The Great Business of a Christian. Do we in any full measure realize what is the principal business of a child of God? As living in the world he necessarily has his earthly responsibilities as to individual conduct, family, social cares, and the other duties of his earthly calling. All these he has in common with other men. These are natural human responsibilities which none can shirk that is worthy of the name of man. We are not merely men, but new men in Christ, and while this new relationship to Christ and eternity does not set aside earthly responsibilities, it necessarily occupies the chief place of importance in our lives. Failure to recognize this, calmly and deliberately, results in feebleness of testimony, vacillation in walk and general loss of communion:"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Let first things be first.

To be very simple, let us never allow the sun of this world melt the manna, which should be gathered while the dew of morning is fresh upon it. Let us cultivate the habit (rather let us rigorously refuse to give anything a place of priority) of spending the first part of each day in the things of God. In this of course reading and feeding upon the word of God occupies a central place. Where this is the case, we shall find our minds safeguarded from many of the follies and trifles which ordinarily take up most of our leisure time. "I esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food."

The Privilege and Duty of Intercession. Next to our lax ways in connection with the word of God perhaps our greatest failure is neglect of prayer for others. This of course presupposes that personal private communion with God which must precede any priestly care for others. "My vineyard have I not kept," means that we are thereby disqualified from truly taking care of the things of others. But for every one who enjoys in any measure the blessedness of private prayer; who knows what it is himself to make known his requests unto God; who has received answers to his prayers for increased devotedness, fuller apprehension of the truth of God and other spiritual blessings; who knows what it is to have even his requests for earthly mercies answered, we say that for every one who is thus qualified, it is inestimable to remember the needs of others.

It is an easy thing for us to become selfish even in spiritual things. "Knowing the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren," certainly reminds us that we should not forget them in their afflictions. The needs of the saints with whom we are acquainted, and with whom we are associated, are many and varied; and we certainly do not wish to forget those who are sick, or those who are passing through sorrow, or those whose circumstances are especially trying. These we naturally remember in prayer, but suppose a brother is spiritually sick; suppose his troubles are of the soul rather than of an earthly character, is it not to be spread before our common Lord? Here is a whole sphere of service and activity. The work in the Sunday School room, on the platform, tract distribution, summer gospel work, the foreign field, these and many other spiritual needs press upon us the responsibility of being intercessors.

Think for a moment of the opposite. We know how easy it is to form the habit of gossip, to criticize the real or imaginary failures of our brethren, or aimlessly pour our burden as to these things into the ears of those who cannot help us. How different it would be if we spread all before our blessed Lord-the great Burden Bearer of His people's cares. Have you a prayer list? Do you keep a memorandum of various needs which call for God's help, and are you making it a matter of your daily business in the things of God to speak often to Him about such matters? We commend this earnestly to the attention of the people of God. We are sometimes, asked as to the "Gifts," sometimes the question is raised, What is a woman's sphere of service? Well here at least is service of the greatest importance compared with all outward activity, in which the least of us can engage without rebuke or risk of going beyond our appointed line of things. Are we men and women of prayer? S. R.