ountry that he had just left, and on his forehead
appeared, in gold letters, the list of all the public charities to
which he had subscribed. He seemed to take great pleasure in the
condemnation of the miser, and said, "Lord when saw I thee hungry
and fed thee not, or in prison and visited thee not? I have visited
the fatherless and widow in their affliction." Here the judge cut
him short, by saying, "True, thou didst visit the fatherless, but
didst thou fulfill equally that other part of my command, 'to keep
thyself unspotted from the world.' No, thou wast conformed to the
world in many of its sinful customs, thou didst follow a multitude
to do evil; thou didst love the world and the things of the world;
and the motive to all thy charities was not a regard to me but to
thy own credit with thy fellow-men. Thou hast done every thing for
the sake of reputation, and now thou art vainly trusting in thy
deceitful works, instead of putting all thy trust in my son, who has
offered himself to be a surety for thee. Where has been that
humility and gratitude to him which was required of thee? No, thou
wouldest be thine own surety: thou hast trusted in thyself: thou
hast made thy boast of thine own goodness; thou hast sought after
and thou hast enjoyed the praise of men, and verily I say unto thee,
'thou hast had thy reward.'"

A poor, diseased, blind cripple, who came from the very hospital
which this great man had built, then fell prostrate on his face,
crying out, "Lord be merciful to me a sinner!" on which the judge,
to the surprise of all, said, "Well done, good and faithful
servant." The poor man replied, "Lord, I have done nothing!" "But
thou hast 'suffered well:'" said the judge; "thou hast been an
example of patience and meekness, and though thou hadst but few
talents, yet thou hast well improved those few; thou hadst time,
this thou didst spend in the humble duties of thy station, and also
in earnest prayer; thou didst pray even for that proud founder of
the hospital, who never prayed for himself; thou wast indeed blind
and lame, but it is no where said, My son give me thy feet, or thine
eyes, but Give me thy heart; and even the few faculties I did grant
thee, were employed to my glory; with thine ears thou didst listen
to my word, with thy tongue thou didst show forth my praise: 'enter
thou into the joy of thy Lord.'"

There were several who came forward, and boasted of some single and
particular virtue, in which the