"Remember your leaders who have spoken to you the Word of God, and considering the issue of their conduct, imitate their faith." (Heb.13:7, New Trans.)

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to-day, and to the ages to come."

"None of self and all of Thee," a favorite hymn of him to whose remembrance this special number of HELP AND FOOD is devoted, gives us a little glimpse of his secret exercises. Its words recall his deep-toned spirituality and devoted love for Christ, which was so often shown in tenderness, sympathy and sincere affection for the Lord's dear people. These qualities of his faith none could fail to appreciate who came in contact with him-our beloved brother and faithful leader, Samuel Ridout.

The Spirit of God exhorts us to remember such examples of faith and piety. We cannot do better than take present heed to it as God's command, for the profit and encouragement of our souls.

The loss we feel is cause for sorrow, but the memory of his life and service only awakens thankfulness to God, while we must rejoice that he now rests in the presence of the Master he loved and served.

There can be no question as to his claim upon our affectionate remembrance. Did he not speak to us the Word of God? I need only call attention to the list of his published ministry to prove his title, while the many whose privilege it was to sit under his oral ministry, unite to bear witness to the spiritual freshness and power which ever marked his presentation of the precious truth of God's Word.

This was not a matter of word only, but of power, for his conduct witnessed how deeply the current of his life was affected by the truth he ministered. We recall what manner of man he was among us, and, doing so, our hearts and minds are turned to Christ-we are brought low at His feet in thankfulness and worship. Such an issue is the highest claim to recognition as a leader whose memory we do well to recall, that we may learn thereby how the Spirit of God wrought a manifestation of the mind of Christ in one of His own.

We are called to imitate his faith. This can only mean for us the habitual practice of a daily walk in close fellowship with Christ, for it was the reality of this which manifested itself in his conduct, whether in the intimacy of his home, in the life and service of the assembly, or out in the world as he came in contact with it in the ordinary affairs of life.

His faith manifested itself in definite qualities of leadership.

We remember him as an instructor in the precious, priceless things of Christ-not in any cold, formal or technical manner did he open to us the meaning of the Word, but his service in this way was ever with the warmth of affectionate appeal to the heart, as well as supplying abundant material for the mind. He sought to hold the intellectual and affectionate faculties in that even balance so essential to a well-ordered life.
We remember him as a faithful shepherd of the flock of God, serving out of a willing heart, ever ready without regard to selfish interest, a true model after which we do well to seek grace to mold our own little service in love to one another. He cared "with genuine feeling how" we got on in "the things of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 2:21, New Trans.)

We remember him as a man of God who pursued righteousness, piety, faith, love, endurance, meekness of spirit, striving earnestly in the good conflict of faith (1 Tim. 6:11, 12, N. T.).

Through the grace of God we saw in him "a model of the believers, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12, N. T.).

We remember him as a father in the family of God, not only in his maturity of knowledge, but also in tender sympathetic care, ever exhorting, comforting and testifying that we should walk worthy of God who calls us to His own kingdom and glory (1 Thess. 2:11,12). Truly we found him gentle, yearning over us, finding his delight in imparting not only the glad tidings of God, but his own life, for he loved us in the Lord.

We remember him as a gift from the Head of the Church who was both a teacher and pastor, laboring assiduously "for the perfecting of the saints; with a view to the work of the ministry, with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ." We remember him as ever showing a lowly mind, a gentle and forgiving spirit in the face of unjust criticism-an example and inspiration to those near to him who knew how keenly he suffered during the closing years of his life from the hands of some he had faithfully and lovingly served.

What we learn from all of this for our encouragement is how preciously the mind of Christ may be formed in one of His own-one who answered in life to his own words:

"Leave the place of self-will, venture fully, wholly upon God; you cannot perish, cannot trust Him too fully. When our wills no longer resist Him, we find His blessed will, His love, bearing us upward, carrying us as a child is borne in its mother's arms. Here we find the very might of His will which we so feared bears and lifts us in perfect rest.

"Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea;
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered,
'None of self, and all of Thee'."

(From the Treasury of Truth Almanac and Counselor for 1930)

Our loss is indeed great, but I am sure that could he speak to us now his message would be:
" 'Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday and today, and to the ages to come.' If you have learned anything of Him in me, that imitate that He may be glorified in all your ways. Make everything of Christ." John Bloore