The Books in our Homes.
As one moves about among the people of God there is no subject which excites more pity than the paucity of sound Christian literature found in not a few of their homes.
What would we think of a man who lived in a fine orchard abounding with choice fruit, but who picked up a few wormy specimens for his own food ? Or of another who had an overflowing spring of clear, pure water at his door, but drank from a muddy ditch ? Or of another whose house was full of windows, yet for want of using them weakened his health from vitiated air ?
Yet such is the case too often with regard to reading-matter in the homes of dear people who in other things are wise enough. They would grow rich in spiritual things by having at their hand such treasures as the " Synopsis of the Books of the Bible," by J. N. Darby; "The Numerical Bible," by P. W. Grant; "Notes on the Pentateuch," by C. H. M. ; "Prophetic Subjects," by W. Trotter; "Lectures on the various epistles," by W. Kelly; and others, on different subjects, by J. G. Bellett, S. Ridout, C. Grain, H. A. Ironside, etc., opening up all parts of Scripture, and furnishing mind and heart with learning that perishes not with this life.
A Catalogue of Publications in which godly care has been exercised to choose the best, is furnished free by the Publishers of this magazine. Enough will be found in this catalogue to provide reading for years without repetition of subjects, with the teachings of many of the great gifts which the Lord Jesus has given to His Church-gifts to which all Christendom today is indebted for the great increase of light which shines in it. They were not, and are not, popular, for they accepted the Cross for their pathway as well as for their redemption; but because of this, God gave them the understanding of the wise; and this for the profit of us all.
Besides the large number of volumes, which would make up quite a library, there is a multitude of pamphlets and tracts, containing the gospel for the unsaved and instruction for the people of God, able also to furnish and arm them against the deadly errors of our times, such as Christian Science, Millennial-Dawnism, Seventh-day Adventism, Unitarianism, Higher Criticism, etc., as also against the so-called faith-cures, tongues, and other vagaries of man's mind, which loves to attract attention to itself.
With such a blessed provision from the Lord's treasury of truth, oh why should Christian homes be bare ? And why should questionable reading, to say the least-matter which gives uncertain sound, with crude and undigested ideas-be sought after ? Oh, what loss with such opportunities of gain!
Thankful indeed we are to find that a large and increasing number of assemblies are having depositories of these precious things in their halls, thus doing evangelistic work in disseminating much truth about them, with blessing to themselves and others. But one longs to see these treasures in every Christian home, ready at hand for the leisure moment, for reference at the family worship, for the occasional visitor, for lending to a neighbor, for actual, active, constant service. Oh for marks and proofs in the furnishings of our homes everywhere that to be disciples of our Lord is the great business of our lives! Brethren, dearly loved, is this fanaticism ? Was it not a serious thing for Israel to turn from the manna ? Was it not written to one like us, "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all " ? Shall we arrive in heaven poor, while we may be so rich ?