SERIOUS THOUGHTS.

Waikato Argus, Volume IX, Issue 773, 6 October 1900, Page 1 (Supplement)

SERIOUS THOUGHTS.

A LITTLE. Love me little, love me long. T's the burden of my song Love that is too hot aud strong Burnetii soon to waste. The maiden, plucking apart the daisy petals, pouted and was displeased because to her questi.'n. 'How much does he love mc ?' the answer camG again, ' A little.' She did not, could not, imagine that to be loved a little and faithfully is better than to be loved passionately. Everything that is worth having begins at' a little.' The giant oak was ouce a little acorn, the man a babe, and all great things are made up of little ones.

Little drops of water, little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean and the beauteous land.

The prophet asks. ' Who hath despised the day of small things?' Alas, how often we despi e and put from us the little that is offered us because we cauuot have or do great things! A little money, provided it is enough for our need, is better than many thousands which give jrespon ibilities. A. little lei.urc is more appreciated and often far better employed than when work does not occupy the bulk of our days. A little love, be it genuine an 1 true, is far better than the passionate expression of undying affection. In one of Mrs Gatty's charming books she speaks in parable of how the corn and various field flowers were allowed to serve God. The golden .robed (wheat) fed the hungry, the blue-robed (speedwell) cheered the desponding by wishing them God speed, and so on, but the red-robed (poppy) was miserable because lie could do none of these things. At last he discovered that in his touch there was a magic for soothing racking pain. ' From that time he hovered aboat the chambers of the sick, to see what he could do, until there came a drawback, for it was only by doing little that he could do good, while by doiog much he was sure to do harm. So he set himself carefully to restrain his eager will, glad if uu thanked and unnoticed he could lu'l one sufferer to sleep, or diminish the sharpness of one bitter pang. Therefore, although it seemed hard to do things on so small a scale when he had a heart longing for great things, he did his mission quietly and was content.' How many of us are longiug to do great things for God, to show our love to Kim, and we find our powers limited by our homely tasks and our life enclosed in a narrow circle of daily rcturniug duties ? Let us be Content to fill a little space, If God be glorified, It is so much more gratifying to our vanity to be allowed to do big work and that may be the reason why so many of us are given little things to do. 'He that is faithful in the least is faitful also in much,' and if we do our little perfectly God will be sure to give us more.

TIIE LITTLE COWSLIP. Suppose the little cowslip Should hang its golden cup, And say, ' I'm such a tiny flower. I'd better not grow up!' How many a weary traveller Would miss its fragrant smell, How many a little child would grieve To lose it from the dell! Suppose the glistening dowdrop Upon the grass should say. ' What can a little dcwdrop do 'i I'd better roll away.' The blade on which it rested, Before the day was done, Without a drop to moisten it Would wither iu the sun. How many deeds of kindness A little child can do, Although it has but little strength And little wisdom too ! It wants a loving spirit Much more than strength to prove How many things a child can do For others, by its love. [F,]