"Christ pleased not himself, and went about doing good; and he said, 'If any man serve me, let him follow me.' Remember that. Perhaps your aunt is unreasonable and unkind see with how much patience and perfect sweetness of temper you can bear and forbear; see if you cannot win her over by untiring gentleness, obedience, and meekness. Is there no improvement to be made here?"
"Oh me, yes!" answered Ellen, with a sigh.
"Then your old grandmother. Can you do nothing to cheer her life in her old age and helplessness? can't you find some way of giving her pleasure some way of amusing a long and tedious hour, now and then?"
Ellen looked very grave; in her inmost heart she knew this was a duty she shrank from.
"He 'went about doing good.' Keep that in mind. A kind word spoken a little thing to smooth the way of one, or lighten the load of another teaching those who need teaching entreating those who are walking in the wrong way. Oh! my child, there is work enough!
'To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfil;
Oh, may it all my powers engage
To do my Maker's will!
Arm me with jealous care,
As in thy sight to live;
And oh! thy servant, Lord, prepare,
A strict account to give!' "
"An account of what?" said Ellen.
"You know what an account is. If I give Thomas a dollar to spend for me at Carra-carra, I expect he will give me an exact account, when he comes back, what he has done with every shilling of it. So must we give an account of what we have done with everything our Lord has committed to our care our hands, our tongues, our time, our minds, our influence; how much we have honoured him, how much good we have done to others, how fast and how far we have grown holy and fit for heaven."
"It almost frightens me to hear you talk, Miss Alice."