To rear the flower, to assist in unfolding its excellences, and bring forth its fruit in due season, is a work that delightfully recompenses the toil of the cultivator.
While he is occupied in this grateful task of labouring in his heavenly Master's garden, some blight, some tempest, may chance to take away a favourite young blossom in a premature stage of its growth.
If such a case should befall him, he will then, perhaps, as I have often done, when standing in pensive recollection at little Jane's grave, make an application of these lines, which are inscribed on a grave-stone erected in the same churchyard, and say-- "This lovely bud so young and fair, Called hence by early doom, Just came to show how sweet a flower In paradise would bloom." THE COTTAGE CONVERSATION As I journeyed late on a summer evening, meditating on the beauties of the prospect around me, while they gradually faded from my sight, through the approach of darkness, it grew suddenly quite gloomy, and a black cloud hanging over my head threatened a heavy shower of rain.

The big drops began to fall, and an open shed, adjoining to a labourer's cottage, offering me a seasonable shelter, I dismounted from my horse, and found it large enough to protect him as well as myself.
The circumstance reminded me of the happy privilege of the believing sinner, who finds a "refuge from the storm, and the blast of the terrible ones, in the love of his Redeemer," which prepares him "a covert from storm and from rain." I went in unperceived: the door of the cottage was half open, and I heard the voices of a poor man, his wife, and some children within.
I was hesitating whether to go into the house and make myself known, or to enjoy in solitude a meditation on the foregoing comparison, which my situation had brought to my mind, when these words, spoken in a calm and affectionate tone, struck me with mingled pleasure and surprise, and determined me not to interrupt the conversation:-- "Indeed, wife, you are in the wrong.

Riches would never make us happier, so long as the Lord sees it good that we should be poor." "Well," replied the wife, "I can see no harm in wishing for more money and better living than we have at present.

Other people have risen in the world; and why should not we?
There's neighbour Sharp has done well for his family, and, for anything I can see, will be one of the richest farmers in the parish, if he lives; and everybody knows he was once as poor as we are: while you and I are labouring and toiling from morning to night, and can but just get enough to fill our children's mouths, and keep ourselves coarsely clothed, and hardly that." "Wife," answered the man, "having food and raiment, let us therewith be content.

And if it please God that even these things should fall short, let us submit ourselves to God in patience and well-doing, for he gives us more than we deserve." "There, now you are got to preaching again," said the woman; "you never give me an answer, but you must always go to your Bible to help you out." "And where can I go so well ?" replied the husband.