de or business or profession. I know a brother who many
years ago saw it right not only to spend his interest for the Lord, but
also the principal, as the Lord might point out to him opportunities.
His desire was not, as indeed it ought never to be, to get rid of his
money as fast as possible, yet he considered himself a steward for the
Lord, and was therefore willing, as his Lord and Master might point it
out to him, to spend his means. When this brother came to this
determination, he possessed about twenty thousand pounds sterling.
According to the light and grace which the Lord had been pleased to
give, he afterwards acted, spending the money for the Lord, in larger or
smaller sums, as opportunities were pointed out to him by the Lord. Thus
the sum more and more decreased, whilst the brother steadily pursued his
course, serving the Lord with his property, and spending his time and
ability also for the Lord, in service of one kind or another among his
children. At last, the twenty thousand pounds were almost entirely
spent, when at that very time the father of this very brother died,
whereby he came into the possession of an income of several thousand
pounds a year. It gives joy to my heart to be able to add, that this
brother still pursues his godly course, living in the most simple way,
and giving away perhaps ten times as much as he spends on himself or
family. Here you see, dear reader, that this brother, using faithfully
for the Lord what he had been intrusted with at first, was made steward
over more; for he has now more than one third as much in a year coming
in as he at first possessed altogether.

I mention another instance: I know a brother to whom the Lord has given
a liberal heart, and who bountifully gave of that over which the Lord
had set him as steward. The Lord, seeing this, intrusted him with still
more, for through family circumstances he came into the possession of
many thousand pounds, in addition to the considerable property he
possessed before. I have the joy of being able to add also concerning
this brother, that the Lord continues to give him grace to use his
property as a steward for God, and that he has not been permitted to set
his heart upon his riches, through the very considerable increase of his
property, but that he continues to live as the steward of the Lord, and
not as the owner of all this wealth.

And now, dear reader, when the brethren to whom I have been referring
are brought t