QUES. 10.-What shall we do with a son of ours-a boy of sixteen years-who has been accustomed to obey, but who of late has acquired ideas of independence, and refuses to submit to parental government?

ANS.-First of all, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, . . . casting all your care upon Him ; for He careth for you." It is discipline upon yourselves from Him; and this needs to be first of all acknowledged and bowed to. Ask Him also to show you why this is needed. Then show your son that they who refuse to submit to God, He finally casts into the outer darkness; those who refuse to submit to the government of any business house must go out of their employ; and, in the same way, those who desire to live with their parents must of necessity submit to the government of their parents; for a house without government is a house without salt; and a house without salt means corruption.

QUES. 11.-What is "the book of Jasher," or "upright," in Josh. 10 :13 and 2 Sam. 1:18?

ANS.-Does not the name itself, "upright," show that "the book of Jasher" was a faithful account of historic facts which, though not inspired, was trustworthy, and commended by inspiration? God has put in His Word only what is needful for His purpose. He is, however, quite free to commend anything that is true outside of it.

QUES. 12.-Are the "sons of God " in Gen. 6 and Job 1 the same order of beings, and does Jude 6 refer to Gen. 6:2?

ANS.-There is much in those Scriptures which might make one say "Yes" to your question. But our Lord's statement in Mark 12 :25 concerning angels seems to make impossible the thought of connecting Jude 6 with Gen. 6, unless it be by demon possession.

QUES. 13.-Is it devotional to repeat divine names many, many times in prayer?

ANS.-We fear it is not always devotional-too often, habitual; sometimes arguing a want of that deep reverence that should ever characterize the use of His holy name.

Utilizing in prayer that we are speaking to God Himself-not to those around who listen to us-will prevent our falling into mere habits of expression.

We have public prayer in Neh. 9 ; private, in Dan. 9 ; taught by the Lord, in Luke 11; the Lord's own prayer, in John 17. We may in them learn the manner of utterance in addressing God.

QUES. 14.-Will you please explain the meaning of the 29th and 30th verses of the 5th chapter of Matthew, and Mark 9 :43? Also tell me if a Christian can join the United States Navy, and honor Christ by so doing.

ANS.-In the Lord's "sermon on the mount," it is not the Saviour among sinners, preaching the gospel to them :it is not the grace by which we are saved. It is Christ the King, telling His subjects the things which become His kingdom. In it, also, He gives to the Law its full import. So far, it had been applied only to the actions of men. Now He makes it to reach the very thoughts and intents of the heart. Verses 27 and 28 show this. Then, in verses 29 and 30 He turns its light upon sin in man, and declares the awful consequences of it. If it is better to cut off our members, to pluck out our eye, than to sin by them, what must be the heinousness of sin in His sight! for what is dearer to a man than his members ? We repeat, it is not the Saviour here, as in John 4, telling out the grace of His heart to a poor, needy sinner. It is the King telling what suits His presence. It is that which, read in our families, will teach our children what suits God, what solemn consequences sin has, what a need they are in of a Saviour. It is that which, also, will exercise the hearts of those who are saved, in whom Christ ever labors to form in them the character He loves. Mark 9 :43 is the same line of things.

As to "joining the United States Navy," if a Christian belongs to the world, he may please Christ in joining it; but if he does not belong to the world, as John 17:14-16 shows, then be cannot please Christ in joining it. Indeed, he must go against all that is dearest to Christ in doing so. The Navy is for killing men, which may be of absolute necessity sometimes in the affairs of state and of this world; but Christ is not of this world, and He came not to kill, but to save."Follow Me" He says to His own.

QUES. 15.-Is 1 Cor. 13 :1-3 translated correctly ? If so, how is it possible that a man could do all that is mentioned there, and not have charity ?

ANS.-It is rightly translated. It does not say that a man might do all the things mentioned there and yet be without love. That is not the subject. The subject is, that all those things, great as they are, are nothing apart from love. Love is what gives them what value they have. There were some who preached Christ "even of envy and strife" (Phil. 1:15), and great gifts may be possessed and not always be used in love. "God is love," and all He does is with an ultimate end of good. So love in us labors, not for self, but for others. It is the essence of true Christianity ; it will be the essence of heaven when all gifts will have passed away with the need they were intended to serve.

QUES. 16.-What is it to deliver one to Satan, as Paul did in 1 Tim. 1:20?

ANS.-It is, by one who has authority and power so to do, to put another into the hands of Satan to do to him the evil which Satan aches to do to them who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. We have an example of it in Job. Only, there it is God Himself who delivers Job to Satan, and in no case does God allow Satan to go beyond the limits which He puts upon him. Men like Paul, who were wholly devoted to the interests of Christ and the welfare of His people, might also have this power to deliver a grievous or hardened offender to Satan.

It has been said by some that when an assembly puts one of its members under discipline for sin, it thereby delivers him up to Satan. We do not believe this; for, alas, too often it has been found that assemblies themselves have greatly erred in their discipline, which shows they have not sought Christ's interests alone. Yet it may he found that such as have been put under discipline by the assembly have, besides, been also delivered up to Satan by God Himself. It is a dreadful thing. May we, each one, watch, lest we should require to be put through such an ordeal, and be "sifted as wheat."
Its object is plain-"that they may learn not to blaspheme." Similarly in 1 Cor. 5 :5-" to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." "God is love," and all His dealings with His children, severe as they may be, have ends of love.

QUES. 17.-Please explain John 13 :14 ; also, 1 Tim. 5 :10, that clause, "If she have washed the saints' feet." Is washing the feet to be taken literally? A neighbor of mine who is an aged Christian thinks it should be. I would like a word on the subject through your magazine.

ANS.-John 13 :7 plainly shows it cannot be taken literally, but that there is a lesson in it which Peter would know later on :for if it were to be taken literally, there would have been no need to learn afterward what the Lord meant by it. There are certain actions among men which have a moral in them. For instance, when Pilate wanted to show that he was guiltless of the blood of Christ, but merely surrendered to the demand of the Jews in crucifying Him, "he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person."

So the washing of feet has a moral to it:it represents service. The Lord served us in dying for us. He serves us still day by day in our journey through this world. If we sin, He makes intercession for us as He did for Peter, that his and our faith may not fail. If we suffer, He sympathizes with us, and thus comforts and strengthen us. If we are hard and callous, He pierces our conscience by the power of His word. We are ignorant and needy-He sends us His servant, a book, a tract, to convey the truth to our souls. He loves His own "to the end," and ever serves them. This is what the washing of feet means, and it makes plain the meaning of 1 Tim. 5 :10. To be honored as a " widow indeed," she is to have, among other qualifications, that "she have washed the saints' feet"; that is, that she have kept her house open to the people of God, and served them in their necessities. Rom. 16:1-4 gives two lovely examples of this ; and in the midst of declension and growing selfishness, it is most refreshing to find still such women of God here and there.
"MY BELOVED"