upon his wounded spirit, and he bowed his soul in humble gratitude to
the great Head of the Church, who, in suffering him once more to enjoy
the privileges of the sanctuary, had also satisfied him with spiritual
food.

The evening passed pleasantly away, although the conversation, turning
on the events of the preceding day, brought a blush to William's pale
cheeks and tears to his eyes. The old watchman, although rude and
uneducated, was yet a true Christian, and as such, admonished the
desolate child with all the tenderness of a father. When our hero told
him how he had been tempted to run away on the day the shoes fell into
the gutter, and how harshly he had been treated, not only on that
occasion, but always; and how hard it was for him to observe the rule
of duty, which he well knew, when Jem Taylor, the only one who ever
showed him any kindness, was always advising him to pursue a course to
which the human heart is naturally inclined, but which his conscience
told him was wrong.

"That is all very true," said Thomas; "but you must remember that all
set out on a race for one stopping-place, to which there are two
roads. You have read in your Bible about the wide and the strait gate.
'Enter in,' it says, 'at the strait gate; for wide is the gate and
broad is the way that leadeth unto destruction, and many there be that
go in thereat. Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.' Now, my boy, God
has taken away your earthly joys, and made the way narrow to you;
hedged your path with thorns, and caused you to weep bitter tears
every day. We know, too, that no affliction for the present is joyous,
but grievous: and as our light afflictions, which, in comparison with
eternity, endure but for a moment, work out for us a far more