Stumbling Blocks into Stepping Stones

February 2.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that
are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded,
support the weak, be patient toward all men.

1 THESSALONIANS 5, verse 14.


The little worries which we meet each day
May lie as stumbling-blocks across our way,
Or we may make them stepping-stones to be
Of grace, O Lord, to Thee.

A. E. HAMILITON.


We must be continually sacrificing our own wills,
as opportunity serves, to the will of others;
bearing, without notice, sights and sounds that
annoy us; setting about this or that task,
when we had far rather be doing something
very different; persevering in it, often, when
we are thoroughly tired of it; keeping company
for duty's sake, when it would be a great joy to
us to be by ourselves; besides all the trifling
untoward accidents of life; bodily pain and
weakness long continued, and perplexing us
often when it does not amount to illness; losing
what we value, missing what we desire;
disappointment in other persons, wilfulness,
unkindness, ingratitude, folly,
in cases where we least expect it.

J. KEBLE.