regations wherever
he went, some people coming to hear him who seldom attended the places
at any other time; that he was used by God in bringing many sinners
into the fold of Christ, who are now useful members in the Church on
earth, or enrolled among those who serve God in His temple in heaven,
"Little Abe" really was "a wonder unto many."

A woman once said to him, "Aye, Abe, I like' to hear the' preach."

"Bless th' Lord for that," responded Abe.

"But," continued she, "I many a toime wonders where thaa gets all th'
sense from, and haa thaa foinds t' words to say, for thaa's niver been
to college, nor ony place loike that."

"Who says I wor niver at college?" he replied. "I have been to a
college where they mak' a roight job on um, woman."

"Why, what college hast ta been to? Not Ranmoor, I'll be baan?"

"Noa, not Ranmoor; it would puzzle th' Doctor to mak' onything o' me;
I've been to th' fisherman's college, where Peter and th' rest on um
went. I've learnt a bit at th' feet o' Jesus, bless Him!"

Yes, he had learnt to devote what little talent he possessed to the
highest and happiest service in the universe, and his success as a
labourer for Jesus shows that the great Master can make good use of any
feeble instrumentality for the spread of truth and the salvation of
mankind. "We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency
of the power may be of God and not of us," was a saying of apostolic
days, but as true now as when uttered by St. Paul. When great scholars
and brilliant orators or men of extraordinary natural and acquired
parts become successful as the advocates of our Christian faith, there
are always some more ready to pay a tribute to the powers of these men,
than to the Gospel which they teach, ascribing their success not to the
inherent power of truth, but to the extraordinary talent of its
advocates. But when men like our friend "Little Abe" are raised up for
the Lord's work, and the Gospel preached by them becomes mighty in
changing the hearts and lives of others, these opponents of our blessed
religion are at a loss to find some human arm to which they can ascribe
the glory, and while they vainly seek such arm, others can plainly see
"that the excellency of the power is of God, and not of us."

A great deal of the favour which "Little Abe" met with was due to his
_sincerity_. He was very droll in his sayings; he was very original in
his manner of dealing out truth; his illust