Page:HalfHoursWithTheSaints.djvu/57

 tians were  looked  upon  as  scavengers  of  the  world,  ''Tanquant  purgamenta  hujus  mundi; and we  often  are  confused when called  upon  to  practise  the  duties  of  His  service, and this,  too,  at  the  time  when  the  Christian  religion  is dominant,  and  when  many  powerful  monarchs  have  willingly professed  it.

Happy are  the  Christians  who  feel  the  honour  and acknowledge the  grace  which  God  has  bestowed  upon them when  He  has  received  them  as  His  servants! Oh! what a  good  Master  we  have! how magnificent  are  His promises! how faithful  He  is  to  carry  them  out! how liberal are  His  rewards!

How happy  is  he  who  serves  Him! and thrice  happy  is the  choice  he  has  made! Oh! if all  men  knew  what  it  was to be  a  servant  of  God,  they  would  have  no  more  ardent wish or  aspire  to  a  higher  honour  than  to  be  reckoned among the  number  of  His  faithful  servants.

O my  Lord  and  my  God! my heart  is  filled  with  bitter grief when  I  call  to  mind  the  years  of  my  past  life. Alas! far from  having  employed  them  in  Thy  service,  I  am  one of those  unfaithful  servants  who  have  had  my  own  self-interest  in  view.

However, as  You  are  my  Lord  and  King,  I  this  day take an  oath  of  allegiance,  and  from  henceforth,  swear  that my wish  is  to  live  and  die  in  Thy  service.

Boudon.

''Le Chrstien Inconnu.

The service  of  God  is  not  only  our  most  important,  but our sole  work. This is  so  obvious  that  it  requires  only to be  stated. Time and  words  would  alike  be  wasted  in the  attempt  to  prove  it. Yet, alas! even spiritual  persons need to  be  reminded  of  this  elementary  truth. Let us subject  ourselves  to  a  brief  examination  upon  it. Are we