mind, he said, "My lad went by a
cheap trip to Hull t'other day, and what dost ta think wor th' first
thing he axed for when he gat there?" "Don't know," replied his
friend. "Why, afore he gat aat at station yard, he goes up to a man
and says, 'Can yo' tell me th' way t' th' New Connexion Chapel?' Naa,"
he added, looking across at his friend; "if yo' want th' roight soort,
yo' mun breed um yoursens;" a saying which, put into other words,
simply means that if we are to have reliable members in the Church,
pious parents must bring in their own children, and let them grow up in
the fear of the Lord and love of His people, and the maxim is correct.

CHAPTER XX.

Patient in Tribulation.

Abe Lockwood had to encounter many troubles arising from a variety of
causes but that which seemed to harass him most was poverty. Having a
large family to bring up, and earning but moderate wages by his
employment, his head was seldom above water; he just managed to keep
above the drowning point. Only the brave, honest, and godly poor who
have struggled through similar difficulties, can really know what that
good man and his wife had to contend against in this way.

Yet how often do we find poverty and piety yoked together in one house.
What a mercy it is that piety will condescend to dwell with poverty;
sit down at the same dry crust, or sit without it; wear the same
patched and threadbare raiment, and not complain; stay in the same
circle, endure the same hunger, cold, sickness, and suffering with
unmurmuring constancy, and taking more than half the load of trouble on
her own neck will sit the long night through, and "sing of mercy" till
the day breaks, and the light comes, and the sun shines again.
"Godliness with contentment is great gain."

How many of the Lord's jewels have been ground, cut, and polished on
the wheel of poverty; polished, but not set, for poverty is neither the
gold nor silver for the setting. No matter, God does not care for the
setting, it is the diamonds He loves, "and they shall be mine, saith
the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels."

When, however, industry, economy, and patient courage had done all,
poor Abe was sometimes almost overwhelmed by hardships,--almost, but
not altogether. He had a firm faith in God, and used to say, "My
Father knows haa mich I can carry to a grain, and He wean't lay a straw
too mony upon me, bless Him." In the midst of all the little Bishop
mainta