s of endless growth. Dr. Lyman Abbott has used this
illustration: "I pluck an acorn from the greensward, and hold it to my
ear; and this is what it says to me: 'By and by the birds will come and
nest in me. By and by I will furnish shade for the cattle. By and by
I will provide warmth for the home in the pleasant fire. By and by I
will be shelter from the storm to those who have gone under the roof.
By and by I will be the strong ribs of the great vessel, and the
tempest will beat against me in vain, while I carry men across the
Atlantic.' 'O foolish little acorn, wilt thou be all this?' I ask.
And the acorn answers, 'Yes; God and I.'"

I look into the faces of a company of children, and I hear a whisper,
saying: "By and by I will be a great blessing to many. By and by other
lives will come and find nest and home in me. By and by the weary will
sit in the shadow of my strength. By and by I will sit as comforter in
a home of sorrow. By and by I will speak the words of Christ's
salvation in ears of lost ones. By and by I will shine in the full
radiancy of the beauty of Christ, and be among the glorified with my
Redeemer." "You, frail, powerless, little one?" I ask; and the answer
is, "Yes; Christ and I." And all these blessed possibilities that are
in the life of the young person must go upon the altar in the living
sacrifice.

Take another view of it. Some people seem to suppose that only
spiritual exercises are included in this living sacrifice; that it does
not cover their business, their social life, their amusements. But it
really embraces the whole of life. We belong to God as truly on Monday
as on the Lord's Day. We must keep ourselves laid on God's altar as
really while we are at our week-day work as when we are in a
prayer-meeting. We are always on duty as Christians, whether we are
engaged in our secular pursuits or in exercises of devotion. All our
work should therefore be done reverently, "as unto the Lord."

We should do everything also for God's eye and according to the
principled of righteousness. The consecrated mechanic must put
absolute truth into every piece of work he does. The consecrated
business man must conduct his business on the principles of divine
righteousness. The consecrated millionaire must get his money on God's
altar, so that every dollar of it shall do business for God, blessing
the world. The consecrated housekeeper must keep her home so sweet and
so tidy and be