"I HAVE come to tell you," said Mr. Williams to Mr. Holmes, "that I cannot endure Smith's ill treatment any longer." "I know," said Mr. Holmes, "that he has not treated you very well, but as I had heard nothing new lately, I was in hopes he was coming round a little." "If I had given him any just provocation, his course towards me would not be so utterly intolerable." "You have born his ill treatment thus far with a good deal of meekness. I hope he will not succeed in causing you to render evil for evil. That, I presume, is what he desires. If he could provoke you to some act of retaliation, he would not feel the trouble which he now doubtless feels from a sense of injustice." "I have made up my mind to go and see him, and tell him how he has treated me, and warn him that I will submit to it no longer." "I would do no such thing." "Because, in the first place, he does not need to have you tell him how he has treated you; he knows that already. In the next place, you would probably get angry and say something which you would have to repent of, besides furnishing him with a self-justifying plea. No, my friend, I will tell you a much better way: Do as Hezekiah did when he received the insulting letter from the king of Assyria. You know he went and spread it out before the Lord. Go and spread out your case before the Lord. Instead of telling Smith how he has treated you, tell the Lord how he has treated you. "You may enter into all the particulars; for the Lord has a patient ear for all the troubles of his children. When you have made a full statement of your case, you will find yourself relieved, you will find yourself in a very different frame of mind from that which would result from telling your story to the author of your injuries. "When you have told the Lord your affliction, ask him to give you grace to bear it without murmuring, and to sanctify it to your growth in grace. Use as an argument the fact that he in his wise providence has permitted the affliction, and that his glory is concerned in your bearing it aright. It is always wise for us to interest the glory of God in accomplishing the end sought by prayer. Use also as an argument when seeking for grace to bear your trial, the fact that Christ, your great Example, suffered patiently and silently the insults and injustice of men. Say, 'O Lord, help me to bear this grievous wrong calmly, because Christ when reviled reviled not again, when he suffered, threatened not but committed506his case to Him who judgeth righteously.' Ask him for grace to forgive your enemy; and urge as an argument the fact that otherwise you cannot obey your Saviour, who bids us pray, 'Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.' You see you have strong arguments to use with the Lord—so strong that they must prevail. Now when you go home, enter your closet, and spread this whole matter before the Lord, somewhat after the manner I have set forth." Mr. Williams sat for a few moments in silence, then thanked Mr. Holmes for his advice, and expressed his determination to follow it. He then bade him good-morning and retired. About a week afterwards he called on Mr. Holmes again. He appeared to be in good spirits, and made no such complaints as he had been wont to make on former visits. After some conversation on a variety of topics, Mr. Holmes asked, "How are you and Smith getting on?" "Much better than when I saw you last. He has been to see me and has made some concessions, and promises to do better for the future." "What has caused the change in him?" "You did not go to him and give him warning to change his course, did you?" "No, I tried to follow the advice you gave me." "If you had gone and spread out your case before him, instead of spreading it out before the Lord, I doubt very much if he would have made any concession or promised amendment. I am satisfied from experience and observation, that it is best to make our complaints to the Lord, and to the Lord only. You can reach a man's heart more readily by prayer than in any other way. I make it a rule to tell the Lord all my troubles, and I have seldom occasion to tell them to anyone else."—Exchange.