What an awful sin pride must be to God's eyes in one of His children, for each one has cost Him the sacrifice He made in sending; His beloved Son into this world. This blessed and only Son of His had to stoop down from the throne of His glory, even to the death of the Cross to redeem each one of us. We were vile and guilty, and this awful humiliation of Christ was of absolute necessity to reach our case. How dare we then lift up ever a proud look, harbor a proud feeling, look down upon any fellow-being because he happens to be in different circumstances ?

True, sin has produced revolting and disgusting scenes, and they spread before us on every hand. They may and they do sicken the heart at times, but a meek spirit remembers it is that in himself which caused the Savior's awful cry "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me ?" Oh, who can lift a lofty look, or utter a lofty word, or entertain a lofty mind, if that dark scene of the Cross stands before the soul ?

There are joys for such; joys which the loftiest minds know nothing of; joys in resurrection, for Christ is risen; joys from another world and another scene, for Christ has returned to heaven and made Himself our Center and oar Hope there. We joy with the joys which rise out of that scene; it is a joyous scene, for death, guilt, sin, sorrow, pain, are unknown there, or if known 'tis but in remembrance, to enhance the rest and peace now enjoyed; but the joys of that scene foster no pride, do not produce one haughty thought. Eternally the spirit that proceeds from there makes its citizens proclaim in joyous meekness "Unto Him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever."

It is not necessary to be rich and high in the things of this world to be proud, though humbleness of mind may find much more hindrance to its growth in that soil. The very rudeness and forwardness in some of the poor and low betray the same pride which makes the rich and high turn away with disdain. That same pride makes the poor say:I am as good as you, and I am going to make you feel it as much as I can.

The grace of Christ destroys this awful thing in both. It gives holy, chastened freedom before God our Father; and as we go from that Holy Presence to stand before men, its hallowed influence lifts us above high or mean self; the towering element of the mind is " All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field:the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it:surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:but the word of our God shall stand for ever." (Isa. 40:6-8.) P. J. L.