I hardly think, on looking back, that it was a bad one on the whole. As the second tithe among the Jews was for themselves and their neighbours, and had to do with sacred feasts, it struck me that as truth is like food for the soul, so I would use this money in buying Bibles and good books for myself and for others. I was very fond of making presents; perhaps I had sometimes done too much that way. But now I intended that my gifts, instead of being knick-knacks and fooleries, should be books of wise sayings, or sacred poetry, or such like. I needed a new Bible often. I did not care for fine purple bindings and gilt edges, so much as for a plain book that I should have no fear of using. In these times, young people can have them smart and cheap too. the better, so long as they take care not to keep them nice-looking by letting them get dusted only when they take them to church as if for a Sunday airing.

All

But I have something more yet to say about the Jews. I found that they had to give first-fruits, as well as tithes. Thus in Exodus: "The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God." In the book of Deuteronomy, I saw that this offering was to be of various kinds: "The first-fruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give." The prophet Ezekiel was charged to speak to the

people about their coming back to Jerusalem, and to say in God's name, "The first of all the first-fruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's; ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause THE BLESSING to rest in thine house."

These last words were enough for me. I set to work asking myself what first-fruits there were for me to give. I remembered that I had other money beside my regular earnings. Before my quarter's wages were due, I might perhaps get a few shillings as perquisites; in which case, I must not take them all to myself, but I must give a part to help God's work in the world. My interest-money, too, as that came in ;-it was all clear gain ;the first-fruits of that must be devoted in the

same way. The very name 'first-fruits" taught me a lesson. It reminded me that I ought not to spend a farthing on myself till I had begun by laying aside the portion that was for God's cause, to be ready for giving away when occasion served.

On thinking over these things, in the years that have gone by since, I have seen no reason to believe I was altogether in the wrong. I did not search sincerely, for I had not a pure, unmixed desire; there was much of earthliness and of selfishness, mingled up with what I felt. But I did search honestly, for I had a real earnest desire both to know and do what

God commanded. I think that He did guide me. And I think so all the more, because I have lately found that there are a very great many who have just the same opinion, and some who have written down their thoughts about it. Last time I had to call at Mr. Bartlett's for my money, I saw, lying on his table, a book called "Gold and the Gospel." I took it up (for I had leave to do so), and looked at it a little. I found it was written in five parts by five different gentlemen, who had each tried to show how much of their money Christians ought to give towards the spread of the truth. And on looking at the indexes, as well as a page here and there, I saw that every one of these writers thought a tenth was the least, the very least, that ought as a general rule to be put into the Lord's treasury, whether by rich or poor. As I put the book down, I could not help saying to myself, "True, true; the Saviour and His cause have claims on us which none of us can ever meet; let the rich give their gold, and let the poor give their pence; let none think they are too mean to put their shoulder to the wheel."

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CHAPTER IX.

THE DANGER OF EXTREMES.

I CANNOT say that when I first began to carry out my new plan, I had no struggles. I saw my duty-I mean my outward duty-very plainly. I saw, that whatever might be the excuse reasonably offered by a poor workingman, whose earnings barely brought in the scantiest and coarsest fare for his large hungry family, there was no difficulty at all in my case. But Christian duty is not a welcome or a pleasant thing to the heart that has no love for Jesus. I was nearly led astray once or twice when my longings pulled a different way from my judgment. I can give an

instance or two.

I remember one year-I am not sure whether it was the first or second year of trying the plan -I dare say it was the second, because it is always easier to "strike while the iron is hot." For a few quarters I know that all went uprightly; but, at length, I was tempted to put by less. It was as if I fancied that the eye of God would not mark what I did lay aside, or that His justice would not take note of what I ought to lay aside. My conscience

was not at rest; but I tried to hush it. I had almost quieted it, when my eye fell one day on those words in Deuteronomy," Thou shalt TRULY tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year." I was not sure whether this meant, Thou shalt certainly do it; or, Thou shalt do it faithfully. I have looked since at Matthew Henry's Commentary, and I find he sets both down. No doubt both are true, whichever is the exact sense of the words. At all events, it was the second meaning that came into my mind, and I felt that I had been acting dishonestly, and repeating the sin of Ananias and Sapphira in keeping back a part of the price which I had vowed (and which I was pretending) to devote to God. I hastened with shame of heart to my money-box, and put into my tithe-purse what I had so wilfully kept back.

There was once also when I put off laying aside my tithe. I intended to give it at some future day; but I thought I needed more clothes just at that time, and Jack being over here for a while, I wanted some presents for my boy. I thought it would be the same thing, if I made it good next quarter, when I should have less to spend on my own account. But I was mistaken. Father died just as the next pay-day had come. I had my new mourning to get. And what with one thing or another, I was driven behindhand, so that the whole year was up before I had got the