Calendar:July 16th to August

DAILY BIBLE READING:……..July 16th, Malachi 2; July 31st, Matt. 13; August 15th, Matt. 28. MEMORY WORK:………….1 Thessalonians, chap.4.
GOOD READING ……. "Eight Lectures on Prophecy."

Daily Reading

Again we are in the New Testament-the complete Word of God, where "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are unfolded," where the Holy Spirit has not only given the inspired pages to fill our minds with "the unsearchable riches of Christ," but is Himself present to apply these truths to heart and conscience, and thus to conform us to the image of God's own Son. Are we grateful for this divine Book? Let us not forget to add "thanksgiving" to our prayers for daily blessing to one another as we read these holy pages.

I have a suggestion to make regarding this present reading of the New Testament. It will involve the use of a little note book, which will help our memories. As we read through Matthew, let us fix the contents of each chapter in our memories, so that at the completion of the Gospel, we will be able to give a full summary of the whole. This of course does not mean the memorizing of any verses, but just to have the synopsis of each chapter clearly in mind. Thus:chapter 1.-The Genealogy of our Lord (vers. 1-17); the birth of the Lord Jesus (vers. 18-25). When you have the contents clearly in your mind, so that you can repeat them, together with the number of the verses, then write it out in your note book. You might call that book, "New Testament Outlines." Let's see how many will do this. A little five cent note book is all that is necessary, and a few minutes daily will give you something you will be very thankful for as you go on.

Memory Work

We are still at 1 Thess. Chap 4 is especially valuable, as it contains that great "classic" on the Lord's coming, vers. 13-18. When persons say the truth of this "blessed hope" is too deep for them, it is well to remind them that in this first of all the Epistles of Paul he gives the full clear and precious statement. May we not only recite the passage perfectly, but respond in our inmost hearts to the precious "comfort" it affords. A dear brother writes, "I wandered about, seeking to satisfy my desires, but the Lord strove with me and conquered me, and put in my heart the desire to know Him. Now my great desire is to know Him better, and please Him, and I trust that He will continue to give me the blessed fellowship of His saints. It is precious to know that He must be coming for us very soon."

Good Reading

Just a line to say that, judging from the silence, there is not much interest in good reading. I can't believe this, and don't think we should give it up. So please let me have your thoughts.

I spoke last time about the foundation, or corner stone for your library, and in thinking over what books I would advise you to get, in the building up process, it has occurred to me to ask for your thoughts. And I believe I will first ask if you will not send me a list of the books you already have. You know it is our great aim to make Y. B. D. a cooperative affair. Don't hesitate because you have so few books. If you have one, let me know what it is, and in this way you will be surprised how many suggestions we will give one another.

Vacation Time

June is in many ways the loveliest month of the year, and it has been my happy privilege to be having meetings in a most beautiful part of the country, where luxuriant crops, numberless roses and other flowers abound. But the most beautiful "crop" is the great number of bright happy young people, who have been attending the meetings in great numbers. Some of these are still in High School, or just finished this summer. Others are at the other side of the school line, and are just getting ready for the sober but most happy duties of married life. It is a great cheer to meet so many, and to know that down in their hearts has been put the seal of the Holy Spirit, because they have believed on the blessed Son of God.

What shall we do with our vacation? is perhaps the question in the minds of most of these young people. I am very glad you are going to have a vacation. It is needed by us all. What will you do with it? Some are going to the sea shore to enjoy the delightful surf bathing; others will go to the mountains, with their grand scenery and refreshing air, long walks and drives. A good many have planned to be at the Montrose Vacation Conference, where I hope to meet you, and where I trust we are going to have a helpful, happy time. For the time see the cover of this magazine.

But wherever we spend our vacation I want to wish you the best of enjoyment, and a home-coming with renewed vigor and strength to take up the work in the school, the office, or the store, wherever you may belong.

Perhaps some of you may say with a sigh, "No, I am not going anywhere, but just stay at home." Well, isn't it good to have a home to stay at? And, after all, you can have a first class vacation just at home. You can rest a good deal, change your routine, visit more, and in one way and another find the time slips by very happily. This is specially the case when you try to make others happy. "Do something for somebody," is a great remedy for the blues.

But I started out with the thought of giving a few little hints as to spending the time in vacation. Of course "Bible first" applies here as well as all the rest of the year. I am so glad we don't have to take a vacation from daily Bible reading and study. That would be a punishment instead of a recreation; wouldn't it?

Then "open air" suggests a lot of special opportunities to do a little for the Lord, a tract here and there, a visit or two to some "shut in;" maybe to go on the "firing line" with the brethren who are preaching on the street. Many a brother has made his first "plunge," in speaking on a street corner. May the Lord bless you in all the work of your hands.

Now I am going to ask you to get ready to send me a little letter after your vacation is over, called "How I spent my vacation." I want to get-I was going to give a number, but instead I will say, a letter from a great many of you. Please don't disappoint me.

The Question Box

Ans to Ques. 6.-As to the "twelve" in 1 Cor. 15:6, and "eleven" in Mark 16:14 and Luke 24:33.

"Mark 16:14 and Luke 24:33 give the actual account of the Lord's appearance to His disciples and therefore only includes those actually present. (Thomas was not present on the first occasion but was on the second.) 1 Cor. 15:6 speaks of the divinely chosen witnesses of the Lord's resurrection, and these were to stand in the complete number according to God's plans and purposes. Acts 1:22 makes it very plain that the one appointed in Judas' place was to be a witness with the eleven of His resurrection, so he is mentioned in 1 Cor. 15, as if already chosen."

Ques. 7.-"The Lord Jesus bore witness to the baptism of John, through His disciples carrying on the same baptism. This baptism is spoken of in Acts 19:4 as the 'baptism of repentance,' which pointed those receiving it to the Lord Jesus Christ who came 'to take away the sin of the world.' He was the sin-bearer, not the witness to the sin-bearer. John said (John 1:30), 'That He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water?' It was God's purpose that He should have a forerunner to thus point Him out, and it would not have been in order for Him to use the same sign to manifest Himself."

Ques. 8.-" 'He that believeth on Him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already' (John 3:18). It is believing, or not believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, which determines whether a soul is saved or lost. Baptism is unto Christ's death (Rom. 6:3), so that by baptism (taking our place in death- acknowledging His death as our due) we openly acknowledge the just judgment of God on our sins, but we have been freed from it by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. The figure (baptism) implies the acceptance of the reality, and that must be by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

Ques. 9.-"The twelfth apostle is undoubtedly the one chosen in Acts 1:22, who was to be a witness with the others and is associated with them as taking the place of Judas. Paul is the special apostle to the Church, the Bride of Christ, and may thus be connected with the city as a whole."-e. w. b.

Correspondence

59th meeting. Total present, 24.

Opened with singing of hymns and prayer.

Discussion on Mark 16:16.

Baptism seemed to be the outward recognition of entering the kingdom; also an outward sign of separating from Judaism and idolatry. It was a responsibility, as Acts 2:38 shows. Last part of verse is, "He that dis-believeth (or, believeth not) shall be condemned." Baptism not included there. "He that believeth and is baptized"-that was the Lord's desire-baptism, and taken for granted those that trusted in Him would immediately fulfil His desire. Baptism not essential for salvation- the "Verily, verily," of John 5:24, and all Scripture is opposed to that. The dying thief of Luke 23 would be a good example of that fact.

Where do the Catholics get the idea of purgatory, and what Scripture have we to offset that?

Purgatory means "to purify." Catholics only admit two things about it-that there is one, and that souls detained there are helped by prayer. Following scriptures are what they base it on:1 Pet. 3:18-20, especially 19th verse; Rev. 6:10; Eph. 4:8,9.

Luke 16th chapter shows the rich man had no hope of being purified in hades. What an insult to God it is even to suggest that a man has to be sanctified after death, when here, in His word, it says, "It is finished." Compare Hebrew 10:14,15; Rom. 1:16.

1 Cor. 4:1-5 discussed:Works are judged, but they themselves (believers) suffer loss if not serving Christ here. It is lost time-as when one comes to a chasm in a journey and has to go miles out of the way in order to get to other side-that is lost time on their journey. So with us, as Christians-if not redeeming time it is lost time. We will cast our crowns at His feet, it is true, but how nice it would be to be able to cast much before Him. We cannot work for the Lord if we have grieved the Spirit, as He does not lead then.

"Deeds of merit, as we thought them,
He will show us were but sin,
Little acts we had forgotten,
He will tell us were for Him."

Eccles. 7:2. Eccles. is a book which gives account of human experience, as chs. 1:13 and 3:20 show. Solomon is telling what is in his heart. In Prov. he is walking with God and would not say many things he speaks of in Eccles.

Heart mellowed by sorrow. Heb. 12:11-"those exercised thereby." Sorrow yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Jesus was the Man of Sorrows. Sorrow always brings us closer to Himself.