"The elders which are among you I exhort, who also am an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed…….. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1st Peter 5:1-4

It is striking that here what is spoken of is not a "crown of righteousness" simply, but a "crown of glory." Righteousness shall have its own reward, but the outflow of heart towards His people, a spirit of self-sacrifice for the blessing of those so dear to Him, must receive "a crown of glory" at His hands.

The next words show that it is, after all, not an official eldership that the apostle is thinking of here, for he now turns to the younger in contrast to these, and bids them be subject unto the elder; that is, they are of course to consider their years, and what it has furnished to them and above all the ministry to which they see them devoted.

Such love carries with it true wisdom, and he who is fully devoted to the need of the saints cannot really fail to find for himself in this way the blessing of it; but all the saints are to be subject one to another. They are to gird themselves with humility in this way, humility being that which will keep everything rightly adjusted, as the girdle the robe, and which would thus enable for such activity as all are called to; for humility is a grand help against all that would search out any remnant of pride in us.

"God resisteth the proud," adds the apostle, "but giveth grace unto the humble." They were therefore to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God that He might exalt them in due time. Against the might of His hand, who can exalt himself? But He Himself is waiting and desiring to be able to exalt those who will not suffer from it; and upon such an One we may cast all our care, for He careth for us.

(Extract from "Numerical Bible," 1st Epistle of Peter.)

    Through the wickedness of his brethren, as we all know, for it is a favorite story, Joseph is estranged from the scene of the promised and covenanted inheritance, arid becomes first a sufferer, and then a husband, a father, and a governor in the midst of a distant people; till at last his brethren, who once hated him, and the inhabitants of the earth, are fed and ruled by him in grace and wisdom.
    Nothing can be more expressive than all this. It is a striking exhibition of the great result purposed of God "in the dispensation of the fulness of times." Joseph is cast among the Gentiles; and there, after sorrow and bondage, becomes the exalted one, and the head and father of a family with such joy, that his heart for a season can afford -to forget his kindred in the flesh. This surely is Christ in heaven now, exalted after His sorrows, and with Him the Church taken from among the Gentiles, made His companion and joy during the season of His estrangement from Israel. But in process of time Joseph is made the depositary and the dispenser of the world’s resources; his brethren, as well as all beside, become dependent on him; he feeds them and rules them according to his pleasure. And this as surely is Christ, as He will be in the earth by-and-by, with Israel brought to repentance and seated in the fairest portion of the earth, and with all the nations under His scepter, when He will order them according to His wisdom, feed them out of His stores, and re-settle them in their inheritance in peace and righteousness.
    Surely the heavens and the earth are, in type, here seen, as they will really be in "the dispensation of the fullness of times," when all things, both in heaven and on earth, shall be gathered together in Christ. Surely this is a rehearsal of the great result, and the heavens and the earth tell out together the mystery of God!
    And I cannot but observe the willing, unmurmuring subjection which the Egyptians yield to Joseph. He moves them hither and thither, and settles them as he likes, but all is welcome to them; and so, in the days of the kingdom, the whole world will be ready to say, Jesus has done all things well. What blessedness! Subjection to Jesus, but willing and glad subjection! His scepter getting its approval and its welcome from all over whom it waves and asserts its power!
    And again I observe that all this power of Joseph is held in full consent of Pharaoh’s supremacy. The people, and the cattle, and the lands, are all bought by Joseph for Pharaoh. It is Pharaoh’s kingdom still, though under Joseph’s administration – as in the kingdom of which this is the type, every tongue shall confess Jesus Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
    These features give clear expression and character to the picture. But there is one other touch (the touch of a master’s hand, I would reverently say) in this picture which is not inferior in meaning or in beauty to any. I mean, that in all this settlement of the earth, Asenath and the children get no portion. They are not seen, there is no mention of them even. Jacob may get Goshen; but Asenath, Ephraim, and Manasseh, nothing. Is it that the wife and children were loved less, and the father and brethren more? Nay, that cannot be. But Asenath and the children are heavenly, and have their portion, the rather in and with him who is the lord and dispenser of all this, and they cannot mingle in the interests and arrangements of the earth. Even Goshen, the fairest and fattest of the land, is unworthy of them. They are the family of the lord himself. They share the home, and the presence, and the closest endearments of him who is the happy (and) honored head of all this scene of glory.
    Is not this the great result, in miniature or in type? Have we not in all this that promised "dispensation of the fullness of times," when God will gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth? Are not the heavens and the earth here seen and heard together in their millennial order? I surely judge that they are. "Known unto God are all His works, from the beginning of the world."

I should greatly be grieved if "brethren" ceased to be an evangelizing company of Christians. Indeed, they would fade in their own spiritual standing, and probably get sectarian – not in theory, but in practice, because the enlarging principle of love would not be there. Thank God, it is not yet so. But grace alone can maintain the testimony. I confess I feel a sort of envy of those whom God has called to evangelize. My want of courage keeps me humble, but it would be better to be humble without it. But our part is to be where God calls us, and I trust I am ready to feed, if it is given me, the weakest of the flock, and count it a privilege. To souls getting peace and liberty, God has blessed me, but comparatively little in awakening, though He has also, where I have served in this way.

At the beginning, brethren were engaged (and pretty much alone) in the roughest evangelizing_-fairs, markets, regattas, and everywhere in the open air. Gatherings grew up, and the care of them became needful, though evangelizing went on and was blessed_and in a measure is, in many places. Others since have occupied the field who are really their followers under God. If even contention mix itself with us, if Christ be preached we ought to rejoice. ‘

But the care of the scattered gatherings is most precious work, not altogether neglected, but the laborers are few. There is no reason why_should not one exercise this local care for a time, and there is large room for it. If God still calls him to evangelize, he will find the craving after souls forcing him out to that work. At all times, we have to as Paul, says to Timothy, "do the work of an evangelist." Those nearer the state of the unconverted are often more apt for it. This may be imperfection, but so it is; and if they don’t go on, they grow little, and meet little the spiritual wants of these last days. Evangelizing in Christendom is different from evangelizing in heathenism. In Christendom it is necessarily separative, and hence the need of wisdom in that work; but sorry indeed should I be if it were given up. There is joy and gladness in conversions, even in heaven. But making a fuss about them, and writing up the people, I dread. God indeed bears with many things; still the feebleness of the work is felt afterwards. … I am the Lord’s servant, desiring only His will; when my work is finished, there it ends, and He will gather His own people, in which I shall rejoice in that day.

The Lord be with you and keep you near Him_humble and serving; and get more of Him than you spend in service.

    There are indeed two great and widely prevalent snares:that of sacrificing the individual to the assembly; and that of forgetting the assembly for the individual. Romanism illustrates the former, as Protestantism the latter. In Romanism the church is all; there alone is the Spirit, the truth, holiness, everything:the individual is nothing, not even a saint. It were presumption; the church must settle it, if at all, fifty years after he is dead. The individual cannot even pretend to know his sins forgiven:anathema, says the Council of Trent, to him who says justification is by faith alone; anathema to him who says he can know it for his soul. Thus is the gospel ignored and denied in principle, and most distinctly, for every individual within the bosom of Rome; and this to aggrandize the church, which arrogates to itself alone to speak, but speaks here falsehood in Christ’s name. And as to any individuals pretending to say that their body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in them, which they have of God, it could only sound still more awful presumption, if not blasphemy. And no wonder, for it is wholly inconsistent with the sacrifice of the Mass, or the subsistence of an earthly priesthood, which are the Jachin and Boaz of the Romish temple. It is of no avail that the apostolic doctrine is plain, precise, and conclusive that every Christian should know this transcendent privilege of himself now on earth. Romanism boldly sets it aside, and every other which belongs, to the individual, in order to swell the church’s power and glory. "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with’ their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matt. 15:7-9.)
    But there is the opposite snare, not so destructive of man’s salvation, but equally at issue with God’s glory. It is the Protestant scheme, which rightly affirms justification by faith, and God’s title to address every man’s conscience in His word, though enfeebled and spoilt by putting it as man’s right to a private judgment on it. But Protestantism ignores the church of God, and in claiming a coordinate place for churches, national and dissenting and what not, virtually denies the one body on earth. It may dream of one body in heaven, where scripture never speaks of such a thing, but it recognizes ever so many bodies on earth, each independent, which scripture expressly sets aside.
    The word of God guards the truth as to both points, and excludes all error. According to it the gospel deals with each soul first of all. By faith the individual has life and is justified, adopted as a child of God, blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Then, over and above his faith, he is sealed by the Spirit. In virtue of one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, and were all given to drink into one Spirit. Thus, and thus only, is the body, the church, formed; it supposed the individual question settled by faith, and then the corporate relationship begins, and is established by the Holy Spirit; and this now on earth, as a privilege indeed of the highest kind, yet at once involving responsibilities thenceforth of the gravest. If the known individual blessedness by faith delivers the soul from Romanism, no less surely does the corporate place of the church, when understood, lift one outside and above Protestantism, in all its manifold and varying phases. How could you, intelligibly or consistently, join this or that body, when you are consciously of the "one body", and responsible to walk according to God’s will in that relationship? If I hear God’s word, I am first in Christ, then in the church; I know the Spirit dwells in me, and know also that He dwells in the church which, is therefore one while on the earth, not merely alike in doctrine, discipline, and polity, which might be in many independent societies, but one body here below. And this is so true and grave, that the truth would call one out of Romanism, if Rome had not an image nor a superstition, and out of Protestantism, if its sects had not a single unconverted member or minister.
    
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
    It is evident, from Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3, that the Christians of that early day had psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, quite distinct from those God inspired by David and others for His ancient people. Not a word implies that what was sung in the assembly of God was either a Jewish psalm or of New Testament inspiration. They were therefore, I presume, substantially such as Christians in our day, and in all days, are wont to use. Only they sought the Lord’s guidance, and the fellowship of all, on these solemn public occasions. Our chapter is of importance in proving that they sung in the assembly; as the other epistles referred to, as well as James, prove the use of hymns in private or alone. Of course the power of the Spirit was sought in both; as He indeed dwells in the individual Christian no less than in the assembly.
    
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The body of the believer is sown in dishonor, corruption, and weakness:so all see; what do we believe? It is raised in incorruption, glory, and power_ not a mere ethereal or airy body, as Chrysostom and Origen respectively said, but a body instinct with spirit life, as once with animal life from the soul, yet not a spirit, but a spiritual body, not limited by earthly conditions, but capable either of passing through a closed door, or of being felt, able to take food, though needing none, if we may judge from Him who, risen as the great Head and pattern and power, declared that a spirit had not flesh and bones, as they saw He had.

Wherever the principle of obedience is not in our hearts, all is wrong.
There is nothing but sin. The principle that actuates us in our conduct
should never be "I must do what I think right", but, "I ought
to obey God", Acts 5:29.

The apostle then says, "Pray for us; for we trust we have a
good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly". It is always the
snare of those who are occupied with the things of God continually, not
to have a "good conscience".

No person is so liable to fall, as one who is administering the
truth of God if he be not careful to maintain a "good conscience".
The continually talking about the truth, and being occupied about other people, has
a tendency to harden the conscience. The apostle does not say, Pray for
us, for we are laboring hard", and the like; but that which gives
him confidence in asking their prayers, is, that he has "a good conscience."

We see the same principle spoken of in 1 Tim. 1:19:"Holding faith,
and a good conscience, which some having put away, concerning faith have made
shipwreck." Where there is not diligence in seeking to maintain a "good conscience",
Satan comes in and destroys confidence between the soul and God, or we
get into false confidence. Where there is a sense of the presence of
God, there is the spirit of lowly obedience. The moment that a person
is very active in service, or has much knowledge and is put forward
in any way, in the church, there is danger of not having a
good conscience.

"Therefore," says the apostle, "your boasting is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out the old leaven that ye may be a new lump, according as ye are unleavened. For also our passover, Christ, was sacrificed. Wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with leaven of malice and wickedness, but with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. " (Ver. 6-8).

There cannot be a more serious principle for the practical and public walk of the church. Evil is here presented under the symbol of leaven. Not only may it exist among saints, but its nature is to work, spread, and assimilate the mass to itself. The apostle insists that it shall never be tolerated. Here it is moral evil, in Galatians doctrinal; and of the two the latter is the more insidious, because more specious, it does not shock the conscience so immediately, or strongly, if at all. To the natural mind evil doctrine is but a difference of opinion, and the generous heart shrinks from proscribing a man for an opinion however erroneous. The church stands on wholly different ground, because it stands in Christ on high and has the Holy Ghost dwelling in it here below. No assembly can guarantee itself against the entrance of evil, but every assembly of God is bound not to tolerate it. When evil is known, the church is bound to put it away. Elsewhere we may find details in dealing with it. There are those who may be specially fitted not only to discern but to apply moral power, and they are responsible to act faithfully to Christ whose the church is. It is no question where known evil is persisted in, of exercising compassion, still less of cloaking it. This would be connivance with Satan against the Lord, and the ruin, not only of the individual already ensnared, but of the assembly.

When the assembly knows evil, and either forbears to judge through indifference, or (still worse) refuses it when appealed to according to the Word of God, it is playing false to the name of the Lord, and can no longer be regarded as God’s assembly after adequate means to arouse have failed.

    Twice the judgment seat of God, or of Christ, is spoken of in the New Testament. In Rom. 14:10 "the judgment seat of God" (the best manuscripts have "the judgment seat of God" in Rom. 14:10) is spoken of in view of preventing individual judgment of others in certain matters. In 2 Cor. 5:10 "the judgment seat of Christ" is presented in view of provoking to do good.
    The subject in itself is one of the most solemn, and at the same time most blessed, and this so much the more as we understand it rightly.
    I believe that each act of our lives will be manifested there, according as the grace of God, and His ways with us in connection with our own acts will then be known.
    We read (in Rom. chap. 14) that "every one of us shall give account of himself to God." In this passage the judgment seat is mentioned in connection with an exhortation to brethren not to judge one another in respect of days, meats, or any other such thine.
    I am disposed to think that the acts alone will be subject to manifestation; but all the private acts of our lives depend so intimately upon our inward feelings, that it is in a certain sense difficult to distinguish between the acts and the simple thoughts. The acts manifest the power of the unseen thought, or of the feeling.
    I believe that the whole of our acts will be detailed before the judgment seat; not, however, as if we were in the flesh, and thus to our condemnation but to make evident to our own eyes the grace that occupied itself with us – regenerate or unregenerate.
    In the counsels of God we were elect before the foundation of the world; hence I think that our personal history will be detailed before the judgment seat, and parallel with it the history of the grace and mercy of God toward each of us will gloriously appear.
    The why and the how we did this or that, will be manifested then. For us, the scene will be declarative not judicial. We are not in the flesh before God; in His eyes, by grace, we have died with Christ. But then, if we have walked according to the flesh, we must see how we lost in blessing thereby, and what loss we have incurred. On the other hand, all the ways of God towards us, all the ways of wisdom, of mercy, and of grace, will be perfectly known and understood by us for the first time.
    The history of each one will come out in perfect transparency; it will be seen how you yielded, and how He preserved you; how your foot slipped, and how He raised you up again; how you were drawing near danger and shame, and how He by His own arm interposed. I believe this is the bride making herself ready, and I consider that to be a wondrous moment. There will be no flesh then to be condemned; but the new nature will enter into the full knowledge of the care and of the love which, in true holiness, and in righteousness, and even in grace, have followed us step by step all through the running of the race – all through our life here below.
    Some parts of our life, till then entirely unexplained, will be fully disclosed and become altogether plain. Some tendencies of our nature, that perhaps we do not judge to be so pernicious and deadly as they are, and for the mortification of which we are perhaps now subjected to a discipline that we may not have interpreted aright, will then be perfectly explained; _r and, what is more, the very falls that plunge us now into bitter anguish will be seen then as what God used to preserve us from something more terrible.
    I do not think that until then we shall ever have had a full knowledge of the badness of our flesh. How blessed for us to know that while we are not in the flesh in the eyes of God now, the flesh will no longer be attached to us then.
    On the other side, I doubt not, the manifestation of God’s grace toward us individually will be so magnificent that even the sense of the perversity of the flesh that we had, will be overwhelmed by the greatness of the sense of divine goodness.
Oh why do we not deny and mortify the flesh when we think of that hour. The Lord grant that we may do so more and more to the glory of His grace. This great subject of the judgment seat brings the soul to a very full knowledge of our individual standing "in Christ" before God, through grace.

    But we are to be ‘manifested.’ That is the force of the word, not merely "we shall appear" but "we shall be manifested." That is the blessing of it. Our ways and works will perfectly show what we are and what we have been, and to the glory of Him who has, in spite of all our failure, accomplished at last the blessed purpose of grace towards us, so that we can be with Him, and, as it were, judge with Him our whole condition. What a lack there would be if there were not this great clearing up of things before we have passed fully into eternity, _ if the wisdom and grace and holiness of God were not perfectly displayed thus in all His ways with us, if we had not the lessons of time impressed upon us for the wisdom of eternity! There will be no failure of memory then, but the keenest possible appreciation of everything. Would we forget what we have been, so as to forget along with it the grace which has been with us? Would we lose materials for the song of praise which will be ours forever? Many seem to forget the value of all this to us as the day will declare it and the glory of God which will be manifested, _ the perfect fulfillment of the Lord’s words as to His people:"I am glorified in them."
    The principle is plain, as the Old Testament expresses it, that "God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." Nothing else would be worthy of Him. He has nothing to hide, and no act of His has really been in vain, however much in our folly, as we look at things now, we might imagine so. He is to be found justified in this last judgment of all, and we too, for we are to receive also "the things done in the body, according to what we have done, whether it be good or worthless." Everything is to be appraised and estimated at its right value, but this, as it is said elsewhere, that "every one may have his praise from God."
    God is seeking good and not evil. He is still, as He does ever, taking the precious from the vile, because He loves the precious. It may be needful in this way that the vile should be looked at also, but it will only enhance the preciousness of the precious. That which is worthless will of course be judged as worthless. It will not be gain. But even here the estimation of it as such will have its gain. The continuity of the future with the present existence is strangely often lost sight of. People often look at it as if the entrance into eternity were to be the entire break with the past; whereas this cannot be without proclaiming at the same time the want of eternal meaning in things here.        F. W. Grant
    

"And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, we have sinned:do Thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto Thee; deliver us only, we pray Thee, this day. And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord:and His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel."

What touching words! What tenderness! What deep compassion! How such a statement lets us into the profound depths of the heart of God! The misery of His people moved the loving heart of Jehovah.

The very faintest and earliest symptoms of brokenness and contrition, on the part of Israel, met with a ready and gracious response, on the part of Israel’s God. It mattered not how far they had wandered, how deeply they had sunk, or how grievously they had sinned; God was ever ready to welcome the feeblest breathing of a broken heart.

The springs of divine mercy and compassion are absolutely inexhaustible. The ocean of His love is boundless and unfathomable; and hence, the very moment His people take the place of confession, He enters the place of forgiveness.

He delights to pardon, according to the largeness of His heart, and according to the glory of His own Name. He finds peculiar joy in blotting out transgressions, in healing, in restoring, and blessing, in a manner worthy of Himself.

This glorious truth shines in the history of Israel; it shines in the history of the church; and it shines in the history of every individual believer.

(From "Gideon and His Companions".)

    "Take therefore no thought for the morrow:for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matt. 6:34).
    Tomorrow – what will it bring?
    God over everything, Sending the wind and the rain,
    The flowers and the sunshine again.
    Tomorrow – what will it hold?
    Mercies unnumbered, untold, Morning, and noon-tide, and night,
    And after the darkness, God’s light.
    Tomorrow- how shall I bear
    The pressure of sorrow and care?
    God will thy courage sustain;
    Constant His love shall remain.
    Tomorrow – how shall I find Quiet and stillness of mind?
    God shall rebuke thine unrest,
    With His calmness thy spirit invest.
    Tomorrow – tears must impede;
    Great are my wants and my need. Grace all sufficient is nigh,
                                            









God every need shall supply.                            M.E.K.
    

"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense; for ye have
need of endurance in order that, having done the will of God, ye
may receive the promise."

The apostle thus exhorts them not to throw away, not to cast off
their confidence, because there is great recompense of reward laid up for them
in heaven. They had a confidence; the grounds of it we have been
dwelling upon. It is the same word which is translated "boldness" in the
earlier part of this chapter:"Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the
Holiest by the blood of Jesus." They were not to cast away this
boldness; they were to hold fast the rejoicing of their hope and their
confidence steadfast unto the end. They had received no reward at present, save,
of course, that blessed witness of the Spirit in the soul, which is
its own reward; but the recompense remained.

The rest was there, where God Himself was resting in His own eternal
day. In a little while all the pleasure of the way would be
over, all the persecution for the name of Christ would be a thing
of the past.

How sweet in glory to be able to look back upon a course
run in which Jesus had not been denied, confidence maintained, and now throughout
eternity to enjoy the fulness of that blessing, the foretaste of which sweetened
all their sorrows in this life.

He reminds them that they have need of patience, as we all have;
or as the word really is, of "endurance." And it is tribulation that
"worketh patience, and patience experience." Experience and patience do not come from an
unexercised life; and they needed that endurance which abode under every stress; that
after they had done the will of God, after they had bowed to
that will as expressed in the Gospel, had confessed and suffered for Christ,
they would still cleave to Him, and thus obtain the promise which was
laid up for them in heaven. All this is very simple. It needs
not so much exposition as it does application, and I am sure it
has a voice for our souls which will be most sanctifying if we
bow to the truth which is here pressed home upon us.

"For yet a very little while ‘he that cometh will come, and will
not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; and if he draw
back, my soul hath no pleasure in him, But we are not of
those who draw back to perdition, but of them that believe to the
saving of the soul."

Lastly, the apostle gives them the cheer that it is only a little
while that there will be need for this endurance. The One who is
coming, that One whose promise is, "If I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself," will soon
be here. There is no delay, for "the Lord is not slack concerning
His promise as some men count slackness." The patience of the present time
is a patience of grace, "not willing that any should perish" — not indifferent,
we surely need not say. At any moment, the welcome shout, and saints
snatched from their place of trial will enter into the joy of the
Lord. This very inducement is held out for perseverance. This sharp trial may
be the last. This temptation to turn into an easier path may be
followed by the coming of the Lord. It is only "a little while."

Meanwhile, faith is the principle upon which the righteous are to live. "The
just shall live by faith." That is the principle which actuates the whole
life and upon which the apostle enlarges in the following chapter. There is
no other principle to control, no true power to actuate us.

The opposite of that is drawing back — turning away from what was once
known — giving up the precious truth. How important to see that the opposite
of faith is apostasy; and if any one thus draw back, denying Christ,
"My soul," says God, "shall have no pleasure in him." Whatever else there
may be about him to attract the natural man, even amiability and morality,
these things have no attraction for God where Christ is denied. It is
most essential to realize this at the present time, when a strong current
is drawing away from the great realities of Christ and the Holy Spirit,
and contenting men with certain results in the life which seem to answer
very much to the Christian virtues produced by a living faith; but wherever
the root is gone, there is no real fruit, however much it may
have that appearance. God has no pleasure in externals. If Christ has been
given up, the soul is an apostate. Solemn and awful thought!

But our apostle, according to his manner, cannot leave the subject with those
solemn words. There must be a word of cheer for true faith, and
so, in the last verse, he identifies himself with them, with all true
believers, in saying:"We are not of those who draw back unto perdition:"
we are no apostates. For us, it is Christ now as ever. We
are of those who believe, whose faith is not of that temporary character,
like the seed upon the stony ground which endures for a season — which,
under stress, withers away. We believe until the full, eternal outcome of faith
is manifest; "the saving of the soul" in that day of glory, when
all the fruitage of faith will appear to view.

Had God left Israel to choose their path from Egypt to Canaan, they would, we may rest assured, never have chosen the way He led them. But it was His way, the right, the only right way _ a slow, tedious journey of forty years, suited to the slow, fleshly hearts of a people who required all this time, with its numerous lessons, to learn how evil they were, and how good, and patient, and holy, was their God.

And all this is a life-picture of what the history of every child of God is:a lovely beginning, full of new affections and joys; a song of praises, as the Red Sea of judgment delivers us forever from the bondage of Egypt; a delightful sense of His tabernacling Presence; and then weary marches, long and trying stops, where progress seems at an end; and even backward journeys, as if to make their hearts hopeless.

All this is to learn self, and grow sick enough of it to find that "Christ is all." What an important end this must have, to call out such dealings of our God and Father with us!

May we be in communion with Him, and thus learn our lesson in such a way as to reap at the end all He would have us reap!

(From ‘Help and Food’)

FRAGMENT "They forgot God their Saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea….They despised the pleasant land, they believed not His word."

FRAGMENT ‘How oft did they provoke Him in the wilderness, and grieve Him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. "

FRAGMENT The ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them:but the transgressor shall fail therein."

    "With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love."     Ephesians 4:2
    "Surely there was a great need that the prisoner of the Lord should put these qualities first, before those whom he besought ‘to walk worthy’ of their vocation, and to ‘keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.’
    Can any say it is a distinguishing feature amongst us now? Are we to whom the third verse is so precious ignoring the force of the second? Is there not a quiet self-assertion, a tone of superiority, often shown in speaking to other Christians, that only betrays to them, and to our Lord, how far we are in heart from the spirit of the apostle? We find that his ministry (who was gifted and honored above all others,) was marked by ‘humility of mind’ (Acts 20:19). Is ours?
    We find the Lord was ‘lowly in heart’. Are we? He ‘humbled Himself.’ Is ‘this mind’ in us? Have we put on ‘as the elect of God, humbleness of mind’? Are we, all of us, ‘clothed with humility’?
    It is greatly to be feared that such a spirit, such a state, is becoming rare amongst us. Time was when the ruin of all was so felt that our only position was in the dust. But the truth of the ‘one body’, accepted in the head instead of searching the conscience, has ‘puffed up’ instead of humbling those who thus hold it.
    How painful must it be to Christ, who loves and yearns over His whole Church, that those whom, in His grace, He has called around Himself to feel and own its utter ruin on earth should carry a high head, a self-satisfied air, and be ‘exalted’ by the very greatness of His love! Is not this indeed in principle the Laodicean brand?
    May God give us to shun and dread spiritual pride (that subtle vice) in every shape and form, and enable us to show true brokenness of spirit, that His dear children around may see that there is a little company in their midst whose hearts deeply feel the ruin of all dear to Christ in this scene.
    Surely, beloved brethren, He is allowing things to take such a course, even in our midst, that we have nothing left but shame and confusion of face, our only relief being to look upon His glory, that which nothing shall ever dim or mar.
    The more Thy glories strike mine eyes, The humbler I shall lie; Thus while I sink, my joys shall rise Immeasurably high." (Help and Food – 1885)
    
The word of God is that by which we are sanctified.
    In praying to the Father for His disciples, and for us, the Lord said, "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" wrote David under the Holy Spirit’s guidance; and he answers it, "By taking heed thereto according to thy word." Psalm 119:9.
    

(In view of the fact that at the present moment there are those who are carrying on great campaigns for healing and miracles and spectacular displays of power, it has been felt. that the following article, written over sixty years ago, might be well worth considering.)

"Newspaper reports speak of a great prophet which has risen up in Denver, Colo.; they say crowds are after him; that he heals their sick, showing mighty signs of supernatural power.

Supposing all this to be true, and no delusion or deception in it, let the Christian ever remember the warning that God has given us in His Word:If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof He spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shall not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams:for the Lord your God proveth you, to know ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.’ (Deut. 13)

It is plain from this passage that mere supernatural power is not enough to prove that a man’s mission is of God. It may indeed be allowed of God to test the people who profess to be His, whether or no they will be loyal enough to Him to enquire into the doctrine of the wonder worker. What place had Jehovah in this man’s doctrine? and now we ask, what place has Christ?

Let none be surprised if workers of real signs and wonders arise here and there. The devil has much more power than men; his object is nothing less than to supplant Christ, and as the end draws near he cannot fail to put forth all his energies to reach his object; he will almost succeed; his supreme effort will produce "Antichrist." (1 John 2:18), who "doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by those miracles which he had power to do."(Revelation 13:13-14).

"What think ye of Christ?" must therefore be the final, crucial test if we seek and desire to know the mind of God as to anything that rises up _ that which alone can carry us safely through the "perilous times" of the end. And this is the more needful as many affect a growing disregard for doctrine. Little matter what a man holds, they say, as long as he does good among his fellows. But the chief mark of the power of the Spirit in a man is when he lives of "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? and in Thy Name have cast out devils? and in Thy Name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them I never knew you:depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt. 7:23-24)

Every saint who walks with God meanwhile and judges intelligently of the growing miseries of Christendom, not to speak of the world at large and of man, has love for the appearing of the Lord, as the time when He shall be exalted and we are to reign with Him, the power of Satan being publicly and effectually expelled from the earth.

    The only hands that Jesus has
    To work on earth’s broad field,
    Are the hands of those by Him redeemed
    And by the Spirit sealed
    .
    The only feet He has on earth
    To speed love’s message on,
    Are those of His beloved saints
     Who with Himself are one.
    
    He has no tongues to spread His fame
    Or sing His praise below,
    But those of His co-heirs of God,
    Saved from eternal woe.
    
    Then dearly bought and much loved one,
     Train well thy hands and feet,
    And tune thy tongue with lofty strains
     His glories to repeat.

FRAGMENT
    "What does Christ think? This is the question. Not, what does so-and-so say, but what does Christ in heaven think, who is patiently following with His loving eyes (which are yet as flames of fire) all our thoughts and ways? What does He think of our present attitude, both with regard to Himself, one another, and our fellow-Christians? Oh, brother, whoever you are, listen to what Christ will tell you of His thoughts about it all, and remember His word, "Follow thou Me."
    "Wherever we get into trial, we may feel confident that, with the trial, there is an issue, and all we need is a broken will, and a single eye to see it." (Help and Food – 1885)

    "One Song of Songs, the sweetest,
     Once learnt thou still repeatest,
    And singest, Christian, o’er and o’er.
    Earth cannot learn its measure,
    This song of heavenly treasure,
    Of grace abounding evermore!
    
    Of one great LOVE it telleth,
    Which every grief expelleth
    Like mist before the morning sun;
    Farewell to all thy sorrow,
Thy cares about the morrow,
    When thou canst sing this sweetest song.’

THE PROPHETIC WORD
    "And we have the prophetic word (made) surer, to which ye do well taking heed (as a lamp shining in an obscure place) until (the) day dawn and (the) morning star arise in your hearts; knowing this first, that (the scope of) no prophecy of scripture is had from its own particular interpretation, for prophecy was not ever uttered by (the) will of man, but holy men of God spake under the power of (the) Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:19-21 (JND)
    

In 1920 Bro. Samuel Ridout stimulated among some young believers an interest in
memorizing an entire Epistle and several persons were successful in quoting the entire
Epistle to the Galatians, some, the Epistle to the Ephesians without making any
mistakes. At that time Bro. Ridout gave awards to the winners but he
remarked, "But the real reward has been the work accomplished. You have this
entire portion of God’s word enshrined in your memory. You can repeat it
as you lie awake at night; can meditate on it wherever you are."

We must be filled in the secret place to be able to overflow
in the public place.

"Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in Thy word."
(Ps. 119:145)

The Crowned Christ by F. W. G.

Notes of Readings at Seattle, Washington in 1920 by C. C., A. E.
B. ,F. J. E., H.A.I., B.C.G., W. H., N.T.

Lectures on Matthew by Wm. Kelly.

"And being in agony He prayed more earnestly:and His sweat was as
it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:
44.)

"Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking
unto Jesus …. (Heb. 12:1,2.)

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life …… (1
Tim. 6:12.)

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have
kept the faith." (2 Tim. 4:7.)

"Paul admonished…, and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul." Acts 27:11

Everything possible was done to save the ship, but in vain. . . .Carried by the tempest they are cast on the island of Malta. But what is important for us is the position which the apostle occupies. All hope of escape is gone. But God now interposes, and by the means of a revelation made to Paul, revives the failing courage of the sufferers. . ..

The presence of God, and the divine knowledge he had received of what was to happen, had gained for him the confidence of all. . . .

Their salvation was to depend on God, and this had to be owned.. .. All the work had to be performed by God.

If we follow the counsels of God through His word, we shall avoid many mistakes. He can save us still when we err, but it will be through suffering and loss.

Israel refused to ascend the hill of the Amorites, and had therefore to remain thirty-eight years in the desert. Numbers 13 and Deuteronomy 1:44.

Here, Paul’s companions would not listen to his words, which were those of God, and they lost everything, except life. Their deliverance, it is evident, came from God alone, and was affected for the honour of His servant, whose words they had despised. It is always important for us to ascertain the will of God before entering any untried path. If we are assured of this, the difficulties
will be only difficulties;, and the help of God is enough to overcome them. But if we are not sure about His will, then doubt and weakness arise in the heart, because faith to count on God for help is not there, since we are not certain that the path is according to His will……..

The ship is then run aground…, and while the fore part remains fast the stern is broken by the violence of the waves.

But God is faithful to His promise… The wisdom of man went for nothing in the deliverance of the crew and the others. All had to resign themselves to God for salvation; and they were saved.

(From "Meditations on the Acts of the Apostles.)

FRAGMENT
Fierce was the wild billow; dark was the night;
Oars labored heavily; foam glimmered white;
Mariners trembled; peril was nigh;
Then said the God of might, "Peace, it is I!"

Ridge of the mountain wave, lower thy crest!
Wail of Euroclydon, be thou at rest!
Peril there none can be, sorrow must fly,
Where saith the Light of light, "Peace, it is I!”

Jesus, Deliverer! come Thou to Me!
Soothe Thou my voyaging over life’s sea;
Bid me be quiet as the storm sweeps by,
Whisper, O Truth of truth. "Peace, it is I!"

    He took my sins and gave salvation,
    The one who died upon the tree;
    His life for me He freely offered.
    He paid the debt that set me free.
    
    What wondrous love for me enduring
     That shameful death upon the cross;
    My sins are blotted out completely,
    I count for Him all else but loss.
    
    I now can rest my soul upon Him,
    By faith can take Him at His word;
    Confiding in Him with assurance,
    And fully trust my precious Lord.
    
    I do not hope to have salvation,
    I know He died my soul to save;
    His work is perfect never failing,
     And everlasting Life I have.
    
    Some morning I shall rise to meet Him,
     When He returns to claim His own;
    My soul forever shall adore Him,
     As I behold Him on the throne.
    
    "The Jewish Sabbath commenced on Friday evening; and, I have often thought, if we could begin the Lord’s day on Saturday evenings, what gainers we might be by it. If we did, we should be far oftener "in the Spirit, on the Lord’s Day." E.D.
    

Character is to a great extent formed by the books we read. The artificial culture of the day is destroying depth and force of character. Vile and pernicious literature is wrecking the morals of the country. Noble men and women, and a pure-minded people were more general in the past than now. Mind and character are formed by the literature of the day. As to choice of books, no fixed rule can be applied. History is always instructive. Science is dangerous when it is the product of unsanctified minds. Novels, works of fiction, and semi-infidel books should never be read by Christians. Religious novels are an abomination. Never read valueless books. Shun anything that is frivolous in character.

Above all, make the Bible your daily companion. The Bible will grow in interest the more you read it and study it. It is the sufficiency of the man of God. (2 Tim. 3:16,17) Have the Bible constantly beside you, in your pocket, or at hand for constant reference. The Bible will strengthen and guide you. It will support and cheer you in a lonely hour. It will impress certainly upon your life and actions. As you study the Word of God, it will enable you to worship in the holiest, and serve in the harvest field intelligently. It will set you head and shoulders above your comrades.

L. E. Kingham 4364 Zayante Road, Felton, C

    Many of you, no doubt, are in the fellowship of assemblies of the Lord’s people gathered out of mere human organizations to the name of Christ alone. Others may be exercised as to these organizations, and desire to know God’s mind as to where they should be.
    First, we are not to view it according to our own ideas, or expediency. We must get God’s viewpoint, His thoughts as to the gathering of His people, and, in obedience and faith, take our stand upon it, even though what represents it in days of ruin like the present be subject to men’s derision, and sometimes of open attack. Shall we shun a little reproach for the truth’s sake?
    The religious natural man wants numbers, a ritual, a display _ what pleases the eye, and gratifies the flesh with a religious cloak cast over it, because he loves the things of the world.
    Nearly 100 years ago God, through faithful men, restored a knowledge of the truth as to these things _ truth buried as it were under much rubbish since shortly after apostolic days _ truth which the great reformation of Luther’s time did not bring out. It is that body of truth then given back to God’s people that should be our chief concern to treasure in our hearts, and to "hold fast" as a sacred trust. It is truth bought at a goodly price in those early days referred to, and must not be cheaply sold by us. Let us hold fast this "crown" that no one rob us of it.
    The testimony of God is the matter in question, though it be with but the two or three, compared to the multitude which follows the principles of "man’s day." Should we expect it otherwise in such a world? Does inspired history show it to have been different at any time during man’s course? Consider the days of Seth, of Noah, of Abram, of the Judges, of Elijah, of Ezra and Nehemiah, of Malachi, of John the Baptist, of Revelation, and now our own. All give one consistent witness.
    Let us ask ourselves, Have we understood and rightly valued this testimony, this truth, in identification with which we profess to stand, in which some of us have "grown up," as we say? Are we in any danger, we who are younger, of thinking we have "outgrown" the "old paths" and must seek new ones more in accord with the spirit of the times? Beware, dear young reader! It is the spirit of lawlessness, and to go against its rapidly increasing current means something, and will mean more, if the Lord tarries. The call is to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, not to seek the soft and easy path; faithfulness to our Lord forbids it.
    But what is this testimony, this heritage of truth, which our predecessors have left to us? They began by owning the complete ruin of the Church as set up in this world. Let it be considered as to its organization, government, fellowship, or doctrine, grievous departure from Scripture marks it as a whole. The Reformation only changed this in measure as to doctrine _ not as to God’s thoughts concerning the church. Now this needs to be owned and confessed in the spirit of Daniel and of Nehemiah, as much today as ever before, even by us who form part of the professing Church; and to this we must add the sad fact that the condition is worse than 100 years ago, because of the great inroads of evil teaching and worldly practice. A true confession of all this will go far to strengthen us in the place of separation from the confusion, as to which our assembly position witnesses.
    What is that place of separation? _ for this is of chief importance. It is obedience to the directions God has given in His word for His people.
    1. We should own no name but that of Christ (1 Cor. 1:12,13); we gather to Him alone. We are to refuse membership in any organization of human devising, because Scripture speaks of one only membership in that body of which Christ is the Head (1 Cor. 12:13), which is the true and only Church.
    2. We should recognize that the Lord’s supper is the feast we are to keep holy in character and associations; where the Lord by His word is to rule, therefore separate from what refuses His order, denies the truth, or would link us with such things.
    3. We should recognize the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit, refuse man-made authority over God’s people, refuse human ordination to office and ministry. By acknowledging these things, we do so in separation from what denies them, and in the simplicity of apostolic days exemplified in the Acts, and taught in the Epistles.
    4. We should recognize that these assemblies are of believers only, gathered to the Lord as our Head and gathering Center, and in obedience to the truths above mentioned, which in practice we are responsible to exhibit amid the general departure and ruin _ not with pretension of being "the people," but in humility and confession of our weakness.
    Such assemblies have the responsibility and authority to act for the Lord within the limits of His word, God’s House is holy, and His people are responsible to maintain God’s holy character in His House _ not that they embrace all in that House, but because they are to represent Him according to their responsibility.
    As to service, we are to engage in it according to the ability which the Lord gives. Gift of whatever kind, is not to make us independent of the assembly, but rather in communion with it, as fellow-members with one another, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace;" not occupied with, not thinking of our own gifts and service, but rather with that of others.
    There are valuable books and pamphlets which treat of these things, and we would urge their reading. They are not "out of date," but a God-given ministry for us in these closing days.         Help and Food
    

JOHN 3:16

GOD ……………………… The greatest Lover.

So Loved ………………… The greatest Degree.

The world, ………………. The greatest Company.

That He gave …………… The greatest Act.

His only begotten Son,…. The greatest Gift.

That whosoever ………… The greatest Opportunity.

Believeth ……………….. The greatest Simplicity.

In Kin. …………………… The greatest Attraction.

Should not perish,………. The greatest Promise.

But ………………………. The greatest Difference.

Have …………………….. The greatest Certainty.

Everlasting Life ……….. The greatest Possession.

There are some practical directions concerning the gathering of the manna which are of the utmost importance. First, they were to gather it every man according to his eating, (w. 16-18.) As a consequence he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack. The appetite governed the amount collected. How strikingly true this is of the believer! We all have as much of Christ as we desire -no more, and no less. If our desires are large, if we open our mouth wide, He will fill it. We cannot desire too much, nor be disappointed when we desire. On the other hand, if we are but feebly conscious of our need, a little only of Christ will be supplied. The measure therefore in which we feed upon Christ, as our wilderness food, depends entirely upon our felt spiritual need upon our appetite.

Secondly, it could not be stored for future use. No man was to leave of it until the morning; but some disobeyed this injunction, only, however, to find that what they had thus left had become corrupt. No, the food collected to-day cannot sustain us on the morrow. It is only in a present exercise of soul that we can feed upon Christ. Much damage has accrued to souls from forgetting this principle. They have had a rich repast of manna, and they have attempted to feed upon it for days; but it has always issued in disappointment and loss instead of blessing. God only gives the portion of a day in its day (see margin of v. 4), and no more.

Thirdly, it was to be collected early, for when the sun waxed hot it melted. No time, indeed, is so precious to the believer for gathering the manna as the first moments of the day when in quiet he is alone with the Lord. He has not yet entered upon the experiences of the day, and he knows not what may be the precise character of his path; but he knows that he will need the sustaining manna. Let him therefore be diligent in the early morning, and let his hand not be slack to gather, and to gather as much as he may need; for even should he seek it afterwards, he will find that it has all disappeared before the glare and the heat of the day. How many a failure may be traced back to neglect on this point!

A trial comes – unexpectedly comes, and the soul breaks down. But why? Because the manna was not collected before the sun was hot. All should lay this to heart, and be on the watch against the artifices of Satan to divert our minds from this one necessary thing. Let all diligence be employed that, whatever the emergency throughout the day, there may be no lack of manna.

In connection with the manna the Sabbath is also given, (w. 22-30.)

We read in Genesis 2. that "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made." (v.3) This fixes the meaning of the sabbath or the seventh day; for it should be carefully observed that it is the seventh and no other day, showing clearly that it is God’s rest. This meaning is asserted most distinctly also in the epistle to the Hebrews. (See Heb. 4:1-11.) The sabbath therefore is a type of God’s rest, and as given to man expresses the desire of God’s heart that he should share with Him in His rest. It is found here for the first time. There is not a trace of it through all the patriarchal age, or during the sojourn of the children of Israel in Egypt, but, as found in this chapter in connection with the manna, it has a most blessed significance.

But a few remarks must be made before this is explained. The object God had in view in its institution has been indicated; but, as is abundantly clear, man in consequence of sin never possessed the thing signified. Nay, more, God Himself could not rest because of sin. Hence, when our blessed Lord was accused of breaking the sabbath, He replied, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." (John 5:17). God could not rest in the presence of sin, and of the dishonour done to Him by it, and as a consequence man could not share it with him.

The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews develops this latter point. He shows that the children of Israel were shut out from it because of their unbelief and hardness of heart, that Joshua did not give them rest, that in David’s time it was spoken of as yet future, and he argues that "there remaineth therefore a rest (a keeping of the sabbath) to the people of God." (Heb. 3 and 4.) The question arises then, How is it to be possessed? The answer is found in our chapter. The manna, as we have seen, pre-figures Christ, and consequently the connection teaches that it is Christ, and Christ only, who can lead us into the rest of God. He is the only way. The apostle thus says, "We which have believed do enter into rest" (Heb. 4:3); that is, it belongs to those who believe in Christ to enter into rest – not be any means, as some have taught, that the rest is a present thing. The context shows distinctly that it is a future blessing. There remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God. That believers may have rest of conscience and rest of heart in Christ is most blessedly true; but God’s rest will not be reached until we enter upon that eternal scene in which all things are made new, when the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Rev. 21:1-7.)

There are two circumstances connected with the institution of the sabbath in this place which demand a brief notice. The first is the double provision of manna on the sixth day, that the people might rest in their tents on the seventh. If collected thus on any other day in self-will, it became worthless and corrupt; but when done in obedience in view of the sabbath it remained sound and good.

The truth taught, however, is that when sharing in God’s rest, in His grace, throughout eternity, Christ will be still our food; nay, it might be said that our enjoyment of that rest will consist in feasting with God upon the once humbled Christ. Nothing less will satisfy His own heart than that we should have full fellowship with Himself concerning His beloved Son.

There is perhaps another thought. It is that whatever we acquire of Christ here becomes our eternal possession and delight. Gather as much manna as we may, two omers instead of one; if it is kept for the rest that remaineth, it will be a source of strength and joy throughout eternity. The second thing is that some of the people, spite of the injunction they had received, went out on the seventh day to gather manna, but they found none. (v. 27.) Whatever the exhibitions of grace man’s heart remained the same. Disobedience is native to his corrupt nature, and displays itself alike, whether under law or grace. The Lord rebuked through Moses the conduct of His people, though He bore with them in His long-suffering and tender mercy.

Taking the sabbath, as has been explained, as a type of God’s rest, and therefore, since sin has come in, as yet future, it will be at once seen that there is a distinct typical teaching connected with there being no manna on the sabbath. The time for the manna will then be forever past. Christ will never more be apprehended in that character; for the wilderness circumstances of His people will then have forever passed away. The store they collected while in the desert may be still employed; but there will be no more to be gathered. The same lesson, in one aspect, may be seen in the direction given by Moses at the commandment of the Lord, (w, 32-36.)

There is doubtless an allusion to this in the promise to the overcomer in the church at Pergamos:"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna," (Rev. 2:17.) Thus Christ in His humiliation is never to be forgotten, but always to be remembered, and gratefully to be fed upon throughout eternity by His people.

Hence an omer full of manna was laid up before the Lord, before the Testimony, to be kept for their generations. For forty years, during the whole of their wanderings in the desert, until they came to a land inhabited, this was their daily food; they did eat manna until they came into the borders of the land of Canaan.

FRAGMENT
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
‘Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

Dear Name! the Rock on which we build!
Our Shield and Hiding-place!
Our never-failing Treasure, filled
With boundless stores of grace!

Jesus, our Saviour, Shepherd, Friend!
Thou Prophet, Priest, and King!
Our Lord, our Life, our Way, our End!
Accept the praise we bring.

‘Then I shall know even as I am known" (1 Cor. 13:12.)

My life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me;
I cannot choose the colors,
He worketh steadily.

Oft-times He weaveth sorrow,
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper,
And I, the underside.

Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful
In the Weaver’s skilful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.