at little knowledge is needful seems to come of course, as it
were. And my chief study has been to bring the fruits of the Sunday
reading into the week's business, and to keep up the same sense of
God in the heart, when the Bible is in the cupboard as when it is in
the hand. In short, to apply what I read in the book to what I meet
with in the field."

"I don't quite understand you," said Mr. Johnson. "Sir," replied the
shepherd, "I have but a poor gift at conveying these things to
others, though I have much comfort from them in my own mind; but I
am sure that the most ignorant and hard-working people, who are in
earnest about their salvation, may help to keep up devout thoughts
and good affections during the week, though they have had hardly any
time to look at a book; and it will help them to keep out bad
thoughts too; which is no small matter. But then they must know the
Bible; they must have read the word of God diligently, that is a
kind of stock in trade for a Christian to set up with; and it is
this which makes me so careful in teaching it to my children; and
even in storing their memories with Psalms and chapters. This is a
great help to a poor hard-working man, who will scarcely meet with
any thing in them but what he may turn to some good account. If one
lives in the fear and love of God, almost every thing one sees
abroad will teach one to adore his power and goodness, and bring to
mind some text of Scripture, which shall fill his heart with
thankfulness, and his mouth with praise. When I look upward _the
Heavens declare the glory of God_, and shall I be silent and
ungrateful? If I look round and see the valleys standing thick with
corn, how can I help blessing that Power who _giveth me all things
richly to enjoy_? I may learn gratitude from the beasts of the
field, for the _ox knoweth his master, and the ass his master's
crib_, and shall a Christian not know, shall a Christian not
consider what great things God has done for him? I, who am a
shepherd, endeavor to fill my soul with a constant remembrance of
that good shepherd, who _feedeth me in green pastures and maketh me
to lie down beside the still waters, and whose rod and staff comfort
me_. A religion, sir, which has its seat in the heart, and its
fruits in the life, takes up little time in the study, and yet in
another sense, true religion, which from sound principles brings
forth right practice, fills up the whole time and life too as one
may say."