LESSON XXVI.

The same subject, continued.

1.  As I was tripping lightly homeward, I passed the kind old gentleman, about half way down the street.  He took me gently by the arm; and, retaining his hold, began to address me thus, as we walked on together: 

2.  “The incident, my little friend, which has just occurred, may be of some use to you in after life, if it be suitably improved.  Young people are usually very enthusiastic in all their undertakings, and in the same proportion are very easily discouraged.

3.  “Learn, then, from what has taken place this morning, to persevere in the business which you have commenced, provided it be laudable in itself; and, ten to one, you will succeed.  If you do not at first obtain what you aim at, knock again.  A door may be opened when you least expect it.

4.  “In entering on the practice of a profession, engaging in trade, or what is usually called settling in the world, young people often meet with great disappointments.

5.  “Friends, whom they naturally expected to employ them, not unfrequently prefer others in the same line; and even professors of religion do not seem to consider it a duty to promote the temporal interest of their brethren in the Lord.

6.  “Nevertheless, industry, sobriety, and patience, are usually accompanied by the Divine blessing.  Should you therefore, my little friend, ever experience disappointments of this kind, think of the brass knocker; knock again; be sober, be diligent, and your labors will be blessed.

7.  “In the pursuit of philosophy many difficulties are encountered.  These the student must expect to meet; but he must not relinquish the investigation of truth, because it seems to elude his search.  He may knock at the gate of science, and apparently without being heard.  But let him knock again, and he will find an entrance.”

LESSON XXVII.

The same subject, concluded.

1.  “Do you ever pray to God?  I hope and trust you do.  God commands and encourages us to pray to him.  But he does not always answer our prayers at the time, or in the way, we expect.

2.  “What then?  We know that he hears them.  We know that he is a gracious God, a reconciled Father in Christ.  Let us knock again.  Let us ask in faith, and, if what we ask be pleasing in his sight, he will grant it in his own good time.

3.  “You know who it was that said, ’Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  for every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.’

4.  “Once more:  our progress in the Divine life, even after we have wholly given ourselves to the Lord, does not always equal our wishes or expectations.  We find much indwelling sin, much remaining corruption, to struggle with.