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not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life.”

And now Hannah had another opportunity of showing her meek and humble temper. When she prayed in the house of the Lord it was in silence : " she spake as it were in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard.” Eli, the priest of God, was near; and when he saw her lips move without hearing any voice, he thought she had drank too much wine, and he reproved her for it. Many a woman of Hannah's quality and character would have been angry at such a charge. Not so Hannah. She only replied meekly: "No, my lord; I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drank neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord: out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken."

From this we may learn, that it is right to clear ourselves when we are found fault with unjustly; but we must do it with meekness, and with proper respect for those whom God has made our superiors. When Hannah had finished her prayer, Eli the priest blessed her, saying: “Go in peace; and the Lord grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.” And when she left the house of God, the bitterness of her grief was over; and “her countenance was no more sad.”

What an encouragement this is to all who are in trouble to seek comfort from God! If we, when we are unhappy, would wish to change our sorrow into solid joy as Hannah did, we must follow her example. We must pray to God as she did, and it

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to refuse you what you ask; because I know it would not be for your good to have it; but you do not think on that account that I do not love you. No: you believe that I show my love by refusing to give you what I know would hurt you. So when God Almighty, who loves us better than the fondest earthly parent, denies us what we ask in the name of his blessed Son, we may be certain that we have asked amiss, and God refuses us in mercy. But of this we may be sure, that God will hear the prayers which pious Christians offer up to him through Christ, and will so answer their requests as he knows will be really best for them.

But we must go on with the history of Hannah.

When God gave her the son she had asked of him, she did not forget the vow or promise she had made of giving him back to God: but she took him up to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, as soon as he was weaned, and gave him to Eli, to bring up in the service of God from his very childhood. And she said unto Eli,“ O, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition, which I asked of him; therefore have I lent him unto the Lord; as long as he liveth, he shall be lent unto the Lord.” And Hannah prayed before the Lord, and blessed him for his goodness to her; and then, her grateful heart being full of thankfulness and joy, she sung before the Lord a beautiful song or psalm of praise, which we find written in the word of God. After this she returned with her husband unto her own house, but left the young Samuel behind with Eli the priest, that he might be brought up from the

very first to serve God in his house: and the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest; that is, he began to assist Eli in the service of the temple. E. Did Hannah, then, not see Samuel any more, mamma?

M. Oh! yes she came every year to Shiloh to worship; and then she had the happiness of seeing the beloved child she had given to the Lord, and of observing how he grew in wisdom and goodness, as well as in stature. And she made him a little coat every year, and brought it up with her.

E. But do you not think, mamma, that Hannah must have been very sorry to part with Samuel?

M. No, my love; I have no doubt that she was much happier in giving him back to the Lord as she had promised, than if she had kept him at home; for although her eyes were not gladdened with the sight of him continually, she had the comfort and delight of thinking, that he was growing up as a young plant to adorn the house of her God. Nor was she at all a

Her faith and grati

loser by giving Samuel to God. tude were rewarded; for instead of the one child she had lent to him, the Lord gave her three sons and two daughters to cheer her home. "There is no way so certain of increasing our blessings, as to lend or give unto the Owner of all things."

And now, my child, I must bring this interesting story to an end for to-night; but next Sunday I hope to tell you much more about the young prophet, who was so blessed as to begin to serve God when he was but a little child. May the God of Samuel bless you too, my love, and incline your heart as early to his service!

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