THIS is a Sunday scholar named Janie. She has just been to a children's special service, and as she is now on her way home, she has opened her new hymn-book to have a look at a certain black finger-mark on the corner of one of the pages. A poor girl who had no hymn-book at all sat this evening by Janie's side, and when the hymn was given out Janie felt very uncomfortable.
She did not like to see Emmie unable to sing, and yet how could she trust her new hymn-book into the dirty hands of the little girl at her side? But suddenly some words came into her mind, "Even Christ pleased not himself." This decided the matter in Janie's mind and she quickly pushed her book in front of Emmie, almost glad to see her dirty thumb close upon the page, as together they joined in singing—
"I want to be like Jesus,
Meek, loving, lowly, mild;
I want to be like Jesus,
The Father's holy child."
In years to come Janie always looked at that black mark with a thankful heart that the Lord Jesus had enabled her to gain the victory over self.