I should be thankful to share with the beloved readers of HELP AND FOOD the blessing derived from morning meditations on the Cities of Refuge. I have endeavored to seek out the lessons the Holy Spirit would teach, in dependence upon Himself, and without referring to what others have derived from them.

First, let us read the chapter, Josh, 20:, and I will quote the verses (7-9) giving the names of the cities.

"And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in Mount Naphtali, and Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation."

Now, in the first place, it goes without saying to the conscience and heart of every child of God, that our Father did not fill His Word with mere facts, and that in learning of these we had attained to all that He would have us get. This would surely be unworthy of a God of all grace, whose very name is Love, in giving a revelation to His creatures who so deeply need far more; therefore we may start with the assurance that there is something more in these verses than appears on the surface-something that shall be in harmony with the truth that God is Light and Love, and we His needy creatures, and, I trust, His beloved children through faith in Christ Jesus, with eternity before us. As the Holy Spirit teaches us, in writing to the Hebrews, "he that cometh to God must believe that He is;" so the first thing is, to grasp with assurance that in these cities there actually is something of infinite moment for us, worthy of Him who tells us of them.

Granting this much, we may fully expect that the names of these six cities will be found expressive of some characteristic or beauty or grace or quality in our Lord Jesus Christ, or of the salvation in Him. The first is apparently very plain :"Kedesh" is unmistakably "sanctuary;" and is used in Ex. 3:5-"The place whereon thou standest is holy" and so all through. It is more frequently translated "holy," or "holiness," than "sanctuary," and it would be of interest and value to note everywhere that this word is used for "sanctuary," for it would be full of the idea of holiness ; e.g., " send thee help from the sanctuary (kedesh)" is significant enough in Ps. 20:, the holiness of the help sought being the great point. Thus, then, if the names of the cities all are full of some beauty of our Lord Christ, or of some characteristic of those there protected, the first is holiness. And that is true; for whilst we should expect to find something speaking of salvation or security first, yet we must remember that is found in the very term "city of refuge."

First, we may say, then, these cities speak of refuge,- it is the first and broad idea connected with them; but immediately after that-what? Holiness. "To you first, God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." The universal lesson of all Scripture,-holiness, consequent on, and immediately following, redemption. The same wall, therefore, that shut in the refugee in perfect peace and security, shut out all impurity and defilement. That is what, I judge, our God would teach us by the foremost place being given to Kedesh. Just as, long afterward, the same blessed Spirit, speaking, not by parables, nor pictures, but plainly, showed that the one death of Christ that delivered us from the judgment of a broken law delivered us also from the power of sin (cf. Rom. 7:and Rom. 6:) Here is a by-way along which the natural heart is prone to wander:"Saved from judgment by free grace ! then let us give grace an opportunity of abounding by continuing in sin." Ah, the deceitfulness of sin is well adapted to a heart "deceitful above all things;" hence plain words of solemn warning-"Be not deceived:God is not mocked:what a man soweth, that shall he also reap." And many a gracious finger-post, in type of various kinds, pointing, at this first by-path, to the straight and narrow way, and saying, "This is the way; walk ye in it." Thou art safe, my soul;-thou hast fled for refuge to the hope set before thee in the gospel. Hearken to the first word that strikes the saved ear-"Kedesh, Kedesh" nor move a step till the lesson has been in measure impressed upon the heart.

Kedesh was given to Gershom the stranger,-perhaps a further idea of separation and a pilgrim-character attached to it.

Shechem, meaning "shoulder," "back." Exactly the same word, " Shechem," is used in Gen. 9:23-" laid it upon their shoulders (shechem)"-that part of the body on which burdens or weights are carried. See also Gen. 49:15-"He bowed his shoulder (shechem) to bear, and became a servant under tribute. Hence the word seems connected with servitude. Look too at Ps. 81:6, Is. 9:4, 10:27; but Is. 9:6 seems very striking, as also connecting government with the "shoulder;" still the idea is the same,-it is that of carrying, bearing, supporting- He shall support, maintain, uphold, the government. (Compare also Is. 22:22.)Now these are not human definitions, but those of the inspired Word itself, and, gathering them together, we conclude that "Shechem" first bears the idea of "service; " (Gen. 49:15 is conclusive as to this,) and surely this follows in beautiful order after "refuge" and "holiness;" not till the meaning of these two earlier words is practically learned does "Shechem " come in, or is service acceptable. But here extremes meet-" he that is chief is as he that serves " (Luke 22:26), and He who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and was amongst His own "as he that serveth," is the only one fit or capable of maintaining government, which shall be upon His shoulder. Blessed principle! may we learn it, for we too shall, through grace unspeakable, reign with Him. But if so, we must learn that which is so closely connected with government, and must precede it (although never put aside as finished, for He serves ever; and we, in glory, serve) to serve. Blessed principle ! see it dwelt upon in the epistles-i Cor. 16:15:the house of Stephanas were far advanced in this school of service, hence rule, so the saints of Corinth are exhorted to submit themselves to them. (So Refuge, Kedesh, and Shechem once more press the lesson of the law of the sin-offering -Lev. 6:-salvation, holiness, service.) Shechem was situated in Ephraim,-1:e., "fruitfulness;" was it not well placed? The activities of love are the "fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ."

But let us stop a little at Shechem; "go round about her, tell the towers thereof." How much should we lack, lacking Shechem ! Made partakers of the divine nature-Love, and left in a world still lying in the wicked one, where on all sides his prisoners are met,-Shechem lacking, we should have no gospel for them, no deliverance to the captives to preach. The " poor always with" us, without Shechem there would be no ministry of love in doing good to them. The suffering of a groaning creation on every side, but no service of sympathy-weeping with them that weep, as well as rejoicing with them who do rejoice. Ah, should we not miss it were Shechem lacking? Were the outlets of that divine nature stopped, love barred from displaying itself, and shut in upon itself, should we not ourselves be prisoners, and long for the liberty of serving;-to have the "freedom" of this glorious city ours, for here the servants are the freemen ? (i Cor. 7:22.)

"My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." It is as if God Himself were hallowing Shechem with His presence, and He who was one with Him in life and nature were delighting to dwell there too. Consider her palaces, my soul! And this city is ours. Do we appreciate it? Are we enjoying our citizenship of this "no mean city"? or has the pendulum of our lives swung a little too far on the other side, -from the fleshly energy, restless activity, and legal labor which, alas ! so abounds everywhere in Christendom, to what may really largely be slothful ease, fruit of carnal security, whilst precious opportunities never to return are lost, and our ears are dull to hear the Spirit's call:" Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." And we have looked at Mary sitting at her Master's feet-listening, learning, and approved, till some of us have concluded that this attitude gives the only picture of Christian life; but the same Mary teaches us another lesson in Jno. 11:, nor is the service of Martha in that scene checked in the slightest, or out of harmony with it. The "care" and "trouble" of Luke 10:showed that she was not then true dweller in Shechem-her citizens serve with joy :'tis liberty and relief. An easy yoke, not cumbersome. Oh to breathe the healthful, bracing air of this lovely city-Shechem !

Hebron, the third city, means "association, confederation," hence carries the idea of fellowship, communion. Jacob sent Joseph out of the vale of Hebron (where he was at home-loved, understood,-where heart answered heart in sweet communion,) to Shechem (service), for those who hated him and purposed to stay him. No communion there; " He came to His own, and His own received Him not;"-from the Father's bosom He came _the vale of Hebron. How sweetly, then, this name " Hebron" speaks to us, when taken in this opposite order after Shechem, of communion restored, of " fellowship with us (as John writes), and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ."For sent from Hebron to Shechem is John's gospel (chap, 1:), but here Hebron after Refuge and Kedesh and Shechem is John's epistle-He came from the Father's bosom to serve, He has gone back there-to Hebron; but not alone-He has taken His redeemed with Him:" Because I live, ye shall live also," He said; and, lo, we are in Hebron too. Fellowship with the Father !understanding, through the blessed Spirit, something of His heart, recognizing in whom that heart delights, and sharing (through that one blessed Spirit), in our feeble way, in that delight; entering a very little way, but still truly entering, led by divine power, into His thoughts of the Son; resting on His finished work, where God rests; gazing on His beauty with joy-a joy perfect in the Father's heart only. The Father's counsels and purposes all determining that He shall be exalted to highest glory, and our voices and hearts saying, "Amen! for He is worthy ! "-it is the vale of Hebron in which we are,-fellowship, too, with the Son ! What are His thoughts-that blessed Son? What is His delight, in which His people may, in measure, share ? The Father is perfectly glorified,-where He was dishonored, there far more exceeding glory has been His. The "fifth part" has been added to that which He had lost through sin staining His work-through the robbery of the first man, who sought to be equal with God :His will has been done. Blessed, precious, almighty will! Love and Light have each been perfectly accounted of, and God is no longer narrowed-straightened, with vail up, but can show Himself unhindered, "able to do exceeding, abundantly." We may, too, have fellowship with His praise. " We join the praises that He leadeth." " In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee;" and we learn to say with Him, " Our God, our Father," as He said, " Go, tell My brethren that' I ascend unto My God and your God, to My Father and your Father." Yes, He has not gone back alone to that Bosom from which He came;- He has taken brethren with Him back to the vale of Hebron; He has brought us to His Father's house, and (think of it for thyself, my soul !) sinners of the Gentiles are "fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." Yes, as we walk on earth, this is fulfilled. The path that He trod is ours:if we suffer with Him, we shall reign with Him. And in all these things, and far more, we have fellowship with one another:-no lonely strangers are the Lord's people in Him; they are in sweet companionship; they are of one household; they share each other's joys, trials, burdens, after the pattern of their ever blessed Lord.

Hebron is in Judah-" praise," beautiful for situation again; for John writes, when, as we may say, inviting us to dwell at Hebron, (chap. 1:4), " that your joy may be full." And "full joy" means "melody in the heart," and that, most surely, is "praise." F. C. J.

( To be continued in next number.)