"Put out of your head any notion of bondage or hard lines of action. 'I _delight_ to do Thy will, O God!'--is the true way of stating it. And that is the only sort of service, I think, that the Lord really is pleased with." "Well, does He want us to do like those people, and give literally all we have got, for the heathen, or the poor?" "The Bible rule is, 'Every man _according as he purposeth in his heart_, so let him give.' If His heart will be satisfied with nothing less than all, you would not forbid Him?" Meredith's eyes sparkled, and he looked at Flora, but she would not meet him. "It may be and often is the case, that the Lord's best service requires some of a man's money to be spent on things that seem personal; still, if he loves God best, all will be really for God. Education, accomplishments, knowledge, arts, sciences, recreation, travel, books--provided only that in everything and everywhere the man is doing the very best he can for the service of his Master and the stewardship of his goods. That does not shut out but increases his delight in these things." "That is enough!" exclaimed Meredith. "You have answered all my questions, sir. I see my way now." "It will be a way apart from mamma and me, then, I suppose," said Flora, her eyes filling and her cheeks reddening. "No," said Mr. Murray gently, "perhaps not. Meredith, we have had a sufficient interval of talk; suppose you read again. I am selfish in saying so; for while my ears listen, my eyes can revel in this wealth of colour. What will you give us next?" "May I choose, sir? It touches what we have been talking about, another little story. It is a story by the bedside of a sick day-labourer." "I don't believe we shall like it, Ditto," said his sister. "It will not hold us long. Let me try.-- "'It is a long while ago, that I was once standing by the bedside of a sick day-labourer, who had a wife and four children. The man had been ill for weeks, and the sickness had swallowed up all his money. Death was near, and he was glad of it; he had only one remaining wish, that he might receive the symbols of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Communion. I administered them to him. "'We sang with a number of friends and neighbours who were gathered together, the song, "Who knows how near my end may be!"