A visitor in a certain house was amazed, on entering the parlor on Good Friday evening, to find two whist tables in operation, both occupied by church-members who had attended service in the morning. The visitor was not surprised at the remark of a Roman Catholic servant: "Well, they don't think much of the day, whatever they may pretend." And certainly the spectacle was not an edifying one to those who made no religious profession whatever. "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient," and it is hard to see how anyone who desires to use this holy season as the Church intended it to be used can spend time and money on expensive amusements. Believe me, it is a bad symptom in the spiritual life when a Christian is thinking, not how much he can give up for his Lord, but how much he dares keep for himself. Is. lviii. 1 Cor. x. _SECOND THURSDAY IN LENT._ _IN THE SICK-ROOM._ "I AM an invalid," says someone; "I never go either to the theatre or opera; I never attend a party, or partake of any public amusement; hardly indeed, of any amusement at all. How shall I keep Lent?" In the first place, so far as possible, get out of your world into God's world. I have been an invalid for months and years at a time, and I have seen a great deal of illness, so I am not speaking at random. The great temptation of a chronic invalid is to make the world centre in himself. The great interests of mankind, and of the Church, charitable, and mission work, and Christian work of every kind, are of no importance compared to the position of a table or the serving of a meal. We almost forget that these things have any existence, or that we as individuals have anything to do with them. I do not mean to say that all chronic invalids are irritable or selfish; I must say frankly that I have seen quite as much of these qualities in nurses as in patients. But it is perfectly natural—nay, it is unavoidable—when one is shut up in a small space, to make that space and its arrangements of great importance. They "are" very important, and a kind and faithful nurse will take care that no untidiness or carelessness shall offend the eye; that the book or work or glass of drink shall not be moved and set down just out of reach; that the door shall not be left ajar to slam, or the window to rattle. Such carelessness is often nothing less than cruelty. But making all allowances, I still say to the invalid, get out of your little world into the great world as often as possible. Recollect that you are still a member of Christ's living body, and as such there must still be some work for you to do. Especially at this season, consider if there is not some way whereby you may help the Church in her great work of converting the world.