wrong it was to weep away that time which might have been better
spent in drying the tears of others.

It was happy for her, that Mr. Simpson, the vicar of Weston, was a
pious man. One Sunday he happened to preach on the good Samaritan.
It was a charity sermon, and there was a collection at the door. He
called on Mrs. Jones after church, and found her in tears. She told
him she had been much moved by his discourse, and she wept because
she had so little to give to the plate, for though she felt very
keenly for the poor in these dear times, yet she could not assist
them. "Indeed, sir," added she, "I never so much regretted the loss
of my fortune as this afternoon, when you bade us _go and do
likewise_." "You do not," replied Mr. Simpson, "enter into the
spirit of our Saviour's parable, if you think you can not _go and do
likewise_ without being rich. In the case of the Samaritan, you may
observe, that charity was bestowed more by kindness, and care, and
medicine, than by money. You, madam, were as much concerned in the
duties inculcated in my sermon as Sir John with his great estate;
and, to speak plainly, I have been sometimes surprised that you
should not put yourself in the way of being more useful."

"Sir," said Mrs. Jones, "I am grown shy of the poor since I have
nothing to give them." "Nothing! madam?" replied the clergyman; "Do
you call your time, your talents, your kind offices, nothing? Doing
good does not so much depend on the riches as on the heart and the
will. The servant who improved his two talents was equally commended
by his Lord with him who had ten; and it was not poverty, but
selfish indolence, which drew down so severe a condemnation on him
who had only one. It is by our conformity to Christ, that we must
prove ourselves Christians. You, madam, are not called upon to work
miracles, nor to preach the gospel, yet you may in your measure and
degree, resemble your Saviour _by going about and doing good_. A
plain Christian, who has sense and leisure, by his pious exertions
and prudent zeal, may, in a subordinate way, be helping on the cause
of religion, as well as of charity, and greatly promote, by his
exertions and example, the labors of the parish minister. The
generality, it is true, have but an under part to act; but to all
God assigns some part, and he will require of all whose lot is not
very laborious, that they not only _work out their own salvation_,
but that they promote the cause of religion