"I thought you would
rather have something I made myself." How my heart went out to the
little darling, and how glad I was that she should think that something
she could make would be more precious to me than any purchased gift! But
what the curious little gift could be intended for I was quite at a loss
to divine, and I engaged her in conversation, hoping she might let some
clue slip that would help me to find out for what she meant it, for I
feared she would be disappointed if I did not recognize it. The little
pet had found a small piece of wood, and had bored a hole in it with her
scissors, in which she had inserted a peg, and on the top had hung half
a cockle-shell--certainly an uncommon birthday present!

At last, unable to guess what it was supposed to be, I took my dear
child on my knee, and, kissing her, said, "Papa is so pleased to have a
birthday present of your own making; what is it my darling has made for
me?" "Why, don't you know, papa? I thought you would like best a ship to
take you to China!"

The dear child was right; probably no gift I ever received gave more
pleasure, or was as carefully treasured, and as often thought of. When
that dear child had become old enough to engage in missionary work in
China herself, and was able to introduce me to the first two Chinese
women whom she had brought to CHRIST, I remembered the little ship; and
when the women were gone reminded her about it, and told her that the
joy of finding her now used of GOD in the blessed work itself was a
greater joy than her gift had been. She was surprised that I should
remember it; but it had never passed from my memory, and the
recollection of it is a pleasure still. It is not hard to please those
who love us.[D]

GOD _wants our love_; "My son, give Me thine heart." He wants our
_sympathy_; He wants the gifts and offerings that are prompted by
_love_. Shall He look to us in vain? Our David still thirsts, not for
the waters of the well of Bethlehem, but for the souls for which He
died. Shall He not have them? He specially needs willing, skilful young
men, ready to break through the enemy's camp to deliver the captives of
the mighty one. Who that can will go? Who that cannot go at present will
help others to go?

[D: While preparing these sheets for the press we learn from a telegram
that He whom my dear daughter had served in China since 1885, has called
her (and her baby of sixteen months) from her husband, the Rev. J. J.
Cou