Many of us, when children in school, looked forward with eager anticipation to the weekly or monthly display of the Honor Roll, when the names of all students who were accounted worthy of special commendation were enrolled where all might behold them. To be left out of the Honor Roll was a great disappointment.

God, too, has His Honor Roll. In the day of manifestation it will be publicly displayed. Fragments of it have been already put before us in His Word, as in the twenty-third of 2 Samuel, the eleventh of i Chronicles, the second of Ezra, and the seventh of Nehemiah; and, in the New Testament, the sixteenth of Romans and the eleventh of Hebrews. These interesting and instructive passages are well worthy of perusal, as setting forth the kind of persons who will be mentioned with honor at the judgment-seat of Christ; and, what is of equal solemnity and importance, the class who will be omitted.

Many names we might naturally expect to find there will be absent. Many we dreamed not of beholding will be there, emblazoned with glory.

Among the warriors of David, there was none more doughty than Joab, the captain of the host. Brave to rashness, loyal even to cruelty, he was through all the years of rejection one of David's most determined upholders. But there was a something about Joab that was ever lacking :he was an unbroken man.

He is the picture of some champions of the truth today, who boldly confess Christ and contend for the faith, but are after all men of will, who will rule or ruin.

Such men often rise up in the assemblies of God's saints. Characterized by spirit and ability, they soon forge their way to the front. Able exponents, perhaps, of the Scriptures, or gifted preachers of the gospel, they for a time carry everything before them. The young especially are often led blindly by men of this stamp; and even aged saints are bewildered by the force and energy, the brilliancy and knowledge, they display.

But those who walk with God discern a something which they often grieve and pray over in secret, yet would find it difficult to put into words. There is a lack of brokenness before God, a sense of fleshly determination that will brook no refusal.

When a crisis is reached in matters of difficulty, such as frequently arise in an assembly, men like these are noted, not for calm, dispassionate waiting upon God, but for an energetic taking of things into their own hands and forcing issues through, before more timid or more spiritual saints are fairly awake to the real question before them.

Such a man was Joab-a man who might have been one of the brightest stars in the circle that surrounded David, but a man whose luster was dimmed by pride and self-will.

It is most solemn that after all his energetic service, when the time came for making up the Honor Roll, Joab's name was omitted. You search in vain for any mention of it in the list, twice-given, of "David's mighty men." It is not there. Joab had failed after all for want of that spirit of self-judgment which should ever characterize one who goes forth to fight the battles of the Lord.

His two brothers, never so famous as he, Abishai and Asahel, are both there (2 Sam. 23:18, 24); but he, the brilliant man of the family, is omitted!

Yea, more, his very armor-bearer, a man never heard of before, is there, enrolled among the heroes; but the name of the master is conspicuous by its absence, save in connection with these three names, which only the more emphasizes the omission. In ver. 37 we read of " Nahari the Beerothite, armor-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah."

Through all the battles in which he served the chief captain, this man had steadily pursued the path of devotion to David; never once referred to, never brought to the front before. But now the Honor Roll is made up, and his name occupies a conspicuous place upon it, while the name of the doughty chief upon whom he attended is absent.

There are surely solemn lessons for each one in this, beloved brethren. Oh, to be "faithful in that which is least;" to go on cleaving to the Lord in simple dependence upon Himself till that day !

Then the Roll will be made up, when many a Joab will be missing, and a host of comparatively unknown Naharis, never heard of outside their small immediate circle, will receive the Lord's approbation and be found among the mighty men! H. A. I.