320 THE IVY. 



future lot in life of their destitute little ones, will 

 force itself on their anxious thought — abandon- 

 ment on the one hand, on the other, barbarous 

 exultation ; the muttered curse of the vindictive, 

 deluded peasant, the heartless scoff, and ribald 

 jest of the far more degraded, though flattered and 

 pensioned poet — these are the lot of men of whom 

 the world is not worthy ; and cruel they are to 

 poor shrinking humanity. But they endure as 

 seeing Him who is invisible, and though now they 

 prophesy in sackcloth, and by and by they may be 

 slain, still Christ has prepared for them a kingdom, 

 which, after a little while they shall receive, be- 

 coming kings and priests unto God. 



It is of those who, like the Ivy, cling by living 

 faith unto the Rock of salvation, that I thus speak, 

 I speak not of the Church, nor of her ministry, aa 

 though an outward profession, or formal ordination, 

 could knit the soul to Christ. There is dross in 

 the furnace no less than gold. Many suffer com- 

 pulsorily, who would not endure an hour's afflic- 

 tion for Christ and his gospel. But the patient 

 servants of God are known unto Him : and they 

 are so many as now to characterize the whole 

 Church. Some straggling shoots disfigure my 

 Ivy, which hang upon it but to be lopped off; yet 

 the plant clings to its supporter, and those unsight- 

 ly exceptions alter it not. It looks green ; and its 

 oolished leaves, dark in themselves, reflect the 



