Our  own  highest  powers  shrink  and  wither
when  we  expose  them  to  the  glare  of
self-seeking  publicity.  They  cannot  bear
a  light  like  that,  and  they  speedily  lose
their  strength  and  beauty.  I  urge  you
to  avoid  it.  Never  tell  people  what  a
clever  fellow  you  are.  Never  write  a
private  paragraph  to  the  newspaper  giv
ing  its  readers  the  same  information.
It  was  said  of  the  Master  whom  we  serve,
"  He  shall  not  strive,  nor  cry,  neither
shall  any  man  hear  His  voice  in  the
streets."

"It  was  the  way  the  Master  went;
Should  not  the  sen-ant  tread  it  still  ?  "

Of  one  thing  we  can  be  perfectly    sure  :
when   we  display   ourselves  we  hide  our


244  THE    PREACHER

Lord  ;  when  we  blow  our  own  trumpet  men
will  not  hear  "  the  still  small  voice  of  God."
And  now  I  have  done.  I  have  spoken
to  you  in  these  lectures  from  the  journals
of  my  own  life,  the  findings  of  my  own
experience.  I  thought  you  might  like  to
know  how  one  man  has  found  the  road
into  the  service  of  which  you  are  conse
crating  your  life.  I  have  told  you  where
I  have  found  perils,  and  where  I  have  found
arbours  of  rest  and  refreshing  springs.
