The biggest lies are told for the least cause.
A BUDDING OF HOPE.
Dear young readers of the Little Gleaner, how very true and solemn are the words of the poet—
"The moment when our lives begin
We all begin to die."
And at what age death may take us none of us can say. From among the large number who read the Gleaner, we every now and again hear of one being taken away by death.
Lizzie Winchester, of Cross-in-Hand, was a constant reader of the Gleaner, and of other good books, but not to the neglecting of her Bible. She was a scholar in the Sunday School at Ebenezer Chapel, Heathfield, where she was always very quiet and attentive, and she was also very fond of her teacher. When she left school, she regularly attended chapel with her sisters, sitting where she could see the school children, and would complain when she got home if she saw any that did not behave themselves properly. She had a great reverence for the house of God and for the servants of God. She had but few companions, but was much beloved for her little acts of kindness in sending to one and another small presents. Some little time before her death she sent "The Sack and its Treasure" to a young friend at Eastbourne, as a birthday present; and who can say how much real good may result from such little gifts as that? I should not think that any one could point out a flaw in her moral character. But this was not grace; and although she needed no outward reformation, yet if the heart be not changed, there can be no entering into the kingdom of God.
The last time that she walked to chapel, a distance of three miles—making six miles both ways—was on August 21st. It was not then known that anything was the matter with her. First her throat was sore, and she felt poorly, but she still kept about. On Wednesday, September 14th, she was out, and gathered half a gallon of blackberries. She was up on Thursday and Friday, and put her clothes on on Saturday, but could not get down stairs. Towards night she was much worse, and it was found that her affliction was diabetes.