SILENT INFLUENCE.



"I HAVE no influence," said Elsie Lee to her friend, Miss Tomasin. Why, I am so timid when in company I hardly dare raise my eyes or open my lips."

"That may be," replied the older lady, "and yet you are always exerting influence wherever you go. You cannot help yourself. An hour ago I bought a bunch of violets from a German flower-girl, and I set them on yonder shelf, beside my dear mother's picture. It is a very tiny bunch, and a person entering the room would very likely not notice them, for they do not challenge attention. But every nook and apartment feels their presence, for their fragrance is pervading the atmosphere. So it is with you, my dear. You love your Saviour, and you try to serve him. You think you cannot speak for him, but if you live for him, and with him, in gentleness, patience, and self-denial, that is better than talking. It does more good.

"The other evening Jerry Halcomb, who is thoughtless and giddy, made a jest of a verse of Scripture in your hearing. You wished to protest against his act, and tried to do so, but the words would not come. 

Yet your pained look, your quick blush, your instinctive, indignant gesture spoke for you, and the young man turned and said, 'I beg your pardon, Miss Elsie.' 

Was not this a proof that he saw and felt your condemnation?"

Silent influence for good and for evil is stronger than we sometimes think. Let us not underestimate it. 


Christian at Work.






HELPING THE MINISTER.

"ONE thing helped me very much while I was preaching today," said a clergyman.

"What was that?" inquired a friend.  "It was the attention of a little girl, who kept her eyes fixed on me, and seemed to try to understand every word I said. She was a great help to me."

Think of that, little ones; and when you go to church, fix your eyes on the minister, and try to understand what he says, for he is speaking to you as well as to the grown up people. He is telling about the Lord Jesus, who loves the little ones.