To all those possible conditions, so manifold in their potentialities, the doctrine applies. The membership is a constant quantity. _Nil me officit unquam_, says Horace, _Ditior hic, aut est quia doctior; est locus uni Cuique suus_. And we have Shakspeare’s word for it, that nought so vile upon the earth doth live, but to the earth some special good doth give; and though he is speaking of stones and the like, are there not sermons in stones, as well as good in everything? Holy George Herbert shall furnish us with a versicle to the purpose. As ever, he is looking upwards when he says,— “Indeed the world’s Thy book Where all things have their leaf assign’d: Yet a meek look Hath interlined. Thy board is full, yet humble guests Find nests.” But more pertinent, and less quaintly obscure, is that stanza from another little lyric of his, in which the Country Parson exalts the exalting power of a simple trust in God and devotion to His service: “A servant with this clause Makes drudgery divine: Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws, Makes that and the action fine.” _THE WRATH-DISPELLING POWER OF A SOFT ANSWER._ PROVERBS xv. 1. While it is the effect, if not the end and aim, of grievous words to stir up anger,—“a soft answer turneth away wrath.” Though “the wrath of a king is as messengers of death, a wise man will pacify it.” “By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.” When the men of Ephraim, enraged at Gideon’s failing to invoke their aid when he went to fight with the Midianites, chided with him sharply, his soft answer was of instant avail to turn away their wrath. What had he done now in comparison of them? the champion deferentially exclaimed; and what was he able to do in comparison of them? Was not the mere gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the entire vintage of Abi-ezer? “Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.” What threatened to be a very bone of contention,—well, so soft a tongue as that of Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, breaketh the bone.