PLOUGHING AND SOWING 249 



used for a door, with a block of snow, we managed 

 by the light of a candle to wriggle into our sleeping 

 bags and thus to secure a considerable number 

 of shivery little dozes through the night, in spite 

 of the excessive cold." 



But when we read details of this kind we should 

 have suggested to us not merely a contrast between 

 the messenger of the Gospel and the godless trader. 

 We should also in relation to our own lives consider 

 the meaning of such sacrifice as this. If we are 

 true in the contemplation of our own lives, we shall 

 discover that the vast majority of those things 

 which we have been accustomed to regard as neces- 

 sary to us were at first mere luxuries, and by degrees 

 they have insidiously wormed themselves into our 

 lives so as to seem indispensable. Every thing will 

 acquire a new aspect and will begin to cry, " How 

 much owest thou unto thy Lord ? " 



Our tables loaded with a variety of costly foods, 

 of delicacies to tempt a pampered taste, of choice 

 wines, will cry out against us, " How much owest 

 thou ? " 



Our curtained walls, our easy chairs, our deep 

 carpeted floors, will take up the cry and echo back 

 the words, " How much owest thou ? " 



Our soft warm beds and downy pillows, so different 

 from an Arctic couch of frozen snow and ice, will 

 cause our dream palaces to resound with the cry, 

 " How much owest thou ? " 



