"Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6).

With all its progress and wealth, this is a restless world. Discontent is everywhere present. There is a desire for gain, for change, which begets restlessness on every side. The poor man is not contented to be poor, but enviously looks at the wealth of his neighbor and determines to be like him. Others are craving for greater power, wider influence, or a more desirable social position. If the hearts of men could be read, there is scarcely one in which would not be found a long list of desires for something not possessed, together with a discontent at what is theirs. This renders the whole social fabric uncertain. There is no stability, no leisure for the establishing of the existing order. Everything is moving, and the progress of last year becomes out of date in this. Whither the whole rush is tending is easy to see; and in government, business, social relations, the stamp of discontent is a pledge of dark times to come. And what losers are men by this discontent! Life becomes a restless turmoil instead of a quiet growth. The same tendency is transmitted to the children, and all sense of repose and steadiness of character is lost in the busy whirl which discontent compels.

Passing to the saints of God and remembering how we partake naturally of the same characteristics, a word of exhortation from the Scripture on this important subject will not be out of place, to "be content with such things as ye have for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."There are a few of God's people who could not recall instances of the blessing of following this simple word and the danger . of its neglect. Here is a child of God going on happily in his appointed place. He has food and clothing for his family, and opportunity for the reading of the word of God and for fellowship with his brethren, but he hears of a chance to better his prospects by moving to a distant city; steadier work, better wages are promised. To be sure there is no gathering of saint sat the place, but then other things will be better. Discontent begins to fasten its hold upon him, and now instead of the quiet leisure for God's word, there is the restless dwelling upon the possibility of advantage. He begins to despise the mercies for which he previously thanked God, and instead of quiet growth, he becomes a restless and unhappy man. The Spirit of God is grieved, taste for the word of God is lost, fellowship of saints is ignored, and all for what? For the bauble of a little greater prosperity in worldly things. How many failures, both individual and in the family, can be traced to this spirit of discontent. It seems to be in the very air, and therefore we need to be particularly on our guard as to it.

The gain that we should be seeking is the gain of godliness. We can be as covetous as we please for more of the word of God. We can be desirous of that. Night and day we can have a holy restlessness of soul to know more of Christ and of God's ways and of His Word. This will never interfere with rest of soul. It is its fitting companion. It offers a field for all the activities and powers of life.

The great opportunity for discontent is to find a heart that is empty. Where the mind is filled with the word of God, where we are "satisfied with favor and full of the blessing of the Lord," there will be no restless desire to go here and there. The things of time and of this world will assume their proper proportion. They will never be allowed to dictate to us. Nor does this mean in the least a spirit of indolence or a lack of care for the welfare of those who are dear to us. '' He that provideth not for his own is worse than an unbeliever." But that is not the great danger. The tendency is to sacrifice spiritual advantages for temporal, to allow these latter to outweigh every consideration of spiritual benefit and advantage.

Looking at it simply, have we not the word of God in our hands, and the Holy Spirit in our hearts? What priceless treasures we have which will abide forevermore, compared with which all the wealth and ease and greatness of this world are refuse, not worth a thought. If any of the readers of these lines are in danger of being ensnared by discontent as to circumstances or position in life, we would affectionately and urgently entreat them to turn afresh to that inexhaustible supply which the word of God affords. Here they will find wealth which cannot become tarnished, and garments which wax not old. They will find occupation for every leisure moment and a happiness in God's ways, compared with which all the wealth, power and pleasure of this world is nothing.

It may seem trifling to speak of such a subject as this, and yet perhaps there is nothing more needed amongst God's people than true contentment. Has He not said:"I will never leave thee nor forsake
thee?"And if we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper," what more do we need? Will not our Father care for our earthly wants? He who clothes the lily with beauty and feeds the ravens has given His own Son for us. Are we not satisfied with that gift? Let worldly acquaintances gather wealth if they please. Let those whom we knew in humbler circumstances become among the great or noted of this world. What is it all worth compared with those enduring riches and that position of highest dignity which is the portion of the child of God? Take a glance at Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, and see a picture of contentment which is unmoved even by the restless strife of her sister Martha,-truly a good -part, which we have our Lord's pledge shall never be taken away. The place at His feet is always open, His Word is ever fresh and free. Whatever the straitness in our circumstances may be, we are not straitened in Him. What is needed for His people is not greater worldly ease or prosperity, but contentment with Himself. Let us then judge everything inconsistent with this heavenly peace of soul. We have brought nothing into the world. We are going to leave it soon and must go empty handed out of it. Those riches of the soul that we gather are enduring. These we can carry with us, or rather they are laid up for us in heaven. .We can be rich in good works, rich in prayer, rich in faith, though poor in this world's goods. Our blessed Lord was poor when here upon earth, in the judgment of this world. Shall we not be satisfied with the riches which- He has secured for us and be content with whatever portion of this world's goods He may give us? Let us indeed be so satisfied with Him that we can truly say,

"Jesus, Thou art enough,
The heart and mind to fill."