An Unusual Complaint

*’ have read in the lives of the fathers of a devout man thaty being one year without any trial cried ozit, Domine, reliquisti me, quia non me visitasti, hoc anno,’ — Lord thou hast forgotten me, and for a whole year hast not appoijited me upon ajiy exercise of patienceP We would not recommend any one of our readers to unite with this devout but mistaken expression. We should count it all joy when we fall into divers trials, but, at the same time, we ought to be thankful if we do not fall into them. If a cross be laid upon us, let us take it up cheerfully; but it would be folly to make a cross for ourselves, or go out of our way to look for one. He must be a very foolish child who begs to be whipped. “Lead us not into temptation,” is a prayer of our Lord’s own teaching, and we prefer to keep to it rather than follow this devout man in what reads very like a prayer for temptation. Those who cry for chastisement will have enough of it before all is over. Be it ours to leave our correction and probation in our Lord’s hands, and never let us be so unwise as to desire more trials than his infinite wisdom appoints us.