"When thou walkest thru the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."
A DECREE of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonian empire, tested the loyalty of three of God's children. From treasure taken in war, his artisans had fashioned an image of gold, ninety feet in height, and set it up in the plains of Dura, adjoining the capital of the empire, the city of Babylon. Swift couriers executed the king's behest which summoned the men of renown from the remotest parts of the kingdom to a grand demonstration, designed by Satan for the express purpose of sweeping all the world into the abyss of idolatry; but as all wrath—whether of men or demons—will be made to praise the Lord, so this occasion was used by Jehovah to spread the knowledge of the true and living God to every dwelling-place of man in all the earth.
The grand pageant assembled. At the heralded signal all were required to bow in worship of the great image, or court death in the fiery furnace. The silver trumpets blew long and loud, the signal pealed forth; all bowed in unison save three despised Jews. The king inquires of them if they misunderstood, or designedly defied his authority. He offers them another trial. They care not for it, as the result will be the same. The king is filled with fury at this apparent defiance, and that in the presence of all the nobles of the realm. The decree goes forth, the mightiest men in the royal army seize God's witnesses, and hurl them into the midst of intensified flames, and themselves perish, as the angry fire-billows belch forth death. The three fall down bound in the bed of liquid fire, but immediately arise and walk unharmed in the midst of the mightiest and deadliest element of destruction. The king gazes dazed and mystified. In perplexity and amazement he addresses his counselors thus: "Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answer, "True, O king." He responds, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt." He shouts, "Ye servants of the Most High God, come forth." They calmly step forth from the furnace at the call of the same voice which consigned them to the deadly furnace. Fire had no power over them. Their clothing and hair are critically examined, but not even the "smell of fire" is upon them. God is glorified. Faith brought an angel from the courts of glory, who encamped round about them, and delivered them by quenching the "violence of fire."
Angels Save Lot.
The cry goes up to heaven that Sodom and Gomorrah are so steeped in sin, and so fully identified therewith, that it will be of no avail to extend grace to them longer. However, God has had a witness there these years, who will rise up in judgment, and by his own righteousness of character, condemn the sin-polluted inhabitants. God apprises Abraham of His purpose to destroy the cities of the plain. Abraham pleads for his nephew Lot and family. The Lord will spare them if they will flee for their lives. Lot, desirous of saving any innocent stranger from pollution and destruction, sits in the gate of the city at eventide, greets the angels traveling under the guise of men, and presses them to accept his hospitality. Once in his home, an assault is made by the "sons of Belial," who are true representatives of the character-in-general of the people of these cities. A beastly demonstration follows, and these depraved men are only repulsed and thwarted in their Satanic purpose by Lot's guests drawing their host within the door and smiting the assaulting Sodomites with blindness.
The angels appeal to Lot to gather his family together, preparatory to an early flight from the city, and from destruction. The sons-in-law and their wives—their consciences deadened by contact with the vices of Sodom—are impressed by the old man's strange story that he is perhaps losing his mental balance; they believe him not. Sadly he returns to his home, leaving daughters—his own flesh and blood—behind to certain doom. The morning dawns; the angels urge Lot and family to hasten, and finally, in great mercy, take them by the hand and warn them to flee for their lives. The wife, disobedient to the command, looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt. Abraham arises with the sun, looks over the plain, and behold, the smoke goes up as the smoke of a furnace, but the angel of the Lord had encamped round about, and delivered those of the family who were obedient to the call of mercy.
Christian parents who subject their children to the corruption of modern Sodom, and who give them in marriage to unbelievers, would do well to take the lesson which God designs to convey in the recording of the eternal loss to Lot of a portion of his family.
Angels Answer Prayer.
God has special agencies by which He answers prayer. In addition to those already noted, I invite the reader's attention to two more instances.
A devout officer in the Roman army, Cornelius, had seasons of prayer as regularly as Daniel, the "beloved." While interceding at the throne of grace for additional light and help from on high, an angel appeared to him, assuring him that his prayers were heard and remembered of the Lord. He was told exactly how to proceed in order to find the way of salvation perfectly. In receiving the full answer to his petitions, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 10.
Peter was imprisoned by the wicked and cruel Herod, who had already slain James, and, to still further please the people, he purposed to behead Peter also, but prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him. On the night preceding the intended execution, "Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and the keepers before the door kept the prison." But the angel of the Lord appeared upon the scene, his glorious presence flooding the prison with light. Smiting Peter on the side and raising him up, he bade him prepare for flight, at the same time miraculously loosing his chains. Peter, obedient to the command of his deliverer, arose and silently followed thru the door, past the sentries, who noted no more of what was passing than would have been observed by marble statues. The great iron gate of the prison court swung open without human hands; and when Peter came to himself, his faith grasping the reality of his miraculous escape, he exclaimed, "Now, I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod." This was at least the second experience of the kind thru which Peter passed. Acts 5.
Angels are not only commissioned to answer our prayers, but they also offer incense before the throne of God in our behalf, which represents the grace of Christ, and thus we are accepted in the Beloved. Our sins would separate us from God, but Christ's imputed righteousness separates us from our sins, and we can thus draw nigh to God with cleansed hearts and in "full assurance of faith."
GOD'S GIFTS.
By Ella Cornish
I ASKED God's best;
He gave me rest—
From weary nights and weary days,
O'er flinty steeps and toilsome ways—
And I was blest.
His will is best.
His gift I sought.
He gave me naught—
With empty hands He bade me wait,
While others toiled till hours were late—
But in me wrought
The gift I sought.
I prayed for light,
When it was night
In my Gethsemane so lone;
And cried, "Not my will, but Thine own;"
And inward sight
Made darkness light.
Beneath the cross
I felt the loss
Of all I'd hoped or thought or known—
No earthly thing could call my own—
And found the loss
Was only dross.
ELLA CORNISH.
Death Ends Rivalry and Competition
By William Hazlitt
DEATH puts an end to rivalry and competition. The dead can boast no advantage over us, nor can we triumph over them.—Hazlitt.
Suspicion Born of Deceit
THERE is no killing the suspicion that deceit has once begotten.—George Eliot.
MIRACLES, MARVELS, AND MYSTERIES.
By William Samuel Sadler
II.
What Is a Marvel?
A DIFFERENCE should be made between genuine miracles and marvels.
It is true that the apparently supernatural acts of Satan are termed "miracles" in the book of Revelation, and he is spoken of as having power to work miracles in the sight of men; and it is also true that these marvelous workings of the enemy come within the dictionary definition of the term "miracle;" that is, they are beyond and outside of, the ordinary workings of nature, which are known to man, and are in that sense supernatural, and extra-natural. Hence, it is perfectly proper to speak of them as miraculous; but we have chosen in this connection to limit our use of the term "miracle" to the genuine acts of creation and control on the part of God, and to use in the case of these dark workings of Satan, the term "false miracle," or "marvel." Webster defines the term "marvel" thus: "That which causes wonder; a prodigy; a miracle."
All of God's miracles are truly marvelous; a miracle can not but be a marvel; but it does not follow that all marvels are necessarily miracles.
The created works of God, and the wonderful manner in which they are maintained, the Bible calls "marvelous." Ps. 9:1; 105:5; 118:23.
The works of God in nature and in the hearts of men,—whether ordinary and usual, or extraordinary and unusual, are indeed all "marvelous." Isa. 29:14. God has promised to do "marvels" for His chosen people. Ex. 34:10. The works of God are all "great and marvelous." Rev. 15:3.
So it appears that we may rightly and properly speak of all of God's doings and works as "marvelous,"—whether they be "miraculous" or "natural."
What Is a Mystery?
Webster defines "mystery" as "a profound secret; something which has not been, can not be, explained; hence, specifically, that which is beyond human comprehension."
It must be apparent that all the wonderful and unsearchable workings of nature, as evidenced in botany, biology, and physiology, are truly mysteries. No matter how far or how exhaustively the scientist penetrates the realm of nature, he is in the end baffled, and left standing helpless in the presence of a power whose working is both mysterious and marvelous. His findings are incapable of any complete and satisfactory explanation. Even the great Gospel work for the redemption of man is likewise a "mystery." Eph. 6:19.
It will therefore appear that in the discussion of natural and supernatural operations, we use these three terms in the following way:
1. Miracle.—In harmony with the theological definition we limit this term to supernatural operations, beyond and outside of the known laws of nature; and farther, in the sense of a true miracle, limit it to the supernatural acts of the Lord God.
2. Marvel.—This term is applied to either natural or supernatural events which are wrought by means of supernatural powers. We may therefore properly speak of common nature mysteries, and daily natural wonders, as "marvelous" and "mysterious." The term is used in the Bible to describe all the works and operations of God, both in the physical and spiritual realms. They are all "marvelous" to behold; "mysterious" to the understanding.
3. Mystery.—As noted, this term is applied alike to the great realms of God's spiritual and physical operations, where the power of God, working on either mind or matter, produces those common every-day phenomena which are so well-known to scientist, physiologist, and evangelist, but which are so little understood, and are equally incapable of satisfactory and ultimate explanation.
W. S. SADLER, M. D.
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES.
By F. D. Starr
Philemon.
THIS short epistle was written about A.D. 64 by Paul while he was a prisoner at Rome. Onesimus, the runaway servant of Philemon, bore this message on his return to his master, and also at the same time carried the epistle of Paul to the church at Colosse (where Philemon resided), as appears from Col. 4:7-9. This is indeed a very interesting account of the conversion of an escaped slave. The question arises why the Lord ever permitted the existence of slavery. A solution of this problem may be gained by reference to a declaration of our Lord, found in Matt. 19:8. The Saviour was questioned in regard to the toleration of divorce—why it was permitted to exist. “He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so.” This principle here
laid down settles many questions that perplex the mind in regard to the existence of various evils in our world. “From the beginning it was not so.” We see from this that we should go back to the original conditions before sin entered to ascertain what was proper and what was not.
In the beginning everything was “very good.” There was no divorce then; there was no slavery then. Men often wonder why God allowed polygamy to be practised in olden time. The same answer can be returned in regard to this also. “From the beginning it was not so.” Likewise in regard to war; we know that it was not pleasing to God. “From the beginning it was not so.” There was to be no death in holy Eden from any cause, so war was not in the original plan. This is one of the strongest reasons in favor of abstaining from a flesh diet, and subsisting on the original bill of fare that God gave to Adam. Concerning the carnivorous habits of man, we can say, “From the beginning it was not so.”
Upon the same foundation rests the obligation for Sabbath observance. This holy institution, like that of matrimony, was from the beginning observed in sinless Paradise. Concerning the desecration of the Lord’s day, His original holy Sabbath, and the putting of another day in its place, we can say, “From the beginning it was not so.” Thus we find that slavery, polygamy, divorce, war, etc., were not from the beginning. They have been tolerated because of the hardness of the human heart. But finding ourselves under these abnormal conditions, definite instruction is given in such passages as 1 Tim. 6:1, 2; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22; and the epistle now under consideration, as to how servants and masters should relate themselves to each other. The horrible curse of slavery is one of the most hard-hearted schemes that Satan ever devised.
In verse 14 of this epistle to Philemon, Paul expresses a sentiment that should rule in business affairs: “Without thy mind would I do nothing.” Even as competent a person as the apostle Paul did not presume to act independently in matters in which others were personally interested. So should it ever be among brethren. How much trouble and misunderstanding would be avoided if we would always adhere to this rule.
Another very profitable suggestion is found in verses 18 and 19. The writer here proposes to pay Philemon whatever the latter might possibly consider was his due, altho the fact was that Philemon was Paul’s debtor. This is in harmony with the declaration of the psalmist: “Then I restored that which I took not away.” Ps. 69:4. Where would there be any room for disagreement if this principle were followed?
Have confidence in the brethren. What a grandly encouraging sentiment is uttered in verse 21: “Having confidence in thy obedience, I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.” In 2 Cor. 7:16 and 2 Thess. 3:4, Paul also expresses the fact that he had confidence in his brethren. He believed they would8even do more than was required, as did the believers in Macedonia, as stated in 2 Cor. 8:1-5, and as did Israel in building the sanctuary. Ex. 36:5-7. If nothing more than the inculcation of this principle is gained from this epistle, its perusal will be very profitable indeed. F. D. STARR.
THE DOOR.
By Mary M. Redding
(MARY M. REDDING, in Sunday School Times.)
[An actual incident of one of Dr. George Adam Smith’s Syrian journeys.]
An old-new parable from Palestine,
Land of the palm and olive, fig and vine,
I read to-day, and, like a lovely song,
It singeth in my heart the whole day long:
A traveler once, when skies were rose and gold
With Syrian sunset, paused beside the fold
Where an Arabian shepherd housed his flock;
Only a circling wall of rough gray rock,—
No door, no gate, but just an opening wide
Enough for snowy, huddling sheep to come inside.
“So,” questioned he, “then no wild beasts you dread?”
“Ah, yes, the wolf is near,” the shepherd said.
“But”—strange and sweet the voice divine of yore
Fell on his startled ear—“I am the door!
When skies are sown with stars, and I may trace
The velvet shadows, in this narrow space
I lay me down. No silly sheep may go
Without the fold but I, the shepherd, know.
Nor need my cherished flock, close-sheltered, warm,
Fear ravening wolf, save o’er my prostrate form.”
O word of Christ,—illumined evermore
For us His timid sheep,—“I am the Door!”
HEBREW AND HEATHEN LAWS.—No. 2.
By Albert H. Darrow
IN their efforts to depreciate the code of laws which Jehovah gave to the Hebrews, many ludicrous blunders are made by modern skeptics. Thus Mr. Ridpath, whom we have previously quoted, soberly remarks:
“The second peculiarity of the Jewish legislation is the existence of the lex talionis as its bottom principle. It was in all parts a law of requital, or recompense, of avengement on the violator of the statute. . . . In this respect Semetic law was the same in spirit, and virtually the same in letter, as that of other primitive and half-barbarous peoples.” (“History of the World,” Volume 5, p. 301.)
In reading the above paragraph, one can not help instinctively wondering what kind of laws Mr. Ridpath would suggest as proper to be used in the government of “primitive and half-barbarous peoples.” Would he have crime rewarded by promotion, and vice restrained by license? A law without a penalty adequate to deter men from violating it, is worse than no law at all. Nations can not turn their backs to the smiters, or offer the other cheek when one has been stricken. If they did, governments would soon be dissolved as useless burdens upon the people.
But in what respect did the Hebrew code differ from that of any modern nation? Do we not kill those who kill? Do we not fine, imprison, and confiscate the possessions of those who steal, rob, and plunder? At least, we do when the law is executed, for that is the intent of the law in every modern government, Christian or pagan, civilized or uncivilized, in which a code of laws exists. H. L. Hastings, in his “Wonderful Law,” says that England, in the time of James I, had on its statute books a list of capital offenses five times as numerous as that of the Mosaic code.
It is not true that the Hebrew laws were barbarous. If any kind of torture was practised among them, which is doubtful, it was without color of legal authority. They did not thrust splinters of burning wood into the flesh of their victims, like the American Indians; nor rack, mutilate, and burn them alive, like Catholic European sovereigns; nor shoot, hang, whip, and burn them, without trial, as mobs have often done in the United States, unmolested by grand juries, and upheld by public sentiment.
A modern missionary, who is familiar with the laws and customs of India, says:
“The code of Manu stands for rigid conservatism, for the iron severity of caste, and for the lex talionis in bitterest cruelty, as thus indicated, ‘with whatever member of the body a low-born man may injure his superior, that very member of his body must be mutilated.’ (Book VIII) ‘A once-born man insulting twice-born men with abusive language must have his tongue cut out.’ (Book IX) ‘A Brahmin,’ says the code, ‘neglecting his own appointed caste duty, will be born (in the transmigration) as a vomiting demon; a soldier, as a demon feeding on excrement and dead bodies; a husbandman, as a demon feeding on putrid carrion.’” (Caroline Atwood Mason, in “Lux Christi,” pp. 12, 13.)
“The Chaldees were not law-makers,” says Mr. Ridpath. “The laws of the Chaldees and of their successors, the Babylonians, were simply edicts of the kings. They had the sanction only of force and expediency. Rational legislation was a task above and beyond the civil capacity of the ancient peoples.” (“History of the World,” Vol. 5, p. 242.)
If “rational legislation was . . . beyond the capacity of the ancient peoples,” was it not a very fortunate circumstance for the Hebrews that there was furnished to them, ready-made, a code of laws so perfect as to not only satisfy their need, but also worthy to be patterned after by the most highly civilized nations of modern times?
A RAIN SONG. It isn't raining rain to me, It's raining daffodils! In ev'ry dimpling drop I see Wild flowers on the hills! A cloud of gray engulfs the day And overwhelms the town- It isn't raining rain to me- It's raining roses down! It isn't raining rain to me, But fields of clover bloom, Where any buccaneering bee May find a bed and room. A health, then, to the happy, A fig to him who frets! It isn't raining rain to me- It's raining violets! -Anon.
And, since the incapacity of the people to make such a perfect code is admitted, must not every candid person acknowledge the derivation of that law to have been from a higher source than the people?
Of ancient Rome, Draper says: “Conquest and rapine, the uniform aim of her actions, never permitted her, even at her utmost intellectual development, to comprehend the equal rights of all men in the eye of the law.” (“History of the Intellectual Development of Europe,” Ed. 1869, p. 198.)
Of the Greeks, he tells us that a large and influential society of philosophers taught that “the wise will give himself no concern as to a meritorious act or a crime, seeing that the one is intrinsically neither better nor worse than the other,” and that “there is nothing absolute in justice or law.” (Id., pp. 100, 102.)
Albert H. Darrow. Prescott, Ariz.
THE SYMPATHY NEEDED.
By John Henry Jowett
O, FOR the exquisite sympathy which feels the sorrow that never hangs out a flag of distress, the pain that never gets into speech, the headache that never eases itself in an audible sigh, the secret disappointment, hiding away like a broken and bleeding bird, the inward shame which never clothes itself in an outward blush, the despair which crushes the heart like lead, but which lights a theatrical smile on the face, the biting remorse, eating away like a cancer, but filling the mouth with forced and foolish laughter, the bereavement in which there is no solace because there is no promise of dawn! The Duke of Wellington was once asked what was the supreme essential in the equipment of a great general, and his reply was this: “To imagine what was going on behind a stone wall.” O, for a sympathy that discerns! Christ knew what was in man, and His church must share the marvelous perception.—J. H. Jowett.
HELPING THE LORD.
By H. A. St. John
It sounds passing strange for poor, weak mortals to think and talk about helping the Omnipotent One. It is nevertheless true, and in such a general and universal sense is it true, that in eating or drinking, or whatsoever we do, or ought to do, we are workers together with God. The Lord is always helping us to help ourselves, and we are helping Him to help us. And as we know that the Lord knows best how and when we ought to do all things that pertain to our present life, we should be very anxious that He should have His own way with us. It should be our constant study and prayer to know how to do His will, and to do it. Our constant prayer and attitude should be, “Lord not my will, but Thine be done in all things.” If the Lord directs, and we do all things that please Him, our lives will be all sunshine in the sweetness of the Lord.
Eating and drinking are very common, constant, and simple things; yet how immensely important they are for our physical, moral and spiritual well-being. When to eat, what to eat, how to eat, and how much to eat, are all questions of great importance to our present life. The Lord gives us strength to do a certain part, and then there is a part that we can not do which He will do, in order to convert what we eat and drink into life and strength. If we work together with God in eating and drinking the result will be health and happiness to us, and God will get all the praise.
There is a mighty foe to man in this world, who is ever diligently working together with many assistants to lead souls in the way of transgression and death. This great foe ever seeks to have us work out of harmony with God, to work against God. If we persist in this course of disobedience, we will ruin ourselves both for time and eternity; for God can not make us vessels of honor and usefulness, to be accounted worthy of eternal glory at last, unless we help Him, unless we are workers together with Him. By so doing we help Him to finish the well-begun work in us, and we can also help Him in working for the salvation of others.
When Jesus furnished the wine in a miraculous manner for guests at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, He had men to assist Him by first filling the stone water-pots with water, and then bearing that water after it had blushed into wine at the sight of its Lord, to the guests at the feast. But who would think of giving the praise for that excellent wine at the last9of that feast to the men who filled the water-pots with water and then bore the wine to the guests? Yet they helped the Lord in the matter, but to the Lord belonged all the praise.
Jesus fed five thousand men besides women and children with five small loaves of bread and two small fishes. The disciples helped in the performance of this wonderful miracle. They distributed the bread among the hungry multitude, and gathered up the fragments; and this was no small task. Jesus had said to His disciples, "Give ye them to eat," and this they did. But does the reader suppose that the disciples would have been justifiable in taking any credit or praise to themselves for feeding that vast multitude with so small an amount of food? The Lord directed in what He did not do; His part was the all-important part, and to Him belonged all the praise; and I have no doubt but all the people saw it in that light on that occasion. But if a man raises enough grain in one year on his broad acres to feed fifteen thousand people, he is almost certain to take all the credit and praise to himself, whereas in the raising of the grain he was only a helper with the Lord; the Lord's part was the all-important part, and to Him should be given all the praise.
Thus we see that when we come up to the help of the Lord in working out our own salvation, or working for the salvation of others, the Lord should have all the praise for all good received or accomplished; for without Him we can do nothing. Hence if we always recognize this great truth, that we can do no good thing for ourselves or others without the Lord's all-important help, and then give Him the praise, we will be glorifying Him in whatsoever we say or do.
Just now the Lord has begun to do a great and glorious work of salvation on earth. By the power of His truth and Spirit He is loudly calling to His children to help Him. If we come not up to His help, the fearful curse of unmixed wrath will fall on us. Filled with praise for the blessed privilege of being workers together with God, let us hasten to put all our God-given powers at His disposal, that He may use us to His glory, and then give us the praise of "Well done," when the work is gloriously consummated.
"O, to be nothing, nothing,
Only to lie at His feet,
A broken and empty vessel,
For the Master's use made meet."
H. A. ST. JOHN.
THE BIBLE FROM GOD.
By Charles Spurgeon
THE Bible is the writing of the living God. Each word in it dropped from the everlasting lips; each sentence was dictated by the Holy Spirit. Albeit that Moses was employed to write the histories with his fiery pen, God guided the pen. It may be that David touched his harp and let sweet psalms of melody drop from his fingers, but God moved his hands over the living strings of his golden harp. Solomon sang canticles of love and gave forth words of consummate wisdom, but God directed his lips and made the preacher eloquent.
If I follow the thundering Nahum when the horses plow the water, or Habakkuk when he sees the tents of Chusan in affliction; if I read Malachi, when the earth is burning like an oven; if I turn to the smooth page of John, who tells of love, or the rugged chapters of Peter, who speaks of fire devouring God's enemies; if I turn to Jude, who launches forth anathemas upon the foes of God—everywhere I find God speaking. It is God's voice, not man's; the words are God's—the words of the Eternal, the Invisible, the Almighty, the Jehovah of ages.
This is God's Bible; and when I see it, I seem to hear a voice springing up from it, saying, "I am the Book of God; man, read me, I am God's writing; study my pages, for I was opened by God; love me, for He is my Author, and you will see Him visible and manifest everywhere."—Charles Spurgeon.
THE TRIUMPHANT KING.
By George E. Tack
THERE is a blessed message of comfort and hope in God's holy word for all who mourn to-day. To the child of God now grieving over the departure of one whose life was hid in Christ, and who now sleeps in Jesus, there is borne from the comforting Spirit of God these words: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth" (Rev. 14: 13), and also the loving command, "That ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope" (1 Thess. 4: 13).
Death is a cruel foe, but he shall not reign forever.
Life is king; and as we listen, we hear again the sweet voice of the Son of God, even as it was heard in the far-off years of His earthly triumphs, standing with tear-stained face before the tomb of His sleeping friend, saying, "I am the resurrection and the life." Then, as we catch the sweet cadence of the love-tones, our souls rejoice in the assurance that death, even tho he may triumph awhile, shall one day flee before the face of eternal Life, when He shall call His own from their beds in the rock-lined earth and the sounding sea that now hold them in their strong embrace. And our confidence is in the resurrection of the strong Son of God, from whose radiant presence were hurled the demons and the evil men of the Kingdom of Hate, who had hoped to hold Him captive forever.
"I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me."
The way at times may seem dark, and our sorrow too great to bear, but let us not sorrow, even as others that have no hope. The eternal stars shine brightest when the night is most dark, and dawn is sure to follow the sable night. So when the darkness seems to press upon our souls with its greatest power, let us remember the promises and blessings of our Saviour, and our thoughts will then go softly thru the dark night of death to the rose-hued dawn beyond, when the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and lo, Death and the Grave, those twin tyrants over the tribes of men, shall yield their scepters to the triumphant eternal King of Life, and be banished from His presence forever more.
"Then ever song will glide along
Without a touch of pain,
Where all is good; there memory's flood
Includes no minor strain."
Baltimore, Md. GEORGE E. TACK.
GOD'S TENTH.
WHEN good old Jacob learned to give
One tenth to God of all he had,
He found that he with ease could live,
And blessings came to make him glad.
Maybe you owe to God a debt—
Pay up at once—lest you forget!
'Tis said this law was set aside—
Some boast they are no longer bound—
But, if love makes the path more wide,
It would a better way have found.
No better plan has reached us yet!
Pay up at once—lest you forget.
"But I am very poor," you say,
"With scarce enough to eat and wear;"
Perhaps you've robbed God's tenth away,
And lost the blessings He would share.
Of all men you are most in debt—
Pay up at once—lest you forget.
—Victorian War Cry.
NO FEAR OF GOD.
[In view of the following truthful statement, is it not time that God's message was preached, "Fear God, and give glory to Him"? Rev. 14: 6, 7.]
THE trouble of our age to-day is, it has no fear of God. Men have no fear of the future. They admit that there are dangers on every hand, dangers to health, dangers to reputation, dangers to fortune. They will recite to you quite a whole litany of perils, but in that long litany you won't see mentioned the wrath of God. Men are afraid of death, are afraid of accidents, are afraid of disasters over which they have no control—they go through the world with fear and trembling because of their impotence and shortsightedness. Men have come to the conclusion that life is only a gamble, and that those who succeed in it are only successful players.
But while they fear all these things that they should not fear, they have no fear of God, in whose presence all the world should tremble.—"Father" Phelan, in Western Watchman.
THE WORD AS IN CHRIST JESUS.
THE written Word of God, understood in the light of the life of Jesus, becomes to the son and heir of God a book of thrilling interest. In it he finds set forth the wealth and glory of his Father's house and kingdom; he learns to draw, as Jesus did on earth, from the resources of heaven, and becomes more than conqueror through Him that loved him. The fulness of time is close at hand, when God's eternal purpose will be consummated. There is little time left for the reception of His unspeakable gift. As the days go by, every one of them should witness a more thorough yielding to God's plan that He might fulfil in us "all the good pleasure" of His goodness and the work of faith with power.
CREDIT FOR HIS PENNY.
A CERTAIN laird of Fife, well-known for his parsimonious habits, whilst his substance increased did not increase his liberality, and his weekly contribution to the church collection never exceeded the sum of one penny. One day, however, by mistake, he dropped into the plate by the door a five-shilling-piece, but discovering his error before he was seated in his pew, hurried back, and was about to replace the silver coin with his customary penny when the elder in attendance cried out:11
"Stop, laird; ye may put in what ye like, but maun tak naething out!"
The laird, finding his explanation went for nothing, at last said, "Aweel, I suppose I'll get credit for it in heaven."
"Na, na, laird," said the elder, "ye'll only get credit for the penny."
There are many people who hope to get credit for generosity or charitable feelings who give only to make a show or to be in the fashion. It is what the heart gives that decides the value of our gifts.—Selected.
MEG'S NEW YEAR DOUGHNUTS.
By Emma S. Bromley
It was the custom in the little village way down in Massachusetts where Meg lived to celebrate the New Year by standing on the main street and saying to every passer-by, "Wish you a happy New Year; give me a cent." All the children did it as their fathers and mothers had done before them—that is, if they were born or had lived in the same town when they were small.
So one frosty January first, Meg stood in front of a big store window and greeted every one who came along with, "Wish you a happy New Year; give me a cent." Some noticed her and gave her the copper; others merely smiled and passed on; while the majority hastened by without even a look at the wee girl. At last a man came along who knew Meg, and when she gave him her salutation, he said, "Wish you the same, Meg; come along home with me and we will see about the cent." His tone was so pleasant that she readily gave up the possible opportunities for getting more pennies, and went with him. Only a short distance down the street she followed him up the steps and into a house which seemed to her very elegant, altho it was but a laborer's tidy home.
The gentleman called out, "Here, wife, I want to introduce you to my friend;" and as the lady came in sight, he turned to the dirty-faced child and said, "There, Meg, that is Mrs. Lazell," and left them to get acquainted. She had come in from the kitchen at her husband's call, and her hands were white with flour, showing what her occupation had been, so she returned to her work, but not before she had placed a chair near the great range and had Meg seated with a plate in her lap containing three crisp, hot doughnuts, while a fourth brown and white ring was rapidly disappearing. Both were busy, and not much talking was done. One after the other the doughnuts disappeared and two more were added to the number. When one bite had been taken from the sixth one, the child seemed to have a desire to say something, and yet hardly knew what she really wanted to say. To tell the truth this last doughnut was almost more than she could eat, and she began to think of what Andy, the bootblack, told her of a great supper he had attended and how they had doughnuts and cheese; perhaps a piece of cheese would make this last doughnut taste better. So when the kind lady stopped to see what was the matter with her little guest, Meg looked up suddenly, and in a most matter-of-fact manner said, "Cheese is pretty scarce this year, ain't it, Mrs. Lazell?"
Such a merry laugh as the amused hostess had over the droll question, but finally she managed to say, "I guess a glass of milk will make it go all right," and so it did. Some pleasant talk was enjoyed after the lunch was disposed of, and Mrs. Lazell had a chance to say many kind words and to drop the seeds of truth in the young heart, so that when Meg went back to her home in the tenement block she was happier than when she left it in the morning. But she did not mistrust that this hour's experience was a ray of brightness which should influence her whole life, and yet so it was.
But most remarkable of all was the fact that many times the weary woman, trying not to complain when the way seemed comfortless, trying to overcome some difficulty, would think of the philosophy of little Meg, and would smile as she said to herself, "Cheese is pretty scarce this year, ain't it, Mrs. Lazell?" EMMA S. BROMLEY.
