cy
would seek out all the poor and all the old people, and ere ever she was
aware what she was doing, already a good report had spread abroad
concerning the pilgrims and their pilgrimage. At the same time, it must
be told that poor Mercy's heart was more heavy for the souls of the poor
people than for their naked bodies and hungry bellies. So much was this
so that when the shepherds, Knowledge, Experience, Watchful, and Sincere,
took her to a place where she saw one Fool and one Want-wit washing of an
Ethiopian with intention to make him white, but the more they washed him
the blacker he was, Mercy blushed and felt guilty before the
shepherds,--she so took home to her charitable heart the bootless work of
Fool and Want-wit. Mercy put on the Salvationist bonnet at her first
outset to the Celestial City, and she never put it off till she came to
that land where there are no more poor to make hosen and hats for, and no
more Ethiopians to take to the fountain.

4. There are not a few young communicants here to-night, as well as not
a few who are afraid as yet to offer themselves for the Lord's table;
and, as it so falls out to-night, Mercy's case contains both an
encouragement and an example to all such. For never surely had a young
communicant less to go upon than Mercy had that best morning of all her
life. For she had nothing to go upon but a great desire to help
Christiana with her work; some desire for truth and for life; and some
first and feeble yearnings over her own soul,--yearnings, however, that
she kept entirely to herself. That was all. She had no remorses like
those which had ploughed up Christiana's cheeks into such channels of
tears. She had no dark past out of which swarms of hornets stung her
guilty conscience. Nor on the other hand, had she any such sweet dreams
and inviting visions as those that were sent to cheer and encourage the
disconsolate widow. She will have her own sweet dreams yet, that will
make her laugh loud out in her sleep. But that will be long after this,
when she has discovered how hard her heart is and how great God's grace
is. "How shall I be ascertained," she put it to Christiana, "that I also
shall be entertained? Had I but this hope, from one that can tell, I
would make no stick at all, but would go, being helped by Him that can
help, though the way was never so tedious. Had I as good hope for a
loving reception as you have, I think no Slough of Despond would
discoura