not the Lord Jesus said, "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me"? (S. John vi. 38). In humble dependence upon Him who alone could work in her "both to will and to do of His good pleasure," Elsie did not fail in her object in life, and she shared the Saviour's own joy. There was also a secondary purpose for which she lived; it grew naturally out of her desire for God's glory, and that was the good of others. She, perhaps, little guessed the success granted her in this matter, but the very pursuit of such an object is happiness; and a day is coming when all these treasured secrets will be revealed.

Elsie had her trials, but she could adopt the words

CHAPTER IV.

"Vain as the leaf upon the stream,

And fickle as a changeful dream."-SCOTT.

"How long halt ye between two opinions?"

-I KINGS xviii. 21.

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve."

-JOSHUA xxiv. 15.

HARRIET WESTBROOK was one of the girls who met to work for the missionary basket, at Elsie Dale's. She was amiable, but of a weak disposition; very easily led either for good or for evil. She seemed to have no backbone of determination in her character, but was like a plant which bows before every wind that blows, being changeable, undecided, and indolent in mind. She lived at home with her grandmother, a good old woman, who was very fond of Hattie, and possessed much influence over her.

There were times when the girl would allow herself to be drawn away by one or more worldly companions, and, to the grief of her grandmother, she would go to scenes of folly and recklessness, where

God's Holy Name was taken in vain; or she would join in very doubtful pleasures, where she could not but witness much that her conscience told her was wrong. Then, on the other hand, Harriet has several times been under strong religious impressions, when she has shown a decision and purpose in the right direction quite unusual to her, but, after a time, her nature, "unstable as water," has given way again. What an awfully dangerous thing it is to let religious impressions pass away disregarded! each succeeding one will probably be more feeble than the last, and, if resisted, will leave the heart harder than before.

Some characters are weaker than others, and like the ivy, they want supporting. Christ alone can be to them an unfailing support; and who does not need that Tower of Strength? Harriet sought not His help; she did not lean upon Him.

A young man, whom she had known all her life, had several times paid her attention, contrary to the wishes of her grandmother, who would never hear of a friendship between them, but had always given him the "cold shoulder," knowing that he was addicted to drink. The worthless young man then sought Harriet's company on the sly. For a while she avoided him, for she was fond of her grandmother, and did not wish to displease her. Richard, however, contrived one day to meet Hattie in a lane,

and asked her to marry him. She declined in a hesitating kind of manner, which made him press his suit the more earnestly. Harriet mentioned his drinking habits, when Richard said that she would be the saving of him, if she would consent to become his wife. He would promise to give up drink, and they would be so happy together.

The foolish girl yielded, as the young man offered to speak to her grandmother on the subject, and engaged to bring her round; but she would not hear a word about it, nevertheless Harriet and Richard met and walked together. The end of it was that they were married, and a wretched marriage it proved.

Just at first it was all very well, but before long, Richard again gave way to drink, and he was soon as bad as ever. Harriet tried to make a little money by taking in washing, for her husband's wages were chiefly spent at the public-house. In a short time she looked very different to the Hattie Westbrook of former days. All the brightness seemed gone from her young life. Her faded cheeks and hollow eyes made Harriet look years older. She appeared to lose hope and self-respect. The many efforts of kind friends to bring about a better state of affairs were apparently in vain. The poor old grandmother became almost broken-hearted.

What a comfort it is to know, even when things are at the very worst, either with ourselves or with

those in whom we are interested, that we may still place them in the hand of God! and what cannot He accomplish?

This little story has its warning. How often a young woman's happiness for life, and perhaps also for eternity, has been wrecked by a want of decision and courage to do the right; by weakly yielding to entreaties, instead of turning a deaf ear to them from the first; by allowing herself to be talked over, against her convictions of duty, and contrary, it may be, to the expressed wishes of some parent or relative older and wiser than herself! She has not sought Heavenly guidance, or has not been willing to be guided by it, or has failed to seek the needed strength which would have enabled her to follow the gracious Guide, who would never have misled her. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Prov. iii. 5, 6).