 
 silent during these inquiries, but all at once 
 she exclaimed with great animation, "Oh, 
 you have not told us any thing about that 
 noble boy that threw the snake over the hill 
 so fearlessly." 
 
 Celia blushed at this allusion; but no one 
 noticed her confusion excepting Mr. Neville, 
 who said, looking at her inquiringly, "Would 
 you all like to know something of him?" 
 
 "Certainly," said Celia, looking the other 
 way, and trying to conceal her embarrass 
 ment. "I must know something of him, and 
 find some way to repay the service he did 
 me." 
 
 "That you may easily do," said Mr. Nev 
 ille, kindly, "and I am sure when you know 
 more of his history, you will feel that he is 
 as worthy of respect as patronage." This last 
 word was emphasized in such a way, as to 
 show Celia that the clergyman had seen, and 
 disapproved the haughtiness of her manners. 
 
 " About a month since," continued Mr. Nev 
 ille, "I was standing one morning at the 
 church-door, when I saw a fine, manly-look- 
 
68 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 ing boy approaching, holding by the hand a 
 little girl of about three years of age. 
 
 " ' Is there an infant department in your 
 school,' said he, accosting me respectfully, 
 1 in which I could place my little sister?' 
 
 "'Yes, and a Bible-class for boys of your 
 size, if you will join it,' I replied, suspecting 
 that, like some other young lads, he might 
 think religious instruction was only needed by 
 little girls. 
 
 "'Thank you,' said he, gratefully. 'That 
 is just what I wish. I wanted to come to the 
 school myself, and could not leave my little 
 sister at home alone.' 
 
 " ' Where do you live ?' I asked with in 
 terest, for the boy's manner was very plea 
 sing, and I had not at that time leisure to 
 become better acquainted with him. 
 
 "He gave me the number and street, and 
 the next day I started in search of the place. 
 I easily found the house, and was directed by 
 the tenant of the lower story to a small room 
 on the fourth floor. 
 
 "On knocking at the door, it was opened 
 
THE OEPHAN. 69 
 
 bj our young friend, Frederick, who evidently 
 had just been writing at a little pine table, 
 which was covered with papers. In a small, 
 dilapidated wicker-chair, beside the old wood 
 en one from which he had just risen, his little 
 sister was seated, playing with some paper 
 dolls, cut out with a great deal of ingenuity. 
 
 '"Where is your mother?' I asked, seeing 
 no one else in the room, and observing that 
 the only beds were a little crib and a straw 
 pallet on the floor. 
 
 "The little girl caught the sound of the 
 familiar word, 'Mother,' and starting up from 
 her seat ran to my side, and leaning one arm 
 confidingly on my knee, she looked up earn 
 estly in my face, and said with a mysterious 
 air, 'She has been gone to heaven for five 
 long weeks. She was very sick for a great 
 while, but one day she fell fast asleep, and 
 they took her out of her bed, and carried her 
 there. Don't you think she was glad when 
 she woke up in such a pretty place?' 
 
 " Frederick's eyes filled with tears at these 
 innocent words, and I could hardly repress my 
 
70 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 own as I kissed the dear little child, and 
 said, 'Yes, indeed, I do not doubt that she 
 was very happy to know that she was in her 
 Saviour's home.' 
 
 " ' Is your father not living, either ?' I said, 
 turning to the brother, who had somewhat 
 conquered his emotion. 
 
 "'No, sir,' he answered, in a sad tone. 
 'He died about a year after Lotty, there, 
 was born.' 
 
 " ' And who takes care of you ?' I asked, 
 in astonishment. 
 
 " ' I take care of Lotty, and God takes care 
 of us both,' he replied, with great simplicity. 
 
 " 'Were your parents Americans?' I asked; 
 'there is something a little foreign in your 
 accent.' 
 
 " ' No, sir, my father was an Englishman, 
 but he came to this country immediately after 
 his marriage. I do not know any thing about 
 his early history, but he was a very well- 
 educated man, and spent most of his time in 
 writing. I believe he published some book 
 which did not sell well, and after that he used 
 
THE OKPHAN. 71 
 
 to earn his living by copying writing for law 
 yers. While he was ill mother wrote for him, 
 but writing and nursing him at the same time 
 broke down her health, and she was never 
 well again after his death. When she began 
 to be too feeble to write a steady hand, she 
 let me try and help her, and I got so that 
 our employers were as well satisfied with the 
 sheets I copied as with hers, and then I per 
 suaded her not to write any more. She could, 
 however, do a little fine sewing, which was 
 not so fatiguing, and in this way we were 
 supported till about two months ago, and then 
 she was taken sick and confined to her bed. 
 The people in the lower part of the house 
 were very kind, and helped us during her 
 illness, by bringing a great many things 
 mother could eat. One morning, about day 
 light, she was lying on her bed, which I have 
 since had to sell, and I was on the pallet 
 beside her, when I heard her say in a very 
 low voice, "Frederick!" 
 
 " * I rose immediately, and then she whis 
 pered, "Don't wake Lotty, I have something 
 
72 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 to say to you. I am very ill, and shall never 
 be any better. You will soon be alone in the 
 world, my poor boy; but you are now fifteen, 
 and with God's help you will, I hope, not 
 suffer want; take care of your little sister. 
 Eemain here for two months, till tidings will 
 have time to reach you from my friends in 
 England, to whom I have written a letter, 
 which you will find in my trunk. Kiss me, 
 my son. The orphan's God will protect you 
 and relieve me. 7 ' 
 
 " ' These were her last words. A few mo 
 ments after I heard something like a deep 
 sigh, and it was all over. Just then Lotty 
 moved as if she was going to wake, and I 
 hushed her again to sleep, that I might think 
 what I ought to do. As soon as I was sure 
 she slept, I went down and told Mrs. Martin, 
 the kind woman in the lower floor, what had 
 happened, and asked if she would let Lotty 
 come down there and stay that day. She 
 went up stairs, and took her in her arms 
 softly, and carried her down into her room, 
 where she found means to detain her till even- 
 
THE ORPHAN. 73 
 
 ing. Then I went to mother's trunk for the 
 letter of which she had spoken, and found 
 with it one to myself, telling me all that I 
 was to do ; I then went to the gentleman who 
 gave me writing, and asked, as mother had 
 told me in this letter to do, if they would 
 advance me a few dollars to bury her. As 
 they knew me very well, and the writing 
 which had been given had been regularly 
 done, they gave me more than the sum I 
 asked. I then requested an undertaker to let 
 me have a plain coffin for mother's bedstead, 
 which was the nicest thing we owned; and 
 after coming to our room and seeing it, he 
 consented, and before night every thing was 
 ready for the funeral. I then went for you, 
 sir, to attend the funeral, as mother, whenever 
 she could go out, which was very seldom 
 during father's illness and her own, had gone 
 to hear you preach. You were not at home, 
 but Mrs. Martin found a clergyman, and I 
 went with him to the place where I had got 
 permission to bury my mother. I could not 
 have her laid there without a prayer, and the 
 
 7 
 
74 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 clergyman was very kind to go, and promised 
 to come and see me the next day, but I 
 think he must have fallen sick, for he has 
 not been here since, and he looked very fee 
 ble.' 
 
 "In the grief which these recollections ex 
 cited, the boy had forgotten his little sister, 
 who had stood beside me listening to his nar 
 rative, with the big tears rolling down her 
 cheeks, but without speaking. Now she inter 
 rupted him with a burst of sorrow, exclaim 
 ing : ' Oh, Frederick, she has not gone to 
 heaven, then! you put her in a coffin, and 
 you put her in the ground, just as they did 
 that man that died in the next house.' 
 
 " ' What have I done !' said Frederick, in 
 deep distress. 'Dear little Lotty,' said he, 
 taking his little sister in his arms, and letting 
 her hide her tearful face on his breast, 'mo 
 ther is in heaven; it was only her body that 
 went to the grave. Her soul went away from 
 her body, because God was going to let it 
 have a more "beautiful one." Was it not so, 
 sir?' 
 
THE ORPHAN. 75 
 
 "I could hardly answer, so much was I 
 overcome by the sight of these little orphans ; 
 but I at length found words to quiet Char 
 lotte, who, soon wearied with weeping, fell 
 asleep in her brother's arms. 
 
 "Frederick then continued his narrative, 
 telling me how he had since continued to live. 
 He never left home, only to go for writing, 
 and then always took his little sister with 
 him, carrying her in his arms, when she was 
 too tired to walk. This little sister had accom 
 panied him to Campbell's Grove on the day 
 of the pic-nic, and had been under the charge 
 of a daughter of his fellow-lodger, Mrs. Mar 
 tin, on both occasions when my young friend, 
 Celia, had observed Frederick. 
 
 " So beautiful an instance of parental devo 
 tion and manly energy," said Mr. Neville, in 
 conclusion, "I have never before met. I can 
 not persuade him to give up the charge of his 
 little sister, for whom I could easily find an 
 asylum, or to leave the room they occupy 
 till the time appointed by his mother has 
 expired. 
 
76 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 "As he was paid, in advance, for more wri 
 ting than he can accomplish in several weeks, 
 he has been obliged to sell every thing of any 
 value, and has even disposed of all his own 
 better clothes, leaving nothing for himself to 
 wear but the patched suit which excited the 
 contempt of some who saw him on that occa 
 sion." 
 
 " Contempt !" exclaimed Eeginald, indig 
 nantly; "every article is a badge of honor. 
 What a noble boy ! Show me how I can do 
 something to testify my respect for such mag 
 nanimous behavior." 
 
 Mr. Neville smiled pleasantly at Keginald's 
 enthusiasm, and said, 
 
 " You shall go with me to Mr. Malcolm's, a 
 friend of mine, whom I wish to consult as to 
 the best employment for our young friend, 
 when I find out more clearly the nature of his 
 mind, and the extent of his previous education. 
 At present he will want for nothing, and be 
 yond bare necessaries he is unwilling to receive 
 any assistance." 
 
 "Well! poverty must be a glorious thing 
 
THE ORPHAN. 77 
 
 if it brings out such virtues," said Eeginald 
 warmly. 
 
 " Yes ; poverty may be made an instrument 
 of much good, if cheerfully borne," replied Mr. 
 Neville; "but it is a fiery ordeal. The poor, 
 however, have their mission as well as the 
 rich, and my friend Frederick has discharged 
 his in part, if he has impressed upon you all 
 the fact, that it is not the circumstances of our 
 birth, but the manner in which we use our 
 position in life, which entitles us either to 
 respect or contempt." 
 
 These words were a severe lesson for Celia ; 
 but Mr. Neville saw that her pride needed 
 humbling, and that, accustomed as she had 
 been to flattery from her youth, even blunt 
 truths were necessary to startle her out of her 
 self-complacency. The story of Frederick Ca 
 sey had so awakened her better feelings that 
 she received the lesson it conveyed quite 
 meekly, saying that she hoped it had done 
 them all good. 
 
 The next morning, when Mr. Neville left 
 Beulah, there was a unanimous petition for a 
 
 7* 
 
78 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 second visit, and a promise was obtained from 
 Judge Hastings, by the boys, that on the fol 
 lowing Saturday they should pay the intended 
 visit to Mr. Malcolm. 
 
MR. MALCOLM'S COUNTING-KOOM. 79 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 MR. MALCOLM'S COUNTING-ROOM. 
 
 EEGINALD and Horace welcomed gaily the 
 bright day in which they were to accomplish 
 the proposed excursion to the city. The Judge 
 could not accompany them as he had wished, 
 but the boys had been for some time accus 
 tomed to be thrown upon their own resources, 
 and he was never afraid to trust them any 
 where alone when they were several years 
 younger than at present. 
 
 The house of Mr. Neville was easily found, 
 and that gentleman was in readiness to accom 
 pany them to Mr. Malcolm's counting-room, 
 where Frederick Casey was to join the party. 
 On their way thither, they passed the Ex 
 change, which, as it was the principal hour 
 of business, was crowded by active, energetic 
 men, whose whole being seemed animated by 
 
80 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 one absorbing passion. On they passed with 
 hurrying footsteps, and the keen eye which 
 peered from under many closely knit brows, 
 seemed to see the golden goal, and flushed with 
 hope that it might soon be won. Newspapers 
 were seized with avidity as the arbiters of 
 fate, and the rise and fall of different articles 
 of merchandise were sought with the same 
 earnest interest as if their place and happiness 
 were staked upon the daily vicissitudes of for 
 tune. 
 
 And who were these, whose chief desires 
 their actions thus plainly declared? The 
 world, the mammon-worshipping world ? And 
 where was the Church, that band of meek 
 followers of Christ, who, renouncing the cov 
 etous desires of the flesh were to be the leaven 
 which should pervade the whole mass with 
 their spiritual, unworldly faith? 
 
 On the Lord's Day they might be seen 
 worshipping in His house, and even kneeling 
 at His altar; but, as to-day they mingle 
 with the world, and engage in its pursuits, 
 plans, and purposes, who shall be able to 
 
MK. MALCOLM'S COUNTING-ROOM. 81 
 
 discriminate between their spirit and aim, 
 and that of the ungodly world? 
 
 Such were the reflections of the excellent 
 clergyman, as, followed by his young com 
 panions, he threaded his way through the 
 jostling throng. They were just turning out 
 of the crowded street when they were met by 
 a gentleman of singularly pleasing appearance, 
 to whom Mr. Neville introduced Eeginald and 
 Horace. This was the very Mr. Malcolm 
 whom they were about to visit, and he begged 
 them to proceed to his counting-room, to which 
 he would return in a few minutes. 
 
 Though he was evidently in a hurry, there 
 was something even in the haste of this truly 
 Christian merchant different from the absorb 
 ing eagerness of the surrounding crowd. His 
 treasures were laid up in heaven, and his 
 peace of mind did not therefore depend on 
 those possessed on earth. There were other 
 countenances, too, among those care-worn men, 
 whose calmness was the result of the same 
 certainty of a more enduring inheritance ; but 
 there were comparatively few who carried, thus 
 
82 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 written on their brows, a letter which might 
 be known and read of all. 
 
 Mr. Malcolm had reached the age of thirty 
 when the truth of religion first broke upon 
 his mind. He was a man of strong, clear 
 judgment and remarkable firmness of charac 
 ter ; and it was not without a struggle with the 
 self-confident pride of his nature, that he de 
 termined to avow that his whole previous life 
 had been one of opposition to God. But when 
 this decisive step was once taken, there was 
 no more wavering in his mind or conduct. 
 He resolved that the Scriptures should be his 
 own rule of life without waiting to see how 
 they were construed by those around him 
 who professed to follow their pure precepts. 
 He had before conducted his business as the 
 rules of honor and morality demanded, with 
 out reference to the practice of his fellow- 
 merchants, and now that Christian principle 
 was his standard, he maintained the same 
 independence. 
 
 Had not the most discerning of those with 
 whom Mr. Malcolm came daily in contact, pro- 
 
83 
 
 nounced him, before this change in his views, 
 a man of sound sense, they would now have 
 ridiculed his ideas as the enthusiastic fancies 
 of a fanatic. But his station placed him above 
 contempt, and had it been otherwise, his firm 
 consistency would have procured respect. 
 
 Still there were those, among Christians, 
 who shook their heads, and said they did not 
 see the necessity of the sacrifices which he 
 made. They also asserted that his wealth 
 must decrease while his charities were so large 
 and his business conducted upon the strange 
 principle of never taking advantage of an op 
 portunity for gain which must be another's 
 loss. Among the prophets of evil was a gen 
 tleman who returned with Mr. Malcolm to his 
 place of business a few minutes after the arri 
 val of Mr. Neville and his young companions. 
 
 This gentleman he introduced to his other 
 visitors as Mr. Sumerville, and then begged 
 the latter to excuse him for a little while 
 longer, as he must attend to an affair of some 
 importance. The little room into which he 
 then conducted Mr. Sumerville was so near 
 
84 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 that neither Mr. Neville nor the boys could 
 avoid hearing the conversation that followed, 
 which served to heighten their respect for Mr. 
 Malcolm in no common degree. 
 
 Mr. Sumerville was also a professing Chris 
 tian ; but there were many among his daily 
 associates who never suspected the fact. He 
 was a type of a large class of business men, 
 unimpeachable in morality, but apparently 
 blind to the full extent of the devotion im 
 plied by the baptismal vow. If told that any 
 practice were at variance with the principles 
 of the Gospel, he would own, with a sigh, that 
 this was true, but that the world was all 
 wrong, and no one man, in this age, could 
 fulfil his whole duty until the spirit of the 
 times was changed. He never thought how 
 this change was to be effected, or what was 
 to be his share in its execution. But it was 
 not this subject which gave to his usually 
 cloudy brow a still darker aspect while now 
 conversing with Mr. Malcolm. 
 
 "I hear," said he with eagerness, "that the 
 place of supercargo is not yet filled in the 
 
ME. MALCOLM'S COUNTING-KOOM. 85 
 
 ship which you are about fitting out for 
 China." 
 
 "It is not. I have found no one yet to 
 suit me for that situation," was the reply. 
 
 "Then I have a real favor to ask. My 
 eldest son, as you may know, has been long 
 a source of anxiety and grief both to his mo 
 ther and myself, and I am desirous to try 
 the effect of a temporary absence upon his 
 feelings and character. He is well educated, 
 an excellent accountant, and most honorable 
 and gentlemanly in all his views. I have no 
 doubt that he would discharge all his duties 
 well, and when once broken off from his pres 
 ent associates, would renounce the bad habits 
 which have given me so much trouble." 
 
 Mr. Malcolm was evidently troubled by this 
 request, and it was some moments before he 
 replied in a calm, but kind tone, 
 
 "You are mistaken, my dear friend, in the 
 course you would pursue. Believe me, it is 
 no way to increase your son's morality, to 
 send him to a country where he is not only 
 free from all parental and religious influence, 
 
86 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 but even from the restraint of public opinion. 
 Moral men often become dissipated in those 
 terrible countries, where all the sacred influ 
 ences of Christianity are unknown, and the 
 vicious give themselves wholly up to the 
 errors which are unrebuked by their heathen 
 companions. "Were your son merely unstable 
 by nature, the experiment would be a peril 
 ous one ; as it is, I consider that it might 
 end in his destruction." 
 
 "I differ from you entirely," was the reply. 
 " The long voyage will give Ealph time for 
 reflection; and when he arrives at his des 
 tined haven he will have formed such resolu 
 tions as will enable him to resist all temptation. 
 I am willing to run the risk at any rate, if 
 you will oblige me by giving him the place 
 I solicit." 
 
 Again there was a pause, and then Mr. 
 Malcolm announced with evident pain : 
 
 "I am sorry not to oblige you, but it is 
 out of my power. In sending a ship to China, 
 I do not merely seek to add to my resources, 
 but to aid the cause of missions in what seems 
 
ME. MALCOLM'S COU^TING-KOOM. 87 
 
 to me the most effectual way. The greatest 
 hinderance to the hearers of the Gospel has 
 long been, as you well know, the inconsistent 
 lives of those who have poured into heathen 
 countries from lands professing to be Chris 
 tian. I have no right, for my own advantage, 
 to send any man thither who has such a char 
 acter that he may prove a stumbling-block in 
 the way of others. 
 
 "I therefore make my first requisite in the 
 choice of officers and men for my ships, that 
 they should be men of practical religion, and 
 in so doing I also give myself the surest 
 pledge of their fidelity and judicious discharge 
 of the business intrusted to them. 
 
 "The captain of the 'Peace' is a man of 
 exalted character, and every voyage which he 
 has made has been most prosperous and suc 
 cessful. The crew were all recommended by 
 the chaplain of the Floating Chapel, and admi 
 rably performed their duty. I had, after the 
 return of the vessel, a letter from one of our 
 missionaries, who performed service on board 
 the ' Peace' while it was in port, thanking 
 
88 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 me for having so efficiently aided a cause 
 which every Christian must have at heart. I 
 have refused many applications for this situa 
 tion, for the same reason which now obliges 
 me to decline your offer." 
 
 "But," persevered Mr. Sumerville, "one 
 individual will do very little harm, and what 
 you say makes me only more anxious that 
 my son should go, for under such good influ 
 ences, he must reform." 
 
 "It is impossible," was the decided reply. 
 
 Mr. Sumerville turned to leave the room, 
 in evident indignation; but just as he had 
 reached the door, he was arrested by Mr. 
 Malcolm's saying, in a tone of warm kindli 
 ness, 
 
 " Stop, my friend, I have just thought of a 
 way in which I may oblige you. One of my 
 clerks, an excellent young man, is in delicate 
 health, and a change of climate might benefit 
 him. If he will accept the place of super 
 cargo, I will take your son into my own 
 store, where I can have him constantly under 
 my eye, and hope to do him good. It is true 
 
MR. MALCOLM'S COUNTING-ROOM. 89 
 
 he will be placed in a responsible position; 
 but if he be unfaithful, the loss will be my 
 own, and not an injury to the souls of others. 
 Will that suit you?" 
 
 Mr. Sumerville stood transfixed at the 
 generosity of this offer, though Mr. Malcolm 
 thought himself only performing an act of 
 Christian duty. 
 
 "You deserve to prosper," he exclaimed. 
 "Under your care how can my son help im 
 proving." 
 
 While Mr. Malcolm was thus occupied, 
 Frederick Casey had arrived, bringing with 
 him his little sister, and saying in apology for 
 his tardiness, "Excuse me for being too late, 
 but Mrs. Martin was obliged to go out, and 
 I could not leave Lotty with her, so I had 
 to bring her along; and she walks so slowly 
 that I could not get here sooner." 
 
 "You are very excusable, my boy," said 
 Mr. Malcolm, kindly, as he held out his hand 
 to the delicate little girl, who was half hiding 
 behind her brother, and was evidently much 
 frightened at being in a strange place. 
 
 8* 
 
90 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 "I have received tidings from England," 
 said Frederick, giving at the same time a 
 letter to Mr. Neville, directed in a bold, gen 
 tlemanly hand. "It is only what I expected; 
 I did not care to be recognized by those who 
 were so unkind to my mother." 
 
 As he spoke this last word, his eyes filled 
 with tears, but his cheek was flushed with 
 indignation. Mr. Neville made no reply to 
 this remark, but opened the letter, and read, 
 with displeased astonishment, the contents. 
 
 "I once knew a young lady named Char 
 lotte Austin, but I am unacquainted with any 
 Mrs. Casey. You probably resemble the 
 father, whose name you bear, and I must, 
 therefore, decline making your acquaintance. 
 "HERBERT AUSTIN." 
 
 As Mr. Neville involuntarily re-read these 
 words aloud, Eeginald and Horace exclaimed, 
 indignantly, "Shameful! what a monster!" 
 
 "Hush! hush!" said Mr. Neville. "Fred 
 erick, those young lads are friends of mine, 
 
91 
 
 who also wish to be friends of yours, but I 
 did not mean to impart to them the contents 
 of this letter without jour consent." 
 
 "It's of no consequence, sir," said Frederick, 
 still very much excited. "There is nothing 
 in it of which I am ashamed. I should be 
 quite as unwilling to own such a grandfather, 
 as he appears to be to own me." 
 
 "Softly, softly, my boy," said Mr. Neville, 
 soothingly; "you do not know by what sor 
 rows his heart may have been hardened." 
 
 "I thought sorrow made the heart soft!" 
 interrupted Horace. 
 
 "It should do so, but if it is not received 
 in a right spirit, it has the contrary effect. 
 I pity the writer of this letter, for he cuts 
 himself off from the natural solace of age, the 
 love and companionship of the young. Come 
 here, Lotty," he added, as he drew the little 
 girl affectionately towards him, and placing 
 her on his knee, took off her little faded hat, 
 and smoothing the soft golden curls, which fell 
 around her sweet innocent face, said, "would 
 you like to come and live with me?" 
 
92 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 The little stranger seemed more startled 
 than pleased at this proposition, and looked 
 at Frederick, for him to answer. 
 
 " I do not doubt that you would take very 
 good care of her, sir," he replied, "but in 
 deed we cannot be separated." 
 
 "No? well, then, I must have you both. 
 But we will talk of that some other time. 
 Here comes Mr. Malcolm," he added, as that 
 gentleman entered the room. "Allow me to 
 introduce to you, sir, three of my young 
 friends. This is Eeginald Campbell, who 
 needs some lessons in the management of his 
 worldly goods; this is his cousin, Horace 
 Hastings, whose father, I believe, you have 
 long known ; and this, sir, is my friend, Fred 
 erick Casey, of whom you have heard me 
 often speak." 
 
 "And who is this?" asked Mr. Malcolm, 
 after he had kindly shaken hands with the 
 boys, as he took the little blue-eyed girl up 
 in his arms, and looked in her face with 
 tender interest. "It must be the little Lotty 
 of whom you also told me." 
 
MR. MALCOLM'S COUNTING-ROOM. 93 
 
 With the quick instinct of childhood, Lotty 
 read in the face of the new comer the be 
 nevolence which was such a striking feature 
 in his character. She did not struggle to 
 free herself from his arms, while he continued 
 gazing into her eyes with evident pleasure, and 
 saying, as if to himself, " Strange ! so very 
 like my lost Henrietta." 
 
 Mr. Neville at once conjectured that Mr. 
 Malcolm found in Lotty a resemblance to his 
 only daughter, whose loss, a few years before, 
 had been one of the greatest afflictions of his 
 life, and he inwardly wondered at the provi 
 dence which had thus insured to the orphan 
 so warm a friend. 
 
 In a few minutes Mr. Malcolm had recov 
 ered his self-command, but he still held Lotty 
 in his arms while listening to Mr. Neville's 
 account of the refusal of Mr. Austin to ac 
 knowledge his grandchild. 
 
 "How cruel to himself!" he exclaimed, as 
 he looked fondly at the little girl whom he 
 was so tenderly holding; "but never mind, 
 Frederick, you shall imagine that I am your 
 
94 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 grandfather. Mr. Neville tells me that you 
 are well advanced in your studies, and wish 
 to do something for yourself." 
 
 "Now, if you could have your choice of all 
 the occupations in the world, what would you 
 rather be?" 
 
 Frederick paused for some moments, and 
 then said, "If I were only good enough, I 
 should prefer to become a missionary; but 
 that I can never be, for Lotty could not go 
 with me, and I could never leave her." 
 
 "Why, where would you wish to go? 
 There are missionary stations where that 
 would be no objection." 
 
 "Yes, sir," said Frederick, respectfully, "but 
 I want to go where widows are burned on 
 the funeral piles of their husbands." 
 
 "And why do you wish to go there?" 
 asked Mr. Malcolm, delighted with the manly 
 independence of the boy's manner, and his 
 intelligent, expressive countenance. 
 
 "Because, sir, that country must be full of 
 orphans, and I long to tell them how good a 
 Father they can find in the Christian's God." 
 
This was said with so much feeling and 
 sincerity, that Mr. Malcolm brushed away an 
 unconscious tear. Lotty saw the bright drop, 
 and putting her little arm softly round the 
 neck of her new friend, she laid her face 
 sympathizingly against his, whispering, gently, 
 " Don't cry, sir." The caressing manner 
 brought back so fully the remembrance of 
 his own lost darling, that the bereaved father 
 was entirely overcome. Tear after tear fell 
 on the head of the fair-haired child, while 
 she tried by every innocent art to console 
 his grief. 
 
 "Come here, Lotty," said Frederick, seeing 
 that she was the cause of this emotion. 
 
 "JSTo, no," said Mr. Malcolm, holding her 
 fast; "you must both come and live with 
 me." 
 
 Frederick looked at the same time gratified 
 and annoyed at the proposition. At length 
 he said firmly, but respectfully, 
 
 " My mother said I was old enough to sup 
 port Lotty and myself; and so I am. I do 
 not wish to be dependent on any one, but I 
 
96 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 should be very happy to be put in the way 
 of helping myself." 
 
 "Are you proud, Frederick?" asked Mr. 
 Malcolm, with a slight accent of reproach. 
 
 "I hope not, sir," said Frederick meekly; 
 "but the Bible says, 'If any man will -not 
 work, neither let him eat.' If I were old or 
 sick, I should be willing to receive aid from 
 any one, but Grod has given me youth and 
 strength, and I ought to employ them for my 
 sister and myself." 
 
 "You are right," said Mr. Neville, coming 
 to his aid; "but I think we can settle the 
 matter so as to please all. Mr. Malcolm will 
 place you in a way of giving him such assist 
 ance as will repay his kindness, and without 
 being separated from your sister, you can 
 still be independent." 
 
 "Certainly," rejoined Mr. Malcolm before 
 Frederick could answer; "I will employ you 
 in the store, and give you a regular salary 
 for the time thus occupied, which will be 
 only during the eight business hours that I 
 am here myself. I have no family, but an 
 
97 
 
 excellent housekeeper who is fond of chil 
 dren, and who will take the best care of 
 Lotty while we are absent. Your evenings 
 you shall devote to study, and you shall pay 
 your own masters if you prefer to do so. By 
 thus employing your spare time, you will be 
 prepared, when you come of age, for the pro 
 fession which is your choice, and by that 
 time I hope that we shall be on such a good 
 footing that you will consider me as not only 
 a friend but also a father." 
 
 One would have here thought that this 
 proposition had been made to Eeginald, from 
 his look of delight. Horace was absorbed in 
 thinking what a beautiful piece of poetry the 
 whole scene would make; but his sympathy, 
 though taking this form, was as warm and 
 as genuine as that of his cousin. 
 
 Frederick himself was utterly unable to 
 speak. Mr. Neville answered for him, and 
 then said to Eeginald, "Mr. Malcolm will tell 
 you at some other time about the benevolent 
 projects to which you may lend your aid. 
 We will now go and visit some of the ac- 
 
98 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 quaintances which you have made at the 
 Grove." 
 
 The boys rose to leave, and Frederick called 
 his sister to him, and putting on her hat with 
 a kind of motherly care, was about following 
 them, after a few words of broken thanks, 
 when Mr. Malcolm detained him, saying, 
 
 "Wait one moment, I must go home with 
 you, for I have a great deal more to say. 
 Mr. Neville, will you step into this room?" 
 
 When the door was closed, Mr. Malcolm 
 said, earnestly, "I have just thought that a 
 young Mr. Sumerville, whom I have to-day 
 offered to receive into my store, may be a 
 dangerous associate for this lad. Do you 
 think he has strength of principle enough to 
 resist evil example?" 
 
 "I think," replied Mr. Neville, that most 
 boys had better not be subjected to this trial, 
 but in Frederick's case, I am almost sure he 
 will not only resist evil, but impart good. 
 He may aid you in your kind intentions 
 towards young Sumerville, to which we were 
 obliged to listen. I am sure that you will 
 
MR. MALCOLM'S COUNTING-ROOM. 99 
 
 be more than repaid for your interest in so 
 noble a boy." 
 
 "I am certain of it," was the reply. 
 
 Mr. Neville and the boys took leave with a 
 cordial invitation to pay another visit, and then 
 the benevolent merchant locked up his own 
 private room, and proceeded down the street, 
 holding fast to one of Lotty's hands, while 
 she extended the other to Frederick. The 
 boys smiled, as on turning into another street 
 they saw the little girl, almost skipping along 
 between her two protectors. 
 
 "You were ready, Eeginald, to envy, the 
 other day, the energy and strength of charac 
 ter which sometimes result from poverty," 
 said Mr. Neville; "I hope you have seen as 
 plainly to-day, that wealth, rightly improved, 
 may have equal advantages." 
 
 Eeginald gave a silent assent, and then the 
 party halted at the door of a miserable dwell 
 ing, where we will leave them to make the 
 acquaintance of some other children of mis 
 fortune. 
 
100 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 FAMILY EDUCATION. 
 
 "Is it true that you go to school to your 
 mother?" was a question once asked of Hor 
 ace Hastings, by an inquisitive young com 
 panion. 
 
 "Certainly!" he replied; "she has taught 
 me all I know, except Latin, Greek, and 
 mathematics, and in these father gives us 
 lessons." 
 
 "But are you not ashamed, at your age, to 
 say lessons to a woman?" was the next rude 
 inquiry. 
 
 "Not in the least," exclaimed Horace, with 
 animation; "I am proud to have a mother so 
 capable of teaching me, and I only hope that 
 I may be half as intelligent!" 
 
 And well might Horace be proud of his 
 teacher, for few persons were so fitted to 
 direct the education of the young as Mrs. 
 
FAMILY EDUCATION. 101 
 
 Hastings. It was to her that both Horace 
 and Keginald owed the refinement and purity 
 of mind, the tender sensibility, and the manly 
 courtesy which distinguished them among 
 their young companions. Many a time had 
 the devoted mother been thankful for the 
 talents and cultivation which had enabled her 
 to instruct her children, and given her such a 
 tenacious hold upon their respect. 
 
 Boys may love a weak-minded mother 
 dearly, but intelligence and Christianity alone 
 can preserve their esteem, and this, surely, 
 is an incentive to every woman to cultivate. 
 to their full extent, all the talents with which 
 she is blessed. Mary and Celia never doubted 
 the value of education in a woman, because 
 they saw a daily exemplification of its power 
 and influence. 
 
 The hour before breakfast was employed by 
 Judge Hastings and the boys in reading the 
 Xew Testament in Greek, and some of the 
 works of the early fathers in Latin. Every 
 study was pursued in reference to the one 
 great aim of life, its preparation for eternity, 
 
 9* 
 
102 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 and thus gained only its proper share of at 
 tention. To read the Gospels and Epistles in 
 the language in which they were written, was 
 such an excitement to diligence, that the ru 
 diments of the Greek language were mastered 
 by the cousins in an incredibly short period. 
 And then they read the stirring addresses of 
 Paul, or his eloquent letters, with such interest 
 in the original, that they forgot that they were 
 acquiring a language in their zeal to obtain 
 the true meaning of the inspired writer. Reg 
 inald had not the same faculty in acquiring 
 languages as his cousin, but the motive which 
 urged him to diligence was so powerful, that 
 there were few boys of his age who had a 
 more thorough knowledge of Latin and Greek. 
 And better than this, instead of having their 
 heads filled with the absurd fables of heathen 
 mythology, and their spirits infused with a 
 love of military glory, with which the great 
 principles of Christian peace might afterwards 
 struggle in vain, these enthusiastic boys were 
 drawing constant draughts from the only pure 
 fountain of literature. The foundation, too, 
 
FAMILY EDUCATION. 103 
 
 of all historical knowledge was thus firmly 
 laid. The Bible was the ground-work of their 
 knowledge of the events which had befallen 
 mankind, and when it ceased, the history of 
 the Church was considered next worthy of 
 attention. 
 
 As Horace was firm in his intention of be 
 coming a clergyman, he was anxious to com 
 mence the study of Hebrew, and in this his 
 father was still able to instruct him, having 
 acquired a knowledge of the language, from 
 a desire to be familiar with the tongue spoken 
 by those who were once the peculiar people 
 of God. He did not, however, encourage 
 Reginald in taking up the same study, as 
 there were others more necessary to fit him 
 for his own peculiar duties. The time that 
 was devoted by Horace to this new study 
 was, therefore, employed by his cousin in 
 mathematics, in which he was somewhat back 
 ward, for Judge Hastings wished that he 
 should have a thorough knowledge of finan 
 cial affairs, that he might attend to the man 
 agement of his own estate. In explaining the 
 
104 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 spread of the Gospel among the Gentiles, a 
 sufficient sketch of the mythology of the 
 Greeks and Eomans was given, to enable the 
 young students to see in their superstitions 
 the distorted images of truth, and to under 
 stand with what obstacles Christianity had, in 
 the outset, to contend. This, also, would 
 enable them to appreciate classical literature, 
 and those works of art which also had no 
 higher aim than illustrating the fables of an 
 cient superstition. 
 
 After breakfast, the boys always took a 
 long walk or ride, while Mrs. Hastings and 
 the girls were employed in their domestic 
 labors, which was at the same time healthful 
 exercise, and a preparation for future useful 
 ness. 
 
 Celia Eogers had looked very much sur 
 prised when, the day after her arrival, she 
 was invited by Mary to come up stairs and 
 put their room in order. 
 
 " Has not the chambermaid time to do it ?" 
 she asked, haughtily. "I am not accustomed 
 to such work." 
 
FAMILY EDUCATION. 105 
 
 "Oh, yes! she has plenty of time, for she 
 always sews an hour in the afternoon, but 
 it's nicer to do it ourselves. I can't bear to 
 have any one else dust my nice books, and I 
 am sure if I were you, I would not like to 
 have the servants touch that piano, for fear 
 it would be all scratched over." 
 
 "I'll risk it," said Celia, "rather than 
 make a housemaid of myself. I suppose, 
 though, at Kome I must do as the Eomans 
 do ; so come in, and let us get through the 
 horrid business as quickly as possible. Psha! 
 don't put on that cap ; you look like a Dutch 
 man." 
 
 "Do I?" said Mary, laughing, as she looked 
 in the glass, where her round face in the cap 
 looked very like a baby's. "Well, that is 
 better than looking like a dust woman, as I 
 should if I did not put it on." 
 
 At ten o'clock, Mrs. Hastings appeared in 
 the library, with a large basket in her hands, 
 which always contained plenty of mending, to 
 employ herself and the girls, while the boys 
 read aloud their lessons in history. 
 
106 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 The course had commenced, as we before 
 said, with reading the Bible, and had di 
 verged to all the nations of antiquity. The 
 remains of Nineveh, which had been recently 
 discovered, had excited the mind of Horace 
 so much, that he had written some very pass 
 able poetry upon the subject; and the anti 
 quities of Egypt had deeply interested all the 
 members of the little circle. Voyages, poetry, 
 engravings, and maps were all laid under 
 contribution to illustrate history, and the hour 
 always seemed so short that was devoted to 
 this study, that it had often been a request 
 that the reading should be prolonged. This 
 proposal was negatived by Mrs. Hastings, as 
 it would disturb their regular course, and de 
 prive some other branch of knowledge of a 
 due share of attention. 
 
 And when the dealings of God with some 
 nation seemed dark to the inquiring mind of 
 Horace, the solution of a riddle was never 
 waited for with so much impatience as the 
 explanation from the lips of his beloved 
 mother. 
 
FAMILY EDUCATION. 107 
 
 One morning, during the French lesson, 
 which followed the history, Celia Eogers 
 seemed lost in thought. This was her fa 
 vorite study, because she deemed it indispen 
 sable to a polished lady, and such it was her 
 aim to become. But of late she had heard 
 so often that every hour must be employed 
 in such a way as to further, directly or in 
 directly, the designs of her Creator, that she 
 had begun to speculate on the utility of every 
 study when viewed in this light. While 
 Keginald had been reading of the great Se- 
 sostris, she had been saying to herself, " What 
 is the use of learning about him? He has 
 been dead for thousands of years, and we are 
 all going down to the grave!" 
 
 She did not utter this thought aloud, but N 
 as she tried to acquire a list of French verbs, 
 she continued her mental questioning, saying 
 to herself, " They won't speak French in 
 heaven, what's the use of learning it here?" 
 
 Mrs. Hastings at length asked what was 
 the reason that Celia answered so incorrectly, 
 and she seized the opportunity to express the 
 
108 CONSECEATED TALENTS. 
 
 thoughts and speculations which had been dis 
 turbing her mind. 
 
 "You have often told us, ma'am, that we 
 need acquire nothing which will not do us or 
 somebody else real good. I should like to 
 know what the better any body will or can be 
 of my knowing about old Sesostris, or these 
 hard French verbs? If I ever get to heaven, 
 I don't suppose that old Egyptian will be 
 there, so there will be no use in making his 
 acquaintance; and from what Judge Hastings 
 said about the present infidelity of the French 
 nation, I don't believe I shall be any better 
 for being able to talk with the parlez vous." 
 
 Though the manner in which these remarks 
 were made was not a suitable one, Mrs. Has- 
 ings was pleased with the question, for she 
 saw that Celia was beginning to comprehend 
 that her education ought to have some other 
 end than to prepare her for appearing well 
 in society, which was, a few weeks ago, her 
 only idea on the subject. 
 
 "Let Sesostris remain in your memory," she 
 replied, kindly, "as a monument of the folly 
 
FAMILY EDUCATION. 109 
 
 of human pride. He entitled himself the king 
 of kings, but crumbled into dust before the 
 stones on which he had engraved his own 
 presumptuous folly. Few characters in ancient' 
 history can serve for examples, but many may 
 be useful as warning, and all can teach us 
 impressively of the degradation of man when 
 cut off from his Maker." 
 
 "I can understand this," said Celia, after a 
 pause ; " but I cannot see why, if your views 
 of such things are correct, it is right to spend 
 so much time on accomplishments. What is 
 the use of giving an hour every day to the 
 study of French ?" 
 
 "Because," was the reply, "it is a language 
 universally understood by those with whom 
 you associate, and which, if you go abroad as 
 your mother intends that you shall do, will 
 enable you to make yourself intelligible to 
 foreigners, and to exert a greater influence 
 upon them. To travel in Europe, is to as 
 sume great responsibilities, for Americans are 
 the representatives of a nation boasting the 
 greatest religious and political advantages, and 
 
110 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 bound, therefore, to exemplify the principles 
 of Christianity and true Liberty in no com 
 mon degree. To be a consistent Christian in 
 Paris, is almost as difficult as in heathen 
 Eome, and one may be almost a missionary 
 in travelling, by a simple adherence to the 
 Gospel, and an earnest endeavor to make 
 it understood by all who may come within 
 our influence. Besides, my dear Celia, there 
 is much which you learn that only serves to 
 give you a higher standing among those with 
 whom you will come in contact. An accom 
 plished lady can do much more good among 
 certain people than one who has merely solid 
 acquirements, provided always, even her ac 
 complishments are considered as loans, which 
 she may indeed use for her own pleasure, but 
 of which she must give an account." 
 
 "How mother would laugh at the idea that 
 it was her duty to be a missionary in Paris!" 
 said Celia, smiling herself at the ludicrousness 
 which the idea would have to her worldly- 
 minded parent. "She thought her only mis 
 sion would be to buy nice clothes for herself 
 
FAMILY EDUCATION. Ill 
 
 and me, and see every thing that was pretty, 
 and every body that was amusing." 
 
 Mrs. Hastings looked shocked, for it was 
 very true that Mrs. Kogers considered a visit 
 to Paris as an excursion entirely for her own 
 amusement. 
 
 " She may change her mind," was the grave 
 answer, after a moment's pause; "and it may 
 be your blessed privilege to convey to her 
 truths which she was not so happy as to 
 learn in her own youth. But Mary, my 
 dear," added Mrs. Hastings, turning to her 
 child, who sat leaning her head on her hand, 
 "what makes you look so flushed? Your 
 hand, too, is very hot ; do you not feel 
 well?" 
 
 "My head aches badly, mother," said Mary, 
 "and ever since I got up I have had such 
 giddy turns. I did not like to say any thing 
 about it, for fear that you would be alarmed, 
 but I do begin to feel very sick." 
 
 " Reginald, will you ride immediately for 
 Doctor Halhurst," said Mrs. Hastings, with 
 more agitation than she often betrayed. 
 
112 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 "Celia, go ask the cook to send up some 
 warm water, and a mustard plaster to your 
 room, and then come up and help me put 
 Mary in bed, for she is very feverish, and 
 needs instant attention." 
 
 As Mrs. Hastings had asked Mary if she 
 were ill, the fact flashed across her mind that 
 the scarlet fever was now very prevalent in 
 Berkley, and that Mary had accompanied her 
 a few days before to a house in which several 
 of the children were shortly after taken with 
 this dangerous disease. 
 
 Mrs. Hastings was not foolishly timid with 
 regard to any disease, but she was a devoted 
 mother, and Mary was her darling. No won 
 der, then, that for a few minutes she lost her 
 usual composure, but it was recalled by Hor 
 ace, whose quick affection had taken alarm, 
 who said, gently, 
 
 "Don't be so troubled, mother; Mary has 
 often very bad headaches, and Dr. Halhurst 
 says that, if properly treated in the beginning, 
 he does not think the fever in Berkley of a 
 malignant character." 
 
FAMILY EDUCATION. 113 
 
 "Have I the fever, mother?" asked Mary, 
 in a frightened tone. "Do you think I will 
 die?" she added, with solemn earnestness. 
 
 "I do not know, my child, that you have 
 any thing but a headache ; but whatever dis 
 ease may be sent upon you will come from 
 God, and He will give you strength to bear 
 it, and order all things aright. I hope that 
 if you can get into a perspiration immediately, 
 by to-morrow you will be quite well." 
 
 So saying, Mrs. Hastings put her arm round 
 Mary, and kissing her fevered brow led her 
 to her room. In a short time the latter was 
 quietly in bed, with her anxious mother seated 
 at her side, bathing her temples, and speaking 
 words of consolation and encouragement. 
 
114 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SICKNESS IS SOMETIMES A TALENT. 
 
 Six long weeks had passed, and Mary still 
 lay upon a bed of suffering, and her devoted 
 mother still watched beside her with the ten 
 derness which can only flow from maternal 
 affection. It would have been hard to recog 
 nize in the pale, emaciated child, the bright, 
 blooming girl, who had gazed with such com 
 placency upon her own fair face on the day 
 of the eventful pic-nic. The glossy curls had 
 been shorn off so that her poor head might 
 be blistered, and the red lips were now pale 
 and parched with long-continued fever. Even 
 Mrs. Hastings could see no traces of her former 
 loveliness, nor was there a single remnant of 
 the animation which made her manners so 
 pleasing. There she lay as helpless as an 
 infant, with scarcely energy enough to swal 
 low the distasteful draught which her mother 
 
SICKNESS IS SOMETIMES A TALENT. 115 
 
 held to her lips, and too feeble to change the 
 position to which for weeks she had been con 
 fined. As Celia bent over her, she thought 
 she would give worlds for one bright smile, 
 one happy word from her clear voice. 
 
 And while Mary's body was thus the prey 
 of disease, what was the condition of her 
 soul ? Alas ! for those that dream of making 
 peace with God when sickness warns them of 
 their approaching end. But happily our young 
 friend had not waited for the days when she 
 should say, " There was no pleasure in them," 
 before seeking the protection of an Almighty 
 Friend. It was true she could not now think 
 clearly, nor even, at times, make a single 
 prayer; but she could silently look up to 
 God, and lean on Him, and acknowledge that 
 even her sufferings were from His hand, and 
 were sent in love. The difference between 
 her feelings and those which would have been 
 experienced by more thoughtless children was, 
 that she knew her Father in heaven, and they 
 would have then had to learn their relation 
 ship. 
 
116 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 There was once a little girl who was lost 
 when she was an infant, and never knew any 
 thing of her parents till she was fifteen years 
 old. Then she was taken very ill, and while 
 her fever was at its height, her mother dis 
 covered what had become of her lost daugh 
 ter, and came to reclaim her. Though thus 
 nearly related, they were in reality strangers, 
 and in vain the agonized parent tried to im 
 press upon the poor invalid that she was her 
 mother, and to make her understand how they 
 had been separated, and what were the proofs 
 of this assertion. The sick girl turned wea 
 rily away from this perplexing theme, and 
 manifested no pleasure in the society of the 
 person who was claiming to be so near a rela 
 tion ; but when the one who had brought her 
 up, and hitherto nursed her with unfailing ten 
 derness, entered the room, and leaned fondly 
 over her, a glance of grateful recognition came 
 over the wandering eyes, and the medicine 
 proffered from that well-known hand was in 
 stinctively received with confiding obedience. 
 
 And such is the difference between renew- 
 
SICKNESS IS SOMETIMES A TALENT. 117 
 
 ing our filial relation with God in sickness, 
 and reposing on Him whom we have long 
 loved as a Father. Mary knew that beloved 
 Friend, and took from His hand even the bit 
 ter cup which He gave her, with childlike 
 faith. She had not strength enough to think 
 whether it were probable that she should die, 
 or if she were ready for the change; but she 
 left it all in His hands who cannot err. 
 
 The invalid did not understand, at the time, 
 that by this patient submission she was glo 
 rifying God, and that sickness was a talent 
 by which a work was to be accomplished, 
 that other gifts had not achieved. 
 
 As Celia Rogers saw the vanity of all 
 earthly possessions, and how vainly Reginald 
 with all his wealth strove to find some way 
 of mitigating his cousin's sufferings, she felt 
 the weakness of human nature and the om 
 nipotence of the Almighty. How soon might 
 she be reduced to a bed of languishing, and 
 then what would be her consolation? She 
 saw the soothing effect produced in the trou 
 bled spirit of the sufferer by the repetition of 
 
118 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 some promise of Scripture, or the words of 
 some familiar hymn, and she asked where was 
 the charm which gave them such power. It 
 was good for Celia to be confined to that sick 
 chamber, for she there learned what are the 
 things that are passing away, and what are 
 those which endure for ever. 
 
 At length health, joyful health, smiled upon 
 Mary. As the spring approached she was 
 able to rise from her bed and sit in a rock 
 ing-chair by the window, watching the willows 
 grow green where they drooped over the 
 stream, and listening to the songs of the birds 
 as they returned from their winter wander 
 ings. And when she was weary of her own 
 thoughts, Celia would read some pleasant story 
 with a tone so gentle that it was impossible 
 to hear the sound of her voice without feeling 
 that her heart was made better. 
 
 One trial awaited ' Mary on her recovery, 
 which her previous vanity rendered a severe 
 one, and this was the loss of her beauty. She 
 could not help crying out when she first 
 caught a glance at herself as she walked from 
 
SICKNESS IS SOMETIMES A TALENT. 119 
 
 the bed to Celia's rocking-chair. Her mother 
 saw her distress and knew its cause. She did 
 not, however, say any thing, and Mary wept 
 in silence for some minutes. This seemed to 
 relieve her, and at last she asked, in a very 
 sad voice, 
 
 "Mother, am I pretty at all now?" 
 "No, my dear; you are quite plain in ap 
 pearance," was the honest reply, though it was 
 spoken in a voice of tender sympathy. " God 
 has seen fit no longer to intrust you with that 
 talent which you threatened to abuse, and 
 there is no doubt that He has withdrawn it 
 in mercy. You must not be surprised if you 
 find that your appearance does not give as 
 much pleasure nor win so many friends as it 
 used to do, but must take the more pains to 
 cultivate all that is agreeable in manners and 
 conversation. You have had, however, an 
 other given in its place. Sickness may be im 
 proved as well as beauty, and I hope your 
 future life will show that you know its value. 
 I am sure that my Mary, when she reflects 
 that her heavenly Father has^ restored to her 
 
120 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 life and- health, will not indulge in one re 
 pining thought at the loss of personal attrac 
 tions." 
 
 " No indeed, mother ; I will try and not be 
 so ungrateful," was the reply; "but I did 
 look so very ugly with my hair all shaven 
 off, and my face so covered with spots, that 
 at first I could not help crying. I shall bear 
 looking at myself better in future." 
 
 Poor Mary ! And yet it was quite as hard 
 for Horace to reconcile himself to this change 
 in his darling sister; but when he saw how 
 gentle she was, and how her whole character 
 seemed purified by suffering, he loved her a 
 thousand times more than before. Judge 
 Hastings, too, as he held her in his arms, felt 
 an increase of tenderness, and for many months 
 she was treated by all the family as if she 
 had paid a visit to the invisible world, which 
 gave her a peculiar claim to consideration and 
 respect. 
 
 While the family had been thus absorbed 
 with Mary, Judge Hastings had little leisure 
 to inquire into Eeginald's proceedings, or to 
 
SICKNESS IS SOMETIMES A TALENT. 121 
 
 know how tie succeeded in the discharge of 
 his stewardship. 
 
 "How, my boy, are all your protege's?" he 
 asked one morning, when they had finished 
 the lessons, all of which, in the absence of 
 Mrs. Hastings, devolved on him. 
 
 "Pretty well, sir," replied Eeginald, in 
 rather a desponding tone. "I am afraid 
 though that I shall never learn to be really 
 useful." 
 
 "Do you remember, Horace, some lines of 
 Keble upon the too sanguine expectation of 
 satisfaction in acts of benevolence ?" asked the 
 Judge, turning to his son, who was bending 
 over a Hebrew Bible with deep interest. 
 
 Horace looked up from his absorbing study 
 with an abstracted air, and his father was 
 obliged to repeat the question. 
 
 "Excuse me," he said, blushing at his inat 
 tention ; "I had almost made out to read part 
 of a psalm. Do you mean the one on " he 
 looked up to heaven, and sighed. "I believe 
 the first verse is, 
 
 
122 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 " 'The Son of God, in doing good, 
 
 Was fain to look to heaven and sigh : 
 
 And shall the heirs of sinful blood 
 Seek joy unmixed in charity ? 
 
 God will not let love's work impart 
 
 Full solace, lest it steal the heart ; 
 
 Be thou content in tears to sow 
 
 Blessings, like Jesus, in thy woe.' " 
 
 "Indeed, uncle, I do not seek joy, neither 
 do I expect gratitude, but I do want to know 
 when I am right. Yesterday I found that, in 
 trying to aid a poor family, I had encouraged 
 the father in habits of intemperance, for, now 
 that he does not feel restrained by the neces 
 sity of supporting any one, he gives himself 
 up wholly to this vice. In helping a boy 
 last week, whom I believed too unwell to 
 work, I am said to have rewarded indolence, 
 since he turns out to be only lazy, and not 
 in the least ill." 
 
 "That is unfortunate," said the Judge; 
 "but do not be discouraged, my dear boy. 
 Your experience is that of every philanthro 
 pist, and must be while misery and vice are 
 so inseparably connected, that, in many cases, 
 you cannot relieve the one without encour- 
 
SICKNESS IS SOMETIMES A TALENT. 123 
 
 aging the other. Indeed, want is so often the 
 penalty of indolence, that it is a hard ques 
 tion how far it ought to be relieved. I be 
 lieve the best of men, however, agree that 
 immediate suffering must be obviated, what 
 ever its cause; and the most melancholy part 
 of it is, that the victims of vice are often not 
 the persons to blame. The wife of the drunk 
 ard and the children of the wicked share in 
 the evils which they had no part in pro 
 ducing. I am glad that this is your only 
 difficulty, for I thought that, like most young 
 people, you had been chilled by the ingrati 
 tude of those whom you wished to benefit." 
 
 Keginald smiled. 
 
 "You are mistaken, uncle; this is by no 
 means my only difficulty. I am perfectly 
 surrounded by perplexities. If I take more 
 interest in one of our poor neighbors than the 
 rest, they are immediately offended, and seem 
 to think nothing of any favors which they 
 have received, because some others have not 
 been granted, to which they imagine that they 
 have a right. As I was riding along, last 
 
124 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 week, I heard a man say, ' It was no great 
 things for that young Campbell to be giving 
 a mite here and a rnite there, when his purse 
 was running over with gold. For his part, 
 he never thanked rich people for such trifles, 
 for poor folks had as good a right to them as 
 they had themselves.' I have met several 
 beggars who asked alms in the same spirit, 
 and looked ready to knock me down when I 
 gave them a shilling, because it was not more." 
 
 " This is indeed trying ; but yet it may 
 keep you in mind of the truth that you are 
 only dispensing what you have received. The 
 poor forget that even the blessings they pos 
 sess are unmerited, and that they have not 
 the slightest claim on that which has been 
 intrusted to another ; but still they think, 
 rightly, that the superfluity of the rich was 
 meant to supply their needs. There must, 
 however, be some instances of a more gen 
 erous spirit to encourage your fainting heart." 
 
 " Oh ! yes, sir," replied Reginald, with ani 
 mation. "Some of the children who were 
 here at the pic-nic have improved very much 
 
SICKNESS IS SOMETIMES A TALENT. 125 
 
 at the schools to which Mr. Neville recom 
 mended me to send them, and two or three 
 sick people have got quite well, from having 
 good medical attendance and suitable food ; 
 and one quite old man has reformed, from 
 reading a book which I sent him at aunt 
 Emily's suggestion." 
 
 "Bravo! and yet you fear that you have 
 done no good ! Why, here are instances 
 enough to keep your heart from fainting for 
 a year to come. And then think how the 
 seed may be germinating in foreign lands, 
 which you have assisted in planting, and whose 
 fruit you may never behold till it is gathered 
 into the great storehouse above." 
 
 "I hope so, indeed, uncle," replied Eegi- 
 nald, very modestly; "I can get along with 
 this part of my duty better than the rest, 
 because I have so much aid, and not so much 
 use for my private judgment. I know that 
 the Church has every opportunity for ascer 
 taining what missions are most useful, and 
 that it is wrong for any that she has planted 
 to languish for want of support. I, therefore, 
 
126 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 place that portion of my income which I have 
 decided to devote to missions, entirely at the 
 disposal of the excellent men who spend so 
 much time, and thought, and prayer, in the 
 promotion of this good work. I am afraid 
 that if I allowed myself to single out any one 
 mission, I should be guided by feeling, and 
 be induced, by an eloquent report, to ex 
 pend on some more favored missionary that 
 which ought to cheer the spirits of one less 
 gifted by nature." 
 
 "Courage, my boy," exclaimed the Judge, 
 delighted to see with what conscientious in 
 terest his young ward studied his duty. "At 
 your age, you could not have pursued a wiser 
 course; but you must be careful that while 
 the Church acts for you, she does not feel for 
 you. You have neither given up your duty 
 nor your interest in the matter, by placing it 
 in such able hands. You must read with the 
 greatest care all the reports of missionary 
 labor, that you may know for what blessings 
 it is our duty to pray. The possession of 
 wealth does not liberate you from the em- 
 
SICKNESS IS SOMETIMES A TALENT. 127 
 
 ployment of that other great instrument of 
 usefulness, which every Christian is bound to 
 use unceasingly, in the missionary cause. I 
 mean prayer. He little appreciates his means 
 of usefulness who sets the humble instrumen 
 tality of wealth above that which reverently 
 be it spoken can put in motion Omnipotence 
 itself. " 
 
 Horace sighed while his father spoke, for 
 he felt conscious that he had considered him- 
 elf almost powerless while he could wield an 
 engine of such resistless force. He silently 
 resolved the less he had to give to benevolent 
 objects, the more fervently to pray that the 
 offerings of others might be blessed. He had 
 not yet learned to appreciate his own endow 
 ments, or he would not have been tempted 
 to envy Eeginald, since he possessed so large 
 a share of that talent to which all others are, 
 in measure, subservient Intellect. 
 
128 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 IT was the lovely month of May, and the 
 scenery around Beulah was more beautiful than 
 ever, the whole face of nature being clothed 
 with the rich verdure of spring. 
 
 Mary had been for some time able to ride 
 out and enjoy the fresh air, which never 
 seemed to her more delightful than now. She 
 almost felt glad that she had been so ill, for 
 returning health had given a relish to pleas 
 ures which before she had scarcely appre 
 ciated. And now she was to go once more 
 to church, and return thanks for the mercy 
 which had preserved her from death. 
 
 When Mary entered the church, it seemed 
 as if she had never realized before that it was' 
 the house of God. She thought of heathen 
 temples, in which there were some visible 
 idols, of dwelling-places where friends were 
 
129 
 
 ready in person to welcome her, or of a place 
 of worship where pictures and images repre 
 sented the indwelling Spirit. But here was 
 an assembly of people gathered together be 
 neath one roof, not to converse with each 
 other, but to hold communion with some 
 Great Being, who was believed to be really 
 present in their very midst. 
 
 Overwhelmed with the thought, that she 
 had come in the immediate presence of that 
 Creator in whose hands are the issues of life 
 and death, Mary bowed her head in reverence 
 and adoration. The little petition which from 
 her childhood she had said on coming into 
 church, though never before thoughtlessly 
 spoken, was now uttered with deep awe. As 
 a touching voluntary on the organ com 
 menced the services, she felt so overcome 
 with grateful emotion that her eyes filled 
 with tears, and she could hardly help sobbing 
 aloud. It was a relief to join in the Confes 
 sion of sins, for to realize the presence of our 
 Maker is to feel our own un worthiness and 
 need of pardon. And when the words of 
 
130 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 Absolution were spoken, promising all forgive 
 ness who asked it in Christ's name, and that 
 prayer was uttered which must be heard by 
 Him who gave it to His disciples, a calm 
 peace succeeded to this tumultuous emotion. 
 
 Then came the joyful Psalter, and on that 
 day the Psalm was read in which was the 
 appropriate exclamation : "I will offer to Thee 
 the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call 
 upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my 
 vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all His 
 people, in the courts of the Lord's house; 
 even in the midst of thee, Jerusalem!'' 
 And what Psalm does not contain expres 
 sions suitable to the pouring out of a pious 
 and thoughtful heart? 
 
 Celia was so delighted at seeing her friend 
 once more at her side in church, that invol 
 untarily she joined in the anthem of praise 
 that followed the reading of the Psalter. 
 Mary almost started as she heard Celia's fine 
 voice adding to the melody, and as she 
 looked in her face to see what it could mean, 
 she was struck with its altered devotional 
 
MAKY'S HAPPY SUNDAY. 131 
 
 expression. They had had little time for 
 religious conversation since her recovery, and 
 Celia was always averse to talking of her own 
 deeper feelings. Indeed, she carried her re 
 serve so far, that she often veiled them with 
 an appearance of levity, talking lightly when 
 she felt so seriously. She had never forgotten 
 Mary's remarks with regard to her music, 
 and often wondered since why religious peo 
 ple seemed to think so little of the duty of 
 joining in this part of public worship. 
 
 After returning from church, Mary said to 
 Celia, 
 
 "Why! you sing in church now; I am so 
 glad of it, for there are so few people in the 
 congregation that care any thing about music. 
 It would be nice if you would take a Sun 
 day-school class, for there is never any body 
 there to set the tune, and it would help the 
 children so much if they could learn a few 
 hymns that we hear often in the service." 
 
 "There are limits to all things, Mary," 
 said Celia, with a half-pleased, half-provoked 
 air; "I sang to-day, in church, because I 
 
132 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 could not help it, but it does not follow that 
 I must needs keep a singing-school for all the 
 urchins in the parish." 
 
 "No, it does not follow, necessarily," re 
 plied Mary, with great meekness, "but it will 
 follow, I am almost sure, when you think 
 about it. Mr. Leonard came here, -last week, 
 to know if Eeginald or Horace would not 
 take a class; and he asked if you had 
 been confirmed, and if you would have any 
 objection to teaching three or four little ones. 
 Mother said she thought both the boys and 
 yourself too young to begin teaching others; 
 but Mr. Leonard reasoned with her a great 
 while, to prove that your youth was no ob 
 jection, if you were only better instructed than 
 your scholars, and were earnest in your de 
 sire to benefit them." 
 
 "I think Mrs. Hastings might have left me 
 to decide this matter for myself," said Celia, 
 proudly; "mamma always let me have the 
 direction of my own affairs, and I do not 
 see why I am never consulted now." 
 
 "But you were not at home, Celia," said 
 
MARY'S HAPPY SUNDAY. 133 
 
 Mary, soothingly, "and mother did tell Mr. 
 Leonard that you should judge for yourself 
 in the matter, but she wished to have a long 
 conversation with you previous to asking the 
 question, and she has not had time for this 
 since his visit." 
 
 "Pray, what did she want to talk to me 
 about?" asked Celia, in the same haughty 
 tone. 
 
 "I do not know," said Mary; adding, after 
 a pause, "at least I am not sure." 
 
 "But what do you think?" inquired Celia, 
 impatiently. 
 
 "I had rather not tell you now," was 
 Mary's decided answer; and she immediately 
 left the room, to avoid all further conversation. 
 
 Celia laid aside her hat and shawl, and then 
 threw herself in her rocking-chair, taking up 
 her Bible, as was her wont at this hour on 
 Sunday morning, and turning it over without 
 being hardly conscious of what she was doing. 
 She had continued thus musing for nearly 
 half an hour when the door was opened by 
 Mary, who only thrust her head in, saying, 
 
134 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 "Here is a note for you, Cclia," and ran 
 down stairs without another word. 
 
 Celia took up the little billet-doux, which 
 Mary had dropped on the floor, and saw with 
 surprise that it was in the handwriting of 
 the latter. She hastily tore it open, and read 
 with varying emotions the following words: 
 
 "My own dear, nice, kind Celia, why will 
 you be so ashamed of doing right? You 
 always blush more when found feeling as you 
 ought to do than if you had very naughty 
 thoughts. The reason I could not tell you 
 what mamma wanted to talk about, was be 
 cause I saw you were half provoked at me for 
 noticing that you sang in church, and I was 
 afraid that you would say something that you 
 would afterwards be sorry for. I hope you 
 will think kindly of what I say. 
 
 "When Mr. Leonard asked mother if you 
 had been confirmed, she said, 'No.' And then 
 he asked how old you were, and mother said, 
 'Just sixteen.' He next inquired if mother 
 thought you ever considered your duty in this 
 
MARY'S HAPPY SUNDAY. 135 
 
 respect, and she told him that she had seen 
 a great change in you lately, and she could not 
 but hope that you were trying to fulfil your 
 baptismal vows. He then said there was to 
 be a Confirmation in July, and mother deter 
 mined to talk to you about it. She would 
 not have had this conversation about you 
 before me, but I had returned from my ride 
 very tired, and as I was lying on the sofa 
 she did not like to disturb me. You'll for 
 give me for listening, for I do love you so 
 dearly, and am very anxious to know whether 
 you are not willing to be confirmed. 
 
 "While I was sick, I thought so often that 
 I should be happier if I had only openly ac 
 knowledged our Saviour before men, and now 
 I do so wish I was old enough' to be con 
 firmed in July; but mother says that as I am 
 not yet fourteen, I had better wait another 
 year. I am to try, though, and act just as 
 if I had been, for you know, whether we 
 acknowledge it or not, we are just as much 
 bound to do it. 
 
 "I am not preaching to you, dear Celia, 
 
136 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 though I think you are beginning to look 
 proud. I am only saying just what's in a 
 heart that is very full of love for you. I 
 have never been able to thank you for all 
 your care of me while I was sick, for I felt 
 something in my throat that almost choked 
 me whenever I began to say any thing about 
 it. But as I lay there, watching you while 
 you would go about putting every thing in 
 the very place where I liked to see it, and 
 arranging the grapes and oranges Eeginald 
 bought for me, so as to make them tempting, 
 I wondered how I could ever repay your 
 kindness. Then I thought that if I was 
 weak myself, I had a very powerful Father, 
 who was able to give you all that was ne 
 cessary for happiness, and so I prayed that 
 He would send His Spirit to make you His 
 own child. To-day, when I saw your face 
 had changed, I felt a sudden hope that God 
 had answered my poor prayers, and, oh ! it 
 made me so happy. 
 
 "And now tell me, my dear, dear Celia, 
 if you won't be confirmed ! Don't be ashamed 
 
PAGE 137. 
 
MARY'S HAPPY SUNDAY. 137 
 
 of loving Christ; remember how He has said, 
 that those who honor Him He will honor. 
 You need not say a word about it to me 
 when I come in, for I know you hate to 
 talk about any thing that is very near your 
 heart, but only just kiss me, and call me 
 ' Mary dear,' as you do when you are pleased, 
 and I shall feel sure that you are not of 
 fended with 
 
 "Your loving friend, 
 
 "MARY." 
 
 A few moments after the perusal of this 
 note there was a light step on the stairs, and 
 then Mary glided into the room, and, putting 
 her arms around Celia's neck, said, caressingly, 
 "You are not angry with me, are you, darling?" 
 
 "Angry! no, indeed!" was the reply, as 
 Celia kissed the sweet lips that were raised 
 to hers, and then bending her head over 
 Mary, to conceal the tears that were fast fall 
 ing from her dark eyes, she whispered, "dear 
 Mary, I will think about it, and by and by 
 I will tell you all that I feel." 
 
138 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 And what was there in that little note 
 which had so completely subdued her proud 
 heart? The words were simple, but there 
 was something so earnest and affectionate in 
 its tone that it touched all her better feelings. 
 And thus it was often the case, that Mary's 
 frank simplicity achieved that for which others 
 might labor in vain. Providence had given 
 her quick tact and a pleasing manner, which 
 made her a universal favorite even after she 
 had lost the charm of beauty, and thus she 
 was often able to bring others into those 
 paths which to her were ever full of peace. 
 
 A few days after this conversation Mrs. 
 Hastings announced to the young people that 
 she had a most unexpected pleasure in store 
 for them. "The sweet wife of our pastor, 
 Mrs. Leonard," she said, "called yesterday 
 to see me, and begged that I would bring all 
 the family to pass a day at the rectory. I 
 proposed to take part of you on this occasion, 
 and leave the rest to share another visit, but 
 to this she would not consent, declaring that 
 there was nothing she liked better than to 
 
MARY'S HAPPY SUNDAY. 139 
 
 see her table surrounded with bright young 
 faces, and that she would, on no account, hear 
 of my leaving her young friends, Eeginald 
 and Horace, at home." 
 
 "Oh! delightful," exclaimed Mary; "won't 
 it be nice, Celia?" 
 
 "Yes, very," said Celia, in an absent tone 
 of voice, for she was thinking of the probable 
 chances of being addressed by Mr. Leonard, 
 on the subject of Confirmation. If there was 
 any thing she dreaded, it was to be talked to 
 by a stranger upon such subjects. 
 
 Mary, however, was too full of delight to 
 notice her cold reply, and went on asking, 
 eagerly, "When are we to go, mother? what 
 day was named?" 
 
 "Thursday, my dear, as your father cannot 
 give the boys their lessons in mathematics 
 that morning, so they will have more time 
 for their other studies. We are to go in the 
 carriage, about eleven o'clock, and they are 
 to follow on horseback, with your father, 
 about half-past one, so as to arrive in time 
 for dinner." 
 
140 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 "That is better yet," said Horace. "I 
 like what I have seen of Mrs. Leonard, but 
 it is rather dull for us boys to go out to 
 spend the whole day. Ladies have their 
 work, but I always feel so foolish hanging 
 round a parlor in the morning, with nothing 
 to do." 
 
 "You had better carry a stick to whittle,' 7 
 remarked Celia, mischievously; "or you might 
 take a paper-folder, and one of those huge 
 documents of your father's, the leaves of which 
 he wants cut by some of us this week." 
 
 "Thank you," said Horace, in the same 
 playful tone; "you might, perhaps, employ 
 me in holding a skein of silk, if you had got 
 through the last one that was wound ; or, if 
 Mrs. Leonard was a notable knitter, there 
 might be those huge knots of yarn to stretch 
 my arms a little, and keep my hands out of 
 mischief." 
 
 "But, Horace," said Mary, very soberly, 
 "you are not really in earnest in fearing a 
 dull visit at the rectory? I thought you 
 liked to go out with mamma!" 
 
MARY'S HAPPY SUNDAY. 141 
 
 "And so I do, and with you too, my dear 
 little sister, but one may sometimes feel very 
 awkward with very pleasant people. I was 
 only expressing my satisfaction with the very 
 sensible arrangement which relieves me from 
 all fear of stupidity." 
 
 "I do not think you would have any thing 
 of that kind to dread," interposed Mrs. Hast 
 ings, "if you went to breakfast. I have re 
 gretted, ever since Mr. Leonard took charge 
 of the parish, that circumstances had prevented 
 us from becoming better acquainted with his 
 family. Mary was just taken sick when they 
 arrived at Berkley, and since that time I 
 have been so occupied that I have had no 
 opportunity for cultivating an intimacy which 
 I am sure would be productive of good to 
 you all." , 
 
 "Mother, has Mrs. Leonard any children 
 besides those little girls that sit in their pew 
 every Sunday?" 
 
 "She has one dear little baby, I am told, 
 but I have never seen it during the short 
 calls that I have been able to pay at the 
 
142 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 rectory. But it is time for our lessons, so try- 
 now and fix all your thoughts upon them, 
 and then you may learn one or two to make 
 up for your absence to-morrow." 
 
 Judge Hastings entered at this moment, and 
 commenced an examination in history, as was 
 his custom occasionally, that he might know 
 exactly what progress they were all making 
 under the faithful instructions of his intelli 
 gent lady. 
 
BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 143 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 
 
 THE carriage had hardly stopped at the 
 gate of the parsonage when its hospitable 
 door was thrown open, and Mrs. Leonard ap 
 peared to welcome her guests. 
 
 "How much better she looks without a 
 hat," whispered Mary to Celia while her 
 mother was alighting, assisted by the cour 
 teous rector himself. 
 
 Mrs. Leonard was, indeed, a most attractive- 
 looking person, and the affections of all young 
 people were at once enlisted in her favor. 
 Though she was commanding in size, there was 
 nothing in her appearance to create awe, for 
 her dark eyes were bright with intellect and 
 feeling, and her sunny smile reached the in 
 most recesses of every heart. Every child that 
 she met in the street went on its way cheered 
 by her cordial greeting, and the sick and the 
 
144 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 afflicted longed for her visits, as for the dawn 
 of day. A life of prosperity had not hardened 
 her heart, but, on the contrary, she seemed 
 to feel that it was her especial duty to relieve 
 those sufferings which in mercy she had been 
 spared, and to diffuse the happiness that often 
 had its source in her bright, elastic tempera 
 ment, as well as the manifold blessings which 
 had fallen to her lot. 
 
 "Oh, what a charming little library 1" ex 
 claimed Mary, as she examined the contents 
 of a little book-case which stood in the corner 
 of the pleasant parlor, while Mrs. Hastings 
 paid a visit to the nursery. "I declare I 
 should like to read every one of those books ; 
 and only look here is the very collection of 
 poetry father said he would order from En 
 gland for us." 
 
 " These are quite readable books," remarked 
 Celia, as her eyes ran over the various titles; 
 "but it seems to me they must have been at 
 an auction, for there is not a single set which 
 is not broken. They must have been bought 
 at an auction, and that accounts for being 
 
BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 145 
 
 such a variety ; for poor clergymen don't gen 
 erally treat themselves to so much miscella 
 neous reading." 
 
 "Oh fie, Celia! What a funny way you 
 have of talking! as if Mr. Leonard had no 
 more sense than to go and bid off odd volumes 
 at auction. Besides, he is not a poor clergy 
 man, though he would be worthy of as much 
 honor if he were, for it would only be the 
 fault of the people he preached to, and not 
 his own. I heard father telling mother that 
 Mr. Leonard had property of his own, with 
 which he did a great deal of good." 
 
 "Yes, to himself, no doubt," said Celia, 
 laughing, "in buying this nice library, for 
 instance." 
 
 "What selfish people you must have asso 
 ciated with when you were little !" remarked 
 Mary, who could not bear the slightest hint 
 that any clergyman was not all he should 
 be. "I know why Mr. Leonard bought such 
 nice books, and why there are so many odd 
 volumes. Didn't you see a little pale boy 
 come up the step just as we were entering 
 
146 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 with a large pile of books in his hand? I 
 heard Mrs. Leonard say to him as we were 
 laying off our things in the hall, 'Have you 
 read them all through, Charlie? Well, you 
 must have a great appetite for reading. Eun 
 in the parlor and choose some more for your 
 self, and one or two for your sister, and come 
 again when you want some more. By the 
 time you have got through what we have 
 now, there will be a new supply.' 
 
 "And then I saw her slip a gold dollar 
 into his hand, and say, 'Stop at the store, * 
 Charlie, and choose a nice little blanket-shawl 
 for Molly to wear to church. I meant to 
 have done it myself; but I have company 
 to-day, and cannot go out.' " 
 
 "What dreadful eyes and ears you have 
 got, Mary !" said Celia, playfully. " I declare 
 when I have a house I shall not let such a 
 little spy as you are come within the door." 
 
 "But you know," said Mary, blushing, "that 
 I only tell the good I see, and I do not even 
 mention that, excepting where I can do jus 
 tice to some body that is not appreciated." 
 
BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 147 
 
 " Yes, or persuade me that these books 
 were not bought at auction, which you were 
 a little simpleton to think I really believed. 
 You are an innocent little darling." 
 
 Mary was right in believing that the library 
 at the parsonage, like all its other luxuries, 
 was bought as a means of usefulness. There 
 was not a Sunday-school scholar, nor a sick 
 old woman in the parish, who were not in the 
 habit of sending thither whenever they wanted 
 a book, and there were many of the thought 
 less parishioners whose hearts were reached 
 by means of works which conveyed through 
 pleasing incidents the truths to which they 
 would not have listened in any other form. 
 
 "This is the only daughter I have at home," 
 said Mrs. Leonard, as she entered with her 
 baby in her arms. "Let me introduce you 
 to Miss Lizzie Leonard. She must do the 
 honors of the house till her sister's return 
 from school. She can only say two words, 
 4 pretty' and 'good,' but by putting these in 
 right you may get up a conversation." 
 
 "Dear little thing!" cried Mary, who was 
 
148 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 devoted to babies, as she ran to kiss the 
 black-eyed little girl, who was laughing and 
 crowing in all the delight of infancy. "Are 
 you not the dearest, sweetest little baby that 
 ever was ?" 
 
 "Goody," lisped out little Lizzie, with a 
 great deal of fuss and delight at her own 
 achievement. 
 
 "She wants to tell you, Mary," said Mrs. 
 Leonard pleasantly, "that she considers her 
 self as good as she is pretty. It is very true 
 that we cannot say much for her humility." 
 
 "I am afraid Celia don't take much to ba 
 bies, so I must get the piano to talk to her. 
 I never liked them myself when I was young. 
 Will you play a little for me, dear? There 
 are some of Helen's pieces, which are quite 
 simple, for, you know, she is only a beginner; 
 but I should like to hear how they ought to 
 be played." 
 
 Celia sometimes made a fuss before she 
 would condescend to exert her musical talent, 
 but she had seen enough to know that a lady 
 of such frank, unpretending manners would 
 
BEKKLEY PARSONAGE. 149 
 
 despise all affectation; so she seated herself 
 at the piano at once, and played Helen's 
 pieces one after the other in the most masterly 
 manner. 
 
 "Is it possible that you can play so well? 
 I had no idea of it. There has a famous plan 
 come into my head, which I will tell you. if 
 you will excuse me a few moments." So 
 saying, she ran and knocked at her husband's 
 study door, eager, it was evident, to impart 
 to him her new idea. 
 
 That dear study ! To how many such com 
 munications had it listened, and to what gen 
 erous, self-sacrificing plans for the good of 
 others and the diffusion of happiness ! Many 
 a little plot had there been laid for accom 
 plishing some benevolent end; and if Mrs. 
 Leonard were the most conspicuous in carry 
 ing them out, it was to the calmer judgment 
 of the rector that they owed much of their 
 success. 
 
 "Now, Miss Celia, I am going to make a 
 direct attack upon you," said Mrs. Leonard, 
 in a very animated tone ; u so prepare to 
 
150 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 defend yourself, or rather to surrender at dis 
 cretion. We are in want of an organist, and 
 can procure no one for the salary that the 
 church is able to give that can perform half 
 as well as yourself. I am educating my little 
 Helen for the place, but she is only nine 
 years old, and will not be able for s0me time 
 to master such an instrument. Now, won't 
 you have pity upon our poor organ and draw 
 some good music out of it? I declare no 
 body has ever played on it, since we have 
 been here, well enough to draw out half of 
 its power." 
 
 Mrs. Leonard had hit upon just the right 
 way to manage Celia, for if any body wanted 
 her to do any thing, they must come right 
 out with it, for the least attempt at insinua 
 tion set her directly in the opposition. 
 
 "I would like to oblige you," she replied 
 with uncommon politeness ; " but I know no 
 thing of the organ, and my teacher does not 
 give me lessons at present." 
 
 "But practice is all that you need, and 
 Helen's music-master would go over to the 
 
BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 151 
 
 church with you any day, and tell you about 
 the stops and pedals," persisted Mrs. Leonard. 
 " Come, it is only twelve now, and the Judge 
 will not be here for an hour. What do you 
 say, Mrs. Hastings, to going over to the 
 church right off, to try what can be done ?" 
 
 Mrs. Leonard saw that Celia must be taken 
 by storm while she was in a compliant mood, 
 and had discernment enough to perceive that 
 she would never give up any thing that she 
 had thus undertaken, however much she might 
 afterwards regret her hasty acquiescence in a 
 proposed arrangement. 
 
 The church key was obtained from the 
 study, and Mrs. Leonard led the guests through 
 the beautiful grounds of the parsonage to the 
 little gate which separated them from the 
 church. Mrs. Hastings paused to admire the 
 beautiful roses and luxuriant vines, which in 
 one season had grown so rapidly, and the ex 
 treme neatness of the little grass borders sur 
 rounding the flower-beds, which were clipped 
 every morning by the active lady of the 
 mansion's own hands, when she went out to 
 
152 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 gather the bouquets that ornamented her taste 
 ful dwelling. 
 
 As the party entered the church-yard they 
 stepped more lightly, and their animated man 
 ner changed insensibly to one more befitting 
 a place set apart to such holy uses. The 
 massive church door was unlocked in silence, 
 and not a word was spoken as, passing 
 through the body of the building, they ascend 
 ed the stairs leading to the organ. 
 
 Almost in a whisper Mrs. Leonard un 
 locked the -fine instrument, and then placed 
 herself behind it to blow the bellows, while 
 Celia looked over the music-book for some 
 tune with which she was acquainted and to 
 read the directions for managing the stops. 
 As her fingers fell accidentally on the keys, 
 a deep sound reverberated through the empty 
 church, and a strange solemnity seized her 
 excitable mind. 
 
 From the inanimate instrument before her 
 she was to draw forth sounds of praise to 
 Him who had gifted man with the skill to 
 elicit from created matter a voice of melody. 
 
BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 153 
 
 What was music? Again her fingers ran 
 over the chords, as if to ascertain whence pro 
 ceeded that strange sound, and again -.she 
 almost shuddered as the clear, full notes 
 swelled on the air. There was adoration in 
 the very tones, and she felt that such an 
 instrument should only be devoted to the 
 holiest of purposes. 
 
 Was there no lesson to be learned from this 
 conviction? Her own deep, powerful voice 
 could not only utter sounds of melodv, but 
 words of praise ; and yet how frivolously had 
 it hitherto been employed! Celia turned to 
 the Te Deum, and with a reverend awe, 
 which she had never before experienced, sang 
 the opening words : " We praise Thee, God ; 
 we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. All 
 the earth doth worship Thee, the Father ever 
 lasting." 
 
 Yes, she would consecrate her musical talent 
 henceforth to the praise of God; and, more 
 than this, she would publicly devote herself 
 to His service. She did not now fear that 
 Mr. Leonard would ask her about Confirma- 
 
154 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 tion; but, on the contrary, determined to so 
 licit an interview with him herself that very 
 day, and ask how she could best prepare her 
 self for receiving that holy rite. 
 
 To any. one unacquainted with the power 
 of music, this may seem strange; but Celia 
 had been, from her birth, most peculiarly sus 
 ceptible to its influence. She was, moreover, 
 on this particular day, peculiarly alive to all 
 good impressions, and there was something 
 in the whole air of the parsonage which had 
 made her insensibly feel that its inmates were 
 all consecrated to their Maker. 
 
 Mrs. Hastings, who had remained with Mary 
 in the room adjoining the organ while Celia 
 was making these experiments, saw by the 
 countenance of her young friend that pow 
 erful emotions were at work in her soul. She 
 put her arm kindly within her own as they 
 went out of the church door and walked 
 silently back to the parsonage. She then en 
 gaged Mrs. Leonard in conversation while 
 Mary amused herself with the baby, and thus 
 left her alone to pursue a train of reflections 
 

 BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 155 
 
 which, she was convinced, were of a profita 
 ble nature. 
 
 Celia quietly withdrew to a window where 
 she stood looking towards the church, in 
 wardly praying that she might have strength 
 to carry out the resolution which had there 
 been formed. 
 
 Judge Hastings arrived just before the din 
 ner-bell rang, apologizing for his tardiness on 
 account of an unexpected engagement. Mr. 
 Leonard was struck with the fine, intelligent 
 countenances of the two boys, and equally so 
 with their manly bearing. It is a ridiculous 
 idea that refinement and principle are apt to 
 make boys effeminate, for nothing is so well 
 calculated to give them that independence of 
 thought and action which always stamps itself 
 upon their whole manner and appearance. 
 
 Horace and Reginald were not, at first, as 
 much pleased with their quiet, reserved host 
 as with his more affable wife. It is true that 
 the few remarks he made to them were kind 
 and to the point, but duties of hospitality had 
 evidently called him from those of a higher 
 
156 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 nature, from which he did not find it easy to 
 abstract his mind. As the dinner-hour wore 
 on, he became, however, more social, and at 
 length became much interested in a discussion 
 with the Judge in regard to some matters of 
 vital importance to the Church's welfare. 
 
 Horace, who had that quickness of percep 
 tion which generally accompanies genius, con 
 cluded at once that the manner which had 
 at first inspired him with something like awe, 
 did not arise from any deficiency in benevo 
 lence, but was the result of natural reserve 
 added to a deep and ever-present conviction 
 of the solemn responsibility of his office. He 
 might not, as a man, be as agreeable on this 
 account; but, as a minister, it added much to 
 his influence. Celia, who was particularly 
 alive to any thing like levity in a clergyman, 
 and quick to note inconsistency, was much 
 impressed with the dignified demeanor of the, 
 new rector, and felt strengthened in her deter 
 mination of applying to him for counsel and 
 guidance. In his most unguarded moments 
 there was nothing passed his lips which would 
 
BERKLEY PAKSONAGE. 157 
 
 make religious conversation immediately after 
 wards seem out of place ; but, on the con 
 trary, there was just enough of familiarity in 
 his social demeanor to encourage confidence 
 in applying for pastoral counsel and aid. He 
 never forgot his clerical office, and therefore 
 he always met, in return, with consideration 
 and respect. 
 
 As soon as dinner was over, Judge Hastings 
 was obliged to excuse himself for a few hours, 
 and Mr. Leonard, after remaining a few mo 
 ments in the parlor with the ladies, withdrew 
 also to his study. 
 
 Reginald looked at Horace, as much as to 
 say, "Now comes the tug of war;" but the 
 fear of being awkwardly situated was in an 
 instant quieted by Mrs. Leonard saying, in 
 her peculiarly lively way, "Now, boys, I am 
 going to set you to work. Do you see that 
 great pile of books in the corner, and the big 
 basket beside them? They are new volumes 
 for the Sunday-school, which are to be covered, 
 and then they are to have the name of the 
 church and the number pasted inside. I am 
 
158 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 going to invite the young ladies to do the 
 covering with some cambric that they will 
 find in the basket, while you are writing the 
 cards ready to be pasted in, and then you 
 will find a bottle of gum-water in that same 
 huge receptacle. 
 
 Mrs. Leonard understood that one secret of 
 putting people at ease was to give them em 
 ployment. Celia and Mary drew up to the 
 centre-table, and commenced cutting out the 
 covers for the books, while Horace and Begi- 
 nald tried the pens in the open desk which 
 Mrs. Leonard laid before them. 
 
 An hour passed away in this pleasant em 
 ployment, and the young people were so busy 
 with their work that they forgot that there 
 were any older ones in the room, and con 
 versed in the most unrestrained manner about 
 the volumes on which they were employed. 
 Celia, it is true, did not say as much as usual ; 
 but Horace was very animated, for books 
 were his perfect delight ; and as for Mary, 
 occasionally she would get every little while 
 so interested in looking into some new one she 
 
BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 159 
 
 had never seen before, that she had to be re 
 minded that her present business was only 
 with its outside. 
 
 The last volume was only just finished when 
 Celia rose from the table with a determined 
 air, and, approaching Mrs. Leonard, said quite 
 firmly, "Is Mr. Leonard occupied? I should 
 like to see him for a little while." 
 
 Mrs. Hastings looked up in some surprise 
 at this request; but Mrs. Leonard answered, 
 as if it were quite a thing of course, 
 
 "Certainly, dear, he will be at leisure to 
 see you. Come with me to his study, where 
 he likes best to receive his friends." 
 
 Before Celia had time to be alarmed, she 
 found herself sitting on the comfortable couch 
 in the rector's study, and talking with that 
 gentleman himself in the most confiding man 
 ner. He had divined the object of her visit, 
 and gently led the way to the subject, encour 
 aging her she could hardly tell how, for he 
 did not say much himself to tell him the rise 
 and progress of that struggle with the powers 
 of evil which had been taking place in her 
 
160 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 mind ever since her arrival at Beulah. After 
 this full statement of her feelings, Mr. Leonard 
 gave it as his opinion that she should present 
 herself for Confirmation, but still left it for 
 her to decide the question by self-examina 
 tion and prayer, sure that the result would 
 be a decision in the affirmative. The inter 
 view was terminated with a cordial shake of 
 the hand, and so fervent a u God bless you," 
 that it seemed to sink into the depths of 
 Celia's soul, and was afterwards remembered 
 by her as if it had been a benediction from 
 heaven itself. 
 
 When she returned, somewhat embarrassed, 
 to the drawing-room, she found it deserted, 
 for Mrs. Leonard had an instinctive tact in 
 rendering others comfortable, and felt that, 
 after such an interview, the young girl would 
 need some time to compose her agitated mind. 
 She therefore invited Mrs. Hastings and Mary 
 to accompany her in a visit to a sick parish 
 ioner, despatching Keginald and Horace, with 
 the same freedom as if they had been her own 
 sons, to the railroad in search of a package 
 
BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 161 
 
 of Sunday-school books which had been ex 
 pected in the morning. 
 
 When the party returned, Celia was reading 
 a little work recommended by Mr. Leonard, 
 which she had found in the book-case, and 
 the afternoon passed away without any allu 
 sion to the cause of her seeking an inter 
 view with the rector. 
 
 When once again assembled at Beulah, after 
 a pleasant ride home, Judge Hastings found 
 it absolutely necessary to check the enthusias 
 tic admiration of the young people for the 
 family at the parsonage. 
 
 "You cannot admire too much," he said, 
 "the principles which actuate our excellent 
 pastor and his agreeable wife ; but you bestow 
 stronger praise on them both than it is right 
 to lavish on mere mortals. They are both 
 fallible; and, as perfect as they appear to 
 you, in the sight of God they are weak and 
 sinful beings, tempted, erring, and repenting 
 as you yourselves must ever be. Love them 
 as much as you will, my dear children, but 
 there is a kind of way of speaking which 
 
 14* 
 
162 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 should be only used towards Him who is per 
 fection." 
 
 "But, father, may we not say it is good 
 to be there?" asked Mary timidly. "I am 
 sure I never felt so strongly the happiness 
 that religion can bestow, though at home I 
 have daily proof of its power." 
 
 "Certainly, my child, you may attribute as 
 much power to the spirit 'which actuates our 
 kind friends as you please, for that is a sub 
 ject on which there is no danger of extrava 
 gance. I am glad, too, that you feel the 
 influence of their society, for hospitality is 
 with them a never-failing source of usefulness. 
 I hardly believe that Mr. Leonard's preaching 
 has done more good than the example set by 
 his family to the many friends who have 
 been welcomed to their roof. Some who have 
 sad homes have spent the brightest hours of 
 their life in his dwelling ; and many a gay 
 relation who had never before been brought 
 under the daily influence of practical godli 
 ness, has been thus won to think of those 
 things which are so lovely and of such good 
 
BERKLEY PARSONAGE. 163 
 
 report. God grant that their light may long 
 continue to shine. Our talents are great, and, 
 if rightly used, they will shine as the stars in 
 the firmament for ever and ever." 
 
164 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE INVALUABLE NURSE. 
 
 "WHAT will mamma say?" thought Celia, 
 as she sat, alone in her room, reflecting upon 
 the conversation which had taken place the 
 day before at the rectory. She could not 
 but think that it would be a trial to her 
 worldly-minded parent to learn that the 
 daughter who had been educated with the 
 sole purpose of shining in society was, of her 
 own accord, renouncing all the sinful pomps 
 and vanities for which she had (from infancy) 
 cultivated a taste. 
 
 Her meditations were interrupted by hear 
 ing her name called in a loud voice, and 
 looking out of the window she saw Horace 
 on horseback with a letter in his hand. 
 
 "Come down quick. Celia," he cried, "for I 
 am in a hurry, and here's a letter from your mo 
 ther, which I have ridden post-haste to deliver." 
 
PAGE 164. 
 
THE INVALUABLE NURSE. 165 
 
 Celia needed to hear no more, but flew 
 down stairs and almost snatched the letter 
 from Horace's hand, and with a hasty "thank 
 you," flew upstairs back into her own apart 
 ment. 
 
 Why, after reaching its seclusion, did she 
 pause as she was about to break the seal, 
 while half-formed words like a prayer rose 
 to her lips? The memory of the last letter 
 received from the same hand flashed across 
 her mind, with its lively account of gay fes 
 tivities and its minute descriptions of scenes 
 which it pained Celia to imagine. What 
 happiness could she now expect from a simi 
 lar disclosure of worldliness and folly? 
 
 With a cheek flushed with these changing 
 emotions Celia broke open the seal. The 
 first words she read filled her mind with as 
 tonishment and wonder, so entirely did they 
 differ from any thing she had before seen 
 from her mother's hand. 
 
 "My dear daughter," began Mrs. Kogers, 
 "I feel that I am utterly unworthy to claim 
 
166 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 as a child one whom I have treated with such 
 shameful neglect. I shudder when I think 
 that I have brought into the world an im 
 mortal being, dedicated her to her Maker, 
 and then done all in my power to make her 
 forget His laws and will. 
 
 "You will be surprised, Celia, at my 
 writing thus, but I am like one rescued from 
 sudden destruction. For the instrument, which 
 by the grace of God has effected this change, 
 I am indebted to Mrs. Hastings. Do you re 
 member that she insisted on my taking a 
 very nice sempstress of her own, named Mary, 
 for my nurse, when I had sought in vain for 
 some suitable person to fill that station. I 
 remonstrated at the time against her making 
 such a sacrifice, but she declared that it was 
 most necessary that while an invalid and in 
 a foreign land I should have some one about 
 me in whom I could place implicit confidence, 
 but that it mattered much less what person 
 filled the place which Mary occupied in her 
 family. 
 
 " From the first moment that I saw this 
 
THE INVALUABLE NURSE. 167 
 
 woman, there was something in her manner 
 which pleased and at the same time annoyed 
 me. She was never wanting in deference or 
 at all presuming, but manifested at the same 
 time such perfect self-respect, that I felt as if 
 whenever I found fault with her I was inju 
 ring myself. On board the steamer she attract 
 ed the attention, not only of our own party, 
 but of strangers, by her obliging ways and 
 extreme efficiency and self-command during a 
 storm which overtook us when near the En 
 glish coast. She never neglected me for an 
 instant, but often found time for paying little 
 attentions to others, in the quiet manner of 
 one discharging their bounden duty, for which 
 they neither asked thanks nor reward. I ob 
 served that she frequently took out a little 
 volume from her pocket and read for a few 
 minutes, and then put it back with the satis 
 fied air of one who rises from a refreshing 
 meal, and I also observed that her language 
 and habits were much more refined than those 
 of her station in general. I began to wonder 
 why she did not feel ashamed of her position, 
 
168 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 and at last my curiosity to know the secret 
 of her perfect contentment became so great, 
 that I asked her one day if she never felt 
 mortified at being in so humble a situation. 
 
 "The expression of her reserved face told 
 me at once that she perceived the rudeness 
 of my remark, but she answered very com 
 posedly, 'Oh, no! not in the least; I am 
 happier than those who possess what are con 
 sidered greater advantages.' 
 
 "'That may be,' I said, but added, .'but 
 for all that it must sometimes seem hard for a 
 person of your intelligence to perform only 
 the most menial omces, and feel that we were 
 always looked down upon by those around 
 us.' 
 
 "'It would be hard to have such feelings/ 
 she replied, with a quiet smile; 'but, happily, 
 I have none of them. Since my divine Mas 
 ter chose for Himself while on earth a hum 
 ble position, it would be strange if I were to 
 murmur at being placed in a similar one. 
 He came in the form of a servant, and while 
 I have daily access to the King of kings, I 
 
THE INVALUABLE NUKSE. 169 
 
 cannot consider it a hardship if there are 
 those of my fellow-mortals placed in positions 
 which, if they have greater privileges, have 
 also greater temptations.' 
 
 " * What insufferable pride !' I exclaimed to 
 myself, quite incapable at that time of under 
 standing that a just appreciation of ourselves 
 may be quite consistent with Christian hu 
 mility. I did not go on with the conversation, 
 but often afterwards imagined that there was 
 more of pity than envy in the glance with 
 which my peculiar nurse surveyed some of 
 my most fashionable visitors. I was also un 
 able to account for the perfect indifference 
 with which Mary surveyed all the beautiful 
 purchases that I made in London and Paris. 
 Superb jewelry, rich dresses, and elegant fur 
 niture never drew forth from her one expres 
 sion of admiration. I saw that her indifference 
 to these things was real, from her never 
 putting on two or three pretty little articles of 
 finery which were given her by the ladies of 
 our travelling party. She seemed only to ac 
 cept them to avoid giving offence, and in one 
 
 15 
 
170 CONSECBATED TALENTS. 
 
 instance exchanged quite a valuable brooch at 
 a jeweller's for a small sum of money, which 
 she gave to some mendicants who were per 
 petually calling on me for aid. Irritated as 
 rny pride certainly was at having a person 
 constantly with me to whom I seemed to be 
 more an object of pity than admiration, Mary 
 was too invaluable a nurse to be renounced 
 on this account, and every day I found myself 
 becoming more dependent on her services. 
 
 "The only privilege on which she insisted, 
 was attendance on public worship while in 
 Paris, and freedom on the Sabbath from all 
 unnecessary labor. This was at first difficult 
 for me to grant, as I had more company on 
 that day than others; but as she was inflexi 
 ble, I had to comply with the only condition 
 on which I could retain her valuable services. 
 
 "About four weeks since my illness sud 
 denly increased to an alarming extent. My 
 physician forbade my seeing any one but 
 Mary, and gave her the most minute directions 
 for the treatment of my singular disorder, 
 which had rendered me exceedingly nervous 
 
THE INVALUABLE NUKSE. 171 
 
 and melancholy. Nothing could induce her 
 to deviate from these directions, and some of 
 my friends were quite outraged because that 
 no persuasions or inducements could prevail 
 upon her to allow them to enter my apart 
 ment. Thus shut up to her sole companion 
 ship, I began to study more minutely than 
 ever the singularity which had before at 
 tracted my attention. On Sunday evening, 
 being more restless than usual, and weary of 
 my own faults, I asked Mary to read to me 
 the third volume of a French novel, which I 
 had commenced some time before, as she has 
 already acquired such a knowledge of the 
 language as to be quite intelligible. As she 
 had finished the two preceding volumes with 
 out hesitation, I could not at first account for 
 the reluctance she seemed to feel in comply 
 ing with my request, for I had forgotten what 
 day it was, as there was nothing to mark the 
 weeks in my present unvarying life. 
 
 'She did not pointedly refuse, but said, in 
 a tone of kindness, 'I have a book here 
 which, though it might not amuse you as 
 
172 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 much, madam, as the other may, will do more 
 towards quieting your mind.' 
 
 "'Pray, what is it?' said I, rising in bed, 
 for I had always been curious to know to v 
 what sort of literature Mary owed her intelli 
 gence. 
 
 '"It is an old book,' she answered, 'called 
 "Baxter's Saints' Best," you no doubt have 
 often heard of it.' 
 
 "'Yes, yes,' I said, sinking back into a 
 state of indifference; 'read it if you like. 
 The title, "Best," is rather soothing, and if 
 you will read in a monotonous tone, perhaps 
 I may fall asleep.' 
 
 "So saying, I closed my eyes, and Mary 
 opened to the chapter upon the 'Excellencies 
 of the Saints' Best.' I cannot describe the 
 manner of her reading, so full was it of en 
 thusiastic feeling. I could have fancied that 
 she had received a letter from some dear 
 friend with whom she wished to make me 
 acquainted, from the warmth and earnestness 
 with which she pronounced some of the more 
 impressive sentences, and the anxious glances 
 
THE INVALUABLE NURSE. 173 
 
 she cast towards me, to see if I were still 
 awake. 
 
 "As she read, some chord in memory was 
 touched, and vibrated long to the stroke. My 
 grandmother, one of the excellent of the earth, 
 rose before me, seated in a low, cushioned 
 chair, with a large volume on her lap, from 
 which she was reading through her spectacles, 
 taking them off occasionally to wipe her eyes, 
 which filled with tears of glad anticipation. 
 That was her favorite book! I remembered 
 it now. And where was that saint? She had 
 entered into that rest which remaineth for the 
 people of God. The time since I stood by 
 her death-bed seemed but a day, and yet it 
 was twenty years. 
 
 "And in twenty years more, I asked, 
 where shall I be? Shall I have entered 
 into that rest? Again I listened to Mary's 
 reading, and the land that she described 
 seemed to me a haven of bliss; but then 
 came the torturing thought of my utter unfit- 
 ness for such a state. 
 
 " ' For whom,' I asked, in a sleepy tone, 
 
 15* 
 
174 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 affecting a drowsiness which I did not feel, 
 /is that place intended, of which you are 
 reading ?' 
 
 "Mary turned in silence to the chapter 
 giving the l Character of those for whom that 
 rest was prepared.' 
 
 "I heard her to the end, and then said, 
 hastily, 'Leave me, now; I have had enough. 7 
 And then I was alone with my awakened con 
 science, and all my sins and offences against 
 God arrayed before me. 
 
 " I will not describe to you, my dear Celia, 
 the night that followed. May you never lay 
 up for yourself, by years of thoughtlessness, 
 such agony! It is over now, and, blessed be 
 God, I have a hope that for me also there 
 remaineth a rest. But think not, my beloved 
 daughter, that late repentance can undo the 
 work of years. The thought of my neglect 
 ed duty of you is like a dagger in my 
 heart. One of the best things which I have 
 ever done for the good of your soul, was 
 placing you in your present residence; but 
 how can I hope that so short a time spent 
 
THE INVALUABLE NURSE. 175 
 
 with Christian people will counteract the in 
 fluence and example of years? 
 
 "I remember, too, with pain, that from your 
 childhood your besetting sin has been that 
 pride which is the greatest enemy of God in 
 the soul. Oh ! how I prayed that I might not 
 be punished, by finding you still farther off 
 from peace and happiness on my return. If 
 you love me, Celia, spare me the bitterest of 
 pangs that of self-reproach. And now, in 
 your youth, struggle with this stubborn fault. 
 Humbly solicit the aid of your heavenly 
 Father, in returning to Him, and listen atten 
 tively to the teachings of your kind friends. 
 Oh! if you only knew how hard it is, when 
 old, to conquer the simple habits of a life 
 time, in youth you would listen to the voice of 
 truth. I can say no more. Eead to Mrs. Hast 
 ings what I have said, and tell her with how 
 invaluable a friend she provided me in my 
 faithful nurse. She will hardly believe that 
 at first I resisted her influence from a fear of 
 owing to a servant impressions which would 
 have been more congenial to my nature to 
 
176 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 have received from some gifted and eminent 
 divine. But that is all over now. As my 
 plain-looking nurse moves about my room, I 
 look upon her with more respect than I ever 
 before bestowed upon mortal. She might well 
 think her situation no disgrace, for she has 
 used its advantages in the service of her Lord, 
 and given to me a more convincing proof of 
 the indifference to the world, which ought to 
 distinguish all Christian people, than all with 
 whom I have ever before met. I can never 
 repay her, for she cares not for any gifts that 
 are mine, and all that is worth possessing she 
 already enjoys. And now, farewell, my child, 
 till we meet. I feel that I must be with you 
 as long as my days are spared, to undo, if 
 possible, the evil that I have done. God 
 forgive me, and bless you, my only child. 
 "Your affectionate, 
 
 "Though erring mother, 
 
 "HELEN EOGERS." 
 
 Poor Celia! how she wept as she read this 
 penitent epistle ! The last stronghold of pride 
 
THE INVALUABLE NUESE. 177 
 
 was subdued, and she gave up her whole 
 heart to her gracious Saviour, who had thus 
 removed the great obstacle which would have 
 obstructed her Christian course. " Oh ! if she 
 could only return in time for Confirmation," 
 was the present wish of her heart. 
 
 Mrs. Rogers did return just in season to 
 present herself at the chancel, with her daugh 
 ter, to receive this solemn rite. Oh ! what a 
 holy bond was there formed between mother 
 and child, and what strength was added to 
 the early friendship of Mrs. Hastings by this 
 new tie ! 
 
 As Celia's fine voice was heard that day in 
 the Confirmation hymn, there was that feel 
 ing in its tone which was more acceptable 
 worship than the sweetest melody. And 
 when, on the ensuing Sunday, she drew forth 
 from the organ its richest music, no love of 
 display mingled with her devotion. She felt 
 that it was a glorious privilege to surrender 
 every faculty to Him who, for her sake, veiled 
 the glory of Godhead in the form of humanity. 
 
 It was also peculiarly observable, that as 
 
178 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 they walked down the aisle after the Com 
 munion-service had concluded, both Mrs. 
 Eogers and her daughter sought out the most 
 humble of their acquaintances, and saluted 
 them with a cordiality which showed that 
 they felt no worldly position gave superiority 
 in the house of God, where all were equally 
 the servants of one gracious Lord. 
 
 "I believe Miss Eogers is a real Christian 
 now," said one of these persons, who judge 
 of religion by the manner which its profess 
 ors adopt towards themselves. "Did you see 
 how kindly she shook hands with me?" 
 
 This, it is true, is not a fair rule of judg 
 ment; but with those in inferior stations, there 
 is no such proof of Christian sincerity as 
 Christian courtesy and humility. 
 
RESULTS. 179 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 RESULTS. 
 
 Six years had passed since the circum 
 stances narrated in the last chapter, and still 
 the little circle at Beulah was unbroken. It 
 is true that Mrs. Eogers had removed to a 
 cottage in the neighborhood, but the two 
 families were so closely united that they 
 seemed but one. Now all were absorbed in 
 an event of intense interest. This was no 
 other than the embarkation of Horace Hast 
 ings and Frederick Casey on a mission to a 
 foreign land. 
 
 From the morning on which Horace had 
 imparted to Mr. Neville his desire to be pre 
 pared for the clerical office, he had never 
 varied in his determination to consecrate him 
 self to that sacred profession. Every study 
 had been pursued with a view to that end, 
 and it was astonishing how much this single 
 
180 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 purpose had improved and perfected his nat 
 ural gifts. 
 
 When Mrs. Hastings heard that her son 
 had determined to become a foreign mission 
 ary, the brightest anticipation of her heart 
 was fulfilled. She had always felt that his 
 remarkable facility in acquiring languages, his 
 untiring zeal in overcoming obstacles, his un 
 common power in winning affection, and, more 
 than all, his lofty and ardent piety, peculiarly 
 fitted him for eminent success in missionary 
 labors. She had viewed all these accomplish 
 ments as the pious Jew of old might have 
 looked upon the spotlessness of the lamb 
 which he was about to offer in sacrifice, for 
 they made him meet to be presented at the 
 altar a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto 
 the Lord. 
 
 Oh! how can any Christian parent feel 
 otherwise than joyful at having given to the 
 Church another reaper for that harvest whose 
 whiteness calls aloud for additional aid. It 
 would seem as if each murmuring thought 
 would be stilled by that terrible sentence, 
 
RESULTS. 181 
 
 that "he that loveth son or daughter more 
 than Me, is not worthy of Me." 
 
 There was one other person who shared in 
 the holy delight with which Judge Hastings 
 and his wife looked forward to the ordination 
 of their son. This was Mr. Malcolm, who, in 
 parting from Frederick Casey, felt that he 
 too was giving up one who seemed like his 
 own child, at the call of a heavenly Father. 
 
 The tie had long since been broken which 
 Frederick had thought, in his earlier years, 
 would prevent him from telling the desolate 
 children of heathen lands of the orphan's God. 
 
 Little Charlotte gladdened for a while the 
 dwelling of her benefactor by her gentle en 
 dearments, and then she too was transplanted 
 to an everlasting home. Frederick gazed with 
 cheerful composure upon the sweet little face, 
 as it lay in its final resting-place, and thought 
 as he kissed for the last time the pale lips 
 of his only relative, that he was glad that 
 she was safe in the bosom of her Saviour. 
 
 Though now no playful voice welcomed 
 him on his return from the labors of the day, 
 
182 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 and the little crib was empty, which at his 
 own request was placed in his room at Mr. 
 Malcolm's, there was still no despondency in 
 his manner or heart. He knew his little sis 
 ter was not his own, and he only thanked 
 God that she had lived long enough after his 
 mother's death to prevent him from sinking 
 into discouragement and despair. He request 
 ed that the vacant crib might remain in its 
 accustomed place, and he used to kneel beside 
 it, as he formerly did when his little sister 
 was sweetly sleeping there, asking only such 
 temporal blessings as were best for his soul's 
 health, and concluding even his petitions for 
 these with a fervent " Thy will be done." 
 
 Eeginald could not at first reconcile him 
 self to the idea of his beloved cousin's depart 
 ure. They had been so long inseparable that 
 he would not imagine their living apart. Of 
 late years he had found Horace's counsel and 
 advice of great assistance in the management 
 and disposal of his property, and together 
 they had planned and executed many excel 
 lent schemes of benevolence. The account- 
 
RESULTS. 183 
 
 book, which he had received on his sixteenth 
 birth-day, had given him a lesson which he 
 had never forgotten; and there might still 
 be seen in his apartment each year one of the 
 same kind, in which were registered many 
 such expenditures of unrighteous mammon as 
 could win for him friends in an everlasting 
 habitation. The last entry was an investment 
 of several thousands of dollars in a church 
 building which was erecting on the spot that 
 was to be the scene of the future labors of 
 his cousin. 
 
 For a long time Eeginald had been per 
 plexed with a doubt whether it were not his 
 duty to aid personally in so good a work ; 
 but, on consulting his friend, Mr. Neville, 
 that gentleman was decidedly of the opinion 
 that his sphere of usefulness was the very 
 one in which he was liow placed. His mind, 
 though clear and strong, was not quick, and 
 he had little skill in imparting knowledge. 
 After several years of Sunday-school instruc 
 tion, he came to the conclusion that the 
 classification of teaching among those peculiar 
 
184 CONSECRATED TALENTS. 
 
 gifts which were only possessed by more fa 
 vored individuals, was founded on a deep 
 knowledge of our nature and its capabilities. 
 He therefore decided to let his cousin Horace 
 exercise his peculiar talents in the vocation 
 for which he seemed so exactly adapted, and 
 for himself, still to adopt for his motto, "He 
 that giveth, let him do it with simplicity ; he 
 that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.' 7 
 
 There was one fact which reconciled Kegi- 
 nald entirely to remaining in his native coun 
 try, and this was the attachment of which he 
 now felt conscious to our young friend, Celia 
 Eogers. He looked forward to the day when 
 their united efforts should be the means of 
 extensive usefulness. Nor was he too san 
 guine in his expectations, for Christians who 
 view even the marriage relation as only an 
 instrument for more fully discharging their 
 holiest duty, may promise themselves much 
 happiness even in this world of sorrow. 
 
 Mary had no scheme of earthly bliss float 
 ing through her mind, and turning away her 
 thoughts from their beloved resting-place. To 
 
RESULTS. 185 
 
 supply to her parents the place of her dear 
 Horace as far as lay in her power, and to 
 continue to diffuse joy around her by her 
 sweet manners, calm cheerfulness, and warm 
 piety, was a sufficient occupation to keep her 
 mind from revelling in imaginary scenes of 
 happiness. Yet it was not without a severe 
 struggle that she prepared to say "farewell" 
 to that brother who had been her strongest 
 temptation to woman's most besetting sin 
 idolatry of that which is merely human. 
 
 The day appointed for the sailing of the 
 Peace had arrived, for in this identical vessel 
 Horace and Frederick were to sail for the 
 home of their adoption. The supercargo of 
 this vessel was no other than Ealph Sumer- 
 ville, who had been as much influenced for 
 good by Frederick's example as the kind 
 forbearance and fatherly counsels of Mr. Mal 
 colm. 
 
 As Mrs. Hastings heard her son utter his 
 solemn ordination vows, her heart throbbed 
 with happiness and thanksgiving. What was 
 it for her that if for a few years she should 
 
 16* 
 
186 CONSECKATED TALENTS. 
 
 see his face no more, if she might hope to 
 behold it encircled with a diadem of brightness 
 in the dwellings of celestial peace ! And 
 when she heard Mary's voice joining calmly 
 in the prayers which were repeated, she felt 
 that her mission as a Christian mother had 
 been in part fulfilled. She had given to the 
 Church two members to assist in carrying on 
 its warfare with the world, the flesh, and the 
 devil, and they were going forth to conquer 
 under the banner of their Lord. 
 
 And what have we, who have been called 
 by the same holy name, accomplished in this 
 our mission? By example or by precept, by 
 zeal or by meekness, have we yet won a sin 
 gle soul to shine as a jewel in our immortal 
 crown? By fightings within and wars with 
 out, has one stronghold of Satan fallen, one 
 enemy been subdued? And have we, who 
 were bought with a price, ever entirely recog 
 nized our consecration of soul and body to 
 our Master's service? 
 
 Where are our talents? At interest, or 
 buried to a depth from which they will only 
 
RESULTS. 187 
 
 be disinterred to our everlasting shame and 
 confusion ? 
 
 Wo to the members of Jikato* portion of 
 Christ's holy Church, so holy in spirit and so 
 abounding in precious privileges, as ours is, 
 if they accomplish not the end for which 
 these privileges were given ! " Unto whom 
 soever much is given, of him shall be much 
 required." 
 
 THE END.