’For from the hour of My Birth, even until My Death on the Cross, I was not without suffering and grief.’

And then again: 

’Offer up thyself unto Me, and give thyself wholly for God, and thy offering shall be acceptable.’

’Behold, I offered up Myself wholly unto My Father for thee, and gave My whole Body and Blood for thy food, that I might be wholly thine, and that thou mightest continue Mine unto the end.’

So he might think of all that he went through as capable of being made a free offering, which God would accept for the sake of the One Great Offering, ‘consuming and burning away’ (as the book said) ’all his sins with the fire of Christ’s love, and cleansing his conscience from all offences.’  It was what he now felt in the words, ’Thy Will be done,’ which he tried to say in full earnest; but he thought he should be very happy when he should go along with the offering ourselves, our souls, and bodies, to be a ’reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice.’

Each of Mr. Cope’s readings brought out or confirmed these refreshing hopes; and Paul likewise dwelt on such thoughts.  Hardship had been a training to him, like sickness for Alfred; he knew what it was to be weary and heavy laden, and to want rest, and was ready to draw closer to the only Home and Father that he could claim.  His gentle unresisting spirit was one that so readily forgot ill-will, that positively Harold cherished more dislike to the Shepherds than he did; and there was no struggle to forgive, no lack of charity for all men, so that hope and trust were free.

These two boys were a great deal to the young deacon.  Perhaps he reckoned on his first ministration as a priest by Alfred’s bedside, as much or even more than did the lad, for to him the whole household were as near and like-minded friends, though neither he nor they ever departed from the fitting manners of their respective stations.  He was one who liked to share with others what was near his heart, and he had shewn Alfred the Service for the Ordination of Priests, and the Prayers for Grace that would be offered, and the holy vows that he would take upon him, and the words with which those great Powers would be conferred—­those Powers that our Chief Shepherd left in trust for the pastors who feed His flock.

And once he had bent down and whispered to Alfred to pray that help might be given to him to use those powers faithfully.

So wore on the early spring; and the morning had come when he was to set out for the cathedral town, when Harold rode up to the parsonage door, and something in his looks as he passed the window made Mr. Cope hasten to the door to meet him.

‘O Sir!’ said Harold, bursting out crying as he began to speak, ’poor Alfred is took so bad; and Mother told me to tell you, Sir—­if he’s not better—­he’ll never live out the day!’

Poor Harold, who had never seemed to heed his brother’s illness, was quite overwhelmed now.  It had come upon him all at once.